#it’s such a gorgeous movie and lovely storytelling

[meansstoameand]

life feels like this a lot recently

[morgana-lefay]

Ich Hasse Kinder, a love story.

[daily-kagami]

Day #78: Movie-goers

[violentlydefending]

riceboy sleeps fucked me UP man. fuck. legit cried like four separate times watching it i got FUCKED UP!!!!!!!!!

[tossawary]

The last time that I rewatched "The Fellowship of the Ring" (extended edition, of course), my favorite new detail that I noticed is that the characters, once they set out on their journey, are pretty much always traveling from screen-left to screen-right.

It had been a few years since I'd seen the films and I'd learned more about filmmaking in that time. I'm completely biased regarding the LOTR films; they're not perfect, but I grew up on them, I love them. I was trying to take notes on all of the little details that made the world of the films seem so rich and so enchanting to me. The camerawork, character staging, and editing is one of the many things that just happened to jump out at me at this time.

When Frodo and Sam are leaving the Shire, the camera is set up in such a way that they start on the left side of the screen (<- that side) and travel across it to the right side of the screen (-> that side).

This way to go the farthest you've ever been from home. ->

As the hobbits travel from Bree to Rivendell, as the Fellowship travels from Rivendell to the Misty Mountains, all of those gorgeous scenic shots of the Nine Walkers show them moving from screen-left to screen-right. I haven't rewatched the entire trilogy lately, but in "The Fellowship of the Ring", it is so beautifully consistent.

There are a handful of reasons why this is done. In staging and editing, consistency regarding where the characters are placed on the screen is a storytelling tool. For example: the "180 degrees rule" says to generally keep the camera on one side of the characters within a scene, so that the audience can mentally keep track of the characters within the environment and focus on the action/dialogue. If we're watching two characters talking in a diner, even in the close-ups, one character will usually be kept on screen-left and be shown facing screen-right, and the other will be kept on screen-right and be shown facing screen-left. It feels stable. (People will sometimes choose to break the "180 degrees rule". It can be a tool to create a sense of disorientation and/or instability in the audience.)

In "The Fellowship of the Ring", the maps that the audience is shown of Middle Earth tell us that the Shire is located in the West (left side of the map) and everything else of relevance (Rivendell, Moria, Rohan, Gondor, Mordor) is East (right side of the map). As the characters consistently travel screen-right, the audience builds up a firmer mental map of Middle Earth and can better keep track of the characters' progress on their long journey. With every step that Frodo takes towards screen-right (->), we know that he is traveling East, taking another step towards Mordor.

Left to right may also instinctively feel like the way forward in a culture that writes and reads from left to right. Regardless of which way you write: if your film establishes extremely consistently that one direction is forward, then this visual language can be used to tell the audience that something is wrong if the characters start traveling from right to left. They might be lost! It builds suspense in the visual depiction of the characters going backwards and undoing progress! This all suits the lengthy hero's journey of LOTR very well, in my opinion.

There's an old joke that knowing how anything is made ruins the magic, and another old joke that knowing anything about filmmaking makes you insufferable to watch movies with, but I've never felt that way, especially not here. How does that quote go? It's still magic even if you know how it's done. (GNU Terry Pratchett.)

I find it enchanting, honestly, that so many people can work so hard for an effect that can seem so simple. Actors, directors, camera operators, editors, storyboarders, and so many others on the crew of the films consistently placed characters, sets, and props just so! So that the audience could more easily keep track of where everyone was and lose themselves a little more deeply in the story.

It's such a simple rule! And it works so well! Left -> Right. West -> East. Shire -> Mordor. Home -> Adventure. Known -> Unknown.

I personally recommend trying to keep track of character movement across the screen in films, especially if you have any interest in visual storytelling (films or illustration or something else). It's fun! It's impossible for me to unsee, watching "The Fellowship of the Ring" now, and I think it's a wonderful piece of movie magic.

[gingersnappish]

Got around to watching NIMONA on Netflix and absolutely loved it! To me, it is just as enjoyable as the graphic novel (for slightly different reasons)! It's really a joy to see a story I enjoyed so thoroughly in comic format adapted so well! (If you haven't read the book, do it! It's masterful storytelling and wonderful characterization!) (If you haven't seen the movie, do that too! The color scripts are so lush and the comedic animation timing is gorgeous!)

[the-really-lonely-mountain]

Along for the ride, to Erebor - Part 5

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Summary: Transported to Middle Earth, you must Join Thorin Oakenshield's Company as they travel to reclaim Erebor! OR: My take on the classic 'modern girl in Middle Earth' troupe. This is the second installment, so we are following the second movie of The Hobbit trilogy, and falling deeper in love with Kili on the way! This is the second part for the second movie.

Tags: Kili / Reader, Reader-Insert, Slow Burn, Modern Character in Middle Earth, During The Hobbit, How Do I Tag, Canon-Typical Violence, Kíli Is a Little Shit (Tolkien), implied soulmates, Dwarf Culture & Customs, Freeform, light smut, it's really just a brief description nothing too graphic but i certianly wouldn't want to be caught reading it, Holding Hands, Cuddling & Snuggling, Sleepy Cuddles, Protective Thorin Oakenshield Company Members, Dwalin & Thorin Oakenshield Friendship, Fluff and Humor, Domestic Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Where In Middle-Earth Is Gandalf?, Hair Braiding, Dwarf Courting, My First Tumblr Fic, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Fíli & Kíli & Thorin Live, Thorin Oakenshield Lives, Fíli Lives (Tolkien), Kíli Lives (Tolkien), sword fight training, kili is a big ole softy and i love him so much for it, tags tbd tbh lol

Word Count: 4,758

A/N: OMG!! I graduated! I got a job! I finally edited this part! I'm so tired y'all, I'm writing this author note at like midnight lol. ~AnywhoOOo~ I hope you enjoy! let me know if you'd like to join the tag list to be directly notified of chapter updates! <3

Divider credit: @cafekitsune

You woke to the usual clanging of pots and pans as breakfast was being cooked. Kili’s hand was still on your waist and his arm was still your pillow, though you were sure it’d gone numb in the night. You gently placed your hand on his cheek and gently ran your thumb over his delicate cheek bone. He looked so handsome sleeping softly beside you, it made you smile like a giddy little girl. You regretted having to softly remove yourself from him, but you had to start packing your things and getting ready for the day, which was so much easier now that you didn’t have to worry about your hair. When you were finished and your bag was neatly packed, you tenderly woke Kili up.

He stretched then his eyes popped open, “Good morning!”, he sat up energized and ready to conquer the day.

“Good morning!” You replied with a kind smile, ever impressed by his liveliness in the mornings, “Start packing, Bombur’s almost finished breakfast.”

