#its kind. like next thing you know they take away all the post options and the ability to tag

[siinlight]

My only gripe rn is tumblr staff will literally never listen to its user base like... you have the majority of the sites users against big updates that just don't fix anything and actually make the user experience Worse.... there is no effort in the sites staff to actually listen to complaints. Feel like tumblr could just lose its user base and they'd act like they don't know why

[captain-bubble-wrap]

loved your sick gf/helpful quinn post

can we get a sick quinn this time? I feel like he'd be a big baby when he's sick

Quinn had coughed all night.

It had started off small but had quickly developed into something more consistent and with a persistent wheeze alongside it. He seemed so uncomfortable: tossing and turning, trembling with the chills and cold sweats. It seemed like with each passing hour a new symptom appeared: from the cough to finally the body aches. You wanted to soothe his pain and make him comfortable but he just pushed you away, It had kind of hurt your feelings having him reject you time and again, but you were just trying to help. Best you could do was tell yourself it was just because he felt bad and that he didn't mean to be that way.

By this point, you couldn't sleep. Quinn's constant shifting and coughing had given you no peace or himself for that matter. Sometime in the night, you grabbed your pillow and went to the sofa instead, You didn't want to leave him, but if he was sick, he would need someone to care for him come the morning. If you were running on a couple hours sleep, it wasn't going to be you; you might as well be sick right alongside of him.

Even from the living room, you could hear him cough, hear the wheeze cause him so much pain with its ability to take his breath away. You probably didn't sleep any more on the sofa than you would have beside him. Every so often you'd force yourself to get up and check on him. He had a fever and was burning up yet he appeared to be asleep. Quinn needed medicine and as soon as possible but you weren't about to wake him up to take any. Instead, you'd dig through the bathroom cabinets and find some multi-symptom cough syrup. The label said it would help counteract each of the things Quinn was dealing with but would it be enough? You'd leave it on his bedside table for the next time a coughing fit woke him.

When morning came around he seemed worse. Congestion had set in and it had changed the sound of his voice to something nasally instead of its usually velvety tone. Getting him to take anything was like pulling teeth because he just wanted to lay with the pillow over his head, hidden from everything especially the morning light. Though Quinn wasn't normally the dramatic type, when he was sick, it was like the end of the world.

"Baby, please, just take this and I'll leave you alone. That's all I asking you to do."

"I'm fine. I just-- I'm fine," he said from under the covers.

"You're not and you know it. Please, just take it?"

"I just need to sleep it off."

You tried to contain your sigh but it was hard. He was being completely unreasonable and it was starting to wear on your nerves. If he just took the medicine it would help but getting him to see that point wasn't going your way. This wasn't the first time he had probably felt like this, so why was he being such a baby?

"Why won't you take it, Quinn?"

There was a long pause. You knew he wasn't asleep. Was he ignoring you in the hopes that you'd give up and just walk away? If that were the case, you were close to it.

"Okay, fine. Suit yourself." Leaving the medicine on the table, you'd leave the room defeated. What else were you supposed to do? He didn't want to be touched, loved on, or anything but left alone. At least that's how it seemed. Even simple conversations were proving to be a battle.

You shut the bedroom door behind you and went to the kitchen. Food didn't seem like the magical end-all-be-all cure to his cold but if he didn't want it then you'd just take it for yourself. Soup seemed like the best choice even if it was the cliche option. "Comforting to the soul and stomach," your mom always said when you were sick. However, a quick assessment of the pantry revealed you didn't have what you needed for soup.

Instead of sticking your head back into the bedroom to let him know you were headed out, you texted his phone saying something similar.

"I'm going to the store. I'll be back in a bit."

Short and painfully to the point. It wouldn't be until you were in Quinn's car that you felt guilty for how you had come off. You'd text him once more before finally leaving; trying to rewrite your sour attitude towards him.

"I love you."

- - -

When you returned to the apartment, you could see signs of life that hadn't been there before. The cough medicine was now on the island; the used dosing cup had remnants of the syrup still in the bottom, A loaf of bread was poorly wrapped up alongside it, and what looked like a simple cheese sandwich sat on a napkin with one bite taken out of it. And finally, on the sofa, was a bundled up Quinn, his tangled curls spilling out over one of the pillows he rested his head on.

"Hi," he said, when you walked past him. His tone was defeated, moping even. Had you hurt his feelings? It wasn't your intention to, but it was just frustrating trying to help someone who just came off like they would rather stay miserable.

"Hi, baby."

"Where did you go? I came out and you were gone." Quinn didn't lift his head off the pillow or even his eyes. When you looked over at him he was looking at your feet.

"I texted you. I went to the store to get stuff to make you soup."

"I haven't looked at my phone. You didn't have to do that." His monotone was worse now, tinged slightly with his own flavour of annoyance.

Had you been in a worse mood, you would have said something about checking his phone, but instead you were able to bite your tongue. He didn't feel good, you had to remind yourself of this fact. This wasn't your Quinn - your sweet Huggy Bear - this was someone struggling with their body fighting against them to get better. You knew Quinn would never purposefully give you an attitude or be short with you, and the same should have been said about you.

"I'm sorry I was short with you, Quinn," you finally get out. You had hoped that would have removed some weight from your chest but instead it only made it heavier. He still wouldn't look at you. In fact, he closed his eyes after you had spoken your apology. Seeing him ignore you that way felt terrible, but you felt you had earned his cold shoulder. You had been sick a few times since you had been together and Quinn had been so kind and selfless. What had given you the right to be so unsympathetic?

"It's fine," he said, snuggling deeper into his self-made cocoon.

"It's not fine." Your heart hurts as you cross the room to kneel before where he lay. "Honey, I'm sorry." You brush the sweat-matted hair from his forehead. He was burning up with fever but this time he managed to look at you. He looked like he could melt into tears at any moment.

"I'm sorry I ignored you earlier," he replied, meeting you halfway with his own apology.

"You don't feel good, Quinn, it's okay. I'm sorry I got mad. I had no right to."

Quinn sniffled, either from the congestion or just because he was getting that emotional. Either way, you leaned forward and gave him a tender kiss to his forehead. This made the faintest smile appear on his half-concealed lips.

"You probably shouldn't kiss me," he mumbles, silently thankful for the gentle affection. Deep down, he wanted it; wanted to be babied and taken care of but instead of asking for it, he just found himself coming off as hard-headed.

"It's alright," you reassure him, a second kiss finding its mark along with the first. "I'll just get sick right with you."

"I don't want you to get sick, though."

"I know you don't but sometimes it happens. At least we'll have soup." You give him a smile, the first one that day. He returns the sentiment.

"What kind?"

"Broccoli cheddar and the classic chicken noodle. Which do you want first?"

"You got stuff for both?" His little voice sounded shocked, amazed that you'd treat him to two different types of soup varieties. Sometimes it was the little things that made the biggest impact.

"Of course I did."

Quinn tried to sit but got winded halfway through, a coughing fit taking what strength he had built up.

"Oh, baby, you need to rest. How about you get a nap and I'll wake you up when I get something done?"

"Okay."

"It's okay, sweetheart, I'll manage." You wink, trying to reassure him that everything would be okay, and that you could handle some soup-making alone. When you stood up, you caught the subtle trembling from under his blanket. "I'm going to get you another blanket, okay?"

"Okay."

Those short responses you recognized were the best he could do at the time and didn't strike a nerve like they had earlier. But walking away from him still hurt like it had the first time, and you could feel his eyes on you still. From a tote under your bed, you found a heated blanket your parents had sent you after you made the decision to move to Vancouver. Hopefully this would bring Quinn some more consistent heat despite his body running his internal thermostat like a child left unsupervised.

"Here, baby, this should help you. Do you want this overtop or...?"

"I want that one," he said, pulling the original one from his body as best he could.

"It's okay, it's okay. Here, let me get it," you say, helping Quinn untuck himself before draping him with the ultra-plush heated one. "Should be nice and hot in just a few minutes."

"Thank you," he said, gripping it tightly. "Thanks for helping me."

"Thank you for letting me. I'm going to go make you some soup, okay? I'll try to be quiet so I don't wake you."

"I'll just...I'll be right here," he said through a yawn, the medicine finally kicking in and lulling him to sleep.

[myfandomrealitea]

hi! just asking your opinion on RPF, i’m very very new to the proship/fanfic community and really don’t know how to feel abt it. i haven’t heard anyone’s takes on it so far so i’d love to hear your thoughts!

RPF is just another form of fiction. Its no different to any kind of other fictional literature, fandom space, creative action, ect. The people are, essentially, just characters. You're using them to tell a story.

A lot of people's issue with RPF comes into play because of individuals who ignore the proper etiquette behind RPF and ruin it for everyone. The general concern is that unlike fictional characters, real people are capable of seeing what you create and getting upset, offended or angry over it.

This is where its important to remember the following rules regarding RPF:

Never send RPF to the people whom it concerns, people close to them or people in reasonable contact with them. Personally, even if an actor has said they don't mind RPF about themselves, I wouldn't push it on them. Accepting something's existence isn't always the same as wanting to be invested or involved in it.

Similar to above, make sure you're not tagging them or using searches the person is known to frequent. (E.g; if you're posting ship art, don't tag the people involved.)

Where possible, keep RPF to closed-off websites like AO3 and Tumblr where the people involved would actually have to go looking for it in order to be exposed to it. (Sites like X are next to impossible to actually curate and monitor and are awful for this kind of thing.)

Ensure you are properly tagging and marking your content so in the instance it can't fully be prevented from reaching the person/people, they are explicitly aware of what it is. (Another reason why sites like Tumblr and AO3 are simply the best option.)

Anyone who is famous will be aware that there are people who view them and use their image sexually. Every single famous person knows this. In industries like kpop, even, bromances are actively marketed because they know its lucrative and sought after.

Famous people are also more than aware of how to avoid content they don't want to see. They're aware of sites like AO3 and know once they go there its a lawless (albeit well tagged) wasteland of hardcore smut and the unimaginable. They know if they don't want to see certain things they simply have to stay away from certain platforms, tags, key words, ect.

Famous people aren't helpless little ducklings accidentally stumbling upon twisted non-con fanfic of them and their colleagues on an hourly basis like some people assume.

Although RPF is just another form of fiction is does require a bit more respect, conduct and consideration. That's all.

[urfavlarry]

—You’re the kind of person they write rock songs about

—modern!au Viktor x fem!reader warning. not proof read, might be OOC, swearing

part one || part two || part three

‼️A/N. if anyone wants to be added to the taglist for this fic, let me know!! ‼️

‘I need someome to show me the things

in life that I can’t find.’

With a loud thud, Powder burst into the room, stumbling over her own feet and nearly causing your morning coffee to spill all over your art project—a project due in just under a week. "Powder! Jesus—slow down!" you exclaimed, letting out a frustrated groan as you steadied your coffee mug. Taking a long sip to steady your nerves, you swiveled in your desk chair to face her, one brow raised in curiosity. "So, what’s got you in such a rush?"

Powder was practically vibrating with excitement, her energy contagious enough to turn your initial annoyance into amusement. "You know that café with the whole vintage, 80s vibe you’ve been dying to visit?" she began, her tone filled with anticipation. Immediately, your ears perked up, and your confusion began to shift into hope. “Yeah, what about it? They’re always booked solid. Did something happen?” Instead of answering, she squealed with delight and shoved her phone in front of your face. On the screen was a reservation confirmation—a table for eight at 12 o’clock.

Your eyes widened as you did a double take. “No way.” Checking the time, you saw you had exactly an hour and fifteen minutes to get ready. Without hesitation, you pulled Powder into a quick hug and kissed her forehead before running off to prepare.

As you enter the bathroom you decide to style your hair in the way you always did for special occasions. It was a routine you knew by heart, and the familiarity calmed your excitement enough to let you focus. Opening your chaotic closet, you scanned its contents and grabbed the first outfit that caught your eye. You layered it with accessories that reflected your personal style before glancing at the clock. "Forty-five minutes," you muttered, impressed with your speed. Thankfully, waking up early to shower and do your skincare routine meant you had saved yourself a lot of stress—a rare victory you silently thanked your past self for.

Powder, now pacing the dorm trying to think of what to get at the café, noticed you were ready and practically dragged you to the full-length mirror she had insisted on bringing to your shared space earlier in the semester.

"Wait! Stay still," she commanded, snapping a quick picture of the two of you. You struck a playful pose at the last second, making her giggle as she added the picture to her camera roll, no doubt planning to post it later along with the many already planned ahead photo ideas she had in mind.

Powder grinned and grabbed your hand, practically bouncing out the door as you both made your way toward what promised to be an unforgettable day.

Oh and unforgettable it was.

You arrived at the subway station and met up with everyone— except Mel and Jayce who decided they’d go by car since it was the best possible option for them as they were out earlier that morning and were just 10 minutes away from your destination.

