#or like just even reblog something on the rob account like i have to think and then i’m all nervous

[missswritesalot]

Can I request something with Robb stark x shy reader. She is very quiet and a good wife too rob, but she loves seeing him be a true king to his people so when someone comes along and tries to knock him down a few pegs she speaks up and reminds said person of who they are speaking to leaving Robb speechless and a little turned on. You can end it there or add in a little smut if you want. Thank youuu

A/N requests open! Hope you enjoy, anon! There is just a sprinkle of nsfw at the end, but I tagged it with smut just to be safe ;) i think i used the word shy like a million times. Reblog/Comment if you want more!

You and your husband, Robb, were touring the North and providing supplies to the smallfolk to support them through the Winter. There were many grievances to address and you held court at all the small towns.

You hated the attention, and it was a small mercy that you rarely had to speak. Even when Robb needed your counsel, he asked for it in private so you weren’t embarrassed. The eyes of the people on you were enough to mortify you, yet you bore your discomfort silently and stood by his side.

At one such hearing, Robb ordered the Lords of the lesser Northern houses to visit. You were seated next to him on your throne, Greywind sleeping on the raised floor at your feet.

“The old ways have served the North fruitfully for years. Listen carefully, one war does not make a boy a man and you are yet to know the ways of the world.” Lord Karstark said, wagging a wrinkled finger at Robb.

It was the third time he had questioned your husband in front of his Council. You were furious.

All Robb had suggested was reducing the great burden of supporting lesser houses with tithes from the peasants. Many smallfolks families were missing men and weapons due to the war, and winter was coming. It would be his first Winter as King of the North and he wanted all his subjects to survive, not just the noblemen.

You thought it was admirable. You also knew how hard he worked, spending almost all nights this week pouring over papers and accounts.

“Don’t forget yourself, I am the King,” Robb chided him. Greywind woke up and went to him, a silent threat.

“No man that calls himself King is a true-“ Lord Karstark began in his crotchety old voice. Anger coursed through your veins. How dare this senile old man try to insult your husband.

You cleared your throat. The hall fell silent. Robb frowned and turned to look at you. His wife was a woman of few words but they were all worth hearing.

“My King husband would have no need of repeating his station if you would remember it, my Lord. And if you cannot, then perhaps in the evening of one’s life we must accept our limitations and resign to things we are capable of.” You said calmly, yet sharply. Robb’s jaw dropped in awe.

It took Karstark’s slow mind a moment longer to process.

“Control your tongue, woman,” he said said, eyes wild, pointing to you.

“Disrespect the Queen and you will feel my blade,” Robb yelled, stepping down from the throne and pulling out Ice, just as the direwolf by his side leapt into action.

Karstark did not know when to keep hush. He retorted back sarcastically, and the altercation ended with him being dragged to the dungeons for his impunity. The other lords were also greatly displeased with him, for now they had no chance of changing the King’s mind about restoring their allowances.

You were glad to see the end of the day, and walked into the chambers of your current abode with Robb trailing behind you.

“Lord Karstark demands hot oil for his feet, did you hear it, darling?” Robb said, crushing the piece of correspondence he read. “To send his demands with servants even when imprisoned. The gall of him.” He chuckled.

“I’ve had it up to here with that old bastard,” you said angrily. You let your hair down and started running your fingers through it roughly. The more you thought of it, the more your anger flared.

“How dare he set foot in your court, dine and dwell in our hospitality, and feel entitled to disrespect you like that? I will not stand for it, Robb.” You said, tugging at the lacing and stepping out of your gray court dress.

“Age does not guarantee wisdom, darling. Experience does. And the old fool has none.” Robb said, walking up to you and resting his hands on your shoulders. He pushed your hair to the side and kissed up your neck from your shoulders to your ear.

You tilted your head to give him more access. After a while he turned you around and kissed your mouth. You savored his languid kisses. His hands slowly pushed your chemise over your shoulders till it hung just above your breasts.

You pulled away, and leaned back, his strong arms holding you up.

“I’m sorry for speaking out of turn, love” you said shyly. You were bold in your anger but the shyness was starting to creep in now. “I love you, and I cannot bear to see you insulted after you pour your soul into this Kingdom.”

“Don’t be sorry, you were fantastic,” Robb said, apparently unable to keep his lips off of you. You gasped as he nipped at the bottom of your throat. “I would like to see the wolf in my little wife more often.”

You giggled at his words, and he walked you backwards till your calves hit the bed. Your chemise dropped to your hips and his hands made quick work of finding your breasts.

Your hands came up to cover yourself.

“Robb, the candles,” you said, eyes wide. His own blue ones lit up with mirth.

“I know now that you are not shy, let me see what is mine, darling.” He whispered, pushing your chemise to the floor. You stepped out of it, naked as the day you were born. Your skin felt hot under his hungry gaze.

“Lie back, Y/N,” he said, licking his lips and pushing you down on the bed. “I wish to show you some of my appreciation.” He knelt before you with a wink.

Robbs hands found your knees and he spread them apart. Your hands twisted into his auburn hair in surprise.

And there was nothing shy about the sounds you made that night.

[blouisparadise]

Today’s rec list is filled with bottom Louis fics where Louis and/or Harry are agents, police officers, or spies. There are a ton of amazing fics on this list that you’ll want to check out. If you enjoy our rec lists, please be sure to like and reblog this post to spread the word. Happy reading!

1) Fuck The Police | Mature | 2349 words

"It's been a while, Louis. I bet you haven't changed at all. I bet you still think about all the things we've done. I bet you still get off to that thing I used to do to you in bed...you remember that?" Louis blanched, face turning white as a ghost.

"You can't talk to me like that anymore, Harry. It's not okay." Louis spoke up, although his voice wavered as Harry guided his body so that his back was flush against the wall, facing the younger lad.

"Talk to you like what? Like the dirty whore you are? You know you still want me, Lou. Admit it." Harry murmured lowly, eyes taunting.

2) Bleeding Love. | Mature | 2414 words

Note: This fic has been locked and can only be read by AO3 users.

Harry is a cop, Louis is his boyfriend. Harry wants to marry his boy.

3) If We Catch A Criminal | Not Rated | 2759 words

The one where Harry is a policeman and Louis will do just about anything to avoid going to jail.

4) I’ve Been A Bad Girl, Officer | Mature | 3425 words

Louis has done something mildly bad, and Harry is a cop.

5) Are You Fucking Kidding Me? | Explicit | 4760 words

Louis barks up the wrong tree, so Harry punishes him for it.

6) Moles Before Hoes (Which In This Case Does Not Apply) | Explicit | 5201 words

A Criminal Minds AU where Louis is a technical analysis for the FBI, and Harry is the agent who cant control himself, not even while looking at a murder scene.

