#in another life i'm an architect trust me

[andthebubbles]

10 Bligh Crescent, Seaforth NSW

[tartagliad]

hey!! thanku sooo much for doing my request i love it!!! i have a thing for angst so i will request another one!. so can you make part two gn!reader who gets the urge to hurt themselves whenever they got stressed or (in my case) got anxiety attacks? with al'haitham (who has some difficults to deal with since it doesn't happen often), ayato, kaveh, and childe!

aww.. tysm!! I'm so happy that you loved it 🥺.. alright! your request is accepted, I hope you also liked this one ^^ hehe. have a great day, and thank you for the request (✿◠‿◠)

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Comfort and Stress

Summary: the title says it all, a part two to this

Fandom: Genshin Impact

Characters: Alhaitham, Ayato, Kaveh, & Childe

G/N reader!

Warnings: mentions of self harm, hurt, if uncomfortable DNI

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Alhaitham

Honestly, he knows things like these could happened but he never faces it

Until he met you

You're one of those people who usually keep their tasks on hand but at the same time, can be clumsy.

One day, things get a little stirred around your work and it stresses you out

Like literally. Papers here and there and sudden tasks are flowing nonstop

When Alhaitham entered your room, he could see most of the papers aren't organised and you yourself is a mess

He walked to you and checked on you

"y/n." he said with his usual tone, but with a slight hint of concern etch on it

You looked up, and saw him

He can see some scratches on your wrist

Without giving any words, he pulled you closer and comfort you

Honestly.. he didn't know what to do since he spends most of his times alone

But you only told him to hug you and he did that

Just holding you close, and rest your head on his chest

Alhaitham rubbed your back and let you cry or rest on him

You can always rely on him, always

He never judges people, although he can be rather cold

Especially with you, he always accepted for who you are

So, if you need any help, do call him :)

"it's alright.. let it out.. I'm here if you need anything"

Kaveh

Is probably the most understandable and quite experienced (?)

From his lore, we can tell that he's been through a lot

even know he's a renown architect, problems can come and go in his life

So, when you're in the same situation where it's getting too much, you can always tell it to Kaveh

When you're breaking down and have these thoughts, he would hold you close

His soft hands would held yours and rubbing gentle circles on your palm while whispering soft things into your ear

You're so fragile in his arms, your tears were making his clothes slightly wet from it, but he didn't mind.. it's you after all

The last thing he wanted you to do is not tell him and harm yourself

Trust me, he would be damned if you did hurt yourself

even when he first noticed it, Kaveh felt like it was his fault since he didn't kept a close eye on you

So.. don't make him worry, he loves you dearly

"Everything's gonna be okay.. you have me here.. just come to me whether you want a talk or just a hug.."

Ayato

In my head, he is also quite inexperienced (?)

I know he works around people, but his subjects are mostly paperworks and politics

So obviously, feelings rarely come in hand when working on a daily basis

It took him quite a while to know that you're struggling with your life

It's quite on both, you hid it well and he's too busy to notice it

Ayato noticed finally when you two were getting ready for bed

When you changed, he saw a few scratch marks on your wrist

he wanted to think you scratched by something, but the looks like its been done by a bit force

he then noticed how down you look

You're eyes seem a little dimmed than it used to

He then come over to you and wrapped his arms around you

You looked at him in confusion, but he only said, "seems like you need it."

Since he don't have any idea about what to do, he would just let you take the lead and wait for you to tell him something

He's just afraid that he might say the wrong thing to you, so it's best to give you some hugs for now until you're ready

"It's okay.. I'll be here until you get better.. no pressure, dear.."

Childe

Like Kaveh, he knows and understands about it

Well.. childhood trauma from the Abyss..

You can say he has ways of dealing it, either fighting or fishing

Or just have a stroll (like he did in Fontaine)

You were glad that he knows about it and knew how to take care of someone who's like that

It's a heart-wrenching sight for Childe to see you like that

Scars from battles are alright although he prefers to get it on him and not you

But from self harming.. it's the most thing that he loathes

Seeing his loved ones struggled and attempt that can torn him into pieces

He would do anything to make you feel better, even if it's just hugging you while you breaking down

Making your favourite food while telling you about soft things

Or if you want to talk to him, he'll hear your hearts out

Also, he would cut your nails so you couldn't scratch it. Of course that also applies that he would stay around for the next few days until you're completely okay

Just.. don't hurt yourself like that again

Hurting yourself = hurting him (in his mindset)

"now now.. there's no need to do that, princess.. you can always come to me whenever you're sad.."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[idyllic-affections]

HIII so this might be an odd request,,, mayhaps i ask for kaveh with an older step sibling (since his mom remarried i think).,, i think kaveh would be a little awkward interacting with them at first but they got along in the long run!! esp when they update him about his mom and never really makes him uncomfortable, or always doesn't force a conversation!! he respects his ideals and supports his passion!!

but the main idea was they go to sumeru one day to visit kaveh (they've been informing him thru letters) and accidentally finds out that he's buried under crippling debt and flat out broke!! i think kaveh would feel so ahasmed of himself but!! his older sibling doesn't judge n is very understanding!! helps him with his burdens (if kaveh allows them), maybe recommend his architectural skills to their friends in fontaine!!

idk i just really like the idea of kaveh having an older family member that he could rely on because he really just deserves nice things yk 🥺🥺 even tho they're just step siblings, they feel like true family!!

anyways feel free to ignore this!! have a nice day/night and take ur time!! 💖💖

the blending of two families.

summary. not all step-siblings are like the cruel ones in the fairytales.

trigger & content warnings. references to death and grief. spoilers for kaveh's backstory.

tropes, pairings, fic length, & other notes. fluff, comfort, slight angst. kaveh & older step-sibling!reader. 1k words. they/them pronouns for reader.

author's thoughts. THIS REQ IS LITERALLY SO CUTE WHATSJSGJF??????? i have Feelings about kaveh's mom and they are NOT good ones but i'll be nice to her for the sake of this piece........ /lh i did this in brainrot format because i wanted SOO badly to get this one done relatively quickly this req invaded my brain like a song that gets stuck in your head

kaveh first meets his older step-sibling at his mother's wedding.

he's... happy for her, he really is. or he's trying to be, at least. she deserves nothing but the best. what kind of son would he be if he wanted her to live her life wallowing in grief and sorrow? she's hardly ever done anything to hurt him, and if she ever did, it was unknowingly. he could neved wish anything bad upon her. she simply does not deserve those things. therefore, he's doing his best to be happy for her.

a part of him, however, still misses his father.

a part of him— well, who is he kidding? the entirety of his being still suffers under the weight of grief and guilt caused by the circumstances surrounding his father's death.

he doesn't even know the man his mother has chosen to marry, really. kaveh absolutely does not feel like she is betraying him or his father whatsoever, but... he does wish that he had gotten to know this man a little bit better before having to trust that he would not wound his mother's scarred heart.

the architect doesn't engage with the other guests much. it's unlike him, really, but he finds that he can't muster up the strength and charisma to talk with people beyond simple pleasantries. he keeps to himself for the most part.

still, he doesn't dare dampen the atmosphere with his woes, so when another person approaches him, he offers his warmest smile.

"sorry, i hope you don't mind me asking..." this stranger smiles politely at him. it puts his mind at ease a little. "is the bride your mother? you look an awful lot like her."

"oh, i—" he stammeers inelegantly, then clears his throat. "yes. i am her son, kaveh."

they smile again.

"hello kaveh. i'm [name], the groom's child."

"oh. oh! i am so sorry, i had no idea!"

"it's alright, really. you mind if i stick around for a while?"

and kaveh finds that he doesn't. he doesn't mind at all.

the architect has been known to be loose-lipped about his troubles; that in and of itself is part of the reason why he spent the night withdrawn from the celebration. he had no intention of being open about his troubles, and yet...

his step-sibling had the sort of face that made him want to rant, and rant he did.

"i can understand that," they mused thoughtfully, kind eyes observing his expression closely. "it's complicated. grief is never easy. i get it."

initially, they were the one lingering around kaveh, but by the end of the night, the tables have certainly turned. he is practically attached at their hip.

he finds that their understanding presence ended up raising his low spirits.

a few days later, kaveh has to return to sumeru—he does have responsibilities, after all—but he's a bit sad about it! they're, of course, there to reassure him that they plan on visiting someday soon. maybe he can show them around? the prospect alone is very thrilling to him, and what's better is that he'll get to show off his magnum opus like an excited toddler showing off a drawing they made! he does warn them that it is very humid and they need to be prepared, though.

until they can visit, kaveh regularly exchanges letters with them. he complains about his terribly annoying roommate and how awful his taste in interior design is. he tells them about random gossip he heard at the tavern. honestly, he just rambles. it's endearing, really, and in return, they tell him about fontaine and maybe sneak in just the smallest bit of gossip about a certain chief justice or even about the hydro archon herself.

(in the future, closer to when the traveler arrives in fontaine, they do not dare tell kaveh about the heightened fatui activity. goodness, the poor thing would worry to death for theirs and his mother's safety.)

when they do finally have the time to come visit...

they arrive by boat in port ormos, and kaveh is there to pick them up!

he's got a lot of things he intends to show them and a lot of people he intends on introducing them to. on the way back to sumeru city, he stops a few times, pointing out some particularly beautiful locations or animals, all of which would have his siblimg absolutely over the moon. sumeru in general would have them enamored.

the air in sumeru is so... clean compared to fontaine, and the fauna and flora—it's completely different than what they've seen.

now, as for [name] finding out about kaveh's crippling debt... i think they would suspect something was off financially for him, simply because of certain mannerisms of his. he's careful with what he spends his mora on. he tries to be, at the very least, and his caution is very evident. or maybe they're just observant? either way, they know something is a bit off.

kaveh leaves them at alhaitham's home for a while.

it's not that they're one to snoop—it's disrespectful and rude to do so, they are very much aware of this—but a letter would catch their eye.

a letter detailing what he still owes to dori.

suddenly, things make sense in their mind.

they don't try to ask his roommate about it. instead, they wait until he's home and alone with them.

"kaveh," they call. "are you in debt?"

his heart sinks a little. so much for hiding it...

"i..." he hesitates, obviously embarrassed, but he does come clean. in their eyes, he looks like a kicked, pouty puppy. "it's... complicated. i mean, you're not wrong..."

"aw, kaveh, don't look like that," they coo, reaching out to gingerly squeeze his shoulder in a gesture of gentle reassurance. "it's nothing to be ashamed about. things happen, kaveh. life happens. i understand if not, but... will you let me help you out? at least a little bit?"

regardless of what he says, whether he admits that he could use the help or insists that they shouldn't have to do that, they do still go around and tell people about their super awesome and talented step-brother! and when kaveh asks in a letter about the suspicious amount of commissions he's getting from fontaine...

nope! they have no idea how those people found out about him. <3

please consider reblogging, it helps me out quite a lot!

[faytelumos]

Into the Black With a Matchstick, pt 3

I'm keeping this as the taglist, but feel free to DM/comment/Ask if you want to be added/removed.

