#he learned that from a friend (orpheus) who at the start he denied caring for

[wolfythewitch]

Hi! I haven't seen Hadestown but from what I read of Hermes... Wouldn't Annabelle or Helen Disotrtion have fun with that? Well they are more about tricks than they are about tests but there's seeing the tragedy unfold as it was always meant to and "guiding" someone lost in corridors... Idk.

(Also having Martin be Persephone kinda makes Peter the most logical Demeter. Seasonal depression explained.)

And okay but who's the artist that moves them? Jack Barnabas's love for Agnes? Callum Brodie, pleading for what? Gerry looking for his father? Tim coming down for Sasha?

Please tell us more.

In this au, it's tim and sasha! that's why I went for Jon and Martin as Hades and Persephone, because they have a closest connection timsasha, and vice versa

And I've thought about annabelle or the distortion for Hermes but my problem is connection again. In the musical hermes acts as a sort of mentor figure for orpheus, taking him under his wing and guiding him down hadestown. While it doesn't have to be a mentor figure, i still want to keep a connection between tim and the hermes stand in. I was also thinking gertrude (who knew sasha and had expected her to be archivist, was an archivist and would fit a narrator role) or gerry (served under the eye, also has ties to statements and stuff) as Hermes. The problem is they have never really interacted in canon, though it's a degree of separation closer than, say, annabelle haha.

Melanie is another interesting one because she does know Tim, and is one of the few to remember old Sasha. Plus she's a youtuber she knows how to narrate lmao. Though she doesn't feel as right to the role as gertrude

[goodieghosty]

Well good thing I checked then. I always forget what I have and haven't sent in.

We start with a cute little scene. Roman is hugging Virgil and pulls back, handing him a lavender bouquet. “There are tons of good folk out there who care about you, who worry for you. You are allowed to lean on us. Okay?” He says with a friendly super platonic kiss to the cheek which is totally normal for gods who are friends to do. But Roman can’t help a little blush and is so busy with leaving before Virgil can notice that he doesn’t catch Virgil holding a hand to his cheek with a blush that’s at least as bad. Roman leaves and Virgil summons a side table with a vase to put the flowers in, a smitten smile on his face as he carefully situates the new flowers. Smelling them again.

Then a flash of Orpheus’ smile going from alive and well to dead and at peace in his arms and Virgil recoils. He shakes his head.

“What is the matter with me?” he wonders with sad/angry eyes. “You’d think a god would learn?”

He walks away from the flowers his arms wrapped around himself in an attempt to seek comfort.

“If there's a prize for rotten judgement,” he sings as he takes out the rings he always carries around his neck, looking at them with sorrow.

“I guess I've already won that

No man is worth the aggravation”

A flashback, this time of himself holding Orpheus on the battlefield and letting out a mournful scream of agony that covers the world in darkness.

Virgil drops the rings again, marching on, determined. “That's ancient history, been there, done that”

Black shadowcreatures appear (Virgil’s brothers? His underlings?) and snatch one of the lavenderstems with them as they start a chorus. Trying to catch Virgil’s attention and make him see what’s obvious to everyone.

“Who d'you think you're kidding He's the earth and heaven to you Try to keep it hidden Honey we can see right through you Boy, you can't conceal it We know how you're feeling Who you thinking of” collectively form a silhouette of Roman reaching out to him, Virgil just waves them away making the image disperse.

“Oh, No chance, no way, I won't say it, no, no

(You swoon you sigh why deny it oh, oh)

It's too cliche, I won't say I'm in love” Virgil enters his private chambers and lets himself drop on the bed he hasn’t really used since Remy outgrew nursing. He looks to his side and finds the book with Orpheus’ poems. He picks it up and flips through it with a fond but sad smile.

“I thought my heart had learned it's lesson

It feels so good when you start out” He catches sight of some trinket Roman gave him back when he was still figuring out that he didn’t need to bribe Virgil to maintain the friendship they’d established, he’d never had the heart to toss any away. He reaches out but changes his mind, sits up looking frustrated.

“My head is screaming: Get a grip man

Unless you're dying to cry your heart out"

Virgil gets up leaving both the trinket and the book behind as he moves on through his palace followed by the shadows once more.

“Dude, you can't deny it Who you are is how you're feeling Highness, we're not buying Man we saw you hit the ceiling Face it like a grown-up When you gonna own up that you got, got, got it bad

No chance no way, I won't say it, no no”

Virgil catches sight of the garden outside the castle, something he never had until Roman decided to provide some thematicly appropriate vegetation with Remus’ help. He recalls how proud Roman had looked when he showed the fruits of their labor and can’t help but smile fondly.

“(Give up, give in, check the grin you're in love)” Virgil blinks out of the memory and turns away stubbornly.

“This scene won't play, I won't say I'm in love

(We'll do it until you admit you're in love)

You're way off base, I won't say it

Get off my case, I won't say it

(Man, don't be proud, it's okay you're in love)” Finally Virgil fails to avoid the lavender and picks it up smiling fondly as he situates himself on a windowsill.

“Oh, at least out loud I won't say I'm in love”

Zoom out to see he’s in his offering room with a clay statue once given to him by a certain demigod on display right next to him

MY HEART

My H E A R T AH FCK

[the-calicos-missteps]

Blind Haruka Nanami - Episode 2

 How the opening, Orpheus Heart, would be changed for blind!Haruka.

The beginning with the boys would still be the same.

In the original, Haruka throws a pen and walks to the window. In this version, she would be sitting at a desk, turning off a voice recorder and tossing it onto the desk with a depressed face.

Hayate would place his head in her lap and she would pet it instead of getting up. Kuppuru would be laying on the desk.

Kuppuru would press a button on the recorder, and HAYATO's face would pop up, as kanji would scroll across the bottom - 'Now playing - Nanairo no Compass.'

Haruka would lean back into her chair, head falling back over the chair as she closed her eyes, Hayato appearing in her mind's eye and she would 'fall' into that pink water like world from the opening.

I like to think this is her ‘inner world’ from her minds eye - since she is legally blind and she sees mostly fuzzy outlines, this blend of color world is her inner world. 

In the original, Kuppuru sends some papers flying and Haruka sees the boys faces on them. For obvious reasons, that would not be helpful here. Instead, inside her inner world, Haruka sees what she images her friends (those who support her-) to look like- including STARISH, Tomo, and her grandmother. 

