#i have so many fucking stories in me but the one path to shove them out is an inch wide and always clogged

[cascaria]

writing is so fun !! why does it suck ass n balls

[writethrough]

I Know Better

(Billy Hargrove x Female Reader)

Synopsis: You've heard every rumor about Billy Hargrove—from the girls, the guys, the teachers, the parents—it never interested you all that much. Until one of those pesky rumors involved you.

Warnings: Language, slut-shaming

Word Count: 1396

A/N: This is the first stop on the apology tour for everyone who's sent me in a request. It's been a year for some of you, and I'm so sorry and grateful for your patience.

I had a really hard time starting this in the sense that I had so many ideas, but none of them fit with this prompt. So, it took me a while to settle on the story I wanted to tell. I had to stop thinking about this as a “Billy is mean to everyone” fic, and start considering it a “You are Billy’s soft spot” fic. It had to be a “How is he different because of you?” And then it sort of clicked.  

This is a sort of soft-launch to a larger something. I'm not sure if it will turn into a full multi-part fic or just spontaneous additions in this little fanfic universe.

And to the anon who requested this, Tumblr ate your request when I tried saving it to my drafts, so I really, really hope you come across it.

I hope you enjoy!

Anon Request: “Another Billy request idea is “he’s mean as fuck to everyone but me

"Like??? Maybe I need to go to therapy but the hard as stone exterior on that boy and the thought of him being sweet as pie to his girl makes me mush” 

Moodboard by @saradika

Billy Hargrove never scared you. 

Not even in high school when all you heard about was his bark and bite and overall terrible attitude. 

You didn’t cross paths often, surprisingly so with how small Hawkins was, but sometimes you’d get glimpses of him against his locker or waiting by his car. 

You still remembered the time he pulled in beside you as you were shutting your door. 

Max had waved at you before rushing off to the middle school. Then, Billy had slowly risen, lighting a cigarette in the process, and locked eyes with you. 

He greeted you by name, a lazy smile spreading across his lips, and sauntered away. 

You had replayed that morning for the next two weeks, stunned that he knew your name let alone gave you the time of day. 

It was a month or two afterward when you actually witnessed Billy at his worst. 

You weren’t there for the start, but you had turned a corner in the halls and were met with other students gawking at a fight. 

You shoved your way between teenagers, intent to get to your class before the bell rang when that mullet stopped you. 

Billy had been looming over Roger, the school’s very own sleazy douchebag. 

In your mind, whatever that prick had said or done, he absolutely deserved the consequences Billy was doling out. 

You were about to continue walking when Billy leaned in closer to him with a tilt of his head. And until that point, you didn’t know that gesture could be so menacing. 

“Wanna say that again?” 

Your brows pulled in confusion. 

What could Roger have said that made Billy so furious? 

It must have been some insult, something that cut right to whatever insecurities Billy hid from the world. You really couldn’t imagine what he’d be self-conscious about. To you, Billy was the epitome of confidence. 

Billy’s eyes caught your shoes, and you swore his shoulders tensed. He trailed up your body and met your gaze, grinding his teeth. 

He slowly straightened, and without another word, stormed out of the building. 

Mrs. Click finally arrived and disbanded everyone and helped Roger to the nurse’s office. 

Your last class was full of whispered theories and passing notes. 

I heard he keyed Billy’s car. 

No, Billy definitely slept with the chick Roger was eyeing up. 

Could’ve sworn I heard Roger call some girl a slut-in-the-making. 

The day couldn’t have been over soon enough. 

At least it was the weekend, and in a month, you’d be graduating. 

You were walking to your car, sun in your eyes, and didn’t see Billy leaning against it until you were too close to pretend you forgot something to head back inside. 

“Hey,” he said, putting out his cigarette. 

“Hi,” you said slowly, gripping your backpack strap. 

“You okay?” His hands slipped in his pockets. 

Your furrowed your brow. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” 

He chuckled. “Fair enough.” 

He pushed off your car and took a few steps toward you. 

It was really the first chance you had to take in how blue his eyes were. And while normally you’d look away as you held each other's gaze, something planted you where you stood. 

He had the barest of smirks, so slight that you’d dare call it a smile. 

“If I said I wasn’t alright, would you agree to hang out tomorrow?” he asked. 

You let out a surprised laugh and glanced down. This was the first conversation you’d ever had with Billy, and he was asking you out. 

This was probably how he operated. He’d set his sights on some girl, give them that eat-you-alive smirk, and you’d wake up alone Sunday morning without even a note saying “bye.” 

But even with all that, your curiosity won out. So you made a deal. 

“Tell me what that was all about, and I’ll be there.” 

There was a flash of anger, but you didn’t think it was toward you. Leftover feelings for whatever happened no doubt. Then, he softened in a way you had never seen before. 

“I’ll pick you up at six,” he said, beginning to walk away. He turned around before he could get too far. “Don’t bring a jacket.” 

“Why?” You couldn’t help your smile. 

“You’ll have mine.” 

The cocky grin would’ve been irritating with anyone else, but Billy’s was endearing. 

You drove home with a stupid smile plastered on your face, and you stayed that way until Billy rapped on your door. 

— 

That Saturday night, he tried to breeze past his altercation. Until you leveled him with a sincere look and said his name. 

He had leaned back in the booth, ripping his remaining fries in pieces to distract himself. 

“He pissed me off,” Billy said, still maintaining his gruffness. 

“I figured as much,” you said gently. You knew if he sensed anything else, you wouldn’t get any answers. 

He huffed, glancing at you before returning to his basket of food. 

“The prick said somethin’ he shouldn’t have.” He shrugged. “I told him as much.” 

You nodded slowly, narrowing your eyes in thought. Billy wasn’t know to beat around the bush. He said what he thought, and you kind of admired that about him. Even if that got him in trouble. But the way he wasn’t maintaining eye contact when that was his favorite way to throw someone off guard was suspicious. He was hiding something, of course, but it felt more than hiding something from you alone. 

You took a shot in the dark. 

“Are you…Are you not telling me what he said because it was about me?” 

His jaw clenched and hands stopped. 

So, that was it. Roger had said something nasty about you, and for whatever reason, Billy took it upon himself to…defend your honor? 

But why? 

And what could it have been to make Billy react like that? You hardly knew each other. 

You inhaled deeply. “Okay. Tell me what he said.” 

“You don’t need to hear his bullshit.” He met your gaze, steady and stern. You wanted to slap your chest to keep your heart from skipping. 

“Billy,” you started, “I promise whatever he said isn’t going to affect me. I just want to know why you had him on the ground.” 

At this point, you had dissociated from high school and the people in it. All that mattered was graduation. 

“What does it matter?” His tone came out more harsh than you anticipated, but the way his face pinched told you he didn’t mean for it to happen. 

You leaned on the table. “Because I’ve had a really nice time so far. And as much as I appreciate you standing up for me. If you wanna continue this,” you gestured between you both, “you can’t beat the shit outta people.” 

“You wanna go out again?” His eyebrows rose slightly, and your cheeks warmed. 

Of course, that was what he took away. 

“Billy,” you warned playfully. 

“Alright,” he sighed. “He caught me starin’ at you a few times. Said your legs were locked shut, but I could probably get them open.” 

You scrunched up your nose. You knew Roger had to have said something vulgar, but you were more surprised it was about you then the actual content. 

“Okay. Was that all?” Sure, it was gross, but that didn’t seem like something Billy would lose his shit over. 

“That happened last week,” he admitted. “Told him to shut the hell up, and I thought that was that.” He shifted in his seat. “Guess he saw you lookin’ at me and he started callin’ you names. And then I hit’im.” 

Names.  

You could hazard a guess what names he called you. Probably the same ones he called every other female who didn’t wanna sleep with him. Ones that would describe him more than you. 

You reached across the table and grabbed his wrist. 

“Thank you for telling me,” you said. “And I need you to know, I don’t give a single fuck what that dipshit thinks.” 

He chuckled, putting his hand on top of yours. 

“So, that mean a second date is in the books?” he asked. 

“Like I said, only if you don’t punch someone when they say something you don’t like,” you said, hoping your face conveyed how serious you were. 

He leaned his elbows on the table. 

“I was thinkin’ a movie for next time.” 

Taglist: @bookshelf-dust, @steph-speaks, @nix-rose, @ballerina-orchid, @realmermaidariel

If you’d like to be added to any taglists, please comment or message me with the character you’d like updates on. 

[its-time-to-write]

Hi love! Im obsessed with your writing. They actually make my whole day!!

I was wondering if you could do something with like protective!Jamie? Like maybe they’re out at a club and some guy won’t leave her alone!

Whatever you like? Thank you!

I did it! I didn’t know what gif to put with this. Wasn’t sure I’d finish it this weekend, but I got it done! I have finals next week, which either means I’m going to have a bunch of time or none at all. And again, thank you for being so kind. Many anonymous requests are not. 💚🍊

don’t go yet

Roy only lets Jamie go to the club when Richmond has won, which is why you’re both dressed up tonight. 

“You can have two drinks. Not fucking four, not fucking three, two. And if you fucking go over, your girlfriend will fucking tell me,” Roy had said.

Jamie had relayed this to you, more than a tad scandalized, but you just shrugged and said, “Roy’s not wrong.”

So now you’re at the club and Jamie’s had one drink that he’s been making last way too long, but he’s finally downed it and you’ve offered to grab him another one. Dani’s in the middle of some hilarious story about his old team, involving shaving cream, an unsuspecting coach, and… snails? Anyway, Jamie’s deeply invested in whatever it is which is why you’re at the bar waiting for your drinks and he’s sitting down. 

You’re contemplating what you want to do to Jamie once you get home, when an unfamiliar body sidles up to the space next to you.

You half-turn away to give him more space, but he just moves closer so you give him a look. The man, oblivious, says, “Hello gorgeous, name’s Max. What’s a sexy little thing like you doing out here all alone?”

Any distaste you had been stifling out of politeness ends. “I’m not alone, I’m here with my boyfriend,” you reply shortly. 

Max makes a show of surveying the room. “Don’t see him,” he says, “so I suppose you’re fair game.”

Your drinks appear, and you grab them. “I’ve got to go.”

“Hey now, I’m only trying to be fucking friendly. Your boyfriend doesn’t let you have friends?” He’s now blocking your path back to Jamie. You try to dodge around him, but he won’t let you. 

Max does not like that, and he snarls, “Don’t be such a bitch, I’m sure your boyfriend wouldn’t mind me having a turn, especially if he lets you out of the house looking like that.”

Your words catch in your throat, and before you can look around for help, there’s a tap on Max’s shoulder. 

“Oi mate,” says Jamie, voice calm but eyes simmering with rage, “pretty sure she wants to be left alone.”

Max turns to assess Jamie and you dart past him, behind your boyfriend. “And what’s it to you, shithead?”

Oh god. The last thing Jamie needs is to get into a fight tonight. You know that Nate would love nothing more than to bench Jamie whenever an opportunity presents itself. 

“Jamie,” you whisper, “let it go.”

Jamie doesn’t even look at you. “I’m her boyfriend, shithead.”

Max’s eyes betray a hint of surprise, then before you or Jamie can do anything he moves to shove Jamie. Jamie tenses up for a push that never happens, because Isaac has shown up from out of nowhere and has grabbed Max from behind. 

“Time to go, bruv,” Isaac says as he and Dani haul Max away.

Jamie fists are still clenched as he turns to you. Despite the anger on his face, his voice is gentle. “You alright, love?” 

You nod wordlessly and hand Jamie his drink. He takes both of them and puts them down. Your brain is playing catch-up because everything happened so fast.

“You wanna go?” he asks.

You nod again then shake your head. “No!” you protest, “This is your night out!”

Jamie’s hands are on your waist now, and you’re a little grateful because it’s grounding. You’re still reeling a bit.

“Babe,” he says, “I’m fucking exhausted, and you are too. And don’t fuckin’ lie, it ain’t gonna work. You’ve got little circles under your eyes. Let’s go home.”

You shut your mouth and sigh. That boy. He knows you too well. 

On your way out he says, “Can we do face masks? Can feel me face losing its sexy glow.”

You smile and squeeze his hand. Only Jamie can make a shit night into something good.

[neuroticbookworm]

Love in the Big City Part 4: We All Need T-aras in Our Lives

So, fun fact: the day after I finished reading the book Love in the Big City, I had a sob session that came dangerously close to The Great Hunger Games meltdown I had in 2015. Young’s story was deeply moving, and the fact that it was presented to us in Young’s voice, dripping in self-proclaimed “objective self-judgement” made it more relatable to me. It was one of the reasons why I dreaded watching Part 4, and why it took me several days to even process the episodes, and separate them from the source material.

Part 4 of the book was intensely introspective. When Young walked his path to acceptance, littered with grief, despair, sadness, unfairness, distraction (which ultimately proved ineffective), and so much more, we, as readers, walked alongside him. We don’t see him interact with anyone else in this section, with the brief exception of Habibi. In fact, I remember being struck by how much of Gyu-ho we had in this section. Young tried to run and fuck his feelings away, but learned that this time around, he can’t. Gyu-ho had meant too much. They had too much, which is now lost, and it demanded to be grieved. The final line of the book, “Gyu-ho. My only wish” was so haunting, and yet tinged with the tiniest sliver of hope. Maybe next time, he won’t run. Next time, he might choose to stay and talk.

All of this is why I felt.. disconnected, after I watched episodes 7 and 8 of the show. I am a big proponent of the fact that change is a deeply painful process, and I felt like some of the show’s adaptation choices in this section took away from showing us Go Yeong’s painful emotional processing. But, after several days of sitting with my thoughts, and many conversations with friends, I decoupled the show from the book, and asked myself “What spoke to me in this section?” And the answer was: the inclusion of T-aras and the message the show sent with it.

I absolutely love that T-aras were banging down Go Yeong’s door to check on him, after not hearing from him for six days. I love that they shoved him into the shower and dragged him out for a celebratory meal for quitting his corporate job. Go Yeong rolled his eyes at all the eggshells his friends were walking around, but I am glad that they were undeterred and made sure to always have him around to express his exasperation. I love that T-aras called Go Yeong to witness Eun Su getting engaged. I love that Eun Su chose to be vulnerable with Go Yeong, sharing his fears around marriage. And lastly, I am so, so glad that the show left us with the final scene of Go Yeong watching the fireworks with T-aras.

As I processed this show, I remembered reading an observation on the interwebs about Eeyone from Winne the Pooh that stuck with me. No matter how pessimistic, sad, and depressed Eeyore was, his friends never left him behind. They always included his sad self in their adventures, listened to his sad tales, and enjoyed his sad company. He might think that he is not a lot of fun to be around, but it does not matter to his friends, who want him around anyways.

It took me a while to understand this, but I now believe that while change is still a deeply painful process, it does not have to be a lonely one. I am glad that the show decided to centre the exteriority of Go Yeong’s emotional processing, rather than recreating the book’s focus on the interiority of it. Both are equally important, and neither takes away from the other.

My inability to participate in the LITBC book club discussion due to live events gave me intense FOMO for weeks, so I am very happy that I got to participate in the show’s discourse. Thank you @bengiyo and @lurkingshan for organizing the book club, and encouraging discourse with discussion questions and meta-round ups. And thank you to my friends, book club members, and gif makers for sharing your thoughts and work here, and enriching my watch experience immensely. See y’all around on the hellsite!

[tenpintsof-sundrop]

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 💗

Thank you so much for sending me this!

I am proud of so many of my fics and I'm not even fully sure how to go about this, so... I guess I will just make one rec from each of the fandoms I have written for?

(Warning for some blood in gifs below - but generally there is blood and violence in this fics anyway, so...)

From DC Titans:

No Place Like Home on AO3 - Gar Logan x Fem!Powered!Disabled!Reader x Jason Todd. Friends to Lovers. (Poly Soulmates). Smut, Angst, Hurt and Comfort with a Happy Ending. 90k across 7 chapters. When Jason leaves the Titans broken and battered, he gets set on a dangerous path. It's up to you and Gar, the two people who care about him the most, to bring him home.

Oh, another day on the assembly line, everybody better march in time,

Cause the factory don't care why, you been sayin' coulda, shoulda, woulda.

(There's no place like home. There's no place like home.)

If I could recommend one singular fic and say 'this fic encapsulates my style and summarises everything I am proud of when it comes to writing fanfiction' - this would be it.

I have so much to say about this fic and a lot of it I probably have already said it - but basically, this fic is the reason I started writing. I started writing long before I actually wrote this fic, but everything I have ever sought in terms of creative satisfaction came from this fic. This feels like my orgasmic climax in terms of creating things.