Please, if you haven't read the first parts in awhile, check out the recap I have linked for your convenience. :3

@c00kieknight, @jxm-1up, @midnight--architect, @robinparravel, @thepotatoofnopes, @those-damn-snippets; @thelazywitchphotographer, @tildeathiwillwrite

first previous recap

cw: bad math

---

Whatever the fuck the newcomer with Admiral Paxie was, it was not helping Adina's already overtaxed brain.

It had been bad enough seeing that Paxie was so huge they could barely even fit into the ship. It was bad enough that Adina was in charge of probably all that was left of the human race, that she had no way of figuring out if these aliens were truly friendly or just acting like it, bad enough that she was starving and dehydrated and high and had the worst God-damned headache she had ever had in her life.

And now she had to let some six foot tall cave-dwelling-mantis-snake-vampire walk around in the ship. It was like this thing was specifically made to be as creepy as possible, and when it got down on all eights—

She had dropped the ship's remote helm tablet, almost on her foot, and she was still shaking from the heart attack the sudden noise had caused her.

When they got to the bridge, which was thankfully open enough to allow Adina and John to put some space between themselves and the aliens, Paxie pulled the nightmare fuel aside. Adina subtly let out a sigh of relief and busied herself at the control panel.

Frankly, she didn't know what she was looking at. This was John's job. But the drugs in her brain were starting to prove themselves a bad idea as her body's discomfort reared its ugly head, and she couldn't stop thinking. Four times during the walk from the dock she had considered waking up a Marine to protect her and John from these monsters. And that wasn't the mind of a diplomat. That wasn't the thought of a leader she could trust.

Just get through this. Get through this meeting, and then food, water, and real sleep.

The smaller Xoixe stepped up to the LCD screen with most of the interactive display on it. John sidled up, too, probably to make sure Adina didn't hurt anything. Good.

"I heard this ship carries its life-forms cryogenically?" the smaller Xoixe asked. Adina looked up, and as soon as she did, John gently moved her hands and started clicking away at the panel's keyboard.

"Uh, yes," Adina replied. Looking up into the suit made it slightly easier than looking into four eyes and a big, sharp-toothed mouth. Maybe they wouldn't have looked so intimidating if her head wasn't throbbing. "Yes, our crew was specifically picked for the task of determining the viability of another planet for colonization. But the human lifespan isn't long enough to make the trip at our curr — with the technology we had." Adina put a hand to her face, pretending to wipe the sweat on her forehead, seeking the cold relief of her own touch. 26 million years…. "We were only supposed to be space-borne for 150 years…."

"If you don't mind my inquiry," the smaller Xoixe said as John kept typing. Adina looked up. The large alien had sat back on their haunches and was carrying their own tablet, made of a sleek plastic-looking material. "Is it possible for me to acquire standard medical parameters for your species? I'm a xenomedic, but since this is our first encounter, I have nothing to go on."

Adina stared for a moment. A xenomedic. So they'd brought a doctor aboard on their landing party. A group of three, and they'd saved a seat for a doctor. Adina didn't even know what the nightmare's job was, but when she glanced over, she realized there were no weapons on anyone. The nightmare perhaps could have used their claws, but looking again, their limbs didn't seem strong enough to hold Adina or John down if they started throwing punches. Both Xoixes had their claws entirely covered in their suits, and there was no attempt to make the suits sharp on the outside.

So maybe they really were friendly. Or maybe they did a really good job at acting like it. There weren't many ways to tell. Did this species even lie? How inherit was lying for intelligent species? Did Earth animals lie? Yes, Koko the Gorilla had told a lie. Had she learned that from humans?

The Xoixe was staring at her.

"Okay," Adina rasped. "Follow me."

---

"Lieutenant Harrison?" Paxie asked once Captain Ramirez and Ensign Kime were gone. Sergeant Klte shifted behind them, out of view of the little alien. Harrison turned away from the console after a lengthy delay.

These creatures looked more and more like prey the longer Paxie studied them. All except for their forward eyes. It was uncanny. Harrison's eyes were bright and round outside of their black, circular pupil, and it made it all too clear that they were looking directly at Paxie.

"Yes… Admiral?" Harrison said. Paxie shook their head slightly to focus their thoughts.

"Would it be acceptable for Sergeant Klte to take a look around your ship? We're curious as to how your vessel has lasted for so long in open space."

Harrison… laughed again. It was loud and sharp, and they opened their mouth and bared their teeth to do it.

"If you figure that out, I'd like to know, too," Harrison said. Paxie quirked their jaw.

"How do you mean?" Klte moved behind them, too.

"Our ship was meant for a 150 year journey," Harrison explained, still baring their blunt teeth. "Even that was ambitious for our level of engineering." They turned to the console and began hitting buttons. They were small buttons compared to the Xoixe's controls, and they clicked and snapped as they pressed and navigated. "We've made unmanned — that is, autonomous and without organic passengers — bodies before. To go into space. But even those tend to give out after a few decades. A-a group of ten years."

Paxie stepped closer and looked down to the readout. It wasn't intelligible; their suit was only equipped with an audio and radiation translator. Harrison gestured to something with their flat, soft digits.

"The requirements on the system for self maintenance, self regulation, and self repair on top of the requirements for life support and cryogenic maintenance are, to put it lightly, a-fucking-lot." Paxie blinked at the unexpected candor. Klte shifted, too. "Compare that against the life expectancy of our alloys in open radiation, extreme heat and cold shifts, and micro-meteorites, and this thing would have been lucky to land us safely if our trip got extended to 300 years." They looked up again. Paxie tilted their head, mind reeling.

Surely they were misinterpreting what Harrison had said.

Surely there was no way that a species would strike out into the open universe without both FTL drives and shielding dampeners.

"You don't have a significant issue with micro-meteorites…?" Paxie asked, and even as they said it, they were afraid of the answer. "…Do you?"

Harrison was bearing their teeth again.

"Oh, it's one of our biggest engineering challenges."

Paxie stared. They couldn't help it. They didn't know what to say. They weren't even breathing for a moment.

"You must have left in a hurry," they rasped. Harrison laughed again.

"You'd think so, wouldn't you?" they laughed, turning back to the console.

What did that even mean?!

Paxie was starting to feel light-headed. They wished they could take off their environment suit. Klte must have noticed their distress.

"Allow the Admiral and I a moment to converse," it hissed. Harrison flinched, then nodded, watching Klte. It gently pushed Paxie back towards the shuttle, turning off both of their translation protocols. "I'm concerned at this species' sense of self preservation," it said in the Xoixe language.

Paxie laughed, hissing the air sharply through their scaled lips. "Eme is concerned at how well they'd treat other kinds if they treat themselves so haphazardly."

"Exceptionally poorly."

Both of them laughed as they reached the pod. Paxie stepped inside where they could turn around back towards the ship.

"Take a breather, Admiral," Klte said. "I'll see what I can find out."

---

"Adina?" John called. Adina looked up; she was just coming back to the main control room now. The nightmare was still there, but it was down the hall, examining wiring bundles and the hull. How large was its forebrain? Was there a chance it could be tampering? "Adina."

Adina blinked and looked to John. He waved her over. She left the Xoixe's, Kime's, side to see him. He pointed to the numbers on the LCD screen.

"Can you double check me?" he whispered. She highly doubted it. She was a biologist; she knew how to clear her browser cookies and turn her phone off and on again. Anything technical on the ship was John's job now.

She looked, anyway. He was pointing at the ping count from Earth's homing beacon. It was around 800. She sagged to see that. The ping was supposed to communicate with The Solstice quarterly. So it must have stopped working after 200 years.

He pointed to the Most Recent Ping section.

19,406,771 years, 18 days, 16 hours, 2 minutes ago

Wait… what?

It should have been right around 26 million years ago.

"What?" she uttered, leaning in.

"That's wrong, right?"

"It should be…."

What could have done that? The ping system went off every three months. If it had run for… what, 5 million years? Then there should have been 20 million pings.

Why would Mission Control reduce the ping rate?

They wouldn't. Especially not after The Solstice failed to report a landing. Had something happened on Earth?

But, no, just like this ship couldn't last 26 million years, that pinger couldn't last 5 million. So what was happening?

"Wh…" Adina uttered, blinking. What was going on? What was causing this? Were both times just wrong? Was there a way to check? "Wha-what's the mission runtime?"

John stared at her for a moment before turning and hurriedly clicking away at the keyboard. She watched, and then she felt the nightmare get closer to watch, too. She stiffened her shoulders, but tried not to be too nervous-looking.

Hopefully, they couldn't tell. But she had just given Kime normal human biometric parameters….

"Holy shit, what," John whispered. Adina leaned forward.

Mission Elapsed Time:

60 years, 57 days, 1 hour, 43 minutes

"What?"

"One of these is wrong," John whispered. Adina looked up for Paxie and saw the nightmare watching her from the dark corridor. She flinched and gasped, slapping a hand over her heart, then turned to Kime.

"What are our coordinates?" she asked. "Do you have a star map we can see?"

Adina tried to calm down as Kime typed away on her tablet. One of these time ranges was wrong. But if it was the 26 million years (she desperately hoped 26 million years was wrong) then why had they gotten 200 years worth of pings? Maybe Mission Control was desperately trying to reestablish a connection? But 800 pings? That was a bit much.

Kime offered the tablet. Adina took it, and as soon as she did, the display somehow gave her an even worse headache. She blinked hard and moved the tablet away.

"Woah," she grunted, squeezing her eyes shut. John took it from her and grunted like he was straining to lift something.

"Shit," he swore, squinting at the tablet.

"Oh, no," Kime said, "you only have two eyes."

John huffed and offered the tablet back, then rubbed his eyes. Adina had her hands on her temples, trying not to squeeze her head too hard. The dizziness was back with reinforcements.

"How are we gonna do this?" she grunted.

"Do you have universal file translators?" John groaned. "Like the language? The audio?"

"We might, in a sense," Kime said slowly. "Let me make a call."

Adina nodded delicately so as not to jar her brain too hard. That seemed like a strangely cryptic response, but she couldn't think too hard right now.

As soon as they figured all of this out, she was going to sleep like the dead.

---

next

[gr4yk]

Fan-fiction Requests [ OPEN! ]

Hello! I'm Gray, a writer and comic artist with a couple published works. Right now, I'm opening fan-fiction requests! Read the rules below the cut, drop your request in my inbox and I might write it and post it on AO3. Hate it? Welp, no money lost there. Love it? Great! Consider tipping me through Ko-fi! That's all!

An ever-changing list of the media I'm willing to write fics for can be found here.

I'm most likely to write for whatever's in bold. If you don't see a fandom in there but still want to see me write a fic for it, feel free to inbox me asking if I've seen it before sending a request in! Same goes for ships. I've too many things on there to list my ship preferences, so feel free to inquire about those too.

What I WON'T write:

Outright smut. Trust me, I won't do it right. SLIGHT foreplay and fade-to-blacks work fine though.