All of a sudden, she sees a boy in green that she’s never seen before -  and he reaches out to her, physically taking her hand. Quickly leaving her inner world, she’s suddenly pulled past the piano to the open window and is suddenly flying.  

Hayate followed her, and Cecil lets him fly with her as well. 

It takes her merely a second to feel the wind in her hair and the feathers brushing past her skin, and she’s immediately smiling. 

Hayate has his tounge out with a big doggy grin on his face. 

She is being carried by the wind to the boys, and while the boys are doing their thing in the opening, they are all calling out her name as she passes them so she knows exactly who she’s passing. 

Otoya and Tokiya tell her to reach out her hands - which she does, and they both push her high into the air. Hayate is pushed along by the wind. 

And finally, as she turns back around, the notes for the song she previously could not find appear before her. 

Here’s episode two!

When Tomo comes back with the drinks, she sees Hayate play with the mysterious cat. She asks in confusion where exactly the cat come from.

When Haruka tells her that it just appeared in the room and that she really wants to keep it, Tomo sighs and agrees reluctantly, but they MUST keep the cat hidden. 

They then come up with the name Kuppuru together. Tomo tells her she’ll go with her to the local pet shop to get supplies for Kuppuru after class tomorrow. ‘You need a lot of things to care for a cat, Haru-Chan!’ 

Before they go to sleep for the night, Tomo helps Haruka write a letter for her grandmother. Haruka told her what she wanted to write, and Tomo wrote it for her. 

Haruka believes the rule about no romance to be excessive and not needed, but is not bothered by it. After all, who would want to love a blind girl like her? 

Hayate, sensing her distress, puts his head on her foot to provide comfort.

Haruka was bullied as a child due to her blindness. She has low self confidence, but it caused to become opinionated, but she is still inherently kind. Even if those opinions are kept to herself.

She also notes that they specifically say ‘love between the two sexes is outlawed.’ So what about love between the same gender? Is that not apart of the rule? Haruka thinks it’s a little stupid. 

Ringo-Sensei ends up reading his lot drawings out loud, accounting for Haruka. 

When Ringo-Sensei goes to pick a person to play piano, he glosses over Haruka, saying he would have picked her, but she wouldn’t be able to play it. ‘You understand, don’t you Nanami-Chan? It would be a little bit difficult for you, see?’ 

Haruka gets very frustrated and upset at his comment, but doesn’t disagree. She clenches her hands in her lap, and her friends look at her worriedly. 

The class starts making rude comments, about how a girl like her should have never been allowed in the school. ‘What was the headmaster thinking?’ ‘She definitely cheated her way in.’ ‘No way, someone paid for her to get in.’ ‘I bet she can’t even play any instruments.’

Otoya and Tomo step in and tell them off, while Haruka says nothing. Ringo quiets the class and picks another student to play the piece. 

Lunch comes, and it’s raining. Haruka leaves the class immediately, and doesn’t wait for her friends. She’s lost her appetite, and orders Hayate to take her outside near the lake. 

The rain does well to drown out her tears of frustration. Hayate is whining and trying to get her to pet him.

Kuppuru finds them first. He jumps onto Haruka’s lap with a sad meow and she starts petting them both. She smiles self-deprecatingly at them, saying that maybe she really shouldn’t be at this school. 

That’s when Otoya finds her, placing his jacket over head and saying ‘that’s not true at all!’ 

After leading them to the gazebo (Kuppuru hangs out on Haruka’s shoulders) Haruka says wasn’t he embarrassed to have a useless composer. 

Otoya keeps denying the cruel things she keeps saying about herself, things like she’s a failure and she doesn’t belong here, saying that it was all wrong and encouraging her. 

During her tirade, Kuppuru kept licking her face and Hayate her hand. 

Haruka finally breaks and tells him her grievances - beside her grandmother, no one has ever stayed or cared to listen. 

She’s frustrated with Ringo-Sensei and wishes he would just treat her like a normal student. She may be blind but she doesn’t need special treatment! She’s just as competent as any other student! 

She explains that she does know how to play- she just learns music differently from all of them. She’s angry with the class for their insensitive comments. 

She’s also frustrated with herself for being so weak. She’s used to this kind of treatment, she should be used to it by now. But that doesn’t make it easier. 

Otoya does the best he can to comfort her, but is also stupefied because he doesn’t know how to respond to some of this. Haruka appreciates it. 

He then has a grand idea - they can make a pitch to Ringo-Sensei about his treatment of her. If they work together surely their teacher will listen!  He was incredibly enthusiastic about it. 

It was Haruka’s turn to be stupefied. But then she smiled and agreed. They spend the rest of lunch together in the gazebo writing the pitch. 

The end of the day comes. Tomo asks Haruka if she’s ready to go. Haruka asks her wait outside for just a little bit. Tomo is confused, but waits outside the door.

Otoya and Haruka confront Ringo. Ringo is confused why they stayed late. Otoya starts, so Haruka could gather her courage.

Haruka tells that she’s frustated with Ringo’s treatment of her. She may be blind, but she is just like any other student. She does not like being treated differently by Ringo. She tells Ringo that yes, she can play, she just learns it a different way. She is upset with him for calling her our like he has. It makes her feel like she doesn’t belong in this school. 

Ringo is a little gobsmacked by their hot takes. He blinks a few times, before he laughs deeply. Haruka and Otoya are shocked by his reaction, but before they can assume anything, he calls out to them. He wasn’t laughing because he thought their proposal was stupid. He’s laughing because they are the first students ever willing to tell him off. Most are too scared to because he’s a professional and could even stop them from ever debuting. He’s laughing from shock, and that he never expected such a hot take to come from them in particular. 

He apologizes for his treatment of Haruka. He admits he may been laying it on too thick; he also admits to thinking that she would be inherently weaker than the rest, and that reflected in his treatment of her. He promises to do better, and if she feels he isn’t doing good enough, to tell him. After all, as a pro he’s always striving to be better. Plus, he didn’t want to hurt his adorable students! 

Haruka decides she can like him in the future.

