#gideon quill

[ahb-writes]

Comics Review: 'Shadow Service' TPB #3

Shadow Service Vol. 3: Death to Spies by Cavan Scott, Corn Howell, Triona Farrell

adventure

fantasy

occult

science fiction

spy stuff

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well, now, that's not good.

The supernatural intelligence community has witnessed a string of targeted attacks from all manner of simulants — tricky, powerful creatures that absorb the form of local folklore and rip apart local agents. Perfect timing. Gina has convinced herself that she's getting the hang of this secret agent stuff. This occult agent stuff. This being-a-witch thing. But shapeshifters are nasty business. And they're a global problem. Also, Section 26 is next on the hit list.

SHADOW SERVICE v3 is a riot of twists and turns. The first volume in this wickedly beautiful occult action comic produced exquisitely flawed (and entertaining) characters all too confident in themselves (and their flaws). The second volume was about scale, and about how the ego and petulance that clouds the judgment of humans so commonly clouds the judgment of the denizens of other realms as well. SHADOW SERVICE v3 is about one thing: betrayal. And if not full-on betrayal, then certainly the hindrances and dissatisfactions that manifest in their place when the institutions one trusts (or has no choice but to trust), contort themselves against one's favor.

Every chapter of this volume holds a hellacious twist. An otherwise well-plotted mission to recruit a member of The Department, Russia's supernatural secret service, goes to crap. A well-regarded teammate is fatally wounded. A well-trained agent from the Ministry of Esoteric Defense, China's occult secret service agency, makes her way into the West End and requests asylum. But whose fault is the botched mission? Must a dead teammate always be avenged? And is agent Hui Shoi-Ming, as buff and attractive as she is, telling the truth when she says her life is in danger?

Readers cannot be faulted if, upon finishing this volume, they are interminably fatigued by all of the sneaking around, the flashbacks, the speechifying, and the betrayals.

SHADOW SERVICE v3 is another solid book. However, the creative team leaves readers with zero time to rest. This is definitely the type of volume in which something remarkable happens on nearly every page. Gina and the delightfully snarky ghost version of her old pall Gideon Quill go house hunting, eventually stumbling upon the maternity hospital of the young witch's birth. Meanwhile Hex makes a mess of an interrogation when a doozy of a mythical creature crashes the party. Also meanwhile, Agent Hui learns an uncomfortable, blood-stained truth when the crisscrossed, unkept lines of command finally unravel ("What use is a scapegoat if you don't leave them behind?").

As with previous volumes, SHADOW SERVICE v3 is gorgeous. One highlight is the appearance of a flea demon, Bàolì: a wonderfully hideous, massive, eight-limbed terror of puss and teleportation skill. The demon's transparent torso seethes; it's face-shape is that of a skinless, three-quarters human skull; and the beast is colored with iridescent purples and blues that span the smoky to the cerulean. Gina is a great character, and Hui the flirty shapeshifter is a fun addition to the cast, but this volume's unquestionable highlight is the arrogant flea demon who teases and torments its prey.

Section 26 is in a bad spot. Fortunately, Gina is slowly unearthing the secrets and misgivings involving a deeper-underground coven of bootlickers eager to turn the world over to the darkness. Just what the heck is this "seventh scion" anyways? And why in the hell is it Gina?

❯ ❯ Comics Reviews || ahb writes on Good Reads

[moonguardrants]

This happened in a group voice chat when I overheard Shadow talking about how they were disappointed in their role-playing partner Law (who is a former Residuum of Icecrown member) has this femboy kink that they went and kidnapped Cardinal Niklos Adamant (who is obliviously a femboy) and gave them a blowjob—meanwhile everyone in the Cathedral was wondering where they were panicking. Niklos will claim they don't ERP because Cardinals have to be pure while they married Gideon Northgate who took Niklos to meet 'the fingers' and had ERP orgies with Calvin Quill and Kalom who Gideon Northgate boned apparently.

.

[favcharacterpoll]

SEMIFINALS MATCH 2: QUILL VS. KERMIT

why is he still here

Quill Propaganda:

"He's such a loser. Has beef with 3 16 year olds. He's like 4'10. Had one of the best character arcs ever. He almost died. His sword is bejeweled."

"guys vote for my son quilliam and his stupid little bedazzled sword"

"you wanna punch his face in in the first book and by the end you're sobbing buckets and loving and protecting him as if he were your own and my closing argument: it would be really really fucking funny"

"VOTE QUILL HE HAS FUNNY GOGGLES AND IS BEEFING WITH A TEENAGER BECAUSE THAT TEENAGER STABBED HIM IN THE ASS DURING A FENCING COMPETITION WHEN HE WAS LIKE 11 AND QUILL NEVER GOT OVER IT"

“new propaganda his ass has goggles & they leave red rings on his face & demonstrate even more how stupid he is”

“more propaganda we fuucking hate him”

☠Sticky, Shaggy, Sans Undertale, Luigi, Kim Dokja, Zagreus☠

Kermit Propaganda:

"Kermit is the best ever and I love him ❤️"

"Kermit is sag aftra"

"ofc i support kermit the frog he’s a small business owner he’s an artist he’s an actor he’s a union man he loves his wife he’s a babygirl literally he is the perfect man"

"This one, I'm pulling from Kermit because it's Kermit the Frog. He's an independent artist who has multiple movies in which he refuses to sell out and also the accidental implication that he caused 9/11."

"if kermit wins I'll write a scene of him and Scar hanging out" [@the-joju-experience ]

"Kermitgang motherfuckers"

"It would be so on brand for Kipps to lose to a frog"

"he [kipps] deserves to get his butt kicked in by Kermit"

☠Claude Von Riegan, Pizza, Balthazar Cavendish, Scout, Mia Fey, Zuko, Soundwave, Gideon Nav☠

[multishipperofgaydeadwizards]

(Almost) All the marauders era characters (that I could find at least)

@catinasink the post I promised you.

this list isn't finished yet, but I feel like this list finally deserves to see the light of day. hell, cat, you've probably forgotten this was in the making... which I can't blame you for because this has been happening since christmas 💀

I will update it... eventually. idk when yet

if you want to, you can send me an ask, and I'll tell you my hc for the characters :D

James Potter

Father of Harry Potter

born 27th March 19 and died 31st October 19

Griffindor

pureblood

was at hogwarts from 1971 to 1978

Sirius Black

Griffindor

born 3rd November 1959 and died 18th June 1996

pureblood

was framed for the murder of James Potter and Lily Potter (Evans) and sent to Azkaban

was at hogwarts from 1971 to 1978

Remus John Lupin

born 10th March 1960 and died 2nd May 1998

was bitten by a werewolf as a child (he was four I believe not sure tho)

Griffendor

was at hogwarts from 1971 to 1978

Peter Pettigrew

born around 1960 and died somewhere in March 1998

griffindor, but the head took five minutes to decide

first worked with the order, but then became a deatheater and is the actual reason James and Lily were murdered

was at hogwarts from 1971 to 1978

Marlene McKinnon

died July 1981

marlene was a member of the wizarding mckinnon family, which, according to hagrid, consisted of some of the best witches and wizards of their age, implying that marlene too was a very accomplished witch

