#he’s an ace war correspondent!

[i-didnt-do-1t]

Our Man Denton

[make-friends-with-the-rats]

[daenysthedreamer101]

Daughter of Steel and Bronze ~ HOTD

Ch 10 - Signs and Portents

HOTD x Targaryen!OC, Targaryen!OC x Harwin Strong

Warnings: description of an animal being killed.

Daena crushing on Harwin and vice versa 🙈

Corresponding episode: HOTD 1x3

HOTD masterlist

"In 114 AC, a great royal hunt was held in the Kingswood in honor of Prince Aegon's second name day. Lords and ladies from throughout the realm came together to celebrate. Lord Jason Lannister tried wooing Princess Rhaenyra but was coldly rejected by her.

The war in the Stepstones took a turn for the worse. The Velaryon fleet and its soldiers were losing and the Triarchy was on the brink of victory. Even with the help of dragons, the Westerosi had a hard time dealing with the Essosi pirates. In the end, Daemon Targaryen slew the Crabfeeder and brought peace to the Stepstones."

(Fire & Blood, Being a History of the Targaryen Kings of Westeros, by Archmaester Gyldayn)

~

114 AC, King's Landing

The Small Council chamber looked different this day. The table was covered in pastries, roast pigs, ribs, sweet cakes, fruits, wine, goblets, and plates. The room was filled with people. Why? Because today was Aegon's second name day and for that reason, a great hunt was organized in the Kingswood. 

Daena was standing and talking to her friends and handmaidens, Joy and Hanna. She sipped on her wine, gods knew she would need it if she was to survive the next three days. As a member of the Royal family, it would be suspicious if she didn't participate in the hunt. She would rather throw herself off the Wall into the frigid wastelands of the far North than spend one hour around the Hightowers but alas, here she was. 

"He has your hair, Your Grace." Some lord said and her uncle responded positively while they all cooed at the little boy. 

"He has your eyes, Your Grace." Some other lord said, kissing up to her fickle uncle. She rolled her eyes and sighed. 

"Is something the matter, Princess?" Joy asked with a knowing smirk. Daena tilted her head and gave her a look. The girl laughed and patted Daena on the shoulder. 

"Oh, come on Princess! The hunt will be so much fun!" 

Daena scoffed and chugged down the rest of her wine. She looked to her right and saw Ser Otto and his brother, Lord Hobert, conversing in hushed voices. "What are those snakes talking about, I wonder." She thought. 

"Come. Eat. Fortify yourselves for the journey." She heard her Uncle say. 

"Shall we eat something, Princess?" Hanna asked. 

"I've lost all appetite once I learned I had to attend this stupid event," Daena replied sharply, looking down at her empty goblet. 

"Now, now, Princess. It would be best to not let your...negative feelings toward Her Grace impact how you feel about the hunt. You love hunting!" Hanna replied in a hushed tone, careful not to attract attention. 

"Besides, you don't actually have to spend time with her. Once we arrive in the Kingswood you can go wherever you please." Joy added in her usual bright voice. 

Daena sighed. "You two are right. As always." The twins giggled victoriously. Daena smiled and shook her head. 

"Can someone tell me where in the Seven Hells Rhaenyra might be?" Her Uncle asked loudly, his voice laced with annoyance.  

Daena was with Rhaenyra in the morning, when they were getting ready. Quickly after getting her hair done, she left the room, saying she wanted to be alone. Daena respected her wishes and left her be. 

"Daena!" She heard her name being called and she turned only to see her uncle and the men around him looking at her. She gave her goblet to Joy and quickly walked over to the table. 

"Your Grace," She said politely with a bow of her head. 

"Where is Rhaenyra?" Her Uncle asked her in the same annoyed tone. 

"I...don't know, Your Grace. She was with me in the morning, but after getting ready she left my chambers saying she wanted to be alone. I respected her wish and left her be." Daena said truthfully, not wanting to annoy her uncle any further. Her uncle sighed. 

"Do you want me to go and look for her, Your Grace?" 

He shook his head. "No. No. You shouldn't worry about her. Eat, today is a joyous day. I'm sure you'll enjoy the hunt." He said in a softer tone and patted her on the shoulder. 

She smiled awkwardly and excused herself, not wanting to be in the presence of that Hightower snake any longer. 

~

"Well, isn't this splendid? The whole of our family off to celebration and adventure in the Kingswood." Uncle Viserys commented as they rode in the royal coach. 

Daena and Rhaenyra gave him unimpressed looks and abstained from commenting. Then, the coach hit a bump in the road and it shook a little bit. 

"Should you be traveling in such condition?" Nyra asked Alicent who looked uncomfortable. 

"The maester said that being out in nature would do me well." She responded, clutching at her large belly. 

"You will be with your own child sooner than late, and make me a proud grandsire." Uncle Viserys said to Rhaenyra. 

"It's not so bad. The days are long, but Aegon came quickly and without fuss." Alicent commented. 

An awkward silence fell over the coach. The maids sitting across Daena and Nyra gave each other looks. Nyra swallowed hard while Daena looked at Alicent with furrowed brows. "Gods, how dense is she?" 

To break the tension, Uncle Viserys said they should ride out with him today and join the chase. 

"I'd rather not. Boars squeal like children when they're being slaughtered. I find it discomforting." Nyra said. 

"It's a hunt, Rhaenyra." Uncle Viserys responded. "How would you like to participate?"

"I'm not sure why I must," Rhaenyra said. 

"Because you are my daughter, the Princess. And you have duties." Uncle stated. 

"As I am ceaselessly reminded," Nyra said under her breath.

"I'm sorry?" Said Uncle Viserys.

"As I am ceaselessly reminded!" Nyra repeated, louder. 

"You wouldn't need to be reminded if you ever attended to them." Uncle Viserys said, annoyed. 

"I'll go. I'll join the hunt." Daena spoke, trying to break the tension. 

"See, Rhaenyra, that is how a real Princess attends to her duties." Uncle Viserys remarked. Daena looked down at her boots, avoiding Nyra's gaze. This was going to be a long day. 

They finally arrived at the Kingswood. Uncle Viserys got out first, followed by Alicent and the maids in charge of Aegon. Daena could hear the people outside clapping and cheering. She looked at Nyra - she looked miserable. 

"Look. I know you don't wanna be here, neither do I. Just promise me you'll try and enjoy this day." Daena said to her cousin, trying to comfort her. 

Nyra looked at her and Daena could see so many emotions in her violet eyes. She took Nyra's hand and squeezed it. "I'll go first, hmm?" With that, she got up and looked out of the coach. 

Most people have scattered away. But not all. Standing next to the coach was House Strong - Lord Lyonel, Joy and Hanna, their other brother Larys, and...him. He walked over to the coach and offered his hand and she took it, carefully walking down the steps. 

"Thank you, Ser Harwin." She thanked him with a bright smile. 

"Princess." He greeted her, his voice deep and masculine. Gods, she loved his voice. His sister stole her attention. Joy almost knocked her over with how strongly she hugged her. 

She laughed and patted Joy on the back. "We saw each other only hours ago, Joy." 

"I know, but I missed you." 

Daena smiled at the brown-eyed girl and was about to leave with them, but then she remembered Rhaenyra. 

She called for Nyra who came out of the coach after a couple of seconds. Together, they walked to the royal tent.

~

The two princesses walked into the royal tent, Hanna and Joy closely behind them. Over the years, the four girls have created a close-knit relationship. Even though they were officially Daena's maids, the twins often helped Rhaenyra as well. 

The same went for Rhaenyra's maids - Elinda Massey was Nyra's youngest and gentlest of maids; she had light brown hair and beautiful green eyes. Daena would often call the young girl to her chambers for she loved spending time with the young lady. 

Daena looked around - the tent was filled to the brim with lords and ladies. There were many tables, chairs, curtains and settees. "Try and find a free table where we may sit," Daena whispered to Hanna. The girl nodded and the two sisters went to search for a free table. 

Nyra and Daena walked further into the tent, hand in hand. Nyra wore a masterfully embroidered riding coat made of grey leather with red accents and her hair was loose save for a small bun at the back.

Daena wore a dark, blood-red riding coat with ruffled shoulders, a high collar, and leather boots on her feet. Her hair was braided into a crown that sat beautifully on top of her head, freeing her oval face and her bright lilac eyes. She had small ruby studs on her ears. 

As they walked closer, they could hear women gossiping about the abduction of Lady Johanna Swann. 

"...It's an inhospitable place suited only for savages." 

"Perhaps the Princess...can give us some insight." Said Lady Ceira Lannister, looking at Daena. 

Now that she was called out, Daena had to respond. "I'm not sure how I could. I've never been to the Stepstones." She said, walking closer to the circle of ladies who all sat around Alicent. Daena noticed that Larys Strong was also there. 

"Your dear father is the great mind behind this war. Is he not?" Questioned Lady Lannister. 

"How would I know? I haven't spoken to my father in years." Daena replied curtly. 

"Since your cousin supplanted him as heir." Lady Ceira remarked, looking at Rhaenyra. 

"Daemon made his choices, Lady Ceira. Princess Rhaenyra was more suited to the role." Alicent spoke, ever the courtly Queen. 

"He's made a mess and the King must put an end to it. Send fleets and men and clear out the Triarchy for good." Commented Lady Redwyne. 

"...But the Crown is not at war," Nyra said confused.

"The Crown...is at war, Princess. Though your father refused to admit it, we've been dragged into it by your uncle and the Sea Snake." Lady Redwyne responded, petting her pug. 

"And how have you served the realm as of late, Lady Redwyne, by eating cake?" Nyra questioned while looking at her nails. 

Daena had to suppress a smirk from appearing on her face. Nyra glanced pointedly at Alicent and quickly walked away. Daena followed suit. 

~

Instead of going outside with Nyra, Daena found the twins and sat down with them. They chose the perfect table - her grandmother, Lady Rowena was seated there, and alongside her was a younger lady, around Daena's age. 

Daena smiled at her grandmother and kissed her hand. "Grandmother." She greeted. 

"My little dove, how good it is to see you. Sit." Lady Rowena greeted softly. Daena sat across from her grandmother and next to Hanna. 

She looked at the girl seated next to her grandmother - she wore a daisy-yellow gown with black accents cut in the Southern style and her mousy brown hair was held up by a hair net. She had little flower earrings on her ears and a small bee-shaped necklace. But her eyes were closed and she made no reaction to Daena's appearance. 

Daena looked at her grandmother who gestured that the girl couldn't see. Oh. She was blind. "Hello, my lady. I am Princess Daena. It's a pleasure to meet you." Daena introduced herself politely. 

The girl lifted her head in the direction of Daena's voice. "Princess, it's an honor to meet you. I am Patricia Beesbury." She introduced herself, her voice gentle and kind, like a spring breeze. 

Daena smiled even though the girl couldn't see. "Oh? Lord Beesbury serves on the Small Council."

Patricia chuckled. "Yes, my grandsire has been on the Council for decades. He must be doing something right, seeing as they kept him around for so long." She jested, making everyone around the table laugh. 

From the corner of her eye, Daena could see Rhaenyra storming in and walking up to her father. "Is that what I am to you? A prize to proffer about to the Great Houses?" She asked angrily. Daena turned in her seat to get a proper look - Uncle Viserys and Nyra argued quietly, anger visible on both of their faces. 

"...And I have tried often to discuss it with you, but you've refused me at every turn." Uncle Viserys said angrily, loud enough for people to turn their heads. 

"That is because I do not wish to get married!" Nyra responded, matching her father's anger. 

"Even I do not exit above tradition and duty, Rhaenyra!" His Grace yelled. 

Then Ser Otto of all people decided to step in and inform His Grace that the white hart had been sighted. Before Daena could stop her, Rhaenyra stormed out of the tent. 

As promised, Daena joined in the hunt. She rode alongside Joy and Harwin. Hanna stayed behind in the tent; hunting was always Joy's thing, she said. Hanna was more suited for courtly politics than her older sister. 

As they rode further into the Kingswood, Daena couldn't help but steal glances at the man slightly in front of her. She was behind just enough for him not to notice her constant gazing. She couldn't help herself; he was probably the most handsome man Daena had ever met. But he was also kind, funny, and surprisingly gentle-hearted.

She observed how his dark curls bounced slightly thanks to the motion of riding. She wondered how it would feel to run her fingers through his thick curls, how it would feel to wrap them around her fingers-

"Princess." A voice called her. It was Joy. "We've arrived at the spot." 

"Oh," Daena uttered and looked down, embarrassed that she was caught in her daydreaming. She cleared her throat and tried ignoring Joy's knowing looks. 

~

They returned to camp and once again, Daena sat with her grandmother, Lady Patricia, and the twins. Despite her best efforts, all she could think about was Ser Harwin; she thought about how he helped her off the coach, the tenor of his voice whenever he greeted her, and how she always had to look up to see his face properly. 

