#i’m so proud of them holy shit

[funeralpyres]

well. that was the best thing i’ve seen in my entire life

[needle-noggins]

Where do your roots start

And where do your roots end?

Something about seeing only the worst of yourself in the mirror. Something violent and terrifying, but knowing you only grew that violence in response to violence against you. Knowing your power comes from a place of trauma, something you don’t remember but wish had never happened. But it did, and here you are. There’s something new in you that isn’t the you that you understand and you wish it wasn’t but it is. Violence begets violence and you are unable to control what grows from the seeds that were planted. So you have to live with it and try not to let that violence spread.

You’ve already failed once.

And you see it every time you look in the damn mirror.

—

For Body Horror Week’s final day, prompt: Roots by In This Moment

[laurrelise]

guys i’ve drawn lila some more

decided to draw 2 of her saddest scenes for what reason????????

i actually don’t have an answer i just liked the references

(also here are the references)

and i can’t remember if ive dropped these here before but i did some pencil drawings of her a whiiiiiile ago and im actually really proud of them so i’ll just leave them here regardless :)

v also their references

[dykedvonte]

Mini rant below and in the tags, the only time I’ll talk about this and my personal take on it.

The way people talk about hypothetical male Anya on Twitter and the idea of how Mouthwashing would play out if the genders were swapped makes me remember how people still don’t take sexual assault and rape with male victims with the same gravity, especially when the perpetrator is female.

[saturn-sends-hugs]

In honor of our first Wednesday without an episode:

Echo and Crosshair get to talking on the long flight back to Pabu.

:D

pov me getting steamrolled by this idea at like midnight on the 4th lol

i wrote this one super fast DURING MY EXAM WEEK so don’t expect too much lol

full of fluffy banter, Crosshair whump, and… well let’s just say my classic Echo trope lol

taglist below cut:

@inkstainedhandswithrings @the-bi-space-ace @floundrickthewayfarer @ihaventpiickedausername @arctrooper69 @myrtlesb

(p.s. if y’all would rather only be tagged in Slow Down updates or something let me know!)

[tacobellabeanburrito]

I just think they’d be best friends.

[sun-ea-sports]

I love birds ^_^

[bandsanitizer]

11 Years of 5SOS: Gotta Get Out -> Older

cos I know what’ll happen, if we get through this

[hey-cringelord]

this comment 😭😭😭🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🫠🫠<3<3

[look-at-the-stars-tonight]

I ran this morning AND wrote some AND made art and I’m so proud of me

[atticuos]

Guess who did in fact go through all your work? THIS BITCH RIGHT HERE YES! ＼（＾▽＾）／

And god it was one hell of a night, i feel like i have felt every emotion all at once yk? I went from one fic to another laughing, crying, kicking my feet, screaming, giggling and going insane all at the same time🥹

And you were so right, ‘it’s rotten work’ got me pacing around my room, losing my mind over how stupidly perfect they are to each other and how you made me feel this with my entire being

I have lines from each fic that i know for a fact are gonna stay with me for a good while because goddamn it you have a way with words that makes me go hqqpqoqgqjqlqhqjqpqahawn😭🥹💗🥰😭🥹💗🥰🩷🤍❤️💙💜❣️💖💕❤️❤️‍🔥❤️‍🩹🩶🩵🩶❤️‍🔥💛💓💓💝💕🧡❤️💕🤎❣️💖🩷💚😭😭 fr fr

You’re so talented and i’m so fucking glad i found you and had the pleasure of reading your kissable words (yes that’s how your words make me feel, i wanna kiss them)

Can’t wait to see more of you, specially baby ‘Zuku and his Kacchan i miss them already😭💗

I hope you’re doing great, sending you all the kisses and the hugs (づ￣ ³￣)づ

Anon I did the thing where I hoarded this in my notes again because it made me so happy to see every time I opened the app and just 🥹

You’re too fucking sweet to me 😭😭 this makes me so happy on so many levels I can’t even say,