Lily J. Evans

born 30th January 1960 and died 31st October 1981

muggleborn

griffindor

married james potter and had Harry Potter with him. she died protecting Harry

was at hogwarts from 1971 to 1978

Mary McDonald

attended hogwarts in the 1970s with lily and severus snape

was attacked by mulciber with dark magic somewhere during her time at Hogwarts

griffendor

Frank C. J. Longbottom

pureblood

married Alice Longbottom

was tortured into insanity by a group of death eaters (bellatrix, rodolphus, and rabastian lestrange and barty crouch jr)

Alice Longbottom

has no canon maiden name, but people often hc her as a fortescue

pureblood

was tortured into insanity by a group of deatheaters (bellatrix, rodolphus, and rabastian lestrange and barty crouch jr)

Molly Weasley (Prewett)

was born as molly prewett, but she married arthur weasley and took his last name

born 30th October 1949 or 1950

pureblood

griffindor

killed bellatrix during the second wizarding war

Gideon Prewett

died 1981

pureblood

was murdered by five deatheaters before the end of the (first) wizarding war (Antonin Dolohov & four others)

he may have had a big nose

Fabian Prewett

died 1981

pureblood

was murdered by five deatheaters before the end of the (first) wizarding war (Antonin Dolohov & four others)

he may have had a big nose

Arthur Weasley

born 6th February 1950

pureblood

griffindor

believer in the equality of all magical and Muggle folk

was born to septimus and cedrella weasley (née black) and had two brothers

married molly prewett, who took his last name

Selina Sapworthy

griffindor

born before 1969

award-winning author in the fields of Herbology and plant-related Divination

worked for the international quidditch team

Wainscott

was born before 1981

worked as a nurse at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry under Poppy Pomfrey during the 1990s

she has no canon first name, but I usually call her Carmen Wainscott

Lucinda Thompsonicle-Pocus

designed the list for materials needed by the students

chief attendant of witchcraft provisions for hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry in the early 1990s

Stebbins

no canon gender

in 1976, they refused to stop writing with their quill even after the time ran out (during O.W.Ls). they got in trouble with flitwick because of it

they have no canon name, but I usually call them Alexander Stebbins and hc them as male

Camelia

was a teacher during the 1990s

possibly a member of the slug club

was murdered by an unknown deatheater after the battle of Hogwarts

after she stopped teaching, she got married

she has no canon last name, but I usually call her Camelia Solis

Patricia Rakepick

was a dark witch and a world-famous curse-breaker for gringotts wizarding bank

exceptional student, top of her class, who, regardless, was always in trouble

attended hogwarts from 1967 to 1974

was said to be friendly with the marauders and even "mentored" them in troublemaking

Olivia Gleaves

was reported missing together with her relative toby in 1997

Caspard Singleton

invented the self stirring cauldron

was born in 1959

Sturgis Podmore

member of the order of phoenix and fought in both wars

was a member of the advanced guard in 1995

was put under the imperius curse by a death to break in the department of mysteries and was sentenced to six months in azkaban for it

Tilden Toots

born 1959

worked as a famous herbologist, potioneer, and radio personality and presenter

was said to have three green thumbs due to both having a wizarding condition and radial polydactyly in his left hand

Davey Gudgeon

visited hogwarts during the early 1970s

nearly lost his eye trying to get close enough to the whomping willow to touch its trunk as part of a game. since the incident, students were forbidden to go near the tree for their own safety, and possibly for the tree's own safety as well

Florean Fortescue

died 1996

summer of 1996, he was abducted and later murdered by lord voldemort

was an expert on the subject of medieval witch-burnings

owner of florean fortescue's ice cream parlour in diagon alley

Albert Runcorn

high ranking wizarding official during the administration of pius thicknesse

he investigated alleged muggleborns and uncovered dirk cresswells muggle ancestry

might have been sent to azkaban for his war crimes against muggleborns

Mary Elizabeth Cattermole

muggleborn

unknown maiden name

was described as small with dark hair that she wore in a neat bun

she lived at 27 chislehurst gardens, great tolling, evesham with her husband and children

Reginald "Reg" Cattermole

sun in libra, moon in virgo

he had three children with mary (Maisie, Ellie, and Alfred)

lived at 27 chislehurst gardens, great tolling, evesham

Bilton Blimes

lived in the highlands of scotland in the 1980s

taken up both residence and employment in the picturesque little all-wizarding village of hogsmeade as the proprietor of zonko's joke shop

Narcissa Malfoy

born narcissa black

pureblood

born 1955

cousin of sirius and regulus, younger sister of bellatrix and andromeda, wife of lucius malfoy

was never a deatheater herself, but also believed in blood purity

slytherin

Lucius Malfoy

born 1954

slytherin

pureblood

deatheater and believed in pureblood supremacy

Thorfinn Rowle

deatheater who fought in the second war

he fought at the battle of the astronomy tower, where he accidentally killed fellow deatheater gibbon, burned rubeus hagrid's cabin, and tortured harry potter

on 1 August 1997, he tracked harry potter, ron weasley, and hermione granger to tottenham court road along with antonin dolohov disguised as construction workers, but the two death eaters were defeated and their memories were modified by hermione to cover their escape

Bellatrix Lestrange

born bellatrix black

pureblood

born 1951 and died 2 May 1998

cousin of sirius black and regulus black, older sister of andromeda tonks and narcissa malfoy

deatheater and believer of pureblood supremacy

slytherin

Zabini

mother of blaise zabini

famously beautiful and had seven husbands who died mysteriously

was known by horace slughorn, which is the reason he invited blaise into his compartment

she has no canon first name, but I usually call her Zoya Evelyn Zabini

Emma Vanity

slytherin

she was captain of the slytherin quidditch team from 1972 to 1976

Lucinda Talkalot

slytherin

she became captain of the slytherin quidditch team in 1976

Septima Vector

professor of arithmancy may have also been the advanced arithmancy studies teacher

known as really strict teacher who gives very hard homework

Evan Rosier

born between 1953-1966 and died in 1981

deatheater

pureblood

possibly related to the (female) black cousins

was killed by alastor moody

Regulus Arcturus Black

died 1979

pureblood

dratheater that turned on voldemort

little brother of sirius black, and cousin of bellatirx, narcissa and andromeda

slytherin

Dorcas Meadows

died 1981

died in the first war and was killed by voldemort himself

was a member of the order of phoenix

Glenda Chittock

born 1964

was the host of the wizarding wireless network program, witching hour. being host of this enormously famous radio program, she is featured on a chocolate frog card

Gwenog Jones

welsh

became a professional quidditch player and later achieved fame as the captain and beater of the welsh all-female quidditch team, the holyhead harpies

later, became the manager of the Welsh National Quidditch team

was the favorite student of slughorn and inducted into his club

Alecto Carrow

deatheater

sister of amycus carrow

after the fall of the ministry of magic in 1997, alecto was made professor of muggle studies; she taught the thinking that muggles are lesser than wizardkind, and likely taught the pureblood-philosophy as well

when severus snape became headmaster of hogwarts, she was appointed as deputy headmistress, alongside her brother (who was appointed as deputy headmaster)

loved to torture students that opposed her

Amycus Carrow

deatheater

brother of alecto carrow

was made DADA professor in 1997, which just became Dark Arts while he thought it

Amycus liked to cruelly punish and torture the students who opposed the new regime

Dolores Jane Umbridge

born 26 august 1961 or earlier

halfblood

slytherin

I don't have to explain her further, do I?