7) I’d Make Wine From Your Tears | Explicit | 6731 words

He's the one Forbes writes about, who has bank accounts all over the world, a gold ring on each finger, and a tiger of his own in his huge mansion in the heart of California. Harry Styles, a devilishly rich stockbroker, is accused of a number of financial crimes. And Louis Tomlinson, the FBI agent leading the investigation, finally gets hold of evidence against Styles and shows up at his party to arrest the broker.

“Your body is the only form of currency in this world.”

8) Brown Hair And A Golden Boot | Mature | 12995 words

Harry is mistaken for a secret agent, he wears one golden boot, and Louis is in charge of getting information out of him.

9) The Blood Is Rare (And Sweet As Cherry Wine) | Explicit | 14270 words | Sequel

"Officer, I see you're giving away my secrets already," Harry said as he entered the room.

"It's hardly a secret," Louis accepted the delicate glass, cutting a glance at the man when the underlying scent hit him, "A little early to indulge in such things, isn't it?"

"You've had a long morning, I'm sure. Merely looking after your health, Officer," Harry smiled.

"You don't need to concern yourself with that."

"Someone has to."

10) Don’t Call Me Angel | Mature | 16648 words

Manhattan is a dangerous playground for the rich and entitled Alphas of New York. Those same wealthy Alphas are robbed after spending one night in the presence of a blue-eyed Omega and Officer Styles is assigned to the case.

11) Angel Of Small Death And The Murder Scene | Explicit | 20634 words

Ever since Louis read about the new up and coming Detective in town, he had immediately disliked the man, despite never having met him. So, naturally, it can only be the worst thing that could have happened to Louis when he gets stuck with Detective Styles trying to solve a murder during his supposed to be relaxing vacation over the seas.

12) You're The Smell Before Rain, You're The Blood In My Veins | Explicit | 21945 words

“It was him you talked about, when you used to call me late at night, saying you were missing your ex? Was it him, your important five-year long story? Was it him the person you had thought about proposing, one day?” Nick asks with a low voice, almost inaudible, almost like he’s talking to himself “He’s my boyfriend…” he whispers again, without looking up.

“I know! And you shouldn’t worry, because you don’t have a single reason to do so. He’s yours now, he’s with you. I really don’t understand why you came here, honestly” Harry says defending himself out of instinct, even if he has no reason to react like that. He just- just wishes for Nick to leave his room and go back home to Louis. Because at this point Nick has Louis and fuck, why can’t he just go fuck off for once? Doesn’t he have enough shit do deal with already? Does he really need to get into this as well? Right now?

13) Sunflowers, Sunshine, And You | Explicit | 28778 words

Sunshine county is small but mighty and Harry takes pride in knowing nearly each and every person that lives inside of it. For nearly eleven years now he’s been sheriff, and not one of them he’s ever regretted settling down here.

He knows the road names like the back of his hand, knows the people and the animals and the way the world works here. In all of the time he’s been here, not a thing has changed.

So, all things considered, when he starts seeing a beat up pickup truck roaming through town with plates he’s never seen before, Harry, to be frank, jumps on that like a fly on fresh dog shit.

14) You Fill My Lungs With Sweetness (Can I Be Close to You?) | Explicit | 29884 words

Busy picturing Harry’s stupid face on the stupid dummy, Louis goes through a series of kicks before returning to a low guard and cycling through punches. Harry’s still talking, gesturing with his hands as he rounds Louis, standing to his back. “You do a few butt-shaping exercises, tighten this up a little bit,” he smacks Louis’ arse and the omega freezes while Harry cheerfully continues, “you could pull this off.”

“You know what?” Louis snaps, lifting on his tiptoes to get the leverage so he can wrap his arm around the alpha’s neck, forcing him to bend in half while Louis locks him in a chokehold. “Pull this off,” he snarls. They stagger over a few steps, Louis gritting his teeth as Harry tries to break free. “Is it because Payne hates me?” he complains, voice edging on an annoyed whine, “Or is it, like, an omega thing?”

Too late, Louis realizes that Harry has got a grip on his leg and this time as he pulls against Louis’ hold, it loosens, the alpha lifting him in the air before slamming his back into the mat, breaking Louis’ grip completely. Harry kneels on the mat, hovering over him with a sneer, “Don’t kid yourself. Nobody thinks of you that way.”

15) Once Upon A Dream | Explicit | 33319 words | Sequel

Louis is psychic and gets caught in the middle of a murder investigation led by FBI Special Agent Harry Styles.

16) A Matter Of Uniforms | Not Rated | 36606 words

In Birmingham, just after the Great War, veteran Harry Shelby leads his gang, the Peaky Blinders, making money from illegal betting and the black market. Inspector Campbell, charged by Winston Churchill to arrest the man, plants Louis Burgess to spy on Harry's activities.

Soon enough, it becomes hard for the gangster to pretend he's heartless, and even harder for the spy to pretend he loathes it all.

17) Falling Without Caution | Explicit | 50350 words

Louis Tomlinson, a wanted criminal, was captured by the FBI after years of chasing. Instead of being locked up in a high-security prison, he was offered a deal. What was supposed to be the end of a decade long chase turned into a morally grey circumstance for Agent Styles.

18) Rookie | Not Rated | 54352 words

Louis is the youngest candidate to be selected for the police academy in ten years. At nineteen he has a hard time fitting in, especially with how Agent Styles and the other training sergeants treat him. He’s been nicknamed Rookie and has to put up with it for the rest of his training.

What happens when Louis graduates and things become personal, he’s lost everything before...will it happen again.

19) Never Let Me Go | Explicit | 55949 words

Harry and Louis have been friends forever, but they couldn't be more different. One night, with a little too much alcohol, they make a pact to marry in ten years if they're both still single.

Now, one month before the deadline, Louis is willing to do whatever it takes to avoid ending up with his best friend. But is he, really?

20) Somethin’ Bout You | Explicit | 59855 words

Of all the government agents in the world, Louis had to go and land the most charming one.

21) Derail The Mind Of Me | Explicit | 77323 words

The Behavioral Analysis Unit gets called in to help a small town police department find the killer leaving behind a string of victims with a particularly jarring signature. FBI profiler Harry Styles must work with his team to uncover the unsub responsible for a slew of gruesome murders and just might discover his own hidden feelings for BAU Technical Analyst Louis Tomlinson along the way.

22) Waiting On You | Explicit | 76584 words

“Vampires,” Louis says with disgust, glaring over at the vampire who is noisily slurping from the woman’s neck nearby.

Zayn gives the neat fang marks on Louis’ neck a meaningful look.

“Can’t live with them, can’t live without them,” Louis finishes, ignoring Zayn when he rolls his eyes.