Pedophilia and Adult/Minor ships, incest, non-con, dub-con and other such bullshit.

Fics for media I'm unfamiliar with.

Anything I'm uncomfortable with.

Mulit-chap fics. ( Unless I feel like it )

What I WILL write:

Shipfics, even for ships I'm not into.

Platonic, familial, antagonistic, queerplatonic relationships and whatever else.

Fics where a character develops in one way or the other.

Fics where a character devolves.

Fix-its. ( Especially for BBC Merlin. )

First and third-person fics ( but third person is preferred ).

Here's a sample of my writing in the form of a quick mini-fic.

She was an Opera Singer. Shoddy but blessed with the luck of a thousand clovers. He was an architect. Top of the line. Designed the very site of their demise. I met them both on the same day. They didn’t seem to know one another and yet the glint in her eyes was so in-tune with his that I first pegged them for lovers.  I’m here to assure you they were certainly not. She had a husband that wasn’t him, and he had a wife that wasn’t her. It just so happened that they were in a similar predicament. Coincidentally. Otherwise there’s no way they would’ve come to me.  I took care of it at a fair price: a couple of dollars and two lifelong friendships. Lifelong for them, that is. My life's still ongoing.  It was throughout the span of that friendship with me that something not particularly favourable had blossomed betwixt them. A ponderable passion. It was nothing sensual or emotional, but maybe spiritual– it was like they were both part of something the rest of the world wasn’t in on.  You know– one day she came up to me and she said something to the effect of... “I wish we’d both just disappear together”  But also without one another.  Her eyes told me the latter bit.  I didn’t expect them to go out like that, though. Definitely not. I didn’t even know she could sew! Oh and with that joint will, too, no less! How ironic.  Somehow, they look happier this way.  But, what do I know, right?  I’m nothing but a humble apothecary, really, nothing more.  That’s all I can tell you — because it’s all I know. So won’t you go on with that marvel of a will now? It’s getting late. 

I'd recommend only tipping after you see the fic just to make sure you didn't send money out for something you don't like. This is also because I reserve the right not to fulfill every single request. So the only way to be sure it'll come through is to wait 'till the fic is up!

[the-gateway-to-madness]

Mad's Akiridion Analyses: Nobility

and we're BACK

okay so i can't be the only one who's bothered by the massive disparity between royal akiridion anatomy and common akiridion anatomy, and also the fact that the monarchy has pretty much no sign of a noble class, which is kinda a Thing in monarchies usually

SO I KILLED TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE OBVIOUSLY- *ahem* Akiridion nobility, I think, would have more or less human anatomy, sporting five fingers similar to Royals, smaller but individualized core shapes, and two arms.

I also think rare members of each family would have particular, hereditary abilities to control Akiridion energy- sort of a counterpoint to Earth's magic, since I'm pretty much certain Akiridions were once magic-based and have since mostly lost any trace of that origin.

The Noble Houses would fall into three categories/guilds, called Anvrakyn, led by House Foremosts, generally an accomplished, respected, trusted member of the family and the one to represent the family on the Council.

Houses of the Peacekeepers' Anvrak: The people of these houses possess skills and powers that contribute to the diplomatic atmosphere of the Akiridion council. Houses of the Services Anvrak: The people of these houses possess skills and powers that contribute to the unity and function of the Akiridion council as a whole. Houses of the Combat Anvrak: The people of these houses possess skills and powers that contribute to the protection and strength of the Akiridion council. Fallen Houses: These houses temporarily or permanently lost their status by siding with Val Morando during his coup on Akiridion. The people of these houses are viewed with high suspicion.

I've come up with a number of Noble Houses to fill out the Akiridion court and Royal Council, a couple of which I gifted to friends to develop (Stroitel and Vysmatrivat, as y'all will see), so y'all can use any of the others (save for Okhrana, which is my own focal House) for whatever you want, but those three are only on this public list to balance out the number of Houses in each Anvrak, and are not open for use.

Tselitel: One of the oldest of the Akiridion noble families, rare members of this family have an ability to channel Akiridion energy in such a way that they can heal the wounds of others. 

Council member: Ovuran Tselitel; post-coup, Isila Tselitel

Healing: Cannot, of course, revive the dead, though they can sustain intact cores for a short time. If they heal too much, they will pass out (to prevent them from giving so much energy as to kill themselves).

Stroitel, Not for Public Use: Inventors and architects of legendary skill. 

Council member: Kyrus Stroitel

(Further development of this house done by a friend of mine, rather than by me- @crescentroseart on Instagram, I believe. All credit for these ideas goes to her.)

Groupthink: 

Some members in House Stroitel have a strange ability to share ideas with one another without verbal or physical means. Those with this ability can be found heading the design and engineering aspects of large projects. The ability does not work over large distances, since the individuals need to touch to share the connection. However, there have been instances where two Stroitels have the same inspiration come to them via vision, usually around the same time, though this has not been researched thoroughly.

Okhotnik: Trackers and hunters, often called upon to find criminals.

Council member: Iloris Okhotnik; post-coup, Zenila Okhotnik

Tracking: Rare individuals have enhanced senses and can detect nearby life beings' precise location, no matter how they are hidden. This ability grows less and less precise the further away the life being is, and it works most clearly with other Akiridions.

Kryl'ya: Pilots that have been flying Akiridion's finest, fastest ships for generations. 

Council member: Agura Kryl'ya; post-coup, Tirza Kryl'ya

Perevodchik: Gifted with languages, they've been top diplomats for Akiridion-5 for as long as anyone can remember.

Council member: Luvinia Perevodchik; post-coup Rekalos Perevodchik

Linguistics: Certain individuals have the ability to consciously allow themselves to understand any language they hear or read without learning it prior to exposure. This will wear them out much faster than simply translating languages learned over time.

† Okhrana, Not for Public Use: Skilled with strategy and combat, this house was wiped out by bounty hunters looking for sensitive information on the royals. Certain individuals had an ability to summon tools, weapons, and various other objects attached to their hands and wrists, referred to as "Summoners". They had been bound by blood and birth to protect the Royals as long as anyone could remember. 

Last Council member: Korin Okhrana

Summoning: Certain Okhrana individuals can summon items attached to their wrists, such as grappling hooks and small knives or small artistic sculptures (though, the use of Summoning for trivial entertainment was greatly discouraged). However, they can only summon one thing a wrist at a time. They can summon on both wrists at once, but the rule above applies in that both wrists will manifest the same tool. There are no real limits on what the tool can be, but it can't be big, or sustained for too long, or they'll pass out. These individuals are marked by green hair and skin and a thin, human-like hair consistency rather than the usual clumping of other Akiridions; both traits appear to be a natural way of reserving energy for Summoning, as green light takes less energy to produce than blue.

Oath: Okhranas hold all members of their house to an oath made to the Royals centuries ago, and over time it shifted from a pledge of loyalty to a more and more unachievable standard that all members had to uphold. More and more rules were added as the oath was reinterpreted by various leaders; by the time of the Massacre, members of House Okhrana were not allowed to have romantic relationships with members of the Royal Houses, and even close friendship was somewhat discouraged.

The words of the Oath go as follows: 'By the light of my core and the right of my birth, I am bound to the protection and upholding of the righteous and rightful rulers of Akiridion-5, to set aside personal attachments for the sake of the throne, and to give myself entirely, in life, in sickness, in injury, and in death, to my Royals. I will live, walk, and breathe as a sacrifice upon the altar of the Royals' future.  Let my bones be broken, my coreslick spilled, and my core splintered for the sake of their call; let my body, my mind, and my soul be torn from me in service to the upholding of Akiridion. Such is my vow and such shall I be.'

The Okhrana Massacre: A group of bounty hunters with a strange ship that phases in and out of our plane of existence, known as the A'dar-ahk Auvon, or Talons of the Void, learned of the existence of Gaylen's Core. Knowing that House Okhrana was highly trusted, they gave the option for the Okhranas to hand over the location of Gaylen's Core or be killed. The Okhranas chose the latter… though, either way the House leaders had chosen not to learn anything about Gaylen's Core in an attempt to further protect the Royals.

Ispolnitel: Dancers, singers, artisans, and charismatic entertainers of all kinds.

Council member: Piyuvon Ispolnitel; post-coup, Zekkier Ispolnitel

Mirotvorets: Diplomats and negotiators that possess a natural flair for calming others and creating peace. 

Council member: Tugar Mirotvorets; post-coup, Denar Mirotvorets (Not for Public Use)

Persuasion: Very rarely, individuals will have an enhanced ability to persuade others to do their will--it doesn't work on everyone, a bit like hypnosis, and it does not grant outright control over anyone.

Bronya: Widely considered the least intelligent of the Noble Houses (though this is more rumor and slander than truth), members of House Bronya are blessed with incredible strength and size, and many members even develop thick, calloused areas on the surface of their bodies- or, much more rarely, full-on bony, protective plates. They claim descent from Ingylth, the first councilor chosen by Seklos herself. The House Foremost takes the name Ingylth to honor that legacy for as long as they serve as leader of the House.

Council member: Vinlea “Ingylth” Bronya; post-coup, Kurmyr “Ingylth” Bronya

Armor: A handful of Bronyas develop bony plates on their bodies that can stop physical blades and lower-level serrator blasts, at the cost of tactile sensitivity in the armored regions.

Kuznets (Fallen): Another of Akiridion’s older houses, the people of this house are skilled in the craftsmanship of tools and weapons; they have played this role since before Akiridion-5 was spacefaring. 

Post-coup council member: Velas Kuznets

Vysmatrivat (Fallen), Not for Public Use: The people of this house are highly intelligent and have a knack for collecting information. They are mainly researchers– though rumors persist that Vysmatrivats are also trained as spies.

Post-coup council member: Lumeya Vysmatrivat

(This is another house handed off to and developed by a friend, not by me, and for the life of me i cannot remember her instagram or any other social media i am so sorry to her and to everyone else but here:)

Most of the Vysmatrivat have a hard outer pair of incisor mandibles, the shell beginning at the bottom of the cheekbone and extending down.  They have put this to their advantage.  Vysmatrivat scholars’ odd habit of biting things has come in handy, as the vibrations produced in their upper teeth are fine tuned in the mandible/incisors and transfer the exact vibrational pattern of the object to their minds.  

Strelok (Fallen): The people of House Strelok are renowned for their skill with serrators, particularly ranged weapons. Their skills as snipers are feared throughout the galaxy.

Post-coup council member: Ixana Strelok

***

Anyway, the council gets changed out with each new generation of Royals on the throne and new House Foremosts are chosen accordingly.

[jonquilyst]

Another consolidated list Of Palestinian fundraisers that have reached out to me

This is a list of fundraisers that have recently reached out to me that are either verified as legitimate by other Palestinians or unverified fundraisers that I and numerous others trust as legitimate. I have taken the time to research each fundraiser individually. Please donate if you can and please share this post! ❤️🖤🤍💚

@ahmedgaza27 Unverified as Ahmed is new to tumblr, but their campaign is 6 months old and still has less than 1,000 euros. Numerous people are trusting this campaign and it doesn't show any red flags, so I'm trusting it too

@yosefresh Unvetted, but multiple people are saying it passes the reverse image test (aka the images used are unique and haven't been found anywhere else) which is a good sign of legitimacy!

