#help marlene is so precious to her

[pandalilydorlene]

Guys Dorlene movie nights In Marlene's childhood bedroom In Scotland.

Marlene can't take her eyes off of the screen, she's put on her favourite movie (Rocky horror because her and Sirius are alt queer 70s cliches together) and she's just staring with her mouth hanging slightly open and her eyes wide even though she's seen it a million times before.

Dorlene on the other hand hasn't looked at the screen in 30 minutes, her eyes are fixed on Marlene. Quietly watching the light from the little box television flicker across her face and brighten her eyes. Dorcas would stay in this moment forever, if only she could.

[yasministration]

Precious, drunk boyfriend - Remus Lupin

Summary: In which Remus gets more drunk than he ever has and clings onto his girlfriend for dear life. Warnings: Public sex (but the room is empty), fingering, drunk sex (but consensual), established relationship wc: 1.4k

It was odd, to say the least. Remus Lupin was usually the more put together of the four boys; he smoked a cigarette by the open window with a beer in his hand, watching as the party roared around him. He would laugh at the sight of his best friends embarrassing themselves and always had open arms to welcome his girlfriend in, hugging you tightly as you drunkenly slurred words of affection at him. James now wondered if this was just payback for all the nights Remus had to look after them.

Remus hiccuped loudly, his head leaning back on the pillows. He tried straightening up with a wobble while James and Sirius exchanged a look of worry. "Where is she?" Remus slurred, looking around as he finally stood up. "She's gonna fucking kill us if she sees what we did to her precious boyfriend" Whisper-yelled Sirius as he and James rushed over behind Remus, who was confidently strutting over to where you and Marlene danced together. "Rem! Since when do you dance?" You giggled upon seeing your boyfriend, only to squeal when his hands snaked around your waist, harshly tugging you towards him.

You gasped, putting both your hands on his chest and looking up at him curiously. You were drunk enough to enjoy the special attention from your boyfriend, but not too much to miss the fact that this wasn't the ordinary Remus. "Remus?" He hummed distractedly, beginning to pull you towards the other side of the common room, where you instantly made eye contact with three very guilty looking teenage boys. "Peter, talk." You said, pointedly looking at the boy, knowing he could never lie to you. "Shh, don't look at Pete. You don't need him, just me." You couldn't help but laughing as your boyfriend pushed you down onto a couch. He sat down next to you, digging his head into the crook of your neck where he immediately started leaving kisses, whilst his hands wrapped around your waist, pulling you impossibly closer to him.

Your eyes widened when Remus started to suck on the soft skin on your neck and you looked back at James, Sirius and Peter. "What did you guys do to him?" Peter looked down at his shoes, beginning to mumble under his breath, but it was Sirius who finally spoke. "Well, we all took a couple of shots together but that was it! The rest was all him!" You looked at them suspiciously, trying to push away Remus's head from the crook of your neck.

"Rem? Remus, sweetheart?" He pulled away from your neck, only to trail his kisses upwards, pressing some on your jawline and the side of your face. "You're so beautiful." A kiss on your jawline. "How can you be so beautiful and smart and kind at the same time?" Another kiss. "Fuck, when you come to me and sit on my laps after classes..." He took a long pause, and for a second you thought he was asleep "You make me feel so important. I love you. Only love you." You smiled down at him, brushing a strand of hair away from his eyes.

He wasn't going to remember anything in the morning.

"Rem?" "Mhmm?" "Want to come for a smoke with me?" And he was immediately up on his feet, tripping over air so that James had to clutch him by the shoulders so he wouldn't fall. Nothing would separate that boy from his cigarettes. You nodded your head towards the back of the main common room, making your way to a more secluded room within the common room, heading straight to the window. Remus blindly followed your footsteps, sitting in front of you on the window nook. He watched intently as you opened the window from your side, and leaned forward towards your boyfriend. You opened his jacket, reaching for the inner pocket where he kept his cigarettes hidden.

"You're not warm? Don't want to take it off?" He nodded, shuffling so he could take off his jacket, leaving him in a plain black tank top. Your eyes raked over his exposed muscular arms and you chuckled lightly, looking down at the box in your hands. "What? Too handsome for you?" Remus muttered, leaning back on the wall behind him with a smug grin on his face. You shook your head, getting on your knees to move closer to him. You didn't get the chance to sit back down before Remus' hands were on your hips, lifting you up slightly so he could plant you on his laps.

You moved to straddle him, directly facing him, and leaned forward to press a kiss to his lips. One of his hands immediately migrated from your hip to the back of your neck, deepening the kiss so you were forced to open your mouth, allowing his tongue in. The hand on your hip moved to your front, beginning to unbutton the trousers you wore. You broke the kiss, panting "Remus, we can't!" "There's no one here though." "You're too drunk." He shook his head, both hands now working on your trousers, tugging them down your thighs as best he could with you straddling him.

"You're not taking advantage of me. Jus' wanna make you feel nice." His hand slipped down the front of your lacy underwear, immediately finding your clit, which he started rubbing circles on. You gasped, hips immediately bucking away from his cold touch. "Light?" Murmured Remus, looking up at you, then down at the pack of cigarettes in your hand. You nodded, reaching for a cigarette and lighting it up before putting it to your lips and inhaling deeply. You guided it between Remus' awaiting lips, and he mimicked your movements, blowing the cigarette away from your face. His hand continued its movements, and he inserted two fingers in your wet entrance.

He pumped his fingers in and out of you at a slow pace, watching where they connected with your entrance, his second hand holding your underwear to the side so he could see. You cried out, his pace quickening, his palm applying pressure on your clit every time he pumped his fingers inside your pussy. You tried squeezing your thighs together for more friction, throwing your head back in disappointment. "So needy. I'm already giving you my fingers and you want more?" You nodded your head at him, but whined when he laughed, grinding your hips down on his stilling hands. "Please, please Rem." You begged, your head digging into the crook of his neck.

You mimicked his earlier actions, starting to suck hickeys on his neck as his pace began to slowly increase again. His free hand followed your arm that was hanging over his shoulder, and he snatched the cigarette from between your fingers. He inhaled again, his breath hitching when you sucked on his sweet spot and he coughed out a moan, the white smoke dispersing in the room. You smiled against his neck, which he must have felt, because his pace on your cunt became unforgivably fast, the pressure on your clit becoming too much for you.

Your thighs started shaking and you rolled your hips, riding Remus' hand in search for your release. He twisted his hand, hitting a new angle inside of you which had you unraveling on top of him, almost as though he had just been teasing you the whole time. You moaned loudly, trying to bury your moans in Remus' neck, but they still echoed in the small room. You whimpered as Remus removed his hand from your cunt, the burning sensation in your thighs beginning to soothe. Your jaw went slack, gaping at Remus, who put his fingers in his mouth, humming contently as he tasted your juices. He wiped the excess saliva on his trousers so he could help you back into yours. He zipped and buttoned you up as you observed him, still in a daze.

Remus smiled up at you, offering you what was left of the cigarette. You took a long drag, settling down on Remus' laps, who tapped you on the ass as a sign to get up. "Come on sweetheart, let's go get you cleaned up." You staggered up, and Remus, now seemingly sober, took your hand in his as he re-pocketed the cigarette pack, leading you out of the room. When you got to the main common room, heading towards the stairs, you made eye contact with Sirius, who grinned widely at your shaky figure, eyes going back and forth between you and a satisfied Remus.

[late-night-reader-of-ao3]

marauders and co sibling headcanons!!

james- painfully only child

remus- also only child but in a lonely way

sirius- obviously has a younger brother and is such an oldest child in the way that he desperately wants to protect reggie

peter- two older sisters who are very close and one younger sister. they taught him how to be a good man and made him used to sirius’ dramatics

lily- I’m pretty sure petunia is younger than her? but anyway she’s like sirius in the way that she wants to help her sister

marlene- two (wayyy older like out of hogwarts) brothers who tease her a lot (they mean well) and kind of made her tough and confident (dykwim)

mary- an older sister who she doesn’t talk to much and a younger brother who she absolutely adores

dorcas- only child but has a lot of cousins that she takes care of sometimes

pandora- twin brother (evan) and a younger brother who she is determined to raise better than she was (she’s the older twin btw)

evan- twin sister (pandora) and a younger brother

barty- only child but was a rainbow baby which he feels guilt and pressure from

regulus- has an older brother (obviously sirius) the black brothers are so precious to me I love their relationship

[thetourturedwritersclub]

I've seen ppl do the marauders being teachers and the subjects they would teach. And hers are my 2 cents.

James he would teach PE. Argue with the wall. Also he'd be that one teacher everyone loves bc he cares for the students. All the students who have PE with him would be fit bc James cares so much abt the students health. He would organise basketball, football /soccer and volleyball games between the other classes.

Sirius On the popular belief of Sirius teaching French, I actually think he would teach art. That doesn't mean that I think that he isn't intelligent, I think he's creative and he would rather teaching a subject which requires u to be creative. He would take the kids to art galleries.

Remus to no one's surprise, I think he would teach English /Literature. And he would make it INTERESTING. They'd be studying Romeo and Juliet , the kids would feel like they are in Verona, Italy watching it happen. Also smth that's so precious for me is Remus having movie hrs, watching films that we are adapted into movie form and they would analyse the differences between the two.

Peter I think Peter would teach home Economics. Also he would be that teacher that u either love and appreciate or hate with a burning passion. He would be a shy introverted nature but also funny and tolerant.

Lily she would teach citizenship. Yes she would be that teacher that would make sure u were mindful, empathetic and grateful. She would make sure kids understood everything u need to know abt being a good citizen. She would also organise field trips which would be in parks, town halls etc etc.

Marlene Listen, I think she would be a history teacher. Her compassion loving nature and ability to tell a story give rlly much history teacher vibez. The kids would be hypnotised listening to every word Marlene was speaking abt a revolution or a glorious monarchy.

Mary Now Mary would teach theatre. Say what u want but I'm a Theatre teacher Mary believer. She would take it super seriously and she would teach all of the kids how to act. Also she would analyse the kids chemistry (basically how much chemistry they have with each other) and she would play match maker with that information. She'd be hitting the bullseye everytime.