Arnold "Arnie" Peasegood

born 1976 or earlier

worked at the ministry of magic. by 1994, he worked in the capacity of obliviator for the accidental magic reversal squad and also as a hit wizard

Cereus Greengrass

had a blood malediction

Rodolphus Lestrange

pureblood

most likely slytherin

deatheater

Rabastian Lestrange

deatheater

pureblood

most likely slytherin

Severus Snape

needs no explanation

Mulciber Jr

was friends with snape

slytherin

deatheater

threw hexes at muggleborn students

assaulted mary mcdonald violently

has no canon first name, but I usually call him Bruce Mulciber

Avery Jr

was friends with snape

deatheater

slytherin

found it funny when mulciber tried to use dark magic on mary macdonald during the 1975-1976 school year

has no canon first name, but I usually call him Edmund Avery Junior

Wilkes

was friends with snape

deatheater

slytherin

died while trying to avoid being put in azkaban

has no canon first name, but I usually call them Juliette/Willhelm Wilkes

Rita Skeeter

didn't like bilton blimes for a prank that kept her from being able to get into the slug club

was a journalist who wrote for the sake of people reading instead of facts

could transform into a beetle (did the animagus training sometime prior to 1986)

Steve Laughalot

captain of the slytherin quidditch team from 1968 to 1972

slytherin

Florence Greengrass

bertha jorkins once caught her kissing a boy

Tamsin Hillicker

was reported missing along her relative iola

Gibbon Chavez

was a deatheater

it's unknown if he fought in the first war if he got sent to azkaban

Zamira Gulch

author who wrote "practical household magic"

also wrote for the daily prophet

D. L. Boot

went to hogwarts during the 1970s

has no canon first names, but I usually call him Douglas Lloyd Boot

Aurora Sinistra

works as astronomy teacher

her lesson are at night so she sleeps during the day

Emmeline Vance

died in 1996 during a deatheater attack

was a member of the original order of phoenix and probably fought in both wars

Sybill Trelawney

half-blood (muggle mother; wizard father)

made the prophecy about voldemort and the chosen one

she predicted that peter would escape and return to voldemort

worked as a teacher in hogwarts and was fired by umbridge

was born on march 9 in an unknown year

was engaged to a guy with the last name higglebottom but refused to take his last name so the relationship didn't last

Millecent Bagnold

ravenclaw

worked for the ministry

was elected the minister for magic of great britain in 1980

Pandora

mother of luna lovegood, wife of xenophilius lovegood

died during an experiment and luna watched

unknown maiden name

Barty Crouch Junior

deatheater

played by david tennat so obviously the most attractive man ever

received the dementors kiss on June 24th 1995

Doris Purkiss

(in 1995, during an interview) gave sirius an alibi for the night of the peter pettigrew + 12 muggle murders (she said they had a romantic dinner bc sirius= stubby boardman)

lived at number 18 Acanthia Way, Little Norton

Annalena Gleams

born annalena murk

griffindor

was a prefect

Dahlia F.

slughorn kept a picture of her in a viking maiden costume on his shelf

was a singled out member of the slugclub

apparently became an opera singer

Wendy Slinkhard

british

wrote at least 1 book

may be related to wilbert slinkhard, the author of defensive magical theory

was invited to the slugclub

slughorn kept a picture of her signing her book copy

Blossom Degrasse

famous herbologist, author, and potion master

released the book called "A Humble Guide for Potion Brewing You Cannot Live Without"

Mafalda Hopkirk

born 19 February–20 March, in or before 1973

assistant in the improper use of magic office at the ministry of magic

was incapacitated and impersonated by hermione granger

hopkirk's polyjuice potion was described as having a "pleasant heliotrope colour"

presumed that she was a kind and good-natured

E. Lima

e. lima was a wizard or witch who competed in duels. the daily prophet published a special report in 1996 about a duel between e. lima and m. mina, that was the final match of a dueling competition

has no canon first name or gender but I usually call them Estelle Lima and hc her as female

M. Mina

m. mina was a wizard or witch who competed in duels. the daily prophet published a special report in 1996 about a duel between e. lima and m. mina, that was the final match of a dueling competition

has no canon first name or gender but I usually call them Marcelina Mina and hc her as female

Verruca Buckthorn-Snyde

was a dark witch, who was a high-ranking member of a dangerous organisation known as 'R'

was also a metamorphmagus who could change her appearance at will

Villanelle

noted to be a skilled linguist

madam villanelle was a witch who worked at flourish and blotts in the 1980s and early 1990s

has no canon last name, but I usually call her Villanelle Solis

Olivia Green

ravenclaw

worked for the british ministry of magic as an unspeakable in the department of mysteries

eventually became the defense against the dark arts teacher in the 1990-1991 school year

Regulus Moonshine

developed a potion to suppress hags' normal appetite for human flesh. lost several chunks of own body while conducting the clinical trials

the daily prophet called him "professor", but it is not known if he ever taught at a wizarding school

Dirk Cresswell

mid-1990s he became head of the goblin liaison office, at the ministry of magic

fluent in Gobbledegook

a favourite student of slughorn

probably muggleborn

Augustis Pye

trainee healer at st mongo's hospital for magical maladies and injuries in the dai llewellyn ward

was interested in muggle medical practices

Bones

child of mr bones and mrs bones, sibling of amelia and edgar, and parent of susan

has no canon first name or gender but I usually call them Lucas Bones and hc them as male

[b00inazkaban]

MASTERLIST #2

Navigation!

