#my theory has always been that the city sent Harry the skills and the skills report to her unknowingly as much as they report to Harry

[dolorianwolf]

Thinking about the phrasing here a lot.

Thinking about Shivers and the skills. Supplying Harry with what he desires. Thinking about it a lot actually. Cant really stop thinking about it. There’s something there

[ramblings-of-a-mad-cat]

If you have sent me an Ask in the last thirty-six hours or so, This post is for you.

I was almost entirely done with answering all your beloved messages, when Tumblr decided to crash. Lost all the paragraphs of my rambling (which is why I’m no longer taking chances and am typing this on Google Docs) and even worse, the Asks seem to have been eaten by Tumblr’s great void. They’re gone, and nothing I’ve tried seems to work to get them back. Thankfully, I’m fresh off of responding, so I’ll try to summarize with one big epic post. Apologies for the inconvenience and unusual style, blame the Tumblr Overlords. 

WARNING: If you don’t read the data-mines and don’t want spoilers, do not go beyond this point. This mainly concerns The Quidditch Cup. 

There were a couple of Asks about Ismelda, someone talked about the head-canon that she’s secretly blonde and dyes her hair. Which I agree with, and really like. It would tie in to how Ismelda saw Penny as being no different from her sister. It would be a sign of her trying to spite her parents and distance herself from her family, to the point of even looking like them. I also think it would echo with Beatrice and how she changed her look to reinvent herself and be less of a “Mini Penny.” Another message was talking about her parents, wondering why they would ever visit her at Hogwarts given how they were portrayed. After all, they’re not about to be the next Ethan Parkin, are they? Not going to turn around and be well-meaning, but oblivious. I think it’s far more likely that they would visit her sister at Hogwarts, and it would be pure chance that Ismelda was there at the same time - if there was indeed any overlap where both sisters were at school. But that’s the real question of the hour - just what is the sister like? After all, it’s not her fault that she’s the favorite, right? Newt Scamander was estranged from his brother, who was engaged to his ex-girlfriend. From that description alone, we might think he was awful, but he wasn’t. Theseus was genuinely caring, he just didn’t know how to connect with Newt. We might have a similar situation on our hands here. Or, who knows, the sister might be the “Dudley” to Ismelda’s “Harry.” She was compared to both Emily and Penny, if memory serves. But until such a time that we meet her, we have no way of knowing who she’s really more like. Psst, Jam City, you getting this down? This would be a great TLSQ, to have Ismelda come face to face with her sister. Could perhaps end with, oh I dunno, befriending her? Just a thought…

I saw another Ask talking about how Beatrice would go back and forth between MC and Jae during their detention and how adorable it was to see her all flustered and excited, how it looked like she was gushing to MC “He’s so dreamy” and things of the like. It’s making me wish they would come back to this sub-plot because it’s funny as hell and a good way, again, to tie in Ismelda. She also fancied someone she had no chance with, she was also jealous of another person. (Chiara might not actually have a thing with Jae, but if memory serves, Beatrice is shown to be jealous of them talking anyway.) 

There was an Ask that talked about punching Barnaby’s father in the face. Or at least, the idea of doing so. But regrettably, he is in Azkaban and it cannot be done. Well, maybe not by MC, but someone who was already there could do it. New head-canon, Sirius decked him on his way out. It happened, I don’t make the rules.

@guppygirl I read the first chapter of your fic! Do you know what you’ve done to me, do you know how many feelz it gave me to see Rowan alive and well and acting so sweet? You nailed their character and I love the inclusion of their parents! Maya’s reactions make just want to give her a hug. Everyone should check out the fanfic on her page, seriously!

I believe there was an Ask lamenting that the Festival TLSQ didn’t come out this week, and believe me friend, I’m right there clowning with you. It seems like every week now, we think, “Okay, this time it will come out, they can’t delay it anymore.” And we’re always wrong. Here I am just starting to worry that my far-fetched theory about them shelving it until next year because it’s no longer “seasonal” isn’t so far-fetched after all…

But the vast majority of messages that were lost were, as I’m sure you can guess, about the data-mined House Cup for Season 2. I wrote a lot about it and I do indeed have some thoughts and feelings. 

Before I get into anything else, can I just say...that first scene with Ethan where he meets MC. I don’t think it’s possible for me to ever dislike Skye. All it ever takes is one vulnerable moment to erase any doubts and have me back in her corner. And you cannot tell me that Ethan knowing everything about MC because “Isn’t this the best mate you always talk about?” Didn’t melt your heart or at least give you feelz. Think back to how hurt Skye was when MC befriended Rath - to the point of snapping a broomstick in half. This is just proof of what I’ve been saying. She has no social skills and hardly any friends. Of course she sees MC as her bestie. The poor thing, oh my god, it’s adorable...

Ethan Parkin….I’m not a fan, even now. As I heard, he’s not as bad as we all feared he would be. He definitely has his moments. Still...he’s still pretty annoying. Ethan is basically a less obnoxious version of Lockhart, who actually has the talent to back it up. But I didn’t like how he involved himself in the practice and took over deciding who should be leader. Seriously, if he knows the game this well then he should know we already have a leader assigned. That’s what a Captain is. He was quite rude to Orion and while his pressuring Skye might have been inadvertent, it was still his fault. He’s also an extremely violent Quidditch player, which I’m not a fan of (Although apparently Penny is? The fuck?) I get that he would never cross the line into cheating, but I’m not impressed by how he lied. Didn’t give his team credit. And seriously...is cheating morally inferior to harming another player in a “legal” way? I guess it’s just a Quidditch culture thing, but I’m not here for it. 

Orion’s reaction to Ethan, though? God I loved it. He took everything completely in stride, had the maturity to say that no, he was happy to learn from a Quidditch master. His concern wasn’t about his ego, it was about Skye’s feelings. Because once again, he’s the only one with the empathy to realize what she might be going through. Orion’s response was measured and thoughtful and god, I love him so much. Side note: Were they seriously debating whether or not keeping Ethan around to learn his mystery move was worth it, even if it was stressing Skye out? My dudes, this is the exact same mistake you made during the Rath TLSQ. Involving someone who doesn’t need to be involved, just for the sake of a potential advantage in a meaningless sports game, regardless of how much it will hurt someone who is supposed to be our friend. Screw that. 

Folks were talking about Erika Rath. Someone brought up how hilarious it was in a previous chapter to see Andre actually tell her to be quiet, and for her to do so. And yeah, I agree. It’s a testament to how close their friendship must really be (Sorry, Depressed Erika Anon) I mean, most people wouldn’t dare say that to her. And I don’t think she’d have such a calm and passive reaction to just anyone. It’s unconventional, but their relationship is a sweet one. Overall, they’re involving Rath more and I’m quite glad of it. Seeing her proud of MC is heartwarming. Seeing her become more of a main character is great - I mean, she is one of the main four, after all. Face Paint Kid is a background character, as much as I love him. Penny is only here to develop Skye, and Andre is only here to develop Rath. There was also an interesting comparison made between her and Ethan, about how they both play pretty violently. Still not a fan of this. Maybe that’s one of the reasons that I’m mostly indifferent to Rath. But I’m coming around on her. 

This was a lovely place to cap off Skye’s character arc. Seeing MC stand up to Ethan (although I wish you could be firm without having to say that stupid “You’re off the team, Parkin!” line) was especially cathartic, and it’s clear that Skye appreciates it. She’s happier by the end, and has actually communicated with her father. I would sincerely like it if Season 3 focused on, say, Murphy a little more. He hasn’t gotten any development since the first half of Season 1. Even Orion got some development in this TLSQ. But...make no mistake, we’re not done hearing about Skye. I know that no one wants to hear this, but...they slipped in that line about her wishing she could play Rath. She still hates her. That hasn’t been resolved. Oh well, at least it’s an opportunity to further flesh out Rath. There’s also the possibility that, if they do give focus to Orion, it might be that Season 3 is his last hurrah. I hope he stays for the entire story, but even if they don’t want to confirm character ages...he could very well graduate. If he does, there’s going to be a story-line about choosing his successor. And again, I know that nobody wants to see this happen, but...the only candidates who matter in the story are MC and Skye. So they could be pitted against each other again. But I hope that won’t happen.

Curse you, Tumblr. Oh well, it should be safe to send in Asks again because I’m quite literally going to copy them onto a Google Doc from now on just to be safe. If I missed out on one that you sent in, please feel free to let me know or re-send it. I’ve also seen people taking screenshots of their Asks and then responding to the picture instead of just responding outright. Might do that too...thank you for your patience, this has been a doozy. 

[wevegottogetaway]

Whirlwind - Part 1

Hello lovelies, 

It’s a genuine and nerve-racking pleasure for me to launch my very first series Whirlwind. If you like the sound of TopGun!Harry, this story is just about made for you. I really put my whole and then some in this first chapter, and really hope it’ll get a few of you hooked up. Anyway, the whole story should be about 10 Parts and I’ll try and update as fast and regularly as I can. I won’t say much more except enjoy and don’t be afraid to let me know if you do!! Any feedback of any kind or absolutely welcome!

All the happiness xx

Part I - Mistral

Time seems to slow down but the speedometer on Aella’s Triumph says otherwise. As the needle flirts with the 124mph mark, it’s hard to tell wether she’s the one chasing after the wind or the other way around. Miles after miles, her beloved motorbike swallows up the empty road offering itself before her, almost begging her to throw speed limits cautions to the wind. Speed has no secret for Aella though. Brown eyes steady on the asphalt, her focus is unswerving. Yet, she’s never felt more free and insouciant. 

Except maybe when she’s flying. 

In the tight confine of her Tomcat, as she defies other kinds of laws, Aella seeps in a whole new world. One where she makes her own physics, her own rules. One where the sky in no longer a limit and neither is her gender. Because when she occupies the cockpit of the F-14 - a baby only a handful of aviators are lucky to even sit in - she’s just that: an aviator. A squadron unit who receives missions and completes them. Once her feet tread the tarmac though, the reality is quickly sobering. That’s why Aella has learnt to savor each one of the limited hours she spends in the in-between realm of the stratosphere.

Tilting her head briefly to look at the clear sky above her, Aella lets a smile grace her lips as she realizes she’ll be back up there very soon. And in high amounts at that. A few years ago, she could have only dreamt to be recruited as part of the most elitist of naval aviation programs in the world. But after years of working twice as hard as her fellow Navy fighter pilots and putting up with their never-ending bullying, her resilience has finally paid off. 

On that note, those douchebags can respectfully kiss her ass (the memory of their crest-fallen faces when their Commander announced her promotion in front of all of them is still one of her favorite).

Maybe it was fate, or maybe it was just life. But no matter how serendipitous the death of Navy fighter Jonathan Evans, she’ll be the one taking his place in the US Navy’s Fighter Weapons School’s Top Gun program. It was a regrettable news but one that changed Aella’s destiny forever.

San Diego’s sun is just as blazing as LA’s, but the nice breeze the city benefits from neighboring the ocean makes it easier to breath. The streets are void of the usual hustle and bustle that inhabits the city of angels, but the palm-trees-lined streets seem to remain a consistent feature of the Californian landscape. 

After driving in two hours what should have been a three hours ride, Aella finally pulls up in front of a single-story condominium situated on the street that runs alongside the shore. Taking in the magical scenery that surrounds her new place, she finds herself standing front row for the sun’s crepuscular show.

Aella has always loved sunsets. She fell in love with their ephemeral hues when she was 7 and already wanted to make the sky hers. At 25 years of age, they now serve as a reminder that regardless of the fact she knows it like the back of her hand, the blue immensity still withholds secrets that are meant to remain forever’s mysteries. 

Aella finally makes her way to her new home and her eyes immediately fall on the three large boxes that she had sent from LA the week prior, as per US Navy’s request. Waiting for her on the floor, they seem quite a bit lonely in the otherwise empty room. The place is small but well designed enough to be comfortable. The L-shape kitchen directly on the right upon entrance shares one main open space with the living room and dining room, though the term "room" is to be taken loosely. Mostly, they consist of a dining table placed in the center, and a sofa facing a TV set at the back. Between the two, french doors lead the way to a small garden; just enough space for a sun lounger and a small outdoor table. 

Aella doesn’t expect to be around much as most of her days will be spent at the training center, but as she starts unpacking, she can already picture herself living there anyway. Early runs on the beach, morning coffees out with the birds chirping the news of the day and some lazy reading on the lounger when she’s lucky to have a day off. That night, as she lays on her bed waiting to be taken in Morpheus’ arms, Aella relishes in the jitters of happiness that course through her whole. 

She can’t remember the last time she was so impatient for tomorrows. 

To say the San Diego Fighter Weapons School’s campus is huge would be an understatement. Aella has been on plenty bases during her short naval aviator career, but they all pale in comparison with the three massive hangars standing ahead of her. Deeply rooted on these holy grounds, they serve as home for no less than 30 of the most powerful aircrafts ever designed in the world. Perched on her Triumph, Aella can’t help but slow to a more moderate speed as she drives past them. She can feel her heart bouncing in joy at the sight of the F-14 Tomcats, F/A-18 Hornets and F-16 Fighting Falcons neatly aligned like pawns on a chessboard ready to be pressed into service. 

Finally, the main buildings come into view. They house all the administration offices as well as lecture and conference rooms. Indeed, part of the Top Gun program takes place indoors (that is to say not in a cockpit) as trainees are taught advanced combat strategy, theories of air-to-air and air-to-ground missions, and most painful of all, the riveting matters of astrophysics. In addition to their scientific knowledge and flying skills, the recruits will also be tested on their physical fitness. 

That’s what Aella dreads the most. While she could probably recite all of Newton’s laws in her sleep and fly a supersonic twin-engine, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft with an arm in a cast, she’s positive the physical examination is what might give her the most trouble. Not that she’s in bad shape. Obviously one has to be quite fit to be able to handle 25 tons of titanium rocketed at more than 1500mph. But alas, the minimum requirements generated by the State for the final physical examination have yet to be adapted to female dispositions. 

The military field has definitely still plenty of room left for improvement when it comes to women’s interests… 

Two men in their service uniforms are casually conversing in the parking lot when Aella pulls up with her Triumph. One seems to be in the middle of a thrilling story judging by his gesticulating limbs, while the other listens to him cigarette pinched between his lips. As soon as the latter’s eyes fall on Aella though, he interrupts his friend with two taps on his torso. The shock on his face quickly turns into a condescending smirk as his eyes shamefully scan Aella from head to toe. His friend turns around intrigued and it’s not long before his features mirror the same irksome smug. 

For a few seconds too many, Aella doesn’t react. She simply stares at the jerks standing a few feet from her like they might be two very realistic-looking hallucinations. A sick jock her brain is playing on her by materializing ghosts from her past when she’s least expecting them. Aella doesn’t know who she’s the most angry at: Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum for looking at her like she’s a hot commodity or herself because she’d let her guard down. 

It takes all of her self-control and then some to keep her from rushing over and giving them a piece of her mind. Instead she just swallows back the crude remarks she’s dying to throw at them and puts her uniform cap on. Maybe there weren’t checking her out but the Triumph behind her instead. Maybe she just bumped into the two assholes of the program. Maybe the 13 other recruits will turn out to be actual decent human beings who acknowledge women’s worth in the Navy and will treat her as an equal. Aella tries to keep the positive thoughts coming as she heads towards the main building for the induction speech.  

Still, she can’t help the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.  

The effervescence of the conference room is almost palpable as loud chatter and boisterous laughters bounce off its walls. Taking in the glorious sight of her fellow trainees, Aella already feels like an outsider. Easily distinguished by their uniform, they’re all bantering like they’ve all known each other their entire life, even though the program hasn’t officially started. 

From afar she recognizes the two dumbasses from the parking lot sitting on tables as they’re gathered around a balky blond man completely sprawled out on a chair with aviator sunglasses tucked in the front of his kaki shirt. Because of his lazy posture, he has to look up at his disciples but it is clear that he’s the last person to be looked down on. 

Aella already despises the narcissistic vibe he exudes. That disdainful and self-assured attitude which makes her want to rip his stupid head off. It’s certainly not the first of his kind she’s had to partially work with and sadly, it will definitely not be the last.

"Oi, Rex! How’s it goin’ man?" Another block yaps.

"Snyder," Rex chuckled. "‘Was doin’ good till ya ugly face showed up"

"Ah, ’s not what the ladies say…"  Snyder replies, completely unfazed by the playful dig made at him.

"That’s cause you woo them drunk, you bastard." The whole group of them burst in laughters as Snyder rolls his eyes. 

"Speaking of lass, I heard there was a bird joining the ranks with us? ’S up with that?" 

Aella immediately stiffens as she hears the dreaded words. Ones that make it crystal clear she’s gonna be the odd one out right from the start. Not to be mistaken, Aella takes great pride in being one of the very few female fighter pilots of the US Navy but all the self-confidence in the world couldn’t amount to the loneliness she always feels on base. Amongst the ‘mates’, she’s never more than a co-pilot, watching from afar her colleagues’ relationships blossoming from mere work affiliations to ones of brotherhood. 

Finally making her way to the last seat available in the audience, Aella feels the energies in the room drastically shift. Voices are no longer clashing in rowdiness; instead, the air is charged by the intensity of the quiet stares following Aella’s silhouette. However, the silence is interrupted by the sound of a flirtatious whistle that does no wonder for her already-tested nerves. God does she hate men sometimes. 

"Well, well, well…look at that guys. I think the eagle has landed its cute ass down."

Aella is about to pop a knuckle from how hard she’s clenching her fists. How foolishly naive she was to believe that things would be different. That joining Top Gun with the "best of the best" would give her solace from the incessant chauvinistic behaviors she’d been so used to. If anything, the prestige of their accomplishments has exacerbated the arrogant disposition of their ego-inflated character. 

Aella knows better than to respond though. No matter how quick-witted the comeback, it never works in her favor. So once again, she just takes a deeper breath and settles in her seat facing forwards. She is saved from hearing more about her eagle ass by two impressive figures marching in the room towards the front. Postures straighten, smirks vanish and a de facto silence ensues at the officers’ arrival. Respect is almost tangible in the air, and it has little to nothing to do with the plethora of decorations adorning their white uniforms, and everything to do with the aura of invincibility transpiring in their intimidating gaze. 

"Gentlemen," one of them starts before tilting his head towards Aella and adding a soft "ladies." He then proceeds with a quick scan of the room. Years of experience standing on that very same stage have forged the unyielding yet somewhat benevolent eyes landed on the students’ expecting faces. 

"You were probably told that you were here because you are the best of the best. Well, let me set things straight: you’re not. Not yet anyway. You might be lieutenants out there, but on these grounds, you are nothing but students. My job, is to make you unbeatable up there. Your job, is to trust me in doing so. That means no challenging orders and no cocky attitude or any funny business. If you respect that, you might have your name on one of these plaques in 5 weeks. Until then, work your hardest. My name is Aaron Berks and I am your Commander. Everyone, welcome to Top Gun."

Commander Berks offers a light smile to his audience, and Aella has a feeling it’s not a sight she will be privy to very often. She likes him though. He seems intransigeant but wise, proud but not arrogant and no matter how cold his exterior, he has the warmth of a master who looks after his apprentice. A caring facet that resembles that of fatherhood, and Aella knows she’ll be able to trust Berks just like he asked in his introduction speech.

After a brief silence, the class’ attention is once again captured by one of the officer. Taller and bulkier, this one is definitely missing that fatherly vibe Aella is so found of. "Gentlemen, I am Lieutenant Commander Wayne Rogers, I will teach you the art of naval strategy in flight combat alongside Commander Berks. You will also have the pleasure to have me whip your asses in physical testing. As you know, Top Gun is structured around 3 ranges of expertise, naming: naval strategy both in theory and practice, advanced astrophysics knowledge and physical training. Needless to say, you will be tested in more ways than one. And just a heads-up, I don’t do no favor to anyone."  

Aella cringes for a second as she wonders if there is any implicit lines to read behind Lieutenant Rogers’ clipped tone. She already dreads the time she will have to spend under his teaching. 

She doesn’t have the time to dwell on it though, before Rogers resumes his speech. "Anyway, enough with the pretty words, let’s go over the program. As you know, the 16th of you will form 8 crews who will be confronting us instructors to master advanced dogfighting tactics. Each of the 25 missions you will be assigned during the program will earn you points. Your aptitudes in physical training will also earn you point, as well as your results in astrophysics evaluations. I’m sure you can guess who wins the Top Gun trophy at the end of the program. Bear in mind, that all instructors have the right to deduct points from your score should they deem your actions or behavior disrespectful, underserving or quite simply unacceptable. On that note, welcome to Top Gun, class dismissed."

As soon as Lieutenant Rogers voices the discharging words, the room is once again caught in a rambunctious nebula of clacks and clatters. Everyone is making their way out when the commander’s voice transcends the ongoing commotion; steady and resonant. 

"Officers Styles and Lonethorne." 