Louis takes a long sip of his milkshake, presses his fingers against the marks on his neck, and definitely doesn’t think about the vampire who left them there.

23) Morality | Explicit | 82857 words

An AU where the boys all work for the FBI in Washington, D.C., working together to catch an unsub who's closer than they ever thought. In the process, Louis uncovers Harry's deepest secret, forcing the two enemies to live a life together to ensure their safety.

24) The Rose Of Whitechapel | Mature | 100182 words

Jack the Ripper AU - Detective Constable Harry Styles and his partner, DC Liam Payne, lead the case on the Whitechapel murders. Louis Tomlinson, the Rose of Whitechapel, is harbouring secrets of his own, along with a dark and sordid past. When their paths cross, truths are revealed, and perhaps hearts are mended...

A darkness is brewing, and it's finally come to collect on the promise it was made.

25) Shadow Dances | Mature | 101591 words

Louis Tomlinson has a begrudging gift, he’s able to communicate with the spirits of the dead. Often against his will, and almost always at the most inconvenient of times.

He and his partner, Zayn Malik, work for a covert division of the New Haven Federal Bureau of Investigations. They aid in all kinds of cases, though their talents lie in the obscure and unsolvable.

It’s when a strange new case falls onto their desks that they’re left questioning the extent of their abilities, and whether they were ever truly alone.

Harry Styles was brought into the FBI for not only his skills, but his ability to mitigate the influx of spirits surrounding the elusive and obnoxiously infuriating sharp-tongued medium he’d been assigned to. Louis gets under his skin, he’s impulsive and a risk to the team according to Harry.

They do however have to find a way to set aside their sordid history, and their reluctant attraction, to track down the murderer plaguing their coastal city.

26) Halfway Home | Mature | 103158 words

Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson were improbable childhood friends, much to Harry's dismay. They were thrown together each summer when Harry was forced to visit Louis' grandfathers' ranch in Black Hills, South Dakota. With each passing year their friendship blossomed into something more. When trail rides turned to stolen kisses, and tragedies turned to confessions, until they could no longer deny the inevitable draw they felt for one another.

Though life and their future plans soon set them on different paths.

Ten years later, Louis is the proud owner of Halfway Home Wildlife Refuge. Harry returns to the ranch to escape the perils of his past in London, and though their memories still haunt Louis, he won't let that deter him from his goals. However, someone has been keeping a close eye on the refuge, and possibly Louis specifically, and Harry's return may have unleashed more that just old passions. There's a hunter lurking in the Hills, someone who's decided they've bided their time long enough.

27) Beautiful War | Mature | 103379 words

Five years ago, Louis was nearly the next victim in a string of murders plaguing Portland, Oregon. He managed to escape and the Angel Killer was apprehended and sent to prison. Now, Louis' a best-selling author that assists state police with minor cases. He still suffers from the events of the days he'd been held hostage, but he's found ways to cope.

That is, until the killings start up again. A body was found in the woods. A body that bared the same signature the media had dubbed: The Angel of Death.

Special Agent Harry Styles leads the case, and he doesn't buy into the clairvoyant bullshit that Louis spewed to save face five years ago. He's certain that Louis Tomlinson was involved.

Until they meet, and they're both left questioning everything they'd thought to be true.

28) ROUGE | Not Rated | 117624 words

Submissive Louis Tomlinson is a misjudged criminal who is accused of beating his own Dominant until unconciousness. But the truth is not like that. In fact, Louis has been a victim of severe abuse by his Dom, he only fought back to defend his own life. One could imagine how many times the Dom has raped the Sub, how many scars from canes and whips are there to litter across his body, how many times his flesh has been split open, how many nightmares he has endured that leaves him lose all hope in life.

Sent to the BDSM prison for "behavioural correction", Louis meets the warden there, Dominant Harry Styles. Dominant above all Dominants, Harry is cold and harsh on the outside, but secretly a lonely man in the inside.

Louis supposes he could find his solace here in prison, a time for his scars to heal, both physical and mental ones. But what if Harry starts befriending the Sub, seeing through all the false accusations? What if Harry wants to seek justice? Does Louis even want his name cleared anyways? But the most important question is,

Will Harry be able to give Louis the love he deserves?

If only Louis could tell him the truth.

29) Drops Of Jupiter | Mature | 121821 words

In a small, sleepy town ruled by prejudice, Louis Tomlinson runs his grandmothers shop for the occult. He finds comfort in his tarot cards, his friends, and a dog that he doesn't have room for. He thought the worst he'd have to deal with would be bigotry, until a new sheriff arrives with a headstrong little girl that's impossible not to fall in love with.

But what happens when a string of break-ins leads to a brutal attack, and the towns' darling is murdered right under their Sunday hats? A murder that just so happens to bear the same modus operandi as similar homicides in neighbouring states. Has the killer been circling Virginia, or is he a local of Lavender Hills?

And what will Louis do when the charming Sheriff Styles starts to suspect him of such a heinous crime?

30) Life And Love Finds A Way | Explicit | 165244 words

Post-apocalyptic world after a plague had taken out more than half of the world’s population. In the midst of the pandemonium caused by so many people passing away, the population that was left had turned greedy and started attacking each other for food and resources now that there weren’t enough people to farm or work essential jobs. After being shot by a looter while he was on patrol, Harry had decided to leave the police department and move away to find somewhere remote to live. What he didn’t expect was for an omega to weasel his way into Harry’s heart.

Check out our other fic rec lists by category here and by title here.

[fuzzyblanketcuddles]

I posted 12,774 times in 2022

9 posts created (0%)

12,765 posts reblogged (100%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@surviving-andor-thriving

@unyanizedcatboys

@littlemartianbitch

@juicycloud

I tagged 631 of my posts in 2022

#ofmd - 57 posts

#more useless facts about me - 48 posts

#lol - 9 posts

#rhys darby - 5 posts

#🤣🤣🤣 - 5 posts

#david dastmalchian - 5 posts

#anyway - 5 posts

#prev tags - 4 posts

#abner krill - 4 posts

#listen - 4 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#(but like she wasnt robbing them because she was technically part of the family and had access to the accounts she just wasnt supposed to-)

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

abelia + edelweiss + taro

Abelia- do you have a particular piece of jewelry you always wear/can't part with?

There's a set of plain silver plated rings that used to be my grandma's. It's one of the only things we have left of her. Unfortunately my fingers tend to swell and I don't really wear them because of it.

Edelweiss- how do you think of your url? What's it associated with to you?

So it's actually a funny story. Back in highschool I had discovered the teenage love of wattpad and was obsessed with this show and I made it a big part of my username. Fastforward to like Jr year and I HATED my username because it was 'cringe' so I tried to find something more mature and I had seen people have user names like teabooksnmovies or something and I LOVED it. So here we are 🤷

Taro- if someone called you right now to catch up, what're the things you'd tell them?