@mahmodsy Verified by @/beesandwatermelons on Instagram

@familygazaamal This is a brand new campaign with only 4 donations!! Unverified, but I did reverse image search and nothing came up, so it's likely legit!

@ehabayyad23 Unverified but numerous people have done reverse image searching and nothing came up, so this campaign is likely legit! Very low on funds too!!

@noorabd1992 Verified through association. According to this post Nour is a family friend of several people whose campaigns were verified.

@majedgaza1 According to some people this campaign is verified but all links leading to the verification proof are broken, so it seems to be lost. However, the campaign looks legit to me and nothing looked suspicious when I did reverse image searching

@kareemalnakhala This campaign has been verified by @/90-ghost

@khaledgazacity Unverified but reverse image searching didn't show anything suspicious. Extremely low on funds!!

[recordsofelysia]

The Descension, in a little more detail (Part 1, The Divine War and Age of Ascent)

The Descension was such a huge, world-defining event that I sorta just have to brush over it and say "trust me, this is important" without taking 15 minutes out of the game to explain it.

Its the sort of event that people just, know about. It was ages ago, and it irrevocably changed the world, but people don't talk about it all the time because it was just a given. It has the sort of status as like, Noah's biblical flood, or the bubonic plague, in terms of noteriety.

Right, so, what was the deal. So, thousands of years ago, the world was made and crafted and imagined, and the forefront of said creation was the group of deities known in Elysia as the Architect Gods. This group included good-aligned gods as well as evil-aligned gods, literally everyone who was a true god at the universes creation, and they helped make the world what it is, good and bad.

Then, a sect of the Architects decided that what had been created was unsatisfactory, and they wished to wipe the slate clean and start again. This sect was "led" by Asmodeus, and was backed up by the usual suspects, Bane, Lolth, Gruumsh, Tiamat etc. The Evil-aligned ones, basically.

This was, naturally, opposed by the rest of the Architects, who still wished to nurture the world of life that they had all created, warts and all, and didn't want to waste the potential in their combined efforts.

This resulted in, not the Descension, believe it or not, but a different event called the Divine War, occasionally called the First Divine War (don't even worry about it). This war saw the Architect gods opposing the group now known as the Malevolents, who wished to destroy the world (Omnia) itself. The Architect gods were victorious, and banished/sealed away the Malevolents in the various Lower Planes (The Nine Hells, Gehenna, and The Abyss.).

So, Divine War wrapped up, still not Descension? wowee. Well that's because what followed the Divine War was known as the Age of Ascent (oh noo...). This was a period of time where the Architects bestowed their full power upon mortals, and they walked side by side.

Magic, and therefore mages, was the strongest it had ever been, and society was lifted into the Sky Cities, the defining feature of the Age of Ascent.

Mages grew so powerful, that they began to match the very gods, and one mage in particular, whose name and existence was then erased from history, sought immortality, and in the process ascended to godhood, becoming The Raven Queen. As a sort of curse/punishment, her domain would be to oversee life and death, and aim to prevent any others from pursuing immortality.

Nevertheless, this "success" sparked curiosity amongst other powerful wizards, who began to not pursue immortality, but rather godhood, experimenting with all sorts of arcane rituals. All wizards who attempted such things were never found in one piece.

So, gods walk among men, and men are trying to become gods, sounds like a recipe for a good ol' happy time. But for ease I'm splitting this into another post where shit will actually go down.

(Also a reminder that none of this is lore spoilers, lmao, this is just general world knowledge. Imagine being a peasant and you know that this is what the dirt you walk on is built upon. Goddamn.)

[ladyfocalors]

A Scholar's approach to Soulmates

summary: As a student of the Akademiya, discovering that your soulmate is the Acting Grand Sage shatters your hopes for a simple life. After an embarrassing encounter, you avoid him but forgotten papers and a nagging friend leads you back to him, in front of his doorsteps.

pairing: alhaitham x gn!reader (platonic)

warnings: self doubt, mentions of feeling anxious. tell me if i missed anything.

word count: 2.2k

brainrotting with @aster-oid led me here, a soulmate au which was supposed to be less than 1k words now more than 2k words.

When asked about what sort of person your soulmate might be or hoped they were, you gave a pretty generic answer; a nice person, not a criminal. You never delved into the specifics, perhaps because deep down, you feared the specifics. You wanted someone ordinary, someone who could offer you the simplicity you carried. The idea of being tied to someone prominent or powerful filled you with dread. You wanted to be far away from the politics and responsibilities that came with high profile roles in the Akademiya and beyond.

Your friends often teased you about your mundane wishes, but you didn't mind. You knew what you wanted, and you didn't believe you had much in common with influential figures. You were just a student in the Akademiya, spending your days studying. You had nothing of value to offer.

But fate, as it often does, had other plans.

One particularly busy afternoon, you were hurrying through the halls of the Akademiya, your arms laden with scrolls and star charts. Lost in thought about an upcoming lecture, you turned a corner sharply and collided with someone, you stumbled back, barely keeping yourself from falling as your belongings scattered across the floor.

"I'm so sorry!" you exclaimed immediately.

You looked up, ready to apologize some more, but instead, you found yourself staring at the familiar colours—turquoise, yellow iris with an orange ring, intensely bright and incredibly familiar.

Your breath caught in your throat. Colours you had never seen before exploded into your vision, vibrant and overwhelming. It was as if the world had suddenly come alive in a way you had never experienced. Then realization hit you like a ton of bricks.

He was your soulmate. Alhaitham- no, the Acting Grand Sage was your soulmate.

Panic set in. This was not how it was supposed to be. Your soulmate was meant to be someone ordinary, not the Acting Grand Sage! It was too much. Without another word, you scrambled off, practically fleeing from the scene.

Meanwhile, Alhaitham stood there, watching you disappear around the corner. He had studied the concept of soulmates to understand it better although he never spared it much thought, but a situation such as this was never explained anywhere. Should he go look for you? Were you upset he was your soulmate?

Or maybe you were just afraid of him?

He was well aware of his reputation among others. His roommate had blabbed about how it was a bad thing but he didn't care. Why should he listen to the architect who cares too much, is way too trusting of people and wants to save everyone when he can't even save himself?

He was indifferent to things were meaningless to him; he was unapproachable and stoic. He would rather have it that way.

Maybe you viewed him that way too. But that would be a very unfavourable perspective for his soulmate to have of him.

...why was he thinking of this anyway?

He had no intention of forcing any form of relationship, especially if you were scared of him.

With that, he sighed, picking up one of the papers you had left behind. It was a star chart, meticulously detailed. Rtawahist, then. He noted the name in the corner of the chart.

Days passed, and you avoided the library, the hallways, any place where you might run into him again. You buried yourself in your studies, trying to push the encounter from your mind, but the colours remained, serving as a constant reminder that your soulmate was still there. Your friends noticed the change in you, the way you seemed more distracted than usual, but you couldn’t bring yourself to confide in them.

Until you couldn't evade your friends or him any longer.

"Can you pass me that chart?" your friend poked your arm and pointed in the direction of their bag.

"Which one?" you asked looking through the multiple neatly packed charts.

"Leptailurus Cervarius."

You picked the one they asked for and laid it down on the table for them.

"How did you manage to stain it green?" you asked, looking at their work. After being able to see the full scale of colours, you had noticed some things looked prettier while some did not. Star charts and the night sky fell into the former.

"My messy roommate placed their paint stained hand on it."

Only silence followed that response as you went back to your seat. It wasn't until a few moments later that your friend led out a loud gasp, grabbing your shoulder and violently shaking you.

"Who's your soulmate?" they demanded, their face right up near yours, invading your personal space.

"Huh?!" You exclaimed, feeling disoriented due to their sudden outburst.

"Don't lie to me. You have been acting off for a few days now. I should've realised you were hiding something sooner," they clicked their tongue, moving away from your space and going back to their seat.

You only remained silent.

"Is your soulmate an Eremite?" They asked when you didn't respond to them.

"No. No, they are not," you frowned, contemplating whether you should tell them or not. After a moment of thinking, you decided it wouldn't hurt to tell them the truth.

"He is the Acting Grand Sage."

Your friend's eyes widened, and they stared at you in disbelief. "The Acting Grand Sage? Alhaitham?! You're serious? How did you meet him?"

You nodded reluctantly, feeling a mix of embarrassment and anxiety. "Yes, it's him. I am serious. And I…" you trailed off, taking in a deep breath and giving your friend the details.

Your friend leaned back in their chair, whistling softly. "Wow, that's… a lot to process. No wonder you've been so out of it. What are you going to do then? You can't exactly keep on avoiding him."

You sighed, burying your face in your hands. "I don't know what to do. I mean, he's the Acting Grand Sage! I'm just a student. How can I possibly fit into his world? And I can't even imagine what he must think of me after I ran—"

"Hey, hey, calm down," your friend interrupted, reaching over to pat your shoulder reassuringly. "You know, you're selling yourself short. You're brilliant in your own right. But I get it, it must be overwhelming. Still, you need to at least talk to him. Avoiding him isn't going to make this go away. And look, it's not like you have to marry him tomorrow or something. Just take it one step at a time."

"Right..." you frowned. "But I don't know what I am supposed to. Where am I suppose to start? Can't I just ignore him?

"Well, you can't ignore him. Not for long," your friend said, holding up one of the star charts. "These are due for submission tomorrow, right? And didn't you say you dropped some stuff when you ran into him?"

Your eyes widened in realization. "Oh no, you're right! I left some of my papers with him. I need those for the submission."

"Exactly," your friend said, standing up and grabbing your arm. "Which means we need to go to his place and get them back."

You tried to pull away, but your friend was determined. "No, I can't do that! It's too embarrassing. What if he thinks I'm just using this as an excuse to see him?"

"Well, it's a pretty good excuse," your friend said with a smirk. "And besides, you need those papers. So, come on, let's go."

Reluctantly, you let your friend drag you through the Akademiya, your heart pounding with every step. You had never been to Alhaitham's place before, and ignored the question as to why your friend knew about his current whereabouts, you were far too busy with the thought of facing him again which was making you feel sick with anxiety.

"You're oddly way too excited. Just so that it's clear, I am not looking for a lover. So don't expect anything." You said. You knew your friend wanted something more out of this, their too bright of a smile and the skip in their step gave it away.

"Right, of course. Who said you have to be lovers? You can be friends."

"I have more than enough friends."

"Become acquaintances, or not. Just have a talk to make sure you're both at the same page," your friend reasoned, speaking softly. "It would settle your mind too and you won't be so jittery anymore."

You only let out a sigh knowing what they said was right.

When you reached the door, your friend knocked confidently. You wanted to disappear, to melt into the floor and never come back. But it was too late to turn back now.