And if this fic is something I could be buried with, I would be proud. If this fic is something that people remember me for, I would be so fucking proud. (Which is not likely, because it's from a very small fandom and I know people are gonna remember me for fics from bigger fandoms that are way more popular, and I wish I could shove this fic in the faces of people who read my other popular fics and make them read it lmao.)

If for some reason I had to quit writing right now - I would be most proud of this singular piece. Especially because so much of this fic, the characters, and the dynamics has been inspired by my real life relationship with my lovers, and the reader character was inspired by my struggle with disability and coping with the loss of control as I became more disabled over time - but having my lovers there for me made that loss of control easier to swallow. It's about how trauma can ruin you and letting someone love you when you are broken is one of the hardest things you can do, but one of the most radical and most rewarding. If you ever liked my writing and my style, even if you don't like Titans - please go and read this.

From The Walking Dead:

(I know this gif is sad but it fits the fic so well.)

Hold Me Tight Or Don't on AO3 - Glenn Rhee x Fem!Reader x Maggie Greene. Established Poly Relationship. Smut and Heavy Angst (No Happy Ending). Set during Season 3, Episode 4. 7k (Oneshot). You are bitten by a Walker while trying to help get Glenn and Maggie to safety, and you are facing your last hours of life. And in those last hours, you only have one wish - to have sex with your partners one last time. Luckily for you, they would do anything for you, and they can’t help but to oblige.

Oh no this isn't how our story ends,

So hold me tight, hold me tight. (Or don't.)

This fic has had some more attention lately, since I have been wanting to write for The Walking Dead again, and I just really want to re-state - I fucking love this fic. This idea came to me so randomly and struck me like lighting and I am so happy that this fic came to fruition. This fic represents so many things that I am excited about writing - poly relationships, relating the themes of sex and death, sad endings (I weirdly prefer writing sad or melancholic endings instead of traditional happy ones).

I am really proud of this fic. If you can handle angst, you should go read it.

From Criminal Minds:

From Your Lips on Tumblr - Jennifer Jareau x GN!Reader. Established Relationship. Smut, Hurt and Comfort. Set during Season 2, Episode 15. 3k (Oneshot). After JJ is attacked by dogs on the Hankel farm, you take the time to check on her and distract her flustered mind with a loving touch.

So, most of my Criminal Minds fics have done really well and don't need to be recommended just because it's a really popular fandom, but JJ fics don't really do well? Idk why she's not a popular character?

But I love this fic. I had so much fun working on this fic, and working in the religious references and imagery from the show - this fic was just so much fun for me. And I think it needs more love.

From The Last of Us:

IFHY (I Fucking Hate You) on AO3 - Abby Anderson x Fem!Reader. Enemies with Benefits. Smut and Angst. Set during the main events of Part II. 8k (Oneshot). You and Abby truly hate each other. So when you find Abby handcuffed inside an elevator, instead of being kind and just letting her out, you make her pay a certain price for the key.

I fucking hate you - but I love you.

I'm bad at keeping my emotions bubbled.

You're good at being perfect, we're good at being troubled.

There are so many fics from TLOU that I loved writing and that I'm really proud of, but this one really caught my eye on the list. I love writing about conflict, and I really love writing reader characters who are so bitchy and just cause conflict. (Maybe it's because I'm so nice irl and I never cause conflict, I get out all my internal chaos in writing characters who shit disturb and cause chaos all the time.)

I loved writing this because it's so non-traditional. It's not sappy, it's not romantic - again, it has a really melancholic ending. The characters are so toxic for each other (which is also something I love writing - because it's horrible for relationships irl, but for fiction it's so interesting to explore and observe).

I think this is one of my best, most interesting fics and I really loved doing it.

From Harry Potter:

King For A Day on Tumblr - Poly!Golden Trio x Fem!Reader. (Fem!Reader x Ron Weasley, Harry Potter, and Hermione Granger). FWB to Poly Lovers. Smut (with slight Angst). Set during Deathly Hallows. 22k (Oneshot). While Horcrux Hunting with your closest friends, the dangerous influence of Slytherin’s Locket causes Ron to snap. And it turns out - he brings on something that everyone in the tent really needed.

You told me think about it - well I did.

Now I don't wanna feel a thing anymore.

I'm tired of beggin' for the things that I want.

I'm over sleepin' like a dog on the floor.

Imagine living like a King someday - a single night without a ghost in the walls.

I have spoken about this fic at length, and how this was a spirtual awaken for me - if No Place Like Home was a culmination of everything I am as an artist, then this fic is an echo of those things. Again, I fucking love writing about poly relationships - and I think this fic has one thing that was missing from No Place Like Home. And that is exploring each individual thread of a poly relationship and how someone interacts with each person in the relationship outside of the poly group functioning as a whole. That is definitely a strong suit of this fic.

Also it's amazing filthy nasty smut, which is something I love writing, and something I am really talented at.

From Stranger Things:

I'm Still Standing on AO3 - Nancy Wheeler x Fem Disabled/Chronically Ill Reader. Best Friends to Lovers. Angst, Smut, (slight Fluff). Hurt and Comfort. Happy Ending. Set during Season 4. 37k across 3 chapters. You start having horrible waking nightmares, but you don’t want to worry your best friend Nancy by telling her. She’s already occupied trying to chase down a trans-dimensional killer wizard, and you are convinced that the two problems aren’t possibly related.

There's a cold and lonely light that shines from you,

And you wind up like the wreck you hide, behind that mask you use.

This fic is so interesting.

I wrote this fic shortly after Season 4 came out - and even though I had a few fics for Stranger Things that were pretty popular, everyone just collectively ignored this one? And I know for a fact that it is because Nancy is the love interest. I know that if I had picked Steve or Eddie as the love interest for this fic, then this fic would be just as popular as my other ST fics - but because the subject matter is so deeply personal, I connected with the scenes of Nancy kicking ass at the hospital and worked from there.

(And tbh, if I had to choose a male love interest for this concept, I probably would have chosen Billy, because I relate to him on so many deep personal levels.)

Literally everything in this fic is very personal to me - this is all about my own raw traumas. From the abusive father to the extreme medical trauma to the strained caretaker mother, to the older sister who distances herself from it all - even though this is set in the universe of Stranger Things - this is the story of my life. And idk if I would have wanted it to be a more popular fic, because it is so personal? But I am upset that I worked so hard on it and so many parts of it are so raw, and nobody really saw it. I am upset that I had the bravery to post something so personal and it was just - crickets.

There are so many parts of this fic that I am so insanely proud of. The horror sequences are something that I worked so hard on - not just with the emotion of translating my own trauma, but I wanted to make something honestly scary and I wanted to pay tribute to the tension and emotion and visuals of all my favourite horror media - including Stranger Things and the beautifully tense horror aspects of Season 4. And this is another fic that I feel truly, absolutely represents me as a person to my core. And I feel like it's worth reading if you wanna know more about me and who I am.

(And lastly)

From misc. horror fandoms:

No Brainer on AO3 - Derek Cho (Steven Yeun) x Fem!Reader x Melanie Cross (Samara Weaving). Co-Workers to Lovers. Smut. Based on the film Mayhem from 2017. 7k (Oneshot). When you are the last person alive with an elevator key that Derek and Melanie desperately need, you agree to make a trade. Turns out, when what you're asking for is a threesome - you don't drive too hard of a bargain.

This is one of my favourite fics of all time. This is proof that I do not write for popularity - this fic is written for a fandom on AO3 with a total of five fics FIVE (including mine) and 2 of them are about characters from other media experiencing the plot of this movie as an AU, and mine is the only fic that is x reader. So I didn't just fill a niche - I looked where there was no niche and I dug a hole.

But like - Steven Yeun. Yes, I fell in love with Glenn from TWD, but this is a movie where he is also covered in blood, and rather than being Glenn's meek, reserved self (which I love) - he is outraged and swearing and killing and it makes me foam at the mouth. And I am already in love with Samara Weaving from The Babysitter - so this is literally a killer combination.

My bisexual ass did not even finish the film before I was typing out this fic on my phone.

And I am so happy that I wrote it - because sometimes you just need a self indulgent, blood covered smut.

And you guys can read it too if you want <3

[lassieposting]

Lassie's Fic Prompts: Tolkien Edition

Usually I haunt mutuals or the prompt channels of Discord communities but the Tolkien ones are all massive and I have anxiety, so I'm gonna shove them in the tag instead! Fic concepts from your friendly local prompt goblin, because god knows my ass will never get around to writing them. This post will get updated as ideas occur to me. Tags are mostly to help express The Vibe™. Anyway feel free to come talk to me about this shit I have feelings.

Bagginshield

T+ || Fluffy || Post-Canon, Reunion Fic

When the ringbearers arrive in the Blessed Realm, as a reward for the great peril they have suffered on behalf of all of Middle Earth, they are granted a single boon by the Valar.

Bilbo Baggins knows that elves, dwarves and men go to different realms after death. But Mahal's halls are vast and grand, and he is only a very small Hobbit. Surely room can be found for a single burglar in the dwarven afterlife?

Barduil

G+ || Angsty || Post-Canon, Loss, Closure, Bonus Points For Bard's Memorial Surviving To Be Unearthed In The Modern Day

Before leaving Middle Earth, Thranduil pays a final visit to the memorial he had carved for Bard.

Saurondriel

T+ || || Debates & Bickering, Sauron Drawing Parallels Between His Life & 'Halbrand's', Sauron As A Calming Influence On Morgoth's Genocidal Tendencies, Galadriel's Black & White Thinking, Small Moments Of Goodness

Halbrand takes Galadriel out to eat with his first week's wages from the forge in Armenelos, but the puppetry performance going on in the plaza - in which she is the heroine and he one of the villains - proves a distraction from their definitely-not-a-date.

When Halbrand admits that he's never seen the Sauron/Morgoth duo portrayed as utterly evil before, coming as he does from a land of their allies, Galadriel asks him what kind of stories the Southlanders tell. Sensing an opportunity to humanise himself in her mind, Halbrand dredges up some painful memories to introduce her to Mairon, Melkor and the path to hell paved with twisted love and good intentions.

T+ || Comedy || 5+1 Fic, Sauron Doing His Best, He's Not Spectacular At Being A Human But He's Trying, Galadriel Is Suspicious But Doesn't Know Enough About Humans To Call Him Out, Entirely Normal Mannish Behaviour™, Galadriel Will See A Guy Leave Scorchmarks On The Bedsheets When He Comes & Be Like 'It's Fine They Probably All Do That'

Halbrand is quite possibly the most realistic fana Sauron has ever created. He's designed to be so believably human he'll fly completely under the radar. But ultimately, a disguise is only ever as good as the actor wearing it. Halbrand is a fire spirit piloting an exquisitely crafted meat suit, and Sauron's idea of Totally Normal Mannish Behaviour is sometimes...slightly off base.

Galadriel is beginning to suspect the truth: her new significant annoyance is many things, but human is not one of them. But that's a terrifying prospect. And - and she hasn't spent all that much time around the race of Men herself, really. She's used to other elves. So it's probably fine. It's totally fine. Men are just Like That, is all.

AKA, five times Galadriel notices Halbrand's weird-as-fuck Maia traits/behaviours, but deliberately excuses them as Just Human Stuff because she doesn't want to deal with who and what he really is.

And one time where she already knows who and what he is. Many years into their marriage, Galadriel is mostly accustomed to her king's more unusual quirks. But sometimes, Mairon can be so human it almost breaks her heart.

T+ || Future Fic || Redemption Arc, Sort Of, Ainur Family Drama, Where Is Celeborn? Who Knows, Sauron Slouching Less Into The Light Of Goodness & More Into The Mist Of Moral Ambiguity, For Galadriel™, Dagor Dagorath

At the close of the Third Age, the last of Arda's elves take ship for Valinor, leaving Middle Earth - and the disembodied spirit of its former Dark Lord - to the race of Men. For thousands upon thousands of years, the Undying Lands enjoy a hard-won peace.

But when Morgoth manages to escape the Void, that peace is shattered, and with Valinor itself under threat, Ossë is dispatched to the world left behind to find the one soul who knows the enemy as well as Morgoth knows himself. He tracks Sauron to the deep south, where he's managed to claw back a physical form and has been living out his powerless exile as Hal Brand, old-timey blacksmith to the local ranchers.

When Ossë appears on his doorstep with news of Morgoth's escape, offering clemency in exchange for information, Sauron suspects a trap, and turns the offer down, intending to go into hiding rather than face his old master's rage at what's become of his dark kingdom and faithful servants. To sweeten the pot, Ossë leverages Sauron's greatest regret: the knowledge that Galadriel is in Valinor, and the implication that she'd like to see her old enemy again. Unable to resist the opportunity to reconcile with her, Sauron agrees to finally go home and share what he knows of Morgoth's plans and likely next moves with the Valar.

But with age-old grudges and rivalries causing trouble in Valinor, and Morgoth determined to retrieve his wayward lieutenant at any cost, can Sauron really turn back from the darkness long enough to hand victory to the Valar in the Last Battle?

T+ || Hurt/Comfort || Trauma, Nightmares, Identity Reveal, Sauron Has Seen Some Shit, He Probably Has Impressive Telepathy Defenses Most Of The Time But Shh, He Loves Her & He Wants To Be The Person She Thinks He Is,

Fighting for his life on the road to Eregion, Halbrand slowly succumbs to a murky world of fever dreams and infection-addled hallucinations. Trying to ease his restless sleep, Galadriel reaches out to to touch his mind...and finds herself dragged into a disjointed maelstrom of her most hated enemy's worst moments and greatest fears: Morgoth's bitter rage, the judgment of the Valar, the agony of bleeding out in the snow at Adar's feet, the inevitable pain of her own rejection if ever he's discovered.

Too weak to repel her or even really realise what he's sharing, Sauron lets her in, taking comfort from her presence. Presented with an opportunity she never thought she'd have - to look through the mind of her enemy unhindered - Galadriel stays her hand long enough to look for closure, for confirmation that he is the monster she's been hunting, that he's been manipulating her all along. Instead, she might just find something worth saving.

T+ || AU || Enemies To Lovers To Enemies To Friends To Lovers Again, Yelling At Sauron As Therapy, Halbrand!Mairon, Probably Because He Feels The Most Himself With Her Or Something, Aulë Knows Whats Up, He 100% Lets Slip On Purpose, Healing

After the destruction of the One Ring, what's left of Sauron's spirit is rounded up by the Valar and imprisoned in Valinor.

Galadriel does not find peace in the Undying Lands. After everything she has seen and done, she struggles to settle back into the realm of winterless spring. When a slip of the tongue from Aulë gives her the location of Sauron's prison, her restless nighttime wanderings begin to take her there to see him.

Sometimes, she is incandescent with rage and betrayal, and she vents her age-old anger on him without expecting any answers. Sometimes, she comes for information, and her questions are cold, cruel, demanding things flung through the bars. Sometimes, she is just sad and tired, and her questions are quiet things passed between them as they sit either side of the door. At first, there is no fight left in him: he takes what she throws at him in defeated silence. But the more she visits - to berate him, to needle him, to call him names, to ask him why, to reminisce - the more he starts to respond to her. And as her anger finally begins to die out, and their time together is increasingly spent remembering, and talking, and getting to know one another anew, the more the broken, amorphous creature in the cell begins to resemble the Man she once thought she knew.

M+ || Shameless Smut || Romance, Sauron's Complicated Relationship With Sexuality, Service Top Galadriel, Maybe Grayspec Maiar, The Mortifying Ordeal Of Emotional Intimacy, He Thinks She Wants To Subjugate Her Enemy, She Actually Wants To Love Her Idiot

Millennia ago, Mairon learned the value of sex as a bargaining chip, and he's been using it to get what he wants from the Incarnates - and Melkor - ever since. It's become a well-honed staple of his negotiation toolkit, a performance so well-rehearsed he barely needs to think about it. It's almost unheard of for anyone to notice that he tends to zone out partway through.

Almost.

Halbrand's tendency to seduce his way out of the doghouse hasn't gone unnoticed by his new queen, and nor has the way his eyes glaze over just as things start to get interesting. She's beginning to wonder whether anyone ever actually told him that intimacy is supposed to be fun. Determined to keep him in the moment with her, she decides she'll just have to teach him that herself.

AKA, Galadriel notices that Halbrand tends to dissociate and put on the act he thinks she wants from him in the bedroom. Concerned, she makes it her mission to show him he's safe to relax and enjoy himself with her - and absolutely wrecks him to make her point.