He shuffled about beside you while you worked on the final half of your bracelet, waiting for breakfast.

The porridge was the usual white sludge meant for nutrients, not flavor. You rinsed the dishes in the river with Kili’s animated storytelling as you usually did after meals. Thorin had the company moving out when you returned.

The day’s walk was very scenic, mostly idyllic forests with little rivers, where the lighting truly brought it all together. You walked between Kili and Fili so they could give you the basic run-down of sword handling and bowmanship.

By the end of midday, the company was on the border of the forest and a field. Thorin decided to make camp there and told Gloin to make the fire while Nori, Bifur, and Oin set traps in the forest to restock the reserves or something, you weren’t listening, too focused on Kili’s hand in yours as he led you somewhere.

The extra sparkle in his gorgeous brown eyes told you he was very excited to teach you about archery. As the resident Archer, no one (his brother) could compete for your attention by correcting him. He was also excited to watch you use his bow and his arrows; an honor bestowed upon an extremely select group.

Kili was very protective of his bows, not just because of the time it takes to make such an incredibly valuable weapon, but because one time in his youth he worked for weeks carving a brand-new bow from solid wood, making the string by hand, and engraving runic talismans into the handle. He worked very hard on that bow; Only to have one of his snot-nosed neighbors snatch it from him while they were playing and accidentally snap it in half after a misstep. Kili was furious, absolutely inconsolable. Fili had to drag him from the scene of the crime to the forest behind their family house, so he didn’t hunt the kid down and destroy him. He didn’t say anything to Fili, just cursed and milled about the clearing in frustration. At first, his brother didn’t know what he was doing, concerned he was setting a malicious trap for the offending child (such a spiteful trap was almost sprung after another incident of the same nature); but as Fili silently watched, out of arm’s punching reach of course, he realized his brother was just looking for a piece of wood to make a new bow. Fili built a fire to keep the chill of the setting sun at bay, not wanting to abandon his brother to the coming night. He watched the younger mumble curses in dwarfish as he whittled the wood seemingly in his own little world. Kili hadn’t really taken notice of the fire his brother built despite using its light and occasionally throwing more wood on absentmindedly while he stayed up all night to make the string and engrave the handle. Their mother, Dis, saw them through the window in the back door in the middle of the night. Fili was sitting on the ground, relaxed, leaning against a tree while he watched his brother on the other side of the blazing fire, Kili was sitting on a rock hunched over his bow as it came together. Dis knew from that moment Fili would always look after his little brother, or at the very least try his best. The craftsmanship of the bow he made that night was nowhere near his previous bow, but it could still shoot the straightest arrow in the village. It would do till he grew again and needed a bigger one.

Kili brought you a few yards away from the camp, out of ear shot but not out of sight. After the crash course in archery during the day’s walk, you were as prepared as you could be. Kili carved a target into the trunk of a tree with his dagger, not worried about losing misfired arrows in the underbrush because the fletching on the end of all his arrows were bright yellow.

He situated you both at a reasonable distance from the target and demonstrated again how to place your fingers on the string and what position to be in when you pull the string back. When he handed you the bow you were not expecting it to be as heavy as it was. Without an arrow, you tried to pull the string back like he showed but you couldn’t move it. You looked at Kili.

“Just pull it back Y/N.” He encouraged, with a proud little smile on his face.

“I am, Kee,” you said still straining to pull it. It wouldn’t budge. He thought for a moment, trying to figure out what could be wrong—Ah! He got it!

“Here, let me help.” He came up and stood behind you. “The draw weight for my bow must be too high for you,” he said into your ear in a low hushed tone while he got into position. He shuffled his legs behind yours and placed his hand below yours on the handle and his fingers above and below your slimmer, softer ones on the string. They were much stronger and much thicker than yours. Two of your fingers were the same width as one of his, a thought that quickly had you blushing. The irresistible mental image of moaning out for him while being deliciously stretched around his capable digits as he cooed praises, was nearly too much. You thanked God he was behind you and therefore couldn’t see your bright red face.

He let you do most of the work pulling the bowstring to allow you to get a feel for the mechanics and amount of potential energy the movement created.

“And…” he made sure you were ready, “Release.”

You both let go of the string at the same time.

“Perfect! Now let’s try it with an arrow” He got one from the quiver on his back and handed it to you.

You nocked the arrow like he taught you then got into position. He helped you pull the string back like before, allowing you to control the aim.

“Ready…” You said to him this time, “Release!”

The arrow flew across the field and landed smack in the middle of the bullseye!

“No way,” Kili said in complete disbelief. You both went over to inspect the target. Sure enough, the arrow was deep in the carved circle of the tree.

“That’s amazing Y/N!” He turned to you with the biggest smile you’d ever seen. You were as happy as him, jumping up and down excitedly.

“I want to try again!” You walked over to your previous spot and lined yourself up, waiting for him to join you. He chuckled at your enthusiasm and grabbed another arrow on the way over. You repeated the process like a practiced dance, enjoying more than anything that he was your partner. He allowed you to aim again, but this time the arrow didn’t hit its mark or the tree at all; It planted itself firmly into the leaf-covered underbrush.

“Awe,” you pouted, “I rushed, next time I’ll take my time.” You grabbed another arrow from his quiver, accidentally getting your face in his. For a moment, you could feel the heat of his lips and his breath tumbling over onto your own in a near ragged pant.

When you backed away you both politely laughed it off, though you could have sworn he leaned closer to you in that brief moment.

You shot all the arrows he had in his quiver. A handful hit the target, and a few even got close to the bullseye, but none hit the center like the first. Being a good coach, he encouraged and teased when the time was right.  

Once again in your own little world, it was like nothing mattered except him. His radiant smile, his contagious laughter, his excitability; it was all consuming. As the day wore on, your arms got tired, and you were ready for a break. You helped him collect the arrows in and around the tree, so he could show off for a bit like boys do for pretty girls. He did trick shots and action shots and even pinned the pinecone you threw for him to the tree. His skills were very impressive. Your return to the camp was met with impressed exclamations.

“Was that a bullseye on the first shot?!” Bofur asked, having seen the miracle even from the other side of the camp.

“Aye!” You said excitedly, proud of your accomplishment. You didn’t even realize that you were beginning to use their dialect.

“Good job lass!” Oin said, along with the others happily celebrating with you.

After all that working out, you were hungry for a snack. You rummaged through your bag in search of the grapes you had foraged with Bilbo the day before. They weren’t in your bag where you left them, carefully wrapped in your old T-shirt.