Hmmmmmm I dont know really. I don't find anything in my life particularly interesting... I guess I'm working 2 jobs again, uh one of the girls I was BFFs with in highschool just got married so I got to see them all again... I'm going on 2 yrs working at the hospital now too...

2 notes - Posted July 7, 2022

#4

I've been at home sick the last 3 days and just got Paramount, and there are a bunch of good oldies on here, but I almost wish I could queue up episodes of different shows to run. Almost like the queue on YouTube, so when one ends a different episode of a different show plays, maybe throw in a movie here or there. Almost like cable TV, but you can set it up to run whatever you like with no commercials.

2 notes - Posted February 10, 2022

#3

20, 28, 49 for the ask game 💐🌹🥀🌺🌷

Thank you!! You picked some serious questions, lol.

20. What/who do you miss?

... probably my cousin Spencer. We grew up together and he was pretty much my everything. Was always there for me. Our family was fighting a lot when we were younger and I moved out of state so we lost touch. He's in the military now, might even be married too!

28. How are you really?

Haha, not great! But I will be eventually.

49. What does your last text say?

It's to my mom actually:

"Coolio, headed to lunch soon."

Thank you for the asks I really enjoy them!!!

2 notes - Posted January 15, 2022

#2

Ehem

3 notes - Posted January 6, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

a school subject your good with?

how many alarms do you have set?

do you shop at thrift stores?

what’s the meaning behind your url?

Oooo! Just saw this, thank you!!

1. I was always really good at math, surprisingly! I understood it quickly and it wasn't hard to learn.

2. 3, and that's on a good day, lol. The first one is to shock me awake a little early, I completely miss/ sleep through the second, and get up at the third!

3. Absolutely, I've shopped at thrift stores and garage sales my whole life! I love them so much!

4. Well whenever I had to made up a name for something, like a game, a story, kahoot, i would use a random word generator. And there was this one where you put in the name of a bunch of your favorite stuff and it mashes them together, so i put a bunch of different things that made me happy and this was the first one that i liked!

Thank you for the ask, I love love love doing these!

3 notes - Posted January 1, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[jesterjamz]

goodnight have a possum

[rjalker]

Anyways I think Victor Frankenstein was possessed by some demon or something.

This is not the "man has a superiority complrx and creates life only to abuse it because he likes having total control over people and thinks the person he created doesn't deserve any dignity or respect"

This is "man literally unable to stop himself from creating a new form of life and runs himself ragged and almost to the brink of death because he is not sleeping or eating and is in a constant state of horror and anxiety while he is gathering the materials for his creation and literally cannot stop building it and planning it no matter how afraid he is or how weak he's getting from starving and never sleeping and then immediately is released from the uncontrollable urge the moment his creation has life and feels nothing but pure horror and terror. He then spends the better part of a year deathly ill from the stress"

Like >.>

Zyg, this guy is a victim as far as I am concerned right now.

This guy got fucking possessed.

Edit:

I knew this was going to fucking happen when I made this post. No, this is not "just what having ADHD is like". No this is not "just what being autistic is like". No, this is not "just what hyper fixating is like".

Stop fucking equating being neurodivergent with not having morals.

Stop fucking acting like hyperfixations force you to be a horrible person and do bad things.

Stop fucking using neurodiversity to pretend that you are unable to control your actions and unable to stop yourself from doing bad things that hurt people.

Stop fucking acting like having ADHD or being autistic means that you are incapable of controlling your own behavior and completely fucking incapable of not harming people. I swear to fucking god.

No, having ADHD does not force you to fucking rob Graves and build a fucking creature from dead body parts that you are stealing from graves and charnel houses.

No, being autistic does not mean you have literally no fucking choice but to dig up dead bodies and steal their fucking body parts to build a creature that you are horrified and sickened of even when you are building it.

Stop fucking acting like hyper fixations or special interests are fucking demons possessing you that you have no fucking choice but to fucking obey.

You having ADHD or being autistic does not mean you are not able to control your own fucking actions or behavior.

Just because something is a hyper fixation or a fucking special interest does not mean you have no choice but to fucking interact with it or do it or whatever fucking verb applies. No, hyperfixating on the fucking idea that you can bring the dead to life does not mean you have no fucking choice but to literally go out and rob graves.

If you fucking reblog this post and comment in any way that this is just describing what having ADHD or being autistic is like, I am blocking you. No, being neurodivergent does not make you a bad fucking person, you're just ableist as shit.

I don't fucking care if you're leaving the comment as a joke, I am sick to fucking death of bigots who do horrible fucking things saying that they should not be held accountable because it's their special interest or their hyper fixating on it. Being neurodivergent does not mean that you are incapable of being a good person. Having ADHD or being autistic does not mean you get to do whatever horrible shit you want without being held accountable and pretend like you had no choice in the fucking matter at all.

No, ADHD does not literally force you to rob fucking graves. Being autistic does not literally force you to rob fucking graves. Shut the absolute fuck up I am tired of this shit.

Do not fucking comment on this post acting like having ADHD or being autistic means you are literally incapable of controlling any of your actions and you are incapable of not doing horrible fucking things. No, not even if you fucking mean it jokingly, because there are too many fucking racist transphobic bigots on this fucking website and on this fucking planet who's now think in the year 2022 that they can just say that they're bigotry is their hyper fixation, so not only is there nothing they can do about it, you're ableist if you call them out for being a fucking horrible bigot. Fuck off my fucking post.

[mickstart]

what do you think are some iconic/memorable schumi moments? i just got into f1 and would like to know more about him bc somehow i can’t really find anything like that about him.... just stats which are incredibly impressive but i can’t find anything about how he behaved or just anything about his personality..... thanks <3

:) Hi anon, thank you for unleashing the beast.

Ok I love you for asking me this thank you SO MUCH. Welcome to the circus I’m glad you’re here! Also yeah, Schumi is often talked about in terms of statistics and not as a human, Which is a shame bc like! Schumi is fascinating and the dynamics on the grid in late 90s F1 is so much fun! Also, this is mainly going to be late 90s -> early 2010s stuff bc I was born in 98 so uhhh I didn’t properly witness ANY 90s stuff and had to learn about it.

OK so I got super carried away but I’ve divided this into 3 sections: Drives/races that I think showcase some of his talents, human moments we need to talk about more, and Chaotic Little Bitch moments. The key thing to remember w/ Schumi is that he personally tends to be nice but as soon as you put him in a competition, Bastard Mode activates like a cat’s pupils going wide.

I am so sorry for the following short essay. Also some crashes are briefly mentioned but only ones with absolutely no injuries and there’s no details.