You think my words are kissable??! 🥹 that is the cutest thing anyone has ever said about my writing and I’m gonna think about it for the rest of my life istg 😭

I’m so glad I was right about “it’s rotten work” :) it was so easy to write that one cuz I loved it so much and I’m glad a lot of people feel the same, makes me really fucken happy 😊

I hope you stick around for the next one cuz what I’m writing now might be my favourite bkdk fic I’ve ever written so 👀😉😌

Thank you again for coming back and telling me all this, I adore you 💗

[ziracona]

Me when Harvey told Harv who Batman is

[puppy-the-mask]

I drew Redson with a bunch of different hairstyles (that I got from discord the decorated braid was the only idea I had)

I hadn’t drawn them before this and omg he’s so pretty ;w;

[acourtofquestions]

KINGDOM OF ASH (by SJM)

Chapter 48

THE FAMILY REUINION🥹😆😭🫶& MY SOULLL

But when they reached Princess Hasar's battle tent, when they had all gathered around a map of Anielle, they had only a few minutes of discussion before they were interrupted. By the person Chaol least expected to walk through the flaps.

A moment later, Chaol was glad he was sitting down.

Nesryn breathed, "Holy gods."

Chaol was inclined to agree as Aelin Galathynius, Rowan Whitethorn, and several others entered the tent.

They were mud-splattered, the Queen of Terrasen's braided hair far longer than Chaol had last seen. And her eyes ... Not the soft, yet fiery gaze. But something older. Wearier.

Chaol shot to his feet. "I thought you were in Terrasen," he blurted. All the reports had confirmed it. Yet here she stood, no army in sight.

Three Fae males-towering warriors as broad and muscled as Rowan—had entered, along with a delicate, dark-haired human woman.

But Aelin was only staring at him. Staring and staring at him.

No one spoke as tears began sliding down her face. Not at his being here, Chaol realized as he took up his cane and limped toward Aelin.

But at him. Standing. Walking.

The young queen let out a broken laugh of joy and flung her arms around his neck. Pain lanced down his spine at the impact, but Chaol held her right back, every question fading from his tongue.

Aelin was shaking as she pulled away. "I knew you would," she breathed, gazing down his body, to his feet, then up again. "I knew you'd do it."

"Not alone," he said thickly. Chaol swallowed, releasing Aelin to extend an arm behind him. To the woman he knew stood there, a hand over the locket at her neck.

Perhaps Aelin would not remember, perhaps their encounter years ago had meant nothing to her at all, but Chaol drew Yrene forward. "Aelin, allow me to introduce"

"Yrene Towers," the queen breathed as his wife stepped to his side.

The two women stared at each other.

Yrene's mouth quivered as she opened the silver locket and pulled out a piece of paper. Hands trembling, she extended it to the queen. Aelin's own hands shook as she accepted the scrap.

"Thank you," Yrene whispered.

Chaol supposed it was all that really needed to be said.

Aelin unfolded the paper, reading the note she'd written, seeing the lines from the hundreds of foldings and rereadings these past few years.

"I went to the Torre," Yrene said, her voice cracking. "I took the money you gave me, and went to the Torre. And I became the heir apparent to the Healer on High. And now I have come back, to do what I can. I taught every healer I could the lessons you showed me that night, about self-defense. I didn't waste it-not a coin you gave me, or a moment of the time, the life you bought me." Tears were rolling and rolling down Yrene's face. "I didn't waste any of it."

Aelin closed her eyes, smiling through her own tears, and when she opened them, she took Yrene's shaking hands. "Now it is my turn to thank you." But Aelin's gaze fell upon the wedding band on Yrene's finger, and when she glanced to Chaol, he grinned.

"No longer Yrene Towers," Chaol said softly, "but Yrene Westfall."

Aelin let out one of those choked, joyous laughs, and Rowan stepped up to her side.