Let me know if there are any characters you’d like added and I’ll look into it! :)

MARVEL:

☆ Tony Stark

☆ Steve Rogers

☆ Bruce Banner

☆ Natasha Romanoff

☆ Clint Barton

☆ Bucky Barnes

☆ Sam Wilson

☆ Peter Parker

☆ Thor Odison

☆ Loki Laufeyson

☆ Dr. Stephen Strange

☆ Peter Quill

☆ Gamora

☆ Drax the destroyer

☆ Rocket the Racoon

☆ Mantis

☆ Groot

Poly Requests:

STRANGER THINGS:

☆ Steve Harrington: Steve Harrington x FtM reader**

☆ Robin Buckley :

☆ Nancy Wheeler:

☆ Eddie Munson:

☆ Johnathan Byers:

☆ Argyle:

☆ Billy Hargrove:

☆ Mike Wheeler: Little!Mike x GN!CG!Reader

☆ Dustin Henderson

☆ Will Byers

☆ Lucas Sinclair

☆ Eleven Hopper

☆ Max Mayfield

☆ Jim Hopper:

☆ Joyce Byers:

☆ Dmitri Antonov:

Poly Requests:

HARRY POTTER/MARAUDER:

☆ Harry Potter:

☆ Ron Weasley: CG!Ron Weasley x Little!GN!reader

☆ Hermione Granger:

☆ Fred Weasley: CG!Fred Weasley x Little!Fem!Reader

☆ George Weasley: George Weasley x reader ; CG!George Weasley x LittleMale!Reader

☆ Neville Longbottom: Sub!Neville x Dom!Reader**

☆ Draco Malfoy:

☆ Blaise Zambini:

☆ Enzo Berkshire:

☆ Mattheo Riddle:

☆ Theo Nott:

☆ Pansy Parkinson:

Marauders Era or Lighting Era:

☆ Lucius Malfoy:

☆ Narcissa Malfoy:

☆ Severus Snape:

☆ Bellatrix Lestrange:

☆ Barty Crouch Jr. :

☆ Evan Rosier:

☆ Pandora Rosier:

☆ Zahara Zambini:

☆ Regulus Black:

☆ Sirius Black:

☆ Remus Lupin:

☆ Lily Evans:

☆ Marlene McKinnon:

☆ Mary McDonald:

☆ Dorcas Meadows:

FANTASTIC BEASTS:

☆ Newt Scamander:

☆ Thesus Scammander:

☆ Jacob Kowalski:

☆ Queenie Goldstein:

☆ Albus Dumbledore (young):

☆ Gellart Grindlewald (young):

Poly Requests:

CRIMINAL MINDS:

☆Aaron Hotchner

☆ Jason Gideon

☆ Spencer Reid

☆ Derek Morgan

☆ JJ/ Jennifer Jareau

☆ Elle Greenaway

☆ Penelope Garcia

☆ Emily Prentiss

☆ David Rossi

Poly Requests:

BRIDGERTON:

☆ Anthony Bridgerton

☆ Benedict Bridgerton

☆ Colin Briderton

☆ Daphne Bridgerton

☆ Eloise Bridgerton

☆ Simon Basset

☆ Penelope Fetherington

☆ Queen Charlotte (Young)

☆ King George (Young)

Poly Requests:

Queen charlotte x reader x King George

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES:

☆ Leonardo: NSFW alphabet

☆ Raphael:

☆ Donnatelo:

☆ Michelangelo: Mikey x Reader

☆ April O'Neil:

☆ Casey Jones:

Poly Requests:

Poly!TMNT x Fem!Reader; April 4-in-1; turtles are manspreading and you want payback 😚

Poly!TMNT x Fem!Reader; Casey tries to flirt with reader but she puts down the idea and the turtles are proud

TOP GUN:

☆ Pete Mitchell "Maverick"

☆ Bradley Bradshaw "Rooster"

☆ Jake Seresin "Hangman"

☆ Natasha Trace "Phoenix"

☆ Robert Floyd "Bob"

Poly Requests:

THE HOBBIT/LOTR:

☆ Thorin

☆ Bilbo

☆ Fili

☆ Kili

☆ Dwalin

☆ Bofur

☆ Bard

☆ Legolas

☆ Tauriel

☆ Thuranduil

Poly Requests:

TWILIGHT:

☆ Carlisle Cullen

☆ Esme Cullen

☆ Emmet Cullen

☆ Rosalie Cullen

☆ Alice Cullen

☆ Jasper Cullen: CG!Jasper Hale x nb!little!reader

☆ Edward Cullen

☆ Bella Cullen/Swan

☆ Jacob Black

☆ Garrett

The Volturi:

☆ Aro

☆ Caius

☆ Marcus

Poly Requests:

THE HUNGER GAMES:

☆ Katniss Everdeen

☆ Petta Mellark

☆ Finnick Odair

☆ Johanna Mason

☆ Haymitch Abernathy

Poly Requests:

LUCIFER:

☆ Lucifer Morningstar

☆ Mazikeen

☆ Amenadeil

☆ Chole Decker

☆ Linda Martin

Poly Requests:

How To Train Your Dragon:

☆ Hiccup Haddock

☆ Astrid Hofferson

☆ Snotlout

☆ Ruffnut

☆ Tuffnut

Poly Requests:

Across The SpiderVerse:

☆ Miles Morales

☆ Miguel O'Hara

Spider thoughts!

☆ Peter B. Parker

Spider thoughts!

☆ Hobie Brown

☆ Gwen Stacy

☆ Spider-Noir

Spider thoughts!

Poly Requests:

Descendants:

☆ Mal

☆ Evie

☆ Carlos

☆ Jay

☆ Gil

☆ Harry

☆ Uma

Poly Requests:

MATCHUPS/MOODBOARDS:

☆ @thoughtfulcreatornight x Raphael matchup

☆ Anonymous x Remus Lupin matchup

꧁〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎〰︎꧂

I’ve redone my masterlist because I was vey unhappy with my first one, and I wanted to add pictures to go with it! I’ll also be adding all my new work onto here and my old work will be on the first masterlist! Love y’all! 💗

[bodhrancomedy]

Names in order:

Captain Emmett Askren

Keziah Bianca “Kizzy” Nunn/Dion Askren

Gideon Laurence “Six” Sixsmith

Talas Katsaros

Maia Katsaros

Elizabeth Scarlett (false name)

Octavia Simran Starling

Arban Altantsetseg “Altan” Ace

Pleasant Nettles (real name. Yes, really.)

[icescrabblerjerky]

Challenge: make a poll of your five fave characters of all time, then tag five people to do the same.

Gonna tag @sketchyfletch @flammenkobold @wishflower4 @zeph0r and @defira85

[orion-lacroix]

Thank you @agirlandherquill for the tag sorry it took a while.

Writing share tag: share a part of something you are writing or have written.

Here is the writing share tag, I don't have a lot since I only started Gideon's story recently but here it is:

Gideon had started climbing up the stairs when he doubled back to check his schedule, confirming that he had to climb 33 flight of stairs to reach his classroom. He ran up the stairs, clutching his light bag to his side, glad that he not only bought size expansion charms for it but charms to make it lighter too as his bag was filled with dozen of books and other randoms belongings.

He ran up the stairs that curled around the wall of the tower, watching all the classrooms he passed, he saw students of all age range from eighteen to some in their fifties and sixties. Everybody was sitting behind the same dark desk carved out of some durable wood, using the same kind of quill, all taking simultaneously the same notes as the teacher droned on and on as the class hadn't even yet started technically. He hurried up the stairs with a sort of jumpiness to his steps, somewhere between nervousness and excitement. Even if he was allowed neither.

