#in the last couple of days and now i might have exposed them. i am about to LOSE my shit. i need all respiratory diseases to die immediately

[lymtw]

Toji calling you over to his place because there's gonna be a storm and he wants you to weather it with him. If it gets too bad, you can't travel to each other, so you might as well shelter together before you lose the option to do so.

He didn't greet you in a fluffy manner, but when does he? Usually, when you greet him with a hug, it'll start out normal and then his hand goes down south towards your ass, where he'll squeeze until you break the embrace.

You expected him to be handsy and up in your space because he really can't last five minutes without touching you, but it was as if he was being powered by the storm. You were pushed to the edge of the couch by him, his body wedged between your legs as he ambushed your lips with his own. His hands firmly grounded your hips to the couch cushions as if he were silently telling you not to move. Most of the lights in his apartment were off, just a lamp illuminating the scene of you and him on the couch and occasional lightning strikes that would cast light on your face. It was pouring outside, the sound of heavy rain and thunder filling your ears.

"What would you have done alone?" He plays with the hem of your hoodie, picturing the body beneath it.

"Nothing, Toji. Absolutely nothing. And you?" You tilt your head, allowing him to kiss your neck. One of your hands settles on the back of his neck, the other makes a mess out of his hair.

"Mm..." he groans at the feeling of you scratching his scalp. "I would've beat my dick to the thought of you and those pretty pictures you send me all the time. 'M glad you're here so I can fuck you instead."

You giggle, digging your heels into the cushions as he keeps smothering you with kisses. His crushing weight is completely welcomed by you as you attempt to bring him even closer.

"This my sweater?" His hands use their privilege on your body, going under the sweater to run up and down your waist. The warmth elicits goosebumps from you, and you can't help but writhe in his hold.

"You said I could hold onto it until you remembered to take it back, and I sure as hell am holding onto it."

His gaze pins you down, lips curling at your playful sass. He knows the obsessive thoughts that go behind sharing his clothes with you. You take his sweaters and he tells you to "hold onto them until he remembers to take them back" but that's just his code for 'think of me when you get off to the scent of my cologne'. He only takes the sweater back once your perfume overpowers his cologne, and it's then his turn to fantasize about you.

"That's good, doll. It smells like you, now." He presses his face against your chest, inhaling your scent deeply. "Mhm, that's my girl."

You giggle, brushing down strands of his hair with your fingers. You swear you felt something poke you down there while Toji face was pressed into you.

He pushes the bottom of your sweater up, over your midriff, until he sees the bottom of your bra. He kisses up your stomach, sucking a couple marks above your belly button and on your ribs before reaching your bra.

"Fuck, I love that you go shirtless sometimes when you wear my hoodies."

You laugh. "Yeah, my boobs are constant victims to your manhandling."

You play with his hair as he continues to explore your skin, littering more marks on it as he works his way up to removing your bra.

"They call me, baby. Who am I not to answer?" He pushes up the cups of your bra, watching intently as your breasts are exposed. "So soft and pretty, could keep my mouth on them all day if you'd let me."

He squishes the underside of your right boob, mesmerized by its malleability. His lips latch onto your nipple, sucking on the soft skin while his hand paws at the other one. You sigh, wishing you could press your thighs together.

"Fuck," he groans. "So soft, princess. I wanna ruin you."

You look down at him, your fingers still tangled in his hair. "Who's gonna stop you, baby? Me?" You take in his lustful gaze before finishing. "Absolutely not."

You sacrificed yourself to Toji. Your words got to him in a way you didn't think they would, but because of them, he was thrusting in and out of you mercilessly. He enjoyed watching your breasts bounce with every snap of his hips into yours.

"Fuck... fuck, mama," he almost whimpers. "You did this to yourself," he pants. "Was gonna fuck you... all nice and slow this time," he chuckles, breathlessly. "But, you won't ever let me be romantic, so fuck that." His nails dig into your hips when you start arching you back off the mattress.

"Oh my- Toji, Toji, fuck!" You claw at the couch cushion, your fingers shaking as you quickly lose grip.

You see another lightning strike behind Toji, through the window. You have two amazing views combined into one, tonight.

Toji wraps your legs around his waist to keep that strict rhythm in his thrusts. He leans forward, his forearms beside your head like a cage. "Why're you crying? Pretty girl's gonna cum? 'S that what's happening?"

You nod, gasping at his precision inside you. He's abusing his ability to find your sweet spot, torturing you with every roll of his hips. You hold back a sob, your heels digging into his lower back. Toji catches your tears with his lips, savoring the slight saltiness on his tongue. "Who else is gonna fuck you to tears like this?," he mutters into your jaw. "Huh? Who else?" He huffs against your cheek.

You let out a high pitched cry, your abdomen quivering against Toji's. "O-Only... you, T-Toji. Just, you...!"

"Uh-huh. Good girl." His nose drags down your cheek, leading his lips to your neck. "Absolutely no one else," he says before attaching his lips to your delicate skin. He knows you bruise easily so he uses this to his advantage.

"A-Ah... o-ow, Toji," your nails claw at his shoulder blades. You shudder at the sharp pain in your neck and collarbone.

"Hold still, just a couple more." His hips continue rolling into you, slower as he focuses on leaving hickeys on you skin.

"F-Fuck..." you inhale sharply when you feel his teeth on your shoulder.

"Mine," he mumbles beneath your ear. "These..." he presses on the bite mark and the litter of fresh marks on your skin, making you wince, "prove that you are mine."

He straightens his posture but keeps his gaze lowered to meet your dazed expression. Your brows are pinched, and though your eyes are lidded, he can make out tiny hearts in the slivers of your eyes that remain.

"Toji?" you moan.

"Yeah?" He groans, feeling your cunt clench around him.

"Can I," you shudder at the intensity of his green eyes focusing on you, "wanna cum."

He laughs. "How did that go from being a question to being a statement? Try again, doll face."

Your thighs quiver around his hips as he picks up the pace of his thrusts again. "U-Uh... Um..." your eyes roll back for a second. "Fuck, can I cum? Please?" It came out sounding desperate. There was a slight whine in your voice.

"Keep going."

"Toji, please? Please, make me cum. Please."

Your begging was working him towards his own peak, which is why he pushed for more from you.

"How badly do you want it, because to me it doesn't really sound like you want to cum. Convince me, mama."

You felt like tearing out your hair. You were going insane with this solid rhythm of his, holding you inches away from am earth shattering orgasm. Just a little more and you'll be tossed into a pleasurable void.

"Toji, please. Pretty please. Please, I need you to make me cum."

His hips pick up the pace the more you beg, his rapid breathing now audible to you.

"Please... daddy?" You plead, meekly.

That was it. That was enough to get whatever you wanted from Toji. His eyes widened, and for a split second, his soul was in your grasp. You willingly gave it back with twinkling eyes, and in return he made you cum so hard that you thought your spine would snap from how hard you arched off his bed. He buried his face in the crook of your neck, kissing it up as you cried his name out until it didn't sound like a real word anymore.

You felt Toji tremble against you, his hips pulling back before rocking back into you, languidly. All you could hear were little shaky breaths near your ear before feeling his warmth spew inside you. You could hear his strangled groans becoming soft moans as he slowed down.

"F-Fuck, fuck, Toji," you shuddered, tensing up at the sensitivity you felt in your cunt even when he slowed down. He groans, leaving a kiss behind on your shoulder before leaning back to look at you. His dazed expression mirrored your own. He leaned forward one more time to kiss you. It was lazy and sloppy, saliva coating your lips more and more each time they brushed his.

Toji released you, sliding his cock out to see the result of such an amazing fuck. He whistles, impressed by the sight of his cum dripping out of your pussy and onto the couch.

"God, really, Toji?" You can't suppress the smile forming on your lips.

"What? You look stunning, darling. Can feel my dick getting hard again." His hand finds your knee, stroking it gently with his thumb.

"Wait, give me two minutes. Still sensitive." You smile sheepishly.

"Take your time. You're stuck with me 'til the storm passes, anyway."

You smile. "Shouldn't be too long."

"That's cute. You're trynna be gone by tomorrow?" He hisses with fake sympathy, like he's about to break bad news to you. "Tough luck, doll. Forecast says the storm should last the next four days."

[the-fiction-witch]

My Turn

Media The Artful Dodger

Character Jack Dawkins

Couple Jack X Reader

Rating SMUT!

I woke as I often seem to find myself these days, my body laid in the cotton nightie I had worn to bid my mother and father goodnight, I'm honestly a little surprised it was still on me. I was warm and cosy, with a sweet cotton sheet over me, the mattress I laid on firm and functional with a metal bed frame which wasn't the best thing for secrecy as it tended to whine and squeak with every movement in the bed but I get this feeling in my stomach that was somewhat intentional. I laid on my back having turned there in my half awake state as I tended to sleep on my side or even my stomach sometimes, with a strong but slender arm draped over my waist, another I wasn't sure where, his warm body filled the other half of the single bed keeping things toasty and cozy for me, his grip lazier then it began from the tossing and turning and general relaxedness of sleep, I couldn't help but smile to realize I had woken up here again instead of my bed at home.

It may not creak, it may be double the size and may have more blankets then a girl will ever need but it doesn't have Jack. And this one does. Which makes me feel so very happy indeed. 

I began to stir more which seemed to have aroused him too as he began to stir with me until we found each other at the tip of the others nose 

“Good morning” I whispered

“morning, you don't have to whisper you know” he yawned 

“Walls have ears jack.”

“Do they know?” He chuckled “humm I think if these walls could listen, and of course then talk about what they listened, they might have some very interesting stories to tell” he smirked taking my hand intertwined our fingers together and peppering kisses on the top of my hand 

“I don't think those stories would be appropriate for children.” I giggled

“Absolutely not.” He smirked “I think many infact would fine some of them … highly deplorable” 

“Well your a deplorable boy” I giggled 

“Am I now?” He smirked “I'm sure the walls would have a good pile of stories that, if anyone was to hear about such a… innocent young lady, I'm sure they'd find you even more deplorable.” 

“I'm sure of it. Utterly despicable behavior” 

“Humm you're my despicable little darling aren't you?” He smirked finally connecting our lips immediately I tugged on his neck to pull him even closer as his arms wrapped tightly around me leaving me utterly in his grasp and rather unable to escape even if I wanted too, but I couldn't imagine a reason to want to, till he moved down to kiss my jaw, and then down my neck 

“I don't feel my actions would even reach the top twenty of the sortas of deplorable things these walls would speak of” 

“Don't you? Need I remind you, what my little angel was doing to me last night? Or will the meer suggestion of bouncing, bed creaking and … silk scarfs enough to jog your memory?” He smirked stroking his fingers across what little exposed skin I had in this nightie

“I'd hardly call that deplorable?”

“I don't know, a pretty little young lady creeping into a doctor's bedroom, for her to tie his hands to the bed with a silk scarf, strip naked and ride him like your personal  stallion. I don't know if I'd call it deplorable persay”

“What would you call it then?’ I giggled playing with his hair 

“Umm sexy as fuck -” he growled pulling me back to our kiss each kiss now getting more and more intense

“Humm I suppose you could call it that, but then if thats sexy as fuck, then what would we call a certain doctor who brought a young lady into his bed and kept her ankles above his shoulders for an hour and a half”

“i'd call it, a pretty tame Tuesday night” he growled stroking my cheek and kissing me intensely

“I need to go jack, I don't we could get in trouble.”

“We could, in so much trouble.” He growled pulling me back to a kiss and picking up my thigh to wrap it around his hip “tell me you don't want me, and I'll let you go” he smirked pushing up my nightie to stroke my bare leg 

“You know I can't do that” 

“Humm” he smirked “tell me you don't need me, and I'll let you slink on back to that big bed of yours.”

“That's not fair”

“Why not?”

“Because you know I can't” 

“No shame playing a game you know you win” he smirked moving his hand higher and higher “umm you had to wear that nightie didn't you? You know what it does to me darling, seeing you all… buttoned up and hidden away knowing what's under it. Knowing this big tent of a nightie hides the body that makes me cum” he whispered between his harsh kisses down my jaw and neck nibbling with his teeth a little as he tugged at me nightie which was enough for the top of it to get pulled down opening up where the buttons where undone and sitting just off my shoulders “ummm don't tease me” he growled kissing down my neck and now across my exposed chest gently moaning as he did until his hand found the tie of my nightie that would let it drop “there it is.” He gasped 

“No. I need to get back remember’ I told him stopping him from tugging at it 

“I don't recall this conversation” he lied

“Jack I want to stay you know I do but my parents come to look for me and I'm not there all hell will break loose” 

“I know, but…”

“But?”