Yrene's head tilted back to take in the warrior's full height, her eyes widening-not only at Rowan's size, but at the pointed ears, the slightly elongated canines and tattoo. Aelin said, "Then let me introduce you, Lady Westfall, to my own husband, Prince Rowan Whitethorn Galathynius."

For that was indeed a wedding band on the queen's finger, the emerald mud-splattered but bright. On Rowan's own hand, a gold-and-ruby ring gleamed.

"My mate," Aelin added, fluttering her lashes at the Fae male. Rowan rolled his eyes, yet couldn't entirely contain his smile as he inclined his head to Yrene.

Yrene bowed, but Aelin snorted. "None of that, please. It'll go right to his immortal head." Her grin softened as Yrene blushed, and Aelin held up the scrap of paper. "May I keep this?" She eyed Yrene's locket. "Or does it go in there?"

Yrene folded the queen's fingers around the paper. "It is yours, as it always was. A piece of your bravery that helped me find my own."

Aelin shook her head, as if to dismiss the claim.

But Yrene squeezed Aelin's closed hand. "It gave me courage, the words you wrote. Every mile I traveled, every long hour I studied and worked, it gave me courage. I thank you for that, too."

Aelin swallowed hard, and Chaol took that as excuse enough to sit again, his back giving a grateful tinge. He said to the queen, "There is another person responsible for this army being here." He gestured to Nesryn, the woman already smiling at the queen. "The rukhin you see, the army gathered, is as much because of Nesryn as it is because of me."

A spark lit Aelin's eyes, and both women met halfway in a tight embrace. "I want to hear the entire story," Aelin said. "Every word of it." Nesryn's subdued smile widened. "So you shall. But later." Aelin clapped her on the shoulder and turned to the two royals still by the desk. Tall and regal, but as mud-splattered as the queen.

Chaol blurted, "Dorian?"

Rowan answered, "Not with us." He glanced to the royals.

"They know everything," Nesryn said

"He's with Manon," Aelin said simply.

Chaol wasn't entirely sure whether to be relieved. "Hunting for something important."

The keys. Holy gods.

Aelin nodded. Later. He'd think on where Dorian might now be later. Aelin nodded again. The full story would come then too.

Nesryn said, "May I present Princess Hasar and Prince Sartaq."

Aelin bowed—low. "You have my eternal gratitude," Aelin said, and the voice that came out of her was indeed that of a queen. Any shock Sartaq and Hasar had shown upon the queen bowing so low was hidden as they bowed back, the portrait of courtly grace.

"My father," Sartaq said, "remained in the khaganate to oversee our lands, along with our siblings Duva and Arghun. But my brother Kashin sails with the rest of the army. He was not two weeks behind us when we left."

Aelin glanced to Chaol, and he nodded.

Something glittered in her eyes at the confirmation, but the queen jerked her chin at Hasar. "Did you get my letter?"

The letter that Aelin had sent months ago, begging for aid and promising only a better world in return. Hasar picked at her nails. "Perhaps. I get far too many letters from fellow princesses these days to possibly remember or answer all of them."

Aelin smirked, as if the two of them spoke a language no one else could understand, a special code between two equally arrogant and proud women. But she motioned to her companions, who stepped forward. "Allow me to introduce my friends. Lord Gavriel, of Doranelle." A nod toward the tawny-eyed and golden-haired warrior who bowed.

Tattoos covered his neck, his hands, but his every motion was graceful. "My uncle, of sorts," Aelin added with a smirk at Gavriel. At Chaol's narrowed brows, she explained, "He's Aedion's father."

"Well, that explains a few things," Nesryn muttered.

The hair, the broad-planed face ... yes, it was the same. But where Aedion was fire, Gavriel seemed to be stone. Indeed, his eyes were solemn as he said, "Aedion is my pride." Emotion rippled over Aelin's face, but she gestured to the dark-haired male. Not someone Chaol ever wanted to tangle with, he decided as he surveyed the granite-hewn features, the black eyes and unsmiling mouth.

