#i was like 11 or 12 years old and my world was rocked

[slowdesire]

i fear this is still one of the best songs to ever exist

[lizardho]

I was like 11-12 years old when I figured out at a boring-ass church activity that you could put rocks into little plastic spoons and then pelt people who annoyed me with them. I did this for the rest of the activity, and at Sunday dinner the next night was bragging about my victory (cornering the mean kid who picked on my youngest brother and pelting him with rocks). One of my cousins was like “no way, that sounds SO fun! Let’s do that RIGHT NOW!” So we grabbed spoons and went and got pebbles from the back yard and launched them at each other.

The problem was my grandma sold her soul for the world’s most resilient plastic spoons so we could launch those fuckers HARD. I gave out welts like candy on Halloween, and I got them back in kind.

So we resorted to taking cover and giggling until we got whacked, then yelping, then returning fire.

My cousin hid in my grandpa’s little fishing boat. It was a good boat, but simple and honestly underused. We didn’t know the little windows on it, meant to keep the wind out of my grandpa’s face while he drove, were cracking. However, they were definitely cracking. Eventually it became obvious and we realized we had been being dumb.

This was NOT the first time in my life I’d been dumb roughhousing and broken something, and I had developed a reputation in my family as being “suicidally honest” so I was the one to deliver the bad news. My grandpa let out a pretty good chuckle and said it was OK, tousled my hair, and asked my grandma to bring me cake. I am not kidding. I learned later he hated his boat and only bought it for his kids’ sakes, since he thought everyone needed to know how to fish. At the time though I was just bewildered and pleased at my good fortune. FINALLY, at long last, being honest and telling the truth about breaking something expensive was getting me cake. I knew if I kept trying it would eventually serve me, and now so had CAKE. I was pleased as could be.

My dad, on the other hand, was livid. He LOVED that boat. He spent several weeks each summer recovering from breaking ribs in that boat every year for about 7 years prior to this incident. He had great memories and memories that boat. So he told my Grandma NO cake for me AND that I’d be coming by this weekend to fix stuff around the house and pay for the broken window with my babysitting/lawn mowing money.

Obviously I was devastated, but that felt more in-line with the way things normally went when I broke something expensive so I just figured it was OK. My grandpa gave my grandma a look and sadly said “Ok, have her here on Saturday to help me with some yard work.”

That Saturday my dad woke me up at 6:00 sharp and drove me, sleepy and bewildered, to my grandpa’s house. He was mumbling under his breath the whole time but he thought he was teaching me consequences for my actions so he was ultimately OK with it.

We get to my grandpa’s house at 6:15. My grandpa is outside with a ladder hanging Christmas lights. The lawn is freshly mowed, the trees and garden are weeded and well-tended to, the carnations in the front yard look immaculate, and my grandpa has this giddy mischievous look on his face. He tells me he was so excited that I was coming over that he couldn’t sleep, so he did all the yard work himself. He asked me to help him put up Christmas lights and decorate the Christmas tree, which I did, then said that because I was such a good helper I could have some pancakes for breakfast. I was sent home with the slice of cake I had been denied the week before, wrapped to keep it as fresh as possible.

The whole way home my dad looked a little miffed, but told me that he was glad I had been honest and was proud of me for helping grandpa. I know he wanted me to Learn a Lesson™️the cowboy way, like he had as a kid, but didn’t have much room to complain since I’d still been Put To Work.

I think that was a lesson for both of us, although I’m not totally sure what it was supposed to show me. I think it was my grandpa’s way of showing my dad that discipline without tenderness doesn’t count as much. He died last year and I miss him terribly, as does my dad. I hope that my story of victory, drama, punishment, and ultimately a secret second victory is meaningful to someone else out there, but if not it still means a lot to me ❤️

[elceeu2morrow]

'Louis Tomlinson has proven he's not just an ex-boyband star, he's a rocker'

Some know him as 'that guy from One Direction', others, including myself know him as arguably one of South Yorkshire's finest exports but Louis Tomlinson is only getting better, writes Daniel Bird

Image: Mirrorpix/Daniel Bird

Daniel Bird Assistant Showbiz Editor 17:31, 12 Nov 2023

Louis Tomlinson may only have two solo albums but he's proving to be one of the artists people should keep an eye on.

Having burst onto the music scene in 2010 as one-fifth of One Direction – a band created by Nicole Scherzinger on The X Factor after all five members were rejected, he's proven he's not just an ex-boyband singer. While singers from bands tend to keep a low profile and venture into other industries after a split, Louis is on a one-way ticket to becoming a mega-star in his own right.

Known for never losing his Doncaster accent and humour, the 31-year-old is currently embarking on his Faith In The Future World Tour, performing to thousands of die-hard fans every night – which he deserves credit for.

Although he may have come from one of the biggest bands of all time, the cheeky chap isn't afraid of getting up close and personal with fans – much to the dismay of his security who leap into action when he jumps off stage and runs to the barricade to see fans. In recent weeks, Louis has seen his expensive vests ripped off him, with fans even going as far as tickling him.

This, however, hasn't stopped him from putting on an incredible show. Despite only releasing two studio albums as a soloist (his second topping the Official UK Charts), he's pushing himself to the limits and playing arenas across the world. Most recently, he performed to around 21,000 fans at Manchester's AO Arena on November 11.

Walking onto the stage may be daunting for some, but Tomlinson showed no signs of fear as he opened with The Greatest – ironically, perhaps the greatest opening track. Throughout the night, he performed hits including Kill My Mind but also paying tribute to his One Direction days, belting out Drag Me Down and Where Do Broken Hearts Go. But since his pop days, Tomlinson has edged towards a more EDM and synth sound before finding his comfort in rockier tracks. He'd previously stated he'd taken inspiration from the likes of Sam Fender, Amy Winehouse, Arctic Monkeys and Manchester legends, Oasis.

Image: Mirrorpix/Daniel Bird

Nowadays, fans can expect the odd pop hit but also enjoy punk rock as well as indie pop and soft rock.

However, despite being in the business for almost 14 years, Louis remained grounded and acknowledged that Manchester was the start of his career. Between songs, he recalled his first audition for The X Factor in front of Simon Cowell, Scherzinger and Louis Walsh, being in the city. He told fans: "This is where I did my very first audition, so to be back here on my own it definitely feels full circle and I couldn't have done that without you.

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

by Ilan Hulkower

A group of 10 teenagers allegedly attacked two school buses belonging to the Jewish Free School (JFS) filled with students during a stop in London, England, Thursday.

The mob pelted the buses with rocks and trash before four of the teens allegedly boarded one of the buses, The Jewish Chronicle reported. (RELATED: Masked Attackers Target Jewish Students On DePaul University Campus)

“We heard what sounded like screaming from the bus behind us,” a 12-year-old student told the outlet. “People in the back of the bus were screaming, ‘oh my God, they are throwing trash and rocks,'” he said. The 12-year-old said that the mob threw “big heavy rocks” that they might have gotten from a nearby park.

Teen thugs attack and board JFS school buses while shouting ‘f**k Israel’ at children https://t.co/OB10j1UZF1 — The Jewish Chronicle (@JewishChron) November 28, 2024

“They were also swearing at us, saying, ‘F*ck Israel, nobody likes you. F*ck off you b*tches.’ They were filming us like they were enjoying it. There were lots of people in the street and no one tried to stop them. I hope that something like that won’t happen again because it made me scared,” the child said.

“They came on and they did not look friendly,” Gabi, an 11-year-old who was in the other bus, said. “They went upstairs and started swearing and showing the middle finger. I saw them when they ran downstairs – they were filming us – and then they got off and started throwing things at the bus. I don’t know where they got the rocks from – maybe they had them in their bags,” she said.

A parent of one of the Jewish students called the police. The Community Security Trust (CST), an English Jewish charity that defends Jews from terrorism and antisemitism, have taken action in the aftermath of the incident. “This stop is near another school and there has been trouble before from children from this other school. We are supporting JFS and speaking to the other school to see if they can deal with it,” Dave Rich, CST’s Director of Policy, told The Jewish Chronicle.

Rich said that CST suggested the London police ramp up their presence at the bus stop where the incident occurred. “Going forward, we have spoken with the bus company, and should there be any further incidents, the Police will be called immediately. On this occasion, there was a temporary driver. Their normal team has been driving the school buses for the last twenty years and do everything they can to keep your children safe,” JFS said in an email to the parents of the students.

JFS was founded as the Jews’ Free School in 1732, the organization’s website says. “JFS has grown to become one of the most renowned Jewish schools in the world, with a legacy of academic excellence, social responsibility, and communal engagement,” the website noted.

Antisemitism has spiked worldwide since Hamas’s bloody assault on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Anti-Jewish hate crimes rose over 50 percent in the United States alone in 2023 compared to 2022, according to FBI data. On Oct. 18, nearly two weeks after the Oct. 7 massacre, a synagogue in Germany was firebombed and European officials decried the rising tide of antisemitism across the continent.