After a moment, the door opened, and there he was. Alhaitham stood in the doorway, his familiar eyes looking more vibrant than ever in the evening light. His expression was as unreadable as ever or maybe you were too busy being anxious to note anything else in particular.

His eyes flickered between you and your friend before settling on you.

"Can I help you?"

Your friend, ever the confident one, spoke up. "Hope we aren't giving you too much trouble, Acting Grand Sage. We're here because my friend here," they nudged you forward, "accidentally left some important papers with you a few days ago. We need them back for a submission tomorrow."

Alhaitham's gaze shifted to you, and you felt embarrassed. "I, um, yes. I'm sorry for the inconvenience," you mumbled, unable to meet his eyes.

He studied you for a moment, then stepped aside, gesturing for you to enter. "Come in. I believe I still have your papers."

You followed him inside, your heart pounding in your chest. All you had to do was get your materials back and maybe try to strike up a conversation with him to at least clear off the air between you both. You assumed a man like him would have much time for pursuing a romantic relationship or a friendship but that didn't mean you wanted to be on awkward terms with him.

You didn't have much time to think or ogle at the surprisingly well kept interior before he came back to hand you your stuff back.

"Thank you," you said with a grateful smile. "I am sorry for the trouble and for running away, the other day..."

"It's no trouble," he said, his tone neutral but not unkind. "You don't need to apologize. Seeing colours for the first time can be overwhelming."

At his words, you bit back a sigh. So he thought it was the colours. The real reason might disappoint him much more and it almost made you bite the words you wanted to say back into your mouth.

But you had to clear the air, so with a deep breath you met his gaze, the colour of his eyes somehow looking new to you.

"It's not the colors, although they were overwhelming at first," you admitted, your voice just above a whisper. "It's… everything. I never expected my soulmate to be someone so important, so influential. I thought… I thought it would be someone ordinary."

Alhaitham raised an eyebrow, "And why is that such a concern?"

You fumbled for words, trying to articulate the fears that had been swirling in your mind. "I… I wanted a simple life. Away from the politics and responsibilities that come with a high-profile role. I'm just a student."

Alhaitham looked at you thoughtfully. "You underestimate yourself. Being a student at the Akademiya means you possess knowledge and insight that are valuable. And I understand your desire for a simple life. The concept of soulmates is often romanticized, but in reality, it can be quite complex and intimidating. You don't have to feel pressured to fit into a specific role or expectation because of this connection."

You felt a weight lift off your shoulders at his words, though the anxiety still lingered. "I guess… I just don't want to be a burden."

"You are not a burden," he said firmly. "Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Thinking yourself as a burden is a weakness."

Well, that was rather blunt. Oddly, that reassured you more than anything. You were glad he was straight to the point with his words.

"And besides," Alhaitham continued, "I have no desire for a romantic relationship myself. The position of Acting Grand Sage is taxing enough without adding personal entanglements into the mix. I value my solitude and my pursuits far too much to be burdened by such distractions."

His words surprised you, but also put you at ease. It was a relief to know that he had no expectations or intentions beyond a simple exchange of words. He wasn't bad, he didn't beat around the bush nor sugarcoat anything.

"I am glad. I didn't wish for any sort of relationship either," you smiled, your head feeling a lot lighter. "Thank you for your honesty and understanding."

"Of course. I believe in being upfront about these matters. It saves us both from unnecessary complications."

"Indeed," you agreed. "Well, I won't take up any more of your time, Acting Grand Sage. Thank you again for returning my papers."

He nodded, "You're welcome."

With a polite smile, you turned to leave, your friend right outside the door. As you walked away in silence, you let out a massive sigh. Despite his intimidating position and status, he had been surprisingly understanding and straightforward.

"The sigh means it went well, I assume," your friend asked.

"He's not bad," you replied. "Very straightforward guy."

Fate's matchmaking skills may have seemed off, but you weren't the one to go against it (or the stars). You were just glad that your soulmate was understanding.

© ladyfocalors

[casspurrjoybell-19]

Does it Matter? - Chapter 66 - Part 2

*Warning Adult Content*

Elijah led Bug through another door into a smaller, darker room.

Suddenly, it was illuminated by the same strange glass panels as before.

A peculiar seat with an opening in its middle caught Bug's attention.

Peering into it, he saw water.

"It's like an outhouse but not outside," Eliah explained.

He pressed a lever, demonstrating how water flushed through it.

"You can use it whenever you need."

He separated the bundle in his arms into two piles, setting them on a low shelf.

"To dry yourself with and to dress in afterwards," he said, indicating each pile in turn.

"Put your dirty clothes in the hamper afterwards," he added, pointing to a tall basket in the corner.

Elijah directed Bug's attention to a pipe suspended high on the far wall.

Standing to the side, he pulled a lever and water sprayed from a spout.

"To wash yourself," he explained.

He pointed to an unusual bottle on a small shelf near the water.

"Press down on the top for soap. Work it into the hair on your head and body. Wash every part of yourself thoroughly and then do it again. I will be in the other room if you need me."

Bug held out a hand, gesturing at the room.

"How can this be? This isn't magic but it's just as strange. I don't understand what's happening."

"If there were simple answers, I would give them. It's too much for you to shoulder on your own. Trust me and wait until you have friends at your side again."

"So my other friends will come here? You know that with certainty? You seemed unsure when I asked whether Brayan would be okay..."

Elijah held his hands out, palms up.

"To you, the future is an endless sea of possibilities but I see below its surface. I see the currents of fate... both yours and mine. That does not make a certainty of any outcome but it makes some things... quite likely."

"Has anything I've done ever truly been my choice?" Bug asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"It's not that it defies your choices. It simply already knows them. The person you are is a part of the tapestry."

"I'm not sure I understand."

Elijah's expression softened.

"Nobody does, if I'm truly honest, Buagh. We play with these forces, push them and shape them to our will but there is a grander architect that is beyond our knowing. Some give this force a name and bow down to it but I don't presume to know its nature or what it wants."

"Did you bring me here?" Bug asked, hesitation in his voice.

"Did you..."

"There are many lines of fate your life might have followed. I nudged you down one of them," Elijah admitted.

"I know what it cost you. I know that was not mine to take. I don't shy away from the horror of the choices I have made and I don't expect forgiveness. I also do not offer an apology. How can I, when I made these decisions with full, knowing intention?"

"Why did you let Brayan get hurt? We were already coming here. This didn't have to happen. Why did you let it?"

"Buagh," Elijah said, an edge of helplessness in his voice.

"For all that I have done, I am just a man. I eat, I sleep and I have other tasks to attend to. These last few days I've been busy making sure we would have enough rooms and food for your group. There are many paths fate can take and some lead to the same destination. I didn't notice this particular detour until it had already happened."

Bug shook his head.

He wasn't sure whether to believe that or to viciously doubt it after everything else this man had let happen.

"Why did you bring us here?" Elijah heaved out a sigh.

"That is a big question. I will answer it later. Please, wash. I'll be in the other room."

Bug didn't have the energy to protest further.

His mind was a mess of thoughts but he couldn't grasp hold of any one of them.

He stripped off his dirty clothes, placed them in the basket and approached the water spout.

The warmth of the water surprised him only briefly before it made sense.

Of course heating water wouldn't be beyond whatever was going on here. It stirred equal parts fear and hope within him.

Fear because he was coming to realise that he was deep within something that was impossibly beyond his understanding but the hope was stronger.

If they possessed such strange marvels, perhaps they also had medicine that could help Brayan.

He had to believe it was possible but he couldn't brave a glimpse into the future to find out.

He wasn't sure that would help him, anyway.

Elijah had said that fate would lead them down a path to his survival.

Bug wasn't sure just any random future would offer the same.

Bug pressed down on the bottle's top and thick liquid squirted onto the floor.

On his second attempt, he caught it in his hand.

As he rubbed the soap over himself, it formed a thick, creamy lather of bubbles, especially in his hair.

He rinsed it off and washed himself again, as Eliah had instructed.

The provided clothes were thin and simple, a short-sleeved shirt and shorts, all in white.

How was everything so white, so clean?

It made sense that Eliah had wanted him to wash so thoroughly.

Even now he didn't feel clean enough for this place.

Elijah was waiting in the other room and gestured Bug towards a bed.

"Take a seat. You may not be our most urgent case tonight but your health is still a concern."

"I don't care," Bug murmured but he sat as directed.

"Tonight you don't," Elijah said as he went to get something out of a cupboard.

"But I know your health worries you. I can't read your mind but I've seen your frustration with it. You want to be healthy and strong again. I will help you."

"Because you need me," Bug stated flatly.

"Do I?" Elijah pulled a stool over and set out the items he'd gathered on the table next to the bed.

Bug couldn't make sense of what he was looking at.

There was a clear tube and what looked like a thin metal needle and the rest was too confusing to even put a name to.

"I'm not sure if I do anymore but I am not some brutal hand of fate. I led you down this path and I'll put you back together as best I can. It fixes nothing. It absolves me of nothing. I must do it simply because I can. Hold your arm out."

Bug obeyed and Elijah wiped the crook of his arm down with a ball of cotton soaked in something that made his skin feel cold.

"This is a hollow needle," Elijah said, holding the small metal point up so that Bug could see.

"I'm going to use it to draw some of your blood. It won't hurt much."

"Why?" Bug asked, but he kept his arm held out where Elijah had positioned it.

"Hmm," Elijah considered his response.

"You are malnourished. Blood carries nourishment. We can look at your blood to see what kind of nourishment your body needs."

"Look at it...?"

Elijah didn't answer, too busy with the needle and examining the crook of Bug's arm.

Bug braced for pain but Elijah hadn't been lying.

It only stung a little.

Watching his blood flow down a tube to collect in a clear pouch at the end was the more disturbing part.

Elijah waited until it had filled, pulled the needle out and had another ball of cotton ready to press down over the hole left in its wake.

He had Bug hold it in place while he retrieved a piece of paper with a sticky back and then he secured the cotton ball to Bug's arm.

He took the blood over near the black glass pane on the far wall but his body blocked what he was doing from Bug's view.

Bug startled when the glass suddenly lit up, text appearing like magic across its surface.

He was a little surprised when he realised it was written in Eulan, though that didn't help him comprehend the words.

'Please wait while' was simple enough but almost all of the rest were words he had to sound out that meant nothing to him.

The text on the glass disappeared and was replaced with new text that was somehow even more inscrutable than the last.

There were a lot of numbers as well and apparently they meant something to Elijah, because he made a thoughtful sound.

Bug stared down at his hands.

"I want to ask but I know you're just going to tell me that it's a big question."

"Think of it as magic, if you like," Elijah said, busying himself with something in the corner until something whirred to life near the glass.

Elijah looked unconcerned by the noise, so Bug tried not to let it worry him.

"It isn't but I'm not sure that magic is even magic, if I'm honest."

He waved that thought away.

"But that's a philosophical matter. I don't understand how this thing works," he nodded at the glass.