‘They couldn’t have fallen out’ you thought as you scanned the camp for the thief, already having an idea of the culprit. You stopped when your eyes fell on Kili across the camp, leaning against a tree with a shit-eating grin as he popped a grape into his mouth.

You were livid. It was a total invasion of your only private property: your bag, and you felt extremely violated.

You couldn’t say anything to the offending dwarf or even look at him in fear of your rage exploding onto him. The camp fell silent as you walked to Kili, your anger evident from your expression.

That feeling in Kili’s chest sunk to his boots when he saw how angry you were; he knew he’d gone too far. You snatched the grapes from his hand and walked (stomped) into the field beyond the camp.

“Y/N wait—” he tried to follow you into the field.

“NOT NOW KILI” you snapped at him over your shoulder in a tone he didn’t quite think you were capable of. He stopped in his tracks at your tone, the same one his mother used when she was very cross with him. The other members of the company who heard the commotion snickered at Kili’s self-inflicted misfortune.

You sat in the field, soaking up the sunshine and eating your grapes while you calmed down. Kili moped around camp like an abandoned puppy; it was quite a pitiful sight.

When you finished your snack, you took a few deep breaths to get the anger from your system and allow your thoughts to come together to properly explain to Kili why you were so mad. The youngest Durin hesitantly joined you in the field when he saw you were done with your grapes, his footfalls crunching the grass beneath him alerting you to his presence. He sat next to you clearly a little nervous by how he picked at the grass.

“I’m sorry,” he said, looking at the ground. “It was just supposed to be a joke, honest,”

“Joke or not, Kili Durin, you shouldn’t have gone through my stuff!” You wanted to make sure he understood how unhappy his actions made you. He cringed at his full name. “You violated the only sliver of privacy I have out here!”

“Sorry, Y/N,” he said in a regretful voice you’d never heard from him before. “I shouldn’t have gone through your bag.”

You sighed and looked over at him. “I forgive you Kili,” You took another deep breath, satisfied he’d learned his lesson, “Just don’t do it again, ok?”

He smiled, happy to be back on good terms with you, “I won’t, I promise”. You smiled too, his infectious charm melting what little remained of your anger. You leaned in for a hug, knowing you both needed physical reassurance.

He sat with you in the field for a while, content to stay in comfortable silence. You’d been eyeing a beautiful patch of flowers a few feet away since you’d sat down. You shifted so you were laying on your stomach to get a closer look at their vibrant hues and decided you wanted to use them, but how? Kili moved next to you, mirroring our position, to see what you were looking at. Then inspiration struck.

“I’ll braid them into your hair!” You said excitedly. He gave you a look of surprised confusion.

“What?! No!” he was immediately against the idea and even backed away from you as if you’d jump on him any second like his brother might, “Why don’t I put them in your hair instead? They’d look much better on you.” He desperately tried to come up with a reason to avoid the inevitable onslaught of mocking he’d have to endure if he agreed to your plan.

You brought yourself to a kneel so you could look him dead in the eyes with a blank expression, “Pussy,” you simply said.

He scoffed and got all huffy and puffy, “I am not a pussy!” He said defensively, his cute accent got thicker when he was flustered, it made it so hard to take him seriously, “I just think the flowers would make you even more beautiful than you already are.”

You blushed deeply at his words and looked away from his charming little smile to keep your thoughts from your more baser mindset and to think over his offer. He started twirling the end of one of the braids he’d done the night before between his fingers. It was a sweet and absentminded motion, to which you relented with a sigh, “Alright, but you have to teach me how to use a sword after.”

“Deal!” He gave a hearty nod. You got your hair stuff from your bag and your bracelet to work on and hopefully finish while Kili did your hair. You picked the prettiest flowers and put them in the extra fabric of your shirt like a delicate basket. He dragged over a stone to sit on and got to work undoing the braids and brushing your hair out.

You didn’t realize how tight he’d made the braids till the tension was released from your scalp. You sighed in pleasured relief as he moved your hair around with the brush. That sound immediately pricked his ears.

“Does that feel good, princess?” He looked down at you and smiled as he massaged the sore parts of your head. You were too lost in the feeling his skilled hands were creating to hear his pet name.

Once he massaged the soreness away, he parted your hair and began braiding. Kili had a vision of what he wanted to do to your hair. He wanted a thick band like a crown around the top of your head and four small thin braids scattered across the rest of your loose unbraided hair.

You were on an entirely different plane of existence. You felt so calm and relaxed and taken care of with his undivided attention, it was like nothing you’d ever felt before. His tranquil voice when he asked for a flower every now and then was the only thing you could hear.

When Kili was putting on the finishing touches, Fili came and joined you in the field to see what you both were doing, sadly breaking you from your lovely state of mind.

“Kili wouldn’t let me put flowers in his hair.” You pouted after the older brother inquired about your change in hairstyle.

“Even after he rummaged through your bag!” Fili feigned offense on your behalf with a smirk as he laid on his side in front of you both propped up on his elbow.

“Shut up, Fili” Kili huffed, ashamed of his previous actions, as he carded his fingers through your loose hair to make sure it was laying properly.

“Awe, Kiwi’s embawwassed,” you said in a baby-talk voice, making you and Fili laugh a little.

Kili stopped combing his fingers through your hair and tangled them in the loose hair at the back of your head. He pulled your head down to make you look up at him looming over you. He was about to say something, but the inadvertent dominating gesture caused an involuntary moan to slip past your lips, stalling any thoughts he tried to voice.

You were both stuck in that trance for just a moment, yet it took an eternity to pass. He was unable to look away from your pleasure pinched eyebrows and slightly parted panting lips. You were captivated by his handsome blushing features and the fire in his eyes. You wanted so desperately to kiss him, to meet his lips in heated passion.

“Good gods you two,” Fili rolled his eyes. His sudden interruption snapped Kili back to reality so he could release your hair. “Get a room,” Fili finished his statement.

“Shut up, Fili,” you both said in unison with faces equally ablaze and eyes cast anywhere but at each other. The elder just looked at you two and laughed to himself, he knew at that moment you were both madly in love.

“Here’s your brush, Y/N.” Kili handed it to you, wanting to change the subject.

“Yes, thank you” You took it from him and hastily returned it to your bag then met Kili back in the field for sword training. His brother was still there passively observing (waiting till he had to step in to correct the younger as this was not Kili’s area of expertise).

Bilbo allowed you to borrow his sword so you could get an idea of what a properly fitted one felt like without your wrists being torn to shreds by the other much heavier swords of the company. Kili walked you through basic moves and positions to teach you how to make your weapon like an extension of your own body. When he tried to speed up the movements and have you come at him in mock battle, you faltered and messed up the arrangement of poses.

