#heres to you candid soul that may or may not help me

[lady-harrowhark]

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about Gideon’s blood and the Tomb. I’ve got two points here that dovetail somewhat…

Let’s review some key events. I realize these probably seem a bit all over the place, but I do believe they come together. I’ve tried to put these in roughly chronological order.

John attempts to consume the soul of the Earth, and then creates a physical body for Alecto: “I ripped half my ribs from my body and made you from the dirt, my blood, my vomit, my bone.”

Ten thousand years later, Gideon and Harrow duke it out. The initial recollection of the fight says that “Harrow had scratched until she’d had half of Gideon’s face beneath her fingernails.” The more candid HtN version has Gideon telling us, “You clawed my face so bad that my blood ran down your hands; my face was under your fucking fingernails.”

Harrow opens the Tomb with Gideon’s (read: John’s) blood on her hands.

Harrow sees Alecto, falls in love with her, and decides to live. 

At some point while in the Tomb, Harrow apparently kisses Alecto: “She hadn’t come on purpose; the scrap of black-eyed meat had asked for it—the chain of a kiss: the ice that burnt the flesh of the mouth that had stuck to the mouth that was frozen.”

At Canaan House, Ianthe ascends and tells the others that step six of the process is to “consume the flesh. Not the whole thing, a drop of blood will do to ground you.”

Harrow’s letter tells her she owes Ianthe “the favour of the chain”, which extends “into the House, but NOT into the Tomb.” The agreement takes precedence over any oaths sworn to others, including John, except for the Holy Corpse.

Harrow kisses Ianthe to inspect her jaw and re-swears the oath.

Harrow’s Nova AU has her retrieving the chain of Samael from the Anastasian. This is considered a sin severe enough that the Reverend Father whips her, but she is allowed to keep the chain. Denied the role of Reverend Daughter, Harrow tells Ortus that she is “the unfulfilled vow and the bloody teeth of the unkissed skull.”

Alecto kisses Harrow, bites her, and recognizes her by her blood - the blood of Anastasia’s line. Alecto tells Harrow that she is very sorry about Samael, and she vows the favour she had promised to Anastasia to Harrow.

We see over and over this theme of consuming another life, whether body or soul: we get two sides of this coin when we compare Gideon’s “All I ever wanted you to do was eat me” to John’s statement that “it’s the human instinct, to take.” Consuming the flesh is, per Ianthe, one of the steps to taking in a cavalier’s soul and becoming a Lyctor, directly paralleling John consuming the Earth, both physically when he eats dirt and spiritually when he takes in her soul. Thus far, though, we don’t know how or if Harrow consumed Gideon’s flesh in the interim between chapters 36 and 37 of GtN. 

But here’s what I’ve been wondering: assuming Ianthe is correct (and telling the truth) about the steps to becoming a Lyctor, to what extent does the order and timing actually matter? I think there’s a distinct possibility that Harrow had consumed Gideon’s flesh years before they even came to Canaan House.

Because Harrow had Gideon’s face under her fingernails. And Harrow bites her nails.

HtN, chapter four:

You held your left hand up before your face, before the light, the even white light with its hot tungsten filaments. The thumbnail was whole and even. Too even? Were you wont to chew your fingernails still, that unattractive tic of your girlhood?

And again in chapter twenty-one:

She took off her gloves, and with the edges of her fingernails - bitten to the quick, and never much help - she started to prise open one wrinkled corner.

If the steps do not have to be completed strictly in order, Harrow may very well have already checked off step six if she were biting her nails with Gideon’s flesh and blood still clinging to them.

The other thing going on here is that we get these repeated connections between chains and favours and kisses. I don’t feel like we have quite all the pieces yet to draw any definitive conclusions, but it seems that the favour of the chain may have something to do with the Reverend Family’s vow to protect the Tomb. Particularly, Harrow describing herself, sans Reverend Daughter title, as “the unfulfilled vow” as she wields the chain of Samael lends itself to this interpretation. I also find it very interesting that this unfulfilled vow is paired with “the bloody teeth of the unkissed skull” given that upon waking, Alecto kisses Harrow, bites her, and draws blood which then allows her to recognize Harrow as one of Anastasia’s descendants.

Before that kiss, though, there was another. Alecto describes being called back by Harrow’s kiss, presumably when she broke into the Tomb as a child. I have to wonder if blood was playing a role here too. Alecto says that Harrow’s flesh stuck on her frozen lips, that the ice burned her. If this kiss also drew blood, it could be that the blood of Anastasia’s line was the key to calling her back. However, there may have been someone else’s blood on Alecto’s lips that day. If Harrow had been biting her nails, which she’d earlier used to claw Gideon’s face, she very well may have had Gideon’s blood in her mouth as well. As John’s daughter, her blood was able to open the Tomb. Was it able to call Alecto as well? Could “the chain of a kiss” be referring to Harrow transferring John’s blood between Gideon and Alecto?

Overall, it seems like we’re circling something akin to a blood oath or living blood ward. The thalergetic nature of blood certainly aligns with the symbolism of life and light that we see connected to the Earth and Alecto, in contrast to the thanergy that John cultivates. Alecto’s physical form is derived from John’s blood, and his power is derived from her soul. If indeed a kiss and a few drops of John’s blood, shepherded into the Tomb by Gideon and Harrow, are enough to call Alecto, I cannot even imagine the pyrotechnics show that we’re in for now that he’s had a run-in with the business end of her sword.

[desultory-novice]

Noir! Do you by any chance know of a being that was called IDF-87?

"And here we are..."

[I assume you mean F-86 but either would trigger the same reaction]

"...ID...F8...?"

"...Ghhh...?!"

"M-My...head...!!"

-

"And here we are..."

-

"We'd like to thank you for volunteering to lead humanity's future." "It says here your hobby is...singing?"

"Yes. Since I was a child." "I even had an agent, for a short while."

"So, you were a professional?"

"Not really. My career never took off." "But...that's how it is with DREAMS."

"Not a household name, then?

"Surely not!"

"Good, good. Very good."  "...That is to say, you seem like a good candidate for our work."

-

"And here we are..."

-

"Oh!?"

"Hmm? Is something wrong?" "Feeling pain from the treatments?"

"No. I was just wondering..." "Is the alien...is it asleep in there...?"

"Yes. Deep asleep." "...Why? You didn't hear anything, did you?"

"I didn't. Just the buzzing of a machine. It's so noisy in here..."

"...Good. It's a very tense work environment here at the lab." "Some people can't take the pressure. They start to hear 'voices.'"

"Those poor souls..."

"It's no surprise. The whole planet's counting on us, you know." "We can't fail them. Not like previous generations did." "But you came from Old Earth, so you would understand."

"...Yes. Yes, I do."

-

"And here we are..."

-

"You're...putting it on display? Like a...circus animal?"

"The government gets stingy with their contracts." "And the entertainment industry has proved profitable for us so far." "I expect it'll be even more so after your new single."

"About that..."

"You're not having second thoughts, are you?"

"...No! I still believe in the work we're doing. It's just..."

"Just...?"

"Oops!" 

"...Sorry about that! Clumsy me!"  "Big old glasses and I still can't see where I'm going!"

"...Rim..."

"Was I...interrupting something by chance?"

"Not at all! Here, let me help you with those!"

"Ah, there's no need for that, Ms...?"

"...Neichel. And please." "One favor deserves another." "Where do these go anyway?"

"Just to my office! Let me show you where it is."

"General? Sorry about the thrilling conversation but..."

"....It's fine, actually." "I was thinking that you two really ought to meet." "Take all the time you need to...get acquainted."

-

"And here we are..."

-

"Everything I am now, was made into...is 'sleeping' in that tube." "...And I don't know how I feel about that. About it..." "You're a scientist here. What even...are they?"

"ID-F86... An aggressively hostile alien species and threat to all life on this planet. Only by subduing and studying them can humanity ready themselves for the dangers the greater galaxy holds."

"But, speaking personally and...off the record..." "...I think of them as...just a wandering traveler, lost." "Trapped, far away from home. Waiting rescue?"

"Haha... No wonder I sympathize with them so much!" "You too, I imagine...?"

"Yes! Though...I may also feign myself as...a rescuer...?"

"Why am I not surprised to hear that from you?" "You and your big HEART has saved me a number of times." "In a lab full of people who've seemingly sold their souls for progress...It's like you come from a different planet!"

"Ms. Neichel..."

"Please, Rim! Surely we're friends by now!" "Just call me Neichel."

"...Do you believe in fairies, Neichel...?"

-

"And here we are..."

-

"Did you think we wouldn't find out? That you were another?!"

"RIM!!" "Please, don't hurt h...hgh!"

"Neichel?!"

"T-The..."

"...Let him go to her."

"But sir, he's... He's an ALIEN!" "And a bloody saboteur too!"

"It's all right. This is what we've been waiting for."

"What is it? What's wrong, Neichel?!"

"...The...baby...!"

-

"And here we are..."

-

"And...of course the door's locked." "...I always feared being the next one put on display." "Sigh... What are we two caged birds to do...?"

"About a name? I've already thought of a few."

"...Oh, Rim. You never lose that optimism, do you?"

"Made you smile though?"

"You did." "...And? Let's hear those names." "'Scarf?' 'Beret?' Your twin sister's name was 'Bridge,' right?" "Should we stick with the glasses theming?"

"Not if fairy names sound as 'odd' to humans as you've told me!"

"I was thinking...we could name our daughter 'Adeleine.'" "That's 'canvas' in your language, right?" "A bright canvas on which any kind of future can be painted!"

"Oh...! That's a lovely name! But, Rim..." "...We're having a little boy remember?"

"Ah, right!" "I was already picturing little Noir in my head so strongly that...!!"

"......'Noir'......?"

"Yeah, 'Noir.'"  "It means..."

-

...It means 'unstoppable.'

-

AND HERE YOU ARE

-

-

AN: I hope this gives a clear-ish answer to most of the questions about the birth of Noir and Adeleine, as well as the story of their parents! Or... did it just create more questions? ^^;

@kirbyoctournament

[inuhalfdemon]

No One Can Know... (4/?)

Word Count: 2,270

Chapter 4

"Meet me on your best behavior, meet me at your worst…" - Death Cab for Cutie

Wondering who-the-fuck-in-Hell would be there knocking this late at night; Lucifer opened his door. Seeing that it was, in fact, Alastor standing at his threshold with a seemingly pleasant smile across his face; Lucifer immediately bristled.

“What in fuck’s – wait. Is that wine?” Lucifer peered behind Alastor’s waist; seeing his separated shadow clasping a large bottle of Riesling and a pair of wine glasses.

“Yes. I thought it might pair well with our…discussions. May I?” Alastor asked him, politely.

“…yeah, ok.” Lucifer stepped aside; letting him in.

Alastor stepped inside; his shadow following close behind. The shadow paused briefly beside Lucifer; offering him the bottle. Lucifer took it, and the shadow swept further inward to be closer to Alastor. Looking at the label; Lucifer closed the door.

“Where in Hell did you get this!?”

“I don’t just deal in souls; your grace.” Alastor told him. “And I’m rather partial to a rare vintage every now and again. This one has been made ready for us to enjoy.”

“No shit. Damn.” Lucifer led him to a small suite; directing him and his shadow to some plush chairs and an ornate table for them to recline by. There were less rubber ducks and circus trinkets scattered throughout here than were piled in his work-room. Alastor didn’t seem to pay much attention to the surrounding room though; his gaze never straying across items, walls, furniture, etc. He was very focused on his business here.

Alastor’s shadow; taking the bottle from Lucifer – opened it and began pouring wine into the two glasses. Alastor and Lucifer both sat down. Lucifer reached across for his wine glass; then leaning back he asked:

“So…what the fuck do you want to talk about?”

“I’m sure you are well aware of the subject matter that I wish to address with you tonight.” Alastor said; taking his own glass from the table and gently swirling the liquid. His shadow excused itself into a dark corner nearby.

“Hm…how forthright of you. You seem to be in a more…agreeable…mood tonight than you were yesterday.”

“The extermination is merely a couple months away…I had hoped that I might avoid having to address my…“rut” until sometime after, but I’m afraid that won’t be the case.” Alastor explained. “I’d like to discuss the best…approach to the problem; if you are so inclined.”