“You can't just, leave me like this.” He whined “you wound me up so tight last night, you have to let me go, or I might snap” 

“Snap?”

“Humm like last time” he smirked 

“You became some evil little creature” I giggled

“You came here and sucked my dick almost to completion every day for two weeks straight. I'm surprised I didn't crack sooner! You wound me up far to tight darling, I had to let it out somehow.” He smirked “not my fault you wore that little blue dress, you know how good it m akes your … ummmmm” he growled staring at my breasts “and an hour long carriage ride with those things bouncing up and down in that little blue dress, how was I meant to do anything other then what I did”

“Pulling us over and making us two hours late arriving and I lacked a dress”

“You got a new dress didn't you?”

“After my first was torn utterly to shreds” 

“I can't help that you wind me up so much” he smirked his hand moving up to grab my ass “ummm fuck-”

“Jack I have to go, five minutes then I really need to go”

“Five minutes?’ he smirked “one can do an awful lot in five minutes”

“Can you?”

“You know I can” he growled “fine. Five minutes. Which would you rather? Repeating the deplorable conduct of last night, or something quick and loud?”

‘quick”

“Perfect’ he smirked slapping my ass before he pulled me into a heavy kiss till he pulled back ‘you know how this works, be nice and loud for me darling pompous twats in the office today”

“And we're right above him”

‘oh yes we are, so nice and loud for me give him something to be pouty in surgery later” he winked moving down kissing down mt nightie till he met my hips where he quickly grabbed my thighs and forced them apart, he didn't waste a second kissing my inner thigh until he my clit, which he clamped on to and sucked only breaking to kiss and lick leaving me an utter moaning mess gripping the pillow tightly I didn't hold back letting my moans and squeals fall from my lips reacting to his every tongue flick 

“Uhhhhh! Jack please -” I gasped knowing how close I was and already knowing five minutes was out the window I couldn't make him stop not now and even if I asked I doubt he would 

“What's the matter darling? This not despicable enough for you?” He growled before slipping his fingers inside me as he ate me out causing my thighs to clamp on his head and my hand to grab his hair tugging on his hair like crazy 

“Ahhhhhhhhh! Uhhh- jack- please - please!” I begged and he obliged speeding both up which was enough to tip me over “Uhhhh yes! Yes! YES! AHHHHHHH!” I squealed feeling pleasured wash over me he let me ride it out before he pulled back and loomed over me with an amused smile as he saw me sweaty, gasping my breasts almost popped out my nightie, the hem around my stomach, my legs still open and my juices leaking out of me onto his bed he slowly licked his fingers clean then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and then licking that up too 

“Why do you do that?’ I giggled as he got himself a drink of water from the side 

“Why would I wanna waste what tastes so good,” he smirked before he moved to sit on his knees leaning his back against the metal footboard of the bed he opened his knees wide and leant his elbows on the metal frame for the first time this morning I saw his fully naked form seeing just how hard he was “my turn” he smirked 

And I giggled moving to my knees fixing my nightie to expose more of me and crawling over to him 

[verai-marcel]

Your Hearth Is My Home (BG3 Fanfic, Astarion x Female Reader, Part 1 of 27)

Summary: Not every adventurer wields a weapon. You, a hearth witch living near the banks of River Chionthar, are witness to a craft falling from the sky, and wondering if anyone needed assistance, ran down to find survivors. That was your first mistake. Going along with the survivors on their crazy adventure? That was your second mistake. Will you survive your next mistake of letting a hungry vampire bite you?

Author’s Notes: Full disclosure: at this point, I’ve only played through act 2 without romancing Astarion. So why the fuck am I writing some wholesome Astarion x F!Reader? Because I’m dumb and got spoiled on Youtube, and now I can’t stop thinking about the poor guy. Also this is heavily influenced by a couple of wholesome manga (“Life in Another World as a Housekeeping Mage” and “The Forsaken Saintess and her Foodie Roadtrip in Another World”), but I won’t be writing an isekai. You (reader) are from Faerun like everyone else. I’m just here to have some wholesome feels and hurt/comfort. Let’s go go go.

Tags: wholesome, cozy camp time, Astarion x F!Reader, slow burn, good alignment, BG3 Spoilers

Chapter Word Count: 1,843

Ao3 Link here, Darling.

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Act I, Chapter 1 - The Beginning

You are a hearth witch, living on the banks of the River Chionthar, making potions and herbal remedies for the small villages nearby. For the past three years, you’d been happier than you’d ever been in your life. You loved helping people, but you made sure not to reveal your real name, nor why you always wore long sleeves and gloves, even in the middle of summer.

But the nearby villages had been emptying as of late. News of the goblin camp that recently appeared nearby had first scared off the traveling merchants, and then the locals. You realized that you too should leave, otherwise you’d either have no more customers or goblins on your doorstep. You only had a dagger and a few spells that did little in ways of actual damage, so defending yourself against a horde of enemies was out of the question. So you began to pack up, figuring out what you could bring with you, and what needed to be repurchased once you reached your new home, wherever that might be. 

On a warm sunny day, you decided that this would be your last day here. Your pack was filled, your cottage cleaned out. Tomorrow morning, you would take off to the east, following the river to the next closest town. For now, you decided to grab a few more ingredients for the road, and so, you were out by the river bank, gathering fresh herbs and mushrooms. 

A booming sound followed a strong gust of wind that whipped around you, twigs and grass flying everywhere. Then you saw a ship crash nearby, the land and water being torn asunder, debris flung in all directions. After the chaos died down a bit, you went to go check for survivors. You couldn’t, in good conscience, walk away if someone might need help.

That was a poor decision on your part.

The first survivor you found was a young, dark-haired woman, passed out on the shore. She seemed standoffish, but after helping her up and giving her a drink from your waterskin, you convinced her that the best thing to do was to get out of the area and rest at your cottage while she regained her bearings. 

A little while later, the two of you came upon the strange sight of a single arm, sticking out of a glowing purple rune. You and the young woman, Shadowheart, pulled the poor man out. He introduced himself as Gale, and also joined your party.

As the three of you continued back to your cottage, you came across another stranger. Skin as pale as marble and hair to match. Had some scars on his neck. Perhaps he got them on the ship? He seemed harmless enough. Another escapee of the craft that fell from the sky.

That is, until he tricked you into looking for something in the bushes.

If only he hadn’t touched your exposed neck with his bare hand. Then you wouldn’t have felt the fear, underlined by a desperation you knew all too well. 

The leash is cut.

It made you empathize. And that was one rule that had been burned into your mind at a young age. 

Do not empathize with the enemy.

Fortunately, Gale and Shadowheart talked him down from stabbing you. The man even apologized to you, though it seemed more for show than for sincerity. 

Astarion was his name. He introduced himself with aplomb and decorum, and your hackles raised at the sight. A noble.

After a bit more conversation, they agreed that their shared affliction was enough of a reason to travel together and find a cure.

Swallowing down your general prejudice against nobles, you ignored him and made small talk with the others as you led them back to your cottage. 

***

Your cottage had only one room, enough space for your bed, some storage for herbs and tools, and a work table for your alchemy. Most of your things were packed, but you pulled out enough to take care of your guests. 

The yard to the side of the building was set up as a small campground for travelers to rest. You had figured out a couple years ago that for a small fee, traveling merchants would gladly rest on your land where it was safe, while you made them fresh, nourishing meals and cast spells on their bedrolls to make them feel warm and comfortable. You even managed to get a small tub built in the back to provide a warm bath for an extra fee.

It had been a lucrative idea, one that made you enough money to be quite comfortable out here in the sticks.

You may only know a few cantrips, but you had manipulated them beyond what most people did. Your mending cantrip could fix whole swaths of cloth, your prestidigitation cantrip could keep bedrolls warm all night, or baths hot for hours. It was why you had several repeat customers, traveling merchants who would alter their routes to come to your place to rest. 

You told them of the surrounding area and cooked a meal for them, a simple stew with seasonal vegetables and herbs.

The noble said he wasn’t hungry. You supposed your poor peasant food wasn’t to his taste.

He can suit himself.

While the others were eating, you set up the campground. While you were quietly casting the comfort cantrip on each bedroll, you sensed someone watching you.

“Yes?” you asked, biting the inside of your mouth to keep from being snippy.

Astarion stepped closer to you. He remained standing, looking down on your kneeling form. “What an interesting way to use prestidigitation.”

You shrugged. You had nothing to say to a noble. You finished your spell and started to shuffle over to the next bedroll, but he remained standing in your way.

“Do you mind?”

“Not at all, darling.” He didn’t budge.

You let out a short huff and crawled around him. One bedroll left. Ignoring the man, you began the cantrip.

By the time you finished, you looked up to see all three of them watching you.

“What?” you asked, a little disturbed by the attention.

“I hadn’t thought to use that cantrip like this before,” Gale said as he knelt down to touch the bedroll. “How long does it last?”

“All night,” you responded, feeling a little proud of yourself.

Shadowheart was already crawling into the bedroll. “This feels amazing.” She buried herself into the cloth. “It feels like I’m sleeping on a warm cloud.”

Gale shrugged and followed suit. “Gods, you’re right.” He sat up and looked at you. “I don’t know how you manipulated that spell, but it’s absolutely brilliant.”

You felt a zing of joy. Your little custom cantrip impressed a wizard!

The noble watched you for a few more moments before he too, crawled into a bedroll. His eyes widened slightly. “Oh. My, this is rather comfortable.”

You jutted out your chin, but refrained from being too catty about it. Instead, you switched to being polite. 

“Sweet dreams,” you said to everyone, and went about cleaning up around camp. By the time you were done, the three of them were fast asleep.

***

The motley crew thanked you and took off in the morning to explore the area, seemingly never to return.

You looked around at your unpacked things, and decided that it wouldn’t hurt to start off tomorrow morning instead.

Your plans were sidetracked once more, however, when the group returned that evening with a fourth member, grouchy and prickly as a threatened porcupine. After a couple of bowls of your herbal soup, she became a little bit less prickly. Lae'zel was her name, and she punctuated her Common speech with her Githyanki tongue. You found it a bit endearing, the way one finds a stray animal that always hisses at you endearing. 

You cast a warming spell on their bed rolls once more, burned incense to keep the insects away, and made sure they were all comfortable in your little camp area outside of your cottage before going to bed.

The next morning, you got up early to make breakfast for them before they left to explore the ruins that they had found the day before. As you checked your rabbit traps, you noticed one of them was tripped, but the rabbit within was a mere husk, as if it had been dehydrated. 

Curious. 

You reset your trap and returned to camp.

“What’s that?” Shadowheart asked when she saw the husk of a corpse in your hand.

“A dried up rabbit.”

“That doesn’t sound appetizing,” Lae’zel remarked. 

You shrugged. “I can at least sell the pelt later. Sorry, you’ll have to make do with another vegetable stew tonight.” You furrowed your eyebrows. “That is, if you’re coming back here.”

The four adventurers looked at each other.

“I think we’ve taken advantage of your hospitality long enough,” Gale said. We’ll start heading west from here.”

*** 

The group had finally left, and you had finished packing. You had been delayed by their arrival, but no longer. They truly seemed gone now, with the sun setting and no sign of their return. Tomorrow for sure. Tomorrow, early in the morning, you would set off—

You heard your name being called. Off in the distance, you could see Gale, waving sheepishly at you, followed by the others. 

You sighed. Biting back your annoyance, you smiled and waved back. A customer was a customer. At least this group was entertaining, and quite generous with their gold. And this time, they brought you back some boar meat.

There was one new face, a man with a stone eye. He introduced himself as the Blade of the Frontiers, Wyll. He seemed nice, charismatic even. Someone who had the manners of a noble but the heart of a commoner.

They set up camp once more in your yard, and you unpacked just enough of your supplies to make them a meal. 

"You look like you're ready to go on a journey," Gale commented as you all sat around the campfire, eating a boar roast with herbed potatoes.

"I'm moving. Many people have moved away because of the increase in goblins in the area, and a lot of my business has dried up. And having goblins this close doesn't make me feel all too safe."

“Any plans on where?”

You shrugged. “Not really. I was just going to travel until I found a place to settle.”

"Well, why don't you come with us?" 

Everyone looked at Gale in shock, but then they all looked at you. 

"You do make camp much more comfortable," Shadowheart finally said. 

“And one of us would be standing guard at camp as well, so you would be safe,” Wyll added.

You saw no reason to decline. You liked most of them, save for one snotty noble. A constant flow of income would be nice, for once. You negotiated a decent wage and agreed to head out with them at first light.

That, dear hearth witch, was your second poor decision.