"And you don't need to either. It simply does. It's mixing up something for me to help build your strength back."

"Oh," Bug said, then startled as something went thunk.

Elijah bent down and retrieved a clear bag full of water from a crevice in the wall below the glass.

On his way back to Bug, he dragged a metal stand over and hung the bag on it.

"It's more needles, I'm afraid," Elijah said as he went back to the cupboard and retrieved another needle.

He connected a long, transparent tube to the bag and inserted the needle at its other end.

"Lay down and give me your other arm."

The procedure to get this needle in was similar, except Elijah stuck it in place instead of pulling it back out again.

It was disconcerting, having it just sit there inside of him.

He wondered distantly if he was a fool for trusting Elijah to do all of this to him but if he wasn't trustworthy, Brayan would die and then what would it matter?

Besides, Bug was in no condition to fight.

If Elijah wanted to hurt him, he could do so quite easily without Bug's cooperation.

Staring at the ceiling, Bug asked...

"When can I see Brayan?"

"Not yet," Elijah said.

"Then when?"

"They will have barely started with him at this point but if you promise to stay put, I'll go check on him."

Bug wanted to check on Brayan himself but he already knew that was a battle he wouldn't win.

He gave a small nod as he let his eyes fall shut and a moment later he heard the sound of the door opening and shutting.

When sleep crept up on him, he was too exhausted to fight it.

[jiannaeloise]

Glimmers in the late

I haven't updated much and written in a long time that I think I need to do a life update. Nothing much has changed since the last day of December 31st of 2023. As much as I want to jump on in the 2023 recap bandwagon, it hurts for me to go back to memories from last year because half of it was good but the last months was really heartbreaking. It changed me a lot. Most days, I feel like I cannot recognize myself anymore no matter how much I try to put myself back to pieces. I honestly have no perfect word to describe what I'm going through. I numb myself by watching series with themes that are on the surface level, though I started watching cooking shows to spark some passion of trying out something I haven't done (like ever). Even my writing here seems like a mess.

Anyway, the reason I wrote today was from a sparked question. It made me tear up, which means I must not be entirely numb after all. And the question was: "Why does certain things happen right about when it's too late?" This question emerged because another workmate submitted his resignation. It was funny because I had a three-way call with two of our Architects on the 2nd day of January in the middle of a work day. Basically, they were given a notice to explain for something that happened around December of 2023 which was our separate Christmas party. They were both asking me what's the right thing to do and the next step, not knowing that one of them already made a decision to resign anyway. It was at that moment that I thought: "Why didn't we do this more often last year? Why just now?"

Maybe there is a gift in the late glimmers for those who are leaving. I wonder what would be mine. Yes, I already decided I will resign this year and prepared a letter. It really is just a matter of when. I have no plans yet but all I know is I don't want to work at a corporate job anymore. I want to finally do something I'm passionate about. I don't know what it is yet but I just listed some down. I want to grow up and get out of my comfort zone and I won't be able to do that if I stay here longer than I should. Talk about let go and surrender.

Surviving and still trusting,

J

[aspenmissing]

𝙲𝚛𝚘𝚜𝚜𝚛𝚘𝚊𝚍 𝙱𝚕𝚞𝚎𝚜 (𝙿𝚝 𝟷)

Sam, Dean, and Y/N are sitting at a table, Sam with his laptop. On the laptop is a mugshot of Dean from the St. Louis police department.

"So much for a low profile. You've got a warrant in St. Louis, and now you're officially in the Fed's database," Sam says. Dean grins.

"Dude, I'm like Dillinger or something."

"Dean, it's not funny. Makes the job harder, we've gotta be more careful now," Y/N says.

"Well, what do they got on you?" Dean asks, looking at Sam.

"I'm sure they just haven't posted it yet," he mutters.

"No accessory? Nothing?"

"Shut up." Dean and Y/N laugh.

"You're jealous," she says.

"No, I'm not!"

"What about you?" Sam asks, nodding his head to Y/N.

"Well, um, that's something for me to know and you to not know," Y/N smiles sheepishly.

"Anyway. What do you get on the case there, you innocent, harmless young man, you?" Dean asks. Sam shuts his computer, annoyed, and pulls out several pages of research.

"Architect Sean Boyden plummeted to his death from the roof of his home, a condominium he designed."

"Hmm. Build a high-rise and jump off the top of it. That's classy. When did he call animal control?" Y/N asks.

"Two days earlier."

"Did he actually say Black Dog?"

"Yeah. A vicious, wild, black dog. The authorities couldn't find it, no one else saw it; in fact, the authorities are a little confused as to how a wild dog could get past the doorman, take the elevator up, and start roaming the halls of the cushiest joint in town. After that, no more calls, he doesn't show up for work, two days later he takes a swan dive."

"Do you think we're dealing with an actual Black Dog?" Dean asks.

"Well, maybe."

"What's the lore on it?" Y/N asks. Sam passes Y/N the pages, Dean looks over at them.

"It's all pretty vague. I mean, there are spectral black dogs all over the world, but...some say they're animal spirits, others say death omens. But anyway, whatever they are, they're big and nasty."

"Yeah, I bet they could hump the crap outta your leg, look at that one, huh?" Dean says, holding up a picture and smirking. Sam glares; the smirk slips. "What? They could."

"Trust you to say that," Y/N says, snatching one of Dean's chips.

==

In a posh, well-lit room, Sam and Dean are wearing suits, Y/N her blouse, pants, and jacket once again, and interviewing a man.

"So, you and Sean Boyden were business partners for almost ten years, right?" Sam asks.

"That's right. Now one more time, this is for...?" the man asks.

"A tribute to Mr. Boyden. Architectural Digest," Y/N says, and the man laughs.

"This funny to you?" Dean asks.

"No, it...it's just, a tribute. Yeah. See, Sean always got the tribute. He kills himself, leaves me and his family behind...well, he gets another tribute."

"Right. Any idea why he'd do such a thing?" Sam asks.

"I have no clue. I mean, he lived a charmed life."

"How so?"

"He was a flat-out genius. I mean, I'm capable, but next to him, I...and it wasn't always that way, either."

"No?"

"You wanna know the truth? There was a time where he couldn't even design a pup tent. Hell, ten years ago he's working as a bartender at this place called Lloyd's. A complete dive."

"Right. So, what changed?" Y/N asks.

"You got me. But overnight, he gets this huge commission, and he started designing...he starts designing the most ingenious buildings anyone has ever seen. It was like, the level of Van Gogh and Mozart..." he cuts off abruptly.

"What?"

"It's funny. True geniuses, they seem to die young, don't they? To have that kind of talent? Why...why just throw it away?"

==

Dean exits a building, still wearing his suit. Sam and Y/N are waiting in the car. Dean gets into the driver's side.

"So"

"Secretary's name is Carly. She's twenty-three, she's uh, kayaks, and they're real."

"You didn't happen to ask if she's seen any black dogs lately, did you?" Y/N asks. Dean holds up a page.

"Every complaint called in the week about anything big, black, or dog-like. There’re nineteen calls in all. And, uh" Dean pulls off a post-it note "I don't know what this thing is." Sam takes it, reads it, and laughs. He passes it to Y/N, who reads it and also laughs. The two glance at Dean.

"You mean Carly's Myspace address?" Y/N asks.

"Yeah, Myspace, what the hell is that?" Sam says and Y/N look at each other and laugh again. "Seriously, is that like some sort of porn site?"

==

Dean, Sam, and Y/N approach a white suburban door and knock.

"I swear, if this is another freakin' Pomeranian barking in the neighbor's yard..." The door opens to reveal a young woman.

"Afternoon, ma'am," Y/N says, pulling out an ID. "Uh, Animal Control."

"Oh, someone already came yesterday."

"Oh, we're just following up. We're looking for Dr. Sylvia Pearlman?" Sam says. The woman leads the three into the kitchen.

"The Doctor, well she, I don't know exactly when she'll be back, she left two days ago."

"Okay. And you are...?"

"I'm Ms. Pearlman's maid."

"So where did the doctor go?"

"I'm not sure. She just packed and went; she didn't say where. That stray dog, did you find it finally?"

"Oh, not yet. You know, you didn't ever happen to see the dog yourself, did you?" Y/N asks.

"Well, no. I never even heard it." In the background, Dean takes a photograph off the wall: It shows three women at a bar, holding glasses. Presumably Dr. Pearlman and her friends. "I was almost starting to think the Doctor was imagining things, but she's not like that, so..."

"Hey, you know I read she was, uh, chief surgeon at the hospital. She's gotta be what, forty-two, forty-three? That's pretty young for that job," Dean says.

"Youngest in the history of the place. She got the position...ten years ago?"

"Huh," Y/N says.

"Huh. An overnight success. Ten years ago."

"Yeah, we know a guy like that. Oh, look at this." Dean holds up the photo, flips it over to show writing on the back. "Lloyd's Bar."

==

Dean, Sam, and Y/N pull up outside Lloyd's Bar, now in normal wear, and get out of the car. As they walk towards the bar, Y/N notices some yellow flowers growing by the side of the road. She stops.

"Hey," she says. Sam and Dean stop.

"Yeah?" Sam and Dean ask in unison.

"That's weird." Y/N looks along the crossroads; on more than one corner, the yellow flowers are growing.

"What?" Sam asks.

"Think someone planted these?"

"Middle of all these weeds?" Dean says.

"These are, uh, what do you call 'em?"

"Yarrow flowers?"

"Yeah. Used for certain rituals, aren't they?"

"Yeah, actually. Summoning rituals," Dean says.

"Heh. So, two people become sudden successes about ten years ago. Right about the time they were hanging out here at Lloyd's," Y/N says.

"Where there just happens to be a crossroads. You think?"

"Let's find out." Y/N walks to the center of the crossroads and looks around, measuring. "This seem about the dead center to you?" Y/N digs with a shovel a few inches into the hard soil and hits something solid. She stops.

"Yahtzee." She drops the shovel and digs with her hands, pulling out an old rusty box. She opens it. It contains, among other things, several small bones and a small stoppered jar that Sam takes out. Dean touches one of the bones but instantly pulls his hand away, face scrunched.

"I'd be willing to bet that's graveyard dirt. And a black cat bone."

"That's serious spell-work. I mean, that's Deep South Hoodoo stuff," Dean says.

"Used to summon a demon."

"Not just summon one. Crossroads are where pacts are made. These people are actually making deals with the damn thing. You know, 'cause that always ends good."

"They're seeing dogs, all right. But not Black Dogs, they're seeing Hellhounds. Demonic pit bulls."

"Yeah, whoever this demon is, it's back and it's collecting. And that doctor lady? Wherever she's running? She ain't running fast enough," Y/N says.

==

"So, it's just like Robert Johnson, right? I mean, selling your soul at the crossroads, kind of deal?"

"Yeah, except that wasn't a legend. I mean, you know his music." Sam shrugs. "You don't know Robert Johnson's songs? Sam, there's occult references all over his lyrics, I mean, Crossroad Blues? Me and the Devil Blues? Hellhound on My Trail?" Sam frowns, and Dean rolls his eyes. Y/N sighs. "The story goes, he died choking on his own blood, he was hallucinating, and muttering about big evil dogs."