A recent poll found that 12 percent of residents in France would welcome a “Jew-free” country.

[fiercynn]

Like my father, I was born a refugee in the Jabalia camp of the Gaza Strip. When I was 10 months old my family moved to the United States. Since then, we have made frequent trips to Gaza. I remember once reaching the Tel Aviv Airport, thinking I was so close to my home in Gaza only to be sent back to Frankfurt the next morning after being detained for several hours by Israeli authorities. I was 11 years old. This was not the first or last time we were denied entry into our homeland. I remember asking my mother why we never visited Jerusalem. I always wanted to pray in the famous and sacred Masjid Al-Aqsa; I wanted to see up close the Dome of the Rock I was so used to seeing on TV and on postcards despite it being hours away from our home in Gaza. My mother explained this concisely by simply stating: “Because we are Palestinian.” [...] I am Palestinian; I am from Huj, yet I am not allowed to visit Palestine. I am not allowed to leave the 136 square mile open-air prison densely populated by 1.7 million people. On the other hand, my Jewish peers in my American high school would come back every summer boasting about their birthright trips. Most of them were born here, and their parents and grandparents were also born in the United States. Many times they were of European descent. However, none of them were actually born in Israel. Until this day I don’t understand how it is their right to visit a country which they have never been to or have never known to be home, but I, who — like so many generations before me — was born in Palestine, am not even allowed to visit my own home. How is it that other kids are getting free trips to travel across the world, yet when I was in the Jabalia refugee camp, I was not allowed to drive a few miles to visit the place where my father’s history yearns to be affirmed? Another “holy” site of sorts, off limits. Where was my birthright? [x]

- suha najjar for the michigan daily on march 12, 2014

[awmancreeper]

☆⋆｡Farewell, Star Boy°‧ミ★˚｡⋆ 3 - Not a Single Being

Synopsis:

--⋆·˚ ༘ * 🔭After a messy breakup, the stoic Y/n makes a vow that “not a single guy on earth” can ever win her heart again. She is proven right when a beautiful extraterrestrial being crash lands into her life, but for some reason, the being has an attitude. Now trying to continue with her life, Y/n and her friends figure out that the being is truly out of this world.

Masterlist / prev / next

!!written parts!!

｡°‧ミ★˚｡⋆ ━━━━━ ｡°‧ミ★˚｡⋆ ━━━━━ ｡°‧ミ★˚｡⋆

Waiting for your bus, you stretch your arms over your head groaning after your 9-hour shift.

Finally being released from stocking shelves and ringing up high school students, your eyes shifted to the night sky.

Much like every other night, you clock out around 23:40 leaving you little to no free time once you get home. Maybe you take Beomgyu’s advice and watch some TLC-

Beomgyu

Looking back at the night sky, you remember the invitation your friends and beomgyu gave you to watch the meteor shower with them.

Although you were feeling slightly better after the breakup, being out gave you anxiety. And the thought of possibly being seen by him or one of his friends made your hands sweat

Yet you were over him, why’d he still make you sweat?

It’s true the break up wasn’t exactly on both ends but there’s not much you can do when your partner of 3 years proclaimed his love for another. But 3 years…

You had your life already sorted with him, got married at the 5-year mark, buy a house together, have two kids- one boy and one girl. Adopted a dog

Grow old and wrinkly together….

Yet now here you were, working a shitty convenience store job, barely being able to pay your rent, moping around in your dingy apartment because the love of your life left you. And your friends worry dearly for you

Although it’s been a month the wound was still very fresh

*11:46 pm*

It’s the forest, you won’t run into ‘he who must not be named. So maybe you should go hang out with friends, finally breathe in the air of your new life, plus they are always there to make sure your life doesn’t get too boring