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Chapter End Notes:

Yeah, I basically made up a “hearth witch” class as a combo of druid, wizard, and cleric, but hey, welcome to Dungeons & Dragons, where homebrew classes happen all the time. Hope you enjoyed the fic! I'm actively working on the next chapter!

Update 4/4/24: All chapters are here!

Act I - Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12

Act II - Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | 

Act III - Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 (18+) | Part 28 (END)

[xanadontit]

Dear Care and Feeding.

My husband and I have a delightful, inquisitive 4-year-old daughter, “Bree,” who has a nut allergy. We have been able to manage this fairly well, but the problem is my in-laws. They were careless about nuts to the point that we had to stop coming over to their place. My father-in-law keeps a bowl of peanuts or trail mix on the end table next to the couch, and never remembered to remove them before we arrived for a visit. Even worse, my mother-in-law believes Bree’s allergy is something she will outgrow over time and even thinks she can be “cured” if she is exposed to nuts in small doses, because she read about people overcoming allergies through exposure therapy on the internet. After Bree nearly ate some peanut butter M&M’s my FIL forgot to put away on our last visit to my in-laws’ place I put my foot down. I said until they were willing to take my daughter’s safety more seriously, we would not be coming over to their house. My husband grumbled that he thought I was overreacting, but went along with it. My in-laws were very chilly for a couple of weeks, but eventually agreed to the new arrangement.

I thought we had resolved the problem, but I was wrong. When my in-laws visited our home last month, I left Bree watching TV with her grandmother while I went to check the mail. I came back to find my MIL in a panic, my FIL on the phone with 911, and Bree on the floor nearly purple and gasping …

I realized she was having an allergic reaction and immediately gave her a shot with the EpiPen I carry with me at all times. Within several heart-stopping minutes Bree was breathing better. The EMTs came and took her to the hospital in an ambulance while we followed behind.

While we were waiting for the doctors to update us at the hospital, my MIL told me she had given Bree a small piece of a Snickers bar. She said she thought Bree could overcome her nut allergy if she ate a little each day. My husband had to practically hold me back. I shouted at her that she had nearly killed my daughter and as far as I was concerned, we were done with both her and my FIL. My MIL huffed that she was only trying to make it so Bree could have a normal life and stalked out of the hospital with her husband on her heels.

It’s been over a month now, and my husband has been trying to facilitate a reconciliation between us. He acknowledges that what his mother did was wrong and dangerous, but still tries to defend her by saying “that’s how she is,” and pointing out that she never intended to harm Bree. I have told him that I will never be able to trust his parents around our daughter again. His mother hasn’t even so much as apologized. He thinks I am being too harsh and am taking this too far. Please tell me I’m not.

—Am I Nuts?

Dear Nuts,

No, you are neither being too harsh nor taking this too far. You made it abundantly clear to your in-laws what the rules were regarding your daughter and her allergies. Because they read too much online baloney and like to imagine they know better than anyone else, they broke them on purpose, put her life at risk, and don’t even seem to feel that bad about it. They suck! You are right and he is wrong. I hope this makes you feel better.

But it does you no good to feel better now and still have your husband claiming you’re overreacting, even in the aftermath of your child nearly dropping dead. It does you no good to be the lone voice in the wilderness. You need him on your side.

It’s possible that he finds your daughter’s nut allergy so frightening—and it is frightening!—that he’s desperate to grasp at any straw that suggests she might “get over it.” Combine that with an unwillingness to confront his parents, and you might have a dad who’s feeling just torn enough not to know how to handle this mess. Sit down with your husband and explain exactly how you feel about what his parents did, and how you feel about how he is not supporting you—or, honestly, even protecting his own daughter. Feel free to wave a printout of this advice column to help make your case.

Maybe, down the line, you’ll decide together to reintroduce his parents into their granddaughter’s life. (I know it feels like you never will want to, but there are such wonderful rewards for a child in having a relationship with even totally objectionable grandparents.) If so, there will be conditions, and whatever those conditions are, he’d better be on board for conveying them, in no uncertain terms, to his amateur-immunologist parents—and making clear to them that there will be no divergence from those rules.

******************

I'm sorry but what the FUCK is Dan Kois' problem? The dad/husband fucking sucks which tracks because he comes from fucking sucky stock and I'm failing to understand what "wonderful rewards" await this poor child from "having a relationship with even totally objectionable grandparents" unless he means "heavenly rewards" because they seem intent on killing their granddaughter.

Can you imagine being this kid?

"Hey, Mom, why did you let Grandma and Grandpa around me? They were constantly feeding me peanuts and I ended up in the hospital every Christmas."

"Oh, a complete moron advice columnist said it would be good for you. Somehow. Hey, you were great at calling 911 and not all kids can say that!"

ETA: And what's with all the sympathizing with the dad because he's just so sad his kid has an allergy and doesn't know what to do?! You don't let the kid eat peanuts/peanut products and you keep the kid away from people who purposely do that. He doesn't need to get an MD and cure food allergies for all of mankind. Christ.

Would love to hear @sequinedably's thoughts on this one.

[nightghoul381]

Do as I Do ~ Alfons Sylvatica (POV) x Reader

Entry number 4 in @judejazza's An Invitation to Crown Castle event!

Pairing: Alfons Sylvatica (POV) x Reader Prompt: Matching Together Genre: Spicy edging on Smut so MDNI CW: semi-public touching WC: 1.5k

“Hey Al,”

Your voice draws my attention from my daydreaming as we lay together entwined on my bed.

“Hmm?”

“I don’t know why… but I was thinking, since your curse is the mirror, don’t you think it might be fun to mirror what the other does for the day? Like, if I eat something, you eat it too. Or if you wear something, I would wear it too?”

I can’t hold back the bark of laughter at your oh-so-innocent musings. I’m unable to deny that the thought is interesting, however, my mind tends to dwell in the darkness and my own ideas are far less naïve and simple.

“I must say, you’ve come up with quite an interesting idea. I think it would be fascinating to see how closely we can stick to matching each other,” I sigh, letting a wicked smile grace my lips.

“What say we up the ante on this little game? The first to refuse to mirror the other has to allow the other to do with them as they wish for the evening. What do you say?” I murmur enticingly.

“You’re on!” You giggle, staring into my eyes. “One rule though, no using your ability on me got it? I won’t have you making me believe you’re doing everything I’m doing while I’m the only one who actually has to participate.”

The sternness in your gaze for such a simple game is almost comical. Your stubborn streak surely means that I won’t be able to convince you otherwise, not that I want to. I’m very curious to see what you could come up with to try and trip me up.

“Alright then, sweet girl. Show me what you’ve got,” I taunt.

“Ten minutes, meet me in the foyer!” You grin, slipping free from my arms and quickly redressing before heading out the door.

“My, my, someone’s got an idea already,”

**

I am quite surprised when I see you in the foyer just a few minutes later with an outfit strikingly similar to my own. I recognize my shirt and see that you’ve taken one of my spare coats, given how long it is on you. The skirt you’ve paired it with though, I must admit, is eye-catching and hugs your hips in just the right way.

“I see, the game has begun before I’d even been aware,” I chuckle, offering my arm.

“I matched you, so next you’ll have to match what I do.”

“Very well, what will it be?”

Hours slip by as we gradually increase the difficulty of our actions to be mirrored. A flower tucked into your hair is matched with one in my own, a strong drink of brandy by myself mirrored surprisingly easily by you. So on and so forth and here we are now, our bodies now matching in an entirely new way.

You tug me to sit beside you on a bench in the park.

“I’m really surprised you didn’t give in with this!” You giggle, resting your right side against my left. Of course, it would be your right because on your left ear is a fresh piercing, mirrored by one on my right.

“Oh, you don’t seem to understand, I’m going to have my way with you tonight, my dear. I only suggested such a prize as I knew it was mine,” I reply nonchalantly.

“Yeah right. What’s your next move then? I’ve matched you perfectly so far, you’ll have to do something truly outrageous for me to give up now!”

Oh, that foolish, wayward determination of yours… I want to corrupt you so, so very much.

“Ah, yes. The next task is actually quite simple,” I reply, shrugging out of my coat. I watch as you do the same, still looking so bold and sure of yourself.

When you notice my fingers coming up to flick each button of my shirt open, you start off with the first couple, but as your chest becomes exposed, I can’t help but relish the hesitation in your movements.

“Alfons, we’re in public. Surely you don’t mean to have me expose myself like this…” You hiss.

“That’s precisely what I mean to do,” I reply, freeing the last of my buttons and leaving the front of my shirt completely open.

I pause to watch, pleasantly surprised when you slowly unbutton the rest of your shirt. Unfortunately for you, I haven’t finished my turn.

With a dark smirk, I slowly pull my shirt free of my trousers, sliding it off my shoulders with a sly wink.

“Al! There are people here!” You squeak, staring at my body with thinly veiled appreciation.

“And?”

Your face is bright red as you glance around the park. Your hands slowly move toward the top of your shirt, only to clasp the two sides together. I notice the gaggle of older ladies squawking to each other and shooting us offended glares.

One of the bolder of the group makes her way over to us and, in a shrill voice, begins screaming at us.

“Never in all my days have I seen such a blatant display of vulgarity! And in such a public place! It’s offensive and I ought to contact the authorities and have you institutionalized! Right yourselves and leave at once!”

The old bat’s drawn the attention of other park goers and I can see your face drain of color as more and more eyes fall upon us.

“I believe we’ll have to call our little game here, my darling.” I state grandly, pulling my shirt back on before reaching to fasten the buttons on yours. You merely sit in stunned silence as the gathering crowd of people encroaches on us. A shame too, I was really hoping to enjoy the sun on your breasts for a moment.

You remain silent, staring at your feet and letting your hair fall like a curtain in front of your face. I’m surprised you’re so disturbed, I’d been able to affix your buttons prior to the majority of people had even had a moment to see your briefly exposed skin.

Hailing a carriage, I bundle you inside and as soon as we begin moving, I pin you to the seat below me.

“Now, now, little robin. You’re acting quite disturbed for someone who wasn’t exposed to prying eyes,” I purr, tracing my nose along your jawline. “Tell me why that is…?”

I hear a disgruntled huff and glance up to meet your gaze.

“I… I lost because of that stupid old lady,” you pout, eyes darting away, telling me there’s something else you’re not telling me.

“Oh, is that all? I already told you, my delicious little pet, I was always going to win. There’s no need to be so upset about it.”

You then mumble something I just barely can’t make out, prompting me to push you just a little further. My tongue traces the length of your neck, curving up toward your ear before I nip lightly.

“I’m afraid I didn’t quite catch that. Care to repeat?” I whisper, purposely letting my breath hit your ear in such a way to cause a shiver to run through your body.

“All those people saw you… I… I didn’t like that.”

I must say I’m taken aback by the sudden possessiveness. You’ve never much been one for keeping me to yourself, in fact we’ve both been quite open with sharing our intimate experiences with others, and yet, the sensation flowing through my veins at your admission is nearly intoxicating.

“Is that so?”

My voice is low and dark and I groan softly at the way your body shudders beneath me. I let one of my hands travel down your side, skimming past your hips and slowly pushing up the bottom of your skirt.

“Mmhmm,” you whimper, clinging to my shoulders, body tight with anticipation.

I let out a heavy breath against your neck as my gloved fingers find their way over your panties… or rather, lack-there-of. Heat flares in my veins as my fingertips draw such precious little whines from you as they dance across your sensitive flesh.

“You naughty little minx,” I growl, suckling at your throat as I continue to stroke your slit, feeling the vibrations of your whimpers against my lips and tongue.

“A-Alfons, please…” you breathe, hips squirming for more.

“Ah-ah. I already won I’m afraid. And as it is the evening, I believe my prize to do as I wish with you begins now. I do hope you’re prepared.”

I continue to toy with your sensitive spots until the carriage finally reaches Crown Castle, stopping only to bring you to my room where we shall remain for the rest of the night. How eagerly I look forward to hearing you scream my name well into the morning.