“Uh, huh.” Lucifer said dismissively. “So, what exactly are we discussing then?”

“I’m afraid that the effects of the cycle will greatly influence my duties in safeguarding Charlie and the hotel. During that time, I won’t be getting much sleep and –“

“Do you actually sleep?” Lucifer interrupted, prodding him.

“Yes.” Alastor answered him honestly. “Maybe not as much as most but I do require a reasonable amount.”    

 “I must have really taken the wind out of your sails.” Lucifer tipped his glass to his lips. “I didn’t anticipate you coming here and being so candid with me.”

“Yes, well, I can admit when I’ve made an ass of myself.” Alastor allowed.

Knowing this was as close to an apology as he was liable to get; Lucifer stated: “Well, I won’t say that I’m sorry. If anything, I think I should have gutted you sooner.”

Lucifer waited for Alastor to make a quip at that but then; he said nothing. Instead, he raised his own glass to sip from – offering no comment.

Interesting.

“Ok, so I assume you are wanting to formulate some plan going forward, is that it?” Lucifer clarified.

“Indeed. Initially, I preferred the idea of you safely displacing me from the hotel until I cycled out but, the timing is not ideal. There’s too much to be done and I don’t like the idea of leaving the hotel unguarded for any extended length of time.”

“Ah, lock you away in a tower just like you’re Rapunzel and I’m the dragon.” Lucifer japed; unable to help himself.

“I don’t recall a dragon in that particular fairy tale.” Alastor remarked.

Lucifer nearly choked on his wine. “The fuck do you know about fairy tales!?”

Alastor shrugged then waved him off; “Essentially…I suppose, but it’s not a good solution; not now.”

“Oh?” Lucifer absently traced a sharp claw around the rim of his wine glass. “How long do these things usually last for you, anyway?”

“You are somewhat familiar with Cervidae demons, yes? You’ve commented on it once before. We are commonly known for our deer-like tendencies. One very prominent one being that we experience fluctuating periods of cyclic mating periods or “the rut”. There’s a lot that gets rather muddled with it though; it’s confusing even for us demons that experience it because each and every individual is different in the timing, frequency or intensity of their own personal mating cycles.”

“Sounds frustrating.” Lucifer offered.

“It…is. I never know when a rut will happen or for how long. I can usually tell when one is approaching due to certain…changes. Even now though; I know one is coming I just don’t know when. I could start the cycle tomorrow or in a couple of weeks; it’s terribly inconvenient. Judging by personal experience; my cycles range anywhere from part of a day to several weeks. Unfortunately; avoidance is what lengthens the period. If I…sate, the need and rather quickly, the period tends to be much less.”

“So what if I contact Asmodeus? I’m sure we could find you some willing participant from the lust ring to fulfill whatever needs you need satiating.” Lucifer suggested. “He might even have another Cervidae in mind.”

Alastor shook his head. “I’m not comfortable with that. I assume when you offered and agreed to our deal that it was implied that you would be the actual one to…manage this. I’m afraid now it might have to be quite literal. Lilith wasn’t wrong in saying that I’ve killed other demons during my rutting. After your explicit demonstration yesterday; I am confident you would be well equipped in governing my actions.”

 “Honestly, I meant it in whatever way you wish to take it. I’m no prude.” Lucifer shrugged; tipping his glass. “While we’re on the subject though; I’d really like to know –“

“If you are referring to my moment of sexual homicidal infamy; I’d rather not discuss it.”

Lucifer very much wanted to prod more into it; but, he could see that Alastor was making a great effort here in being professionally courteous. Which led him to his next question;

“So, what exactly is your deal with all of this?” Lucifer asked him; setting his wine glass down now. “You’re here pitching off your plans to me like we’re discussing something terribly unpleasant. I get that you might think sex is beneath you; or rather you’d prefer you didn’t need it but, c’mon…if you have to go through it anyway, why not own it and enjoy it?”

��You misunderstand. It’s not my perception of sex that has anything to do with it.” Alastor told him. “I simply don’t…care for it.”

“What?”

“Apart from when I am in rut; it holds no interest to me.”   

“None? Whatsoever, just….nothing?” Lucifer gaped at him.

“Truly.”

“So, you just can’t get it up unless you are in one of your rut thingy’s?” Lucifer was trying to make sense of this.  

“Not exactly…” Alastor huffed. “With enough effort; stimulation and finding the right mindset – sure…but, it doesn’t just happen. It’s really and truly something I don’t care to think about or pursue, otherwise.”

“I can’t…I can’t wrap my head around that. I mean I-I could fuck anything that moves. Not that I really would but, well…you know.” Lucifer shrugged.

“No…actually, I don’t.” Alastor reaffirmed.

“So, do you – do you like know what you want to actually like…do?” Lucifer asked him.

“How do you mean?” Alastor’s ears slightly leant back; whether it was him being uncomfortable by the question or a display of true confusion; Lucifer couldn’t tell.

“Mutual masturbation? Oral? Anal? What have you?” Lucifer threw out.

Alastor’s ears stiffened; pressing further back. Definitely discomfort.   

“When I’m in in rut; I’m sure anything and everything will be open and on the table.” He sighed.

“So do you like, turn into an even bigger asshole when your rutting?”

“No, not quite…that more tends to happen to the time leading up to it.” Alastor was telling him; briefly remembering his friend Rosie dismissing him from a brunch they were having in Cannibal Town once telling him: “come back after your damn rut; honestly, you’re worse than a woman!” He couldn’t remember details; only that he was terribly aggravating to her that day.

Meanwhile; Lucifer was waging an internal battle. So, you were PMS-ing yesterday? He very badly wanted to say it…he very nearly did, but he reigned it in; feeling it prudent to continue with the good footing they had established here.

“It’s more that I’m…” Alastor was continuing with his answer. “I’m just – Well, I can be a lot in those moments.”

The Radio Demon promises a good time… Lucifer thought, then he asked:

“Ok, so circling back. When or where are we going to…hash this all out?”

“I’m naturally crepuscular; and I’m generally more nocturnal in my activities. I can easily manage myself during the day. If we spend too much time at the hotel; even in my radio tower – we run the risk of being found out or discovered. If I spend too much time here or elsewhere; it leaves the hotel vulnerable. I propose we go back and forth; it won’t be so different to my normal activities – no one would think to question it at this point – and I have Niffty and Husker established so that if anything were to happen while I’m away; I’d know and can be there almost immediately.”

“Hm…yes, that might be wise. We can always tell Charlie that you and I buried the hatchet, as it were, and are meeting to discuss ideas with how best to proceed with the upcoming exterminations. She’ll wish to be included – of course – but if I tell her it’s something you and I are bonding or getting to know each other over; she’ll let it be.”   

“How…very manipulative of you.” Alastor commented; ears perking up. He was…impressed.

“Yes, well…” Lucifer reached back for his wine; lost for a moment in his thoughts. Then leaning back in his chair again; he offered:

“You’ve been very…frank with everything tonight. Do you have any questions you wish to ask me?”

“This meeting Charlie has with Heaven…do you think it will accomplish anything?” Alastor had in fact; been holding onto some questions.

“No.” Lucifer told him bluntly. “I don’t but, Lilith foresaw Charlie asking me to arrange it. I’m not…comfortable with it but Lilith will be there – Charlie won’t know that, of course – but it’s the only reason why I’d allow my daughter to go up there without my being there with her.”

“Do you think Lilith will succeed with her plans?” Alastor asked him, wanting to know. “Do you think that she can actually overthrow Heaven?”  

“If anyone; it would be her.” Lucifer finished off his glass; Alastor’s shadow quickly slid out from the corner to refill it for him. Lucifer nodded to it, taking a sip as it shifted itself back away. “She’s been planning this for some time now, making sure everything falls into just the right place at just the right time. The only hiccup we’ve ran into was you slipping yourself between the cracks but maybe that was fortunate for us – it remains to be seen.” He gave Alastor a hard look.

“If I get what I want from this, I’ll be as beneficial to your cause as I possibly can.” Alastor told him. “But, why are you choosing to do this? Weren’t you amiable toward Heaven; even after everything?”

Lucifer sighed. “Lilith has been with me through all of it…since the beginning. I’ve tried to make the amends to my mistakes; tried to make Heaven see that what we did…it wasn’t for the intentions that they thought. I’ve been fighting a losing battle for thousands upon thousands of years…Lilith stood by me; supported me all that time. Now, it’s time I stood by hers. We got nowhere with my plans and ideas for our future; so it’s time I supported hers.”

“How disgustingly devoted of you.” Alastor made a face and movement of his tongue; like he had actually tasted something terrible.

Lucifer laughed. “That’s just who we are. We depend and rely on each other.”

“So…she really has no issues with…this? What you and I are going to be doing?” Alastor asked him; wondering. “Call me ‘old fashioned’; but I’d hate to come between a man and his wife.”

“Lilith never would have agreed to it if she had reservations.” Lucifer told him. “She wasn’t lying when she told you that our relationship has been…unconventional, at times.”

“Hm…” Alastor remembered his wine and sipped from the glass.

“How long has it been for you anyway?” Lucifer asked him. “I’ll be coming out of a bit of dry spell myself; Lilith tends to get focused on other things when they’ve claimed her interest and I haven’t found much motivation in seeking out an outlet.”

“Years?” Alastor though. “Very nearly a decade, maybe.”

“Fuck.” Lucifer blurted. “You’ve got me beat then. You weren’t kidding when you said these mating cycles of yours were unpredictable.”

“Also part of the reason that I’m relying on you…specifically. I’m not sure just how…enthusiastic I might be.”

“Oh, don’t worry – my King.” Alastor fixed him with a sharp gaze. “You will know.”

“So, how will I know that you are in rut?” Lucifer questioned him.

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Scene inspired by: @applepartysins fanart/comic here

Chapter 5

[inky-hawke-warden]

Bad Dreams and Desires (A. Theirin) 18+

Summary: After waking up from a bad dream, you find Alistair sitting alone and after a talk with him you find a method for you two to go back to sleep

Words: 1.3k

Warnings or A/N: 18+.

Requested: Yes by one of my friends. Love you. Hope you enjoy.

 

     After the events that unfolded at Redcliff, the party sought respite before continuing their journey. Awoken by a troubling dream, you decide to take a walk around the camp. Not long into your walk, you spotted Alistair at the outskirts of the encampment. Approaching him, he turned to meet your gaze and greeted you with a warm smile.

       Returning his smile, you settled down beside him and inquired about his solitude. "What brings you out here all alone?"

       Intertwining your arm with his, you leaned against him while he tenderly kissed the top of your head. "I'm just trying to process everything. Losing Cailan, being accused of abandoning him, and now being told that to prevent Loghain from gaining power, I must take on the role of a King. It's a daunting prospect for someone like me, born under less than desirable circumstances."

        "I think you are very desirable, Alistair," 

        Alistair stumbled for words. "Oh, um, I, thank you," he managed to respond. I chuckled softly and lifted my head from his shoulder.

       "Regardless of your decision, You have my full support. However, my love, if you choose not to assume the throne, Loghain will take control of Fereldan. Anora may hold the title of Queen, but that will only be in name. The true power will lie in Loghain's hands. This will inevitably lead to the destruction of Fereldan and its people. You, on the other hand, are an ideal candidate for the position of King. Your profound care for Fereldan and its people is evident."

      "But I am considered a bastard," Alistair interjected.

       You turned onto your side, gripping Alistair's face with both hands to ensure his full attention. "You have a birthright to the throne. Your lineage grants you that privilege. Anora's claim is merely derived from her marriage. Ultimately, it is you who will truly serve the best interests of Fereldan,"

       "Do you genuinely believe that?" 

       You asked, moving closer and placing a brief but meaningful kiss on his lips. "Yes, without a doubt," he replied.

       Curiously, Alistair brushed a strand of hair behind your ear and inquired, "What brings you out here?"

       "Just another bad dream that kept me from falling back asleep," you answered with a casual shrug.

      "Come, let's try to help you rest," Alistair suggested, rising to his feet and extending his hand for you to grasp.

      Following suit, you stood up from your seated position. "I know of a method that might work," You hinted, planting a gentle kiss on his neck.

