#maisie was a bit better because i knew what to do then like i was still a bit early but whatever.

[stood-onthecliffside]

going to the eras tour as my first concert was very special but it was also very overwhelming. i had so much anxiety that i ended up being 3ish hours early like why the fuck did i do that? it was so hot and my makeup melted before sabrina opened 😭

[ellieluvr420]

Friends? Never. Pt.19 (Ellie Williams x reader)

MASTERLIST (and information about Palestine) Please read!

SYNOPSIS: You and Ellie had been bitter enemies for years now but before that you were best friends. You had always planned to be roommates one day but when that becomes a reality the situation isn't exactly how you both imagined it.

SMUT mdni 🤗

₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

It had been a week since you and Ellie had started your new jobs and the group that you were training was making progress, their aim was improving and their ability to fight was ten times better than it had been when they started. Even Amber had begun to improve and take your advice without challenging you at every step of the way. Clem was thriving at school, and you looked forward to hearing her ramblings of the day more than anything.  

The group was doing shooting practise and you watched quietly as Ellie walked around the group inspecting their stances and their handling of the gun. She had been short-tempered today and it puzzled you but you brushed it off anyway. She had made Harvey and Mike do drills when she caught them messing about instead of sparring but not before she bit both their heads off harshly enough that they had been silent up until now. The sight amused you but you were confused because she was never like this with them. Amber had asked her to help her get more power into her punches and you both saw straight through it, you had to give it to the girl, she was persistent. Even after it being revealed that you and Ellie were together and even after they had walked in on Ellie kissing your cheek eliciting whoops and cheers from them all, she was still hopelessly flirting with Ellie which often gave you both a laugh at home.  

“You’re not tensing your body enough and your movements are too slow. Keep your body rigid and speed up. I’ve already told you this.” She snapped at Amber. 

“But-” 

“Hey can you come here?” She had called over to you, you approaching slightly confused as was Amber until Ellie put her hands on your hips and spun you around to face away from her as she squeezed at the soft of them. “Throw a punch.” She whispered in your ear and the intimacy made your body tingly, this wasn’t like any of the usual demonstrations she had done with you, there was something different about it though you couldn’t quite put your finger on what it was that was making you feel strange. You threw a punch as she gripped onto your hips, her hands squeezing impossibly tighter, not to stop your hips from moving, she knew they wouldn’t but she savoured the feel of them in her hands anyway. “See how my hands didn’t move, you’re not tensing so you lose the power.” 

“Can you try that with me? I just feel like I won’t be able to tell a difference unless I know how its supposed to feel.” She smiled coyly as your eyebrows quirked in disbelief at the audacity of her. 

“Can you deal with her please?” Ellie sighed as she stormed off to go watch another pair, you don’t miss the dejected expression on Amber’s face causing you to roll your eyes as you take your place behind her.  

“Do you actually want help or were you just trying to get my girlfriend to touch you?” Her mouth falls open at your harsh tone and she shakes her head as Maisie watches in amusement. 

“N-no I actually want help.” 

“Good.” You gripped onto her hips as you watched Ellie who was a picture of frustration. “Throw a punch.” You held onto her as firmly as possible as she threw the punch and then let go. “Did that feel different?” 

“Yeah I think I understand now, thanks.” You nod and walk off back to your original position. 

After that as you watched Ellie snap at George while he was aiming his gun you realised you needed to figure out what was going on. 

“How many times do I have to tell you your feet are meant to be shoulder-width apart? Do you not know what that means? Do you not know what fucking shoulders are? I’m asking you a question so answer me.” She got in his face and you rushed over to intervene as you dragged her away from the group. 

“You need to chill the fuck out.” She huffs and rolls her eyes. “I’m gonna give them a talk about knives because its long overdue and you can just stand and be quiet okay? You’re gonna get bollocked by Maria so wind your neck in.” You call everyone over and have them sit down so you can talk about knives and explain the importance of them. “Right guys, you’ve practised with guns and you are getting better, still a ways to go but we’ve already seen a lot of improvement but it’s super important you don’t forget the usefulness of a knife. Knives are so underrated but they are so good because as long as you keep hold of it, you can use it over and over again but the main reason they are so good is because they are silent. If you are out on patrol and you encounter one infected and you decide to shoot it, the sound of that gunshot could attract a whole horde towards you. So, that being said, use your knife as your first resort and your gun as your last.” You walk over to where all the weapons are stored and brandish a five-inch knife. “This knife is only five-inches-” 

“Oh come on don’t say only, five is a respectable length.” Harvey calls out as all the group laugh. Ellie goes to step forward with a look that could kill but you hold her bicep hard enough that your knuckles go white as you keep her in place. 

“Thank you so much for sharing that information with us Harvey, that makes want I’m about to say even funnier because it’s not the size of the knife that matters, it’s how you use it.” They all whoop and cheer as you chuckle along while glancing at Ellie that didn’t even crack a smile as she sneered at them. “Once again, the neck is a vulnerable point. I want you all to find your pulse on your neck for me.” They all put two fingers on their neck to find their pulse and you do the same to Ellie noticing how her cheeks redden and she fidgets slightly. “Where you can feel your pulse, that is the carotid artery, you hit that and someone will bleed out in seconds. You need to get good at being able to aim your knives for the vulnerable parts of the body as a reflex. I’ll show you.” You take your knife and press it to Ellie’s neck where you know the artery is just from muscle memory, the knife isn’t pressing into her neck hard but she does gulp as her eyes flicker from the group to you and she bites her lip subtly, the blush never fading from her cheeks. “Ellie, put your fingers where your pulse is, please.” She does that and when her fingers are right below where your knife sat, you mentally pat yourself on the back. “You slash at that or actually stab someone there and you might’ve just saved your life, this does go for infected as well so keep that in mind. I want you to get in pairs and practise what me and Ellie just did, hold the knife up to the other person’s neck, not hard, seriously, and then let them find their pulse and see how close you are. First person to get it spot on doesn’t have to do drills at the end of today!” They all rush towards the knives and start practising. “Do not rush because someone will die, this is important, be adults about this.” You add before walking off with Ellie. “What the fuck is going on with you today? Are you ill? You’re all red and grumpy and it’s scaring me.” 

“Babe I need to fuck so bad.” 

“Oh my god.” Your tone is a mixture of disappointment and amusement. “That’s why you’ve had a stick up your ass all day? Because you’re horny? You are unbelievable.” You can’t help the giggle that erupts from you as she rolls her eyes and huffs at your amusement at her suffering. “Fine, we can fuck tonight but we have to be super quiet because of Clem.” 

“Oh my god babe you aren’t gonna know what hit you. I love you so much, thank you thank you thank you.” She steps towards you and reaches her hands out to your cheeks but you push them away gently with a smile as you flick your eyes towards the group that paid you no attention. She rolls her eyes before slyly grabbing your hand and pressing a sweet kiss to the back of it before looking over your shoulder and smiling at the lack of eyes on you both. It felt strange to sneak around but it excited you both more than you ever expected.  

You both watched as the group continued trying to find each other’s pulse’s until you heard a triumphant cheer from Amber as she jumped around. “I got it! I got it! I got her pulse!” 

“Congrats Amber, you now know how to kill someone quickly.” You deadpan. 

“Oh come on you were the one that made it a competition.” Ellie reasons with you as she smirks. “Amber! Lucky you. No drills for you today!” She smiles properly for the first time all day and everyone shares questioning looks at her sudden change in demeanour, you barely manage to hide your giggle as Amber continues jumping around and shoving it in everyone’s faces that she won. It all went quiet as Joel wondered in.  

“Hey kiddo!” He says to Ellie as he reaches you both. 

“Joel! They aren’t gonna fear me if you call me kiddo.” 

“They ain’t gonna fear you either way.” He chirps with a teasing grin.  

“I dunno Joel, they were shitting themselves today when she lost her shit at them.” 

“Yeah but I bet you scare the shit outta them all the time.” You nod your head in agreement as Ellie glares at you both. 

“Well that’s only because you got to deck Harvey on their first day.” She near-enough whines. 

“Shouldn’t have frozen and made me do all the talking then huh?” You smile sweetly as she huffs, you notice the group all quietly making their way over to the three of you, curious as to what you were all speaking about, nosy, you thought. 

“Guys if you wanna talk about a good shot, you gotta talk about this guy. He taught me everything I know.” Joel chuckles at Ellie’s words and bows his head to hide the blush that graced his cheeks slightly. 

“Is he your dad?” Harvey enquires causing Ellie to look like a deer in headlights as she glances from the group to Joel and back to the group. 

“Errr... y-yeah, yes he is.” She flashes a tight-lipped smile at Joel who mirrors her expression before clearing his throat and squeezing her shoulder.  

“Well I best get goin’, old and tired an’ all that. Best of luck to you all!” He smiles at them all and they all smile back, it’s sweet to you, their reaction to him. “Don’t work ‘em too hard eh.” He chortles before taking his leave as you turn to Ellie and grin at her, she notices your cheeky smile and scrunches her eyebrows in feigned confusion at you. 

“Why are you looking at me like that?” 

“Youuuu said Joel’s your dad.” You tease. 

“Oh whatever, he is kinda isn’t he?” 

“I’m glad you see it that way, I agree though.” You each smile and you see an idea flash over her mind before she grabs your wrist and checks your watch as she refuses to wear one herself. 

“Guys! We’re gonna call it a day early. Enjoy the rest of your day and we’ll see you back here-” 

“9AM SHARP!” They all finish her sentence causing her to chuckle as she nods them off, ignoring your confused look. 

“Come on! We’ve got an hour until Clem finishes school. Now we don’t have to be quiet.” 

“Oh you genius you! Don’t think Maria’s gonna be too happy about us calling off training early to fuck though.” 

“Well are you gonna tell her?” 

“Not likely.” You both giggle as you practically jog back to your cabin, both ecstatic at your last-minute plans, Ellie fighting the urge to skip like a giddy child. 

₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

“Oh fuck I missed this so much.” 

“We’re literally just kissing Ellie.” 

“I know I love kissing you.” Ellie rushes out before she presses her lips onto yours again like she was trying to suck the air out of you. Her hand snakes down your stomach and traces the curve of your hip before roughly running her hand down the outside of your thigh and squeezing as she lifts it to wrap even tighter around her hip. She’s pressing herself down onto you like you’re both magnetic as her tongue savours the taste of your mouth like she would never know it again. You raise your legs higher up Ellie’s hips and pull her into you more causing her to groan at the friction of your cunts rubbing together, even through each of your underwear, she felt like there was lightning coursing through her. 

“Aw someone’s needy.” You pout at her as you tease her and she scowls as she roughly grinds her clothed pussy over yours eliciting a quiet whine from your lips, she smirks as you roll your eyes before she leans down to feather kisses down your neck as she grinds herself down onto you even harder, her pace picks up as her attack on your neck intensifies and just as she begins to suck on the skin below your ear you push her off. “Ellie! You cannot give me hickeys, we’re parents now we have to be responsible.” 

“I hate that you’re right.” 

“Thought you’d be used to it by now.” 

“Oh whatever.” You giggle as she grabs a handful of your boob and squeezes, her head coming to rest in the crook of your neck. You’re both panting and gasping as the friction between you both was heating up your cores and tensing every muscle in your body. You couldn’t help but giggle at the way you were both about to come from dry-humping but it had been awhile for you both, not for most people but you each had the sex-drive of a teenage boy so for you, it had basically been months. “Shit I’m gonna cum this is so embarrassing.” 

“Hey I’m right there with you.” You breathe out through choked moans and as if you had spoken it into existence you both came with a symphony of groans, accompanied by the steady tremble of both your legs. You expect Ellie to collapse on top of you but she doesn’t, instead flashing you a cheeky grin as she ripped your underwear down your legs before hopping off the bed and straight to her drawer that you knew she kept the strap in. The memory of the day she found it flashes through your mind causing you to chuckle. She eyed you over her shoulder suspiciously before fixing the harness around her hips and walking over to you. She stands at the bed with a smug expression on her face as the bright pink appendage hangs from her hips. 

“You know I’d find it way sexier if you weren’t wearing batman boxers right now Ellie.” 

“You said you liked my batman boxers.” She frowns as you throw your head back in fits of laughter. 

“I-I do, I’m sorry I was kidding, come on babe.” You pat the bed next to you as you try to console yourself. You couldn’t help but wonder, first, where the hell did she find them? Secondly, how did you not notice she was wearing those until now? 

“You’re so lucky I love you.” She goes to climb on top of you once again but you sit up with a shake of your head as you press her down on her back before straddling her hips and gazing at her shell-shocked face in amusement. You sunk down onto her like you were two puzzle pieces fitting together perfectly and as your hips met hers you shivered at the feel of the dick lightly brushing against your cervix. You lean down, pressing your hands into the bed by Ellie’s head as you peck her lips over and over again, the slow rolling of your hips making you both gasp. 

You sat back up again and as you sped up the grinding of your hips against hers, you lifted your top, holding the hem between your teeth and squeezed your tits, pushing them together, giving Ellie a show that had her practically drooling. You were whimpering softly as the strap was hitting all the right spots in you before you felt her hands on your hips, gripping them to stop your movements. Your mouth drops open, dropping your top back down with it, as you furrow your eyebrows and she chuckles at you before snapping her hips up into you harshly enough that you keel over so your ear is right by her lips. 

“Sorry babe, you know I get impatient.” She whispers before drilling into you at such an unforgiving pace that tears roll down your cheeks as you bite down onto her shoulder. You felt like you were no longer on the planet and you were just floating up to heaven as your legs began to shake, your release rushing at you so quick you could barely catch your breath. She cooed at you as you unlatched from her shoulder and let a pornographic moan escape your lips as your body convulses with your orgasm. She slows to a stop and rubs at your back as you stay laid on top of her desperately trying to return your breathing to normal, the moment so sweet and intimate you felt like you were melting into her. “Babe, we gotta go get Clem.” You whine just a little, despite the excitement at seeing her precious little face, you felt completely drained causing Ellie to chuckle as she helps you off of her, laying you down on the bed. “Don’t worry I got it, I’ll let you recover.” She teases smugly as she removes the harness and starts redressing herself. 

She presses a quick kiss to your lips before rushing off to go pick up Clem as you lay there completely dazed trying to will yourself back to full consciousness. 

₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

You were sitting on the sofa, watching a film as you gulped down your third glass of water when a frantic knock sounded at the door causing you to rush over to it and fling the door open. 

“Oh fuck... Hi!” Dina is standing at the door, tears pouring down her cheeks despite her attempts to hurriedly wipe them away. “Sorry, er- is Ellie home?” 

“No she’s picking up Clem, come inside, what’s going on?” 

“No no it’s okay, I’m being stupid anyway, can you just tell Ellie I need to talk to her please?” 

“Dina come inside and sit down for a sec, Ellie won’t be long anyway.” She takes a deep, shaky breath before nodding and walking inside, refusing to meet your worried eyes. You usher her over to the sofa as she desperately tries to stop the sobs that weren’t slowing down even for a second. “What’s going on? Are you okay? Is Jesse okay?” 

“Yeah, yeah he’s fine, I’m fine, I- I just...” She chokes out another sob as her face falls into her hands, you rub her back until she calms enough to speak. “I- I think I’m pregnant.” 

“Oh.” She dryly chuckles and you realise that was not the best reaction. “This is gonna sound silly but how do you feel about it?” 

“It doesn’t sound silly, I’m being silly. I’m not even upset I don’t know why the fuck I’m crying.” 

“Well I’m sure it’s all very overwhelming, you’re allowed to have mixed feelings about it.” 

“Thank you, it’s not that I’m upset and I’m not worried about how Jesse will react, he’s basically born to be a dad but what if I’m not born to be a mom? I’m nineteen for fuck’s sake and we live in such a fucked-up world and I just- I’m scared to bring a baby into it you know? What if I fuck them up?” 

“Oh Dina, you’re joking right? You’ve been mothering everyone around you for as long as I’ve known you. That kid is gonna be so lucky to have you and Jesse as their parents and yeah the world is fucked-up, but Jackson isn’t, as far as I can see, that kid has won the fucking lottery.” You comfort her softly and for the first time she smiles brightly, beaming at you before pulling you into a tight hug. 

“Thank you, you’re an angel. Fuck okay, I- I feel like I can breathe again. I think I just needed someone to help me process this, sorry for lumping all this on you.” She gestures towards her and specifically her stomach and you can’t help but chuckle. 

“Don’t be ridiculous, I’m really happy you told me. I’m so fucking happy for you D.” You both beam at each other before giggling like school girls. 

“How has it been with Clem anyway? You and Ellie are basically my experts on parenting which is a scary thought.” That makes you chuckle. 

“You’re telling me. D, they’re the fucking best. Clem is the sweetest kid I have ever met, I can be in the foulest mood and I see her face and all of a sudden it’s gone. The other day I was on my period and I felt like shit, like I was laying in Ellie’s bed crying because my cramps were so bad and she just waltzes in, climbs in the bed with me and tells me a shitty joke that she obviously got from Ellie and I could barely feel the cramps anymore because I was laughing so hard. Seeing Ellie with her too, I could watch them all day long, Clem is basically a carbon copy of Ellie and I swear it’s the best entertainment around. I fucking love having Clem and you are gonna love having that little one too.” 

“Oh that is so sweet, you have made me feel so much better...” She trails off before giggling. “What was the joke?” 

“What is the downside of eating a clock?” You pause as she thinks for a moment before shrugging her shoulders in defeat. “It’s time-consuming.” You both erupt into laughter as you clutch your stomach, tears sprouting in your eyes.  

“Oh my god that is awful but so Ellie.” 

“I know.” You both calm down and Dina smiles at you appreciatively before the door slams open, revealing an out-of-breath Clem bursting into the hallway.  

“Hey you so cheated!” Ellie’s voice booms through the house. 

“Nuh uh. You’re just slow!” Clem replies defensively before she spots you in the living room and comes bounding towards you, jumping onto you and wrapping her small arms around your neck. “Mommyyyy! I missed you. I beat Ellie in our race!” 

“Oh did you now? I am not surprised one bit and I missed you so much more baby, seriously I missed your cute little face since we dropped you off this morning.” She giggles before turning to Dina as she rests her head on your shoulder.  

“Hi Dina! Are you okay?” She enquires noticing the wet sheen of her cheeks and her puffy eyes. 

“Oh yeah I am all good sweetie. Your mommy here just told me one of your jokes and I laughed so hard I cried!” 

“Which one! Which one!?” 

“The clock one.” 

“That’s one of my favourites.” Clem yawns as she finishes her sentence. 

“Mine too.” Dina agrees as Ellie walks into the room, rosy cheeked with a confused look on her face as she makes eye contact with Dina. 

“Hey D, you okay?” 

“Oh yeah, yeah I’m fine.” 

“Er me and Clem will give you two a minute alone.” You beam before letting Clem clamber off you and leading her out of the room and towards the garden, kissing Ellie hello quickly as you pass her.  

You and Clem sit in the afternoon sun as she tells you all about her day down to every last detail and you were enthralled the entire time, you could listen to her ramble on for hours and hours, for a lifetime even, which is good because that’s how things seemed to be going, a quiet moment always interrupted by the welcome chatter of either Ellie or Clem, often both. 

After fifteen minutes Ellie walks outside coming to sit beside you as she kisses your cheek and whispers a small ‘hey’.  

“Is Dina gone?” 

“Yeah she’s uh- she's gonna go home and talk to Jesse.” 

“Probably best, wow right?” 

“Wow isn’t even the word, holy fuck.” You don’t even condemn her lude language in front of Clem anymore as it seems to only spur her on further. 

“I’m happy for them though, they’re gonna be amazing.” 

“Oh yeah for sure. She kept going on about how they’re so young and it made me realise we are all just kids doing our best for littler kids, you know?” 

“Oh I know. Isn’t it the best though?” 

“Wouldn’t change it for the world.” She beams at you and you rest your head on her shoulder as you watch Clem who was dancing around to music only she could hear, she was so perfect, you’d do anything to be the best for her. 

tags: @emiliabby @readbydayana @radioheadfan699 @lil-elliesgf @isitadinosaur @amberputh @maelovescashew @a-little-bit-of-everybody

[mariaofdoranelle]

Where Do We Stand?

A oneshot inside the Look At Us Now AU

Written for Rowaelin Month day 6: Rowaelin

This happens around a year and a half before where the current story starts! I wrote it for this event so it can be read even if you don’t know the AU 🫶

Also I wrote half of this in bed on my phone because I’m having a labyrinthitis crisis please be nice to me and my fic with very little editing

Warnings: mild (?) smut, language, a destroyed house, a toddler (Maisie’s on FIRE)

Word count: 3,8k

In and out. In and out.

Sam’s face was scrunched up in concentration, holding Aelin’s hip as he rode her.

It was not the best sex she’d ever had, but it was some sex, which was better than nothing.

He was panting. “How do you like that, babe?”

“Oh… yes. So good,” Aelin praised. Her chest felt a little tight as she not lied, but emphasized her enthusiasm. Sam was trying, but sex with him was… well, it was vanilla.

He fucked her gently, choked her weirdly, had thin moans, and spanked her a little too softly. At least she came every time. Even if it wasn’t mind-blowing, it was still a win.

Sam stopped when Aelin’s phone started ringing.

She grabbed it from his nightstand with one swift motion and—

Rowan.

Sam ground his teeth together. “Are you going to take it?”

“It could be anything from a lost toy to a house fire,” she explained while swiping to answer the phone.

“Hey. Are you busy?”

She quickly glanced at Sam, phone tightly clutched to her ear. “Kinda.”

She could hear his sigh from the other side of the phone. “Lorcan’s busy, and Sellene’s out of town—”

“Spill, Rowan.”

When he hurriedly told her what happened, Aelin’s only reaction was to tell him she’d be there in a few and hang up the phone.

Sam didn’t protest, but he didn’t look happy either. Aelin winced when he pulled out. Gods, she didn’t even remember he was still inside her.

“Is she alright?”

“Not a house fire, thank Mala.”

“Are you sure you need to go?” He asked with a cautious, uncertain tone.

Aelin sighed. “She’s a toddler, Sam. I can be needed for a lot of things that aren’t life-threatening.”

He nodded. “I could go with you. Be an extra set of hands.”

She suppressed a grimace. “In the middle of a toddler crisis?”

“You told me it wasn’t an emergency.”

Aelin knew what he was tiptoeing around, and she didn’t have time for this conversation again. The one about taking the next step in their relationship and introducing him to Maisie.

Sam was a good guy. He was kind, and had a stable career as a heart doctor. Everyone at the hospital liked him—including pediatric patients.

Aelin didn’t know why she balked every time Sam asked to become official. 

It was the next step for them. And Aelin wanted to take it, but she wouldn’t do it until that weird feeling on her chest eased when she considered it. She wouldn’t introduce anyone into Maisie’s life until being completely certain of it.

“Are you coming back after?” He whispered on her ear, hands on her hips after they got dressed.

“I don’t know. Probably not,” Aelin said, and she meant it.

She gave him a quick kiss on the lips and hurried to Rowan’s place.

Earlier that day

It was a bit past 5 am when Rowan came to terms with the fact that Maisie would not fall asleep again.

His daughter’s last molar teeth were coming out, and he didn’t know if he felt more frustrated or relieved.

They were late, and Rowan didn’t know why. He searched online, talked about it with Aelin, took Maisie to the dentist, and the only answer we got was that he was supposed to wait.

Was it a vitamin thing? Lack of calcium? What would happen if she grew up without molar teeth? What if her teeth came out, but something was wrong with it? Couldn’t they check them with a X-ray? What if they wouldn’t come out until something else was fixed? Was this a sign of some bigger disease?

Rowan was almost losing his mind until Maisie’s gums got way too swollen to not be teething. He finally relaxed, getting this weight off his shoulders, until he remembered in the worst way the nightmare that teething was.

More specifically in her case, the irritability and sleepless nights that led to more irritability.

“I DON’T LIKE GIRLED CHEESE,” his daughter screamed at the top of her lungs, crying when he told her he’d make grilled cheese for breakfast.

Maisie loved grilled cheese.

Rowan returned the bread to its container and sighed.

“Cereal, then?”

“My tummy hurts.” She eyed him warily. “I need to go to the pool to feel better.”

Rowan forced the corners of his lips to not tug up. If Maisie sees him smile at this, she’d remember she has him wrapped around her little finger, and Rowan would lose his chance of bargaining with her.

“We can’t leave the house if you don’t eat breakfast, Mais.”

When his daughter’s lips started wobbling, Rowan knew he needed to think fast. He already had a headache from not sleeping, he’d do anything to avoid a tantrum now.

None of his offers worked, though. She trashed and screamed and cried, only stopping when he said he’d take her to the pool and buy her a popsicle there if she ate her breakfast.

After making Maisie’s grilled cheese and an unholy amount of coffee for himself, he called Lorcan.

“What,” his friend greeted, cheerful as ever.

“I’m taking Maisie to the pool. Wanna come with Charlie?”

Rowan and Lorcan weren’t the most talkative duo, but they hung out a lot because they were neighbors with kids around the same age. Well, they used to be friends before the kids too, but now it seemed like the only thing they talked about was potty training and tricks to minimize picky eating.

“Sorry man, we have a thing with Ellie’s parents. Next week?”

“Yeah, sure.”

He hung up the phone and made a mental note to pack more pool toys, since they were going alone this time.

“Daddy…”

Rowan turned to Maisie, rubbing his face to focus on her.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “I do like girled cheese.”