T+ || Canon Divergence || Galadriel Says Yes, Ainur Family Drama, Mairon's Aulë-Shaped Daddy Issues, Arondir & Theo, Could Be 5+1, Angst & Fluff, Maybe Comedy, Lucifer-Style Therapeutic Breakthrough, Aulë & Mairon Have Different Love Languages/Communication Styles, Galadriel Eyeing Sauron Suspiciously: What Are You Scheming Now, Meanwhile Sauron To Arondir: IDK Man I Just Never Felt Like I Was Good Enough YK? Why Wasn't I Good Enough?, Arondir Just: Your Majesty Have You Considered Therapy

Galadriel names Bronwyn advisor to the newly-restored crown of the Southlands, which means the new king and queen start seeing a lot of her husband and child. Mairon seems fascinated by the little family, and the pseudo-paternal relationship developing between Arondir and Theo - suddenly, he's full of questions about family dynamics for humans and elves. Gradually, the advice of his new wife and friends helps Mairon realise a few things about his own relationship with Aulë.

Alternatively, five times watching Arondir and Theo interact recontextualises a memory for Mairon, and one time he makes a parenting choice with Celebrían and saltily realises Aulë had a point in doing the same thing to him

T+ || Time Travel/Time Loop || Sauron Fucks Up The Timeline, Then Tries To Fix It Without Killing Finrod, Bonus Points If Halbrand Finds He Begrudgingly Likes Finrod, Alternate Meeting, Maybe She's Still A Soldier But Doesn't Remember Him, Maybe He Has To Go Back To Valinor To Even Meet Her, IDK Lots Of Options

The thing about Galadriel's rejection is that it all goes back to the death of her brother.

Either by his own power, or by the power of a Vala who wants to teach him a lesson, Sauron finds himself transported back to shortly before everything fell apart, and realises that, as Halbrand, he has an opportunity to fix everything...by breaking Finrod Felagund out of his own dungeon.

But he's surrounded by dangers, not least of which is his own former self, and time travel is tricky. Saving Felagund's life may have unexpected consequences - without her quest for vengeance, would he ever have met Galadriel at all?

T+ || Canon Divergence || Body-Sharing, The Equivalent Of Having Your Shitty Ex Crashing On Your Couch, Road Trip, There Was Only One Body

Ever since their falling out on the banks of the Glanduin, Sauron has been trying to get into Galadriel's head. One night, furious at yet another invaded dream about a man who never existed, she lashes out. She channels all her power into shoving him off the raft, or stabbing him with Finrod's long-lost dagger - and wakes, shaken and convinced that she just felt Sauron die.

She's half-right. She's successfully caught him by surprise, and ripped him out of his body. Unfortunately for her, since they were connected at the time, she's failed to leave him formless and impotent.

She's dragged him into her own head.

When he awakens, psychological warfare erupts as they battle for control of her body and mind, a twisted back and forth - she tries to drown him in his nightmares, and he tortures her with her broken heart. Eventually, as it becomes clear that the only way to evict him from her brain is to bring him back into proximity with his own body, they reach a tentative, fragile truce. They can hold off on killing each other for as long as it takes to journey across Middle Earth. They hope.

But it's a long way from the Shipwright's home in the Grey Havens to the half-finished tower of Barad-Dur, and a long time to get to grips with someone else's pain. When Halbrand reawakens in Mordor, Galadriel might find she's not so keen to kill him after all.

T+ || AU || Kidfic, Single Mom Galadriel, Halbrand Has A Dog And He's Gonna Make It Everyone's Problem, Step-Sauron, Romcom Vibes, Quite Wholesome Actually, Modern AU

Galadriel's marriage has been hanging by a thread for years, but when her estranged husband Celeborn is confirmed KIA overseas, she unexpectedly finds herself utterly lost in the world. Now a single mother to their heartbroken six-year-old daughter Celebrían, she takes a job offer that moves her little family halfway across the country and finds herself struggling to adjust to her new normal as she tries to settle in to a new area while transitioning from stay-at-home mom to…well. Putting a roof over her daughter's head and making sure Celebrían can see the play therapist a couple times a month.

Lonely, struggling and beginning to wonder if she fucked up by moving away for a fresh start, if she ought to just go home to her parents with her tail between her legs, Galadriel is delighted when Celebrían announces she's made a friend in the next garden over, and goes to introduce herself to her neighbours and invite their child to dinner.

The man who answers the door has tattoos, no kids, and is very happy to introduce her to the new friend Celebrían has been playing catch with over the fence: Carcharoth, an absurdly oversized shepherd mix.

While Galadriel is initially wary of her child getting friendly with a strange man and his rowdy dog, it's nice to have someone her own age to talk to. Someone who looks at her like he sees her, and doesn't find her wanting. Someone who supports her, and lets her support him in turn.

As their lives begin to twine together and they figure out how to fit their jagged edges together in a way that works, Galadriel starts to think she might just want to stay here after all.

AKA: Halbrand kept the dog in his messy breakup with Melkor. Carcharoth learns to play fetch…and fetches Halbrand a whole-ass family

M+ || AU || Wrong Number, Text Fic, Modern AU, Romcom Vibes, Strangers To Friends To Lovers, But Also Strangers To Rivals To Lovers, Halbrand's A+ Flirting, Found Family, Halbrand Uses His Middle Name In His Personal Life I Guess, Tevildo Is Spoiled And Orange

When Galadriel is offered one of four coveted associate spots at a prestigious inner-city law firm, she barely stops to think before wrestling a lifetime's worth of belongings into the trunk of her sensible hatchback and exchanging her sprawling family home in Tirion for an overpriced one-bed apartment in Eregion, halfway across the country.

While she's settling in, she receives a text from an unknown number - a picture of the sender's cat. And although she's not usually the type to strike up a conversation with a stranger, she's feeling rather alone and isolated in a new city while she waits for her first day at work, and so she responds with both a 'wrong number' warning and a question about the cat.

Unexpectedly, Wrong Number Guy texts back.

And keeps texting.

Over months, she develops a friendship with this stranger she's never met. Wrong Number Guy is apparently called Halbrand, has bizarre taste in music, can recommend an excellent restaurant for almost any cuisine, and should be jailed for excessive use of the smirk emoji. He sends her a good luck text on her first day at work, sends her pictures of Tevildo the cat to cheer her up when she's having a bad day, and once orders pizza to her apartment when she's having a really bad day. He also listens to her vent about her fellow associate and work archnemesis, Mairon, who's smug, shady as all hell, and gunning for the same promotion Galadriel wants, which naturally makes him the worst person alive.

As their relationship evolves, Galadriel starts trying to get Halbrand to meet her in real life. But he seems strangely hesitant for someone so charming and sociable, and it makes her wonder. Who is he, really? And what is he hiding from her?

M+ || AU || Modern AU, Sex Work, Accidental Voyeurism, Porn With Plot

Halbrand, being the fortunate owner of a Sexy Voice, has a nice little side gig doing audio porn on OF/Patreon/whatever, and he's Galadriel's go-to jill-off material. When her elderly neighbour transitions into a nursing home and the most obnoxious man alive moves in next door, she can't help feeling as though she's met him before. But it's not until she hears him getting off through their shared bedroom wall that she realises why his voice is so familiar.

G+ || Canon Compliant-ish || Half-Maia Celebrían, Werewolf!Sauron, Father-Daughter Bonding

When Celebrían is small and life is peaceful, Galadriel believes her lands to finally be safe, and the little princess of Lothlórien is free to wander the forest at will. Near the outskirts of her mother's realm, she befriends a strange wolfish creature with yellow eyes.

AKA: Galadriel has custody. Sauron, living as the Necromancer in Dol Guldur, risks sneaking into Lothlórien as a wolf or a warg for visitation.

M+ || AU || Modern AU, Sex Work, OnlyFans, Porn With Plot, Halbrand Is Loaded & Galadriel Is Making Bank, But Also Halbrand Is Interested In Her As A Person So That's A Plus, Online Flirting

Struggling to feel attractive and reclaim her sexuality after the breakdown of her marriage, Galadriel impulsively signs up for OnlyFans following a night out with Nori and one too many cocktails. It's fun and validating and boosts her confidence to get back into the dating scene. But the mediocre men she's meeting at bars and on dating apps quickly begin to pale in comparison to the lavish attentions of her most supportive follower, "darklordsauron", with whom she's beginning to feel an undeniable spark.

M+ || Canon Divergence || Dream Courtship, Prison Penpal, Trauma, Hurt/Comfort, Morally Questionable Valar, Reeducation, Attempted Brainwashing

The war is over. Morgoth, brought back to Aman in chains, has sued for clemency, but the Valar do not fall for the same trick twice: it will be the Void for him this time. Thousands of his Úmaiar have been imprisoned in Valinor. And Galadriel, her oath fulfilled, joins the legions of Eldar taking ship back to the Undying Lands.

As she struggles to pick up the threads of her old life, embroidering and baking and waiting for her brothers to return from Mandos, a figure begins to appear in her dreams - in the background at first, becoming increasingly prominent the more she notices him - and she comes to know him as Halbrand the blacksmith.

Galadriel is no fool: she knows "Halbrand" is a Maia, paying court to her through her dreams. And she knows well the Aulendili who worked the Smith's forge when she was apprenticed there: she is certain she can discern the identity of her admirer, with a little time and effort.

But her dreams, she will come to realise, are not coming from Aulë's forge, and her Halbrand is no simple worker.

AKA: The war ends with Morgoth's defeat. Imprisoned by the Valar, Sauron's only escape is osanwe. Galadriel, a powerful telepath in her own right, gets unwittingly signed up to a prison pen pal program.

T+ || Canon Compliant || Third Age Haladriel, Sauron Can Still Be Halbrand In The Mind Palace, Just Not In Real Life, Nightmares, Hurt/Comfort

In Caras Galadhon, Galadriel wakes up screaming from a horrifying PTSD nightmare. Instinctively, unintentionally, she reaches out for comfort, for safety, for understanding - not from her husband, sleeping soundly down the hall, but from an ancient evil she's been shutting out for centuries.

Hundreds of miles away in Barâd-Dur, Sauron answers the knock on the door to his mind -

-- and Halbrand does his best to give her what she needs.

M+ || Canon Divergence || Consensual But Neither Safe Nor Sane, Sauron Poking The Bear, Past Abuse, Past Torture, Deliberate Triggering, Halbrand's Morgoth Trauma, Galadriel's Finrod Trauma, Bad BDSM Etiquette, Aftercare In Both Directions, Galadriel Goes Too Far & Finds It Quite Upsetting, Halbrand's Shitty Coping Mechanisms

Sauron has spent hundreds of thousands of years devoted to Morgoth, in a relationship where every dynamic was characterised by power and domination - corrupter and corrupted, king and general, master and servant. In that time, he's learned that pain and punishment are unpleasant but essential components of absolution. When he fails or angers Melkor, he is punished for it, and then - eventually - forgiven.

Now, as Halbrand, he's not getting that same routine, and it's making him antsy and unsettled. Galadriel may have agreed to stay with him and bind him to her light, but he's painfully aware of her hatred for Sauron, the way her brother's corpse still lies between them. But she hasn't taken her retribution, and he hates waiting for the hammer to fall. He remembers all too well what happened the last time he failed to address this kind of resentment from an important ally. He wants her to get it over with.

At his invitation - and after a considerable amount of goading with which he manages to make her snap - she vents centuries of loathing and long-nurtured pain on the monster she's hunted for entire lifetimes - and, for reasons she cannot understand, he lets her. This makes Halbrand feel more stable, but she's horrified at her own loss of control. Together, they try to figure out a better way forward.

M+ || AU || Modern AU: Famous Musicians, Enemies To Lovers, Fake Dating, Romcom Vibes, He Makes Her A Little Bit Worse, She Makes Him A Little Bit Better, Writing Songs Together

Galadriel is a folk singer-songwriter with a squeaky-clean image, fighting to break out of obscurity. Halbrand is a trainwreck rock star on his third tabloid scandal of the year. Frantically attempting damage control, his long-suffering manager makes a deal with hers: a fake relationship. Being seen with her will make it look like he's finally getting his shit together, while being seen with him will give her much-needed exposure to a massive and passionate fanbase.

There's only one downside. She hates his guts.

G+ || Canon Divergence || Bronwyn Is Fine Guys, Comedy, King Of The Southlands Halbrand, Life Lessons, Romantic Cliches, Galadriel Just Wants A Little Bit Of Honesty Y'all

When Halbrand returns to the Southlands elfless and withdrawn, everyone seems to have Opinions on how he can win back Galadriel's affection.

Five times Halbrand follows the well-intentioned romantic advice offered by Bronwyn, Arondir, Theo, Celebrimbor (via letter, probably) and the newly-rescued Isildur, plus one time he finally gives up on the scheming and manipulation and gives Galadriel what she really wants from him: the truth.

G+ || Canon Divergence || Step-Sauron, Celebrían Has Balls Of Steel, Bonding

Halbrand doesn't really understand how to play. Celebrían attempts to bond in a way that will make sense to him.

AKA, Galadriel's eight year old challenges Morgoth's former right hand to a (play) swordfight

T+ || Canon Divergence || Lifespan Differences, Forgiveness In Mortals Vs Elves, King Of The Southlands Halbrand, The Southlanders Know, Bronwyn's A+ Ancient Immortal Entity-Wrangling Skills, Halbrand Goes Back To Pelargir With The Freed Southlanders

When baffling intelligence informs Galadriel that Halbrand has returned to what's left of the Southlands and taken up the crown she helped him steal, her conscience cannot allow her to sit idly by and leave those innocent people ignorant of the snake in their midst, vulnerable to whatever foul plan he's concocting for them. At the head of a train of humanitarian aid from Lindon, she rides for Pelargir to reveal Sauron's secret to his people.

As it turns out…they know. They've noticed. Several people saw him shield the village when the volcano erupted. Those who were imprisoned with him in Mordor have heard him use or understand Black Speech, or seen him calm the wargs. Bronwyn, who spends most of her time with him as Chief Advisor, is convinced that he doesn't sleep enough to be human, and he occasionally references events that happened long before he should've been born. But Sauron - an enemy most living elves have personally fought against - is a name from the very oldest of the Southlanders' stories to these people. A fairytale evil, defeated before their grandfathers' great-grandfathers were even thought of. They're more inclined to judge Halbrand based on what they've seen him do in person - save their lives, suffer for them, shield them from Adar - than on oral history from thousands of years ago, and as it stands, they're feeling considerably safer with their odd Maia king protecting them than they would feel without him. They're giving him a chance to prove he's changed for the better. So, shh, Commander. Let him pretend. He thinks nobody's noticed. There's a betting pool on when he'll figure out that they all know.

To Galadriel, this is…a rather alien viewpoint she has to wrestle with. Can someone really change that much in just a few thousand years?

T+ || Canon Divergence || Single Mom Galadriel, Teenage Celebrían, Step-Sauron, King Of The Southlands Halbrand, Mother-Daughter Relationships, Halbrand's Aule-Shaped Daddy Issues, Family Feelings, Bad Mom Galadriel Rights

Elves have immense lifespans and enjoy commensurably long childhoods; when Galadriel left her very young daughter in the care of distant relatives to go off and hunt down Sauron, she always assumed that she'd miss very little of Celebrían's youth in the grand scheme of things. But she's been gone a very long time, and when she finally sends for the newly-minted princess of the Southlands to join her in Pelargir, what arrives is not a sweet little girl but an angry, uprooted adolescent whose memories of her mother and father have gone fuzzy over centuries.

As mother and daughter struggle to reconnect and understand each other, Halbrand - poster child for parental abandonment issues - tries to bridge the gap.

T+ || Canon Divergence || Galadriel Said Yes, King Of The Southlands Halbrand, Power Couple, Kemen Being An Asshole, Political Manoeuvring, Halbrand Is An Incredibly Savvy Diplomat, Kemen Is Way Out Of His Depth, Kemen Trying To Sway Haladriel To Pharazon's Side, Possibly By Spouting The Lie That Míriel Has Allied With Sauron, Careful My Guy Or Sauron Might Just Decide To Uphold That So-Called 'Alliance' And Start Causing Problems, Galadriel's A+ Maia Wrangling Skills VS Her Friendship With Míriel FIGHT, Halbrand Getting To Go A Bit Feral

Kemen arrives in Pelargir to take control of the city, under the impression that no grubby, uneducated low man would dare challenge the new prince of Westernesse and his contingent of Númenorean guards.

But the king of the Southlands is not, in truth, a low man.

And neither is his new queen.

G+ || Canon Divergence || Pippin Took's A+ Life Choices, Butt Dialling The Dark Lord, Pippin Tries His Hand At Relationship Therapy, Outsider Perspective, Gandalf POV

In ROTK, Sauron answers the Palantír like he's really hoping it might be Galadriel this time. Pippin Took is not Galadriel, but he has recently met her, and - since he's not the brightest bulb and doesn't really cotton on that he's just accidentally facetimed the Dark Lord - he's perfectly happy to tell this complete stranger all about that experience in detail. Sauron, smart enough to realise that he might get some usable intel about Lothlorien out of this strange little creature, entertains the conversation for longer than he otherwise might have. Pippin is even pretty easy to talk to.