When this happened, Fili of course would step in with a simplified version to help you. Before long, you had an audience, and the watchful eyes and extensive fighting prowess of Thorin and Dwalin. Kili was no longer the teacher but the sentient-sparing mannequin. The sequence of positions and movements became longer the more you worked at it. It felt amazing to be capable of so much. You knew it was just choreography, but it made you better now than you were before.

You were beginning to sweat under your thick tunic. The physical exertion was getting to Kili as well. When you took a water break you removed your shirt, the coffee brown padded camisole you wore underneath being far more breathable, but much tighter than your usual outerwear. It left hardly anything to the imagination.

Your less-dressed return to the now-stamped-down grass of the makeshift training area was met with impressed exclamations, wolf whistles, and light applause. You blushed and pretended to be a fashion model at the end of a runway. They found it very amusing.

Kili came back after wondering what the commotion was about.

He saw you waiting for him, you hadn’t noticed him approaching yet, too busy putting on a silly little show. He loved seeing you like this, confident and carefree, not worrying about how you looked and focusing on something that was far more rewarding: having fun. He used the few seconds you were distracted to admire you. Your half up half down hair he’d just braided and styled, was blowing softly in the wind, and your short unruly baby hairs were matted to your sweaty forehead giving you a halo of sorts. Your camisole highlighted the alluring curve from your ribs to your hips like nothing Kili had seen before. The hem of the fabric was ridding up on your waist, revealing just a sliver of your lower tummy. Your pants kept where they were, hugging tight to your thighs and bottom.

‘Two can play that game’ Kili thought, not even trying to hide his mischievous smile. He took his shirt off and threw it in his bag.

You looked up and saw him coming to meet you. The long bangs that framed his face were clinging to it now from his perspiration. He was smirking, knowing he caught you slightly off guard. His prominent pectoral muscles bled into his strong thick arms. His waist tapered into his hips where his pants were beginning to ride low, revealing his defined adonis belt in its retreat. He exuded power as he walked towards you with his arms out a bit from his side, and his palms facing you, as if he were accepting your challenge.

“Ohho, it’s serious now, is it?” you said over a light chuckle, feigning being taken aback by his friendly challenge.

“Oh, it sure is.” He returned your light laugh and with a smug expression he tapped his sword against yours where it hung at your side. He knew he was flustering you. He could see it in the deepened flush that colored your cheeks and how your thumb picked at the leather-covered hilt of your sword.

You had to bite the inside of your lip rather hard to keep your eyes above his exposed shoulders. It had been so long since you’d felt so physically and mentally attracted to someone. The way he was looking at you made your panties dampen at the scandalous thoughts that his honeyed chocolate eyes made race through your head.

If Thorin hadn’t said, “Ready positions”, in that barking tone of his, you’d have jumped Kili’s bones and rode him off into the sunset.

You both got into the starting positions you preferred. Thorin shouted ‘Commence’ in Dwarfish. Kili came at you with harsh blows, which you perfectly countered like you’d been taught. You were able to quickly move yourself, so you were standing at his side. You took the opening and swung for his exposed ribs, but he easily blocked your attack. You pressed your blade against his to force him back and give up some ground. He stood steadfast in his heavy boots, however, and pushed back against you, getting his face close to yours to tease you.

“Good job, you remembered how to keep your grip on the sword.” He said with mock celebration. You gritted your teeth, determined to keep your footing. He glanced at your lips where your teeth were worrying your lower lip; A habit he noticed when you were focused or nervous.

“I’ve been taught well, Archer.” You shot back, as suave as you could manage under the conditions. He threw you back so he could reset his stance.

“We’ll see about that, Ibinê,” he said, flustering you again with that mischievous grin as his native language easily rolled off his tongue.

You charged at him, and your blades collided with a loud metallic clang. Your sudden advance surprised him, he backed up a few steps. Cheers came from your audience.

“Ibinê?” You strained while your blades met again in a brute force pressing match. “What does that mean?”

Kili shoved you back and swiftly turned around, a trick he hadn’t yet revealed in your spar. He abandoned his blade somewhere off to the side and turned around again but crouched in his movement so he could swipe your legs from beneath you. You fell to the ground with a muted thud, your weapon knocked from your grasp. Kili scrambled to straddle your hips, pinning down your legs with his and your wrists above your head. You tried to fight against him, but his strength and weight are much greater than yours.

He panted above you, smiling like a cat who got the canary, “If only it were you straddling me,” he whispered under his breath and winked at you discreetly. Your chest was heaving, making your breasts ebb and flow with the rhythm. The erotic tension was palpable between you.

“We have a victor!” someone said from the sidelines to break your daze. Kili blushed and stood and helped you from the ground. Your audience clapped a little then dispersed to the camp a few feet away. You leisurely walked away from the encampment along the edge of the forest to catch your breath. The extra sway in your hips enticed Kili to follow you. He walked beside you, you looked up at him delighted he got the hint and followed you. He leaned in close to say in a voice that was deeper than normal, “Ibinê means my gem.” His words took a moment to register, causing a delayed blush to color your chest and neck.

He bit his lip as a thought played behind his eyes. Growing bold from the adrenaline still in his veins, he wrapped his hand around yours, he picked up speed till he was running. He took you far from the others. The sun was setting, painting the sky in those vivid colors only seen at dusk and dawn.

Kili slowed to a stop and used his grip on your hand to bring you in front of him. He took a step into your personal space.

“Labathmizi means I adore you.” He gingerly placed his hand on your cheek like he was handling the thinnest, most precious glass in the world. You were blushing profusely, your gaze danced from his eyes to his lips. “Abnâmulzi means you are beautiful.” He pecked his lips against yours for a moment then backed you against a tree and pinned you against it with his strong hand on your hip. His voice was low and rough with arousal, “Azralizi du-nâmrul, Ibinê, means I want to fuck you, my gem.” He pressed his lips to yours in a kiss that surpassed any expectation you had. His lips were soft against yours; his hand tenderly held your cheek. You lifted your leg over his hip, his hand moved to from your hip to your thigh, and it felt like it was searing into the cloth covered skin. It slid up to your ass cheek and urged you to grind against him. You whimpered as his hardening member pressed against your soaking core. Kili met your movements, making himself hiss at the delicious friction you were both craving.

When you broke the kiss for air as lust flooded your mind and loins, “That’s really hot” was all you could manage.

You were becoming addicted to his kiss. The way his thumb would glide against your cheek and the soft, barely there little whimpers he was making as you deepened the kiss were driving you mad with need.

Your hand was on his bare shoulder and the other tangled in his hair scratching and pulling lightly on the soft brown tresses. His tongue won its fight against yours when he gyrated his hips perfectly to grind into you, causing a moan to bubble from you.