At that moment, she realized something that she'd been denying for years now - she fancied him. A lot. It seems other people realized that as well. 

"What's happening in that head of your, child? You've been awfully quiet ever since you returned from the woods." Her grandma commented. 

She blinked away her dazed appearance. "What? No, I'm fine, nanna, don't worry about me." 

Lady Rowena raised a brow and gave Daena a look that said she wasn't convinced. Joy looked like she wanted to implode.

"Oh, come on Princess! Just admit it! It's obvious!" Joy said not being able to contain herself anymore. 

"I've no idea what you're talking about," Daena said dismissively. 

"You know exactly what I am talking about." Joy retorted. 

"What seems to be the issue?" Lady Rowena asked.

"Nothing!" Daena said, trying to cease this conversation. 

"Daena fancies Harwin!"Joy blurted out before she could stop herself. 

"Joy!" Daena exclaimed in disbelief. Hanna slapped Joy's arm and condemned her for speaking out of line. Joy quickly apologized. 

"Oh, I see. Matters of the heart can be a touchy subject." Lady Rowena commented with a new understanding of the situation. 

Daena sank into her chair and hoped that the earth would open and swallow her alive. She loved Joy and her lively nature, but sometimes she was hard to control, especially her tongue. 

"I need some fresh air," Daena muttered and briskly walked out of the tent. 

~

Ser Harwin was outside, talking to Ser Rymun Mallister of Seaguard. Then, Princess Daena stormed out of the royal tent, looking very upset. She went over to the horses, quickly got atop her mare, and galloped out of the camp. 

He wondered what made her so upset to run off like that. He wanted to follow her and ask her; but he wasn't her sworn protector, it wouldn't be appropriate. Then out of nowhere, his sister Joy appeared, looking concerned. 

"Harwin, there you are." She said breathlessly. 

"Joy, what happened?"

"I made a mistake. I upset the Princess. Please go after her and bring her back to camp. Princess Rhaenyra also ran off. The last thing the King needs is to find out both of the Princesses are gone." She explained. 

"What did you do to upset her so much?" He questioned. 

"I...I spoke out of line. I said something that I shouldn't have. Just go and bring her back, please." She pleaded.

Harwin contemplated. If Princess Daena was anything like her father when she was angry, he wouldn't want to be in the way of her fury. On the other hand, he didn't want anything bad to happen to the Princess.

Over the years, he became fond of the princess - her soft voice whenever she greeted him, the way her face lit up every time her eyes fell upon him, the way she giggled when she found something funny, her sharp-tongued quips and of course, her otherworldly beauty.

"Fine. I'll go." He said and went to search for the missing princess.

~

Daena found herself at the edge of a large lake. She could see hoof prints in the earth; Rhaenyra must have been here, she thought. She had her mare tied to a tree while she took a walk alongside the lake. She already took 3 turns. Once she finished the third lap, she sat down at the edge of the lake and just stared into the water.

She shouldn't have stormed off like that. Sometimes her anger would get the best of her and she did and said things she regretted, and this was one of them. It's the fire in your blood, her father said to her years ago when she was a child. She was no longer a child. She was a woman grown and her outbursts wouldn't be tolerated any longer. 

What Joy said was correct - she did fancy Ser Harwin. Maybe it was more than that, she wasn't sure. She hated how right Joy was. She hated that Joy put it into words and said it out loud. She was scared of it; of the way her heart skipped a beat whenever he would look at her or whenever he spoke her name using that deep voice of his. She didn't know how to deal with any of it. So she ran away from it. 

"Gods, if he loves me, please give me a sign." She whispered, closing her eyes. 

~

He didn't know where he was going or how far into the woods the Princess wandered into. Luckily for him, after a while, he struck gold. He came upon a large lake in the middle of the forest. A mare was tied to a nearby tree - her mare.

Instead of yelling and scaring her, he decided to quietly follow the path. The sight that greeted him confused him - the princess was sitting at the edge of the lake, her back turned to him. She seemingly hasn't noticed his presence. 

"Princess." He called for her gently, careful not to startle her. After a second, she slowly turned her head. He was met with her bewildered face. 

"Ser Harwin?" She asked as if she'd seen a ghost. 

He got off his horse and walked over to her. He looked over her; she didn't seem hurt in any way, though her eyes did appear to be glossy. 

"Are you alright, Princess?" He asked, offering her a hand. She took it and he pulled her up. She gazed at him, her lilac eyes wide and full of emotion. Her lips were slightly parted as she took in a deep breath. 

"I'm fine." She answered barely above a whisper. 

"We must return to camp, Princess." He said softly. She didn't respond, just continued looking at him. 

"Princess?"

"I am so glad to see you." She said all of a sudden, her voice soft and breathy. He sucked in a breath at her words and the way her pupils widened when she said it. 

"I'm glad to see you too, Princess, but we must return to camp before they find the hart." He said and reluctantly pulled away from the warmth of her body. 

~

They slowly rode back to the camp in silence. She glanced at him as a thought swirled in her mind. She's been thinking about it for a while but never dared to ask. 

"Tell me something, Ser Harwin." She said and he turned his head to look at her. She had to stop herself from avoiding his gaze. 

"I've had this thought for a while, but I wanted to hear your opinion before asking His Grace." 

"My opinion on what, Princess?" 

"I wish to have a sworn protector. And, I was wondering if perhaps... you'd like to take that position?" 

Ser Harwin was quiet. Too quiet for her liking. Did she say something wrong? Did he not want to be her protector? Maybe she thought wrong. Maybe he didn't like her at all.

"You honor me, Princess. Are you certain you want me?"

She chuckled. Of course, she wanted him. "I've never been more certain of anything in my life." 

"Then, yes, I would."

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" She said, smiling at him, and started galloping toward the camp.

King Viserys and Lord Lyonel were in the royal tent, discussing Rhaenyra's future husband and who would be the best match for her. Then, his niece Daena appeared from nowhere. 

"Daena! Where were you?" His Grace asked. 

"Out in the woods." She answered matter-of-factly. 

"Alone?" 

"Well, yes. I had to clear my head." 

"You could've been killed!" He exclaimed. 

"Now, now, Uncle. Why are you being so pessimistic?" She said and the tone of her voice reminded Viserys of Daemon. She inherited her father's nonchalant demeanor.  

"I wanted to talk to you about something. If you have the time."

His Grace sighed. "Of course, my dear. What is it?"

She smirked and it once again reminded His Grace of his younger brother. Daena walked closer and sat down next to her uncle. 

"Seeing as I am of age now, I would like to have a sworn protector, who will, well, protect me." 

"That can be arranged." He Grace replied. 

"No, no, no. You don't have to arrange anything. I already know who I want." She said confidently. 

"Oh. Well, speak it. Who is it?" Her uncle asked. 

She looked to the side and smirked. She gestured for the person to step forward. "Ser Harwin." 

Ser Harwin walked closer and stood next to his father, Lord Lyonel. He bowed and greeted the King. 

"Well, Ser Harwin, what do you say? Would you take up the position my niece has offered?"

Ser Harwin glanced at his father, then at Daena. "If Your Grace allows it, I would be honored to guard the Princess."

His Grace nodded. "Of course, of course. I am certain you will do excellently, Ser."

Daena giggled and clapped her hands victoriously. She pecked the King on his cheek. "Thank you, thank you, Uncle. You're the best!"

~

In the early hours of the morning, Daena once again found herself in the woods. This time she wasn't alone. She was a part of the royal hunting group and it seems they have finally found a hart. It wasn't the white one Ser Otto has been talking about the whole time but it was a beautiful creature nonetheless. 

Daena stood next to Joy and watched from a distance as her uncle got off his horse - he was hungover, she realized; it didn't surprise her with how much wine he drank last night. 

"He may not be white, Your Grace. But he's a big lad." She heard Harwin say as he and two other men held the animal down with ropes. 

Uncle Viserys looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but here. He was never a violent man. He preferred throwing balls and tourneys, not killing; that was more of her father's specialty. He reluctantly took a spear from Jason Lannister and walked closer to the tied-up animal. 

He stabbed the animal in the neck but it still lived - it thrashed around and squealed in pain. His Grace stabbed again and again until the poor animal stopped moving. It was a sad sight. That was not a clean kill, the poor thing suffered until the end, Daena thought as everyone started to clap. She had to join in. 

"That was horrific. Poor thing." Joy whispered in her ear. Daena gave a nod of agreement but said nothing. 

~

Daena was standing next to Joy, Ser Harwin, and their brother Larys. She mostly ignored the Clubfoot; there was something about him that unnerved her. Harwin was skinning an animal leg while she and Joy talked. 

Then, something caught Harwin's attention as he looked up. Daena, Joy, and Larys followed suit. It was Rhaenyra. She was covered in blood and had a serious expression on her face. Daena smirked as all the other people either looked shocked or disgusted. 

"Gods, I leave her alone for a day and she comes back all bloody... Come on Joy, we have to find out what happened." Daena said with a smile and took Joy's hand as the two girls went after Rhaenyra. 

***

Ahhh, we see that over the years, Harwin and Daena have developed crushes on each other though they're still too reluctant to talk about it. Joy (just like her twin) is someone who's very observant and she notices things, and she likes to tease. However, she took it a bit too far in this chapter.

We are also introduced to Patricia Beesbury who will also become an ally to Daena/Rhaenyra in the future.

Thank you for reading! 💕💕💕

If you have any questions/thoughts feel free to comment. ☺

[kingofdersecest-2]

A proposal of fixing Homestuck 2.

I have often long thought of what I would do if I could control the future of the Homestuck Franchise.

The quickest answer would be to de-canonize and delete the entirety of Homestuck 2 and The Epilogues. Some might say that in interest of art preservation those things should remain as they are, a monument to the failures of the sequel. I personally do not believe that even in the interest of preservation of art that there is anything worth preserving in either of these works.

But that is the easy way out. Say I had to keep everything, but I wanted to get rid of it. How would I walk it back? Well.

Before Homestuck 2 went on Hiatus, a plot point was created, called….well, The Plot Point, yes it is that stupid.

As of this writing, what The Plot Point is, is unclear. Its a location that corresponds to the black hole's singularity and is also supposedly a super weapon that Calliope, Roxy and John want to use for some unknown purpose and they want to prevent Jane from getting it and using it again, for an unknown, yet likely, nefarious one.

Meanwhile, in the Meat timeline, Aradia and Dave are working with Alt Calliope. Dave is a robot, and Aradia is her usual self. As they hang out Aradia flickers through time, she teases Dave about it, she tells him he could come along and find out what shes doing, and he brushes her off, stating he doesnt need to know as he knows everything.

In this proposed re-write, Aradia is also looking for The Plot Point as what it is, is the connecting points between Meat and Candy. Aradia is vaguely aware of the other timeline, a simultaneous Alpha timeline, that does not disentrigate like so many others, a timeline that Ultimate Dave, cannot see into. Because Ultimate Dave is every Dave, isnt he? Shouldnt he be Candy Dave as well?

Both parties work their way into finding their respective Plot Points. John is the one to find his, and Dave, surprisingly is the one to find his, as Aradia realized she would need his help in finding it, and cajoled him into it, as what could tempt an omniscient being more then something he does not know?

As both of them reach into The Plot Point, they each come away with something. John is holding Lil Cal's head and Dave, his body. As they hold these objects they become aware of the other timeline's existence and guided by instinct they push their pieces back into the hole and the two pieces of Lil Cal unite.

Suddenly, we're back on The End platform, John standing there shaking, sweaty, his palm burned. In front of him was The End house, but instead of four panels, the entire house is covered in a green grinning skull.

It was a trap. Lord English had orchestrated a false timeline to be created when John entered The End. A timeline where they thought they had won, but the victory was a hollow one as their world fell apart around them. There was only supposed to be one timeline, but Alt Calliope interfered, creating a split in Lord English's fabrication and Meat and Candy became a tug of war between the two all powerful siblings.

Ultimate Dirk was revealed to be Lord English taking over Dirk's body. The shard of dirk that became Lord English during Calliborn's Masterpiece was pulled into the Ultimate Ascension and slowly took over his body. In a last act, Dirk using his Prince of Hope powers, created The Plot Point, a Juju, that would break the timeline, destroying Lord English's hope of a final revenge. This is why everyone seemed to out of character, as they were twisted perversions of what Lord English, Calliborn all thought of them.

Realizing that Lord English needed to be dealt with, John and the others depart The End platform to go assist Vriska and the Ghosts, with one last confrontation. Their time in the Fake Timeline had shaken them, they still retained their memories of it, no one can meet each other's eyes, disgusted with what they had done. But John and Roxy's optimism lift everyone's spirits, and surprisingly, Karkat steps up to act like the Friendleader he was always meant to be. He says all that shit doesnt matter now and it was just an illusion and goddamn it they have to go kick that sick bastards ass harder then ever. The blood symbol glows in his eyes as he says this.