Dorcas She would be teaching mathematics. Again argue with the wall. She would be that strict teacher with a heart of gold. Also she would check in with every kid to see if they need help and would be that teacher who wouldn't make u feel bad for not understanding something.

Pandora She would teach Chemistry. Why? Idk she just gives off chemist vibez. And she would always take her class to the lab. And instead of assigning projects, she and her class would conduct research on certain topics and try out formulas.

Barty :Barty would teach physics. He is super smart and in my eyes physics is smth that he would find interesting. He would be teaching the kids with practical examples, like dropping stuff when they have to learn abt gravity and ect.

Evan He would teach biology. Argue with the wall. He would love dissecting bodies and the students in his class would be horrified at his excitement. Also he would be such an inspirational and dedicated teacher. He wouldn't be that strict of a teacher but he would keep his class focused.

Regulus He would teach a foreign language like French. He would be so strict and his class would low-key fear him. He wouldn't have that high of expectations and his test wouldn't be that hard. Also he would explain the kids important facts abt French and he would be an incredible teacher. When he would assign classwork he'd go around the class asking if they needed help. Also he'd be that teacher who wouldn't mind answering questions after class.

So yeah that was soo fun! Lmk if u like it or want me to do stuff like this more often! Would you attend this school if you could?

[lulublack90]

Prompt 21 - Dystopian AU

@wolfstarmicrofic April 21, word count 979

CW- Death by gunshot

The Earth was dead. Nothing grew apart from genetically modified mushrooms. The planet’s water was so toxic it had to be run through filters repeatedly to make it even halfway drinkable. The once beautiful green country Sirius lived in was now brown.

The HOB owned everything. They owned the food, water, phones, housing, and vehicles. Whatever you could buy. Somehow, it all led back to The HOB. 

Sirius lived in an old block of flats that had been converted to house hundreds of occupants. His room was a small pod. It was barely tall enough for him to sit up in. He did, however, have a shelf, which most people would kill for. It’s the little things in life. 

Most of the Earth's inhabitants, at least those with money, had bought passage on the gigantic space cruisers. They were cities in the skies, set to blast off into outer space to protect the elite from the Earth’s final days. 

Sirius had helped to build these beasts, but apparently, he wasn’t good enough to be part of the crew. So he spent most of his time in a local garage helping to fix the vehicles of the same posh prats that would be leaving.

One such vehicle had an issue that took him the entire day to sort out. He pulled out a stack of paper real-life paper from the air filter box. The customer brushed him off when he came for the vehicle, and Sirius was left with the papers. 

That night, he pored through the papers. He didn’t understand half of it, but he understood enough to know this was important. Sirius decided he needed to show a friend of his what he’d found.

“It’s, it’s, it’s amazing. Sirius, The HOB, has been hiding this from everyone. It’s not too late to save the Earth!” Marlene exclaimed as she typed some complicated equations into her computer. 

The door burst open, and armed guards flooded into the small space. They raised their guns and shot Marlene before she could even open her mouth. Sirius ran. 

He didn’t know how he got out of that room, but if he had to guess, they probably hadn’t expected him to move. 

Sirius had always been fast, and he used the adrenaline coursing through his veins to run as fast as he could. The men were right behind him, though. He dashed around a corner and found himself on the airfield with the space cruisers. 

He raced towards the nearest one and, with the knowledge only someone who’d helped build one, opened a secret hatch in its belly and wiggled into the cramped space. 

He gulped in air as he tried to catch his breath. The hull was so dense. He had no idea if the men were still there. He’d have to leave it for a few hours at least before he tried to escape. 

With the adrenaline wearing off and nothing but his thoughts to keep him company, he let the misery of Marlene’s death wash over him and focused on how it was his fault she was gone. The tears that fell from his eyes were thick and hot. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d cried. 

Suddenly, a horrendous booming rumble blasted his eardrums. It took him precious moments to realise the ship was about to launch. He tried in vain to open the hatch, but once the engines were engaged, all external doorways were locked down. 

The noise got louder, and he screamed as his eardrums tried hopelessly to block out the noise. He crushed his fists to them and felt the ship begin to rise. 

The booming got worse, and he was crushed into the floor as the behemoth gained speed. He felt his bones rattling and shaking as the ship fought against the Earth’s gravitational pull. 

After what felt like an eternity, everything stopped. He knew there would be the gentle thrum of the engines if his ears could actually pick up sounds anymore and that the ship wouldn’t feel like it was moving at all if his body wasn’t still trembling. 

He reached his hand above him and unlocked the internal hatch above him. He dragged himself up into the corridor. It was made for crew and never meant to be seen by the paying passengers. He wandered along it, having no idea what he was going to do. He didn’t have permission to be here, and he didn’t put it past some of the employees on here not to just expel him into the void. 

His ears popped as he walked down another corridor, and he regained some of his hearing just in time to catch the sound of boots walking towards the next bend ahead of him. He flew through the door beside him and waited for the footsteps to disappear. 

Sirius glanced around the room he was in. It appeared to be sleeping quarters, and compared to his tiny pod, it was huge. Two full-sized beds, built into the wall in bunks, a door that probably led to a washroom and two sets of drawers. 

Before he could plan his next move, the washroom door opened, and a tall shirtless man wrapped only in a towel, with beads of water running down his chest, walked out into the room. 

“Oh, hello. I didn’t think I had a bunkmate.” He reached out a hand. “I’m Remus.” Sirius tentatively took it and shook it. 

“Sirius,” He introduced himself. 

“Well, hello, Sirius. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” 

Sirius forgot all about the previous hours of his life. He’d have to find a way back to Earth and figure out a way to get the information out that would save it so that Marlene’s death wouldn’t be meaningless. But right now, all he cared about was the man with the honey eyes beaming at him.     

[cxvii666]

hii! i love this idea so muchhh <3

age :20 (mentally still in the year 2020 though)

pronouns:she/her

sexual orientation : bisexual (leaning towards guys but i love goth girls)

ur guilty pleasure fanfic trope: opposites attract

preferred fandom; mha

favourite first date idea: (based on my first date) cuddle sesh

favourite album: honestly i listen to a bit of everything

ur screen time: 8 hours

and the current status of ur love life: been in a relationship for 5 months now

name : Marlene

“your perfect match is...”

...EIJIROU KIRISHIMA

“to all days we were together,”

wc: 460

"what are you looking at?"

you huff as your face glows with a smile.

it was movie night at sero's flat and the first time you'd been invited as eijirou's girlfriend rather than just his classmate. his face is fixed on yours, his dreamy eyes and soft smile, as you reach up and cradle the left side of his face in your palm. your fingers card through his soft hair and you squeal as he nips at your fingertips with his sharp teeth.

you were sat in the living room, the others dotted around the house and someone was in the kitchen making popcorn, eijirou crinkles his nose at the smell. you place your other hand on his forehead. "you feeling alright sweetie?"

the redhead sighs and leans into your touch, closing his eyes and taking in the feeling of your nails itching at his scalp. "hmmm," his dark eyelashes flutter, "yeah my headache's gone down."

your expressions are mirrors of each other, the dreamy smiles that come with finally getting the person that you want. eijirou leans down and places a kiss on your forehead.

"are you ok?" he's always been good at reading you.

"yeah- i'm just," you pause as a crash followed by a yelp resounds from the kitchen. "….."

his eyes don’t depart from yours even as the commotion in the kitchen amplifies. "nervous?"

you nod gently, almost embarrassed, it's not like you haven't met sero or bakugou or his other friends before but eijirou is extremely precious to you, to all his friends. you can tell. they all take his opinion and emotions very seriously, he's got the kindest soul, and the sweetest smile, and you want his friends to like you as his girlfriend.

"don't be." he tilts your chin up slowly and gently. "i know they're-" another crash, this time followed by a shriek of laughter. "…abit much sometimes, but they all really like you."

you hum and avoid eye contact, but he insists, "i'm not joking like katsuki told me not to fumble you yeah, he really respects you." that brings a smile to your face and you wrap your arms around his torso and bury your face into his chest. he smells like the earth and your strawberry scented body wash.

"and even if they don't, that doesn't really matter."

he leans down to plant a kiss on the side of your neck, and you squirm and swat his shoulder as his hair tickles your ear, "baby stoppp."

“let me love on my girlfriend," the term makes both of you slightly giddy and he smiles shyly. “it doesn't matter, because i love you.”

"oi lovebirds, would ya stop 'macking on my couch and come help us with this."

hi sweeties !!! some more should be coming today cos im working close so i have some time to write and edit @otterlockholmes i hope you likeeee ☺️☺️☺️

[rocketbirdie]

FUCK I just saw the ask abt Marlene and now I just KNOW that 70% of what Avalanche knows abt Zakkura they learn from Zack patiently explaining to Marlene 😭💜

Like Marlene goes to grab Zack by the arm to show him something (FUCK) and Cloud stops her SUPER gently (holy shit…? Wait, he can be gentle?) and Zack explains to her how some nasty people have hurt him and Cloud very badly by touching them, so now neither of them like to be touched by people, even when it’s supposed to be a friendly touch (okay that explains a LOT of behaviour, taking notes) and Marlene gets super solemn about it and promises not to touch them anymore and Zack’s smile is softer than Avalanche has ever seen from him except irt Cloud

Or when she throws those little popper things around because they’re fun (and Barrett doesn’t let her play with them very often on account of his own trauma), and Zack goes into a panic attack (fuckfuckfuck) and Cloud wraps his hands around Marlene’s to make her stop throwing them (he’s… not hurting her though?) and pointedly looks at Zack hyperventilating at the bar with a really scary (but mostly just scared) look on his face and Marlene gets it like, immediately, and later brings Zack a handmade apology card and Zack just. Melts and forgives her (w. wow. didn’t know he knew HOW to forgive, apparently gifts are the way to go there)

Or when Marlene is doing homework at the bar before opening and struggles with a math problem and Cloud wanders over (what is he doing?) and starts drawing out hypotheticals to help her understand (because he may be quiet but he is GOOD at math apparently), and Marlene soon goes to him for help with homework when he’s there because he explains things so well even if he doesn’t talk! and Cloud is internally like. Well I was bored at the time but shit, I might as well help, Zack seems to like her and she’s very conscious of his issues even if she’s really young and still learning. Maybe she’ll be useful later, who knows. (Dude, is Cloud’s blank expression softer than usual…? Nah… can’t be… right…?)