Haruka asks if he could give her two copies of the sheet music. He replies sure, but is confused why. She says she’ll prove to the class by the end of the week that she can perform. He smiles and pats her back in encouragement - and immediately pulls back when Hayate growls and lunges forward just a bit. ‘I’ll just keep my encouragement over here then... haha...’ Haruka reprimands Hayate. 

However, he reminds them that she also needs to write a song, so maybe she could- Haruka cuts him off, saying she will get it done all this week.

When they leave the room, it turns out Tomo had been listening in the whole time, and she jumps on Haruka when she gets out and congratulates her on standing up to their teacher. 

When she starts to lead Haruka away for the pet stop, Otoya asks if he can tag along. Tomo sticks her tongue out at him and says its a girl only event. A jealous Tomo just pushes them quickly out the school while a Otoya goes to try and write some lyrics.

She takes Haruka, Kurrupu, and Hayate to the pet shop. They get things like a fancy litter box, bowls and food, toys and treats. 

Haruka makes an additional stop to get one copy of the sheet music transcribed into braille. 

Tomo asks if she was going to do that anyway, why get two copies? Haruka explains that it would take too long for the music to be transcribed to learn it in one week, so Tomo would be helping her learn until it was ready! Tomo laughed fakely, realizing that she wasn’t being given a choice in the matter. The cat even has the gal to seemingly laugh at her! 

Tomochika spends the rest of that day helping Haruka learn the song verse by verse by either telling her the note pattern or singing it for her, but soon she needs to sleep. 

So late at night Haruka begins working on the composition for Otoya. He said he would have some lyrics by the next day, so she needs something too! But... she’s never written music, not really. She’s improvised on the piano, but simply letting music flow when playing is not the same as intentionally writing it out. 

Her voice recorder sits at her desk seemingly staring straight at her, with scrapped melodies filling it’s memory. Haruka... just can’t seem to write a song. 

Tears blur her vision even more than it already is. She just can’t do anything right, can she? She can’t learn a song and she can’t compose one either. Her useless pride got the better of her. 

She falls asleep like this, the exhaustion having got to her. 

When she wakes up from the dream about her grandmother, she walks over their open balcony, recorder in hand. She looks to the moon, hits record, and she sings her heart out into a brand new melody. 

Otoki, who had been walking around to find inspiration, heard the melody and wandered over to the source - only to come across Nanami. It becomes a Romeo and Juliet moment, just with lots of blushing and without the confession and death. 

When Otoya sings, Haruka doesn’t stop starring at him. Otoya asks if something is wrong. She replies no, its just that his singing is beautiful. Otoya thanks her, but is then confused when she says that when he sings, it’s like she can see him clearly, the warmth of soft flames accompanying his music. It’s like the world is bathed in a patchwork of red jewels that refract the light into beautiful rainbows. 

Working together, they manage to get their song, BRAND NEW MELODY, done by the end of the week. With both Tomochika’s and Otoya’s help and the braille music sheet retrieved in the middle of the week, Haruka even managed to learn the piano piece, just in the nick of time.

She plays it for the class, eyes closed the entire time for the flex on her class. At the end, the class sits in stunned silence, and Ringo-Sensei is the first to clap for her. And quickly, the rest of the class joins, Tomo and Otoya being the loudest. 

Insert Maji LOVE 1000% here! That’s the end of episode 2! I know it seems like episode 2 and 3 were combined, but I’ve plans... big plans! 

[quiet-onset]

Infinity (1)

Pairing: Orpheus!Peter Parker x Eurydice!reader (I imagine him in his early 20s)

Word Count: 2.7k+ 

A/N: This is yet another series I started because self control = 0, especially in quarantine lmao. I finally listened Hadestown, which I highly recommend if you’re into musical theater. This series is based on this musical by Anaïs Mitchell, which is based on Greek tale of Orpheus and Eurydice. There will be some of the same lines, but mainly iconic ones that I don’t think should be replaced. I’ll be sure to put a credit at the start of any chapter that I use the exact same lines. Consider this this chapter’s credit to Anaïs Mitchell!

The wind blew hard. This way and that as you tugged you coat tighter, stepping off the Greyhound that you’d been on for hours. You rolled your shoulders and stepped forward as you sought out the closest place to get a hot meal. You had no idea where you were anymore. You only knew that you needed to go.

Go where? You weren’t sure yet.

You’d been on your own for a long while now, and you liked it that way. No one to boss you around. No one depending on you, and not depending on anyone. It was a hard life, but that’s exactly what it was — life. Maybe it wasn’t how things should have been, but that’s how they were.

The sooner everyone learned that, the better they’re lives would be.

As you stepped away from the bus stop, you looked around at the town, finally catching a sign with its name: Hadestown. Well, that’s a bit dramatic, you thought. Sure, the place was kind of old and broken down, but that didn’t make it hell. Maybe there was something you were missing. If there was, you didn’t care to stick around and find out. Before you could walk too far, you bought a new bus ticket, tomorrow at noon sharp.

You could last till then. For now, you just needed food and a bed.

You tapped a young man on the shoulder, and he looked up from his phone. “Hey, do you know if there’s a restaurant around here?” You asked.

He gave you a onceover, taking note of your torn jeans and worn gray t-shirt that was fraying at the seams. He nodded his head to the left, toward the tracks. “You might wanna head to the diner, across town by the railroad tracks. ‘S cheaper.”

You scoffed and adjusted your backpack as you pushed past him. “Gee thanks.”

It took about twenty minutes for you to get to the diner the boy told you about. You let out a breath of relief as you stepped inside. It seemed lively enough, small pockets of laughter here and there. You breathed into your hands to warm them, ferociously rubbing them together. Then, a man walked up to you, not much taller than you with a flannel covering his ACDC t-shirt. “I’m Tony. Can I get you a table?” A deep voice, but warm. Kind.

And, by your book, not to be trusted.

“A booth, if you have one.” You nodded.

“Follow me.”

He walked past the few tables with people. At one table sat two men, drinking and laughing as they teased each other about this or that. Another with a group, two men and two women, toasting to some recently completed job that was, by the looks of them, probably illegal. Then, just as you rounded to the other side of the bar, three women sat together. One with light brown skin, the slightest bit of a curl in her hair that was braided down her back. Another with a short, dark bob that just reached her shoulders, the color matching the intensity of her eyes. The last, a younger woman, a coat of reddish-maroon leather just barely touching the floor. The trio gazed at you as you walked by, and it filled you with a strange feeling, but they said nothing.