Inspired, the battle begins. Its going badly for Vriska and the Ghosts, most of them are gone, only Vriska, Meenah and Aradia remain and several dozen ghosts. The appearance of the others make a huge difference and the battle begins anew.

cue fancy Collide animation here

The battle ends with Dave stepping up to be the hero he always was. His sword, Caldewash. Is made of a material forged by Hepestus himself, on Dave's planet, a weapon designed to kill that cannot be killed. A weapon to shatter parodoxes.

Dave kills him, which also undoes everything he had a hand in, past, future or present. Calliborn's masterpiece does not happen. Yet despite being erased, everyone is still where they were even without it. The parodox of Lord English being erased is ignored. Its finally over, or is it?

Calliope, with the Life Ring is well aware of what had happened. She knows that shes a walking vessel for her Alternate Self. Who is just as cruel and callous as Lord English, perhaps even more so. After a heartfelt hug from Roxy, Calliope removes the life ring and allows Dave to slay her as well. Ending the Cherubs forever.

Homestuck was only ever just a sibling rivalry with reality and causality as the battleground. Fitting it ends this way.

With the survivors, they head back to The End platform, wanting to start a new world for real this time. However, something calls. The Horrorterrors call out to Rose, and The Veil is lifted. With Lord English gone, her powers go into overdrive, granting her a Vision such as shes never had before. She tells Roxy to use her void powers to Create godtier slabs for those that arent godtier, and Terezi, Kanaya and Karkat are ascended.

Once done, she has Roxy create a very special violin and a thread and a needle. She has Kanaya imbue the thread with her Sylph of Space powers and she strings the violin with it, along with the Bow. She begins to Play the Rain, causing rain to fall all across the universe, as the raindrops hit the rifts in spacetime, they begin to sew themselves close. The Horrorterrors release a collective sigh of relief as reality begins to mend. The Dreambubbles, maintained by their power and Feferi's request, begin to fade, as their purpose is served and the dead can finally have a True Rest.

Except Meenah, as, unknown to Roxy, she had pickpocketed it from her. When all the ghosts faded away, she stands there grinning.

So they walk through The End door, establishing not only Earth 2, but Alternia 2 and a planet for the consorts and the carapacians. They learned from their experiences in the False Timeline.

The planets are easy to travel between with Skia Warp Panels and the Window Frames, plus Alternian Space travel.

John and Roxy have Harry

Dave and Jade have Yiffany, now named Ruby

Rose and Kanaya adopt Vrissy

Jane and Jake have Tavros.

All is well.

Except…..as we all know, when a civilization reaches a certain threshold, a seed is planted in that reality, the chance to create a new one.

It is April 13th, Harry Anderson Egbert's 13th birthday, and he hears about a new game coming out…….

[nottooldforthisship]

Okay folks, I’m stuck at home with Covid. I haven’t read a new Larry fic in years .

So let’s go, tell me which one I should read (maybe from the last 2-3 years?)

UPDATE WITH LINKS :

(thank you all for the recs ! I’ll update as long as I get them)

- Of Mates and Men :  In which, Louis and Harry meet as best men for their best friends' wedding... well... sort of. Or, the one where Harry's just moved back from New York and Louis doesn't believe in romance. Or, I guess... the one where Zayn and Liam are getting married.

- Darling, so it goes : Harry Styles is a world-famous actor at the height of his career but a personal low point when he meets His Serene Highness Prince Louis of Monaco by chance. He doesn’t think they’ll ever see each other again, but after striking up a correspondence, it turns out they have more in common than he thought. Then they start to fall for each other. Louis is different from anyone Harry has dated before and their relationship moves fast as Harry realizes he’s ready for a change. Soon Harry finds himself adapting to an entirely new life, in a country where he doesn’t know the rules, the customs, even the language. Harry is used to people underestimating him, and he’s more determined than ever to prove them wrong. He just needs Louis to meet him halfway.               Grace Kelly AU.

- love is a word, you gave it a name : After two decades in brutal show business, Louis Tomlinson is trying to restore his tranquility of mind in the peace of Northern Europe where the sun barely sets, Maria’s bar is always open, and young Harry has an irresistible spark in his eyes.

- Bloodsport :   The Unbelievers Story from Harry’s point of view.

- Alien Roadtrip! : roadtrip with desert feelings, too much snack food, and empty motels. Harry is definitely absolutely not an alien. That would be ridiculous.  

- Ace of Spades  : Living as a sheltered omega in a farming village has not prepared Harry for life aboard the most notorious pirate ship to sail the Atlantic.Or Louis is a pirate, Harry is his captive, and no one is who they say they are.

- Beautiful War  : An FBI-Clairvoyant AU

-  Ever Since I Tried Your Way : In 1949 Harry left his bride at the altar, running away from the only life he'd known. When a kindhearted farmer offers him a ride in his truck and a place to sleep the two find themselves inexplicably drawn together. Isolated on Louis' farm with nobody but a field of dairy cows to intrude, the men are finally able to explore the parts of themselves they've spent their lives hiding away.

- Truebonds  : Or the one where Louis is an omega in need, Harry is an alpha for hire, and destiny presents them with a fate they never saw coming.

- Full Moon Dreaming : Every month, Full Moon Dreaming reveals a person’s soulmate. Sometimes it’s an object or a place, or for the lucky ones, the love of their life.Louis has given up hope of dreaming of a person, resigned to living a life devoid of that kind of all-consuming love for another and receiving the same in return.But when a new neighbour descends on Louis’ beloved Hanson Bay and moves into the other beach house, could all that be about to change?

- No Hold to Hold Onto : Injured after being thrown from a bronc, Harry doesn’t know if he’ll ever compete again. His only hope is a man called Tommo, a world champion rider who retired at the top of his game. When Harry goes looking for help learning a new way to rope and ride, the last thing he expects to find is love.

- All Your Mates Are Here  : Like every werewolf does when they get to a new town, Harry joined one of the many local packs when he started university. Now, three years into his program, he's hit with the news that his pack is giving up, going their separate ways. In the wake of the holidays, the three single wolves from the Majestic pack are pointed in the direction of a new pack to join; one that's got struggles of its own.A new pack, a new house, and two new roommates with personal space issues... Plus exams, of course.

- In A Twinkling : Featuring Niall and Liam as Louis’ childhood friends, Harry as the painfully perfect man of Louis’ dreams, Zayn as Harry’s very protective best mate, Louis’ Nan as a well-meaning matchmaker, and Louis as a guy who thinks he’s happy with his life, until a certain someone shows him what he’s been missing.

- Nothing But You On My Mind  : Louis Tomlinson is a PR manager hired to improve the image of royal bad-boy Prince Harry Styles. Unfortunately for him, that means being faced with the Prince's constant innuendos, incessant dirty jokes, and relentless flirting. Louis just wants to make it to Princess Gemma's coronation; once she's crowned Queen, his contract is up and he never has to see the Prince again.

- From Dust to Lust  : From the moment Louis set eyes on the gorgeous stranger across the airport terminal, he knew the guy was trouble, which was the last thing he wanted. He wouldn’t have thought spending two days cooped up in a car travelling from the Australian Outback to the East Coast would change his mind. It’s funny how things work out.OR the one where Louis and Harry are fly-in-fly-out mine workers, coincidences are totally a thing, karaoke is an underrated form of foreplay, and the universe most definitely works in mysterious ways.

- Tired Tired Sea     : As a B&B owner on the most remote of all the British Isles, Louis Tomlinson is used to spending the coldest half of the year in complete isolation, with his dog and the sea as sole companions. Until, one day, a mysterious stranger on a quest to rebuild himself rents a room for the winter.

[losergendered]

ID: a set of 20 images in 10 pairs. each has one image of the listed star wars character with a white outline in front of their corresponding flags, and a second image which is a blank flag splice. END ID

Biggs Darklighter from Star Wars is a demisexual gay man who uses he/him pronouns! He is dating Luke!

Luke Skywalker is a tranmasc, ace, polyamorus, gay man who uses he/they pronouns!

Lando Calrissian is pansexual, bigender, polyamorus, GNC, queer, and trans and uses he/she pronouns!

Mara Jade is a nonbinary, aroflux, transfem, lesbian, who uses they/it/she pronouns!

Luke and Mara are in a QPR and are both dating Lando! Luke has a twin sister named Leia!

Leia Skywalker-Organa is bisexual, ace, polyamorus, and transfem, and uses she/her pronouns! Leia is dating Evaan!

Evaan Verlaine is an agender, girlflux, cupioromantic, lesbian, who uses any pronouns! Leia is also dating Han!

Han Solo is bisexual, genderqueer and doesn't care much about pronouns, but mainly uses he/they!

Han and Lando are exes, but are now on good terms and are close friends! Han also used to date Qi'ra!

Qi'ra is a bisexual grayace woman who uses she/her pronouns! She is still friends with Han! Han is best friends with Chewbacca!

Chewbacca is agender, aromantic, queer, and uses any pronouns, but mainly he/him! Everyone is also friends with Wedge!

Wedge Antilles is an aroace demiboy who uses he/they pronouns!

Everyone mentioned is friends with each other!

For phantom anon!

[kellyscowboy]

I'm glad you like the names!!! ☺️

Also, can you do me for the ask game thingy. My random fact is that i love learning information especially random information to share with others. I have a bit of a special interest in most anything history related.

ofc!! the scene in 92sies where david's mad at denton and sarcastically says "he's gonna be an ace war correspondent!!"

[reviewsthatburn]

SO MANY BEGINNINGS reimagines the story of LITTLE WOMEN with the March family as newly freed Black people in the Freedpeople's Colony of Roanoke Island. It fundamentally transforms the original story with the change in context and characterization. I love the decision to keep the same nicknames for the sisters but different full names. That small change makes it clear early on that this is its own story, that these are different March sisters and from now on I need not belabor further distinctions and divergences.

There's so much love between the March sisters and their parents. Their father is away for most of the story, but he is constantly in their thoughts and in correspondence with them through letters to their mother. 

Full Review at Link.

[buffriday-with-the-bees]

Dear author letter for Unsent Letters Exchange.

https://archiveofourown.org/collections/UnsentLetters2023/profile

Dear Author,

I'm sure I'll be happy with anything you write. I deliberately selected all the possible forms for maximum flexibility on all requested canons. DNWs are in my optional details. But in case you would like some prompt-y thoughts I've included them below.

In general I'd read romantic as well as platonic content for a given relationship unless it runs into my incest or underage DNWs (which are listed in my signup under optional details).

Any kind of AU is fine as long as it's not in the DNWs and includes the requested characters and a requested format.

Any time I say "letters" or "correspondence" feel free to consider it shorthand for "any form or medium that is acceptable in this exchange."

Also, feel free to combine prompts.

I tried to avoid this but if a ship is in my signup and I forgot to supply a prompt feel free to reach out through the mods.

Anathem - Neal Stephenson

Ala & any

Things I am curious about: how Ala became involved with Jesry when as far as Jesry was concerned, they couldn't stand eachother. (Of course, Erasmas thought he couldn't stand Ala either.)

The military liked Ala ("They think I'm cool"). How did that work out? What did she think about them?

Ala & Tulia, at any time. Before Apert, after Tulia arrived at the Convox. Preference for this to be friendship-focused.

Any Avout Character at Saunt Edhar's & none

The perspective of any ordinary avout at Saunt Edhar's on the Vocos, Orolo's Anathem, the arrival of the Geometers, the Eliger of Erasmas's crop of fids, the dispersal of everyone from the concent into the Anti-Swarm—it all seems quite interesting.

Any Foral Family Member & any

So what's up with the Forals and their fascination with worldtracks? I'm so curious about that. I mean, it's apparently lasted for hundreds of years at least? Are there Forals other than Magnus and Ignetha who don't care about any of this?

Any Post-Second Reconstitution Avout & any

What's avout life like after the Second Reconstitution? Any POV is fine: a canon character such as Lio, Jesry, Ala, Tulia, Erasmas, Barb aka Tavener, Paphlagon, Moyra, Landasher, or an OC.

Emman Beldo & any

I'm interested in his pre-Convox life, how he got picked to be one of the people who could detonate the Everything Killers, and whether or not he ever made it work with Karvall.

Erasmas & none

I'm very curious about Erasmas as amanuensis: a consciousness-bearing system whose recording and observation is generally important and also possibly has some effect on the worldtrack he is observing. I'd be interested in something he wrote about this or in something he wrote because of it. Is there something special about Erasmas that makes him a good amanuensis in this sense?

Jules Verne Durand & any

I'd love to see his notes or reports about his Orth learning process. What was his earlier education like? Did he write reports for the people who sent him and others to infiltrate the Convox? What was his post-canon life like?