Taglist: @judejazza @natimiles @aquagirl1978 @themiscarnival

If you'd like to be added to my taglist, feel free to let me know

[taggedmemes]

SENTENCE MEME BALDUR'S GATE 3 / PART THREE

i heard what happened.

thank you for protecting the child.

we can risk violence here or face it for certain on the road.

a low thought, but i'd be lying if i said i hadn't considered it.

i'm not some murderer for hire.

to get these people to safety, there's nothing i won't do.

if your people survived that, they'll survive anything.

it's unusual for them to organize so cleverly.

you're equal to the task.

try not to keel over with the first blade drawn.

might not look it, but we're tough.

there's optimism and then there's stupid.

how are you going to take my gold if you're dead?

just leave the gold on my corpse.

i wish we could at least give them a proper burial.

gold ain't any use if you're too cold to spend it.

you're giving up?

you should leave it, or destroy it.

at best it's worthless. at worst, who knows.

do not trifle with that moon witch or her trinkets.

only trouble will follow.

we've enough troubles and burdens as it is.

perhaps you can sell that for a couple of coins.

i should pluck your eyes out.

a cursed book? how obvious.

this quarrel sours our feast.

be you friend or food?

am i not astonishing?

i am by all accounts a student of higher commerce and extortion.

it's not what it looks like, i swear.

i wasn't going to hurt you.

i can't believe i didn't see it.

i'm not some monster.

why didn't you tell me?

i needed you to trust me.

you can trust me.

do you think you could trust me just a little further?

let's make ourselves comfortable, shall we?

i was just swept up in the moment.

i'm looking forward to seeing you fight.

you're invigorating, but i need something more filling.

this is a gift, you know. i won't forget it.

good morning. how do you feel?

i just feel a little woozy.

i thought you'd be more powerful.

someone, or something, wants me alive.

as for my other quirks — well, we can figure those out in time.

i'm just glad you're being sensible about these revelations.

i was worried people might turn up with torches and pitchforks.

that explains the pallor.

we're each monsters in the making.

i taste absolutely awful.

we need him, like it or not.

we're bound together, no matter what comes.

you say all the right words, but i'm not so sure you mean the right things.

i will respect the decision that was made.

we're all friends again.

there's a long day ahead of us.

what a manner of place is this?

is this a path to redemption or a road to damnation?

your journey is just beginning.

what would suit the occasion?

i am [name], very much at your service.

if you want to threaten me, don't disguise it.

you're paranoid, aren't you.

must be the surroundings.

rather bleak and lonesome, one feels so exposed.

this quaint little scene is decidedly too middle-of-nowhere for me.

enjoy your supper. after all, i might be your last.

are these theatrics leading somewhere?

are you not entertained?

far be it from me to disappoint.

how dear is one's soul?

you're made if you think i'll make a deal with a devil.

what is madness but a denial of reality?

exhaust every possibility until none are left.

when hope has been whittled down to the very marrow of despair, that's when you'll come knocking on my door.

i'll have the last laugh in the end.

one might say you're a paragon of luck.

i've something important to discuss with you.

we've been travelling together for a while now and it's just about time that i shared something with you.

are you telling me you're addicted to magic?

i would not burden anyone other than myself with this were the stakes not so high.

if not out of the simple goodness of your heart, then perhaps your own self-interest might be sufficient motivation.

please, trust me.

your help could be the difference between life and death.

i'm afraid that's not going to work on me.

let us agree on actions first and explanations later.

i didn't come seeking battle.

you're different than the others, i can tell.

i'm afraid proper thanks must wait.

your boldness is a blessing.

it takes more than mere fire to break me.

i must ask again for your aid.

why entrust this to me?

i know him better than most.

i'm not interested in your lineage.

you shouldn't keep secrets like this from me.

he named me friend, and that meant the world.

they're a powerful friend with a keen interest in privacy.

i'm sworn to say no more.

i spent more time dueling than rubbing elbows with lords.

not to say i didn't develop a taste for good win and a talent for courtly dance.

it's been a badger's age since i've twinkled my toes.

a drunk ogre could put on a better show.

we can learn a lot from fairytales, don't you think?

he'll require of you only what you're least ready to part with, and then require more still.

the devil won't take just anything, he'll take everything.

that is a story reserved for lifetime friends and calmer days.

i question the wisdom in that decision but so be it.

there's no way you could have known.

i doubt a fight against them would go your way.

seems you have good survival instincts.

i go my own way — alone.

[spaceless-vacuum]

YESS I saw your requests open and I had to ask this

Can I have yandere playtonic ganondorf's x CHILD mute reader

Like the the little girl if From abuse family but falls into Link universe and see the all the ganondorf and is in aww cuz she likes them and is her favorite character. And like a duckling she fallows them. And the links find out about her and she quick runs blowing her wishlist for her dad's help cuz scary links are here and trying to take her away.

( I am mute and I really like gagon a lot it was hard to choose but I always use him as a father role model I don't know why

Fron mute sand 🦭 Anon

The blessings of the goddesses came in all different shapes and sizes. Many could not feel their energies still laying in the earth waiting for someone to wake it. Maybe it was because of his dark descent into madness in his past lives. It was possible that after all these years all that time spent with the triforce of power had granted him power even without it being with him. Whenever he felt useless or like it was all over he made the trip to find what it was that he had lost.

At that time he had been granted passage back to his homeland. Many people had ignored him as he boarded the ship and made his way across the waves. It was the rebirth. The waking up knowing who he was and what he would have to do was weighing heavy on him. It had been  such a long time since he last woke up he was unsure of what to do. A couple of months ago he had landed on these shores and now he had to find a place to settle and take control.

The people could complain all they wanted but there were bigger issues to work on. There were always things to complain about here. There was always something to do. The work here was never over.

Din’s blessing was an unusual one. She offered him the power to never have to fight alone. The minions of darkness are the first many seem to think of when they imagine him summoning his forces. These were the foes people tended to think of when he asked for aid. They were a problem. Not things you wanted to deal with often or at all if you could help it. It would not be happening here. Not until everything was settled and there were no other options. They were the last ones to answer his calls.

The second are the foul sorcerers who roam the land. Those who are always looking for an ounce of power they can reach for no matter how high the cost. A few joined him because there was no other option. As walls were torn down and the days of reckoning here the god king left few alive in his wake and many felt that they had no other choice. Everyone has a price.

The third, as all things rotten and blessed come in three, are his warriors. The homelands' shores rest far from Hyrule and he longs for the days where his army full of warriors ready to follow any order stood proudly as he raised the order to go across the great sea to leave his mark on the lands of Hyrule. Gerudo woman were proud and stubborn. Getting them over to his side meant working his way back to the top and reminding everyone why he was the one in charge of it all in the first place.

A challenge but a welcome one. The years of fighting and torment had left a stain on the political landscape. He was well versed in it but right now it was something to tread lightly into. As it stands- he is alone- on the banks of an oasis. The cold howling wind picked sand up and threw it against this exposed skin. Thoughts of who will hear his call and come over throw themselves in the air and are picked up along with the wind. Until all that is left is the cold. Cold and uncaring.

Ganondorf hesitates for a moment. The thought that a wizard like Vatti might show up instead of anyone helpful would be a nasty surprise. He had only so much patience to spare. He had nothing to offer anyone right now. His taste had been worn down since he crossed the sea. Not all the minions of darkness could recognize their old master's new form. His control over them would not show unless he lost himself to the curse. There were no plans to do that anytime soon. Yet it had its benefits. He found that the sands were more troublesome than he last remembered. 

A claw from some creature had caught his leg in an ambush. The wound did not look to be infected. The blood had stopped but he knew he had to go get it looked at soon or else it would only get worse. It burned and some sand had gotten into it already. He was hoping for a lone rider who would show up with supplies. Even a blobokin would be ok. They at least would have supplies back at their camp. Even a kind vai could be convinced to share some information on where the nearest town was.

It’s not like he was on the run. He just didn't want to be seen. To announce his presence would give his enemies the time to prepare against him. If people started to talk then it wouldn't be long before word spread and these conditions were not ideal. He was hoping to find a good foothold to settle into before grabbing at his power. This way no one could try to stop him until it was already too late. That and he needed to rest and figure out just what was going on in his own country before trying to do anything more. That and the need to survive in the rough desert was already taking the toll on him; and who knew when his help would arrive. In many instances it wasn't something that worked within his understanding.

“Let's get this done.” Ganondorf stood up from the water and walked to his right back down the path, meaning to continue his journey. Whatever help would come would show up when the gods intended it to. It was then he saw the shadow.

Slowly making its way up the path they walked slowly as if wounded or exhausted. They were short, at best they were an older kid but there was no easy way to tell. The sun had burnt them surly and they looked miserable as they made their descent to the meagre watering hole that could hardly be called an oasis. The person took their time to approach. Looking down until they finally managed to lift their head and wave hello to the stranger.

One heavy leg in front of another you walked alone through the desert for who knows how long before making it here, to the only oasis in miles. This was not the safest place to be either. The source of water here was small and prone to drying up and was not settled by. Only a few days north was a town which was by a river. It was still a few days away but it made all the difference in the world to be able to stop here first. All it took was one look. He knew there was no way this kid would survive on their own. Hell, he had been in their shoes before. Fighting to survive in a world that he would make his own one way or another. He never stopped fighting and that was his issue; but who would fight for you? You were a child and could not understand the world and all the pain it could bring.

They rubbed their eyes and stared at him as he approached. Ganondorf hoped he wasn't too imposing. He was taller than most and tended to scare others when he approached. YOu were either too tired to care or couldn't even notice the possible danger due to your own weariness. His own supplies were short but not so much that he couldn't offer help. He knelt down in front of you to cut down on the scare factor. You were a kid. He hadn't seen another person for a few hours now. Who left you here on your own?

“Are you ok little one?” You nodded, and then hesitated a moment. Looking around at the sand in front of you, around you, and behind you. You then looked back at him and shook your head; letting out a sigh you stood there awkwardly. Not sure what to do to convey what you needed or wanted to someone new. Ganondorf stood up and thought about this for a moment. He was already so sure that you would be by his side from now on, he didn't need to think twice about it; but he had just used his saving grace just a moment ago. This was such a sheer coincidence that it could only be called divine intervention. He asked for a miracle and one was given. 

You were to be raised by him. That much was already decided. If there was anything ou needed he would get it for you. The whole world would fall if only to bring a smile to your face. He'd drag the moon out of orbit if it would keep you happy. He had to change course. The nearest town was not that far away. It was better than out here and from there the two of you could charter a boat and move to the capitol.  It was alright if you didn't know what was going on. He would raise you as his own and have you by his side while he ruled.

Ganondorf stood back up and smiled at you before handing you his canteen. He had just filled it up and would gladly do so again before heading back out. You needed it more than him.

“How long have you been wandering alone?” He looked behind you for a glimpse of someone else, a family member or retainer, anyone he could sink his teeth into to vent his anger. No child should be left alone, especially not in a place like this. Did they not understand how dangerous it could be? He watched you shug and it seemed like you were alone this whole time. He could only hope that the people who left you were on their way to meet their end on their own. It was only fitting. 

The idea of raising a kid again was exciting. Some of his best days were when he was working as a father and taking on the role of responsibility. He was always happiest when surrounded by a family. Even if he did seem grumpy he had a good heart. You two made it to the small amount of water and you handed the canteen back to him, it was now empty. He filled it back up in the water and tilted the lid so you could see inside.

“Look here. This is the canteen's water filter. It's so you don't have to worry about how clean the source is. Just replace it when it stops working and make sure to always clean what you're drinking, ok?.” You nod and he stands up. Happy to be able to pass along information on how to live here. You may not be gerudo but that's ok. They'll happily take you in as his kid just as he has. He chuckles. You're such a sweet kid he feels blessed to have you here. He now knows what he has to do. He can do the math about a lost kid and a warrior who needs someone to mentor. Walking away from the oasis and to the north he explains things about living here.

Don't travel during midday or midnight. It gets too hot or too cold and you have to shift focus on surviving rather than making progress. He talks about the towns and where they're located. He knows how to hunt game and can prepare food for the two of you; but he curses himself for not bringing more supplies. He likes to travel light but with you around it makes him realise that he should have been more prepared. He wasn't expecting you to show up but the gods always give you what you need and not what you want.

Ganon starts to relax as a few hours pass and he realises you're not going anywhere. Not that you'd be able to make it on your own but it takes a weight off of his shoulders to know that you'll stay by his side. It's too dangerous to wander off. In a day or two you'll be both behind walls safe and tucked away. Until then it will be rough travel. He continues to teach you the basics. Explaining and pointing things out to help you understand the area. The idea of you being able to run off on your own makes him just about as angry as he's ever been but he has to accept that in a climate like this not giving someone the knowledge they need to survive is a death sentence. This is also a good way for him to scare you into staying by his side. You can't leave if you're too scared of what's out there.

He starts to talk about monsters and avoids telling any stories that will give you nightmares, but does stress how dangerous it is, even on the roads. His leg is still wounded but it's nothing noticeable but you blanch at seeing it and he warns you to always stay by his side so he can care for you.

“You're there for me and I will be here for you. I have people to lead and plans to fulfil, but I will make sure you have a life here alongside the one I have planned. I swear that.”

. . .

“Please tell me why we have to come out this far?” Wind was the most miserable out of all of them, even Time had left all of his armour in favour of cooler clothes but the pirate was not used to the desert or heat like this. He hadn't stopped complaining since they entered the desert. At first he seemed more open to the idea of something new. Excited to explore a region he had never seen before. Now he was regretting ever travelling with the group in the first place. He was drenched in sweat and was the second most miserable person here.