Weird.

“It’s pretty cold out there to be April.” He said, attempting to make small talk as you sat down.

“And soon, it’ll be blazing hot.” You replied. “Same old, same old.”

“‘S not natural.”

You picked up the menu, “It is now.”

He paused, then gave you a chuckle and turned to go back to the bar. “I’ll give you a minute.”

As soon as Tony got back to the bar, Peter was on his tail. Peter had long since given up pretending to work, his pen and pad sitting on the countertop. He wasn’t working before you came in, and sure as hell wasn’t working after. As soon as he saw you, something in his heart twitched. It skipped a beat, and his breath caught in his throat. He always believed in love at first sight, but he never thought it’d happen to him. Yet, there you were, your nose in a menu, slightly crinkled as you began to think of how you were going to find somewhere to sleep. He didn’t know how he knew, but you were the one. “Who is that girl?” Peter asked eagerly.

“A customer.”

“What’s her name?”

“She wasn’t talkative.”

“Is she alone?”

“Seems that way.” Tony said, finally turning to face him. “You should be working.”

Peter looked at him indignantly, “I was working.”

“I mean working the bar, not working on a song.”

“It’s not a song, it’s the song. It’s important—”

“I know that, Peter. But you’ve still got a job to do.”

Peter knew Tony was right, but this job always felt like a means to an end. He worked there, with Tony, because he needed money. A roof over his head. Songwriting was his passion anyhow. Sometimes, when Tony was feeling generous, he’d let Peter play in the diner, and the people always seemed to love his music. Still, praise wasn’t enough to make a living.

Tony sighed at the dejected look that Peter did a poor job of hiding. He took a glass and filled it with cold water. “You wanna talk to her?”

Peter perked up. “Yes.”

“Go take her order.” Tony gave the water, tightening his grip when Peter was about to walk away. “Don’t freak her out, alright?”

“No problem.”

Peter tried to be as natural as possible as he walked around the bar to you, apron tied snugly around his waist. When he arrived at your table, he noticed you gazing at the pot filled with dirt on the windowsill next to her. You thought it was cute that they thought they could grow something in this weather. The weather hadn’t been kind to anyone, plants most of all. At least, not while it was freezing cold outside. Maybe when the sun comes back out, you thought, but it’ll dry out by then. The plant, the town, you. You’d all dry out when the sun came back.

It wasn’t natural, but it was now.

Peter placed the glass of water down in front of you, and gave you a small smile. “Come home with me.”

You looked up, eyes wide with surprise. “I’m sorry, who are you?”

“The man who’s gonna marry you.” He answered. You weren’t sure if your eyes could get wider, but they tried. You looked over at Tony behind the bar, who glanced back and gave a helpless shrug. Sliding into the booth across from you, the man put his hand out for a handshake. “I’m Peter.”

You gave him a onceover. You couldn’t deny he was attractive. A brunette with honey brown eyes that matched the leaves of tall trees that used to change colors — reds, browns, and yellows —  while it was still a bit hot and just before it got cold. Just before, just before.

Except it wasn’t before. This was it now. Cold or hot, in or out. No in between.

You took his hand, “I’m Y/N.”

Why did you do that? Why did you tell him your name? The whole point of you travelling the way you did was so you didn’t form attachments. One town then the next. No friends, not even acquaintances. Since you couldn’t escape the wind, you went wherever it took you. Your name was one of the only things you still owned at this point. So what possessed you to tell this man — Peter — something so precious as your name?

You all but snatched back your hand as you caught your guard just as it was slipping. Still, Peter smiled. “Sounds like a melody.”

“So, you’re a singer?” You asked him.

“And I play the guitar.”

You hummed, looking back down at your menu. “Sorry, not interested. I’ve met too many men like you. Charm women into bed and forget their names the next day.”

“I’m, uh,” Peter paused, his brow furrowed ever so slightly. “I’m not like that.”

You chuckled. “I’m sure you’re not.”

He watched your face as you read through the menu for what seemed like the third time. Your plump bottom lip was tucked between your teeth, and your knee was bouncing up and down under the table. You were clearly uncomfortable, but it didn’t seem to be about him. No, you looked like you could hold your own against any unwanted advances.

This was about money, Peter realized. You didn’t know how you were going to pay for the food, let alone find somewhere to sleep. He knew from experience that lack of money was a touchy subject, so he carefully placed two fingers atop the menu and pushed it down and away from your face. “It’s on the house.” He said quietly. 

“What makes you think—-”

“I don’t think anything.” He told you. “I’ve been there before. Am there, actually. Tony can spare a meal.”

Your knee stopped bouncing, and an uncomfortably warm feeling rose at the pit of your stomach. “And if he can’t?”

“He can take it from my tips. Just tell me what you want, and I’ll get it for you.”

You placed the menu down gently and looked up at him. His eyes were kind, somehow filled with admiration for you, a woman he’d barely just met. You never believed in love at first sight. It was impossible for two people to look at each other and just know that this was it. That the other now owned your heart and would hold it dear. That it would be you and them against the world for the rest of your lives.

At least, you thought it was impossible. You still weren’t sold on the idea, but… considering.

“So,” Peter smiled. “What do you want?”

When you quietly listed the cheapest thing on the menu, Peter nodded and told you he’d be back. As you waited for him to return, you looked back at the pot, still filled with dirt but no plant. You placed a hand on the clay, cold to the touch. There was no telling how long it’d been sitting there, but you felt bad for it. It was doomed from the start.

Just as you removed your hand, the woman with the maroon leather jacket slightly bumped into you as she walked by. “Sorry.” Her sweet smile was a sharp contrast to the intense stare she fixed on you. Almost like she knew something you didn’t. “Just headed to the bathroom.”

Suddenly, your head was a bit cloudy. You closed your eyes, just for a moment. But in that moment, you saw a flash of something. Something that seemed more of a dream than a reality. The flash of faded yellow lights, swinging back and forth in a wide and dark hallway that was bathed in mist and fog. Just as soon it appeared, it was gone, and when you opened your eyes, Peter stood in front of you with a plate of food and a glass of juice. “You alright?”