Aella’s brows immediately wrinkle as she recognizes her last name. Turning around, she sees Commander Berks intently looking at her as if beckoning her over. Obediently she thus makes her way up to the front of the room where Berks hasn’t moved an inch since the beginning of the induction. Soon she realizes she’s being followed by a tall lanky man. His face, objectively handsome, doesn’t seem to show anything but Aella doesn’t have much time to further study his features as she finally reaches her commander. 

"I wanted to welcome you both personally given the circumstances. Styles, you have my support and condolences. Lieutenant Evans was a very fine man and gifted flyer." Aella is a bit thrown off by the declaration. It takes her an extra second to figure out the reason of her presence for this discussion. Once she does, her attention is immediately drawn to the silent man standing next to her, his face still not displaying any feelings like his skin was made of cold marble. 

"Harry, this is Aella Lonethorne. Her former chief has nothing but praises to say about her flying skills. She will be your partner for the next 5 weeks." A nod and the brief connection of his emeralds to Aella’s sapphires seems to be all the assertion elicited from Harry. No handshake, no hello, not even the pucker of a brow. Commander Berks might as well have announced the refectory’s lunch menu, the lad’s reaction would have been the same. 

"Miss Lonethorne, it’s a pleasure to have you on base, I have no doubts you two will achieve great things together." It is such a relief for Aella to realize her first impression of Berks was spot on. He is the kind of manager that leads with strength in his fists but encouraging lyrics on the edge of his lips. There is no hint of condescension fueled by the power high of his status coloring the tone of his voice. It’s something Aella has seen a few times. Pleasant comrades turned into aloof leaders full of bitterness from their years of submission and laden by the hierarchy’s expectations. Commander Berks never yielded to that pressure though, it was clear in his wholesome nature.  

"Thank you Commander, it’s a real honor." Aella responds in genuineness.

"Alright, I’ll leave you to it. See you both on the tarmac" he exclaims with a smile before making his way out. Berks departure leaves enough room for tension to settle between the newfound partners like a third interlocutor taking the warmed place of their superior. Similar in presence, though not as loud. 

Harry is still keeping mum, unfocused eyes staring somewhere far off on the floor while his mind appeared to be wandering the secret passages of never-never land. It freaks the hell out of Aella though she doesn’t show it. They are a team now though. They’re supposed to trust, rely on each other and have the other’s back no matter what. Yet, she doesn’t even know the sound of his voice and it doesn’t seem like he’s gonna give her the time of day anytime soon. 

Aella is about to speak up when Harry suddenly shakes his head out of its hypnotic trance. For a second she thinks he’s gonna initiate conversation himself but instead he just tilts his head in her general direction and rasps a weak ‘see you’ before storming off the room. Aella is left in total disarray, she doesn’t comprehend why he’s acting like a 3 year-old running off because he’s scared to say hi to the new lady. Is it because she’s not what he expected in a partner? God she hopes not. He doesn’t strike her as a misogynistic prick, didn’t really show any sign of disgust or clear animosity. But then again he is impossible to read.

As she mounts her precious Triumph, Aella feels the dread resurfacing. It is such a big contrast to how she felt when she left this morning. All the thrill and elation that had bubbled in the pits of her stomach just evaporated into disillusion, leaving of fog of uncertainty in Aella’s frenzied mind. This was supposed to be a drama-free experience; a chance to be recognized and treated with respect. Instead she got barely acknowledged.

The music coming out of Godspeed’s is so resoundingly loud Aella can feel the bass line thumping through her whole body. Standing across the street from the entrance, she’s still hesitating joining in the merrymaking even though she can hear the spirits calling out her name. Despite the crispiness of the air, a few rowdy souls are camping out front, obviously warmed over by the substance in their glass and the toxic stick between their lips. 

The dodgy pub never lacks in visitors no matter how threadbare the furniture, tacky the decoration and questionable the sanitation prove to be. Truth be told, the popularity of the place can be explain by one and sole reason: it is, lo and behold, the only bar on base. A fact that implies 99% of its customer base works in the US Navy, and thus explains why one could usually count on one hand the number of people dressed in day-to-day clothes.

Bracing herself, Aella finally makes her way inside the bar. The smell of booze and fries immediately invades her nostrils but she pays it no mind. Instead she takes in her surroundings from the swaying of hips on the torrid dance floor to tokens passionately thrown at a table with a following pair of aces. The sound of glasses clinking blends with that of drunken laughters and even drunker squawks. It’s nothing but good times and pent-up stress release, and for a moment Aella is really glad she decided to show up. 

She was told Induction’s Rave was not to be skipped.

Unfortunately, as she heads for the bar, Aella’s eyes fall upon a few familiar yet loathsome faces. It appears the infamous Rex and his phony clique didn’t want to miss out on the festivities either. Much to Aella’s dismay, they are all huddled around the counter monopolizing the bartender’s attention and just like that, she knows a relaxing night is not in her cards for tonight. There is no way she can walk out of this with both a drink in her hand and her composure intact. It would be too easy.

Strategically, she waits till the barman is done with them before voicing her request as inconspicuously as she can. "May I have a Vodka Martini, please?" she asks just as the bartender lifts his eyes from the counter he was wiping. She originally went for a pint but somehow she had an inkling it wouldn’t quite suffice. The guy nods and leaves to mix her precious elixir and just as she thinks she might make it through unscathed, the obnoxious voice she has come to strongly despise cuts through the pub’s damp air.  

"Gotta stop trying to play James Bond, darling. S’just not for you." Snickers. "Now, James Bond girl on the other hand, you definitely have the proper assets for that." Once again, every guy within Rex’s arm radius bursts into insipid laughter as the mockery tumbled out of his mouth. She doesn’t have to look his way to picture the disgusting smirk he must be sporting. The jerk. 

From the corner of her eye, Aella recognizes the lonesome lad sat at the far end of the bar, nursing a Bourbon with tinted cheeks and glossy irises. There is no doubt he’s in a slightly inebriated state but his participative chuckle still stings. Maybe even more so than Rex’s offensive words, for Harry is supposed to be her closest ally. She doesn’t expect him to jump to her defense, wouldn’t want him to anyway, but she’s profoundly disappointed he would find such humor in someone degrading her that way. The thought angers her so much, she doesn’t realize Harry is actually showing some kind of emotion at last. It’s not the one she wanted anyhow; not when it’s at her expense. 

She’s handed her drink before Rex speaks up again. "You think you can just sweep in and fight the bad guys with your pretty hair and 5 pounds muscles? I mean, come on darling, you’re not meant for the job. Just sit and look pretty like the others. Or fucking teach. You know what they say, right? Those who can’t, teach…”  She’d started to walk away at first but Rex’s lousy rant makes her halt in a sudden. “Anything but the fucking Navy, yeah? We have enough wannabes as it is."

Deep breath. Tight fist. Down the Vodka. Then she turns around and marches up to him, armed with daggers in her eyes and a punch away from feeling better. She doesn’t hit him though. Has more dignity and self-control than that. "You should really consider shutting your goddamn mouth before I show you just what I can or can’t do." Aella’s tone is cold; colder than the marble of Harry’s face earlier that day. 

As she expects, they don’t take her seriously and giggles erupt all around her. "Darling, I really wouldn’t mind," is what he replies with a suggestive lip bite and a smug that rivals her scowl in intensity. He’s dangerously toying with her last nerve and he knows it. Deliberately exploits it in the hopes of seeing her explode and then crumble into pieces. 

That’s how Aella knows she has the upper hand. She knows how guys like him work, what gets them going and their tactics to achieve that. But Rex has no clue what she’s like. He’s deluding himself into thinking he’s pushing her break-down button when in reality he’s in for something else. 

Nobody knows that yet, except maybe Harry. 

As a quiet and incredibly guarded individual, Harry proves to be a tremendous observer. It might come off as standoffish though he doesn’t mean to, but those who matter know and have accepted just how introverted his nature is. He knows he probably should have made an effort and better impression on his new copilot but the wound from his best friend’s loss is still too fresh to be bothered. They’ll get to talk soon enough anyway, is what he thought. Plus she didn’t really go out of her way to make an impression herself.

Now though, observing the sour interaction from afar, Harry’s starting to think differently. He shrugged Rex’s crude remarks, already used to the block’s insolence and admittedly amused at the childish antics. But as he becomes more attentive to Aella’s shifting stance, it is obvious to him that she’s not a person to ever take shit from anybody. 

His suspicions are proved right when Aella slowly closes the few steps between her and Rex until her eyes level with his. "Oh Rex. The thing with guys like you, is you feel empowered because power was handed to you on a fucking silver platter." All the while talking, she goes about removing his hold from his glass. "I could have pity for you, really. You think you’re good; you must even think you’re the best but you’re nothing more than a selfish privileged opportunistic prick who feels entitled to walk over anyone who won’t fucking bow down before you." Then she chucks the rest of his Whiskey in one swallow and places the empty glass back on top of the counter next to them.

"Oh yeah?" Rex smirks as he watches her face closely, casually leaning on the bar. It works in her favor as he fails to notice her hand creeping around his own. Then the next thing he knows is a tremendous throb shooting from the joint between his thumb and index, all the way through his arm and up to his neck. The pain is seizing and has him doubled up like it is suddenly to painful to even stand straight. Aella has never been more glad to learn a thing or two about pressure point.

"Yeah. And I might be smaller than you or less of a weightlifter than you are, but I can still bring you down whenever I want to. Don’t you forget that." He’s almost kneeling by now, arm twisted in a weird angle from where she’s still applying pressure on his hand. Rex’s acolytes seem to have lost their voice and giggles as they’re all taking in the sudden reversal of the situation. They have probably never seen Rex in such a submissive position, hence the dazed expression of stupor plastered on their faces.

Aella finally releases the whimpering man at her feet. She’s about to make her way out but she stops herself. "Oh and one more thing: you’re cocky, vile, and despicable, and one day, probably too late, you’ll realize your arrogance is what will fail you."

Satisfied with her last words, Aella looks up at the scene around her. Most people are still engrossed in what they were doing when she first came in, oblivious to the whole confrontation. Then just as she turns around, her eyes catch Harry’s broad frame, as though some magnetic field was coaxing them to his radiating force. She doesn’t delay her departure though. Her steps barely falter on the way out but her mind is left in whirlwind of thoughts. 

He was smiling. Shy and in the corner of his lips. But genuine and almost knowing, like he’d been rooting for her the whole time. And deep inside, for Harry to be on her side is everything Aella really hopes for.

[dead-thorin]

whew a lot has happened in the past few days yall

first and foremost, @allangelsgobyangharad saw that i was sad AND SHE SENT ME A BOOK AND SHE IS SUCH A GOOD EGG I LOVE HER it really cheered me up

so a dude broke my heart over the weekend and it literally wasnt his fault, i just had hopes that we could do a long distance thing and he didnt want to bc he felt like he was in a bad place in life to do it; it be like that.

I dont really decorate my room bc im kinda just like ‘well ill be moving in a year, why bother?’ but at target i bought some stuff (including a new shelf!) and some decorations and my room looks more lively and lived in now. I have a white board im using, a letter board that im gonna write positive messages for myself on (rn it says ‘keep going’), i changed my curtains to something less dark (theyre white with flowers on the bottom), a fake plant that looks realistic, and a wax warmer to diffuse lavender scent into my room (it smells damn amazing). My therapist was really proud of me for doing all this and im proud i did it too. Like being in the room gave me anxiety and made me sad and switching it around really helped me separate us being together and him leaving and me sleeping here and shit

i got myself a book about anxiety and meditation thats p funny (by dan harris) and im gonna read it tomorrow during lunch and maybe take some notes. Ive also been thinking about going back on medication so i think im gonna schedule an appointment tomorrow with the psych here and see what she thinks. itll suck but i think for rn its best bc ive been anxious for a while and until i can get my coping mechanisms down, ill need some extra help. therapist was also proud i was pro active in this

The process for top surgery is slow, but moving. The doctor faxed my letter over to the wrong department (bc the number was wrong on the website) so Im heading down there tomorrow and getting a physical copy. I called yesterday and she hadnt responded and thats the MO with this fucking office so I have to physically go there for it. It be like that. Also one of the students I work with goes to the city I wanna get surgery in and he said he was down to give me a ride there so im covered. 

I had lunch with a friend and we talked about like my future plans and i mentioned how i was just like... done with library science. Its a lot of things but like a lot of people went into the field bc theyre like “oh i like reading!” when thats not what this field is about. Or they dont actually want to serve the public the way libraries are supposed to (like allowing individuals experiencing homelessness to be in that space). And like the job market is hard and public librarianship doesnt offer that great benefits so im like nervous (I always have a problem of looking too far ahead in life tbh). Michelle has always told me I would do great in public health bc i have a wide skill range, Im p sociable and a people person, i love educating, im passionate about the topics i talk about, etc so like i might do another masters in public health and theres one program i saw that looks good and the university also offers remitted tuition so in theory i could work there and get my degree too. I also probably wouldnt need gres since id already have a masters degree. My therapist slightly roasted me for this and was like “Jordan... too far ahead..” and i was like I KNOW!!! God I always do that but yeah at least i have a plan and if anything I could probably be an academic librarian for a public health department at a university; well see where life takes me

anyway yeah i feel a lot better about things and i know that life goes on and that im 23 and young and shit and that its just hormones but it just really sucks. And like Michelle said maybe one day we would get together, its just not the right time but im so impatient smh (which she also roasted me for; lunch with her is like being slowly cooked at 425F for an hour but its amazing). And if its not meant to be, then its not meant to be and thats ok too

[agirlingrey]

hey what characters would you like to see/interact with? got based or otherwise.

Sorry for responding too late for it. There are SO MANY characters I would love to see around and interact with, that’s why I had to think about it and narrow down my list. Massively. This post will be 100% ASOIAF characters, because I have too many fandoms and I’m too lazy to make a list of fifty characters. If anyone gets INSPIRED by the list, would like to try to make one of these accounts and wants to talk to me about it further, I would be more than happy to help you out as much as I can !

HARRION KARSTARK.

— WHO’S THAT.  Realistically, I know this is a long shot, as HARRION KARSTARK is a very minor character and Karstarks aren’t exactly a loved family by the fandom. Except for my precious girl, of course. But I want some of my family members, dammit ! And I also think Harry ( as he is affectionately called by Alys ) is a character who is going to become politically important in The Winds of Winter. He is the eldest son and heir of House Karstark, and incidentally, the only son of Rickard Karstark who is still ALIVE, as his younger brothers were killed by Jaime Lannister.

During the The War of the Five Kings, he was captured TWICE. Once during Battle on the Green Fork, after which he was taken to Harrenhal. After the castle fell under the control of the Northmen, he was released, only to be part of the Battle of Duskendale ( thanks to Roose Bolton’s insidious, anti-Stark campaign after the Sacking of Winterfell ), and get captured again. He is currently being held captive at the Maidenpool. His uncles ( those bastards ) declared for Stannis in The Dance of the Dragons, hoping that this would provoke the Lannisters to execute Harrion. It would have probably worked if Alys hadn’t intervened and let Stannis know of the plan. The last time we heard of Harrion, he was still a captive… but there are very exciting theories about whether this is true !

— HELPFUL LINKS.  Given that you are smart people and surely have no interest in the HBO’s abomination whom they called Harrion Karstark, here is a couple of links about book!Harrion. ASOIAF WIKI: Harrion Karstark, Is Harrion the Mysterious ‘Hooded Man’ in Winterfell? and Brief Summary of the Karstark Succession.

— FACECLAIM RECS.  Ioan Gruffudd ( King Arthur ) or Clive Standen ( Vikings. )

MELISANDRE.

— WHO’S THAT.  I know there have been many MELISANDRE accounts over the years ( some of them written by friends of mine ! ) but all the blogs that I know of are inactive at the moment. So… this bae is a red priestess of R'hllor and a shadowbinder, hailing from the city of Asshai in the Further East of Essos. She has joined the entourage of Stannis Baratheon, Lord of Dragonstone, believing him to be Azor Ahai reborn, a hero destined to defeat the Great Other. She has become an influential advisor to him and his family. She becomes a POV character in A Dance with Dragons.

— HELPFUL LINKS.  ASOIAF WIKI: Melisandre. There are SO MANY theories about and they are always fun to read. Even though some of them are very, very crackpot. You can check HERE, HERE and HERE if you are interested in delving deep into the crazy world of ASOIAF theories.

— FACECLAIM RECS.  Carice van Houten ( Game of Thrones, duh ! ) or if you want more variety, Lotte Verbeek ( Outlander, The Borgias. )

EDMURE TULLY.

— WHO’S THAT.  Ser EDMURE Tully is the son of Lord Hoster Tully and Lady Minisa Whent, and the heir to House Tully of Riverrun, the liege lords of the riverlands. He is the younger brother of Catelyn and Lysa. His mother died when he was very young. As a youth, he was known as hot-headed but good-hearted. He had a number of friends who had similar characteristics, most notably Marq Piper. The young Edmure once broke his arm after falling from an elm in Riverrun’s godswood. He often went wenching and had a number of affairs. In one case, he had drunk too much and was unable to “perform”. A singer, Tom of Sevens, made a mocking song about Edmure, which mentioned a “FLOPPY FISH”, causing him to develop a dislike of singers in general.

— HELPFUL LINKS.  ASOIAF WIKI: Edmure Tully. As for future!AU plots, if you are interested, I recommend you check out THIS THEORY about what’s going to happen to Edmure and his party in the beginning of the book. I subscribe to this theory WHOLEHEARTEDLY, and am pretty sure that this is exactly how it will play out.

— FACECLAIM RECS.  Tom Hiddleston ( Henry V ) or Tobias Menzies ( Game of Thrones. )

VAL.

— WHO’S THAT.  Like Melisandre, there have been amazing VAL blogs around in the past few years. But as far as I know, they are all inactive at the moment. I loved Val from the moment we first met her on page, and I hope someone will get inspired to make a Val very soon ! She is a member of the free folk. She is the sister of Dalla, the wife of Mance Rayder, and a beautiful young woman with blonde hair the colour of dark honey, reaching to her waist. She sometimes wears all white, wields a long bone knife. She is resourceful, brave and FIERCE, as well as a capable rider.

— HELPFUL LINKS.  ASOIAF WIKI: Val. I don’t think I have heard of or read many crackpot theories about Val, nor do I think anything particularly sinister or surprising awaits her in The Winds of Winter, but if you want to look for them anyway, check out THIS LINK.

— FACECLAIM RECS.  Katheryn Winnick ( Vikings ), Alyssa Sutherland ( Vikings ), or Imogen Poots ( Centurion. )

ROOSE BOLTON.

— WHO’S THAT.  Where all the creepy Rooses at? Seriously??? He is legitimately the most creepy and insidious character in the series. He’s so amazingly written that we should have at least dozens of active Roose Boltons all the time. But anyway… ROOSE Bolton is the Lord of the Dreadfort and head of House Bolton. He receives regular leechings, which he believes to improve his health, prompting some to call him the Leech Lord. He has a plain face, beardless and ordinary, with his only noticeable feature being his eyes, paler than stone and darker than milk, strange like two white moons. Though mild-mannered and patient, Roose is calculating and capable of great cruelty. He possesses a cold cunning and a skill for strategy. He speaks softly and rarely raises his voice, forcing those who listen to do so intently. When he speaks silence often descends.

— HELPFUL LINKS.  ASOIAF WIKI: Roose Bolton. This particular character is often the center of many, many crackpot theories. You can see some of them HERE. I don’t know if I subscribe to any of the ‘Roose is Undead / Vampire’ theories, but obviously he is going to remain an important character in The Winds of Winter. Well, parts of it anyway, seeing as I reckon he will die… probably murdered by Ramsay. If he is not dead by the time The Pink Letter was written and sent, that is. But that’s a conversation for another time.

— FACECLAIM RECS.  Michael McElhatton ( Game of Thrones. ) This faceclaim is one of the most successful ones on HBO’s part, so why change it?

SAND SNAKES.

— WHO ARE THEY.  I think we have decided collectively as a fandom to completely ignore what the show made of Oberyn’s daughters, right? Okay, good. I loved them in the books ( well, the older ones anyway since we didn’t meet the little ones ) and I would love to see more of them around on Tumblr and on my dash. SAND SNAKES is a term used to refer to the bastard daughters of Prince Oberyn Martell. The name references the Dornish bastard surname, Sand, and their father’s nickname, “the Red Viper”. Prince Oberyn’s eight daughters have been born to five different mothers, and while they differ in appearance from one another, they are said to all have their father’s eyes.

— OBARA FC REC. Cynthia Addai-Robinson ( Spartacus ),— NYMERIA FC REC. Janina Gavankar ( Vampire Diaries ),— TYENE FC REC. Pelin Karahan ( Magnificent Century ),— SARELLA FC REC. Lupita Nyong'o ( Twelve Years As a Slave ),— ELIA FC REC. Q'orianka Kilcher ( The New World. )