#librarian: julia

[detroitlib]

From our vertical files: "Curator of Books" by Julia Boynton Green.

[mirasmirages]

Scars (part 5)

first previous masterlist next

Has: texting, zoo setting, panic attack, flashbacks, alcohol mention, pizza, tattoos

James and his family belongs to @starliight-whump

~

James woke up the next morning to a room bathed in sunlight. He blinked in confusion for a minute before he realized, that was the first time he woke up that day. He hadn't had nightmares bad enough to keep him up.

The library book had fallen to the floor, so he picked it up and flipped through it until he found the page he had fallen asleep at last night. He had gotten through a little under a tenth of the book, which wasn't bad. He took his phone and snapped a photo of the book from the top to show his progress and sent it to Henry.

I'm enjoying it.

He didn't have to wait long before the reply ticked in.

Awesome!

Hours later, when James was wrapped up in a blanket, reading on the couch, his phone lit up with another text. It was a picture of Henry with glitter on his face, in front of a big table covered in paper scraps, crayons and glue sticks.

Craft's day is great, but is sure does make a mess!

James rested the book against his chest and typed out his reply.

Looks fun! You got something on your face.

Do you know how hard it is to get rid of glitter? This is what I look like now. Our next event will have to be Twilight themed.

James had a vague memory of Julia reading those books, many years ago.

I'll bring Julia. She'll love it.

-

Do I get hot pockets for dinner or act like an adult and get frozen pizza?

James reached for his phone the moment it lit up. Henry would be on his way home from the library now.

Is frozen pizza really adult?

They had been texting for a few days now, about nothing in particular. Henry would send him random updates from the library, and James found himself looking for anything normal he could say to keep the conversation going. Other than James's first message, they hadn't talked about what had happened to him at all. Henry never asked, and James found that he was able to act more like his old self with Henry than he was around his family. Even Julia, who did her best to pretend nothing was wrong, always looked at him like he was one wrong movement away from a panic attack. To be fair, he often was. Still, it was nice to talk to someone who didn't know him before, who wouldn't look at him and see what was missing.

It is if you make it in the oven.

I don't think that's how it works.

Too late, I got the pizza. If that's not adult, I guess I'm forever young, baby!

-

"Uncle James! Look!"

Oliver grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the tiger enclosure, where a sleeping tiger seemed to be waking up.

"Wow, that's amazing! Look how big it is!"

Julia was not far behind. "Look, it's coming towards us! Let me get a picture!"

James knelt next to Oliver so she could take a picture of them. He looked into the lens of her camera and tried to remind himself how to smile.

Smile, James. The memory came sudden and unbidden, Harrison's voice drowning out the world around him. Smile for me, or I will make you.

"James. James, can you hear me?"

Julia was in front of him, hugging Oliver to her side. James blinked, confused at the bright sunlight all around him, as her face came into focus.

"Huh?"

"You're okay, James, you're safe. Do you need to go home?"

"Mommy, I don't wanna go home!" Oliver complained.

"I know, but we can come back another time."

James shook his head. "No, I'm fine. We can--we can stay."

He didn't feel great, with so many people and noises and now the memories pushing to the surface, but he had wanted to come here today. It would be a nice story to tell Henry later, and he had wanted to send a picture, too, since Henry had sent him several pictures. It was a bit disappointing that he wouldn't be able to.

Oliver decided they should look at the elephants next, and then they went to the petting zoo, where James got to pet an alpaca. By the time they stopped for a meal, James was exhausted.

"Do you wanna go home after this?" Julia whispered when Oliver was distracted by his coloring place mat.

"Yeah," James said, picking at his food. He felt like he could sleep for days after this. "Actually, can we go one more place first?"

They went to the penguin enclosure. James hadn't tried again to get any pictures of himself again, but he could get a picture of the penguins, since they had talked about the gay penguin children's books.

Oliver talked excitedly about all the new animal facts he had learned while they went to the car. James was barely pretending to listen, collapsing into the front seat when they got there.

Julia got Oliver buckled in, and started driving. It was only a fifteen minute ride home, and then James could go to bed.

"James?"

"Hm?"

Julia put her phone in his hand. "I know you didn't like the camera, but I hope this is okay. You can delete them if you don't like them."

The phone was open to the camera roll, with a handful of pictures James hadn't noticed her taking. They were all of Oliver, but James was in some of them too. His back was turned in most of them, just his blue jacket and dark hair, but in a few, his face was visible as he talked to Oliver.

"No, this is … this is fine," James said, flipping through the pictures again, looking for one he could send to Henry. "Can I have some of these?"

"Take whatever you want."

James texted a few of the pictures to himself, and started planning what he would write to Henry when he got home.

-

"Hi."

Henry looked up, first with a polite smile on his face, that turned into a surprised grin when he recognized James.

"James! You're here!" He looked around for a second. "Where's your sister?"

"At work, I think. I'm alone today," James said, and didn't mention that his dad was waiting in the car. "I wanted to return the book."

"You finished it? What did you think?" Henry took the book when James handed it to him. "Do you want the next one?"

James shook his head. "I had the other books at home, actually, so I read all of them. I thought maybe you could help me find something new?"

"Absolutely," Henry said. He registered the book in the system, and James went with him to shelve it. "Do you know what you're looking for? More fantasy? Something you've read before? Same author?"

"I don't know," James said. It had been nice to read something old and familiar, but maybe something new would be just as nice. "Do you have a book you like? Maybe I can try that."