Viktor was seated next to you while the others had run off to find a place to sit in the packed space which had been a bit uncomfortable since everyone was standing body to body and god knows how many pervs were lurking around. You absentmindedly scooted closer to Viktor, bumping into his cane which almost hit the person standing next to you before you luckily caught it. “Oh, I’m terribly sorry I wasn’t thinking straight— shit, is it damaged or anything? I’ll buy you whatever you please at that cafe, I’m sorry.” You stuttered out, earning a teasing grin from Viktor. “No harm done, but if you’re offering..” You breathe out a relieved sigh, chuckling sheepishly; “I mean I don’t mind getting you something. It could be like a thanks for listening to me and my band play.” And with that, it was settled.

When the train pulled into your stop, everyone spilled out onto the platform. Ekko stumbled dramatically, throwing his arms up as if he’d just escaped certain doom. "Oh my god fresh air!" he exclaimed, drawing laughter from the group. “Alright, let’s go," Vi said in a commanding tone. "We’ve got twenty minutes until our reservation, so move it, squirts, and Vik." She said, Powder flipping her off as a faint; “Hey! Why’d you leave Viktor out of your pathetic try at an insult?” could be heard as all of them climbed up the stairs ahead of you and the man mentioned.

The walk to the café was surprisingly quiet, save for Powder and Ekko’s chatter. Viktor’s cane tapped rhythmically against the pavement, a sound that seemed to echo in the silence. You fiddled with your sleeves absentmindedly, still replaying your earlier clumsiness in your mind. Noticing your fidgeting, Viktor broke the silence. "I heard you’ve been wanting to visit this place since the start of the semester," he said, his tone more observational than questioning. You looked at him, caught slightly off guard by his comment. "Yeah," you admitted, your voice softening. "I’ve always loved the vibe. It’d be a dream to play there, but it’s just one of those things that probably won’t happen." Viktor frowned slightly at your words. "Why not? You’ve got the talent. And, dare I say, a very charming personality. There’s no doubt you could swoon the manager over and into giving you a gig—maybe even by next week."

His confidence in you made your cheeks flush, a shy smile spreading across your face. "Viktor, you really have a way with words it’s truly admirable," you said with a laugh. "You know, you’re the kind of person they’d write rock songs about."

Before he could respond, you giggled and darted ahead to catch up with the rest of the group, who were now gathered at the café’s entrance. Viktor watched you go, a faint smile playing at his lips before he made his way over to where Jayce and Mel were waiting.

The café was a dream come to life. Warm signs flickered gently against the dark wood walls, and the faint crackle of vinyl played on an old jukebox in the corner. Every detail—from the checkered floor to the vintage records and trinkets on the shelves.. it all felt so unreal. The stained glass also added on to the whole vibe, the colourful glass reflecting the suns beautiful rays onto the floor, walls and even booths giving it that magical touch.

You couldn’t help but smile as you took it all in. Powder was already snapping pictures with her phone, Ekko leaning into the frame and striking goofy poses. Caitlyn and Vi claimed the booth’s corner seats, their hands brushing as they shared a menu. Jayce and Mel arrived shortly after, bringing the group all together.

The energy was vibrant, the table filled with overlapping conversations and laughter as everyone admired the café’s welcoming and cozy aura. Viktor took a seat beside you again, his quiet presence somehow grounding amidst all the noise.

"See?" Powder beamed, nudging your shoulder. "Worth the rush, right?" "Totally," you admitted, leaning back and savoring the moment. "This place is amazing." As everyone placed their orders, Viktor leaned slightly toward you, his voice low so only you could hear. "Do you still think playing here is just a dream?" His question caught you off guard. You looked at him, unsure of how to respond. "I mean... yeah? It’s not like places like this to just hand out gigs to random people. I doubt they’d want a rock band playing here anyway.. especially not college students.” He let your words sink in for a while before a small smile tugged at his lips. “Who knows. Sometimes you just need the right connections to make things happen.”

Before you could press him on what he meant, the food and drinks arrived, and the table erupted into excitement. Plates of waffles, milkshakes, coffee and a whole bunch of other delicious dishes were passed around, each one looking like it had stepped straight out of a retro diner ad.

Ekko was the first to dive in, immediately stealing a bite from Powder’s plate. "Hey!" she protested, smacking his hand away with a laugh. Everyone dug in and continued their conversations, you yourself indulging in a conversation with Mel and Jayce who were curious about your career choice and major which you were more then happy to talk about. They stared in awe as you explained how you met each member and how you all formed the band, Powder and Ekko later joining in and as did Caitlyn.

At some point, Viktor excused himself, disappearing for a whole 15 minutes but you decided to let it go, indulging in whatever topic your friends had brought up.

When Viktor returned, he wore an expression that was far too pleased with himself. You raised an eyebrow, but he simply shrugged and slid back into his seat, redirecting the conversation effortlessly.

The group lingered at the café for over an hour, soaking in the atmosphere and sharing stories. When it finally was time to leave, you felt a pang of reluctance but pushed it aside, grateful for the experience.

As the group made their way out, Viktor fell into step beside you. "You might want to keep your calendar clear for next weekend," he said casually, his tone light but meaningful. You frowned, confused. "Why?" "Let’s just say you’ll need it free," he replied cryptically, the hint of a smirk playing on his lips.

You wanted to press him for more details, but the others were already calling for you to catch up. The walk back was just as lively as before, Powder and Ekko bickering playfully while Vi and Caitlyn walked hand in hand.

All the while, Viktor’s words echoed in your mind, sparking a tiny ember of excitement you couldn’t quite extinguish.

The days that followed Viktor’s very vague message had you up and restless all night. You tried to keep yourself busy—between classes, band practice, and working on your art project, you thought you could distract yourself with but Viktor’s words lingered like a riddle you couldn’t solve.

Powder was no help either. “You’re overthinking it,” she said casually one night as you both sat in your dorm. “Am I?” you asked, strumming a chord on your guitar. “He tells me to keep my calendar clear and then refuses to explain anything. How am I not supposed to think about it?” Powder shrugged, lying back on her bed with her phone in hand. “Look, maybe it’s something cool, or maybe it’s just Viktor being, y’know, Viktor. Either way, freaking out isn’t gonna help.”

You sighed, knowing she was right, but it didn’t stop the curiosity from eating at you. Viktor was too intentional, too precise for this to be random. Whatever he had planned, it wasn’t something small.

By Wednesday, your patience had worn thin. After class, you spotted Viktor in the library, surrounded by notes and his laptop, indulged in his work. Deciding you couldn’t wait any longer, you walked over and slid into the seat across from him. He looked up, mildly surprised but not displeased. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” He smirked, knowing exactly why you were there.

“You know exactly why I’m here,” you said, folding your arms. He raised an eyebrow, leaning back slightly. “Do I?” “You’ve been playing this weird game of mystery all week,” you said, exasperated. “Come on, just spill it already. What’s going on?” Viktor chuckled softly, amused by your little outburst. “You’re impatient,” he observed. “Yeah, and you’re avoiding the question,” you shot back, brows furrowed with annoyance.

Viktor’s smirk widened slightly, a glint of amusement in his eyes. “Perhaps. But where’s the fun in revealing everything so soon?” You narrowed your eyes at him, torn between frustration and curiosity. “You know, not everyone enjoys playing your shitty guessing games, Viktor.” He leaned forward, resting his hands lightly on his cane. “And yet, here you are, thoroughly invested.”

You opened your mouth to retort but stopped, realizing he was right. “Fine,” you said with a resigned sigh, leaning back in your chair. “But if this turns out to be some overhyped bullshit, I swear to god Viktor I’ll smash my guitar against your head.” You said, of course not meaning the petty threat seariously since guitars were hella expensive but you definitely were annoyed.

Viktor’s chuckle deepened, the corners of his mouth twitching in a rare, genuine smile. “Noted. But I don’t think you’ll be disappointed rockstar.”

taglist: @skullmvncher @startingtoloveyou

© URFAVLARRY

DO NOT REPOST, TRANSLATE OR COPY ANY OF MY WRITING TO OTHER PLATFORMS

I DON’T CONSENT FOR MY WRITING TO BE USED TO TRAIN AI 🚫

[bitbybitwrites]

I was tagged by : @porcelainmortal, @alasse9 @forabeatofadrum

Thanks for thinking of me! . . I should really do this before 2024 is up, right? 😂

BTW its still Dec 31 here where I am, so I'll say it counts.

I've done a lot more than I expected this year, as I look back. And I'm kind of proud of myself.

I started writing for another fandom - RWRB. Its been fun adding these characters to the mix.

I managed finishing 1 multi-chapter fic and a 11 shorter fics.

I'm still plugging away on 3 longer multi-chapter WIP, adding and posting chapters as I go.

I have compiled an additional WIP list of (*stops to count*) 16 other fics that are not posted yet, but are in various stages of readiness. I flitter around adding bits to each when inpiration hits.

I think that's about it for me for 2024 - still writing, slow and steady. 😊

I'm always so happy to see any of kudos and comments if you have left any . . . and I'm still really apologetic that I haven't gotten to responding to many. There's only so much time in the day. I will try to get to them!

WRITING GOALS FOR 2025: Basically write more, and write as often as I can. There are so many of my WIP I want to get into and finish . . hopefully some of you will find them interesting to read!

Wishing you all a Happy New Year and a productive and creative 2025! I look forward to seeing/reading all you create!

See links and descriptions to everything under the cut!

1.) COMPLETED FICS

April 2024

Falling For You (Klaine fic) - 26,089 words

Summary:

Kurt Hummel thought by donating his services as a florist to Memorial Sloan Kettering, that he would simply be giving back to the medical community. A good deed for the month of December. Little did he know that a few chance run-ins with an adorable doctor and a sweet little girl in the hospital lobby would change all that. Written for the Klaine Secret Santa 2023 Gift Exchange.

May 2024

Pretty Shiny things (Klaine fic) - 1,943 words

Summary:

The clangs and shrieks of the alarm system at Christie's Auction House filled the corridors, echoing through the mostly empty building. They were just as loud as the beating of Kurt and Blaine's hearts as they raced down corridor after corridor while they attempted to escape. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Kurt growled through his teeth as he ran, slipping slightly on the polished marble floor as he turned another corner. “I leave you alone for five minutes . . . FIVE MINUTES, Blaine. What on earth did you do?” **** Discovered a fun new thing on Tumblr called Ficlet Friday. This ficlet was inspired by a dialogue prompt by annepi: Prompt: Klaine - “I leave you alone for five minutes...”

June 2024

hold me close (FirstPrince fic) - 836 words

Summary:

Alex has had a rough day. It's a good thing that Henry's home to take care of him. For a Ficlet Friday prompt : "Tell me anything. Everything.”

blythe spirit (FirstPrince fic) - 1,756 words

Summary:

“I . . . I don't know why you're even interested." “Baby, I love you.  I'm interested in everything about you." Alex gave Henry a very pointed and heated look that definitely hit the mark. The flush on Henry’s face now deepened.  He worried his bottom lip between his teeth for a few moments as he considered his options. “Come on,” Alex softly cajoled.  “You can’t just say things like: ‘I played Elvira in a school production of Blythe Spirit’ and not expect me to ask for pictures . . or at least the lowdown on it all.”  Alex pouted again to prove his point.  “I’m a weak man, H.  These are the types of things I need to know more about.” ***** From a Friday Ficlet prompt: "Tell Me anything. Everything."

nightfall (Klaine fic) - 219 words

Summary:

Blaine sighed as he collapsed onto the sand. With his chin upon his knees and arms wrapped around his legs, Blaine gazed out toward the ocean, deciding that the purple-ish pink sky that stretched out before him was absolutely breathtaking. If only he had his camera with him. It would be a perfect addition to his next gallery exhibit. ***** Based off a Tumblr Prompt/Ask Game - "Create a microstory from the prompt selected" Thanks to Falles for giving me: "49 - nightfall"

i'll always come back to you (FirstPrince fic) - 504 words

Summary:

Alex will always come back to Henry . . .always Based on a microstory prompt: #32 - dust motes

July 2024

fire island follies (Klaine fic) - 3,027 words

Summary:

Blaine Anderson is off to a weekend on Fire Island - well, his good friend Santana is draggng him on one. He's not so sure it's the best thing to do - but a run-in with a beautiful performer from the Fire Island Follies quickly changes his mind. ****** From a Tumblr Friday Ficlet prompt from bowtiesandboatshoes : "We're going to Fire Island.  It's like gay Disney World." Title is from an actual burlesque/cabaret show: The Fire Island Follies

i hate waiting (FirstPrince fic) - 555 Words

Summary:

Alex needs to keep his daughter from being bored.   inspired by this adorable picture on Tumblr by wordsofhoneydew

study date (Klaine fic) - 945 words

Summary:

"Get your hands off me!" The sound of a scuffle had Kurt look up from his reading. To be honest, Divination was such a bore of a class. It's not like he needed to learn anything new about it. Kurt had all of his mother's crystals, divination tools, and journals tucked away in her old trunk up in the attic of their home. He could read tea leaves and scry with the best of them. He had long ago lost focus on the chapter Professor Holiday had assigned them for the evening, so at this point, any other distraction would be welcome. Even if it was prefect duties.

Originally this was a bit of a false start for my fic, Advanced Potions

The original prompt was "hogwarts!au + 4. meet messy + 6. "what is that?"