Your bus arrived

~~~~~~★~~~~~~ ★~~~~~~ ★~~~~~~

After stepping out of the bus, you walked along the sidewalk hearing the street lights buzzing

The cold night atmosphere allowed you to dance around with your thoughts until you stopped coming to a crossroads

Looking ahead was the forest where Beomgyu and your friends asked for you to meet them; where if you were to continue to follow the sidewalk it would lead you home

Rocking on your heels you thought up the pros and cons of the possibility of attending this hangout.

Feeling the pros only slightly weighing out the cons you pulled out your phone “It could be fun…” you muttered quietly checking the time

*11:57 pm*

Realizing you still had time, you took a deep breath and walked towards the forest entrance.

Feeling a rush of emotions a small smile found its way onto your face as you stepped out of your comfort zone. Nothing can go wrong

“why would I ever listen to my brother!” You yelled walking by the same tree you feel like you passed a few steps ago

“He wants me to ‘stop moping’, well look where that got me!!” At this point, you seem to have lost your sense of direction in this forest

Pulling out your phone, you saw there was little to no signal here

*12:01 am*

You sigh pocketing your phone. “This was so stupid”

You pulled your jacket closer to you and turned back around “Why would going to a forest in the middle of the night be a good idea”

“Only Beomgyu would make such an irresponsible decision”

You huffed feeling anger build up just imagining your brother’s stupidity cute grin “he’s so ignorant and careless”

“Makes me just wanna- ugh!” you groaned throwing your head back in annoyance

“I used to be like that….”

“What happened to me,” the night sky was decorated with delicate stars that twinkled ever so slightly. You clutched her heart remembering the open wounds.

You were loud and playful, and much like your brother, you brought a smile to the room… brought a smile to him…

Although he was your polar opposite, he was also your other half. Just watching you ramble about whatever crossed your mind, he would just smile and enjoy the way your eyes lit up.- Or when he held you; making you feel so secure and safe, like nothing in this world could ever get between them.

Yet something did

Your once perfect future - ripped from your hands because he never saw a house, never saw two kids and dog… never saw you

Your hands shook with fury, now looking up at the stars -stars he once compared your eyes to

“I HATE YOU CHOI SOOBIN!!” You were broken, there was never love, there couldn’t be because why would he just leave you that?

“Not a single man on earth can win my heart…”

The meteor shower begins wiping ‘shooting stars’ across the sky. Your eyes set on the biggest and brightest meteorite; you closed your eyes as warm tears rolled down your wet cheeks.

“You hear that universe- NOT A SINGLE BEING ON EARTH!!”

With that proclamation, you open your eyes finding your star immediately only something was off.

Has it always been that big?….

Your heart jumped out of your chest realizing that this meteorite was coming straight for Earth, in fact for you

Or rather near you

Taking cover behind a large boulder you hear and feel the impact of the meteorite hitting the ground 50ish feet away from you

It sounded like a silent explosion along with a terrible car accident, and a strong gust of wind blew through the trees as well the vibrations made your head spin

Although the impact aftershocks caused you some discomfort you were fine and thanked your lucky stars

(But maybe not the star that tried killing you just now)

Lucky the meteor had seemed to land in the quarry nearby

Nearby… quarry…

‘BEOMGYU!’ You thought quickly standing up ignoring the vertigo you might’ve just developed

Running/stumbling through the trees you reached the cliff of the quarry panting

Your eyes frantically scanned the area for any sign of your brother and your friends

“Beomgyu! Jinsol!! Taehyun!! Tsuki!” You shouted as your voice rang through the quarry and also your ears

Not finding anything you pulled out your phone only to remember the signal wasn’t great out here and something seemed to be messing with your phone in general as the screen flickered heavily

You tapped your phone desperately not wanting your phone to give out “Come on I don’t have time for this-“

While you messed with your cellular device a strange ringing echoed through the quarry hitting your eardrums

Capturing your attention your eyes drifted to the center of the quarry seeing something irregular.

It was a saucer-shaped vessel sitting on the shore of the medium-sized lake of the quarry

Not knowing what it was you concluded that the strange sound was definitely coming from the unidentified object. Further making the pit in your stomach grows exponentially.

As you stood frozen in curiosity the bushes next to you rustled sending a wave of chills through your body.

“B-Beomgyu” you squeak out almost like a child calling for their parents after waking up from a nightmare

You slowly turned your head seeing a pair of glowing blue eyes looking back at you.

“Is that you?” You asked just when the figure owning the pair of eyes seemingly stood up revealing the true size of the being.

“Holy Shi-“

｡°‧ミ★˚｡⋆ ━━━━━ ｡°‧ミ★˚｡⋆ ━━━━━ ｡°‧ミ★˚｡⋆

Taglist: @miyawwn OPEN (ask or comment to be added)

[eponastory]

Well, now that the Tylenol and other pain meds have kicked in, I want to talk about war.

Yeah, yeah, cut the crap Dai Li. Your lies are boring.

Many of you know that I have a thing for history. Well, I know for a fact that as long as man has walked this spherical (shut up flat earthers) rock floating in space, there has been some kind of conflict with one another. Over things like religion, politics, resources, women (looking at you, Troy), etc... it's a bloody business.

I'm going to give my grievances about Aang and his role in the war.

1. He really isn't there for all of it.

Remember, he ran away the night of the Air Nomad Genocide. That was the true start of the war. War is complex. You sometimes have more than one side playing a part, and then you have the antagonistic side. Aang did not have any part in the war for one hundred years. He was a child when it started, and he was still a child when it ended.

2. Growing up in war time is going to change your perspective.

Psychologically, trauma shapes a person into thinking a certain way. War is trauma. People who grow up in war time are shaped to either fight or flight. Since Aang was only there for the very end of the war, his separation from that war time trauma is there.

Think of it as witnessing 9/11/01. If you were alive to see it, then it really shaped you. It did for many people I grew up with, who did end up enlisting into the military to fight in the War On Terror. I was twelve years old, and I remember that day very well. It definitely made me see things a lot differently. Those who were born after that often joke around about 9/11 because they didn't witness it as it was happening.

It's an absence of understanding.

3. Aangs role in the war and how he is unprepared.

First off, when he is woken up, he has no idea what has really happened in the last hundred years. That's okay. Then he, as a child, has been put into this role of life or death, but he still acts like a child. I can understand that. It's anxiety and a whole bunch of other things he has to face in a world that moved on without him. He isn't irrelevant, but he missed a good deal, and now he has to live up to expectations.

So how does this affect relationships?

Oh, it does. It heavily impacts relationships. Which is why I'm going to get into this little debate here.

Aang is infatuated with Katara because she represents an outlet for his anxiety.

There, I said it!

That is also why this relationship is... not good. That and he doesn't seem to put her feelings into thought because she is a soothing mechanism. He relies on her for comfort and relief because, well, she is the Heart.

Remember what I said about Katara having to bury her feelings to take care of everyone else's BS? Yeah, that's what is going on here but in a much more selfish way. Aang can't let her go because she is his balm.

I cover this in my story by the way.

But yeah, let's say we stray away from Canon and Katara leaves him...

Yeah, he would likely lose his shit.

Just an opinion, but the way their relationship is set up is just... it screams that sort of dependency from Aang.

But this is because he missed the majority of the war and had to all of a sudden save the world... as a twelve year old. You know what my two younger brothers were doing at 12?

Playing with freaking Legos. (And still do to this day)

Legos.

Okay I'm ranting now, but this topic came up while I was working on my story.

You can ignore it. It's probably all over the place like my ADHD brain is right now.

Peace and ❤️

[consistentsquash]

What are your top 10 snarry favorite fics?

Hiya! I feel like my top 10 changes depending on my mood. Snarry fandom has a lot of great fics. Sorry for slowness but life was kind of crazy.

I like fics with a lot of magic/whimsy/darker vibes. A big fan of canon divergence because Snape needs to live! Dubcon with bittersweet ending but also they need to be in love.

My super subjective top 12 which is going to change in like 5 minutes because I am a flake. It's going to be in two parts for reasons... also chronological because why not!

first part

A Bittersweet Potion by alchemia and bugland. This is like the only oldschool Snarry that works for me now because my reading tastes changed a lot. I got lots of bookmarked chapters I reread. Just love the fic. So crazy creative. Also crazy. This started in 2002 iirc.. So really, really old. WIP!

In Between Days by atrata. I really like this. A lot of things won't work for new readers because it was written before the books finished. But it's peak Snape before the big canon reveals and has a lot of ambiguity in his characterization. This is 2005 so you can kind of see their dynamic developing like the middle books.

Morior Animus by Vain. OMG. I read MCD but I don't normally reread it a lot. This fic though. It's got MCD but it's super beautiful and the premise of the fic is just incredible. snarry games fic. A lot of my favs are from that collection. A lot of fics in that time get super creative because the books were still going on. 2006 before DH iirc.

This Boy's Life by pir8fancier. This is my fav fic from the author. The fic is just ultra intense. So we get to see the whole Lily situation. I reread this one a lot. 2007.

When the Rose and the Fire Are One by @perverse-idyll. So this fic burned me out on Snarry. Especially on Snape characterization. Sometimes you just read a fic which says literally everything you wanted about the characters and you don't feel like reading that pairing again? So that was me with this fic. I just didn't read a lot of Snarry after this. also Snarry games. 2008

second part

part two of my favs are from more recent years after I got over that fic…

6. a certain optimism by @hippocrates460. The fic which got me back into Snarry bigtime! Love the Snape POV so much! It's kind of not that common in Snarry fics to get Snape POV. This one is brilliant. It feels like something from a different life, more now than when it had been decades since he’d last heard it. 2019

7. The Measure of A Man by @ac1d6urn. Gosh the intensity. I just. But also really healing and love the feels. Super cathartic vibes. I reread this fic a lot. It's got a great Harry characterization. One of the best honestly. A lot of Snarry fics don't really go into Harry. This fic is Harry's fic! <;3 2019

8. Close Encounters by @likelightinglass and bleedcolor - I am a big sucker for mysterious identity slow build and this is 100% that fic. Lots of classic tropes with ultra perfect execution! Kind of a comfort read for me honestly. 2019

9. Green Grow the Rushes, O by eldritcher - I am a big fan of magical worlds and imagery. Omg this fic! It's like a fever dream. Really lucid, really intense but also like a Van Gogh painting. Somehow plays it straight and also gets mythological at the same time. The fic that made me fall in love with reading aloud. Musical like whoa. There is only the moon and bright Venus to greet them. Severus heals Harry with song and spell. He fucks Harry until he is drained of fear and fury. 2021

10. Suspiria by @ripeteeth - A big fan of the 2nd person POV! Also unicorn rare. But omg I love it in this fic. It adds insane levels of intense for a pretty intense premise. You can really feel the mental spirals. Snape POV! Super ambitious and really, really delivers on that. Why does he look at you? Perhaps it’s in penance. 2021

11. Realisations by @titconao3 - A big fan of 1st person POV but it's like unicorn level rare now. This fic rocks the 1st person POV. Also Harry POV. I mean that's like 2x levels of ambitious :D But it works great. I really love this postwar setting and the pacing. Feels really organic. Oh, since then, I’ve had the biggest, most doomed crush on the most unlikely, the most unreachable man. 2022

12. Contempt by @danpuff-ao3 - Gosh. This is like Old school Snarry but like with really tight pacing. It sucks you in and you just have to go with it. It goes to some crazy places. Which is what I want from Snarry! They need to be crazy :D. Also the summary is literally Snarry ship manifesto Harry hates Snape, and he always will. (He will, won’t he?) 2022

[mytragedyperson]

Honestly I know the ages kinda got fucked somewhere along the way but I'm lowley hoping they'll stick with original book ages because when I was reading the last olympian and 12 year old Nico rocked up to battle with 3 gods, not demigods, full gods, that was just badass. This 12 year old convinced 3 gods to act, to do something, to get involved. Nico did that, at 12. No wonder Will was in love with him. No, seriously, though, pretty sure the 3 gods didn't even like him that much but he still managed to convince him. Also Nico for some reason just seems to get along better with gods than most demigods do. Just saying I'm totally fine with the idea of Nico becoming a god and just teaming up with Hermes to help travellers and strays. To tie in with my Hermes raising Nico and Bianca idea maybe while he was raising them, Nico asked like a million questions about Hermes' job and godly powers and Hermes just ended up accidentally venting to this 10 year old about how he just couldn't keep up. There are too many people travelling and there are too many thieves and there are too many messages. He tries but he's only one good. There's only so much he can do in a world where more options for travel have opened. And that's why, when Nico becomes a god, he takes on some of that burden.

Also low-key I'm not ready to see Nico di angelo go from happy bright eyed 10 year old who's just excited to be there to angry, sad 11 year old who has nowhere to go and no one to be with

[posttexasstressdisorder]

1971, Vol. 1

A Mixtape

A History Lesson of sorts, Babies.

Composed of actual 45s I bought as a kid during '71, snap, crackle, pop and all. Recorded onto a Maxell C-60 low-bias cassette as a mix some time back in the '90s, the order much like it might have been back in '71 on any AM Rock Radio Station worth its salt, or on a hypothetical "American Top 40" episode.

Transferred from cassette to SSD sometime last year ('23). The old Nakamichi cassette deck don't miss a beat! Tape's in excellent shape, as well. No deterioration in 30 years. Currently listening to it via AM Broadcast, on a Zenith Transistor Radio, as The Gods Intended.

It's being played on a 5th Gen iPod (with the audiophile processor), the little hard drive of which I replaced with an SD card holder and a 256GB SD Card. It's playing over an AM Transmitter I soldered together from a kit about 10 years ago that's been essentially running 24/7 ever since I plugged it in first time.

Sonically, AM had this sort of expansiveness to it, like an automatic-level control with a degree of reverb, of sorts, that had this particular sound that lent itself really well to being listened to on the typical car radio, and on portable radios. The 45rpm "single mix" was always recorded "hotter" than the album track, so it was extra "in your face". That, combined with that reverb/compression inherent in AM was, and still is, Powerful.

It is essentially a Temporal Portal back in time, this experience of hearing them now, just as I heard them back than, on an AM Radio, that imperfect medium that seemed so perfect for this music...it is like being time-machined back.

