#did i stay up til almost 3 am to write this?

[justdecadentcollectiondestiny]

LAWMAN [Easy: Success] - Lieutenant Kitsuragi. *Wake up.*

WHIRLING-IN-RAGS HOTEL ROOM - Your eyes flicker open against their will, forcing you to stare at the blank white ceiling of your hotel room as you lie on your back.

RIGOUR [Trivial: Success] - The way you will lie in bed every night of your life.

YOU - Why am I awake? I should be resting.

LAWMAN - You are awake because I told you to wake up.

YOU - I’m off duty.

LAWMAN - Not right now, you’re not. You’ve got a job to do. *Right now.*

- Close your eyes again.

- [Vigilance - Challenging 12] Why do you feel like you need to be awake right now?

LOW

22% 

-2 It is very late at night. Or early in the morning.

CHECK FAILURE

VIGILANCE - [Challenging - Failure] You don’t know. And you *really* don’t like not knowing.

SANGFROID - [Medium: Success] You’re just on edge after a long day. That’s all it is. Relax. 

YOU - What the hell time even is it.

DIGITAL ALARM CLOCK - The bright red angry numbers spell out 2:47.

TAXONOMY [Easy - Success] - You will be awake again in just over four hours.

CONSTITUTION - Why have you done this to us?

HOTEL ROOM WINDOW - The overcast sky diffuses the moonlight filtering in through the window above the bed.

PERCEPTION (HEARING) [Medium - Success] - You can hear the occasional shout from the courtyard outside.

SAGE - Why are those children not in bed like reasonable people?

JOIE DE VIVRE - Oh, they’re not what *you’d* ever call “reasonable people” and you know it.

YOU - Close your eyes again.

VIGILANCE - The pit that has just formed refuses to dislodge itself from the bottom of your stomach.

FANTASTIQUE [Hard: Success] - Something *wants* you to be awake.

- Don’t be ridiculous. (Inhale deeply and exhale.)

- You really think so?

- (Tune out the noise.)

RIGOUR - The breaths come to you as second nature, falling into a steady rhythm. 

SANGFROID - But it isn’t enough. You’ve been disturbed from your rest. It’ll take more than your usual deep breathing to return to it. 

- No. It’s not worth it. Just let me go back to lying here in peace. 

- (Sigh and sit up.)

HOTEL ROOM FLOOR - The linoleum is cool under your bare feet as you sit at the edge of the bed. As your eyes adjust, you begin to make out the vague shapes of the furniture in the room, aided by the grey light coming from the window.

YOU - Fine. I’ll just get a quick glass of water, then back to bed. (Stand up.) [Conclude.]

TASK GAINED: GET A DRINK OF WATER

BATHROOM DOOR - This is the door to the bathroom you share with room #1 next door, with your partner, with Harry Du Bois. 

YOU - (Open it.)

SHARED BATHROOM - A burst of humidity hits your skin as you enter. Hot water gushes from the broken sink faucet, fogging up the mirror as well as the rest of the room.

SYNTHESIS [Medium - Success] - It would not surprise you in the least to learn that the broken sink was a result of your partner’s apparent drunken rampage before your arrival.

- (Wipe off the mirror.)

- [Interfacing - Legendary 14] (Try to stop the flow of water.)

LOW

3%

-10 Tool not equipped

3. - Nix the drink of water, I guess. (Leave it alone)

NAVIGATEUR [Easy - Success] - The door that connects the bathroom to room #1 is wide open.

PERCEPTION (SIGHT) [Medium - Success] - No, scratch that - the door is *gone.* It has been *removed.* 

SYNTHESIS - See above.

PERCEPTION (HEARING) [Hard - Success] - Over the sound of the rushing water you can make out - nothing.

RIPOSTE - And that’s important why?

PERCEPTION - Trust me. Too much quiet is not a good thing.

SYNTHESIS [Easy - Success] - A man of his build would almost certainly snore.

TAXONOMY - Alcohol consumption would also contribute to that.

- (Poke your head through the doorway.)

- [Perception (Hearing) - Medium 10] (Listen again.)

HIGH

86%

3. - (Let it go.)

CHECK SUCCESS

PERCEPTION (HEARING) [Medium - Success] - Again, nothing. Except for rushing water and distant wind rushing. Not even so much as a breath apart from your own.

COMPASSION [Easy - Success] - This is it, isn’t it. The pit. The knot. Can you be sure of where he is right now?

SANGFROID [Trivial - Success] - You saw him enter this room after your debrief. He closed the door behind him.

COMPASSION - Can you be sure of where he is *right now*?

- This isn’t my problem right now. Not at 2:50 in the morning.

- The detective is a grown adult. Whether or not he’s in his hotel room is his responsibility.

- I can’t.

COMPASSION - Unless…

YOU - (Poke your head through the doorway.)

MACHINIST - You cough slightly as chilled air enters your lungs, irritating the residual smoke from your nightly ritual.

ROOM #1 - The hotel room looks as if a tempest hit it. The blurry shapes of bottles, various scraps of trash, and miscellaneous debris litter every surface.

PERCEPTION (SIGHT) [Legendary - Failure] - The shapes would be less blurry if you were sporting your proper eyewear.

DISHEVELED COUCH-BED - The pull-out couch against the wall is a mangled heap of towels, blankets, and pillows.

PERCEPTION (SIGHT) [Legendary - Failure] - It’s dark. You’re glassesless. You can’t make out any signs of life.

YOU - (Take a step closer.)

DISHEVELED COUCH-BED - No motion. No nothing. Just a stale, lingering odor of sweat and alcohol.

YOU - (Gently reach out a hand.)

DISHEVELED COUCH-BED - Your hand pats at the crumpled blanket and askew cushions. 

PERCEPTION - There’s no one here.

COMPASSION - Oh god, there’s no one there.

YOU - (Turn on the lights.)

CEILING FAN - You fumble for the chain, feel the lightbulb on the end of it, and pull it.

RESILIENCE - Light floods the room and makes you squint. 

YOU - [Perception (Sight) - Easy 6] (Scan the room again.)

HIGH

93%

+3 Lights are on

-1 Glasses are off

CHECK SUCCESS

PERCEPTION (SIGHT) - There is no one else in the room apart from yourself.

COMPASSION - Something’s happened. Something bad.

SAGE - Oh, come now. Is a grown adult not being in his room when you expected him to any cause for alarm?

COMPASSION - It is when said grown adult is in the condition this one is in.

1. - [Rigour - Challenging 13] (Go back to bed.)

LOW

19%

-2 Compassion is worried

-1 Previous incident involving a folding chair

2. - (Go back to your room. Get ready to go outside.) [Look for Harry.]

COMPASSION - There’s no telling what could have happened. Hurry.

RESILIENCE - And remember your jacket. It’s cold out there.

YOU - [Leave.]

TASK GAINED: GRAB YOUR GLASSES, JACKET, AND BOOTS

ITEM GAINED: ROUND GLASSES

ITEM GAINED: LACE-UP BOOTS

ITEM GAINED: AEROSTATIC PILOT JACKET

AEROSTATIC PILOT JACKET - As you pick up the neatly folded jacket from the console table, you reveal the dark shape of your holster, the Kiel A9 Armistice nestled safely inside.

VIGILANCE [Trivial - Success] - Take it. You need it.

VOX POPULI - No you don’t. You won’t. Not now. Not for this.  

COMPASSION [Hard - Success] - He would notice if you brought it. You know he would.

- (Take the holster.)

- (Leave it.) [Leave. Go outside.]

***

PERCEPTION - Stop! You almost stepped on something.

YOU - (Pick it up.)

Item gained: Harry’s Police Ledger

HARRY’S POLICE LEDGER - You stoop to pick it up. It’s the ledger Detective Du Bois fished out of the Whirling trash bin earlier today, still covered in refuse.

YOU - Then that means… (Look around.)

PERCEPTION (SIGHT) [Easy - Success] - Yes. Barely visible in the shadow of the crumbling bench from the single lamppost lies a huddled mass of a body on the cold, cracked ground.

YOU - (Hurry to his side.)

HARRY DU BOIS - Eyes closed, pale, and clammy, the detective makes no response to your hand on his shoulder.

- “Detective?”

- “Harry?”

HARRY DU BOIS - No answer. No sound.

TAXONOMY - [Trivial - Success] - No good will come of him just lying on the ground like that.

NAVIGATEUR - [Easy - Success] - The Kineema. Just a few metres away. With lights and a water bottle.

YOU - [Machinist - Hard 10] (Lift the detective onto your shoulder.)

EVEN

48%

CHECK SUCCESS

MACHINIST [Hard - Success] - He doesn’t weigh quite as much as you had expected him to. You’re able to lift him off the ground and walk with him carefully towards the motor carriage.

HARRY DU BOIS - Before long, you have him situated in the driver’s basket of your Coupris Kineema.

YOU - (Pry his eyelids open and examine his pupils.)

HARRY DU BOIS - No signs of drug use, at least not recently. His pupils contract in the brightness of the headlights, but otherwise show no signs of consciousness.

