#i have completely forgotten about my girl mary

[authoruio]

Kurokumo Clan Wakashu Mary Bathory

“How sharp do you think a blade can cut in a single lash?”

[g1rld1ary]

lifeguard!james x reader 2

wc: 1587

cw: nowhere near as horny as the first one (my period ended), still mentions of sexual feelings, swearing

you went back to the pool the next day. was it for james? no. was it not for james? you weren't answering that. but there he was when you and the girls walked in just after lunchtime, sunglasses on to avoid the reflection from the water. you had to admit you were glad he was working, you'd forgotten your book at home and needed something fun to look at when you were tanning.

you were allowed to observe him shamelessly for a minute and a half whilst he was preoccupied explaining something to hilda, one of the old ladies who possibly spent every day of summer at the public pool (she was big on aqua aerobics). it was even better when he did see you all, though, his face breaking out into a boyish grin as he waved. the girls all waved back and you pulled your sunglasses down past your eyes with one hand, raising one eyebrow with a smile. he responded with a silly exaggeration of his heart beating against his chest with his hands, drawing an unwilling giggle out of you. he looked pleased with the reaction.

james left you all alone for a little, actually doing his job while you soaked up the sun, discussing your summer readings with lily. marlene and mary were filling out magazine quizzes next to you, occasionally asking for opinions. about a half hour later james approached you with an excited "ladies! it's good to see you back again!" mary laughed with a polite greeting in return, twisting in her beach chair to face him. you all followed, and you couldn't resist teasing him.

"hope you don't think it's because of you, baywatch." james shook his head sagely.

"i would never dare. i mean, clearly, this is the place to be." he gestured around the facility, obviously referring to the fact that you and your friends were the only people there aged between 15 and 30. lily laughed then, pushing her sunglasses up into her hair to look at him properly.

"is this your way of asking where people actually hang out?" james shrugged. "to be completely honest, most of our age group sleep through the day to do dumb shit at night, it's the best way to escape the heat," she explained.

"the few that are awake usually hang around the arcade," marlene added, "or the village -- that's the shopping centre. usually our group hang out there if it's horrid weather, there's a decent cinema and a music shop, passable food as well." james nodded, looking genuinely interested in what marlene had to say about it.

"maybe you'll all have to show me around it one time," he said cheekily, and you all made entertained noises at his forwardness.

"desperate for our company, are you?" you teased, but james just shrugged easily.

"i told you yesterday, i literally have zero friends here." there was something charming in his openness about being a complete loser, and you could tell the others felt similarly.

"don't be silly, james, we'll be your friends," lily said kindly, using the same tone she did when talking to the kids she tutored.

"yeah," marlene agreed, "you can't be any worse than the other tossers we're friends with." you all laughed at that, thinking of the boys who refused to accompany you to the pool.

"and they've not come with you?" james asked, catching onto the unsaid easier than he probably should as a relative stranger.

"they wouldn't be caught dead. sirius cares about his hair too much to even be around all these germs, and remus tries not to be in the sun if he can avoid it. poor peter refuses to be the only guy hanging out with us, I think we still scare him a little after all these years," mary joked, and james looked utterly delighted to be hearing about your lives.

he excused himself not long after to get back to the job he should've been doing the whole time, and you admired the way his arse looked in the swim shorts as he left.

"he seems nice," you muttered, and the others agreed. lily raised one perfect red eyebrow.

"are we talking about his personality or the body you can't stop staring at?" you gasped, not offended at her statement but more than willing to pretend.

"are you calling me a whore?" you asked with a hand over your chest.

"you said it," marlene quipped and you cried out in protest, lines of mock outrage spilling from your lips.

you got bored of bickering quickly, the heat taking most of the fight out of you. you sat in relative silence for a while until lily declared it time for more water, taking marlene to go buy you all bottles from the corner shop down the street. the ones at the tragic pool bar were never cold and she wanted ones from the fridge. that left you and a sleeping mary on either side of your line of chairs. you pushed yourself up to a sitting position, leaning over to grab the magazine lying on marlene's towel.

you flipped through it lazily, but couldn't stop your eyes from drifting up to where james sat in his lifeguard's chair, wiping sweat from his brow. there was something about him that interested you (aside from the god-like body). he had an easy openness that you scarcely found in guys your age; he wasn't afraid to be lame or honest and didn't seem to be interested in making himself sound any better than he was to a group of four hot girls -- if you did say so yourself. he was refreshing, and not just visually.

as if he could read your mind james started approaching, and you quickly busied yourself in an article you couldn't care less about.

"hi," he said, standing in front of your chair. you looked up, feigning slight surprise, as if you hadn't been listening to his flip-flops grow closer.

"couldn't stay away?" you asked, closing the magazine in a way you hoped didn't look eager.

"you caught me," he sighed, smile making its way onto his face.

"shouldn't you be working?"

"i'm taking my break. thought i'd come keep you company."

"how generous," you mused, "would've thought you'd gotten enough of a view of me during your shift from up on that seat of yours." james had the decency to look mildly embarrassed for a moment, but it passed quickly and he took it in stride, sitting on the edge of your deck chair, careful not to drip water on your belongings.

"i'm only appreciating the natural beauty of this town. besides, someone's gotta do it if your boyfriend won't bother coming here with you, wouldn't want such a nice bikini to go to waste." you felt hot at the compliment and you knew it wasn't just the sun. you tried to play it off.

"are you asking if i'm single?" james paused for a moment, possibly thinking through his options, then nodded, unashamed. "you don't even know my name."

"you won't tell me."

"touché." you let yourself smile a little, loving the way james' eyes crinkled when he returned it. "done anything to earn it yet?" you could see him genuinely thinking and wondered whether he'd make up a miraculous story about an epic save he made just before you arrived at the pool.

"no, guess not." he settled on, disarming you again. the near-constant earnestness in his way of speaking hadn't stopped catching you by surprise yet, and you wouldn't be shocked if it never did.

"and what, no girlfriend up north to scold you for staring at my tits?" you teased as james' eyes flew back up to yours, only relaxing when he saw you weren't upset.

"free as a bird," he confirmed quietly, "though I'm sure it's of no interest to you." the air felt electric between you, had he always been this close? you were face to face, only a few inches between you. you could feel butterflies erupting not just in your stomach.

"obviously," you answered, similarly quiet. the moment felt inappropriately intimate despite the people around you. you were equal parts glad and furious when lily and marlene returned, unsure of what you might have succumbed to right there on the deck chair if you hadn't been interrupted. james looked equally worked up, hazy look in his eyes making him appear already fucked out. he stood with a start, excusing himself to get back to work.

"see you around, baywatch," you said, strategically reapplying some lipgloss. you didn't miss his glance at your lips.

"hope so, dollface." you were glad james was leaving because the nickname made you falter, going straight to your ovaries. you'd done it to yourself yet were no more prepared, staring dumbly after him.

you tried to play it off quickly, picking the magazine up where you left off and flipping through noncommittally. you could feel your friends' eyes on you and pointedly ignored it, eyes trained down at some 'best-dressed' list you'd found.

"just your luck that you get first dibs on the hot new guy," mary complained, but you could tell she wasn't all that bothered.

"you are going to eat him alive," marlene laughed and lily nodded, the two of them already sharing condolences for james. you didn't say anything, but judging from the coil still wound tight in your lower belly, maybe it wasn't james they had to be worried about.

i need him fr

[fictionadventurer]

Top 5 obscure light vintage novels! (Not sure if my previous ask got eaten, but also curious about this one specifically)

The strictest definition of what I consider "obscure light vintage novels" requires a book to meet a lot of criteria:

Published before 1960

Not recommended to me by anyone I know personally (including on tumblr)

Doesn't have a fancy Oxford-Classics-type edition with an introduction. (And none of the author's other books are well-known enough to have one)

Has a realistic setting

Ideally written by a woman or centered around a female main character

Which means that very few books fit this list. But of those few, here are my top five.

Desire by Una Silberrad: Flawed but fascinating Edwardian novel about an eccentric heiress who meets a soulful author and eventually winds up working for him when she loses her money and he inherits his father's pottery business. Fascinating characters, amazing romance, lots of interesting themes. I'm also going to count the author's other novels in this category, because she's come to epitomize "obscure light classic" for me. The Good Comrade is a much frothier novel with some great characters, and Curayl is highly flawed, but its silver-tongued hero lives rent-free in my head.

The Ark by Margot Benary-Isbert: I finished this book less than twenty-four hours ago (so I could include it on this list). It's a 1953 German novel set in 1947, about a refugee family building a home after the end of the war. It reads like, if you can believe it, a cozy post-apocalyptic novel. These people are living through some terrible things, but they make the best of things and manage to find joy. It's chock-full of fascinating details about life in post-war Germany, and reminds you that the people on that side of the war were human too, losing people and places they loved, and doing their best to live in terrible times. There are some superstitious elements later on that I wasn't crazy about, but otherwise I adored this story.

The Romance of a Shop by Amy Levy: Novel from the 1880s about four sisters who open a photography studio to support themselves after their father's death. Extremely underwritten (one of the girls meets an old flame and marries him between chapters), but a very easy, pleasant read with interesting historical details, and some nice sisterly relationships that remind me just a bit of Little Women meets Oscar Wilde.

The Heir of Redclyffe and Countess Kate by Charlotte Mary Yonge: Books by one of the bestselling authors of the Victorian age who's completely forgotten today. Both get too preachy at times, but make up for it by having amazing characters. The first one is a family saga about cousins caught up in an old feud, and the second is like if Anne Shirley suddenly found out she was a countess.

The Rosary by Florence Barclay: The bestselling novel of, like, 1920. It gets very melodramatic, but I was also surprised at how grounded and witty the characters were. I remember very little about it, but I have fond memories of the reading experience, and it earns a place on this list because when I want to find an "obscure vintage light novel", on some level I'm thinking I want to find a book like this.

I know you didn't ask, but I find myself wanting to list five novels that don't quite meet the strict criteria above, but are close enough that I want to highlight them.