"I have tons," Henry said, and pulled a green book with gold accents off the shelf. "I just finished this series, if you think a magical school sounds interesting. It has some cool original world building, and I like the characters."

James took the book. A Deadly Education. A magic school didn't sound too bad. He flipped it over to read the back. "It sounds dramatic."

Henry laughed. "And the main character is the most dramatic of all, but she's sixteen, so she's forgiven."

-

I want a new tattoo, but I don't know what to get. Any ideas?

Where are you getting it?

Shoulder or shoulder blade, depending on the design.

You could get a hot pocket tattoo.

As soon as he sent it, James worried that it wouldn't read as a joke, and started writing a clarification, but Henry replied before he could finish typing.

I am ashamed to tell you I already have that.

The next message was a picture of a blurry tattoo that might, with some imagination, resemble a hot pocket.

…why?

I was drunk and my friend wanted to try doing a stick-and-poke. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

James struggled to imagine thinking getting a drunk tattoo was a good idea, but he supposed that's why it happened while drunk.

Do you have a lot of good ideas when you're drunk?

I used to. I'm a recovering alcoholic, so I don't really drink anymore, but back in the day? Half my ideas were drunk ideas, and they all seemed good at the time.

… Oh. They had texted a lot over the past couple of weeks, but their conversations had stayed light, avoiding anything too personal. That Henry would trust him with something like this was … it made James wonder if he should tell Henry something in return. Anything, about why he was the way he was. Just the thought of typing out the things that had happened to him, and having to wait for a reply, was nauseating, so he quickly pushed that thought aside.

You could get a penguin tattoo, he suggested instead. Like the children's books.

That's not a bad idea. I'll see if I can find a cool design.

A week later, James got a mirror selfie of Henry with a new tattoo, a penguin with a rainbow background on his shoulder. Henry could have easily shown off the tattoo by pulling up the sleeve of a t-shirt, but instead he was topless in the photo, showing much more than just the new tattoo. He had a variety of tattoos covering his arms, some blurry, some sharp, a binary code tattoo on the side of his chest, and pierced nipples. The piercings weren't really a surprise, considering how many visible piercings Henry had, but still. James hadn't noticed them before. He also hadn't seen the defined muscle of Henry's arms clearly on display here. Was Henry flexing in this picture? He had to be, right? Wait--was Henry showing off?

James's eyes went to Henry's face. In most of the pictures Henry sent, he was wearing a silly face or a huge grin, but in this one, he was looking at the screen with a slight pout on his lips. It was a pose James had mostly seen on dating apps. Was Henry--was James--were they flirting? Had they been flirting this entire time? James felt almost dizzy with the realization that, not only had he been flirting, he was falling for Henry. Hard. The way he spent his days waiting for a reply, thinking of what to say to keep the conversation going. The way he couldn't stop smiling while they were texting. The fact that the reason he had pushed himself to get out of the house and do stuff lately, was so he would have stories to tell Henry.

Fuck.

James only had a moment to be excited that Henry was flirting with him before reality started sinking in. He couldn't date Henry. Dating Henry would mean letting Henry get closer, which meant that Henry would find out what had happened to him. It would mean Henry looking at him with pity. One of the reasons he had liked talking to Henry in the beginning was that Henry didn't know anything, and James could pretend to be normal. Normal was good.

But … it wasn't really normal, was it? Henry knew something was up, even if he didn't know the details. He managed to treat James like nothing was wrong, but he knew. How different would it be, if he knew a bit more?

Thoughts of telling Henry, and how to tell Henry, swirled in James's mind. He wanted to tell him. He wanted Henry to know, so they could move past the small talk and get to know each other on a deeper level.

It was a terrifying idea. It was risky. But if it went well … it would be worth it.

He shouldn't do it over text, he decided. Maybe a call? They hadn't done phone calls yet. Maybe he should go to the library, or ask Henry if he wanted to meet somewhere else. This was probably a conversation they should be having face to face.

Looking good, he texted Henry, after letting him wait far too long.

Tomorrow, he decided. Tomorrow he would ask Henry to meet, and then they would talk. His toes curled with excitement, despite the nerves. He was going to do this!

next

[darksideofparis]

Now that Dot & Bubble has come and gone, and left quite an impression in it's wake, what's your view on the episode and how would your OCs react to the episode's events?

I can promise that all of my OCs will HATE Lindy, lol, no worries about that.

It will be especially interesting for my historical OCs (Abby, Ava, Esme, Julia, and Lizzy) since they come from time periods that we think of as having rampant racism and where it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for the OCs themselves to be racist - but they’re not. Each of them, before ever coming into contact with the Doctor, are kind and compassionate to everyone around them, regardless of skin color, religion, etc. So, to see these people in the far future behaving in such a way… It’s shocking and appalling, as it would seem to them such bigotry would be a thing of their time periods, something that went away as society progressed, but unfortunately that’s not the case.

It will probably hit even harder for Ava, who is part Latina and has her own experiences with racism.

For the rest of my OCs, expect a lot of shock, rage, and getting of revenge. Alex for one and Shareen may just go after a certain blonde with a baseball bat…

Lol, sorry for the rant, but as you can see, that episode pissed me off and it will be reflected in my writing!