“That’s great, Mais.” He put a smile on, but it came out faint. Even the muscles on his face were feeling heavy.

The pool was actually a great idea. His goal was to get his daughter worked up so she’d feel tired enough to sleep the whole night through. He had no idea why he didn’t think of that before.

Rowan got the table closest to the children’s pool and bought her promised popsicle. She was eating it next to him when she saw a man with low stature pass by them, holding a girl’s hand.

“OH NO!” Maisie boomed and pointed, voice ringing. “That little girl only has a tiny little daddy!”

Rowan’s eyes widened, his blood rushing into his cheeks. Gods, he had no words for his daughter sometimes.

The man hurried his steps, not giving them a chance to apologize.

“Maisie Whitethorn,” he chastised, tone low and firm. “You cannot call other people tiny, you hear me?”

He regretted the way he’d said it the moment her eyes watered and she started weeping.

Rowan sighed, running a hand through his hair. He placed Maisie on his lap and hang his head low while he soothed her. He was so fucking tired. He didn’t mean to make her cry. Again.

Rowan stayed at the table when Maisie decided it was time to jump into the pool. Sellene once told him Aelin’s great at introducing herself to people so their daughter could make quick friends to play with, and watching Maisie play alone in the pool sent a pang through his chest.

Rowan wasn’t very sociable or charismatic, and he never missed those things either, except when it came to his daughter. Truth was, he didn’t even know how to do that. Should he introduce himself to the kids? That would be creepy. Ask the parents if his daughter could play? Better than the first option, but it sounded awkward.

Maisie seemed happy with the water toys, though. He’d do the awkward thing if she starts to look bored.

The head that rested on his hand began to feel a little too heavy, as much as his eyes. He could feel his eyelids closing, slowly—

Rowan jerked upright. What the fuck? He shouldn’t blink an eye while his daughter was surrounded by strangers like this.

He got up, splashed a handful of water from the pool on his face, and tried to keep himself awake by reading a book about potty training he bought yesterday. The worst part had gone by, but Maisie still struggled—

“DADDY!” His daughter called him, grinning.

Rowan smiled back. It was good to see his daughter this happy after the morning they had.

“What, Mais?”

She giggled before shouting, “MY POO IS SWIMMING!”

Following the direction she pointed, indeed, there was a blob of poop floating around the pool.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

In the blink of an eye, Rowan grabbed the plastic bag that came with the book he bought, jumped at the children’s pool and seized his daughter’s poop.

He held the plastic bag with one hand and Maisie’s with another while he went away, but his daughter would not leave the pool without a fight. As if the horrified looks from everyone weren’t enough. God, had they never seen a toddler being gross before?

“We’re leaving, Mais.”

“But why?” She whined.

“Come on.” He tugged at her hand.

Maisie whimpered. “Is it because of my poo?”

“Yes,” he gritted out.

She cried harder.

And on the way home. And when they were arriving home and she calmed down, they went back to square one because of fucking bath time.

“Why do I need a bath?”

Rowan took a deep breath. “Why do you think you need a bath?”

“NO!” His toddler shouted. “I DON’T WANNA THINK!”

He crouched so he’d be around Maisie’s height. “You need to shower because you went to the pool. And pooped in it.”

“I didn’t want to leave the pool!” She argued, lips wobbling while the first tears started to shed.

Rowan loved his daughter. So, so much. He would not snap at Maisie. He would not snap at Maisie. He took a deep breath.

“I know, honey, but we had to.”

“YOU’RE MEAN!” His daughter yelled. “I was happy, and you made all my happy feelings go kaboom!”

After many, many attempts of him trying to reason with a three-year-old, Rowan managed to give his daughter a shower. Maisie did cry because she wanted her mother and screamed bloody murder when it was time to rinse her hair, but they made it out alive.

Bath time had been an issue lately. Aelin liked to make a fucking show while bathing Maisie, with singing and stories and practically performing a puppet show with her toys, and their daughter loved it. The only problem was when she expected Rowan to do the same. No matter how hard he tried, he’d never get the voices or the story—or anything, really—right.

Lunch was as bad as the rest of the day. She cried because the meatballs were too big. Then she cried because she couldn’t cut them herself. So Rowan cut them for her, and she cried more because she decided she wanted the meatballs whole, not cut.

Rowan really wanted to call Aelin and ask her if Maisie was this moody yesterday too, but stopped himself. He didn’t have the mental strength to deal with Aelin Galathynius now.

And you know what? Fuck limited screen time. After lunch, Rowan turned the TV on a low-stimulating show, set Maisie on her little play mat with all the closest toys he could find and decided he’d rest on the couch until he felt like himself again.

He would do whatever the hell Maisie wanted now. Happy toddler means happy dad, and that would be enough for the rest of the day.

This children’s show… it’s really soothing, isn’t it? Rowan could feel his eyes dropping, his limbs relaxing…

Nope. No lying on the couch for him. Bad, bad idea. He got into a seating position and rolled his shoulders back. What was up with him today? Rowan was a drill instructor. He not only knew how to live under the hardest situations, he taught people how to do that.

If he survived the military, he could survive a toddler.

~~

Rowan jolted awake with his daughter’s screams.

He jumped from the couch and followed the sound of her voice, barely registering that his living room was completely covered in paint—floors, furniture, everything.

He entered the kitchen, immediately slipped on the unusually slippery tiles, and busted his hip. It was definitely going to bruise, but his focus now was sliding on the floor until he could get to Maisie.

His daughter was crying because she tried to climb on a drawer as if she were a house cat. And it obviously fell down with her weight.

He sat on the floor, hushing the little girl and repeating over and over that it’s okay.

He didn’t know if he was soothing Maisie or himself.

It was like a tornado had stormed through his kitchen.

The floor was a mix of soap, flour and cereal. Maisie had opened every singled bottom cabinet he owned and thrown its contents on the floor. She drew a sketch all over her face, and looked so dirty it looked like she had gone through an idiotic Youtube prank. And there also was the drawer she just broke, of course.

Rowan breathed in.

He would not scream at his daughter.

Breathed out.

He shouldn’t have slept.

Breathed in.

It was his fault. She was just a toddler.

Breathed out.

He would not scream at his daughter.

He didn’t want to ask her for help, but he needed someone to keep Maisie on a fucking leash so he could finish cleaning this mess today. Aelin was needed, even if her reaction would be somewhere between her shouting at him and… her shouting at him.

Rowan slowly, very slowly dialed her, resigned to his fate even before the shock passed.

“Hey,” he said when she picked up. “Are you busy?”

˜˜

Rowan was greeted with a loud cackle when Aelin came in. She immediately picked Maisie up and smacked their daughter with a kiss, not caring that it’d mess her clothes.

He looked around his trashed living room and sighed. “Don’t worry, the kitchen’s worse.”

Aelin’s eyes widened. You are so fucked, she mouthed when their daughter couldn’t see. “And what happened to your face?”

His phone was out of his pocket in a second, and Rowan groaned when he saw the sketch that had become his nose and cheeks. Very close to the dot on the nose and black lines on the cheeks that Maisie had on.

“Tigers!” The little girl giggled, pointing between her face and Rowan’s.

Aelin was trying to look serious now, but she still bumped her kid’s little nose, or the black paint in it. “You did a big mess, you know that, Maisy Daisy? Are you going to help your dad clean that up?”

Maisie frowned.

“Well, we need to,” Aelin continued, already walking into his house with Maisie in her arms to give her a bath. “If we don’t help your dad clean the kitchen, how are we going to have dinner?” She talked to her daughter until the bathroom door was closed, and Rowan couldn’t hear it anymore.

He resumed his work, thanking Mala that Maisie used the washable paint on the living room’s wooden floor. The back porch’s water hose was long enough to reach a bit of the kitchen, which would help him too.

The damage was done, now he just had to scrub. In fact, now that Aelin could look after Maisie, he felt a lot calmer about the situation.

Aelin. The light mood she was in surprised him, and Rowan hoped he hadn’t crashed her plans, given the light-blue sundress—

Rowan stopped, his jaw suddenly tight. The only thing that brought him back was the realization the water coming in a higher speed because he was squeezing the hose too much, making a bit of a mess.

He went back to work, but not without shaking off the fact that he had a good idea where she was at. With whom, actually.

Rowan couldn’t even ask her because he wasn’t supposed to know shit. Their deal was that they only needed to tell before the other introduced their partner to Maisie. But Aelin told Elide, who told Lorcan, who told Rowan about a month ago about this new boy toy of hers.

Just be prepared, Lorcan told him. And Rowan did. He prepared himself for days.

He paced around his house, thinking of the right questions to ask when the time came, and the right way to ask them. Sellene helped him find the guy’s social media. He seemed okay, but would be good enough for Maisie? He doubted it.

Rowan just knew he’d be a shitty step parent.

He posts Live, Laugh, Love Facebook captions. With the wrong capitalization. Is that the kind of example she wants to set for Maisie?

And Rowan wouldn’t even mention that horrendous yellow filter on his pictures.

Those were just facts. As someone who’s Maisie’s parent and close to nothing to Aelin, his opinion was completely unbiased.

He wanted Aelin to be happy. She was his child’s mother, of course he wanted her to be happy.

But not with Cortland.

When the girls came to the kitchen, Aelin decided to reorganize the cabinets and wash the food containers Maisie threw on the floor. They gave the little girl a cloth to wipe a thing or another, but making her ‘clean her own mess’ was more like a moral lesson than anything else. They couldn’t expect much cleaning from a three-year-old.

“You didn’t give your mom a hard time during bath time, right, Mais?”

“We played sumbarine!” The little girl giggled like she hadn’t turned bath time into a nightmare earlier today. Hell, she was lucky she was cute.

Aelin snorted. “She was fine.” A pause. “Rowan, I need to talk to you about something.”

Now?

Aelin was going to tell him about Cortland now?

His blood turned to ice, and Rowan’s stomach was rioting against her next words. He ignored it and swallowed down whatever that was, burying it as deep as he could. “Go on.”

“Rowan…” she sighed. “You don’t need to wait until after the worst was happened to ask me to come, you know?”

“No, I don’t.” He frowned, confused. What was she talking about?

Turning to him from the sink, she wiped her hands on her dress and rest her hip against the counter. “Look, I know we have the whole 50/50 schedule figured out, but the timetables aren’t that rigid even in the military.”

Rowan opened his mouth to speak, but Aelin lifted her finger, letting him know she wasn’t done.

“You didn’t sleep a wink the whole night, and you didn’t think of asking me too look after my own daughter while you take a break? Seriously?” She took a deep breath, calming herself, and ran a hand through her hair. “I swear to God, Rowan, you’ll call me literally anytime, except when you actually need me.”

His posture slumped, but he didn’t stop scrubbing. He’d get defensive any other day, but Rowan felt so fucking tired. He didn’t have anything in him to have this conversation now, so he opted for changing the subject.

“Thanks for coming, by the way.”

Her posture relaxed, eyes slowly softening. “Yeah. I saved your—“

Aelin stopped herself before she could say an improper word in front of Maisie. But she did, indeed, save his sorry ass.

“You saved me,” he rephrased her thoughts in a proper way.

“You bet I did,” she quietly said around a small smile.

It took a long time to finish cleaning up, but sooner than he thought, thanks to Aelin. She spent half the time helping him, the other wrangling Maisie so she wouldn’t get in his way. It was exactly what he needed. Besides, something about having his house in perfect order was incredibly soothing. He was still exhausted, but scrubbing his kitchen clean with little to no disturbance helped him calm down.

Now the three of them were eating popcorn while watching a TV because it was the best they could do after this day.

Aelin tapped his shoulder from the other side of the couch.

After being awake the majority of last night, one morning at the pool, one trashed house and trying to interrupt a deep-cleaning session, Maisie Galathynius Whitethorn had finally fallen asleep.

The score was still four to one to teething, but at this exact moment, Rowan felt like he won.

Aelin picked Maisie up from the couch, but apparently her daughter’s sleep wasn’t that deep yet.

“No,” she protested. “More movies.”

Aelin chuckled and whispered, “We can’t watch another movie, Mais.”

Maisie’s head was falling to the side with drowsiness, but she was stubborn as ever. “Can I watch the same movie again?”

“No…” Aelin bumped the little girl’s nose. “But you’re a very smart cookie.”

Maisie frowned. “I’m not a cookie.”

She chuckled. “Sorry, kiddo.”

“Not a kiddo,” the little girl mumbled.

Aelin walked toward their daughter’s bedroom and Rowan sighed, relieved that she didn’t protest. This time.

“You’re not a cookie. You’re not a kiddo,” Aelin said on her way. “What are you, then?”

“I’m a Maisie.”

Rowan couldn’t see them, but he could still hear his daughter’s answer, spoken as softly as the kiss Aelin smacked on the little girl.

His whole body relaxed when he heard quiet footsteps coming back. It’s not like he didn’t want Maisie awake and here with them, he was just exhausted from the day. From the week, actually.

“Is she out?”

Aelin snorted. “Like the dead.” She looked around, not really knowing what do with herself and the weird silence that settled. “Don’t you wanna sleep some too? I can make myself scarce.”

Rowan’s body was, indeed, screaming for some rest. He didn’t know what happened when his mouth blurted the opposite thing.

”I was thinking about another movie.” He scratched the back of his head. “Preferably one that doesn’t involve ballerinas and talking animals.”

That seemed to perk Aelin’s interest up. “Like something with assassins?”

“Or spies.”

“Wars.”

“Blood.” He gave a pointed glance to the half-empty popcorn bowl. “And I can make more of these.”

“Good.” She grinned and sat back on the couch, turning the TV on. “I’ll find out what our options are.”

Aelin’s glaze darted back between Rowan and the bowl, silently telling him to rush with the popcorn.

God, how long did he stand there, staring at her?

That day kept getting weirder and weirder. Rowan didn’t want to complain more than he already did, though.

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[mccncreatures]

rainfall + Asher & maisie

The rain pattered on them all as they ran the gear back into the firehouse, coming back out to double check the truck and let it get washed off so that they wouldn’t have to work any harder tomorrow. Asher laughed as one of the other firefighters playfully nudged him, shoving the other back lightly when he began looking around, happy with how the night had turned out.

That’s when he saw her. Just standing there, watching. But the minute his eyes met hers, she moved to disappear. Asher stood there for a minute, debating just letting her leave. She’d made it clear she wouldn’t stay. But as he turned to go in, he poked at his squad mates and sighed. “Hector! I’ll be back.” With that he went back out into the rain, running after her until he caught up. “Hey! Hold on. This recon for your friends?” He called out.

She paused and turned to look at him, almost not meeting his gaze. “I shouldn’t be here.” It was a simple sentence. But it carried so much weight in the space between them. “Yeah… you shouldn’t. You could get in trouble. Put yourself or me in danger. You could put people at risk. You could get hurt, get me hurt. A lot of things could happen. A million things could happen. And yet… you keep doing this. Just showing up in my life like it’s not gonna make everything turn upside down for me.”

He took a couple of deep breaths and held his hands up. “I don’t know why I feel this way. You ask any of my friends, ask Kaya. They never thought it’d be me here falling hard because I was either gonna be the guy who chased tail or the guy who stayed pathetically in love with someone who never wanted him in the first place. I coulda been fine being those things I guess. Everyone knew I was bound to be a fuck up but then… but then you. One night and you go and change everything.”

He raked a hand through jet black hair sticking to his face and looked down. “I don’t know what happened Mais but I looked at you and I saw these big green fucking eyes looking at me like I meant something that night and I… I tried better to be something worth looking at. So yeah we got thousands of reasons why this shouldn’t work. Why this can’t work. You’ve got things to figure out and I’m… I’m quite possibly the worst thing that could’ve happened to you but there’s that other possibility that I could be good for you. Good to you. And I would be.” Nodding, he took one more step to her closing most of the space.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me but I look at you and I see someone who could be my best friend. Someone who believes in me and the good things I may or may not deserve. I see someone who could become my very best friend. And if you don’t see any of that in me… that I can probably live with cause fuck I wouldn’t see it in me either. So when you’re ready for that date I’m gonna be here cause if there’s one thing I am… it’s yours. Past any common sense if you want me.”

They stood there for a minute and Asher looked down and away. “But you gotta stop doing this. Because every time I see you… and it might be every time you’re just here watching I trick myself. I trick myself into thinking you want me, too. Or you could come in. Meet the crew. Be part of a bit of my life and let me in a little more. Give it a go… whatever happens here, you decide.” He leaned in then pressing the gentle kiss to her forehead, eyes closing and wanting nothing more than to stay there for one minute, or two before he let go and walked away.

[bisluthq]

Which do you think was the most "authentic" Taylor era? I feel like a lot of early fans tend to go with one of the first 3 since that's when she became a fan, but I personally don't agree with that. With the context of the re-records and shit she's said in interviews, it actually seems like those eras were a lot more contrived in parts than a lot of her later ones - I think you can also make the argument for 1989 being a bit "fake," because it follows the same issue of her early eras where she was trying to portray an image that wasn't entirely accurate, that image just changed from the time she was 19 to the time she was 25.

From rep-now there was imo more of a distance, but shit the vault tracks and midnights shed some light on a lot of the stuff she tried to "hide" back in the day (like the fact that she had sex, and did/surrounded herself with people who did drugs).

It's very striking to me how different the like Fearless era is from now, and how the album that was written during that time (Speak Now) and the one just released (TTPD) are both V personal but in V different ways. Like Speak Now was very specific in terms of like... the people she wrote the songs about, because she said her #1 goal with that album was to make sure the people who inspired the songs knew they were about them. TTPD is personal in a different way, but not one I'm able to articulate.

so I love this question and I’m gonna out my age and how much of my life I’ve spent online - not that I hide it - but I wanna say like… debut and Fearless and SN Taylor to a point were very authentic Taylor if you were in fandom. I think that’s where Swifties got “the media” v “us” from. Because like Swifties did legit “know” Taylor a lot better than the media sanitized image of her, and the vast majority of her vlogging/blogging/content creation wasn’t covered by media and she was funny and raw and whatnot. She didn’t say openly that she drank or had sex but most fans in her age group - so like me on the peripheries because I wasn’t a huge fan but my bestie was - knew that. She made dirty jokes and she fucked around and we knew that whole Disney crowd is naughty and media soundbites to the contrary don’t mean much.

my friend stopped being a fan in 1989 because she said “that’s not Taylor”. She’d been less of a fan during RED already because it wasn’t quite the same but 1989 was just… not Taylor.

I think what she then got better at is understanding she can BE Taylor but cannot now be how she was to start and she started separating work (including fans, which I think she realized over time were like… becoming too many to be a manageable group of people she could playfully engage with) from her life (friends, family, Joe, Matty, Travis). So I think 1989-Lover were least authentic and she’s very much herself now but she’s not a girl you can like have banter with like you still can with idk Maisie Peters (who got the idea from Tay). She’s… female musical Jesus and she can ABSOLUTELY be herself but she can’t like… know everyone who knows her at all and the media ARE Swifties and Swifties drive the media (which tbf started to happen around RED and Harry).

I think the people who feel she was inauthentic in the first few eras or “changed” dramatically just… became fans later or weren’t that active in fandom then and got most of it from media coverage or were kids and just didn’t engage as much back then. She was very much herself and she still is but in 2008 you didn’t publicly go out and say “besties I’m underage but hungover as shit” lol. So that really wasn’t a big lie at all. And she NEVER spoke about sex so as not to lie imo and her lyrics since pre debut consider it and Fifteen explicitly mentions that Abi did it at fifteen. So like… idk man Taylor’s always been Taylor and she was less Taylor while trying to figure the Taylor Swift Phenomenon out but she’s still Taylor now and has been imo publicly since folkmore.

[helenofsimblr]

Maisie: Well hello there Stella. And, I see you’ve had a friend over.

Stella: Uh yeah, Maisie, this is Triton he’s uh, kind of a big deal here on the islands, we were just discussing Sulanian laws and customs and the like.

Triton: Good evening, Maisie. I trust you are enjoying being here on the islands?

Stella: I immediately felt my heart rate triple, maybe even quadruple. He asked her a question! With Maisie that usually meant certain doom, because gods only knew what she was going to say. The girl had no filter back then, and she still doesn’t now. 

Morrigan: It is better to speak directly and be clearly understood than to use clever language and be misinterpreted.

Stella: That is very true. But there are still limits.

****

Maisie: I can’t complain, and clearly I have been looking in all the wrong places for these island hotties. Stella, where did you find such a wonderful specimen?

Stella: He isn’t a “Specimen” Maisie, he’s my new friend and you need to be more polite. 

Maisie: I meant no harm, I assure you. After all it would be most impolite of me as a guest of the islands to be rude, right? Especially to your “Friend” Stella. 

Stella: Maisie took one look at your father and I think she figured out exactly what we had been doing in there, and studying law was most definitely not it. This is why she was so highly amused I dare say. 

****

Stella: Your father looked a bit bemused by Maisie, and to be fair, who could blame him. He looked at Maisie and then back to me with a “Help me” look on his face.

Ozen: Oh! If only I could have been there with a camera! The eminent king of Sulani put in his box by a mouthy blonde from the mainland! 

Morrigan: *chuckles quietly* So… I am assuming that your friend was unable to see father as you did?

Stella: That is correct, later I would learn that Maisie saw him as a dark tanned hunky looking fisherman with his hair tied up. She couldn’t see his pasty white form. Anyway, where was I?

Stella: Thank-you Maisie, unfortunately, Triton has to go now, don’t you Triton?

Triton: Uh, yes, I have matters to attend to. It was wonderful to discuss our ways and laws with you Stella. Hopefully we can do it again?

Stella: Hopefully yes. 

[manuscripts-dontburn]

Stone Blind

Author: Natalie Haynes

First published: 2022

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

I am so, so sorry, but this one was a mess. The Gods ruin it, because they are, in fact, 21st century teenagers. The other thing that ruins it is a million points of view which chop the story up in a way that takes every exciting moment away, stretching it until you just do not care one bit. And Medusa? She is a minor character, to the point of being in the story for less than even half of it. Natalie Haynes can do better and has done better.

What Maisie Knew

Author: Henry James

First published: 1897

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

Dear Lord... I think this was the most tedious and boring book I have read this year so far. If I was not listening to it on audio, I would have DNF-ed it halfway through. I was hoping for much, much more from a classic dealing with a child of a messy divorce and custody battle in times when divorce was still a dirty word. Sadly this is just a mix of awful people and a desperately naive kid in situations that are so repetitive I could have cried.

The Golden Enclaves

Author: Naomi Novik

First published: 2022

Rating: ★★★★☆

I cannot deny this whole series has issues, mainly it needed much, much more editing, and the info-dumps, so often taking a form of a stream of consciousness, can get tiring. And yet, this last book ties it together with a bow so well, I cannot help but applaud Naomi Novik for creating an original, interesting, and captivating version of the world. The finale left me positively breathless.

Elisabeth: portraits of an Empress

Author: Brigitte Hamann

First published: 1998

Rating: ★★★★★

A very nice, quite comprehensive gallery of official portraits, photographs and prints of the famous Empress, that would make a perfect companion to a full-blown biography. Perhaps the one by Brigitte Hamann herself.

The Seed Keeper

Author: Diane Wilson

First published: 2021

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Some parts of this book are extremely touching and well-written. Unfortunately, other parts bored me. I felt like the author needed to make the story tighter, and more focused. Much of what was happening seemed to only skim a surface of a situation, many of which could carry great importance within the story.

Off With Her Head: Three Thousand Years of Demonizing Women in Power

Author: Eleanor Herman

First published: 2022

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

(Wo)Maaan this was a MESS. I don´t even know where to start.There is really no logic in how the narrative is arranged. The history part is only about 25%, 10% talk about women in other places than US and the overwhelming majority of information is about Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris and Nanci Pelosi. Essentially, if you have even a tiny interest in US politics, there is nothing new or surprising (though of course, it can still make you angry). The only thing this book says is that there are awful double standards and women in power have always been treated much more harshly and cruelly than men - something we all know, cannot dispute and it could have been a Tumblr post. But frankly, Mary Beard said the same thing with fewer words and greater impact in her Women & Power: A Manifesto.I feel kinda bad about rating this book so low, considering the topic, but this was just too basic and not well put together.

Nightingales: The Extraordinary Upbringing and Curious Life of Miss Florence Nightingale

Author: Gillian Gill

First published: 2004

Rating: ★★★★☆

The amount of research done for this book and the included details that stem from it is simply astonishing. That can be seen as both an advantage and a disadvantage of the book, depending on what you want and how much of it you want. If you read this only to familiarize yourself with the remarkable Florence Nightingale, you will be probably swamped by the wealth of information about her extended family (and even some ancestors) and the almost tedious narration of her life before the Crimean mission. However, if you like family sagas, delving deep into Victorian daily life and attitudes, you will have your fill with this book. The title is indeed truthful to the content. One also must mention that even though dense, the book is very readable and easy to navigate (at least once you get over all those ancestors).

The Rules of Magic

Author: Alice Hoffman

First published: 2017

Rating: ★★★★★

Do you like - magical realism? - strong and believable family ties? - romance? - beautiful writing? Then pick up this book.

Triangle: The Fire That Changed America

Author: David von Drehle

First published: 2003

Rating: ★★★★☆

I had some problems following the opening chapters dealing with the hidden politics of New York in the early 1900s, and the frequent breaks in the narrative to introduce nearly everyone felt sometimes jarring, but all in all, this was a well-researched and sensitive tribute to those who lost their lives during this horrific event. It is also a loud call-out of greed and its favorite child, capitalism. What truly terrifies one is the fact, that things like this still happen and the underlying reasons are always the same.

The House is on Fire

Author: Rachel Beanland

First published: 2023

Rating: ★★★★☆

This is a solid piece of historical fiction that uses the same style that made books like Salt to the Sea and All the Light We Cannot See so very readable: short chapters that keep changing points of view. I liked the fact that the whole book is set during just three days, showing how quickly and unexpectedly lives can completely change. I was also glad to learn about this tragic event - the historian in me is always, always interested in learning.

The Corset

Author: Laura Purcell

First published: 2018

Rating: ★★★★★

Not gonna lie, this was pretty great! Sure, the story of Dorothea is not really as engaging as the story of Ruth, but Dorothea´s chapters provide a welcome breathing space from the suspense and horror of Ruth´s. The longer you read the more difficult the book is to put down. Excellent gothic novel.

Empty Theatre: or, The Lives of King Ludwig II of Bavaria and Empress Sisi of Austria (Queen of Hungary), Cousins, in Their Pursuit of Connection and Beauty...

Author: Jac Jemc

First published: 2023

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

I was stunned by how purposefully artless the writing was. I also believe a "satire" should be more than just being snarky about real historical people. The whole thing felt extremely pointless. Save your time for better books, all ya readers of historical fiction.

The Brontës: The Fantastically Feminist (and Totally True) Story of the Astonishing Authors

Author: Anna Doherty

First published: 2022

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Sweet and simple introduction to the magnificent Bronte sisters for little kids.

Little Fires Everywhere

Author: Ng Celeste

First published: 2017

Rating: ★★★☆☆

This is a very, very good book. It was, unfortunately, simply not for me, who gets easily bored by American middle-class drama. The most interesting parts dealt directly with the adoption case, which turned out to be a subplot rather than the main event.

[arielxdavis]

Welcome to Aurora Bay, [ARIEL DAVIS]! I couldn’t help but notice you look an awful lot like [HUNTER SCHAFER]. You must be the [TWENTY-SIX] year old [MEDICAL STUDENT AT THE AURORA BAY HOSPITAL]. Word is you’re [RESILIENT] but can also be a bit [CRITICAL] and your favorite song is [DON’T STOP BY FLEETWOOD MAC]. I also heard you’ll be staying in [OCEAN CREST APARTMENTS]. I’m sure you’ll love it!

tw: child neglect, underage drinking, alcohol, smoking, death, fire

basic

Full Name: Ariel Amelia Davis Age: Twenty-six Height: 5′10″ Gender & Pronouns: trans-woman & she/her Orientation: Pansexual Residential Area: Ocean Crest Apartments, Aurora Bay Occupation:  Medical student at Aurora Bay Hospital Relationship status: Single

bio

Life was never easy for the young Ariel Davis; whilst she never remembered being given up as a baby, merely at a few months of age, it affected her entire life. Only by a miracle was she adopted at a fairly young age, after spending just under a year in foster care. Everyone was hopeful, even the little girl who knew no better than to call everyone her mama or dada.

Being the observant child that Ariel was, she figured out a lot of things at a young age. She knew why the sky was blue, why the snow was cold, why trees stripped of their leaves during autumn, or that she was born in the wrong body. Her gender identity did not match what she was assigned at birth, and she saw no issues with wanting to fix that. Growing out her short hair was the norm, and wanting to wear skirts or dresses was absolutely something that she was looking forward to each day.

Only, her adoptive parents did not seem to think the same way. The moment her hair would get too long, Ariel would be forced to endure a haircut, and her requests to buy that pretty dress would be easily met with a resounding no. Whilst she thought nothing of it, and figured that she had to behave nicely and do everything her parents asked of her, that was not the case. Before she reached the age of seven, Ariel was back in the foster care system, her world shaken up once more.

That was when she met her foster sister Maisie. Coming from difficult backgrounds helped the two girls bond, and they became attached at the hip despite their age difference, creating the family neither of them really ever had. And while their time together as sisters was brief, Ariel never really forgot her once they got separated once more, always remembering the older girl as the sister that she never really had.

By the time she was eleven, Ariel was adopted by a lovely couple from all the way in Aurora Bay. Mr. and Mr. Davis were immediately supportive of her, falling for the little girl and her kind eyes. Only in their care did Ariel finally get to be herself, blossoming into a beautiful girl over the years. She knew she had her fathers' love and care to thank for it, and she couldn't be happier. They were there for her through everything, through the pain and tears, happiness and fears, victories and failures. They helped her open up and truly become herself, and by the time when she was sixteen, she was proud to take their last name.

Whilst she was a relatively mature and smart child, it didn't mean that Ariel did not get up to various shenanigans when she was a teenager. Befriending a group of teenagers, and becoming part of their group was a wonderful experience, and it was there that Ariel got to experience many new things; be it drinking, smoking, or even first crushes. Being confused about her feelings was normal for a teenager, but when she found herself trying to catch every glimpse of Darcy, always trying to make her smile, Ariel knew it wasn't just because she cared deeply about her friend. Still, whilst her crush might have been obvious to everyone else, she stuck to the friendship instead, wishing nothing but to be there for her.

Only, she never thought that this would be the way that Ariel would have to stick by Darcy. One of the nights when they were out partying - just their little group of friends - a fire started. Ariel wasn't paying much attention, but she was sure to check in on her, and make sure that Darcy made it out okay. All of them were shaken, and when Ariel realized that one of her friends didn't make it out alive, her whole world fell apart.

It was a lot to take in for a group of friends whose lives had just begun, and it was only by a miracle - or Darcy's father, really - that no one found out about what went down that night. Whilst it affected Ariel, she tried to be there for her best friend, for Darcy, doing everything she could to support her. So when she, one day, came home to a letter, stating that Darcy was gone, her heart was shattered. Ariel wasn't placing a lot of hope in her crush that she hadn't even revealed, but it hurt nevertheless. Still, it was enough of a push to finally accept the university offers she had been given, and once she was finally able to, Ariel packed up her suitcases, said goodbyes to her fathers, and left Aurora Bay.

Wanting to heal and help others seemed to come naturally to Ariel, and it made sense for her to get a medical degree. Whilst it took her a little while to realize that, she had grown to love the profession. It meant countless hours of studying, but it also meant that she was simply too busy to think about the what-ifs. Besides, the company was always great, keeping her busy, and while she made sure that her grades remained high, her party spirit never really went away. In her mind, it kept things balanced; besides, what was the point of her university ays if she wasn't having well-deserved fun?

It was only recently that Ariel had been given a spot as a medical student at Aurora Bay. After careful consideration - and missing iners at her fathers' place- Ariel had finally agreed to return back to Aurora Bay, not really expecting the ghosts of her future to be there, waiting for her.

@aurorabayaesthetic

[avatar0ftheeye]

helllooo!!!!! Welcome to part 6!! It might be a bit shorter than the rest because this session was mostly story building, but I hope you enjoy anyway!

here’s part 6 of Dungeons and Teenagers!

the teens stand, dumbfounded at what they had just done.

“who was that?” Asked Damien to Maisie

“that was my therapist Darlene. Really sweet country woman, best therapist I’ve ever had :]” Maisie replies. Nobody seems to question how Goose pulled a broken landline phone out of his hat and the fact that it still worked (he’s a sentient goose with a magic Mary Poppins hat, why are they going to question him?)

“Hate to interrupt,” says a voice behind them, “but I have to fight the duck.” The players turn around to see the cloaked figure of Death still standing there.

“why?” Asks damien

Me: DONT YOU DARE DO THIS AGAIN

Damien: I DO WHAT I WANT

Me: fine, Roll persuasion but you need to get really high-

Damien: ANOTHER NAT 20

me: IM GOING HOME

Damien: WE’RE IN YOUR HOUSE

so by some MIRACLE from the DND GODS Damien rolled ANOTHER NATURAL 20 on PERSUASION on ANOTHER BOSS

Death stands there, perplexed. “Because it’s my job? That’s what you summoned me here for.”

“well who’s your boss?” Asked damien, stepping in front of Goose

“I am, technically, my own boss. I mean, I’m death.”

“So who wrote the rules?”

“I did?”

“Do you want to follow the rules?”

death shuffled in place, slightly embarrassed. “Not really. I don’t really like the whole reaping thing anymore.”

damien smiled a small smile. “Then quit. You don’t have to do this.”

Death pondered this. “You’re right! I don’t have to do this, I can do what I want to do!” Death ripped off his cloak. Now, in front of the teens, did not stand a menacing man in a cloak. There stood a floating skull in a 3 piece suit. “I’m gonna be an accountant! Thanks kids!” Death smiled and strutted out of the castle, on his way to fulfill his accountant dream.

the kids, once again, stand dumbfounded staring at Damien who fully thwarted the DM’s BBEG plans by sending one to therapy to get better and the other to accounting.

Damien walked over to a passed out Jim on the floor and kicked him awake. “Hey bitchboy wake up.”

Jim stirred from the kick to the gut. He sat up quickly and gasped. “Did we win? Is he dead?”

“no, but he’s getting help!” Called Maisie. Jim sat up slowly as Damien returned to the group. They circled him, menacingly.

“you were working with the devil the whole time?” Asked Alex, “why?”

Jim smiled, a smile that none of them were used too. He was…happy? “The blood pact is broken, I can finally explain!” He said happily. “Okay, so when I found out your parents were back in the realms, I knew I had to send them back home. I had helped them before when they were here before, about 14 years ago when I was 2. I knew I couldn’t do it alone, so I went to the only person I knew would want them out as well…” he side eyed Maisie, “your mom kinda…reallllyyy liked him when she was here…” Maisie gagged. Jim laughed anxiously. “So I went to him and asked for help. He said that he would, but I would have to make a deal. The blood pact made it so I could send them home when I wanted to but I couldn’t tell you. The thought was that you’d kill me because I couldn’t explain. If I tried to explain, I’d flip inside out. I hoped that you wouldn’t…” he trailed off. Everyone, including Jim, knew that they would have. They would have killed him if this hadn’t happened. The players stopped circling and stood, silent.

“do you know where the rest of the parents are? Specifically my mom?” Thomas asked. Jim nodded slowly.

“I just know where your mom is. Cambria chase? Tall, hijab, anxious all the time?” Jim asked. Thomas smiled wide.

“YEAH! Where is she??” Thomas asked excitedly. Jim begun to answer before Damien interrupted.

“Slow down, how can we trust you? You had a pact with the devil himself, we have no reason to trust anything you say.” Damien said menacingly. Jim solemnly nodded. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife. The party members jumped back quickly, but jim didn’t charge at any of them.

instead, he cut off his own thumb.

the players gagged in horror.

Jim walked slowly over to Damien and handed it to him. “A token to prove my loyalty. If I help you, you give it back, if I betray you, you destroy it.”

Damien smirked. “I won’t four-get this.” He teased. Jim’s face fell at this mockery. He sighed and begun walking toward the door.

“Let’s go find Cambria.”

[narryffdreaming]

I have read all of your stories and I love that you have main characters and not y/n / reader insert because it gives the story that much more depth because the characters are complex and I'm sure people still identify with the main character on some level because they feel so human. I was wondering how you come up with the characters? Are they based (character and appearance) on someone you know or your self or completely made up or? I'm truly fascinated

💘💘💘 cant thank you enough for asking about the characters!!! istg!!! i love this SO MUCH that i intentionally took a little to answer just so i could do it properly 💘💘💘

so, first of all, i just wanna say that i dont insist on creating main characters because i think they're better or anything like that, but because i dont know how to do it any other way. it is what makes sense to me, and it is the reason why i am so passionate about writing. ive studied theater/performing arts most of my life, so for YEARS i played around with watching people on the streets and imagining what their lives could be. i learned how to find motives for someone to do this or that, how to create at least some minimum of background story and how to plan a story with beginning, middle, and end. and i always loved that SO MUCH and was SO fascinated by it, that when i decided to stop pursuing a career as an actress, i also decided to get a psychology degree just so i could learn even more about how people think/act/react/feel + how that's all connected, etc.

and in the end, thats how i come up with characters. because its basically part of me now lol i do it naturally and i cant help it, and even if im doing one scene or writing just 300 words, I'll still need SOMETHING to base myself on (even if it's just the tiniest bit of information). maybe i won't share the main characters' names with anyone or mention anything about their lives, but i can promise you they more than definitely have a full name and past somewhere in my mind.

with that in mind, the way i come up with specific characters for my stories is completely different. i created maisy and harry from the prompt "we're not just friends and you fucking know it" and that was supposed to be really short. so i knew the names, and knew how their friendship started, and some details here and there, but didnt dig TOO MUCH into their past stories. cant even remember why i chose maisy as her name tbh lol however lia and harry was different, i first created harrys personality from this one picture of him that i was looking at one day, and then i created lia. and then, for a toast to the future, someone requested a one-shot based on harry in Italy and somehow i came up with aurora and everything else.

none of my characters are based on myself, tho. like, for me, creating characters and stories is supposed to be a distraction, kinda like "stepping out of who i am", yknow? so i cant write if im picturing myself or writing about my own flaws and traumas and things like that lol at the same timmmmeeee, we ALWAYS end up putting a little bit of ourselves into our writing (whoever says they aren't they are lying to themselves lol). i had a best friend who never admitted we were way more than friends, which was why i chose that prompt back in 2020. our story has NOTHING to do with maisy and harry for many many many reasons, but i didnt choose that prompt randomly. then lia... well, that was very cathartic to me and probably the most personal lol years ago i was dating a guy who told me "i should be more spontaneous" and i never realized how much it had bothered me and stuck with me until i based myself on that to create lia. i mean, im not like her in many many ways, but i wanted to create a character who struggled to speak up (i struggle to put my thoughts in order bc of my adhd, she struggles bc of her anxiety) and stand up for that character. she's not perfect and i know some people dont have too much patience for the way she behaves/thinks, but in the end i guess thats basically my point with the story? like people dont have too much patience, but thats on them. we shouldnt be trying so hard to change in order to please them or be more socially acceptable/welcomed.

ANYWAY... as you can see i could write HOURS AND HOURSSSSSSS about this. i didnt even get into Aurora bc thats a whole other long story that probably deserved its own answer lol but yeah, in the end, Lia's entire life was created so it makes sense that she is the way she is rn. same goes for harry!!! also didn't get into appearance and so many other things 😩 but i have to stop writing at some point which is RIGHT NOW!!!!!

🫂🫂🫂💘💘💘

[maisie-espinosa]

Maisie's nose scrunched teasingly, her hand pressing to her chest. You'd make time for little old me? I'm honored.

She sat there, listening to Kenneth tell her about the reasoning behind his venture into real estate and affordable housing. It was a nice story to hear, those who were looking to help humanity growing less and less with each day, at least that's what it felt like. She couldn't help but feel glad that the man in front of her was one of the good ones, knowing that her judgement about him, even all those years ago when they were just kids running around the neighborhood, was accurate. Just like she told him, it was usually easy to tell who had a good soul. That's a really amazing thing. She started, thankful that her parents had owned their home in Claret Park and hadn't struggled like others had to. I bet you've helped a lot of people that get to have better futures because you are a part of their present.

The question about her brothers took her by more surprise than it should have, especially because Kenneth was, at the beginning of their history, actually friends with her older brothers — so why wouldn't he end up asking about them? It was only in that moment that she realized she wasn't sure if he knew about Oliver and dreaded having to break the news to him. Nephews, Maisie nodded, happy to put off talking about her brothers for a little. Tae and Jae. They're around eleven and thirteen now, I think? It's hard to keep up, they grow so fast. They're Oliver's. Zeke and Christopher moved away years ago, but they're doing good. Zeke's in Boulder, so he visits a bit. I haven't had a chance to mention we ran into each other yet.

I think I'd be able to schedule you in. Kenneth smiles, rolling his eyes playfully and checking his watch to keep up the charade.

Sitting there with Maisie made him feel like he had been pulled backward to a time where the only things that he worried about was the middle of August and the two weeks that his mother and his step-father visited from Baltimore. Kenneth looked forward to those summers away where he could be authentic, even if he had never really been able to open up completely. My mother didn't work after she met my step-dad. He admits, deciding that the woman sitting in front of him was safe. I got a job to make up for it but it wasn't always enough to cover the ridiculously high rent in the city - now that I've outsourced most of my business, I find myself wanting to provide affordable housing for those in similar situations. Kenneth shrugs.

Nephews? There is a grin now. How old are they? And how are your brothers?

[bi-bard]

I Know I'll Get Better, I'm Just Not Better Yet - Dean Forester Imagine (Gilmore Girls)

Title: I Know I'll Get Better, I'm Just Not Better Yet

Pairing: Dean Forester X Reader

Song: You Signed Up for This

Word Count: 857 words

Warning(s): self-esteem discussion

Summary: (Y/n) is struggling to feel good enough for Dean. Especially because his ex-girlfriend is the golden apple of Stars Hollow.

Author's Note: Here we go!!

Masterlist for the Maisie Peters Writing Challenge!

--------------------------------------

I clenched my jaw a little bit as I heard yet another person talk about how amazing Rory Gilmore was.

This town truly had nothing else to focus on.

When I was walking to school, there was an older couple casually chatting about her achievements at school. Sweet and innocent.

At lunch, there were a few kids talking about her like she was the one that got out. I don't even think they knew I was there. No harm done.

Finally, when I stopped at the diner to wait for Dean, there was another table gossiping about how fast Dean moved on and how fast I was to "turn on Rory" to be with him. Like she didn't turn around and jump into Jess's arms as soon as she could.

I don't think that everyone had cruel intentions but that duo at the diner knew what they were doing. I was sitting right next to them. It was my final straw.

I let out a sigh before putting down the menu and storming out.

Dean was walking to the door just as I was walking out.

"(Y/n)," he said happily.

I ignored him, walking down the sidewalk toward my house. I was looking at the ground, trying to hide the tears that I was barely holding back. I was so tired.

"(Y/n)," he repeated, now sounding like a question.

He followed me down the sidewalk. He tried to place his arm around me, but I shrugged him off.

"Do you wanna talk about it," he asked. "Or do you want me to just be here?"

I was so lost in my thoughts that I barely heard him. All I could do was give him a half-hearted shrug.

I made it to the pathway to my door without uttering a word. Dean was just walking with me, following me like a sad puppy.

He followed me inside, waving at my mom as we walked up the stairs to my room. He made sure that my door stayed open.

I threw my bag on the ground and buried myself under my covers. My shoulders shook as the dam finally broke and I couldn't hold back my tears anymore.

"Hey, hey, hey," Dean said as he laid next to me, wrapping his arms around my torso. "It's alright. I'm here."

He was just stabilizing me. Making sure that I knew he was there. He couldn't fix something when he didn't know what was wrong, so he was addressing the problem he knew about.

I don't know how long I spent crying like that. Just shaking and begging the world to swallow me up so I didn't have to worry about anything around me.

I slowly calmed down.

As I stopped shaking, Dean leaned over and kissed the side of my head.

"What's going on," he asked softly.

I moved away just enough that I could roll over and face him. He gave me a gentle grin.

"Do you wanna talk about what happened," he was almost whispering.

"They're just obsessed with her," I said. "All of them. Because Rory is so great and smart and pretty and I'm a terrible person for wanting to be happy while she was more than okay with jumping into a relationship with a complete ass."

Dean's eyebrows furrowed.

"I go through every day hearing about Rory Gilmore, the fucking golden star of this entire goddamn town and I just... I can't win."

"(Y/n)-"

"I'm trying to be better," I continued rambling. "I try to study more and put more money into my looks and stuff and-"

"Hey, hey," Dean cut me off, cupping the sides of my face.

"I'm trying," I repeated.

"I don't need you to be 'better'," he said. "I just need you. You and your rambling and your very unhealthy love of horror movies and your need to listen to music that you listened to when you were little. I don't need more than who you are."

I didn't respond.

Dean leaned over and pressed his lips to mine softly. My eyes fluttered shut as I slowly kissed him back.

The kiss was over as fast as it started. He pressed another kiss to my forehead and then my cheek and then my nose.

"I love you," he whispered.

I felt my heart skip a beat because holy shit. That was a big step for the two of us. It took me a moment to collect my thoughts because they were scattered by his confession.

"I love you too," I let a smile grow on my lips as I said it. It was nice to say it. To know that it was out there.

He smiled back before standing up. My smile dropped for a moment before I realized what he was doing. he kicked off his shoes and pulled off his jacket before laying under the covers with me.

"I have homework," I muttered, suddenly very tired.

"It can wait," he replied. His arms wrapped around me so he could pull me toward his chest. "I love you... a lot."

I closed my eyes and grinned, "I love you too."

--------------------------------------

Masterlist

What I Write For

Request Guidelines

Some Original Characters

folklore/evermore Writing Challenge (and Masterlist)

[maisiemormont]

Maisie quickly realized what Dacey meant and a swelling weight rose in her body. Some women really couldn't stay alive. The memories of grief for each of them, even those she wasn't close to. It wasn't guilt, but perhaps it was the realization that at some point she could be one of them, a victim who didn't even have a chance to fight "But we'd better believe that we'll survive everything that can happen" Mormont's voice was as thin as a thread "If I think I might die one day for being part of all this..." She sighs and puts her hands together, controlling the urge to snap her fingers "I think I'd be held hostage by that feeling and I won't do what I need to do" She bites her lip and shakes her head, pushing it all away "Sorry for venting, I don't usually have anyone to share these things with" She cracks a small smile, trying to show that everything was fine.

"Yes, strong. You have to be strong to keep who you are kind of in the middle of these things, not just anyone could handle such a load, Princess" This was Maisie's thought, it might go against the natural river of people's minds, but allowing important issues in your life to be chosen by others, with the greater good in mind, was as honorable as fighting against the current "I don't think so, you have to be brave to do that and live your life so well, just look at history, some people have caused wars because they wouldn't accept having their lives decided by others? It's not a good example, but I think you get the idea" She frowns, realizing that he may have messed up between words.

"The forest is like a safe home, isn't it? Where we can be without barriers. Maybe, when you get married, you can be lucky enough to live near the forest and have simple little moments, take your children to the riverside" A smile settled on her face, a dreamy look on her face. Maisie knew it was a dream far removed from the reality they both had. For some, being a Lady and especially a Princess, with countless perks and freedoms, but everything had a price to pay over the years.

"I wish I could tell the difference between the good guys and the bad guys, but when I try, I get nowhere" She bit her lip, a little afraid to express her true thoughts on the matter. Maisie didn't even think she was good. "Yes, they're good for us, I wish Westeros was full of men like them, maybe all these situations wouldn't exist"

"Not very cruel, it felt like something inside me knew something was going to happen... like an omen that I should be prepared for something important" And it was true, for a long time an agonizing feeling took hold of Mormont's heart, preventing her from closing her eyes peacefully at night; she always ended up waking sweating from a nightmare she couldn't remember. The first few times, she thought it was her lungs failing while she slept, but as the moons passed, the opposite proved true. It really was a foreboding; this was the period when Maisie stood before the Old Gods the most, asking for instruction for what was to come "But we'll outlive her... usually women always stay alive" she joked, although there was a hint of truth in it. In a twisted way, but it was.

"We're girls who put duty before desire, it shows how strong we are. We don't hesitate if we have to suffer" A small, resigned smile appears on her face with a bit of a bitter taste, but it was better this way, knowing what she needed to do rather than deluding herself with silly thoughts "Even though, as a princess, you have to sacrifice more" Complete, Dacey was above her station and even if she tried, she couldn't imagine the huge sacrifices she would one day have to make "Perhaps, but I don't think about it too much, I just let it happen, but what about you, princess, don't you have dreams?" She asks hopefully, causing Stark to open up a little.

"I hope it's not another war, Westeros has already lost too much, we've already lost too much" She swallows dryly and sighs, Maisie really didn't want a war, even though she knew how fragile any veil of stability was "But it only depends on the men and part of me can't trust them completely" She whispers the last part, like a secret and forbidden confession.

[helenofsimblr]

Maisie: Stella, don’t you dare fuck this up for me! Think of the fun you’ll have, you can go to the island, you can get drunk, you can get high, you can do whatever. 

Stella: I manage just fine to do that on the weekend Maze, not sure why I need to go to some speck of an island to do it?

Morrigan: How insulting of our home!

Stella: I didn’t mean it, what you have to understand is that Maisie was clingy, she couldn’t seem to find her shoes without me. She wanted me there for some moral support.

Ozen: Sounds like College was fun for you.

Stella: It was, I worked hard Monday to Friday and then I spent Saturday and Sunday drunk and/or stoned. It was disgraceful, but I worked hard and played hard so at the time I felt it was justified. 

Morrigan: Oz can relate particularly about the drunk part.

Ozen: Stop interrupting Morrigan, Stella can’t tell us the story if you keep talking.

Stella: Anyway, Maisie was desperate for me to come with her to Sulani...

****

Maisie: Honestly Stella, we’re best friends if you don’t come with me I swear I will never speak to you again!

Stella: Do you promise?!

Maisie: Just talk to Nigel about it and come, it's only two weeks! He’s probably working or doing some big business lawyer shit anyway. I’m gonna go and sit down and catch the rest of the class see ya inside stinky!

Stella: So Maisie left me to finish my cigarette and she walked in. I guess what I’m saying is, I didn’t come here by choice as such, at that moment I was happy to stay in the Districts, I came because my friend wanted me to. But it did give me some other problems to solve, that being Nigel.