The Dean's Watch and The Rosemary Tree by Elizabeth Goudge: Goudge isn't exactly obscure in this section of tumblr (which is why I heard of her in the first place), but she's obscure enough that a lot of her books are out-of-print or otherwise hard to get, and these two in particular are among the best books I've ever read.

The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery: Montgomery is extremely well-known, and this book has an ever-growing and very devoted cult following, so it's not exactly obscure, but it's much less well-known than most of her other books. A deep cut, if you will. It fits perfectly within the light vintage novel category, and has long been one of my favorite novels of all time.

Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon: It's got an Oxford Classics (or similar imprint) edition, and is well-known as one of the very first sensation novels, but it's not exactly known among people who don't deep-dive into Victorian literature. I read this last month and loved it. It's a cozy sensation novel with an amazing main character, great atmosphere, and a plot that manages to grip you even while not much happens.

Mrs. Miniver by Jan Struther: It's not exactly obscure if it has a movie adaptation, but from what I know, the movie basically ignores the book, which isn't that well-known today. Charming slice-of-life from the very early days of WWII England.

Helen by Maria Edgeworth: Not exactly beloved, and Edgeworth isn't exactly obscure, but this is a lesser-known novel that fits well within this category. The first half had some moments that were so dull I considered not finishing, but the second half was gripping enough that I can mention it as a nice, obscure surprise of a book.

[thejilyship]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love! ❤️

As usual, I'm getting to this late, but I'm getting to it and that's what's important.

It's Never Enough - James moves on and gets himself a girlfriend, only to then hear Marlene teasing Lily about having a crush on him. It's full of pinning, longing, angst, and the like.

All I Want for Christmas is You - It just seems like an appropriate time to plug my hallmark christmas fic. Single!dad james is driving to his parents house with his young son, when his car breaks down outside of town. He gets a ride to town from Lily's dad and the rest is history!

we all want to kiss our friends sometimes - This is probably my most favorite fic that I've ever written. it's fem!jily and it's about how hard it is to realize that you've got a crush on someone when the way you have a crush on someone looks different than it does for the people around you. <3

Petalpocalypse - I co-wrote this with three wonderful people (@gryffindormischief @magic-girl-in-a-muggle-world and Abby, who's tumblr I can't find) and it's the most fun that I've ever had writing with others. It's the tropiest and loveliest, silliest, jily fic on the market, hands down.

Blind Dates and Good Graces - Mary is being very persistent about setting Lily up with someone on Reggie's football team, and Lily is not interested. Mainly because she might fancy her lab partner, James Potter.

Thanks for sending this to me! I tried to pick some fics that I don't always pick. I had completely forgotten about Blind Dates and Good Graces, but it's v cute and I like it. I almost always rec we all want to kiss our friends somtimes, but it's my fav and I can't help it lol

[bethanydelleman]

So many people argue that Henry Crawford only promoted Fanny's brother William to create obligation. I disagree.

Have you considered that he was in love with her? Whatever you think about Henry and whatever you think about his love, at that very moment he was very much in love with her. "Rationally and passionately" according to the narrator. Generally, people in love really like buying stuff for the person they love. It's like, a whole thing. Henry Crawford giving Fanny Price the exact thing that her heart most desires because he's in love with her is actually a really normal thing to do. Wanting to see someone you love happy is a basic human desire.

Also, he thought she would accept his proposal. He thought that so much that her saying "no" three times didn't even register to him as a refusal (her modesty alone seemed, to his sanguine and preassured mind, to stand in the way of the happiness he sought). He thought she would accept so much that it took Fanny an hour to convince him otherwise. AN HOUR. Because he thought he could make any girl love him just by flirting with her. Because that had literally always worked before.

Henry Crawford may be many things, but I'm fairly convinced that he promoted William as an engagement present, to make his future wife happy, because he loved her and he wanted to make her happy (and show off that he made her happy). Which is exactly what he says he wants to do 2 chapters earlier:

"...Yes, Mary, my Fanny will feel a difference indeed: a daily, hourly difference, in the behaviour of every being who approaches her; and it will be the completion of my happiness to know that I am the doer of it, that I am the person to give the consequence so justly her due. Now she is dependent, helpless, friendless, neglected, forgotten.... What can Sir Thomas and Edmund together do, what do they do for her happiness, comfort, honour, and dignity in the world, to what I shall do?”

Did he completely misunderstand Fanny? Of course he did. But that's basically the theme of the novel.

[ifyouknowmenahyoudontt]

MORE OF ME COMPLAINING ABOUT THE FANDOM

- i’ve seen so many ppl consider andromeda and sirius leaving from their family as an act of love for their muggle born partners. i don’t really like that ESP for sirius. it really downplays their morals and what they fought for.

- why is regulus the forth marauder? where tf did peter go

- if i see one more piece of content that makes sirius leaving the house of black about regulus im going to lose it. “ b-b-but how could he leave his baby brother🥺” that little baby brother was apart of a supremacist terrorist cult let’s be for real

-making characters like lily or remus in ships with those deatheaters assholes is WILD.

-andromeda is everything you want regulus to be give this girl the credit she deserves

-fanon regulus is cringe as hell. you all just took over characters story’s to make it his. he sucked.

-the moment someone brings up that a new ship/hdcs don’t make sense and ppl say “nothing is the hp universe makes sense” i lose a year off my life. let’s use our little heads and figure out that even in a fantastical world. things.can.still.make.sense.with.the.plotline.

- some of the regulus/evan/barty and whatever ways fans are like the WHINIEST fandom i have ever seen. can’t take any (valid btw) criticism on their weird little fetishes and act like they’re being oppressed when people don’t like the same thing as them. not all of you guys obv but a LOT

- “if you don’t like it just scroll” no? some things are objectively wrong and bad and should be discussed grow up

-this fandom is turning into a booktok porn addiction fandom

-a fandom is a place of discussion. people not liking fictional characters and talking about it is not going to kill you

-james’s character got dumbed down so BADLY by all the jegulus nonsense like james being kind of a simp in canon was because his love for LILY was pure and strong. they have a whole ass prophecy.

-making every character queer isn’t doing what you think it’s doing. and frankly idgaf if you make this character queer if that character is a horrible person. doesn’t make them more likable or interesting.

-there is a deep rooted issue of misogyny in this fandom.

-saying that jegulus is not going against lily as a character is not true. fanon regulus is literally lily but like racist. jegulus is literally jily.

-lily evans can love james potter and still be a strong character these two are not linked at all

-dorlene/jily/wolfstar where the sanest ships in the fandom. maybe add rose killer on there cus frankly since it doesn’t change much the characters or storyline it’s okay

-remember when regulus was ace? why did that get completely forgotten

-some of the fancasts did irreparable damage to people’s brains. because hot doesn’t mean better person

-james potter would punch most of the people you ship him with

- jegulus fics where harry is there kid and lily is a surrgate/barely in the pic is CRAZY

-mary is so sexualized? like why

- sirius was canonically better looking than regulus lol

-the black family can be explored so much more besides just the regulus glaze

-REGULUS BARELY CONTRIBUTED TO VOLDMORT BEING DEFEATEDDDDS PLEASE

- some of the new sapphic ships are actually good. nobleflower is very interesting.

[danisbrainrot]

I love misty and you so... misty is obsessed with the reader and always making them little gifts, following them everywhere and trying to help with everything while the reader is going from "girl we talked like twice fuck off" to "that's creepy but actually kinda cute ig"

misty quigley x reader

OMG I LOVE THIS ACTUALLY!! misty in her joe goldberg era 🤭 I don't know how far you wanted me to go, so I'll keep this relatively sfw. if you want a nsfw version, just ask!!

slamming your locker open, you started ruffling through it in search of your textbook that was mysteriously missing, when a small box fell out. you paused what you were doing, crouching down to inspect it.

it was a plain plastic box, that contained a funky little smiley face ring in it. this wasn't the first gift you'd received that month, having found something different in your locker everyday. this one was just an odd surprise—you wondered how they knew you loved novelty rings. snorting while covering your mouth with your hand, you wasted no time slipping it on your finger with a grin.

your friend, mari, waved at you, ready to walk you to class when she noticed your new gift, "hey, where'd you get the ring?"

you shrugged, "found it in my locker. someone must have slipped it in? I'm not sure, but we're going to be late," you reply, finding the textbook and slamming the locker shut.

"isn't this like the fourth weird gift you've found this week? you might have a secret admirer!" mari teases, causing you to groan and roll your eyes.

the two of you head to class, not noticing misty who was hiding behind the wall, watching you the entire time. she smiled softly, glad you liked her little gift. she pulled out a notepad, placing a small tick next to 'cute jewellery.'

she followed you to class, having picked the same classes as you so you'd never leave her sight. you'd chosen to sit at the back with your friend, whereas misty was forced to sit at the front. she scowled and watched the clock all lesson until class finished.

not wanting to waste time, misty got to work making her next gift for you. she pulled out her notepad and saw the next gift idea was 'love letters'. flicking to a new page, misty neatly wrote your name in cursive, ready to start when she realised she didn't know what to say.

your laughter from the back of the room made misty perk up, finally sure what she wanted to write. she began scribbling frantically as she didn't want to forget any compliments.

when class finished, you walked past her and saw your name at the top of the page in her neat handwriting. your heart raced, not sure how to feel about it, before looking away and focusing on the conversation with mari. misty quickly tried to cover the letter as you walked past, not realising you'd already seen it.

you'd completely forgotten about misty's letter until the next day, when you'd opened your locker to find it neatly laid on top of your books. it freaked you out that she knew how to break into your locker—even wondering if she knew your combination or it was a coincidence that it landed perfectly.

turning around, your eyes scanned the hall—misty was nowhere in sight. a shiver creeped up your spine, knowing she could be watching you at any minute and you wouldn't know. slamming your locker shut, you didn't bother reading it.

watching from her hiding spot, she sighed, wondering why you didn't like her latest gift. she pulled out her notepad and crossed out 'love letters' and shoved it in her backpack. she quietly followed you, not realising you were heading for the bathroom. when she saw you walk in, her heart raced as she tried to make a quick decision—did she follow you and seem suspicious? or just head to your next lesson and wait for you?

seeing mari enter after you, she decided on the second option and ran to your next class. this time she managed to snag a seat at the back, able to see you perfectly no matter where you sat. however, when five minutes passed and you still weren't in class, she began to feel disappointment simmering in her stomach.

raising her hand in the air, the teacher called on her, "can I go to the toilet?" misty asked, the teacher nodded. she grabbed her stuff, stomping straight to the toilet she'd seen you in last. carefully opening the door, trying not to make a big sound she saw your feet under one of the stalls.