“Yeah.” You nodded, picking up your glass of water. “Just a little dehydrated, I guess.”

“Probably starving, too.” He added. He, again, slid in across from you and gave you the food he’d prepared with just a bit more than the average plate. Not that you’d ever know. He waited until you began to eat, which calmed his nerves, to tell you what was on his mind. “I’m writing a song.”

You rolled your eyes with the faintest smile pulling at your lips, “Isn’t that what singers do?”

“Well yeah, but it’s about what the song will do.” Peter told you. “It’s gonna make spring come back.”

“A song?” You deadpanned. “A song is going to make spring come back. Have you fallen and hit your head recently? I think you need to see a doctor.”

“You don’t understand. Things, life — it all works a little different in Hadestown.”

“Okay.” You started, reasoning with him. “If the song is supposed to bring spring back, why don’t you sing it?”

“It’s not finished.” Peter shook his head, suddenly not wanting to talk about the song. “You know, I am gonna marry you.”

“Really?” You held back a laugh. Not necessarily at the prospect of marrying him, but at his confidence in your answer to his proposal. “And why should I be your wife?”

“Well, I’m the only one to make you smile since you walked in this place. I’ve got a feeling that you’re the kind who survives.”

“Nothing wrong with survival. It got me this far, and it hasn’t failed me yet.”

“I think it has.”

“How so?”

“It hasn’t taught you how to live. I can do that for you.”

You paused, considering his statement. Some of the people you’d met along your way thought that you were the coolest person they’d ever met. A life on the road. In a car, on a bus, riding a motorcycle down the freeway. No one to answer to or worry about. But the longer you stayed on the road, the more you realized they were wrong. It was an incredibly lonely life in an even lonelier world, working for scraps and paying for what you needed with the little money you managed to gather.

Maybe it wasn’t how things should have been, but that’s how they were. That’s what you always told yourself. But maybe, Peter could show you another way, a happier way.

“Sing the song.” You told him. You watched the way he tensed up, and softly grabbed his hand that rested on the table. His hand was soft, but his fingertips were rough, seasoned by the thick strings of his guitar that his mother had given him before she died. It was a scary comparison for you and him. The one cared and the one who didn’t. The one who survived and the one who lived. “You wanna take me home?”

“Yes.” He answered, his voice barely above a whisper.

You urged him softly, “Sing it.”

Peter took a deep breath and closed his eyes. It wasn’t much of a song yet. Just a handful of notes and a string of la la las. Still, he sang softly, his hand still holding onto yours. Just then, the woman with the leather jacket passed by again on her way back from the bathroom, and she brushed Peter’s shoulder. It wasn’t noticeable by any means, but it made his brow crease, made his hand squeeze yours just a bit tighter. You didn’t realize it — you thought he was hyper-focused on the song. But behind his eyes, Peter saw a flash. A dream, maybe. Train tracks, his shoes covered with thick mud, and a stone wall under a pitch black sky, an overwhelming urge to cross over settling in the pit of his stomach.

Then he opened his eyes and the image was replaced by you, your head turned to look at the pot once more. Except now, a daisy had emerged from the dirt, strong white petals in the middle of a dark, cold diner. You looked back at him, eyes wide in wonder.

“How’d you do that?”

“I told you things work differently in Hadestown.” He repeated, smiling at the almost childlike wonder on your face. He added quickly after the fact, “It’s not finished though.”

“Still, if just a phrase can do that? You have to finish it.”

You weren’t sure what brought you to Hadestown or to this diner. What brought you to this booth and to Peter. What made the outside freezing cold or blazing hot. You just knew that, at that moment, the world only knew extremes. Cold or hot, in or out, alive or dead.

And you were done being dead.

You thought that’d be the end of your tale. The girl finds the boy who can make her happy. They get married and live happily ever after. That’s the dream, right? Well, your happily ever after turned to dust as Tony marched past the trio of women near the bar and over to your booth, leaning over to speak to Peter in a quiet voice.

“Where did you hear that melody?”

[callioope]

2019 Favorites

Rules: Time to love ourselves! Choose 5 favorite works you created in the past year (fics, arts, edits, etc.) and link them below to reflect on the amazing things you brought into the world in 2019. Tag as many creators as you want to spread the love!

tagged by the awesome @theputterer​! thank you!

HA, well, TBH I saw this meme going around and I was like oh no if someone tags me I’m not going to have anything to list!

It’s true I barely published anything in 2019 -- only one thing on AO3 -- but I did work on a few unpublished projects. So after some serious scrounging, I thought why not share some sneak peeks at what I’ve got cooking in addition to the few items I did publish!

First, what I actually published:

"I hope my love was someone else’s solid ground”

Firelight flickers across the faces around the campsite and the shadows press a little closer. She’s trying not to stare (to make her staring obvious), but as her gaze sweeps over friends it always settles on him. She keeps measuring the distance, counting the steps past Bodhi and Kay or the other way ‘round, past Baze and Chirrut, to the opposite, furthest corner of tonight’s makeshift home. Always when she finds his eyes, they fall a little farther from her.

She sighs and gets up. Waiting never suited her.

I don’t think an album has ever resonated with me as much as Sara Bareilles’ Amidst the Chaos, or a song as much as “Orpheus.” It’s just perfection. The moment I heard it, I thought of Jyn and Cassian, but this song also feels special to me personally as I’ve struggled with OCD and anxiety and have (finally) been going to therapy for it. It felt cathartic to tell a story about healing through Jyn and Cassian, and I just really loved the prose in this one. I haven’t posted it to AO3 yet because I was thinking about expanding it a little first, and then I never got around to it.

Learning Curve  - Chapter 4: Scarif

“You know,” she says, sliding onto his lap, “there are better ways to show your surrender. If you want me to stop talking about work…” She leans down and demonstrates, and kriff, he tastes like the sunlight dancing on his lips, warm and sweet and happy.

“I love listening to you,” he murmurs when she finally pulls away.

She’s just sitting, safe in his arms, but when he looks at her like that, everything just falls out beneath her, and she closes her eyes and grips his shirt and burrows her head against the crook of his neck and shoulder.