Sammann & any

What's Ita culture like? What is his post-canon life like? Did he maintain his friendly collegial connection with Cord and the others? Did he have more contact with avout post-canon?

Alliance-Union - C.J. Cherryh

Any Florian AF-9979 & Any Catlin AC-7892

Did later Florian and Catlin iterations leave advice or recordings for their successors, the way the Arianes did?

Any Neihart of Finity's End Character & any

The Neiharts have seen a lot, going from the pusher era to the post-war era. How did Fletcher (Finity's End version) settle in as time passed? What kind of person did Jeremy become? The various James Robert Neiharts? The senior captain of Finity's End especially has seen a lot.

Ariane Emory II & any

So many options. Ari and her successors. Her fraught relationship with Justin and Grant and let's be honest, basically everyone she knows, from her same-age cohort to the household staff. Correspondence to or about Valery and/or Gloria after she messed that up. Letters that she writes to Oliver AOX Strassen but never sends. Records from her position as Councillor for Information.

Damon Konstantin & Elene Quen & Joshua Talley

Maybe it was just trauma bonding but I've always felt like there were feelings of attraction here, even if they were V-shaped. I'd be interested in their correspondence over time.

Fallan Monahan & any

Did he ever write to Lisa before they reconnected? Does he make notes for Ross or Lisa? A historical log generally?

Joshua Talley & any

Did he send reports to his Union-affiliated co-spies and superiors? Did he write to Elene Quen or Damon Konstantin separately? To anyone else?

Ross Monahan & any

Did he write letters to other Monahans who were station-bound? To Fallan or any others who went with Galway? Did he start writing letters to Jen in his head, before they weren't separated?

Kate & Cecilia

Sylvia Schofield & Elizabeth Wrexton

I'd love to see them corresponding about magic and/or their younger relatives.

Kate Schofield & Elizabeth Wrexton

Kate asking Aunt Elizabeth for advice about magic could be interesting, if only because it seems more likely that she would ask Thomas, Cecy, or Lady Sylvia.

Lord Ermenwyr Series - Kage Baker

Agliavv Willowspear & any

Willowspear may not be the most sensible person in this entire canon but he's got to be up there, right? Anyway, I'd be interested in a journal or letters of his experiences when he's separated from Burnbright, or futurefic about him in a requested format, or his experiences as a disciple (during his noviatiate or when he's living in the city at the inn and teaching Children of the Sun, especially if he starts teaching them about sustainable agriculture).

Any child of the Master of the Mountain and the Green Saint & Ermenwyr

So, Ermenwyr's named sibs are Eyrdway, Demaledon, and Svnae. Per one of the short stories he has multiple sisters. I'd be interested in correspondence between Ermenwyr and any of his sibs, especially post-Anvil of the World.

The Green Saint & Svnae

I've always been interested in their mother-daughter difficulties. I'd be interested in reading anything about that or anything that took place after those were more resolved.

Krelan & any

I'd be interested in anything. Accounts from the Bird of the River's supply purchases that tell a story, future-fic correspondence, Krelan writing to someone from his old life either before or after he breaks away from it.

The Master of the Mountain & any

The Master of the Mountain sure has a unique perspective on basically everything, and I'm interested in any exploration of it, specifically after he became the Master of the Mountain.

Mrs. Smith & any

Speaking of interesting perspectives, Mrs. Smith has seen a lot. Would be interested in anything from a journal about that to an acrimonious exchange with an ingredient supplier.

Nurse Balnshik & any

Who does Nurse Balnshik write or talk to? Either as a friend, or as an employee/minion of the Master of the Mountain sending reports about his wayward offspring?

Lord Peter Wimsey - Dorothy L. Sayers

Annie Wilson & any

What are Annie's post-Gaudy Night and World War II experiences like? Does she get her life back together or, if you want to go dark, does she keep writing poison pen letters?

She could write to her daughter Beatrice (Beatie) despairing that Beatrice is living a wild life with a motorcycle, or doing war work.

Or this prompt would allow for poison pen letters we don't see in canon.

Any Shrewsbury College don & any

I love all the dons. The Dean (Letitia Martin) is my favorite, but I also appreciate shy Miss Chilperic and spiky and hurt and bitter Miss Hillyard and research-fixated Miss de Vine. Any letter from any one of them at any time would delight me.

Danvers & any

How does he really feel about St George? Does he actually like him or does he just oblige him because of new and old school ties? How does his narrow angle of view of the poison pen affair look? Was he at Peter and Harriet's wedding?

Marjorie Phelps & any

I'm interested in anything Marjorie has to say, whether it's about her artsy life or her artistic career or her feelings about Peter.

Salcombe Hardy & any

His reporter's perspective on Peter's cases, Peter's marriage, the annoying behavior of livestock in the country, anything really. Why did DLS give us a canonically violet-eyed reporter? (That last part is rhetorical but I do ponder it from time to time.)

Sylvia Marriott & any

I'm interested in her thoughts on Peter and Harriet, on being a woman with an artistic career, or anything that strikes your fancy.

Viennese singer & any

In Busman's Honeymoon Peter reflects that he once "owned the finest lyric soprano in Europe"; this is after St George brings up the Viennese singer Peter was previously involved with. In one of the Paton Walsh books (Thrones, Dominations) she's named Aurelia Silberstraum and Peter pulled strings so she could come to England (and, IIRC, escape the Holocaust).

Feel free to ignore this or any other Paton Walsh material, but I thought I'd mention it. My real question is, what did things look like from the Viennese singer's point of view, either during or at any point after the arrangement with Peter?

Star Trek (AOS)

Jayla & Montgomery "Scotty" Scott (ST: AOS)

I've always felt like they had father-daughter or mentor-student found family vibes, and would like to see that explored. No sex or romance, please.

James T. Kirk/Leonard "Bones" McCoy/Montgomery "Scotty" Scott | James T. Kirk & Leonard "Bones" McCoy & Montgomery "Scotty" Scott

Listing these together even though I prompted for them separately because it's complicated. Am interested in any configuration, whether they're strictly friends or whether they're kind of a queerplatonic throuple because Scotty is ace (headcanon but I'm not hugely invested in it) and McCoy is not attracted to men and Kirk is pan (again, headcanon) and the most allosexual person to ever explore strange new worlds (has to be fairly close to canon?). Anyway I'm interested in like ship's logs or conventional correspondence or whatever.

Gaila/Nyota Uhura

I'd love to see them trading space postcards or text messages between roommates or whatever.

Carol Marcus/Leonard "Bones" McCoy

In my head this started out collegial and evolved into something more but I'm open to whatever.

Amanda Grayson & Spock

Anything really! Amanda Lives AU, Amanda Prime somehow corresponding with AOS Spock, Spock having records of his mom's notes on his school assignments, or birthday cards from her, or whatever.

Tam Lin - Pamela Dean

Janet Carter & Christina & Molly DuBois

A collection of notes Molly, Janet, and Tina left eachother, coordinating things in an era when schedules were in flux and no one had cell phones etc. ("Having dinner with Robin", "Could you clean the litterbox?", "Won't need my hour, would you like it?" etc.)

Janet Carter/Thomas Lane

I've always wondered about Thomas and Janet's post-canon experiences and would be thrilled to read about them in letter or diary or whatever format.

Robert Armin/Molly DuBois

Robin has to be prodded, but does eventually start writing to Molly during summer breaks. What's that look like?

Top Gun (Movies)

Amelia Benjamin & any

To me Amelia is the ultimate POV outsider character in this canon, especially on her mom and Mav, but also in general. So, like, I'll take anything (except romance or sex with someone outside her age bracket, which I see as 14-16; this is also in my DNWs).

Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw & Pete "Maverick" Mitchell

Another I'll-take-anything relationship, as long as it isn't in my DNWs. Young Bradley and Mav corresponding pre-paper pulling, Bradley being assigned somewhere at a distance post-canon and trying to write regularly to Mav, AU where the rift between Mav and Bradley never happened and they corresponded throughout the period between the movies, non-Navy AU, Bradley's angry journal entries. Romantic or sexual Roosmav is okay as long as it doesn't conflict with my DNWs for this exchange (underage or making it incestuous by making them biological or legal family).

Robert "Bob" Floyd & Natasha "Phoenix" Trace

It's hard to imagine them not together in some sense after TGM, at minimum as ride-or-die friends. Bob keeps a journal, fight me. I'd love to read it. But I'd also be happy to read their post-canon correspondence.

Penny Benjamin & Pete "Maverick" Mitchell

I would not actually die for a look at correspondence during their off-and-on period but it sure is an interesting thought. Same for a peek at Penny's diary, especially about the F-18 joyride.

Tom "Iceman" Kazansky & Pete "Maverick" Mitchell

Canonically they text. I'm interested in this or postcards or email or whatever.

Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw & Natasha "Phoenix" Trace

I love them as friends but I'm open to anything from them trying to be more than friends pre-canon to Bradley actually trying to stay in touch post-canon. ("This is how I find you're back stateside?" IMO Bradley is canonically bad at staying in touch. Maybe he tries to get better.)

The X-Files (TV)

Dana Scully & William | Jackson Van de Kamp

New canon wants me to believe Scully would just stop caring about William and let him go emotionally? I'm sorry, no. Even if he is kind of creepy, plus all the other stuff in new canon.

Valdemar Series - Mercedes Lackey

Savil Ashkevron & Vanyel Ashkevron

Anything from the period when they're both full working Herald-Mages and she's his real mom but also his colleague and the vodka aunt.

[thephoenixandthecrocodile]

Major Writing Update - Jan 27, 2023

So it’s been a while since I’ve written an update and I have a LOT to share.

Major news first: I FINISHED THE KINGSLEY REWRITE!!!!

It took me a little longer than I wanted because I severely underestimated how much changing Alex’s arc would affect the rest of the book, but I’m really excited about this version. It’s currently with beta readers and then it needs to go to my editor for another review, but I think I’m really close to its final form.

Kingsley is an adult, fantasy noir story. It’s about:

Only defeated rebels get tried for war crimes. That’s why Kingsley, a queer anthropomorphic crocodile, is facing the empire’s noose. To save his life, he’ll have to shed many crocodile tears and manipulate Alex, a traumatized journalist whose wife Kingsley tortured. What? He’s done worse

It’s currently 131K which isn’t bad, although I’d like to get closer to 120k if I can, but we’ll see. The reason this word count is so low is because I cut all the footnotes and appendices. If my beta readers say they’re needed, then I’m looking at 150K words again.

Rewriting Alex’s Arc

One of the biggest takeaways from my editor’s original notes was that Alex’s arc wasn’t quite working within the context of the entire story, so I had to go back to the drawing board and figure out why I wanted Alex in the story in the first place.

The story is split into two different narratives. The first narrative is Kingsley’s memoir. The second narrative is Alex trying to dismantle Kingsley’s memoir. So the book is actually at war with itself and the reader has to decide if/when they trust Kingsley’s tale and if/when they trust Alex’s version.

I was worried that Alex’s story would overtake Kingsley’s or make things too complicated, so I tried to introduce Alex’s arc in a limited and subtle way. However, that made Alex’s story seem unimportant and, so, during this rewrite, I decided to commit fully to Alex’s narrative. Now Alex and Kingsley occupy the same amount of real estate and we dive deeper into Alex’s motives, demons, and world.

While developing Alex’s arc, I made few changes to Kingsley’s narrative, but the context for each of his chapters have now changed. I’m really curious to see what my beta readers have to say about Kingsley and his story now that Alex is taking an active role in dismantling almost everything Kingsley says (in the original drafts it was far more subtle and limited dismantling).

Getting to know Alex

Alex, who is a hetero-romantic, ace, and agender, is one of my oldest OCs. They started as my imaginary friend when I was nine and turned into a MC when I started writing my own stories. They’ve been with me for most of my life and so it wasn’t hard to jump into their head and the scenes that were just about them or about them and their wife, Christine, were the easiest scenes to rewrite.

Alex is a practical person who believes everything can be rooted in some sort of logic or system. They are a person of science and reason and they need rules to live their life. They have a lot of assumptions about the world, people, and themselves and have a hard time functioning if these assumptions are challenged or debunked. The Alex in this book is an older Alex, who was a war correspondent during the Second Shadow War and the Alex I know best is the young Alex who doesn’t know about the Second Shadow War, so I had a fun time trying to understand how a world war that shatters the then existing international system would affect someone like Alex.

The short answer: they’re a fucking mess and, surprise, surprise, interviewing the being who tortured their wife isn’t helping their mental state at all.

The rewrite helped me dive deep into their mental state and instead of being this outside figure who can provide the reader the “truth” about Kingsley’s story, Alex becomes a figure desperate to function when all they really want to do is die and this quest to unmask Kingsley is either a noble cause or literally the only thing keeping them together and they’re terrified of what happens when it’s over. Which, of course, makes them just one more person who benefits from Kingsley and his cause.