"mari? is that you?" you call out, hearing no other response, you huff. "do you have a pad? or a tampon?" misty lightened up, rustling through her bag and handing you a pad from under the door. "thanks," she smiled widely, wondering whether or not to say anything.

when misty heard you flush the toilet, she knew it had been too long to say anything, so you ran out of the toilet and back to class. she pulled out her notebook and added a new addition to her list 'pads'.

after school, you made your way to soccer practice. placing your stuff to the side of the field, you don't notice misty had approached you from behind. you almost jump in shock. "misty what the fuck," you hiss, clutching your heart.

"sorry, I just noticed you didn't bring your water bottle today," she explains, making you scrunch your nose in confusion—she almost fainted at the sight. you began ruffling through your bag, swearing you'd brought it, but failing to find it. "here! I always bring bottled water as a backup?"

you accept it graciously, smiling at her—a good effort considering you were still frustrated from losing your old bottle. waving goodbye to her before running on to the field, she searched her bag to see if your water bottle was still there—when her hand wrapped around it, she smiled.

misty didn't have time to add 'water' to the list, since she was the equipment manager both coaches needed her. but once practice was finished, she made sure to tick the latest discovery.

watching your sweaty body pour the bottled water over your face made her stomach tingly, as she tried to ignore the hot feeling you gave her. she had a mission to complete, now was not the time to let her hormones crowd her thoughts.

misty approaches you and van, "hey! I found your water bottle," she announces, holding it out for you.

your heart sinks, as you send van a nervous glance. van struggles to hold back her laughter, as you give misty a strained smile. "thank you. . . where did you find it?"

"your bag?" van teases.

"no!" misty cries, readjusting her glasses, "it was in one of the sports bags. you must have accidentally thrown it in last practice," she lies perfectly. you pretend you believe her, trying to get out of the conversation.

snatching the bottle out of her hand, you shove it in your bag. "that's a nice ring," misty compliments, you look down at it, then back at her suspiciously.

"did you get it for me?" you ask nervously, heart racing as you did. she nodded her head eagerly, making you feel sick. "what the fuck, misty?" noticing how awkward it had become, van excused herself and left the two of you alone—making you uncomfortable. "are you like, stalking me or something? why do you keep giving me things? it's weird!"

misty readjusts her glasses again nervously, "I'm just not. . . i—um, it's because—"

"seriously, you need to fuck off, this is so creepy," you reply. turning on your heel, you power walked far away from her, leaving the blonde dejected.

misty stomped to the equipment shed, trying to think of ways to get you to love her. coach ben entered, trying his best to avoid her gaze, but it was too late, "coach, how do I get the person I like to like me back?"

he stared at her oddly, "um. . . I'm not sure, misty. maybe find something they like?"

"I tried that!" she complains.

he shrugged, "I don't think this is a conversation we should be having," he replies.

misty groans in frustration, "okay coach," she whispers sarcastically, stomping out of the shed. she was in a foul mood and nothing could stop it.

over the next couple of days, it was relatively quiet. you didn't receive any more trinkets, which surprisingly made you upset. you missed the little gifts misty left in your locker—but mostly, you felt guilty for yelling at her. she was just being nice and you were a bitch to her.

that's why, during lunch, you approached her where she usually sat. misty was crouched over her notepad, scribbling on it. sitting next to her, "I'm sorry for yelling at you," you whisper, making her jump.

"jesus! you scared me," she replies, before smiling when she realised it was you. "oh. . . it's okay," you look at what she was writing and noticed your name was on the top of the page.

you bumped her shoulder with your own, "what're you writing?" you tease, causing her to blush a deep crimson. she passed the note to you, letting you read it. it was a long apology for being 'creepy'. you giggle, biting your lip. "you didn't have to do this, I should be the one apologising," she shrugs.

"it was weird," she whispers, looking at the ground.

you place your fingers under her chin, forcing her to look at you. "it was sweet. I see that now," you assure her. to make it sink, you lean in and softly press your lips against hers. sending her nerves into overdrive, misty gets eager and responds by kissing you back harder—almost devouring your lips. you don't mind, however, it's nice to be hungered for.

—💌—

25 years later

slotting your key in the lock, you turn it until you hear the satisfying click and shove the door open. trudging through the hall, you end up in the kitchen and place the groceries on the bench. your phone rings, and you smile when you see your girlfriend's face. "hey, did you check the fridge," misty asks, making you pause.

you froze, wondering what she was talking about. leaving the phone on the counter, opening the fridge door and seeing a cupcake on one of the trays. you bit your bottom lip while smiling, picking up the phone. "thank you, my love. did you make it yourself?"

"of course, I know how much you love my gifts," she replies, you snort loudly and bring the treat to your lips, taking a bite out of it and moaning in delight.

misty waited patiently on the other side of the line, blushing when she heard the sound come out of your mouth. "it's delicious, thank you, misty," you compliment.

"it's to make up for being late tonight, I'm sorry," she sighs, and you hear typing sounds on the other end of the phone.

you smile widely, "don't worry about it. if anything, it'll make your surprise easier to plan," you tease—practically hearing her ears perk up.

she thanks you quickly, explaining that it was getting busy at work. you use this to get started on the gift you were preparing for her.

"I'm home!" misty called out, closing the door behind her. when she was greeted by silence, she frowned. you always met her at the door, placing a kiss on her cheek.

sniffing the air, she smelt her favourite dinner being prepared and her stomach practically growled. misty walked into the kitchen with a beaming smile on her face.

you turn around, a cute little apron on and a spatula in hand. "hey! you said you were working late," you complain, pouting at her.

she shrugs, "sorry, they let me go because someone could cover the rest of my shift," misty explains. you smile, walking towards her and wrapping your arms around her neck. you claim her lips with your own, and she can taste the flavours from dinner.

"I figured that you always give me sweet gifts, it's time for me to return the favour. it was low key creepy in the beginning, but now it's cute. thank you," you whisper. she eagerly smashes her lips on yours, backing you against the counter. you giggle into the kiss, wrapping your legs around her waist and jumping up on the bench.

the dinner sizzled, as it was starting to burn, but the two of you didn't care, too absorbed by each other.

[keelt9]

Chapter 12 (Final)

Masterlist

A/N: Finally! This is the end. I hope you enjoy this as much as me. I want to thank you for keeping reading until the end. I’m sorry for the delay, but believe me, I want to give you something I love and you could love in every single word.  

A long one but really worthy.

Thank you so much. 💜

Like we said arrow shot, arrow forgotten or something like that.

Carol greeted me with a I-just-came-back from vacation smile. “Happy New Year!”

I giggle as I put my credentials in the optical reader. “Happy New Year Carol. Did you enjoy the vacation?” 

She nods effusively as follow me with her eyes. “The rumors about the hats are true, huh?” 

I laughed as I touched the Christmas hat that these 3 weeks we wore a different color for each one of us, to keep the spirit all the time.

“Nice touch, huh?” Carol laughs. “They are in…”

“Third field, all are already there.” She completed my phrase. 

“Thanks Carol.”

I walked but today the cold breeze started to make me shiver. 

“Morning.” Olivia greeted me as she saw me walking to the entrance. “Please tell me…”

 I pulled out containers from my bag. “Nanny send you these.” And I saw Charlotte about to complain. “For each one of you.”

Nanny woke up early and made french toast for each one of the team including the coaches, while they were melting at each bite I sent a small video to her.

“Ok, we definitely enjoyed this breakfast but, wash your hands and get back so we can start.” Robert announced after finishing all their breakfast.

I’m for sure, more precise in each one of my shots, now I rarely hit the 8, my shoulder is stronger, I'm definitely in my moment.

“That's… So damn close.” I thigh my fist after seeing my arrow was so close to the small black dot in the small yellow circle.

“Bows down little kids.” Marie Anne shouted looking at Robert's notebook.

“Come closer please.” Robert has that mischievous face, as we walk to the tent and sit. “All right, we will have a fantastic year, I know losing time with your family must be hard, however we prepare something special for you.”

Liam gave us one by one a small box or paper bag. As we opened each one of us found a full day of spa, all including and the reservation for our favorite restaurant.

“I mean I don't want to sound ungrateful but I don't have the reservation.” I turn my box upside down.

“You, girl, have a full day in physiotherapy.” Marie Anne winks at me.

“Golden girl at maintenance.” Matt jokes. “Don't worry I'll drive you there.”

Sunday morning as he said I found Matt having breakfast at my house before me.

“I thought Nanny was here.” Matt complains, taking a sip of his juice.

I muttered sitting next to Mia. “Oh, hello.” 

Mia has calmed down these weeks, I don't think she understands my decision but respect it and put things aside.

“I thought you were a morning person but this guy.” She pointed at him with her fork. “Arrive at 6 am, 6!”

Matt smiles at Mia and stands for putting more honey in her pancakes. “I love you too Mia.”

Mia saw me looking at the small table in the entrance.“Nothing yet.”

Everyday I receive a peony of different color and small note, but suddenly, it stops on New Year's Eve, it could be a sign.

“I wasn't looking for that.” Mia nodded clearly, she didn't believe me. 

After I eat my breakfast, Matt and I drive to the clinic or at least that's what I thought until he takes a different driveway.

“You take the wrong one.” I say my eyes on my phone. 

Days passed but people were gossiping about why I didn't attend the ceremony where Max got his World Wide Champion trophy. The day of the ceremony Matt posted a story where you can see us practice, turning down the rumors for I keep focus. 

We avoided talking about if we broke up or not with other people and we confused them with the mixing signs; the account of Red Bull Racing published photos of the race, in one slide, me and Max hugging each other, but also the federation published photos of us training that had Max like in each one of them, however people questioned if he’s already in postseason, why he didn't post something with me.

“Matt?” He has a smile. “Where are we going?” We drove out of the city.