And when Gandalf bursts in, half-expecting the dear little soul to be driven mad with agony, he finds Pippin…very earnestly trying to talk Mairon through how to fix his relationship problems - an undertaking of such colossal stupidity that the entire West gave it up entire Ages ago.

And Mairon actually seems to be listening.

Angbang

T+ || Angsty || Outsider Perspective, Ainur Family Drama, Melkor Is A Mess But He's Mairon's Mess, Even Evil Has Loved Ones, The Valar Concept Of Love & Melkor's Concept Of Love As Very Different Things

Angband is a smoking ruin. The Enemy is a captive of the Valar. The war, it would seem, is over.

But the Ainur are uneasy. Not all of Morgoth's forces have been subdued. The Enemy's favourite servant has slipped the net, and getting information out of Melkor is like pulling teeth. Under questioning - and even the threat of the Void - in Valinor, he still refuses to tell them where his devoted lieutenant Sauron has gone into hiding.

Aulë, waiting for news of his wayward Maia, tries to make sense of how even the most corrupted of them all can be beholden to forces like love and loyalty, and how it can be that none of them ever saw this coming.

T+ || Fluff & Comedy || Epistolary Fic, Long-Distance Relationship, Leading Armies Means Being Apart A Lot, First Age, Love Letters, Complaint Letters As Well Lbh They Probably Bitch To Each Other A Lot About Everyone Else

Melkor's rise and fall, as told by the orders Melkor sends to Mairon, the reports Mairon sends back, and the informal postscripts attached to both.

M+ || PWP || Creative Use Of The Mind Palace, Telepathy, I Could Not Find A Mention On The Wiki Of Where Sauron Was During This Siege, So Let's Assume He Wasn't Like. Also Stuck In Angband

During the 400 year Siege of Angband, Melkor uses ósanwë to leave the surrounded fortress and spend some quality time with Mairon.

T+ || Angsty || Sanity Slippage, Hallucinations, Melkor Trying To Envision His Happily Ever After Even Though He Doesn't Know What Happily Ever After Looks Like

Sentenced to eternity in the Void, and slowly losing his mind to the isolation and sensory deprivation, Melkor comforts himself with visions of his little fire spirit.

Silvergifting

G+ || Fluffy || Celebrimbor Has A Crush, But He's Very Sweet About It, Possible Angst, Celebrimbor Probably Needs Closure Too, Halbrand Should Not Be Forging But He Can Still Hang Out

Celebrimbor likes to work late. Flattered by the admiration of a handsome young king, and delighted to have a fellow passionate smith to bounce ideas off, he takes to letting Halbrand join him in his workshop in the evenings while the latter is healing. One night, while swapping theories about the mithril and definitely not watching the candlelight catch on Halbrand's hair, he finds himself making a gift of his own. After all, a king should have a crown, and what better crown than one made by 'the Celebrimbor'?

(Possible angsty bonus scene: many thousands of years later, Galadriel seeks closure and a final goodbye in Mordor after Sauron's downfall. In the ruins of Barad-Dur she finds the crown that Celebrimbor made for a king who never existed, kept in Sauron's quarters as though treasured. Maybe she rescues it to take back to Valinor)

Poly/Multiple Ships

M+ || Saurondriel/Angbang || Past Abuse, Telepathy, The Mortifying Ordeal Of Learning To Make Better Romantic Choices, Sauron Loves & Fears Melkor Equally, Letting Go, Saurondriel Is Not Healthy But In This Case It Is HealthIER, So Like. That's Something

Sauron and Morgoth were still telepathically connected when Morgoth was thrown into the Void. A fragment of his consciousness remains in Sauron's mind, manifesting as a hallucination that only he can see and hear. At first, he is Melkor, the doting lover Sauron chooses to remember, amusing and affectionate and comforting and so, so missed. But, as rage and fear take over and the Void begins to drive Melkor mad, he increasingly behaves like Morgoth, the side of himself Sauron would rather forget - the cruel master whose wrath he fled after his defeat at Tol-in-Gaurhoth. With 'his' Melkor appearing less and less, Sauron becomes more and more burned out under the slew of criticism and mockery, and his confidence in his own ability to lead takes an additional battering when his subordinate turns on him at Forodwaith. When he happens to cross paths with Galadriel, he realises almost immediately that the light in her silences Morgoth's voice in his mind. As they grow closer, her unwavering belief in him - or, at least, in "Halbrand" - makes him want to do good, to please her and prove he's worthy of her support. But Morgoth is not the only voice silenced by proximity to Galadriel, and letting Melkor go is an agony he's not sure he can survive.

T+ || Angbang, Saurondriel, Galadriel/Celeborn || Having The Same Conversation While Thinking About Entirely Different People, She's Thinking About Celeborn, He's Thinking About Melkor, Halbrand's Species Has A Mayfly Lifespan & A Casual Approach To Intimacy So She Is Not Expecting Him To Understand At All, But He Really Really Does

When their flirty banter turns to their respective races' romantic customs, Galadriel finds herself opening up to Halbrand about elven marriage, about her long-lost husband, and about her feelings of guilt over her attraction to him.

Halbrand empathises. More than she ever thought he could.

M+ || AU || Saurondriel, Galadriel/Celeborn || Modern AU, Porn With Plot, Safe Sane & Consensual, Sex Work, Polyamory, Threesomes, Kink, Switch Halbrand, Galadriel & Celeborn Are Figuring Out What They Like So Who Knows, Halbrand Blacks Out & Has A Consensual Workplace Relationship

Galadriel's marriage has been going stale for years by the time her husband hesitantly comes out as bisexual. Secure in their relationship and trying to support him, she suggests a threesome to liven up their staid, predictable sex life - and, after some thought, Celeborn agrees. His one condition is that the third should be a professional, so that the situation won't get messy. Halbrand is the professional; they have a fantastic time with him and begin seeing him regularly. The first time they hire him, they all believe that this is the best way to avoid anyone catching feelings for anyone else. This, of course, goes really well for everyone involved.

M+ || AU || Saurondriel, Galadriel/Celebrimbor, Silvergifting ||Polyamory, Open Marriage, Copious Blacksmithing, Hurt/Comfort, Halbrand Recovering In Eregion, Relationship Miscommunications

A long time ago, Galadriel married Celebrimbor. They're fond of each other, but since circumstances so often keep them apart (Galadriel hunting Sauron for decades at a time, Celebrimbor inseparable from his forge), they've been quietly maintaining an open marriage for centuries, each occasionally seeking out discrete companionship when they feel the need.

This arrangement has worked well for them for hundreds of years. Neither of them expects it to ever change, or cause drama.

Enter Halbrand.

When Galadriel returns from Númenor with her wounded Southlander king, Celebrimbor is delighted to discover his wife's lover is a fellow smithing nerd. As Halbrand convalesces, Celebrimbor finds himself increasingly drawn to the charming young man and, in spending time with him, actually grows closer to his own wife.

When Halbrand's true identity comes to light, Galadriel is devastated, and Celebrimbor finds himself fighting to keep the three-way bond they've built from imploding.

M+ || Canon Divergence: Early S2 || Saurondriel, Silvergifting || Adar Frees The Southlanders & Creates A Problem, King Of The Southlands Halbrand, Aftermath Of Torture, Celebrimbor Rescues Halbrand From Mordor, Because He Has A Little Crush, Halbrand Recovering In Eregion AGAIN, Reunions

The Men of the Southlands have always been a stubborn, difficult people. Having waited over a thousand years for their royal line to reassert itself, and having seen control over their occupied lands ceded by no less than an elvish general, they're now proving very reluctant to give up on their shiny new king. When Halbrand trades his own surrender for his people's freedom, the displaced refugees descend upon the elven realms, petitioning Gil-Galad and Celebrimbor - Halbrand's apparent allies via Galadriel - to mount a rescue.

Although Galadriel's unsanctioned diplomatic manoeuvring has put him in a difficult position, Gil-Galad opts not to intervene; he thinks leaving Sauron and the orcs to duke it out between them will spare elven lives. For Galadriel herself - still reeling from the shock and betrayal of Halbrand's identity reveal, firmly in the doghouse with her High King, and demoted from her military station - this decision is a difficult one to stomach, as she struggles to reconcile her hatred for Sauron with the sudden fear and concern she feels for Halbrand, along with her own loss of her king's trust and inability to influence or counsel Gil-Galad to her advantage anymore. She's been cut out of the decision-making completely.

When she hears that Celebrimbor - for reasons she cannot begin to understand - has disobeyed Gil-Galad to send soldiers into Mordor to retrieve Halbrand, she rides for Eregion immediately, still not entirely sure whether she wants to see for herself that he's safe, or take the opportunity to kill him personally.

T+ || AU || Saurondriel, Silvergifting, Angbang || Goo Sauron, Sauron As The Rings, Maybe Being Split Into Three Rings Also Splits Him Into Three Personalities, So Galadriel Gets Halbrand/Repentant Mairon Who Is Smitten With Her, Celebrimbor Gets Annatar Who Grows To Be Fond Of Him, And Gil-Galad Gets Sauron Who Is Above All Things Fond Of Morgoth, The First Two Are Varying Degrees Of Tractable & Willing To Work/Compromise With Their Elven Bearers, But The Third One Is Manipulative And Wants Melkor Back, Which Is A Problem, And Now Sauron Is Attached To Possibly The Most Powerful King In Middle Earth At The Time

Galadriel does not find Sauron in Forodwaith, but she does find something that catches her attention: a strange ooze that moves almost like a living thing. Disturbed and suspicious, she catches it in a container and takes it back to Eregion with her, hoping one of the scholars there will be able to tell her what it is. Despite a few odd moments on the journey that make her wonder whether the goo might somehow be sentient, Eregion's scientists determine that the ooze is not an animal - it's a highly magically potent substance, probably leftover from Sauron's experiments.

Galadriel has some misgivings, but ultimately, Celebrimbor has some projects he thinks the goo might prove useful for, and she hands it over. He incorporates it into his Rings.

It's not until Galadriel slides Nenya onto her finger and begins having some strange dreams/hearing voices that she realises the truth: they've accidentally trapped a disincorporated Maia in there. Now they have to figure out how to free him.

And all Sauron has to do is not let on which Maia they've unwittingly imprisoned.

AKA: Mairon's ëala is in the Three, and he wants out. This has consequences (whether funny, romantic, horrifying, etc) for the ringbearers.

[intoxicated-chan]

Captivated, Infatuated, Frustrated, & Lovesick

♡o。.✿ฺ Paring // Johnny “Soap” MacTavish x F!Price’s Daughter!Reader

♡o。.✿ฺ Summary // Johnny knew his path the second he laid eyes on Price’s daughter but what he didn’t know, a certain soldier had eyes on you too yet gave up too quickly. But welcome to his little journey of falling for the captain’s daughter!

♡o。.✿ฺ (A/n) // I had lots of fun writing this. Inspiration was from Euphoria again, apologies! I just like the show a lot.

♡o。.✿ฺ Word Count // 3.8k

♡o。.✿ฺ Content Warnings // Female reader, angst-to-fluff, swearing, sexual harassment, violence, blood, bruises, mentions of pregnancy, heavy sexual themes, unrequited love, heavy drinking, vomitting, mentions of death…

Johnny couldn’t describe it. He wasn’t familiar with the beating of his heart, his flustered face, his thoughts taken over by a single woman. He didn’t know how the hell it happened but when he put all the pieces together, he believed he was cursed… Johnny “Soap” MacTavish was in fucking love. The feeling was so intoxicating that he felt drunk just being in love, dreams started appearing of a family he had, dreams that he never thought were possible until now.

But the problem was that the woman was none other than his captain’s only daughter. But the feeling was addicting, he wanted more, and more, he refused to back down because of it. But the main question that his teammates would ask, ‘What was it about (Y/n) Price that brought you, Johnny, to become so captivated with her?’

Was it those rare days Price invited the team over for dinner and you paid attention to his stories? Or those days when his stitches managed to open up mysteriously and you were there stitching them back up? Your abilities and your touch was heaven for Johnny, something he never experienced before. He remembers his past relationships, all games in their eyes that he refused to be vulnerable ever again, yet here he was, being vulnerable once more. It wasn’t a game, it would never be a game to Johnny, he knew he wasn’t perfect.

Yet you were…

How is it that you remain so perfect? Was it your father who watched any man who dared to come close? Or that your father swore to keep you single up until his dying breath? But Johnny knew that even in death, Price would still have his way.

But it was too early to be sure, he had just met you at the dinner table. But the words emotional, strong, dependent were written in his journal, pages on pages of his love just for you. But there were passages wondering if he had a death wish, sure he was chasing a forbidden fruit and that fruit was guarded by a powerful and deadly man. Johnny was certain he could take care of you, make Price proud that he’s the perfect man to marry his daughter.

“Did you know he’s scared off every man, including Graves.” Ghost’s statement made his heart drop, he began to panic internally. How the hell could Ghost mention that so nonchalantly without a care in the world. It was so out of the blue, out of the ordinary, especially for Ghost. Fuck… Did he know? Did he find the drawings with poems attached to it? Oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god!

“M-Meaning?” Johnny curses at himself for stuttering, now Ghost knows something is wrong.

“Nothin’, Gaz told me.”

It made Johnny spiral, Price was terrifying, and knew not to do anything stupid. Every man is one thing but fucking Graves? Graves?! How many balls did this guy have?

“Jesus Johnny.” Ghost sighs, watching Johnny pace around the room with his journal, now striking two hours, “What’s got your mind in a blender?”

“Price would bloody kill me.” Johnny mutters, grabbing his many journals and shoving them in his bag, “He’ll kill me and you’ll have to get a new Sergeant or a new Soap.”

“Why would Price-” Then it hit Ghost, looking like a deer in headlights but without his eyes widening. Nearly dropping his tea and with a heavy sigh, “Not only is it stupid for you, it’s also a lost cause. Believe me.”

Johnny’s head snaps towards Ghost’s direction and with a finger pointing at Ghost, “You?” Ghost just barely nods, and with his finger still pointing, he marches over, “You Ghost, you with your cold heart?” He mutters, afraid someone will overhear, “You fell for her too?”

“Believe it or not.” Ghost tells him. Ghost didn’t hate your guts, he just preferred to stay alive, “You’re a good soldier Johnny. I need you alive.” He walks away with his tea, leaving Johnny frozen in place with his finger still pointing at the air now and confused as hell.

Johnny was ready to take Ghost’s advice out of respect for Ghost and fearing death at Price’s hands.

He prepared himself to burn his journals and was ready to forget everything until a night where you joined them all at a bar. You went to Johnny first and happily sat next to him. Johnny was terrified that Price was gonna see, but he went out for a smoke and you went to the bathroom with him promising to watch your drink.

His patience could only go on for so long, you were taking longer than you said. Ten minutes now have passed and it was more than worrying, with your drink in hand, he began walking around the bar looking for you. He even asked strangers if they’ve seen you but nothing. Johnny begins to panic, Price was going to kill him!

He was ready to drop your drink and start searching outside, he started thinking of the very worst. Hundreds of scenarios played all at once, but your voice brought him out.

“Leave. Me. Alone.” You sternly told the man who still insisted, “I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, I’m not interested.”

Yet Johnny saw red the second the man forced you up against the wall, his hands just stretched out and ready to touch you. Johnny threw your drink at the man’s back and tackled him onto the ground, repeatedly punching him over and over again, swearing in his tongue. Everything was drowned out and all he could hear was the sounds of his fist meeting the asshole’s face.

Ghost comes inside, wanting to know what the ruckus was all about. His eyes widen at the sight of Johnny on top of the man and you trying to get Johnny off, “Ghost! Help me!” You shout.

“Bloody hell Johnny!” Ghost runs and grabs Johnny by the back of his shirt and begins to drag him away, “Calm your ass down!” Johnny struggles against Ghost’s grip, managing to pull off his shirt and go back on the man, “Price! Gaz!” Ghost calls for help, “(Y/n) get back.” He tells you.

“Johnny stop!”

“Fucking hell Johnny!”

“You’re going to kill him!” You shouted, and with Gaz and Price helping Ghost, Johnny was finally pulled off the man. All eyes were on the three of you. Recording, shouts to continue the fight… God the bar looked like a mess.

Johnny huffs, looking at the guy unconscious and then you in tears. He comes to you, “Are you alright?” You nod, “What the hell happened?” As much as the man deserved to be beaten to death, there was a high chance Johnny will be disciplined or worse, discharged.