[desperatepleasures]

okay so, this is what i've gathered/remembered

ALL 100% CORRECT

[transgender-catboy]

I'm so happy I'm able to edit villagers homes, I was finally able to give Tom the garage he deserves

[queenofglassbeliever]

♫ + Sarina and Jacob ❤️

Somehow I knew you were going to ask me that. Lol :P

Little Did I Know by Julia Micheals

It's such beautiful song. With a message about finding a healthy love after dissappointment and broken trust. Told with literary metaphors and scholarly metaphors, I think it fits Sarina and Jake so well.

I have so many thoughts on this ship. How they are as a couple, and headcanons for Sarina. I'm so excited for you to meet her and see how she and Jacob interact. ❤️❤️

[in-the-stacks]

A video book review of Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child. Reviewed by Michelle Zaffino for In the Stacks. Purchase the book on Bookshop here.

http://www.inthestacks.tv/2022/11/in-the-stacks-episode-202-mastering-the-art-of-french-cooking-by-julia-child

[acevid]

DRDT ROYAL AU

(Somewhat based off of the pirate's au, though it's not too terribly similar :D)

There are four kingdoms within the land, each based off of a different season. (I'll be making gacha designs for them eventually along with relationship charts ^_^)

Aelia Kingdom (Aelia means “sunlight” or “sunshine”, which is directly referencing summer in this context)

Royal Family : Markeys

Prince - > Ace Markey

Royal Personal Servant - > Nico Hakobyan

Head Maid - > Hu Jing

Knight - > Levi Fontana

Boreas Kingdom (Boreas means “north wind”, referencing winter.)

Royal Family : Chiems

Prince - > David Chiem

Knight - > Xander Matthews

Head Mage - > Veronika Grebenschikova

Kaede Kingdom (Kaede means “maple leaf”, a reference to autumn.)

Royal Family : Rosales

Princess - > Julia Rosales

Royal Advisor - > Arturo Giles

Servant - > Rose Lacroix

Pirate - > Arei Nageishi (Simply Being Held There)

Primavera Kingdom (Primavera means “spring”..and is obviously a reference to spring.)

Royal Family : Tobisas

Princess - > Eden Tobisa

Servant - > Teruko Tawaki

Royal Alchemist - > Charles Cuevas

Librarian - > Min Jeung

Traveling Jester - > Whit Young (Not a Permanent Stay!)

[adelheidsideblog]

How about the Allies’ type appearance wise? I like knowing who I could pull 😈

You're so real for that anon. When I'm writing these sometimes I make my favorite nations be into my body type lol. I'm writing these more towards AFAB people but I would be willing to do it for AMAB people if requested

Alfred

Prefers cleavage but appreciates a nice ass too

Likes partners with a lot of freckles

Loves all body types and isn't picky about sizes, but likes to be able to throw his partners around a bit (although with his super strength he can do that for most body types)

Doesn't have a defined type but tends to go for taller partners. He's slept with most nations, actually, so that doesn't help. His types range from Kiku to Ivan to Arthur.

He had a crush on Marianne as a kid too, like Feli, and also Gilbert and Julia (same)

2. Matthew

Also is really into cleavage but prefers ass/thighs

Likes his partners to have long hair

Likes curvier/softer bodies

Really attracted to partners who are fashionable, high maintenance, wear heavy makeup etc.

His crushes are Yekaterina and Anya, and for masculine partners it would be Lars and Ludwig

3. Arthur

Likes partners that have more feminine traits

Has a thing for facial hair on men

Not necessarily his type but he tends to go for partners with longer hair that he can play with

More of a legs man, goes crazy for long legs in stockings and heels

Really likes partners with nice hands

4. Francis

Another one who doesn't have a defined type

Does gravitate to partners who have a bookish or vintage aesthetic, almost librarian types

Into shoulders in masc partners and waists/stomachs in femme partners

You know when girls wear tighter pencil skirts and their bellies have a bit of a pudge in the fupa area? He goes crazy for that

When he's looking for hookups he tends to go for taller/larger partners, both masc and femme

5. Ivan

Obsessed with cleavage, the bigger the better

Likes partners that are smaller/shorter than him (because he can throw them around a bit)

Is into feminine, almost frilly partners.

His type involved Marianne, Amelia, Feliciano, Alfred.

Also is into blondes

6. Yao

When asked about it, Yao says that he's too old to have a type. For the most part, this is true.

Likes partners who have cutesy, frilly styles. Lolita almost.

Is into partners with a dancer/swimmer build

Long hair is a plus for him

Is into legs and ass on a partner

[bigdreamsandwildthings]

Review: Funny Story (Emily Henry)

Rating: ★★★★★/5

“All those moments throughout the days, weeks, months that don’t get marked on calendars with hand-drawn stars or little stickers.

Those are the moments that make a life.

Not grand gestures, but mundane details that, over time, accumulate until you have a home, instead of a house.

The things that matter.

The things I can’t stop longing for.

There’s only one place that feeling exists for me, only one person with whom I belong.”

There is no feeling like finishing an Emily Henry book, because there are so many of them that hit me all at once every single time. I adore Daphne and Miles and I want to crawl inside this book and live in it.

It's a funny story, really, how Daphne and Peter met - and also, how they broke up, when Peter realized he had feelings for his best friend Petra just weeks before the wedding. Daphne is picking up the pieces, trying to find her place in life now that she's alone in it, and she moves in with Petra's ex, Miles. Stranded in Peter's town with no friends and no family, Daphne now just has to survive until her big work event passes, until she can leave...unless things change, and she finds a reason to stay.

I typically don't like the fake dating trope, but I feel like EH could write anything and I would adore it, and that was the case here. There isn't too much of the typical miscommunication involved; Daphne is pretty up front from the start, and I love how her and Miles' dynamic develops over the course of their fake relationship. It's fun, it's spicy, it's emotional, and it feels authentic in a way that fake dating often doesn't in other fiction.

I also just feel SO close to Daphne, for so many reasons. She's a librarian, she's a bit jaded (fair), she's passionate about her work but trying so hard to protect herself from being left. I saw myself in her and I wish she was my coworker so we could become best friends.

And Miles isn't typically my type in romance novels either, but boy, did he win me over. He's definitely Nick Miller-coded, this sweet golden retriever stoner who truly has a heart of gold.

I just love how EH writes these stories that take you on an emotional journey without ever hinting that you're going to cry until you're sobbing. In this case, the mother/child relationship that Miles has with his mom, and the father/daughter one that Daphne has with her dad, both just got me, and combined with this amazing cast of characters in town, with Ashleigh and Julia and everyone else being so wonderful and heartfelt - I was a goner from the start, even though I didn't know it.

Emily Henry is such a treat. I adore her, and I will read absolutely anything she publishes.

[zilabee]

Colin Hanton, re Mimi:

"In those early days we certainly only practised at Mendips on a very few occasions as a full six-piece group. Although she was more relaxed about things than you might expect, Mimi was concerned about the noise we made and possible complaints from either the neighbours or of distracting the student lodgers who were studying next door in the dining room. […] having said that, when we did Mimi was very hospitable, she always served us tea and biscuits in the tiny morning room next to the kitchen.

She had the ability to terrify everybody, a cross between a headmistress and a chief librarian. Yet she was also the first adult I recall who would hold a conversation with you as an equal. She didn't talk down to you or treat you like a silly teenager like a lot of parents would. She would talk to us about the group and the music and other subjects, about life in general. She paid us respect, for which, in turn, I respected her."

Colin Hanton, re Julia:

"He said he was going to see his mum and asked did I want to go with him? I was a bit surprised by this because up to this point no one in the Quarry Men had mentioned John's mum and I'd never thought to ask if he even had one. I just accepted he was living with his aunt for whatever reason. It wasn't unusual at the time - post-war - for a parent to be missing. Think about it: Eric's dad was missing, and Ivan's, both casualties of the war. In those days many families were missing people: not just dads but mums too, because of the Blitz. It was something you almost took for granted, so you didn't talk about it. It was private. Anyway I went along with John to visit his mother.

I was immediately taken with Julia: she was vivacious, full of fun and friendly, not like most mums I knew who could be a bit guarded when you first met them. […] We hadn't been there very long before she produced a banjo and began singing a song. I was fascinated: a mum playing a banjo and singing. In my experience this was a bit different. And she was really good."

"Apart from the church fete the only time I remember seeing Julia in the audience was when we played a club on Penny Lane. […] We could all see that John was really pleased when his mum showed up that night. the rest of us were too: for one thing her presence almost doubled the size of the audience. As I looked out from my drums she was sitting almost at the front, on the right-hand side of the stage quite close to where we were, while other members of the audience were dancing. John acknowledged her from the stage and played up to her quite a lot, as if he was performing just for her. Every time we finished a song, Julia clapped very loudly and enthusiastically which was great because not many others were. She was clearly pleased and proud to see and hear John performing with his group.

After we had finished, Julia came over and told us how much she had enjoyed our set. As ever she was great to be around: one of the few parents who appreciated what we were doing. Jim McCartney was another. However, there was something special and engaging about Julia. All these years later I still feel privileged to have known her and to have witnessed the musical bond between her and John. It was very loving and very strong."

from pre:fab! by Colin Hanton and Colin Hall

[auntarivia]

Alright, there it is.

I have no idea for a title tho.

It's been a while since I read 'The last Guardian', so forgive any inconsistency. Although I feel like the self-insert is the biggest inconsistency here lol.

Also English is not my first language so forgive me any errors as well.

Enjoy.

Echo of their steps and heavy breaths ran through the empty, wet corridors of Karazhan. Julia wasn't with them, but they didn't have time to wait or search for the Librarian, even though it was her plan. Whenever she was...

Scream of pain reached them from the top of the tower. Khadgar cursed under his breath. She was there already.

He burst through the door, with Garona and Lothar right behind him. All three froze in place when they saw the scene in front of them.

The ritual circle was ready, but neither Julia nor Medivh were in it. Instead, the Librarian was lying on the floor with her back naked and covered in blood. She was reaching desperately towards the circle and trying to crawl there, but she was unable to because of the Guardian.

Or whatever he just became, since Khadgar could swear that it wasn't his Master. His face was twisted into some weird demonic features, with a pair of horns growing from his head and eyes burning with green light. He was sitting above Julia, pressing her back with his knee and craving symbols in her back.

So this was that 'Sargeras' the Librarian warned them about.

Medivh, or Sargeras, or whatever it was, turned his gaze towards the intruders and growled like a beast. Librarian also looked up. Her eyes were bloody, tired, and dull. She let out a desperate sigh when she noticed them.

Guardian pushed her away, making her scream from pain once more, and threw himself towards Khadgar. The young mage dodged his attack and gave Garona free access to the demon. She struk him with her arm in the chest, making him lose his breath and take a few steps back. Then she jumped at him, angry like a feral cat, and pushed him to the ritualistic circle. They both fell on the ground and orc pinned Medivh to the floor.