August 2024

what can compare with your beautiful sound (Klaine fic) - 1,183 words

Summary:

Kurt’s brow furrowed as he concentrated on the task at hand. He had to get it just right. His hand hovered just a few inches higher, and with a deft flick of his wrist, a drop of wax fell from the lit candle in his hand to his canvas below. The canvas moaned in ecstasy. “Now, darling, we don’t want to shift, now do we?" Kurt softly murmured as he leaned in close. "You've been such a good boy for me so far." ***** Based off of a microstory prompt from Tumblr : "candles"

November 2024

smutsgiving/wanksgiving 2024: rwrb/firstprince - 662 words

Summary:

Prince Henry has been given a new gift for his bedchamber. Entry for Smutsgiving/Wanksgiving 2024.

smutsgiving/wanksgiving 2024: klaine - 580 Words

Summary:

Dinner was lovely, but Blaine is really ready to go home. Entry for Smutsgiving/Wanksgiving 2024.

2.) PARTIALLY PUBLISHED WIP:

(Klaine) If I Can Make Your Heart My Home - (Klaine Reverse Bang 2023) Life in New York City and working in the restaurant industry wasn’t exactly what Kurt Hummel had expected it would be. He’s lonely, stressed out and miserable. He’s almost ready to throw in the towel and return home to Ohio when a chance meeting with a musician in Central Park changes everything. (Warning: an angsty rollercoaster of a ride. Soooo many cameos from Glee characters! 😉)

(RWRB) Puppy Love - (RWRB NYE gift exchange 2023) The cold snowy day that Henry Fox discovers an abandoned beagle puppy in an alley brings handsome, flirty veterinarian, Alex Claremont-Diaz into his life. Alex is a single dad, recently moved to NY with his young son who Henry hasn't met yet - or so Alex thought. (Fluffy kid!fic)

(Klaine) Sanctuary - (Klaine Word Scramble 2023) Crown Prince Blaine has stumbled into a secluded glade, trying to escape the horrors of the bloody war his father had brought upon their kingdom. Mourning his beloved older brother and faced with the burden of taking his place in the kingdom, Blaine yearns for a place to hid from the world to deal with the issues weighing on his heavy heart. He encounters a mysterious elf, the guardian of the magical spring that Blaine has mistakenly defiled, whose growing connection to his life the young prince can't ignore. (Inspired by an idea/ artwork by @datshitrandom and @justgleekout)

3.) WIP FICS TO FINISH AND POST

My WIP list can be found here! I keep it updated. Feel free to ask me about any of them if you're curious . . 🥰. Hoping to finish some of these in the coming year.

******

OK so ( as usual) I'm late to post - so if anyone hasn't done this yet and wants to - take my big open tag for it and maybe some of these folks might want to do one of these wrap ups as well?

Tagging ( participate only if you want to): @wowbright, @gleefulpoppet, @daisyishedwig, @spaceorphan18 @special-bc-ur-part-of-it

@myheartalivewrites, @14carrotghoul, @thighzp @tailsbeth-writes @onthewaytosomewhere

@sophie1973 @getmehighonmagic @tinyarmedtrex @henrysfox @blueeyedgrlwrites

@kirakiwiwrites @madas-ahatters-world @sarkyblueeyes @heartsmadeofbooks @iboatedhere

@little-escapist @littlemisskittentoes @kurtsascot @hkvoyage @lilinas

Psst. . . and if any fanartists see this and want to share what they've drawn this year, tag me! I'd love to see your work if I've missed some!

[soldier-lodbrok]

So saddle up kids, because @holyguardian and I screamed back and forth and she dug up a few thoughts I already had but pointed out all these nice connections, so now I HAVE to make a post about this theory. It is probably just my copium, but ya'll can't stop me. You can thank Muddy for this. She shoved my brain on every aspect.

Of course spoilers for Remake, Rebirth and Ever Crisis FS ahead.

Glenn Lodbrok is still alive theory

"Glenn Lodbrok" in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Okay. First things first. The man seen as "Glenn Lodbrok" in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth definitely is NOT the real Glenn Lodbrok. In no way or form. It just is a black robed man that Sephiroth puppeteered to take on the appearance of Glenn. His behaviour, his speech patterns, his apparent goals, nothing fits the real Glenn Lodbrok.

Even his appearance is off.

The black robed version looks extremely gaunt. Glenn in general has a large frame and muscular built. Here his cheeks are visibly sunken in, his hair is unruly and uncut, as is his beard, which is also way longer (and more prominent above his lips) than when he supposedly was last alive.

The SRC Situation/Where was Glenn last His last goal in the world was to establish the Shinra Resistance Committee, especially in Wutai and lead it against Shinra. They took over the Wutain government and installed an interim-government. According to Yuffie it is supposed to only last until the war is over and they can have independence from Shinra; then tthe Wutain people can decide what kind of government they truly want next.

The SRC does loosely associate with AVALANCHE, but they are two different factions, with the SRC seemingly using more political and Wutai-based moves, while some splinter groups of AVALANCHE go down more extreme routes closer to Midgar/within Midgar.

Glenn wasn't alone, but with Matt and Lucia in the SRC at this time.

It is notable that in Rebirth in the side-mission "Protorelic 4" in Cosmo Canyon Matt and Lucia are name-dropped:

So they are confirmed to still be alive at the point where the Shinra HQ was stormed by AVALANCHE in Remake. Now suddenly as leaders of AVALANCHE troops for the HQ in Midgar. So something must have happened between them being in Wutai as interim-government members for the SRC and now suddenly active in AVALANCHE.

Alteration with Rufus The alteration that happened, where Rufus shot Glenn probably all cooks down to that Glenn either:

- discovered that Viceroy Sarruf is actually Rufus Shinra

- or he knew all along that Sarruf = Rufus, but had an argument with him, because he found out that Rufus was not at all interested in a peaceful solution and letting Wutai be a free state from Shinra

It is more likely that it is the second option, since in Ever Crisis Chapter 8 Glenn mentions that "he has friends in high places" and gets his intel through them. He possibly is hinting at this being Rufus. Plus Rufus in Rebirth seems to allow "Glenn" around, as if he knows him.

He probably threatened Rufus, either with revealing his identity or with cutting him off from the SRC. It had to be something that enraged/threatened Rufus enough to shoot Glenn in the back cowardly, when he turned away.

Then it gets muddy.

Rufus clearly is surprised seeing "Glenn" again in Junon, stating that he thought he was dead. It is a "thought" and nothing more certain. Indicating that Rufus had not checked upon Glenn really being dead. [Also the wikia indicates he was "left for dead", the wikia is not the most reliable though]

So there is a possibility that Glenn survived this. Possibly being rescued by his friends Lucia and Matt. They aren't shown to be present at the attack (maybe just out of frame?). But they could have been led there by:

- Refu: the dog formerly belonging to Rosen, he already proved to be loyal to its owner and 'call' others attention to when his owner was in trouble and needed help; he did so for Rosen

- Sephiroth: the man was friends with Glenn, even in the Wutai war. Glenn gave him intel to rescue other soldiers and Sephiroth would likely have done the same for him in return. It is strange that Sephiroth seems to exactly know how Glenn was shot in the back, he uses the phrase "In the back, just like good old times." when Rufus tries to kill "Glenn" a second time at the end of Rebirth. So either Sephiroth witnessed it, saw Glenn afterwards or heard about it. Sephiroth is shown to still be conflicted back in EC FS, being loyal to Shinra in a way or seeing himself forced into that role. If we mirror Glenn's "You know I can't help openly, that is why you have to do it", that could work with Sephiroth directing Matt and Lucia to Glenn for help. He is Shinra, he can't outright act against Rufus then, but he can see to get sufficient help.

Anyway, Lucia and Matt could have rescued Glenn and brought him to safety but turned their back on the SRC or fled the area due to there clearly being dangerous traitors at work within the SRC. That is how they could have ended up with AVALANCHE HQ, finding refuge there.

Where Glenn could be during Remake/Rebirth times So why are just the two of them mentioned as leaders for AVALANCHE?

Either Glenn simply is not part of that particular mission, SE didn't want us to know, he didn't want to work for AVALANCHE or he isn't able to help yet.

Last option could be likely due to the severe injury he apparently got from Rufus' bullet. When he is shot we actually see a lot of blood (the most shown in FF VII so far) splattering from relatively high up. Almost looks like the back of his head, though at least Sephiroth masquerading as Glenn claimed it was a shot in the back.

If Rufus hit his spine that high up, it could mean he needs a longer time to recover, if at all, even in magical Final Fantasy healing logics. Also explains, why Glenn did not fight back (if we consider the same FF logic in which several characters already got shot or stabbed worse and still were able to get up and fight back).

He could be bedridden or even in a coma for now. And you know what happens to people who are that immobile for a longer time? They lose muscle mass and of course don't shave their beard as often or get regular haircuts.

So the gaunt and dishevelled appearance the black robed takes on as "Glenn" could actually BE how Glenn looks currently. Jenova's/Sephiroth's abilities to shapeshift can't be that shoddy, so maybe this is actually the most current version of Glenn, who is hidden away somewhere in an AVALANCHE HQ.

And as Muddy so nicely pointed out: you know whom Glenn, a man who is wearing a long black raincoat (not to be confused with the black robes!) would contrast when sitting in a wheelchair by then? Rufus Shinra years later, a man in long white coats, in a wheelchair, when he suffers from Geostigma. We love some nice paralells, even if this now is probably beyond SE's scope of aesthetics.

[basil-does-arttt]

Devil May Cry 2. The pimple-faced teenager of the series, widely regarded as the worst game in the franchise.

While yes i agree with this viewpoint to some degree, and i think all the jokes about it being the worst one are funny... i honestly dont think the game is THAT bad. In fact, i think people give it too much shit.

Ill start out by saying this: no, the game isnt amazing. Its under-developed, rushed, and in no way is it up to the same standard as the other 4 games. Im not saying its this perfect game, but its not as horrible as some make it out to be.

Ive played through the game on the original PS2 version and the remastered version, and although im yet to complete Lucia's campaign, i can confidently say the game is mediocre at worst really.

First the gameplay: Boring? Yes. Definitely. Do you like standing in one place and shooting everything for 15 minutes untill it drops dead? This is the game for you. But you dont have to do that, it just happens to be the easiest option because the controls are so jank. I spent (some) time myself learning the combos, turns out it depends on the way you angle the joystick, and once you get the hang of it, its not that difficult to S rank combat encounters at all. Its annoying, but not impossible, and the combos can honestly look pretty cool imo.

The movement is also another thing, the dodge animation takes way too long to perform but i do like the forward dash. Its a nice alternative to using stinger as a makeshift movement dash, i wish they kept it for furture versions of Dante. (Yes i know theres the trickster dash, but he doesn't do a flip)

I also really love the flying mechanic with aerial heart, and the different kinds of core thingies you could combine as a whole. A unique feature that kinda got combined into other things in Dante's design.

A few of the bosses, if they had been fleshed out and maybe balanced a bit better, could've been just amazing too. Furiataurus for example. One boss i feel was done well though was The Despair Embodied, and although you can just stand around and shoot it to death like everything else, you do actually have to put effort in to not get hit and die. (Trismalga is also kinda in that boat too, a well(ish) done fight you actually have to put effort into, but i personally didn't like it.)

Next, level design: You have to admit they did some cool things with the level design. *some*. The whole "grungy city" vibe is something i found very interesting, and the trippy purple iteration of lower town was, while infuriating to navigate thanks to the camera and graphics (esp on the ps2 version), was actually quite neat. I also really liked the clock tower in Lucia's campaign.

And also, the music. Can i just say, i think dmc 2's soundtrack is my favorite one out of all 5 games. The ambient background tracks are almost dreamy, especially Lucia's ones, the boss themes honestly go hard and the piano track that's repeated throughout the whole soundtrack just sounds good. If you take anything away from this post, its that you should listen to the soundtrack. (I reccomend the tracks "Unholy Relics", "Cry for the Moon", and "Shoot the Works")

The character designs are another thing i think they did well in this game. In my humble opinion, Dante's dmc 2 style is the best looking one in the whole series. Lucia also looks quite cool, her devil trigger form especially.

The characters themselves, Dante especially, need work, but might i remind you the developers were rushed when making this game. They didn't have enough time to do everything they wanted to do, 6 months before the game was supposed to release they didn't even have it in working condition. It was only thanks to Itsuno stepping in as the director that we got this game in the first place, and all he could do was salvage what the team had already created and get it in a releasable state before launch.

If only they had a bit more time (and maybe resources), dmc 2 couldve been quite the cool game. Though, on that note, if it werent for dmc 2's catastrophic faliure and Itsuno's prompt pestering for a sequel so the franchise didn't die outright, we wouldn't have gotten dmc 3. Though i think Capcom would've made a 3rd game regardless of the scenario.

All in all, i dont think dmc 2 is that horrible of a game. If you have the remaster collection, or even the original PS2 version, at least try it. Give it a go, play through the first few missions and kill one or two of the bosses.

Don't take it seriously, just have fun and enjoy the game in all its janky half-finished glory. If you look at dmc 2 that way, i think you'll enjoy it a whole lot more.

Or dont. Yknow, its your choice.

[transhoverfish]

OK SO IM LATE BUT. MORE SUB3 NEWS!!!

so a few days ago, krafton (their publisher), apparently had this like presentation of their plans over the next like 2 years. and during that they talked a bit about sub 3!

and this obviously creates a LOT of questions. not to worry, though, because unknown worlds added on to this:

im honestly not surprised by this. iirc, when below zero released they said it would be a WHILE before the next game, and they only announced this back in like... january? now, the first game's release was in january, and bz was in may, so it's definitely possible early access with be in spring of 2025. those games did not have multiplayer aspections tho! its possible we'll wait until mid 2025, and full release will likely not be until 2026. but who knows? the first game took like ten to be fully finished!!

and honestly. THANK GOD. i can't imagine any subnautica game having BATTLE PASSES or LOOT BOXES. i would have just straight up ignored this game 😭

i do wonder what these updates will entail! "many years to come" is definitely something interesting to me, because other than bug fixes... i dont remember sub or bz getting many updates post full release. is this referring to bug fixes, or is it implying that it will be in a state of early access for much longer? are they going to just keep adding new things (like the building update for sub1) and taking fandom suggestions? very interested!!

maybe this is an unpopular opinion, but i actually,,,, dont want multiplayer. now i do like bz, and these games arent really intended to be horror games, but also bz is very noticeablely less scary than sub1. and some of it i think definitely has to do with all the extra characters and dialogue. its hard to feel isolated when you know al-an and marg are nearby. so im very happy that it's optional, bc i know i will probably enjoy single player a lot more enjoyable!!

so now... SPECULATION.

so the first thing im curious about that the development team didnt mention:

"uncover the mysteries on an entirely new alien planet"

apprently we are NOT returning to 4546b. which im kind of sad about!! ik the story is very obviously done there, but it feels weird that its going to be some other planet this time around. THERE WONT BE PEEPERS!!!! (well there could be but it would be weird if some other random planet had the exact same lifeforms)

now my next immediate thought is: is this a direct continuation of below zero? my opinion is: no. probably not.

mostly because it mentions up to four players, and robin and alan are, if you look very closely, only two people. now they COULD just create two new characters to go alongside them (my fanfic brain loves the au idea of marg and ryley 🥺) but im just going to assume that with the addition of a new planet, we're going to drop the old storylines. which means no more degasi, sunbeam, aurora, or ayou sisters. we might move away from architects/precursors altogether! (my basis on this is absolutely nothing and i could be wrong, this is 100% just theorizing)

also, i imagine that it would be difficult to keep the plot the exact same with two established characters and then two new ones, depending on how this multiplayer aspect works. if its another crash, it would be a lot easier to just have the extra players die/survive, then try to work in a balancing act of one guy playing al-an.

(also i like keeping the ending of bz vauge. if they show up again, they would have to mention what happened to the rest of the architects, and i think it's much more fun if thats a mystery!)

((also also, im gonna drop a bomb on u all for a second. i actually,,, dont like al-an. i have a deeper connection to probably every single other character in bz. i think they really fumbled al's character and story and he is so incredibly bland to me. it feels like they go nowhere with how he was responsible for the kharra outbreak because the game ends immediately after he confesses! it would be nice to give him another chance, sure, but i personally dread the idea of even more al-an. sorry everyone for this horrible news))

HERE'S A CONCEPT IMAGE

i hope they bring back some cut content creatures for this!! i noticed this new area looks VERY similar to the safe shallows, and several of the fish seem to be variations of ones we've already seen (im already seeing bladderfish and hoopfish color pallettes, and the shark resmbles some early concept art for the shadow leviathan, but with the ice worm's colors...)

will there be more land areas?? is it going to entirely underwater?? more kharra?? NO DISEASE AT ALL?? AAAAAA!!!!

[cyren-myadd]

Am I the only one who doesn't like the idea of ​​Spider gaining the ability to breathe without a mask/getting his avatar/kuru in the next parts? I kind of like that he has these limitations and it would be more interesting if he completely accepted them and found his way to connect with Eywa and live on Pandora instead of just removing them, I feel like that would take away all the uniqueness of his character

Don't worry, anon, you're definitely not the only one who feels this way! I personally do like the idea of Spider getting an "adaptation," but I've seen other folks raise the concern of these potential changes taking away Spider's uniqueness and I can understand where the fear comes from. It's a totally valid worry to have.

Let me share my perspective on the topic

So you listed three possible changes to Spider's character that have been rumored to occur in Avatar 3. Let's break these down first:

Spider breathing without a mask

Spider getting an Avatar

Spider getting (growing?) a kuru

There are different reasons people believe each of these things may happen and all of them are possible, we won't know for sure until A3 comes out, but as of right now, it's looking like option #1 is the only one that's happening. #1 is the most likely option because it's the one with the most evidence behind it. In Avatar 2 BTS footage, a bit of the script for Avatar 3 was accidentally shown, describing a scene of Spider breathing without a mask. The script was quickly blurred out in the BTS footage, but not before some twitter users were able to transcribe the script. Since the avatar creative team made an effort to cover it up, that makes the first option seem like it's the most likely to happen. @spider-socorro-stan has an excellent breakdown of the leaked script on their blog and you can read it HERE if you'd like to know more.

I've also noticed that Spider's official character poster seems to confirm option 1 as well. The character posters for Avatar 2 are all screenshots taken from the movie, like Jake's is from the scene where he talks to Neytiri about being too hard on their sons, Kiri's is from her first swim in Awa'atlu, Quaritch's is from Spider's interrogation scene, etc, etc. Spider's poster (center) is the only one that isn't a screenshot from Avatar 2, and in fact, he doesn't have a forehead stripe or chest garment in Avatar 2 at all like he has in the poster. Since Spider's look in the poster matches BTS footage of Spider's look for Avatar 3, most people assume the poster is a screenshot from Avatar 3 instead of 2. In the poster you can see plants and trees behind him, meaning he is outdoors, but despite this he is not wearing a mask. The poster on its own wouldn't really be sufficient evidence for such a wild theory, but when it's combined with the leaked script, it seems to make option #1 seem very plausible.

The second rumor stems from a BTS image of Jack Champion lying down in a link chamber (left) making it appear as if he is he is about to link to an Avatar, and the third rumor stems from some concept art that was shared at an Avatar exhibition in Las Vegas (right) that depicts Spider with a kuru. Since these images were shared on purpose and there hasn't been any effort to cover them up, plus they lack any confirmation in a script like the first rumor, I believe it's likely that rumor two and three will not actually happen. The image of Jack in the link pod could've just been Jack messing around, and the image of Spider with the kuru, while legitimate concept art, is most likely an old, scrapped idea because I can't imagine the creative team showing such a massive spoiler on purpose. If you want to know more about the kuru-theory, I made a post discussing it HERE.

So now that we've gone over the three potential changes to Spider's character, and established that the only change that has a real likelihood of happening is the maskless Spider one, let's talk about people's reactions to it.

I'm active in the Avatar communities on tumblr and reddit, and I occasionally peek at tiktok and instagram (I don't touch twitter with a ten foot pole so don't ask me about that), so I've seen lots of different opinions on these changes. Some people, like myself, are enthusiastic about it and curious to see where it goes, while others, like anon, worry that this will take away the underdog qualities that make Spider such an interesting and unique addition to the Avatar cast. Both of these reactions to this shocking leak are completely valid. (There's also a third party that insists the leaks are fake and nothing miraculous will happen to Spider in Avatar 3 because they really really want him to die, but we're not talking about them right now.)

When it comes to the rumor that Spider will be getting an Avatar at some point, I actually agree with the folks who worry about it taking away from Spider's character. We already had the human-gets-an-alien-body story done with Jake in Avatar 1, and we had human-gets-an-alien-body 2: The Revenge done again with Quaritch in Avatar 2. If we had human-gets-an-alien-body part 3: electric bluegaloo with Spider in Avatar 3, the trope would've worn out its welcome. We've already had the topic explored twice already; we really don't need it to be explored again. There's nothing Spider getting an avatar would add to the story that hadn't already been explored by Jake.

But the good news is this rumor seems very unlikely to happen, so unless I'm way off we won't have to worry about that.

Now the rumor about Spider breathing without a mask is where I hardcore disagree with the worries that it will take anything away from Spider's character. I understand and agree with this worry when it comes to the Avatar body, because as I said, the Avatar body story's been done before ad nauseum. But breathing without an exopack? And still being human? That's definitely never been done before.

Two things that make Spider's character so charming IMO is that he's unique and he's an underdog. Unique, because literally no matter where he goes, he sticks out like a sore thumb: among the Na'vi he sticks out because of his humanness, and among the humans he sticks out because he looks like tarzan lost a paintball fight to the blue team. He is literally and visually trapped between two worlds, and that makes for a really interesting story. He's also an underdog for the obvious reason. Poor kid's at a disadvantage no matter where he goes too. He's much smaller and weaker than the Na'vi, he can't bond with any of the cool animals, and he doesn't know how to use any of the cool human weaponry so he can't make up for his size the way human villains like OG-Quaritch did. And yet, despite constantly being the underdog, he never gives up and always fights to protect his loved ones. That indomitable human spirit is always an appealing character trait.

If Spider does get the ability to breathe the Pandoran atmosphere without an exopack, that doesn't take away from his two important character traits. He will still be an underdog, because even if you remove the breathing handicap, he still lacks the size and the ability to bond with the animals that the other main characters have. The audience will continue to see him struggle to overcome his physical disadvantages. He will also still be unique in having that caught-between-worlds quality. In fact, the breathing thing would make him even more unique than before because as far as we know, he is the only human to ever gain this ability.

Unlike Jake and Quaritch, Spider has not left his humanity behind for something completely new. Spider is still fully human, but a part of him will also be fully Pandoran, now able to survive on the planet that's so unhospitable to his kind.

Spider will always be the same goofy little underdog we know and love, even if he does get a new ability in Avatar 3. I fully understand that not everyone likes this concept, and that's fine, but I sincerely hope that everyone who dislikes it can at least come around to it by the time Avatar 3 comes out. There is a lot of evidence supporting this theory, and I'd really hate for anyone's enjoyment of the movie to be ruined because of this creative decision!

[suckishima]

hi guess what i'm still not done yelling about chp 298 and the serve and block, so let's talk about the actual volleyball of it and how it contributes to the impact of the moment and solidifying it as a thing that they earned together

yamaguchi goes up for his second serve in the match, after having just gotten an ace, and this time kai bumps it relatively easily

and yamaguchi is already thinking about the serve and block, bc for him that's his next goal if he can't get another service ace. he sees it as his job to disrupt the first pass so that the setter can't make as good of a set—and that's what those little flashbacks depict, botched digs from tough serves leading to the setter having trouble getting under the ball/to it in time so the hitter is limited and then gets stuffed

so yamaguchi is disappointed, he think because kai got the ball up and to kenma in a perfect arc, that he didn't do his job well enough

and while it's true that kenma does get to set off of a good pass, there's more to it than that, and tsukki knew it before the ball even left kai's hands

tsukki sees it as more than just disrupting the ball's path to the setter, it's also about taking away options of hitters to make tsukki's job easier as a blocker. and we can see in the first panel i posted what tsukki has already seen, that yes kai got the ball up, but also he took a knee, he had to get low so he likely won't be back up in time for an approach, and yamaguchi aimed it between kai and yamamoto so yamamoto also is hunched and kind of stuck behind kai and in a bad position to get going for a run up

something which, furudate takes a moment to show us again here—kai and yamamoto are nowhere near in position to spike the ball, the rotation has yaku on the court so he's not an offensive option, meaning that it's only kuroo and fukunaga that the blockers need to worry about tracking

and we get to see tsukki think about all of that on the next page too. i like how kind of quick and staccato these panels come across, you can almost read tsukki's inner dialogue even though we don't see it: "yamamoto and kai are down, not contenders. fukunaga coming for an approach on the right, kuroo coming for a quick right down the middle, kenma already in the air, which of them will he choose?"

furudate is really trying to emphasize to us that yamaguchi's worth as a server isn't just in getting aces, or making the ball wobble perfectly to botch the opposing team's receives—yamaguchi is also getting better at aiming and disrupting the court in other ways. and that in turn compliments the ways we've seen tsukki's skills improve over the series too, this type of reading the court and the players (one aspect of "total defense" as the series calls it) that he's gotten better and better at as the matches go on

and the ukai reiterates it for us too so we can read it in addition to having just seen it. "a level-headed, disciplined shield," is exactly what you'd call tsukki's style of blocking, it's why he's so consistently effective and scary as a blocker on his own, "and its bes possible partner, one that makes its decisions easy," perfectly sums up yamaguchi here too, his serves have come far enough that he can disrupt the court in multiple different ways and narrow the path for tsukki so his job can be easy.

but what i also think is important here is that neither of them started here, it took a lot of time and practice to reach this point and they both had to work hard in order to be someone that could be of use to the other and pull it off. if yamaguchi hadn't gotten better at serving he wouldn't be helpful to tsukki's blocking decisions, and if tsukki hadn't had both the aptitude for calmly reading the court and following kuroo's advice about having less wussy block form, then he wouldn't be any help to yamaguchi's serves when the other team does get a hand on them.

and because furudate makes sure to let us know that they both earned their way here with their hardwork and dedication, it makes the emotional impact of the moment hit even harder because we know and feel that it didn't just come from nothing

it takes a strong shield and a sharp spear

[aliasrocket]

tdlr : quill/rocket love triangle qna + excerpts!!