Price looks back at Johnny who’s still trying to go at him, “Let go of me Ghost!” Johnny growls.

“Get a hold of yourself!” Price helped Ghost get Johnny out of the bar with you following behind. You rushed over to the car, opening the door for Ghost and Price to throw Johnny inside and shutting the door.

Finally, Johnny calms down, slummed over the seats. He sat silently as you and your father entered the car, “What the hell happened?” He asks Johnny.

“I’ll bloody kill him.” You heard your father mutter under his breath. The ride home was silent, you shifted uncomfortably and took glances back at Johnny. Ghost and Gaz arrived in their own cars and they left in their own.

“Here is fine.” Johnny mumbles, pointing. Price stops the car, ready to protest but Johnny leaves.

Johnny didn’t know how far he walked, or how long has passed since the bar fight. A few times he kicked the snow, catching a few snowflakes on his tongue. Suddenly, he trips on his own feet and falls into the snow, he turns over onto his back and stares up at the sky.

You have never seen your father so angry before. You heard him over the phone with Laswell, convincing her that Johnny should not be disciplined for his actions, luckily she agreed but Johnny had to watch his anger and if it happened again, he would be in deep trouble.

“Johnny’s good.” Your father sighs, you join him outside with a blanket wrapped tightly around you and two cups of hot chocolate keeping your hands warm. You handed one over to your father, “Thanks kid… Something seems to be troubling his mind though. I’ve never seen him so distracted.”

“Like?”

“Like something’s keeping him occupied, always sticking his nose into that journal of his. Acting like… Like…” Then it hit your father who chuckled, “...Johnny’s in love. I knew it.”

You always held a grudge against your father for scaring away every person you’ve shown the slightest interest in, but you knew he tried his hardest, he wasn’t always going to be there for your greatest moments. That you held nothing against, you knew he really couldn’t control whenever he was called in, all you made sure was he was safe and returned home the same.

You fell for Johnny, he was like a golden retriever but more rough, tough? Everything about Johnny to his mohawk down to his love for writing in his journal, you found it cute.

But because they were all scared away, you learned to keep certain things to yourself. You lay your head on your father’s shoulder and he snaked an arm around your shoulder, pulling you closer, “How are you feeling?” He asks.

“I don’t know.” You mumble, “I just hope Johnny doesn’t feel like shit.”

Johnny knew the feelings for you weren’t going away, not even when he’s buried into the ground. He did in fact feel like shit, he knew Ghost had eyes on you first, he’d be a better fit. He got up from the snowy ground and continued walking, then took a seat on one of the benches. He doesn’t bother to wipe away the snow that has gathered.

Johnny could imagine spending his life with you, coming home to you and his children. A son and daughter, and you pregnant with the third. Placing a soft kiss against your lips as he then his children run up to him, scooping them into his arms.

“I love you (Y/n).”

“And I love you too Johnny.”

He can see his mother’s face, the faces of his sisters. He knows you would get along with them very well, and then comes your father…

“Go to bed, it’s getting late and it’s freezing.”

“Okay, night dad.”

“Sleep well (Y/n).” Placing a kiss on your forehead and releasing the grip he has on you, “And no reading in the middle of the night!” Earning a groan from you.

Even as the clock read 2 am, you couldn’t sleep, not without worrying about Johnny.

Johnny went home, he sat himself in the bathroom and began wrapping his knuckles and cleaning them on the blood still there. The cuts stung and burned but it was nothing to him. His house felt cold and empty, he would love a dog but considering he’s away, he didn’t want to leave the dog alone. Johnny began slipping off his shirt until a buzz caught his attention.

He stared at the unknown number for a few seconds before answering.

“...Hello?”

“Hey Johnny, it’s (Y/n)... How are you feeling?”

His heart fluttered, “I’m doing alright, what ‘bout you?”

“I think I’m okay, I don’t know. I’m more worried about you.”

He chuckles, “Don’t be, as you can hear, I’m alright.”

You quickly get up from your bed and lock your door, “Sorry you had to do that.” Then come to your bed.

“Don’t you dare apologize, it wasn’t your fault. If it makes you feel better, I’ll do it over and over again.”

Johnny wasn’t going to hold himself back any longer, you gave him the offer and he took it. Sneaking into your bedroom window and greeting you with a kiss, and from then on became like a dream to him until his nightmares took over…

“Captain.”

“Soap.”

Just weeks later, they were called for another mission. Johnny could only act as normal as anyone could possibly can, but he was terrible at acting, he couldn’t just act like he didn’t sleep with the captain’s daughter. Everyone could tell something was up but Johnny tried setting in hints that he was just missing home, nothing else.

“Welcome back L.T.” Johnny pats Ghost’s shoulder, sitting down and opening up his journal.

“...Got into another fight?” Ghost questions, staring at the bright bruise just barely peeking over the hem of his shirt.

“What?”

Ghost points at his own neck, “The bruise.”

Johnny looked at himself in the glass, seeing his barely visible figure and saw the bruise, “Bloody hell.” He curses pulling down his shirt more to see the extent of it. How didn’t he see this when he was getting ready?!

“Blew off some steam with someone?” Ghost asks, then he starts getting suspicious, “Or-”

“It’s nothing.” Johnny hurriedly spoke, trying to lift his shirt up so it doesn’t drag down and reveal it.

“Is what I’m hearing correct?” Gaz suddenly appears, a smirk right across his face as he sees Johnny’s bruise, “Soap finally got someone?”

Johnny shakes his head, “No, no. I-I just hurt myself.” He lies.

Gaz knew it was a complete lie, sure Johnny was clumsy but he wasn’t that clumsy, “Come on soap, we’re all friends here, no need to keep secrets.”

Johnny slowly turns around, horrified, “Does it really look that bad?” Johnny asks the two, “I mean… It’s not that bad right?”

Ghost and Gaz look at each other and then back at Johnny, “...It’s bad.” They both spoke, making Johnny panic internally.

“Fuck me!” Johnny roughly sighs, rushing off to somewhere without the two pointing out his bruise.

“What’s up with him?” Gaz looks at Ghost.

“...I don’t think it’s your best interest to find out.”

Johnny searched around his room, searching for anything metal to place in the freezer. Sure he had found a way to slowly hide the bruise, but the guilt was eating him up, especially looking at Price in the eye. How was he going to explain that the day before he had to leave, he slept with his daughter again, which explains the bruise. Before he thought it wasn’t going to show but his fears came true.

“I promise I’ll come back.” Johnny places a kiss on your shoulder, “And I promise to make your father proud.” He muttered against your skin, fearing to pull back.

“He already is proud of you.” You whispered.

Johnny snorts, “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

Sure Price was impressed with his skills but there was no way he was gonna be proud of seeing one of his soldiers with his daughter, the man would have a heart attack. The man already has enough gray hairs from the whole team.

Johnny thought of the way you said it, ‘Hello sir! I’m sleeping with your daughter!’

God no, that’s even worse.

Would Price give him a one minute head start before Price starts hunting him?

The possibilities always end up with Johnny somewhat being… He can’t stop thinking about it. It should’ve been enough to stop Johnny right now but he couldn’t, he couldn’t stop loving you. And Johnny had it all planned out, get Price somewhere alone and spit out what he was going to say but the angered look in his eyes from the failed mission was enough to scare him. This went on for months and each attempt failed with either him backing out or someone interrupted.

The first thing he wanted to do was get on a call with you when they all returned but he and the team were dragged back to the same bar. They drank, they laughed except for Ghost, shared some stories but for most of the night, Johnny remained silent as he drank straight from the third bottle. He was just more worried, freaked, paranoid…

The cheap booze burned his throat, made his stomach ache. Luckily the bar was quiet, them being the only group in the bar so far. He was trying to drink his sorrows away, trying to drown out their conversation and use his phone, but his vision made it impossible.

“So captain, anyone take the risk of dating your daughter?” Gaz asks.

Price laughs and shakes his head, “None and even if they did, I’ll put a bullet in their cocks.” Smoking his cigar, “And she’s growing up. In which I heard she caught some eyes.”

Johnny perks up, looking at their direction and listening.

“I’ll die before I let any bastard near my (Y/n).” His heart drops, “There was one man thought it was the best idea to ask for my blessing, I gave him a broken nose instead and told him to fuck off.” Johnny starts sweating, “And don’t get me started on what Graves said.”

“What did he say?”

“You know the usual thing that every man says about my daughter. I love her, she’s my whole world, I would do anything to make you proud, I can give you babies-”

Johnny didn’t have time to race to the bathroom, in fact, he didn’t know he was gonna throw up all over the floor. It startles Ghost and he nearly trips on his own feet trying to avoid the vomit. The burning sensation in his throat became worse when he coughed, the smell of booze and vomit made his nose scrunch up, falling to the floor in pain.

“Johnny!” Ghost rushes to Johnny’s side while avoiding the huge puddle, he tries to pull Johnny to his feet but he becomes limp and he begins to shake.

“Fuck-!” He coughs again, “I’m bloody- fuck!” Another round of vomit leaves his mouth and Ghost swears he got some on his shoe.

“Stop talking Johnny. Let’s just get you home.” One arm over Ghost’s shoulder, “Help me over here Gaz!” And Gaz was quick to come to Johnny’s side, ignoring the heavy smell of his vomit and drinking. Yet Johnny refuses to stand, dragging him out of the bar. Price throws a couple of hundred on the bar and apologizes the best he can.

“Open the door!”

“God it smells!”

Price opens the door and in goes Johnny, “What’s gotten into you?” Price asks Johnny, entering his car, “I’ve never seen you like this before.” Starting the car and driving away.

“I…” Johnny swallowed down the water given to him, “I’m just sorry is all.” Price hums.

“You’re in no position to stay home alone…”

The rest of the ride was like a blur, all he could remember was being helped out of the car and sitting on Price’s couch. He could hear a muffled voice in the background and not long when you appeared in his sight, fear was across your face as you watched him struggle to keep his eyes open.

“What happened?” You ask your father who held a rag in his hand, running it under the skin, “How many drinks did he take?”

“More like how many bottles did he drink.” Was all he said before twisting the rag tight, “I’ve never seen him like this before.” Handing you the wet rag.

You carefully wipe the sides of his mouth of the remaining vomit. Your father set down a trash can in front of Johnny, “Jesus.” You mutter, “How did you get like this?”

Johnny doesn’t answer, nor does he even try to reply. He just feels like shit, but couldn’t tell if it was from the alcohol or the guilt. Yet you could see that it was both, you knew when your father returned that Johnny hadn’t said anything, if he did then he’d be asking questions.

You open your mouth to speak but Johnny is quick to shake his head, making you sigh in defeat, muttering the words, “Alright.” Before finishing cleaning his face from sweat and vomit.

Your father comes back with a bottle of ibuprofen in hand, “Take em’ and get some rest, you kid, shouldn’t be awake at this hour.”

“I’m fine.” You tell him, walking over the sink.

“...Then I need to talk to you (Y/n).” Your father follows you, leaning on the counter, “Is there something you aren’t telling me.” You shake your head, “You sure?”

“Positive.”

“Doesn’t seem like it.”

“I’m fine dad, I’m just worried about Johnny, that is all.”

He perks an eyebrow, “You know (Y/n), I should trust you, and I do trust you. But what makes me so hesitant to trust you is a man sneaking in and out your window so late at night.” You freeze in place, “And this isn’t just once, a few times a week. Even the day before I left.”

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“(Y/n), you know I hate it when you lie to me.”

“There’s nothing going on.”

“I cannot even believe what I’m gonna say, the hell is MacTavish sneaking out of your window?”

Your eyes widen as you stutter, “W-we’re just friends it’s-”

“No big deal?” He lifts an eyebrow and hums.

“I don’t understand what’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong is what MacTavish is doing in my daughter’s room. Are you two having sex? Don’t Graves and Ghost have their eyes on you? What the hell is going on?!”

“It’s no big deal!”

Your father sighs, “If you two are friends then tell me what he was doing in your room.” You try walking past him but he pulls you back, “(Y/n), I need to know if you are sleeping with one of my men.”

“Why do you need to know? It’s none of your business.”

“It becomes my business if I have to worry about MacTavish dying out in the field and telling you the news.” He holds onto your shoulders, “I don’t want you getting hurt.”

“That’s not gonna happen.”

“You really are stubborn.” He sighs for the hundredth time, “One wrong decision and I’ll kill him.” He swore, patting your back as he walked to his room.

You come to Johnny’s side, “Are you okay?”

“Bit woozy but I’ll live.” You help Johnny lay down on the couch, “...I’m sorry, if I hadn’t been sneaking around then I wouldn’t have ruined your relationship with your dad.”

“Well, he sorta came around but he did kinda threaten your life.”

Johnny shrugs, “That’s expected, but he’s right. There is a chance I may not come back.”

You cup Johnny’s face, “You always come back, Ghost, Gaz, and my dad always come back. Don’t doubt yourself.” You ignore the heavy smell of alcohol and vomit all over Johnny and miss him which he happily returns, wrapping his arms around your waist to pull you closer.

Johnny was sure he was never going to let you go, holding onto you tighter and before he fell asleep, “I love you (Y/n).”

© Intoxicated-Chan, I do not allow my work to be copied, translated, modified, adapted, or put on any other platform without permission.

[sixstepsaway]

right, so, here are my Thoughts about that whole thing now i've slept on it. probably won't be super coherent but here we go

i feel bad for stede. he got shoved, somehow, into the weird love interest role so many female characters find themselves in, where they are truly completed by a man and a romance not the things they've been striving for throughout the series so far. he's shown no sign of wanting to give up the pirate lifestyle he's just finally got back, and to accompany him giving that up with izzy's gorgeous "piracy is about family and somewhere to belong" speech from earlier just feels cruel. we joke about how episode 2 stede wouldn't care if lucius died but that changed, he got attached, his crew became his family. they were loyal to him and followed him even when they were just working at spanish jackie's for pennies. they respected him and loved him enough to let him talk them into letting ed back on board. this was, at least at this point in stede's arc, his happy ending. in fact, you can even argue he was happy without ed for a while at the start of this episode. his relationship with ed is important and it's icing on the cake, but it isn't something to complete him, or his only source of happiness -- nor should it be!!! and then for some reason ed shows back up, fishes up his leathers, kicks ass to save him, loses izzy and now they're leaving stede's ship and crew and found family to... run an inn made out of the world's shittiest fixer-upper? stede? stede twirly fancypants bonnett??? in that place? maybe at the end of a full run this might have felt like a good conclusion to his story, him realizing he wanted belonging, not necessarily to be a pirate, and maybe them bringing some of crew along to have their home somewhere safer and happier than the piracy they don't really enjoy but turn to because they have no other choice, but right now it just feels like... honestly like either he agreed to it to keep ed with him ("AITA for convincing my boyfriend to run an inn with me after leaving him two days ago because we were moving too fast? little backstory: this involved my boyfriend leaving everything in his life for me and no i did not apologize for running off to become a fisherman") or like, as i said up there, a matter of "actually all he needed was a BOYFRIEND all along" which... ngh. stede is more than his relationship.

idk why we bothered establishing that frenchie, jim and even archie were willing to put their lives on the line and lie to ed's murderous face to save izzy's life just for them to be stone-faced and have no feelings about his loss. like, okay, ed and he's stories are tied together and him dying in ed's arms makes more sense narratively than him dying in anyone else's, but also ed hadn't earned that and izzy deserved to die in the arms of someone who hadn't tried to kill him and shot him in the leg not to mention we went from fang's squishy hug and frenchie holding his hand to just... nothing? not a thing? roach, the ship's surgeon, did nothing to try and save him? it's just ed slapping his gunshot wound pathetically?

it strongly feels like they swapped izzy and ed's roles in his death scene sounds stupid but hear me out "you're my only family" would make so much more sense coming from izzy with ed dying in his arms. izzy's desperation to keep hold of ed, right down to accidentally pushing him down the kraken path at the end of season 1, being rooted in the feeling that ed is all he has in the world? ed responding that no, the crew love izzy. he's earned their love. he has a family outside of ed now, can't he see that? that makes so much more sense, considering izzy nearly died for them multiple times and spent the first few episodes trying to protect them and then being protected by them in kind he was their new unicorn!!! meanwhile ed said sorry to fang, izzy and lucius, and no one else has been shown to give any fucks about him since that whole thing, and like... rightly so? because he hadn't earned them back at all? and he fucked off on them too last episode lol dont forget he didnt JUST leave stede

we should have known better than to trust djenks when he broke jim and olu up for no reason ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ idk

nothing worth a damn happened this episode it was all running around and waving swords. idk how anyone got to where they were at the end. it was just poor writing.

the pacing has been off all season but they really shoved three episodes into one and hoped it'd work

i'm getting flashbacks to the timeless ~finale~ ugh

they spent so much time one ed's stupid fishing boat monologue instead of on ANYTHING ELSE

i ran out of thoughts

oh, here's another: the show walked a line between muppetry and things that were taken seriously lucius' finger, izzy's toes: serious ed getting bonked by a cannonball: emotionally serious, but not physically serious ed and stede both getting stabbed: not serious and what was treated as serious and what was treated as handwavy was dictated by what the storyline and the emotional needs were izzy getting shot to make it so they all had to run away yapping would have been hilarious, especially if he got back to the ship and went "nah eddie it's my left side, remember what i told you about the left? nothing important on the left" "your liver" <- roach, horrified but instead weird death scene because this was treated as physically serious, even though it...should not have been, really? and that is bothering me a lot too, because when lucius was thrown to his death, we looked at stede finding the crew on the island and went, "aha! lucius will be fine, because that's what the show logic is" and we were right, because the show had taught us that but that didn't extend to izzy for this and that's just weird

[yermes]

PAC: 🍁

School started for me and starbies just came out with their seasonal fall flavors so even though I am a victim of broke college student fevar I went to starbs bc whats $15 when yr already in a fuck ton of debt. So I went to starbs with my roomie to get some PSLs. But while we were there one of the baristas was just losing their absolute fucking mind at another barista who was just trying to help these young highschoolers not be late. Like???? Screaming at her not to touch anything and she can’t fucking jump the line my heart literally broke. If I had any money like fucking dollar bills I would have given them to her. Like so fucking awful. But honestly so many people are under appreciated. I literally spend my life taking care of people who claim that. “They only think of others, and they never put themselves first, or I am JUST SUCH A CARE TAKER.” But when push comes to shove they’re no where to be found. A READING FOR MY UNDER APPRECIATED MOTHER FUCKERS SO YOU KNOW HOW LOVED AND VALUED YOU AREEEE.