YOU - (Unscrew the cap of the water canister and raise it to his lips.)

HARRY DU BOIS - The water flows over his mouth and down his chin. 

- “Wake up, officer.”

- “Detective, can you hear me?”

- “Come on, Harry… come on…”

HARRY DU BOIS - The water is beginning to make it into the detective’s mouth. A tongue emerges, as well as a soft groan.

COMPASSION - The air you’ve been unintentionally holding in your lungs escapes all at once.

YOU - “Drink -- water.”

HARRY DU BOIS - “You’re here?”

YOU - “Mhmh. Now drink.” (Raise the container.)

HARRY DU BOIS - The water pours down his throat. The tightness around his eyes begins to soften.

YOU - “Drink.” (Tilt the canister.) “You haven’t drunk water in two days. Did you know the human body is not made to survive on alcohol *alone*? You need a secondary form of hydration.”

HARRY DU BOIS - With greedy gulps, he downs half a litre of cold water.

YOU - “What happened?”

HARRY DU BOIS - “I should ask you the same.”

- “I had a gut-feeling.”

- “I was worried about you.”

- “I couldn’t sleep and happened to look in your room and notice you weren’t there.”

HARRY DU BOIS - “I was out here.”

YOU - “Yes, you were. I’m glad I got here in time.”

HARRY DU BOIS - “How long was I out?”

YOU - “I don’t know. It could have been quite a while.” (Look him in the eye.)

HARRY DU BOIS - This is a broken man. Possibly even more so than when you first met him.

HARRY DU BOIS - “I came in contact with the burnt out ruins of the past, lieutenant.”

LAWMAN [Trivial - Success] - You’ve spent your entire career skirting around smouldering craters of the past. Every police officer you know has. 

YOU - “That does sometimes happen.” (Hand him the ledger.) “I found this next to you.”

Item lost: Harry’s Police Ledger

HARRY DU BOIS - He takes the clipboard and shoves it into the pocket of his cloak, as if he never wants to see it again in his entire life.

FANTASTIQUE [Medium - Success] - Even so, something tells you he would have missed it if you didn’t give it back.

YOU - “It is extremely late. You need sleep. Are you okay to stand up?”

HARRY DU BOIS - He nods and shakily rises to his feet. 

YOU - “Good.” 

***

HARRY DU BOIS - The two of you have reached the second floor of the Whirling-In-Rags, with you walking alongside him instead of at your usual position behind him. You stand in front of the door to room #1.

HARRY DU BOIS - He fumbles his room key out of his pocket and fumbles it into the lock. It pops open.

VOX POPULI  [Medium - Success] - He has a faraway look in his eyes. It is impossible for you to not recognize it.

HARRY DU BOIS - “I can’t decide if going back would be the best or worst decision I’ve ever made.”

COMPASSION - He doesn’t mean back into his hotel room.

- “I’d wager you’ll end up back there eventually.”

- “It’s behind you. You’ll never see it again. I promise.”

- “No one’s asking you to make that decision right now.”

HARRY DU BOIS - “Thank fuck for that.” He swings the door open.

VOLTA DO MAR - KEEP YOUR BALANCE. YOU WILL NOT FALL ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. YOU WILL REMAIN ON SOLID GROUND, CIRCLING BACK TO THE SELF.

HARRY DU BOIS - “Kim…” He pauses in uncharacteristic apprehension. “Thank you.”

YOU - “Don’t mention it. Get some rest.”

- “Good night, detective.”

- “Good night, Harry.”

HARRY DU BOIS - He gives you a nod and disappears through the doorway. The door closes with a soft click behind him.

YOU - (Stand there for a second longer, staring at the door.)

YOU - [Leave.]

If you open the ledger and read the card without Kim with you, the game assumes he's not there because he's away taking the body for processing. The dialogue makes no sense if you read it after he goes to bed. Hence *gestures at all of post*

Inspired by the amazing work of @even-disco-baby and the Kim skill tree made by @mindblownie!

[spiderfunkz]

city of stars , blurbs — [ chore ] sender does a chore they know receiver hates doing + tasm!peter because he’s such an acts of service guy <3 me personally I hate cleaning the bathroom so I’d literally propose on the spot if he did that for me <3

[ chore ] sender does a chore they know reciever hates doing + tasm!peter

warnings : all fluff, established relationship, mentions of food, gn!reader, this was so rushed i'm sorry ml.

peter is 100% an acts of service guy!!!! he's so sweet i am so☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️ also sorry this took a bit i've been really busy with tests and didn't have time to write this

apple cinnamon, strawberry glaze, and chocolate sprinkles. you repeat in your head, making sure you bought the same donuts as the ones you wrote in your journal.

the walk was nice, you finally had some free time after a while and chose to treat yourself with some alone time, and donuts.

the wind blows through your hair as you spot an orange leaf by a tree. fall was coming very soon, you can basically feel it.

the weather was perfect, it was cold. cold to the point you can finally wear sweaters again and buy overpriced hot chocolate almost everyday. but not cold to the point you have to hibernate in your apartment for days because the air outside will freeze your lungs.

speaking of apartments, peter was staying over for a bit. after noticing that you've been busy with work all week, staying over and checking up on your was the least he could do.

the keys jingle as you open your apartment door. "pete! i got the donuts i've been craving, do you wanna try some?" you yell out, eyes still focused on the door you're trying to lock. you were met with silence.

"peter?" you yell again.

"in here!" he replies, the voice was coming from the - bathroom?

you put the donuts on the kitchen counter as you walk towards your bathroom.

you haven't had time to clean it yet, poor peter was probably frightened by the sight of the wilting flowers near the sink, or the used candles by the tub, or even the old empty perfume bottles by the mirror.

but as you reach the door frame, it looks clean, it smells clean.

peter was smiling like an idiot with a lemon air freshener in his hands.

"you cleaned my bathroom?" you question, cleaning the bathroom is something you've always avoided or waited til' last, since like, forever. you weren't gross or lazy, you just hated every bit of it.

"yeah. you were busy, and i remembered that you said you hated doing it so i figured, why not do it you know? plus this air freshener was on sale and it smelled great." he explains.

"and the flowers by your sink were wilting, so i got you new ones." he added, you look towards the vase as it was already replaced with new ones.

"they're fake though, sorry." he pouts. "i just think you deserve flowers that'll last forever. or if you want i can buy real ones and i'll take care of it from time to time." peter awkwardly smiles.

you rush towards peter for a hug.

"you're the best peter, really." you squeeze him. "anything for my, ladybug."

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

aita for asking my mum to clean out the kitty litter trays even though its usually my chore

i drove to doctors and work this morning, i worked 8.30 till 5 she worked 8.30 til 4 and drove home after her shift ended to pick up my dance clothes for me (i only didnt have them because i had to stay late at work since 3 people went home sick).

my friend cancelled on me for dance tryouts so i spend the afternoon crying and eventually choose to go anyway because i was excited for hiphop but by this point my head is pounding.

i get out of work, she drives me to dance and goes to get macdonalds while she waits for me to get out. halfway through dance they mention we are not even doing hiphop today not until next week (u have to pay for the tryouts btw)

i get out 7.40ish. on the drive home im thinking "fuck its almost 8 i havent done any uni study, (i have 2 lectures, a quiz and like 8 readings that need to be done today and tomorrow), i havent spent any time with our cats or cleaned their litter trays yet."

for reference we have new cats and are introducing them into a house with a dog so rn we have them in one room and let them out occassionally while putting the dog out back, while i clean out the litter trays and top them up every day, once a week we empty them completely and clean them out

so we get home and i say "would it be too much to ask if you could please do the litter trays tonight" i try to explain that i have a headache and ive still got a lot of uni homework to do and i havent spent any time with the cats so i'd play with them for a bit while she cleans the trays and then do my homework

immeadiately she starts yelling at me that shes tired, she hasnt been home from work all day, she did it last time, shes done so many favours for me already today and blah blah blah.

the way i see it, first, i clean the kitty litter trays every day and vacuum their room. she has literally never done this, she emptied out and washed a tray last week because i was sick and got home from work and passed out. i (a learner btw so im very stressed when i drive) drove us to her appt and then to work, i worked more hours than her today, i danced all night with a headache, i also have not been home all day, after being cancelled on and then them not even doing the type of dance i wanted to do and i still have to do uni work tonight so i dont think im the selfish one here.

but sitting in my cats room while they eat their dinner i can hear her storm about and slam doors because shes so mad at me but i dont understand am i in the wrong here?

also literally as i am writing this she comes out and goes "tell me when youve finished dinner so i can let the cats out. and DONT leave it too late" while my food is literally cooking as we fucking speak jfc.

i have a bit of a diary where i write when mum is mad at me because if i mention to her that she upset me it never goes well so i write it down to safely let those feelings out and as i was writing this one i just needed some clarity i really cant fathom any reason for her to be mad except egocentrism so perhaps an unbias outsider can shed light?

What are these acronyms?

[toxinoire]

I'm gonna say some things.