Since the quill/rocket love triangle poll one by 0.01% (literally) I’m trying to make it happen! Definitely will have at LEAST one chapter out by the end of august, maybe even two, but allow me to answer some frequently asked questions.

Quill and Rocket are in love with the reader. (Because of this, I would prefer to call it a love angle but its a lesser known term, so.)

I don’t wanna spoil the plot too much but I saw a post of James Gunn on twitter confirming Quill is on space tinder. That’s the only clue I can give you (no, it’s not a chat fic.)

It’s not poly. Sorry for those who wanted it that way.

And last but not least, here’s two excerpts—it’s not much but that’s because I just started, but hopefully you get the feel of the fic from this HAHA

so the first one’s to give you some insight on Quill, second’s on Rocket ;

Books sound so much better when you recommend them to me

Peter

It’s books

There’s so many good ones out there that I haven’t read

I can take you to a bookstore if you want

Alright, if you insist

But I haven’t finished a book since

Since I last saw my mother

And you changed that

The bubble that held these words was the face of Peter—it was his face. The flat device on your phone was supposed to make up for the fact that you weren’t next to him.

Reading that through was like looking at a sunset and speculating its feelings. Obviously it’s a pretty sight. A lot of things happen when pink meets red meets orange meets yellow. But the sun doesn’t have a face. Neither do the colors. But your shoulders sink and your bones unwind at the very thought of letting your hair brush through the mellow sunset wind.

There was something there. Obviously, there was something there.

But Peter Quill was a chat screen with feelings.

I’m glad you liked Ready Player One Peter

I feel like a damn child again

With all the sci-fi you’ve recommended me

But in the good way

Like

I can let loose

With you

Yk?

“Hey uh,” you swallowed, the slick noises from your throat somehow bouncing off the walls. “The ship’s on autopilot, right?”

“No, we’re crashing any second now,” Rocket answered dryly.

You whipped around to face the window. More clanging sounds ensued, but the stars were still sticking to the sky, fixed, not moving, not dropping to shaking about—and there was no quake in the ship, no floating feeling of your body falling and yet your heart hiccuped.

Rocket snickered. Your heart drummed somewhat distantly in your chest, but as drums are, it was loud, and it ran a careless finger down your ribs.

“Of course we’re on autopilot, princess,” he clarified a little kinder, despite the gesture being anything but kind. It was considered kinder because whatever he had done previously had made this an improvement.

He loaded his hands into his pockets, leaning against the box with a foot crossed over the other.

You groaned as your head hit the mattress, and you did this instead of offering a response, an option you actually had to weigh.

“Never got the proper meeting, by the way,” Rocket said, his boots giving away each heavy step towards you. “I’m—”

“Rocket. I know who you are,” you finish for him so he doesn’t have the chance to say anything else that would scare you.

You reluctantly sat up only to find he was closer than you had expected him to be. Your feet suddenly gravitated towards the floor in an attempt to regain some modesty.

“This usually goes both ways, you know.”

You press your lips into a thin line, your eyelids drooping to form an unamused look. You utter your name but the syllables clung to your lips when they barely left you. Rocket held out his hand, and you take note of his black nails protruding from its slender but unmarred form. You take his hand in your own, shaking it torpidly and very, very slimly moving it for a better view.

It was unmarred in a very human way—it held prominent knuckles at the beginning of each finger, and it looked so unnaturally natural; his hands were active, always on the move, always touching very hot and dangerous things—how could it possibly be unmarred?

“Now you say ‘nice to meet you, Rocket,’” he quipped.

You hit his hand away and scoffed. “Yeah yeah, okay.”

“Nice to meet you too,” he said along with your name, leaving him like a cardboard box labeled ‘fragile.’ It’s an open box but it’s handled with care, something he steadily unpacked.

[cinammonelles]

Thoughts about Nea, past!Allen and the next chapter

long post, spoilers under the cut

Okay so I've always wondered why Nea gave up on Allen as his ally so quickly. Allen was one of his closest allies besides Cross and Tim till the time of his death right? He even gave up his body so Nea could execute his masterplan.

Yes, Allen did lose all his memories(or did he?) and somehow ended up in the Black Order. But we know Nea can show him his memories so he should also technically be able to show him past!Allen memories that were locked away? Or atleast memories of himself with past!Allen?

Allen would definitely be torn and overwhelmed and confused after but everyone who has known the "other side of the war" has taken Nea's side so far. And Allen even went so far as to become Nea's vessel in the past. He would definitely take his old friend's side again right? Or even seek out some sort of a middle ground?

Why didn't he do that then? Nea watched all of his memories since Cross started tailing him and Mana. Wouldn't it be easier to have Allen half-cooperate during the little time he has left, instead of having him actively work against him?

There's so much emotion in this one panel here. Confusion, worry, pain, anger, desolation, and maybe even a hint of guilt?

Its like... he just didn't wanna disturb the little equilibrium Allen had managed to create in his life? The little community he had found in the Black Order?

I mean if we think abt it Nea never really wanted to parasitize Allen in the first place(or atleast that's what I think the evidence so far implies). It was just the only option available to them back then. They needed Nea's powers to thwart the Earl & the Noahs' plans. And if Nea died then the Earl would just absorb(?) him and there would be no stopping him after that.

And I think giving up on Allen as an ally was Nea's way of being kind to him. Of returning the favour. Being his ally isn't an easy or pleasant job from what we've seen so far. And Allen would've disappeared anyway from the moment past!Allen transferred Nea's memories to himself. After seeing his attachment to the Order and the friends he made there, maybe he just wanted Allen to disappear with pleasant memories he made at the Order rather than the gruesome memories of being Nea's ally.

This panel in particular is so sad. He was able to give up on Allen as an ally so easily because he still had Tim. Tim was his last remaining ally and then he wasn't. And its particularly cruel how Hoshino pulled this off. He says that he doesn't need anyone else as long as he has Tim and just a few chapters later Apocryphos kills him. Nea must be used to losing allies by now but Tim really was the last real friend he had left(hoshino you cruel cruel woman)

Also the way Link's just bomb dropped the news abt tim?

Imagine hearing your last friend/ally died from some rando and then not even getting the time to process it because your arch enemy's ressurection shows up and somehow has your face? And then you get yeeted back into brain breakroom just as you were about to start beefing with him and the next time you wake up you're in your childhood home which you have mixed, complicated feelings for.

And that's not even getting into the whole 'tim chose allen over nea' thing.

Also if Allen goes back to the mansion and finds Bookman, he's guaranteed to find out atleast part of his past if not the whole. And he would definitely demand to know more from Nea. Will he accept Allen as his ally again now that Tim is gone? Will he accept Link as well? Will he try to kill Johnny again? Will he even be stable enough to consider future plans? Will we ever see Lavi again? We find out next month :D

Or we don't

(I also have a theory abt the Bookmen having the ability to transfer memories but that one's for another time)

Thanks for reading!!!

[behindthewox]

TRIGGER WARNING: addiction, mental health and potentially upsetting content if you're in a vulnerable state of mind. Click "keep reading" to read the post, or click HERE for some alternative fishy content :)

Anon says: I personally believe that some people need to understand that they are severely addicted to WoX. I understand that it is supposed to be a safe space for many, but people need to understand that sitting behind a screen to be on discord/WoX is not a healthy way to live life. Believe me, most people don't even realise how it drives them to insanity. I think there should be a healthy balance, which most people are missing because they are simply too young to understand. I finally left WoX behind me, but wanted to create this message to show people that life without wox can be equally as fun. Most people you talk to on WoX aren't even your 'real' friends, cruel as it may sound. I talked to MANY people, and now I only have contact with 2. Addictions like these are not even noticed that much. "Oh, but I write so it's not bad." but you are behind your screen for HOURS a day. It's simply not healthy. It can drive you crazy. It can shove you into cliques. It can make you create problems that are, quite frankly, not even real. You get stressed about other people their CHARACTERS, you get stressed about FICTIONAL relationships. You might think it's an escape, and if its simply that, then its great. However, I believe for many people it is becoming a whole new problem and adding more stress on top of the things you tried to run away from. You try to find distractions from home? Well, you managed, but now you have online WoX drama which also drives you insane. Point of this is, please, try to log of every once in a while. Try to find a healthy balance. Life is not WoX. WoX is not life. [submitted by anonymous, no edits made]

As far as addictions go, I'd argue that WoX is one of the least destructive and harmful addictions out there and if you're gonna get caught up in an addiction it's one of the safest addictions to get stuck in. That said, I agree: WoX can easily become an addiction and no matter how harmful or harmless it is, addiction is bad.

obligatory disclaimer: I'm relatively well informed on the subject but I AM NOT AN EXPERT.

I think we need to keep in mind that the WoX demographics mean that we have a lot of users who are at high risk of developing addictions, and we could do more to minimise the risks and encourage healthier practises. Being vulnerable is not a choice and it's not right to blame the users for falling victim to human nature.

Addictions are caused by multiple factors and it's often a symptom of other problems that we don't have the resources to resolve. When we can't fix the problems in our life, the next best option is to take a break from it every once in a while that's when we turn to things that help us escape and forget. It becomes an addiction when we start to rely on it in order to maintain a state of mental wellbeing and perceived functioning, which ironically often means it hinders us from functioning fully in society. The best way to solve addiction is to solve the problems that we're escaping from, and if that's an option that is the best way to go.

If WoX causes you more stress than stress relief, there is reason to be concerned. If the thought of going without WoX for a few days makes you anxious, it might be a good idea to do just that: take a break for a few days. It sucks but it's good for you. But most importantly: do the best you can with the situation you've got. Be kind to yourself and know that it's not your fault, and it's unfair to expect you to figure all this out on your own. Blame and guilt isn't going to help you pull yourself out of an addiction or mental ditch, what you need is a metaphorical rope and a good strategy. Maybe an excavator... It's easier said than done but it's worth doing and in the meanwhile, remember: as far as addictions go you could do a hell of a lot worse than creative writing.

[clumsiestgiantess]

A while ago I posted a list of some Other-world Universe AUs, and while I neglected to mention some of the darker ones, there is a pretty heart wrenching one: Fallen Erica AU

In other words, enjoy the angst!

I was biking home from school, my dorm not too far away, when I was nearly run off the trail by a fox dashing in front of my bike.  It shrieked, dropping whatever it had in its mouth as I came to a halt directly in front of it.  As quickly as it appeared, the fox raced away into the woods, abandoning whatever prey it had held on the ground beside me.  “Oh no!  Poor fox, I didn’t mean to scare you from your food!”  I leaned over, glancing at what it had caught.  Confusion, quickly followed by an intense kind of fear, flooded my veins.  The little creature painfully tried to move, wheezing labored breaths as it slowly reached out to haul itself up.  But the creature.. as small as it was, it looked like a person.  That was impossible — should be impossible, yet.. there it was.

The moment it spotted me it screamed, quickly and desperately scrambling upwards.  Dropping my bike to the side of the path, I rushed to the tiny thing.  “No!  Please!  Please, I don’t want to die!”  Oh god.  Carefully, I knelt down beside the small person as she struggled to get away.  She’d gotten upright, but one of her legs dragged limply behind her.  “Hey, it’s- it’s ok; I’m not going to hurt you.”  The tiny woman stared up at me, teary-eyed.  “Wh- What are you?  Where am I?”  

She doesn’t know?  She flinched harshly after I leaned down over her, trying to see her better.  Why is she so small?  The tiny person was around the length of my longest finger, nothing more.  “Did you shrink?” I asked, “Why don’t you know where you are?”  A whimper escaped her throat, making me cringe.  “I.. I just.. don’t know.”  “Here, let me help you.”  I reached to help her up, but she cried out in fear.  “Wait!  Don’t!”  Her tiny hands reached out to shield herself from mine.  When they touched my skin, a jolt spiraled through my nerves, and I was frozen in place.

The woman yelped, and suddenly I had the strong urge to get away from her.  The next thing I knew, I was on my feet, backing towards my bike.  What?  Why am I leaving?  I don’t want to leave her alone like this.  I had just mounted it before realizing what I was doing.  Coming out of whatever daze I was in, I knelt again.  “Alright, I won’t pick you up, but I’m not leaving you out here.  What if the fox comes back?”  She shuddered at the mention of it.  “I can help you.”  

Her face distorted indecisively before falling into reluctance.  “I don’t believe you, but I-“ her voice cracked, “I don’t think I have a choice.”  My heart stung painfully.  “Of course you have a choice.  Do you want me to leave you here, or should I take you with me?”  I knew the decision was so much harder that those two simple choices — so many other factors weighed into it.  Her options were limited by her height, her injury, her little knowledge of.. anything happening.  Finally, she nodded.  “I’ll go with you.”  She said it almost unwillingly, but I still reached for her.  