"Khadgar!" yelled Julia with her sore, scared voice.

Garona rolled from the circle just right when Khadgar started the incantation. Medivh got up on his knees and tried to stand up when the circle lighted up with a soft green light. Librarian, despite the obvious pain that has been shaking her body, spread her blood on the edge of the symbol as her eyes started glowing in the same light as the circle.

Medivh let out an inhuman scream as the light started surrounding him and a green mist wrapped around his body. Then suddenly, the demonic attributes left his body and turned into a demonic torso, rising above him from his back.

"Now, Lothar!" Librarian's voice was desperate and full of pain. She knew that they had only once chance and it couldn't go to waste. Her drained face went even more pale when Lothar's sword swung millimetres above Medivh's head, right onto Sargeras' throat, and cut his head off clean. His body exploded with a wave of fel magic, throwing Lothar against the wall and sweeping Garona and Khadgar off their feet.

A silence has occurred as all five of them were laying down, drained by the fight and the ritual. Garona was the first one to manage to get on her feet, but she could only stand in place, confused and unsure who needed her help the most.

Finally, she decided to go towards Lothar, who was the closest to her. She helped him get up, but before any of them were able to say anything, a painful groan of the Librarian brought their attention. Exhausted, woman tried to crawl towards Medivh but was still too weak to manage to move. She gave the other two desperate look that they understood immidetly and went towards the Guardian. Lothar kneeled next to him while Garona walked further to Khadgar.

"He's breathing," said Lothar and looked at Julia. Woman managed to smile softly and then just closed her eyes, as if she finally allowed herself to faint.

***

She woke up feeling her chest burning from pain, and took a deep breath that caused only more agony. She opened her eyes slowly and looked around. She was in her room, the window was covered, and light was dimmed. Her chest was wrapped in a clean bandage, and on a nightstand was a glass of water. She reached towards it and took a few slow sips. Almost as if he was waiting behind the door, Morose walked inside, holding a platter with a bowl of soup.

"Ah, miss Julia, you are awake. I'm glad, " he said in his unnaturally calm voice.

"Morose! Where are they?!" Librarian didn't wait any second to ask what she was worried about.

"Miss Garona and sir Anduin Lothar had to head out almost immidetly after your accident..."

"Good, we can't lose them. But Medivh? And Khadgar?"

Morose hesitated.

"They both are... alive and conscious, but I can't say they got without a scratch. They are now resting and..."

Julia didn't wait for him to finish. She rushed out of the bed and, forcing herself to ignore the agonising pain, threw herself towards the door and corridor.

"Miss, you are almost naked!" yelled Morose after her, although he didn't seem to be really bothered. He knew too well that trifles like that wouldn't stop her.

Julia ran up the stars, jumping over a few steps at the time. She barged into the Medivh's chambers without a warning.

Both Medivh and Khadgar were in Guardian's main room. Medivh was sitting on the couch while Khadgar was standing in front of a mirror with a bowl of water standing next to him. Both men turned towards Julia almost immediately. The

Librarian first looked at Medivh, and after deciding that he was in an acceptable state, turned her gaze towards Khadgar, which caused her to gasp softly. She rushed towards him and then carefully reached her hand towards his face. The grey hair, wrinkles... she tried so hard to avoid this, and yet Khadgar still suffered the same fate of losing his youth.

"Oh, Khadgar..." she sighed sadly. "I'm so sorry."

"Come on, I know I shaved for the first time, but it can't be that bad," mage responded with a chuckle. His old voice broke Julia's heart. At least he still had his sense of humour. And his eyes... they still had that young spark.

"Hey, it's fine, really." Khadgar tried to comfort the Librarian. "At least I look smarter now. I just have to get used to having back pain after taking too many steps."

He finally managed to make the woman smile.

"Well, if this comforts you in any way, I think that you are a real silver fox now." She winked at him.

Khadgar laughed nervously and looked away with his cheeks getting bright red. He still was that innocent boy, after all.

"I'm glad that you both are in a mood for jokes," Medivh's cold voice brought their attention, "But it's not time for this."

Julia carefully studied Medivh's face. He looked... acceptable. His face had few wounds from where the demonic scales appeared before, he was also more pale than usual, and his eyes were sad and angry, but other than that, he looked alright.

"How do you feel?" she asked softly, taking a few steps towards him.

"Show me your back," Medivh ignored her question and stood up.

The Librarian hesitated. She was concerned about her friend and his well-being. After all, everything they did was for him, so she preferred to make sure he was fine first, but arguing with Medivh wouldn't work anyway. She sighed and turned her back towards the mage. Guardian started unwrapping her bandages, which caused Khadgar to blush furiously and look away.

"Don't be a prude, Khadgar. I need your help now," Medivh rebuked his apprentice and waved at him to join him.

Khadgar stood behind Julia, and both with Medivh looked at her naked back. The Librarian looked at the mirror to see their faces, which caused her to widen her eyes and tensing muscles from stress. Both men looked concerned, Khadgar even afraid.

"What is it? Is the wound not healing?" she asked in a worried voice.

"It's not that." Medivh shook his head. Then he pat Khadgar's arm and pointed at the woman's back. The apprentice understood immidetly as he rushed for a piece of paper and coal. While he was sketching, Medivh gently ran his hand through Julia's back.

"Do you remember if... I said anything during doing this?"

"It wasn't you, Med. It was Sargeras. Don't blame..."

"Answer my question," Medivh cut her and met her eyes in the mirror.

"You were just mocking me," Julia replied, resigned. "Calling me stupid and weak. Saying that I would be just as easy tool as you."

Khadgar and Medivh exchanged looks, which caused the Librarian to worry only more.

"What is it?"

Neither of them replied. Khadgar only gave her the piece of paper on which he was drawing her wound. The woman looked at the sketch and frowned. It wasn't a normal scar. It was some kind of a demonic symbol, like a summoning circle.

"Do you feel something inside of you? Some other presence?"

Julia quickly shook her head and turned towards Medivh. They eyes met as both of them were just as worried and confused about what was it. Khadgar finally broke and wrapped his coat around Librarian's body.

"I'm sorry, I can't..." he mumbled nervously, but neither of his friends paid attention to him.

"You... you aren't pregnant, right?" Medivh asked nervously, just as if it was the worst possibility, and then let go his breath when the Librarian shook her head again.

"Then, what does it mean?" Khadgar managed to get himself together enough to ask a question.

"I have no idea." Guardian looked away and bit his lip, as if his next words were about to be the hardest thing to say. "But I don't think you should stay in Karazhan, my lady..."

"Med, don't blame yourself." Julia grabbed his wrist. "You weren't in control, it was Sargeras, you..."

"It's not about blame, it's about your safety! You could still be in danger, we don't know what those runes do!"

"That's why I should stay in the place with answers!"

"That's why I'M gonna look for the answers, and YOU are gonna stay away!"

"What?! No-"

"Please, stop arguing!" Khadgar's desperate voice broke in between their yelling. "Master, Miss Librarian is right. It's not your fault, but now we both should help her."

For a moment, there was a cold silence. Medivh sat down and glued his eyes to the floor.

"It's my fault. Everything that happened is my fault. I hurt you, both of you. You are not safe with me."

"Bullshit." Julia joined him on the couch and put her hand on his arm. "I knew the risk, and I was ready to take it. You know what I know, that was my choice. You are alive and clean from Sargeras, and only that matters."

"I still don't understand." Khadgar also sat down. "It was your plan, Miss Librarian. Why didn't you wait for us?"

Julia looked up into Khadgar's young blue eyes, contrasting so much with his wrinkled face and grey hair. She wanted to avoid it so much...

"I thought I could do this on my own. I wanted to save you, I was afraid that you would get hurt. And you were..." She once again looked away, ashamed.

"Hey, you said it yourself. I'm a silver fox now." Khadgar chuckled and elbowed her gently. "We are all alive and only that matters."

"I still think you should leave. Both. For your own good." Medivh kept being in his depressive mood, unable to look up. His feeling of guilt was clearly visible for his friends.

Julia pulled him closer to her and hugged tightly.

"Shut up. We are staying with you, " she declared. Then she felt Khadgar's arm wrapping around her as he decided to join the hug.

"Yeah, Master. Respectfully - shut the fuck up. We are staying."

[burins]

it's time for my big books of the year roundup! gonna do a separate post for graphic novels/comics bc there were simply soooo many of those this year. bolded are my particular favorites

JANUARY

The Ultimate Guide to Sex and Disability: For All of Us Who Live with Disabilities, Chronic Pain, and Illness by Cory Silverberg, Fran Odette, Miriam Kaufman (reread)

The World We Make by NK Jemisin

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (audio)

The Future Is Disabled: Prophecies, Love Notes and Mourning Songs by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha

A Restless Truth by Freya Marske

Too Loud a Solitude by Bohumil Hrabal

FEBRUARY

The Librarian's Guide to Homelessness: An Empathy-Driven Approach to Solving Problems, Preventing Conflict, and Serving Everyone by Ryan Dowd

Libraries and Homelessness: An Action Guide by Julie Ann Winkelstein

Underland: A Deep Time Journey by Robert Macfarlane (audio)

MARCH

Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo (audio)

The Stars Undying by Emery Robin (audio)

APRIL

Babel: An Arcane History by RF Kuang (audio)

Get Inside: Responsible Jail and Prison Library Service by Nicholas Higgins

MAY

The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K LeGuin (audio)

The Dispossessed by Ursula K LeGuin (audio)

How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures by Sabrina Imbler

Taste Makers: Seven Immigrant Women Who Revolutionized Food in America by Mayukh Sen (audio)

The Betrayals by Bridget Collins (audio)

Paper Bead Jewelry: Step-by-Step Instructions for 40+ Designs by Keiko Sakamoto

JUNE

The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (audio)

Translation State by Ann Leckie

Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh

Happy Place by Emily Henry

An Island Princess Starts a Scandal by Adriana Herrera

JULY

Year of the Tiger: An Activist's Life by Alice Wong (audio)

SEPTEMBER

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson 

The Sundial by Shirley Jackson (audio)

He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan (audio)

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

NOVEMBER

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield (audio)

Palestinian Walks: Forays into a Vanishing Landscape by Raja Shehadeh (audio)

Where the Line Is Drawn: A Tale of Crossings, Friendships, and Fifty Years of Occupation in Israel-Palestine by Raja Shehadeh (audio)

DECEMBER

The Old Ways: A Journey on Foot by Robert Macfarlane (audio)

Kissinger's Shadow: The Long Reach of America's Most Controversial Statesman by Greg Grandin (audio)

Golda Slept Here by Suad Amiry

The Trial of Henry Kissinger by Christopher Hitchens

A Power Unbound by Freya Marske

below the cut, some writeups for my faves:

Wolf Hall - it's not news but Hilary Mantel is among the best to ever do characterization in just a few sentences

The Future Is Disabled - emerging from the rage & fear of being disabled during COVID lakshmi piepzna-samarasinha never lets us forget the joys of disabled community

Libraries and Homelessness - this is partly a spite pick bc i HATED ryan dowd’s book so much. this is an empathetic and practical guide to providing services to unhoused patrons that encourages community partnership, is full of examples, and isn’t miserably condescending!