(I know most of you are mystics who wish to be the most esoteric babe in the mystic forest, who has to work a 9-5 so this is for youu)

Pick a meme

The cards

Nine of Wands (Reversed) 🧸

Yesod, Lord of Great Strength, Moon in Sagittarius, 10°–20°. Angels Yirthiel and Sahiah

You are putting something off in so you can help others. Something is being delayed. You are intentionally abstaining from something which in turn is causing you to spiral. Maybe your ass is working the rush shift everyday and your coworkers are assholes and you cannot bare to leave that anxious toxic ass mess. However, you owe it to yourself to find a better environment. People don’t leave because the security of which is offered but are you actually secure or are you comfortable in your mistreatment?

find people who will do better and will work with you and match your energy.

Futility 🪒

Moon 3. In Aquarius, Netzach in Air, seven of swords

The seventh suit. A notably unlucky suit. You have been backed into a corner and you need to get your way out. Now this isn’t a gun fight its a fight of wits. You need to use your cleverness to escape. Honestly, maybe a toxic friend or person you know led you down a dark path? Maybe you got love bombed so hard and led with the promise of love and compromise you fell so hard and breaking every bone on the way down. Be safe. Get out of there

Back rooms level RUN!

Fortitude (Reversed) 🫁

Daughter of the Flaming Sword, Teth, Serpent

Damn bitch you gave so much of yourself you became ill and have been weakened SEVERELY. You are also getting resentful which is hard. Like you said you were this strong ass bitch who could do anything. So you did everything and now you have egg on your face. Some athletes get trained so hard and so extreme they die. You’ve been giving so much mentally and emotionally you weakened yourself. You wouldn’t workout till death why would you give so much till failure?

Make room for yourself and forgive yourself.

The Star 💫

Jupiter in Aquarius, Chokmah to Tiphareth, Air

Its the hope that guides us all. You have such a deep well of love in that little heart of yours. The way its telling you to go is the right one. However, an off putting aspect is there may be part of the code thats got a bug, which makes your hopeful manifestations plagued by illusions. Live in the moment. Be confident of nature and your gut. Somethings may not be clear now but day by day and little by little you will find out more and more.

Take care of yourself and protect your peace

Extras:

Story/vent: once again athlete student life os difficult and I am shoving this reading in so that I can feel productive. Plus I love yo do it!

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[goodluckclove]

WIP Tag Game!

Whoa tagged again by the brilliant @ivaspinoza! Check her out if you're down for what I imagine to be some intense bloodsucking existentialism!

I'll do this for all of Songbird Elegies as a whole. I'm on book two right now - Blind Trust comes out June 20th!

Read below to hear some things about the origins of the series that I haven't actually said yet and probably won't say again.

1. What was the first part of your wip that you created?

Funny story! I hadn't written anything tangible for months since leaving my terrible copyrighting job. I was absolutely miserable. I ended up leaving my second job because of a medication problem and spent a week in bed detoxing off of Seroquel withdrawal - bad bad don't do that if you can help it. After that I fell into recovery and just had no idea what to do with my days.

The turning point was when I sent an email going fully no-contact with my across-the-board abusive parents. They did some awful things across the course of my life and I'm still spending a good chunk of time making up for their ridiculous medical neglect. I might need throat surgery because of them. Not great! But anyways, I sent that email and wrote the first 15 pages of Blind Trust later that day, sitting on the floor while my wife took a nap on the couch. It just came out. Wife said they liked it so I just kept going.

Three months and two data losses later and the first draft was done!

2. If your story was a TV show, what would the theme song/intro be?

I have so many Songbird Elegy playlists oh my God. It's hard to say, and the answer will change, but right now it's "Love Me, Normally" by Will Wood.

3. Who are your favourite characters you've made? Why?

They're all very important to me for different reasons. Scott is the one I tend to talk about the most because he captures a lot of mania and upbeat romanticism, qualities of myself that I value despite the obvious faults. Edgar is just as important, but they represent a lot of my current struggles and I'm doing a lot of healing and processing through them which is good but less - you know - fun?

Tenzin reminds me of my wife with her quiet stoicism. Katy reminds me of my older sister and everything she sacrificed to keep me and my siblings alive. She's more of a mother to me than my own mother. My sister is actually the first person to finish Blind Trust after I finished it.

4. What other pieces of media do you think would share a fan base for your story?

Disco Elysium maybe? Griffin and Sabine - has anyone else read that? The Witcher, but specifically the novels? Requiem for a Dream for later books. Tales of the City in terms of tone and character focus. Fleet Foxes and Hoizer and early Decemberists?

Good, warm soup. If you like a bowl of good, warm soup, you will enjoy Songbird Elegies.

5. What has been your biggest struggle with your wip?

Definitely Edgar's arc. Their experience with their metaphorical (or are they??) inner child and the abuse they've been working to escape and recover from has been hard to look at directly. Especially once I introduced Scott's mother, who's turned into a weird mix of the maternal figure I wish I had and the one I feel I could've been if I chose that path.

Yesterday I found myself writing how I wish it went when my wife met my parents, through Scott and Edgar meeting Scott's mom. The sharing of parental pride and affection despite potential embarrassment. It's a cute scene, but there's a lot of grief in there for me. I wonder if it'll show.

6. Are there any animals in your story? Talk about them!

Wilford Brimley is Katy's pet Persian cat. He is old and weird and a little fucked up. I had to edit his introduction in Blind Trust because it was six (small) paragraphs and Wife told me that was unreasonable (skill issue), but I can include some canon info:

He shoves his paw under the bathroom door while people are in the bathroom

He likes feet

Edgar sometimes shares little bits of cheese with him

Once he fell asleep in Edgar's lap but then peed in his lap and just kept sleeping in the piss

Edgar treat him like a weird cousin he has to make conversation with during holidays

Wilford thinks he's his brother and an equally fucked up cat

7. How do your characters get around? (ex: trains, horses, cars, dragons, etc.)

Cars mostly! Edgar has a shitty used car that's always close to breaking down. Katy has a newer car that's still used, but she takes very good care of it - I think it's a Fiat. I think Tenzin probably uses the car Scott's Dad left behind after he died, which is a vintage Cadillac convertible that Scott's Mom fixed up.

Scott is the only one without a license since he essentially has a magical dissociative disorder and hasn't yet felt safe behind the wheel. In Blind Trust he's taken every form of public transit to cross the country. I think when he was younger he used to skateboard to get around Bluerose.

8. What part of your wip are you working on rn?

I'm close to 40k into book two!

9. What aspects (tropes, maybe?) of your wip do you think will draw people in?

I have hopes that people will enjoy the tenderness of it. I'm like a reverse-whump ace writer, in that I've written a series that's aggressively pro-comfort and recovery. People start off in pretty sorry states and then make the difficult effort to put themselves and each other back together.

There's explicit ace representation in Scott and aroace rep in Katy (she doesn't know it yet though shhh). Edgar comes out as Agender and changes pronouns midway into the series, but still keeps presenting as androgynous/masc leaning. There's diversity in body types and gender identities in a way that feels warranted to me - Scott has Klinefelter's and grew up taking T, and he made a best friend that came out so she could take her E with him. Same goes with disabilities in prominent characters, though the main four focus on what I have personal experience in.

As a disabled queer writer I hope to make a series that tells a fantastical story about people like me that doesn't pander specifically to my market.

10. What are your hopes for your wip?

I hope people read it. I hope they like it. It'd be cool if I could talk to people about it. I've been pretty deep in the Songbird Elegy fandom for some time now haha.

On a more serious note I hope there's a market for non-sexualized romances that are still hyper intimate. I know I'm into it but I'm still not sure if other people are. I'd like to create more media about positive and fulfilling ace relationships, both romantic and platonic. I'm tired of people seeing that type of life as a loss. Any healthy companionship is not a loss.

I want people to read Songbird Elegies and think about the love in their lives and in themselves. All of it, in every way. Yeah.

I tag @ryns-ramblings! I wanna hear about your thing!

[three-duck-houses]

@fe-oc-week day 6 - Supports

So I skipped days 4 and 5, Tragedy and Joy, because I really can't work out what to do for them? The only thing she would consider a tragedy is her mum dying the day she turned 11, and she makes an effort to find as much joy as possible in the little every day things, like sun rises and sun sets and clean air and tasty food and being near people she likes. Just too many things to list

For Supports, I don’t tend to think of Nico in terms of fitting her into the game mechanics (with branching paths and joining different classes), it’s more of a linear story that has conversations at various points that I guess could count as Support convos? Though saying that, I know that one and one conversations with most everyone do all happen at one point or another (if Shez and Byleth get to talk to everyone, so does Nico!) however where most of her story is still living in my head as a giant jumble to half cooked ideas and snippets of dialogue... I'll just share what I've already got for a few people

So here's some of my favourite bits of dialogue and short scenes? =3 (and a few scene outlines because my brain Will Not Work properly)

Conversations with Leonie, Hilda, Lorenz, Felix, Shez, Claude, Sylvain

Leonie:

When Nico first gets to the academy - 

“Leonie! Hello darling, it’s great to see you!” she said, reaching out and pulling her friend into a quick hug before stepping back and holding her by her elbows as she gave her an exaggerated once over. “And oooh, look at you! Dressed up all fancy. It really suits you. Give us a twirl? Niiice. Now give me another one so I can check out something other than your ass? And your legs, phew, didn’t think I’d ever see so much of them out in public like this.”

Leonie burst out laughing as she cuts the start of her second spin short and shoves at Nico’s shoulder with a fond eye roll and faint blush. But she’s quickly reminded that they aren’t at Sauin village where everyone knows what they’re like, and are in fact surrounded by strangers when she hears a few other people also laugh while still more splutter from drinking at the wrong moment or make scandalised sounding gasps. And through it all, a laugh she vaguely recognises. She looked round, and found Lady Hilda sitting at the nearby table next to Yellow cape–no, he was Claude, and she was still kinda mad at him–, and she’d half turned towards her to say hi when Leonie’s words made her freeze

“Yeah, I didn’t either, but my uniform choices were this or a dress. It’s surprisingly comfortable, when you get used to it. What have you picked for yours?”

Her eyes snapped back to Leonie, hoping her friend was joking, but no, no it didn’t look like she was.

“Run that by me again? Did you say the options are a skirt or a dress?”

“Huh? Well, yeah. I was pretty miffed about it too, but they seemed kinda strict about it, long held tradition or something.”

She turned to Shez and Byleth, who were watching the conversation with vague interest, and silently asked them what the fuck with a head tilt and brow lift.

“You don't remember us going to see the tailors last night after we talked to Professor Hanneman? Well, we did, and we've picked out what we want, but you were too out of it to pick yourself, so we said we'd go back later today. Oh. They needed your measurements to get started on your shirts, so me and By got them, so they wouldn’t be touching you.”

Well. That was one thing to be thankful for, she supposed, giving Shez a grateful smile, then glancing down at Byleth when she felt a light touch on the back of her hand to find her cousin looking up at her, the faintest of frown lines between her brows, and shifted her smile over into reassuring.

“I’m fine, honest. Just gonna have to talk to them is all.”

“Aww, what’s the matter Nico?” Leonie asked with a laugh in her voice. “You can’t tell me you’re afraid to show a little leg yourself, I’ve seen what you dance in.”

Shaking her head fondly she turned back, noting that Hilda had left her seat and was walking towards them so she needed to wrap this up quickly.

“You know damn well how much of me I’m happy to show, but when you’ve got some free time how about I take you up on Kilani and you can find out how much of a pain in the ass it is to ride a wyvern in a skirt?”

Hilda:

When Nico gets to the monastery, and she’s meeting everyone along with Byleth and Shez, she’s just introduced herself the the Great Lord’s heirs and offered to do anything she can to help them, since she’s employed by Lady Daphnel and trying to build a good rapport with these noble kids - 

"Except you. If you want me to buy you more beads you need to start learning Almyran properly and come with me. I'm not having you yell at me for buying you what you ask me for again."

Hilda laughed, rolling her eyes, then started her familiar argument

"I asked for lapis lazuli seed beads Nico–"

"No, you asked for blue–"

"And you bought me turquoise cut gems–"

"Turquoise is blue! I bought you blue stones with holes in them! I tried, ok? This is why you need to come with me!"

End of Harpstring, after the class’ first main mission in which Nico took an arrow to the back of the shoulder for Claude, and then an axe hit to her arm while pushing Hilda out of the way of an attack. Hilda and Leonie have gone with Nico back to the eyrie to help her unsaddle Kilani, since her arm’s in a sling. Probably their C support? - 

“Nico, why’d you take that hit for me? You know I’m not actually a delicate flower, don’t you?”

“I know, I know. But I still didn’t want to see you get hurt. Even if you could have taken it, it would still have caused you pain, and I just… don’t want to see you hurt. I honestly do like you Hilda, and I’d like to be friends someday.”

“Wait, you think we aren’t friends already?”

“Huh? I mean, um…”

“Nico!”

“I didn’t want to presume! You are a noble after all, and you’ve paid me to run errands and do stuff for you before! I thought you might still see me as a messenger, or like, a merc who works with Holst sometimes.”

Leonie, who was on the other side of the wyvern stall, started sniggering

“Don’t mind her Hilda, Nico’s pretty bad at knowing when she’s made a friend, she asked me if she could call me one after we’d known each other six months.”

“Leonie!!!”

“Haha, I see! In that case yes Nico, we are friends. And I think Marianne and Lysithea would probably say you are too, so how about we all go and get tea together at some point, yeah?”

“Huh? Oh, um, yeah. Yeah, I’d like that.”

Lorenz:

Lorenz pissed Nico off when they first met because he didn’t like the way she’d talked to Leonie, and reminded her several times that he was a noble who had standards. So when she went back to Daphnel for her first weekend running messages and she offered to take stuff for the rest of the class, she made a point of charging him, since he was a noble, not one of her classmates or friends. This happens shortly after that

“Hey, um, Lorenz? Do you have a second?”

“Yes? What can I do for you?”

“I. I wanted to apologise for the way I spoke to you on Friday,” she said, dropping into a bow and focusing on his shoes, which were of course perfectly polished. “And for all of my conduct towards you so far, in fact. I know I’ve been a real brat towards you, because what you said when we met kinda annoyed me, but that’s no excuse for my frankly terrible behaviour and attitude. You of course aren’t obligated to, but I was wondering if perhaps we could try to start over?”

His feet shuffled in place while he made a vaguely surprised noise, and she could hear their classmates still tidying books and lingering at desks. She hated having to do this in front of them, but, well, she had made the point of charging him for delivering his message and then warping him away to his dad’s office in front of them too, so it was only fair.