This was his fate. His past, his future. This was what he was meant for, that he wished for this life or not was of no real concern. He was Gideon Blackwood, he had a duty to his family.

I'm going to tag @thylocalbard, @stew-magnetos-version and @halfbakedspuds but no pressure to do it.

[powerpolyculeshowdown]

CANON POLYCULE SHOWDOWN

this is a contest for canonically confirmed polycules or polycules that have a lot of hints to a possibility of them being canon, even if the authors might not have intended that way!

Beware of spoilers!! Some of these only become polycules later in the media they're from, and some of the descriptions describe a tragic fate for the polycule, so keep in mind there will be spoilers

rules can be found here

bracket can be found here

honorable mentions can be found here

links for all the match ups as they go live can be found in the MASTERPOST. it will be updated each round, but i will also tag every round to make them easier to find

help me w descriptions for the honorable mentions!

Round 2 part 2 finished.

Round 3 will go live on May 19th!

(#canonround2 or #pollycule if you want to search for the polls)

tags:

#canonpolyculeshowdown - for relevant updates and the polls

#pollycule - (yes double L) specifically for the showdown polls, to make it easier to find. doesn't include the prelims cause I only thought to add this after, sorry

#canonpropaganda - for, well, propaganda. ill post asks, reblog posts and maybe reblog reblogs

#honorablemention - for the ships that did not make it in (i will still make a post introducing all of them)

#tournamnt poll - the generally agreed on tag for blacklisting purposes. let me know if i forget to use it! i cant edit polls but it will remind me for the following round

#canonroundN - N being the number of the round we're in. so, for example: canonround0, canonround1, canonround2, etc. from the quarterfinals onwards, they'll also include the specific tag (#quarterfinals, etc). Check the post's tags for that ome if you want to look at all polls from that round!

list may be updated as needed.

if you submitted something that did not get in, nor was it posted as an honorable mention, and you wish to know why, feel free to send an ask.

LIST OF CONTESTANTS:

Nathan/Vlad/Ursula (Hunger Pangs)

Rilla/Arum/Damien (Penumbra Podcast)

Nathan/Gabriel/Annalise (The Bastard Son and the Devil Himself)

Ben/Ryn/Maddie (Siren Freeform)

Arthur/Guinevere/Lancelot (High Noon Over Camelot)

Quanxi/Pingsti/Cosmo/Long/Tsugihagi (Chainsaw Man)

Wu Zetian/Li Shimin/Gao Yizhi (Iron Widow)

Caleb/Astrid/Eadwulf (Critical Role)

Sadie/Walt/Anubis (The Kane Chronicles)

Rajan/Wolfgang/Kala (Sense8)

Princess Glisselda/Seraphina/Lucien (Seraphina)

Tess/Jacomo/Margarethe (Tess of the Road)

Logan/Jean Grey/Scott/Emma (X-Men)

Uzui/Hinatsuru/Makio/Suma (Demon Slayer)

Megaera/Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades)

Dianda/Simon/Patrick (October Daye)

Haruka/Michiru/Setsuna (Sailor Moon)

Asmodeus Alice/Clara Valac/Iruma Suzuki (Mairimashita, Iruma-kun!)

Aizo/Yujiro/Hiyori (HoneyWorks)

Kyle/Rogelio/Lonnie (She Ra)

Dashawn/Steve/Jose/Cupe R III/Otto/Arturo/Gregory/Quackers McQuack (Bojack Horseman)

Fluorite (Steven Universe)

Miss Piggy/Kermit/Gonzo (Muppets)

Sherlock/Watson/Mary (Sherlock Holmes movies)

Ichika Hoshino/Saki Tenma/Shiho Hinomori/Honami Mochizuki (Project SEKAI)

Tree Trunks/Mr. Pig/Alien Husband (Adventure Time)

Daniel/Sam/Jack/Teal’c (Stargate SG-1)

Mukai Naoya/Saki Saki/Nagisa Minase (Kanojo mo Kanojo/Girlfriend Girlfriend)

Eddie/Venom/Anne/Dan (Venom)

Peter Quill/Aradia/Mors (Guardians of the Galaxy)

George/Gilda/Thomas (Design for Living)

Leif/Thorn/Kale (Leif and Thorn)

Kieran/Ray/Gemma (Trigonometry)

Eugene/Rapunzel/Cassandra (Tangled the Series)

Jack/August/Rina (The Wicker King)

La’gann/Coral/Rodunn (Young Justice)

Syenite/Innon/Alabaster (Broken Earth)

Enrique/Hypnos/Sofia (The Gilded Wolves)

Max/Jack/Anne (Black Sails)

Pyrrha/Commander Wake/Gideon the First (The Locked Tomb)

Neptune/Venus/Jupiter (We Know the Devil)

Quincey/Jack/Arthur/Lucy (Dracula)

Amber/Reese/David (Adaptation)

Will/Tessa/Jem (The Infernal Devices)

Kieran/Cristina/Mark (The Dark Artifices)

Winter/Moon/Qibli (Wings of Fire)

Camille/Nyra/Dendro (Muted)

Sasha/Anne/Marcy (Amphibia)

Neal/Peter/Elizabeth (White Collar)

Turtle Heart/Melena/Frex (Wicked)

Emiya/Saber/Rin (Fate Stay/Night)

Sofiane/Victor/Luisa (Mortel)

Taylor/Theo/Josey (3)

Jack/Emma/Izzy (You Me Her)

Keiko/Miles/Kira (Star Trek)

Jade/Dave/Karkat (Homestuck Epilogues)

Anzu/Kazuki/Junta (Romantic Killers)

Shikimori/Izumi/Ai (Shikimori is Not Just Cute)

Camina/Michio Pa/Josep/Serge/Berthold/Oksana (The Expanse)

Breq/Mercy of Kalr/Seivarden/Ekalu (Imperial Radch)

Roguish Semiotician/Infamous Mathematician/Player Character (Fallen London)

Alphonse/Seth/Listener (Bittersweet)

Storm/Helen/Mira (Love and Luck Podcast)

Nicky/Joe/Andy/Booker/Niles (The Old Guard)

[rise-of-the-highborne]

This happened in a group voice chat when I overheard Shadow talking about how they were disappointed in their role-playing partner Law (who is a former Residuum of Icecrown member) has this femboy kink that they went and kidnapped Cardinal Niklos Adamant (who is obliviously a femboy) and gave them a blowjob—meanwhile everyone in the Cathedral was wondering where they were panicking. Niklos will claim they don't ERP because Cardinals have to be pure while they married Gideon Northgate who took Niklos to meet 'the fingers' and had ERP orgies with Calvin Quill and Kalom who Gideon Northgate boned apparently.

I believe it. Cardinal is a shit person, so is Skorrge, and their IC wife. The whole group is shit and idk how people still associate with them. Between the cringe, the OOC shit behavior, and the simply bad rp, I do not understand.