Chaotic Little Bitch Moments

Schumi debuted as a SUBSTITUTE driver for Jordan when one of their drivers was in police custody (yes. really.) The highest a Jordan had qualified all year was 10th and in his DEBUT at SPA, one of the toughest tracks, in the middle of the season, Schumi qualified that Jordan 7th! THEN his clutch failed before the first lap was even complete, but Benetton and Jordan WENT TO COURT to fight each other to sign him for their team before the next race in Monza. He couldn’t debut normally he HAD to cause a scene and set the tone.

The Red Strings of Fate: He qualified 7th, his iconic 7 starred helmet, his first victory next year was ALSO at Spa - his first complete race would be at Monza, Ferrari Holy Ground, and he finished 5th which 👀 1) he was immediately racing with The Greats. 2) Mr 5 Championships With Ferrari.

Winning a race by taking a stop and go penalty on the last lap, crossing the finish line in the pits, and making such a complicated argument about said penalty that in a hearing that was SUPPOSED to be Mclaren protesting the race result the stewards scrapped the entire penalty and the 3 who awarded it handed in their licenses??? Iconic.

Austria 2002 where Rubens was ordered to give the win to Michael. And then Michael fucking made him stand on the top step on the podium like “oh no no no RUBENS deserves this” and made a big SHOW out of it and its like “Michael stop you’re not making it heartwarming you’re making it WORSE Michael STOP” The Tension of germany 2010 podium VS the theatricality of THIS podium.

Team orders were banned because of this which also makes this indirectly responsible for Fernando Is Faster Than You having to be a coded message. You can’t escape him,

Blocking Alonso in Monaco qualifying and then, years later in 2010, overtaking Alonso technically illegally at Monaco (the race was ending under safety car, but the safety car doesn’t lead them over the line it pits and they’d crossed the safety car line and the regulations were NOT specific about the rules) and getting a 20 second penalty bc Damon Hill was a steward. Haunting FERNANDO specifically at Monaco like the ghost of christmas past? Getting a harsh penalty because ANOTHER driver he’d fucked over was a steward? Forcing the FIA to rewrite the rulebook to account for his nonsense when he was in his FOURTIES? I don’t know another chaos king.

Winning the 1995 championship by crashing into Damon Hill, getting AWAY with it for some reason, and then trying to do the same thing in 1997 to Villeneuve, failing to do so and simply rebounding off of him harmlessly, almost COMICALLY, and beaching his own car in a gravel trap at which point the FIA said “I have had ENOUGH of you Wacky Races Man!” and disqualified him from the entire championship

Forcing Mika off the track so bad at Spa 2000 that Mika realized the only way he was gonna be able to get past him was to re-invent the overtake and go for it whilst they were passing a backmarker. (The overtake itself is at 2:05 in the video but the build up to it is Important bc the key part it’s not just badass, it only happened bc Mika knew who he was dealing with.)

Spa 1998 was a Ridiculously Chaotic race it truly was the Mugello 2020 of its year, and after a crash at the start that took out almost the entire grid Schumi accidentally collided with Coulthard later in the race. (The teams used to have a spare car at every race then, so the race was able to continue after a restart.) This wasn’t a racing thing, Coulthard was getting lapped. So something in Schumi SNAPS, and he storms down the pitlane and tries to fight Coulthard while the mclaren and ferrari mechanics both hold him back and finally drag him away. He projected into the future, saw Coulthard was gonna talk non-stop shit about Seb, and acted accordingly.

Monaco 2012 Pole don’t talk to me about this I still can’t believe the audacity of this man to get the only pole of his comeback, at MONACO, at the ONE RACE where he had a 5 place grid penalty to take!!

In general, I know Cheating Bad but. I HAVE to admire the brainpower it must take to have the rulebook so memorized that whilst driving an F1 car Schumi could spot a loophole the size of the eye of a needle and then dance through it, forcing the FIA to add ANOTHER page to the rule book specially for him bc nobody else even REALISED that loophole existed.

Human Moments

A quick rant about Mika and Schumi’s entire friendship. After Spa 2000 Mika goes up to Michael, says something like “Don’t ever do that again” then they’re friends again. They had this mutual understanding that Racing was not Reality. This goes all the way back to their F3 days they were rivals AND friends for their entire career. They truly were the Sewis of the era if Sebastian was like 50% more evil. Their entire dynamic is “You’re the only motherfucker in this pit lane who can handle me”. Schumi would do some bullshit and every other driver would throw up their hands in frustration and Mika would just go “Okay” and drive better to put him in his place bc he was the only one who could keep up, and Schumi very visibly LOVED that he’s grinning after Mika owns his entire ass with that overtake at Spa. They were unstoppable force meets immovable object and I’m so sad their rivalry isn’t more talked about bc the way Mika is the only driver who can get him to behave like a normal human being is SO entertaining.

This is a sad one so I won’t link it but he started crying in the 2000 Monza press-conference with his brother and Mika when he equaled one of Senna’s records. The press kept trying to ask questions about it and Mika just has this death grip on his shoulder and tries to get them to stop or let them take a break and it’s so sad but also important to know about.

Once said he didn’t want Mick to race in F1 bc the pressure of his name would put Mick under so much stress and he wanted his son to be happy. (He fully supported Mick in his endeavors! But only after making absolutely sure it was what Mick wanted, and making sure he knew he could just race for fun if he wanted and it didn’t have to be F1)

This whole interview just after Mick was born with the Schumacher family. Special shout out to Gina on his head the entire video and also Corinna talking to the press while Michael is captivated by Mick. Me too Michael.

Once allegedly pleaded to take a stray kitten home from the track?

I reblogged this yesterday but. Sticking like glue to Sebastian at an F1 test and immediately being like “This is my new son he’s gonna go far”. There’s a lot of pictures out there also of Michael being a guest at the karting races Seb went to as a kid and baby Seb visibly losing his fucking mind at being given a trophy by his idol. Every day of my life I think about him trying to ruffle Seb’s hair through his helmet at Brazil 2012

WInning the championship in 2000. Him thanking the entire team individually and pausing mid-celebration to kiss his wife Corinna so tenderly it’s in the F1 opening. Also, the way it literally cuts from the rest of McLaren looking like they’re attending a funeral to Mika grinning at him and hugging him fucking SENDSSSSS me.

Schumi was a little shit in all the 2010-12 press conferences like, lowering Lewis’ chair, playing with a microphone wire, but ESPECIALLY corrupting baby Seb and getting him to mess with Nico Rosberg.

He’s just GOOFY! Like I refuse to let him be remembered as a terrifying force of nature he was so goofy kind of similarly to Seb. PLEASE watch this incredibly awkward interview he did with Coulthard on a golf buggy where they both had to pretend they hadn’t thought about murdering each other at least once. I think Sky F1 should force Brocedes to do this when covid’s over. “Do you mind if I drive?” “Yes.”