He broke away, panting. He looked at you, suddenly silent with his eyebrows pinched in a sudden focused confusion. This immediately concerned you.

You opened your mouth to ask if he was ok, but he put his finger to his lips to silence you. He closed his eyes to focus on something; dwarfs and their connection to the environment around them still confused you.

His eyes shot open in a panic, and he tore himself away from you so he could pick you up bridal style.

You clung to him as he broke out in a dash back to camp, “A pack of orc’s are coming.”  

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Taglist <3: @letmelickyoureyeballs, @nessarosefiction, @akari-rioan

[bestanimatedmovie]

Choose your favorite!

The monsters under your bed vs Japanese mythology monsters

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What fans say:

Monsters Inc:

This is probably the funniest Pixar movie, Mike and sully play off of each other very well and make quite the duo, the premise is pretty creative. All of the characters' designs are creative. And pretty much every joke lands. The writing is on point. The story Is also genuinely really sweet. The villain is threatening. Great movie.

Princess Mononoke:

This is THE environmentalism movie, one of Miyazaki’s masterworks. The portrayal of nature, the story focused on an indigenous man trying eliminate conflict between humans and the ancient forest they’re industrializing, the incredible animation, the beautiful and understated love story, it all works together so magnificently. The best scenes are all the scenes featuring the forest god, intensely magical.

Best Ghibli film with complex characters gorgeous environments amazing music incredible storytelling and a beautiful message at its core. It's fucking good.

Strong story/message, stellar animation.

As to be expected of a Ghibli movie, I love the art but for this movie specifically I'm in love with how Miyazaki shares his concerns about the environment. I can't perfectly put it into words, but part of it might be that San gives me a lot of gemder and more than any other Ghibli movie I resonate deeply with the story.

[keyotosprompts]

i quite literally had a marathon through your acc cus ur prompts are soo goooodd!!

i am currently working on a little oc story and desperately need a creative person's help. basically, my oc is Spiderwoman. she has a mask like Silk from Marvel but its nanotech (like a hologram on her face). i need prompts on how to unmask her. to set the scene its basically like the movie ATSV, where my oc is fighting a villain and at the end of it she meets the other vigilantes and then unmasks herself but idk how and what will cause her to do so (she does it willingly ofc). to make it even more dramatic shes a pretty pretty girl so everyone is like :0 when seeing her unmasked and i just need prompts on how she does so.

i hope this made sense, i am NOT good at wording bc eng isnt my first language but i hope you understood. LOVE U SM, STAY HYDRATED, MWAHH<3

mask off

superhero unmasking prompts hey! thank u for the compliment! ur oc story sounds super cool btw. i always love superhero stories (i have developed an oc for dcu and she's been active in my brain for the last 9 years)

⇴ person a nervously looks around as their mask begins to disappear. their heart is pounding in their chest as the anticipation in the air begins to rise.

⇴ person a takes off their mask to build trust with her new friends (friends, not coworkers!)

⇴ "um. surprise?" "you did not tell me you looked like that."

⇴ ^ "yeah, i think that's the point of a mask."

⇴ person a finally feels safe and comfortable around the other vigilantes, which allows her to finally take off her mask like everyone else has.

⇴ alternatively... person a sees that everyone else has taken their masks off and then takes their own mask off to join the crowd (this one is a lot less sentimental, as person a has no problem revealing their secret identity).

⇴ "wait. you have nanotech masks!? why doesn't my universe have a nanotech mask??"

okay, so i gave u some dialogue and some scenarios, but the superhero nerd in me wants to give u some tips too.

unmasking: reasons

⇴ as a way to build trust

⇴ as a way to build comradery

⇴ because they're all spidermen/spiderwomen/spiderpeople, so there's no reason to keep a secret identity in the first place

⇴ unmasking as a big plotpoint (could be the oc's climax or a way to build relationships between other characters)

unmasking yourself is personal in any circumstance. for example, even though all the spiderpeople in ATSV are seen unmasked, those people are only unmasked around the other spiderpeople, not around the people in their own universe.

when your oc is unmasking, make it a big plot point. how important is their secret identity? are they scared of unmasking after fighting the villain? what are the stakes at hand here?

unmasking: dialogue

since your oc is very pretty, think to yourself of how you would react when seeing a very beautiful person.

⇴ think of how you would respond, and then try to apply it to the other characters. of course, make sure it's not out of character.

if whatever you're thinking is not in line with what one of the characters would think, then don't include it (even if it's for the sake of storytelling).

⇴ when describing how characters are reacting, sometimes (instead of dialogue) using physical characteristics are better.

for example

"you're gorgeous!" person b gasps

person b gapes at person a for a few seconds. their eyes seem like they're bulging out of their head, and suddenly their mouth feels a lot drier than usual. a gulp escapes person b's mouth before saying, "you're gorgeous!"

doesn't that add a lot more? of course, write however you'd like, but if you really want to emphasize a character's beauty, try using physical reactions as well.

[sparks-polls]

Tumblr's Favourite Sparks Music Video - The Finale

We have our finalists! Congratulations, When Do I Get To Sing "My Way" and I Predict!

When Do I Get To Sing "My Way"

Defeated opponents: Edith Piaf (Said It Better Than Me), (When I Kiss You) I Hear Charlie Parker Playing, Music That You Can Dance To, Funny Face, Call Girl

What people have said about this video: #my way hands down #for the whole story #also have you seen russell in that one? #i picked my way specifically because of russell in that video #it's gotta be my way. the drama and the story and the atmosphere is just so good #they're so classy in it - A+ looks and concept. and I love the whole idea of advertising a movie #I need my brothers torn apart by ambition #when do i get to sing my way (the video) inspired me to write a whole-ass novel #i'm happy as long as my way goes through #i voted my way. against this kind of opponent hardly anything stands a chance #my way takes it all #this isn't even a competition #another masterpiece of a video #the story & storytelling & all 3 of them looking amazing in black and white with that lighting #Ron glaring jealously from behind the curtains!!! #THERE'S ONLY ONE SONG I KNOW (iconic!) + RON DANCE (in colour for he gets to sing his way hell yeah) #Russell's smiles #old hollywood drama & the way the texts are displayed (excellent concept) #russell's model turn in my way for president #DO TWO BROTHERS TORN APART BY AMBITION MEAN NOTHING TO YOU? #the gorgeous old hollywood film that is my way is so important and special to me #it's got to be My Way for me - out of the videos left that is my champion <3 #i think my way deserves to win this contest overall #when do i get to sing my way is just so...