When is Too Much Really Too Much?

Of course, the risk of developing one character’s arc, especially when it’s only tangentially connected to Kingsley’s arc, is that you’re doing too much in one book. I’ll admit that is probably the case with this book, but I’ve made my peace with that. As long as it’s engaging and entertaining, what does the rest matter, haha?

That being said, the one way I tried to keep Alex’s story connected to Kingsley was utilizing characters who had already been mentioned in Kingsley’s memoir. Alex has their own family and they are completely new characters, but Alex also spends time with Kingsley’s fellow rebels like Devin Tossier, Margaret Leland, and Caroline Galloway. These scenes were the hardest to write because I don’t know those three characters as well as I know Alex and I had to figure out what decades of revolution and a world war would do to them and what their feelings towards Kingsley would be and also how did Alex perceive those feelings and goals since their arc is mostly told through their POV.

Those scenes took the longest to write but they were also a lot of fun because I got to write certain characters closer to who they really are vs how Kingsley wants you to think of them and it allowed me to expand the world while staying within the confines of Kingsley’s rebellion. And it’s always fun to write a Kingsley chapter where x happens and then write an interview with Devin who can say what? X never happened. It was actually Y. or yeah x happened but so did y so really it’s XY that happened.

I hope readers are going to enjoy reading this book and figuring out oh so this quirk that Kingsley said Devin had, he was right or wow Kingsley really butchered Devin’s character, didn’t he?

Corruption!

The one section that Alex’s POV didn’t help clarify at all is the Demon War, haha. The Demon War is the main climax and is the most difficult event to write about because it literally determines the plot for every other book. It’s a massive continental war that affects every major nation and sets the stage for the Second Shadow War, so it’s a super important event to introduce, but since it’s so big I literally have to break up the major developments into different books. It’s like a medallion broken into several different pieces. On their own the pieces may be beautiful and have a design that could stand on its own, but you won’t see the full picture until all the pieces come together and then open the door that unleashes the ancient evil (in this case that would be the Second Shadow War).

It’s also why the Demon book is now a three book series within my first trilogy, haha.

This book is only interested in how Kingsley wants to present the Demon War, except with Alex’s expanded arc, they can unravel that narrative, complicating an already complicated mess. So, I am worried I muddled the climax of the book, however, I was pleased that I could use Alex’s research to beef up the corruption subplot.

No surprise considering I love noir and cold war thrillers/political dramas, I love a corruption subplot especially when it’s a governmental or military entity. The corruption of the Hevian (human) colonial democracy and the Gargainian (also human) theocracy is the string that is supposed to connect Kingsley’s memoir, the Demon book(s) and the giant scorpion book into one trilogy, but I’ve struggled trying to introduce that aspect in the Kingsley book. Alex’s expanded arc allowed me to pull up documents that Kingsley would never have access to that reveal how rotten the Hevian and Gargainian government and society truly is. I hope it’s another moment when the reader can compare what Kingsley wrote and compare what Alex discovered and realize things are rarely as simple or straightforward as they seem. Or my beta readers will report back that it’s just really confusing and I need to rethink some things haha.

Future Plans

Depending on my beta reader’s and editor’s feedback, I probably have one to two more rewrites before this book is ready for publication. Hopefully they won’t be massive rewrites like the latest one, but we’ll see. Either way, I’m confident I can have this book published no later than fall of next year, which is very exciting but also very overwhelming.

I’ve been thinking a lot about publishing and I don’t think traditional publishing is for me, not even with an indie press. It’s funny but thinking of my book as a product that has to be sold makes me absolutely miserable and kills my love for the story and writing in general. I still want to share my work with the world, but I want to do it my own way which means self-publishing is my only option.

But what do I mean by self-publishing? I want to give this book the best chance it can have and I’m doubtful anyone will find it if I just throw it on Amazon (and I have feelings about Amazon and their monopoly on self-publishing). I asked myself what does success look like for me? Is it money because if so this is the wrong book to try and make money off of. Is it views? If that’s the case I’m just going to be frustrated because social media algorithms are the worst, twitter is dying, and I’ve never been good at getting attention of any kind. Also, I lowkey hate attention and the hustle culture. So success became: what would be the most enjoyable way to share this story with the world?

I thought about media I enjoy and for some reason my mind went to music and how the two subcultures I love are goth and punk and so I said to myself, “Why don’t I just garage band this thing?”

At the time, the term “garage band” had a very profound meaning to me. It was like a lightbulb went off in my head and everything made sense.

That clarity lasted for an hour and now, I don’t really know what it means beyond doing things my own way and potentially not even publishing on Amazon. It means releasing this book in as many different formats as I can. It means it may exist as a podcast and as a series of blog posts. It means I may not publish it in actual book form until I’m confident I can run a successful kickstarter that will provide the funds I need to publish it the way I want.

I love the work and formatting Reimena put into their series the Carpet Merchant of Konstantiniyya and I want to do something similar. I’m already creating multimedia pieces for the book, why shouldn’t I format the rest of the book in a unique manner? I also want to be able to offer posters, t-shirts, pins, stickers, pamphlets, etc. with my book.

I already have ten short stories outlined that I can publish separately and then pull together as a companion piece (with a new, never read short story or two) and I have two potential companion novellas planned out as well. And I love the idea of creating an interactive website for a fake museum to host a fake exhibit on Kingsley’s fake memoir where all the world building info that formerly existed as footnotes and back matter can exist as full articles because it’s fun. I’m trying to figure out how I can incorporate puppets as well…

A part of me is why do all of that if I’m not confident I’ll get the views let alone create a following who would contribute to a kickstarter, but another part of me gets so excited at the prospect of doing it this way. I think it’s because it allows me to sit with the world and take my time. Whatever I can’t cover in Kingsley itself I can cover on the website and I can do fun things with the audio for each podcast episode that just adds to the world building.

So I don’t know. We’ll see. Maybe after the twentieth rewrite I’ll just be so tired, I’ll say fuck it and just throw it on Amazon and call it a day.

[viola-ophelia]

act 3 opens with bland trying to convince washington to spare andre’s life. it’s honestly lowkey funny because washington is totally like “omg i don’t have time for this” and tells bland to get to the point because he’s rambling LOL. 

bland finally comes out and says this, which again, is just portraying him as hilariously down bad for andre. (i wonder why dunlap invented this character tbh, since i feel like he could’ve used hamilton as a historically accurate person who opposed andre’s death and was highly complimentary of him). 

washington shuts him down by explaining - which is true! - that pardoning andre is simply not possible because he needs to die in order to abide by the “laws of war” and set a precedent against treason in the army in the future. 

he tries to offer bland a promotion to soften the blow a bit, but bland gets really mad, tears his cockade (the “badge of virtuous fellowship”) off his helmet, and threatens to quit the army because they CLEARLY don’t understand the meaning of virtue lolol. 

we’re back to mrs. bland and the kids in act 3 scene 2. they’re at camp, and mrs. bland finds melville (remember him? he’s the other sentinel from the first scene) and shows him the letter all distraught. melville is like “lol, chillax, it’s just an empty threat,” but she’s not buying it. 

suddenly, bland shows up (jeez, why does this guy have twice as much screen time as andre??) and mrs. bland explains what’s going on. they decide to go try and persuade washington (again) to pardon andre so bland’s dad won’t die too... somehow i feel like this isn’t gonna go well lol. 

after that, we’re back to washington. he’s received some correspondence from general clinton about andre, and is pissed that clinton is trying to claim that andre isn’t really a spy and therefore can’t be executed (interesting; clinton and andre’s roles are reversed here, since IRL andre was the one more so trying to get himself traded or pardoned while clinton was forced to realize his hands were tied). 

this scene is a pretty historically accurate representation of the discourse between, and thought processes of, the two sides. washington and clinton, despite the latter being distraught over what has happened, both understand the rules of military protocol, and both are coming to realize that there really is no way to save andre without violating it.   

we’re FINALLY back to andre in act 3, scene 3. he’s dressed in his full uniform, awaiting his fate, when bland shows up. he asks bland if he appealed to washington about changing his death from hanging to a firing squad, and bland is like “oopsies, i forgot, but i DID try to ask him to save you!! didn’t work tho :(.” 

andre is like “dude wtf, you had ONE JOB.” then he starts having an existential crisis hahaha. 

bland tells andre that clinton is using his dad as a pawn and threatening to kill him if washington doesn’t pardon andre, and andre freaks out because he doesn’t want anyone else dying because of him. he tells bland he’ll send one last letter before he dies trying to get clinton not to kill bland’s dad, because he feels like if he doesn’t, then he’ll die “infamous” lol. 

again, it’s really interesting how andre (and everyone else) is SO concerned with legacy in this play. it’s as if andre’s legacy is being shaped before our eyes - or perhaps is already shaped. that’s the question, isn’t it? will saving bland’s dad actually make sure andre doesn’t go down in history in a bad light, or has the memory of him in the american consciousness already been set in stone and there’s nothing he or anyone else can do about it?  

act 4, scene 4 is a long and heated argument between bland and mcdonald (one of the other american soldiers) about whether or not andre is actually a spy. bland, our resident andre simp, ofc thinks he isn’t, but mcdonald thinks he is and therefore does not deserve his pity. 

this whole back-and-forth is yet another example of andre being talked ABOUT - by the other side - without actually appearing onstage or being able to speak for himself. he is, thus far, the only british character with any “screen time” (clinton has only been mentioned) in a play that is dominated by american voices and presences. he has also only been in three scenes so far despite being the main character! 

mcdonald makes some really interesting points in favor of NOT pitying or commending andre. he tells bland that andre may have “sav’d his life, yet strove to damn his country” - in other words, a spy is a spy and treason is treason, no matter how gentlemanly he seems or how nice he behaves toward any one individual. it’s honestly a great counterargument to the play’s main message because it really pushes back against the idea that even an enemy can also be a good man. to mcdonald, an enemy is an enemy, and he’s got a point! bland is being overly sentimental and, frankly, losing sight of his OWN principles by focusing on how andre saved his life and ignoring the fact that he also, uhh, tried to destroy the patriot cause lol. 

just as bland and mcdonald seem about to start throwing punches, mrs. bland shows up, still all upset because clinton has still not agreed to let bland’s father live. mcdonald shows her to his quarters where his wife will tend to her, and the scene ends there. 

act 4, scene 5 - we’re back with bland and andre. before he goes in to meet him, bland has this interesting little soliloquy where he grapples with guilt over still sympathizing for andre despite knowing he’s kinda betraying his own side by doing so. at the end, we get a glimpse of the almost superhuman poise and resolve that eyewitnesses claim andre met his death with - used here to make bland (and the audience) feel almost sacrilegious. the way bland talks about andre’s death almost verges on portraying him as a christ-figure at times - as if he’s dying to absolve others of their sins. i think that’s a really interesting but also hugely presumptuous stance for the play to take, because like... self-sacrifice has to be a choice, doesn’t it? and andre’s death certainly wasn’t something that he chose irl. 

andre shows up and tells bland that he managed to get clinton not to kill bland’s dad. then he mentions his “mistress,” and bland is like ?? and demands to know who she is. andre is... pretty vague about it lol, but it’s obvious that he’s talking about honora sneyd (who by 1780 had married another guy). 

oh my gosh. i can’t even make this up, this is so absurd HAHAHAHAHA. but right after he says this, there’s a voice outside, and HONORA RANDOMLY SHOWS UP. 

GIRL WHAT???? WHY ARE YOU HERE?? i’m cackling, this is so random. 

i have nothing to analyze about this except HAHAHAHAHAHA

honestly? they’re both so melodramatic, they’re perfect for each other.

apparently honora never married the other guy (which is just, like, factually incorrect but i support the creative liberties LOL) and has somehow apparated to the colonies just in time to see andre before he dies... i say apparated because come on, ship voyages across the atlantic took weeks in the eighteenth century HAHA, how on earth did she get here so fast??? 

melville and a random guard choose this exact moment to show up to lead andre to his execution lol. honora tries to argue with them and tell them not to do it, and FOR SOME REASON THEY AGREE AND LEAVE HAHAHA. honestly, a girlboss moment! 

the 4th act ends with andre and honora (and bland, i guess? still standing there awkwardly LOL) reuniting and being like “omg i’m sure providence is on our side and the execution won’t go ahead.” ...sure, jan. 

hey all you andre sexyman truthers: i’m reading André (1798) by William Dunlap so you don’t have to!

a bit of background about WTF this is: written only 18 years after his execution, andré (1798) is considered one of the first examples of american tragedy. it’s a 5-act play dramatizing john andre’s life and death that - despite being written by a self-professed patriot - is VERY sympathetic toward andre, who is the undisputed hero of the play. drawing inspiration from anna seward’s “monody on major andre” (the background of which, if you’re interested, is explained very well here), dunlap focuses heavily on andre’s relationship with honora sneyd, a young englishwoman who he had been engaged to - and forced to break from by her disapproving family for financial reasons - right before enlisting in the british army. anyway, if that didn’t bore you to death and scare you away LOL, i’m gonna be liveblogging this as i read it, starting with the prologue! 

right from the get-go, i can tell william dunlap is a major simp for andre (aren’t we all…) LOL. 

i DO love the disclaimer that this isn’t necessarily historically accurate. sue me, but i actually fully support creative license in historical fiction! but yeah, maybe don’t use this as a source of actual facts about andre’s life lol. 

the last stanza of the prologue is basically like “teehee don’t judge my writing too harshly,” which, same, dunlap, same. 

i shall reblog this with more commentary as i get into the actual meat of the play!! 

[themotherofblood]

Legendary Lovers

Tywin Lannister x Reader

Tears of gold AU

A/N: I am a desi writer, so I was really excited to use some elements of my culture. My culture has a rich war ritual and wanted to include a scene of jauhar. I will still make it as suicide even though it is something much more than that’s

TW: birth, blood, murder. Mentions of suicide.

The news of Stannis Baratheon approaching King’s Landing spread out pretty quickly. More women were seen at the godswood praying for their husbands and intendeds, their sons and brothers, their fathers and wardens. While the men were away sharpening their swords, acing their aims, preparing their horses.

Lady Y/N Lannister spent most her time in her gardens. Looking out to the shore that would either bring forth a victory, or would end her life. Her hands occupied with the golden and red silks of her house, sewing a banner together for her husband. It was tradition derived from her culture, the lady of the house would sew a banner for the men at war, the banner that held the prayers of the families under the sigil. She remembered her mother sewing one during the days of rebellion. She also remembers her mother ordering for a giant pyre to be built. Should the city fall, the women of the house would not be taken but instead die with their honour in the fire.

When you were married, with you came twenty women from your city. Women that very much followed the traditions of your home, who had reached out to you about the pyres as the news of war spread. You however needed permission from your husband, you knew he wouldn’t take this well but as a woman. This was owed, he vowed to protect your honour and this is how he would do it even in his death. This is how he would protect his children. What you were asking of him becoming even more imperative, since the tales of what was done to Ellia Martel were all too familiar.

A fortnight ago, Lord Varys had crept up to your garden. Nearly scaring the life out of you as he called out your name. He presented you with a message, an unopened, sealed message which made you look up to him in confusion. All correspondences go through your husband, Vary’s simply said nothing and urged you to read. The letter came from Dorne, from your uncle’s lover; Ellaria Sand.

“The Sand Snakes await you by east shore in a fortnight, no more Dornish blood on pale hands.”

You read it over again, there was a chance that you could leave, but you weren’t a hostage. You were the wife of Tywin Lannister and you were going to die on the same ground as him, should he fall. You crumpled the parchment and handed it back to Varys. It was answer enough, you were staying in King’s Landing.

You’d sat at the dine, awaiting your husband. You’d requested to eat alone today. Just the two of you,and the King for goodness allowed it. Though if Tywin wanted to eat alone there was so stopping him. You sat out of breath after journeying back to your chamber, pressing a cool glass of water to your sweaty neck.

“You do realize the Maesters do not tell you to not walk around for entertainment.” Your husband’s voice called out from behind you. His hand leaning down to your bump and pressing a kiss to your temple before sitting down on his seat. Servants poured in to set up your table, as each item was placed you tried not to look displeased as most food this days made you sick. Tywin pushed forward the fruit bowl to you, the cool texture of melons were the only thing you could eat.

Tywin didn’t want to say it but he was terrified for you and his children. You could birth in two fortnights or three, and now he didn’t even know if the Lannisters would survive one. He watched as you bit into the watermelon, a small hum leaving you as you savoured the red fruit. “How is the banner coming along?” He asked. His wife told him of this tradition, and he would do everything possible to bring that banner back to his wife after the war.

“Nearly done, husband.” You said sipping out of your water cup. “Just a few more stitches.” You took a deep breath, not sure of how to wage the conversation you wanted to have with him. “Husband.” You paused making him look at you

“We have another war tradition. Jahaur.” You stated looking at the fruit bowl in front of you. “Should the city fall, I need your permission… to let go.” He looked at your confused, not quite understanding what you meant. “The women, we’d rather burn in a fire then be taken by Stannis, I would not impose this on the other women but my ladies and I request the flame of you, my lord.” You looked at him sternly, a look Tywin himself mastered to often hide any emotion he felt. His brows were scrunched tightly as he took in what you had just said

You facade cracked through however, a slight gloss in you eyes as you pleaded you husband to allow your death. Tywin knew that even Stannis’s army wasn’t devoid of the treacheries that men imposed on women. He couldn’t bare the thought of those men touching you. He too thought of Ellia Martell and how her child was cut out of her. He simply gave you a tight nod as approval. You looked to you maid who stood at the corner of the room, her eyes too glossed over. You nodded at her as she scurried off to make preparations. Both of you sat in silence, opting to move to lay on the couch. His hand gently rubbing your bump as you looked out to the night sky.

Days before the siege, you’d found Cersei in the royal gardens, with her youngest Tommen. He overjoyed when he saw you. His little feet running over to you before falling into a wobbly bow. “My lady.” The boy called out

“My prince.” You smiled back and lifted the boy as best you could. “Aren’t you getting bigger.” You spoke to him as you walked to his mother. Cersei never liked you, she thought it betrayed the memory of her mother, she didn’t trust you because you weren’t a Lannister.

“Your grace.” You bowed before handing her Tommen. She gave your her practiced tight lipped smile.

“I’m surprised you haven’t run yet.” She spoke as she patted the seat next to you, to sit.

“This is my home, why would I?” Cersei scoffed at that. Watching Tommen run about the garden as she looked to your belly.

“You love him?” She said almost as if she was trying to believe it herself. She looked at you for answer but you said nothing. She sported a look you couldn’t quite decipher, it was maybe of sympathy or pity. Maybe she thought you were pathetic, willing to die for a man who would never truly be yours. You let your gaze go back to Tommen, you wondered what Stannis would do to these children. You thought of what he would do to you.

That night Tywin found you in bed, wide awake staring at the canopy. The sheer curtains drawn and within it your silhouette laid perfectly still, the gentle rise and fall of your chest and the movement of your hand on your belly. He’d sworn he wouldn’t share such intimacy with anyone other than Joanna. A small part of him, as wars raged on, wished that a pierce right through his heart would send him to his beloved. Though that was a fool’s wishful thinking, to even believe he would go to the same place as his first wife. With Stannis’s army about to rain down on them in a few hours, he didn’t seem to care. He looked at you laying there, and if he could let your care consume him. He’d happily die on your marital bed. He watched as you became aware of his presence, extending your arm out and wiggling your fingers at him.

“Come to bed. Husband.” Your soft voice called out to him, his feet carried him like a siren’s song towards you, already stripped into his tunic. There you laid in a sleep dress, the white shinning like stars against your skin and while in other circumstances Tywin would have you screaming his name for looking like that. There was melancholy in the air, he saw the small frown on your face, the little shake in your fingers. You were scared and so was he. The gods had blessed him with yet another chance and here he laid as within mere hours you might be taken away from him.

He shuffled in, facing you as you moved your head to look at him. His large palm found yours that rested on your bump. “My wife, promise me” He huffs against your shoulder. “No matter what happens tomorrow, you will wait till the very end.” He didn’t need to elaborate what he meant. He wanted you to wait until Stannis was at the Red Keep to enter the pyre. A tear felt past your eye, as you looked upward to the ceiling again.

“I promise.” You smiled sadly at him. A small purr erupted a Lion jumped on the bed to lay in between the little space between you and you husband. Hearing him purr made your frown grow and bottom lip quiver, you closed your eyes to compose yourself. “Do you think they will hurt him?” You voice broke halfway.

“This is why we don’t name things, wife.” Your husband whispered as if speaking any louder would make this room ignite. His knuckles rubbing the feline’s snout. You were crying, not inconsolable, or breaking down. It was grief, anguish just silently pouring out of you. Tywin’s heart would give out from not showing it. He too felt the way you did. “Sleep, my wife.” You felt his touch lull you to sleep. In that limbo between coniousness and sleep, you could swear you heard the faintest humming from him. You couldn’t quite decipher the song but he was humming for sure.

The next morning was chaos, the court in shambles as women sewed gold in the hems of their dresses, more women showed up at the pyre. Arrows being accounted for, soldiers being head counted. Common folk being urged into the insides of the abandoned dragon pit, which now held food, clothing and milk for children. You and your husband on the other hand were wrapped in each other’s arms. Both unwilling to let go, your back to his as his arms engulfed you back into the sheets. Waiting and dreading for the knocks of your servants which rest assured came.

next chapter

[shadows-on-the-sky]

Ensan Case’s (author of Wingmen) salute to a World War II gay veteran, Jack M. Ilfrey, whose life paralleled the events of his novel:

One letter came from a very special person. I’ll call him Jack. Jack was an Army Air Force pilot in 1941, when the Pearl Harbor attack thrust the United States into the global conflict. Flying the twinengined P-38 Lockheed Lightning, he became one of the Army’s first aces, fighting the Germans in North Africa in late 1942 and early 1943. Highly decorated and an early military celebrity, he eventually ended up in England prior to D-Day in June 1944. Shortly after D-Day, he was shot down by ground fire, but managed to make his way, with French underground assistance, back through the Normandy battle lines to safety and his squadron, of which he was now the commanding officer. Now flying the P-51 Mustang, he added three more kills to his total before the war ended. When that time came, he returned to civilian life, where he became a successful businessman.

Jack’s letter to me, forwarded from Avon Books, was profound. When he left the military in 1946, he wrote a book about his experiences. Due to a glut of war-time books, his was not published. In 1979, in another extraordinary coincidence, he pulled out his 1946 manuscript and published it himself [as Happy Jack’s Go Buggy: A Fighter’s Pilot Story], in the same year as Wingmen.

His book was straight out of 1946, and related his experiences as a womanizing, heavy drinking, hell-for-leather fighter pilot breaking all the rules in search of a good time and a chance to vanquish the hated enemy. It was all true, of course, except for one detail: there were no women in the real story. He had been involved in ardent sexual relationships with two pilots in his squadron. In our correspondence he never revealed what happened to the two pilots, and I never asked. Jack subsequently maneuvered successfully through the minefields of being a prominent citizen of his community and an unmarried man with a close and lifelong male companion.

In his first hand-written letter, which I received in 1980, Jack gave me the greatest accolade an author can receive: he told me that Jack and Fred’s story had been his story as well, and he regretted being unable to honestly tell it to the world. After several years of correspondence, we fell out of touch. I discovered recently, from Internet sites devoted to him, that he passed away in 2004. His book and letters are among my most prized possessions.