Months ago, when she first stepped foot on the tarmac outside the temple, she’d thought she’d spend a semester and go back to Rudrig, that her life would continue on at its boring, lonely pace, that work would perpetually consume her. She’d never suspected she’d run into Cassian (and thank the Force for that; if she’d known he’d be here, she might not have signed up in the first place, might have preferred to avoid the risk of running into him and facing the embarrassment she’d created all those years ago—and she never would have had the chance to move past it).

She’d had no idea what kind of happiness awaited her, how close a call it had been, how she might never have known the joy of eliciting Cassian’s hard-won smile, the anticipation of an imminent kiss, or the simple satisfaction of quiet companionship and unassuming acceptance.

This took entirely longer than it should have, but I was very glad to finally finish it. It was definitely a lot of fun to imagine a galaxy with no Empire, where Palpatine was defeated before he could enact any of his crueler schemes, and to see what this meant for Jyn and Cassian as well as Lyra and Galen. It was also a challenge -- lots of moving chess pieces to account for -- so thank you to my beta and brainstormer @allatariel​!

I do have a couple regrets: namely, that I didn’t split chapter 4 into two parts (it’s just so long! I suppose I could still split it...) and that I hadn’t watched Rebels yet, so I didn’t get a chance to imagine what kind of life the Ghost crew would have had. Maybe someday? 

The Stakes of Star Wars: whatever else anything is, it ought to begin by being personal

As a writer, I frequently struggle with plot. Is it believable? Is it surprising? Is it exciting? Sometimes, it feels like plot is supposed to be what makes a story interesting. What makes for a cool adventure? The prevailing mindset seems to be: how high can you raise the stakes?

But I think over the last few years of writing, I’ve learned something important about the kinds of stories I want to read, and therefore write.

The stakes are important, but only for what they mean to the character.

It has to be personal.

It’s no secret that I hated TLJ. I wasn’t impressed with TROS, either. I think it’s easy (and, admittedly, cathartic) to point blame at one or the other and to write a laundry list of “things didn’t work for me” (which I did for TLJ -- though I only finished and published part of it). When it came to the final installment, I thought it was more fruitful for me to analyze the core of what didn’t work for me overall. I won’t deny there are things I did love about the sequel trilogy, but as a whole, trilogy-spanning story it really fails for me, and this is my attempt at finding out why.

Now, onto the unpublished projects!!!

Untitled “You’ve Got Mail” AU

Somewhere in a far corner of the Outer Rim, off the far reaches of the Perlemian Trade Route, past Felucia, near the Tion Hegemony, a small planet spins on its axis, and a new day starts.

As the sun rises, it conveys a whole palette of colors: rich reds bleeding into the purple and indigo of the fading night, gold light gleaming over the flat fields of blue-green grass spreading out in all directions.

Nothing stirs but a gentle breeze, racing along the grass like a wave; to the naked eye, this area of the planet remains entirely uninhabited.

And that is the point.

To a careful observer, someone with an eye for it, the grassy flatlands and the gentle rolling hills of Skuhl hide something valuable and just as beautiful as its surface. Such an observer could find it: the narrow crack in the ground; the cramped ten-meter vertical descent into the jagged earth; the winding, sloped passage that eventually blooms into a split-level cavern that might fit a squadron of X-Wing fighters—if they had a way in.

As it is, that cavern houses something else: the Skuhl rebel cell.

And in a little area partitioned off by a series of columns, stalactites, and stalagmites on one side and a makeshift counter, sink, and shelving on the others, Jyn Erso wakes to the sound of the caf machine whirring.

Groaning, she lifts her head from the table and blinks in the soft light of a lantern hanging off the shelf behind her.

“Good morning,” Hadder says, from next to the raucous caf machine. “You’ve got a message.”

AHHH I forgot how much I love this AU. I haven’t opened this in a few months. YEAH, I’ve got some purple prose going there, but I was really trying to imitate the opening of You’ve Got Mail, how it pans down into NYC and such. I got really stuck on this trying to write Jyn and Cassian’s correspondence (the whole point TBH, smh). Otherwise, this is all plotted out (again, thanks to the amazing @allatariel​‘s help) and I just need to write it. Currently has 4,294 words.

Fencing AU (Working title is probably “En Garde”)

Jyn holds a blade for the first time when she is eight years old. It’s shiny and makes a fun clang when she smacks Bodhi’s sword. She’s been watching him from the corner, while she waits for Bodhi’s lesson to finish and for Mama and Papa to pick them up from the YMCA. Saw doesn’t teach children, he already explained. Saw wants serious students. 

So Jyn watches Bodhi stand in front of the mirror covering the far wall and watches him hold his blade in different positions (four, six, seven, eight — she heard Saw name each one). She watches him flick his wrist and smack Saw’s blade (beat, she repeats in her head) and watches him turn his wrist and push Saw’s blade away when he attacks first (parry).

She watches this go on for an hour, and afterwards, when Saw looks away to talk to some of the parents, she knicks a spare blade and a spare mask and dares Bodhi to fight her. 

It doesn’t take long for one of the parents to point her out (adults can never be trusted). But she doesn’t see it at first, too busy stabbing Bodhi, or trying to — she’s sure she’s hit him plenty on his arm, because she’s reenacted that laser sword fight from Space Clash enough times to know how it’s done.

“Jyn,” Saw says behind her, “What are you doing?”

She whirls around, staring up at Saw through the grated black mesh of the mask. He’s looking down at her, arms crossed, and he sounds mad. But she doesn’t look away or back down, even though he’s really tall and sometimes the other kids get scared when he’s angry. (She doesn’t. She’s not scared of anything.)

“Fencing,” she says. 

Saw stares back at her for forever, and she gives back an eternity because she plays this game all the time. She can win.

What she doesn’t know then, but Saw does, is that she will win.

He shakes his head. “Not like that,” Saw says.

“But I can fence,” Jyn says, “I can be serious.”

“Serious fencers,” Saw says, “aim for the heart.”

That stops her next words. She glances at Bodhi for a second, who shrugs, and then back at Saw. 

“Ready?” he says, gesturing for them to continue. “Allez!”