Anyway the point is that only some of Avalanche’s little ledger of “How To Avoid Mauling” comes from actual experience - most of it comes from listening to Zack and Cloud be creepily normal around Marlene and explain their shit to her in a way even an eight year old can understand and learn to accommodate

…and Barrett really wants to cut off the contact between his little girl and the ex SOLDIER freaks invading his bar, because it was an accident and a damn mistake to let them meet in the first place, but everytime he tries to tell her she can’t talk to them anymore, she gets all sad and weepy because she actually Likes her spiky Quiet Uncle and smiley Puppy Uncle, and Barrett just. Deflates and accepts that he can’t prevent this anymore. (Won’t stop him from making sure there is supervision EVERY time his precious baby is around these creeps.)

^^^^^^🥺🥺🥺🥺

[lauronk]

I wish you would write a fic where...

Joel and Anna get together after Sarah goes to college. Ellie is their kid and Sarah is the cool aunt figure.

hi! thank you so much for the prompt! ngl, i struggled with it a little because i do not know how to write Romantic Joel, he exists only as Dad in my head lol but i gave it a good shot, i hope you enjoy!

the best day with you today

length: ~1.2k words tags: canon divergence; modern au; everyone's alive; joel/anna; joel & ellie & anna & sarah; family feels; pregnancy; family bonding; dunking each other in the river; no beta we die like david

Joel had never really planned on having another kid. Hell, he’d barely even planned on having the first - definitely not as young as he’d been - but Rae had gotten pregnant and they’d gotten married and then barely a year after Sarah’s birth, she’d decided she wasn’t cut out for motherhood, and she bailed. Sarah had no memories of her, but other than a few growing pains here and there, she’d never seemed to be worse off without her.

Joel had raised her and watched her graduate and sent her off to college (all the way to San Marcos, which really isn’t that far, Dad, I’ll come visit plenty) and then realized he had no damn idea what to do with his life now. No soccer practice to cart her to, no sleepovers to host, no extracurriculars to plan around.

Now it was just him and his empty house and enough woodcarvings to fill the time that Tommy finally confiscated his knives and said he could have them back if he left the house once a week for two months.

So, after digging around on the internet a little, he’d gone to the library down the street, picked up their calendar, and signed up for the monthly book club and the Spanish conversation group. Both of which, it turned out, were attended by a woman named Anna who had a habit of shooting him amused looks when one of the other book club members made an asinine remark.

True to his word, Tommy returned the knives to him after two months, but they started collecting dust almost immediately because Joel spent all his free time with Anna. A coffee date turned into a dinner date and within two weeks they were seeing each other near daily.

Sarah had been astonished - and more than a little skeptical - when Joel sat her down and told her that he and Anna were planning to get married, with her blessing of course, barely ten months after meeting. Joel could see it all over her face that she didn’t think it would last, that he was having some kind of midlife crisis - not helped by the fact that Anna was nearly ten years younger than him - and that they wouldn’t last the year.

But she could see how important this was to him, so she gave her blessing anyway. No matter her own reservations, she wanted her dad to be happy. And she liked Anna a lot, thought her a good match for Joel, even if everything was moving unsettlingly fast.

They’d done a small ceremony in the backyard, just Sarah, Tommy, and Anna’s best friend Marlene in attendance. And for another two years that had been their family; neither of them had planned on having kids.

But then Anna started throwing up, missed her period, and those two lines on the test turned pink. And suddenly, they were having a baby.

Ellie made her arrival a week before Sarah’s twenty-first birthday, and Joel’s eldest spent what should have been a night out partying pacing laps around their living room cradling her sister, while Joel and Anna snagged a few precious hours of sleep. He’d been worried that getting a baby sister when she herself was full grown would be a problem for Sarah, but it had been the opposite. Ellie was Sarah’s favorite person ever, a feeling that went both ways as Ellie got older.

Wild, Joel thought, watching Ellie and Sarah float in their tubes ahead of him and Anna, how his girls could be so far apart in years and yet be so close and so similar. Maybe not wild, just…lucky.

The two of them are shooting mischievous grins over their shoulders now, and Joel shares a wry look with Anna. Her nose and cheeks are tinted red with the sun, tips of her fingers tracing lightly through the water as they float down the San Marcos River.

“Here,” Joel says, carefully tossing her the small tube of sunscreen. He points to his own nose and cheeks. “Think you need a bit of a touch up, you’re gettin’ a little crispy.”

Anna gives him a wry smile, rubbing a fresh coat over her face. “Not all of us were made to roast in the Texas sun, sweetheart.”

Joel shrugs. “Can’t help it that I tan and you don’t, darlin’. Y’know –”

Something pushes hard on the bottom of his tube, and Joel goes ass over head into the river, the cold temperature jolting him into opening his mouth and damn near inhaling enough water to fill his lungs. When his head breaks the surface a chorus of laughter greets him - six feet away Ellie is clambering back into her tube while Sarah tries to hold it steady. Next to him Anna is howling, her own hand barely maintaining a grip on his tube while the other clutches her stomach. He doesn’t bother climbing back into it; instead he propels himself forward through the water until he’s caught up to the girls.

Ellie shrieks and tries to paddle away, but she’s too slow, and Joel has her flipped into the water in a matter of seconds. He waits until she surfaces, gulps in a bit of air, and then promptly dunks her again.

She comes back up sputtering, a hand frantically trying to wipe her face clean. “Rude!” is all she manages, scooping a hand through the water to splash him. It hits him in the chest - he can still hear Sarah and Anna laughing - and he propels himself forward to hook an arm around her waist and hoist her up over his shoulder. It takes more effort to keep them afloat - his back is gonna hate him for this later, fifty-seven is really a bit too old to be lifting teenagers, even ones as scrawny as Ellie - but he paddles them unevenly back over towards Anna.

“Caught you something, huh?” His wife calls, shielding her face when Ellie aims a splash of water her way too.

“Sarah neglected to mention the river was full of gremlins,” he says back, giving her a grin before sucking in a breath and plunging himself - and his squirming daughter - under the water once more. Only once they’ve surfaced again does he release her, the two of them treading water.

“Anyone ever tell you you’re an ass?” Ellie says playfully, splashing him again.

“Anyone ever tell you you’re a little shit?” He retorts, splashing her right back.

“Anyone ever tell either of you that you're exactly the same?” Anna cuts in from behind them, one hand still holding Joel’s tube.

“No,” they reply simultaneously, and she lets out another bark of laughter, echoed by Sarah on the other side of them.

“I’m never bringing y’all floating again,” she says teasingly, her head tipping back dramatically.

“Oh please,” Ellie doggy paddles forward, hoisting herself back into her tube next to her sister. “You’d be so bored doing this without us. You love us.”

Sarah scrunches up her nose, pretending to think for a moment before she leans over - nearly upsetting her own tube - and smacking a kiss onto her younger sister’s cheek. “Yeah, guess I do.”

thanks for reading!

[jacksonscouts]

Hey Scouts! We're wrapping up our self-rec celebration with a final fic review for @roselees's story, Blood runs thicker than water!

It was such a pleasure to read everyone's fics. If you feel moved to, I hope some Scouts join me in commenting on one or two fics from the bake sale.

Now without further ado....

This premise alone already melts my heart. Tess Lives? I love it already. Joel, Tess, and Tommy raise Ellie from the start? Holy shit, I’m hooked. I think my favorite aspect about this fic is how in-character everyone feels. I also love that Tess is southern like she was in the game. I think they made her a dirty yankee in the HBO adaption lol.

The dynamics you portrayed are beautiful. Joel and Tess can pretty much read each other’s minds and their love and trust for each other is apparent in every scene they’re together in. Joel and Tommy’s dynamic is a wonderful blend of seriousness and playfulness. Their banter made me smile so much which makes what happens later even more devastating.

All three of them and their dynamic with Ellie over the years was just precious. Watching Ellie grow up from a curious little one to a potty-mouthed kid is something I didn’t know I needed until this story. They all fiercely love that girl just like we readers do. Baby Ellie is so adorable and I’m so glad you made Tommy the main cause for her usage of curse words.

Another aspect I really enjoyed was the theme of grief for both Joel and Tess. Whenever you include introspection about their dead children it creates this haunting undertone for the scenes, even when the scenes are otherwise lighthearted. Joel and Tess’s shared grief also adds to their complex dynamic and you portray it so well. There was an interaction that’s gonna live rent free in my head where Tess mentions Sarah and apologizes with a touch and Joel nods and they didn’t have to say a word and aghhh my heart. I just adore subtle moments like that. Also, you must have a psychology degree or something because your introspective prose is so thorough. Reading this felt like being really deep in the characters' heads.

And the twist!! I LOVED how you set it up—the little hints with Ellie’s “imaginary” friend and the POV switch to Marlene where you didn’t reveal who was speaking to her over the radio—It was expertly done and so fun to see it all build up to that payoff. I’m also very angry at a certain character, though I’m sure you intended that. The moral grayness is chef’s kiss. Now there’s a nail-biting tension in the story because I have no idea if I can trust this character to make the right decision in the end.

Thank you for writing this and for making me feel like I got to hang out with some of my favorite characters again. This story is such a treat, no, a 5-course meal, because you wrote over 200k words! Like what kind of wizard are you?? Tell us your secret please and thanks. Also, congrats on working on a story for almost a year!! I can tell how much love and effort you put into this and I’m excited to see how you wrap up this little survival family’s ending.

Phrases I loved:

“Don’t you use her against me. Don’t you talk about her.” he hissed through gritted teeth.

like the sound of a crying child would be enough to send him spiralling right back to cradling her in his arms, begging her to stay with him, to just hold on until they could get her hel– (Aghhhhhchh th painnn)

Joel glared, and truth be told he was lucky he didn't have the energy to be more offended by that. (The brother banter is top tier)

it was like a part of him was dead and buried along with her, and try as he might he couldn’t scramble his way out of the grave.

he looked at Ellie and couldn't help the crushing sort of guilt strong enough to wind him, twisting his insides into knots at the sick idea that he was trying to replace her. (😭)

she bristled as though she’d been burnt, finger still curled, hovering above the trigger.