[leafvy]

𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

here’s a list of short names to coincide with my long names list :)

[ disclaimer: my sincere apologies if there are any spelling/meaning/origin mistakes in any of my name lists, i am by no means a professional in this area, i just like creating lists to help aid storytellers. i do try my best to find each name’s corresponding origin/meaning/spelling but i am a human who is prone to make the odd mistake. p.s, i take requests! ]

Female

Ada - German - First born female

Ali - Arabic - High, elevated, champion

Amy - French/Latin - Beloved

Anne - Latin/Hebrew - Favour, grace

Aria - Hebrew/Italian - Air, song, melody

Aura - Latin/Greek - Wind

Ava - Latin - Bird-like

Aya - German/Japanese/Hebrew - Sword, colourful, beautiful, bird

Ayn - Hebrew/Finnish/Russian - God has favoured me, grace, eye

Bay - English/French - Auburn-haired

Bea - Latin - Bringer of happiness

Beau - French - Beautiful, handsome

Belle - French - Beautiful

Bia - Latin/Italian - White, fair

Bindi - Noongar - Butterfly

Blair - Scottish - Plain, meadow, field

Blanche - French - White

Blythe - English - Joyous, kind, cheerful

Bree - Irish - Exalted one, strength

Briar - English - Bush of wild roses

Brook - English - Small stream

Bryn - Welsh - Hill

Buffy - Hebrew - Diminutive of Elizabeth, my god is an oath

Cara - Latin - Dear friend

Chloe - Greek - Blooming, fertility

Cia - Greek/Hebrew - Light,

Clair - French - Bright, clear

Coco - Portuguese/Spanish - Diminutive of Socorro, help, relief

Cora - Greek - Maiden, girl, daughter

Cove - English - Small coastal inlet

Dara - Hebrew/Irish - Pearl of wisdom, gift, compassion

Dawn - English - Sunrise

Doe - English - Female deer

Dot - Greek - Diminutive of Dorothy, gift of god

Dove - English - A bird

Eden - Hebrew - Delight

Edie - English - Prosperous in war

Ella - Greek/Norman/Hebrew/German/Spanish - Beautiful, fairy maiden, goddess

Elle - French - She

Elm - English - Elm tree

Elsa - Scandinavian - Joyful, Noble, god is my oath

Emi - Japanese - Blessed, favour, beautiful

Emma - Germanic - Whole, universal

Erin - Irish - Peace, from the island to the west

Esmé - French/Persian - Esteemed, beloved, emerald

Etta - Latin - Of noble birth

Eva - Hebrew - Giver of life

Eve - Hebrew - Giver of life

Faith - Latin - Confidence, trust, belief

Faye - French - Fairy

Fern - English - Green shade-loving plant

Fiona - Gaelic/Scottish - White, fair

Fleur - French - Flower

Flo - Latin - Flowering, flourishing

Gia - Italian - God’s gracious gift

Grace - Latin - Gracious

Greta - Greek/German/Persian - Pearl

Gwen - Welsh - White, holy

Hope - English - Desire of fulfillment

Ida - Scandinavian - Labour, work

Isla - Scottish/Gaelic/Spanish - Island

Ivy - English - Fidelity

Jade - Spanish - Stone of the colic, precious gemstone

Jae - Korean - Ability, talent

Jane - English - God is gracious

Jessie - Hebrew - He sees

Jill - Latin/English - Child of the God’s, youthful

Joan - Hebrew - God is gracious

Joy - English - Happiness, joyful

June - Latin - Born in June

Juno - Latin - Queen of heaven

Kai - Hawaiian/Japanese - Sea, ocean, shell, restoration, recovery

Kat - English/Greek - Clean, pure

Kate - English/Latin/Greek - Clean, pure

Kim - English/Korean/Chinese/Vietnamese - Gift of God, gold

Kira - Russian/Japanese/Persian/Greek - Mistress, ruler, leader of the people, beloved, light

Kyla - Hebrew/English/Scottish - Narrow channel

Lacy - English/Latin/French - Lace, cheerful, unbridled

Lake - English - Body of water

Lana - Slavic/Gaelic - Little rock, light

Lark - English - Songbird

Lea - Hebrew/English - Delicate, weary, meadow

Leda - Greek - Woman

Leigh - English - Delicate, meadow

Lia - Greek - Bearer of good news

Lily - English/Latin/Greek - Pure, passion, flower

Lisa - Hebrew - God’s promise

Liv - Norse - Shelter, protection, life

Lois - Greek - Superior

Lucy - English/Latin - Light

Lula - German/English - Famous warrior

Luna - Italian/Spanish/Latin - Moon

Lux - Latin - Light

Luz - Portuguese/Spanish - Light

Lyla - Arabic - Night

Mae - French/Latin - Month of May

Maeve - Irish/Gaelic - Intoxicating

Mara - Hebrew - Bitter, strength

Mary - Aramaic/Latin/Hebrew/Greek - Bitter, beloved, rebellious, marine, drop of the sea

Maude - German/French/Hebrew - Powerful battler

May - English - Month of May

Meg - Greek - Pearl

Mia - Scandinavian - Of the sea, bitter

Mila - Slavic - Gracious, dear

Mina - German - Love

Mira - Latin/Slavic - Wonder, wonderful, peace

Moon - English - The moon

Mya - Greek/Arabic/German/Persian - Sea of bitterness

Nelly - Greek - Light

Nia - Gaelic/Swahili - Lustrous, goal, purpose, resolve, brilliance

Nina - Spanish/Hebrew/Russian/Babylonian - Enclosure of fish, little girl

Noa - Hebrew - Motion

Nora - Irish/Latin/Arabic - Honour, light

Nova - Latin - New

Nya - Swahili/Gaelic - Purpose

Opal - Sanskrit - Gem

Ora - Latin - Pray

Paige - Latin/Greek - Assistant

Paris - Latin/Greek - Pouch, wallet

Pearl - Latin/English - Smooth round bead formed by a mollusk

Pia - Latin - Pious, reverent

Pixie - Celtic/Swedish/Cornish - Fairy

Quinn - Irish/Gaelic - Counsel

Rae - Hebrew - Ewe, female sheep

Rain - English - Rain

Reese - Welsh - Ardent, fiery

Remi - French - Oarsman

Ren - Japanese - Water lily, lotus

Rita - Spanish - Pearl

Rose - Latin - Flower

Ruby - Latin - Red gemstone

Rue - English/Greek - Regret, herb

Ruth - Hebrew - Friend

Sadie - Hebrew - Princess

Sage - Latin - Wise

Shae - Gaelic/Irish - Admirable, full of majesty

Sky - Norse - Cloud, scholar

Sloan - Irish/Gaelic - Warrior

Sue - Hebrew - Lily

Suzy - Hebrew - Lily

Tara - Sanskrit - Star

Tate - English/Norse - Cheerful

Taya - Japanese - Young

Tess - English/Greek - To harvest, to reap

Teva - Hebrew - Nature

Thea - Greek - Goddess

Tia - Spanish - Aunt

Uma - Hebrew/Sanskrit - Nation

Una - Irish - The personification of truth, beauty and unity

Velma - German - Determined protector

Vera - Slavic - Faith

Wren - English - Small bird

Zara - Arabic - Radiance

Zelda - German - Grey fighting maid

Zia - Arabic - Light

Zoe - Greek - Life

Zuri - Swahili - Beautiful

Male

Ace - Latin - One; unity

Amir - Arabic/Persian/Hebrew - Prince, chief, immortal

Araz - Arabic - Provisions, commodities

Arik - Norse - Eternal ruler

Arlo - English - Fortified hill

Arris - Greek -Best

Asa - Hebrew/Japanese - Healer, physician, born in the morning

Ash - English - Ash tree

Atlas - Greek - To carry

Axel - Hebrew - Father is peace

Bane - Slavic - Glorious defender

Bear - French/German - As strong and brave as a Bear

Beau - French - Beautiful

Beck - Norse - Small stream

Blaire - Scottish/Gaelic - Plain, field

Blake - English - Fair-haired, dark

Bodhi - Sanskrit - Awakening, enlightenment

Bolt - English - Bar, arrow

Bran - Scottish/Irish/Gaelic - Bramble, thicket of wild gorse

Brock - English/Celtic - Badger-like

Brody - Scottish - Broad eye, broad island

Bron - English - Son of a dark man

Buck - English - Male deer

Cade - English - Round, barrel

Cain - Hebrew - Something produced, spear

Cash - English/Latin - Hollow

Chase - English/French - To catch, to seize, hunter, huntsman

Clark - English - Scribe, secretary

Cody - English - Helpful, pillow

Cole - English - Swarthy, coal-black, charcoal

Colt - English - Young horse

Crew - Latin - Chariot

Dane - English - From Denmark

Dax - French - Leader

Dean - English - Valley

Drake - English - Dragon, snake

Duke - English - Leader, son of Marmaduke

Eden - Hebrew - Place of pleasure, delight

Eli - Hebrew - Ascent

Evan - Welsh - Youth, young warrior

Ezra - Hebrew - Help, helper

Felix - Latin - Happy, lucky

Fig - English - Fruit

Finn - Norse/Irish - Finn, Sámi, white, fair

Fox - English - Cunning, sly

Gage - French - One who is defiant

Gale - English/Greek - Jovial, tranquil

Grant - English/Gaelic - Tall, big

Grey - English - Grey-haired

Guy - French - Guide, leader

Heath - English - Someone who lives by a moor or heath

Hugh - English/French/Germanic - Mind, spirit

Ian - Scottish - The Lord is gracious

Ike -Hebrew - Laughter

Iker - Basque - Visitation

Jack - English - God is gracious, supplanter

Jax - English - God is gracious

Jay - Latin - Bird in the crow family

Jeb - Hebrew - Beloved friend

Jed - Hebrew - Beloved of God

Jet -English - Black, airplane

Jody - English/Hebrew - Jehovah increases

Jon - Hebrew - God is gracious

Joss - German - One of the Goths

Jovi - Latin - Father of the sky

Judd - English - To flow down

Jude - Greek - Praised

Kade - Scottish - From the wetlands

Kai - Hawaiian/Japanese - Sea, ocean, shell, restoration, recovery

Kiam - Unknown - Unknown

King - English - Monarch

Kit - Greek - Bearing Christ

Knox - Scottish/English - Hillock, round-topped hill

Koa - Hawaiian - Warrior, brave one

Kye - Welsh/Scandinavian/Gaelic/Greek - Keeper of the keys, earth, narrow, straight

Kylo - Latin - Sky

Lane - English - Small roadway or path

Lars - Latin/Scandinavian - From Laurentum, crowned with laurel

Leif - Scandinavian - Heir, descendent, beloved

Leo - Latin/Greek - Lion

Leon - Latin/Greek/French - Lion, son of a Lion

Levi - Hebrew - Joining, attached

Luka - Italy/Slavic - A person from Lucania

Luke - Latin - The bright one, the one born at dawn

Max - Latin - The greatest

Milo - German - Soldier, merciful

Nash - English - By the ash tree

Neo - Latin - New, gift

Nico - Greek - People of victory

Noah - Hebrew - To comfort

Oak - English - Oak tree

Otis - German/English - Wealth, son of Otto

Pax - Latin - Peaceful

Piet - Dutch - Rock

Pike - English - A person who lives on a sharp hill

Poe - English - Peacock

Quana - Native American - Aromatic

Ray - English/German - Counsel, mighty protection, guards wisely

Reed - English - Red-haired

Remi - French - Oarsman

Ren - Japanese - Water lily, lotus

Rhett - English/Dutch - Advice

Roan - Gaelic - Little red-head

Rory - Irish - Red-haired King

Ross - Gaelic - Promontory, headland

Roth - English/German - Red, wood, renown

Roy - Gaelic - Red

Rudy - German - Famous Wolf

Ryan - Irish - Little King, illustrious

Saint - English - Holy person

Saul - Hebrew - Ask, question

Sid - French/English - Wide meadow

Slade - English - Valley

Tate - Norse - Cheerful

Teo - Spanish - God

Tim - English - One who honours God

Toby - English - God is good

Torin - Gaelic - Chief

Troy - Irish - Descendent of a foot-soldier

Tye - English - Someone who lived near a pasture

West - English - Western stream

Wolf - German - Travelling Wolf

Zane - Hebrew - God is gracious

Zeke - Hebrew - God strengthens

Zen - Japanese - Peace

Zev - Hebrew - Wolf

[stayndays]

𝘼𝙉𝙄𝙈𝙀 ! 𝙎𝙆𝙕 𝙈𝘼𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙍𝙇𝙄𝙎𝙏 ✰⋆⁎

These are a collection of stories featuring Stray Kids in different anime universes! In individual stories, the main characters will be one member along with the reader themself as they navigate the plot and/or universe of the anime they’re in. OT8 stories are not exactly stories, but rather character profiles for each member with either implied or no plot, and the reader is not present in these. OT8 stories will feature anime where the characters have their own unique style or attributes, whether it’s through their talents, skills, or special characteristics in the given anime!

temporary a/n: sorry if you’re seeing these same stories again! i remade the anime!skz masterlist because the previous one sucked ass. like a lot. also! i changed changbin’s anime to “jujutsu kaisen” because i can’t work off of “assassination classroom” too well, to the point where i can’t even make a solid plot that’ll be different from the anime. i think a lot of people will prefer to read a jjk au as well! hope you understand AC fans ^^

・・・・☆・・・・☆ ・・・・

⁎⋆✵ 𝙄𝙉𝘿𝙄𝙑𝙄𝘿𝙐𝘼𝙇 𝙎𝙏𝙊𝙍𝙄𝙀𝙎 ✵⋆⁎

・・・・☆・・・・☆ ・・・・

title unknown

bang chan x haikyuu!!

volleyball team manager!reader & volleyball team captain!chan

synopsis coming soon!

3-2-1 (next individual story to be posted!)

lee minho x kakegurui

student council member!reader & rival!minho

“Life's a breeze when you’re at the top of your school’s hierarchy, sitting pretty in one of the student council seats. That is, until rumors state that Lee Minho is just as skillful as you when it comes to gambling, and worst of all: wants to take your spot in the student council. To settle it once and for all, the two of you have decided to hold a gambling duel against one another involving 3 colors, 2 bets, and 1 winner. Who will prevail?

title unknown

seo changbin x jujutsu kaisen

jujutsu sorcerer!reader & jujutsu sorcerer!changbin

synopsis coming soon!

𝘽𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙔𝙤𝙪

hwang hyunjin x demon slayer

demon!reader & demon slayer!hyunjin

more details in the story!