He clears his throat. “You remember the camping site where we used to go as teenagers.” 

I nod. “The best 3 hours of bus of the day. Although I should be in the clinic.” Matt raises his finger. 

“No, I said I will take you but I didn't specify when. You can sleep, I'll drive us safe and sound.” 

I laugh, closing my eyes and enjoying the now 1 and half hour drive.

I woke up because of the silent notice that we were already there and Matt went ahead leaving a note in the car.

<I don’t want to wake you, I’ll meet you in the lake.>

I stretched my arms before going to the lake which was hidden between big trees, in winter just branches and big trunks hidden it. In our 15's we used to come on frequently just to enjoy the sounds and playing with rocks, keeping us far away from the stress of training.

I notice how some places didn’t change at all, like the time stops. I saw him, hands in his pockets watching the lake.

“I’m sorry I fell asleep hard as rock.” I put my right hand in his left pocket trying to warm, but immediately noticed something wrong.

“Yeah, Olivia drove Matt back like 30 minutes ago.” I try to take my hand out but he closes his around mine.

“Max.” He giggles and tingles our finger inside of his pocket. “What are you doing here?” 

“Do me a favor. See that box.” I leaned my head to our right. “Could you open it?”

I narrow my eyes but he scoffs. “Please.” I can’t with those eyes. 

“I need my hand for that.” I try to pull out useless, he walks with me, only I take out until I have to pick up the box.

Is a small one still a little bit heavier for its size. I open and he holds the lid. The first thing I found was the cap he got for the first place in Silverstone, the second is 3 sets of tapes with different colors, my favorite ones.

“For your fingers.”

I laugh, the set was composed of 3 packages of tapes. “Max I don’t use a full package in a day, one lasts me at least three months.” He shrugged his shoulders, a smile on his face.

In the bottom a small black box, my recklessness made Max take the box leaving me only with the black one, I scoff but slowly I opened the box. A gold and delicate necklace with a pendant, “1” and the initials of my name.

“I tried to protect you.” Max has that regretting expression in his face, utterly strange for me to see that. I let him speak grabbing the necklace. “I didn’t want to realize the fact I hid things from you; it was hurting you more. Isn’t an excuse, but you were going through a hard time and I don’t want to be another hard moment in your life. I put you aside, and I’m so sorry.”

He scoffed sadly. “When we begun this I told you I don’t want to keep you hide and I just did that, I hide things from you, fuck.” 

Max grips the box tight for the way his knuckles turn white, I spoke first. “I feel unpeaceful these weeks.” He instantly raised his eyes from the box. “I mean, look at me I’m shaking just having you here in front of me, in a good way.”

I raise my hand for he can see the slight tremble in my hand.

He grabs my hand and kisses my forehead. “I can’t change the past, but I really want to build a future with you. I want to be someone you lend to all the time. Could you…could…” He shutter, I can’t help it, I kiss his cheek so close to his lips.

“Could you give me a second chance? Please.” 

I bit my lip. I sincerely want to give him that second chance but I need to keep my feelings on the right path, especially this year.

“Max, I have an important qualifier this year, I need to be focused on what I’m doing and being distracted about if you would come or if you are with me, it’s the last thing I need.” Max nods but Checo was right, he didn't give up.

I grab the box of his hands. “Could you give me time to think about it?” An unexpected smile forms on his face and he nods effusively.

“All you need.” He kissed my cheek.

“Do you mind giving me a ride to my house?” Max giggles but we start to walk.

-

“You are dead meat!” Matt mocks my voice as he sits in the airport waiting for our call. “And I get this!” 

He has a bruise on his right cheek, already deep purple.

“Such a baby! It was with the kids' equipment.” I sat next to Olivia who was in the middle of us.

When I found him the next day in the federation I ran after him but he’s faster than me so I grabbed a bow and arrow that kids used in their first months of practice, any sharp point just a type of sticker to remain stuck to the target.

Matt scoffs and looks at me. “Am I the one who disappears on the weekend?” 

Max stayed all weekend in town, he even met my parents, in an almost lethal encounter with my dad who I swear I never looked at anyone with those eyes. As the day passed and they talked, forcefully at the beginning of mom, dad said goodbye to Max not like Mr. Verstappen, just Max.

“Enough! Please enough.” Charlotte giggles and puts a cookie in our mouths for we shut up. “We have a long flight, two weeks far from home and qualification in the way, let’s relax and let the reprimand for when we come back.” 

Olvia stands and hugs Charlotte. “Thank you.” 

We’re not mad just messing with each other, the truth is being with Max that weekend was the best still doesn't change my decision. I know it was an unusual day, that’s not our daily life.

The first days were really calm, a few interviews, training and normal talks with other teams. 

“Morning Y/N.” One of the girls in the competition greeted me with an unusual smile. 

“I’m so jealous of you!” Her friends said. “In a good way, of course.” 

I don’t have any chance to answer because they keep walking, giggling as I walk confused to the table where the team is eating.

“Why is everybody looking at me as if I had a bug or something?” I sit in front of Charlotte who rolls her eyes and puts her cellphone in front of me.

At that moment, Olvia put her hand with her phone down, unable to answer to whatever is on the screen, putting my tray with my breakfast. 

“Charlotte first things first, we’re in the middle of a competition.” Charlotte smiles at me in an apologetic way, I shake my head as I take a drink of my juice. It’s for the best to keep me focused.

The day for team qualifications arrived in calm, I stayed focused all day, my shoulder feels great, I have my mind concentrated, it's time to put it to work together. 

The match is aggressive and all the teams know that if you want to “rest” a little bit before the Olympics you must secure your place in the first competitions.

To have all the things under control we agreed I’ll go in second place, Charlotte who has the better match lately, go first and Oliva with her experience will close the sets. By the finish of the second set things we’re equal, if we have 3 last good shots this is ours. 

Charlotte hits with ease, hits the 10, puts in us as leaders.

“Good shot.” Olvia keeps cheering us up, before I stand in the shot line, Robert who is with us gives me the last indications.

“Strong, and steady.” I heard Charlotte as I take a deep breath, I don’t shutter and release in 6 seconds, <9>

“Great, great.” We bump our fist and Oliva just had to secure the qualification with all above 8.

With her experience and showing why she is the team leader, easily hitting the <10>

Charlotte and I scream and hug each other carefully without hitting with the bow, as Rober hugs Olivia before joining us. We hear the scream and shouts from the terraces where we can easily distinguish our family and the male team. 

By the end of all the matches we have a few minutes to go with our families before going back to the hotel.

“There you are!” My mom hugs me tightly, giving a kiss in my head. “Mrs. Olympic.” 

“Mom.” I whined with a side to side smile before my dad lifted me and kissed my cheek.

“So proud of you, so proud!” Mia jumps over me with a huge smile and her classic neon pink cardboard.

“I hope to jump on you next month.” Mia’s qualification will take place next month and like her coach said, <Only a hurricane could take her out.>

“Nanny will come to tomorrow's qualification, they lost the flight, huge drama.” Dad said and I nod giggled because probably they lost the flight for confusing the hours.

“I’m sorry for cutting the celebration but…” Robert appears winning hugs from my family. “We have to go, the next time you will have her for a longer time.”

Mia grips my arm. “Can you wait a little bit, just a couple of minutes?” I hug her but with a competition in the next few days makes our times tight.

“Sorry Mia, not today.” Robert smiles and grabs my bag. “Tomorrow you can have her a little bit more.”

Mia looks at our mother who shrugged her shoulders. “Please.” But her answer came with the staff calling for us.

I kiss Mia before Robert and I go, happy for the good qualification.

With an early competition trying to avoid the hot sun of the noon, I woke up early, I only answered the call from my family and left my phone with Liam, avoiding distractions. All the team came with me until the entrance of the arena where we split up.

One by one wish me and let me know I will have success, but all see with Matt, we take our time.

Matt hugs me tight and holds me there for a couple of minutes. “You got this, alright? Hey, you come pretty far in less than a year, believe it, this will be the cherry on top.”

Liam calls me and high five with Matt. 

“Take care of her coach.” Liam laughs ironically.

“Don’t even say it.”

The first set was a total domination of my opponent, the wind increased and I felt unsure to shoot the arrow every time; in the small break, I took a deep breath and heard Liam.

“Remember, your shoulder is perfectly fine, now believe in you.” He pointed to the bow. “Adjust a little, it’s ok, you already shot in the worst conditions.” 

I scoff and hear the beep for the next set. Apparently benefiting me, because my opponent starts to miss her aim, even shooting for a 6 that gives an open window to win this one.

Liam praised me and I took my time for a quick look to the terrace. The pink cardboard came out easily, even an odd one I was able to see quickly.

I shake my head and take a deep breath. “One more, one more.”

The set was tight, the first shot was almost equal but by the last one, the wind was awfully increasing. I heard the gasp before the last arrow of the other girl, and I saw the score, 7, that gives a small window, all above 9 is a win.

I take my position but at the second I low the bow, a strong wind moves it, so I put it down and Liam starts the countdown, at 10. I barely reach my position with the bow and make the release.

I close my eyes right away after I feel the arrow come out of it.

The cheer and screams of my name make me open and the score is 10, the set is mine along with the qualification. 

Tears ran down my face. I get my head down as Liam covers me with a soft hug repeating the same words over and over again. “So proud of you.” 

I sniff and wipe my tears and hugs him with my free hand after calm a little bit I congratulate my opponent and put the bow down, as I see all the people I love there, the girls jumping and waving her hands; my parents crying and Mia screaming to the top of her lungs; Matt clapping and raising his hands making the people scream more.

But I took my time and saw in detail the last cardboard, a foraging language surrendered by hearts.

The staff indicated to me that it's time to go because they set everything for the award ceremony.

I wave my hand to the people before grabbing my bow and follow Liam back. Reporters asked me a couple of questions and even mentioned how I feel with the absence of Maxx one more time but with an event of Red Bull today, he couldn’t split in two. I answered like I've been doing all the time.

“We know our times are difficult to match, Max is with me in different forms.”