She’ll understand after I take her home.  I’ll get her cleaned up, get her something to eat, maybe some sleep, too.  Hopefully she’ll realize I won’t hurt her — that I just want her to be safe.  Why am I so adamant about this?  Well, I admit she was fascinating at such a small scale, but I couldn’t stand the thought of someone being that utterly helpless.  Powerlessness has always frightened and taunted me since I was little.  Seeing it in such a dramatic scale made my nerves spike so awfully, all I wanted to do was wrap her in a comforting blanket and find her somewhere safe to be.

As gently as I dared, I slid my hand beneath her.  She whimpered again and pulled away from me, but as I lifted her she leaned more heavily against my palms.  Her tiny form shook between my fingers as I lightly moved her hurt leg to keep it steady.  “Hey, you’re alright, I promise,” I told her quietly, “I don’t want to hurt you.”  Slowly and hesitantly, she turned to look up at me.  “What’s your name?”  “E- Erica.”  I smiled slightly, trying to seem as least threatening as I could.  “I know I must look scary to you, Erica, but I swear there’s nothing to be frightened of.”  She said nothing else the entire way back, silently curled up in the palm of my hand.  I felt so badly for her, but I pressed on, walking my bike with one hand and holding her in the other.

By the time we got back to my room, Erica seemed solemn.  That was until I tried to nestle her in a small blanket.  She grabbed my hand in a sudden ferocity.  “Would you just leave me alone?!  Stop coddling me like I’m pathetic!  Just pretend I’m not here!”  Right before my eyes, she faded in my vision.  What am I doing messing with this little cloth?  Shouldn’t I be working on my essay?  I left my nightstand and sat back at my laptop for an hour or two before readying myself for bed.  I fell asleep completely unaware of the tiny woman on the table, begging me to bring her something to eat, or even acknowledge her.

When I woke the following morning, everything came racing back to me — the person that I’d taken in, and how I suddenly stopped caring about her.  What was that?!  Why did I completely ignore her?  Why couldn’t I see her?!  I scrambled out of bed to find her sitting dejectedly in the little blanket I’d given her before she told me to forget her.  Wait.  She told me to pretend that she isn’t here.  Ever since, I couldn’t see her.  She.. She did that to me somehow.  As I stepped closer, Erica gave me a nasty glare.  “You ‘promised’ to help me,” she spat, making air quotes when she said the word promise.  “I-”  “If you’re going to starve me, you should just put me back in the damn woods.”

“Erica, I’m so sorry, but.. I think you forced me into thinking you weren’t here.”  Her eyes burned with hostility.  “And what the fuck is that supposed to mean?  I told you to ignore me, so you played along and starved me to teach me a little lesson?”  I gawked, “N- No!  That’s cruel!  It happened when you grabbed me!  I- I couldn’t even see you or hear you!”  “So you’re telling me,” she began, shuffling threateningly to her feet, “That I forced you to stop believing I exist.”  “I know how it sounds, but yes.”  “Give me your hand.”  “W- What?” I stammered.  “Give me your hand.  I want to see if it’s true.”  My hand shook as I hesitantly reached for her.  “What are you going to do?”  “Find out if you’re lying.”

Taking a long breath, I held out my hand.  Her tiny digits slid over a single one of mine.  “Go get me something to eat, then come right back with it.”  I did.  I wanted to anyways, but I found that even if I tried to stop myself.. I couldn’t.  When I came back with her meal, her expression grew curious.  “Alright,” she huffed, putting her hand on mine again.  “Umm.. take everything off your bed and wreak your room with it.”  She’s testing me, and it’s working.  Gnawing fear grew in the pit of my stomach as I watched myself tear pillows, sheets, even my mattress, off the bed and scatter them on the floor.  “This-  You aren’t tricking me with this, are you?  How am I even doing this?”  As my hand neared her again I spoke, trying to keep nervous fear from entering my voice.  “E- Erica?”  She paused mid-reach.  “I think that’s enough.”  A cruel sneer spread over her face as she quickly forced her hand into mine.

“No, you don’t.  In fact, you’re willing to come listen to my commands every time I call your name.  Which is?”  “Alexis,” I replied numbly, almost robotically.  “Good.  Now go clean everything up.”  The sickening lurch of bile rose in my throat.  For the first few minutes of cleaning I stayed quiet, disbelieving my sudden awful predicament.  “You know I was just trying to help you, right?” I asked her, finishing my task.  “Well now I know for sure,” she replied haughtily, “because I’ll make sure of it.”  “You don’t have to do that-”  “No, but I want to.  And what are you gonna do?  Stop me?”  Genuinely afraid for my safety, I lunged for her, quickly trapping her in a pillowcase I still held in my hand.  “Yes!  Yes, I will!  You can’t just.. control me!  I’ll help you, but this has to stop.”

I could feel her struggling, trying to find a way out as I hauled the writhing bundle into my hands.  She shouted commands at me, and I assumed they wouldn’t work because she wasn’t touching me, but when her hand managed to slide to a thinner layer of cloth, I snapped into obedience.  Immediately, I let her down.  “Nice try, asshole!  I don’t know how or why this works, but you follow my rules now!  You listen to me.”  “Why?!” I spat, “Why do you want me under your control?!  I didn’t do anything but try to help you!”  “You abandoned me on a table for hours!”  “Because you told me to pretend you didn’t exist!”  “You were going to hurt me!”  “No I wasn’t!  Never have I once said I wanted to do anything but help!”  She marched up to me and I stepped out of her reach.  I made it to the door before she called my name and I returned to her like she’d told me to.

“I want you to gently and non-maliciously get me off of the floor,” she commanded with a hand on me.  I slid my own hand around her, lifting her back to the nightstand.  Erica paced its surface, thinking aloud.  “Well, that’s one less thing to worry about.  Let’s see.. until I find a way back home, I guess I’ll just live here.  But if I let you go, you’re going to rat me out for sure.  If I don’t, people will probably come looking for you…  What if..  Nah..  Oh!  But-  Hey giant?”  “I’m not a giant.”  “Yeah, yeah, sure.  What do you do?”  “Excuse me?”  “Like, what do you do with your life?  Do you have a job?  Something else?  This looks like a dorm; are you in school?  College?”  I nodded, keeping my mouth shut unless I was forced to speak.  “Ok, I guess college won’t be so bad…  Then whenever I’m done with pretending to be you, I can try to figure out how to get home!  Perfect!”

I cleared my throat, sitting down on my desk chair across the room.  “What are you planning without me?”  Erica shrugged, “You don’t need to know.”  “But what if I want to?”  “That’s too bad.”  I groaned, spinning around to let my head fall on my desk.  The rest of the day I spent at Erica’s beck and call, completely against my will.  Is this what I get for being a good person and helping someone not die?  How long will I have to do this until she realizes I’m not a threat?  That night, I slept on the floor with a single pillow and blanket.  Erica decided she needed the bed to ‘make up for the awful night yesterday’.  My back ached the next day, but that was the least of my worries.

After breakfast that morning, Erica commanded me to find the biggest hoodie I had.  “Alright, I want you to keep me in your hood all day while you’re in class.  I can make it so you can’t speak, but that’ll be suspicious, so I’m going to come with you instead.  And if you even try to tell anybody, I’ll stop you before you utter a word, understand?”  I rolled my eyes.  “Erica, please.  I know you’re scared of me, but you don’t need to force me around!”  “Scared of you?” she yelped, “I- I’m not scared!”  “Then let me go!”  She shook her head angrily.  “You’re trying to trick me and it’s not working!  Now get going before you’re late.”  I did as she asked, gently bending down to lift her in my hands.  Fortunately, she hadn’t specified that I should lift her up without malice like she had before.  I had the ability to end my problems right there — to crush my puppeteer in a single swift movement she couldn’t react to.  However, I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

She was a living person, albeit a small one.  I couldn’t get rid of her with a clear conscience.  Instead, I settled her into my hood beneath my hair where no one would see her, and headed out.  It was near impossible to concentrate in class with her there.  She’d shuffle around every so often, and I’d feel her tiny limbs stretching out and moving positions against my back.  Then there were the commands she’d give me, whether it was to stop sitting a certain way because it was squishing her, or if it was to sneak her some food to snack on, I couldn’t get a moment of peace.

Over the week, I grew a small hatred towards her.  I kept trying to remind myself that she wasn’t controlling me purely because she could, but because she was scared of whatever she thought I might do.  That whole week, whenever we were alone, I tried again and again to convince her that I wasn’t malicious, but that only got me a ‘be quiet’ command, which Erica quickly had to revoke because my breathing was considered part of my loudness.  When she wasn’t accidentally suffocating me, Erica would walk me out to the woods where she’d appeared, trying to find where she’d come from and how to get back.

It was strange, Erica wanted me under her control almost every second, especially when we were alone.  However, she didn’t actually know what to do with me, just what she didn’t want me to do to her.  I’d kinda just stand in whatever corner she wanted me in, or busy myself with work so I wouldn’t seem interested or threatening.  All things considered, she was living a pretty good life.  Erica had whatever she wanted from me, even if I didn’t want her to have it, and she got to lounge around all day, letting me deal with anything she couldn’t.  

Yet, day after day we would search the woods she appeared in for a way home.  Apparently, she’d been a bit drunk when she first arrived, and didn’t quite understand where she was.  When she’d finally sobered, she found herself somewhere way too large in scale to be anywhere she knew.  Erica had wandered for hours, frightened and lost, before she was hunted down by that fox and dragged around until I’d spooked it.  Desperately, she wanted to find her way back.  

A month into living with me, she was becoming restless.  We stayed outside for almost the whole day, Erica wandering the ground while I chaperoned her like she asked, making sure nothing else would try to come snatch her up.  The sun began to set through the treetops, and I was starving.  “Erica, we’ve been out here forever!  How long do you want to keep searching?  We can do this another day; let’s head back to the dorm.”  She grumbled angrily, “No!  I- I need to find where I was!  I had a dream about it last night!  I think I remember what it looked like; if I could just find it-”  “You’re not going to find anything in the dark.”  “I have to!”  “That’s what you said last time.”  “Would you just shut the fuck up for five minutes?!” she yelled, hostility sharp in her voice.  “God, why are you so annoying?  I just want to go home!”  I didn’t argue with her, even though I could’ve.  I didn’t feel like testing her patience any further.  She didn’t speak that way to me unless she was really upset.  

Silently, I followed her until it was barely light enough to see.  Erica only gave up after falling down an animal burrow in the dark.  A hiss came from deeper inside and she screamed, fearfully calling my name so I’d be forced over to her.  She commanded me to take her back after that.  By the time we ate and she showered, Erica must’ve been dead tired.  She forced me to sleep on the floor so she could have my bed again.  Usually she slept in a stuffed tissue box with a little blanket that had belonged to a stuffed animal, but obviously my actual bed was more comfortable, so sometimes she’d take it if she was having trouble sleeping.

I lay awake on the floor, trying to get comfortable, when I heard a shaking sob.  Sitting up, I waited to listen for it.  Again, a small whimper echoed through the quiet space.  I stood, leaning over the mattress towards the sound.  A muffled scream tore into the night as she noticed me above her.  Reaching beside me, I quickly flipped on the light.  “Hey, it’s ok!  Erica, it’s just me.”  I swallowed nervously when I saw her.  She was sitting hunched up with a blanket tightly wrapped around herself, shaking.  Her face was red with tears, and her eyes were bloodshot.  I expected her to command me to leave, or even wipe my mind of the event, but she just put her head down and continued crying.

“Erica?” I whispered, “What happened?”  Very slowly, her head lifted to stare at me.  “What happened?” she asked, tears catching in her voice.  “I’m trapped somewhere terrifying and gigantic.  Everything can hurt me, a- and I can’t do anything for myself without a giant puppet to do it for me.  So far, I haven’t found a single clue how to fix everything and I.. wanna go home.”  Her words sank quieter and quieter until it became a whisper.  In two sharp breaths, she started bawling.  Carefully, I slid into bed beside her.  A gasp exited her throat as I lay down, curling myself protectively around her.  As annoying and sometimes even threatening as Erica might be, I had a suspicion that it was some sort of guise.  That night proved it.  Beneath the threatening display she loves to flaunt, she’s just really… lost — stuck in a place that she wouldn’t survive in alone.

Erica stilled as I shifted closer, tears drying on her face.  I curled around her until we were nearly touching, but I was still afraid of closing the gap.  Briefly, she hesitated, then stepped up to my chest, burying her face into me somewhere just above my stomach.  With caution, I pulled my arms around her, keeping her snugly against myself.  A few more minutes of sobbing carried on before she lay down beside me, the curve of her back aligned with my chest.  Twined between my fingers, she finally drifted off to sleep.

Gradually, we fell into a weird schedule.  I wasn’t overly thrilled about it, but she hadn’t made me do anything dangerous or uncomfortable since that night, so I let her controlling tendencies slide, hoping she’d grow used to it and let me go.  She did start releasing me more often, and she let me have more time to myself rather than forcing me to go search the woods with every free second I had.