"Lorcan Salvaterre, formerly of Doranelle, and now a blood-sworn member of my court." As if that weren't a shock enough, Aelin winked at the imposing male. Lorcan scowled. "We're still in the adjustment period," she loudly whispered, and Yrene chuckled.

Lorcan Salvaterre. Chaol hadn't met the male this spring in Rifthold, but he'd heard all about him. That he'd been Maeve's most trusted commander, her most loyal and fierce warrior.

That he'd wanted to kill Aelin, hated Aelin.

How this had come about, why she was not in Terrasen with her army ... "You, too, have a tale to tell," Chaol said.

"Indeed I do." Aelin's eyes guttered, and Rowan put a hand on her lower back. Bad— something terrible had occurred. Chaol scanned Aelin for any hint of it. He stopped when he noticed the smoothness of the skin at her neck. The lack of scars. The missing scars on her hands, her palms. "Later," Aelin said softly. She straightened her shoulders, and another golden-haired male came forward. Beautiful. That was the only way to describe him. "Fenrys ... You know, I don't actually know your family name."

Fenrys threw a roguish wink at the queen.

"Moonbeam."

"It is not," Aelin hissed, choking on a laugh.

Fenrys laid a hand on his heart. "I am blood-sworn to you. Would I lie?"

Another blood-sworn Fae male in her court.

Across the tent, Sartaq cursed in his own tongue. As if he'd heard of Lorcan, and Gavriel, and Fenrys.

Aelin gave Fenrys a vulgar gesture that set Hasar chuckling, and faced the royals. "They're barely housebroken. Hardly fit for your fine company." Even Sartaq smiled at that. But it was to the small, delicate woman that Aelin now gestured. "And the only civilized member of my court, Lady Elide Lochan of Perranth." Perranth. Chaol had combed through the family trees of Terrasen just this winter, had seen the lists of so many royal households crossed out, victim to the conquest ten years ago.

Elide's name had been among them.

Another Terrasen royal who had managed to evade Adarlan's butchers.

The pretty young woman took a limping step forward, and bobbed a curtsy to the royals. Her boots concealed any sign of the source of the injury, but Yrene's attention shot right to her leg. Her ankle. "It's an honor to meet all of you," Elide said, her voice low and steady. Her dark eyes swept over them, cunning and clear. Like she could see beneath their skin and bones, to the souls beneath.

Aelin wiped her hands. "Well, that's over and done with," she announced, and strode to the desk and map. "Shall we discuss where you all plan to march once we beat the living shit out of this army?"

[hagravenholm]

This week has been insane … in the membrane

[altruisticenigma]

Ever since I spontaneously decided to change my name and start using it & start telling ppl to change my name and use that name- no hesitation, just go for it-

There’s been some surprisingly positive mental health benefits that came with it, too.

I suffer from CPTSD. I struggle with identity issues and separating myself from my trauma and how strongly I identify with it. Changing my name was partly due to gender; the biggest reason was my dead name is strongly associated with trauma for me. I hear that name and I see a trapped, traumatized little girl who has no agency and no choices, her control taken from her. I don’t see me. I see people’s ideas pushed onto me; their perception of me choking me. What they choose to overlook about me.

I renamed myself; now I choose my healing path in front of me. Going forward I notice it’s been getting easier for me to assert boundaries with people (something I’ve struggled with for years), and am becoming more comfortable with myself and my choices. I don’t second guess myself as much; I don’t internally beat myself up as much. I don’t feel unsafe as much either; I feel seen and heard more often.

Yes of course there’s a bit of discomfort in coming out with a new name, especially in established environments and relationships. And yeah, it’s easier to just say it’s due to gender rather than the complicated true reason behind it. I just wanted to share how healing it is to be affirmed in making a big decision and being true to yourself. Making a home in this new name is still a journey, but I know these good feelings are a reassurance I’m on the right path ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜💖