#it's cool to chronicle everything then go back and read about it

[leastactivesideblog]

I need to stop posting here and write in my diary instead but I forget every time ughh I've even been saving up leaves and receipts to glue in there

[elegyofthemoon]

damn wait actually remembering chronicle made me remember how much i miss reading scripts i used to do it so often in high school bc i liked seeing the thought process in the writing for movies -- or like certain things that dont make the cut or why the camera work is the way it is i should do it again some time

[rocksanddeadflowers]

something I've been thinking about is how interesting it would be to see the goblincore/gremlincore/corvidcore type aesthetic to evolve into an actual subculture. obviously for starters we should change the name bc anything ending in -core just doesn't sit right with me? unless of course it becomes that "placeholder name turns true name" sorta deal but ANYWAY.

main three key elements I've noticed that tend to make up a subculture is: style/outfit presentation (the optional part), belief system, and music genre(s).

style and presentation: (like what you wear), that part is already obvious if you ever followed the aesthetic at any point. (it was trendy for a time I think, is it still trendy? bc idk if it is but that's not stopping me from loving it.) basically wearing majority earth colors like browns and greens, stuff like hobbit-esque cloths or sweaters and stuff. definitely LOTS of nature based themes or just wearing weird trinkets. gotta go for that "creature directly out of the chronicles of spider wick" type look you know?

with the clothes (and often interior design I've noticed, which my entire bedroom would probably fit the aesthetic actually) one thing I've noticed for most who are into the aesthetic is there is a LOT of DIY. also going out and collecting things you find (anything from mystery trinkets to dead bugs and sticks and rocks, which I grew up doing and would call myself a tinker bc I made stuff out of what I found very often).

belief system: I feel like, above all else, beliefs commonly held among people in this aesthetic is to respect and be in nature, as well as do not waste, reduce and reuse. a lot of environmentalist like stuff, as well as seeing and respecting the beauty of nature, from butterflies and flowers to dirt and corpses. I don't have a solid concrete answer for belief system, but hopefully that sums up my view on it.

music genre: folk/folk punk, fantasy DND type genres, and nature based lyrics and vibes. from my experience and digging around, there's less artists who catch the vibe of this aesthetic all around (bc that's not what they're trying to do), and moreso having a couple or handful of songs that fit so very well. unless of course it's a genre of music that is enheritly matching to this aesthetic.

anyway, I'm not great at explaining the music aspect of it, but I feel like if it's magical and yet sorta punk-like that can work. no limits here yet, I have a playlist on my youtube that definitely pushes the boarders but who cares? the thing has celtic woman and httyd score on it. I just think if this evolved into having music for the genre (idk if we could call it a music based genre since it didn't start that way but I mean overall having a genre of music dedicated to this aesthetic-turned-subculture) it would be really interesting to hear what comes of it.

circling back for a minute, I feel like punk comes hand-and-hand with a couple of things here, but specifically mainly eco-punk. like diy, reduce and reuse, etc. as well as the music, while not deeply punk still feels like it would have a punk undercurrent.

I also think this could parallel well with goth, with the dark romantic sorta stuff. the music and belief system having love and adoration for the strangest and darkest aspects of nature, similar to goths seeing beauty in the darkness and creepiness of the world.

if anyone actually read this I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on my little rant (suggestions for bands/musicians and similar subcultures/subculture parallels are very encouraged) bc I grew up doing pretty much everything within this aesthetic long before I knew it was a thing or maybe even before it was a thing. that isn't meant to be gate keepy. I mean that when I found out just how many other people liked and did the same things as me, it was just so cool. so I just really wanna talk to people about this and I think something like this aesthetic could easily become a subculture one day.

[simplegenius042]

"What Archetypes Are Your OCs?" Quiz, Top Four Fictional Crushes and The Worst Ship Chart Ever

Tagged by @shellibisshe @inafieldofdaisies @josephseedismyfather @voidika and @imogenkol

Tagging @socially-awkward-skeleton @direwombat @adelaidedrubman @icecutioner @strangefable @strafethesesinners @josephslittledeputy @rhettsabbott @carlosoliveiraa @cassietrn @g0dspeeed @turbo-virgins @aceghosts @afarcryfrommymain @derelictheretic @deputy-morgan-malone @wrathfulrook @softtidesworld @shallow-gravy @starsandskies @ladyoriza @la-grosse-patate @vampireninjabunnies-blog @cloudofbutterflies92 @florbelles @sleepyconfusedpotato @titiagls @minilev @skoll-sun-eater @thewanderer-000 and @lulu2992 (for Top Four Fictional crushes, but you can join with the other tags if you want).

Three results for OC archetypes, a listing of four of my fictional crushes (oh fuck-) and two worst ship charts ever. You can find the quiz here. You can find these and the template for the chart below.

Three results for Archetypes for OCs from The UnTitledverse, The Silver Chronicles and A Radioactive Calamity Of Love, Bombs & Gore.

ALFRED "JEFF" HOPPER (THE UNTITLEDVERSE)

I don't this is necessarily correct. Throughout the first two sagas (The Pefect Storm and The Omniscient Rule sagas), Jeff has been nothing more than a supporting and often times tertiary protagonist. Maybe not a main but definitely important. He has moments of selfishness, sure, but that's not often. The only really selfish "messed shit up for everyone" moment was when he took the opportunity to change course of events which worsened the space-time continuum while he had been helping the Time Guard chase after a time-travelling mass serial killer fugitive who had been making Time unstable in the first place, which wasn't even out of malicious intent, rather he just wanted his bestest friend back from non-existence, that being Lena Elliot. So yeah, he screwed up, but not to a villainous extent.

ALEXANDER KHAOS (THE SILVER CHRONICLES)

Oh god another villain result. Which... is more accurate for Alexander than it is for Jeff. He's more of an antagonist to Silva, that's for sure (being the right-hand man and Chosen Extraordinaire, which is basically Jacob's top elite Chosen, of Jacob Seed). He has unresolved trauma in regards to his time in Wellington Wells and has embraced his role in Hope County in Eden's Gate, though if a stronger or more ideological compatible person came around, he'd take his loyalists (which includes Hannah McCalkin) and leave Jacob behind.

ALPH DOLEN (A RADIOACTIVE CALAMITY OF LOVE, BOMBS & GORE)

Link to Minecraft Poem for anyone interested. Oh good, I worried it wasn't going to be different. And OH WOW! Alph got read to filth here. Kind of ironic that he craves love and wants to be surrounded by love but is the "Lone Wanderer". Doubly ironic when he's ghoulified... something that should be where he is rejected by everyone and everything, but ends up with more than he could ever ask for, especially with Ress and Amata... until Arcane Urias ruins everything, as he does.

Here's the list of my top four fictional crushes:

Maki Zen'in - Jujutsu Kaisen (Specifically post-Shibuya Arc)

(I want to be lifted up and carried bridal-style in her arms)

2. Soundwave - Transformers Prime (when I was young and both completely blind without glasses I didn't know I required and literacy blind to whatever I was watching, I thought this Soundwave (the only one I had been introduced to at the time) was female... he's still pretty aesthetically pleasing though, cool AF, and a caring parent to Laserbeak so...)

3. Faith Seed - Far Cry 5 (daydreaming-about-frollicking-in-green-flower-fields-and-living-in-cozy-cottages lesbians UNITE!)

(however fair warning she might get you high enough to talk to God and try to convince you to join her older adoptive brother's cult)

4. GLaDOS - Portal

(...her soothing condescending voice that belittles and tries to get you killed and her smooth + robust curves in her awesome design enchant me...)

Honourable Mention goes to (look'em up):

5. Sea Empress - Subnautica

Two of the worst ship charts for The Silver Chronicles and Life, Despair & Monsters.

Translation for the unreadable:

What draws them together? Initially the mystery surrounding each other as no one except a very specific few know much about their former lives, and their opposing factions forces them to interact a lot, and thanks to the Bliss, that's what they mostly end up doing. Plus they mostly fit each others preferences.

What stands in the way? They are at war in two opposing factions, one that wants to kill/detain (Resistance) and the other that will kill but will try to indoctrinate Silva (Eden's Gate). Opposing morality, beliefs and trust issues also get in the way.

What are their good traits? Silva and Faith find companionship with another due to their similar past/current circumstances, and Silva's compassion and unexpected kindness is bizarre and appealing to Faith, as her cunning and passions are appealing to Silva. Both are willing to sabotage their own factions to keep the other around a bit longer, plus their determination to find a peaceful resolution.

What makes them hopeless at romance? Trust, or lack there of. Silva is weary that Faith will report anything she says to Joseph to better get her into Eden's Gate, while Faith is weary that Silva is trying to get close to manipulate her into coming out into the open to better take her down. Both are correct in the beginning but later down the line it gets muddied. Silva also refuses to speak of her past (understandable) except for the vaguest of truths while Faith doesn't fully open herself up in fear of being scorned. Not to mention it's been a long while since Silva had been in a romantic relationship and Faith is very inexperienced.

Describe them with one trope: Toxic Toxic "I can fix her" & "I can make her worse/better" Enemies-To-Lovers Yuri.

Translation for the unreadable (Also note that when Jennifer is talking about her partner, it's mostly complaining about Sonya, and Sonya's image is more a reference to what I closely envision her as):

What draws them together? They both fail to kill each other and have a bone to pick with both Dicko and Sir Enigma Malvolio and they're also considered "non-human" now.

What stands in their way? Sonya is unstable to the point she's agitated enough to kill others on instinct which Jennifer is trying to control much to Sonya's distaste. There's also the fact Sonya is like a 12-foot something mecha-beastie which she doesn't think Jennifer finds attractive. Jennifer is in denial of her feelings and believes if she loses control of Sonya then it will be right back to square-one like it was with Dicko or she'd die, either one.

What are their good traits? They both have a common interest revenge against Dicko (successful) and Malvolio (work-in-progress), and Sonya acts as Jennifer's trump card and intimidation factor in their illegal business. Both also have an appreciation for their brutal honesty and openness with one another and relatability (with Jennifer as a synthetic human and Sonya's brain transferred to a mecha-beastie). They have no problems committing murder together.

What makes them hopeless at romance? Jennifer is used to being treated as an object of lust and since her freedom from Dicko and take over of his business has pushed to be in control of everything (including Sonya) and is trying to ensure she doesn't lose that control and denying all romantic/sexual feelings, while Sonya is a victim of Malvolio and his treatment of her has left a lot of psychological scars where she dehumanizes herself and does everything in her power to prove it correct too.

Describe them with one trope: Toxic "I can make you so-so-so worse baby" bloody murder Yuri situationship/partnership on a mission of revenge with a pinch of monsterfucking and goes from "I want to kill you" to "I'd kill for you" pipeline.

Template below:

[thee-morrigan]

after you I don't know what

attachment theory, chapter 10 The Wayhaven Chronicles Nate Sewell/Holland Townsend rated M

Excerpt:

The rain had left the air feeling sharp and clean, the ground slightly damp beneath their feet, and it smelled, as it always did after a rainstorm, like pine and earth and fresh grass, the forest alive with birdsong. Ahead of them, Sleater was busy sniffing at the undergrowth, pausing every so often to look back at them, her ears perked, as if to see if they were still following before darting ahead again, her paws skidding over the damp leaves on the trail as she ran. Nate glanced over at her, then, and when he saw her watching him, he smiled. It made her chest ache. There was something in his expression that she couldn't quite read. Something almost sad, or perhaps wistful. Something soft and tender and wanting. Something that made part of her want to turn and run. To keep from feeling this thing, that was building in her. To keep from ever needing to say goodbye to this. To him. "Hey," he said, his fingers tightening slightly around hers. “Everything all right?” "Yeah." Holland smiled up at him, pushing down the odd, complicated ache in her chest, the sudden urge to pull away, to close herself off again. "Just thinking." "What about?" Nate asked, pulling her a little closer as they walked. She turned her gaze back to the path ahead. "How filthy Sleater's going to be by the time we get back.” It wasn't entirely a lie: her dog was currently several yards ahead of them, weaving through dense patches of wild grass and snuffling at the edge of the treeline. She'd likely be covered in a layer of wet leaves and dirt by the time they finished their walk. Nate laughed at that, though, the sound of it clear and bright and warm in the cool autumn air. "I'll help you wash her," he said. "If you like." "Thanks," she said, and she meant it. She was grateful, for that, and for a thousand other things. "Although I should probably warn you," she added, "it can be an...arduous process. She's not very fond of having to hold still that long. Or at all." Nate laughed again, and she felt him squeeze her hand. "Sounds like someone else I know," he teased. "And yet I don't remember your having any complaints the last time you were involved in my bath," she replied airily. "In fact," she continued, shooting him a sidelong glance, "if memory serves, you were a very enthusiastic participant.” His laugh melted into something softer, more intimate, and his fingers tightened around hers again. "I seem to recall your being quite enthusiastic as well," Nate murmured, his voice pitched low and intimate. His thumb brushed the inside of her wrist, and Holland felt a shiver run through her that had nothing to do with the cool autumn breeze. "Well," she said, her lips curving into a slow smile as her eyes met his, "you do have a certain talent for inspiring…enthusiasm."

read the rest on ao3!

[winterrhayle]

rank all of the 6 lunar chronicles books! i've asked a few of my friends irl this and ive seen very differing opinions so im curious (and ive seen how much you like ranking so..😂)

LOLLLL yeah ranking is my favourite thing ever ever ever ever ever ever its so fun okay (this is kinda long sorry hahaha) :

winter - this probably isnt a shocker, bc well ^^^ my url😭 literally what does this book NOT have. its 800+ pages, it contains so many perspectives, every single ship, every character dynamic is fully formed, the plot is insane and weaves together so well, the drama, the luna visuals, JACINTER, MISS WINTER HAYLE BLACKBURN.... like......... name a better book.... exactly. winter > everything. this is my go to book to reread and i think that its actually etched into the grooves of my brain. i have 2 copies of this book and they are my prized possessions

fairest - okay this ranking might be controversial, and i hate levana as much as everyone else does(just a disclaimer lol). but I LOVEEEE a character study, specially when said character is a villain. i read fairest after i'd completed all of the main 4 books and it just added so many more layers to the lunar characters (winter, levana, jacin etc), and also introduces us to evret, who is talked about in the main series but as we know he dies before the events of tlc :( but i loved his character and i found this book so interesting, also as a winter girl it was cool to see her parents, and her as a baby / toddler,, and also the og trio winter, jacin and selene / cinder own my WHOLE soul bc they are soooo <33333333333333 this book actually breaks my heart soo bad every time but i still crave rereading it bc its so good

cinder - ahhh when everything was somewhat simple, i like rereading this one to just go back to square one and like. reminisce on how everything begun and look at all of the seeds marissa planted (like that brief mention of winter and the descriptions of jacin aka the blond guard or whatever it was they described him as) . and i just love the kaider of it all of course and idk this one is just so nostalgic to me

scarlet - something about this book just keeps me on edge every time i read it. i literally cannot put it down once i start it and even though i know all of the plot twists and everything now im just constantly hooked. i love the visuals of this book, with the farm in rieux, and futuristic paris, and the fight in the abandoned opera house, soo cool. also i love how well this book in particular ties into little red riding hood because every single time i read the part about michelle actually being ran under glamour, aka the wolf disguised as the grandma like in the og fairytale, i am GAGGED its such a cool way to tie it into the lore of this series. annndddd i feel like i do talk about scarlet on here a lot because of winlet but i do NOT talk about wolf enough so let me just say something: wolf is such an interesting and complex character andi loveeee him and i love how much his personality varies from babygirl to actual killer hahhah

cress - i love this book to death BUTT i feel like some of the desert chapters kinda did drag on a little, especially as ive read this book so many times they're the scenes i tend to skim through (and this was true even BEFORE i became a cresswell hater tbh), but other than that this book is 10/10, i love the farafrah chapters especially, and i loved watching jacin be annoying and also i loved watching the rampion crew start to fill out and become bigger, ALSO this book has that iconic miscommunication scene where thorne and cress reunite with the others but thorne is blind so he didnt know that 'the wolf' cress was talking about was just our wolf (ze'ev) and the chaos of all that and cinder and dr erland and them almost getting arrested and escaping on the rampion / iko was pure chaos ALSOOOO this book had the technical introduction of winter bc you hear her adopting scarlet to save her which is fun so yeah !!! if they took out the cresswell of it all this book would be higher bc theres so much to love (and i mean this literally, this book is SO LONG)

stars above - this feels weird to rank because it isnt one full book, its a set of short stories, and the reason why its down here is because the only ones i consistently go back to are something old something new and the princess and the guard, if those two were full books they would probably be in the number 2 or 3 spot tbh (specially princess and the guard), but the thing is with stars above is that theres just a little too much filler for me,, like thornes chapter is pointless and is not interesting at all, and the little andriod actually is really sweet but i wouldve happily sacrificed that and thornes chapter to get more content with the other short stories, as i feel like they had a lot more to say (i do love cinders cameo in the little andriod tho)

[tuliharja]

Five comfort characters, five tags

Thank you so much for tagging me @unohanadaydreams!

The timing of this tag game wouldn't have come in more ironic timing than it did, since just recently my one friend asked me about my own comfort characters. To be honest, I think when I move to a new fandom, my comfort character changes along the way. Though, at times I notice myself going back to certain fandoms and reading about certain characters or ships, so maybe those in a way comfort me. But then I read about other people's answers, which made me realize the definition of comfort character differs from person to person. Yes, there are some similarities, and even in some cases, the definition can vary between characters. It's all about how one views and handles them. So, I've tried to make my own list with explanations of why these characters are my comfort characters (which was very hard. Not just because of the explanations, but also just listing only five of them!)

Tomoyo-hime (from Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle). Probably my oldest blorbo. Writing her is extremely easy for me. Not to mention she reminds me of all the good and pure things in the whole world with that glint of mischievousness. Just thinking about her calmness and beautiful smile soothes me. Not to mention she is the other part of my ultimate OTP, so when I talk/write about her, I can talk about my OTP. (And oh boy. I have a lot to say/write about them! And things concerning them and around them.) She is just extremely comfortable to me.

Yoruichi Shihoin (from BLEACH). When you don't know what to draw, either draw Tomoyo or Yoruichi, my brain whispers to me when I'm stuck on which anime/manga woman to draw. Yoruichi is extremely easy for me to draw. Not to mention there is just something in her character that draws my attention in art-wise. I really like to both draw Yoruichi and look at the art of her. It brings me a sense of serenity and makes me want to draw something cool or amazing. She is a very great character. I also like the fact the manga didn't reveal everything about her, so there is room to write about her if I so want. Not to mention she is a very layered character underneath her cattish attitude. But to me, she is mostly my art blorbo.

Shinji Hirako (from BLEACH). This feels very random, even to me. But after I mulled over this matter a good while, I realized Shinji is my comfort character. Each time when I've been away from Bleach fandom and I want to read a Bleach fic, I unconsciously start to look for fics where is Shinji. There is just something about the piano teeth man who brings me a sense of security, despite the fact he is a goofy mess. Not to mention he is an extremely layered character, which makes him just a delicious character to read about. (Sadly, I still can't read fics where he and Hiyori appear as main characters as usual in such fics their slang/dialect is so strong, I get lost in translation...)

Furina (From Genshin Impact). One of my newer blorbos. I can't help but just feel most about her. Even before the big revelation about her, everything about her made me root for her and feel this kinship that is very hard for me to explain. More so, after the big revelation about her. There is something about Furina that brightens my day and makes me feel reassured. Especially when I think how she can mess up badly or be a bundle of anxiety, yet still keeps going on despite her many failures and faults. Not to mention she is a very complex and pretty character. I definitely want to make art about her at some point~.

Lucifer Morningstar (from Lucifer). My newest, shiny blorbo. I must admit I'm not sure why he is my blorbo. The fact he is such a layered character? The fact he looks drop-dead gorgeous? He has more issues than one can count with two hands, yet still chooses to ignore that all? The huge angst potential? The fact despite the fact he can (and will) act like an absolute a-hole yet is the sweetest thing ever? Or he knows how to live, but can still be very insightful and all that more? Haha, I don't know, but I sure do know underneath that wild party animal, he is the most lovable guy ever and that's magnetic. Plus, he is what he is and is (mostly) unapologetic about it.

Honorable mentions: Juushiro Ukitake (Bleach), Tobirama Senju (Naruto), Madara Uchiha (Naruto), Thrawn (Star Wars, Penelope Eckhart (Villains Are Destined to Die), and Riruka Dokugamine (Bleach).

Tagging (with no pressure): @officerjennie, @callmeasyouwantidk, @jkrobertson, @the-con-she-called-conscience and @lemongrass-and-cedarwood.

[nightmare-dreamt]

HI THERE! HOW ARE YOU? I LOVED MY MATCHUP YOU GAVE ME A WHILE BACK AND I STILL READ IT LOLOLOL, SO I WANTED TO REQUEST SOMETHING IF YOU DONT MIND, ANYWAYS

May I possibly request Tengen Uzui + Wives with a Male! or GN! S/O who has a Margarita Blankenheim Personality from The Evillious Chronicles?? Here’s this song to explain a little more? also how would they react to their S/O being a killer by making people sleep with this gift they call “sleeping”

Thank you!!

this is the character hehhe, also uzui and the wives can also react to the reader looking and dressing like this awesome character as well ehhehana

Thank you for the request and I hope I did well! This is my first time ever doing a request with this type of character so bare with me 😌

Life was always so bland and boring for you. Every single day went the same, wake up, eat, do your chores, eat again, read, clean some more, eat again, and finally go to sleep. It didn't help that your husband was a cheap bastard and chose to spend his nights with other mistresses instead of the one he promised to be with since they were kids. But everything changed when she came into the picture.

A young maiden with long purple hair that was tied back, she was known around the village as a girl with evil magic that made everyone afraid of her, but you weren't afraid. You met her on your run into town and when you did you found out that she was a nice woman who wasn't evil and instead was a fierce warrior who was skilled in mixtures.

From that day forward, the two of you were inseparable and would always be seen around town laughing and enjoying life, but your happiness didn't last long. Your husband found out about your new friend and quickly ended the friendship, forcing you to stay indoors and to never leave. Slowly, your life began to change into a depressed and saddened life, you felt trapped and alone no one to talk with, but it wasn't long before your friend returned.

Secretly, you and your new friend began practicing new magic and mixtures and within time you learned all of the basics now being able to make your own mixtures. But, that happiness didn't last for long when your secret meetings were found out by your husband. You remember the day, the day he and all of the other village members dragged you and the women out of your house into the middle of town. She was tied up and forced onto a pedestal where she was then burned to her death, but before she passed she whispered one last thing.

"Y/n my beautiful child, find my daughter and she'll help you. She lives in the mountains with her friends, she'll protect you from this place," And then she passed away.

Listening to her words, you ran off grabbing everything that you needed from your spell book to your mixtures. Once midnight struck and your husband went to bed, you ran off not before cursing your whole town putting them into a constant state of sleep, never to wake up again, dying with their last moments being of the beautiful women.

Years had passed and you were now a lot older then before and much stronger being able to do any sort of magic. Your favorite was putting people to sleep, it always gave a strange amount of joy when watching those who have done wrong never be able to again. You never forgot the words given to you by the women, you found her daughter in the mountains making her name to be Shinobu, a young hashira who swore to protect the peoples from demon creatures.

The two of you became extremely close friends, telling stories about her mother and the cool things and adventures she had done. You tended to help Shinobu with her work defeating demons alongside her and soon enough you became your own hashira, becoming apart of the pillars. You met the rest of the pillars quickly getting along with all of them, one of them a little too much then the others.

Tengen Uzui, the sound pillar who by far was the most interesting out of them all. You met him and immediately felt a spark between the two of you, but with your past love life, you ignored that spark. Everytime you would be working he would be by your side always having a fascinated look on his face.

"Woah! How did you do that?"

"That was so flamboyant!"

Trying to ignore the ongoing feelings that were building up for the gray haired boy, it soon began to be too much and your small heart couldn't take it. You confessed and to your surprise he liked you back, but there was something else to him that you didn't expect. He already had three wives…

Makio, Suma, and Hinatsuru the three wives of Tengen. You were shocked to say the least, but when meeting the three of them it wasn't so bad and they all accepted you and your abilities. In a short amount of time, you became the fifth member of their little family and all of you guys loved each other greatly.

It wasn't long before your past was revealed to your partners and fear struck in you with their reaction about technically killed your husband and the rest of your village. It was concerning at first for them, but with some explaining and reasoning, they all understood and supported your gift and were kind of fascinated with what you could do.

All of them are in love with your fashion and style, always falling deeper in love when seeing your glowing figure in one of those outfits. From time to time, they'll ask if you could dress them like you and you guys will wear matching outfits.

[vacantgodling]

re. about

ren (or rimz for cool kids). he/him. twenty five. black. queer. neurodivergent.

i'm redoing this because i'm losing steam (thanks work) and i'm pulling back on a lot of projects to mostly focus on things that make me personally happy. as is the nature of my brain, i will still jump back and forth between projects when i lose the flow for another, but i’ve narrowed my important wips down to just three main ones. other projects are currently being shelved, or put to the side as half baked ideas that i still need to keep in the oven before i introduce them to anyone formally.

(so if you don’t see a wip listed in the wips tab, it’s either shelved indefinitely or i want to work on it on my own for a bit. you can ask me about my other wips if you know/remember them but i can’t guarantee i’ll answer about them at this time. this also doesn’t mean i won’t ramble about them when i feel like it.)

important sideblogs = no pressure to follow just fyi

@babylonsfalling -> all my fandom and other nonsense goes here

@todazzlingreading -> this is a personal checklist for things i want to read by y’all that i don’t have time or spoons to get to at the moment i see it. once i read a post there i’ll delete it from that blog and rb it over here with any comments in the tags :3

to find my art commissions, please look here: https://www.tumblr.com/vacantgodling/715216537870532608/commissions-are-open

re. disclaimers / interaction

i mainly write fantasy; it’s a broad overarching label that covers all of my interests and it’s my first love in writing. horror and horror adjacent elements always make an appearance in my works. i emphasize complex mlm relationships and male leads, and romance is a great love of mine as you’ll notice from the king of my current wips. worldbuilding is also a great love of mine. i also love writing smut and talking about my characters having sex.

as such some disclaimers: following me is a very much curate your own experience. i don’t want to hold back talking about adult and mature themes so if you’re uncomfortable with anything i talk about i’d just suggest you unfollow lol nothing personal.

i’m open to asks and talking about anything but there’s no pressure. anons are always cool. i’m probably not gonna do writing based tag games too too much bc writing has been nonexistent lately but character asks or ramble ones i will do :)

also, as a personal ask: please do not refer to any of my characters as babygirl or girlie(s). shit makes me squick thanks.

re. main wips

linked are the main tags & once i finish the wip intros for paramour and tcol (revamping them) i’ll link them as well. feel free to ask to be on the taglist for any of these (i’m going to do better with these) — taglists will be activated for all writing and official posts. this won’t include ask games or random babbling.

PARAMOUR || “saved” from an imminent social death through arranged marriage, HYACINTHUS SHRAPNEL is whisked away to The Chateau aux Aisles D’or, where an unlikely sexual relationship with his butler AMON leads to far more than he bargained for.

THE CHRONICLES OF LATHSBURY (check out the crash course HERE) || The Aegean Guild of Explorers, led by the mysterious newcomer to Lathsbury Madja Fandel welcomes its newest contingent after the guild bid: PIPER FAIRWIND a MBW with a fighting spirit and desire for money and glory, DEUX UNDERSHIELD a naive protector seeking answers for her brother’s spurn, SANDRA “SAN” DEARBORN a vicious hunter with a chip on their shoulder, CLEAR BRIGHTENDALE a medic with a host of dark secrets, and FORTE SYMPHONIA a ranger seeking his own destiny, are as ready as they’ll ever be to enter the fray, to conquer the mysterious and dangerous LABYRINTH. Forces that have been in motion since before their lives even began are finally reaching their peak, and the five of them will have to use everything they’ve learned and then some to stay alive.

re. navigation

talking -> musings and personal thoughts

about renjamin -> insight to me / who i am

ren analysis -> when i get meta about my wips

ren mix -> a treasure trove of my music taste

ren polls -> any polls i make

ren reads -> for my ramblings and analysis as i try to get back into books

friends tag -> talking with friends or boosting my friends work

others work -> boosting other writeblrs work

hall of fame -> praise / things that make me happy that i want to keep

ren writing -> all of my writing in one place

ren poems -> all of my poems in one place

ren fic -> all of my fandom related writing in one place

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q eh you eh -> queue

sex mention -> tag for any sexual content.

worldbuilding -> all of my worldbuilding notes across all my wips

find the word tag -> for this game specifically so i can find it

last line tag -> for this game specifically so i can find it

ren hot cakes -> specifically for my overly opinionated opinions

writing recap -> tracking my writing journey so i can hold myself accountable

[big-bad-a-detective-story]

Chapter 01

Tea shop. Wednesday, 6 pm.

Or at least, assumed.

Time didn’t seem on my side, as I watched a clock that refused to budge-- digits drumming against a clothed table to replace its deprived telltale ticking. Time had read 6 o’clock upon arrival of the establishment-- an ugly tea shop bearing just as tacky a name of ‘Jabberwock Tea’. Yet, despite what had, no doubt, been hours sitting amongst the elite far outside my own standings… Well, it still said 6 pm on the dot! 

Which was WRONG. 

It HAD to be!

I sighed, shifting my gaze across the room, following the noise that had been overpowering my senses for hours. The loud giggling of the three owners was beyond aggravating-- the Hatter, March Hare, and Dormouse going on about nonsense as they sampled their own supply. Ugh. Not only was it annoying, it also wasn’t a sound business practice, was what it was! You don’t make money, even if buying in bulk, if you’re the ones drinking most of the product. It was illogical, an unrealistic practice.

Mad, even.

Typical tact of loons that the likes of the Big Bad Wolf just couldn’t seem to shake. 

“Norman, are you even LISTENING to what I’m saying?”

I’d been caught. I hadn’t heard a word Felix had said for what I assumed had been an hour or better. But like any trained detective, I was ready to make the best of a bad situation-- using only my wit and razor sharp communication skills.

“Of course, heard every word, the garden, mhm.”

Felix stared at me, squinting and frowning. and I stared back. As a rule of thumb, a good detective also rarely backs down, even when the odds are not in their favor.

“Lucky guess.”

My stubborn defiance had paid off, this time. As well as my in-depth understanding of my roommate. I could read this guy like a book, predict his every move.

So how I had let him drag me here in the first place was a mystery even a great detective such as myself was unlikely to solve.

“Norman, you seem a little on edge this evening. Is everything alright?”

I felt myself wince and clench my teeth as a tea cup from the mad trio’s little tea party went whizzing past my head and shattered against the wall behind me.

“Who, me, nooo, I’m having a great time.”

Felix, perhaps as nutty as the other fruitcakes in the joint, merely sipped his tea as this all went down. The guy followed by furrowing his brows with a look of pity.

“This is about not having any cases, isn’t it? I’m sorry, baby, really I am.” 

That was when my roommate leaned across the table, gently placing a hand on top of mine. He patted it in a way a grandmother might after you told her you dropped your cookie down a manhole-- old croons cooing out promises that everything was going to be alright.

I wasn’t sure I liked it, truth be told. I snatched my hand back, glaring at the guy for patronizing my person. Felix didn’t seem to notice, as he carried on his yapping.

“Maybe it would help if we put an ad in the paper? You’d like that; strum up some more business, yeah? Daddy knows the owner of the Anderson Chronicle, and I’m sure he could place one by morning tomorrow. Have people lining up for miles!”

At this I scoffed, still rubbing my hand as I glowered into my cooled cup of tea. My amber reflection glared back, as we both grumbled at the idea.

“I don’t want your daddy doing me any favors. And… and I don’t want ads! It makes me sound so desperate! Like I’m some offbeat nobody begging for scraps!” 

This was a whine, and I knew it. But I couldn’t help it! Felix was right, after all-- I was beginning to crawl up the wall from not having anything to do! If I wasn’t solving a case, I wasn’t being a detective. And if I wasn’t being a detective, then I wasn’t being the Big Bad Wolf. And if I wasn’t being the Big Bad Wolf…

I didn’t know who I was.

The fox across the table must have been skilled in reading me as well-- as he ‘humphed’ softly at my dramatic decline of his proposition.

“Really now, Norman. Be reasonable, would you? You can’t just constantly expect cases to come running through the door! That’s not how life WORKS, hun.”

As if on a spectacularly timed cue, the door to the tea shop suddenly burst open, the place now filled with the cries of ... children? Everyone in the joint turned to stare at the three kids.

“Someone help!” The first cried out.

“I want my mommy!” The next wailed.

“She’s missing!” blubbered the third.

I couldn’t believe it! Weeks of nothing, and then just like that, a case! It was what I needed to get me out of this rut ... and out of this awful tea shop, to boot.

“Well here I stand corrected.” I heard Felix mutter; but, I had more important things to worry about now! I leapt from my seat and hurried over to calm the quavering kids.

“There, there! You’re fine. I’m here!” I assured them. They, at the very least, stopped their blubbering for the time being, to look up at me.

“Who are you?” one of them asked.

“Me? Why, I’m the Big Ba- uh.” Perhaps my usual name wasn’t the best choice for this particular situation. “You can call me, Detective.”

The little girl gasped, clearly impressed, perhaps even a little starstruck.

“Are you a real detective? Like on the television?”

“You betcha, kid. And don’t you worry, finding missing mothers just so happens to be one of my best skills.”

My good cheer was instantly soured by the approach of a parade of patrons popping my personal bubble.

“Perhaps we should call the police?” Asked an older woman, holding her spectacles like one might hold opera glasses. I was then pushed to the side by a bigger and burlier fellow, his bulk knocking me down with an unceremonious ‘oof’. 

“Where did you see your mother last, kids?” He asked gruffly, placing a hand on the smallest shoulder.

“Take some more tea, “ the March Hare said to the children earnestly, as his madcap counterpart did his best to thrust a whole teapot in their collective faces.

My pal Felix was busy helping me clamber back onto my feet, as I saw this all take place. The children looked terrified! Eyes wide, body trembling and the like. And a quick glance at the door showed there were other kids lurking, their goat faces appearing just as afraid as the older siblings in the room. And instead of doing anything of value, these people thought cornering them was the way to go? Where was the justice in that!

Oh, it all made my blood BOIL, let me tell ya!

With a stroke of inner fire within my being, I tore myself away from the grasp of my friend. Felix gasped, startled, as I squeezed myself in between the pack and the petrified progeny.

“Alright, back up! ” I barked, putting the ‘bad’ in ‘Big Bad Wolf. I glared at the room of full grown idiots. “ What in the name of Mother Goose is WRONG with you people?! Don’tcha see you’re SUFFOCATING them?”

I was huffing and puffing by this point, hat askew during all the commotion. It was then I noticed the kids clutched against my coat, and I momentarily found myself softening. However, there wasn’t time for me to play parent. What I needed was to look for clues before the trail went cold! I made eye contact with my number two, gesturing for him to come closer with a nod of my head.

“Felix, you watch the kids. Including the ones by the door. I’m going to investigate the crime scene.”

I pulled out my trusty magnifying glass from within my breast pocket, already heading towards the exit, when I stopped and quickly turned on my heel.

“And don’t call the cops! A REAL detective is on the case!”

And with that, I was off.

[biblicallyaccuratepigeons]

37, 34, 27 for the ask game :p

I see you've not only asked them in descending order, but also order of ascending difficulty

37. Dogs or cats?

I like well-behaved dogs to visit, and cats to live with

34. Favorite flower?

My answer is very normie and I'm sorry

I always thought black flowers were cool-looking because they're so iridescent and interesting to look at.

Symbolically, my favorite is the hyacinth.

If we take aesthetics and symbolism together and meet in the middle, I'd say gardenias.

As for usefulness, I really love dandelions; they're also pretty in a very nonconventional way, and they carry dreams with them on the wind so. Dandelions are just the ultimate flower.

27. Favorite book?

You know I have trouble with these kinds of questions Ciphey-wiphey

My favorite "adult" book is Armor, by John Steakley (pronounced "steek-ly," which I just learned today; been pronouncing it "steak-ly" forever). It's a great military sci-fi that my dad leant to someone so I can't read it anymore and I'm so fine with that really it's not a big deal- anyway it's about a lot of things, including the effect of violence on humans and it's very good and everyone should read it

I also really liked Dracula, but because of Reasons I still haven't finished it, so I don't count it as a favorite. Yet.

My favorite "children's" book is. Well, see, it's complicated. When I was little, it was Little Pilgrim's Progress. When I was a little older than that, it was The Chronicles of Narnia. After that, it was, on paper, Warriors by Erin Hunter; but in secret it was a comic series called Bone by Jeff Smith. I was... going through a lot. After that, I was reading a lot of library fantasy books, my favorite of which were Children of the Lamp and Peter and the Starcatchers (I was very upset when Pan came out. Still haven't watched it).

And then I discovered Percy Jackson, and lemme tell you, that was the most obsessed with a book series I ever was, for a few reasons:

1. It was a Greek mythology fanfiction. During the time that I was reading Bone, I was also poring through all of the mythology books I could find in the school library, most of which were Greek. This meant that Rick Riordan had reawakened in 14-year-old me a hyperfixation that had lain (almost) dormant for... *counts on fingers* nine years (edit: i was wrong i counted wrong i'm sorry it was five). And he did it well (I will fight anyone who says otherwise).

2. It was about a guy who'd switched schools a lot, and had nowhere to call home really, finding a place where he belonged with people who were like him. It was a literal power fantasy for me.

3. Even though he'd found a place, he was still very different from his new extended found/actual family. This was something else with which I could connect, as someone who'd often felt like a stranger in my own home.

4. Cool action and magic and fighting and blood and hero complexes and swords and secret swords and secret magic swords and did I mention the swords and also there was Nico di Angelo, my son, my everything, my favorite boy-

Right. Back to the question. Um. What was it again? Right! Favorite book: there are too many throughout my life for me to decide.

[cipher-the-sidhe]

Hi Cipher! Just wanted to poke in and say I love reading all your tags on the Orca Eclipse art and designs folks have been creating and learning more about orca anatomy from you! I also saw a while back you commented on a post about folklore and the fair folk and that caught my attention too! Are you at all familiar with the fantasy books by O.R. Melling, "The Chronicles of Faerie" and "The Book of Dreams"? They were my favourites when I was a teen and got me interested in the fair folk.

All this to say, I'm so happy to listen and read anything you have to say about orcas and the fae and thank you for sharing the knowledge! <3

Hiiii Plum!

The DCa fandom recently really has just been “hey, how about we poke Cipher in the special interests, hm?” And then they did. I hope people are having fun with my orcas facts! I am trying to not be too terribly obnoxious about it but I am THRILLED to have any excuse to ramble about these things.

I haven’t read that book series, but since you mentioned it I did look it up and it looks like it is very much my beat. I’ll have to put that on my reading list! Though the description gave me similar vibes to The Orphan’s Tales by Catherynne Valente, which I think you’d like.

I went to Uni for marine mammology to study orcas for three years, but my knowledge of orcas is very specialized to the super small endangered population I study/do conservation stuff for (the southern residents, which only have 73 living members), so it’s like having a base education about Europe but knowing a TON about Poland in particular lol Orca cultures are quite distinct so not everything I know about them as far as social structures and behaviors go is universal to the species. Even the local orcas here (Biggs vs Southern Resi vs Northern Resi) are wildly different and even refuse to interact with each other. They even speak different “languages”! (Even a human can hear the difference in dialect and it is So Cool)

The fair folk though! I definitely specialize in the Fae lore of North America and Albion, but I could go on and on and ON about fae from around the world and never get sick of it. I have a particular fixation on water horses (eich uisge, capaill usice, glashtyn, kelpie, nøkk, etc etc).

[dangerous-advantage]

(yagi-no-eda here~)

Totally would circle back /pos. I’m also pretty new to the fandom!

My wife has liked Usagi Yojimbo and associated stuff for years but it’s only this summer that my brain has allowed me to really get into it, and make it past the first 2-3 comics. Not for lack of trying - it was just never the right time in an ADHD way*. Something always would distract me. I’ve inhaled all the comics I can in just the last couple of months and yeah, Stan came at me with a steel chair too. I did not expect …this whole situation. I’ve been a fandom lurker since 1999 and yet suddenly I have blog I use near daily, a sketchbook, and bunch of fic WIPS...

Mainly because I am Unwell over UY.

I have accepted my fate. This is always going to be a Thing now.

Though I did admittedly also inhale TMNT 2003 and Rise.

Travels with Jotaro is one of my favourite volumes, but I’m also weirdly into Bridge of Death rn and just….in general having a moment over Usagi’s time with Mifune. To the point I’m doodling intros for a fake show called The Mifune Years. He had this whole expected future and friends - denied.

* to be fair this is also the summer I found out its def ADHD driving this media analysis machine I call a brain

Hope this was an okay way to get back to you! /lil anxious

Feel free to network (or share thoughts) in my tags anytime, I love hearing what other people think. Also happy to chat anytime. Or feel free to tell me to back off and that's chill too :)

(been waiting to answer this for when i had more time but gave in; should be working on my fic(s) but you know how it is lmao. stay tuned for a very long post, because i love talking about things with people, especially things i like haha

very cool to see another person very passionate about this series! i grew up on 2003 (and the 90's movies-- my parents had the third one on cassette and i remember i wore that fucker out lmao) but it was always more of a "scattered interest" rather than something i was fully pulled into

i started getting into rise (read: The Algorithm came for me) probably mid-July of last year, but didn't fully fall into it until after the movie came out. it renewed my interest in tmnt overall, and i've been here ever since!

i did attempt to watch the usagi chronicles a couple of times, and i remember thinking they were fun but not really my thing. (i definitely want to revisit it, even though i know it won't hold a candle to usagi yojimbo. it does look fun in a silly way, which i can get behind.)

i knew vaguely about how big usagi yojimbo was, and that it was a commitment, but i'm surprised how quickly it sucked me in. i've never been super interested in stuff within the genre, but damn if it doesn't satisfy the autism. entire chapters devoted to infodumping about the edo period of japan? sign me the fuck up!

i especially did not expect how much it would make me feel. like. wow. ouch. usagi is just Some Guy but he is also so well characterized and you really feel for his internal conflict, 10/10.

i've been looking for series with older protagonists, especially those more focused on the familial/platonic aspect rather than romantic (i am just an nd queer on the interweb, can you blame me for yearning for found family?), but hadn't found any i really liked other than the tarot sequence by kd edwards (very good read, would highly recommend.)

also not to be a nerd but ohhhh my god i am so obsessed with the plot with mifune.

like i know the series takes place after that, and after the fallout of that, but just. wow. imagine devoting your entire being to another, to the point where you would readily die for them and their word, and then they die. they die, and you did everything you could to honor them in that death, but they're still gone.

like... that emptiness stays with you. you don't just get over that. maybe it's the "being raised in a cult" but wow, do i empathize with that.

idk if we explore more about the fallout/exact history with mifune/immediately following mifune's death but there is so much writing potential there. if i was not embroiled within turtle hell and 50,000 words deep in a multi-chapter fic already, i would absolutely write something for it.

like. this is adjacent to your interest in the topic, but can you just imagine (/rhetorical /general you.) as far as we know, he spent five days on the battlefield before he made it out to the tangled skein.

(which is one of my favorite additions like good god holy shit. that is so cool and angsty. your lord, days after dying, appears as a fucking ghost and saves you. like, if i were to be silly and funky, i would absolutely headcanon that as the reason that he was able to stand up and continue on. because i mean... what else? what else could motivate you to stand up once more after something like that?)

(well. honor. but mifune is the physical manifestation of honor in the narrative, so same difference? it's like both thematically significant and emotionally significant and-- ok im shutting up now. but i could talk for days, istg.)

but like. how do you reconstruct yourself from that? we see him holding tight to this sense of honor, even after his lord is gone, sent reeling (adrift in the waves) with only his soul and moral compass to hold to.

which makes it hurt so much more when we see these ideals of honor-- this ghost of a man, of a life, still haunting him years after the event-- still woven through the narrative, made to specifically conflict his deepest wants.

i joke about it a lot on my fic discord (i have a whole channel called 'father-material' devoted to just pictures of him hanging out with/taking care of kids), but something that seems very important to him is wanting to be a father figure, and wanting these connections to family and friends.

but that is contrasted against these ideas of honor, the very thing he built and rebuilt his foundation off of after it was torn away from him. and it's just so incredibly painful but also it makes sense, because he can't just give up the side of himself that is a samurai. too much of his person, his characterization, is built off of this.

to see it constantly clash with this want to settle down and finally rest, devote himself to his relationships/family rather than the code of bushido-- the very essence of honor itself-- ourgh ourgh ourgh its so good

(put aside the fact that he once said he could never serve another lord, and we know from the story that the idea of a "lord" can be more than just a person... he never stopped serving mifune, not truly. he still upholds the ideas of honor that mifune stood for/represented. as if his lord never truly left him.)

...i was going to say more, but then i realized this turned into a whole-ass mini-analysis, so i'm forcing myself to stfu. but basically: i have feelings about this series, man (/gender neutral).

anyway. if you ever do put something together, i would love to read/follow it! if i ever wrote something, it would probably be exploring the direct fallout of losing mifune, so hey, different niches but similar (:

also: never be anxious about talking to me ever in any way possible. i will probably be even more annoying than you in tags/asks/everything under the sun, and i do genuinely love talking to people who share my interests (typically about those interests.) i like to pretend i am an internet Cool Guy, however, it is a flimsy veneer to hide all the cringefail swaglessness and unending mental illness about my blorbos

(...i am so tempted to just invite you to my og turtle discord server so i can annoy you about usagi on the regular. also about what my reimagining of yuichi would be, because i have so, so many ideas.

i will refrain, but if you would be interested, it has been kinda dead as of late, so it would be nice to enrich the ecosystem a little by slowly collecting other usagi-interested individuals and slowly taking it over, one by one (/j /lh).)

anyway, same thing goes for me with my posts/asks/reblogs/messages/whatever. i am so very earnest, so if that puts you off, that's very chill and fine. however, as long as you're down to vibe, i am similarly down to vibe >:D

i once more apologize for this monstrosity of a reply. i would say it won't happen again, but my reading comprehension apparently does not extend to the "all things in moderation" maxim. instead i choose maximalism (to the max)

(sorry for that joke. yeah that will also happen again. sorry. /lh /pos)

[runningwithfangs]

Vampire Chronicles Book Review/Rant #3

The Queen of the Dammed

Wowowow congratulations to the world’s worst polycule on saving Vampirekind. 

Another super fun romp where so much happens, yes there is nonsense, but the nonsense is nicely paired with a lot of intense drama and high stakes. I like how Anne got around her own premise that the vampires are writing their life stories by it still being Lestat who writes it, but he’s gathered all this information from the other vampires that were actually there, even when he was not. 

The chapters being mini-stories and the many characters we meet, everything coming together in the end, it’s not just fun but so immersive. Anne doesn’t hold back in expanding her universe. At no point does it feel like too much too soon, or like the universe and characters are expanding faster than the story or getting out of hand. Anne is a fantastic writer.

In this book we start to see the world outside of our main vamps, the fledglings (Killer and the Fang Gang 🤯), the vampire bars, the Talamasca, the vampire cult followers, and so many new characters! 

Feminist Icon Akasha (is trying to kill most men). See kids, that’s what happens when you watch TV for 50 years straight.

This is one of my favorite books from the series, maybe one of my favorite books ever. 

Favorites:

It’s hard to pick! Jesse’s story is great, the dreamlike drunken nights at Maharet’s house with the vampires asking her about chocolate, the Great Family and the care and love Maharet has for them, her records and her family tree of lights, the attention and advice she gives them all, it’s just so sweet.

Devil’s Minion! I’ve been seeing fan art and posts about Armand/Daniel since I started this blog and did not get it until I read this. Now I GET IT, holy shit, it's chewing-through-drywall material. The horror of Daniel running for his life, being hunted, then suddenly they’re bonding, hanging out and doing all these cool things, Daniel admitting he loves to cuddle a dead thing?! The experiments, the smoothies, the madness from hanging around a vampire, the “I love you too much to turn you” vs “I love you too much to let you go on without me.” Insane. Horrible. Beautiful. I could rant about this section alone for so long. Oh, and learning how the book was published was neat too.

Getting little bits about the twins from everyone’s dreams, that repeating imagery of the cooked body, the heart and the brain on plates. I got really invested in this mystery, and once it all came together it was horrible but so captivating. It’s a great vampire origin story. 

Vampire road trip and vampire roommates at Night Island! I wish this part was longer and that vampires could stand to hang out with each other more, I want my vampire friends to hang out damn it! Jesse and Gabrielle became friends! Louis wants to know about his daughter’s ghost! Grandpa Khayman telling stories! Uncle Marius accepting that Lestat is gonna be little shit and no one can stop him!

Least Favorites:

The violence enacted on Maharet and Mekare, I know it’s to show Akasha’s cruelty but damn.

Smutt:

Lestat’s permaboner. Thanks, Anne.

Lestat and Akasha pinning each other back and forth on the bed and drinking from each other was kinda hot tbh.

Armand and Daniel in Pompeii when they start their romance, if you can call it that. Armand making Daniel have sex with other people while he watches 🙈

Nonsense Meter:

4/10 nonsense again. A bit of nonsense in the Devil’s Minion, and a bit in the Lestat training montage/kidnapped by Vampire Mommy part, but not a ton. Maybe it’s a bias because I liked this book so much and every story was full of drama, high stakes, and complex morality. 

Misc:

I can’t help but wonder what kind of research Anne was doing, I looked up some of the cities, artifacts, and locations she mentions and it checked out. Was she taking ancient history courses or just living at the library?! Gotta give that woman credit. 