I held my tears almost all the ceremony until after giving our medals, I received the golden ticket, making official my qualification to the Olympics. In that moment one more time started to cry of happiness surrounded by shouts, whistles and claps for all there.

As soon as I can I run to meet my family where everyone hugs me and congratulates me.

“What a match! One more arrow and I could faint.” Anton, who arrives just in time for my competition, hugs me. “Congratulations!”

“Who said Charles couldn’t keep his eyes open in that last arrow?” Alexa hugs me, mocking Charles. 

“Am I the one who closes the eyes of each shot of the other girl?” He won’t let her go easily. “Unbelievable. Totally deserved.”

“Are you free to go?” I never heard those words coming out from my father's mouth.

Liam scoff shaking his head. “Tomorrow morning.”

“Didn't even a single night?” I pat my father's arms, he smiles. “Sorry, excited for you, I want to celebrate you properly.” 

We know we have a special dinner at the beginning of a hard year. The next morning we are all free to go, usually we go back home in the same flight but it seems my dad won't let this happen.

I should feel tired at the end of the dinner, but I’m full of energy, so I keep walking around the garden of the hotel.

“Finding it hard to sleep?” Olivia makes me jump, she is clearly sleepy.

I nod and giggle. “Two years ago I was stuck in a hospital room praying that I could raise my shoulder, now look at me.” I raised my arms. “I'm going to the Olympic Games.”

Olivia laughs. “Go, we cover you.”

I looked from one side to the other, but no one was around. “Olivia.” 

Charlotte enters running with my cap on hands. 

“Go, go, go.” Charlotte pushed me to the main door. “I call a cab, it will take you there, and wait for you for 30 minutes.”

Years ago after every successful competition I used to go back to the field where people kindly let me shoot a couple of arrows, and came back to the hotel.

“Robert will write my name.” I whispered but Olivia opened the door.

“Robert probably is sleeping or taking the last notes in the evil notebook.” Charlotte said with a smile pushing me, putting her hand on the top of my head for I don't bump into the car, even my bag is already there.

“Go!”

The driver kept silent all the time, when I arrived the security guard smiled at me and opened the door.

He turned on the lights as we walked to the field. “I already knew you were coming, I changed the target I hope is correctly set.”

I shake my hands. “I don't want to give you trouble, it'll be a couple of arrows and I'll leave.” 

“Take your time.” He passes next to me as I sit on the ground and start to open my bag.

Wait, how does he know?

I was about to put out all my things when I noticed a box on the top of it, with a small note with Matt handwriting. “Special occasion.” I giggle, if it's some kind of prank…

I didn’t have time to concrete my idea because another wood box was inside, this clearly more expensive, tie in the front a small key that clearly opens the tiny lock. Inside a lot of polaroids and small red envelope.

I took as I smile forms on my face, photos of me and Max in different moments, different occasions, each one with a different meaning for us with small notes from Max at the back; but what I call for my attention are the last ones.

Photos of the open practice we had 4 days ago, the competition for teams, and photos of today, and he holding the cardboard. Impossible. 

I quickly take out the red envelope which has written. <A special bonus from Charles ft Checo.>

Again more polaroid but this time Max in each one in different parts of the paddock, in the garage, the interviews all with cellphone in his hand; Charles clarify what he’s seeing, me. Each one of my competitions and the reactions before I did a good shot, his fist tight and raising a little bit.

“That was an infiltration.” I raise my head and Max is there rubbing his hands in his tights. “I hope you heard me at that perfect shot because my throat feels pretty sore.” 

I try to control the shaking of my hands, unable to stand up, keeping the distance between us. “You've been here for…?” 

Max presses his lips together thinking in his answer. “Thursday from the past week? Oh, Wednesday.” He smiles. “I was dying to see you in your best moment, show you that I’m here, I support you in every goal, every challenge and every fall. I want to be part of your life. I don’t want to be a question in your life, I want to be next to you, just be with you.”

I clear my throat and search for the photo of him holding the cardboard. “I don’t speak Dutch, so wha…”

“I love you. Ik houd van jou.” Max stole my words. “I love you, that’s what has been on my mind every time I see you, every time I hear you and every tim..”

I stood and ran to him holding him by his neck and put my legs around his waist, Max quickly put one of his arms around my waist and the other holding my head. 

“Fuck. I missed this.”  He whispered in my ear. “I’m so sorry, I promise…”

I shake my head holding him tight. “I love you.” He takes out all the air he’s containing after he hears the same words from me. “I really do, but I was afraid, I’m sorry.” 

He didn't let me go, just split so he could see my face and smile. “I know, and have faith in this is.” He gives a peck on my lips. “I already proved to you I don’t give up.” I giggle and kiss him. 

“I love having you here but…” He whispers at my lips with our foreheads one next to the other. “I’m dying to kiss you properly.” 

I stand on my feets, pull him with my arm around his neck. I swear feeling his smile on my lips is the best sensation in the world.

Max covers both sides of my face with his hands and keeps me closer, until the lack of hair makes us split, he looks straight into my eyes and puts his arms around my waist.

“Look up.” He whispers at me, I choke my head making him giggle and raise his eyes.

The lights of paper lanterns started to appear like stars in the sky, I covered my mouth and he let me go just for hugging me at my back.

“I didn’t know about those restrictions after the competition.” That’s why the insistence of my father and Mia. “This is supposed to be seen in a special place but no one warned me about the rules.” 

I turn around to see him. “I love you.” I grab his face and kiss him. “I really really love you.” He put his arm around my neck and kissed me one more time.

“But how?” I turn around one more time seeing the last lantern keep coming; Max giggles and kisses the top of my head.

“We have good friends and family.” He takes a deep breath, I can feel a smile forming in his face.

“What?” I tingle our fingers, he sees me with my favorite smile from him.

His smile covers his eyes. “I have what? 4 months until the Olympics ” I giggle and give him a peck on his cheek. “I guess I need to study a little bit more.”

Both of us laugh as we keep kissing, when we split he finally saw the necklace. The initial of my name is remplace for the <M>

He opened his eyes and I smiled. “A small correction.” 

The silence doesn’t feel uncomfortable, he’s like being at home. We tried even though it's hard to put into words.

“I love you.” 

Still, I didn’t know who said it first, but I’m pretty sure this time, I was faster than him.

[tenpintsof-sundrop]

I just finished the first season of Teen Wolf

(and it actually feels so satisfying to purposefully only watch 1 or 2 episodes in a day and actually process them and think about them rather than bingewatching a whole fucking season a day - which is something I have done with other shows)

And I have so many things to say omg

The music fucking SLAPS - this show is a perfectly beautiful capsule of the 2010s with its fashion and its other aesthetics (like Allison's bedroom) - but the music is one of the best parts. The fact that Scott and Derek's first fight is set to Destroya by MCR filled me with intense joy, and there is so many songs on the soundtrack that I am rediscovering a love for that I had forgotten about (like 'Just A Little Bit' by Kids of 88 - which I used to listen to all the fucking time in high school)

Speaking of Allison's room - it's such a small detail, but I love the fact that when she first moved in, they had 3 random paint swatches sampled on one of the walls, as though those were the colours she was considering and picking from (and they were the most Bella teenage girl colours of - taupe grey, warm beige, and very very soft mauve pink)

I love all the characters so fucking much - they are all so much fun to watch (except I can't help but to find Scott exceedingly boring for being the main character. But the rest of the cast definitely makes up for it)

Also, I am obsessed with the fact that this show has every single stereotype ever (and it works to the show's benefit): Asshole Jock (Jackson), The Ultimate Mary Sue OC Girl Who Doesn't Understand How Special She Is (complete with special girl amulet) (Allison, obvi), Dorky Nerd Guy (Stiles), Drunk Cop Who Is Constantly Breaking Protocol (Stiles's Dad), Asshole Coach, Popular Pretty Girl Who (seemingly) Only Cares About Fashion, Boys, And Social Status (Lydia)

And speaking of Lydia - someone please ask me about my Autistic Lydia headcanon. I have been ranting to Star about this nonstop and it just works too well. She is the poster child for Masking. If someone asks you what Masking is, show them any clip of Lydia ever

Basically - the show reminds me of a time when shows didn't have to be so serious. Especially because it was before streaming platforms, so they didn't expect shows to be a massively bingewatched hit in one weekend, and they could massively play around with tone and it made watching shows just so much more fun. I love it

[prpfz]

🩷

Coming in hot with a NICHE idea here, but... anyone still into Powerpuff Girls in... nearly-2025?

💚

19 yo transguy in here looking for fellow 18+ discord roleplayers! My post length tends to vary as I'm more of a mirror-match but basic length tends to go anywhere from 200 words to 2000. As long as you can give at least one solid paragraph I'm willing to work with it though; anything but one-liners. My response time also tends to vary - I can go anywhere from rapid-firing to as infrequent as once a month or so, depending on motivation and free-time. I am in Mountain Time (UTC-0:600 / UTC-0:700) as well if that may be an issue.

🩵

So... yup. It's incredibly rare for me to go for het ships nowadays, but I saw something about the Rowdyruff Boys earlier and it sparked neurons I'd forgotten existed. I'm looking for someone to play anywhere between one and all of the guys up against the matching number of girls. I love the satirization of their relationship - Mary Sues being icked about by counterparts that are them with their hair cut off is pretty funny, let's be for real. And yet we see that clip of them in the future, obviously mutually interested. Do we see where I'm going?

I would prefer having them aged-up to at least highschool / no extreme🍪 but honestly if that's your thing we could definitely discuss further. I also do prefer to keep the girls as heroes to at least SOME extent because I think it's fun to explore how weirdly morality-police-y Townsville was shown to be and I don't feel like any of them would be comfortable trying to step down from their roles, but you are completely free to play the guy(s) as toned-down. Whatever Falling in Reverse said about good girls and bad guys and all that, y'know.

🩷

NSFW is definitely on the table as well, but I'm not necessarily smutfishing. I'd certainly love to include it, but if that's not of interest then it can be excluded just as easily! I will note that I have very few limits on that front however, and if you're leaning towards going darker with things then I am open to like. A whole alley of kinks, my only hard limits really are what I would call the 'deviantArt' stuff (vore/inflation/feederism, everything of that ilk) & scat.