As someone in the Heathers fandom AND ships Veronica and the Heathers, we all know there would be some kind of toxicity to it so I'll explain what kind of toxicity it would be (for both Movie and Musical) and how (a sort of effective way) to write them to be a good ship with character developments without them being too OOC.

Before I start, I'm just gonna say that to make this effective, it's gonna HAVE to be a slow burn. Like, a 10 season show with at least 40 episodes each.

Each character has issues.

Chandler (this applies to both Movie and Musical) has a god complex (not to JD's extent tho) and is controlling. She can't let go of the control and she is an asshole to a lot of people. Her power over the school got to her head, causing her to be like this.

Duke (musical) same as Chandler but add ambition to it. (Movie) In this case, it's more of she lets people walk all over her and she wants to prove she can be number 1 corrupted her mind, turning her into more of asshole. (Take note, Duke wasn't MUCH of an asshole in the movie til the red scrunchie)

McNamara (applies to both movie and musical) has bad mental health. As shown, suicidal. In the musical, Mac's mood went from depressed to happy which is wrong. But in the movie, we see her ask Veronica to cut off school early to go somewhere. (Meaning she knows her problem. And I think they did cut off early)

Veronica (applies to both) is a decent person however her views get the better of her. (Movie) It's why JD's views of a society easily got to her. (Musical) And it's why she stayed with him, believing that there's still good in him. (Remember she only left him when she realized he doesn't regret killing one bit)

Why did I say 10 seasons with 40 episodes each? We'll need to have 2 seasons dedicated to each Heather. If merged together, each episode will be focused on one Heather with some slight background of the other two. For Ronnie, one season is enough, specifically focused on her learning to look at every angle and not just what her views are. The other 3 seasons will focus on their relationships with each other.

Now for character development writing, whether we like it or not, something WILL HAVE TO HAPPEN to them for character development to work.

Chandler already gets date r*ped, Duke has bulimia, Mac has shitty mental health and Veronica was already bullied a lot before popularity.

So the other three will have to witness Chandler get date r*ped and get her out of there. Chandler complies to the date rape because of status, so once they learn that, they will talk her out of it. Whatever they say, they will end up saying something that would make her question if what she's doing is worth it.

For Duke, they're all aware of her bulimia, but it'll have to be worse. Since Duke (probably) starves herself, she'll probably faint one day the other three will have to see it and help her with it. Duke probably won't go to the doctor (yet) but she'll probably try to (slowly) learn to eat without throwing up.

Mac, in her case, (I'm sorry) she'll actually have to almost die with her attempt for this to work. So the other three will help her and stick around her. Comfort her and listen to her problems. Because of opening up, she'll learn to accept her feelings and learn how to properly cope.

Veronica, something REALLY BAD has to happen. While she's already popular now, there are still probably worse assholes than the Heathers that will probably beat her up to the point she can't move. And the other three will have to take care of her and check on her a lot.

Why am I suggesting these? Why is it always "the other three"? Because that's when they'll learn to care for someone. They'll learn to protect someone, recognize emotions, learn how to comfort someone. Not just for others, but for themselves as well. They'll have to learn to care for themselves too.

Now the Heathers, after these, will slowly learn to be nicer while Veronica will learn to be more brutal.

The Heathers are mean to an extent, so they have to learn to be nicer. Veronica is already nice, just a little petty, so she'll have to learn to toughen up more.

But this will happen slowly.

It's gonna take a long time for them to process all this. They'll learn to care for themselves and others.

Chandler lets go of her control issues, Duke learns to draw the line, Mac learns to acknowledge her feelings and Veronica leanrs to look all sides of a situation.

And once character development is done, relationship development is the main focus.

While during character development there will be noticeable relationship changes, it's not the main focus, the main focus is them developing as people.

So in relationship development, we'll see them defend, care and protect each other, we'll still need to see misunderstandings and miscommunications. These are teens so these are inevitable occurrences.

Petty fights, misunderstandings, miscommunications. These will happen, since they are teens, kids still learning and making stupid decisions. (I hate the miscommunication trope but in this it HAS to happen for the sake of learning to accept their mistakes and lower their pride)

They will have to go through a lot more bullshit, while not death, a lot of shit for them to learn.

Again, it's a slow burn so while I worded this out this way, how it works in the actual writing will show the development.

There are a lot more ways that I can't possibly list them all, but this is probably the simplest one.

Thank you for coming to my ted talk.

[memberment]

morning everyone

I wasn't gonna make an update post today bc I've been like

kinda debbie downer as fuck & I'm not feeling super yappy.

but I'm literally working on Knockin' On Heaven's Door (36) and Genesis is actually almost done.

Wish me luck at work may or may not update more later<3

(2:51) I'm giggling to myself over how significant 3's and 7's were to this story before I decided to include the seven seals of the apocalypse in it. I am currently writing the seven trumpets and

LOSING MY MIND.

(8:43) Y'ALL I'M BACK FROM WORK WITH TWO NEW FIC CONCEPTS (well, one new one, one might just be implemented into a more casual fic bc the idea itself is really funny but I need an actual plot for it.)

BUT ONE OF THEM REVOLVES AROUND HALLOWEEN SO WHEN I'M DONE ALL OF MY PROJECTS ARE GETTING PUSHED BACK BC THIS IS GONNA BE SOOOOOO FUN.

(also I'm done being sad for rn I gen thought I was gonna get fired today (not at all my fault btw) but I didn't! so yippie!<3)

(9:45) guys idk if this isn't reading as ominous because Im genuinely so desensitized to all things spooky and I've been working on this for like, days straight (again) or if it's not reading as ominous because it's not.

which makes me wanna scream bc that means I'm gonna have to wait A WHILE BEFORE I LET MYSELF ACTUALLY PROPERLY REREAD THIS LMAOOOO (this is actually so annoying)

(2:27) okay so I got distracted for like three hours on this Halloween project but then decided I didn't want to write it so I'm back on Genesis....

Guys...

I didn't know exactly how I wanted the exact end sequence to happen. Like I had a lot of ideas, some I kept.

BUT WHEN I FUCKING TELL YOU GUYS.

I was cursing myself bc I'm allowed to have creative freedom and I made Wendy and Brimmy close bc I just phoned it in idk and I got in to deep to change it but I was like wait no that's stupid why did I do that but then I was like no fuck it we ball Brimmy and Wendy duo it's fine (I genuinely love them ngl, I will be writing them again)

THAT WAS THE WORST THING I COULD'VE DONE BC IT JUST MADE THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS AT THE END THAT MUCH MORE FUCKING UPSETTING.

I don't know how to cope with this...

Oh also I'm writing 37 rn. We're at 113.5k.

I'm literally almost done. I actually feel sick LMFAOOOO

(2:38) It's not done but I just finished 37. I feel like I'm about to go into shock... I'm at 114k and IN SHOCKKKKK.

Like, I still gotta fill in a few flashbacks and finish up chapter 32, but WOW.

This is like, done. My life is ruined.

(7:05) guys pls tell me how I have just been like in giggle and kick my feet reading ff gear since I finished genesis bc I cant bear to reread and fully finish it tn

and my all of my playlists are cycling through

and Im just like reading this cute lil ff that is HEALING ME after all the shit I just put my cast through

and Baby Kia starts playing. Like my brother in christ it is 7 in the morning…

I am laughing so hard over this I had to sit up and restart one of my playlists bc I cant rn

no one needs to listen to BK at 7am

ANYWAYS after I go to bed (I lowk might stay up to finish reading this fic tho Im on 8/14 and I am NOTORIOUS for picking something up and not sleeping til I finish it if its under 100k (were not discussing this) and I am very invested) I might be MIA all day bc physics labs and my first exam are both due tm.

I probably wont be MIA all day bc I wanna start my halloween project (that all of like two people will prob find as funny as I do, and Im totally fucking fine with that bc I gencthink its so funny.)

OH AND ALSO I decided that this halloween project may be apart of the morning glory/dandelion verse but well get to that when we get there

[mercedesfiction]

My brain: “We have a beautiful and fun Halloween fic idea!”

Me: “No way, we have way too many other fics to be working on, and we wrapped up our Halloween fic last year…”

My brain: “But it’s our magic creative hour of 2 AM! We must see what comes from it!”

Me: *Writes 1,000-word intro for a new Halloween fic.* “What have I done… and why would we start a project like this only a week til Halloween?!”

In case I don’t finish it in time or don’t come up with any more to add this year, here’s a fun little intro teaser to a random Halloween fic that I apparently just had to write out xD

If and when I do finish it, I'll be sure to add a link at the bottom :D

(EDIT: I did! Chapters 3 & 4 are this fic on the link. Happy Halloween!)

Witch Entertainment

(Jesse McCree x Female Reader 18+)

The chill autumn breeze blows through you in your Overwatch hoodie, jeans, and boots. You shiver at its presence, giving you goosebumps over your skin as your hoodie with a long sleeve underneath does little to defend against the colder evening air. You stay huddled up next to your boyfriend as the heels on both your boots and his, click on the stone pathway leading to a large stone castle. Along with the crunch of stepping on fall leaves every so often. Illuminated by lanterns along the path and candle-lit Jack’o lanterns. The sounds of bats overhead and an owl somewhere off in the trees along your path.