Blogging about it to finally get the tracklist written down, since in my iTunes it's just 'Side 1 and Side 2' of the cassette xfer. lulz. Figured y'all would enjoy the selections. I'll have to dig through my tapes for Vol. 2 and the rest.

Side 1

1. I Feel The Earth Move (Carole King)

2. Another Day (Paul McCartney)

3. Maggie May (Rod Stewart)

4. Chicago (Graham Nash)

5. What Is Life (George Harrison)

6. Lucky Man (Emerson, Lake and Palmer)

7. Groove Me (King Floyd)

8. Sunshine (Jonathan Edwards)

9. Signs (Five Man Electrical Band)

10. 25 or 6 to 4 (Chicago WHEN THEY USETA ROCK!)

11. I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing (The New Seekers) (Yes, the Coke commercial song) (goddammit, we were so naive and innocent...why am I cryin'?)

12. Ooh, Child (The Five Stairsteps) (There, there, it's gonna be OK, baby...)

13. Where You Lead (Barbra Streisand)

14. Temptation Eyes (The Grass Roots)

Side 2

1. Day After Day (Badfinger)

2. Draggin' The Line (Tommy James)

3. I Hear You Knockin' (Dave Edmunds)

4. Nathan Jones (The Supremes) (Yeah, after Ross left, Mary and her two new Supremes came out swingin' with this killer song, cheesy phaser effect and bitchin' piano riffs included no extra charge!)

5. It Don't Come Easy (Ringo Starr)

6. Ain't No Sunshine (Bill Withers)

7. Beginnings (Chicago)

8. That's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be (Carly Simon)

9. Friends (Elton John)

10. One Toke Over The Line (Brewer & Shipley)

11. Lookin' Out My Back Door (Creedence Clearwater Revival)

12. Me & Bobby McGee (Janis Joplin)

13. Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? (Chicago) No, really, y'all, there was a time when CHICAGO DID NOT SUCK! REALLY!

14. Power To The People (John Lennon)

15. From The Beginning (Emerson, Lake and Palmer)

So that's Vol 1, and 1971 was an incredible-enough year that it took me at least 3 tapes to get all the killer 45s put on tape. I'll have to dig.

[nerves-nebula]

Idk about your intentions, and feel free to ignore me if I’m wrong, but Mikey sounds like a maladaptive daydreamer lol.

Just some background, maladaptive daydreamers use these huge fictional worlds called paracosms to escape reality. Some people do it because of anxiety or stress, but some do it as like a coping mechanism (which is how I’d see Mikey doing it based on your dissociation post) People with maladaptive daydreaming can stim while doing it, like rocking back and forth, pacing, etc, but some can master the art of being able to sit still and just daydream whenever. There’s almost an addictive aspect to it, and a lot of daydreamers have to take adhd or anxiety meds to shake it

Would Mikey stim at first but learn to stay still after Splinter lectured him too many times? Would his paracosm be the book that he’s writing about killing splinter? Idk feel free to look at this like I’m crazy but this subject is very close to my heart as I’m a daydreamer myself.

OK SO like. I don't know. and I don't know if Mikey has maladaptive daydreaming for a specific reason.

That being that I'm basing him on myself. I spent a lot (AND I DO MEAN A LOT) of my time in my head as a kid. I don't really know what a paracosm is so I'm not sure if I was exploring within them. but there are huge chunks of my childhood i really only remember via the emotional exploration I was doing inside these fictional worlds. Like most of puberty for me was just imagining gay fictional gods and forbidden love and abuse and violence and at all that. and it's hard for me to tell if that was a bad thing because it's linked to a very integral part of my personality- that being the desire to tell and experience stories.

I was always dragging around paper and pencils to draw these imagined worlds. But i was also often just sitting with my eyes closed (or sometimes opened, but closed if I wanted to really focus)

if I was painfully bored, or very anxious (which happened often, basically any time i was outside the house or not watching tv or playing a game) I would do this. If I was stuck in a car or a room while my siblings were fighting violently, I would force myself to try to only think about my characters. If the talk radio host was getting on my nerves I would try to drown him out by thinking about my characters going through their worlds and getting in fights and having sex and all that stuff.

this got even better (or worse, considering how you think of it) once I got earbuds/headphones and access to my cousins old ipod. I was finally able to fully block out the world and only, ONLY ever think of my stories. just how I'd always wanted.

and sure, I was always kind of spacey, but even when I wasn't thinking of stories and art I was bad at paying attention the way adults liked. I think adults liked me more when I was just sitting there thinking anyway, instead of being hyper and then having an emotional breakdown when i realize they thought I was annoying.

There was a particularly vibrant time for daydreaming around puberty where i had dozens if not around a hundred different intricate stories that I started to overlap, just because. And I'd go through them over and over, adding or changing little things, making up reasons that the characters would all end up living in the same bunker or fighting the same enemy. making up reasons for the god of war and his little lamb prince to be torn apart. making up reasons for them to attack each other. then forcing them back together through all the trauma.

and recalling these spaces makes me kind of shiver because they're almost like real memories to me. I remember thinking of these scenarios more than I remember my real life around 11-12 years old. And i think that's largely because after I got my blackbelt at around 11 years old, my parents let me quit karate, and didn't force me to do any more sports or anything. So for the most part I legit never left the house. My entire life was in these stories and in my art.

I really only stopped doing this once I got sent off to high school at around 13-14 and was basically FORCED to participate in the real world more.

but I did that all on purpose. i was bored, and i hated other kids because they never clicked with me. and it never seemed to interrupt my life in a way that my parents noticed or cared about. in fact it was the only thing that kept me from being actively suicidal for a while there!

so like. i don't know man. i don't know.

[tk-duveraun]

18/? Luo Binghe is SO NORMAL about Shen Yuan

7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 (here), 19

Read up through even numbered parts on Ao3

Factorio expansion dropped

The System refused Luo Binghe's many requests that this section be skipped in favor of a montage. He thought his argument that he was already an adult in a younger body had a lot merit, actually, but they agreed to disagree.

However, one concession the System allowed was adding background music. It wasn't his favorite rock hits from his first life, but it was better than nothing. The System didn't give it for free, either. He'd had to escape a harrowing gauntlet of both monsters and sexy demons wanting his dick to unlock it. The reasoning was that he had to prove his situational awareness in his newly unlocked demon form was acute enough to justify suddenly hearing boss music.

If he was reading about this in an isekai novel, it would have been hilarious. As it was, he was dirty and miserable and regularly jump scared into full wakefulness by blaring horns.

Defeating creatures and avoiding pa-pa-plots awarded plenty of S-points. but aside from serving as a health pool to keep him from getting sent back to his dead body, there wasn't anything he could do with the points. And he had a few complaints to take up with the System.

Why were there so many sexy demon ladies trying to fuck him? Hello, he's in a danmei, can't he get a twink? Or at least an otter?

[Answering User: All available people with marker 'gay male' are destined to be in love with the Protagonist. In order for this world to be a functioning ecosystem, people with the marker 'straight female' must be proactive in order to continue their respective peoples.]

Okay, that made sense. Luo Binghe was, technically speaking, bisexual, but he was taken!

[User is not currently engaged in a relationship, monogamous or otherwise.]

Luo Binghe's eyelid twitched. He found a legally distinct charmander to kill to shut the System up.

As much as Luo Binghe hated being away from Shen Yuan, since the System refused to speed up time, he was happier leveling up his combat skills and killing monsters than he would have been pining away waiting to be seen as a proper adult. And the combat was beefing him up considerably. His demonic features, thicker stature and more would all be needed for Shen Yuan to see him without remembering Luo Baixiao's horrible seduction attempt.

Meng Mo even deigned to begin teaching Luo Binghe the art of dream manipulation. Again, Luo Binghe had to reevaluate how literal the Original Goods being Shen Yuan's nightmares was. Why was Luo Baixiao's story so complicated if he was just an antagonist?

Luo Binghe strongly doubted Snowballing planned all of this, regardless of what the System seemed to think. Luo Baixiao seemed to be part of the greater Linguang-jun arc and, if Meng Mo's information was accurate, that should have ended with Linguang-jun's death by his own hand, so why was Luo Baixiao still fucking around causing problems?

Revenge? For what? Being rejected as a literal infant?

Okay, maybe Luo Binghe had too much time in the Abyss to overthink things, even when fighting for his life, but was still probably better than wasting away like a maiden in a tower for his beloved to come back from the war (seeing him as child).

[New Main Scenario Quest: "Cut My Heart Out My Chest" Objective: Claim Xin Mo.]

Luo Binghe almost collapsed in relief, which would have been bad, considering he was fighting an Eight-eyed Fusion Tiger.

When the beast was dead and its eyes (there were only six) stored in a preservation pot to trade later, Luo Binghe queried the System.

How long have I been in the Endless Abyss?

[Answering User: Logged duration of quest "Pledges of Frost and Flame": 3 years, 117 days, 3 hours, 14-]

I get the idea, thanks.

Three years after the Immortal Alliance Conference, Luo Baixiao's body should be twenty, old enough to be guaned. Luo Binghe narrowed his eyes at the System, which blinked innocently, waiting for another query. Did this thing trap him in the Abyss just long enough to reach his goal?

He did get points for not banging the hot demon ladies, so maybe it was on his side? In a twisted way.

With the end in sight, Luo Binghe picked up his pace. He was in a canyon with glittering green rock formations that looked like trees but grew crystals on any surface they touched like those kits sold to little kids with supersaturated solutions. He only remembered them because he'd wanted one, but they'd been too poor to afford one. He'd then looked them up online to try and find out if he could make them at home.

The Fusion Tiger was one of the few creatures more-or-less immune to the crystal growths, given that it already was part crystal (the two missing eyes from the name were formations on its brow). Luo Binghe himself had to keep a thick layer of demonic qi cover his feet at all times to keep the stuff at bay.

If the System was giving him the quest for Xin Mo at that point, the sword was certainly in the gaping, black maw waiting ominously at the end of the canyon. The cave opening was made of the same crystal, but shot through with veins of black ichor that spread out like mold.

The corrupt aura from the cave certainly felt unpleasant enough to match Shen Yuan's descriptions of Xin Mo from IRS. He'd had a terrified fascination with the blade, which made sense now that Luo Binghe knew Shen Yuan believed it the only weapon capable of setting him from.

Without looking, Luo Binghe used his sword to knock away a reaching tendril of crystal. He really hoped Shen Yuan still had Zheng Yang. Both because he missed it and because he liked to imagine Shen Yuan sleeping next to the blade and guiltily pleasuring himself to thoughts of Luo Binghe.

Once they were married, Luo Binghe would make that a reality even if he had to recreate Zheng Yang from ore himself.

"Don't worry, Shen Yuan. I'm almost there. And then I'll kill Linguang-jun and set you free."

[saraminia]

15 questions, 15 mutuals

Thank you for tagging me @apothecarose 💞

1. Are you named after anyone?

Nope. Although my mom's called Riitta so it's kinda similar.

2. When was the last time you cried?

Yesterday when I looked at this picture.

So basically I cried about Noah and how much I love him. Seems to be a nearly daily occurrence nowadays. 😔

3. Do you have kids?

I have two. My son is 17 and my daughter is 14. And they're the best kids in the whole world.

(yes, I have their permission to post their pics freely and I'm a proud mama so why not)

4. What sports do you play/have played?

Sadly I never played a sport. (I was never into sports or exercise when I was a kid. Really not until after my daughter was born. That's when I started HIIT training and I did it really intensely for several years. Up until my mental illness put a stop to the training. I hit rock bottom with depression and could hardly even get out of bed. I've been mentally in a very good place for a few years now, but sadly haven't managed to pick up training again.)

5. Do you use sarcasm?

I mean.. yeah? Not intentionally, but I'm sure I do.

6. What's the first thing you notice about people?

I'm extremely unobservant unfortunately. I can meet someone and after five minutes not remember anything about them, especially about their appearance. But I think a really radiant and/or warm smile is something that gets my attention.

7. What’s your eye color?

Greyish green.

8. Scary movies or happy endings?

I like both, but happy endings are lovely.

9. Any talents?

Nope. None. lol

10. Where were you born?

In Finland. Same town where I'm currently living. I've been here and there and lived away from here for like fifteen years, thirteen of which in Sweden, but I returned home about eight years ago.

11. What are your hobbies?

No time for hobbies really. Gotta tumblr for several hours every day lmao. I mean, I write, but not very well. I take walks, often in nature. But mostly I just study and work.

12. Do you have any pets?

I have cats, two old ladies called Mimmi and Simba. They're both girls (despite the name) and both 11 years old. I've had them since they were six months old. They are from the same home, from two different litters, born five days apart. So different mothers, father(s) unknown, so they could be sisters. Either way they have always been together.

13. How tall are you?

164 cm which is about 5'4"

14. Favorite subject in school?

Maths and English (as a second language)

15. Dream job?

I don't think I ever had one. I am studying health care and will be a public health nurse when I'm done, but I wouldn't call that a dream job. It's just a job. I gotta do something so that's what I chose so I at least know there's always going to be work for me. But tbqh if I won the lottery, I would never work again. I'm not sure I'd even finish my studies, since I already am a nurse, it's only the specializing studies I'm still doing.

Oh man, am I supposed to tag fifteen people? Ok I'll try @ramonaflow @flowertrigger @a-noble-dragon @jesuisici33 @carolrain @maryp50 @statueinthestone @goodiecornbread @thisbuildinghasfeelings @rmd-writes @rainbowcoloredpalmtrees @jettestar @grapehyasynth @reasonandfaithinharmony @beaiola

[whimsicallyenchantedrose]

Christmas Reruns 2023 Day 7: The First Snowfall of Winter

Merry Christmas if you celebrate it and happy holidays if you don’t!  One of the things I love about Christmas is watching reruns of all the old classic Christmas movies–Christmas is a big time for nostalgia.  A few years ago, I decided to incorporate that tradition into my fandom life and post my CS holiday reruns.  So here you go!  Enough holiday (mostly) fluff to get you to New Year’s Day. (With a new story posting on Christmas Day.)

 Rating: G

Word Count: 3880

Other chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

​

This story was written for my CS Secret Santa giftee in 2016, I believe. It’s a Lieutenant Duckling story about best friends Princess Emma of Misthaven and stable boy Killian Jones and their tradition of always spending the day of the first snowfall of the year together.