I Predict

Defeated opponents: Beat The Clock, When I'm With You, Johnny Delusional, No. 1 Song In Heaven [Plagiarism Version], All You Ever Think About Is Sex

What people have said about this video: #i predict should win this whole thing #i predict every time. #i made my french class watch the i predict music vid in college. i dont remember why. #but that's how much I loved it #only one answer that i can give #I Predict is just so PERFECT #ron in drag wins #nothing gets better than ron in drag #i predict that i predict will make it very far into the competition #nothing beats i predict i'm afraid #voted i predict because how could I not #i will always root for Heidi #this took zero thought #i predict duh #ron mael striptease should win it all #ron striptease para siempre #if my baby's taking me home can't win (sobs) then I Predict will be an honourable tribute #i predict deserves the win #I Predict is just so much more entertaining to me #and this is coming from someone who doesn't have a huge thing for Heidi unlike most Ron fans lol #i just love how committed he is to the striptease and Russell shining like a star in the audience and the fact that #the whole thing takes place inside an amplifier (a speaker?) #also it feels very Twin Peaks

[missatan]

📩 Simblr question of the day: Who's your biggest inspiration/s on Simblr? Mention them! Tell us why you like them!

oh god, i have so many and i know i am missing some! i sat on this for a min so i could remember!

@gleamer: Their renders are fucking gorgeous, but I also LOVE how their sims interact with each other! I love how much depth and emotion they put into their faces! They have inspired me to do that for my sims just to show who they are as people. Also, their sims are so beautiful!!

@crsentfairy: INDIE!! Gods, where do I start? Her sim style is beautiful and instantly recognizable. I don't need to see Indie's username up above to know that she made them! I love her way of storytelling instantly grabs you at the heart and I love how in depth each oc is! I LOVE how she writes dialogue. Each character SOUNDS like their character if you get what I mean.

@diactrl: MY WIFE!!!! ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS!! MY POOKIE!!! <3333 Dia is ridiculously talented with how she creates renders and sims. The way she styles her sims and it adds so much personality to them too!! Not only does she make the hot ass sims, but just her presence forces me to finish my own shit!

@rosymiel: JESUS CHRIST THEY ARE SO GOOD AT EDITING!!! I remember years ago when I first followed how much I was in awe with how they render then paint over it. Their edits are pure art and so beautiful!! I have always wanted to get to that level!!!

@yngblkarawak: THEY ARE SO MUCH TO SAY!!!! THE WAY THEY STYLE SIMS! THE WAY THEY MAKE SIMS! THE WAY THEY RENDER! THE WAY THEY PUT TOGETHER IDEAS I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO CAPTURE! THE WAY THEY CAN MAKE A SIM LOOK EXACTLY LIKE A PERSON! THE WAY THEY PUT 2+ HAIRS TOGETHER! JUST EVERYTHING!!!! ABSOLUTELY STUNNING ALWAYS!

@vampiremilfs: Nez was one of the first people I came across on tumblr that made me want to get into renders and editing! Their renders feel as if they're from a movie or a video game! I am ALWAYS in awe when they post a render of their sims. they're also so fucking hot and get me foaming at the mouth!!!

@blackskorpi0n: JAKLFJFSKJ STORM!!! They are my blender queen!!! I am always in awe when they create a render and how they put together ideas. I truly feel as if I'm part of their sim's words. The way they do textures, their editing skills, how they move hair perfectly to go with the motion (does that sentence even make sense?? idEK!)

there is so much more and i know I'm blanking. But so many people on this app inspire me SO much!!!! it's a lil art gallery here

[goshen-applecrumbledore]

Hey, I'm a big fan of your writing, I was wondering what your favorite books are/which authors inspire you?

I love getting this question LET'S GOOOOOO

PATRICK ROTHFUSS

I'm hugely inspired by his writing (name of the wind, the wise man's fear) in terms of it being super engaging worldbuilding, but I imagine you're specifically asking about writing STYLE, and he also holds up for that. to quote brandon sanderson's praise on the back of wise man's fear:

"Masterful prose, a sense of cohesion to the storytelling, a wonderful sense of pacing... There is a beauty to Pat's writing that defies description."

my goal with my writing is to keep it tight, keep it moving, but also to get at some deep crunchy emotions, and rothfuss is a real north star for that. gorgeous prose and everything is exactly where and when it needs to be. when I'm reading one of his books I have to constantly stop to jot something down for my own work because it jogs so many thoughts

AMERICAN PSYCHO, BRET EASTON ELLIS

This is the only book of his I've read so far, so I'm calling it out specifically. what a FUCKING masterclass in knowing the rules so you can break them. the fucking dialogue and characterization is bar none, I was HOWLING laughing (it's much funnier than the movie). his prose flows so strangely and perfectly around, it's super dialogue heavy how I like, and people talk like people while also being insanely absurd and funny. it's unparalleled in those micro-level interactions I love to write

URSULA LE GUIN

The fuckin woman herself!!! there's nothing to say about her work that most people don't already know, but the thing that is so powerful to me is that she has a way of describing the most mundane details that makes me just pause and be so grateful to be alive. aside from the content of her work, which is world class storytelling and also some truly gutting stuff, there's just this evocative nature to it. just like.. wow I am literally sitting on a sunny hillside in the long grass, tired and dirty from work but very alive. drinking some cold water and eating some crusty bread.... it's incredible.

BONUS: MOVIES

I am so inspired by movies!! movies are essentially novel length and I get a lot of storytelling inspiration from movies. here are some that I love for narrative reasons

After Hours (Scorcese)

One of my favourite "guy has the worst night of his life" movies. an excellent example of how much good shit you can stuff into a single evening in a character's life, with threads connecting it all.

Daddy Longlegs (Safdie bros)

An all timer. A perfect example of writing a protagonist who's a dirtbag, and of making your audience SO fucking uncomfortable. Any narrative that gets at that level of discomfort is fucking incredible, it's such a specific thing

Thunder Road (Jim Cummings)

Just an incredible characterization of a protag. Immediately gets you into his head. Incredible portrayal of anger issues and addiction, and a stellar example of combining humour and deep crushing sadness, failure, patheticness etc in a way I find massively inspiring

THANKS FOR ASKING, THIS WAS FUN

[ljesak]

🌲pinned🌲

im Maki, a 20 year old hobbyist artist from serbia currently majoring in compsci ! I have a bunch of interests, main ones being art (visual and writing), philosophy, sociology, media analysis, biology and video games as a storytelling medium

✦ main fandoms: warrior cats, elder scrolls, fallout, furry

✦ i engage with various other things too but these are the biggest!