“And in English, for those of us that don’t speak doctor?” (Tommy, my beloved 😂)

[eccentrcks]

WIP Wednesday

I’m pretty sure someone tagged me before @sergeiravenov, but I count find them in my notifications. 😭 anyways, thank you so much for the tag and I’ll do three pieces of my girls.

Gone Through Time

Marlene can still smell the stench of death through her nightmares and hallucinations. A rather familiarized smell, but that was something she hated. Especially if it involved him. I’m sorry, Anthony… she wanted to hold him close to her and apologize profusely for being the cause of his death.

“It wasn’t your fault.” His hallucination form would try to console her. It didn’t do much, in fact, seeing him this way just made it worse. Covered and blood with a metal shard shoved into his sternum. His bashed head caused from the impact of falling just made her go through a bad spiral as her PTSD was triggered badly.

She gagged so much after sobbing hard while yanking on her own hair. Even thrown back about five decades in the last, his ghost still follows her.

Her moments of pure vulnerability mostly happened in private. Completely overwhelmed after holding all of this pain in after repressing all of that grief and all.

Dane was right. Her eyes showed more grief and pain more than her face, she needed to keep this under control so no one can detect her true identity at the CIA. She didn’t had her antidepressants on her, not that they’ll do any help, yet the man insists she gets it together.

“Don’t let Adler catch onto you. He’s already suspicious enough. Just say the word and I’ll get one of our own to deter him off your tail.” He insists.

Marlene shook her head in refusal. “I can handle that asshole by myself, just… just let me do this. I’m sorry, it’s just a panic attack. I’ll make sure it won’t happen again.” She’s Mylene to them, not Marlene, they only see a typical linguist among them. Not the real her.

Dane bit his inside cheek and gave her a look when she said that. Something tells him that she’s telling that to herself instead of him.

The Collapses of Three Facades

Teresa felt numb when finding out that she was pregnant. She was already responsible for three lives who are so precious that were given to her by someone who genuinely trusted her. A part of her wasn’t sure who exactly the father is, but some part of her says she already knows.

Does it really matter at this point? They were nothing more than friends with benefits and both made sure that it was nothing more. Although Teresa was painfully aware that he wanted a big family of his own someday with someone whom he trusts and actually loves.

And she’s positive that it wasn’t her.

There was no room to get pregnant on this job. She was far from done and this revelation is nothing more than an obstacle. No one would approve of this, neither her mother, or them, and if they were to find out about her little escapees. He would be dead.

So no, Teresa knows this is way too risky for the two of them. Her soft brown eyes glanced at the box of morning after pills and gulped. Surely it won’t hurt that bad, won’t it? She can handle some bad cramps, but not the emotional impact of killing her own unborn baby.

Distortion and Clarity

Jane lost feeling to her fingers and continued scurrying away while cradling her left injured hand. Breathing heavily as she continuously looked over her shoulder.

Not sure if she can wear anymore rings after this.

Everything doesn’t feel right and it was suffocating her. She can feel herself twitching and almost hyperventilating. Everything was loud again. Michael wasn’t here to comfort her this time, no, she needs him, he always knew what to do compared to everyone else.

It wasn’t long before she slipped and fallen into a puddle of blood in the dark hallway…the texture was thick, that she almost gagged, and the clumps certainly didn’t helped her sensitive sensory, then she realizes there was more than just blood.

Jane was completely shaking when she lifted her bloodied hand to see hair tangled with her fingers and the sight was enough for her to actually vomit this time.

Tagging: @efingart, @revnah1406, @alypink, @adlerboi, @welldonekhushi, @walder-138, @alexxmason, @ravsbloodbunny, @starcrossedspirit, @rosebarry16, @kaitaiga, @sleepyconfusedpotato, and you 🫵 (the tag list is small because it won’t let be tag others for some reason-)

[wannabelilybriscoe]

ASFTEOTW: Chapter 6 Commentary

Zombie Stardust!! I remember having the best time writing this chapter of A Song for the End of the World. This is the chapter where Remus starts to let his guard down and the Marauders become four. Precious babies!

I wonder if I'll still like this chapter as much as I did back when I wrote it. Let's find out!

Previous Chapter < > Next Chapter

As it turns out, James isn’t easily deterred. Neither is Lily. If only they knew how similar they both are in their petition to befriend Remus. But Remus is starting to wonder if he’s some sort of proxy in their not-flirting. He’s not quite sure how he got in the middle of them in the first place.  “Remus! Over here!” “Oi, Remus!” They both call to him from their respective seats at dinnertime. They halt, looking at each other—James, surprised, and Lily, irritated. They’re sitting across from each other, which puts Remus in the uncomfortable position of deciding who to sit beside.  The rest of their friends seem to have caught on to this little competition going on between them, because Mary watches in open amusement, while Marlene bites her lip over a grin. Peter at least has the decency to look awkward and a bit fed up with the situation.  “How’s your day been, Remus?” Lily’s tone is so pleasant that it’s a bit unsettling.  “Good.” He shifts his weight back and forth on his feet.  “Last round of kitchen cleanup tonight,” James remarks lightly.  “Yep.”  “Oh, what are you on next?” Lily asks hopefully.  “Laundry.”  “Too bad. I’m on sweeping and dusting.”  “Mm.”  “Lils! I’m on sweeping and dusting next week, too!” James says excitedly. Lily sighs, deep and burdened.  “I’m not going to pretend to ride around on the brooms like you and Sirius. I don’t want it to take longer than it needs to.” Remus raises his eyebrows. Mary guffaws while Marlene asks, “You really do that?” Peter shakes his head in exasperation. 

“I’m not going to pretend to ride around on the brooms like you and Sirius. I don’t want it to take longer than it needs to.” Remus raises his eyebrows. Mary guffaws while Marlene asks, “You really do that?” Peter shakes his head in exasperation.  “What about me?” Remus is both saved and damned by the entrance of Sirius Black. The pretty boy practically bounds to the table, flopping down onto the spot on the bench beside James. 

Oh, I love this group so much. I love a cheeky nod to canon (broom riding, in this case, as well as Sirius "bounding" like a dog), and I've peppered references to the canonverse throughout the story. One of the most unique things about fanfiction as a genre is how the author chooses to interact with the canon material. The canon material doesn't just add a layer of context to the story and its characters, but also works as another storytelling tool for the author to manipulate. They can use how they reference canon to add another layer of meaning to their story, for example, by creating a contrast between how a character is in canon versus in their story, and what that tells you about the character.

The quip about broom riding in the excerpt above is definitely not the kind of example to drive home the point I just made, but I'm speaking more generally. Anyway, let's move on.

“Anyway, he’s a damn good shot, too,” Sirius continues, “Saved Wormy’s skin the day we picked him up. This zombie jumped out of a car at him, and he shot it right in the head from, like, ten yards away. I don’t even know how he reacted so fast. Where’d you learn to shoot like that?”  Remus feels himself getting hot around the collar under the group’s interested stares. He weighs his options. The others have been quite open about their lives...perhaps it wouldn't be the end of the world if he revealed a little bit about himself. But he doesn't want to give them false hope that he can provide any help to them because of his military connections. Because he certainly doesn’t have any answers, nor any skills of real value to them. He doesn’t really have anything to offer these people who have taken him in so readily.  The silence is stretching on too long now. Fine, then. Might as well get it over with.  “My dad taught me. He was in the army.”  He gets the reaction he’d been expecting. Sirius tilts his head like he's trying to read Remus' mind, and everyone else looks markedly surprised. Well, everyone except— “Oh, I’d wondered.” Everyone turns to look at Marlene, whose face flushes with embarrassment.  “Just—the way you carry yourself.” Marlene has been by far the quietest of the group. But now he wonders if perhaps it’s because she's simply been paying attention. She’s certainly been paying attention to him, apparently. Remus takes a real look at Marlene for the first time. A few strands of blonde hair are loose from her ponytail, framing her heart-shaped face rather prettily. Her brown eyes are wide and a bit anxious, but a lovely colour, he thinks. 

Remus and Marlene!! Oh, I miss writing their friendship. Where the story is presently, they've been apart for so long. I love the idea that Marlene sees a kindred spirit in Remus, even if she doesn't realize that's what's happening at first. So, she pays close attention to him. You'll know if you've read the Marlene pov chapter that while she may be quiet, she is always paying close attention to the world around her. Remus is that sort of person, too. I love the idea of them having a quiet, steadfast sort of friendship.

“Well, who better to teach us how to shoot than someone with army training?”  Oh, great. He immediately sees the way James, Peter, and Mary’s faces light up.  “I haven't actually gone through training. I lived on the base, and my dad and some of the other soldiers showed me a few things, sure, but—”  “You still know a whole lot more than we do,” Sirius presses.  “Sure, but McGonagall took my gun and locked it up.”  “Ugh, Minnie!” Sirius throws his hands up in the air in exasperation. There’s a pointed cough. He looks across the room quickly, smiling cheekily as he calls, “Sorry, Minnie! Just can’t stop thinking about you.” “I’m terribly honoured, Mr. Black,” she calls back bemusedly.

Nothing to add here. I just love Sirius and McGonagall's banter.

“Where did you get weed?” Remus doesn’t even try to hide his astonishment.  “We found it behind a bar on our little jaunt through Glasgow, actually,” Sirius says, looking well proud of himself, “We've been waiting for an opportunity to enjoy it. Today seemed like the day." He fucking winks at Remus. The Prongs in question has the paper now and seems to be doing a better job than Peter at rolling, but he’s still taking his sweet time with it.  Remus is tempted to go over there and offer to do it himself, but then he realises licking the paper would not be a good idea. The truth is, while he seems to have fought off most of the symptoms of the virus, he doesn’t know if that means he isn’t contagious. He’s still got these weird, heightened senses, aching joints, and the feeling of always running hot. Not to mention the unrelenting hunger. He's got to think that means he's still sick, but he doesn’t know for sure, and he’s too scared to ask Effie. He’s never met anyone else like him. For all he knows—and he's often sat up at night wondering—he could still change at any time. Every day that goes by is stolen time and, really, he shouldn't be around other people with the risk he poses. But he's so very lonely... He pushes the thought aside. After all, he's already here. What harm could a little bit of weed do? Who knows when he might get another opportunity to get high. 