“I don't know, I wasn't the one who opened the portal in the first place!” Legend said, snark evident in his tone. He had been the one to call for everyone to run after the darkness in the first palace. They hadn't seen any enemies for a few hours at this point and the only point of respite had been a small pool of water no bigger than a pond. It was starting to dry out but it was water. They needed that. It was deep enough to splash onto their faces to help cool off. That was all that mattered.

“Be serious you two.” Sky mumbled. He was either handling the heat well or too out of it to focus, it was hard to tell as the look on his face was always a bit distant. This heat was getting to everyone. Maybe some less than others but it was hard to tell.

“I am serious.” legend bit back. This morning he was snarky but not like this. The heat made him rude. More so than usual. Everyone's tensions were high but he placed a few of them through the rough.

“Be quiet there might be molduga around.” Wild said, he was holding his slate and staring at the screen. There was nothing but static on the map section but he seemed to not be giving up hope as they were by his home last.

“If your slates are not working it's not your Hyrule.” Time muttered.

“Sure, but are we so sure they don't exist elsewhere.” Wild countered, not yet convinced that they were safe to be making so much noise.

“I never saw one.” Hyrule spoke up. He was something of an expert on monsters having faced so many, but even his knowledge had limits and being sent through time seemed to test his skills more than anything. This fact seemed to dawn on him and he corrected himself a moment later. “I've never actually been to a desert this big so I don't think I would ever have had a chance to see one. Ignore that last statement.”

“So do we need to find a map or should one of us scout ahead and see what’s waiting at the end of this road?” Warrior finally spoke up. He had ditched the scarf and most of his armour to avoid the heat but was not yet convinced they were safe enough to let their guard down. They hadn't seen Dink since they went through the portal and there wasn't much room for him to run. He was either following them, safe and sound somewhere they missed, or had opened another portal and left them out to dry stranded in the desert with no hope of help left to be sucked dry if they didn't find a way out. That didnt mean Warrior felt safe enough to take his leathers off.

“No way to get a map without a town.” Sky pointed out. Stumped, they all had only one choice, and that was to keep walking. The road had to lead somewhere and there must be a friendly face or at least half friendly for them to talk to.

. . .

Don't talk to strangers. Be in bed before dark. Don't go anywhere without telling me where and why. Dont journey outside of the town's limits. Kill anyone who gets too close to you. You counted all the rules you were breaking in your head as you broke them. There were quite a few but you knew them all by heart by now. You had no idea why you had decided to sneak out at night and make your way down the road. There weren't any monsters to fight and all was peaceful. There was nothing for you to expect out here. Not that fighting was why you left, it was just getting to be so boring cooped up in the town all day and night. Gandad, a nickname that had earned a chuckle before, was never harsh or cruel. He just wanted to avoid you getting hurt. He was aware of your unique situation because you were not only an outlander, but an outworlder. 

You followed him around everywhere and earned yourself the nickname of duck or duckling. If anyone needed to know where you were it was about three feet behind Ganon. You often found yourself tucked into his coat falling asleep while he talked or did his work. He had a kingdom to establish and run but not everything was as right as rain. There was always something he had to get done and more often than not he was busy. He never minded bringing you into meetings and no one ever argued or said anything against it. You were considered his child and as such was treated as one of the clan.

You never spoke but you didn't need to. The people here understood sign language and you had gotten verbal cards with simple phrases written on them when you were out and about. That was when you were alone. Ganondorf spoke for you most of the time. He’d gotten used to how you acted and was able to understand you just fine. He has joked around and said he had a connection with a certain silent hero and was used to being able to read emotions off of someone to understand them. He had always danced around the subject of Link, but he always spoke about him quietly and in a low voice. As if he could hear him from even this far away.

The stress of knowing that Zelda or Link could find out about him being alive again at any point must wear on his nerves. He lessened his worries by diving head first into work and making sure there were less ticking bombs around. Checking in on his people and finding out what they needed and how to strengthen them was his first and topmost priority; and you were included in his family now. Which meant making sure you were ok was also the most important thing. Ganondorf was genuinely a good father. A proud dad who loved to spend quality time with you. Even when you broke the rules he was never harsh or mean. He could never raise his voice or yell which put you at ease. The rules were there for a reason and he was worried about you all of the time. A cold fear that he may one day lose you.

The road was stretched out into the distance. All was quiet. There was nothing outside and the air was filled only with the sound of wind and bigs. That was until a new noise joined the march. Something low and angry. A group was silhouetted against the sky. You couldn't tell what they were or how many. It could be travellers. Passersby who were simply heading into town. It could also be a group of monsters! Ready to attack anyone unlucky enough to bump into them on the road. Your hand went to the dagger at your hip. Ready to defend yourself should any trouble start. Dad had always stressed that you were not to be around strangers or to go out far enough to encounter monsters. 

You were not good with a dagger but you could handle it well enough. Dad had enjoyed teaching you to defend yourself and was always proud when you picked up a weapon. He would never allow you to fight but he was a warrior himself and loved passing the practice down. Truth be told you were better at hand to hand combat but that would not help if the group travelling were monsters. It all depended on who was there ahead of you.

You recalled the meeting this morning. A group of gerudo warriors had come in and said that they were having more troubles with the group of local lizalfos. It was not uncommon for them to fight with the woman here with dad around he should be able to talk with them. No one wanted them near the town; and collecting them into his army would only mean more mouths to feed. Enlisting them was better than sending a platoon to wipe them out however. The monsters aren't always good to have around but they aren't always bad either. The ethics of the situations and how far he can stretch his powers were up for debate and talked about into the later hours of the day.

You knew that it had to be something related to that so you carefully took your hand off of your weapon to make sure you were less of a threat to either the soldiers or the hopefully more friendly monsters and kept walking forward. You ran over the items you brought along and stopped on a whistle that Ganon gave you. He told you to use it if you were ever in danger and you hadn't had to yet but you wanted to be safe. Something told you that dad could hear it from all the way out here even if he was still sleeping.

You walked further and one of the people seemed to have spotted you too. They raised a hand above their head and started waving frantically. Whoever it was saying something. You could make out more now. There were about seven of them, maybe more in the back of the group. All of them were tall and carried weapons strapped to their back. They couldn't be from town. They were men. Unfamiliar men at that. Something feels wrong. Like you are now being watched by somebody behind you. The group of men are still approaching and you clutch the whistle in both hands.

The adventures had seen you and mistook you for another hylian. Comforted by the thought that they were close to town or could at least ask for directions they made their way closer. First one, then three, and now seven people all hurtling towards you. Worry starts to fill you starting as a pine prickle on your spine and settling into the knowledge that if your dad saw them you'd all be in so much trouble. Tucking your hands into your pants pockets you stand there ready to answer their questions. Scratch that, if your dad saw them they'd be dead. Dead within a second.

…

I had some trouble trying to figure out how to end it and to connect the plot threads together but I think I did an ok job. I wanted to show Ganon’s yandere tendencies while cementing that he is still a good dad because let's be real here he has a conscience and wouldn't ever put his kid in danger. I didn't add this but the Links would be so dead. Poison in their food. Assassins sent to slay them in their sleep. Their bodies left for the rats. Ganon cant stand them and certainly not near his kid. He doesn't want to hurt you and will apologise and comfort you but there's no way he could leave them alive. Good or not that many men? Around his child? No. no. dead within seconds. Everyone in town knows you're off limits and who knows what those strangers would have done with a lost child alone, at night no less. For your safety they are gone with a snap of his fingers. Food for the scorpions.

taglist: @monkeyking-and-liuer-mate

[acaplaya-musings]

Voiceplay-adjacent Visuals: Jack's Lament

Can you feel me practically vibrating out of my skin???

On one hand, I'm a little sad because this is the last video I'll probably be making a post about for a while (though by the time you see this, Geoff might have uploaded a new video that I can actually talk about the visuals for (EDIT from future me: he did!), and if so, you'll be seeing a post for that one tomorrow), but on the other hand, this is my third (though in no particular order/ranking) favourite Geoff video on his channel so far, and I am so excited to finally be able to make a post for it!

Geoff's cover of Jack's Lament debuted on the 8th of October, 2023, though I didn't see it pop up in my YouTube recommended until the 29th (if you remember from my Hellfire post, I wasn't initially subscribed to Geoff or Voiceplay, and both channels somehow ended up dropping off my radar for a while. Jack's Lament was the first from either channel that I had seen in at least a year, and as soon as I saw that thumbnail, I knew it was going to be amazing, but oh my GOD it was even better (and with me stumbling upon Hellfire the very next day, well let's just say I was pulled even deeper down the Geoff/Voiceplay rabbithole than I had been the first time around 😅).

Anyway, I'm not sure if I'll hit image limit on this one, or how much actual commentary I may have, but regardless, let's freaking go!

One hell of an opening shot, not gonna lie. Geoff's very-skeletal-looking hands playing the piano (in a beautiful way, might I add), immediately sets a very spooky/eerie vibe!

And this is one hell of an establishing shot! I mean goddamn there is a lot to take in here! Though one thing I will point out (that I actually only just noticed myself ^^;) is the Haunted Mansion headstone on the left, memorialising Madame Leota!

(Also shoutout to Pattycake Production Studios where this was filmed!)

I of course have to give a MASSIVE shoutout and kudos to Rick Underwood for the makeup job in this one, like holy christ he really outdid himself here! (and I can't thank him enough)

Ngl, if I don't come up with any other ideas between now and October, then I kinda wanna dress as "Jack Skellington Geoff" (Geoff Caskellington? 🤔), makeup and all (or just attempt the face makeup at least)

And seriously take a look at his hands! If it weren't for the super-high-definition closeup of his hands on the piano at the start, you'd be forgiven for thinking those are just really well-fitting gloves, but nope! An amazing airbrush job from Mr Underwood!

Also, if you look at his neck and chest in both this image and the previous one, you'll notice that he's got airbrushing going on there too, highlighting (or more accurately, shading) his ribs and other bones!

Finally, on the subject of the body paint job, if you've been paying attention to some of my other Geoff posts (and some of my Voiceplay posts), you might notice what's missing...

No necklace, and no rings! Had to remove them for costume/makeup/character purposes, rip. Must have felt a bit weird without them, but all that paint must have felt weird too, so maybe the weird feelings cancelled each other out? 😅

(His acting in this is of course 10/10 👌)

This video is one that I do actually know involved Geoff deliberately colouring his hair to make it grey, and it still looks as lovely as ever!

(Also this picture is a better one to check out the airbrushed detailing on his chest! (if you're gonna leave a couple of shirt buttons undone and your chest exposed, might as well take advantage of it! 😁))

The "moon" in this video is apparently just some big spotlight with a moon cover on it or something? Apparently you can fairly easily find them online or something, and you can in fact see the pole it's attached to underneath in this image here, but you likely wouldn't notice the pole if you weren't looking for it, and the usage of the moon is 100% perfect! (I've seen/heard one or two people wishing the moon was yellow like in the movie, but eh, it probably wouldn't have fitted the overall colour scheme of the video as much)

I had to include the "jumpscare" of course I had to! 😁

Also I can't get any good screencaps of it, but the way Geoff shifts from sombre on "a longing that I've never known," to more theatric/dramatic on "I'm a master of fright, and a demon of light" is so good, and the acting/choreography is absolute chefs kiss

"Bonjour!"

(For those of you not familiar with the original, the line "and I'm know throughout England and France" is part of the original song, but the "bonjour!" bit is not 😆)

A Geoff head not connected to the body! It's happened again! 😂

Also it's cool the way Geoff is quickly jumping/flashing from one point to another, reminds me of his Headless Horseman video

"No animal, nor man, can SCREAM like I can!"

What can I say, it's a very cool effect! Really ups the "oomph" factor of the little belt moment!

Tiny pumpkins/jack-o-lanterns in his eyes!!

"But who here, would ever understand..."

(I'm not even at half the maximum image limit yet, so I'm 100% just throwing in an extra screencap (or two) just because 😁)

Geoff pats the side of his leg to call for Zero the ghost dog, just in in the scene in the movie! (Also shoutout to Kathy, who I believe helped with puppeteering for this bit?)

"...that the pumpkin king, with the skeleton grin,"

(Freaking obsessed with this video, I tell ya!)

"The fame and praise, come year after year, does nothing for these empty tears"

This is the last shot before we see the gramophone logo (a very gorgeous shot btw), but there's a little bit of a bonus bit for those who stick around for the Patron credits!!