"And now it's happening all over again."

"Yeah," Y/N says.

"We've gotta figure out if anyone else struck any bargains around here."

"Great. So, we've gotta clean up these peoples' mess for 'em? I mean, they're not exactly squeaky clean. Nobody put a gun to their head and forced 'em to play Let's make a deal."

"So, what, we should just let them die?" Y/N asks.

"Somebody goes over Niagara in a barrel, you gonna jump in and try to save 'em?"

"Dean."

"All right. Fine. Rituals like this, you've got to put your own photo into the mix, right? So, this guy probably summoned this thing, let's go and see if anyone inside knows him. If he's still alive."

==

Sam, Dean, and Y/N are walking up a set of wide, wooden stairs to the fourth floor of an apartment building.

"What's this guy's name again?" Y/N asks.

"George Darrow. Apparently quite the regular at Lloyd's. Though this house probably ain't up next on MTV Cribs, is it?"

"Yeah. So whatever kind of deal he made," Sam says.

"Wasn't for cash. Oh, who knows. Maybe this place is full of babes in Princess Leia bikinis." Sam and Y/N sigh. "No, I'm just saying, this guy's got one epic bill come due. Hope at least he asked for something fun." They reach the landing and stop in front of apartment 4C. The floor is dusted with a fine black powder.

"Look at that," Y/N says, and the brothers crouch down, fingering it.

"What is that, pepper?" The door opens to reveal George—a middle-aged man with greying hair, wearing a grimy t-shirt and open button-down.

"Who the hell are you?" he asks.

"George Darrow?" Dean asks.

"I'm not buying anything."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, looks like you went for the wrong shaker there. Heh. Usually when you want to keep something evil out you go for the salt," Y/N says.

"I don't know what you're talkin' about."

"Talkin' about this," Dean holds up the small picture. "Tell me. You see that Hellhound yet?"

"Look. We want to help. Please. Just five minutes." George shows them in and pours himself a glass of whiskey. The studio apartment is filled with paintings, completed and half-finished, and a table holds painting supplies.

"So, what is that stuff out front?" Sam asks.

"Goofer Dust." The three look at George blankly. "What, you three think you know somethin' about somethin' but not Goofer Dust?" He tosses Dean a brown sack tied closed with twine. Y/N quickly catches it before Dean could.

"Well, we know a little about a lot of things. Just enough to make us dangerous," she says.

"What is it?"

"Hoodoo. My grandma taught me. Keeps out demons."

"Demons we know."

"Well then. Maybe it'll do you some good." George walks over to a chair. "Four minutes left." Dean and Y/N glance at Sam, who takes the lead.

"Mr. Darrow. We know you're in trouble."

"Yeah, that you got yourself into," Y/N elbows Dean.

"But it's not hopeless, all right? There's gotta be something we can do," Y/N says, half-directed at Dean.

"Listen. I get that you three want to help. But sometimes a person makes their bed, they've just got to lie down in it. I'm the one called that demon in the first place."

"What'd you do it for?" Dean asks.

"I was weak. I mean, who don't want to be great? Who don't want their life to mean something? I just...I just never thought about the price."

"Was it worth it?" Y/N asks.

"Hell no. 'Course, I asked for talent. Should have gone for fame. I'm still broke and lonely. Just now I got this pile of paintings don't nobody want. But that wasn't the worst."

"Go on."

"Demon didn't leave. I never counted on that. After our deal was done, the damn thing stayed at Lloyd's for a week. Just chattin'. Makin' more deals. I tried to warn folks, but I mean who's goin' to listen to an old drunk?"

"How many others are there?" Y/N asks.

"Uh, the architect, that doctor lady—I kept up with them, they've been in the papers. At least they got famous."

"Who else, George? Come on, think."

"One more. Uh, nice guy too. Hudson. Evan, I think. I don't know what he asked for. Don't matter now. We're done for."

"No. No, there's gotta be a way."

"You don't get it! I don't want a way!"

"Look, you don't—"

"I called that thing! I brought it on myself. I brought it on them. I'm going to hell, one way or another. All I want is to finish my last painting. Day or two, I'm done. I'm just trying to hold them off till then. Buy a little time. Okay, guys. Time you went, go help somebody that wants help."

"We can't just—" Y/N is cut off by George.

"Get out! I got work to do."

"You don't really want to die."

"I don't? I'm...I'm tired." Y/N, Sam, and Dean share a look and they leave as George starts painting.

[lacependragonwrites]

Me & My Writing

Me

Call me Lace, Wally, or Wallace

they/he, late twenties, Canadian

Been writing for fifteen years

Chronically ill, autistic, and always exhausted

My Writing

SFF, largely focused on fantasy

If not writing character and mystery driven fiction, I'm writing romance

Disabled, neurodivergent characters

Queer characters, stories, relationships, and polycules

Lots of mysteries, intrigue, history, and thematic echoes

Love found family, slow burn romance, strong platonic bonds, and the ways people find each other

Lots of fantasy creatures, in-depth magic, big worlds, deep and intricate world building

Puns. So many puns.

Personal Tag: #wall talk

My Blog

Posts about my wips, including intro posts, character posts, snippets, rambles, etc.

Asks and the occasional tag game

Reblogs of inspiration for projects

Posts about my process, how I go about things, etc.

Tips and tricks for various aspects of writing based on my own experiences

Reblogs of people's things I think are neat

Screenshots of various writing programs that just look like so much nonsense but is me having breakthroughs and a good time

Rough (and snarky!) WIP Summaries Below the Cut

Main Projects

The Metahuman Initiative Urban fantasy, mystery, adult. Series A city built to uncover the secrets of superpowers draws Nat Carter, a grieving adult who just lost their family. Yet no matter how Nat digs, or how far they go, it seems they're only uncovering the surface of the darkness within Veda. A long series, TMI focuses on Nat Carter, a traumatized and bitter person who craves only to protect and care for those they love, in their quest to discover why their family was murdered and what the secrets of Veda have to do with it. Vibes: perseverance, revenge, grief, and learning to trust and heal Tag: #the metahuman initiative

Descent | wip post First book in The Metahuman Initiative. 21-year-old Nat Carter seeks out answers behind their family's sudden and horrific murder in a dark metropolis filled with secrets, crime, and superpowers. Vibes: perseverance, guilt, grief, collateral damage, moody noir city Tag: #wip: descent

The City of Fractured Dreams | wip post Scifantasy, political drama, adventure, series First book in the Book of Farside. A city-state in political unrest is thrown headfirst into all out war when a failed attempt to stop monsters kills the city's most powerful soldiers and leaves its streets vulnerable to all those who'd seize them. In the midst of this battle, a pair of siblings seeks out one another after eight years apart, but both have changed far more than the other realizes. Vibes: scifantasy, dystopia, urban fantasy, gritty oil/greasepunk, floating islands, looming doom Tag: #wip: farsiders

Beurkratti: The Place of Stones | series post High fantasy, adventure, adult, series A constructed fantasy world at the beginning of a magically-fuelled industrial revolution begins to undergo great change as the ancient magic left behind by the Architects begins to attack the world and sets a time limit for uncovering its secrets before the world is lost. Vibes: trans, found family, adventure, hopepunk, friendship, very queer Tag: #wip: beurkratti

Backburner

Tales from Lumira | wip post High fantasy, romance, adult. Series Three small countries are forced to put aside their differences when the major superpower countries on either side of them enter a cold war that threatens to tear the continent apart. Vibes: found family, romance, enemies to friends, big house with a bunch of strangers in it, forced proximity Tag: #wip: tales from lumira

Supernova | wip post Urban fantasy, contemporary, young adult. Standalone 15-year-old Andie has never belonged. Bounced from foster home to foster home, they figure they'll leave the system when they age out. An encounter after school one day awakens powers Andie never knew they had and quickly turns their life upside down. A foster home that cares, foster parents who know their struggles, a new school, and even new friends. But where did Andie come from? And how did they get here? They need to know, or they'll never be able to rest. Vibes: superheroes, hopepunk, a nicer world, friendship, found family, belonging Tag: #wip: supernova

Ghostpossible Urban fantasy, new adult. Standalone When Y2K hit, it tore open a portal through the ether, letting ghosts, spooks, and all sorts of monsters through. Sixty years later, the best people to tackle the dead and ghastly are the young, and Kai Yeung, part time college student and full-time big sibling, is trying to make it big in the ghost hunting live streaming business. Money is tight, and this is their best option. Until a guy named Archie shows up and reveals that he's been possessed by an ancient magical artifact and the very grumpy warrior trapped inside it. If Kai can get the artifact off, they can sell it and provide for their sister for years to come, but that's only if they can get it off Archie before those chasing him can catch up. Vibes: monster fucking, content creation, toxic online communities, ancient sexy warriors trapped in jewellery Tag: #wip: ghostpossible

Demon Fuckers Anonymous Fantasy, dark academia, new adult. Standalone A disabled student in their upper years at a prestigious, elitist, bullshit academy for magical grad school struggles to keep up due to exhaustion and ableism. To get back on track, they summon a demon in hopes of getting him to help. But the summon uncovers a deep conspiracy beneath the bowels of the school, and a long pent up desire to connect with someone, mind and body. Vibes: disability, ableism, mystery, body horror, horror, erotica Tag: #wip: code magic

Queer Witch Cozies Urban fantasy, cozy mystery, romance, adult. Series Ciar Gallagher can find things no one else can, that's their talent as a witch. So when a frantic man comes to the door one night begging for Ciar's help, they're pretty sure they can do it. But there's two problems. One, the man is a regular human, one with no knowledge of magic, and two, he's asking Ciar to find his kidnapped daughter, and Ciar's never tracked a person before. Vibes: soft, cozy, found family, cooking and baking Tag: #wip: finder witch

Care Home for Chosen Ones Urban fantasy, contemporary, adult. Standalone 25-year-old Marlowe takes great pride in their career as a care worker at Sunrise Elder Care, especially in their chats with the remaining chosen ones of a long finished prophecy. But when strange shadows begin to haunt the care home, Marlowe must summon all their knowledge and their most trusty weapon – the push broom – in order to stop the returning Dark One and save the elder chosen ones and their home before it's too late. Vibes: found family, caretaking, caring for each other, pride in small things, forgiveness, compassion Tag: #wip: care home for chosen ones

Persephone Project Science fiction, mystery/thriller, adult. Standalone Five years ago, Axl Thorn was arrested aboard the U.S.S. Faraday for techno-terrorism and multiple counts of first degree murder. Now, the cybernetic attacks have made a resurgence, but this time someone else is behind the keyboard. Pulled out of holding to help, Axl is kept on a short leash by their pissed off personal guard, whose job is both to keep Axl out of trouble – hah! – and to keep others from attacking them. Yet as the attacks grow stronger, the unlikely allies must cast aside their differences if they have any hope of saving the station and all those it connects to. Vibes: horror, technothriller, forgiveness, redemption, atonement Tag: #wip: persephone project