“Ya hangin’ in there?” Your boyfriend says with his smooth Southern drawl. His cowboy hat barely moves to the wind as it lightly blows now and then. His spurs jingle loudly and echo off the cobblestone path. He seems a lot more unfazed by the chilly breeze with his denim jacket and jeans. A plain black tee tucked in to show his “BAMF” belt buckle and holster on his hip. His iconic Peacekeeper revolver sits snuggly inside it, with the breeze spinning the spur on its handle now and then.

You slowly nod and try to control your shivering. “Yea…” You speak softly. “Sure is colder here than at the base…”

Jesse lightly chuckles, wrapping an arm around you, holding you tight against him. “Yea, sorry bout that.” He smiles, kissing your head. “I don’t think it should be as cold the rest of the time we’re here…” His tone is soft as you continue to walk.

‘Where is here?’ That is what you wanted to ask. Not knowing how exactly you got here, to begin with. Jesse mentioned it was a surprise and has been very vague on any details.

You try to process your day so far up until now. Remember being at Watchpoint Gibraltar in the early afternoon during a light rainstorm and Jesse telling you that we would leave for a couple of days and leading you to the med bay. A secret room in the med bay housing a teleporter that you hadn’t seen before and suddenly you’re teleported here, outside, and at night.

A forest area that seems secluded with a stone castle in the distance that appears like it would fit in well at Eichenwalde. Jesse had sprung this last-minute “trip” after you had mentioned how it was odd that you hadn’t felt the Halloween spirit yet this year. Especially with the holiday fast approaching and even decorating your quarters with Halloween decorations and lights. Making it cozy and matching the season perfectly, but the rest of the base lacks any celebration this year or decor.

“We’re almost there…” Jesse’s tone remains soft as he still holds you close. Sharing his body heat with you as you draw nearer to the castle.

You glance around more at your environment, barely seeing past the lanterns lighting the pathway, making the surrounding trees and forest dark and shadowy. “This place is a little spooky…” You speak softly while looking around.

“Ya ain’t scared,... Are ya?” Jesse grins.

You give him a gentle smile. “Not with you here.”

“Good answer.” He whispers, kissing your cheek softly.

You both finally reach the castle, approaching its large wooden doors with metal ring handles and door knockers. You give Jesse an unsure look while examining the large structure and its entrance. “Well after you…” He gestures to the door with a soft smile.

You swallow before slowly grabbing the cold metal ring of one of the knockers. Its weight becomes apparent as you move and lift it away from the door. The stiff metal ring moves with a grind before you drop it back against the door, knocking loudly.

You and Jesse stand in the cold breeze for a moment longer without words or movements, before one of the doors slowly opens with a chilling creaking sound. You keep an unsure look on your face as you glance at Jesse as he gestures to you to go ahead.

You slowly walk inside with Jesse right behind you. Leaning on and closing the heavy wooden door, silencing the wind from outside. You notice the temperature change when entering the castle, feeling much warmer with being enclosed and out of the wind.

The foyer of the castle is lined with candles and candelabras, keeping the space well-lit. Jesse causes your body to tense for a moment when he suddenly grabs your hand and slowly leads you down the hall into the main part of the castle.

You come to a sort of sitting room or living room with large windows looking out into the surrounding night forest. The interior of the room is warm and cozy and filled with witchy decorations and magical potions. Vintage furniture such as sofas and a couple of chairs along with wooden end tables and a coffee table. Centered around a lit fireplace, giving the space an added warmth.

Jesse leads you to sit on the couch, a soft velvet-like texture that’s warm from the fire. He removes his jacket and places it over your shoulders, giving you his heat for your hoodie to absorb. “Alright…” Jesse speaks quietly with a smile, kneeling in front of you. “Close yer eyes, Pumpkin.”

You hesitate for only a brief moment before slowly closing your eyes. The warmth relaxes you in the foreign space. You keep your eyes closed, listening to the crackling of the fire but not hearing any other sounds besides that, making you a little nervous but still calm with it being peaceful.

Your body tensed again at the feeling of a gloved hand gently grabbing and lifting your chin. You keep your eyes closed but notice a new aroma of different herbs and spices. Like hints of vanilla and pumpkin.

“Did someone call for a Witch?” The familiar female voice with a Swiss-German accent grabs your attention, making you open your eyes.

Your eyes widen with surprise with you seeing Witch Mercy leaning down to face you while holding your chin to look at her.

Continue on Chapter 3:

[virgoilluminati]

One Shot List

Heya, so after the end of Belongings I am planning to have a little break from fanfic series’s to focus on doing smaller fics. But knowing me… they’ll end up becoming short series’s of their own. 😆

So the plan is basically, requests for anyone on my masterlist is open, so just ask me what prompt you would like and who you would like it for, and I’ll write you a fic. ❣️❣️❣️ Been wanting to do this for a while so please send me requests (even if they’re not on this list too). I don’t bite…. (Or do I hehe😏) JK I DON’T I PROMISE

Here’s the prompt list:

1. "You're hair is really soft after you wash it."

2. Ssh. Stop fussing. I'm just braiding your hair."

3. You smell really nice."

4. "Would it be all right if I borrowed your sweater? It smells like you.

5. 'I might have slept with your robe when you were gone."

6. "If you steal the blankets, I am going to put my cold feet on you."

7. Here, let's share the blanket.

8. You're comfy."

9. You are my new pillow."

I0. "You are very endearing when you are half-asleep.

11. "But I want to hear you sing.

12. "We can talk over dinner."

13. "Don't be stubborn. Try it!"

14. "Don't get up - I'll do it."

15. "Will you let me rub your back?"

16: "Care to give me a back scratch?"

17. "Star-gazing was a good idea."

18. "You look beautiful/handsome in the moonlight."

19. "I'll always be here for you.

20. "TIl be here to protect you."

21. "I think I love you."

22. "You are my love."

23. "How about something warm? It will will help you sleep.

24. "It's okay. I couldn't sleep anyway."

25. "Don't be silly. I want to stay up with you.

26. It is not morning yet."

27. "Shush and go back to bed."

28. "I heard you talking in your sleep."

29. "Your bed head is really cute.

30. "We'll do dishes together.

31. "How about a kiss?"

32. “I love your hugs."

33. "Come over here and make me.

34. "Have you lost your damn mind!?"

35. "Please, don't leave."

36. "Do you...well...I mean...I could give you a massage?"

37. "Wait a minute. Are you jealous?"

38. "Is there a reason you're naked in my bed?"

39. "I almost lost you."

40. "Wanna bet?"

41. "Don't you ever do that again!"

42. "Teach me how to play?"

43. "Don't you dare throw that snowba-, goddammit!"

44. "I think we need to talk."

45. "Kiss me."

46. "Hey, I'm with you, okay? Always."

47. "So, I found this waterfall..."

48. "It could be worse."

49. "Looks like we'll be trapped for a while..

50. "This is without a doubt the stupidest plan you've ever had. Of course I'm in."

51. "The paint's supposed to go where?"

52. "You need to wake up because I can't do this without you."

53. "We're in the middle of a thunderstorm and you wanna stop and feel the rain?"

54. "I've seen the way you look at me when you think I don't notice."

55. "You come here often?"

56. "Can I offer you a drink?"

57. "So.. You expecting someone?"

58. "Do you need a place to stay for tonight?"

59. "I gotta tell you... you look incredibly hot.

60. "Do you want to dance with me?"

61. "Look at us... we are basically a couple already."

62. "I bet you would look even better without your clothes on."

63. "Are you single? Just asking."

64. "You're the most beautiful person I have ever encountered."

65. "What would you say if you and me would go somewhere else?"

66. "I love the way you're dressed."

67. "Do I have any chances with you?"

68. "Do you have anything better to do later?"

69. "Can I get your phone number?"

70. "You seem like a bad boy/girl/person type."

71. "I can do whatever you want, babe."

72. "You have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen."

73. "I bet guys/gals/people are all over you.

74. "You should be a model."

75. "Are you... trying to flirt with me?"

76. "Maybe if I get a free drink I can consider talking to you."

77. "That won't work. Try again."

78. "Oh my god, did you just say that out loud?"

79. "I'm waiting for someone. However, you can amuse me in the meanwhile."

80 "You don't look so bad yourself."

81. "I thought you were taken."

82. "So, have you flirted with every girl/boy/one in this bar yet?"

83. "Do I look like someone who seems interested in you?"

84. "Compliments won't pay my drinks."

[lords-of-mayhem]

What Taylor Swift songs do you think would be the LOC boy’s favorites?

Do I dare mix my black metal interests and Taylor Swift? I would like to remind everyone before I answer

Some of these are songs I think fit them and some are songs I think they'd enjoy. :)

(I also know the ask said boys, but I threw in Ann-Marit too <3)

Varg // The 1

And if you wanted me, you really should've showed. And if you never bleed, you're never gonna grow.