~~~~~~~~~~

There was an ancient saying in the kingdom of Misthaven that the first snowfall of the winter was a magical thing, that those who first met beneath its soft flakes would share a lifelong bond…

~~~~~~~~~ 

Nine-year-old Killian Jones slumped down on a large rock outside the stables, biting his lip to keep it from quivering, blinking rapidly to keep the tears at bay.  He wasn’t a baby!  He wasn’t going to cry! 

Liam said this was a good thing; that he would be well cared for; that they’d be able to make a life for themselves now, and Killian believed him.  Of course he was grateful to be away from Capt’n—he still had bruises from the last beating the tyrant had given him, the beating that convinced Liam that they needed to make a run for it.  And King David and Queen Snow seemed quite kind and gentle. 

Aye, he was grateful for the turn their lives had taken, but he couldn’t help the lump in his throat when he thought of what happened yesterday.  Was it not bad enough that Papa had left him?  Did Liam really have to leave too? 

“I’m not leaving you, little brother,” Liam had said patiently when Killian had objected to the arrangement.  “I’m merely going to sea.  You know what an opportunity it is that King David gave us.  A cabin boy in the Royal Navy!  Me!  I’ll soon earn enough money to get us our own home and an education and everything we could want.”

“But we’ll be apart for three whole months, Liam!” Killian had wailed.  “We’re all the family we have left!” 

Liam slung an arm awkwardly over his brother’s shoulder.  “I’ll miss you too, but the three months will fly by like the wind.  You’ll see!  King David has promised to care for you; employ you as his stable boy.  You’ll be so busy learning and working with his magnificent steeds you won’t even have time to miss me!  And then I’ll be back.  Besides, in a few short years you’ll be old enough to be a cabin boy too, and then we’ll be together always.”

 But a few short years felt like an eternity to a little boy who felt all alone in the world.  A stubborn tear he couldn’t quite hold back tracked its way down his cheek, and Killian wiped it away hastily.

��“Are you crying?”

 Killian startled at the voice, and looked up to see a little girl with blonde ringlets and compassionate green eyes.

 “No,” he said in a thick voice.  “I’m not a baby; I don’t cry!”

 The little girl sat on the rock beside him.  “It’s not just babies that cry; even my papa cries sometimes.  Are you sad?”

 “Aye,” he said with a sigh, realizing it would be useless to lie.  “I miss my brother Liam.  I wish he was here with me.”

 The girl was quiet for a moment, just looking at him.  Killian shivered and pulled his coat closer around him as the winter wind began to blow.

 “You’re the new stable boy, aren’t you?” the little girl said suddenly.  “Mama said we have a new one and that I should be nice to you ‘cause you’re lonely.  I’m Emma, by the way.”

 The little girl stuck out one tiny hand, and after a moment Killian shook it.  Then her name and what she said struck him.  Hastily he got to his feet and sketched a bow.  “Emma…you’re Princess Emma aren’t you?  The daughter of King David and Queen Snow?”

Emma grimaced.  “Yes, I’m the princess.  But I want to be just Emma; not princess Emma.  Everybody calls me ‘Your Highness’ and bows and treats me like I’m some kind of breakable doll.  I don’t want people to be my subjects; I just want someone to be my friend!  I’m lonely too.”

 A few stray flakes of snow began lazily drifting down, coating their hair and shoulders.  Killian sat back beside the little girl and offered his hand in turn.  “A pleasure to meet you ‘just Emma’.  My name is Killian.  Perhaps we can be friends; then neither of us need be lonely.”