[moonguardrants]

Gonna rant here and say Calvin-Moon Guard (Calvin Quill) is garbage even way back on Wyrmrest Accord. They were stalking two guilds I'm in on alts on one of their many rogues and logged onto two accounts to gain an advantage in a IC fight and no one knew about this until someone just happened to check their alts on armory since they have all their alts on checkpvp on hidden which I always find sus

Anyway here in the screenshot above Shorten and Composite are both Calvin Quill's alts! They were trying to gain a fight advantage with Clan Esuri whom they were stalking on their rather many number of rogues for quite awhile. They always appeared 5 minutes after something happened.

I was given information and asked around about their alts so I could block them after I learn about them being buddy buddies with Niklos Adamant, Gideon Northgate, Kalom, Gnosh.ect.ect.ect yeah basically in that 'circle' to keep my buddies and friends out of potential drama

Calvin-Moon Guard

Shorten-Moon Guard

Composite-Moon Guard

Unmake-Moon Guard

Unrecognize-Moon Guard

Everyplace-Moon Guard

Strength-Moon Guard

Efficient-Moon Guard

.

[kwyrmagic]

hello! any mail boy/girl/enby id packs? /nf!! tyvm if you accept!

and, just wanted to say..

UR BLOG IS GEN SO HELPFUL HELP LIKE ITS SO NICE AND COOL??? LIKE THERES SO MANY STUFF ON THE LISTS I CANT/pos

✉️ . MAILPERSON SNPTS . .

System Names: carrier doves, the mailboys, the mailgirls, the mailpeople, the travelers, those that walk through the city, those that run away from dogs, the deliverers of packages, those that tip their cap, the package pigeons, the stamp collection, the postpeople, the envelope senders, the satchel carriers, letter lovers, dove coos, pigeon squawks, those at the post office, those sorting through letters, the package receivers, the mail truck drivers, those that open mailboxes, carriers of gifts, deliverers of surprises

Usernames: mail4you, wowtherestrees, runfrmdogs, wavetopeoples, down.town, enveloves, pooostoffice, parcelpigeon, penciiilpals, quiet.townn, ghostatthepost, postprince[ss], carrierpige0n, stiiickersss, penpaaaals, flimsypaperrs, doodledanny, envelopunny, maaailbox, inkyyprints, cloudy.town, deliverydutyy, flutteringd0ve, deliverydove, givingdove, giftsfromyrstruly, doodlesforyoodles, no1postman, penmanshiip, heresanote, pitterpatter, boxesrsoheavy, owboxes, writemealetter, smilingparcels, scaredofbarrrks, atthepostoffice, darlingparcels, packagepirate, envelopes4youu, st.ampsss, inkstaaiins, no1letterlover, siillynotes, sentfromaway, organizetheoffice, summerstrolls, envelopesfrmyou, parcelpwr, lettersletters, ilovemail, messyletters, sendingstuff2you, youvegotmail, letterlvr, lovelylettr, mailmale, smilesformiles, parcelfromadove, writingacrssthewrld, prrttymailgrl, prettyparcelsss, g1ftg1ftg1fts, greetingyouu, dizzypackages, ssillystamps, scribblesilly, dancingletters, mailbooooy, hidinginurmailbox, notesfrmthesky, brightdaaay, proudserviiice, in2urmailbox, bewareofd0g, mailtruckdrvr, openbxes, sootcasee, stackofletters, boxoflovers, envelopeoflove

Names: alexander, alfred, alice, annette, archer, archie, arden, arlo, atticus, august, augustus, autumn, barnaby, bartholomew, basil, beatrice, beau, benedict, benjamin, bennett, birdie, blake, cedric, charlie, chester, cliff, clifford, clive, clyde, cornelius, cory, cullen, darwin, diggory, dom, dominic, dorcas, earnest, edgar, edith, effie, elijah, eliza, emerson, emilio, emmanuel, eugene, everett, fennel, flint, florence, flossie, floyd, ford, gale, galina, genevieve, gideon, glenn, greyson, gwendolyn, harriet, harvey, hattie, hayden, holly, ink, ivan, ivy, josette, josie, july, june, kane, kate, katherine, kay, kendell, kinley, kip, kleo, leo, logan, maeve, maggie, malcolm, marion, margot, marlowe, marshall, matilda, mayfaire, melvile, meredith, milton, minnie, molly, mortem, mortimer, nadira, nancy, nannie, navy, neith, nelda, nellie, nells, nettie, ninette, noah, noel, noemi, norman, note, oakley, odette, oliver, orson, orville, oswald, otto, parcel, parker, polly, posey, presley, quill, quinton, ralph, randall, raymond, reed, reid, rhett, romee, rory, rowan, rye, sabina, sawyer, scout, silas, sloane, spencer, stanford, stanley, summer, susan, tallulah, tatum, thelma, thena, thisbe, thomas, tibby, tillie, timothy, tinker, toby, tom, torin, trey, troy, violet, virgil, walden, walter, warren, willard, willow, winnie, woody

Pronouns: letter/letters, mail/mails, write/writes, pen/pens, ink/inks, note/notes, deliver/delivers, gift/gifts, scribble/scribble, doodle/doodles, carry/carry, give/gives, walk/walks, hum/hums, parcel/parcels, package/packages, box/boxs, stamp/stamps, sticker/stickers, smile/smiles, proud/prouds, newspaper/newspaper, envelope/envelope, sun/suns, mailbox/mailboxs, pencil/pencil, scrabble/scrabble, sketch/sketchs, house/houses, satchel/satchels, bag/bags, hello/hellos, twine/twines, string/strings, wrap/wraps, town/towns, cloud/clouds, clutch/clutchs, send/sends, post/posts, office/office, sort/sorts, organize/organizes, rain/rains, flimsy/flimsys, thin/thins, street/streets, apartment/apartments, greet/greets, pass/pass’, road/roads, home/homes, locker/lockers, wave/waves, cheerful/cheerfuls, joy/joys, old/olds, weathering/weatherings, service/services, dog/dogs, truck/trucks, fence/fences, sign/signs, slot/slots, city/citys, drawer/drawers, pin/pins, 🫶, 🌳, 🍃, 🍂, 🪹, ☀️, 🥖, 🥠, 🪃, 🛹, 🎫, 🎼, ♟️, 🚐, 🛞, 🚦, 🚏, 🗽, 🏢, 🏘️, 🏙️, 🎞️, 📺, 📻, 🕰️, 💵, 🪙, 🩹, 🧺, 🚪, 🪟, 🧧, ✉️, 📨, 💌, 📦, 🏷️, 🪧, 📪, 📫, 📬, 📭, 📮, 📜, 📃, 📋, 🗞️, 🗂️, 📔, 🧷, 🖊️, 🖋️, 🖇️, 📝, 🧳

Titles: the cheerful giver, prn who presses stamps to letters, the delivery thing, bringer of mail, prn who delivers packages, the penner of letters, the deliverer of mail, the mailboy, the mailgirl, the mailperson, prn who walks the streets, prn who drives the mail truck, gifter of deliveries, prn who strolls through the city, prn who gives mail [to those who need it], the mailman, the mailperson, the mailwoman, the carrier pigeon, prn who carries mail through the sky, the carrier dove, prn who drops mail from the skies

[juliaswickcrs]

oops another oc :: marissa montgomery mastermind ( s1-s12 )

Marissa Montgomery has never truly known peace. She thinks the last time she felt anything like it was the years before she turned eight years old, living in a London townhouse with her mother and stepfather and baby half-siblings. 