But we were something, don't you think so? Roaring 20s, tossing pennies in the pool. And if my wishes came true, it would've been you. In my defense, I have none for never leaving well enough alone, but it would've been fun if you would've been the one.

I guess you never know, never know, and it's another day waking up alone.

I persist and resist the temptation to ask you if one thing had been different, would everything be different today? We were something, don't you think so? Rosé flowing with your chosen family and it would've been sweet if it could've been me.

In my defense, I have none for digging up the grave another time. But it would've been fun if you would've been the one.

Pelle // I Can Do It With A Broken Heart

They said, "babe, you gotta fake it 'til you make it" and I did. Lights, camera, bitch smile, even when you wanna die.

Breaking down, I hit the floor. All the pieces of me shattered as the crowd was chanting, "more!"

I was grinning like I'm winning, I was hitting my marks 'cause I can do it with a broken heart. I'm so depressed, I act like it's my birthday every day. I cry a lot, but I am so productive, it's an art.

You know you're good when you can even do it with a broken heart.

Blackthorn // Hey Stephen

Hey Stephen, I know looks can be deceiving, but I know I saw a light in you. And as we walked, we would talk and I didn't say half the things I wanted to.

Hey Stephen, I've been holding back this feeling, so I've got some things to say to you. I've seen it all, so I thought, but I never seen nobody shine the way you do.

The way you walk, way you talk, way you say my name. It's beautiful, wonderful, don't you ever change. Hey Stephen, why are people always leaving? I think you and I should stay the same.

They're dimming the street lights, you're perfect for me. Why aren't you here tonight?

I'm waiting alone now, so come on and come out, and pull me near. Hey Stephen, I could give you fifty reasons why I should be the one you choose. All those other girls, well, they're beautiful. But would they write a song for you?

I can't help if you look like an angel, can't help it if I wanna kiss you in the rain. Come feel this magic I've been feeling since I met you. Can't help it if there's no one else, can't help myself.

Faust // All Too Well

Oh, your sweet disposition and my wide-eyed gaze. We're singing in the car, getting lost upstate. Autumn leaves falling down like pieces into place and I can picture it after all these days.

'Cause there we are again on that little town street, you almost ran the red 'cause you were looking over at me. 'Cause there we are again in the middle of the night, we're dancing around the kitchen in the refrigerator light.

And maybe we got lost in translation, maybe I asked for too much. But maybe this thing was a masterpiece 'til you tore it all up. Running scared, I was there, I remember it all too well.

I'd like to be my old self again, but I'm still trying to find it. After plaid shirt days and nights when you made me your own.

Now you mail back my things and I walk home alone, but you keep my old scarf from that very first week 'cause it reminds you of innocence and it smells like me.

You can't get rid of it 'cause you remember it all too well.

Occultus // Lover

This is our place, we make the rules. And there's a dazzling haze, a mysterious way about you, dear. Have I known you twenty seconds or twenty years?

We could let our friends crash in the living room. This is our place, we make the call. And I'm highly suspicious that everyone who sees you wants you. I've loved you three summers now, honey, but I want 'em all.

With every guitar string scar on my hand, I take this magnetic force of a man to be my lover.

My heart's been borrowed and yours has been blue, all's well that ends well to end up with you. Swear to be overdramatic and true to my lover. And you'll save all your dirtiest jokes for me and at every table, I'll save you a seat.

Can I go where you go? Can we always be this close forever and ever? Take me out and take me home. You're my, my, my, my lover.

Øystein // Back To December

We small talk, work and the weather. Your guard is up and I know why. Because the last time you saw me is still burned in the back of your mind. You gave me roses and I left them there to die.

This is me swallowing my pride, standing in front of you saying I'm sorry for that night.

It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you, wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine.

Then I think about summer, all the beautiful times. I watched you laughing from the passenger's side and realized I loved you in the fall. And then the cold came, the dark days, when fear crept into my mind.

You gave me all your love and all I gave you was goodbye. And you held me in your arms that September night, the first time you ever saw me cry. Maybe this is wishful thinking, probably mindless dreaming. But if we loved again, I swear I'd love you right.

I'd go back in time and change it, but I can't. So if the chain is on your door, I understand.

And I go back to December. I'd go back to December, turn around and make it alright. I'd go back to December, turn around and change my own mind. I go back to December all the time.

Manheim // Tolerate It

I sit and watch you reading with your head low, I wake and watch you breathing with your eyes closed. I sit and watch you, and notice everything you do or don't do.

Lay the table with the fancy shit and watch you tolerate it. If it's all in my head, tell me now. Tell me I've got it wrong somehow. I know my love should be celebrated, but you tolerate it.

While you were out building other worlds, where was I? Where's that man who'd throw blankets over my barbed wire? I made you my temple, my mural, my sky.

Now, I'm begging for footnotes in the story of your life, drawing hearts in the byline. Always taking up too much space or time, you assume I'm fine, but what would you do if I break free and leave us in ruins?

Took this dagger in me and removed it, gain the weight of you then lose it. Believe me, I could do it.

Metalion // Sweeter Than Fiction

Seen you lost in a crowd, seen your colors fade. Wish I could make it better, someday you won't remember this pain you thought would last forever and ever.

There you'll stand, ten feet tall. I will say, "I knew it all along." Just a shot in the dark, all you got are your shattered hopes. They never saw it coming, you hit the ground running and now you're onto something.

Proved me right when you proved them wrong and in this perfect weather, it's like we don't remember the rain we thought would last forever and ever.

There you'll stand, next to me. I'll be one of the many saying, All at once, the rest is history. "look at you now, look at you know." I'll be one of the many saying, "you made us proud, you made us proud."

And when they call your name and they put your picture in a frame, you know that I'll be there time and again. 'Cause I loved you when you hit the ground, only sound that you heard was "no."

Attila // State Of Grace

I'm walking fast through the traffic lights, busy streets and busy lives. And all we know is touch and go, we are alone with our changing minds. We fall in love 'til it hurts or bleeds or fades in time.

And I never saw you coming.

Now all we know is don't let go. We are alone, just you and me. Up in your room and our slates are clean. Just twin fire signs, four blue eyes.

So, you were never a saint and I've loved in shades of wrong. We learn to live with the pain. Mosaic broken hearts, but this love is brave and wild. This love is a state of grace, this is the worthwhile fight.

Love is a ruthless game unless you play it good and right, these are the hands of fate. You're my Achilles heel, this is the golden age of something good and right and real.

Fenriz // Cruel Summer

Fever dream high in the quiet of the night, you know that I caught it. Killing me slow, out the window. I'll always be waiting for you to be waiting below.

Devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes, what doesn't kill me makes me want you more. You say that we'll just screw it up in these trying times, we're not trying.

So cut the headlights, summer's a knife. I'm always waiting for you just to cut to the bone. Devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes and if I bleed, you'll be the last to know.

I'm drunk in the back of the car and I cried like a baby coming home from the bar. And I snuck in through the garden gate every night that summer just to seal my fate.

And I screamed for whatever it's worth, "I love you!" Ain't that the worst thing you ever heard? He looks up grinning like a devil.

It's new, the shape of your body. It's blue, the feeling I've got. And it's a cruel summer. It's cool, that's what I tell 'em. No rules in breakable heaven, but it's a cruel summer with you.

Necrobutcher // Red

Loving him is like driving a new Maserati down a dead end street. Faster than the wind, passionate as sin, ending so suddenly.

Loving him is like trying to change your mind once you're already flying through the free fall. Like the colors in autumn, so bright, just before they lose it all.

Losing him was blue like I'd never known. Missing him was dark gray, all alone. Forgetting him was like trying to know somebody you never met. But loving him was red.

Regretting him was like wishing you never found out that love could be that strong. Remembering him comes in flashbacks and echoes, tell myself it's time now, gotta let go.

But moving on from him is impossible when I still see it all in my head, in burning red.

Hellhammer // Marjorie

Never be so kind, you forget to be clever. Never be so clever, you forget to be kind. And if I didn't know better, I'd think you were talking to me now. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were still around.

What died didn't stay dead, you're alive in my head.

Never be so polite, you forget your power. And if I didn't know better, I'd think you were listening to me now. The autumn chill that wakes me up, you loved the amber skies so much.

Long limbs and frozen swims, you'd always go past where our feet could touch and I complained the whole way there. The car ride back and up the stairs, I should've asked you questions.

I should've asked you how to be, asked you to write it down for me. Should've kept every grocery store receipt 'cause every scrap of you would be taken from me. All your closets of backlogged dreams and how you left them all to me.

Ann-Marit // You're On Your Own Kid

It's okay, we're the best of friends. I hear it in your voice, you're smoking with your boys. I didn't choose this town, I dream of getting out. There's just one who could make me stay.

From sprinkler splashes to fireplace ashes, I waited ages to see you there. You're on your own, kid. You always have been.

I picked the petals, he loves me not. Something different bloomed, writing in my room. I play my songs in the parking lot, I'll run away.