      Alistair blushed, his face displaying a shy smile. "Oh," he managed to murmur.

      Taking hold of Alistair's hand, you guided him to your shared tent. You softly urged him to settle on the ground after you entered the tent. You threw one leg over his lap, thus straddling him and captured his lips with yours. You pulled him closer as the weight of the recent events melted away in the intensity of the moment. Alistair's strong arms encircled you, holding you tightly as if afraid to let go. His soft lips pressed against yours, a mixture of hunger and vulnerability. The world faded into the background as your kiss deepened, igniting a passionate fire within us both.

       Alistair's touch set your senses on fire, his familiar scent mingling with the sweet fragrance of the surrounding night. It was a balm to our weary souls, a reminder that amidst chaos, there was still solace and desire.

        Alistair and you parted only but for a moment as Alistair's lips made contact with the delicate flesh of your neck, grazing your skin with his teeth, evoking a shiver that went down your spine. He traced a path with his tongue, from base to the apex, before biting where your neck meets your shoulder. 

      You arched into his touch and emitted a slight moan. The intensity of his desire matched your own. You swiftly removed your shirt by tugging it over your head, and he swiftly followed suit. His lips traveled down your neck down to the tips of your breasts, he drew one of your nipples into his mouth and began to caress it with his tongue. Succumbing to temptation, he roughly bit down on your nipple, causing me to buck against him and earning me a low growl from his throat. He worked this nipple until he was certain it was thoroughly pleased, before moving his aggressive attention to the other one.

      You pushed him to completely lay on his back before you left a trail of kisses along his jawline, feeling his stubble against your lips. Your  hands eagerly explored his bare chest, feeling the warmth of his skin under your fingertips. The taste of passion lingered on your tongue as you devoured every inch of exposed skin. You unfastened his pants and freed him. As you began to rub him, a satisfied “Oh Andraste" slipped through his lips. 

       Alistair's pupils were entirely consumed by desire as he observed you lower yourself to the ground and gradually remove his pants and underwear. You firmly grasped the bottom of his dick. You licked from the bottom and glided all the way to the top, wrapping your lips around the tip and swirling your tongue over the slit.

      You took as much of him as you could slowly, gradually enveloping him even further. A gag arose when you reached the base. "Good girl," he praised.

      He firmly held onto your hair, providing guidance in guiding the movements of your head until you felt him twitch and release into your mouth. 

      He pulled out of your mouth and kissed you as he pushed me back towards the ground. Once your back hit the ground, he took no time in ripping off your pants and underwear. He spread your legs apart and licked me from bottom to the top. He buried his face in between your thighs, licking you in long, wet strokes. He took one of his fingers and slid it inside of you. You gasp as pure bliss takes over. 

     While he was curling his finger inside you, he was licking the nub of your clit. After a few seconds, he inserted another finger in you. He was hitting your weak every single time. You cried out as the wave hit you, not caring who heard it. 

    He took no time in lining his cock up against your entrance as he slowly pushed inside you. “Oh, Gods!” You both moaned out. 

      After letting you adjust for a few minutes he intensified his thrusts, moving with an accelerated pace, driven by an undeniable desire. Your legs entwined around his waist, he plunged his cock deep within you. With impeccable rhythm, he seamlessly moved in and out of you, each thrust perfectly synchronized. “Just like that,”

    You instinctively rolled your hips, mirroring his movements and synchronizing your pace with his. Your bodies moved in flawless unity, every motion aligned, even your breaths harmonizing in rhythm. Your bodies molded together, the heat between you two becoming impossible to ignore. I could feel his desire matching yours, igniting an uncontrollable fire within you.

      The tent was filled with an intoxicating mix of heavy breaths and whispered moans as he hit deeper and deeper with each thrust.

     As your breaths quickened, signaling the arrival of your climax, he delved even deeper with his thrusts. His hands released their grip on your thighs, instead enveloping me in a tight embrace. He buried his face in the crook of your neck, gently nipping at that tender spot. The sensation sent electrifying waves of pleasure coursing through my body, pushing me over the edge. You squeezed tightly around his throbbing dick, intensifying the ecstasy that consumed you both.

      “Alistair!” You yelled and he groaned out with you. 

      He withdrew from you and lowered himself onto the ground. You repositioned yourself, resting your head upon his chest as he drew you nearer to him. In that moment, he made sure you felt safe in his arms    

[nitewrighter]

This might sound random but what are your tips when applying for a librarian position? What are the best things to bring up/mention during an application of potential interview and anything to avoid saying?

I mean it's going to vary depending on the library you're applying to. Libraries shape themselves according to the needs of their communities, so I would say the best thing you can do for yourself is "Don't see librarianship as a cookie cutter/one size fits all job." I actually recently attended a zoom seminar on interviewing for Library jobs and it took two tries, but following the advice from it got me my current job. So here are some of the spark notes:

-Do your research---Take a deep dive into the library's website. Look at what programming they currently have. Go through their whole calendar. Most public libraries worth their salt have what is called a "Strategic Plan" though that also may vary from town to town. Strategic Plans can tell you about the demographics of the community a library serves and where the library is pinpointing its own weaknesses and where it wants to improve in terms of programming, collection, et cetera. But the Strategic Plan is also where the library is selling itself, making a point of talking about how valuable it is to the community. If you do your research and are able to bring up a point that you've observed in your reading--like, you want to look for gaps that you can fill with your skills, you want to be the guy that solves their problems-- they're going to notice that! Like--for example, "I looked at your strategic plan, and it looks like your Cantonese-language programming has been very popular! I speak Cantonese and I'd be happy to help out with expanding programming or collections!" (disclaimer: Please actually be able to speak Cantonese if you're going to try something like this.)

-Be confident and comfortable-- I know, I know, this is the fucking Dark Souls 'Get Gud' of interview advice but libraries are looking for people who can work with people, and if you're visibly melting down, that is going to affect how competent they think you are for the job. Because they aren't just picturing you in the interview chair, they're picturing you behind the desk, talking to their library's patrons. Look clean, be engaged, be mindful of how fast you're talking, BREATHE, don't freak out at having to take 15-30 seconds to properly think up your answer to a question, but also don't be too stiff, bring a water bottle to sip to buy yourself extra time to respond and/or compose yourself mid-response. Project the image of the person you want to be behind that desk, but also find your baseline and figure out how to return to it.

-Actually take advantage of that "Any Questions?" bit at the end of the interview-- Don't ask about salary at the interview--Most library job listings include the payment range in the listing itself, so asking about the salary just tells the interviewers you didn't read it which definitely knocks off points. No, at the end of the interview, they're going to ask you, "Okay do you have any questions" and I know---Interviews are agonizing and you want this super stressful hyper-performative conversation to be over BUT YOU GOTTA HAVE QUESTIONS. Questions signal your interest on another level, having questions says you're already ready to get started. But okay I got these questions from a "Success at Library Interviews" Zoom seminar and they did help me net that job. So here they are:

"What are you looking for in your ideal candidate?"

This question allows the interviewers to emphasize more specific points of the job opening, and also gives you an additional opportunity to sell yourself as The Guy Who Can Solve That Problem.

"What would you say is the biggest challenge facing your library right now?"

This signals a more broad-spectrum interest in their library while also providing you an opportunity to sell yourself as The Guy Who Can Solve That Problem.

And, for funsies--

"What is your favorite part of library work?"

This one helps lighten the mood from the library's problems while also creating a space to connect a little more personally with your interviewers--it also gives you a space to talk about your own sense of fulfillment with library work.

So yeah. Again, all libraries are different and your mileage may vary--but engagement is the name of the game here.

[real-life-senshi]

May I ask for your headcanons of Reinako’s relationship after canon? Could be for manga or PGSM!

Hello friend! Thank you for dropping by and giving me a prompt to gush on Reinako even more! XD

First off, here are two sets of PGSM Reinako headcanons for those who haven't seen them before. They are all connected. XD

Reinako Headcanon 1

Reinako Headcanon 2

And thanks to this ask, here is a brain dump of more headcanon:

PGSM Reinako Headcanon Part 3:

Timeline/stages of life of the Reinako development:

Following directly after the Final Act, during the girls' 3rd year in middle school, Minako was a bit awkward about how to act casually around the Senshi team. Rei helped her out the most before the group dynamic fully settled - e.g. never stopped inviting Minako even if Minako often needed to miss out on group plans due to work without making Minako feel bad (not that the others intentionally make Minako feel guilty, but they just try too hard, versus Rei doesn't make a big deal about it); calling Minako out when Minako holds back on sharing her candid thoughts or feelings with the team for some silly reason or due to occupational hazard of being an idol; calling Makoto and Usagi out when they fangirl too hard and was making Minako feel awkward, making it a struggling for Minako to balance building a genuine friendship or treat them as fangirls. (Ami was also a bit shy with Minako at the start, so Rei had to run some interference there, but Usagi and Makoto were the troublemakers.)

I struggle to make up my mind on which is the better high school scenario: if Minako went to Juuban with Ami, Makoto and Usagi just like manga canon, or because of her fame and celebrity status she ended up going to T*A academy for high school with Rei (better security because of all the politician’s and big businessmen’s daughters in the school, etc), Regardless, high school period is when Rei and Minako really settled as best friends, getting to the point they practically know everything about each other and would be in contact almost everyday.

By the 3rd year of high school approaching graduation, Minako starts to realize she has romantic feelings for Rei. She suspects Rei might actually reciprocate her feelings, except Rei is too dense to realize or too scarred by his dad's abandonment of Rei and Rei's mom to consider exploring a romantic relationship. Knowing both Rei's and her own career trajectory would take them away from Tokyo with limited contact after graduation, Minako decided to not broach the topic.

Rei and Minako drifted apart a bit after high school graduation until the Special Act. After the kiss at the hospital (see Headcanon Part 1), and then UsaMamo's wedding, they both matured enough to face their feelings and started seriously considering starting a relationship. They had to do a lot of soul-searching and shared really candid conversations to get through all the emotional baggage, personal barriers and doubts they both carried, but they eventually got there.

And then they live happily ever after following what I described in Headcanon Part 2. haha (My actual headcanon of post-Special Act Reinako is drastically different from my fanfic, coz apparently I thrive most in writing angst and battle. LOL)

High school era PGSM Reinako:

While Rei took the lead in helping Minako find her place in the Senshi team dynamic and getting comfortable with just being a normal teenager during their middle-school period, Minako was the one that instigated most if not all the shenanigans that led to their deepened friendship in the 3 years of high school, elevating their relationship from just-friends to best friend status.

I always imagined Minako pranked Rei by surprising her on a school visit at T*A to "check out options for a new high school". Minako and her manager Saitou Sugao are being led on a school tour by a nun, and when they spot Rei, Sugao (who is of course in on the prank with Minako) makes a whole scene of barging into the classroom trying to scout Rei into stardom in front of all of Rei's peers as if it's his first time meeting Rei and exclaiming he has found the next shining star of Japan, after Minako of course! Rei was absolutely mortified, though the Senshi team had a great laugh when Minako shared the story in their next hangout. Rei was not pleased.

Following the above headcanon, I headcanon that Rei achieves the same intra-school celebrity status by the time she enters her high school division, similar to how Rei is a school celebrity in T*A in the manga. The drastic change from live-action canon was first prompted by the whole stardom scouting fiasco Minako and Sugao caused. Secondly, Minako learned by chance that Rei was bullied at school throughout middle school through Usagi describing how she met Rei. When Minako confronted Rei about it, Rei just shrugged and brushed it off coz she was used to it and the bullies are practically harmless with more bark than bite, but Minako was still so upset about it that she went to post on her public blog (equivalent to celebrity Twitter/Insta nowadays) about how Rei's her best friend and the coolest, kindest person who helped her get through her illness and recovery, etc. She wrote a whole sob story narrative about how thankful she is for having Rei in her life and how Rei was a source of inspiration and a role model to her, etc. etc. and posted some photos she had taken with Rei. Suddenly all of Rei's peers see Rei in a new light and think she's the coolest and want to befriend her for a chance to also meet Minako. The teachers started actually addressing and punishing the bullies and the school atmosphere was changed anew. The whole deal freaked Rei out, while Minako felt very pleased with herself.