It starts to snow! Like at the end of the movie! It's a sign of hope and good things to come! <3

The original song is good for the movie, sure, but Geoff's cover feels like it has so much more depth (in more ways than one!) and emotion! And his vocal range is ugh god absolutely stunning and mindblowing! I cannot get enough, can never get enough!

But anyway, I hope you've been enjoying my Voiceplay/Voiceplay-adjacent posts! If there are any videos I've skipped over that you actually would like me to make a post on, please let me know! (And don't worry, I am planning to do all the 2017-onwards Christmas videos for both channels eventually - maybe as a Christmas In July thing?) I'm typing this on the 22nd of February, and if Voiceplay uploads a video in March that I wanna make a post on (nope), well you reading this will have already seen that post, and if Geoff uploads something in March that I wanna talk about (he did), then you'll see that post tomorrow (you will!). But otherwise, thanks for reading!

[andmaybegayer]

Last Monday of the Week 2023-09-18

Not getting a whole lot of "autumn" vibes from this thing

Listening: Many things, but the one that has been stuck in my head is once again from Siege Ubsessed! by Curta'n'Wall. A New Castle is Born. Do you want a song about. A castle? Yes, you do.

Bonus track: whatever the hell is going on in The Dark Ages

Reading: Finished Perhaps The Stars the other day. I am increasingly convinced that Neal Stephenson has the right idea on how to end most things. The end of Perhaps the Stars is good but it's less good than the rest of the series. The book is wild, so much happens, it's a dramatic change of pace from the prior books, both way more happens and it's far slower.

9A. I am mixed on 9A. As a narrator they do not feel like the 9A. To be fair, Mycroft also does not feel like he would be a great Anonymous either. Still.

Stephenson, yes. Stephenson's books end like an 80's pop song, they just hit a peak and then fade out before you can realize it's happened. An extremely effective way to fill you with what the fuck was that great.

I like the ideas in Terra Ignota immensely. I like the style and the world of Terra Ignota a great deal. I'm not actually sure if I like the prose in Terra Ignota that much.

I do appreciate how the final chapters serve as a sort of proxy for the thoughts you've probably been having while you read the series. The various peoples who have had to just endure the clashing hives get to stand up and go you guys realize an empire is not a good thing right.

Playing: Breath of the Wild, beat Vah Rudania, the Salamander beast. One left, plus maybe four or five more memories, and I do want to track down a couple more of the side quests before I hit the endgame but I feel like I'm probably not going to come back to this much after I beat Ganon.

Also beat the snow dragon Naydra fight which was a really good setpiece. You get the reveal that it's been corrupted by Ganon, which is a great oh shit moment when you think you might have to fight it. You don't but it's still a good mobility challenge. I have some video.

Watching: Nothing really.

Making: Getting back in the CAD saddle for printing things reminds me why I still keep Autodesk Fusion installed in Windows. FreeCAD is great but it has idiosyncrasies that make it less than ideal for even moderately complicated parts. Chief among these is that it is a CAD package with no first class concept of an assembly, anything involving multiple bodies is arduous as fuck.

As a result I am trying out Onshape, the cloud/web CAD package, because at least I can run that in Linux rather than rebooting. I'm going to try and see if I can spin up Fusion 360 (or maybe even SolidEdge for the first time in, god, almost a decade) in Wine/Proton/Whatever but Onshape is promising. Despite the cloud bullshit it handles pretty much like any other professional-ish CAD package.

Tools and Equipment: I have been shaving with a old fashioned safety razor for almost a year now. I had a cheap one from the grocery store but I bought that fancy precision machined aluminium one because I like the concept of a safety razor that barely exposes a blade at all. It has been good.

As a teenager my parents deemed me too ADHD to be allowed even a cartridge razor, and for years I fought with electric razors that left crappy finishes and couldn't get anywhere near what I'd call clean. When I was in University I was like "Man it cannot be that hard to use a cartridge razor" and sure enough it wasn't. The problem I have with cartridge razors is that they clog in seconds and keeping them clear is a pain in the ass. Cuts are even less likely with this fancy one but even with a plain old safety razor it's remarkably hard to injure yourself unless you really aren't paying attention.

Safety razors are marginally more dangerous than cartridge razors but you can clear shaved hair extremely easily which means they cut like a dream for a while and they aren't as frustrating to work with. The fact that blades cost like US¢25 a piece even for slightly fancier ones is a nice touch that makes me much less likely to keep using blades long after they're too blunt to serve.

[alleksistrash]

The Stone On The Wall

Chapter 6 of (?)

Previous Chapter:

Days had passed since the battle had begun and ended, and the company was starting to lose hope. Now not only was Bilbo still unconscious, but so was the line of Durin. Thorin had managed to defeat Azog, with Dwalin close by to assist in helping him walk back to Dale. Fili and Kili were found near each other on the top of Raven Hill, barely breathing. There were now four cots in the tent, with Thorin being placed next to Bilbo and Fili and Kili on the other side. The elfs had taken pity on the company, knowing what they had gone through to get to Erebor and eventually defeat the pale orc. They had brought in more chairs, allowing for most of the company to sit at their friends’ sides while the others wandered about Dale, still trying to be useful. The only way they knew there was still a chance of them recovering was the deep rise and fall of their chests.

It was on the seventh day after the battle that things had started to change for the better. Oin, Balin, Bombur, and Gandalf were in the tent, keeping to themselves when they heard it. A groan had tumbled out of someone, causing Gandalf and Balin to look up from their books. It was quiet for a second, until they heard it again. Balin stood up and nudged Bombur, who was sleeping beside him. He scanned their faces, trying to figure out who was waking up. His eyes landed on Bilbo, who had begun squirming in his cot. His face broke out into a smile once the hobbit’s eyes had started to open. Balin began laughing in earnest as Bilbo took in his surroundings. “I am quite glad to see you are still with us, my friend! You certainly had us convinced you wouldn’t pull through a couple times. Now, don’t try to sit up so fast, you might pull something. I’ll go get some of the elfs and the rest of the company while Oin and Bombur help you.” With that, Balin left the tent in a hurry, still laughing to himself.

This left Bilbo even more confused, but he was too tired and groggy to ask many questions. He went to try and speak but his throat was scratchy and his mouth was dry. Before he could even motion for it, Bombur had already made his way over with a cup of water. Bombur and Oin helped him sit up on some pillows so he could drink without choking, and he was very appreciative for the help and water. He set the cup down on the table next him, picking up the wooden duck and examining it. He tilted his head up, still squinting at how bright it was in the tent, and glanced between Bombur, Oin, and Gandalf. “What exactly happened? How long have I been out? Where’s Thor-” Bilbo looked around the tent and fully took in his surroundings. Once he had spotted Thorin in the cot next to him, he tried to jump out of his own to try and reach him. He was immediately stopped by Oin’s hand on his arm, alerting him to the fact that he didn’t have his mithril or robe on. He looked down at his exposed body, startled by the faint black veins that still danced across his chest. He snapped his head up, a furious expression on his face, but before he could demand any answers the rest of the company came sprinting into the tent, with some elfs in tow. He was met with a chorus of shouts, ranging from “Bilbo, ya bastard!” to “Took you long enough!”. His anger faded, a small smile taking its place. He wasn’t sure what had happened, but he was glad to see his friends again, and happy that they were glad to see him as well.

The elfs began fretting over him, checking him for any residual fever, unusual aches or pains, feeling in all of his limbs. The whole time, the dwarves were laughing and talking over each other, telling Bilbo everything he missed in the past week. It wasn’t until Bofur had begun a sentence with “You should’ve seen Thorin and Dwalin face off Azog last week! It was a spectacular fight,” that Bilbo remembered the dwarf lying still next to him. “Last week? What do you mean last week? What fight are you even talking about!” He had begun to get worked up again, much to the dismay of the elfs tending to him. The company fell silent, with Bofur wringing his hands as he tried to form a thought to begin explaining. Gandalf stood up, making his way to stand at the foot of Bilbo’s cot. The old wizard’s face seemed to have more wrinkles than the last time Bilbo had seen him, but there was still a twinkle to his eye as he spoke. He explained everything to Bilbo, from how he had collapsed again, the poison spreading and the elf lass Tauriel helping, to how Thorin and Dwalin took on Azog while Fili and Kili took on Bolg. As Gandalf talked, the pit in Bilbo’s stomach grew heavier and heavier, until he felt like was going to be sick. Oin must have noticed as he held a bucket besides Bilbo as he vomited, wincing from the pain as it was mostly stomach acid and the water he just drank.

When Bilbo sat up, he looked over at Thorin and his nephews, tears pricking in his eyes as he felt too useless to do anything. If he hadn’t been attacked, would he have been able to help? Would the dwarves he had grown so close to still be in this state? He tore his eyes away before the pain in his heart became too much to handle, looking amongst the company instead. They all looked exhausted, the bags under their eyes more prominent than when they were traveling. Some had just scrapes and cuts, while others had bruises covering what little skin was showing. Their hair and beards were all disheveled, mud and blood matting them. It had been a week and none of them had been able to clean themselves up, upsetting Bilbo even more. He looked back down at the wooden duck sitting in his lap, a small smile gracing his face as he realized that Bofur had made it for him. “So now what? Is there anything that I can help with? It would be quite nice to get out of this lumpy cot and get a breath of fresh air.” One of the elfs who had moved to check on Fili made a strangled noise in his throat, while Dwalin snorted a laugh. 

“You, Master Baggins, are not going anywhere past the chamber pot until we figure out what all has been affected by the poison. We need to make sure you won’t drop on us again, and that it isn’t spreading still. Master Oakenshield bringing you to us when he did certainly helped, but the.. Lack of attention from one of us did not. You are quite lucky Mistress Tauriel knew where to look for Athelas to draw out the worst of it.” The male elf shook his head as he spoke, returning to Bilbo’s side with a small bowl that contained what looked to be a green paste, and a cup that had a sweet smelling drink. “Alright now, onto your side so I can reassess the damage on your back.” Bilbo grumbled but did as he was told, listening as the dwarves started talking amongst themselves again. He shivered as the bandage was removed from his back, letting the cold air hit it. He felt the old paste being wiped off with a rag, and was surprised when the new paste was warm. “This should be able to get the last bit of poison out, but I am afraid that your skin will stay marked, possibly until the end of your days.” Bilbo let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding, glancing down at his chest. Thankfully it looked like the veins would all be covered by his clothes, but that didn’t help to alleviate the dread in his chest. He would forever be marked, the memory of that day on the ramparts burned into his mind. Damn orcs!

“Well that’s alright Bilbo! You can just get tattoos like us and turn them into battle stories!” Bofur tried his best to cheer up the hobbit, showing off the tattoos on his hands. Bilbo grimaced at the thought, sitting back up to drink whatever the elf had just handed to him.

“This should help warm you up, but it will make you tired. Rest is what you need, and lots of it.” Bilbo took delight in how warm the cup was, holding it closely before taking a sip. It wasn’t as bad as he thought it would be, downing the rest of the cup before setting it on the table. He pulled the furs that had fallen to the edge of the cot back up, bundling under them as the drink started to work its way through him. He closed his eyes, listening to the company share hushed conversations and Gandalf laugh with the elf. His last thoughts before he drifted off were about the line of Durin, praying to Yavanna that they would make it.

Next Chapter:

[periwinckles]

Please tell me you have a middle name - chapter 4

Six a.m and there’s a knock at the door. I sit up in my bed in confusion, because typically patients don’t come looking for my mom this early in the morning. Dinner time is always busy, lots of injuries from the mines to work with. Mother’s carrying sick children usually come by mid-morning. Labors usually initiate late at night, after the mother more than likely exhausted herself with a day’s work. Six a.m.? Certainly unusual for whatever ailment I can think of.

I get out of bed, careful to not wake Prim up, but she still opens her eyes in confusion. When I finally get the door, it’s no mother carrying a sick child and certainly not a pregnant one about to give birth.

“Madge!”

“Katniss! Hi! Can I come inside?”

She looks flushed from the morning cold, as if she’s been outside longer than the twenty minute walk from her house to the Seam. Her hair loose around her shoulders, unkempt and disarrayed, so different from the perfect curls she usually has.

“I need to speak with your mom. I’m sorry, I know it’s early. I waited as long as I could. I would have come last night, but it was so late.”

I assure her it’s alright and by the time we sit down by the kitchen table, my mother and Prim have joined us.

“Katniss, Prim, go to the bedroom, so Madge and I can have some privacy.” My Mother says. Prim and I get up, to do as she says but Madge is quick to shake her head.

“It’s fine, really. They can stay.”

My mother gives a silent nod and pours a cup of tea for each one of us. We silently sip from our mugs, as we wait for Madge to tell us what brought her here this early. She removes the shawl she has around her shoulders and opens up a couple of buttons from her shirt, pushing it aside to expose her breast.