 ~~~~~~~~~~

 …that a vow made during the first snowfall would never be broken…

  ~~~~~~~~~~

Emma pulled back her arm and then threw with all her nine-year-old might.  Her aim was true, and a moment later Killian dropped to the ground, felled by the snowball that hit him squarely in the back.

“Just you wait, Swan!” he growled, getting to his feet and scraping the snow together to form his own ammunition.  “I will get my vengeance!”

“Not if you can’t catch me!” Emma said, giggling and running as fast as her legs would carry her in the opposite direction.

A year had passed since Killian came to work in the stables, and the two of them had formed a fast friendship.  They were nearly inseparable, spending every free moment they had together, talking, playing, getting into so much mischief her nursemaid Johanna often threatened to ban Killian from the royal nursery altogether.

To be fair, it was normally Emma that got into mischief.  Killian usually attempted to talk her out of it.  “It’s rather bad form to give the king and queen so much grief, Swan.”

He’d taken to calling her “Swan” last spring, when they’d caught sight of one such bird on the lake.  He’d commented that she was just like it; soft and graceful at some times, but a fierce and deadly fighter when she was angered.

Emma hurried behind the snow fort she’d constructed earlier that afternoon, knowing a moment of triumph.

The next thing she knew she was sprawled out on her back looking up into impossibly blue eyes and floppy black hair, the remnants of Killian’s snowball seeping beneath the collar of her warm winter coat.  “No fair, Killian!” she said with a frown.  “I’d reached my fort.  You can’t tackle me behind my own fort!  You know that’s not ‘good form’ as you like to say!”

“Apologies, my lady.” The laughter in his voice belayed his apology.  Killian got hastily to his feet and then offered her a hand.  “I suppose there’s nothing for it; I must concede defeat.  You have bested me.”

“And just you remember it,” Emma said, grinning once again and attempting to brush the snow from her skirt—a hopeless task as it was still falling fast and hard from the heavy clouds above.  “What should we do now?” 

Killian thought for a moment.  “How about we go inside?  We’ve already made a snowman and snow angels and snow forts and had a snowball fight.  I’m starting to get cold.”

“Okay,” Emma said with a nod.  “Besides, Mama promised to make us hot cocoa when we returned to the castle.  I hope she remembers the cinnamon this time.”

Killian chuckled.  “How could she forget?  You remind her every time you see her after that one afternoon she left it off.  C’mon; let’s go!”

Emma stood still for a moment, and Killian looked back, his dark brow raised in confusion. 

“Killian, you’re my very best friend,” Emma said abruptly.

“Aye,” he answered “And you’re mine.”

“Let’s make a promise that we’ll always be friends.  Forever.”

 He smiled.  “I promise.”

 ~~~~~~~~~~

 …that no distance can truly separate two hearts bound together by first snowfall magic…

 ~~~~~~~~~~

Fifteen-year-old Killian stood at the rail of The Jewel of the Realm and watched as Misthaven slowly disappeared on the horizon.  Liam clapped him on the back.  “It’s good to have you with us, little brother.”

“Younger, brother, Liam,” Killian said, brushing off his brother’s hand.  “I’m nearly as tall as you now!”

Liam laughed.  “That’s ‘Lieutenant Jones’ to you, cabin boy.  Show your officers a little respect.”

Killian grinned and then snapped to attention and presented his brother with a perfectly executed salute.  “Aye, aye, Lieutenant!”

“It’s finally here, brother,” Liam said, putting a hand back on Killian’s shoulder, “the day we’ve been waiting for.  We’re finally able to sail together once more.”

Killian grinned, then turned back toward the rapidly disappearing shore as snowflakes began flying through the air.  He felt a pang in his chest.  This was the first time in six years he’d miss spending the first snowfall with Emma.  He was grateful beyond words to be reunited with his beloved brother for more than just a few weeks at a time, but he couldn’t lie.  He missed his best friend already.

“Something the matter, Killian?” Liam asked, leaning against the railing next to him.

“No…” Killian said quickly.  “Well, perhaps a bit.  I’m accustomed to spending the day of the first snow with Emma; that’s all.”

Liam chuckled and ruffled Killian’s hair.  “Emma.  Ah, so that’s what it is.  Has cupid’s arrow pierced my little brother’s heart?”

Killian felt his face flame.  “Leave off, Liam, you’re being ridiculous!  You know she’s just my best friend!”

“Um-hm,” Liam hummed, maddening grin firmly affixed.  “I have eyes, you know.  Don’t think I didn’t see the princess kiss your cheek as you bid her farewell.  Don’t think I missed the adoration in your eyes.”

Killian sucked in a quick breath, his mind returning to that moment an hour ago.  Emma had looked like an angel in her long, pink gown that brushed the ground, her hair pulled back into a gentle braid.  There’d been so much affection in her eyes as she wished him a good trip and promised to write him every day.

Then she’d ghosted her lips against his cheek.

It had sparked something in him; something he couldn’t explain.  His heart beat faster, and he felt as though thousands of tiny butterflies were fluttering through his stomach.  He could scarcely understand what was happening to him.  Emma had kissed his cheek before, many times, in fact, and it had never affected him like that; it had never been anything more than a gesture of affection between friends.

But today…today everything had been different, and he hardly knew how to process it.

“Perhaps,” Killian said slowly, “perhaps my feelings have begun to change for Princess Emma, but Liam, I know my place.  She’s the princess and I’m naught but a cabin boy.  Best I not even allow myself to dream.”

Liam turned Killian to him with a gentle hand.  “Brother, you know as well as I that the princess is no respecter of persons.  Should she come to fancy you, your station will be of no consequence to her.  Should your fancy turn to love one day, never fear to fight for her heart.  A man unwilling to fight for what he wants deserves what he gets.”

~~~~~~~~~~

 …that love awakened among the first snowfall will never fade…

 ~~~~~~~~~~

Emma twirled before her floor-length mirror, admiring the way her deep-red ball gown flared out with the movement.  She couldn’t wait to wear the dress tonight at Misthaven’s annual ball celebrating the start of the Yuletide festivities.  At twenty-years-of-age, Emma had been attending the ball for a few years, but this year felt different.

This year Killian would be there. 

For the past two years, he’d sat out the ball, still an enlisted man in the navy.  But with this year’s promotion to Lieutenant, he was expected to not only attend the ball, but dance with the ladies of the aristocracy and nobility.

Emma felt her cheeks heat at the thought, and it was ridiculous!  Killian was her oldest and dearest friend, these…new feelings, newly awakened desires…well, they were just stupid.  He’d likely laugh until he was blue in the face if he knew what she was currently thinking.

It was all Captain Liam’s fault, really.  Didn’t the man know it was his job to teach his brother how to dance?  What was he thinking giving that task to her? 

Emma had the sneaking suspicion the oldest Jones man knew exactly what he was doing.  The smirk he’d worn when he asked her to teach his hopeless little brother to dance had made little sense at the time, but now….now that things had changed, she couldn’t help but wonder if Killian’s brother had been attempting to play the matchmaker.

Emma let her mind wander back to the events of the afternoon that had changed everything.

She’d been sitting at her bay window, reading—a thrilling tale of adventure on the high seas—when she was interrupted by a quick rap at her open door.  She looked up, and her heart stilled before racing faster than her father’s thoroughbreds.  Killian stood dressed in his brand new lieutenant’s uniform—looking more than a bit bashful, she might add.

There was no other word for it; he had grown into a beautiful man.  With his impossibly blue eyes, his dark hair, pulled back neatly into a ponytail at the back of his head, his skin tanned from weeks at sea, and his smile that could make the angels weep for joy, he was easily the handsomest man she’d ever laid eyes on.

“My princess,” he said, in a soft, deep voice as he executed a perfect bow.

She’d felt her heart flutter, her stomach swoop, her jaw drop.  She doubted she could say a word if her life depended on it.

After a moment, he grinned, his old familiar grin—two parts joy and one part pure mischief, and suddenly the spell was broken.  She leapt to her feet, ran to him and enveloped him in a hug.  “You’re home!  You’re finally home.  And look at you!  I’d heard about the promotion, but I had no idea you’d have your uniform yet.”

Killian looked down at his attire and then scratched behind his ear.  “Aye, well…it was something of a requirement.  I must be properly clad for the ball tonight.”

“Oh that’s right!  You’ll be at the ball.”

“Aye,” he said with a deep sigh.  “I gather Liam told you of my current predicament?  My utter inability to dance?” 

“Oh, that’s no problem,” Emma said, pulling at his arm and heading for the stairs.  “Dancing’s easy.  All you need is a partner who knows what she’s doing.  I’d be more than happy to teach you.”

They reached the great hall doors, and Emma continued on, not stopping until they’d reached their favorite forest clearing.  It was then that Emma realized the snow had begun to fall.

“First snowfall of winter!” she exclaimed in delight, spinning in a circle like a child, sticking her tongue out to catch the delicate flakes.  “Killian how long has it been since we shared first snowfall together?”

“Far, far too long, my Swan,” he said in a soft voice, laden with an emotion Emma couldn’t place.

She looked up quickly, and he was looking at her strangely, as though she was a precious jewel.  Emma felt her cheeks flame, wondering what on earth had come over her childhood best friend.

In a moment he was back, her Killian. The friend she’d known for years.

“It’s quite simple, really,” she said, stepping up to him.  “Take my hand, and place your other at my waist, like so.  Now follow my lead.”

For several moments Emma was occupied with the intricacies of teaching Killian to dance, but he was a quick study, and soon he was moving as competently and gracefully as she was.

That’s when she noticed how very close they were.  She felt the weight of his hand on her waist, the way his breath tickled her face, the warmth of his body pressed close to hers, and for a moment she couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, couldn’t do anything but stare into those eyes, deep and blue as the sea.

She’d never felt anything like this.

He seemed to be afflicted with the same madness.  He held his breath for a moment and then, oh-so-slowly bent his head toward hers.  She had the strangest sensation he meant to kiss her.  Even stranger was how much she wished he would.

A moment later a raucous cardinal trilled out his song and the spell was broken.  Killian stepped hastily back, his cheeks flaming as red as the bird who had disturbed their tete-a-tete.  Emma felt a moment of loss, but the warmth in her heart; the warmth that suffused her entire being remained.

And now, two hours later, it had yet to cool.  What was happening to her?

And even more…how was she going to manage to dance with Killian tonight without making an utter fool of herself?