Once Rei joined the archery club in T*A's high school division, she gained even more fame from winning archery competitions at the district and then national level. Her achievement adds to the furor Minako caused, and the lowerclassmen in T*A practically fawn over Rei and founded a fan club with merch. Minako loves teasing Rei about it and secretly becomes a fan club member with platinum status from buying all the merch.

^ The fan club is how Minako knows Rei's archery competition schedule, coz Rei is too humble to ever mention it, and also because every time she gets way too embarrassed by how loud the Senshi team is when they cheer for her, because Minako makes sure the whole Senshi team is decked out with inflated thunder sticks and signs whenever they go cheer for Rei at competitions.

Other misc PGSM Reinako headcanon:

Rei's the one who always remembers and is mindful of Minako's distaste for whipped cream, and stops Usagi's rampage on getting strawberry shortcake for every Christmas because Usagi always reminisces on the cake she and Minako had on the Ferris wheel and forgets Minako’s actual food preference. Rei knew coz she actually paid attention to the lyrics in Sayonara ~Sweet Days.

It's very often Usagi and Makoto would drag the girls around town to try out a new cafe or shop that's selling some new sweet drink, pastry or snack (shaved ice, ice cream, crepe, cake, etc. the stuff you'd see people post on foodie social media). If Minako ever bows out of getting something for herself, Rei will make sure to buy something she knows Minako will likely enjoy so Minako can share some of hers (usually strawberry-flavoured coz that's Minako's favourite), and without fail Minako would take some of Rei’s 'just for a taste because she’s curious', and then inevitably eating half of Rei’s. lol And if Rei is buying something for Minako or knows Minako will inevitably take some from her, Rei would always also buy a bottle of water to accompany whatever crazy sweet things Usagi makes them eat/drink - and it has to be room temperature only, for Minako because Minako needs to be very careful with maintaining her vocal cords for singing.

Whenever Minako and Rei get into a serious fight but both struggle to reconcile, they both would separately go to Artemis and poor Artemis can usually help them sort it out after. But if things get really bad and they notice Artemis is feeling caught in the crossfire, Minako would then go to Makoto, and Rei would go to Ami to process their thoughts... or vent. Makoto and Ami's involvement becomes a yardstick of whether "shit's-hitting-the-fan" or not.

Manga Reinako Headcanon...?

I've not thought as much about the manga Reinako headcanon because I perpetually live in PGSM brainrot. But I do think manga Reinako eventually established a partners-for-life relationship in the manga universe as well.

Different from how I think PGSM Reinako eventually enters an openly romantic, crazy-in-love-for-each-other relationship (once they get over their personal crap), I see manga Reinako has a more subtle and delicate soulmate relationship that is built on deep partnership and mutual understanding in life and duty, especially considering their near immortality and role in Crystal Tokyo. Their relationship dances back and forth on the line of being romantic involved in their personal life, and being a kind of kindred spirit in their view and attitude towards their duty. They've dated, and fallen in love with each other, but across the years also realize sometimes they need space from each other to maintain healthy boundaries between private life and their duty. When they enter a break from each other, it's nothing bad and always with mutual understanding, done amicably - stepping away so they don't get "sick of each other" since eternity is a damn long time! But if one of them is ever feeling down or struggling with something, they are each other's default go-to person, their safe place, and they can discard their masks and break when they need it, especially when they start outliving their non-Senshi family and friends while the world they know of slowly changing and morphing into Crystal Tokyo.

Once they stopped aging, Minako would still try to find opportunities to enjoy life as a human when it's possible, while Rei was more comfortable just accepting fate and being Sailor Mars for life. When there's no crisis to deal with, Minako makes Rei de-transform and drags Rei out of the palace for a girls' night with her in the city.

I see manga MakoAmi to have a similar partnership as well. Though their way of showing affection for their partner is a bit more overt and less complicated than Reinako's. Rei and Minako are so interesting to me because I feel they are more polar opposites in some ways, yet both are so similar in how deeply layered their personality and backstories are that it complicates their relationship but also strengthens them.

[an-au-blog]

I picked up "The Phantom Of The Opera" again and, man did I forget how much it reminded me of the shuggy royalty au... Not that I have the right to compare a classical piece of literature with an au made from boredom but... here I go comparing a classical piece of literature with an au I made out of boredom:

(with changed names (plus one or two words to fit better) of course... and providing context for some scenes I see these text fragments in)

(My interpretive context:) For a while after Buggy had started residing in the castle as a full-time entertainer, he noticed the odd sensation that would well in him every time he spent time with the king. It was not long after he realized that he had fallen for him. He may have played a fool, but to fall for the man who gave him all he saw around him made him feel like one as well. It did not help that the man would flee whenever the jester tried to approach the king about it. It was painfully obvious that the king reciprocated the feelings, love was engraved on his face each time they locked eyes. But another thing persisted alongside that love. It was doubt. Shanks never thought Buggy could love him, not truly, not when he had tried deceiving him so many times before, not when he was the king and epitome of his desires a jester. Not when Shanks knew how susceptible Buggy was to such trivial matters. He knew the jester would never see them on equal footing, so he couldn't accept the feelings he craved to embrace.

<<

"Buggy, you must love me!"

And Buggy's voice, infinitely sad and trembling, as though accompanied by tears, replied:

"How can you talk like that? WHEN I PREFORM ONLY FOR YOU!"

. . .

The man's (Shanks') voice spoke again: "Are you very tired?"

"Oh, to-night I gave you my soul and I am dead!" Buggy replied.

"Your soul is a beautiful thing, dear," replied the grave man's voice, "and I thank you. No emperor ever received so fair a gift. THE ANGELS WEPT TONIGHT."

>> {Chapter 3: The Mysterious Reason}

Before Buggy was ready to accept Shanks as anything other than a royal reserve with gaping doors, he had not been opposed to using whatever he could to fund himself and his men. It was a ripple effect waiting to happen. The king knew the things the jester was doing. Yet he felt the desire for his presence greater than the riches he would lose. The king was a patient man. Still, the manner in which the jester would pretend to leave Shanks blindfolded was insulting to him. He may have endured a lot, but he still had an ounce of honor he'd like to regain. Buggy seemed not to regard his wishes, that was what was hurting the most.

<<

"In the name of our love, Shanks, you shall not pass!..."

He stopped. What had Buggy said?... In the name of their love?... Never before had he confessed that he loved him. And yet he had had opportunities enough... Pooh, his only object was to gain a few seconds!... He wished to give his men time to escape... And, in accents of childish hatred, he said:

"You lie, monsieur, for you do not love me and you have never loved me! What a poor fellow I must be to let you mock and flout me as you have done! Why did you give me every reason for hope, at Perros... for honest hope, monsier, for I am an honest man and I believed you to be an honest man, when your only intention was to deceive me! Alas, you have deceived us all! You have taken a shameful advantage of the candid affection of me and all in this castle who trust you, who continue to believe in your sincerity while you go about the banquet with your men!... I despise you!..."

And he burst into tears. He allowed him to insult him. He thought of but one thing, to keep him from leaving.

"You will beg my pardon, one day, for all those ugly words, my lord, and when you do I shall forgive you!"

>> {Chapter 9: After The Masked Ball}

The king stumbles into the performer's room and in his fear of being seen as an unwelcomed guest, hid from the jester. Perhaps even overheard something that he should not have. (which is almost literally what happened in the book ':))

<<

"This is the second time that you have listened behind the door, my lord!"

"I was not behind the door... I was in the dressing room, in the inner room, Buggy."

"Oh, unhappy man!" moaned the man, showing every sign of unspeakable terror. "Unhappy man! Do you want to be killed?"

"Perhaps."

King Shanks uttered this "perhaps" with so much love and despair in his voice that Buggy could not keep back a sob. He took his hand and looked at him with all the pure affection of which she was capable:

>> {Chapter 10: Forget The Name Of The Man's Voice}

[loki-hargreeves]

Put your fictional foil hats on because I have a moon knight theory. I don't necessarily believe in it, but I do think it's interesting to look into. (I'm sorry if this is all over the place, I'm over-caffeinated and it's 3 AM)

What if Jake was Khonshu's avatar before Marc?

I started thinking about this because of the cave scene in episode 5. What if Steven saw this [bird skeleton] because it's a sign that Khonshu was there that day?

Let's say for the matter of this theory that Khonshu was there. Why?

I think that Khonshu may have the ability to see if someone will be a good avatar for him in the future, in the same way that Ammit can judge a soul and tell if a person will do something evil (or not) in the future. Maybe Khonshu knew that one day he would need Marc and therefore he kept him under his wing. Perhaps Marc was also meant to die in that cave but he lived because of Khonshu?

Either way, I think Khonshu has seen Marc as a candidate for a very long time. And we know Khonshu has candidates because he kept telling Marc about his next potential avatar and implied it's Layla (sure he said it to manipulate Marc, but Khonshu did end up actually asking Layla to be his avatar too)

But if Khonshu was in Marc's life already, why can't Marc remember him? It wouldn't surprise me that from that day forward, Khonshu started to follow Marc around, lurking in the shadows. Maybe Khonshu reached out to Jake first.

Khonshu reached out to Marc when it was absolutely necessary. Is it a coincidence that Khonshu happened to be there when Marc was so close to the end, or had Khonshu already been in the picture for a while? (sure it was in a temple by his statue but oh well) If he had been waiting for the moment to get Marc to be his fist of vengeance too, it was a perfect moment because he was so vulnerable.

Maybe Steven was more right here than he knows?

Also, let's imagine for the fun of the theory that Khonshu tells Marc "Rise and live AGAIN" because he has already said these things to Jake.

and here Khonshu implies that Marc was dead once before or a mere "corpse". Sure he was about to die but Marc never did actually die. This makes me think that perhaps that day in the cave as a child he was dead/almost dead by Khonshu saved him. Once again it's interesting how when Khonshu "first" saved Marc, he used the word again. (could be symbolic and sure Marc was shot, but the word 'again' also opens doors to silly little theories)

Marc tells Steven "Turns out going AWOL in a fugue state gets you discharged from the military." Steven can't remember that, so it's only natural to assume Jake was fronting. But why? I know this is a reach but is it possible Jake was doing missions for Khonshu? So that's why Khonshu happened to be lingering around when Marc was nearly killed.

I always found it so interesting how quick Khonshu was to agree to leave both Steven and Marc alone. Yes, we already know it's because Khonshu already knew about Jake. But he seemed so confident like he already knew Jake would agree to work with him solo. As if they had been doing that for a while now.

If Jake was the original avatar, before Marc and Steven, it would make sense that Khonshu was so quick to agree to go back to just Jake. He was already used to that.

Khonshu and Jake certainly must've worked together for a very long time for Khonshu to consider him a friend. Even if it's just to manipulate them all further, I don't see Khonshu using the term friend lightly.

Something that could poke a hole in this is Harrow. I can't figure out when exactly Harrow was Khonshu's avatar or the exact rules of being an avatar. Like can there be multiple? Did Harrow know about Jake? Maybe not by name, but still. He definitely knew about Marc and I'd love to know if it was really Marc or perhaps Jake that Harrow really knew about. (Another season of mk would really help enlighten us)

So even if I don't think this is the case, I think there's enough stuff in canon to make this a fun theory that could apply in fanfics etc. It's interesting to think about. There's definitely more shady business going on between Jake and Khonshu.

If Khonshu was so adamant about making sure Marc kept Steven out of the picture, then would it be too far reached to think that Khonshu had a similar deal with Jake regarding Marc and Steven? Perhaps even before Marc became Moon Knight.

[theyoungeragrippina]

💫 5 gentlebeard fic recs

to see if we have similar taste or find more to read, you can access 15 more recs here, or my current master recommendations list as an ao3 collection.

all the works on this particular post:

are longer-form (40k+)

have no steddyhands (simply not my thing)

are generally, all around brilliant (well-written, had me kicking my feet and giggling, laughing, or crying)

are complete!

enjoy <3 !!!

The Angriest Chicken In The Apothecary by @ignisentis

49k, explicit

"Stede's a lonely apothecary owner looking for love. Ed's a jaded potions master looking for his place in the world. This is how they find what they're looking for in each other."

so funny & creative & witty. i would actually die for stede's chicken familiar clemmy. clemmy stan club for life. i love her. this is SOOO good.