I called a taxi to take me there, I search the party of better bodies just to learn that my dreams aren't rare. I gave my blood, sweat, and tears for this.

My friends from home don't know what to say. I looked around in a blood-soaked gown and I saw something they can't take away 'cause there were pages turned with the bridges burned. Everything you lose is a step you take.

Varg (bad bitch era) // Look What You Made Me Do

(Side note: he feels soooo badass with this song.)

I don't like your little games, don't like your tilted stage. The role you made me play of the fool. I don't like your perfect crime, how you laugh when you lie. No, I don't like you.

But I got smarter, I got harder in the nick of time. I got a list of names and yours is in red underlined. I check it once then I check it twice.

I don't like your kingdom keys, they once belonged to me. You asked me for a place to sleep, locked me out and threw a feast.

The world moves on, another day another drama, but not for me. Not for me, all I think about is karma. And then the world moves on, but one thing's for sure; maybe I got mine, but you'll all get yours.

I don't trust nobody and nobody trusts me, I'll be the actress starring in your bad dreams. I'm sorry, the old Taylor can't come to the phone right now. Why? Oh, 'cause she's dead.

[luckyqueenreign]

Once again I almost ran over here after the very first scene💀💀💀 so let me get into it…

1. These episodes were not as strong or as long as the first 3 but these writers are funny as hell (not sure if it’s intentional or just actually bad writing but it’s enjoyable🤡)

2. I SCARED MY DAMN DOG LAUGHING SO HARD AT THE PUBLIC VOTE…. OF COURSE fusebox found the one way to get our partner stolen without it being our “twins fault”. I think Amelia redeemed herself for me afterwards when they had their cute twin moment though and I’m still picking all the nice options

3. Of course Amelia’s bedtime outfit is hotter than our options🙄

4. Baby Lewie sleeping on the daybeds🥹🥹 what an angel. I just might have to take the soft route this season💀

5. Bella is the real friend here, thank god FB has *hopefully* learned after the Dana BS that if we say we aren’t into girls we don’t want you to keep asking! No shade to those that want a female Li but I love that she pulled us for a friendly chat and i like her better than Grace

6. Portuguese Party Boy….. that line had me rolling. But he’s not it for me so I led him on but didn’t let him kiss me and told the islander’s he likes me better than I like him. Sorry Roberto looks like I’m staying loyal to Lew until Elliot/Hamish pull up

7. PLEASE TELL ME YOU PICKED THE DIAMOND SCENE TO HAVE HIM FEED YOU THE DESSERT IN FRONT OF LEW?!?! I couldn’t do that to Lew Lew since I’m not into Roberto but please give us a run down since you’re in your villain era😈

8. The jealousy scene between Lewie and Roberto was hands down the best part of this volume and I will die on that hill

9. I can’t wait til Ivy gets absolutely shut down by Baby Lew next week. Ain’t no way he’s gonna kiss her after he just came to tell us she’s been all over him and he doesn’t like it. I can’t wait to see her fall off that high horse of hers and come running back to Ryan with her tail between her legs🥱

AHHH love your takes !!

did u do the Ozzy scene during truth or dare?! and the pool scene. fb couldve just given me that this week and I wouldve been ok.

2. this was SOOOOO UNSERIOUS why would they do this literally every single time. there are 14 volumes and like 87 hotties waiting to come in still. Why does fb keep pushing the agenda that I care THIS much about my first LI. Girly I dont! he's just my placeholder until I can fully unlock Ozzy

3. LMAO I dont even remember what it was but now im desperate to go back and look. I loved the pink lingerie with the robe. thats the one I chose

4. this was super cute 💖 even though im fully waiting for Ozzy im going to stay on Lewie's route until I get there.

5. I love Bella and I'm def going to need another bestie after I get with Ozzy. Grace is already starting to get so annoyed/mad at my MC bc shes clearly going for Ozzy 😬

6. I DIED at Portuguese Party Boy...they were trying to pull a Davide from last summers IRL LI UK. and I was def screaming at the reference

7. OK so I didn't bc I didnt want to do that to Lew!!! like flaunting Ozzy in front of him is one thing but willingly going for a boy I know I dont want...I couldnt do it!

8. STRONG AGREE!! I need more jealousy pls fb!! And not just from the girls!! For me I need Ozzy to get a little jelly too...I am paying for all those diamond scenes! It's what I deserve!

[burningvelvet]

oh, i forgot a question. Was ment to go along with the science/technology of the time one.

is there any mention of Ada, or Babbage, et al past Byron's death, by whoever was left of the gang, potentially Mary? Or is there no particular overlap between anybody post whatever year?

(Probably asking a question a bit out of your wheelhouse. Sorry if I am.)

There’s no record of Ada meeting Mary, which is kind of odd tbh. I’ve tried to research this question many times. Apparently this summer there was even a play called “Shelley and Lovelace Never Met” by Dangerous Dames Theatre lmaooooo

But a lot of people in the Romantic circle did keep in touch of course, because they were all friends/lovers/colleagues. There were falling outs too of course. After Shelley died, a lot of the "main circle"Pisa Circle" split up and moved in opposite directions. 

As for Ada: It’s important to note that Ada’s parents split when she was a baby and she never met her father. Lady Byron (Anna) was a bit controlling and she largely tried to shelter Ada, who was a wild child, and who Anna compared to Byron. Anna also hated all of Byron’s friends and anyone who liked him really, so Ada wasn’t too encouraged to know them. Some anti-Anna Byronists have historically claimed that Anna totally kept Ada from knowing anything about him but that's not entirely true either; his poetry was around the house, and as an adult Ada cherished his dedication to her in Childe Harold Canto 3, often considered his most touching work (and what made me love his writing).

Ada did meet Augusta Leigh (Byron’s half-sister), disliked her, and blamed the incest allegations entirely on her. Ada may have been biased due to things her mother had said, and Augusta may have been cold to Ada due to Anna, or the pain of being reminded of Byron’s absence. It’s important to remember in biographical studies that everyone is biased and everyone has faulty recollections, so you can’t readily agree with any one figure’s opinions or judgements.

Ada did meet Hobhouse; she disliked him at first, but eventually liked him and he thought she resembled her mother more than LB. Off the top of my head, I don’t know if she met many of his other friends. Byron didn’t have many close friends, and many of them were abroad, dead, or hated by Anna, or simply unknown to her — but being a big celebrity and aristocrat, LB did meet many people in his life, and he was very well known. Many compared Ada to her father in personality and her mother in looks, although Hobhouse said he saw a little resemblance to LB, I assume he was maybe a bit disappointed there wasn’t more of one, since he really did miss Byron deeply, and adored him more than almost anyone else, and also in a more realistic way than almost anyone else. You would have to search his journals for what he thought of Ada; for Hobhouse research, I recommend the Byronist Peter Cochran's website, which has a section dedicated to Hobhouse; I think Cochran is one of the only people to ever read and edit the larger part of Hobhouse's journals or to write books about him. Hobhouse and Cochran are both invaluable resources to Byronist studies. Hobhouse kept detailed journals his whole life, including during his and Byron's trip where LB started Childe Harold, the work that made him famous (and was dedicated to Hobhouse).

As for the others: Mary kept in touch with the Hunts and Thomas Moore, who she helped write Byron's biography with. Claire stayed more in touch with her own family (the Clairmonts) but also stayed in touch with Trelawny til they died. He tried to marry her multiple times and they may or may not have had an affair (Shelley’s friend Peacock also proposed to her years prior). Trelawny also stayed in touch with Mary. Jane Williams (who lived with Mary and Percy, whose husband Edward died with Percy) met and married T J Hogg (Shelley’s best friend from college, who he once encouraged to have a relationship with Mary). As for Byron’s London crew, many of them were aristocrats or went into politics, so everyone knew everyone. Hobhouse, Kinnaird, Davies, Hodgson, all generally kept up, from what I know. It was a very small world. Teresa Guiccioli visited England and met many of Byron’s old associates. 

[writingsteph]

TTT Sneak Peek

Got some time and inspo and started writing this, so I decided to post. Could go in many ways, but I'm just glad I put something down.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Riley had gone downstairs to get a bottle of water. It was midnight and her parents expected both twins to be asleep, but the girl had been mindlessly scrolling TikTok til the wee hours. 

 It was midway down her descent of the stairs that she heard their argument in the living room. 

“Lucas I get that the book flopped but it’s been two weeks of this. Of you coming down here at night to mindlessly watch tv. It’s been two weeks of you moping around this house.”

“I spent years writing this book, only for it to fail Brooke. I’m allowed to be upset!”

“I understand you’re upset about the book launch. I know how hard you worked Luke. But you can’t keep wallowing in self-pity. At some point it has to end.”

“Oh pulhease!” He scoffed. 

“Riley and Carter have both asked me if you’re going to be okay. They are just as worried about you!”

“I’m sad Brooke! Okay?! I poured my heart and soul into that book.”

Brooke took a step closer, reaching out to touch his arm gently. "Lucas, you're not alone. You have me, you have our kids. We love you, regardless of what happens with your book. But you have to keep going, for us and for yourself."