Ozen: You didn’t want to leave him?

Stella: Sort of. The thing is… my father and mother had lots of dealings with Nigel’s mother and father, you know legal stuff. Fact is, my father wanted to merge his Law Firm with the Triple O’s. So when me and Nigel started dating, that was highly likely to happen. I knew, I just KNEW what my parents would say about me going to Sulani. They knew I was drinking like an alcoholic and they probably suspected me of smoking weed too, but, yeah.... I guess I was afraid of my parents a bit and didn’t want to disrespect them.

****

Stella: But I did want to go. Who wouldn’t want to come to a fantastic island with clear blue water and sun and pristine sand? I thought I’d have to move fast in order to get the right results. I would speak to Nigel first, get the ok there, then I’d go to my parents and say that I was volunteering or some shit to do a bit of cleaning up there as it would look good on my College record. 

Morrigan: You lied to get what you wanted?

Stella: I didn’t lie per se, I just misled my parents because you don’t know what they were like, they were very pushy and very, stodgy in a way… I had a nose stud during college, every time I saw them it had to come out and I had to cover the hole with makeup. I didn’t feel at this time I could be honest with them and tell them everything I felt and wanted. Because my parents… they just didn’t…. Get it.

Morrigan: I can understand better than you could imagine about a pushy and stodgy parent. 

Stella: Trust me Morrigan, your father and my father are as different as it gets. Your father wanted the best for you, but respected your choices, eventually. Also being a King puts a different slant on things, my father was not a King. Anyway, I had one last college hurdle, the last exam!

[redrobin-detective]

The 101 Deaths of Danny Phantom

AO3 link

One of the first things people learned about dealing with ghosts, other than not to try and date them, is to never asks about their death or obsessions. That doesn’t mean the citizens of Amity Park aren’t curious though, especially about their resident ghostly hero and the confusing and concerning comments he sometimes makes.

“Are you okay?” Phantom asked Maisie as she shook and tried to hold back tears after that car had almost slammed into her. She sometimes joked about getting hit crossing the street of her college campus to pay her obnoxious loans but it was another thing entirely to almost experience it herself. Maisie was nearly twenty, she shouldn’t be comforted by someone younger than her little step sister but here she was, shaking like a lead and leaning into Phantom’s comforting, chilly touch. 

“Sorry,” she stuttered, “thank you, I’m sorry I’m just-”

“Hey, it’s okay to be upset that was very scary. The thought of dying is very scary.” Through her adrenaline and her tears, she took in the ghost’s unnatural glow, his faded, barely visible appearance and the fact that he was floating a foot off the ground. Maisie knows this ghost, this boy, knows more than she ever could about death. 

“And getting run over by a car sure is a bad way to go,” the ghost kid chuckled awkwardly, taking his cold hand off her shoulder to scratch at the back of his neck. “You should see how my dad drives or my mom or my sister if she’s running late enough,” Phantom paused in thought. “No one in my family should have a license now that I think about it. Anyway,” he dismissed with a wave. 

“My sister and I were getting ready to head out to school and my dad was backing out of driveway too fast and didn’t see us and uh, luckily I got my sister out of the way in time haha,” Phantom trailed off awkwardly. Was it because of the uncomfortable conversation or because he noticed her dawning horror.

Her best friend ran the community college’s Phan club so Maisie was a member by default. Phantom’s death was sometimes talked about late at night, everything from wrongful murder to a freak accident. She never in her worst nightmares imagined being him being runover in front of his own house by parental ignorance. It was so normal, a quick mistake and a life lost.

“Oh my god,” he said with an adorable little green blush. “Why am I babbling about that? You almost got hit by a car, I’m probably retraumatizing you or something. I should probably go get the jerk who almost hit you,” he said before disappearing into thin air. 

“Tia is not going to believe this,” she whispered to no one. All she knew is that for the rest of her damned life she was going to look both ways when crossing the street. She’d seen first hand what a single moment of reckless driving could cause.

XxX

Matthew, not Matt or Matty or Hughie, Matthew shivered from the cold. He was only in his boxers with little Pacman on them. It had been fine when he’d gone to bed considering it was mid-August but Phantom and this stupid flaming mecha ghost had tussled outside the summer camp he was working at. He could see some of the kids snickering at his state of undress though he was just extremely glad they were alive enough to disrespect him like this.

“Oh man, I’m sorry,” the ghost kid said with big, sad eyes that looked so human despite the fact that they were literally glowing. He looked around at all the snow and ice left over from his fight. “Jeez you guys must be freezing, I wish I could warm you all up but all I can do is make things colder.”

“S’okay,” Matthew said through his chattering teeth. “Teaching the kids how to start a fire was supposed to be next week but we can get a jump on it.” That got a smile out of the ghost and within a half hour, the other counselors were distributing blankets and hot beverages to the kids clustered around multiple fires. They didn’t seem particularly upset by the potentially fatal attack, Matthew will breakdown about that at a later time when he was alone. For now, he just smiled as the children chattered happily with the ghost while he cleaned up as much of the damage as possible.

“So you spend all day fighting ghosts?” Zoe asked with stars in her eyes.

“A lot of the nights too,” Phantom nodded, “I do other stuff but yeah it seems ghost fighting takes up most of my time.”

“Where’d you learn those cool powers?” Zuri asked, miming a punch.

“Comes with being a ghost,” Phantom shrugged, “my ice powers came in later though so I still struggle a bit with them but I’m getting better every day.”

“Why ice though?” Morris said with his cocked curiously to the side. “I see some ghosts use fire or shadows, why do you have ice?”

“Ah that’s a little personal,” Phantom chuckled but his posture was easy despite the invasive question. “Specialty powers like my ice require special circumstances and a certain uh connection to the ghost. Someone like me couldn’t use fire or electricity or plants, ice is in my soul, it’s who I am.”

Matthew paused in drinking his lukewarm coffee as a horrible thought came to mind. He’s been an outdoorsman all his life, practically from the time he could walk. He’d been a deep woods camping guide for a decade before switching to working at summer camps. But the years working in the relative comfort of a stable camp didn’t erase his knowledge of how unforgiving and deadly the woods in the winter could be. A grown man, much less a young teen, would freeze to death in 20 minutes if it was cold enough. 

It made sense for ghosts to develop powers related to their deaths. Had Phantom been one of the dozens of unfortunate kids he read about every year who ran away in the middle of winter only to found later as a frozen corpse. He eyed the boy’s snow white hair and frigid aura he exuded with mournful trepidation. God, what a horrible way to die. 

“I’d get chilly with ice powers,” Tabby said with a shudder, she held out her cup of cocoa. “You want some of my cocoa to warm you up?”

“No thanks,” Phantom said with a soft smile that was warm despite everything. “The cold hasn’t bothered me for a while.”

XxX

Ghost attacks may be the norm but, if there was one good thing that came out of whole mess it was the fact that violent human crimes went down drastically. So when the rare murder did happen, the shock and fear rippled through the whole town. 

Stanford Newton had only been sheriff of Amity Park for eight months after the last guy had gone gray overnight and moved to Florida the next day. It was a daunting position but one he bore proudly. This wouldn’t be his first murder investigation having initially cut his teeth as a beat cop in Chicago but it would be the first in Amity. And it certainly was the first in which the dead served in an active capacity.

“Amanda Chastain, 27. Officially she was a waitress down at Spengler’s Diner but she’s been picked up for prostitution twice in the last year,” Stan said calmly, ignoring the cold, angry presence over his shoulder. “History of polysubstance abuse as well, not that either of those things mean she deserved this.” Used, beaten to death and then dumped in the trash like yesterday’s paper. 

He wondered if she’d come back a ghost or if she’d finally get some peace this world hadn’t offered her. “We don’t have many leads right now, I’m afraid. Acting illegally as they are, there’s not a lot of resources these poor girls have to turn to.”

“I’ll find them,” The Phantom said with blazing conviction, his voice thick and sharp as ice. “I’ll find and bring them to justice and make sure no one else is hurt again.”

“I believe you,” Stan nodded, shutting his notebook as he finally turned to face the teenage superhero haunting his town. He can’t say he liked what he saw. The Phantom looked even less human than usual, his aura flaring and flickering like the foggy mist before a heavy snowstorm. His unnatural green eyes glowered, painting his too young face in a terrifying light. 

The kid looked furious, clearly taking this death to heart. He’d read the Fenton’s memos about obsessions and such but this seemed beyond that. “But don’t hurt anyone to do it, or yourself while you’re at it.”

“I won’t, I’ll make sure they’ll face human justice and don’t worry,” Phantom gave a snarling smile. “No mortal can hurt me, not like this,” he growled causing the hairs on Stan’s arms and neck to stand on end. He flew off after that, presumably to track down Amanda’s killer.

“Not like this,” Stan mumbled to him, pulling out his handkerchief and wiping his brow where a cold sweat had broken out. “Jesus Christ that poor kid.” Stan had seen plenty of murdered and mutilated bodies in his lifetime, some of them even kids. He just never got to talk to them after they’d had their life forcibly snatched away. It would explain the ghost’s near fanatical determination to save others, why he took a stranger’s murder so personally. 

“I hope your own murderer is behind bars,” Stan said as he tucked his handkerchief back into his coat pocket. “Or even six feet under, for killing a good kid like you.” Stan made his way back to his squad car so he could head back to the station and move forward with the official investigation. But he’d eat his hat if there wasn’t a stammering lowlife there by tomorrow ready to turn themselves in.

 Maybe after all this was settled down, he’d delve into some of the cold cases stacked in the cellar. Maybe in there he’ll find a picture of a smiling, carefree teen who’d disappeared and returned with the power now to ensure no one else suffered as he had.

XxX

“Yes, I know about the Phantom,” Luis Oliveira will say to anyone who so much as brings up the ghost kid. Locals know better by now but the tourists eat it up every time. He twists his finely combed mustache and gestures to the floor where his audience is standing. “He died right there oh ten or eleven years ago.”

Luis has worked his way all across the the United States since he emigrated from Brazil in the 70s. He finally settled in Amity Park about twelve years ago. He’d never intended to stay in the small Midwest town but the fatal shooting of a young customer kept his little corner market open.

“He was a nice kid, always said hi to me and paid in exact change. Was big fan of the snacks I made, would stop by after school and take half my inventory. He had big brown eyes and a crooked nose,” Luis would smile at the memory before closing his eyes and frowning sadly. “One day, he came late. His teacher made him stay after to go over a failed test, I remember he complained. He was pulling out his money when robber burst in, demanding my money. I fumbled for the register key, dropped it. I bent down to grab it and I hear shots going off. Two over my head, another right into the boy’s throat.”

Luis will hear the sound of that sweet boy’s guttural choking sounds as he drowned in his own blood until the day he himself died. The robber left after the shot, Luis called the police and held the young man’s hand as he died. The would be thief were never found and Luis never did learn anything about the boy who’d died on his floor for getting hungry after school.

“As soon as I saw Phantom on the TV,” Luis would say, perking up after his moment of somber grief, “I knew it was that boy come back. Those kind eyes, I’d recognize them anywhere. He’s never come here but one day he will and I will be able to pass on my regret on not being able to save his life that day.”

XxX

“I think he killed himself,” Mikey whispered to Lester during lunch period, angling his voice low. “The jocks may love Phantom for his powers but I just know he was one of us, an unwanted nerd. I’ve seen him chatting up a ghost I’m pretty sure is Poindexter, Casper’s suicide kid. They’re probably bonding over their similar deaths and the circumstances that led to it.”

“That’s pretty dark,” Lester whispered back. “I also get unpopular vibes from him but I don’t think he’s the time do uh do that to himself; he’s too stubborn and protective. But I bet he was the victim of a prank gone wrong. Dash locked Fenton in the Janitor’s closet last Wednesday, he got out okay somehow but maybe something like that happened to Phantom. He always looks kind of annoyed at the A-listers, maybe they remind him of old bullies.”

“Nuh-uh,” Clara said, pushing up her glasses with her middle finger. “The ghost kid totally got electrocuted or something. He was fighting that weather ghost and he sent lightning bolts his way and Phantom flinched. He fought the Ghost King and yet a little electricity scares him? It might not’ve even been a lightning strike but something manmade like a machine backfiring or something.”

“Get real,” Mikey scoffed, sipping his milk with an eyeroll. “I’m sure we’d have heard about some poor kid getting zapped to death; this town isn’t that big.”

“We’d have heard about a suicide too,” Lester noted with a wry grin.

“Shut up Mr. I base my theories around Fenton who’s a known weirdo”.

XxX

“I’m telling you, the ghost kid died of some debilitating illness,” Abbie McMillian, retired school teacher and three year reigning champ at the Tristate area’s Daylily Competition. She sipped her tea and spoke with as much confidence as she had back in the day wrangling Amity’s impressionable youths. “The superhero thing is clear wish childhood fulfillment, a chance to live and be free like he never got to in life. You see how happy and carefree that young man looks while flying? Clearly he spent his formative years sick and weak.”