But death seemed to follow her, and it took everything from an eight year old girl as it snatched up her mother in the form of a man with a missing finger on his right hand, Marissa watching helplessly as he promised to give her a good life until her stepfather broke down the door and fought the killer off. 

And as Scotland Yard handed her hot chocolate and a blanket while they carried her mother’s body out on a gurney, she made a promise. She would not let death win. For every life that he took, Marissa would save one to keep things in balance. An endless war that sent her not only to America for university but to John Hopkins for her medical training. 

The most important part of that promise would be staying far away from the FBI.

Until Erin Strauss and Agent Aaron Hotchner ask her to join the BAU as a consultant. Her medical expertise providing a unique insight that the rest of the team lacked. They told her what to expect, that she would need to be trained in firearms and take a few classes to make up for her lack of training. 

They didn’t tell her she would be working with Jason Gideon.

And that one fact alone is almost enough to send her walking. Until Agent Hotchner asks her for just one case. 

And so she agrees. 

Just one case. 

But the world is filled with masterminds set on helping death win, and Marissa will be damned if they beat her at her own game.

BONUS

tag list: @bisexualterror​ @foxesandmagic​ @booty-boggins​ @iron-parkr​ @jvstjewels​ @camiemendes​ @a-song-of-quill-and-feather​ @arrthurpendragon​ @villain-connoisseur​ @starcrossedjedis​ @drbobbimorse​ @noratilney​ @stanshollaand​ @kingsmakers​ @elmunson​ @darth-caillic​ @mystic-scripture​ @lizziesxltzmxn​ @misshiraeth98​ @chrissymunson​​ @asirensrage​

[martyrette]

This happened in a group voice chat when I overheard Shadow talking about how they were disappointed in their role-playing partner Law (who is a former Residuum of Icecrown member) has this femboy kink that they went and kidnapped Cardinal Niklos Adamant (who is obliviously a femboy) and gave them a blowjob—meanwhile everyone in the Cathedral was wondering where they were panicking. Niklos will claim they don't ERP because Cardinals have to be pure while they married Gideon Northgate who took Niklos to meet 'the fingers' and had ERP orgies with Calvin Quill and Kalom who Gideon Northgate boned apparently.

Why am I of all people being sent this ask?

You may have accidentally submitted to the wrong blog. This is an art & meme blog, sir/ma’am/lord enbie.

I literally do not care who you boink as long as it’s consensual & doesn’t involve animals or minors. Have fun. Be whores (lovingly).

[kelyon]

Dark Mistress 33/33 Epilogue

They live happily ever after.

Read on AO3

Ten years later…

Gideon was up in the branches of an old oak tree when he saw the dust from the wagon. It was coming through the forest, on the road from the town. The road people took to get to the Duke’s castle. As soon as he saw it, he started smiling. His heart began to beat faster. 

“Letty!” he shouted to his sister on the ground. “Letty, they’re coming!”

Even though he was excited, Gideon knew to be careful as he climbed down the big tree. He and his sister had spent the morning in the forest near their farm. They had filled a basket with the hazelnuts and walnuts that were ripe this time of year. Letty was too small to climb the trees--no matter how much she said she wasn’t--so she picked nuts off the ground that Gideon would toss down to her. Mama had also sent them out for the galls that grew on oak trees. She needed to make more ink her dame school.  

Jumping down from the lowest branch, Gideon landed on the dry leaves. It was shady in the forest, with beams of sunlight casting gold from between the tree branches. It was his favorite time of year. All of the leaves were orange and red, but they hadn’t fallen yet. Before Gideon and Letty had gone out this morning, Papa had made them wear their cloaks, but they had both taken them off once they started working. It wasn’t cold. It was never too cold around Gideon’s birthday. 

“We have to go tell everyone they’re on their way,” Gideon said. “You go back to the cottage with the basket, and I’ll find Papa.”

“No!” Letty stamped her foot. “You tell Mama. I wanna tell Papa and the sheep.”

For a minute, Gideon thought about arguing with his sister. He could tell her that she had to listen to him, because he was older and knew more things than she did. Knowing Letty, she would still say no, over and over again, until he got angry enough to shout at her and that would make her cry. Her lower lip was wibbling and she had that furrow in her forehead that she got when she was being stubborn. 

Stubborn as Mama, Papa would say. She looked like Mama too, with curly brown hair and blue eyes and her hands on her hips because she was determined not to budge. When Letty got like this, Papa was the only one who could convince her that she would survive not getting her own way. 

Gideon sighed. 

“Fine,” he said. It wasn’t really something worth fighting over, not on a day when so many good things were already happening. He crouched down so he could look his youngest sister in the eye. “Papa and Croissant are in the pasture with the flock. I know you know the way, but I need you to promise me you’ll hurry. Promise, Colette. And go right there. Don’t get lost again just because you saw a butterfly.” 

“It was a dragonfly!” she insisted. “And I wasn’t lost.”

“If Mama and Papa don’t know where you are, that’s lost,” Gideon said. “Now get going! We have to let everyone know Bae’s coming home!”

****

He was right to let Letty run to the pasture, Gideon thought as made his way back to the cottage. The full basket was too heavy for someone so little. He had to carry it with two hands. She would have spilled the nuts on the ground and then sat in the middle of the road and cried like the baby she still was. But Gideon was strong enough to carry it. Bae had always told him that he had to look out for people who were smaller than he was, and try to help with their burdens if he could. That was what being a big brother meant. Bae knew everything about being a big brother.

When Gideon got to the cottage, his other little sister Alma was sitting at the table with a quill in her hand. 

“How many s’s are in ‘possible’?”

“Just two,” Mama said from the hearth. She was bent over a stewpot full of pears. They had picked a bushel  yesterday from the tree by the cottage. The fruit would boil down into enough jam for them to eat all winter long.

Alma wrote the word down, then picked up the birch bark. She peered at the letters like she didn’t believe them. “Are you sure it’s two and not three?” 

Mama straightened up slowly, rubbing her back as she did. Her round belly rose up under her skirt, like she was carrying a ball instead of a baby. “Sweetheart, there isn’t a single word in any language in this land that has three s’s all together in row. You have to talk to snakes before you start hearing words like that.”

Alma snorted. “Who talks to snakes?”

“Mostly other snakes, but a few humans.”

“How do you know that?”

“How many times do I have to tell you?” Mama laughed. “Before I was your mother, I was an eldritch abomination for a hundred years. I learned a lot of things.”