I don’t want to get into a long discussion of Akasha’s idea that killing most men would allow women to bring about world peace and fix all our earthly problems, but as someone who has mostly existed as a woman in the world, I may have fantasized once or twice about Thanos snapping a bunch of men, sure, I get it. I don’t agree, I think money, isolation, messed up priorities, and lack of checks in power have more to do with *waves hand around vaguely* everything, but it makes for an interesting premise. “Tell me, my prince, what is the primary use of men now, if not to protect women from other men?”

[lulubelle814]

Regards, Loki - Chapter 13

Master List

Come Monday morning, she was feeling a little better.  She went through her regular work routine throughout the week, keeping the events of the weekend to herself but found she was extra jumpy the first couple of days when files were plopped onto her desk.

By Thursday, she felt more settled and able to better focus on her work.  On her way home, she saw a new coffee shop that had opened earlier that week and decided to give it a try even though she wasn’t ordering coffee.  

Once ordered, she found a small table and sipped her drink.  Seemingly out of the blue, someone approached her table.

“Good evening!  I saw you come in and thought ‘that’s a lady I need to get to know’ and especially with your choice of beverage.  I know most people tend to go with decaf by this time.”

Looking up, she saw a decent looking man with a shy smile on his face.  It seemed he was not used to approaching a woman.  That or he was really good at faking it.

She smiled back at him.  “I find that on a cool evening like this, hot chocolate is a good way to go.  I just wish I had a book with me.”  

“I’d have to agree with you there.”  He gestured to the empty chair, silently asking if he could join her.  She didn’t see a reason why not and nodded.

“What book would you be reading right now if you had one?”

He seemed harmless enough so far, and she didn’t recall ever having seen him before.  “Right now, I’m almost finished with book 2 of the McClary Chronicles.”

“Can’t say I’ve heard of that one.  Who’s the author?”

“Her name is Lexa Kline.  I love her books!”

He smiled.  “I may have to check it out.  I’m so sorry.  I didn’t introduce myself.  I’m Chad.”  He held out his hand, and she shook it.  “I’m Louisa.  Do you work around here?”

“Yes, actually.  I own this coffee shop.”

She wished at that moment that she hadn’t just taken a sip of her drink.  That was not a response she was expecting.  “Oh, really?  I saw this place under some construction for a while.  I happened to notice it was open on my way home from work today.  I gotta say.  Your hot chocolate is very good.”

“Why, thank you, Louisa.  I’ve been working on figuring out the best recipes and combos for the drinks menu.”

“Have you thought about offering things like pastries and muffins and such?”

He leaned back.  “It’s being looked into, but I haven’t found anything I’m satisfied with yet.”

“It’s good to be picky, make sure you provide what you feel is best for your customer.”

“Actually, I have some samples coming Saturday and could use a second opinion if you’re free?”

She felt funny about this, especially because of her relationship with the mysterious ‘Loki’ and didn’t know if it would be appropriate.  It didn’t sound like a date though, just trying some foods.  “I might be able to make it.”

He grinned and grabbed a napkin, scribbling something on it.  “Here’s my number.  I’d love it if you could come, but I completely understand if you can’t.”  He handed it over to her where she folded and placed it in her purse.  “I’ll let you know, but I do need to get going.”

He stood when she did.  “Thank you for coming in this evening.  It was a pleasure meeting you.  I hope you have a great rest of your week.”

“Same to you.”  She gave a shy smile and then made her way out of the cafe and back to her place.

Louisa: I think the coffee guy just asked me out? 

Cora: That's amazing!  Tell me everything. 

Louisa: There's not much to tell. I stopped in for a drink and sat down. He came over and started talking to me and invited me to try some pastries for his shop on Saturday. 

Cora: get it girl! 

Louisa: I don't know tho. What about Loki? This is weird. 

Cora: Did the coffee guy say anything about it being a date? 

Louisa: well…..no

Cora: Then I'm not seeing a problem. If he gets flirty and you don't like it, tell him. 

Louisa: I guess so. 

Cora: if you're really worried about it, talk to Loki.  See what he says.  I don’t think it would hurt to hang out with coffee guy for a couple hours.  You’re just helping him test pastries, right?

Louisa:  That’s true.

Cora: Did you tell him if you were going or not?

Louisa: I told him I’d let him know, and he gave me his number on a napkin.

Cora: How about this then.  Text him and tell him you’ll come and that it’s nice to make a new friend.  If he wants it to be more, he can tell you.  If not, then at least you have a new friend, right?

Louisa: I suppose.

Cora: How about this. Tell him you have plans with a friend but can stop by with her if that's OK? 

Louisa: I like that plan!

She decided to adjust the plan a bit to see what he would say:

Louisa: Hi Chad, this is Louisa from earlier. It turns out I have plans with a friend. 

Chad: Not a problem! Feel free to bring your friend. We could use more opinions. 

Louisa: Sounds great!  I'll let her know. 

She let Cora know what they said, and she thought it was better than the idea they originally came up with. Their new plan was to get together Saturday, hang at her place, and then go to the coffee shop about 11 am for taste testing.

[eve-e-jane]

Hi :>

I'm a little demonic gremlin that crawled out of my little hidey-hole for a moment.

Random question: what are your favorite fandoms? And also— how are you? I hope you're doing good 💚

Back to my little cave now :D

Omg hi!!! Thank you for asking!! I’m doing pretty great- I hope you’re well too!

Favorite fandoms is SOOOOOO hard to narrow down because A) I love so many, and B) I often times forget lots of them, even if I love them a whole bunch (cause you know- hyper fixation).

But ask and ye shall receive: here I go trying to name everything I like:

-Right now I have just started OUAT which has been really fun to watch with some friends. So- that.

-I love Dimension 20, but I only really know Fantasy High and Unsleeping City (cause those are all that are free and available on YouTube).

-The Magnus Archives (and Stellar Firma for that matter) are some of the only podcasts I’ve listened too and I’m thoroughly hooked! I just started my second listen thru of Season 2 of MAG and I am SO excited for TMP!!

-I am a big book person: my fav rn is Dracula but I constantly switch it up. I also love Frankenstein, Sherlock Holmes (need to re-read this one), A Tale of Two Cities, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Little Women, Macbeth, Hamlet, Jane Eyre, and a few other classics. I also love a bit of YA: Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, The Lunar Chronicles, ASOUE (if that is considered YA?), and recently I read Sorcery of Thorns!

-Another hobby of mine is watching crime shows!! I’m all caught up on NCIS, Blue Bloods (SO sad this is ending), Chuck, Monk, Psych, and a few others here and there. I also love Superman and Lois on CW (SO sad this is ending too.) I have a few other shows that I’m not CRAZY well versed in but I love the characters and talking about them! That’ll be Merlin, Supergirl, The Flash- I didn’t finish the last two in that list and Merlin,,,, ah Merlin.

-Video game wise I am so behind in things but I do love them! I love the new Spiderman games though I haven’t played the second one so no spoilers!!! I am almost finished with Hogwarts Legacy and I love it so far!! I also love Jedi: Fallen Order and I have finished it but I have yet to play the second one so no spoilers there either!!!

-I’m also big on musicals! Not all of them, of course, but ask and I’ll let you know!

Well, that was FAR more info than I’m sure you wanted to know but you DID ask. I sincerely hope you’re well, and I hope we can be super cool internet buddies!