~~~~~~~~~~

…that a kiss shared between sweethearts during the first snowfall can’t fail to be True Love’s Kiss…

~~~~~~~~~~

Killian stood nervously beside his brother as the music began to play, as they waited for the arrival of the guests of honor.  He tugged at his collar, remembering the afternoon when he’d almost lost his head and kissed the princess, when all his careful work to keep his feelings hidden had nearly crumbled.

But he’d missed her.  He’d missed her with all his being, and when he saw her gracefully sitting in her window seat, he thought his heart would burst with emotion.  He loved her; there was no other word for it. 

He loved her, but she was the princess, and he was naught but a sailor.  His love was doomed from the beginning, and he’d best remember that.

Killian felt Liam’s hand on his shoulder.  “Relax, brother,” he said.  “We’re attending a ball, not an execution.”

“Easy for you to say,” Killian groused.  “You’ve been attending these balls for years; you know just what to say and how to act around the ladies.  I fear I’ll make a damned fool of myself.”

Liam grinned.  “From the looks Princess Emma is sending your way, I’d wager you could fall on your face, and she’d think you were brilliant.”

“What?”

“Look, little brother.  The royals have arrived.”

Killian whipped his head around and then promptly felt the breath leave his lungs in a whoosh.  She was a vision in her red ball gown, her blonde hair delicately twisted up upon her head.  Her eyes sparkled, and…Liam was right…she was looking at him like he was the only man in the room.

“Go on, lad,” Liam said with a gentle shove to the shoulder.  “It’s time you show her majesty that the Jones family charm didn’t skip the younger son.”

Killian’s feet took him forward until he was within two feet of the princess.  Then he took her hand and brought it to his lips.  “You look stunning, Swan.”

She blushed, the color only adding to her radiant beauty.  “You look…”

“He knows,” Liam offered helpfully, leaning in and grinning wide enough Killian thought his face would split in two.

“Leave off, Liam!” Killian shot over his shoulder.  “I’m perfectly capable of talking to the lady on my own.”

“As you wish,” Liam said with a shrug, grin still in place.  “I just thought I’d lend my aid should you wish it in asking her majesty for a dance.”

Killian felt his face flame for probably the millionth time that night as he guided Emma a few steps away where they wouldn’t be disturbed by his embarrassing brother.  Why was this so difficult?  This was Emma; just Emma.  They’d known each other for more than a decade now, and never had their interactions been so…awkward.

“Would you care to dance, my princess?  If your first dance hasn’t already been claimed, that is.”

Emma dipped into a graceful curtsy and then shot him a shy smile.  “I thought you’d never ask.  There’s no one else I’d wish to share my first dance with.”

And as Killian took Emma into his arms and moved to the music, everything around them fell away, the people, the overheated room, the nerves.  This feeling, dancing with the woman he loved, this was the closest to heaven he’d ever been.

As the night continued, the princess danced so often with the lieutenant that people began to talk—and more than once Killian caught the king shooting him looks that no doubt could kill.

Emma caught the direction of his gaze and the way he swallowed hard, and her eyes narrowed.  Taking his hand, she led him to a balcony off the ball room, where the first snow of the season was still resolutely falling.

“I’m not sure this is proper, Swan,” Killian muttered, nevertheless letting himself be led.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Killian,” Emma said shutting the glass doors behind them and then turning toward him.  “We’re still in plain sight…this just gives us a chance to have a moment alone.”

Killian shuffled nervously for a moment—and then he looked down at her.  The snow landed on her hair, on her dress, on the gentle curve of her cheek.  He reached up, cupping her face, wiping away the offending flake with a swipe of his thumb.  Emma reached up and held his hand in place, her fingers tangling with his.

And then he lost his head altogether.  Leaning down, he captured her lips with his own.  She sighed his name and then wrapped her arms around his neck and enthusiastically returned his kiss.  Killian pulled her to him, holding her even tighter, just as a pulse of rainbow-tinted electricity shot from between them, spreading out to cover the whole kingdom.

“Was that….?” Killian asked, pulling away slightly, eyes wide.

Emma smiled radiantly, cupping the back of his head, bringing him down for a second—and then third—kiss.  “Yeah.  I don’t think there can be any doubt; that was True Love’s Kiss.”

“But there was no curse to be broken…”

Emma cupped his cheek, reaching to rest her forehead against his. “Perhaps we have a love so strong a curse isn’t necessary to prove it.”