Oh, if I had all the time to write, I would finish this before the Olympics... I guess I still have half a year. Maybe it can still happen!! As it is, I don’t actually have much more of this written (just plotted). I fenced for five years at the local YMCA, plus just a little in college (sadly my university didn’t have a team, so I could only fence when I was able to get back home). I miss it dreadfully. Every now and then I dabble in researching clubs down here to fence, but it is so expensive and time consuming. So much to do! So little time! So I thought I’d just write about it to scratch that itch. Basically the gist is that Jyn is an Olympic fencer, and she fences foil (because that was my weapon and I’m incredibly biased) while Cassian fences epee. Aaaand look at that, now I’m rambling on about fencing. (I’d give y’all lessons if I could, do not get me started) On to the next! 

Nat Geo AU

“You seem quiet,” Cassian says quietly, still reading what she’d refer to as a tentative draft of their piece.

She shrugs.

His eyes flick up to her face just briefly and he misreads the regret on her face. “Do you miss it? Your time with Saw?”

She’s startled into a laugh. “You mean war correspondence?”

His nod is almost imperceivable, but he knows she pays close attention.

“No,” she says, perplexed.

“Not as much action out here.”

He’s worried she’s bored. As if she could be, at his side. “I almost had to wrestle a crocodile for your life yesterday.”

He grants her just the tiniest crook of a smile. “I was safe in the boat.”

“That croc was sizing you up,” she says, thinking of a large crocodile that they’d thought had been resting serenely on the river bank, before it suddenly splashed into the water right next to their boat, towards Cassian’s perch at the railing. “I saw the glint in its eye. I know the look.”

“I’m sure you do.” He snorts. Then he gestures towards her pad, where he’s highlighted a phrase. “This one — for the headline.”

She takes it and reads what he’s chosen. “You know it depends on what Kay likes.”

“He’ll like that one.”

The premise is that Jyn and Cassian work for National Geographic (or rather, Rogue Geographic) and are assigned to cover a conservation project headed by Ezra Bridger and the crew aboard the Ghost. I’ve only managed to write an intro scene about Jyn and Cassian finishing up their previous project (entirely, entirely self-indulgent and based on my honeymoon). I was hoping to finish and publish this in January, buuuut I got way distracted by an epic post-war fic that @allatariel​ and I are working on, which I think we may have started plotting in 2019, though I’m not sure -- and at any rate, the NatGeo brings us to six so you’ll just have to wait for the next word on that ;) 

 WELP THAT’S IT. 

Thanks for reading! 

TAGGING: Anyone who reads this and wants to do it. Yeah, you. You who were hoping you got tagged? I’m tagging you. You’re it!

[emmerdalebigbang]

Emmerdale Big Bang Teasers

Since it’s less than a month until the posting for the Big Bang starts, here are teasers for the 17 fics to come! 

we’ll meet again by @littlelooneyluna

Theme: AU, Angst, Violence, World War Two, Death, Homophobia, Love through the ages

Summary: in the year of 1939, war strikes and leaves best friends turned almost lovers aaron and robert in a state of shock, despite their resistance against the ever present reality of war it soon becomes apparent that there is no escape and it doesn’t take long for their world to be ripped apart as they continuously fight to keep each other close despite the lengths taken to keep them apart for good

Sample Scene

maneuver one into place by @robertjacobsugdens

Theme: Alternative universe - Crime, Heist, Angst, Humor, Enemies to lovers to enemies to friends to lovers.

Summary: Robert helped Lawrence build a legitimate business empire from the ashes of his criminal enterprises. That is, until Robert made one tiny, irrelevant mistake and the Whites kicked him to the curb. Now planning his revenge, Robert went in the only place where he could assemble a team to get back what was rightfully his. He wasn’t expecting old feelings and wounds to resurface quite this strongly. Especially not when it comes to his master thief, Aaron Dingle.

Sample Scene

Fanfiction Number 3 by @nooneelsecomesclose17

Theme: AU, World War One, Angst, Romance, Minor character death

Summary: It’s 1914, the war looming. Aaron is the new chauffeur at Home Farm, and Robert is newly returned from London after years away. Aaron wants a new start, with Liv, while Robert wants to reconnect with his family. Bad memories haunt them both making their relationship a challenge. With the war comes tragedy and then Aaron goes missing.

Sample Scene

Fanfiction Number 4 by @misswhimsy

Theme: AU-Canon Divergence, Angst, Fluff, Humour

Summary: After Katie’s death, Robert handed himself in to the police and has spent the last two years in prison for manslaughter. Aaron has moved on with his life, dealing with the death of his father and reconnecting with his little sister, attending counselling to help him cope with the things he’s not willing or able to share with his family. Luckily it has provided him with an interesting new way to manage his feelings and he has discovered a talent and passion for writing that he never expected. Now, Robert is out of prison, alone and unsure of his future; will he ever be able to find the happiness that Aaron has already found?

Sample Scene: 

Rumours by @beautifulhigh

Theme: Fantasy AU

Summary: Robert is a Divinus, or a “Div” if you’re feeling particularly cruel.  People who are functionally immortal: they can die through severe accidents or illnesses, or something immediate.  People with the ability to heal, to understand a person better than they know themselves, and who are rumoured to love so deeply that they will literally love you forever.

Robert hasn’t told anyone who he is, only telling Aaron after the car crash and their engagement, giving him the choice about whether he wants to live his life with a man who won’t ever grow old, who isn’t anything close to normal and secure.  Not all the rumours are good ones though, and for every high there’s a low.

Sample Scene

Separation Never Suited Us by @wellyfullofale

Theme: Reunion fic, Angst, Married but separated, Eventual Fluff

Summary: It’s nine years down the line and they’ve been separated for just under a year (no cheating! it was a stubborn communication breakdown, that’s all. They’re still very much in love but too stubborn to admit it to one another.). Robert left the village thinking Aaron didn’t want him and wanting Aaron to be able to live his life. Robert returns to the village for his 40th Birthday party after Vic and Chas conspire to get them back together. Aaron has a new boyfriend (ish) but they can’t deny they’re still in love when they see each other again for the first time in almost a year. Over the week that Robert is back in the village they find their way back to one another, and this time they’ll never look back.

Sample Scene

A Tale of Two Worlds by @geena-rae

Theme: Merman AU. Fantasy, Angst and fluff, Sexual content, Mild violence, Aaron has trouble understanding humans, Suicide attempt

Summary: Aaron’s an immortal being, trapped in the sea for thousands of years now by himself. He’s been lonely for so long, his only solace watching the humans who walk along on the the land. Then he meets a sea witch who makes him an offer, she’ll turn him human for two weeks and if he finds love in those weeks​ she’ll keep him human, if not, Aaron has to give her his immortality.