Underland - i liked this so much i wrote a cave scene in timkon road trip fic. The texture of the prose is delicious!

The Stars Undying - i don’t actually know the story of antony and cleopatra very well but this was a very tasty space opera with messy messy characters

The Lathe of Heaven - still thinking about this 7 months later! Every year I read a LeGuin and it knocks me on my ass for the rest of the year. The opening scene is one of the best things I’ve ever read. (I liked The Dispossessed very very much but I loved Lathe.)

Mimicking of Known Successes - delightful noir-flavored scifi, great worldbuilding and equally great exes.

Some Desperate Glory - do you ever leave a cult against your will, and also you’re the worst girl in the world! This one is for all the clementine kesh fans. Breakneck.

The Haunting of Hill House - this was a great year for me to read books written 50+ years ago. I tweeted about it when i read it but ooghhghhgh this book is devastating. What if you got everything you ever wanted and finally felt at home and everyone called it evil.

Where the Line is Drawn - this was my second book by Shehadeh and it never shies away from the thorniness and hurt inherent in human relationships formed amidst occupation. Really, really excellent.

Kissinger’s Shadow - concisely unravels the ways Kissinger’s legacy shapes every part of US foreign policy you’ve ever heard of. Also really gets at the paranoid ouroboros of Kissinger’s personal philosophy.

Golda Slept Here - the legacy of several Palestinian houses, told through an eclectic mix of personal narratives, photographs, and occasional poetry. Funny and angry and heartbreaking.

[mirasmirages]

Scars (part 3)

first previous masterlist next

Has: mentions of past trauma

James and his family belongs to @starliight-whump

~

Julia carried James's cup of coffee on the table for him. "I'll pick you up in twenty minutes, okay?"

James nodded. "Yeah."

"And if you need me, you can call. I won't be far."

She put the coffee on the table outside the small café, and James sat down across from Nadir, his high school boyfriend.

"Hey," Nadir said when Julia left.

"Hi."

For a moment, neither of them knew what to say. They hadn't stayed in touch after Nadir left for college, sixteen years ago. James was struck by how long it had been. Sixteen years since they dated. Half his life. He put his hands around his cup, but didn't lift it.

"So," Nadir said, hesitating to break the silence. "How are your parents doing?"

"They're good," James said. That wasn't entirely true. He had heard them talk when they thought he wasn't listening. He knew his mother would go down to the basement to cry so she could be strong in front of him. Not the best topic for catching up with a friend. James didn't know how much Nadir knew about what had happened to him, and didn't want to ruin this by bringing anything up. "Um. Julia says you're a fireman now?"

"I am!" Nadir said, smiling. Trying too hard to act normal, or just hard enough. Or maybe he was just being normal. Maybe James was overthinking it. "I really love it, helping people when they need it most. I never have to doubt if I'm doing something important, you know?"

James nodded. He had felt like that too, when he was in surgery. It was hard to argue he wasn't doing something important when he was fixing someone's heart after an acute heart failure.

"Or, at least, most of the time," Nadir continued, when James didn't say anything. "A few days ago, a kid called in for help, because his cat was stuck in a tree. It was a quiet day, so we went to save it. And the cat was furious, hissing and clawing at me, but I got it down, right? Handed it to the kid, and the cat twisted free and went straight back up the tree." He laughed. "At least I got a story out of it."

James laughed too, small but real. "I didn't know firefighters actually did that. I thought it was only on TV."

"Well, it's not exactly part of the job description," Nadir said. "But if we have the time for it, why not?"

James was looking for something else to say, to keep up the flow of the conversation, when Nadir looked at something behind him. He tensed instinctively, and turned to see Henry, the librarian, walking toward them, a hand lifted in greeting.

It was a coincidence, it had to be. There was no way Henry would know where James would be. There was no reason for him to care. And yet, James had that jolt of fear that screamed "DANGER!"

"Hey," Henry said, looking at Nadir.

"Hey," Nadir said, and glanced at James, which made Henry look at James, which made Henry recognize James, which left James completely unable to find his voice.

"Oh, hey," Henry said, still looking at James. Then he turned to Nadir and said, "I'm interrupting something, aren't I? I'll leave. See you Tuesday."

"Yeah, see you," Nadir said as Henry left, and then he turned a serious gaze on James. "Are you okay?"

James wanted to brush it off and pretend it was nothing, he really did, but the way he was shaking, there was no way Nadir would believe him. He buried his face in his hands.

"It just keeps getting worse!" he said, and slid his hands up to grip at his hair. Numb prickling radiated through his fingers, and he could barely put any force into the movement. "It's been two months, and I'm scared all the time, and it's not getting better, and I'm never gonna work again, and for some reason, every time I see that man, I think he's going to take me away and make me go through everything again!"