The Curse of Blackbeard's Sword by @dimplyowl

69k, explicit

"Stede is beside himself when he's hired to acquire and restore the infamous sword of Blackbeard, the scourge of the Caribbean and Stede's childhood obsession. He didn't expect that the sword would come with the ghost of Blackbeard attached, for Blackbeard to be so interested in him, nor for his simple offer to help Blackbeard's soul move on open the gates to a relationship right out of his deepest fantasies."

a super fun magical realism quest/romp/rom-com. also i LOVE witch frenchie and stede's cat and poor third-wheeling lucius.

Hold Fast by @cuddlytogas

304k, explicit (all the sex scenes except the last one are pretty easy to skip, but definitely still worth reading without it. pls feel free to message me if you want pointers on where to read around in the last bit and i can summarise/signpost for u!!)

"Stede Bonnet is free at last, and on his way back to his love. As "Captain Thomas Edwards", he'll learn a lot about sailing and emotional availability, and perhaps even make a name for himself as the man either brave or foolish enough to hunt the legendary Blackbeard. But rumour has it that Blackbeard may be the opposite of welcoming, if and when he ever catches up..."

this is so long and so well characterised that it felt like an alternate canon continuation to the show. every time i came back to it it was like sinking into a warm and comfortable and familiar bed <3 so easy and emotional and incredible and SO well written.

Liquid Gold by @perkynurples

79k, mature

"Stede Bonnet, recently divorced, returns to the town he once knew with a plan. He's got the house, he's got the bees, and he's going to be(e) happy if it's the last thing he does. (Stede is, as it turns out, a bit miserable no matter how hard he tries.) Ed Teach has been keeping all of his various demos at bay more or less successfully for years now. He's known as THE beekeeper in town, always meticulous, always gentle, never too bothered with rules, expectations, or protective gear for that matter. (Ed is also, no matter how hard he tries, a bit bored at this point.)"

ed and stede are so well characterised, heaps of cat and bee and flower rep, fantastic sassy and nosy lucius. just a fun and funky and good time! (also contains my personal no. one favourite piece of fanart ever).

To Stede, This Morning by keriiiocabinet

71k, mature (nothing sexually explicit!)

"In July of 2003, music journalist Lucius Spriggs travels to Valle Crucis, North Carolina to secure the interview of a lifetime: a candid, one-on-one conversation with with the elusive country music legend Edward Teach. He expects the basics - talking to the infamous Man in Black about what the industry was like at his prime, the potential to unlock an exclusive confession or two, if he was lucky. But the story Lucius gets from Ed starts in the spring of 1963, when Ed Teach met Stede Bonnet. A story of chances taken, D-I-V-O-R-C-E, nudie suits, and an unconditional love spanning across forty years."

this is one of THE best pieces of fiction i've ever read, but also i am genuinely weeping. it is 9:30 on a thursday morning and tears are streaming down my face. unbelievably bittersweet.

let me know if there's any works you've loved or written that i've missed!

[seolarzone]

‎⊹ ˚‧ ✩ DOC 001: INTRO ✩ ‧˚ ⊹ ‎

⋆ ┆ Vita / Vee is my name on here ^^ but honestly any nicknames are welcome just remember to stop using it if i express any discomfort . I go by she/her pronouns so please respect that!

⋆ ┆ '04 liner➡ so anyone younger than 15 please don't message and I may reblog nsfw works so minors please block the #nsfw tag

⋆ ┆ MBTI - infj-t this really tells about like 60% of my personality & my birthday - December 24th so I'm a Capricorn <3 and this is the other 40%

⋆ ┆ desi➡ I'm from India and I go by IST (Indian standard time) if it helps you !!!

⋆ ┆ work➡ I'm currently pursuing my degree in college so if I don't respond to messages or am late please respect that !!

⋆ ┆ DNI➡ Blank Blogs | Porn bots | Ped0philes | Anyone against the LGBTQ+ community | Fet!shizers (of any kind) | Rac!sts | Disrespectful towards others’ gender, beliefs, religions | Hater of kpop | Krp accounts | Plagiarizer | Other basic criteria.. !!

⋆ ┆ pls interact➡ literally anyone who isn't in the dni criteria but special mentions to animal blogs | kpop writers | fanfic nets | oc creators | moodboard creators | poetry blogs | positivity blogs. etc

⋆ ┆ reminder➡ this blog is a safe space so please make sure to keep it as such. You are welcome to drop in your rants or vents in the askbox but please follow the guidelines and remeber to not hurt or offend anybody. I am free to block you or remove your ask if it violates any of those guidelines after previous warning. Be respectful and kind to everyone here and enjoyy !!!!

‎⊹ ˚‧ ✩ DOC 002: LIKES ✩ ‧˚ ⊹‎ ‎

⋆ ┆big yess ➡ CATS !!!! and other animals too but mainly cats, psychology, music no specific genre and ofcourse recs are always appreciated, reading any genre but especially thriller and fantasy, i love food and drinks, poetry and quotes, the scenery and cosmic elements, watching movies and anime and reading mangas, cooking asmr not eating, the rain and snow, plushies, and taking candid pictures ! don't think twice to drop me pictures or recommendations on any of these topics !!!

‎⊹ ˚‧ ✩ DOC 003: DISLIKES ✩ ‧˚ ⊹

⋆ ┆ major pass ➡ everything in the 'DNI' criteria, peas, overly slow walkers, people who can't take the same energy that they give, unnecessarily rude people, people who shame others based on their lifestyles, people with superiority complexes, partiality, biased judgement, horror movies and stories, insects.

‎⊹ ˚‧ ✩ DOC 004: AT THE MOMENT ✩ ‧˚ ⊹‎ ‎

⋆ ┆reading ➡ one of us is lying

⋆ ┆ watching ➡ brooklyn 99

⋆ ┆ listening ➡ the grudge, olivia rodrigo

⋆ ┆ status ➡ trying to be active

‎⊹ ˚‧ ✩ DOC 005: LOVELIST ✩ ‧˚ ⊹ ‎

⋆ ┆ ultimate groups ➡ stray kids, nct, the boyz, seventeen

⋆ ┆ ultimate biases ➡ Seo Changbin, Lee Taeyong, Na Jaemin, Kim Sunwoo, Xu Minghao (The8), Hwang Yeji, Ha Sooyoung (yves), Lee Yubin (dami).

⋆ ┆ other groups ➡ day6, enhypen, ive, newjeans, txt, dreamcatcher, itzy, one pact, loona, ateez, blackpink, twice, lesserafim, p1harmony, stayc, aespa, gidle, astro, the rose, riize

⋆ ┆other biases ➡ remaining skz members, jeon wonwoo, (haechan), dong sichen (winwin), choi beomgyu, kim bora (sua), lee chaeryeong, shin ryujin, jeong jinsol (jinsoul), jung wooyoung, kim hongjoong, ji changmin (q), yoon keeho, haku shota (soul), park jihyo, myoi mina, huh yunjin, yu jimin (karina), ning yizhuo (ningning), song yuqi, song eunseok, hong sunghan.

⋆ ┆ non kpop ➡ I do listen to a lot of non kpop artist too and in multiple languages as well, currently I'm listening to sings in multiple Indian languages, Japanese, Chinese, German and French. I am always open to new recommendations so feel free to drop in your favourites anytime!!!

‎⊹ ˚‧ ✩ DOC 006: TAGS ✩ ‧˚ ⊹

⋆ ┆Document currently unavailable

‎⊹ ˚‧ ✩ DOC 007: MOOTS ✩ ‧˚ ⊹

⋆ ┆odette🌹 ➡ @anqelws | @svt-rosalie

⋆ ┆mars 🪐 ➡ @stayconnecteed

⋆ ┆mattie 🪼 ➡ @stealanity

⋆ ┆priya 🎀 ➡ @lost-leopard-beanie | @ivy-diaries

‎⊹ ˚‧ ✩ DOC 008: BLOGROLL ✩ ‧˚ ⊹

⋆ ┆click here !!!!

[aita-blorbos]

(OCs 🖤) AITA for refusing to help someone?

For a bit of context, as it is most assuredly needed, you may call me F (1000+, M). My three brothers and I are the universe's way of dealing with overpopulation. K creates conflict, P spawns diseases, I causes famines, and me, to put it simply, am death. I was created when the first being died, and my purpose is to guide the more…tricky souls…to the afterlife. But enough about me.

Sometimes, we come across mortals who are potentially useful towards our cause. What do we do with these mortals, you may ask? We strike a deal with them. In exchange for their loyalty, these mortals are granted powers relating to whoever they made a deal with, and much longer lives. We call these individuals Catalysts, and we try to limit ourselves to 1-2 at a time as to avoid complications. We don’t need Catalysts. They just make our jobs easier.

But as of recently, my brother K (also 1000+, M), who is notoriously picky when it comes to catalysts, excitedly tells us that he has found a suitable candidate. I will call this person O (???, M), and O is…quite the strange specimen, to put it lightly. He was trapped in some sort-of pocket dimension for 5-6 years, and has an aversion to sunlight (no, he's not a vampire.) The biggest problem, though, was his mindset. He was determined to 'get his revenge' on a group of individuals who had allegedly wronged him in the past. And from the way he carried himself, he seemed to have a bit of a god complex, too. Needless to say, I wasn't very fond of O. He was standoffish. Rude. And much too cocky for a mortal. Luckily he spent most of his time with K, giving me the peace and quiet I needed to do my job.

Now, here is where I might be TA. I was quietly reading my book, you know, minding my own business, when O shows up looking distraught. Apparently he already had powers before K gave him some more, causing all sorts of issues. He started rambling about these visions he kept having, and in the end, O asks me to help him learn to control his powers.

And I just…walked away.

I didn’t know what to do, but even if I did, I doubt I would have helped him due to his previous behaviour. I’m just wondering if I’m TA here, since for the first time since meeting him, O had climbed down from his high horse in that moment. So, AITA?

Edit: He was fine, by the way. My brothers helped him out, and now he’s in control of his powers (for the most part.)

[tarnishedxknight]

what is your true role in the story?

{out of dalmasca} Below the cut for length, and I also went without icons this time because... this post was long enough as it was. XD

BASCH

Your result: the rising underdog

why hello again dearie, I see you managed to help those frogs those children were kicking, hm? oh how much I can emphasize we are but the ghosts of our childhood passions. and, unsurprising enough, the hero to the trodden little creatures of the earth is now a rising golden savior to the masses. oh love, I said you'd go far, didn't I. for the good always prevail in the end, somehow, they do. you lived a difficult life, I know, but you never let that get you down. you took beatings with a grin, and dished back kindness in return. inequality and injustice made you outraged, and you strove to assist the hurting and abused. oh shining dragon, you are bathed in golden light. please keep being true. you have tasted blood and death, but you refused to force it down the throats of others. and that alone proves there is ichor in your veins, demigod. you will be struggling until the very end, battling for your comrades, your people, and yourself. never lose sight of your goal my dear. sometimes you needn't have one, except see the good, and protect it. that is all my advice can tell you. I implore, protect the goodness in yourself with everything you have, but never refuse to share it also. young hero, you are growing. you are destined for wonders even I may not live long enough to encounter. keep up the good work, and keep your head held high. you are bound to do the impossible, all because you see the truth. there is good in the world, and it deserves to be found.

ASHELIA

Your result: the "chosen one"

back again young one? still not comfortable with your new title? yes, I can see you are one that prefers the simpler things in life but you do deserve the rank they have given you. oh little sparrow, have you just now realized you are an owl? soaring the skies with gleaming, outstretched talons. you lived your life blinded to your own abilities, but now the truth is out. you did not ask to be a hero, which pains my heart to the core. but alas, the people have given you something so true and bittersweet you cannot bear to refuse them. for they have given you their trust. they praise you, songs will be sung of you, ballads written, feasts in your honor. but "why me?" you quietly whisper to the stars. if you could speak their language you'd hear their simple reply, "because." you, out of the finest candidates were chosen to be a sacrificial lion in golden chains. your loved ones chanted your worth as it echoed from the steeples. but what was your say on the matter? I guess you had little to none, and unfortunately, neither do I. but destiny is not a burden, it is a gift, you feel weighted by the entire world, your shoulders ache from the hopes, fears, and dreams of the people who have chosen to follow you. but their adoration isn't blind my dear. you are strong, you are worthy of the armor, of the crown. when you look back you will realize that you, my young god, were truly the savior many called you. do not run from your purpose, seek it. and I do not mean the heroic of sorts, no, search for what makes you alive young hero, for here's a secret, you are just as much a hero to others as you are to yourself. if wouldn't make you a villain, to tell them no...