Unfortunately, there was always some incident that would deter her from releasing me entirely.  Once, it was her nearly falling out of my hood after a friend jokingly threw it over me.  Another time, she accidentally told me to do a task that required me to leave her behind.  Mostly, it was our fighting.  We’d start up a normal conversation, but something would happen to come up related to me being stuck with her or her being stuck here, and we’d suddenly be screaming.

It was after one of those incidents, when Erica thought she could ‘punish’ me by having me go out to her woods in the pouring rain.  I’d dropped her off like normal, letting her search the ground, which ended up getting her more of a mess than me.  “You’re so petty, bringing me out here like this,” I grumbled, “I know you don’t want to be out here, either.”  “Of course I want to be out here!” Erica spat, “I want a way home.”  “Why bother?  You can basically do whatever you want here.”  “Because I’m fucking sick of feeling so small!  You wouldn’t understand!”  Just to rile her up, I kicked some wet leaves at her.  One stuck to her side, plastered on by mud.  “Ok, that’s it.  Get over h-”  She told me to do something, but a clap of thunder roared louder, drowning out her voice.  “What?” I asked before clapping a hand to my mouth.  If I can’t hear her call for me, I don’t have to come to her!

Adrenaline rushed my system as I plugged my fingers into my ears.  Then, I could hear nothing but the very light noise of rain on leaves and another clap of thunder.  Yes!  Yes, I’m finally free!  Good riddance you little nuisance!  I’m out of here!  I ran as fast as I could towards my dorm and didn’t unplug my ears until I was safely inside.  Finally!  I threw open my door as my chest swelled with relief.  Flopping happily onto my bed, I nearly cried.  No longer would I have to fear another inescapable command from that menacing tiny woman.  Nothing but good sleep came to me that night, but by morning, the rain outside hadn’t stopped.  Somehow my first thought was: Wow, Erica must be absolutely drenched.  

At first I smiled at the thought, finding the karma almost amusing.  Then the picture of her vulnerable three-inch-tall form drifted into my head, covered in muck and grime from the woods, wandering in circles because she couldn’t see far enough to gauge where she was.  I have to go back for her.  I don’t have to go back for her.  But I do.  I shouldn’t.  She’ll be grateful.  She’ll be pissed.  I’ve wanted her gone for months.  She might die.  She might be dead.  I groaned loud and long, realizing what I wanted to do.  I’ll go back and bargain.  Her safety for my freedom.

Minutes later, I stood under an umbrella, staring out into the trees.  Erica had always told me the way.  Hopefully I could find it again.  After trekking to what might have been the spot, I called out to her.  “Erica!  Erica, I’m back, I.. I want to make a deal!”  I called her name every several feet, gradually becoming more and more worried that something horrible had happened to her.  Then, faintly; “A-Alexis?”  Now that I heard my name, I was summoned directly to her.  I came prepared though.  When I spotted her, I quickly stuffed earplugs into my ears.  From then on, I couldn’t hear her.

Erica looked awful, though.  A good two thirds of her was covered in grime, and her eyes were completely bloodshot like she’d been crying for a while.  Fury tore into her features as she spoke, her lips moving too fast for me to try guessing what she had said.  “Erica, I can’t hear you.  You can’t control me anymore.”  Her eyes widened, mouth dropping open in shock.  “I’ve come to bargain.  My freedom for your safety.  I can leave you here right now, and ensure that no one will ever see the likes of you again.”  She shook her head rapidly, clasping her hands together pleadingly as she spoke.  Anger boiled in my chest.  “Don’t shake your head no!  I can and I will!  You’re lucky I felt sorry for you!  Your pathetic little self can sit here and rot in the mud while I go live my best life without some manipulative little bitch whispering commands to me from behind my back!”

I hadn’t meant to say all that, but I couldn’t take it back.  Erica sobbed, reaching out for me.  I quickly dodged her, standing up to my full height.  “ARE YOU SERIOUSLY TRYING TO CONTROL ME RIGHT NOW?!”  Her arms slid over the slick ground as she scrambled away from me.  Behind her, a small muddy drop caused her to tumble over backwards, rolling down the bump in the earth into a large swampy puddle.  Shakily, she tried to stand, but her arms and legs stuck fast.  I watched as if in slow motion as fear made way for panic.  She thrashed around for a moment or two before releasing a wail that I even heard through my earplugs.  

Honestly, it was the most pathetic thing I think I’d ever seen — the kind of thing I think I’d wish on only the worst of people.  I stepped down the slope in one long stride.  “You have a choice,” I told Erica, mimicking the first time I’d seen her, “Do you want me to leave you here, or should I take you with me?”  I couldn’t hear her reply, but I could read it on her lips.  Hesitantly, I pulled out my earplugs.  If she was touching me, I couldn’t avoid her commands no matter what; she could even make them mentally.  There would be no reason for me to have my ears plugged once I picked her up.  

“Please!” Erica sobbed, despair clawing at her throat, “Please, I’ll do it!  I’ll stop controlling you!  Don’t leave me here!”  “Swear.”  “I-  Will…  Are you going to hurt me if I give up my powers?”  I was so shocked by her question, I took a step back, unintentionally frightening Erica into believing I was turning to leave.  

“Ok, ok!  I- I don’t care!  Do whatever you want to me!  Abuse me, humiliate me, f-fucking hurt me!  Just don’t leave me here!  I’m begging you!”  Erica’s voice tapered off into sobs.  I was so utterly distraught that I immediately knelt down to get her, covering my hands and pants in filth.  Slowly and gently, I lifted her limp form out of the muck, clutching it to my chest.  She gasped, struggling in my arms.  “Calm down; it’s ok, Erica, it’s ok.  I told you once, I’ll tell you a million times: I don’t want to hurt you.”  “It’s.. ok if you do.  Everyone does.”  “Not me.”  “… O- Okay.”  

On my way through the main door, I stuffed her under my coat.  Someone commented on my muddied clothes and I hastily told them I fell.  Back in my room, I took Erica to the sink, letting the water run warm before placing her down in it.  She stared up at me, unmoving.  Reddened eyes scoured all of my features, searching for malice, but they wouldn’t find any.  I stood outside the bathroom, letting her clean herself up.  She called me back in with a washcloth around her like a towel.  Her clothes were in a small pool of water at the bottom of the sink.  She scrubbed desperately at them, trying to get the dirt out of the one pair of clothing she had.  

I sighed, resting my arms on the counter.  “Do you need any help?” I asked gently, “Are you hurt at all?”  Erica shook her head numbly.  “Hey, I’m sorry I left you out there, but you have to understand.. I ran because I was scared of you.”  She flinched as I stressed the word, turning slowly to look up at me.  “I want to help you, but we have to trust eachother for that to happen, ok?”  “How?” she asked in an almost whisper.  “How can I trust someone who can hurt me so easily?  Y- You didn’t even have to be there to hurt me!  All you did was leave and I was helpless!”

I tried not to look at her too pitifully.  “I’m sorry I left you there like that.  I promise you, if you stop controlling me, I’ll try to help you however I can.”  “I was making you do that anyways,” Erica muttered.  “Yeah, but I’d like to do it of my own free will.”  She sighed, wringing out her clothes.  “And you’ll still take care of me?  You won’t.. kick me out or something if I fight with you?”  I thought about it.  If I tried to rebuke her for something she said or did, how would that work?  I couldn’t kick her out or refuse to take her anywhere, because she wasn’t self-sufficient.  I couldn’t physically scare her, mostly because I was afraid I’d take it too far without realizing it and severely injure her.  All that left me with was verbally scolding her.  Hopefully, I wouldn’t have to make that decision often.  

“That.. wouldn’t be fair to you.  I promise that I’ll try not to take things nearly as harshly as I did just now.  If I do, remind me of this.  I’ll back off you.”  Erica considered me for a moment, then nodded slightly.  “Alright, I- I’m sorry for being such a jerk to you before,” she sighed, “You were right when you accused me of being scared.  I don’t expect you to understand how I feel, but it is.. horrible sometimes.  Like in the woods…”  I watched guiltily as she set her clothes down to dry on my countertop.  “And I know that’s not an excuse for what I did to you.  I was just so worried that you wanted to hurt me or.. I don’t know.  But you can imagine for yourself what was running through my head when you snatched me away the first day we met.”

Gently, I slid a hand around her.  It came close, but wasn’t quite touching her, just hovering nearby.  “Is it still alright if I pick you up?”  Erica shied away from my fingers, pulling her makeshift towel tighter around herself.  “I- I think I’m gonna wait for my clothes to dry.”  I understood, taking my arm back to my side.  “Should I go, or do you want me to stay?”  Erica thought for a moment.  “Stay,” she said decisively, “I want to try properly explaining myself to you, like what my life was like before I got here.  It- I realize you know practically nothing about me.  I kinda just forcefully moved myself in, huh?”  A nervous chuckle bubbled in her throat while I sat down beside her on the closed toilet seat.  “That’s ok.  It’s in the past.  I won’t hold it against you unless you do it again.”  “Thank you,” she replied, genuine relief in her voice, “Thank you for coming back — for.. for letting me be your roommate until I can find my way home.”

We talked for a while.  Her clothes dried off and I briefly left so she could get them on.  Together we shared a meal, but midway through it she started to yawn.  I was about to joke about her tiredness, before realizing it was because she’d been stumbling blindly through the woods all night.  Erica glanced up at me almost guiltily, as if she didn’t want to admit how much of a strain it was for her.  “Do you want me to go pull something comfy together for you?” I asked hesitantly.  She stubbornly shook her head.  “I’m fine; I just needed some more oxygen.  I’ll sleep whenever you do.”  

Usually I’m up late into the night.  However, I wouldn’t force her to wait that long.  She really was stubborn about staying awake while I was. Either it was another facade, or she was genuinely too scared to sleep with me awake. The moment I finished dinner after rushing through homework, I flopped into bed. 

Before Erica could say anything, I sat back up and brought her over to the dresser where she had her bed.  I was on the verge of sliding beneath the covers when I heard her small voice.  “I- I don’t want to be awful…”  My eyebrows scrunched up in confusion.  “Hmm?”  “I mean.. I want to sleep through the night tonight.  It’s- I’m really fucking tired.  And I.. I used to kick you out of your bed to do that.”  I stepped back over to my nightstand, bending down slightly to see her fully.  She seemed so conflicted, but I was willing to help her with that.  It was my fault for her tiredness in the first place.

“Here,” I whispered, gently tucking her into my hands.  Erica shuffled between them anxiously, but didn’t object.  Slowly, I slid into bed and shut off the lights.  Sunlight still streaked in from the sunset outside, lighting the small space where she sat.  “You.. never go to bed this early,” Erica noticed, glancing sheepishly away from me.  “I was a bit tired today,” I lied, laying back on my soft mattress that Erica so greatly adored.  Shifting her between my hands, I lay her down where she’d slept that one offbeat night before — positioned snugly against my stomach.

I swear her face was bright red when I glanced down at her, but it might’ve just been the reddish glow from outside that caused it.  Her head cautiously lifted to glance near-vertically upward to see me.  A small smile cracked through her lips.  Returning it, I reached down and rested a hand gently across her little form.  “Get some rest, Erica.  You need it.”  She nodded tiredly, shifting to fit more perfectly between my fingers before drifting off into sleep.

[metapoetix]

I LOVE CUNTY OLD MEN can weeee. perhaps get some more context on him (also camille. whats her deal she looks like the sort of lady that has a Deal)

HI OK YES YOU CAN. im gonna call the old guy merle for the purposes of this post because thats the name currently winning the poll i made on the dads server (the other option is noel)

so merle is like. a bit of a hermit essentially. he lives in a little hut in a place called mount terpe and mostly keeps to himself although he routinely goes down to check on the village and see if they need any help from him. because hes a nice person

hes highly educated & owns loads of books & grows lots of food for himself

crucially hes very skilled at martial arts and is a good teacher

the reason fubao & julia end up in his care is that the area around mount terpe has a period of conflict partly caused and massively exacerbated by the corrupt official governing the are and this conflict ends with a lot of people dying in clashes with the imperial military

one day merle sees a young girl sleeping in his orchard & he decides to take her in to look after her & teach her all he knows

this girl is called julia!!

he takes fubao in 2 years later under very similar circumstances (im still figuring out the specifics)

for the next like 10 years he acts as a father & a teacher & a best friend to them & they learn to fight incredibly well (fubao is something of a prodigy in this regard) & also gain a wide education

merle is. i mean hes wonderful. hes so good with the two of them and hes so funny and just. raises them well!!!!

we dont see that much of him in the story outside of flashbacks as the action all takes place after julia and fubao have left mt terpe with his blessing to forge their own path across the empire BUT his memory exerts a huge influence on the pair nonetheless & its clear how much they love him & how much their love for their teacher glues the two of them together

also its merle who encourages them to be free and travel around helping people!! he never ever tries to restrict them and instead takes them with him to help around the village. he never shies away from discussing violence with them etc. basically hes the best mentor anyone could have wished for

i think his biggest flaw is that despite his kindness he has this 'i cant save everyone' thing going on which results in him distancing himself from situations in which he has to make that choice/leaving it up to 'fate' (we even see this in the fact that he saved fubao and julia but left a lot of other people living nearby and involved in the conflict to suffer alone and only reluctantly takes in the two girls because they come to him and therefore he sees it as fated

and similarly often if hes working on a case involving violence he will stand by while someone becomes collateral damage because he believes that its pointless to try and save them

he still helps saves SO many people tho. i want to be clear about this. merle is a hero most ways that matter and his heart is always in the right place. and he loves his students so so much and no matter what happens he is always always on their side

NOW. CAMILLE.

here is where i confess that i have actually been witholding some important information from you: fubao and julia are not in fact merles only protegees

he takes a third girl in a few years after fubao and julia

this girl is camille

shes much younger than the other two but they absolutely dote on her & treat her as their little sister

she isnt as sharp witted as them either but she is sweet and her intelligence in the humanities merle teaches them makes up for her relative lack of skill in fighting

and anyway fubao and julia are determined to always protect her!!! :)

but one day the imperial guard shows up at mount terpe and seize camille. they give no explanation for this and are gone as quickly as they appear

fubao and julia try desperately to fight but ultimately are overpowered

they never see camille again

now. obviously this fucks them up on a huge scale. and camille will haunt them for basically the rest of the story!!!!

after this they never talk to each other about her

well. spoiler alert. camille reappears eventually (this is one of the major moments in the story) but its not exactly a happy family reunion..........

camille is like. an incredibly important character in the way she chooses to live her life and how markedly different it is to fubao and julia. and also just how deeply they fucking miss her

[maythedreadwolftakeyou]

Juniper Aldwir x Lucanis Dellamorte

1 2 3

I'm just posting all these little snippits exploring their relationship, as i write them (probably wont all be in order). yes this one is mostly actually about my obsession with what the fuck the caretaker has going on more than anything really. i want to study him like some kind of exotic jeweled beetle. also. cartography.