💚

If any of this is speaking to you just like this post and I'll try to reach out ASAP!!

🩵

give a like and anon will get back to you

[puellafuriadarkmagica]

So it's been a week, exactly as promised. It's just that it's also been some other weeks on top of that. I'll explain why at the end of this post, what I plan on doing about it, generally where my efforts have been lately, and how YOU (yes YOU!) can get involved.

Chapter 5: The Best Venue in this Small, Pathetic Town

From The Chats - Keep The Grubs Out. I mentioned before that my brother got me into The Chats. They're a world away from the kind of music I'm normally into, but they happen to be really fucking funny. That's generally enough for me to make an exception. Check out the music video to their big hit Smoko and try your damnedest to convince me this isn't one of the greatest music videos ever made.

"Oh, Kimmie, me 'n' Kel had the time of our lives. We had twenny-four hour room cervix, eggs derelict for breakfast..." the television blared feebly through its blown-out stereo system.

I've said it before but one of my favourite differences between our world and that of PFDM is that somehow the existence of magical girls has resulted in Kath and Kim still being on the air in 2009.

Fuck, I miss Kath and Kim.

"You, and me, we have an opportunity / And we, can make it something really good…" Zoey hummed from somewhere in the kitchen.

I also remember mentioning that this passage is included to remind people that despite her generally matronly(??) role to the rest of the cast of Part 1, Zoey's only in her mid-twenties. Bit sad, innit?

Thunk. A metal rail, roughly forty centimetres long, sailed neatly past Marie's head, drove itself clean through the skull of the Incubator perched on her shoulder, and dug itself into an oblique resting place in the pavement behind her.

Oh my God.

Oh my God!

They killed Kyubey??

"Introductions aside, have you run this past Lara yet?" "The thing is I think I've got to… warm her up to the idea first?" Danika smirked. "You can say she's too stubborn. It's not a crime, you know." "She's not as bad as you guys say she is, you know!" "Too right!" Hope leaned forward and coughed into a fist. "See, she's actually worse."

She's actually soooo cool and nice with it.

Hold on.

When did "such-and-so with it" re-enter common parlance? I remember it being a pretty ubiquitous way to suffix an adjective back in the late 2000's, and then it disappeared. And now it's back? Where did it go…

"Cool, cool. Hey, would you mind if I just confer with my friends about some stuff? I'm pretty new to what I do, and if we brought you on board that'd be a pretty major undertaking for both of us." "It's okay," Phoebe protested. "I can train her!" Hope shrugged. "Yeah, that's fair. Now it'll be a major undertaking for three of us."

Taking so long to reread this stuff presents the side-effect that I do find myself laughing at my old jokes that I'd forgotten I'd written.

Phoebe shot to her feet and clutched her skull (still contained within the flesh of her head, of course. Only one person with even the most tangential relationship to her life is intense enough to do otherwise). "I can't deal with you people! I can't… I'm… I need some air."

What?

Holy hell, what?

There's no way I foreshadowed Alex burning off her flesh this far in advance. Are you serious?

We've only just recently learned that she will be doing that, what, 45 chapters later? 46?

Hope's jeans pocket blared a harsh, percussive synth monotone. She noticeably flinched before practically ripping her phone out of her pocket and putting it to her ear.

Back when I wrote this, I said it was probably The Presets - My People. More recently I've locked that in. I was going to write that it's one of the few radio hits that's actually good, but then I realised my vision was completely clouded by nostalgia when I began to pen that. The past half-decade or so has been kind of nuts for mainstream pop. Charli XCX has got a couple tracks joint-produced by AG Cook and Hudson Mohawke on her new album, for crying out loud. Death's Dynamic Shroud is getting mentioned on the same electronic pop lists as fucking Beyoncé. Porter Robinson's… well, he's Porter Robinson. How did we get it so good? Should I be thanking Missy Elliot? Daft Punk? Dylan Brady?

Wait. I'm supposed to be talking about PFDM.

"Sure thing." Marie responded with a thumbs-up goodbye, like some kind of absolute mutant.

Not long after I wrote this passage, I did actually give someone a thumbs-up goodbye. Mind you, I was having an absolutely shit day and was pretty distracted, but I've still gotta live that down, on the inside.

"I'll get it," Hope announced. She opened the front door, saw who was behind it, and closed it again. Lara jammed her foot in the door before it could close. "Evening, Fearnley," she cooed. "Would you mind if I popped in for a chat?" "If I said no…" "I'd find other, less courteous ways to open this door, don't you worry."

I've barely started watching Utena, but she's Nanami, isn't she? She's totally Nanami.

"Shame. What's say you and I underthrow Deckard and find a new girl ourselves instead?" "Under… throw?" "It's like overthrow, but she's our inferior. She's really, really inferior, actually. You know how she spends her time? Going on witch hunts with this new girl just for kicks. I hear Woodward - not the dead one, of course - is third-wheeling whatever it is those two have got going on now."

"Underthrow" is one of my favourite Lara-isms, but it doesn't hold a candle to…

"Well then, why would I do that?" She smirked. "Face it, Fearnley. If I needed to psychologically outplay you, I wouldn't resort to spreading rumours. I've got a rapper wit." "You mean a rapier." "A what?" "She said rapier," Zoey huffed. "That's the expression. Rapier wit." "What, like a sword? That's stupid. The only thing a sword ever thinks to do is cut something, and that's only because somebody else tells it to. A rapper, on the other hand-"

"Rapper wit" is potentially my favourite malapropism of all time, and I came up with it. Thanks, me! Why, you're very welcome.

The Citadel, like all things, is metaeclyptic with an infinity of other things, places, times. One of these things happens to be a lighthouse on the west coast of Ireland, operated by a young man named Douglas Murphy. Though neither of them knew it, at the exact moment Audrey Wong lost her blue socks, he found a pair of green socks he had lost four months ago. The strangest part of all this, he would remark if he understood his circumstances to any meaningful degree, is that his role as a textbook example of metaeclypticism is, in fact, the only meaningful reason for his existence at all. The speaker god has, as it happens, written a proverb pertaining to this feeling of existential ennui, which goes as follows. From here until the end of the last chapter. It also goes as precedes, until the beginning of the first. Due to the impracticality with which one might quote it, it is considered a very unpopular proverb.

This is one of the passages which I think best encapsulates the style of PFDM, and hopefully my writing on the whole. It's definitely one of those key early moments where I Locked The Fuck In.

Well, that was a pretty short chapter, all things considered. I forgot how little time I actually need to write one of these. Maybe I should try for one a week, but given my track record regarding things taking a week, I don't think I can promise anything.

So what happened?

Life got busy again. I've got a job now, which does pretty much drain the life out of me. But it also gives my time some long-needed damn structure, so three cheers. Also, I've gotten a little carried away on an original webfic I conceived of last year and have been tinkering away at the planning stages of ever since. Actually, let's talk about that. And let's call it Project Anubis for short for now, in a pointless attempt to hide its true name - an aspect of the webfic I'm still uncertain about. It does have a name, and I am sort of leaning in-for-a-penny on that, but for now it's Project Anubis.

Sounds cool. What's Project Anubis?

Nothing!!! It doesn't exist yet, and won't for a serious while! Don't rush me here, okay?!?!

Actually, I'm going to talk about it here with you guys because there's like half a dozen of you maximum and I don't want to talk about this publicly yet. You won't see this on my main Tumblr. Anyone who reads that and doesn't read this, who I want to have see this announcement, already knows what this project is, and, in fact, what it's called. I mention it now, because I'm trying to open the doors to my friends who I know would be available for this, and frankly if you've spent the past… I don't even want to think about how long, conversing with my borderline manic ramblings in the comments section of my own anime fanfiction, well, are we not then friends?

Okay, but really, what is it?

Not too thematically dissimilar from a lot of the themes I've been spinning in PFDM. If you liked the oddball humour, the overly-researched science fiction, and maybe the weird underlying philosophical thriller, you probably will like this. If you were only into PFDM for the sprawling cosmology, the fight scenes, and the fact that it's Madoka Magica, you're gonna outright detest it. It will not be for you. Of course it wouldn't be. It's for me.

So what do you want from me?

I'm glad youu asked, line of bold text I put before this paragraph! Basically, I want anyone who knows a damn about more or less anything to give me a holler. I've got a lot of research to do for this, and anyone who can point me in the right direction would be a massive help. If you know anything about any of the following:

Speculative biology

Computer science

Feng shui

Biosemiotics

Astronomy

Gestalt psychology

Puzzle design

Card game design

Printing

Logograms

Conlang development

Chances are I'm gonna be coming to you for a lot of help. If this has legs, I might start hiring people to help me make it, too. If not on a stable income I can bankroll a team on, then at least on commission. If you're a visual artist who can illustrate things other than people with weirdly specific demands regarding colour palette and image composition, you're a writer and you feel like you can jive with my style (the more naturalistic, less-uranium-dense parts, at least, because this will not be the fuckin' slog that PFDM deliberately makes itself sometimes), or an actor - even if just for voice or photos - let me know that too. But don't expect anything to come of it, and definitely don't expect anything to come of it any time soon. Right now, I'm just trying to keep track of who I know who has X field of knowledge or Y specific skill. Gimme your email or your Discord or something, or just let me know if I can DM you here on Tumblr.

Why "Anubis"?

I had this idea for a gag in something where the main character dies and meets Anubis, who would be depicted entirely with photos of James Earl Jones. Anubis would then explain that everyone has a celebrity lookalike, and the gods themselves aren't excepted from this. Anubis just happens to bear a striking resemblance to James Earl Jones. I don't think this joke is going to be in anything, but I've been thinking about Anubis ever since.

What does Project Anubis mean for Puella Furia Dark Magica?

I dunno dude!!! I just work here!!! Maybe nothing? Maybe a hell of a whole lot? Maybe PFDM gets delayed for YEARS! Maybe the remaining chapters all mysteriously appear online tomorrow! I really don't know! I've just had a hell of a good idea and now I have to make it. I go crazy if I don't. I go. Crazy. If. I Don't!