Lucas pulled away, his resolve crumbling with his wife’s touch. "I need some air," he muttered, his voice strained with emotion as he stormed out.  

“Where are you going?”

“Anywhere but here.” He left Brooke with those words. Ones that struck the wife like a hot knife. He left Brooke to stare at an empty living room, and a hurt 13 year old to silently trudge back up the steps. Riley stayed up until 3 am waiting for her dad to open the front door again. He never did. 

Riley had kept hearing the argument to herself, choosing not even to tell her twin. She was eager to see if her dad had made his way back but was sorely disappointed when his chair at the table was empty. Always a keen observer Riley noticed her mother’s tired eyes. Her visage less bright.

“Where’s dad?” Carter was the one to ask as they sat down. 

Brooke kissed them both atop their head and placed a plate of warm toast with butter at the center of the table. Riley could see the slight frown that grazed her mom’s lips. 

“He left early for school.”

Carter thought nothing of it, but Riley stared her mother down with bitterness. So they were just going to lie to them about all of this? 

“Riley, eat something please.” Brooke chided because the girl ate so little without the urging of her parents. But she did not feel up to please her mother, or her father really. She rolled her eyes and pushed herself up from the table, “I’m not hungry.” Riley picked up her bag, “I’ll wait outside.”

Brooke looked to her son who put his hands up, “I have no idea what’s up with her. She woke up cranky too. Almost knocked me out when I woke her up.”

Brooke sighed, feeling the weight of her family on her shoulders. Carter had been more easygoing about Lucas’s rough patch. More empathetic to his father’s sadness. Not Riley though. Luke’s little girl did not take well to her father’s slight aloofness the past couple of weeks, and so Brooke tried to be understanding of her attitude, but the girl did not always make it easy.

[meiozis]

I have only really interacted with your fics, so i cannot say much about you personally.I did send an ask a good while ago, saying how your writing made me believe love is real or something along those lines. I think about your reply to my sleepy hazed and sentimentally sappy ask very frequently. I even have screenshotted it haha. I kept thinking about you saying this

“i promise love exists outside of my writing, it's in every small thing forever and always, and it accumulates under your nails like dirt did when you were 5 and playing in the sandpit with a kid you met half an hour ago who is now your best friend

and my words exist outside of me, and if you like them you can carry them with u wherever you go and make them your own”

It was like something just kind of clicked in me. I will save you from the bore that is my love life but essentially it’s almost non existent right now, and has been since a pretty bad relationship ended nearly two years ago. I had somewhat just made myself numb to the possibility or desire for love after that but when I read your writing It was a glimpse of what I had tried so desperately to shut out and I missed it so much.

I had missed pining and affection even the pain that came with it. Your response even furthered that and made me realize that I hadn’t even been looking for love in other facets of my life. I started looking for love in everything, not even romantic but just pure love. Putting love behind my own actions more and loving very liberally. Trying to view small things others do as acts of love. I was so obsessed with acts of love ai even based an assignment in a photography class (it was very well received in critique lol). Ive chilled out a bit since then but I still carry your words with me wherever i go and It has given me such a deeper appreciation for the life i’m living.

Now the fun part is a little association game i like to play! like i said i don’t know you personally but i’ve read your stuff and so here’s a few things they remind me of! i don’t have a reasoning for any of these

the colors apricot and lavender! the artist japanese breakfast, and UA. Tangled headphone wires and arm warmers. the times 7:34pm and 5:56 am. The fizzing of a dissolving tablet when dropped into water, waiting outside for your ride to arrive, oolong tea, sweet cream foam, and a pumpkin fig danish i had one time.

This one’s a little crazy person talk and I’m also not rly sure how it correlates but it does in my mind. It was a trip i went on earlier this year, to a beach. I was at, not my lowest but pretty low, one night i sat by the ocean til 5 am thinking about how i could just walk into the sea and never come out. What would happen to me? would i drown or would i just walk until i found somewhere new? maybe the fish would just carry me. no one would know where i’d gone, not even myself. At some point the sun came up and i saw a fish get washed onto shore. As it just sat there completely still I thought about how maybe it’s the universe’s trade off, the ol switcharoo. It comes out I go in, it wanted out as much as i did. It started flopping around gasping and squirming so i pushed it back into the ocean and it stopped for a second, probably to regain stability, and then darted back into the sea. I went inside, made some breakfast and thought about the countless things that have pushed me back in. your work reminds me of those things too

hope u are safe warm and having a lovely time love u xoxo

it's really nice to hear from you again <3 (the rest is under the read more because i got a little carried away)

honestly i think about that ask almost daily too, because even if technically i know that people read my writing, it's such an unbelievable thought that it makes someone feel things and evokes emotions in them and that my words stay with someone, and thank you for gifting me your words in exchange of mine

it genuinely makes me so happy that you found a way to let love back into your life and a way to be happier i wrote parallels & almosts while coming out of a bad relationship and i remember how much energy and constant conscious effort it took to turn to a blank page and let myself fill it with anything even remotely good or happy, a bad relationship can be such an immobilizing and degrading chapter in our lives, and even if you get stuck in that chapter and forget how to turn to the next page for a week, a month, a year, a decade, it's such a big thing that you didn't close the book and put it back on the shelf, and you pushed that fish back into the water and you pushed yourself back into the water

yeah, that moment of stillness sometimes lasts for longer than we want it to, and maybe we shut down a little and forget how to spot the flowers that bloom where the road meets the sidewalk and the concrete has cracked a bit, but just like that fish in the sunrise you're back in the ocean and it doesnt matter how long it took to regain your stability, all that matters in the grand scheme of things is that you did it and to go on a bit of a tangent i think theres something funny abt how i first read your ask at 5am with my head so full of thoughts i was worried it's going to explode, and it reminded me of a story i wrote up for a comic for one of my classes this semester (the comic got ditched for another project, but the story is still dear to me) and even though it's never seen the light of day, it still reminded me of your story, so i hope you dont mind if i share it with you

Rain knocks on the window politely, so you let it in. Water flows between the cracks of the floorboards, and slowly fills up the room. The sea laps at your feet, hugs your ankles first, then your knees and waist, closes in around your ribs slowly, pushes more and more until you’re neck deep. You let it push you under, gently, comfortably, closing your eyes and filling your ears with ringing.

Is this what it’s like?

The pressure gets stronger and stronger, crushes your ribs into fine powder that the water washes away immediately. It keeps growing, until eventually you can’t feel anything anymore.

You keep falling, deeper and deeper until you touch sand, soft under your feet. Your heart feels at peace, settling into a slow rhythm. Small specks of light flood your vision, bubbles in the water turning into stars in the sky.

You float among them, and pick one out. It rests in your palm, weightless yet heavy, holding the entire weight of the universe. Full of knowledge and love, warm against your skin. You kiss it goodnight, a smile on your face as it explodes in your hold.

With it you’re gone, but so is everything else.

i keep rereading your story, and man, it's a poem of some sort, the ol switcharoo and the fish carrying you away... yeah i'll think abt this for the next 10-15 business days

and the associations oh i really cried over your message at 5 in the morning and it cleansed my soul in a way a little bird takes a bath in a puddle after a spring rain... they are all such lovely things to be associated with that part of me that i share on this silly blog, im putting your message in my pocket and carrying it around with me everywhere <3

thank you for taking the time to write me all this, and thank you for carrying love with you and sharing it and letting yourself take a bite when youre craving it, i hope youre having a lovely day and taking care, stay full of love, love u <33

[causenessus]

NESS THIS IS STUPID BUT I WANTED TO TELL YOU AB IT ANYWAYS!!!! REMEMBER THE INSANE ENGLISH TEACHER!!!!

so basically today we had ro write down vaocbulaufy ew im not gonna fix that but like words. and tell her their meaninfs. abd then girl 1 (15) walks up to the board and hse writes,, demure. and gets asked the meaninf. she doesnt know it. so im behind the teacher whisper yellinf SHY at her THE TEACHER DJD NOT NOTUCE and then she writes coquette. lmfao.. THEN HER FRIEND (17) IS NEXT. AND ITS LIKE. ALPHA. SIGMA. RIZZ. AND SHE SAYS THE FIRST TWO MEAN MANLY ABD THE LAST INE JS LIJE A COOL ATTRACTIVE OUTFOING PERSON I ALMOST SOBBED IT WAS SO FUNNNHHYYY

also likeeeee,,,, my sisters teacher who also teaches me said im a good student B) B) B) and that i respond well B) B) B) BUT ALSO I FOUND OUT I LOST LIKE 40 MARKS IN AN EXAM (still got 91 because it was so bad overall) maybe i should DIE

anwyays!!! seeing the whole dodger mr dodger thing was so funny but now jm Yearning for the silly guy who played genshin w me who i used to stay uo til 4am with and he made a tumblr 4 me and j even made the userbame </333 for it </3333333 ALSO GHIS JS SO FUNNY I JUDT FOT UR NOTIFS ANYWAYS!!!!!!!! HRU I HOPE UR DOING WELL ANS STAY HYDRATED AND HAVE FUN AND IDK WHERE I WAS GOING W THIS BUT IGNORE ALL THE TYPOS IM SO DONE WITH TODAY