There had to be a scene where they get high and listen to music. But this is also the scene where Remus starts to really let his guard down and allow himself to entertain the thought of befriending the other boys. I think, for all Remus' internal monologue stresses how used to loneliness he is, he's actually quick to seek friendship when it's offered to him. I think this is a very human thing, and after all, Remus is only seventeen. He craves being part of a group. So, despite the risks he suspects he poses to the other boys, he pushes it aside for a while in order to let himself feel like he's a part of their group. Is that selfish? Maybe, but I also thought it was realistic.

“Fine, then. Ask me a question, and I’ll decide if I want to answer it.”  “Nuh-uh!” James wags a finger at Remus. “That’s not how this works.”  “It must be an exchange of equal value,” Peter says solemnly, having composed himself somehow in the span of mere seconds. “In the current economy, weed is scarce and, therefore, very valuable. So, you must tell us something equally valuable.”

Peter is an interesting character to me. I see him as someone who is very cautious, with a strong sense of fairness, but fairness as he perceives it. He feels like things have to be earned, and I think he has a bit of a chip on his shoulder about what James and Sirius have - looks, charisma, confidence.

“And now you’re here,” Sirius states.  “And now I’m here.”

I completely forgot I had this exchange here, and that it's the same as the exchange R&S have over breakfast on Christmas morning in The Road to Love. Guess this is a refrain in the extended universe of my fics. :P

“I’m sorry you went through all that. That must’ve been awful.” It’s Peter who says this. Remus looks up at him. Really looks at him. The small boy seems so sincere, watching Remus with wide, seeing eyes. Up until this point, Remus hadn’t given much thought to Peter other than finding him a little bit timid, a little bit whiny. But now Remus feels like he’s really seeing him back for the first time—a person who feels deeply. Who doesn’t want to call people “zombies” because he doesn’t want to forget they’re people. A person who will still stab a zombie in the head anyway to protect his friends. A person who likes art.  “Thanks, Pete.”  Pete smiles. James and Sirius are also looking at him sympathetically, and Remus finds it doesn’t chafe at the moment. Actually, it feels kind of nice. Now they know where he came from. The weight he’s carrying. He doesn’t feel lighter, not by half, but he supposes he feels seen in a way he didn’t before. Which is good, he thinks. It’s good.

Noone has commented on this yet, but I deliberately had Remus start thinking of Peter as "Pete" in this scene.

“Put on less depressing music, then,” Remus retorts with no real bite. He sort of feels like he’s got no teeth, and he sticks a finger in his mouth to check.  Sirius waves his ring-studded hand around, somehow managing to make it look like an aristocratic turn of the wrist. “You pick what we listen to next, then.”  Remus tilts his chin and regards Sirius for a beat before slowly getting up. His legs move like sticky toffee towards the cassette player. With careful deliberation, he rifles through the pile of cassettes, picking them up and looking at the titles one by one. The plastic covers make a very pleasing clicking sound as he moves them around. He doesn’t know how he’s going to pick. The truth is, it’s a fantastic selection.  Sirius’ voice drifts on the air in velvety waves. “See anything you like?”  When Remus looks over at him, his brain needs to take a moment to recalibrate and understand the question. Because when Remus looks over at Sirius, he thinks, yes. Sirius is watching him upside down, head hanging off the edge of the bed, his hair pooling on the floor like spilled ink. With his hair hanging down, his face is fully revealed: his smooth skin, his thick, arched eyebrows, his smart, softly curved mouth, and the two dark specs of his beauty marks. They’re staring at each other across the room, Remus right-side up and Sirius upside down, like yin and yang, a complete circle, spinning, spinning, like a record. Those clear grey eyes are beaming right at Remus, and he thinks, yes. 

GAAAAYYY-

I wouldn't call what happens between Remus and Sirius instalove, but they do recognize something in each other very quickly upon meeting. A complementary tune, an answering note. I think they notice that the other is different early on, and they're naturally drawn to each other because of it.

I've decided I still like this chapter. :)

[drifting-pieces-blog-blog]

Breaking down the comics: The Insanity Plea.

Moon Knight, Issue #7: The Moon Kings. 

OKAY. I was not going to include this issue in the list of important ones. It's a weird one. (there are a lot of weird ones. This hardly ranks in the WEIRD list, but it's still weird). 

And then I saw the first page. 

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you: JAKE LOCKELY. 

This is epic. Last issue we have Steven becoming aware and I will argue that this is the exact moment that Jake became aware of himself being not Marc. 

LOOK AT HIM. The care he takes to put it on. The way he looks unsure in the mirror, not sure if he's going to like what he sees. If the image there will match what he feels inside. 

Still calls it a "disguise". Jake honey, there's no disguise. No one cares enough about Moon Knight to do anything with a 'secret' identity. And anyone that does care already knows who Moon Knight is anyways! (they all think it's Marc. Marc just has that rep). 

Denial. 

So this issue opens with Crawley running to Jake with news on the street about some new drug that's capable of destroying a city. 

Where is this drug hailing from? Chicago. Seems on the next full moon, they plan to unleash this drug on Chicago. 

Jake calls Marlene from his cab radio. 

"Who - Oh, Steven -- I was just going over your stock portfolio and --" 

"Stow the Steven Grant Jive, Lady -- I'm still Jake Lockley at the moment. But speaking of your precious pretty boy millionaire... Book a room for him and a companion at the Drake Hotel in Chicago -- And two singles for Frenchie and Mr. Bertrand Crawley, Esquire." 

Jake's getting a little 'tude when it comes to Steven. 

Is it resentment? Possibly. Jake's lifestyle is completely at odds with Steven's. Perhaps Jake feels that Steven could be doing more to help people. He spends all his time with the poor and downtrodden while Steven relaxes in the mansion. 

His feelings about Steven do start to widen the gap between the three men and it will become a problem in later issues. 

It also makes me angry that later authors took the Marlene relationship with the three boys and made it between Jake and Marc. 

Marlene did NOT like Marc and Jake was often at odds with her. If Marlene was going to go running to any of them and have a child, it would have been with Steven and I'm so angry that the writers completely forgot about Steven and made it with Jake. 

All that being said, the very next panel has Marlene completely ignoring Jake: 

"We're going to Chicago together, Steven? That's wonderful! But--" 

"Grant'll be home after I scarf some of Gena's chow. Ciao." 

Jake hangs up. 

"The Lady's a gem. Grant don't deserve her." 

It's really hard to tell whose side he's taking there. Is he being serious and ragging on Steven again? Saying he doesn't deserve someone as devoted as Marlene? Or is he saying that Grant actually doesn't deserve someone that refuses to listen to them? 

The debate is real. 

Back in Chicago, we see some suspicious men pouring barrels of a drug into the city water supply and the next morning, we see unsuspecting citizens drinking the water. 

We then start to see people freaking out, becoming feral and attacking other people. 

Flying into Chicago, they get reports of people freaking out and causing riots. Moon Knight heads down to try to stop the fights while Marlene heads to the hotel, Frenchie keeps in his chopper, and Crawley heads off to find out what's going on. 

Frenchie stops at a water fountain for a sip after a little investigating then heads back to the chopper. 

Whoopse. 

Frenchie freaks out mid flight and crashes the moon chopper into the water. (Someone start the crashed chopper count.) 

Marc watches in horror as his only friend crashes and he dives in after him. 

***That's not how you do CPR MARC***

So Frenchie wakes up and instantly tries to kill Marc. Marc knocks him out and ties him up. Marc has now figured out that the drug is in the water. 

He puts Frenchie in a safe location. "I'll be back for you, Frenchie. If I have to fight my way through every madman in Chicago--I'll be back!" 

I stress again that Frenchie is Marc's only friend that has stuck by his side through hell and back. Even through his mental health breaks and strange life style. 

You have to wager that Marc has a soft spot for Frenchie. He knows how important he is. 

He rushes to the hotel on foot so he can warn Marlene not to drink the water. 

Marc tries to call Marlene from a payphone but mid warning the operator freaks out and cuts the call. 

Annnnnd Marlene drinks the water. 

But Marc has bigger issues as mobs of affected people show up and try to beat him up. 

Meanwhile the drug makers put on werewolf masks and declare themselves leaders of the city and command the affected to burn it to the ground. 

He then makes demands for money or he'll destroy the city, effectively holding the city hostage. 

Marc tries to take out the leader and chases him down to the subway where he gets gassed by the concentrated dose of the toxin. 

Marc does not have a good time. 

He hallucinates a sign to read "Moon Kings" and thinks he's on the moon being attacked by moon monsters. 

Meanwhile, Marlene is in the hotel freaking out. She starts calling for Steven and saying she doesn't know who she is anymore and blames him for making her crazy like him. 

It's.... It's not a good look. 

Yeah, I get it. She's on drugs. But considering earlier she made a joke about how Steven doesn't know who he is and it's going to drive her crazy too.... 

Issue #8: Night of the Wolves. 

This cover is pretty famous as Moon Knight goes and it's been redone a few times for varient purposes. 

Yeah, Marc is still having a bad time. He starts to hallucinate that the subway train is a monster and he has to kill it. 

He manages to sort of snap out of it and saves some people on the train from being killed by others affected and then stops the train before it crashes. 

The fact that Moon Knight isn't as affected by the drug or is fighting it off is one of the first instances where you see how Marc isn't as affected by mind altering drugs. Something Marc loves to brag about when facing telepaths or villains that try to mess with his state of consciousness. 

Marc manages to find Crawley and he's still not having a good time telling real from hallucination. 

Crawley is not affected! Because he's only been drinking booze. 