NOAH

Your result: the fallen prodigy

hello old friend, it's been a while hasn't it? I remember when you were just a child, gape-smiled and beaming like the sun. where have you laid your youth to rest my love? is it buried beside your heart perhaps? I know how deeply life has wounded you, it took away everything, didn't it? oh poor soul, you held onto happiness with bloody, shaking hands but still fate ripped even that away from you. your past lovers are dead or did some betray you? turning away in fear of what they once admired. your comrades have been slain, or their priorities shifted. I've heard you too have changed your way of thought. the people fear you know, do they normally cower at the sound of your name? ah don't fret, that makes two of us. the masses tend to despise the things they do not have the will to comprehend. the villain finds sympathy for you don't they, well I could have seen that from a mile away. you two are the oldest friends, you made a deal with them correct? to save your late love, they tried to hold their end of the bargain, really, but I fear you are cursed to forever be despondent. oh what a sad and miserable life without love. is that why you chase loneliness? for is it truly a life of sorrow if you yourself has chosen it? but don't become bitter from the pain. trust when I say I have seen wounds unfold a man, turning the gentlest spirits into seething beasts. please, keep seeking love, even if it seems you are forbidden from it. you are the master of your own fate, I see how tired you are. the scars never healed, they twist and wrap around your entire person. your eyes are dark and lifeless, rest. but keep fighting, not with the sword you have forsaken so long ago, but with your heart. I'll be rooting for you my friend.

DRACE

Your result: the antihero

ah yes, hello edge lord. it is lovely to see you again. you my dear, are the incarnation of duality, and you might think of claws and venom mixed with grace but alas, nothing near as poetic. you my friend, are mixture of what is seen as right, and what is questioned. you follow the path of your own two feet, you know the twists and turns of life's forests quite well if I do say so myself. and you can meander along them wonderfully. you strive to stay true to a certain sense of principles you might call your code, but whereas in reality, those would be your morals. people tend to see you as strange. sharp edged and glinting you hide behind a cloak of chain mail but really you just prefer to show off your imperfections first. unlike many who scramble to make it as if their flaws never existed, you proudly raise yours up. saying, "this is me, this is the worst of me, now you know what to expect." and might I say, it is quite an intriguing mindset, for truth be told, the ones that love your spikes and craters are the ones who appreciate your softness the most. you wish not to be loved as something lovable, but as a monster. for aren't we all just beasts in human skin? you are brave, but you are lonely. you know quite well how to scare off most, making even the heroes with the boldest bravado creep away with their tails between their legs. you are not a villain, sometimes you play the part a bit too well. but nevertheless you are no hero either. you put yourself first, but if one wins your trust then may the gods have mercy on those who might wrong them. you long to be a poetic mess of sorts, and well, if the ink sets in long enough you might just become that sooner or later. but for one who is so dead set on truth you sure do hide a lot don't you? please, step out of the shadows, there is a difference to not making your flaws visible and to simply acting as if you're the most despicable person in all the realms. it's because you're afraid of attachment is it not? well let me tell you a little secret, everyone is. you say you wish to be left alone for eternity but than why are you craving connection. you wish to be known and understood truly, but you snarl and push the ones that might be trying away. please little wolf, accept you are lovable. you are not some ravenous beast that terrifies the multitudes, sure, you are not for the faint of heart but that does not make you an inkling less perfect as you are. young antihero, step into the sun. you would do better actually reaching for the things you want rather than pining for them in the darkness.

CAELEN

Your result: the supporter

oh gentle comrade, you know what it takes to make others shine. you live your life assisting others to reach their goals, but many say you are lackluster and unnecessary. but alas, do we need the stars any less for their dim light helps the moon glow brighter! you are warm inside and out, perhaps made of sunshine one might ask? but I can see you are as weary and worn as the hero you so desperately cling to. your purpose is to serve? Is it not? it's those moments of undying loyalty that make your bones ring true with honor. "I am right beside you," you whisper, for unlike the ones who lie through their teeth you will be with your ally through joy, through heart ache, through death. it is a difficult thing to gain your trust back if one has shattered it though, you are forgiving yes? you give many chances, but alas, one can only look away from a wrong doing so long. you can't exactly turn your other cheek as once wrings a blade through your middle. you are made of a steadfast heartbeat and a tired, knowing smile. you bring solace to the aching, and comfort to the wronged. but what happens when your protagonist loses? what happens when your valiant heroes fail you? will you pick up a sword and vanquish their enemy or will you wait patiently for yet another savior to appear and save the day? one must live long enough to see their heroes die. but are you brave enough to take their place? the only strings that bind you to your oaths of subservience are your own doubts. "am I good enough?" they whisper in your ears. you answer that yourself love. for the only difference between the paladin and the stable boy are mettle. it is not the question of can you be a hero. it is simply, will you be?

MUNOH

Your result: the supporter

oh gentle comrade, you know what it takes to make others shine. you live your life assisting others to reach their goals, but many say you are lackluster and unnecessary. but alas, do we need the stars any less for their dim light helps the moon glow brighter! you are warm inside and out, perhaps made of sunshine one might ask? but I can see you are as weary and worn as the hero you so desperately cling to. your purpose is to serve? Is it not? it's those moments of undying loyalty that make your bones ring true with honor. "I am right beside you," you whisper, for unlike the ones who lie through their teeth you will be with your ally through joy, through heart ache, through death. it is a difficult thing to gain your trust back if one has shattered it though, you are forgiving yes? you give many chances, but alas, one can only look away from a wrong doing so long. you can't exactly turn your other cheek as once wrings a blade through your middle. you are made of a steadfast heartbeat and a tired, knowing smile. you bring solace to the aching, and comfort to the wronged. but what happens when your protagonist loses? what happens when your valiant heroes fail you? will you pick up a sword and vanquish their enemy or will you wait patiently for yet another savior to appear and save the day? one must live long enough to see their heroes die. but are you brave enough to take their place? the only strings that bind you to your oaths of subservience are your own doubts. "am I good enough?" they whisper in your ears. you answer that yourself love. for the only difference between the paladin and the stable boy are mettle. it is not the question of can you be a hero. it is simply, will you be?

SORYN

Your result: the one at the crossroads

questioning yourself again? well it's a hard choice is it not. you always decide you've made your mind but you seem to nevertheless return to this state of uncertainty. are you good or evil? dark or light alas? alas, I am not fit for such details in morality. In my slightly skewed sight of it, neither truly exist. they are but a mindset, but mindset or not, they still give you quite the anxieties hm? you are one who has lived in fear, your heart is hidden, and you don't know who to trust. you doubt you can even trust yourself. the caustic words of poisonous people have corroded into your skull. "you are evil. you are a monster. you are bad." well that is indeed a bunch of poppycock, mind my language, for the only one who may decide that is you. my dear, you are torn between never allowing others to hurt the ways you hurt, and from running away from all who might harm you again, with gnashing teeth. you are a cornered animal who has been kicked by the ones it trusted. you do not know whether to trust again, for your mind is screaming, don't. but if I may, you can be both. it is not the question of whether you are good or evil, it is the question, what do I deserve and how might I reach that? you do not deserve pain, correct? so never chase that, instead kindly decline and flee from those like your past assailants, but trust the ones who you know are good. sometimes you will find people to be a messy combination of both pain and love, but so are you and I. my advice is to simply be kind, but be willing to question. always question, always wonder. do not give away your heart on a silver platter my dear, it is worth far more than the sun himself, but don't fail to allow healing. you deserve good things in life. so as you stand between two roads, walk between the third you just now have noticed. life seems to be made of entirely preposterous choices, but if you look close enough, you'll reveal the right ones that are normally hidden from sight. breathe my dear, things will be well. trust yourself, and carve your own path.

BONUS! ~ VOSSLER

Your result: the hero villain

so we meet again, don't we? pity, I hoped our reunion would never occur. oh, pardon my discourtesy would you? but I really find tyrants unpleasant to the mouth. "sic semper evello mortem tyrannis." I have seen many before you fall, and I will see many after you descend as well. oh don't give me that hateful sneer, you more than anyone should know the expanse of my kindness, but vain little heroes are but villains in different shoes. you grew up wishing to prove yourself, you were good once, or I thought you were. maybe you were born nasty. you strove to reach the stars, for you felt unworthy, ha, perhaps you were onto something you pushed those you saw as dirty into the dirt, face down in the name of righteousness. but one does not merely hate for hatred itself. all abhorrence stems from fear. you call yourself a savior to merely stomp on the ones beneath you. would you like a bitter truth? no one's beneath you, some just strike more worry into your heart. are they better than you? as much as I'd adore saying yes, there might still be hope for you yet. after you swallow a few slices of humble pie, and wake up to reality. you cannot force anyone to change. you cannot force anyone to do anything. it is as simple as that. reality has very few set rules and somehow even then people find a way to break them. you're not a god, little beast. it's time you stopped acting like one, for one day a real god will smite you where you stand, and they will be disguised as the "lesser" people you mock so bitterly.

Tagged by: @celestialmantdonna Tagging: Anyone who wants to do this! ^_^

[coffeewithcutcaffeine]

Much has been said and shown about Moldova over the past few weeks, mainly due to the referendum and presidential elections. Nonetheless, very few of us (including myself) have really sat down and tried to immerse ourselves (or at least understand) into the issues ordinary Moldovans have to face on a daily basis. Moldova is always looked upon as Romania's poorer little sister or a heavily Russified region, but to help them integrate themselves, push through the difficulties, and reach a particular goal, we must pay attention and try to hear them first.

The Slovak newspaper Denník N (in cooperation with its Czech counterpart, Deník N) published a wonderful article written by the Czech journalist Petra Procházková that delves deeper into the ordinary Moldovan soul and is a true eye-opener. You may not be able to relate to every opinion shared in the article (God is my witness that I didn't, either), but it might help you understand where it all comes from. It shows why it is important not to remain in our comfortable bubbles but speak out, explain, support our points of view with solid arguments. It also proves that the world sees Eastern Europe as a region not worthy of attention, which is something that must change in the following years.

Here is a link for those who can (and want to) read in Slovak:

For those who cannot but are interested in the topic, I am putting my own translation of the article below (warning, Russophilia mentioned; despite that, I encourage you to read it as someone who genuinely, from the bottom of her heart, cannot stand Russia and what it represents):

I shed all my tears there. How Lora from Moldova uprooted her cherry orchard and why the EU is to blame

(by Petra Procházková, Deník N)

The second round of Moldova’s presidential election on Sunday (November 3) will determine the country’s future. The candidates are the incumbent head of state, Maia Sandu, and the former prosecutor general, Alexandr Stoianoglo. The former represents the pro-Western direction of the country; the latter promises to mend broken relations with Russia, as well as maintain a certain type of neutrality until it becomes clear who will actually win in the region.

A young man in a sweatshirt stands by the stalls at the local market, passing the time. He has just arrived from Italy. Here in the westernmost tip of Moldova, in an area with fertile soil that is hard to find elsewhere in Europe, and people who know how to make the most of it, you cannot find work at all.

‘I’ve been travelling there for three years!’ Nikita says, pulling out his phone to show us some photos. ‘Here we pick watermelons, here pumpkins. They’ve got it nicely organised. They give us free accommodation, they feed us, though they charge a little for food. But not much. I get 7 euros for an hour of hard work. People here wouldn’t even dream of that. But now I have to go home for the winter.’