✦ when it comes to art i enjoy portraying atmosphere and emotion, subjects are varied as im interested in too many things to settle on only few! I do wanna make more oc content, though and finally branch out into humans

✦ i enjoy a plethora of movies/books/shows/games etc. but it felt bloated to include them all here

✦ art is under #art tag !

my characters: https://toyhou.se/ljesak (art with them is tagged with their name, ex. laurie)

✦ other socials and commission info: https://ljesak.carrd.co/

I open commissions sporadically, my messages are open for inquiries

more about art/stuff i like! video games: fallout nv, what remains of edith finch, disco elyisum, the talos principle, witcher 3, skyrim, firewatch, SOMA, beginner's guide, baldur's gate 3, outlast franchise, cyberpunk 2077, citizen sleeper, fran bow, undertale, outer wilds, the unfinished swan,, there's def more but those are the favs i rmbr so far. i want to get into dragon age and mass effect

webcomics im currently reading and enjoying: What Lurks Beneath, Lackadaisy, Oren's Forge, Golden Shrike, I Hope So, Tofauti Sawa shows: bojack horseman, atypical (except the 4th season that one was awful), midnight gospel, dungeon meshi, atla, dragon hunters, arcane... i did watch many shows but i remember these personally resonated. i need to watch more shows in general but they are quite a big time investment films: most of miyazaki's work, favs being princess mononoke and spiried away, WALL-E, coraline, ratatouille, I'm thinking of ending things, the eternal sunshine of the spotless mind... and more. i tend to prefer animation over live action as it's more expressive (obv not always the case) again i did watch more movies id consider good but not personally meaningful enough to mention books: i mostly read philosophical texts and fiction!! my fav authors are probably meša selimović and chomsky but i really need to expand my horizons with books, I'm least experimental with them, so its classics mostly unless i get a good recommendation music: mostly indie folk/rock but i do listen to most genres, fav artists rn are Lord Huron, Daughter, Wickerbird, Slowdive, Warpaint, Arcade Fire, Wilsen, Aphex Twin and more!! i rlly love ambient music too so a lot of the games i mentioned previously have gorgeous soundtracks will probably edit this periodically as i remember more things !!

[wszczebrzyszynie]

OOOOGHHH i love giving recs!!!! if you like the haibane renmei type vibe i think no.6 is pretty similar?? its a revolution type story in like a dystopian world kinda?? another similar anime might be violet evergarden which is KNOWN for its absolutely gorgeous animation and amazing storytelling (about a girl writing letters for people. made me cry by like ep 3!!!)

and then flip flappers is a magical girl type thing with cool twists and animation and its wayyy underrated

the disastrous life of saiki k is pretty different and kinda just a slice of life but as a mp100 fan i really liked it and its pretty funny. its about a ridiculously op psychic guy who just wants to be normal but plot wont let him

then theres classics like fullmetal alchemist and neon genesis evangelion and cowboy bebop which are all known to be good

and for some newer ones theres chainsaw man (youve prolly heard about it but its well known for a reason ^^) and bocchi the rock (HILARIOUS slice of life about a introvert girl starting a band)

andddd i think you should try out anime MOVIES too!!! like ghibli movies and promare and your name and stuff. cant be beat

ty for asking for recommendations this is like coke for me even if you dont watch any of these !!!

ive seen all of these except flip flappers and fullmetal (which i recognize i should probably watch already). no.6 was life changing for 14 year old me but i would not call it similar to haibane renmei. and i really like chainsaw man (havent been keeping up with the manga after part 1 ended). I dropped saiki k (its fine on its own but the way people compare it to mob gave me very big expectations it just didnt live up to? same with mashle but mashle was worse) and violet evergarden (i watched it when it was still coming out and gilbert creeped me out)

[thenamesblurrito]

To bring some positivity to TFOne coming out, what stuff did you like about the trailer? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

oh man im still digesting it a lil bit but whoof lets go-

ECOLOGY

WE HAVE ROBOT ANIMALS!!! FLORA AND FAUNA!! WE SEE MORE THAN JUST CITIES WE SEE LANDSCAPES AND GEOGRAPHIC FEATURES AND A BLEND OF CIVILIZATION AND WILD SPACES AND A PROPER ALIEN PLANET!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ANIMALS!!!!!

like don't get me wrong the cities themselves rock and are gorgeous, but we only ever see like... just a bunch of grey metal and blocky greebled buildings and rust. Cyberverse was probably my favorite properly alien planet as a whole instead of just a really big sci fi city named Cybertron and i'm so excited to see what they do with it in One, ESPECIALLY with how it seems to be heavily technoorganic and hooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Quintessonsssssssssssss eeeheheheheh give me the SQUIDS

actually for that matter the aesthetics?? this is such a fascinating artistic direction that i'm really appreciating like the vaporwave sunsets, the fractal moving mountains and aurora horizon, those busy neon city scenes and the upside down underground towers and... whoof it's all so incredible?? and it manages to be visually stunning WITHOUT just being a bunch of, yknow, greebled nonsense. it looks designed, it looks like it has Culture and Life and Intent behind it instead of being a mess of vaguely robotic detail slapped on. i keep wondering what the significance of the tower on the poster will be. the train things are fascinating. the little hints and implications of society and oh how interesting that could be expanded on. the mecha themselves too are like, halfway in between uncanny valley and stylized tin soldier toys for me in a way that took a bit of getting used to but i'm appreciating more and more how it's visibly and joyfully animated instead of trying (and failing) to be 'live action' like the Lion King

the SCALE. THE SCALE!!!! DO YOU KNOW HOW RARE IT IS WE GET SO MANY NAMED KNOWN CHARACTERS PACKED INTO SCENES LIKE THIS. tf canons usually have core casts of characters both for storytelling and budget reasons and yet here we've got so many shown off in just the trailer, it makes it feel like a real populated planet instead of a handful of robots and some set dressing like Aligned feels like to me.

i've got some insane questions like why does D-16 already have a Decepticon brand on him??? why is Alpha Trion alone and sad and did he rip those tcogs out of the corpses of other primes to give to them and why is he some kinda mossy gorgonopsid unicorn?? why is Sentinel getting tentacled and will we see him be ripped limb from limb (positive)?? what are Vehicons here and how do they differ from regular bots and what is their purpose???

the only real issue i have is Hasbro being predictable and shoving Bee in when someone else would really better fit this movie as he's typically not meant to be in this time period/role but eh. disappointed but not surprised and willing to let go and laugh at him being comic relief anyway. there's literally not enough information on anything else for me to say if i don't like it or not yet bc i have no idea how they're gonna execute it, but what is there has me eager and hopeful it'll be good

i guess the biggest thing is. it looks fun. it looks FUN!!! the world looks fun, the characters look like they're having fun, it just seems like a movie that wants me to ENJOY it!! i'm ready for a fun movie in a franchise i love!!