Look, I'm not a huge fan of this particular issue, for reasons I'll get into in a moment... But it did give us this: 

******There was a sewer man****

(Someone start the sewer count)

So they make it out and Marc makes it back to the hotel to find it ransacked and an affected Marlene waiting to kill him. 

She stabs him and runs back into the dark, ready to stab him again. 

"No Marlene! Don't do it! I'm Steeven! I love you, Marlene! I... I love...you..." 

What strikes me about this is that he remembers times of him kissing her as Steven. He knocks her out and pauses. 

Steven Grant just declared that He, STEVEN GRANT, loves Marlene. 

He ties up the unconscious Marlene and is clearly conflicted about leaving her. Crawley shows up and informs him that he found where the bad guys are. 

Moon Knight arrives in time to see a shit show. 

The cops are at war with them and the mob is attacking and the bad guys are trying to get away. 

Moon Knight is injured from being stabbed by Marlene, and the military has shown up ready to put down the riots. 

The bad guys are about to dump the last of their drug in the reservoir and Moon Knight tackles them! 

An epilogue ties it all up at the end: "After three days, the shoulder stab wounds are healing quite nicely and Chicago's lakefront skyline looks almost serene." 

The drug is wearing off and the water is being purified. 

We see the group gathered at the water watching as the mangled Moon Chopper is pulled from the lake. 

What a way to get a new chopper design. 

The writers admitted that they fell out of love with the original moon copter design and really wanted to redo it so they…crashed it and started over. 

This becomes almost a rolling gag because that chopper is constantly crashing, blowing up, and landing in buildings on people. 

So why am I not a big fan of this issue? Marlene. She takes a lot of pot-shots at the boys in this one. 

While the boys have been slowly advancing and figuring themselves out, becoming more separate, and finding their own individualism, she has been pushing back. 

One could argue that she’s afraid. She doesn’t understand what’s going on and she sees Jake getting more time away from her and enjoying himself, Moon Knight taking more time to be out all night, and Steven even starting to find his own interests. What’s left for Marlene? 

On the other hand, Steven’s sudden realization that he loves Marlene is also a big step. He himself loves her. Not Marc or Jake or Moon Knight. He has his own feelings. 

I also dislike how the “Look I’m crazy and you made me crazy” aspect is used, even if it is used in a ‘she was drugged up’ sort of way, because it seems to reflect something she was afraid of. As if she’s seeing what’s happening to the system and worried it could happen to her as well. 

This is a BIG problem in the mental health community. People have long feared that things are contagious and that they will be hurt by those that are not of ‘sound mind’. 

And having everyone ‘go crazy’ in this issue and having it lead to them being hyper violent really puts me off. 

Though, one point in favor: The one person that doesn’t ‘go crazy’ and hurt people is Moon Knight. He shows restraint when fighting the people that are attacking him. He’s worried about hurting them. He sees through the hallucinations and knows that what he is feeling is not his own. 

At this point, does he consider his brain to have been touched by a god and molded to resist these things? Or does that come later with one of his many many dealings with Khonshu and death? 

Or has his brain been affected by Khonshu at all? Perhaps there is more to it than Marc understands (not a far stretch since Marc is not the brains of the operation). Could it be that having DID protects his mind? 

After all, DID is formed as a trauma response to protect itself. “You were the only real super power I ever had.” 

[what-a-weird-rose]

PandaLily: The Things You Are (Literal Art)

Pairing: Lily Evans / Pandora Lovegood

Rating: E

Prompt: Oral

Word Count: 2.8k

Lily pulls her hair back, tying it in a knot at the base of her skull.

Four hours is nowhere near enough time to finish a piece this massive- least of all when her subject has up and vanished off the face of the earth. She shouldn’t be surprised; she knows she needs to curb her disappointment with him. But after almost a decade of friendship, Lily would’ve assumed she would have the slightest bit of priority over Severus’ time- especially after he’d promised to help her. Call her naïve; God knows all her other friends have. Lily tries to see the good in everyone, even if it’s left her blindsided on more than one occasion, but even she knows there’s only so far she can be pushed.

She scrambles for a bit, genuinely considering whether or not she can pass with a failed final project. Then, Lily mopes and cries and spends ten precious two-hundred-forty minutes feeling sorry for herself. Finally, and with great resolution, Lily sends a quick text to Mary and Marlene to ask if they know of anyone free and willing to sit in her studio for the next three hours; they respond almost instantly.

Apparently, there was a new girl on campus that Mary and Marlene had met in the library so odd weeks ago. Supposedly, they’d been trying to plan a meeting between Lily and Pandora -as they’d called her- but the two’s schedules were always packed. However, Lily thought it was a subtle jab at herself more than anything. Mary had set the group chat up with Pandora, Marlene, Lily, and herself, then made quick introductions before kicking Marlene and leaving herself.

Pandora was. . . 

nice, for lack of a better word. Very willing to help, asking appropriate questions, then finishing the short interaction with, ‘Where would you like to meet? :)”

Lily had hesitated, though she would never in a million years admit to it. She had never seen this girl before, and, as much as she trusted Mary and Marlene, there was no guarantee that Pandora would fit the piece- and how was she supposed to tell a stranger that? But, she decided, at last, she might as well try.

Lily had rearranged her studio four times in the seven minutes it took for Pandora to read her text and show up. Instead of sitting imposingly in front of a drab-wallpapered background -as Severus had insisted- Lily had decided to put Pandora in front of the large bay window -only after stalking the girl’s Instagram. Pandora posted little of herself, if at all. There were snippets of her hands, hair, shoes, and skirts, but most of her feed was the world around her: friends, plants, food, and the raccoon that had made friends with her cat. So, as much as it distressed her, Lily forced herself to set the portrait based on the aesthetic choices of someone she’d never seen in person.

Then, the knock came.

Severus had told her on many occasions -re: every time he visited- how ridiculous the security in her building was, as though she had any say in the matter. He had also made many a ‘joke’ about how easy it would be for a ‘low-life’ -she assumed he meant Remus- to break in and hurt her -his joke rarely ended well. But in this scenario, Lily thought she might agree with him- she felt incredibly unsafe, with clammy hands, a swirling stomach, and a rock in her throat.

But feelings be damned, Lily Evans had a task- and she never left a task unfinished.

The door swung ungracefully, getting caught on its hinges halfway open. At the same time, an ear-splitting screech filled the open air as the old hinges decided halfway would just have to be well enough. Lily thought about poofing into thin air.

“The architecture of this building is quiet fascinating,” the short, blond girl before she stated severely. Lily momentarily thought this was a mistake- that this girl couldn’t be ‘sweet, lovely’ Pandora, not with the serious stare and cutting commentary. “My friend, Regulus, is studying to become an arcitect and he said-” she coughs once as Lily steps aside to let her in, “’ you can always tell when the builder was lazy based solely on the longevity of the building.’ Or something to that effect, he always gets so prissy when he talks about design.” Pandora giggles, and suddenly, it’s like a unicorn-sunshine hybrid has walked into Lily’s home, talking about the intensity of too-smart boys who try too hard for too little.

Lily is caught almost completely off-guard, especially as Pandora sits on the plushy bench before the window and stares wide-eyed in Lily’s direction. It’s almost as if the air in the room huddles around Pandora, forcing Lily her way lest to suffocate.

“You’re very pretty, though I’m not sure if I’m surprised or concerned. . .” Pandora trails, suddenly shifting to look out the glass.

“Why might you be concerned?” Lily says with as much grace as she can muster; she turns on the kettle for safety.

“I have a thing.” Pandora states with the utmost gravity. Lily raises her brow in question, and Pandora nods seriously. “Everytime I meet a pretty girl, they fall dreadfully in love with me.”

Lily wants to laugh, but there is something about the way Pandora says it that makes her think the sentiment is hardly a joke. “And that’s a bad thing?” Lily shuffles her rack of teabags toward Pandora- lavender and lemon.

“It is, yes. They fall head-over-heels for me, except I never realize until they’ve long moved on, and the worst part,” Pandora begins as Lily motions to situate herself on the ottoman. “Is that by the time they’ve gotten over me, I’ve developed a crush on them!” She wails, though it seems to be only for comedic effect. Lily tries to laugh politely and ends up snorting.

“I see, quite the issue you’ve got there.”

“It’s horrible. And I would ask my friends to tell me whenever they know because they always know, but they would just laugh!” Pandora leans back against the exposed brick wall beside the window, allowing the steady orange glow of the slow sunset to highlight her.

Lily feels every fiber of her being hone in, feels the moment the charcoal touches her fingertip, and her consciousness evaporates. But it’s nice, in a way, that her painting models have rarely been before. Pandora is thoughtful, asking questions about the project -a portrait of a ‘beautiful person’- and the medium -anything and everything- and what she needs to do -sit as still as possible. And she’s generous, playing soft classical music from her phone that doesn’t affect Lily’s flow. Suddenly, an hour has passed since Pandora arrived, and the sketch is done. Pandora thinks it is lovely, and she can leave now if she’d like since it’s getting so late. But Pandora asks if she can stay to see how it turns out, if only to make quiet conversation with a shell-of-a-person. And who would Lily be to say no?

Pandora plays with her bracelets, the beaded one, the chains, and the metal bands. She tries her hardest to stay still despite knowing that Lily doesn’t need her to stay exactly where she is anymore. Pandora keeps herself still because, from the angle she sits at, she has a perfect view of the face Lily makes as she rubs oil pastels into the canvas, the perfect view to watch the face of concentration that overtakes her as she mixes paints, searching for the right shade. Pandora wishes the easel was tilted slightly more, if only so she could see how Lily interprets her- how this woman sees another.

Pandora shivers and hopes Lily doesn’t notice. She leans forward and grasps at the handle of the magenta mug before her. The tea is long cold, but Pandora has never been particularly picky about such things. So, she takes a long sip and watches over the mug’s rim as Lily readjusts herself. Pandora licks her lips.

A decently sized wooden antique clock hangs on the far wall behind Lily. From what she can read on it -Evan swears up and down she needs glasses- it’s about 9:30 at night, and Pandora can feel the exhaustion finally begin to set in. Her heart aches as Lily makes another disgruntled sound, tears a paper towel from its roll, and drabs gingerly at the canvas.