Standalone Romance Projects

On the Mountain Contemporary romance, adult. MM. A painter in his mid 20s wants to know more about the father he barely knew, and hunts down a military  buddy who sent his father postcards for over two decades. He finds the vet on a mountain, one leg gone and handcrafted furniture all around him, and the two strike up a friendship to remember a man they both cared dearly about. But what starts as friendship begins to morph, and both must struggle with what their relationship is, and if they can handle the change. Vibes: age gap, strangers to lovers, bonding, anti-military pro-veteran Tag: #wip: on the mountain

Writing Retreat Contemporary romance, adult. MM. A struggling best-selling author goes on vacation to a small mountain community to break his writers' block and meets a gruffy, grouchy lumberjack who has the cabin next to him and helps run the lodging that the author is staying at. As the two spend their early mornings by the water together, they begin to bond and fall in love. Vibes: coming out, safety, falling in love, learning to trust Tag: #wip: writing retreat

Singing in Silence Contemporary romance, adult. MM. The popular musician and front man for a band is forced to get a bodyguard after an encounter with several fans goes horribly wrong. Scared of the stage but not willing to admit it, he lashes out against the new guard, and the two quickly bash heads. But fear is the mind killer, and if the singer can't get over it, he won't be able to perform at the biggest show of the year, the one he's been waiting for his whole life. Vibes: trust, safety, music, fame Tag: #wip: singing in silence

Werewolf in the Barn Contemporary fantasy, romance, adult. MM. A sheep farmer opens his barn one day to find a very attractive, very naked man sleeping in his hay loft. The man turns out to be a werewolf, and the two strike up a deal for him to help out around the ranch. Now if only he'd put pants on more often. Vibes: slow burn, awkward physical contact, flustered showers Tag: #wip: werewolf in the barn

[Last edited July 31st, 2022]

[darkestgrays]

“Please, don’t do this.” ANGSTY ANGST. My summer home needs some sad art interior me thinks.

Klaus figures he had been right all those centuries ago when he had sworn love was a weakness.

Love was a poison that would destroy the self, this he had always known and enforced fervently. He had lived centuries and seen the ruins of love, and while it was amusing to see the suffering of pathetic mortals, he was more than above it.

Of course, he had never been known for listening to anyone — not even himself.

He fell in love with a woman with more light than anyone he had met in his millennia of life. A woman with more love in her pinky than he had in all his body; a woman with sunshine hair and a radiant laugh.

And that was the problem.

He fell like all those pathetic mortals did and he paid the price for it.

All his enemies attempted to use her against him, to prove the mighty and untouchable centuries-old hybrid had a weakness like everyone else.

Of course, this would not do.

He felt the rage building up in him each time, but Caroline's warmth had always been enough to put it out like a candle flame. But eventually — after yet another threat to his love's life — she wasn't enough to hold him back.

He would not let himself be so weak, yet what he didn't realize was that his impulsivity was truly his weakness.

It was said impulsivity that had always led him to do the life-ruining things he was known for. Just like then.

“Please, don’t do this," Caroline pleaded, the fear he hadn't seen directed at him since she'd been a young woman and he'd terrorized Mystic Falls shining in her eyes.

He faltered for a moment, but recovered quickly, his hand going and cradling her face. "I'm sorry."

He locked his eyes with hers, feeling her fall into the trance of his compulsion. He knew it would work because she didn't take vervain anymore, because she had trusted him.

"Sleep my love, and when you wake up you will not remember anything between us. You will remember traveling and learning about the world but you will not remember me," he compelled, his hand still firmly cradling her face.

He watched as the compulsion settled and how right after, she collapsed into his arms. He caught her easily, clutching her against him, and dropped a kiss to temple — knowing it would probably be the last time he'd be able to do so.

A thousand years and the one thing that would never change was that he would always be the architect to his own destruction.

[sexyandhedonistic]

i read your recent reply to an anon and it was really very comforting. frankly that analogy of horse+water is something my family uses on me a lot so it felt familiar. i've been an atheist all my life, and really it is difficult to think of myself as god/universe/something supernatural. but i hate the alternative which is suffering through life which i'm already doing enough of. could you share some pointers on how to accept it ?

I'm really happy to hear that!

If those kinds of titles make you uncomfortable you can also think of yourself as the "operant power" or as one of my affirmations says, "the architect" of your life. You can use any title so long as it acknowledges you as the one in control of your life.

In terms of accepting it I strongly strongly encourage you to read/listen to Neville. Check out his lecture "Trust in God" (Transcript + YouTube Audio) which is a general summary of all of his teachings and in it he discusses how there is nothing outside of you with any power, it all comes from within. Indulging in his lectures will provide you with a solid understanding of some principles such as  "everyone is you pushed out" to understand why incidents in your life have played out as they did so you can hold yourself accountable for them. It may be hard especially if you’re used to being in a state of victimhood because you’ll struggle to understand that the reason why your friendships ended and why you failed to accomplish your goals was because of you. Once it clicks though, you’ll be able to forgive yourself and proceed with deciding what you want from that point on.

Here’s a personal example: I lost my best friend in the whole entire world right before I fully immersed myself in the law. It was off putting for me to process that the reason why we fell apart was because of me since to me he was the one that ruined our friendship, but when I did the math and considered how people run on the assumptions you have of them (everyone is you pushed out) and I looked back and the incidents that lead up to it, it made so much sense. One assumption snowballed into another as he started acting upon them and that was the end of it. Although the incident was absolutely crushing for me, it didn't last very long because within a day or two I found out that I was actually God which boosted the healing process and my perspective on all of my problems shifted drastically. It was an extremely comforting discovery because I knew that that wasn’t the end for us and I could very easily recover our friendship at the snap of my fingers. When you know you’re God and you can have whatever + whomever you want whenever you want, you start to detach from any feelings of despair or hopelessness.

My advice is to accept the hardships you have dealt with and know that you have the power within you to shift the circumstances in your favor however you please, and yes that includes what's happened in your past. I can revise at any moment that my best friend and I never fought or I can manifest them begging on their knees to be back in my life. I can literally handle the situation in any and every way possible so it means very little to me that we’re not speaking right now. Being God means knowing and trusting your capacity to alter every aspect of your life, so why worry about anything? Your word is final.

To conclude:

𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝

Understand the law

Forgive yourself

From this point on your days of suffering and being a victim are OVER! You call the shots and what you say goes. You are THE head bitch in charge. Everything always works out for you and you always get what you want. Your life is about to blossom into everything you have ever wanted and it all starts from within. Good luck! ♡

[dnvrsblog21]

Hey there! Welcome to my first ever TECHNOPRENEURSHIP BLOG. By the way my name is Denver R. Salvo, 21 years of age and currently studying at University of Science & Technology (USTP) taking the course of B.S. Computer Engineering and living in City of Golden Friendship, Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines. I'm a bona fide and determined of what I love doing ever since, well in fact I've been performing all great with optimistic mindset. Just keep in touch will talk further more about myself!

TYPE

I have taken the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Test and the result was quite fascinating for it depicts of how I think most of the time and the type is called as Turbulent Architect and type this is known for being one of the rarest personal types. The Turbulent Architects has the result code of INTJ-T wherein this letters are type code that refers to my five dominant traits which are: Introverted (I), Intuitive (N), Thinking (T), Judging (J), Turbulent (T). Having these traits are being identified to be rational and quick-witted. Furthermore, we Architects believe that, through willpower and intelligence, we can achieve even the most challenging of goals.

ROLE

Another result after taking the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Test is being identified as Analysts for its role. This role portrays the personality traits and is often known for the love of rationality. It is because these people tend to make decisions with their heads rather than their hearts since they have the Thinking attribute. Analysts, on the other hand, are not machines. Their Intuitive personality feature energizes their minds, assisting them in devising innovative ways and inspiring them to go further into things - whether it's an intellectual pursuit, a new hobby, or even a crazy scheme or thought experiment. Analyst people have a strong desire to learn and create. They may easily move from speculative thinking to tactical problem-solving. These broad abilities must, of course, be polished and, when appropriate, they must lead to action. Analysts' active thoughts, on the other hand, can give them a false impression of accomplishment.

The image below shows my statistical results from MBTI Test which determines my overall personality:

65% for being mostly Introverted Mind of how I react to my environment that prefer solitary activities and get exhausted by too much social interaction also tend to be quite sensitive to external stimulation.

69% for having mostly Intuitive Energy of how I direct my energy, which is very imaginative, open-minded and curious as well as prefer novelty over stability and focus on hidden meanings and future possibilities.

54% for having a nature of relying in Thinking rather than emotion wherein it focus on objectivity and rationality, prioritizing logic over emotions.

65% for having the tactics of Judging that reflects my approach to work, planning and decision-making which is decisive, thorough and highly organized.

54% for being Turbulent identity trait that underpins all others, showing how confident we are in our abilities and decisions also are self-conscious and sensitive to stress.

STRATEGY

Lastly from the result of my MBTI Test which is the strategy that depicts the outcome for having a Constant Improvement. This type of strategy is being shared with Introverted and Turbulent and identified to be sensitive and introspective individuals. I'm also often prefer to enjoy my own space and freedom. In general, these personality types feel more at ease on their own than when confronted with the realities of life. This could be due to the fact that we share the two personality traits that are most representative of environmental sensitivity – Introversion and Turbulence. As a result, dealing with tense environments or new situations may be stressful for us. In these moments, Constant Improvers like me can be deeply uncomfortable although we may not want to let on how we really feel. In reaction, these personalities might retreat inward, react defensively, or try to escape the situation altogether. Alternatively, they may forego their on our own desires or needs in order to maintain the peace.

Here's a link for you to try and access MBTI test for free:

https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test

INNOVATION INDEX

I have also taken the Berkeley Innovation Index (BII) Test which provides granular insights into business culture, enhance operational focus, and assure the greatest possible match between an individual’s aptitudes and dispositions and the demands of the organization.

For the results of my innovation mindset evaluation test the I have gotten 75.87 out of 100 which we can foresee in the first glance that my results really needs to cope up furthermore and there is always a room for improvement and betterment. Yet, this is just a beginning for another opportunity to be grabbed.

ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

As per result from the BII test I will just briefly explain the relevant facts out of it for it provides many component for innovation. As you can see the data shows that I have higher scores for the component of Innovation zone, Comfort zone, Belief this is maybe because I'm highly open and interested for innovation and also being adaptive to its growth that is considerably a part of my comfort zone. Whereas for my Belief I'm being capable of my own ideas to influence others and strive more to excel further.

In other hand I'm having a lowest score for the Trust which is a bit crucial for me since I know that I'm having a bit issue upon trusting anyone immediately for I wanted to know if a person is genuinely communicating with me. Also, if base to base cases I like to have a solid evidence of what a person tells about before I fully trust someone.

Here link for you to try and access BII test for free:

https://innovation-index.anvil.app