“No way,” Greta von Martin frowned as she aggressively stirred her own tea to show her displeasure. “I worked in a hospital for close to 30 years and I know what chronically sick kids look like and Phantom doesn’t fit the bill. I will agree he’s carefree when he’s not battling spooks but he acts like a stupid teen. I’m telling you, the boy got into his parent’s liquor cabinet or took a few too many of whatever pill was going around his school. Tragic but something that happens every day.”

“Greta, dearie,” Abbie said with a pinched frown. “We’ve been friends since grade school and I love you like a sister but you are wrong and until you admit it, I won’t share anymore of my recipes.”

“You’re just being stubborn because you can’t see what’s right in front of you even after working with kids half of your life, Abbie, love,” Greta sniffed. “And you can kiss my grandson’s help weeding you garden goodbye until you relent.”

XxX

Perhaps one of the most human traits is curiosity, especially about what comes after death. Now the good people of Amity Park know a great deal about the dead so the lives before is what attracts their attention and none so more than the ghost boy. Maybe it’s because he’s their hero or maybe it’s because he’s so young. Or perhaps it’s because Phantom is such a mess of contradictions that it’s very hard to guess how the unfortunate boy met his end. But everyone has their own theories, from the mundane to the fantastic, some with evidence backing them up and others pure poppycock. 

But for all their curiosity, as much as it burns them to know, they’ll never ask. They don’t want to risk the powerful ghost’s wrath but, moreover, it seemed in poor taste. The boy risked his afterlife to keep them safe, they couldn’t ask what traumatic and miserable circumstances had led to this point.

And besides, it was so much more fun to look up at ghostly figure as he sped through the skies and wonder.

[mrdanielbond]

Wild Nights, Wild Hearts (One-Shot?)

“Mystery man”

[Main characters: Mikael Blomkvist X Reader]

Plot: It is time to head back to work as a lecturer at your university after a successful first semester. Unfortunately for you, one of your guest lecturers is a familiar face from a wild night out…

[A/N: Wrote this ages ago and thought, hey why not? Okay, so I don’t know if this is going to be an actual thing. Like I assume it’s going to be a one-shot. Plus, in all fairness, Mikael is my favourite non-Bond character of Daniel’s, so I thought it’s time to appreciate this man in all his glory. I hope you enjoy this! Let me know what you think?]

Music continued to boom through the speakers. The flashing lights and smoke was intense, but you didn’t care. As long as you were still with your friends, celebrating a birthday amongst the group, that's all that mattered. What also helped was the fact your sultry look managed to get you quite a few free drinks from the bartender. You weren’t used to this kind of attention, often keeping a natural look. However, this was your friend and co-worker’s birthday. You wanted to spice things up and look incredible for her. Of course, when Maisie saw you for the first time, she was surprised. In fact, her jaw dropped at how glamorous you looked. “Girl what the HELL! After Florence Pugh, you are a woman I’d proudly fuck.” You remember her particularly saying and that was the start of an incredibly wild night.

“Javier, can I get another tequila please!” You scream with excitement at the bar, Javier proudly pours you your sixth tequila shot.

“This one’s on the house my darling,  Y/N.” He pushed the shot glass in front of you and your eyes widen with excitement. You had to admit, you do have a thing for tequila so this man feeding you free drinks made the night all the better.

“You spoil me.” You winked as you took the shot and walked off to join the rest of your friends.

The night followed with more dancing and more drinks between your friends. At some point on the floor, you started to get tired and your craving for more drinks kicked in because you found yourself at the bar once again. This time you were looking for something more than a shot. “Okay, so it’s like a sex on the beach but like so much fruiter, like with strawberries!” You tried to explain but in your drunken state, Javier couldn’t help but laugh as he struggled listening to you.

“You know what? You tell me what to do and I’ll make it for you.” He said and a devious grin appeared on your face. So you watched, instructing him on how to make your special cocktail and when he finished, he threw a small umbrella inside it to serve you. You sipped it and couldn’t help but moan. It was glorious...Well maybe it would’ve been if you could taste it at all.

“Can I have what she’s having?” A baritone voice said beside you. You turned with your eyebrow raised. “And I’ll pay for hers.”

He reached into his wallet, still looking into your eyes as he handed Javier his card. You weren’t sure whether it was the alcohol or the fact you were practically pushed against each other with how packed the bar was but this man was...incredibly handsome. Rugged dirt blonde hair, bright blue eyes that gave you butterflies and his dark blue shirt didn’t help as you couldn’t help but stare at his chest from time to time. Javier turned back to make your drink for the stranger and handed it over to him. “If you’re going to have a cocktail, you’ve got to get it right. Strawberries with the ice.” He said with a smirk but you couldn’t hear him. Not with the music blasting over you...and his dreamy eyes. “What?” You tried to shout out. “I said-” He could barely get a word out in all the noise and you could see it. Quickly, you grabbed his hand and pulled him to a quieter table in the corner. “That’s better - wow.” He suddenly stopped himself when he took another look at you. “You’re really beautiful.” “Smooth.” You chuckled. Alright, so at this point, usually you would say thanks and dip to find your friends. However, this man, bless him, appeared mesmerized by you. He was in awe of you and not just looking at your chest or your figure as though he were some creep. You both hadn’t realised you were still holding hands, leaning into each other.

“Hey, that’s unfair! I’m not usually bold with women.” Something about the mystery man was telling you he was honest. “The strong and silent type is full of surprises.” He said and you swear to god, you could see even he knew what he was doing with that statement. To be honest, he was right. With those eyes, he wouldn’t have to say a single word to get you to go home with him. Throughout the night, you both kept rambling to each other about everything and nothing but you were both having fun, laughing together and putting each other at ease. Your friends must’ve noticed you because they were all staring at the two of you in awe, sharing drinks together, leaning into each other. Then ‘Someone New’ by Hozier began to play. Oh no. Any slow song that played while you were next to a man was a recipe for disaster. The mystery man ,on his high, pulled you closer. “Oh no, I can’t go out there!” You said. “Come on, what happened to that confidence I saw earlier?!” He laughed. “Listen, I can pick and choose when I want to be brave!” You snapped back. “Why are you so bold all of a sudden?!” “What can I say? You bring out a new side to me.” He laughed and before you could fight back, he managed to bring you to the floor. You couldn’t tell him why this was a bad idea but...maybe it wasn’t now you were in his arms, moving around the floor. He held you close and you didn’t want to leave. Not with the high of the drinks and after such a good night filled with laughter. Who knows? Maybe when you wake up the next day, you’d regret it. But for now, you were going to appreciate being here with him...but now you were filled with anticipation, you were craving something. Uh oh. You were craving him. Suddenly, a surge of confidence filled you and you looked up at him. He had already been looking at you. Quickly, he leaned in and you found yourselves kissing with a raw, fiery passion that remained unmatched. You could tell how much he wanted you. In fact, you could feel it as he pressed you against him. But you didn’t care. You ran your fingers through his hair, now the heated kiss becoming lazy until you bit his lip, catching him by surprise. When you pulled back breathlessly, he smirked. “Oh shut up, I know what you’re going to say.” You playfully pushed his chest.

The hangover the next day was going to be ridiculous but you didn’t care. The mystery man had you all over him, and he? All over you.

Rain violently bounced against the wall of your office. Across you sat Maisie, who happened to be an English lecturer. You were one of the lecturers, who had just finished your PHD in Media and Cultural Studies and when offered a job at the university, you couldn’t help yourself but stay. It was decent pay after all and after three years with the university, you realised your students loved you. There were wild lecturers in the school of arts department, who overshared and gladly you weren’t one of them but your students knew you well enough to seem relatable. However, you were hoping that today they would not quiz you on your hangover. Especially your seminar classes, they really loved hearing whatever you went through. Right now, you sat at the table, head against the desk of your office while Maisie watched you groan. “Oh my god.” Was all you could mumble. This was not how you wanted to spend your first week back of the second semester. Your head was pounding violently, you were nauseous, stomach turning. The only thing saving you was the cup of coffee you had in hand, after being forced to take an espresso shot, you were still practically dead. Maisie simply sat there shaking her head. God, she had no right to judge you after goading you into going out. “You should have known not to go hard on the drinks!” “But...free…” The words fell from your lips. “Javier gives free drinks all the time, I’m surprised it doesn’t get him fired. You should’ve known, he did this last time. Actually, that reminds me, where did you go last night?” And then you remembered. You went off with a mystery man, an incredibly handsome mystery man. That, you were fortunate enough to remember. With your head against the table, you smirked, so your friend wouldn’t see. “Don’t pretend as if we didn’t see you walking off and kissing that man, who by the way is a huge score! We spent all night fangirling about him.” Maisie said with excitement but all you could do was groan again, “Come on! You have to tell me! What happened?” “Nothing happened.” You mumbled into your arms. Okay something happened but you still didn’t want to say anything. “Don’t lie to me! You have to tell me, it was my birthday, meaning you have to tell me what YOU did on my day!”

You still refused to move. As your knight in shining armour, the Head of Faculty, Andrew stormed into the room, coffee mug and binder in hand. “Right! Who’s ready for a day full of learning ladies!” Maisie laughed as all you could let out was a groan. “Oh, not you too!” He let out an irritated huff. “This is ridiculous. Seems like there’s a lot of hangovers going around this morning.” “Really?” Maisie said, leaning forward with excitement. “Yeah, I just got off the phone with the guest lecturer. He is bloody hungover too. Could hear it in his voice.” Shit. Guest lecturer. One of the senior lecturers decided to go on a research leave mid-year, which didn’t help your cause as you were left with over one hundred students needing attention. That is when the head of faculty, Andrew, who you adored, decided to call in a guest lecturer, an industry expert in the field to provide you with support. Only thing is, Andrew was unpredictable, so you didn’t know who he had in store. You only knew he was a pretty popular journalist in Europe. Weren’t you supposed to be meeting him before the class? “He said he’s going to be running late.” Thank god for that. You didn’t need Andrew screaming at you about representing the university under a negative light. Before Andrew could get to scolding you, however, your alarm went off. Swiftly, you jumped up and swiped all your folders. “Class! Got to get to class!” Was all you could muster before leaving the room, and your colleagues, incredibly shocked.

Students filled the lecture hall for the first lesson of the semester, which didn’t surprise you. There were a lot of familiar faces as usual. A couple of new ones but most of the students knew when you were out of it and these were the ones present. Andrew followed you in, watching intently, hoping you wouldn’t screw this up. But everyone knew the rules. The moment your mug was placed against the desk, everyone was silent, eagerly listening to hear from you. “Morning everyone! Welcome back, I hope you have all had a wonderful Christmas break! Just know that for many of you who took my module last year, yes, I am currently in the process of grading your assignments and the results will be distributed next week. However, I am not here to talk about that. Right now, it is time to turn over a new page! So, for those of you that don’t know me, I am Dr. Y/N Y/LN. I am totally cool without the whole formal title and I am a lecturer in Media and Cultural studies and welcome to my module Introduction to Investigative Journalism. This is where we’ll be in touch with some of the world’s most notorious cases from the role investigative journalism played in the portrayal of criminals from the likes of Charles Ponzi, Pablo Escobar, Charles Bronson to female serial killers such as Velma Barfield and Judy Buenoano. We will be looking at cold cases such as the murder of Olof Palme to the story of D.B. Cooper and corruption amongst transnational and multinational companies such as the fall of Wennerstrom. I know this feels like a criminology course and having the stomach would be ideal, however this is incredibly interesting if you want to look into serious crimes and learn about political corruption. I mean I didn’t have the stomach at first but you learn to live with it.” The students laughed. Andrew was in awe of how professional you managed to be but then again that is why the university needed you. They knew you were the young voice they needed to liven things up and get students intrigued, no matter how hungover or ill you were. “ Now, as you know, Dr. Woodbridge has taken a research leave so today, I believe that Andrew has called in a guest lecturer who will be here throughout the second half of the module to provide support and as an industry expert will hopefully be able to answer the questions you all will have.”

Andrew stepped forward, grinning from ear to ear as he headed to the centre. He gave you a wink to praise the way you pulled yourself together and turned to the rest of the class. “Thank you very much, Y/N. Couldn’t have introduced the module better myself, you have me excited and I’m not even taking it! Anyway, without further ado, I am honoured to introduce to you all your guest lecturer today, he is an investigative journalist and co-owner of Swedish magazine, Millennium, Mikael Blomkvist!” The class gave an applause and so did you as the man walked through the door. Then your applause slowed...hang on a minute. Why did the name Mikael sound familiar? Mikael walked in with a smile, waving at the glass, sporting glasses and a warm cardigan, smiling but then he turned to you and then it hit you. This was YOUR mystery man!