EDIT: I CANNOT BELIEVE I forgot the 1999 Canada press conference where Eddie Irvine and Mika Hakkinen get into a water fight and Schumi immediately grabs a towel and hides behind it and is like “I had NOTHING to do with it” 🥺 adorable, actually

A lot of people at Ferrari, including Rob Smedley (who was on the other side of the garage with Felipe Massa so not in his inner circle) have said that a lot of the success of the team came from Schumi’s LEADERSHIP more than anything, that he’d make the team get together to bond all the time. When Schumi moved to Ferrari in 1996 they were NOT dominant. He did the same thing Lewis did - went to a team that everybody said would be a huge mistake and helped build them up behind the scenes.

THIS bit of the Canada 2011 Rewind where his engineer gives him the strategy and he’s like “... OkaAaAaAay?” and then when it turns out to be the wrong strategy he cheerfully tells them it’s too late. Little shit.

Speaking of Mercedes I also wanna say that like. They were a MESS in 2012 and his car DNF’d because of a failing on their part MULTIPLE times. (In Canada qualifying his DRS was stuck open and they couldn’t close it.) He did not say a single bad word about them EVER even though the press used this to attack him non-stop as washed-up and bad without Ferrari to cheat for him. At Ferrari he was the exact same with the team, any bastard antics Schumi had for his rivals did not extend to the engineers and crew.

OK this one is soured bc Top Gear is trash BUT if you were like, a kid in England who followed motorsports? Schumi’s fake reveal as The Stig on Top Gear was like the coolest, sickest thing,

Please view this image of Schumi and Mika when they were young and stupid

Iconic Races

ok so I have limited myself to a few races that show off some of his key strengths!

Hungary 1998 / France 2004 - STRATEGY/SPEED - Schumi switched to a 3 stop strategy in 98 and a FOUR STOP strategy in 04 and won both races. In order for the strategy call to work he’d have to basically make every single lap a qualifying style ‘flying lap’ and you best fucking believe he DID THAT. God I fucking miss when Ferrari was the king of strategy.

Argentina 1998 -  has it all. Talent, battling Mika, pit lane mind games with mclaren, and bullying coulthard xxx

Spain 1996 / a majority of the wet races - RAIN - One of Schumi’s nicknames was Rain Master bc he was so fucking good in the wet. If it started raining and you were a Schumi stan you were cackling evilly before the red lights even went out. I single out 1996 bc it was his first win for Ferrari and it was unexpected but in most wet races, even Canada 2011 post comeback, you can see Schumi thriving.

Malaysia 1999 - Schumi missed pretty much the entire second half of the season with a broken leg, came back for the last 2 races with everybody murmuring about whether he would struggle, and immediately put the Ferrari on pole. Also worth noting is that he was the number 2 driver for these 2 races bc his teammate Irvine was fighting Mika for the championship and he went along with that without complaint, allowing Ferrari to win the constructor’s championship if not the driver’s.

Monza 2002, 03, 04, or 06 just because it has the energy of the tifosi kneeling at the feet of an idol to their red god.

Brazil 2006 - Fuck All Y’all - Schumi’s last race for Ferrari. He got a puncture and ended up almost lapped, and then drove his way back from that to 4th bc he couldn’t go out without reminding us he’s a bad bitch.

Monza 2012 - Defending - Don’t tell F1 Twitter that there’s actual footage of Lewis and Michael having a genuine lengthy battle on track but DO watch Michael defending like a motherfucker and Lewis breathing down his neck for half the race we need to talk about this more.

Valencia 2012 - This isn’t necessarily anything special but I cried in my living room over the only podium of his comeback so it goes on here. It doesn’t have the same impact if you haven’t been watching him struggle with the car for years, DNF-ing from car failure most of 2012, and having BBC F1 telling you he’s washed up every single weekend, but you can just enjoy one of the best drives of FERNANDO’S entire career as he DRAGS that Ferrari by its hair to a home grand prix win and then watch the crowds embrace him like jesus and also Schumi being happy on the podium. Also, the very start of this clip from the press conference: him forgetting what language he’s supposed to be speaking 

Basically, Schumi was a hyper-competitive ambitious bitch who turned into a goofball as soon as he switched the engine off. This is by NO MEANS everything if I was making an exhaustive best races guide I’d do more research and another post but I hope this is what you were looking for?? THANK YOU SO MUCH for letting me go MAXIMUM SPECIAL INTEREST and I apologize.

[elliethesuperfruitlover]

One Year Fic-Aversary

  It’s been a year since I published my first fanfic on here! So, I’m writing a bit of a thank you letter, and my feelings about everything that’s happened this past year. Get comfy.

  My first fic came from an idea I had and I was like “hmm this could be something”. So I bit the bullet, and decided to upload it on here! It’s called Sensual Soliloquies, go check it out :). I wasn’t really nervous to get it out there either! I looked at it and went “This is good.” and I was happy with it. Plus, I tend to write a lot, like 5 pages on a google doc, so length wasn’t an issue. It was good though! I’m extremely happy to have decided to write again, and it’s brought me a lot of luck and happiness through this past year.

 Fun fact, this isn’t the first site that I’ve published fanfiction on! I used to write on Wattpad, as well as Quotev. (not leaking the username, that shit can NOT see the light of day lol). I had a good amount of reads on them too! Which was amazing for me to think about. Having thousands of people seeing my works is wonderful. Or even just one person, honestly, is good enough for me. I also hand-wrote Harry Potter fics back in 5th grade too! I never uploaded those, but I always wrote in class, and edited things. Even then it was wonderful to have, even if they were smutty and somewhat poorly written. They were just for me, and written by me, and I loved that. 

I stopped writing it for a few years, and didn’t have the urge to really pick back up writing them for myself. I didn’t stop reading it though. Fanfiction is a constant thing for me, although it hasn’t always been. It’s a form of my own self-expression, and different fantasies and feelings, and it’s wonderful! Now, I made my tumblr account for good omens and good omens ALONE. I didn’t really come on here much, but when I found out about Robert Sheehan, and his different characters (specifically Klaus) something clicked, y’know? So I started coming on here more frequently, and reading through the tag, and one specific person kept coming up.

the *wonderful* and talented @badsext​

I put a request in, and everything blossomed from there! She’s actually one of the biggest reasons as to why I started writing as well! She encouraged me, and I took the leap of faith, and I seriously don’t want to look back from it. I’m so thankful to still have her in my little circle of people, and she’s an extremely dear friend. I really don’t know what I would’ve done without her kind words and interactions with me! I’m very grateful to call her a pal. She also happens to write some great stories too! So go check her out!