Around Nikita’s birthplace of Lipcani in Moldova, the soil is as fertile as in Italy. After all, 77 per cent of Moldova is farmland. Everything imaginable is grown here in the north-west. But Nikita is only one person out of a third of the working-age population who pick Italian or Spanish apples instead of Moldovan ones, or who look after feeble German pensioners. They even work as receptionists in Moscow or history teachers in Omsk. The dispersion, both geographical and professional, is enormous.

For there is no one left in Moldova who does not have to stay there.

‘It’d be enough for me to earn 10,000 lei (a little over 500 euros - ed.) at home. And I’d never go anywhere. It’s so beautiful here!’ Nikita says and goes off to kill time.

Cabbage and chrysanthemums

A woman in a warm waistcoat offers cabbage for 7 lei a kilo (about 0.35 euros - ed.). That is a good price. A few kilometres down the road, some men sell it for 10 lei. Ruslana, however, has lowered the price because the customers are few and ‘I’m not going to throw it away’.

‘We own a decent piece of land, but we can’t sell much of the produce. How much do we need per month to be able to live a normal life? About 10,000 lei. And I can’t earn that much from flowers and cabbages. But there is no other work here,’ she says.

Ruslana comes from the village of Trestieni. At home, she has children, a husband, grandparents, a pig, chickens, and several dogs. ‘We bottle and preserve everything we grow, we buy milk from our neighbour or exchange it for what we have in turn. We survive.’

Ruslana will not vote on Sunday. Whether it is one or the other who wins, she says, it will not make any difference to her family.

Even cheaper than Ruslana’s are the cabbage heads of Timur who lives in the neighbouring village of Satul - a kilo for 6 lei (about 0.30 euros - ed.). Neither he nor the other inhabitants of this remote region know that the World Bank has invested millions of euros in various agricultural projects in Moldova - for example, to boost the country’s competitiveness. Timur has heard something about this, but where is the money? He has no idea. Probably in other parts of Moldova. It certainly has not come here.

Nor has he heard that in 2022, the EU has temporarily liberalised trade in seven Moldovan agricultural products: tomatoes, garlic, grapes, apples, cherries, plums, and grape juice. These products were allowed to enter the EU market in larger quantities and with no customs duties. There are dozens of other EU projects and NGOs supporting Moldovan civil society and agriculture, but their echoes do not reach very far here, in the region between Ukraine and Romania.

Sugar and men’s suits at half-price

Timur will vote, but refuses to say who. Besides cabbage, he sells apples, a kilo for 0.50 euros. When he finds out that we are a Czechoslovak team, we get three apples for free. He served in our country in the 1980s, he announces with a smile. He spent two years in the 152nd Engineer Battalion in Zdechovice. He says he liked it there.

‘They say Stoianoglo wants us to be with Russia. But I’m not really sure about that. I have to ask you this. You know what? I’m going to vote, but no matter what the result is, I’m still going to stand here and sell. Sandu is supposed to lead us towards the EU. Stoianoglo towards Russia. You don’t want us in Europe, but Russia would accept us. I don’t think anything will change in my lifetime. For the worse, maybe.’

At home, Timur speaks Romanian, but his Russian is perfectly clear, without any traces of an accent. ‘I switch between languages as I please,’ he says.

The enterprising farmer manages to make a living not only as a ploughman and market seller. Every week he travels to the neighbouring country, Ukraine, to the city of Chernivtsi, for a big shopping trip. ‘It definitely pays off. Because a kilo of apples costs 10 hryvnia there, 10 lei here. But if you buy euros here and then exchange them for hryvnias there, it’s half as cheap as in Moldova,’ he says.

‘In Moldova, you buy a kilo of sugar for 20 lei; in Ukraine, when you re-count the money, convert it and exchange it, it’s 10. I buy what I need, bring what the customs allow me to bring, and sell it cheaply at home. And I can even dress myself well there. A suit here costs half as much as it does in Ukraine. And don’t even get me started on gas! Compared to us, the Ukrainians pay kopeks. But you can’t take gas with you. But these are all small things. What matters is that there is no war.’

The money for a funeral is saved for decades

Timur is one of the few who does not complain significantly or live from hand to mouth.

Vladimir died at the blessed age of 80. That’s quite an achievement by local standards. He had been on sick leave for the last three years, so more money was put aside for the funeral. His wife has survived a stroke and for the past twenty years, she has been thinking about how they will both say their final goodbyes to their fellow villagers. She has been saving money and now, her efforts have finally resulted in a nice, not too flashy, but not too modest funeral.

We are in the westernmost Moldovan village of Criva. It lies in the valley of the Prut River and is one of those villages where the old and the young live in a forced symbiosis. Productive adults have gone abroad to work, both to the West and to the East, to Europe or to Russia. Ideology played very little part in their decision-making. What mattered the most was who knew whom, who they bumped into, who helped them find a job.

‘My friend went there, so I went there as well,’ is the most common answer from Moldovans at the tip of the region gripped from above by Ukraine and from below by Romania.

The late Yuri’s daughter lives in Canada. This time, she sent more money than usual to help give her father a decent funeral feast. He deserved it. He drove a tractor in an agricultural county where the soil is the right colour and consistency. He supposedly did his job better than anyone else. He lived to see the collapse of collective farms and the decline of one of the most fertile parts of Europe, according to his relatives who also worked in agriculture. But the collectives collapsed with the fall of the Soviet Union, the borders with Russia remain closed, and nobody wants their apples, cabbages, nuts, potatoes, garlic, onions, or watermelons anymore.

A funeral is the worst kind of nightmare for Moldovans, and not only because it is a sad event associated with the death of a loved one. It also eats up a large part of the family’s savings. The final farewell here has its iron rules: the deceased’s shoes must be put on, and they must be dressed in new clothes, including underwear. This costs 3,000 lei. A car to take the open coffin with the body to the cemetery costs 2,000 lei. This, of course, is in addition to the payment for the priest’s services. If the body has been previously deposited in a morgue, one has to pay another 2,800 lei.

A new gravestone and the work involved in digging the grave and placing the coffin in it cost another few thousand lei. The most modest table in a restaurant costs around 6,000 lei. This is another trauma for the family, if we stop thinking for a moment about the death of a loved one - such a modest feast is considered a disgrace. In short, for less than 20,000 lei, you cannot secure a ‘decent’ funeral.

And a wedding? Unless you invite at least a hundred people, it is not a Moldovan wedding. In that case, you need to prepare at least 80,000 lei.

Victoria is saving money for a dance with her great-grandson

Campaigning for the election is not exactly a big affair here. There are only a few posters of Alexandr Stoianoglo, the challenger to the current Moldovan president Maia Sandu, in Lipcani and the surrounding villages. Lipcani is, for a change, the northernmost town in Moldova. From here, it is close to Ukraine as well as to Romania.

Alongside the posters, we finally come across a live campaign in the form of a woman in a stall holding a newspaper with Stoianoglo’s picture on the front cover. The volunteer’s name is Victoria. She has two grown-up children: a son who works in Russia, and a seriously ill daughter whom she looks after. Her daughter, Victoria’s granddaughter, also lives in Russia. Victoria worked all her productive life in the food distribution department of the local agricultural trade union. When the Soviet Union collapsed, so did the union.

‘How can you abolish agriculture in an agricultural country?’ she asks angrily, hoping that Mr Stoianoglo will steer the country in the right direction. ‘This president [Sandu] is leading us to ruin,’ she warns the few people who pass her by. The town, like all the surrounding villages, does not give a lively impression. The most active part of the population is somewhere in Europe or Russia.

Victoria has her reasons to complain. She has to work very hard to get something to eat. Not only does she hand out newspapers with Stoianoglo’s face on them, but she is also rewarded in kind. She refuses to reveal with what or how much.

‘I worked for thirty-eight years. In one place! And now, my pension is 2,770 lei (142 euros - ed.). My granddaughter used to help us from Russia, but then they closed the banks! We haven’t been able to receive anything from her in months! Tell me, is it my fault what is happening, and that because of this, the Russian banks are closed and I will starve to death here?’

Victoria lives in an old house that has never had gas. That seems to be an advantage now that prices have risen sharply again in the last year. Russian gas prices have been perfectly mirroring the deteriorating relations between Russia and Moldova over the last few years. As a result, raw materials are becoming more expensive. After Chișinău joined the anti-Russian coalition condemning Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, Moldova had to give up cheap Russian raw materials for good. Many Moldovans take this personally, blaming both President Sandu and the EU.

‘We use wood for heating. Imagine, a cubic metre of wood cost 700 lei a few years ago. Now I had to buy a cubic metre for 1,400 lei. But if I wanted to heat my house, I wouldn’t have enough money to pay for electricity. I also have to pay for the internet. How else can I keep in touch with my granddaughter?’

A disability pension for her daughter could not be arranged. She is not the first person to tell us that it ‘does not work so easily here’. Mostly, she complains, it costs money. ‘To get the pension, you have to pay the official. And I don’t have the money for that right now.’

The granddaughter - now a geography and maths teacher with Russian citizenship living in distant Omsk - found herself literally on the other side of the front line as a result of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Without her financial help, both Victoria’s and her daughter’s situation has worsened dramatically. Victoria is genuinely upset about the sanctions; she says the war in Ukraine, literally just a few kilometres away, is none of her business. And the European Union? It has caused all of this.

‘I am going to vote because if Stoianoglo wins, maybe he will help me hug my great-grandson one day,’ explains Victoria.

Daniel is in sixth grade. ‘They send us pictures of themselves in the park, at the cinema, playing sports. They live like royalty! And how he does ballroom dances, in a tuxedo and with a little girl, they both look like something out of a fairy tale. When I manage to save a few kopeks here and there, I send it to him so he can buy something for himself. You know why? To remind him of his grandmother and great-grandmother. So he knows he has us still.’

Victoria has seen Daniel twice - as a baby and when he was four years old. That was when her granddaughter could still come to visit her family in Moldova. But then came the COVID and the war.

‘Why, I am not afraid that the Russians will attack us. They’re like that, you know, if you leave them alone and don’t provoke them, they’ll leave you alone as well. We have to get along with them somehow,’ Victoria declares, adding: ‘I was born in the USSR, I went to school and worked all my life in the USSR. I learned everything in the USSR. I had everything I needed then. And now I live like a pauper. But I still want to do one thing - dance at Daniel’s wedding.’

Why should an Italian baker be any better?

Sitting by a half-empty box of tiny garlic heads, she is annoyed. Her name is Lelia. She worked as a saleswoman all her productive life and even managed to work her way up to a restaurant manager. ‘One euro buys two loaves of bread. That’s what we ended up with,’ she laughs bitterly.

Lelia celebrated her 83rd birthday on October 4. In 1996, she decided that her life was not over yet and went to Italy to look after a feeble Italian man with a pension of over 2,000 euros. ‘His family paid me 1,200 euros a month. The grandpa was ninety, he was good to me. He worked all his life as a baker, and look at what a nice pension he had.’

With this statement, any praise for Europe ends. ‘And I brought up six children, worked for thirty-eight years, and got what? A pension of 1,800 lei. 93 euros! What makes that baker better than me? Did he have eleven grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren like me? Go to hell with your EU!’ she shouts at us, as though we were to blame for her misery and need.

‘Russia is rich. You have nothing. No real natural resources. So no need to quarrel with the Russians,’ she concludes. ‘And yet you and Sandu want to drag us into a war.’

Her daughter, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren live in Russia. She will never have that kind of money. One of her younger grandchildren, however, works in France. ‘He graduated from two universities and got a job here in Moldova for a stupid 300 euros. How can you start a family on that? So he went to Paris to work as a taxi driver. With a degree in economics. If you believe in God, may He protect you,’ she ends the conversation with us because she says it leads nowhere. She is probably right.

It is all the fault of ‘those at the top’

The lady at the next stall has a pension of 1,900 lei (98 euros - ed.). Lora can count very well, she is an engineer. ‘Last year we uprooted twelve hectares of cherries. Oh, no! No disease! We grew them with love, but the real drudgery was picking them, and then we had to throw it all away three years in a row! Throw it away, you understand? We tried to sell a kilo of cherries here for 10 lei (0.50 euros - ed.), but nobody wanted to buy them. People are more likely to buy sugar or bread, but cherries? So we uprooted them. These twelve hectares are now a salt pan because I shed all the tears I had left there.’