“Is that… What is that?” Prim asks in utter confusion, squinting her eyes to focus on her skin.

It’s a soul mark. Is it? I think so. It’s barely noticeable. Madge’s skin is extremely fair, and her mark is only slightly darker. It takes me a couple of seconds to realize what it is, but once I do it’s pretty obvious. It’s an R. An upside down R.

My mother takes her time to look at her mark, and takes another sip from her cup, while Prim whispers to me “Does Madge know who it is?”

If Prim thinks I am knowledgeable about this, she is gravely mistaken. I didn't even know she had a soulmark up until now.

“Was your mark always like this Madge?” My mother asks, but her eyes tell me she already knows the answer. She does this a lot, I realize. Ask patients for symptoms she already knows they have, because she wants them to reach the same conclusion she did.

“No. It appeared on my eighteenth birthday, in August. It was… brown… darker than this. Like… like Katniss’s skin tone.”

“Yes, that’s usually how soulmarks appear. And after that?”

Madge inhales sharply and locks her eyes with me, before turning to my mother again.

“It turned black yesterday. Completely black. I figured it happened throughout the day, but I only noticed before going to bed. But I… I didn’t sleep well, and.. every time I checked it was lighter and lighter, and this morning it was like this. Why… Why is it changing colors? Is he dying? I might not like him much, but I don’t want him to die.”

Read the rest on AO3

[mbav-obsessed]

Sooo...I’m conflicted.....

TW: Grooming, grooming allegations

Okay, so I just wanna say something about Atticus’ allegations because it’s been a couple days now since finding out and I have thoughts. Ones that may have changed since my initial reaction. That, and I’ve been getting tons of anon questions regarding how I’ve been doing since then.

First off, I wanna say that people may not agree with what I’m about to say but HEAR ME THE FUCK OUT, OKAY? Please don’t immediately come for me and yell at me. Hear me out. Okay? Okay, here we go, long post ahead…….

If you’ve been following this blog for the last couple of days, you’ll know that I’ve decided to log back on here and see everything I’ve missed. That being said, you can probably imagine how shocked I was when I saw a post from someone else saying something along the lines of “Sooooo is Atticus just gonna ignore these allegations oooorrrrr….?” And I’m like “Hold the fuck up….what did I miss? WHAT ALLEGATIONS???!??!!” My jaw dropped and my heart shattered after looking it up and watching the victim’s two TikToks (the first was the initial one exposing him and the second one explaining how everything happened).

My immediate reactions were shock, anger, disappointment, disbelief....you name the negative emotion, I probably felt it. I even texted my sister and told her what was happening with proof.

My reaction was so strong because Atticus actually has responded to my comments on Instagram and Twitter multiple times over the past 9.5 years. They’re on here if you look DEEP through my archives. Nothing even close to how he responded to her, but he’s aware of my existence.

Now, I mention this because not only have I been one of his biggest fans since I was 14 (I’m now 25, turning 26 in less than a month), but I’m also in a wheelchair. In my mind, I was thinking That could have been me....I’m 2 years older than her, but he could have noticed the chair and targeted me....

Nobody has ever taken advantage of me like that, but that was the thought that went through my head because I know people can be sick and do that. I was just shocked that he would even have the audacity to talk to a 16 year old girl with THAT intention later on.

I unfollowed him on everything I had him on because why wouldn’t I? I even thought about deleting his music and MBAV off my devices.

It has been a couple days now and I’ve had time to cool down and really think. Now, I want to say that I in NO WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM CONDONE WHAT HE DID. Because NOBODY in their 20s, no matter who they are, should ever be trying to flirt with an underaged kid, let alone a 16 year old. I also 100% believe the victim and my heart goes out to her, and I hope she continues to heal.

(Now for the part people may attack me on.....) With all of that being said...I want to give Atticus the benefit of the doubt. I hate what he did, it bothers the hell out of me, but as far as we know, he hasn’t done it to anyone else. Once is still disgusting, so I’ll probably still back off and not support him as much as I did before to keep my guard up, but I don’t think I’m going to cancel him completely.

For example, I’m still gonna watch the upcoming 3rd season of The Hardy Boys when it comes out but that’s because I’m already invested in the show, and it’ll be the last season. Same if anything ever comes up for My Babysitter’s a Vampire because come on, why the fuck wouldn’t I?! However, I will not be going out of my way to spend money on his content (his music, his movies or shows if I can’t stream them, etc). Same goes for here, like, I might reblog or make something related to a show or movie he’s in, but not actually him (interviews and whatnot). However, this may also change as time goes on or if he fucks up more.

So yeah. I’m conflicted. TL;DR: I absolutely hate what Atticus did and am disgusted by it, but I’m not outright cancelling him for it while still keeping my guard up.

You guys can do whatever. Cancel him completely or not, I get it and I support you

[lauralifeleaf]

Another Problem: Chapter 16

I wanted to try something different in this chapter, and I might stick with it from now on. I also wanted to thank you for reading my disaster of a book. I am hoping that I can eventually get to the main event of the story, but until then, enjoy the filler chapters and such. ❤️ Laura

~3rd Person POV~

"Well, that could have gone better," mumbled Montgomery as he walked out of one of the private party rooms. The tip of his tail flicked irritatingly as he attempted to get frosting out of his hair, sunglasses, and leather jacket. He loved kids, but sometimes he wanted to punt them across the room. Especially if they were spoiled brats, which so happened to be the birthday kid.

Monty grumbled as he walked and attempted to clean his hair of now-dried vanilla frosting, glaring and snarling at staff who snickered at his state. He was unsure if he should just head back to his greenroom or see if he could get Sun to help him. He decided on the latter, changing his course towards the entrance of the daycare.

He could have asked Ivan to help him, but he already had enough embarrassment for one day. Especially after Violet practically manhandled him earlier this morning. He still couldn't get over the look she gave him. Who knew she could be scary, even if she had no control, but didn't think it would be that terrifying?

Arriving at the entrance of the daycare, he opened the door with ease, making sure his tail didn't get hit when it closed behind him. It was surprisingly quiet, but that was probably due to it being nap time. He honestly wouldn't mind sleeping if he wasn't on the clock. Lucky bastards.

It didn't take long to hear the familiar bells come rushing over. "Why hello, hello! What brings you to the daycare today, my scaled friend?" asked Sunny with a smile on his face. He had a frilly pastel yellow apron with stickers and glitter glue decorated on it. The apron was over his jester outfit, and his sun headband was replaced with a chef's hat. "Got somethin' to deal with dried frostin', bud? Can't get the shit out of my hair, and I rather not have to trash this jacket."

"First of all, mind your language in the daycare!" Sun scolded him, his hands on his hips. Monty rolled his eyes as he continued, "Second, I am more than happy to help. Just be quiet when we pass Naptime Palace. We started naptime a couple of minutes ago, and Violet and the children are asleep." Sun swore he saw the tip of his friend's tail wag at the mention of the elf. "Wait, why's she nappin'? Ain't she supposed to be helpin' ya?" asked the gator as he followed his friend.

Sunny frowned as he came to a halt. He turned around to face him as he fidgeted with the collar of his sleeves."I-it's not my place to say why b-but..." "Sunny?" a quiet voice interrupted the jester, making them both look at the sound of the voice. There stood the elf herself, hair a mess and undone, rubbing her eyes while Chip stood on her shoulder. Her button-up shirt was slightly off her shoulder, which exposed her musical heart marking. "Starlight, you should be resting," Sun scolded with a  frown as he walked over to her.

Monty watched in confusion and slight jealousy as he picked her up like a child and held her as she rested her head on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his neck. Chip had opted to go explore elsewhere as he scurried towards the entrance. "I know, but you know that I'll end up sleeping til midnight if I do. So, I decided to rest while I recharge, then come help you with whatever you need," she explain, yawning towards the end.

Violet was still powering up her systems, so she was a bit loopy and unaware of her surroundings, which could end up with her getting hurt or breaking something. Sunny sighed as he turned to Monty and motioned him to follow, keeping Violet in her arms. "Is this normal for ya, bud? Last time I checked, ya both weren't on good terms," Monty asked, holding back a territorial growl when he saw her begin playing with the fluff of his collar with a derpy smile.

Sun shrugged, "We made up before her lockdown, and she likes to be held sometimes. Helps calm her nerves knowing that she's not alone." "Especially after a bully session," she stated nonchalantly, making Monty hold back a snarl that could wake the children nearby. Sun halted as he reached for the hidden door leading to his room, placing Violet down and grabbing her face to look for injuries. "Oh, my stars! Did they hurt you? Who are they? Do I need to have Mr. Mark involved?" Sun spouted questions as Violet processed what she said.

Once it clicked, her eyes went wide, and her ears drooped as she fidgeted with her hands. "I was just joking, Sunny. I just meant I encountered some rude girls. Wait! That's not what I meant... I-I'm going to go help Mia," she stuttered before running toward the desk, leaving the two boys alone to process what just happened.

Monty clenched his fists as his tail thumped angrily. Something had happened between when she left and now, seeing as she didn't even acknowledge him. Though, she probably just didn't realize he was there, but that wasn't his main concern at the moment.

He had heard rumors about some of the staff treating her like a tool more than a sentient, living being. It didn't help that some of them were his fans and really detest that he hadn't known it was more than just rumors. While he didn't mind a bit of squabbling for his attention, putting others down or so forth gave him a bad taste.

"Holy shit, how much stuff is she hiding from us?" Monty mumbled, trying to hold back the anger that was bubbling inside him. "Oh dear, she does it with you as well?" Sun turned to see Penny walking up to them. "O-oh! Good afternoon, Ms. Penny! I didn't notice you come in." Penny chuckled at the jester and patted his arm, "You're fine, Sunman. Just came by once I saw this guy walking in looking like Frosty the Snowman."

Monty growled at her while his tail thumped against the padded flooring in irritation. "He came by and asked me for help!" Sun explained, much to Monty's annoyance. He knew that he wouldn't be hearing the end of it. "Oh. Since when does he ask for help? Last I check, he just goes up to people a-"

Monty growled a bit louder, making her stop with a smirk. "Sorry big guy, but I think you need to work on your manners. Especially after what happened during lunch." Sun tilted his head in confusion as he looked at the pair, "What happened at lunch?" "Ain't any of yer business, Sun. Now, can we-" "He manhandled Violet into a closet for half of her break," Penny stated as Sun's jaw dropped. "What?"

"Ah swear to god, Pen," Monty earned before he saw the smirk grow, his accent more apparent due to his frustration. "Mr. Gator here decided that my help wasn't to his satisfaction and practically forced Violet to help him with his tail. It was an easy fix, according to her, that was fixed within a few seconds. I don't know why they were in there longer than that, and Violet wouldn't tell me otherwise." Sun was quiet as he looked at his friend for an answer. "To be honest, ah needed to cool my systems before ah left. We just sat an' talked fer a bit. Had to help calm her nerves down after scarin' her a bit."

"You did what?!" Sun yelled, gripping his hat in disbelief. "Sun! Why the hell are you screaming this time?!" asked Moon as he approached the group. He looked at Monty with an amused smirk, "You got a little something in your hair." Monty smacked his tail against his leg in retaliation, earning a snicker from the male. Moon was then grabbed by his brother. "Our dear friend here manhandled Violet into a closet during lunch," Sun explained, shaking his brother. "Okay, so?" Moon stated, uninterested. "He scared her and pushed her to the wall."

Moon's head snapped to his friend, an angry glare apparent on his face, "You have 5 seconds to explain yourself, lizard." Monty groaned as he removed his shades, rubbing the bridge of his nose, "Fine! I'll tell ya inside. Only 'cause I ain't in the mood to fight ya." Monty's tail thumped against the group at the inconvenience as he and the others entered the hidden room.

Meanwhile, Violet had just finished helping Mia with the snacks for when the children when would wake up. Mia was doing her hair while she was trying to distract herself from the tightness in her chest, but was failing miserably. "You okay? You're shaking a bit." "I-I'm okay," she quietly replied, digging her nails into her palm.

Mia noticed the behavior and stopped and grabbed her hands, "What's on your mind?" Violet struggled to keep her eyes on her friend, breathing steadily. "Hey, hey. Focus on me." "I am; I just can't maintain eye contact sometimes," Violet explained, relaxing a bit. "Oh, sorry. That's good to know. I thought you might be having an anxiety attack." Violet shook her head as she let go of her hands, "No, just thinking about something." Mia hummed in acknowledgment as she began braiding her hair.