“Hwang Hyunjin has never truly understood what love is, despite being engaged to you, until now. The reason being that you’re now a demon all because of him, bound to be hungry for humans, all because he walked away for too long. Now swallowed up in the feeling of guilt, he trains to become a demon slayer to kill the demon who transformed you into one yourself, as well as bring you back to human form.”

title unknown

han jisung x your lie in april

violinist!reader & pianist!jisung

synopsis coming soon!

title unknown

lee felix x violet evergarden

client!reader & auto memory doll!felix

synopsis coming soon!

title unknown

kim seungmin x the promised neverland

orphan!reader & orphan!seungmin

synopsis coming soon!

𝘼 𝙋𝙖𝙞𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝘾𝙪𝙥𝙞𝙙𝙨 !

yang jeongin x toradora!

misunderstood!reader & tsundere!jeongin

more details in the story!

“Y/L/N Y/N. Yang Jeongin. Kim “Chuu” Jiwoo. Kim Seungmin. You like Seungmin, Jeongin likes Chuu. You’re best friends with Chuu, Jeongin’s best friends with Seungmin. You don’t like Jeongin, but you know about each other’s crush. It’s time to play a game of Cupid, while being struck with Cupid’s arrow yourself!”

・・・・☆・・・・☆ ・・・・

⁎⋆✵ 𝙊𝙏8 𝘼𝙐𝙨 ✵⋆⁎

・・・・☆・・・・☆ ・・・・

━ Stray Kids in “Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma!’

aka. Stray Kids as elite chefs!

━ Stray Kids in “Akame ga Kill!” (next ot8 au to be posted!)

aka. Stray Kids as rebels against a corrupted government (with insane weapons!)

━ Stray Kids in “Hunter x Hunter” (coming soon!)

aka. Stray Kids as hunters!

・・・・☆・・・・☆ ・・・・

⁎⋆✵ 𝙏𝘼𝙂𝙇𝙄𝙎𝙏𝙎 ✵⋆⁎

・・・・☆・・・・☆ ・・・・

Please send the corresponding emoji to my inbox! (I recommend you don’t click on “Send a message” because it may take days for me to respond T-T)

Individual Stories - 🧡

OT8 AUs - 💚

If you’d only like to be tagged in a specific story, let me know!

・・・・☆・・・・☆ ・・・・

Return to Main Masterlist

[icanfixhimclub]

"You're insufferable." "I'm glad."

This is part 2 to this, so go read that first!

Blue strided pridefully to the stage, standing beside who she now knows is David, as Jack waves to everyone. "Carrying the banner!" Jack yelled and everyone in the stands cheered. "We've come a long way, but we ain't done yet. And maybe it's only gonna get tougher from now on. But that's fine, we'll just get tougher with it!"

Everyone cheered while Jack started speaking again, "But also...also we gotta get smart and listen to my pal david," some cheered, mostly like Manhattan newsies, "Who says, 'stop soaking the scabs.'" Blue scoffed stepping to look at Jack. "Hey look Kelly, when me and my boys see scabs, we soak 'em. Period."

Every cheered as Jack looked very displeased. "No, no, no!" David cut of the cheering, "That's what they want us to do! If we get violent, it's just playing into their hands." "Hey look, they're gonna be playin' with my hands alright?" Spot said sternly. "It ain't what they say anymore, it's what we say." Blue cut in, scowling at David.

"And nobody ain't gonna listen to us unless we make 'em." Spot adds on. Everyone started cheering again as Spot and Blue glanced at each other. "You got no brains!" Kelly shouts, "We're starting to fight each other, it's just what the big shots wanna see! That we're street trash! Street rats with no brains, no respect for nothing including ourselves!"

Everyone started sitting and quieting down. "So here's how it is," Jack begins again, "If we don't act together, we're nothing! If we don't stick together, we're nothing!" "Tell 'em Jack!" A kid yells. "So what's it gonna be?" Murmurs of agreement could be heard from the crowd as Spot and Blue paced. "So whadda you say Spot?" Jack asked.

Spot looks out into the crowd, "I say what you say...is what I say." Some of the crowd cheered but not all of it as Jack turned to Blue, looking hopeful. "I say you're an idiot Jack Kelly...but that ain't always a bad thing." Blue spit on her hand with a grin as Jack repeated the actions and the crowd cheered. Suddenly the lights went out and a spotlight got turned to the curtains, a red haired woman stepping out at the crowd cheers and wolf whistles.

"Oh boy." Blue mutters, slipping past people to leave the theater, having no mind to deal with the boys obnoxious behavior. Just a minute after she sat down, Spot Conlon did too. They sat in silence for a while until Spot spoke up, "Why do you hate me?" Blue chuckled in response, "Why shouldn't I?"

She turned to look at the dirty blonde, gaze questioning. "I can be a good guy!" Spot argues as Blue busts out laughing. "You? As if! The only thing 'good' about you is how you and Brooklyn use slingshot's, but even then my boys and me are better." Spot huffed, crossing his arms, "You're insufferable." "I'm glad."

Blue smiled a smile that made Spots face heat up, but he hoped the darkness would hide it. Then, an old man who don't look too friendly starts heading into the theatre. "Hey mista, you ain't s'posed to be in there right now." Blue reminded, standing up and blocking the door, Spot standing up shortly after.

"Move it little girl." The unknown man pushes Blue away, her head hitting the wall as Spot stops her from hitting the ground and the man enters the building. "Hey, Blue, you ok?" Conlon asks, sitting Blue against the wall. "Ya," She winces as she brings her hand up to rub the forming bump, "Just hurts a bit, nothing I'se can't handle."

When they hear the clopping of horses, they both turn their heads and see the bulls heading their way. With a knowing look, they both run inside. "Jack!" Blue yells, searching frantically, but she instead finds Bolt. "Bolt! Get the younger boys out, the bulls are here!" She's frantic and the loud noise doesn't help her head but Bolt nods as Blue flees to search for Jack.

Just as she sees Jack run, she all hears the deafening whistle of the bulls, ringing in her head. Everyone started trying to leave, some staying and fighting. As Blue saw a bull trying to take one of her younger boys, she ran to them, pulling the man back and punching him right in the gut, then kneeing him in the face when he doubled over.

She didn't even see it coming, another man landed a punch right where she had hit her head just a few minutes before. She heard the faint call of her name, but she was unconscious before she even hit the ground. Spot saw red, charging at the man, swing his fist with all his might be picking up Blue and running.

He saw an open area and ran backstage, right out the back doors. "Please be okay." He whispered, gently setting her down on the ground before running back inside, praying she was okay

"All rise, all rise. Court is now in session. Judge E. A. Monahan presiding." Blue groaned quietly, holding the ice pack against her head. "Are any of you represented by a counsel?" The judge asked. Spot, Racetrack and Blue all shared confused looks. "No. Good, good. That'll move this along considerably."

"Hey, ya honor, I object." Spot spoke up. "On what grounds?" "On the grounds of Brooklyn, your honor." Everyone laughed, even Blue let out a giggle that had Spot glancing down at her. The judge banged his gavel, unamused by Spots behavior, "I fine each of you 5 dollars, or 2 weeks confinement at the House of Refuge."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hey we ain't got 5 bucks." "Hell, we ain't even got 5 cents!" Blue added on to Race's statement. "Hey your honor, how bout I roll ya for it? Double or nothing." Everybody laughed once again at Racetracks remark while the judge banged his gavel again. "All right, move along, move along."

"Your honor, I'll pay the fines," Everyone turned to see Denton enter the court room, "all of them." David entered as well, the 2 walking over to the others. The dull throb in Blue's head made her zone out, Denton words sounding miles away. She only zoned back in when she heard Race yell over to Jack.

The only thing Blue could focus on was the warmth that shot through her body when Spot grabbed her hand and lead her outside with the others, all heading to the restaurant. "Blue, get that ice pack back on ya head." Spot ordered when he saw Blue drop it on the table. "I'se fine, besides, my arm is hurtin'." She complained.

Everyone greeted Denton as he walked into the restaurant. "Why didn't the sun print the story?" David questions immediately. "Because it never happened." Everyone talked over each other in forms of confusion. "If it's not in the papers it never happened. The owners decreed that it not be in the papers, therefore..."

Blue could hear Spots heavy breathing, most likely of anger. "Anyways, I came to tell you fellas goodbye." Silence fell over the restaurant, nobody dared to speak. "What happened, did ya get fired?" David steps forward but Denton was quick to shoot down the idea. "No, I got reassigned back to my old job as the sun's ace war correspondent. They want me to leave right away. The owner thinks they should only cover really important stories so..."

David walked away in what seemed like disappointment. "They don't always fire you, David. I would be blackballed from every paper in the country," Denton tugged David's arm to get him to face him, "Hey, I'm a newspaper man. I have to have a paper to write for." David still stayed silent as Denton sighed, "This is the story I wrote about the rally. And, I want you to read it at least."

Denton took out a price of paper from inside his pocket, but David still remained quiet so Denton kinda forced the paper into his hand as he started leaving. "Bill," the waiter turned around, trying to tell Denton to keep it, "No, no, this should cover it." Denton handed the man some cash and left. David pushed off of the wall and crumpled the paper.

"God David, stop being an ass." Everyone turned to look at Blue, unready for her comment. "Excuse me?" David asked as Blue stood up. "You heard me. Denton had no control over being reassigned and he has to make money too. Boo hoo, we're not in the paper, suck it up and stop acting like a upset toddler."

Blue fiercely gazed at David, her annoyance evident. David shifted his gaze to the table infront of him. "We get Jack out of the refuge tonight. And from now on, we trust no one but the newsies." Everyone agreed, standing up and leaving. After leaving, Blue grabs David's wrist. "Hey, I'm coming with, rather you like it or not." She said, letting ho and walking away.

That night, her and the boys snuck past the Refuge gates following a carriage. David points to a lighted window, "That's where we saw Crutchy." A whistle blows and they all hide. Everyone could see it was Jack. "Where they takin' him Dave?" Mush asked as the loaded Jack into a carriage. "Only one way to find out," David took off his hat and waited for the carriage to leave." I'll meet you guys by the square."

As everyone watched David leave, Blue walked out, staring up at the window. "Aye, whaddya doin' Blue?" Race asked watching her intently. "Mush," The girl whipped around, staring at the tallest of the boys, "You're tallest, get me on your shoulders, Blink, I need the rope." Both boys nodded and walked over to her, Blink handing her the rope.

Mush bent down and helped Blue onto his shoulders, standing up and getting close to the wall. She tried throwing the rope up into the window bars, trying to get it to fall back down over something. When it did, she motion for Mush to set her down and he did. "Alright, which one of you'se is the strongest?" Mush, Blink and another raised their hands.

"Alright, your going to hold the rope still on this end while I climb up the other." The 3 nodded and walked over, grabbing the end of the rope. Blue grabbed the other end and used to Rope to help her scale the wall. When she reached the window, she nodded on it, a unknown kid opened the window. "Is anyone in here go by Radio?" She asked timidly.

The small girl looked sad, looking down. "Radio got real sick and died a few days ago." Blue's breath caught in her throat. She almost let go of the rope, everything slowing down. "T-thank you." Blue nodded and slid down the rope. Everyone's voices were fuzzed and Blue could feel the tears in her eyes. So she ran. She ran faster than she ever had before, faster than she thought she could go.

She ran until her legs gave out under her, right on the Brooklyn Bridge. Uncontrollable sobs ripped from her throat, everything seemed to disappear as she cried. She sobbed so loud she didn't even hear Spots footsteps, not even aware of his presence until he sat by her and puller her into his side. She started to hyperventilate, barely any air in her lungs.

"H-h-He was j-just a b-b-boy!" She subconsciously leaned into Spots comfort. "Hey, Blue, hey, calm down, easy does it." Her loud cries had slowly turned in small sniffles and tear stained cheeks. Spot slowly moved to sit in front of her, cupping her face in his hands. "Now," He brushed his thumb across her cheek, wiping away a tear, "Tell me what happened."

"He's gone." She choked out, her hands grabbing at her shirt, "He was to young to d-die. He was 8 Spot, 8! He shouldn't of died at 8! He was gonna become a writer! He was," She choked back another sob, her voice cracking as she spoke, "He was gonna write a book 'bout all of us." The last part came out as a broken whisper, so heartbroken it made his clench.

A small, broken sob left Blue's lips, leaning into Spots touch as he wiped her tears. "Come to my lodge with me. It too late for you to be walkin' back to Queens alone." Too tired to respond, she just simply nodded, eyes already drooping. She didn't say a word when Spot effortlessly pick her up, heading back to the Lodging House.

About half way there, Spot looked down at her to find her peacefully asleep, head resting against Spots chest, the smallest snores escaping her mouth. Spot let out a small chuckle, continuing the long walk back to his Lodging house.

A/n: whew, that was long. Anyways, there's definitely gonna be a part 3 and possibly a part 4, so stick around for that!