~~~~~~~~~~

…and that the couple who pledges their troth beneath the gentle fall of the first snow will live happily ever afterwards.

 ~~~~~~~~~~

The first ball of the Yuletide was a turning point for Princess Emma and Lieutenant Killian.  If they’d been close before, they were positively inseparable after sharing True Love’s Kiss.   It was generally considered to be a romance worthy of fairy tales, and there wasn’t a soul in Misthaven who was surprised when the couple announced their engagement some six months later.  (It was, however said, that King David threatened the young lieutenant within an inch of his life should he ever cause the princess a moment of pain.  It was further said the lieutenant laughed long and heartily at the very notion, after which he and the king became fast and forever friends.)

And so it was that the first snowfall of the following year found Princess Emma of Misthaven and Lieutenant Killian Jones of the Royal Navy exchanging their wedding vows in the large, palace chapel, the curtains of the floor-to-ceiling windows thrown wide to show Mother Nature’s blessing on the happy couple.

It was said that there wasn’t a dry eye in the entire kingdom as Captain Liam Jones proclaimed the couple husband and wife, and Killian kissed his bride.

They, of course, did live happily ever afterwards.

NEXT CHAPTER->

[zincbot]

ALICE

Whole thang

🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫

ALICE EXPLOSION

1. are they associated with a certain color? what color do they wear the most?

I associate her with maroon, gunmetal, navy blue. She wears mostly blues and greys, some black. She has a yellow tank top that used to be white. None of her white clothes are white anymore, tinged pink by blood or grey by oil.

2. what sort of music would they like? have you thought about what genres or bands do they lean towards? do they have a favorite song?

She likes heavy metal. A silent enjoyer of dad rock. She doesn't usually put on music while she works because she likes to be able to hear her surroundings, but you can sometimes find her whistling or humming. She doesn't know the names of songs but i think her favourite is the entire Rush album "Moving Pictures" which she might think is just one really long song.

3. weapon of choice? any particular reason they chose their weapon?

Already Answered!

4. how crafty/resourceful are they?

Possible the most in the world. If you're looking for weapons. Alice excells at stripping things down to useful parts, at repurposing. Duct tape is her best friend. She makes things that work. For how long, it doesn't matter. She'll just keep fixing.

5. how do they typically dress? does their wardrobe lean more towards practicality or aesthetics?

100% practicality. Pockets. Durability. Warmth. Her three tenets. The first time she acquired her own clothes she looked insane.

6. how do they wear their hair? do they care a lot how their hair looks?

shorn. she shaves it down every so often and cuts it again once it starts bugging her. she doesn't like it long enough to grab, and she's annoyed by hair tickling her neck when she's working. other than that the appearance couldn't matter less to her. (at least, not anymore)

7. favorite animal? why?

Already Answered!

8. do they have a nickname? who gave it to them? if it's not derived from their real name, what's the story behind it?

i. really don't think so? nicknames just slide off alice like water. she doesn't respond to them. her name is alice.

9. favorite food? least favorite? are they a picky eater? do they have any dietary restrictions?

she's partial to meat and potatoes. mac n cheese. she loves pie. diner food is always a hit. not a big raw veggie enjoyer, also not a fan of "complicated" foods. if she can't figure out how it's put together she's not inclined to eat it. she is picky but not a complainer. she doesn't have any food allergies.

10. if they wear jewelry, what kind? do they prefer silver or gold? do they have a favorite gem?

she doesn't wear any. she doesn't like how it feels. gemstones as decoration don't interest her. certain minerals are good for specific reactions though.

11. what do they have in common with you? how are they different? would you get along with them?

we're both butch- no, but i think alice has a lot of my struggles with understanding people. she's different from me in that she's not introspective about it At All. i would be so desperate for alice to be impressed with me. she wouldn't be impressed with me.

12. how long have they been around? do you know their birthday? is their birthday the day you made them or another day? what do they think of celebrating birthdays?

as a character? around a year. in canon she's 49 years old. she doesn't know her birthday and neither do i. she doesn't mind celebrating someone else's birthday but won't do anything unless specifically told it's coming up so she has time to get something. her gifts are usually pretty middling.

13. what languages do they speak? how fluently?

english only. fluent enough. when she was younger she remembers learning a lot of big words. she doesn't like using them much.

14. are they any good with numbers?

better then she lets on. she's the type to let a calculation run in her head, spew out a perfect number, and then say "eh, around 50 or so". she doesn't see the point in getting bogged down with nitty gritty. her measurements are always accurate to the millimeter.

15. how big or small is their family? who did they live with growing up? do they live with anyone now?

if she had a family, she never knew them. those records were erased long before her fake identity was forged. growing up, she knew there were others, but rarely if ever saw them. she learned from overhearing conversation that it wasn't uncommon for them to die. nowdays, she lives "alone", but her house is rarely empty.

16. do they have any pets? what do they call their pets?

never. a potted plant is enough work already.

17. how did they spend their summers/free time as a child?

the first time alice experienced a summer outdoors, she was nineteen years old. the constant heat was new. and not enjoyed. she got very badly sunburnt. it was after her first winter, and she found it less dangerous than winter, with more resources available. they sent her on a job to take out a great wooden construct. she blew it to splinters.

18. their opinion on lying, stealing, and killing?

lying's necessary sometimes. it's usually not her style. stealing was something she didn't understand for a while. she still does it sometimes, but now she understands that money can buy goods and services. killing isn't something she's ever taken lightly, but it's something she does without flinching, these days.

19. are they quick to anger? what sets them off?

quick to be annoyed? sure. quick to anger? not anymore. when alice was younger she would hiss and spit and display fury as quick as anything. nowadays she's pretty immoveable.

20. if applicable, can they drive? if they have their own, what color is their vehicle? is the inside neat and tidy, or a mess?

YES. it's one of the things alice picked up the quickest in the outside world. the first car she called her own was a 1993 jeep wrangler, purchased close-to-new, with a newly acquired "transportation budget", "Ellie", she maintains like clockwork, and its still running to this day, a near 30 years later. paint job is usually a soft black, but she's redone it before. the inside is tidy at first glance, but stuffed full with weapons and tools.

21. their favorite place to be?

the garage. of all the rooms in her house this is the space that is uniquivocably alice. it's where she goes to unwind, where she goes when she's stressed, where she goes when she gets an idea. it's her place.

23. do they sleep well at night?

"well enough" - alice. she still has bad nights every so often, but nowadays she'll just get up and head to the garage.

24. how would you describe their voice? can they sing?

pretty deep, pretty casual. she doesn't tend to speak in long sentences. she doesn't sing, really, but she's a surprisingly talented whistler. you'll catch her humming from time-to-time and it's nice.

25. do they have any creative hobbies? (art, writing, music, etc)

none so standard. she draws up blueprints on occasion with a rock-steady hand, but her main art is her metalworking and electrical skill. her inventions and creations are where her creativity lives.

26. how good/bad is their hearing? what about their eyesight?

her hearing is incredibly sharp. she hasn't lost a bit of it so far. her far eyesight too, is still sharp as anything. i like the idea of her needing reading glasses, but i haven't decided if that's true or not yet.

27. how do they move? are they clumsy? light on their feet? do they use mobility aids?

alice moves steady and sure. she doesn't often trip or stumble. her footfalls are generally pretty heavy around her house, but she still remembers how to step light. she doesn't use any mobility aids, she's always healed up really well with home-made splints and wraps.

28. if applicable, do they have a favorite sport? do they play any sports or prefer to watch?

she's not really into sports. whenever she's zoning out in front of the tv occasionally some football or soccer will stay on for a bit. she's not caught up with the teams. i'm not sure alice 100% knows the rules to any sports, and you'd really have to do some convincing to get her to see the poing of playing em. she'd be a beast at rugby.

29. how do they show that they care about someone? how do they express that they don't like someone?

when alice cares, she'll pick you up whenever you need. she'll drop everything and bring the car around with no complaint. she'll fix things that break for you, she'll keep her door open. she'll notice little flinches, she'll start softening edges around them. it's all action, never words. conversely, when alice doesn't like you, she says "i don't think i like you very much."

30. are they associated with any particular element (air, earth, fire, water)?

earth, to me. and metal. sturdy, solid, alice is foundation, brick and wall.

31. do they smell like anything notable?

machine oil, 100%. alice smells like a mechanic no matter what she does.

32. do they like receiving gifts? giving gifts? what is their ideal gift?

she's not great at receiving gifts. she'll get something useless and grunt about it and keep it on a shelf forever and instantly notice if anyone moves it. she's not a great gift giver either, some of her gifts are inexplicable, and she's not gonna explain why she got you a full silverwear set where each item can flip open to hide something inside. her ideal gift is something she can use.

33. do they have any habits that aren't particularly self-destructive, just maybe odd?

she's governed at times by a strange flow of thinking. she gets caught in loops of repetition, of taking apart and repairing. sometimes she has to whistle. sometimes she can't. she doesn't know why. it's easier to follow the impulse. most of the time.

34. if applicable, how would your other characters describe them? i mean specifically the people around them.

i kind of want b. to meet alice. he'd describe her as "not that scary". (lying)

35. how would your character describe themselves? it doesn't have to line up with how they really are.

"i've got work to do."

36. do they ever return home?

almost every day, these days!

[anakinsthot]

Fic Tag Game!

I was tagged by @veloursdor, @mischievouschan4, and @lilredghost. Y'all probably forgot but I DID NOT. I've just been sad and mopey because I'm working when it's dark out with the time change and it's pitch black by the time I'm home, so I haven't gotten anything done!

How many works do you have on a03?

Ten

2. What’s your ao3 word count?

118,260!!

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Currently just Star Wars! And I don’t foresee that changing. When I first got into fanfic I wrote for Bleach, Final Fantasy VII (oh my god there were song fics, what the fuck), Harry Potter, Marvel Cinematic Universe (I had forgotten about that completely. Hopefully I forget again), and The Hobbit.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Hey this feels like a war crime, actually. They’re all obikin except the first.

Lady of the Rocks, with 1,125 kudos… my Hobbit fic that hasn’t been touched in like 6 years.

Bitter Honey (BEE FIC, BEE FIC, BEE FIC!! Sits at 447 right now)

Anakin Skywalker, Witch (420, nice)

Living with the Present (402)

Tapio (128)

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Yes! Although frequently very late. I got bad about it this summer because this summer sucked, emotionally. But I love it when authors respond to my comments so, as hard as it is for me to believe, I imagine that people enjoy when I respond to their comments and try my best to do it.

6. What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I don’t think any of them have an angsty ending. One of the Harry Potter fics was going to though. LOL.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Anakin Skywalker, Witch.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Nope!

9. Do you write smut? If so what kind?

Yes… mostly pretty vanilla right now I think. I need to expand my writing comfort bubble.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

I haven’t written any. Used to read a ton though.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I’m aware of.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Again, not to my knowledge.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No. It’s stressful enough trying to match my own writing voice haha.

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

Obikin, definitely!

15. What’s a WIP you’d like to finish, but doubt you ever will?

My hobbit fic. I still get comment occasionally asking if I’ll finish it. My big thing with that fic was world-building and I’ve lost a lot of what I had. I WANT to work on it for the people that still enjoy it though.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I’d say probably dialogue, because I feel like I edit that the least, and world-building.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

….actually writing the words down RIP. Also comma usage.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I avoid it, generally. I read too many fantasy books and fics back in the day where you had to flip to the glossary at the end of the book/bottom of the page for translations and it gets annoying, especially if there’s a multiple characters speaking.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Omg I had to look up my old ff.net account to check this. It was Bleach.

20. Favorite fic you’ve ever written?

I want to immediately say Anakin Skywalker, Witch. It’s my first obikin fic, my first fanfic after a long hiatus. I’ve put so much work and research into it. But Tapio has a vibe that I really enjoy, and has managed to inspire that vibe in readers so… dark horse winner is Tapio.

Bonus: What fic would you want to rewrite one day?

Probably that damn Hobbit fic. I didn’t have an editor back then so I shudder to think about what the comma situation is there.

I feel like I've seen most people do this game already! So I'm not going to tag anyone, but if you see this and have not been tagged yet/want to do it... this is me, tagging you.