“I accept your apology. And as to starting over, ahem. I am Lorenz Hellman Gloucester, and it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

She slowly rose up from her bow, looking up and finding him giving her a small, tight looking smile, but it was a smile nonetheless.

“The pleasure is mine Lord Gloucester. I am Nicolita Eisner, but please, call me Nico. Do you think you might be free at all in the next few days to join me for some hot leaf juice, do you think?”

She bit her lip as she watched his eyes fly wide and he started to splutter, colour rushing to his cheeks and looking like he was trying to be a kettle fit to boil over, before he paused, and narrowed his eyes at her. She shrunk down a little, and felt her shoulders hunch despite herself. Yeah, she’d been trying to wind him up by calling it leaf juice, but she did actually want to have tea with him

“Humph. Very well. But I must insist that you refrain from referring to it as such. While I acknowledge that not all of the blends that are generally called tea deserve the title, those blends do have their own proper names, such as tinctures and tisanes. Come along, and I can begin teaching you the differences now.”

Felix:

End of Harpstring, her dead mother’s birthday. Nico has been trying to keep her head down and not interact with people, and Felix has been trying to goad her into sparring despite her and Byleth telling him to stop - this would be C- I think? -

"Tch, what's the matter? Scared to fight me now I know the sort of dirty tricks you like to play? You truly are pathetic"

That makes her snap, spinning to face him and magic sparking out of her, like in one of those static ball things, and leaving faint scorch marks on the floor near her

"For fucks sake Felix! I'd heard Sylvain was the insatiable one who didn't understand the concept of 'no', but were all those rumours really about you instead? Are you really the type of guy to keep pushing and pushing after a girl's turned you down, and ignore all her attempts to politely make you back off? I’m thinking maybe they were, since Sylvain has been nothing but a gentleman since I met him"

Felix is horrified, because of what she's implying. And Sylvain's a little surprised, because er, does she not remember their date?

“I said no. I said I don’t want to. I am now saying to fuck the hell off and leave me alone and just don’t talk to me about anything, ever, you spoiled little noble brat! It’s more than time you grew the fuck up, learned some manners and learned to fucking listen to people other than yourself!”

Later the same day, Nico returns to the monastery from where she’d stormed off, and goes to find Felix in the dining hall - 

"What do you want?" he bites out, and it's an effort to swallow from how dry her mouth suddenly is as she tries to remember what she wanted to say

She bows to him, a full proper one with all the respect he deserves, and says "I'm sorry. I was in a bad mood but I shouldn't have taken it out on you. You did nothing to deserve what I said to you, and my words towards you were completely unwarranted and unjustified, and the insinuation I made was unnecessarily cruel. I truly regret my actions, and any harm I've caused you, and will do whatever you want to make things right, if I can."

She waits, holding the bow, for his reaction, and has to bite her lip to try and hide her flinch when he scoffs

"If you think that drivel you spouted will make everything better–" he starts with a barely suppressed snarl in his voice, and she knows it's rude and will probably make everything worse, but she cuts across him

"No, I don't think it'll make things better. I understand if there is nothing I can ever say or do to make up for the pain I caused you or any damage to your reputation. But in case there is, please know I will say or do whatever you deem necessary to make things right"

Silence. And she internally cringes because it's the sort of silence that means everyone in the hall has stopped and is watching, and if anyone hadn't known what happened before then they'd find out now and this was a terrible idea what was she thinking she was such a fucking moron

"Idiot," Felix spits, followed by a tch of him clicking his tongue. "Go away. I don't want to deal with you right now. You disgust me"

(this one isn’t even dialogue, just how the scene would go, but shhhh, pretend it is?) This would be… either C+ or B I guess? - 

After everyone’s settled down, she goes to Kilani’s saddle bags and pulls out her set of poi, and moves to a bit of the clearing away from Felix, because they still aren’t exactly on the best of terms from the whole insulting him thing, and starts practising. Hits herself a few times, but mostly does ok

She keeps track of the time, and when their shift is over she looks over at Felix, trying to build herself up to face the cold hostility she’s sure she’s about to get from him, but finds him staring at her, looking considering and calculating, and what? Tentatively calls his name, and he blinks a few times, then tch’s, looking away from her. Says her footwork was interesting was all, he was studying it to see if any of it could be applied to his swordsmanship.

She stares at him, because huh. Didn’t expect him to admit that. But her silence seems to bother him, and he shifts, crossing his arms, then huffs loudly.

Asks if she’d be willing to teach him how to do all that, and she’s a little surprised. Because she hadn’t been entirely sure they were back on good terms… They hadn’t interacted much since the whole blow up at him thing?

He tch’s again, and says she had a point, he was wrong, he’s been trying to be better about it. And… he wants to learn how to do what she did. Not just with these balls on strings. But with the moving around in fights. The dodging out of the way, and all the footwork. And he saw her dancing in town, and the moves she used looked... He thinks it’d be useful for his fighting. Please.

It’s the please that gets her. Because wow. Progress!!!

Shez:

So Nico and Shez are pretty close before the game even starts, so it’s difficult to work out what would even count as supports for them. But I really do love this scene so I’mma share it =3

Context is Byleth and Shez started the Ashen Wolves DLC while Nico was away running messages for Judith, only Judith told her to take a few hours off while she wrote supplies so Nico made a giant pool at the Troupes camp and was teaching the kids to swim when she felt Byleth turn back time (long story). So she warped to Byleth while still in her under things, and joined in the fight in that outdoor map below the cathedral bridge, but because of the excess amount of Sothis magic down there her magical senses are dulled, and she kinda hasn’t noticed anyone else who takes part in the DLC are kinda hanging back to stay out of the way of her attacks… - 

A sharp slice across her collarbone as she didn’t step back either quick or far enough, and she hissed in pain, then growled as she felt her top which just got cut through slide down to leave one side of her chest exposed, and then hung loose and distracting off her other shoulder as the knot got stuck in the rings at the back 

“Nico? What’s wro–” Shez’s question dissolved into splutters, and then a grunt of pain, and she glanced over to where she was pretty sure he was to see him sprawled on the floor, cheeks a bright red, and a construct standing over him with an axe.

Sighing, she reached out and waved a hand, shooting ice up from either side of Shez to impale the enemy.

“Oh I’m sorry Shez, don’t tell me you got distracted by my non-existent tits?” she asked sweetly sharp, keeping half an eye on him as he scrambled to his feet

“For the love of–gnnngh! I said it one time, and that was months ago! How are you still not over that yet?”

“You’re right, you did only say I’m flatter than a wash board with grapes nailed to it one time, yeah. But there was another time when you said the only shape I have is because of an excessive amount of ruffles! And maybe I’ll start getting over it when you apologise??”

“What? I already did!”

“Bollocks did you!”

“I did! You were yelling at me in the healers tent and started to cry and stopped as soon as I said I was sorry!”

“When I was in…” She stopped after kicking one of the things in the stomach then spinning round to get the momentum to behead it cleanly. She uses this quick lull in the fight to yank at her top, pulling the knot through the rings so it was free and she could drop it to the floor, where it wouldn't distract her by flapping and shifting and tickling her back

“Shez. Darling. Love. Sweetheart–”

“Uh oh”

“–Light of my life. Did you perhaps apologise to me during the three days I lost because I had a mother fucking concussion from being thrown head first into a tree saving your sorry ass from the giant wolves you pissed off?!”

“. . . well when you put it that way–”

“As soon as we’re done murdering these bitches I’m smacking you upside the head you flaming sack of putrid festering duck shit!”

Claude:

Shahid attacked the Locket while the Goddess’ Rite of Rebirth was going on (because he’d heard someone tried to murder some of the Alliances heirs last month, so the Alliance must be weak right now), so the Deer have to ditch protecting the Sword in order to beat up Shahid. Nico provides some psychological horror to the Almyran’s before warping them all back to the capital, and then has a quick conversation with Nader before sending him back to explain that they’re all going home in one piece this time because of her debt to queen Tia—--

Nico blue screens as she puts together that Tiana is the same name as Oswald’s daughter/Claude mum and the Fodlani born Almyran queen and huh

The next day, when Nico wakes up from her magical overexertion nap and Claude catches her in the eyrie -

“So, about what happened with Nader yesterday. I guess that means you kno–”

She spun around and practically lept towards him, slapping her hand over his mouth as she grabbed his shoulder and pushed him backwards until he hit the wall out of sight of the doorway. She squeezed tighter when his hands seem to instinctively go to her wrist and try to pull her off him, and she had to look away from his eyes and focus on a spot just past his ear when she saw how alarmed, confused, and wary betrayed he was, because it made something in her chest ache something fierce to see how he still didn’t trust her, despite everything. But she pushed that aside for the moment, because he needed to hear this! 

“Look. There is a very fine line between me strongly suspecting something because of facts I’ve pieced together, and me knowing something because someone else has confirmed it. Right now, I can honestly say if anyone asks that I don’t know who or where your parents are. So I need you to be very careful about what you say to me from now on so you don’t tip me suspecting over into me knowing. Understand?”

A light seemed to flicker on behind his eyes, which were darting all over her face as she slowly lifted her hand off his mouth and let go of him, and then he slowly nodded, something like a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips

“Yeah, I understand. I… yeah.”

She nodded at him, then turned to go back to making sure she’d packed all of Kilani’s things properly, but he grabbed her shirt sleeve, gently tugging, and she looked back at him in surprise, because huh?

“Thanks, Nico. For not saying anything yesterday.”

She gave him a look, brows raised and lips quirked, and shook her head with a sigh

“Don’t be dumb, Claude. You don’t need to thank me for something like that. You should know by now I’ll have your back when I can, alright? No matter if that’s from swords, axes, arrows, or info”

~~

And then a few days/a week later, when Judith comes and gets Claude and takes him back to Deidriu to sit in on the Roundtable, Judith brings Nico along too so she can then fly Claude back (so Judith doesn’t have to make the trip there and back again)

And Nico realises that every time she’s spoken Almyran in front of Claude, he’s understood it. And she starts trying to remember all the things she’s said in front of him, and remembers the whole “We could always bribe these three with the literal Prince’s ransom I’ve been offered to track down the youngest prince if you want me to go take that job?” conversation from after Remire

So she goes to find him, and they have a little conversation where she asks him if that was why he didn’t like her at the start of the year, and he’s annoying and reminds her he’s not meant to do or say anything to confirm either way anything she suspects, and she’s very grrrrr at him because he has a point but also she can tell he’s being a wind up, till he laughs and says yeah,  he understood what she said, and while he knew she worked for Judith and she’d said she worked for Gramps, he didn’t know how far her loyalty would last when she was worried about keeping Byleth and her chest rock away from the monastery

And oooooooh, fuck. She’d forgotten she’d talked about that. Yeah, no, not acknowledging that he just said that, moving on

~~

There’s then what would probably be a B support that happens at the White Heron Ball, but I need to rewrite that because I wrote it ages ago and I don’t know if it’ll fit in with various changed I’ve made to the rest now, but tl:dr is Claude asks Nico what she plans to do after they graduate, Nico says not sure, depends what Byleth and Shez do, but probably go back to working for Lady Daphnel at least part of the time, and Claude asks if she’d want to come work for him maybe?

And She kinda does… but she’s got this whole thing about not flirting with people who pay her, and she was really looking forward to trying to flirt with him a little after she wasn’t being paid to kinda look after/keep an eye on him or do whatever he asks her to?

Que conversation where they talk around how they both feel about that, with a few hypotheticals thrown around by both of them ;3

Sylvain:

So what would be their C support (where Sylvain takes her on a date and she doesn’t realise it’s a date because he reminds her so much of one of her troupe cousins and has unconsciously fallen into the sort of banter she has with that cousin) is a giant mess of half formed ideas and half written conversations which I can’t share

But their B- support happens after the Gronder fight, because Nico did something stupid to save some people from the troupe as the students made their way back towards the monastery and completely drained herself of magic and gets stuck in bed (she shares a room with Byleth because reasons) and is bored - 

Nico is stuck in bed for 3 days after they get back. She is bored stupid, but light and sounds are still hurting, and she can only just get herself up and to the toilet without help, so classes are out of the question. But she's finding Manuela was right, and stuffing her face with as many cakes and sweets and sugar as possible is helping immensely, and she's getting plenty of them whenever people visit her

She's laying in bed trying to focus on a book Ashe and Ingrid recommended to her when someone knocks on the door, then opens it without waiting for a reply. It's Sylvain carrying a tray loaded with a tea set and covered plates. He puts it down on the side table Byleth found for exactly that, since she can't even handle going to the dining hall to eat, while Nico slowly gets herself sat up

"You could have waited for me to say come in," she scolds playfully, trying not to laugh at his pout and puppy eyes. "What if I was getting changed or something?"

His pout turns into a crooked grin, and his eyebrows dance a few times.

"Then I would have enjoyed the free show," he smarms, and laughs as he dodges the small cushion she throws at him. "Careful. You'll knock over the tea"

"Uh huh. So. Not that I'm complaining, but who are you using me as an excuse to hide from?"

"What?" he draws out, playing at being offended, the doofus. "Can't I visit my dear bed bound friend without having some sort of ulterior motive?"

"I don't know. Can you?"

He manages to hold his fake offended expression for a few seconds against her flatly amused one, before he laughs, shaking his head as he settles on the edge of the bed

"Ingrid was trying to get me to train with her, but I really was planning on coming to see you anyway. Wondered if you wanted to practice chess, but you don't look entirely with it"

- Sylvain ends up sitting/laying next to her in the bed and letting her lean against him as he reads to her since she's having trouble focusing but the book has occasional pictures she likes to look at, and somehow he's way more comfy than Byleth to lay on??? She thinks it's the boobs, she tells Sylvain solemnly, and it sets him off laughing so hard he has to lay back with his arm over his face for a minute or two. He keeps having to nudge her to remind her to eat because she's sort of dozing off, and refilling her tea and making her drink

- Byleth comes in the room, looking like she’s been in the training hall, and her brow goes up when she sees them, making them both laugh. Byleth starts moving around the room putting her things away, and Nico scoots over towards the wall, tugging Sylvain, and tells By to join them, Sylvain's doing storytime. Sylvain tries to protest, because this seems kinda weird, but Nico pouts at him and asks "Why, don't you want to share a bed with two beautiful ladies?"

"Yeah Sylvain," Byleth agrees in an even more deadpan than usual voice while her eyes sparkle with mischief, walking back to the bed and leaning down next to them, one hand resting on the headboard. "I thought you'd jump at the chance to get us both in bed?"

"Do I need to come back later?" Shez's flat voice drifts in from the doorway, surprising all of them, and Nico is the first to burst out laughing only to immediately wince and stop and clutch her head, burying her face again Sylvain with a groan

Byleth keeps laughing lightly as she grabs Shez before he can leave, dragging him and the fresh tray of tea and cakes into the room. Nico groans again when she sees it, turning her face back into Sylvain's shoulder

"I hate to admit it, but I'm getting kinda tired of cakes. I think I maybe even want a vegetable"

Shez gasps, and she opens an eye to glare at the overly shocked face he's making

"Who are you and where's the real Nico?"

- Shez ends up joining them and sitting at the foot of the bed and all three of them bully Sylvain into continuing story time

[doctordiscord123]

[Nebula is seen actively trying to open a window]

I was thinking about the DA. I don’t remember if they’re a main point in many of your fics but you know WKM so you would at least understand. Keeping in mind that in my mind, the “viewer/captain/co-heist-er/date??” in all of the stories is the same. That’s the same person to me. I have no idea if this is canon and I’m too invested in this particular idea to care atm

[the window opens and Nebula wrestles both itself and a comically large pinbord/corkboard into the building. The board is strung up Detective Abe style with red string and everything]

Keeping in mind as I said that the DA, the captain,, you know, “you” in these stories, they’re the same person, I wonder how the FUCK they feel after the events of WKM. Obviously confused, betrayed not only by Actor but by Damien and Celine, most likely, seeing how they were promised freedom and they got shoved into a mirror for being trusting. (My personal secondary headcanon that doesn’t really matter here is that the DA never got out of that mirror, in any way, and all the adventures are just memories and what-ifs in their mind, but as I said, not important here)

They’re confused, they’re lost, they don’t know what the fresh fuck is going on. I was trying to pin down exactly what they would likely do with these emotions, when I had the idea that that’s why we have so many choices. You can make silly choices, try to make smart ones, end up killing many or saving everyone or anything in-between, and that’s because the DA is so fucking conflicted and confused about everything going on. They don’t know why or HOW they’re in a spaceship, on a date, ect.,,, so they’re equally as likely to try to help or sabotage everyone, which is why we have so many different paths. That or their emotions are so volatile that if given the chance to choose again, of course they would choose differently, their opinions have changed since they were last here. They’re so unstable so of course the decisions they make are as well.