More people started popping up, and everything just seemed so nice. I watched more series, and began writing for a lot of characters. (one in particular) Mr. Luba. I feel like I’m most known for my Luba fics, which is fine by me, but kids, remember, do things in moderation. I burnt myself out writing him, but I still really like Luba as a character, and how Rob portrayed him. 

I’m really, very grateful for every single like, and reblog I’ve ever gotten on here. I will never take that for granted. It means a lot to me that people see my works, even if it’s just in a small glance, or a look at a title of mine. It seems so weird that people see my thoughts, or weird ideas and go “Yeah, I’ll give it a try”. Like?? That’s so nice, that someone wants to share an idea with me. And spend their time scrolling through my words, and feeling things, and comprehending what I may have just put them through. (sorry) You’ll never find me fussing over notes or anything because it’s out there. Someone will see it, even for a fleeting moment. I will really, absolutely never just forget about that.

It also means a lot to me when my pals see my works, and I read their tags and everything. (I always read the tags in my notes.) I want to hear your thoughts, and opinions and what made you go “One moment, I need to sit down.” and all that. The pals that I’ve made on here are some of the most wonderful people. And I mean that. They could’ve just thrown my thoughts away, and disregarded me, but they didn’t! They kept me around. I am endlessly appreciative of everyone on here. I read all the nice things y’all say about me in asks, and tag games and all that. It just makes me so happy. To know that someone out there has my back, you know. Someone out there has got me. It feels good to know that someone’s rooting for me, and that they care about how I’m doing. And how proud they are of me. They’ll listen if I need to talk, they give hugs in the form of animal gifs. And I’ll be there just the same for them in return. I’m surrounded by nothing but love and pure goodness here. Everyone here is nothing but supportive of not only me, but each other. It may be a really small circle, (with a venn diagram here and there) but there’s nothing but love here. I’m forever grateful of that.

Now that I’ve cried, um, yeah. This is a wonderful journey, and I’m happy that I, myself, stuck around, and did what I wanted to. I stuck by my “I do what I want, and won’t write unless I feel like it.” rule, and somehow it’s worked! I just...I am feeling a lot of good things, and it is so wild that it’s been a year. It, oddly enough, feels like it’s been that long, even if it usually feels like the opposite. Somehow. If I look at everything else around me, time seems to just pass by, but on here, it’s as real as can be. I enjoy so much time on this website, with my friends, just chatting, and I really wouldn’t have it any other way. So again, thank you, to all my pals, for being nothing but welcoming and loving. And thank you to my anonymous readers, and requesters, who give me fresh ideas and thoughts. I really appreciate it. I wouldn’t be simping over fictional characters as openly if it wasn’t for you. Really though.., thank you so very much.

You all deserve all the love and goodness that the world has to offer. So go drink some water, order something nice for yourself. Get rest, if you need, feed your pets.

                                            Thanks for coming in, and staying a while. ~Ellie

[smallblueandloud]

some leverage: redemption reactions

i finished leverage redemption today! and i don't have anyone to talk to about it so, here we have my reactions for all eight episodes, both positive and negative. please feel free to reblog/comment -- discussions are what i'm here for! (under a cut because spoilers and also this ended up being 2k. whoops!)

EPISODE 1: the too many rembrandts job

the "aww, this guy is trying to pull his first heist! how cute" job

what they chose to do with nate was... interesting. it might just be that i read too many of those cracky "here's how they should explain nate's absence" posts, but i was expecting something funny. the grief permeating this episode -- it makes SENSE, but it was still weird. leverage doesn't usually have sadness like this. pain, yes, rage, certainly, but sadness? not usually

the way sophie immediately spots the signs of a con and slips into a character? phenomenal. i'm here for EXPERTS BEING EXPERTS and this show does NOT disappoint

harry wilson is a really solid character! most impressively, he's not flynn, which is impressive enough that i'm making a whole bullet point about it. i was worried that noah wyle was kinda a one-trick pony, but it appears not! good for him tbh

i'm LIVING for the ot3 moments in this episode. "what happened?" "we happened" YESSSSS!!! i wish we'd had more domesticity, but i know they did what they could

"he gets it from his father" FUCK!!!!!

the discussion about redemption in this episode is FANTASTIC but personally i am still delirious with excitement about "my nana leads a multi-denominational household" so expect those thoughts in 3-5 business days

EPISODE 2: the panamanian monkey job

the "flash electropop concert" job

BREANNA INTRODUCTION! i love her so MUCH, y'all. we only got to see her dynamic with hardison in this one episode, but man, it manages to be one of her best dynamics anyway. i just! i love her! i love the way the team works with her!

"in our field, you're one of the best. but there, you're the only one." god we have ELIOT/HARDISON rights and i am NOT OKAY. just!! them!!!!!! being supportive!!!!!! they have learned how to be sweet with each other! they work together so much better (in part because we're seeing them from harry's outsider pov instead of nate's insider pov, but STILL)

midway through this episode, i thought "huh, leverage always focuses on specific people, when really the problem is systematic, and pretending it's anything different is just an excuse to not fight for change". and then at the end harry talks about how the system itself is broken! i love knowing that john rogers and i were reading the same tweets last summer. it's a good feeling to trust the people making a piece of media

who let noah wyle speak spanish. whoever it was, they need to rescind their permission

god, the parker/hardison in this episode. THE PARKER/HARDISON IN THIS EPISODE! they KILL me friends they KILL ME!

also just like, hardison in this episode in general. he made a star trek reference! he made a doctor who reference! he decides there are other people who need him more! the way they wrote around gina bellman's maternity leave in s2 was good but this was phenomenal.

also i'm here for ot3 crumbs so "is this like the time when eliot wanted us to say no" is going on my ot3-is-canon conspiracy board

this is a tiny detail but eliot taking out the drone with a goddamn ORANGE was so good. he's so good at his job!! they're all so good at their jobs!! i know i literally just talked about this but AAA

EPISODE 3: the rollin' on the river job

the "sometimes you just want to rob a vault wearing a floofy dress, and that's valid" job

i did... not. like. how the villain in this one was an immigrant whose exploitable weakness was a "desperation" to be included in the upper crust. and the fact that they beat him with a literal southern belle who explicitly beats him BECAUSE her family has been in the area for "hundreds of years"? it just feels Iffy.

also iffy about this episode was breanna's characterization. it felt inconsistent. she feels inconsistent across the whole season, but this episode in particular... she tells harry she's only with the team because she's desperate, that she doesn't believe in hope, and then at the end of the episode she tells parker she wants to be there to change the world. and like, even in the first place, she's not here out of desperation! SHE asked to join the team! like, i can see how it all kinda fits together, but it just feels... inconsistent. idk. i think these scripts all could've benefited from an extra round or two of editing.

anyway! i loved the way they tied hardison into these episodes, even though aldis hodge couldn't be there. he has binders! breanna doesn't want to read them! parker did! he put in big letters, "when in doubt, trust the person in the van". i'm just so !!! about how much i love him and how much he loves his team and how much his team loves him. FOUND FAMILY, BABY!

all inconsistencies in breanna's characterization aside, i really liked her speech at the end. i know how she feels! it's really nice to have someone on the team who's from -- not my world, really, but a lot closer than any of the others. it's a nice feeling! i love her a lot. i hope her writing gets more consistent

lol, parker ate eliot's carrot cake. i love the parker/eliot rights we get in this show, they're so domestic and it's wonderful.