Anyway see you all maybe next week I don't know? Bye

[marycorleone]

The Girl Paratrooper - Joe Liebgott X F!OC

Prompt: Mary and Lieb met while training at Camp Toccoa. Both were paratroopers of Easy Company. But the rules were clear: Dating or romantic involvement was prohibited. This made Lieb and Mary date in secret, 'til the girl found out that he had cheated on her.

After breaking up with Joe, Mary grows closer to Bill Guarnere, and what was meant to be just a friendship becomes a marriage. But Bill and Mary don't love each other, and Liebgott is sorry. What will happen?

Warning ⚠️: the character 'Leigh Spencer' was created by @msmercury84 . I asked for use the character in my fic and she allowed. Thanks, Leigh! ❤️

Chapter One

Mary was walking along the road and doing her patrol, when Joe Liebgott showed up. The girl smiled from her boy, who came to her and kissed her.

'Stop, Lieb! Winters can see us!'

'Winters know all about us. Everyone else know all about of us. We just haven't assumed our relationship yet cause of the formalities of the war, but as soon as this is all over, I'm going to hug and kiss you without major problems.'

Joe hugged Mary, lifting her off the ground. 'And I love you so much and I want to marry you, Mary Corleone. You know that. Don't you?'

'Oh!' She screamed in fright, kicking her feet in the air. 'Joseph D. Liebgott, put me down now!'

'Don't scream! It will draw everyone's attention here!' He warned with a smile. Then Joe announced that he had an appointment and took his leave, leavin' Mary to complete her patrol.

A few hours later, when already was the morning, Mary was sleeping when she heard Pat Christenson's voice. He arrived fumbling, knocking a coffee pot off the table, startling Bull, Guarnere and Babe, who were sitting in the room next to where Mary was sleeping.

'What happened, Pat? It looks like you saw a ghost!'

'It's Liebgott!' Christenson was scared and stuttering.

Mary jumped on the bed, but didn't make a sound. She wanted to hear when Pat was going to say. In the next room, Bill asked.

'Let's go, Pat! What happened with Liebgott?'

'A girl. He was in his dormitory with a girl!'

Everyone was silent and after a few seconds, Bull affirmed.

'Mary is sleeping in the next room. She just got back from patrol. Liebgott is a piece of shit.

'I went in there to get an outfit I had forgotten, and when I got there, I saw the naked girl on top of him. He would spank her ass and say he never had such a nice girl in his life.'

'Damn! Mary will be devastated!' Bill cursed and rubbed his face.

'Shall we tell her?' Babe finally spoke.

'No. We shouldn't.' Bull asked.

Guarno was about to say what she needed to know when Mary appeared in the doorway.

'I heard everything I had to hear. It's unfortunate that you wanted Lieb to keep fooling me, Bull. You shouldn't have even thought about it. It was your duty, my friends, to tell me. Liebgott asked me to marry him, and you know it. I was going to let that son of a bitch put a ring on my finger, and you were wondering if you were going to let him keep fooling me!'

'Mary, I...'

'All right, Pat. I already heard what I needed. Where are they?'

'In Lieb's dormitory. Mary, wait! If you make a scene, you can be expelled from the paratroopers. The rules are clear: Dating is prohibited!' Babe tried to stop his friend, but she just walked away.

'Can't we date? But is okay fuck local girls? I'm tired of hanging my head. I've been doing this since Toccoa.'

Furious, Mary went towards where her fiancé was. They boys wanted to go after her, but Bill told the to wait there, and that only he would go. And so, Wild Bill followed Mary.

Next chapter coming soon. And currahee!

[arcplaysgames]

Okay so this fucking dungeon huh

It's actually not even remotely as bad as it seems, but again, this might be my overleveled ass. Reverie, Kanji, and Yosuke all popped level 90 during this dungeon.

But the gimmick is really panic-inducing at first. After every battle, you lose half your SP. And worse, almost every enemy has HUGE elemental weaknesses, so all you want to do is use magic to nuke everyone.

But also because all the enemies are really weak all you really need to do is hit Rush and ride out every encounter.

BUT IT IS TEDIOUS AS FUCK.

Kanji knows what's up.

I.... have no idea what that is a reference too. I'm trying to avoid the MegaTen wiki and Normal Ass Wiki has nothing on that name. And I don't remember it from Okami. Sorry.

Her eyeball is bright vivid green-blue, like the big ol' mandatory Eyeball Monster. Seems relevant. ANYWAY MARIE SAYS THAT SHE NEEDS TO DIE OR THE WORLD WILL END. Which.... admittedly sucks and is a moment for pause and genuinely if this was Persona 3 I would be like "ah, yep, let's leave!"

But this is the game that pulled a fake-out on the little girl dying so I'm betting Marie can be saved by the power of friendship. Yanno, for a game with dead women hung from TV antennae, it's a cheery game. All that yellow.

Blah blah blah fight fight

ALTHO

FUCK THIS GUY PARTICULARLY

FUCK THIS GUY WITH A RUSTED STEEL DILDO, HE TOOK FIFTEEN MINUTES AND WAS SO FUCKING TEDIOUS

anyway

Anyway, after the Bonus Dungeon Of Gimmicky Mechanics, I reach Marie

I dunno, I'm trying not to be harsh but i feeeeeeel like the whole vibe of the dungeon would be better if I had completed the game once all the way first. It feels very superfluous? Mostly because I thought the game was a wrap with Ameno-sagiri but it's not and this also doesn't answer any more questions.

But it's fine!

Long story short, Marie is a part of the baddies. They make fog, she absorbs it and now she is like a bomb fulla fog, so she wants to die and be forgotten to protect the world.

Kanji. /smooches his forehead so sweetly

Once again, Naoto is the smartest here. Marie's whole world in the fog is built on memory, on ways to remember a person, on memorials. So, Marie doesn't want to be forgotten at all, under it all.

okay I will say one nice thing about this dungeon: the battle theme remix fucks severely.

Marie is saved! And then everyone has a snowball fight which turns into "pelt Yosuke with snowballs" which I feel is karmic balancing for the Spring Camping trip so we can finally forgive him.

Well that took an afternoon. I'm kind of clearing my throat at P4G and nodding pointedly at the clock. I'm hooooping to wrap this up this weekend but I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THERE IS TO WRAP UP? WHAT IS THE MYSTERY LEFT? I DON'T KNOW.

kicks leggies in the air

[miyasfatass]

START

𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝖯𝗋𝗈𝖿𝗂𝗅𝖾 | 𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝟣

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   𝖯𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗌𝖾 𝗐𝖺𝗂𝗍 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗋𝗒 𝗍𝗈 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝖼𝖾𝗌𝗌．

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𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠. . .

⋘ 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑎... ⋙

𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚖𝚊𝚢 𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚌𝚎𝚎𝚍.

╰┈➤ 𝖯𝗋𝗈𝗅𝗈𝗀𝗎𝖾 －𝖳𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗅𝗈𝗈𝗄 𝗂𝗇 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖾𝗒𝖾𝗌, 𝗌𝖺𝗒𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗆𝗈𝗌𝗍 𝗈𝗎𝗍

𝖮𝖿 𝗒𝗈𝗎

𝖫𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗅 － 𝟢𝟢

𝘛𝘏𝘌 𝘈𝘎𝘌 𝘖𝘍 13 𝘖𝘕 𝘛𝘏𝘐𝘚 𝘊𝘏𝘈𝘗𝘛𝘌𝘙

┊͙✧˖*°࿐

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"Sweetheart, it's time to go now. Your mother and I are waiting for you." Her father softly spoke, knocking on the door twice before going after his daughter's response.

"I'm sorry, give me one moment, I'll be down momentarily." (Y/N) responded, the girl struggled on pulling down the edge of the skirt.

"Damn, skirt." She cursed, "Lady Bayard, we must be going now. I believe that your father recalled that the Cecil party will start at 5:30 PM on the dot, and it's 4:48 PM." The maid called out.

It seemed that (Y/N) had forgotten about the time when her father told her about the time of the Cecil party, "Well, darn. I guess, it can't be done. Well then, let's us go now."

Her maid smiled kindly at the Bayard's daughter, "Yes, Miss Bayard—"

"(Y/N) is fine, Ms. William. And drop the honorifics, Honorifics can be a bit too touchy, it makes me feel old. Keep this between you and I." (Y/N) puffed out trying to catch her breath on the tighten corset.

"Of course, (Y/N). If it's alright, you can call me Marie instead of William." (Y/N) nodded at Marie and walked towards her door that leads out into the hallways.

"If that's what your wish is, I'll be happy to call you Marie. Well, farewell Marie. I will be going now, when I come back. Please do make me a cup of tea! I would wish to tell you all about the party when I come back." (Y/N) smiled.

Marie seemed to be shocked at this following order but had accepted the request no doubt about it.

"Of course, I will make sure of that request."

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"We welcome you all to the Cecil party, Astor family, Amano family, Bayard family, Fitzgerald family, Ford family, Cambell family—..." The Etiquette welcomed with a bright smile, he continued on welcoming the families who had came.

"This is awfully boring," (Y/N) groaned, "It quite is but it can't be help, can't it, Lady Bayard?" An unfamiliar monotoned cold voice came right behind her chair.

This caused the young Bayard to be startled by the voice, she turned to look behind her chair and saw another table that was close to hers.

She then examined where the voice had came from, it was surely the Amano's table that had made her startle.

She seemed to look one by one on each of the Amano's, "There hair are so magnificent." She thought with lit up eyes but paused when she heard the voice once again.

"If it makes you feel better, I would allow you to have a modern art of me and my family if you wish to stare at us longer." They chuckled, (Y/N)'s eyes widen when she heard the cold voice again that came from her left ear.

She turned and saw a person that seems to be the same or close to her age, their hair was heron plum just like their father's.

"(Y/N) Bayard, is it?" They looked at her straight in the eyes, making eye contact with each other.

(Y/N) opened her mouth to say something to the person only to have herself make a small sound for them to hear it making them chuckle slightly.

"I'll take that as a yes, my name is Amano, Amano Sage. You can call me by my first, I don't mind at all." Amano held out their hand for her to shake hands with them.

It was just then that she was completely frozen and didn't seem to know how she was acting. She was truly trying to process on what she was trying to do.