Feel no need to answer if you don’t want to, but 1) does this make any. sense , and if not, I would like to try to explain in a better way somehow 2) what are YOUR fresh and cool thoughts about the DA if you have any.

Also. Thank you for reading this. I was floating without a hyperfixation while waiting for Hazbin/Helluva Boss episodes and then I was like hm! I could watch some Markiplier stuff! And now I am Back and the special interest has me fully in its grasp

-Nebula

The DA does make in appearance in a few of my fics, their name is Danny for me and they are very very very very angry <3 absolutely boiling, still stuck in the mirror, and very pissed at Dark for shoving them up in the attic alone for several decades XD I believe the first fic they show up in is called the Past’s Reflection? Something like that XD I like to interpret that the DA is occasionally yoinked out of the mirror by the Actor for these adventures, Dark follows along to skulk and throw a wrench in things, Wil just thinks it’s fun, and the other egos are mostly oblivious. The Entity that’s split up between them all (but mostly the Actor and Dark) is pretty God-like to me, in terms of something so powerful to fuck up a whole group of people like that just by being near It, so! I have many thoughts about the Entity, I have a whole oc I’ve made up to represent it.

I like your interpretation of why the choices are so volatile and sprawling! It’s very very cool!!!

[llycaons]

ep25 (pt 4): ships nearly passing in the night

GODD THIS SCENE IS SO FUCKING HAUNTING. the music is gorgeous, the cinematography dreamlike and surreal and symmetrical, the acting deliberate and impactful

I like that it doesn't rely on shock value for the power of this scene. there's wen qing, and there's wwx. and their courses may or may not collide. they're both wandering. wwx is drinking heavily, unwilling to play nice at the banquet and probably feeling a little abandoned by jyl. wq is bereft, hungry and alone and desperate to find her brother and utterly without hope

shots from each character's position. the audience can see the other in the distance, but they don't see each other.

I LOVE this shot. absolutely stunning and says so much. though the market is crowded with people, these are the only two that matter. will their paths cross?

wq coughs, too focused on the ground beneath her feet to notice the eye-catching and distinctive cultivator she knows so well. there's a barrier between them. wwx doesn't see wen qing's face, only the back of her hood

she's shoved down, he turns. she looks up, they see each other, allies in another life. they stare at one another for a long, long moment

they are the only two in the entire market

and just like that, everything changes

this would have been a killer romantic scene, but I absolutely adore it for what it is instead

AND AS IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH. we end on another classic line

lwj has been weirdly distant and passive this entire episode. there are so many other characters in this episode that he did get pushed to the side, but even at the target practice he was unmoved

YEAH YOU DO

I didn't think much of this line on my first watch, because...yeah, lxc was probably right. but if you read the novel it then becomes a whole thing bc lwj DOES bring wwx-as-mxy back to CR against his will and keeps him there so there's this whole debate about lwj's 'darker urges' and whatnot that I personally find very silly? he definitely has a protective streak, and maybe even a little possessiveness, but he's never violated wwx's autonomy in cql, even when wwx was killing himself, and I never thought he ever would. or even could, actually

my preferred interpretation was that it was one of the only ways he could see to protect someone he cared about (didn't have many other role models), but he never would have acted without wwx's permission and he also felt a lot of guilt about it given his father's crimes. and you can see how he lets wwx go at the very end as well because he's not the kind of person his father was. it seems pretty mild to me, on the whole

like I see the appeal in making him a more flawed character and giving him more to overcome but I think his flaws are enough as is and fit the story perfectly already, and in cql I just don't see the evidence for him having such a powerful need to dominate or possess wwx to keep him safe. but you see a lot of meta where his desire to protect gets really tortuous and dramatic and I just don't think it's that deep.

personal highlights: WHERE TO START. this episode was THRILLING

wwx waving to jyl with his flute to make her laugh. always makes me smile

sexy sexy blindfolded archery scene

wwx remembering lxc's words and turning away but lwj leaving the narrow, straight path and coming to meet him anyway

I WILL RISE UNPARALLELED AND LEAVE YOU ALL STARING AT ME FROM BEHIND

jyl tearing jin xizun a new one and wwx crying in the background

A-XIAN IS MY DIDI

jzx's awkward confession and then flight from the clearing

the GORGEOUS gorgeous reunion scene between wwx and wq

I want to take a man to cloud recess...take him there and hide him

[goblinselfshippr]

It is brainrot time for me and Simeon

Hdjdjsk so usually in my notebooks I have a little pre-established siren lore bc I'm living my best undercover siren/angelkin life About how sirens were fallen angels that swore loyalty to Demeter and were sent to guard Persephone (until they let Persephone slip out to Hades one too many times and Demeter yeeted them into the ocean)

ANYWAY how this pertains to the fic below the cut (5 PARAGRAPHS, you have been warned)

This would make it so I would have been raised in the human world with like zero knowledge of the Celestial realm. So the OMSWD story of being a human world exchange student would be hysterical because I would fr be like "you guys just said I had to be a human world resident. Never said anything about being a human" (cue Lucifer being PISSED and Dia thinking its funny)

Hsjsjs I would probably be super standoffish to the angels because I like doing whatever the hell I want and cursing BUT I think Raphael would be the one that I start being friends with first bc he gives me fellow neuro-spicy vibes and I'm p sure its cannon that he has top tier roasts/insults (affectionate).

Lucifer is a messy bench that loves the drama so he 100% tries to shove me into their paths too. Says its because I am "actively damaging the exchange program by ignoring the other exchange students" but its actually because any time Simeon comes within 5 feet of me I go stupid. Gets even worse when he overhears a convo between Asmo&I about how I want to bite the shit out of his "prime cut boy tummy" 😭

I can definitely be bribed with sweets which would make it easier for Simeon and Luke to also befriend me. Their job would probably be 10x easier if I ever actually came to their dormhouse (fuck Solomon idgaf about how many people like him, I think that creep would try and either make a pact w me to control me OR try to sell me for potion ingredients). They would have to go out of their way to see me until I feel comfortable enough to just crawl in through their windows🤦 I might use the door once. Maybe.

High key I think Luke would be the one that brings up to Simeon that I don't know anything about the celestial realm even though my ancestor was a fallen- actually idk if Luke would be allowed around me bc I swear like a sailor and listen to shit like Pillow Talking by Lil Dicky.... Idk I still think if he found out he would INSTANTLY try to plot with Simeon to show me things about the Celestial realm.

[skayafair]

S2 Ep 50: In a Handful of Dust

Oh my, really 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 🤦‍♀️ No, I can't, I'm dissolving into laughter 😆 Saving the world, nooo not these too 🤣

So, okay, first of all. Ned wants to be called Ned, so no deadnaming here. Nice to have this settled. Even though he seems to be the one or a part of those who were leading this whole experiment, according to his words. And Morrison was his puppet. I'm not sure how Ned was going to embody his character after consuming him though, their personalities are kind of too different. While Ned may be a shifter, his last and present personalities really don't differ. He's the same. Morrison is a completely different person though. He's rock solid while Ned is very flowy. I wish he managed to finish his sentence when he saw Dr. Park and was frozen for a few hours that let Dr. Park lead the rescue operation and save everyone. He sounded genuinely frightened, and I'm not sure if it was because of the prospect of being frozen. He and Sam were getting somewhere. That's what Ned said he is: he lies. I don't know how much he lied this time, but for some reason I still can't believe he was the real enemy. He did sound upset that Bill had to be brought into all that. And while he was clearly stalling there with Sam, not in a hurry - maybe he felt he's in no danger, I don't know, but still - he didn't seem too eager to stop them either. This seems to be more complicated that it looks like.

And now dr. Park. He comes with a solution ready at the last moment and saves the day. Hooray! Or not? He has a lot to tell, the events took a drastic turn, but… He still looks suspicious to me. An organization working on changing the future? A whole good organization? I'm honestly getting the Spines vibes here. I don't trust them. Anna was working with them, according to Ren Park. She left them a will. But she did not tell Kate to go find him. She said "Find Bailey and Maria". Considering she worked with dr. Park and he had the means to help them all along? Of course Park said Anna thought the team plays some big role in what they are trying to do… I don't know. I don't trust them so far anyway.

Season 2 left off on an informational cliffhanger - everyone's safe, Morrison was left down there with all the creatures he tortured let loose (although Park said he's not easy to kill so he's most likely alive, but I HOPE he suffered. Played by Ned or not, he chose this path himself. Ned said it - creatures like him can push a person a bit to where they need to, but they can't make them do what they don't want to in the first place.), Ned's frozen for some time, time for answers!

Except the answers are due for the next season 🎉🎊 Good it's already out.

Anywho, I hope Ned isn't really the enemy and he and Sam will have some bonding time because ffs! They are alike by nature and I like their dynamic! There's so much to explore! And Kate and Bill were the highlight of the episode. So much kindness. If this whole journey doesn't fuck them up, I think they are going to be really close friends. Oh, and Maria smacked Morrison with a hammer, hard. Twice. As a treat. There was a wet sound… a few. Thank you, girl 💝

Also TST is written by an ace person and it shows. I thought this was just dumb luck at first - how romance and meaningful relationships are present but not shoved into the listener's face, and, more importantly, how many OTHER meaningful relationships are there and they are prominent. I mean, in mostly any other story? Bill wnd Kate would have had a thing. Even I have to constantly remind myself they both already have partners they love dearly, because of this deep connection these two share. And I REVEL in it. I LOVE what they have. That's kind of friendship I wish to have. Maria and Sam? They feel a lot like brother and sister who are sort of at knives' ends with each other but also… there's an undeniable bond. I think they are going to become good friends if they have a chance, too. And this just keeps happening! There are different relationships between all the team members, and they do feel like a bunch of actual living people who interact with each other. Is this paradise?..

In short, I should be sleeping but I think I'll listen to S3 Ep 1 instead.

[jerzwriter]

Did you realize how deep Dirk's deception went, or was it a surprise to you? After MC is safe, did you choose to execute him and his collaborators, or did you show them mercy? Why?

Look, I knew Dirk was a dick - I mean - change one letter, and it's right there! But on my initial read, I had no idea he worked with Blackstock, and for that, I wanted to flatten him! lol Still, I chose not to execute him. It was a hard choice, but my decisions were based on the following: 1) They would need more fighters for the solstice - hell - they could even shove them in the path of the zombies to save themselves, lol 2) I felt like Zoe wouldn't want to kill Anna's best friend, especially since she just learned that Anna is alive and a zombie. Dirk may be too much of a dick to respect Anna's memory/wishes (and Anna probably would have killed him herself), but Zoe has more character than him, 3) That was not the kind of colony Zoe wanted to establish. Yes, there have to be rules and consequences, but she wouldn't want a place based on fear and violence - she could have had that at The Tower. She doesn't agree with the Raider's way of life fully, nor does she agree with the Sunflower's way. There is a middle path, and that's what she wants to establish for their new home. In my mind, if the traitors survived the solstice, there would be consequences for their actions, but they wouldn't be murdered.

Did you choose to punch Dirk or Blackstock? Why?

I had Zoe punch Blackstock. She hates them both, but Dirk is a weak little selfish man. He isn't pure evil, but Blackstock is. Further, Blackstock's actions are what ultimately led to Anna's death. So, fuck Blackstock. lol

Blackstock once saved MC and their sister, and their argument is that they sacrificed the few for the benefit of the many. Do you believe in this philosophy? What are your feelings about Blackstock?

*sigh* I'm a former Poli Sci major, I understand domestic/international politics better than the average person, and I'm aware that being a leader means making unpopular decisions, sometimes having to go against your own values, and, your choices could lead to the loss of life, even when that's not what you want. I get it. So, unfortunately, sometimes leaders have to make choices that sacrifice the few to save the many - I'm sure Zoe will face that herself. But Blackstock was different.

He wasn't making a choice to say, "This move will kill 10% of our population, but save 90%." he was executing his rivals and anyone who dared to speak, even in the most minimal way against him. He sacrificed dissenters, those who dared to question, those who were different - and he didn't appear to have an ounce of remorse about it.

Being a leader is hard, and as I always say, there are no good guys in politics, but that doesn't mean that they're all alike. Trust me, I know this in real life, and I apply it here. Blackstock is not acting out of benevolence but to retain power and control. I'd never back that way of thinking, and neither would Zoe.

One scene that always struck me as odd was the children making the flowerbeds. What are your thoughts about this? Was it a wise thing to do?

OK, the first time I read it, I thought this was SO dumb. In a way, I still do. But I can see SLIGHT logic to it. The kids were probably petrified, and this was a distraction. It reminds me of stories of mothers in real life who do all they can to shield their children from the truth when a brutal end is imminent. With that said... planting flower beds? That's a lot of work, effort, and resources. I would have thought have the children in a safe room inside Olympus with some arts & crafts and storytime. lol

The bonus scenes... who did you take them with, and did you take the platonic or dirty 30 routes? 😉 What were your thoughts about any of them.

OK, we need to sit back and take a few moments to discuss here. lol, I took all playthroughs; in the past, they were all platonic, save Eli, who was... not. lol. In this playthrough, I went non-platonic with Troy as well, since I'm working on an Eli x Zoe x Troy AU.

The platonic route for Angel is quite sweet; it shows her vulnerable side. She's all badass and bravado, but deep down, she's just this broken little girl. (That's prob one reason I never saw her as an LI, she seemed too young, too immature for Zoe.) I think Zoe sees her as a little sister, and watching them interact in this scene was nice. Shannon's was also very sweet and showed the bond the women share. I think Shannon could have been a quality LI, but for Zoe, she was just too fearful... IDK, I didn't see it as a love match, but they are definitely tight friends.

The Troy route. OK, I'll post screenshots at some point to elaborate, and you know, the scene was great. It showed a side of Troy we don't often get to see, and I liked that, especially since it's a side I think he reserves only for those closest to him, and of course, Zoe tops that list. The dirty thirty was well done (just like Zoe and Troy - sorry - had to lol), but....

The Eli scene was, IMO, THE scene. When I read it the first time, it honestly took my breath away, and it's still one of my all-time favorite Choices scenes. Perfect? No. It's Choices. lol And yep, I'm gonna write my own version, but damn, it was good. As with Troy, we get to see "Zoe's Eli", not everyone has access to that very guarded part of him - even Zoe hasn't fully gotten through at this point in the story, but she's made it further than anyone else ever has. They support one another. He wants her to talk about Anna, and warns her to try to avoid what happened with him and his family - even though they both know there is no way to guarantee that. They know the end for one or both could be imminent and the tenderness and passion that spur from that would have taken much longer (because of Eli) if not for the solstice. The feeling of, "this may be it - this may be our forever" is evident and god, I love that shit. The dirty 30 itself... damn... I was impressed. Screenshots to come (like Eli & Zoe, sorry, had to! lol)

The solstice is tomorrow... how ready is your colony?

I don't have the tally screenshot handy, but we're in pretty good shape, all things considered. Bring it Z-bag bastards!

Feel free to discuss whatever you want, not limited to these questions... but keep in mind that some people have not read the whole book yet, so put any future spoilers below a read more/page break.

Be respectful of all! Different opinions aren't only allowed, they're encouraged! But be polite to others.

Remember, if you post any screenshots, etc., be sure to tag @wakethedead-group-re-read so I can reblog here.

You can discuss all week - it's not limited to just today! Any questions, just shoot me an ask!

If you want to be removed from the tag list, or tagged in future posts, please let me know!

You can find all chapter discussion posts here.

Discussion questions:

1... Did you realize how deep Dirk's deception went, or was it a surprise to you? After MC is safe, did you choose to execute him and his collaborators, or did you show them mercy? Why? 2... Did you choose to punch Dirk or Blackstock? Why? 3... Blackstock once saved MC and their sister, and their argument is that they sacrificed the few for the benefit of the many. Do you believe in this philosophy? What are your feelings about Blackstock? 4... One scene that always struck me as odd was the children making the flowerbeds. What are your thoughts about this? Was it a wise thing to do? 5... The bonus scenes... who did you take them with, and did you take the platonic or dirty 30 routes? 😉 What were your thoughts about any of them. 6... The solstice is tomorrow... how ready is your colony?

Thank you all so much for your patience with me! The past month has brought flu, work issues, a bout of depression, multiple family events culminating in huge ass wedding on Thursday... so your girl has been not herself! lol But, all is settled and I'm feeling much better now. I'm going to get the other 2 chapters up this week so we can close this out. THANK YOU for your kindness!

@oh-so-youre-a-nerd @annoyingmillenialnewbie @missameliep @dutifullynuttywitch @tessa-liam @jerzwriter @aallotarenunelma