The silence afterward slowly was suffocating her, making her dig her nails into her leg. The small chittering of Chip grounded her as he came over and sat in her lap, making her scratch his head. "Can I ask you a question?" "Hit me." Violet took a deep breath as she subconsciously began petting Chip, "Have you ever been in a position where people hate you, and you don't know why? Even after asking them if you did something wrong?"

Mia stopped brushing her hair and scoffed, "What rumor is spreading around about me this time?" Violet tensed and turned around, "S-sorry, that's not what I-I meant. This... I just need advice. It's for a friend." Her ears drooped slightly, blushing in embarrassment at not being more clear about her question. "O-oh..."

Mia sat there in thought as she resumed playing with Violet's hair. "Well, I can't really say that I have personal experience with this, but I just try to ignore what everyone thinks about me. If they can't give me an answer, then they're just jealous." "Why would they be jealous of me, though?" Violet asked herself mainly. Mia rolled her eyes with a smile, knowing the elf was oblivious to how one of her friends had the hots for her.

Honestly, she was surprised Violet hadn't picked up on the more obvious signs. Even with the limited interactions with the gator, she noticed him eyeing the elf from the distance whenever they were in the same room. Mia swore she saw him blush a bit when she smiled and waved at him one time. That and how often he helped her.

"Maybe they like someone that is interested in you." Violet faked a smile, trying her best not to say what was on her mind. "I would be aware if someone liked me, Mia," she stated as Mia finished braiding her hair. Mia chuckled as she added some flower clips into her hair, "If you say so."

Violet thanked Mia for doing her hair before heading toward the palace to check on them. As she walked, she held Chip in her arms, enjoying the feeling of his soft fur. Chip chittered a bit, asking to be let go, which Violet did without issue before hoping where she left Sun and Monty.

She recalled the last moment she had with Monty with a slight blush, covering her face with a groan. Even though he was in pain and tried to scare her, she didn't mind being trapped between him and a wall. If only it was for a different reason. She should probably stop reading romance novels for a bit before she got ideas.

Her mind drifted to him cuddling, if you could call it that, and chatting. She had begun to noticed he's been a bit more vulnerable and relaxed whenever they were alone. Maybe a bit too comfortable as well. He has stripped his shirt of in front of her more than once when they hung out in his attraction, making a lame excuse before just going back to their conversation while he floated in the water traps.

She shook her head as her ears and face became a deep shade of red, "God, why me." She read similar situations in books, but they were only when the main character and the love interest were dating or something. It's not like she didn't know he had been flirting with her, but she wasn't sure if it was just friendly or if he actually liked her. "You're on the clock. No time to daydream about your problems."

Violet peeked her head into the napping area, making sure none of the kids were up or having a nightmare. Luckily, none of them looked to be in any distress or awake, which made Violet sigh in relief as she left. With nothing to do for the next hour, and no sign of Moon, she sat down on a beanbag that she was using earlier.

She got comfy with one of the blankets and grabbed the book from her bag. Opening it to where she left off, she quietly read while occasionally glancing over at the children around her. It was quiet for a couple of minutes until she felt someone tug on the blanket.

She looked up curiously to see one of the kids with tears in their eyes. She put the book aside and let the small child crawl into her lap. "What's wrong little one?" she asked the small child, who appeared to be no older than 4. The kid looked up and began signing frantically as more tears fell down their face.

She was grateful she had learned a bit of sign language from Sun, otherwise, this would have been tough. "Do you wanna stay with me so you feel safe?" she offered with a gentle smile at the end. The kid nodded frantically before curling under the blankets in her lap. She began to hum a soft melody as she rocked back and forth while rubbing comforting circles in their back.

The child began to relax as they fell back asleep, hugging Violet's waist. A neutral look appeared on her face as she looked at the child. As much as she liked kids, they take a lot of energy out of her. She was already wishing the day would end so she could play a round or two of games with the others before heading to her room for the night.

She might be back from her lockdown, but she really needed to be alone. Her mind was anywhere but in the present at the moment. There was too much to process with the new face and new job. She fought back tears as she felt the familiar feeling in her chest she had been dealing with since her lockdown began.

Right now, she needed to act like nothing was wrong. If she could deal with this for almost a month without suspicion, then she could fake it for another week. Maybe then this dreadful, but familiar feelings would disappear. She can only hope the headaches would also disappear as well.

[capturemae]

Those Who Wants to Sing Always Finds A Song

The sky was a hopeless shade of gray. It appeared to endlessly retch sheets of metallic water. I was sitting in our perspective chairs. I was seeing raindrops outside our window in our room, and I was mentally drained due to the pressure of being a student. I was also bored, and I have nothing to do aside from watch the flowers, glancing at and dancing with their leaves. It's as if the flowers were pleading for water, and when the rain came, everything fell into place perfectly. I am swamped observing them happily bond together because of the rain. And suddenly, a young, perfectly fine lady came into our room. She wore a decent blue blouse and black skirt, and her black-rebonded hair was elaborately styled. Her perfect limbs made her look so expensive. Then she went on to talk about our previous topic. And she got into a topic about "talents." She asked each of us about our talents, and here I am, wondering what my true talent is, given that I am not particularly gifted in everything.

After a couple of weeks, I still don't even know what my true talent is. I lay down on my couch, and suddenly, something caught my attention. It sparked as if it would literally manipulate me. It is like a precious gem that forced me to get it and get used to it. I was motivated to get that thing and began to consider what music I would collaborate on with it. I take out my phone and search for music that complements its uniqueness. And finally, I found the perfect pair for it. I used them and started recording myself because I was bored. And after that, I posted it on my social media account.

It was a sunny day; trees are very dazzling, and flowers are very blooming. I arrived at school and wondered why so many of my classmates were smiling. As I went inside our room, my teacher started to interact with me. She evenly decided to invite me for a singing contest, and I was hesitant to accept her invitation since I am not that confident enough to face a lot of audiences. The two of her flaxen brows furrowed, and she convinced me to accept her invitation. "Every day is a chance for you to pick yourself up. Every day is an opportunity for you to shape yourself. Expose yourself to it, Chel. I know you can do it!" she said. I was confused. The thing that I was doing last week flashes back in my mind. That over-the-moon moment was so priceless. I looked at my teacher and had a smile on my face. I decided to accept her invitation. I was motivated and thought that this would be an opportunity for me to open up a new door to my future. The day after that, I started rehearsing and rehearsing to improve my singing skills. My coach taught me that if I am now singing in an actual presentation, I must move naturally. "Ideally, a singer should move naturally and appropriately to enhance their delivery, Chel. They might choose to use the entire stage, perhaps walking slowly at a dramatic moment, standing at the lip of the stage close to the audience, and above all, appearing comfortable on the stage throughout the performance'' my coach said. I am now hesitating to do this because a lot of participants are very competitive. I can't evenly fit with them since I am a late bloomer and have just started to have an ambition. I have been so nervous lately. I can't stand this. I am not that fearless, this is just my first time. I went to a dark corner and started crying and sobbing. My tears fell to the floor, and as I stared at them, they ignited a spark that propelled me through what I was feeling at the time. It gave me light that motivates me and inspires me to face the competition.

This is the day I'm worried about, the day of the competition. I was not that prepared. When I arrived at the venue, I saw a lot of people staring at me. I went to the perspective seats of all the participants and sat down. I was so nervous. I can feel the cold snowflakes that step aside in my body. I was slapped by the presence of anxiety, but I have to overcome it. All of the participants are very competitive, and you can really see that they practiced very well. When my name was called, I stepped forward onto the platform, holding the most precious gem that I had just discovered in my comfort zone. I breathe in and breathe out. I looked into the audience, at my coach, my teachers, my friends, my family, and the judges as well. I started singing and going with the flow of my chosen music, which was "Ikaw" by Yeng Constantino. As I am about to end my presentation, my tears drop and I feel the presence of everyone. This is an opportunity. This is the way to my future. I will never stop because I believe that one day I will be forever thankful for not giving up.

Picture from: Pexels

[bklynmuscledad]

A true(ish) story. One fact has been changed for the propriety. Coach always made sure to come into the locker room when I was there. He'd been trying to get me alone all semester. He had a well-earned reputation of breaking in the freshmen, as told to me by the older players, and his eye had recently fallen on me. To be fair, he was fairly good looking, but not my type. He had a good face, and a decent build, an ex-college jock who had played in the minors for a few years until life (an unplanned pregnancy, and the ultimate realization that he didn't have what it took to make it to the big leagues) got in the way. He took the coaching job at our college as what he hoped would be a temporary gig, but life had other plans for him. He was substantially older, but looking back now, I realize he was younger than I am now, probably his young 30s. I preferred the guys more my own age, give or take a couple of years. At 18, 33 might as well be 83, especially when you're surrounded by a cadre of cool, (reasonably) intelligent, fun, hot guys, all between 18 and 22.

Perhaps he thought I was playing hard to get, but I really didn't see him in that way. And I wasn't being naive. I knew what he wanted. I had been doing and saying the same things to guys (and girls) for years to get what i wanted. I think he honestly thought I was a shy, quiet virgin. In reality, I was just trying not to look like a shmuck in front of the older players, so I kept my mouth shut most of the time. I learned early that the best way to succeed in life was to keep your eyes and ears open, and your mouth shut. That strategy kept me out of (serious) trouble, and gave me a reputation as a cool guy who could be trusted.

On this occasion, the team had gone, and I was last in the locker room. Punishment for too many errors, even at practice, usually included equipment duty. In my case, I didn't have more errors than anyone else, so I didn't need the benefit of hindsight to realize that I was getting equipment duty most often just so I'd be last in the locker room. I think it's funny that he thought he was being subtle and clever. Great job, Coach. You're a modern day Machiavelli. I really tried to be naked for as short a time as possible. I really didn't want to give him the idea that I was interested. But, of course, he knew exactly at what moment I'd be most exposed, and approached me and started talking about what I had done wrong on the field, and what my bad habits are. Interesting tack, I thought; I would have gone the compliment route if it was me. I had found long ago that making people feel good about themselves is a much surer route to a good time had by all, and has the added benefit of keeping people as friends after the sexual relationships run their course. I like people, in general, and I especially like people that I sleep with, and I like to try to keep people in my life, even if we're ex-lovers. Some of my ex-lovers even became friends with each other. I think Coach probably got dealt a bad hand in life, and his tactics of putting people down as a way to try to control them, were the results of never learning a better way to deal with people. It probably works with some people; he definitely had had some successes, in and out of bed. He needed to learn that there was a better way. As I dried myself, I kept my back to him as he continued with his litany of my faults as a player, how he was sure I could do better, and how he would make it his mission to help me be the best player I could be, because he saw potential in me, despite my bad habits. I could picture how this might work with someone insecure about themselves. Still facing away from him, I let my shoulders drop, and my head fall forward, to give the impression that I felt beaten and dejected. When I turned around, the towel tied around my waist, I saw that he had moved closer. (more to follow)

[greensleeve]

👻🎃October shenanigans part II🎃👻

Unlike in the first part of October, I didn´t seem to really do much this time. There were plans to do all kinds of fun stuff but I just didn´t seem to have any energy. Oh well. Walked outside a lot though

Pretty and colourful autumny leaves everywhere. This stage never lasts long so you have to enjoy it while you can

Also mallard ducks with their very pretty emerald green little heads, excellent

(I have always visioned that a very tiny little narrow bridge should go to that mini island. Would be cute. Very Instagrammable. Or maybe it´s kept as a mini sanctuary for birds and such? Maybe)

Oh yeah the full moon threw me off once again. Effed up my hard-earned sleep rhythm as always. So this is me going for a long cycling session at 4 AM. That´s normal. It was very eerie because of the heavy fog

(once again Lahti proving to be a surprisingly aesthetic place)

Eerie super foggy morning look, very Silent Hill 2

Even more eerie pictures, I mean it is October after all. This looks like some kind of a weird foreign thing that the aliens have left behind

Oh yeah the live model drawing class begun! Nudity. Male nudity. Very ummm...exposed nudity. Was fun though to try to draw what you can in only a couple of minutes. This one was like I dunno...two minutes? But man was I rusty! A humbling experience for sure

And then as soon as November 1st hit mother nature was like WINTER NOW. Damn, like we are still celebrating Halloween at the moment, could you chill

It really was a very dramatic change of seasons this year. October 31st - autumn. November 1st - winter.

Oh and it was Lahti´s 119th birthday and the famous Christmas lights got turned on. I appreciate them so much but man it´s Halloween at the moment, Christmas lights already?? (are they this early every year?) Notice the Pelicans mascot in the left corner by the way

Somebody has a lot of nail polishes these days. What brand might be my favourite? Any suggestions? "Enchantment" is such a good halloween color, very glimmery purple, very witchy