It felt good to say it, even if it ruined any chance of this being a normal conversation. James was exhausted with normalcy. He kept trying for it, and it never fucking worked. The best he could do was to hope the people around him believed it while he kept feeling as awful as always. He wiped his eyes on his sleeve, so Nadir wouldn't have to see him cry.

"Hey," Nadir said in a careful voice. "Can I take your hand?"

James sniffled and gave a nod, but didn't look up at him. Nadir took James's left hand, the one that could still mostly feel, in both of his.

"All of this is a normal reaction to what you went through," Nadir said. "It's only been two months. That's nothing. You're going to get better, you just have to give it time."

"You don't even know what I went through," James mumbled.

"Not the details of it, no," Nadir agreed. "But I know it was bad. I know you spent two weeks in the hospital after they found you. I know how scared Julia was when you stopped picking up the phone. I know about the trial."

James swallowed. The trial was one of many things he tried not to think about. In just a few months, he would have to testify, and he would have to see him again.

Nadir squeezed his hand. "We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," he said. "I'm just saying, if you do want to, it's okay."

James shook his head. Talking about it would be a bad idea. Especially in public.

"Um," he said, looking for something else to steer the conversation toward. "How do you know Henry?"

"We were roommates in college," Nadir said. "How do you know Henry?"

"He's Oliver's favorite librarian. And, um." James hesitated. "And he kind of tried to flirt with me at a bar and I had a panic attack."

Nadir's eyebrows rose. "You went to a bar?"

James nodded. "Julia went with me. I wanted to see if I could do it, but it didn't go well."

"And when you said you think 'that man' is going to take you away … you meant Henry?"

"Yeah." James swallowed. "He took me outside when I panicked. I think he was trying to help, but at the time … it didn't feel that way."

"I'm sorry." Nadir's eyes softened. "If it helps, I don't think he would ever hurt you."

"I know that," James sighed. "I know most people are just normal people and aren't out to get me, I just- I just feel things, before I have time to think about it."

"You could ask him to keep his distance," Nadir suggested. "He would, if you asked."

James pulled his hand back so he could bury his face in his hands again. "That's not the point," he said in frustration. "If it's not him, it's someone else. It's walking in the woods and it's rooms with brick walls and it's men in suits and it's rain. It's not about him, it's about everything!"

Nadir was silent for a moment, giving James time to stew in his own thoughts.

"Do you want to meet him?"

The question surprised James into looking at Nadir.

"If you don't want him to stay away, maybe it would help to meet him in a safe environment. Maybe it will help you be less afraid."

"Maybe," James mumbled. He wasn't sure how he felt about his frustration being met with solutions. He wasn't sure he was ready for solutions. "Do you think he would do that?"

"I don't see why not," Nadir said. "I bet it would help him too, to know it's not his fault you're scared of him."

James nodded slowly. He hadn't thought about how Henry would feel about his panic attacks. He already knew he was making things harder for his family, but now he was doing it to strangers, too. That wasn't who he wanted to be.

"I'll try," James decided. "If he wants to."

next

[transgenderer]

Gibbs never married, living all his life in his childhood home with his sister Julia and her husband Addison Van Name, who was the Yale librarian. Except for his customary summer vacations in the Adirondacks (at Keene Valley, New York) and later at the White Mountains (in Intervale, New Hampshire),[59] his sojourn in Europe in 1866–69 was almost the only time that Gibbs spent outside New Haven.[6] He joined Yale's College Church (a Congregational church) at the end of his freshman year[59][60] and remained a regular attendant for the rest of his life.[61]

According to Lynde Wheeler, who had been Gibbs's student at Yale, in his later years Gibbs

was always neatly dressed, usually wore a felt hat on the street, and never exhibited any of the physical mannerisms or eccentricities sometimes thought to be inseparable from genius ... His manner was cordial without being effusive and conveyed clearly the innate simplicity and sincerity of his nature.

 In an obituary published in the American Journal of Science, Gibbs's former student Henry A. Bumstead referred to Gibbs's personal character:

Unassuming in manner, genial and kindly in his intercourse with his fellow-men, never showing impatience or irritation, devoid of personal ambition of the baser sort or of the slightest desire to exalt himself, he went far toward realizing the ideal of the unselfish, Christian gentleman. In the minds of those who knew him, the greatness of his intellectual achievements will never overshadow the beauty and dignity of his life.

i feel like this guy may have been like. an alternate formulation of the human mind capable of stable lasting happiness. like normal people are messy and flawed and need intimacy with comes with inevitable getting hurt. but this guy was just like. one of the greatest physicists in history, and extremely well adjusted. they built this one correctly. you could tile the post-scarcity earth with this type of human and no one would ever suffer again

[moniquill]

“It’s been haunting me for 30 years, and it's been a race against time to complete it. There's been a lot of pressure because none of our (original twined) mantles survived. This had to be done for our people and Wampanoag community.” - Julia Marden

Julia Marden, an internationally recognized Aquinnah Wampanoag artist and traditional textile and basketry maker, wears a traditionally 4x6 foot twined turkey feather mantle. The Mantle is the first of its kind in over 400 years and took Marden more than a year to create.

Learn more about Julia's achievement during this month's virtual Local History Guild discussion on November 14, 2023, at 6:00 p.m

Register for the virtual discussion: https://www.whalingmuseum.org/program/the-local-history-guild/