Sample Scene

Fool’s Gold by @strongboyfriends

Theme: Fake Dating!AU, Soulmate!AU

Summary: When Robert and Aaron meet, it’s not exactly the meet-cute people dream about, but soon enough they find themselves both needing favors – namely, favors in the form of dates. While Aaron attends a suit-and-tie gala for Robert, Robert must then face a Dingle Do. But while they are both adamant that they are not dating, fate decides to pull the strings, connecting their souls through their dreams. Robert and Aaron learn that, while their lives are just fine without each other, life is so much more when they balance each other out.

Sample Scene

Fanfiction Number 9 @escapingreality51

Theme: Firefighter AU, Meet cute, Fluff, Some angst, Mentions of past trauma, Fire, firefighter!Aaron, lawyer!Robert

Summary: Robert notices a really fit man several times, running in the park next to where Robert lives. He sees him a few times and wants to talk to him but can’t make himself do it, so he gives up, until one day he meets the man in his elevator. They embark on a very physical and emotionally connected relationship, but when Robert realises what Aaron’s job is, he gets scared and pushes Aaron away. Robert misses him and convinces himself to call Aaron when he hears Aaron was injured in a fire. They reunite and Robert tells him how his Mum died in a fire, and how he was scared of the same thing happening to Aaron.

Sample Scene

All In by @godamnarmsrace

Theme: AU: Detective Robert and teenage Aaron, References to childhood rape, Angst, Hurt/comfort, Drama/action, Homeless Aaron

Summary: When Robert and Aaron meet there’s an instant attraction, no doubt about it, but nothing can happen, it just wouldn’t be appropriate. Robert feels for the lad, who’s been on the streets and taking care of his young sister, so he does the decent thing and opens his home to him – gives him a break. Feelings grow, Aaron wants Robert, in more ways than one, in every way really, but Robert is fighting it, he fears becoming one of the monsters he hunts. It’s only when things get dangerous, pursuing Gordon has some scary consequences, he begins to realise that you really only get one life; Aaron and Liv are his.

Sample Scene

Fanfiction Number 11 by @realityisonlythebeginning

Theme: 1930s Reporter AU, Angst and fluff, Prisoner!Aaron, Reporter!Robert, Happy Ending,

Summary: Robert Sugden is a small time reporter aching for a proper job in the world of crime reporting. He thinks he’s found it when a young man named Aaron dingle is wronglfully jailed for something he didn’t do. What he finds however is so much more,

Sample Scene

Fanfiction Number 12 by @thisissirius

Theme: Greek mythology au, Angsty as hell, but a whole lotta love and robert sugden suffering

Summary: set slightly in the future; aaron’s soul is in the balance and robert’s given the opportunity to save it in an orpheus and eurydice-esque way. having to face up to things in his past he’s not proud of as he walks through tartarus/hell, robert’s accompanied by loved ones he’s lost. the obstacles are plenty, but the final test looms larger than any other. a barn on fire right by the boat that will take him back to the land of the living. all the time robert has to focus on not looking back, has to trust that aaron’s following him, will always follow him. but there’s one thing robert can be sure of; not to trust in the powers that brought him to hell.

Sample Scene

Fanfiction Number 13 by @halethesourestwolf

Theme: Magical AU, Angst and Fluff

Summary: Free from the secrets of his past, Aaron Dingle returns home to pick up the pieces of his life in order to figure out who he is, where he belongs, and how to be the kind of druid he longs to be while taking Liv under his wing. But discovering a werewolf who needs help only he can offer and falling for Robert Sugden who is complex at best and disastrous at worst, Aaron finds himself with a death sentence hanging over him as he upsets the natural balance he’s supposed to maintain whilst getting in over his head with their problems, especially when he learns both are connected to the Whites, a hunting family with endless resources, dark secrets, and a single-minded determination to wipe out all were-creatures, which includes those who stand in their way, even if it means breaking every last law of the natural and supernatural worlds to do it.

Sample Scene

Fanfiction Number 14 by @capseycartwright

Theme: angst, romance, infidelity, non-linear storytelling, implied/referenced child abuse

Summary: the end of a relationship is supposed to be the hardest part, but the last night aaron sees robert, it’s the first promise of a happy ending he gets from the other man. a year, to sort their problems, and they’ll meet back in paris, and give their love the chance it deserves. what could possibly go wrong in a year?

Sample Scene

Fanfiction Number 15 by @kayceecruz

Theme: canon-divergent AU, angst, pining, so much pining, fluff/smut, falling in love, NC-17

Summary: Begins 2014 with Robert’s return except he is alone and out to himself. Aaron is with Jackson who is still a paraplegic but did not die. Their relationship is strained and Jackson breaks up temporarily with Aaron (they agree on 9 months while Jackson is away) so that he can get more experience/sexual fulfillment and recruits Robert to guide Aaron into it. Robert is Aaron’s sexual reawakening. They start dating knowing theirs a time limit and fall in love. Then Jackson returns… a story with lots of pining, Bob and Bernice as Rob’s squad, fluff, smut, a confused but happy Chas, Cain Dingle being scary, Paddy being everyone’s dad, the village being nosies, a hopeless Robert, a frustrated Aaron and lots and lots of kissing.

Sample Scene

Fanfiction Number 16 by @aarobron 

Theme: Neighbours AU, Fluff, Angst, Smut

Summary: Robert is down on his luck when he moves into a new flat, but meeting Aaron changes everything - it brings back his family, gains him a promotion and he falls desperately in love. But it’s not all roses when Aaron’s terrified of committing to someone after his ex-boyfriend and now he’s lost the love of his life. Can Robert find it in himself to forgive him?

Sample Scene

Asking The Moon To Stay by @softrobertsugden  

Theme: Modern Royalty AU, Fluff, A little Angst,

Summary: Jack Sugden is the king of Emmerdale and has been for quite a while now. When he survives a heart attack, he realises he needs to make sure his kingdom is secured before he dies. His son, crown prince Robert, needs to marry and produce an heir and he need to do it fast. What Jack doesn’t know is that Robert’s heart is already sold to someone else.

Sample Scene