Amano seemed to take a hint by her action, they grabbed her hand to shake with his. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Bayard. Or if you prefer Lady (Y/N), Bayard, or (Y/N)"

(Y/N) just stared at them until she strained herself. "The pleasures all mind, Mr. Amano. I would prefer if you call me (Y/N). Thank you for... your action?" She wasn't unsure what to say but she surely hope the both will talk to each other once again and be friends.

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𝘕𝘌𝘞 𝘊𝘏𝘈𝘙𝘈𝘊𝘛𝘌𝘙:

𝘈𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘰, 𝘚𝘢𝘨𝘦

𝘚𝘛𝘈𝘛𝘜𝘚:

𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥

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+3

𝘊𝘜𝘙𝘙𝘌𝘕𝘛 𝘗𝘖𝘐𝘕𝘛: 3

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Words - 763

[sparkler-sleet]

coffee or tea?

Archie Jones knew that, from a distance, he most likely looked like what could only be described as an arrogant old bastard.

But, he countered, anyone else who had to sit in the minus temperatures of the British coast, at a bus stop, alone, waiting for the B1 bus that was so notoriously late that they may as well change the timetable...

would also be an arrogant bastard. If they were seventy five, seventy six next week, old would be added to the list.

But the folk around here weren't like him. Not any more, kids weren't brought up the way they used to be. He could feel eyes on him at that bus stop, aye... young, little, wide eyes, watching him through the window from the warmth of their cottages with their mammies telling them to come away, the soup's ready. There was none of that when Archie was young; his mam called him once for tea and if he didn't listen, he went without.

His shopping sat in two plastic bags on his left side, his stick on the right. His wife wrote the list for him; she sent him down to the corner shop every Friday afternoon.

H'away, Archie, get y'self down that road. If you're still sat there when I come back down those stairs, I'll kick you so hard you'll be needing next week's list instead. The paper was still crumpled in his fingers, scratching his skin through the thinning areas of his gloves. Mary would have to knit him another pair, maybe for Christmas.

He had been in a good mood when he'd left the house, he really had. He was whistling, and Betty next door called over to him that something must have gotten into your tea, Archie, you've got a skip about you this morning! See, Archie Jones only whistled when he was in a particularly good mood, but now, he felt like doing nothing less.

Archie hadn't brought enough change to buy his cigarettes. He'd brought the notes for the food shop and, normally, he would pick up a couple of coins from the holiday jar when Mary wasn't looking. But this morning he had been so busy cursing the snow and the washing he had left out last night (most of which was now frozen to the line) that he had completely forgotten his cigarette money. And, to make matters worse, the lad behind the counter wouldn't let him put them back.

"I'll pay the difference, Archie," he insisted. "Get y'self away home, now, before this weather gets worse."

"No matter, son, Mary will have a couple'a pennies lying about, I'll come back th'morrow."

"H'away. Take 'em."

Archie tried to leave them on the counter, but the bloke took it upon himself to swing around the counter and push the cigarettes into one of the bags. So Archie gritted out a thank you.

No more than ten minutes later, as he was making his way along the promenade, Archie ran into Susie. She was only a little'n, no more than seven. He had been in hospital after his fall the day she was born.

He asked where her mam was. Making dinner.

"Y'shouldn't be out in this weather, lassie, you'll take off your boots and leave your toes in 'em."

"My da says you should be in a home."

"Nonsense," Archie barked, consequently sending the girl staggering as he waved his stick. "Me wife makes me tea and that's all a man needs." A little more waving and Susie scarpered, crying.

"Everything alright, Grandad?"

Archie peered around the edge of the wooden bus shelter, watching as Bethany appeared through the thick-falling snow, schoolbag slung over a shoulder, tie low, skirt rolled up. Bairns these days...

"Hiya, love."

"What are you doing out here? It's freezing," she remarked as she sat down - which, to Archie, seemed a little hypocritical, because she was only sporting a blazer and that thin shirt.

"Getting me shopping, clearly."

"I thought I might come for some tea. Help you with those bags."

"Away with yourself, I can manage. Come another day. The game's on, and I want no distractions. Mary's bad enough, yapping on as soon as the good bit starts."

He didn't look to Bethany for a reaction, because he knew what it'd be. A smile, but a sad smile. An empty one.

He knew his family worried for him, no matter how many times he insisted they needn't. Well, if they had that much worry, they might as well use it for something useful, not an old dog like him. He was fine; his heart was still ticking and he could still watch the game with the dog at his feet. All was well. Except-

"Grandma's dead, Grandad," Bethany reminded. "You remember that, don't you?"

Archie sighed, hastily reaching up to hold his hat down on his head as a gust of wind made through the shelter. "Aye, lassie, I remember."

The B1 pulled up and Bethany watched him get on, and she made him let her buy his ticket because he had slipped to her that he hadn't any change on him. She waved him goodbye through the frosted window and made her way down the street towards her house.

The B1 chugged on and Archie sulked. He pretended he couldn't hear the woman asking him to give up his seat for her to sit by her pram; she had enough kids by now that she should be well trained in holding the bairn with her god-given arms.

He got off at the fourth stop like clockwork; he had taken this route every week for so many years that he could keep on thinking about all of his woes and to-dos, and his body would just heave itself up, arms gathering up the bags, and his legs would trudge him off that piece of metal and back onto solid ground. He also pretended not to hear the driver asking if he needed a hand up the hill. The first time, anyway.

"Archie, I said-"

"Aye, I heard ye!" He found himself shouting and, all of a sudden, the kids at the back of the bus stopped throwing bottles and the old dears stopped gossiping and the baby in that godawful pram stopped wailing. "I hear ye all! Talking all your nonsense, saying I cann'it look after myself. I'm fine, y'hear me? I don't need your money, and I don't need your damn help!"

No one seemed willing to contend so, with that, Archie departed from the B1.

He huffed his way up the hill to his red front door, heart thumping on like a steam train. His cold fingers fumbled with his keys and he let himself in, calling out that he was home. Jack bounded up, just a little furry thing that could only jump up to Archie's shins. Away with yourself, boy, and the dog left him be.

He considered, not for the first time, whether everybody else was right. Maybe he did need that lad's change for cigarettes, maybe Susie's da knew he really should be in a home, maybe he should have let Bethany help him with his bags so that he wouldn't be huffing and puffing quite so much now, a hand gripping onto the kitchen counter. But he never felt so bad when he was here. And anyway, who would take the pup? Who would take care of all of Mary's things? Likely no one. He supposed they'd get sold to fund Brian's next flashy car.

Anyway. It's no help to worry.

He packed away the groceries one by one and, when he had finished, Archie leaned against the sink and watched the boats swaying in the dock down below.

He sighed. "Well," he spoke. "What's it to be? Coffee or tea?"

No one spoke back. Not a footstep sounded throughout the whole house, not even a breath.

The only movement at all was the kettle flicking itself on - but that was enough for Archie to know that his wife was still around, even if no one else believed him.

So he smiled and plucked two mugs from the draining board.

[veronicaleighauthor]

Which Austen Heroine Am I?

It is a truth universally acknowledged that I’m totally and complete obsessed with Jane Austen and her entire canon. My favorite book of hers is “Pride and Prejudice” – I love the characters, the setting, and the whole premise. While it’s a favorite, and I adore Elizabeth Bennet, I am aware that I’m not at all like her. A Buzzfeed quiz said I was, but Buzzfeed’s not exactly scientific. Witty, vivacious, social – nope, that’s not me. Those who know me personally and are familiar with Austen’s books or the movie adaptations, would agree.

I always thought I was more like Elinor Dashwood from “Sense and Sensibility.” She’s the “sense” in the title, as oppose to Marianne who represents the “sensibility.” The eldest of three daughters, when her father dies and she and her mother and sisters are left in reduced circumstances, she has to be the stable one and encourage her remaining family that they must live in a simple and quiet manner in the country. Unlike Marianne, she doesn’t wear her heart on her sleeve, she’s reserved, and she guards her emotions. Elinor falls for Edward Ferrars, who for most of the novel, is engaged to another girl. She must be strong and carry on – in the end she’s rewarded by marrying the man she loves. Okay, so I’m not identical to Elinor, but there are similarities. The story opens with the death of her father…I lost my dad over ten years ago and it turned my world upside down. That plot point especially resonates with me. Like Elinor, I’m reserved, I say the polite things when they’re required, I’m non-confrontational, etc. I have a younger sister who is feistier and bolder than I am. So far, Elinor seems like a match for me.

I decided to take one of those Myer-Briggs personality tests and find out exactly what my type is. According to 16 Personalities, I’m an Advocate (INFJ-T).

Traits: Introverted – 96%, Intuitive – 76%, Feeling – 52%, Judging – 64%, Turbulent – 72% Role: Diplomat Strategy: Constant Improvement

Some people who share this personality type: Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa, and Marie Kondo.

I’m not sure I entirely grasp the whole Myer-Briggs personality thing, but I do find the concept interesting. I thought it could help me in proving or disproving if I’m Elinor Dashwood. Now that I had my personality type, I went over to Charity Bishop’s blog which delves into literary characters and historical figures and their personality types to see what Elinor is. According to it, Elinor is an ISTJ. I’m not Elinor Dashwood.

So which Austen heroine am I?

Fanny Price (from the 1999 adaptation)! Or at least, my personality comes closest to hers. She is an INFP – I’m an INFJ. The heroine of “Mansfield Park” poor Fanny Price is taken from her impoverished birth family and “adopted” by her wealthy uncle and aunt and raised alongside her cousins. But she is always reminded she is not equal to her cousins. She is misused and abused throughout the novel; she’s overlooked, forgotten, and she is very meek. Her frenemy, Mary Crawford often outshines her. Readers have admitted they preferred Mary Crawford to Fanny. Fanny continues to hope though, she keeps the faith, she perseveres and by holding true to her nature and moral center, she finds happiness. I’m not sure how I feel about this comparison – I always viewed myself differently. Then again, we often do view ourselves differently than the world views us. This little discovery does make me want to reread “Mansfield Park” and play closer attention to Fanny Price, who she is and her personality. That’ll probably lead to another rambling blog post.

Which Jane Austen heroine are you?