Nothing grows on the land where the cherries, once a luxury item on Moscow’s markets, once grew on their trees. Thistles and weeds have taken over. Lora has kept two cows and is trying to sell her own cheese. Not a single person has come to her stall in the hour we have been talking to her.

‘We used to export everything to Russia before, but now? Not even a potato. Not even a litre of wine. Everything is closed, blocked, you can’t transfer any money, and you can’t get the goods across the border. So we sit here in the square with our goods like fools, waiting to see how the elections turn out. And what will they change? Nothing. And you in Europe are going to let us in with our apples? You have yours,’ Lora concludes.

When Lora’s Soviet collective farm disappeared, she fell from the pedestal of a chief economist to a job as a cleaner at a petrol station. But even that recently closed. She is left with two cows, which she says eat more than they earn.

Even Lora, the spokeswoman for the highly educated market workers, does not know what needs to change to make life better for Moldovans. She says the elections are useless. After a long silence, she shrugs her shoulders and finally reveals the secret of Moldova’s crisis: ‘What to do? You have to ask those at the top.’

[feline-evil]

Oh yeah i forgot to say here too cuz i'm more likely to stay at least a little active on here through it since it serves me slightly less rage inducing dickheads that i'll pick a fight with, but something upsetting as happened and i'm definitely not going to be in a good mood for a while so my activity online may go down.

My cat unexpectedly declined rapidly overnight and had to be put down yesterday, i do not always cope with loss well, i've lost a lot of people and animals in my life. We buried her, i helped dig, i dug with my bare hands because i couldn't wield the shovel properly with how fucked my arms are and my entire body started shaking halfway through and is still trembling the day after. I had to look after my parents through this, they cried, i didn't, emotions don't work right in me anymore. I'm giving all this information to paint a clear enough picture as to why i'm not here to be fucked with at the moment. I don't want to deal with stupid fucking twitter discourse that makes me want to punch a wall, i don't want to deal with pathetic cunts who have a problem with some nobody like me and harass me whenever i have anon on here, so as you can imagine considering both of these are fucking constants when im online for some fucking reason, my activity might be spotty.

I loved my cat a lot, she was already nineteen when she turned up outside my door terrified of people, scrounging through the small food waste bin. She looked so starved and feral i thought she was gonna die back then, i spent days slowly working up her trust, sitting by my door talking soft, not making eye contact, just letting her get used to me; i needed to check her condition, needed to know if i could help. She was filthy, flea ridden and starved, her little bald ears burnt and painful. Eventually she trusted me enough to take food, then be touched, and then a week later she was in the house. Two weeks she stayed the first time, kept warm and safe with blankets and food; a toothless, ancient cat i felt sure we were given a few final days respite before she passed. Her owners turned up after those two weeks. Our neighbours two doors down. They took her back, i was not happy. But as soon as they let her outside again she ran right on back to us purring and purring as much as she could, curling right back up in her blankets. After this happened time and time again eventually the neighbours let us keep her, i'm so glad that they did because she began to heal. Her ears cleared up, her fur became soft and silky, she started behaving like a normal cat again; she put a little weight on, never a lot, but enough to not look starved, and she even tried to gain her meow back (she was a silent meower, that she never managed to fix, but she did start to make a little noise).

She was with us for three years past that, or nearly three it wouldve been three next month, and she was the sweetest cat in the world; she didn't often have energy to play, she wasn't the adventurous sort, she just wanted to lie near you and purr. She'd cry and howl if she couldnt find us, she never bit or deliberately scratched, she was an absolute gentle soul. When we moved it was the best thing for her, going to a smaller, easier to navigate house with a lovely safe, enclosed out door space; she got to feel the sun and the dirt again for those last few months, but safely, not as some poor frail animal left outside to fend for herself.

The vet told us her organs had failed when we took her yesterday, that even if she were a younger cat she'd be a candidate for humane euthanasia. There was no coming back from that. It was her time, we knew, the decline she had overnight was a sign she was ready to go; to keep her from saying goodbye would be crueller than letting her go. She was 21, nearly 22. I found fragments of a blue china plate in the dirt we dug for her, i kept it, its so pretty. I made her a bouquet out of tiny wild flowers from the garden. She's buried in her favourite spot. I'm really happy i got to put in the work to give her the life she deserved even if it was only for her last few years.

[tonydaddingham]

I would not be surprised at all if this turned out to be The Fanservice Season of all time and mostly fluff, because Gaiman said that a season THREE would be an adaptation of the planned sequel novel. This is more like,,, an intermediate setup for the sequel. And I also heard that some stuff got cut out because of COVID complications. So on one hand I'm kind of, worriedly, expecting a dip in quality with S2; but it makes me wonder if we're going to get any real answers at all until the very last minute.

hey anon, evening!!!✨ not sure if you necessarily asked for it, but here's my take on what you've shared💓

i hear you re: concerns, and i think that is a risk with any sequel; that it won't carry the same panache, or quality, or heart and soul of what the original source material was or meant to be. this fandom is incredibly fervent and enthusiastic and every single one of us wants it to succeed, so it's only natural that the fandom might carry these doubts to varying degrees. the concern is usually only meant out of the sheer hope that it will be a fitting continuation of this hugely loved and magnificent book and series, rather than out-and-out pessimism that by nature of being a sequel, it was always doomed to failure.

the concern isn't unfounded... on paper. COVID had the potential to be fatal to elements of the tv/film industry, and certainly the way it works has since changed dramatically... some of it for worse, some of it for better. as you say, neil has been really candid that it affected the budget of s2 and therefore posed certain limitations, but i truly don't think it's going to be to s2's detriment. there is also the fact that there is no novel from which s2 will be adapted. however, that novel started in neil and terry's minds, the same genesis as s2/s3, and regardless of terry sadly having since passed away, it will always be the story they want or wanted to tell.

frankly, i think neil is naturally the no.1 fan of the story they built and were planning to build together (would be alarming if he weren't!) and obviously cares very deeply about not only it and its characters, but also the legacy that it embodies. if neil states that he's happy with, and proud of, how s2 turned out, im more than inclined to trust and believe him. he has the highest stake out of anyone else involved; cast, crew, studio, or fan.

exposition in books (from the uneducated, inexperienced view of this reader) is arguably easier to navigate than translating the same to screen. you have a literal narration in books as opposed to it being optional in tv (eg god in s1), whether that be 1st/2nd/3rd person, a central character or side character, whoever. so, elements like thought processes have to be acted out through an experience or as dialogue, rather than an inner-monologue recollection. a memory has to be actualised, rather than just remembered, because we don't have a written narrative to help us. for example, in the hypothetical book sequel, aziraphale could remember the job incident with probably a one page summary, and that would get the point across - but to adapt that the screen, that's going to require a more literal depiction so that the audience is up to speed, and there's no ambiguity.

so my thought process would be that s3, yes, would have been the hypothetical second book, but for tv's sake, s2 is made from elements of the first and second book combined. as you say, it's made to build a bridge to s3 where, i imagine, the proverbial will hit the fan. all of that set up, the exposition, background narrative, needs to be laid out somewhere, and im inferring that it would be altogether too much to put into a s3. hence s2 will exist. it would be a big story to tell, and easier to do in two books than in two series.

my gut feeling is, and i totally realise a) others may not agree, and b) this may end up being wrong, but some of that set-up in s2 is going to be a major tone shift. there usually is in any show/film or book series; in the middle of the overall story, the characters are put against conflict usually not only working against them collectively, but conflict also amongst each other. i don't think it will be any different for s2; that there will be something that occurs in this series that will carry the driving emotion into s3.

i truly and honestly hope that i am surprised by the boys not having any conflict between each other (as well as conflict with Other Entities) by the end of s2, and i would love for the opening of s3 to be rooted in solidarity and togetherness between them both, but i just somehow don't feel like it will... but that's my expectation, not a certainty. in any case, regardless of the S2 Angst Debate, this season is again set up for s3, so yes - i think it's guaranteed that all of the threads from s2 will weave together in perhaps the last ten or so minutes, and the final Problem will be revealed as the "dun-dun-dun" moment to propel us into s3.

as for fanservice? id respectfully disagree, and say i don't think it will be fanservice at all. fanservice looks different for different people, and honestly nowhere more than in GO. some people will want certain romantic moments, or certain hurt/comfort moments, angst moments, intimate moments, conflict moments, historical narrative moments... you catch my drift. neil has been pretty adamant that the story and canon is where he takes it, and is pretty upfront that he takes measures to avoid fans' headcanons and fic wherever possible. so actually, if someone's headcanon happens on screen, doesn't that just mean that that someone had the same thought for where these characters were going as neil did when he wrote it? that's not fanservice in my eyes, that's just being on the same wavelength as the author, and that - in my opinion - would be pretty cool.✨

[j-morgan-fly]

Samsa

So me and @fromtheboundlesssea talked a long time ago about who she would consider for Sansa outside of Jon, and she said Sam Tarly. And you know what. Yes! I thought that would be so cute so I have started writing something.

Here is a sneak peak.

Sansa finds a unlikely kindred spirit in Samwell Tarly. They find comfort and pleasure in many of the same things such as books, music, and even fabrics and dancing though Sam was a bit clumsy at the last. He’s fun to be with. The last person she felt she had any fun being around had been Margaery Tyrell for a short, blessed time. Sam brought out the girl she thought had been killed within her when Ramsay had bent her over their marriage bed and made Theon watch as he took the last bit of innocence she had left.

Sam is so very easy to speak with and she finds herself confiding in him things she knew was best not to trust anyone with and yet she unconsciously, slowly bloomed under his gentle, soft attentions. She told herself at first it was because he reminded her of a very large little boy, like Hodor, but that wasn’t true. Sam was very much a man. He was just very different from any man she had ever known. 

He had a mind as bright as a burning star, but like a star, you did not often appreciate the value of it until all was dark and it was the one thing that could lead you home. And his heart, he had this great, big pulsing heart filled with love and loyalty. He had a sweet sense of humor too that made her grin despite herself. And he was so very kind and gentle. And where he had the mind of a scholar, he has the soul of a knight. He had loved stories of chivalry and romance as much as she had when she was a girl. But Sam was not a fool.

He wasn’t fast to admit it or take credit for it, but he had a large part in helping Jon win the votes for Lord Commander. Sam took advantage of Cotter Pyke and Denys Mallister hating each other by having them each back Jon as an alternative candidate over Janos Slynt. At the mention of Janos Slynt she had fallen quiet, sullen. Of course observant Sam noticed this and asked her what was wrong. She told him then of how Janos Slynt gleefully been the one to push her father down for Illyn Payne to behead and how she had prayed for a hero to cut off his head in turn for his part in her fathers unjust death. 

“The Gods answered your prayer, be the old or new, my lady. Janos Slynt is dead. Jon himself was the man to take his head for insubordination at the Wall.” Sansa didn’t realize she was crying until she felt Sam brush a tear from her cheek and then offer her his kerchief. The silk had seen better days, worn and stained.

“You should tell Jon about Janos Slynt and his participation in your fathers death and share in this small justice for your father.” Sam had suggested, turning his face away for her to wipe the rest of her tears with his offered handkerchief. 

Sansa had taken that advice. One evening, when they were sharing a meal together, Sansa opened up to Jon that night about the day their father was beheaded. About Janos Slynt.

“I knew he had a part in Lord Starks death, I just didn’t know how much. He was proud of it, calling me a traitors bastard and was always saying how he was ‘friends’ with the king and the Lannisters.” Said Jon and Sansa took his hand, giving his knuckles a squeeze. 

“But you slayed him, you got justice for our father, even if it was just one participant in his death. Thank you, Jon.” said Sansa. Jon gave her a smile, a little strained with years of grief, but genuine. In his eyes, Sansa could also see some relief behind the icy grey. Killing didn’t come easy to Jon, Sam had told her. Each death, no matter how justified it may have been, was like a stone added to a bag on Jon’s shoulder. A heavy burden that Jon always carried with him.

Some days Sansa and Sam didn’t speak at all, they just sat in Winterfell’s library in comfortable chairs in comfortable silence. A plate of lemon cakes and mugs of hot cider would be on a table between them as they sat in front of a warm, crackling hearth a book in each of their laps.