*****

It’s been a week since Illario promised he’d trawl House Dellamorte for who possibly could have been the spy to give away Caterina’s location, and he has still not sent word. A full week of no news, no leads, no nothing. Lucanis’ fingers itch for a blade, and Spite has been throwing its fits more and more often. Two nights ago he’d suddenly found himself standing on the balcony of the Lighthouse tower, staring intensely into the strange, even light beyond. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been there, or where else Spite may have walked him, but no one seemed to have noticed at least. He’d doubled his caffeine consumption just to be safe, though, and now restlessness fights fatigue for control of his limbs. He paces to combat it, first around the kitchen, and then back down to stare once more at the great arch of the mirror. There’s no point in going back to Treviso. There’s nothing for him there yet but more frustration, but he doesn’t know anywhere else to go.

He’s still debating his nonexistent options when he hears the footsteps behind him, on the stone. Soft, and light—barefoot but sure. He knows it’s her before she makes it down the hall to stand beside him.

“Rust and ice,” Spite hisses, standing in front of Rook to peer into her face. He tries not to watch too closely. The more attention he pays to the demon, the more it talks. Rook, of course, remains oblivious.

“Hey Lucanis. How are you?” she asks, as cheerful as usual in these casual settings.

“I am well, thank you, and yourself?” he replies reflexively.         

“Oh, you know. Been busy with that thing in Minrathous with Neve. Some demon leaving bodies all over, upsetting the local spirits. Not pretty.” She grimaces, then shakes her head. “Where are you headed?”

“Ah. Nowhere, actually. Just… going for a walk to clear my head.”

“I know that feeling. I was about to do the same.” He feels her turn to glance at him, and the moment of hesitation that follows. He breaks his gaze from the mesmerizing shimmer of the mirror’s surface to meet her eyes.

“Do you… want to come with?” she asks. Guarded, as though she expects him to refuse. It surprises even him when he doesn’t.

“If you don’t mind the company. I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

Her eyebrows shoot up. “Not at all.”

He isn’t sure what else to say, so gestures at the Eluvian instead. “After you, then.”

She heads down the middle path as they exit, barely taking more than a moment to sweep her gaze over the strange courtyard as she heads down the stairs. She’s comfortable, here. Or at least, more comfortable than he is.

“Are you headed back to Arlathan?” he asks. “You used to live there, right?”

“Yes. Though—no, not exactly. I mean, yes I used to live there, though that’s not where we’re going right now. Probably.” As they reach the end of the dock, she gives him another of those sideways glances, measuring him in some way. “If this gets too weird for you, you’re allowed to leave.”

“Well, now I’m intrigued.” From the strange fog, the great raft slides forward, the Caretaker looming from its usual place at the back. Rook hops onto the craft, and he follows. But instead of seating herself on one of the low benches at the front like usual, she sits down on the floor of the smooth middle of the craft, and pats the spot next to her.

“Come over here and lie down,” she instructs.

Instead, he stands frozen. “What?”

“The nothing burns it all away,” Spite mutters behind him. But quieter than its usual roar. It often seems quieter around Rook.

She settles herself onto her back, legs outstretched and hands folded across her stomach. “Just trust me. You know I was a Veil Jumper before all this, right?”

“Right.” He walks forward, and after a moment, sits down on the firm planks, and lies back himself. The texture of the floor is smooth as silk below his scalp, sanded to a finer grain that should be possible. The boat is wide and just deep enough that as he reclines, it eclipses the edges of his vision, so that all he can see is the sky above framed by wooden railings.

“Well, I was wondering a lot about this place. The Crossroads. It’s not quite the real world but not quite the Fade, either. It’s got all the same weird gravity problems that the ruins in Arlathan have started having, but without the same level of instability that makes them fall apart so fast. And we can only seem to go to a few places in it—the Lighthouse, and the three islands these docks send us to. So I’ve been working on a map.”

“So you… come to lay down in the boat, to think about your map.”

“No! Well. Yes, but not like that. Ready?”

“For what?” He hears her shift, and when he tilts his head to look, she’s grinning at him now. A full smile, not the half-one he’s still working out the meaning to.

“Alright, Caretaker.” She announces instead. “Let’s go.”

The figure doesn’t move at first—Lucanis cranes his neck to try to watch. It takes many seconds more than usual for the being to dip its oar back into the empty space below them, and push away from the walkway.

“So,” Rook continues, “if you stand at the dock and look out towards the island beyond it, that’s where you end up. But if you start at, say, the middle dock, but decide actually you want to go to Tevinter or Antiva instead, you have to run back around the long way or it won’t take you. From the wrong dock you can’t see the other landing points properly. It’s like… the Caretaker doesn’t understand you want to change direction partway through.”

“Okay. Right.” He hadn’t noticed that, actually. Rook had simply told him the spirit—or whatever it was—would take him from each point marked on the simplified map she’d sketched for him, and he never questioned it. The idea it could simply decide to take him somewhere else entirely had never occurred to him, which was alarming. Why had he trusted it without thought?

“So I wondered, well, what if I don’t look anywhere in particular when I get in?” she said. “Like, is it where you start from that matters, or is it knowing where exactly you want to end up? But not just knowing, you have to be able to see the landing point.” The boat has gained momentum now, and he watches the slow, rhythmic motion of the oar for a few more moments before tilting his head back down to Rook. She’s still watching him, waiting for his reaction.

“And… he’s moving us. So it’s not like when you want to go from a dock to the wrong port.”

“Yes! Exactly.” She smiles again, this time so brilliantly he catches the flash of her teeth in the not-quite-sunlight. Then she turns her gaze back upwards, to the sky.

“Rook… where are we going, exactly?” He asks. There’s a sudden twinge of anxiety in his gut. Why hadn’t he insisted on asking that before getting in the boat? He had just blindly trusted wherever she was taking him, like he’d accepted the other “rules” for the Lighthouse as they knew it. Were those real too, or just the combined weight of their expectations forcing it into shape? He didn’t know enough about the Fade for this. He had never been a damn mage.

“No clue,” she says, which is not reassuring at all. “But—and this is important—as long as you don’t sit up, the Caretaker will just keep sculling the boat along. I think we go a lot further than just the four islands.”

“Why can’t we sit up?”

“It resets it all somehow. Being able to see where you are again, without anywhere you’re trying to go, you just end up back in the middle. It’s safe and all, but, it makes me really nauseous whenever I try? Like, as though we were somewhere else, but by looking at it, the Crossroads has to fold back over itself to put you where you started.”

“And… the Veil Jumpers do this kind of thing often?”

“No, actually, I’ve never encountered anything like it before.”

“Is that supposed to be a comfort?”

She exhales a half-laugh. “Sorry. I guess I’m pretty used to it. But I’ve been out dozens of times now, and the worst that’s ever happened is the nausea. It’s way safer than Arlathan, comparatively.”

“So no lurking darkspawn, or weird flower shaped demons waiting to attack us.”

She laughs again, and he likes it, that the sound comes to her so easily. That he can prompt it.

“Yeah, isn’t the countryside grand, huh? But no. I’ve never seen another living thing out here, besides the Caretaker. Even counting spirits as living. But—look.” She points above them, and he turns his head upward again. They’re passing under an arc of floating rubble, the chunks of stone drifting slowly in their rotation. “That one’s probably a half a mile wide, based on the curve. And usually the circling bits aren’t more than half again as wide as whatever they’re orbiting. There’s probably another island there, a really small one.”

Comprehension dawns. “So you are really working on your map.”

She shrugs, her shoulders making a soft thunk against the planks with the motion. “That was the goal. But honestly it’s hard to guess what direction we’re going without looking, to piece it all together later. It’s like collecting individual puzzle pieces, but without any way to know how to put it in order.”

“So why keep doing it?”

“Maybe I just like mysterious things.” She’s looking at him again, out of the corner of her eye, with that half smile, and he suddenly he can’t think of anything to say. Just sweet enough to intrigue me, she’d said before, at the café. He hadn’t known how to respond then, and this moment passes too quickly for him to figure it out now either, as she returns her gaze to the sky.

“But just for something to do, I guess. I don’t do so much mechanical work, like Bellara does with the artifacts—I mostly just tried to figure out where they were hidden, or work out all the weird parts of the forest that kept shifting around. And there’s more important things to work on when we’re out in Arlathan for real, these days.”

“You must miss it.”

Her mouth twists into a grimace. “Some of it. Remind me to tell you sometime about how a different map got me in trouble with Strife in the first place. But the challenge—I do miss that. I guess it’s why I’ve been working on it here and there now. It’s like—trying to map the streets of Treviso just from looking up at the rooftops, maybe. It’s never going to be the whole picture, because of all the extra gaps. But it’s given me a better grasp of the ways this place works, I think. Whether or not that will ever actually be useful… who can say.”

The boat drifts on as they lay in silence. But it feels more companionable than awkward, or he hopes it does. After a few minutes, another large chunk of stone drifts above them. He squints up at it. There’s something green just visible over one edge.

“Is that a tree, on that one?”

“I think so. Good catch. The ones with plants on them usually aren’t far from bigger, fully planted islands. The smaller rocks that make the debris fields usually go too fast for anything to grow, or tumble around too much.”

“I like to think of myself as an observant person, but I would never have noticed of any of that.”

“Probably less use for geography in assassination,” she muses.

“Some, though. Can’t kill your target if you can’t find him, after all.” The smooth motion of the rowing has become dangerously relaxing. Without his frantic pacing from earlier, the fatigue has had a chance to creep in, pulling down at his limbs like weights. “How far does the Caretaker usually take you?”

“Oh, that’s another interesting part. How long would you say we’ve been sailing?”

“It’s not sailing if you’re in a boat without a sail.”

“Fine then, how long have we been—rowing?”

“Sculling.” He lifts a hand to scratch at his beard, contemplating. “Half an hour, maybe?”

“Alright.” She raises her voice, and calls behind them. “Hey, Caretaker. That’s enough, thank you. Let’s go home now.” She turns to him, eyes flashing with mischief. “Ok, now, pay attention—try to see if you can feel the boat turning at all. I never can.”

He tries, but he’s unsure what to feel for. The boat is only two or three times the size of a gondola, but he’s never laid flat in one like this before. Well, not while it was moving.

“I don’t think I—” he starts to say, but with a soft whisper, the boat brushes against something on their right, and he forgets her earlier warning and sits up in shock as the edge of the Crossroad’s courtyard slides into view above them. They’re at the dock.

“No matter how long you let him drift around, it only takes about a minute at most to get back,” Rook says, levering herself onto her elbows. “And I never feel like the boat’s going anywhere but straight ahead.”

“Huh.” He doesn’t know what to make of that. Everything about this conversation has been so far outside his experience, he has no useful scripts to fall back on to fill the empty spaces left by his bafflement. “I didn’t intend to cut your excursion so short.”

“I should get back too, anyway.” She launches to her feet, and offers a hand to help him up. He takes it, belatedly realizing he should have been the one to stand and help her first. All those manners Caterina spent decades grinding into him, vanished within just one year, apparently. Her hand is warm in his as she helps pull him up, but doesn’t linger. “But now we know it works with two people, not just one. So that’s something. Next time, you can give the command to sail--I mean, scull--and we’ll see if it listens to someone other than me.”

The corner of his mouth twitches up. “Next time,” he agrees.