“Is there anything I can do?” Pandora whispers into the empty. Lily pauses momentarily, almost startled, then turns and nods vaguely.

“Coffee, if you would? I’ll take it however at this point.”

Pandora rushes up and into the kitchenette, two coffees.

By 11:59 p.m., Lily feels on the verge of a mental breakdown and a hallelujah moment. She sends the photo of the decorated canvas to the professor, McGonagall, who requires digital and physical versions of students’ work. As the clock strikes midnight, Lily can feel her adrenaline, anxiety, and emotions drain out like the water in an emptying bath.

Lily turns to Pandora, who had passed out on the ottoman near the three-hour mark, and gently grabs all the mugs that littered the end table. She makes her way into the kitchenette as quietly as possible, setting mug after mug onto the counter to be washed later.

“Is it over?” Lily hears Pandora whisper.

“As of two minutes ago, I have officially finished my final project.”

Pandora shoots up, not unlike a rocket, and beelines to where Lily stands near the stainless-steel sink. Pandora’s arms are loose and gentle, yet tight and intense. She holds onto Lily like a lifeline, plunging her face into the crook of Lily’s neck.

“I knew you could do it,” Pandora whispers into Lily’s skin.

“You helped more than you could ever know.” Lily replies, whispering into the wild curls of Pandora’s hair.

“I’m glad,” Pandora says, pulling back to look at Lily in the eyes.

Lily hears the words before she registers, saying, “I’m going to do something stupid.”

“What brand of stupid?”

“The kind that someone sleep-deprived and high on adreneline uses.”

Pandora stares at her, and Lily wonders if she dare to kiss this beautiful, mysterious stranger.

Their lips connect before Lily has the chance to second-guess herself.

Pandora tasted Lily’s cheap coffee, the lavender-lemon tea Lily had bought in bulk, and the copious other snacks they had been devouring throughout the night. Pandora tastes of long nights and gentle mornings, summer rain and winter sun, and dark flats in early summer as the school year approaches. Pandora tastes of the future, near and far alike.

Pandora runs her hands down Lily’s sides, pushing the pair out of the kitchenette and into the living space. The sofa is wide enough to support the both of them as they collapse into one another in a tangled, twisted mess of limbs and love.

Lily situations herself so she can lay with her head propped by two throw pillows and the armrest; Pandora leans over her, leaving bites and kisses as a breadcrumb trail of their adventure.

The flat is all but pitch black, the only light coming from the lamp Lily had been using to paint. The room was left to the faint glow of the white light bouncing off wall after wall to reach them- it never would.

Nothing could reach the two of them now as they tangled into one another, pulling and tugging and pushing and biting, anything and everything to allow the slightest consumption of empty space. Pandora seemed hell-bent on climbing her, and Lily could hardly stop her. Instead, Lily found herself grasping at the thick woven belt tied around Pandora’s and using it to haul the other girl up and into her lap.

“More.” One of them whispers, and neither knows which.

“Yes.” They say in unison as their hands meet and their lips join again.

Eventually, Lily unties Pandora’s belt, shimmying her shorts off and onto the ground elsewhere.

“More.” Lily says, and this time, she is certain it’s her.

“Yes.” Pandora replies, yanking her top off with relish.

Lily presses a soft, beautiful kiss to the top of Pandora’s breast, cupping them in her hands, “Tell me what you want, darling.”

“You.” Pandora says, even though she knows it will be cheesy. She tucks a strand of red hair behind Lily’s ear. “Give me whatever you’re willing to give.”

“Okay,” Lily whispers into Pandora’s skin. Her tongue glides over Pandora’s breast with experience, lapping at perky nipples and moles and small acne scars. Her lips follow the same route, kissing over Pandora’s breast, sucking nipples into her mouth to pull and kiss and feel, over and over again. She licks and kisses and breathes in Pandora.

Then, as she feels Pandora shift in her lap, Lily grips her hips, pulling them down to grind against her own.

“How far do you want to go?” Lily questions, sucking at the soft spot behind Pandora’s ear.

“I want to watch you cum.”

“Fuck.”

Pandora shifted them once more so she was kneeling before the sofa. The hardwood was certainly uncomfortable, but Pandora seemed to not notice it as she lowered her head down to nip at the clothed crotch of her partner.

For perhaps the first time in her life, Lily regretted her choice of jeans as her painter’s outfit. Mostly, Pandora made disgruntled noises as she continued to nip listlessly at the offending pants. Eventually, Lily pulled them off alongside her crusty painting top and panties, if only for her own sake.

Pandora made quick work of returning to her station between Lily’s legs, licking and sucking and kissing at Lily’s thighs and cunt. She also seemed prepared for Lily to beg for more as she quickly offered her fingers to be sucked.

And perhaps it was the combination of the two -having her clit viciously stimulated and having a pretty finger in her mouth- that led to her quick orgasm, but either way, Lily was distraught.

“Sorry, sorry, I-” she started, even as Pandora continued licking and sucking, “fuck, I didn’t mean to cum.”

Despite her attempts, Pandora seemed unbothered, remaining steadfastly between Lily’s legs, lapping up cum and spit and wetness.

At some point, not long after, Lily had wrapped her hand in Pandora’s hair, using it to guide how Pandora moved.

“More,” Lily says again, and Pandora moves quickly as she uses her middle finger to push into Lily’s cunt. There was a moment of complete silence as Lily let her head fall back and felt every millimeter of Pandora’s finger push further inside.

Then, Pandora began pumping- in and out and in and out and in and out and-

With her tongue pushing right into Lily’s clit- her left-hand working overtime to not only spread Lily’s legs but also rub tight circles into her clit-

Lily felt the waves rolling into shore again- her orgasm left her legs shaking and her brain fuzzy.

“You now.” She mumbles, and Pandora smiles, gently shuffling them so she can lay spread on the couch, and- “No, no. On my face.” Lily says tightly, already laying back.

Pandora pauses before nodding and scooting up and near Lily’s head. “Are you sure?” she whispers, moving again only after Lily confirms. She swings her leg over Lily’s head and uses the armrest as leverage to hold herself up. Lily begins slowly, softly giving tentative licks to Pandora’s dripping cunt.

Pandora moans, loud and guttural, as Lily grasps her sides and pulls her down to rest more of her weight on Lily’s face. Lily groans in reply, the vibrations following up and into her tongue. Her tongue seemed to have a mind of its own as it viciously licked at Pandora’s clit.

Lily’s hands hold tightly onto Pandora’s waits even as she writhes through her orgasm, nearly spasming over the two. Lily considers continuing, much like how Pandora did, but holds herself back as Pandora shuffles and taps gently on the hands that hold her.

“Are you alright?” Lily asks immediately, suddenly very self-conscious.

“Oh, yes, I’m just not sure that I could stop myself if we kept going.” Pandora says sagely, opting to scoot closer to Lily on the defiled sofa, “I have classes. . . later this morning that I have to be at, unfortunately.”

“Which mean you have to go?” Lily unhappily murmurs, and Pandora nods, pushing herself off the seat in one huff and reaching around to tug on her clothes. Lily watches, entranced, as Pandora ties the woven belt back around her waist.

“You have my number, yeah?” Lily nods dumbly, pulling her bottom lip into her mouth, “good, be sure to use it, pretty girl.”

[fbglife]

Ep 155: “Breaking Free from Postpartum Body Pressure” with Marlene Andersson

What if the key to thriving in motherhood isn’t "bouncing back" to some old version of you—but moving forward into new postpartum potential and opportunities?

In this empowering episode, I sat down with coach and former elite CrossFit athlete Marlene Andersson to dive into the pressures women face around "snapping back" after pregnancy.

Together, we unpack the cultural myths that keep high-achieving women stuck in unrealistic expectations and explore a mindset shift that prioritizes self-compassion, growth, and sustainable health over outdated body ideals.

Marlene shares her deeply personal journey—from being an elite competitor at the top of her game to navigating the identity shift that comes with motherhood. With refreshing honesty, she describes the struggle of balancing a driven, perfectionist mindset with the unpredictable nature of raising a child.

She also walks us through her Mighty Mom Blueprint, a four-step strategy designed to help mothers build strength—mentally and physically—without burning out or sacrificing precious time with their families.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the pressure to “get your body back” or struggled to balance your ambitions with the realities of motherhood, this episode will shift your perspective in powerful ways. Get ready to rethink what it means to be strong, healthy, and successful as a mother—and as a woman.

Here’s Why We’re Obsessed with This Episode

🔥 Marlene’s raw and honest take on why bouncing back is a myth that sets women up for failure.

💪 A relatable, no-nonsense discussion about why women are expected to evolve in every area—except when it comes to their bodies.

🧠 The deep dive into how high-achievers struggle with perfectionism and adjusting expectations in the postpartum period.

Don’t Miss This Episode If…

✅ You’ve ever felt pressure to “get your pre-baby body back” (and maybe even guilt that you haven’t).

✅ You’re a high-achieving woman struggling to adjust to the unpredictability of motherhood.

✅ You find yourself overwhelmed by the expectations of doing it all—parenting, fitness, work, and more.

✅ You want practical, sustainable strategies for staying healthy and strong without punishing yourself.

✅ You’ve ever battled perfectionism and the fear of “not doing enough.”

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Why the concept of “bouncing back” is a damaging illusion—and what to focus on instead.

How to shift your mindset from self-criticism to self-compassion while pursuing your goals.

The Mighty Mom Blueprint—Marlene’s four-step strategy for building a strong, healthy body and mind in motherhood.

How to set goals that actually stick (hint: it’s not just about SMART goals).

Why sustainable habits—no matter how small—lead to long-term success.

The key to trusting your body, listening to its needs, and ditching diet culture for good.

The biggest mistakes women make when trying to “fix” their bodies after pregnancy—and what to do instead.

About Marlene Andersson

As a former CrossFit Games athlete and busy toddler mom, Marlene brings the lessons from her athletic career into her postpartum coaching. Inspired by her own challenges balancing self-care, family, and career, she developed the Mighty Mom Blueprint—a 4-step strategy that blends the athlete's mindset with the realities of motherhood, helping moms move beyond the pressure to 'bounce back' and embrace their strongest, healthiest selves.