LINA I AM FINALLY HERE TO RESPOND 😭😭 ATTRACTIVE OUTGOING PERSON??? I'M SORRY???? BRO THAT ENGLISH CLASS SOUNDS LIKE A LITERAL FEVER DREAM 😭😭 BUT YES YOUR SISTER'S TEACHER IS SO RIGHT!! AND A 91 IS GOOD <3 PLEASE REMEMBER MOST TESTS ARE STRUCTURED IN A WAY THAT YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO EVERY SINGLE QUESTION!! YOU DID AMAZING <33

AND YES MR DODGER IS SO SO FUNNY I AM SO HAPPY I FINALLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET THE MAN THE MYTH THE LEGEND HIMSELF!!!! and hello??? 👀👀👀👀👀 a man made a tumblr for u and stayed up until 4 am to play genshin with u??? HE SOUNDS LIKE HE'S SO SWEET <3333

BUT I AM GOOD LINA!! I'M SO HAPPY TO HEAR FROM YOU AND I HOPE YOU ARE DOING WELL AND STILL SURVIVING YOUR CRAZY ENGLISH CLASS <333 ALL THE TYPOS ARE SO REAL!!! DW I COULD READ IT ALL SO FLUENTLY <333 I HOPE YOU'RE HAVING A LOVELY DAY LINA!!!

[blondrichclosetwitch]

Hotel California, 4 times in 24 hours on a 4 day. Sounds like it’s time to tell that story.

(Also mags, your 8:12 song had the line over and over “you make good fiction”)

Sometimes the spirits are such matchmakers

They asked me to expand on this one.

The last time it played, I told my surrogate sister about it. “I think they’re telling me I don’t have to do sexwork anymore. I heard you don’t need to put on your red light stronger than anything else. That’s what stuck out.”

But let’s go back to going into hiding for a minute.

(Btw, she just said to me the reason her candle looks so shitty is because you’re trying to separate us. It’s nice that you have a healthy ego and are ambitious, but no.)

Ok so it will probably take me all day to tell this, but: it started when The Voice starting talking to me on 1/3/20, which was an 8. My 49th birthday. 49 is nine of wands. Good card, I don’t pull it much. Anyway, the Voice which was def male seeming told me to blow off dinner with Anna Marie and take acid by myself.

I didn’t even have acid.

But Cyrus did.

On the way back, I stopped by the grotto over by pier Pasolini or whatever that church is called. I think it’s safe to say it’s the only time I stared at a statue of Jesus tripping lightly. Hallucinogenics and religious statues, who knew.

I didn’t stay long. I never do.

I was still kinda curious about this voice, as in who was talking to me. I didn’t really know.

But the voice talked to me intermittently til the sun came up. Gave me some instructions, including about quitting certain drugs completely & writing only on the tumblr. That I was to put music messages and documentation there, and tell our story.

I sent Jakk a text at 2:32 am, according to my photo library. 2:32 is “so you thinking what you gained you lost, but your shit is taking off.”

I think it took me a week to quit the drug but I did. Don’t touch it at all. A drug that pretty much most of the characters have some sort of history with.

I can only imagine the videos of me during that time. I remember feeling the surveillance in certain places, “they’re watching me right now”. She probably still has them saved, don’t you?

Anyway I quit, and things became in-my-face clear.

The first thing I noticed was I kept moving in circles in the apartment, for hours, though I had every intention to leave within 15 minutes. Everything became circular.

I did this for almost an hour once when I ran in just to grab something, and I just kept crying hysterically & going in circles, when I heard “put on your coat, Aunt Tinka!” and I cried harder, grabbing my coat, and finally getting out. It was one of the times I heard her use exact words.

There was one other time, right after, when I was still sleeping in the apartment, *but* I was sleeping in a mattress on the floor. With the door closed because I was afraid to inhale what was in the walls, because I thought that was what was confusing me and making me go in the circles.

And it was morning. And it was after I heard psychic J talking to me. I was starting to hear wildly to the point by that being awake was pure chaos. And I looked at the picture that I call “Stella” and she was the one who said it.

She said the place was pure poison and I had to take the pictures down. And she said, “don’t let my death be for nothing.”

I went into hiding the next week. At least I thought it was hiding, because I didn’t give anyone (and I mean not even my mother) the address. But I was found within days.

[diaryoftheunidropout]

DAY 81

I feel so sick. My period came over 10 days late and it's making me nauseated and my stomach hurts... I don't know if it came late because of my poor mental health of if that's unrelated.

I just spent a week at my grandma's and got home after a five hour train ride (the train was super slow + there were several incidents along the way... pure hell). After that, a motorcycle almost ran me over although the pedestrian light was green. Then, I wanted to buy something to eat at the supermarket and forgot that, because it's Sunday, it wasn't closing as late as it usually does. And I also went and picked up a package I'd been expecting only to realize I got partly scammed. So that's one more thing I'm gonna have to worry about.

This evening I randomly realized that if I hadn't dropped out of university I would have still been able to carelessly stay out til late on a Sunday because right now I would have already been on summer break. It made me feel a little weird.

During my long train ride I listened to music, talked to my high school best friend about them wanting to change career paths, planned out a possible novel (which was exciting because a lot of things finally came together and made sense and I was surprised to see how much content I had!!) and then I read a bit (Loveless, by Alice Oseman; I love this book but relate to it far too much and it scares me about what this means about myself).

I feel really wrong. I think it's the fact I'm thinking about possibly writing this novel. It might be because I'm trying to get into my narrator's skin so much that it confuses me about who I am and who they are, and, I don't know. I think I also feel wrong for other reasons, including:

1) I feel like anything I do is absolutele worthless shit, that my writing is shit, my drawings are just as shit, and I will never do anything good or worthy and that I should stop trying to pursue an artistic career because I have no skills whatsoever.

2) I feel extremely lonely and I almost cried when I had to leave my grandma and mom because being surrounded by the two of them for a little over an hour today when my mom came to pick me up to bring me to the train station felt so comforting and I felt protected and loved just for a while. And just being with my grandma the whole week was nice, because she loves me and I love her too and it's nice not being alone.

3) I'm seeing my "university best friend" this week and I really don't want to at all because they hurt me and I never got to tell them because I thought I'd move on but I never did and I cannot forgive them but I also don't know how to tell them without being brutal.

4) Annoying ass postal services want to deliver something to me tomorrow "between 8AM and 5PM" which means it will possibly wake me up early OR stop me from going out. Possibly both if I find the strength to set my alarm at 8 just in case, which I probably should but am too lazy to do.

My heart is aching and I just feel so much pain and this sort of grief about everything.

[wixelt]

Can you give a recap of who you’ve planned out goes where/does what and ends with who and a recap of who you’re still working on?

Also, do you plan to make this an actual story or just plan out what happens and retell it?

(I love this AU btw, kudos to you for your worldbuilding/storytelling skills! The fact you plan to have a plot line for all members alone earns you some major respect.)

Not going to recap every story detail so far as that'd take me all day (maybe another time :P), but for a brief of where planning for each Hermit's worked out to:

False, Grian, Scar (& Jellie), Mumbo & Xisuma have significant plot details laid out for Seasons 1-2, & I have ideas of where most of them go after that barring X.

Pearl, BDubs, Jevin, Beef, Cub & maybe Doc have start points/reunions. How much is planned after that varies, though.

I have an idea of where Gem turns up. It's tentative & wouldn't see her appear til mid-Season 2.

Someone suggested a start for xB at one point that I recall liking, but it was a PM & I can't find it anymore.

Cleo's arc up to mid-Season 3 is known, at this point. Not much planned beyond that, though.

TFC's actions for the entire AU are decided, assuming I still use him. Unsure what the respectful course of action is.

Impulse, Etho, Iskall & Joe have isolated bits but no real planned movement through the AU, right now.

I had an idea of where Joe would first appear, but don't know if it gels with current plans, anymore.

Stress, Zedaph & Tango appear repeatedly, but lack start points or anything tying it all together.

I still need to plan Keralis, Hypno, Ren (as False has almost certainly mentioned her best friend to Anne), Wels & xB.

Also Ex, maybe.

My plans are loose & I don't necessarily have ends or extensive arcs worked out for a lot of Hermits. This is why I enjoy fielding asks, as they help me to come up with interesting things for the Hermits to do that play back into some of the bigger ideas. :P

As far as an actual story goes, it crossed my mind at one point but I realized i'd burn myself out. The AU will mostly stay in this format, but I do want to write snippets like the one with Sasha & Jellie (which I still need to write the 2nd part of) when the inspiration strikes. :)

(Glad you're enjoying the AU. I like trying to make an interesting world/story, even when i'm not sure of some details. It's my goal to have most Hermits do something of consequence, even if I don't know what, yet, as it'd be easy to hyper focus 2 or 3 members - something I did to start with with & am trying to lean away from. :D)