[lena-in-a-red-dress]

Lena is suddenly busy too busy to do anything with Kara. Kara thinks she might still be mas at her, so she goes spy on her. Only to discover that Lena might have a new old best friend

By the time Lena announces she has someone she wants Kara to meet, Kara is ready and raring to hate her.

For the past three months, it’s been nearly impossible to pin Lena down for anything. Lunch, brunch, movie nights, game nights, you name it, Kara’s tried it and has been met with the same response.

I’m sorry, I already have plans.

Oh, they talk often enough, which is the only reason Kara hasn’t forced the issue and stormed her way over to Lena’s apartment. Talking is even worse. 

“My friend and I tried this new restaurant, I think you’ll love it.”

“My friend and I were talking about your article…”

Going to new restaurants was their thing. Talking was their thing. Hers and Lena’s. Nevermind that Lena has been gushing about this friend non stop, but it's the appropriation of time and activities and things that burrows under Kara’s skin and stays there.

So when Kara receives the invitation and accepts the offer of dinner, she arrives fully prepared to give this person the third degree, and maybe even some stink-eye. Not unlike a very similar dinner with one Jack Spheer. The fact she’d been wrong about Jack’s character is something she shoves far from her mind.

Lena meets her outside, phone in hand. Despite the fight she’s spoiling for with this friend, Kara has nothing but relief for the sight of her friend. “Lena!”

Lena looks up at the call and beams. BEAMS.

She receives Kara with a hug that seems to last for an age, warm and firm and accompanied by a hum from Lena that puts something right in Kara’s heart. 

“I’ve missed you,” Kara says truthfully.

“Me too,” Lena offers. “I’m sorry it’s been so long. Truly.”

At that, Kara forces a smile. “Hey, I get it. But I’m looking forward to meeting this person who’s been stealing you away from me.”

Lena laughs, bright and clear. “Okay! Come on, she's already inside.”

Damn. Kara had hoped to arrive first, gain some high ground. The realization that Lena and her friend may very well have arrived together cuts Kara to the core. She plasters on a smile and follows Lena into the restaurant. As they walk towards the back, Kara’s heart starts to pound. Not with fear or anger– apprehension.

Then, finally, they reach the table whose occupant rises at their approach and– oh.

Oh no.

Lena’s friend is tall and slender, Asian with expressive dark eyes and a sweet smile on perfect lips. 

“It’s wonderful to finally meet you,” the woman says. Her voice is lightly accented, British, and light in a quietly genuine sort of way. “Lena has told me so much about you.”

Kara belatedly realizes that Lena must have already made introductions, and that she must have missed it while studying this mysterious, gorgeous stranger. She covers this by shooting Lena a look. “You have?”

Lena flushes. “Li teases, but yes. Of course I have. You are my best friend.”

Kara nearly stumbles at that, halfway to finding her seat. Lena says it so readily, in front of this… Li, no less. Kara should feel relieved, honored. Warm, at the very least. But in the back of her mind a dark voice wonders, if Lena were so comfortable saying this in front of Li, with no expectation of jealousy or backlash- then what does that make Li?

“Kara?”

Kara blinks, realizing that Li has asked her a question. She awkwardly clears her throat. “Sorry?”

“I was wondering how you met Lena?” Li repeats. “I’ve had Lena’s version, but she’s a terrible storyteller when she’s embarrassed.”

Kara freezes. Lena was embarrassed?

“Oh, um. Yeah. My cousin was in town on assignment for the Daily Planet, reporting on the near miss with the Venture shuttle–”

“Oh right! Lena, weren’t you supposed to be on that flight?” Li gazes at Lena in concern. “I can’t imagine.”

“Well, considering I’m the reason it went down, yes. I got lucky.” Lena shoots Kara a wink. “I skirted death and got a friend out of it.”

Kara can’t help but smile back. “I just wish it had been under better circumstances.”

“So you… interviewed her?” Li clarified. She follows the question up with a knowing smile. “Let me guess– you just couldn’t stay away.”

Unable to tell if Li is being facetious– she’s still wearing that sweet smile– Kara balks slightly. “I mean, if you put it that way…”

“Oh! Oh, no, of course. I only say that because it’s much the same way I met Lena myself.”

Kara waits for Li to continue, which she does.

“We were what… Eleven?” Lena hums in affirmation. “My mother instructed me to speak with Lena at an event our families were both attending. Lena was reading a book, and I think I asked what it was. The minute she opened her mouth it was like we were best friends already.”

With a sinking heart, Kara fiddles with her glasses. “Eleven, huh? That’s a lot of history.”

“Not as much as I would have liked,” Lena cuts in then, nearly scolding Li. “Our families were on opposite sides of the globe. I think we only started making the most of our acquaintance during university.”

“You went to MIT?” Kara asks Li, surprised.

Li scoffs. “Goodness, no. She means Oxford, for graduate school.”

Conversation continues, and despite Kara’s misgivings, she can’t help but find herself unable to find a single bad thing to say about Li. She seems… sweet, and Lena clearly feels at ease with her, which is largely what gets Kara across the line to maybe possibly liking Li.

“So,” Lena invites over her wine glass, after the meal winds down and Li excuses herself to the bathroom.

Kara sighs. “I like her,” she admits with a smile. “She’s nice.”

“I’m glad you think so,” Lena exhales. “To be honest, I’ve wanted you two to meet for a while now.”

With a smirk, Kara meets Lena’s eye with a wink. “What can I say, you have good taste in friends.”

A laugh bubbles out of Lena, making Kara grin.

“But yeah… I’d probably hang out with her again.”

She’d spend time with Snapper Carr if it meant spending time with Lena. But selfish or not, Lena beams.

“But I’d like to spend time with you too,” Kara adds. She holds Lena’s gaze, almost wide with surprise at Kara’s honesty. Kara sags a little. “I’ve missed you.”

“You too,” Lena returns. She reaches across the table to grasp Kara’s wrist. “Movie night Friday? Just us.”

Kara nods, easing into a relieved grin. “It’s a deal. If you stay over, maybe we can meet Li for brunch, if she wants.”

“If Li wants to, what?” Li chimes in, returning to her seat.

Lena glances at Kara to confirm, and receives a ready nod in response. 

“Brunch on Saturday,” Lena offers. “With Kara and I.”

Kara and I.

Warmth spreads in Kara’s chest at the sound of it. She doesn't even mind that Li readily accepts. 

“That would be lovely,” she says, voice soft. “Thank you.”

Kara smiles at her, and finds that it comes easily. Maybe it won’t be so bad to get to know Lena’s friend a bit better. 

Just so long as she doesn’t lose Lena in the process.

((prompts are closed))