Alma snorted and shook her head. None of them believed Mama when she said things like that. They all knew she was just smart because of all the books she read.

Gideon stepped into the cottage. Mama smiled when she saw him. “What’s going on, Gid? Where’s Letty?”

“She’s telling Papa,” he said. “Bae and Morraine are back. I saw the wagon coming up the road from the castle.”

“Really?” Alma pushed herself away from the table. “Let’s go meet them!”

“Now, hold on, young lady.” Mama said. “If your brother just saw them on the road, they could still be an hour away. Maybe longer, if that silly mule is as ornery as she usually is. That’s plenty of time for us to get things ready for them. By the time they get here, they’ll both be tired and dusty and thirsty and hungry--especially Morraine, poor thing.” Hands on her hips, she looked at them both. “Alma, you put away your books and clean off the table so we can all have a meal together when they get here. Gideon, I want you to open up the windows in the new room and then get a bucket of fresh water. We’ll do as much cleaning as we can in there on short notice.” 

Both of them hurried off to do what their mother said. They didn’t always rush to do their chores, but today was special. Today their brother was coming home. 

****

It was much longer than an hour later when the wagon finally pulled up to the barn. Bae and Morraine had been living at the Duke’s castle ever since the sheering was finished in spring, with only a few visits over the summer. Now their work for the Duke was done and they were back to stay!

Everyone gathered in the yard to meet them. Gideon ran up to the wagon and started unhitching Parsley almost before the silly mule had stopped moving. The sooner Parsley was in the barn with the cows and chickens, the sooner everyone would know that things were back to normal. His family was together again.

The girls squealed and shouted for Bae to pick them up--even Alma, though she was too big to be held like a baby. Bae managed to get Letty on his shoulders and had Alma hang on to his neck while he balanced her on his hip. Papa saw the whole thing and chuckled.

“Well, you certainly look ready to be a father.”

Bae smiled. “I didn’t think we needed more practice, but we got plenty up at the castle. Seven children all under ten years old! I had to paint them each separately and do a group portrait with the Duke and Duchess.”

For some reason, Mama thought that was very funny. “And to think, some fools once thought the Duchess’s womb was cursed.” 

“Did the Duke appreciate your talents?” Papa asked Bae.

“Oh yes.” Bae used the hand that wasn’t holding Alma to pat the fat leather pouch at his new belt. “He was quite grateful. I’m just glad Morraine was with me, or else the whole project would have taken twice as long and been less than half as good.”

Morraine was still sitting on the wagon seat. She was too big with her coming baby to jump down the way Bae had. She shrugged when Bae talked about her.

“What can I say? I know how to herd children and make cheese, and they weren’t paying us to work in the dairy.”

Mama laughed at that. “Do you need help getting down?”

“It’s not that high,” Morraine said. She looked doubtful even as she said it. “I’m just not sure of how I’m going to land.”

“I know all about that,” Mama assured her. “Gideon, get on her other side.”

They each took a hand and together the three of them managed to ease Morraine down to the ground. She held her belly and took a deep breath, but nodded, so everyone knew she was alright.

“You look about ready to burst,” Mama said. She wrapped her arm around Morraine’s and led her into the cottage. “Have you talked to your mother about your lying-in?”

“We stopped there on the way back,” Morraine said. “It was busy at the shop, but Mama says she’ll drop everything to help me when it’s time.”

“Of course she will,” Mama said. “Parents will do anything for their babies.”

While Mama and Morraine went inside, everyone else started unloading the wagon. The girls finally got off of Bae and started making themselves useful. 

“Did you bring us presents?” Letty asked.

“Letty!” Gideon chided her. “You can’t ask people for presents all the time. Just be happy they’re home.”

“Besides, Let,” Bae pulled a small bundle of cloth out of his cloak. “It’s not your birthday.”

He handed the bundle to Gideon. Without asking if it was alright, Gideon pulled away the cloth and took out a leather belt with a pewter clasp.

“Well that looks familiar,” Papa remarked.   

Bae crouched down to talk to Gideon. He had big brown eyes like Papa’s. Like his. His voice was rough and raspy, but he always had the right words.  All his life, whenever Gideon was scared or sad, he always felt better when Bae talked to him. Bae was everything Gideon wanted to be when he grew up.

“Now don’t call me stingy just because I’m giving you a hand-me-down. Papa gave me this belt when I was fifteen. That’s the year you were born. I think you’re as big now as I was then, so I want you to have it.”

Gideon looked down at the leather belt. He’d seen Bae wear it all his life, almost couldn’t imagine him without it. If he had Bae’s belt to wear, it would be like his brother was never apart from him, no matter what else might happen.

“I love it,” Gideon said. He wrapped his arms around Bae’s big shoulders. He held on and didn’t let go. “Thank you.”

Bae squeezed him back. “Happy birthday, Gid.”

****

Between the five of them, they were able to carry all of Bae and Morraine’s things into the house. Bae and Morraine had their own bedroom in the cottage, with a loft built into the rafters for storage. Mama and Papa called it the new room, but Gideon couldn’t remember the cottage without it. Like Morraine herself and the cheese house she worked in, it had always been a part of his life.   

Right now, Morraine was sitting at the table and Mama was buzzing around her, making sure she was comfortable and had enough to drink.

Papa came up behind Mama. He put his hands on her sides, touching her belly, and spoke softly into her ear. “Why don’t you sit down too, my love? Let us wait on you for a bit.”

Mama looked about to protest, but then she caught a look in Papa’s eye that made her shake her head in defeat. “Alright,” she said. “I’ll sit--after I give Bae a proper hello.”

“I’m right here, Belle.” Bae always called Mama by her name because he used to have a different mother a long time ago. It didn’t make a difference. Everyone knew he loved her--Mama most of all.

“So you are!” Mama spread her arms wide and Bae leaned down for a hug. She kissed him on the cheek.  “There’s the boy who made a mother out of me!”

“I missed you.” Bae gave her a big squeeze and then let go. “We missed all of you.”

“And you’re never gonna go away again, right?” Alma asked.

Bae scratched the back of his head. “At least not until winter is over,” he said. “If the Duke tells other nobles who it was who painted those portraits he likes so much, well, the family might be down a shepherd.”

“Good,” Papa clapped Bae on the back. “Rise up in the world. I’ve always wanted you to have a better life than I could give you.”

“Nah.” Bae made one of his silly faces. He put one hand on Papa’s shoulder as they stood side by side.  “I had a pretty good life, at least once Belle came along.”

Mama snorted, like Bae had said something funny. “Happy to help, son.”

He smiled back at her, and it was like they were sharing a secret. For a moment, Gideon wondered what all this meant, and if he would ever know more about Bae’s life before Mama and Papa got married. Maybe someday they’d tell him. Maybe someday he’d know as much about the world as Bae and Mama and Papa did. 

For now, it was suppertime. It was his birthday. All his family was together. 

Nothing could be better than that.