Connect with Marlene & The Mighty Moms Community

Join Marlene’s Mighty Moms Community

Follow Marlene on Instagram

Sponsor Shoutout

This episode was brought to you by Miles to Go Athletics. Take our app-based training community for a two-week no obligation test drive here.

Liked This Episode? Don’t Forget to Subscribe!

Enjoying the podcast? Make sure to hit that Subscribe button so you never miss an episode filled with insightful conversations. And don’t forget to leave us a review—it helps more people discover the show! --Alison

Check out this episode!

[wutbju]

Marlene Ashley, BJU Class of 1976.

The family of Marlene Ashley will host a gathering of family and friends from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, at Lake Ridge Chapel and Memorial Designers. A service to celebrate her life of 71 years is scheduled at 1:00 PM on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, at Bethany Baptist Church, followed by a graveside service at Resthaven Memorial Park Cemetery. Our Lord called her home on her 71st birthday, Wednesday, July 17, 2024.

Marlene was born July 17, 1953, to Gair and Helen Sparkman in Elkhart, KS where she lived her childhood and teenage years growing up in Keyes, OK, along with her two brothers Dennis & Gary and her ""favorite sister"", Starla on their family farm. She loved most working outside with her Daddy, helping with the animals, tend the crops, and ride the tractor in the field. She also loved attending Truckload Fabric Sales in the ""big city"" where she, her mother, and her sister, Starla, would pick their favorite fabrics. Then they would eagerly arrive back home, turn on gospel music, and sew their inspired articles of clothing together. Later in life, Marlene turned into quite the seamstress as she made clothing for her own children and for her grandchildren including handmade blankets, bibs and a multitude of alterations at a moments notice for those she loved.

Marlene attended First Baptist Church, in Elkhart KS where she accepted the Lord as her Savior at an early age. Her parents, Gair and Helen, always remained faithful to ensure the family was in church and under the preaching of the gospel. Marlene attended Yarborough High School where she graduated in 1971. Though never standing taller than 5'3"", she was voted by faculty and classmates: ""Basketball Queen"" and also ""Most Favorite"" which is no surprise. She was known for being full of life and fun as she brought laugher with her humor and wit! She graduated from Bob Jones University with her Bachelors of Science with a major of Home Economics in 1976. Marlene's desire and plan in life was to be a mother and homemaker, and to make and give of her hands, heart and talents. After college, she worked as a Bible teacher at Grace Christian Academy.

Marlene married Mark Ashley in 1978 and they resided in Amarillo, TX and were faithful members of Arden Road Baptist Church where she sang alto in the choir for what was just shy of 40 years. She was blessed with her most precious possessions, her four children. (Three adored sons Jarrod, Aaron and John and the much prayed for daughter, Audra). While married, and with her family complete, Marlene carried out her dream of being a wife, mother and homemaker effortlessly. From every homemade meal, baking and custom decorating every birthday cake, kissing booboo's and mending unimaginable amounts of uniforms and costumes, she did so with joy and song through Christ's love that was felt by her family. She enjoyed sharing her strengths and abilities with others as she cared for children at her in home daycare. After presented an unexpected divorce, Marlene never wavered in her faith and incredible strength for our Lord and for her family. Marlene's courage and ability to carry on was second to none.

While faced with unimaginable hardships as a single mother, Marlene continued selflessly providing for her children and remained faithful to ensure she and her four children would never miss a Sunday morning and evening worship service, Monday night visitation to share the gospel, Wednesday evening service or Friday Youth. When the doors were open, she was sure to have her family in church.

Whether she was working in the church nursery, leading as a Sunday School teacher, making her own lessons, felt boards and cutouts or teaching in Awanas, Marlene was always sharing the gospel to those around her. Throughout the years of her life, Marlene was always sure to share the word of God no matter what situation she found herself in. Whether leaving a tip to a waitress with a gospel tract, or texting Scriptures to her children and grandchildren weekly, even up to the last day of her passing, it was not uncommon to find Marlene morning or evening, walking her neighborhood passing out tract's or announcements of upcoming church events. Marlene's friends and family abundantly testify how she was often their phone call of encouragement and Godly wisdom. She had a way of listening and sharing Scripture and prayer in many ways.

She began substitute teaching for Amarillo ISD before later beginning her career in Nutrition at WIC where she would retire after over 20 years in 2016. After retirement she relocated to Lubbock, TX where she continued care for her Mother and her most rewarding career as a full time Grandma! She began caring for and further spoiling her grandchildren while residing in Lubbock and enjoyed being able to do the same as she traveled to San Antonio and California. She continued serving the Lord as a faithful Member of Bethany Baptist Church, in Lubbock TX where the Lord would later call her home while singing a congregational hymn ""O Zion Haste"" on her 71st birthday.

At the bottom of the first page of Marlenes Bible she has handwritten:

""What a Day That WILL BE -Glorious Day When My Jesus I shall see.""

Marlene will be remembered as a virtuous Proverbs 31 Woman. For her price is far above rubies, she seeketh wool and flax and worrketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchant ships, she bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night and giveth meat to her household and a portion to her maidens. She condisidereth a field and buyeth it with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength and strength with her arms. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good, her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle and her hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor, yay she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry, her clothing is silk and purple. She maketh fine linen and selleth it and deliverth girdles unto the merchant. Strength and honor are her clothing and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up and call her blessed. Many daughters have done virtiously but thou excellest them all. Favor is deceitful and beauty is vain. But a woman feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates. Proverbs 31:10-31 KJV

Marlene is survived by her children Jarrod and wife Patricia Ashley, Aaron Ashley, John and wife Sarah Ashley, Audra and husband Matt Boedeker; grandchildren, Tyler San Miguel, Riley Ashley, Nathan Ashley, Ella Ashley, KateLynn Ashley, Halle Ashley, Chayse Ashley, Kennedy Ashley, Wyatt Ashley, Adalee Boedeker, Eden Ashley, Sammie Boedeker, Elizabeth Ashley, John Mark Ashley, Korbyn Ashley, Korey Ashley, Jack Ashley, Kassidy Ashley, Marlee Boedeker, Katalyna Ashley; great-grandchildren, Aeliyah San Miguel, and one on the way, Hope Ashley; sister, Starla and her husband Tim Overstreet. She is preceded in death by parents, Gair and Helen Sparkman; grandson, Seth Ashley; and brothers, Dennis Sparkman, Gary Sparkman.

[disdaidal]

Zack ❤️‍🔥

Awh 🖤 Zack Fair my beloved

How I feel about this character: He's a badass warrior that could kill you in a heartbeat, but he could also be your best friend. I love him to bits. I would die for him. He deserved so much better. I don't care what his (few) haters say about him, he was genuinely a good boy. Heart of gold, stubborn to the core. All he wanted was to do his best, have his hard work and efforts mean something in this fucked up world, only to get nothing but shit in the end. Kicked to the curb and forgotten by those who he helped, protected, saved even.

On the other hand, he was meant to be a tragic character. He lived, fought and died, so that the people he loved and cared about could live and carry on. He carved his own path, worked hard for his goals and refused to give in, no matter how hard things got for him. Even when he chose to go down, he did it on his terms—fighting for what he believed in and protecting and taking care of those who mattered to him. He took care of Cloud, kept him alive for months, then took a bullet for him (well, several actually) so that Cloud could live and carry on.

And I was supposed to not just... feel anything for this guy? Not cry for him in the end? Not a chance. So yeah, I do have strong feelings for him and I love him so much, it almost hurts. He's so dumb and reckless at times like holy shit, but he's still precious and I want to protect him *cries*.

All the people I ship romantically with this character:

Oh boy 🙊🙈 here goes:

Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, Sephiroth, Cissnei, Tseng, Biggs, Yuffie (older). He is so shippable honestly. :D It's his sunshine personality.

My non-romantic OTP for this character:

I really liked the few scenes we got between Angeal and Zack in CCR. I thought Angeal was so great with Zack, mentoring him, keeping him in line and in check when Zack got too reckless or excited, and humbling him down when he got too cocky. I really wish Angeal hadn't abandoned and betrayed Zack because honestly, things could've ended so much better in a way. Without Angeal's support and guidance, I think Zack was more or less lost as a person. Perhaps they both could've lived longer and kept having a meaningful relationship with each other, apart from the mentor-mentee kind of thing. It would've been nice.

I also really liked Zack's and Elmyra's relationship in Rebirth. She was so hard on him at first, for a very good reason too, but he soon became part of her family and she even thanked him for helping her. His moments with Marlene were also so freaking cute, he's so good with kids and I almost wanted to cry again because honestly, I think he would've made such a great big brother, or a dad even. The potential.

My unpopular opinion about this character:

I haven't dabbled too much into the FF7 fandom aside from playing the games, watching Advent Children the movie and then making gifs, reading/writing fanfiction because honestly... I've seen quite enough of the general/shipping side of this fandom already and I think I lost a few braincells there. And so I don't really know if I have any 'real' unpopular opinions about Zack's character, really.

But if we're getting into the more shippy side of the things here, fanfictions with certain characters especially, he's often portrayed as the caretaker in a relationship whose own injuries and traumas are often brushed aside, even completely ignored in favor of other character's traumas and injuries. This has become somewhat a personal pet peeve of mine because Zack also went through a lot and suffered a lot (more than most, actually) and I just wish I could see it more you know? He's strong for sure, but he can also be fragile and weak at times. There's nothing wrong with that.

Also... hmhmhm and if we're getting to the actual smutty side of things, I would honestly... not mind seeing him as sub or bottom every once in a while. Both in his m/m and f/m relationships. Just sayin'.

One thing I wish would happen/had happened with this character in canon: I wanted him to live, obviously. But if not live, at least die happy. He was so positive and optimistic in life, wanted to believe in the goodness of people, and had such high hopes and dreams. I wanted him to see Aerith once more, spend time with Cloud when he was conscious and they'd both be free from the clutches of ShinRa, at least for a while. But yeah, well I guess not then.