EPISODE 4: the tower job

the "hardison made his partners learn klingon" job

watching this episode was what made me go "they're not going to make us sit through a harry/sophie romance... right? right?"

i'm still not sure they're gonna let us avoid it but it COULD work so... i've decided to just not worry about it for now

i liked the number of ways the con goes wrong! it was fun to watch them work on the fly like that. i think them not having a dedicated Mastermind(tm) is a good watsonian explanation for their plans being pretty haphazard in general, but it's good, they think well on their feet

nate was a chessmaster. he had the whole situation in his mind from the beginning, accounting for every possible outcome. parker and sophie are much more adaptive, and it's cool to see. they can rely on their respective skillsets a lot more than nate could

a really solid episode! probably one of the strongest ones in the season. i liked it a lot.

(ALSO as mentioned above the klingon lines were fantastic and not just because they were a star trek reference -- every time eliot and parker both mentioned hardison, together, it added a year to my lifespan)

EPISODE 5: the paranormal hacktivity job

the "sophie was worryingly prepared to fake her death" job

i know why they characterized the client as a skeptic, i really do, and i loved the format of this episode, but also. But Also. she should've been a love interest for breanna and I'm Right.

having a girl's episode was the CORRECT choice. they do crimes in their free time! they fleece newbie, cruel criminals! it's so good!

it would've been cool to have eliot around for the assassin guy, but it was also cool to see the others take him out without having eliot to rely on. it's like getting to see how they'd take out eliot, if they were ever on opposing sides.

PARKER CANONICALLY USES SCRIPTS IT'S THE BEST THING EVER

breanna bristling about letting the criminal into the theater's electric system was so good god i love her so much. she knows hardware! i bet she likes to work with her hands. i bet she stims. i bet she has adhd

actually, sidenote, but i LOVE these headquarters. they look so nice! the stage is so nice! i loved having an episode set in and around it, it was such a good choice.

EPISODE 6: the card game job

the "FINALLY AN EXPLICITLY QUEER LEVERAGE CHARACTER" job

QUEER BREANNA QUEER BREANNA QUEER BREANNA QUEER BR

UNFOLLOW ME NOW THIS IS GONNA BE THE ONLY THING I POST ABOUT FOR THE REST OF TIME

GOD, what a good way to reveal it. it's fully about her! i love queer romances, of course i do, but i don't think i've ever seen a character come out without a romance being their reason for doing so (however indirectly). i still think she should've gotten a date with the client from 1x05, but i really liked this too.

this episode just felt like a love letter to fandom, and i love that. i love how much it shone through. i'm used to writers specifically going out of their way to make fun of fans and laugh at them, so it was just. really nice to have someone stand up and go, no, this is important for a reason! people love this for a reason! it MEANS something!

very fun to watch eliot swordfight. very fun to watch sophie recite a sonnet in her classic fashion. very fun to watch parker work at being a good mentor. breanna was so excited about the card game! they're all so good!

oh, and i guess harry's here too.

EPISODE 7: the double-edged sword job

the "harry is addicted to mobile games, which is a mood" job

hot take alert! i think this is the weakest episode of the season by a LOT. it needed so much more editing. it felt so disjointed, so all over the place. the plot was haphazard but in a muffled way, where you had no idea why they were doing what they were doing. the climax was sudden and didn't make any sense. it was just weird.

i'm not the person to comment on this but it feels kind of lazy to cast an east asian guy to play a socially-awkward tech genius. just a thought.

oh, of course jonathan frakes directed this episode. sometimes his stuff is really good but other times (ahem, ds9 3x02) it's disjointed and all over the place. i'm not even surprised it was him.

idk if i have anything else to say about this. oh! some of the team moments were great -- mostly involving eliot. i loved the moment of him recognizing the headshot, i LOVED the ten seconds of everyone teasing him. he and parker talked about the wellbeing of their friend, the woman whose ex tracked her down!

separate bulletpoint to say how much i LOVED his conversation with breanna outside the house. he's so good at reassuring! he could go deeper there, talking about being better than your worst day, but he knew when not to push! it was so good.

"first off, this guy can't TOUCH hardison" deserves its own bulletpoint because like. y'all. Y'ALL.

EPISODE 8: the mastermind job

the "eliot is more than just a pretty face" job

oh man this post is so much longer than i thought it would be. okay just one more episode and then i'm done.

the callbacks to original leverage were SO well done and made me feel emotions without feeling overbearing.

i didn't like the central premise -- that nate would share so many details with a random insurance agent -- in the first place, but i did like how it allowed them to bring back nate without actually hiring timerty mcasshole.

i liked eliot's insistence that he's more than just the muscle! he is, and it's really good to know, textually, that the writers do too!

me, watching the resolution of the episode: ah, yeah, insurance fraud. a classic!

harry bonding with his guard had "they don't even have dental!" energy and i am SUCH a fan. i know it was all for the con but also give me harry, unable to stop advising people, even when they're actively holding him hostage

parker! on the phone with hardison!!!! ADORABLE

is it just me or was someone else expecting the accountant's name to be something significant? with the way they led up to it, i was waiting for a "sterling" or something else. my sensors were pinging for another tara reveal. i'm still convinced we're gonna get this guy dramatically revealed in the season finale.

a really nice episode! i had a lot of fun with it. and now i want to rewatch the rashamon job, but tbh i ALWAYS want to rewatch the rashamon job.

and that's a wrap! overall, a fun season, i enjoyed it a lot. not as solid as original leverage, but it's the very beginning, and it was put together during a global pandemic, so i'm cutting them some slack. also levar burton is gonna show up at some point. that's a big reason of why i'm cutting them so much slack.

my personal ranking of the episodes is 1x04, 1x06, 1x08, 1x01, 1x02, 1x03, and finally last (and least), 1x07.

what did you guys think of the new season? what was your favorite episode? do you agree with any of my opinions? disagree with any? let me know, please, i'd love to discuss!

[kenobihater]

okay this is only part of their post but it's the part i take the most issue with. i screenshotted rather than reblogged because i don’t want this person catching flak for one stupid post. granted, the post irked me enough to write all this bullshit, but i’m not mad at this person in particular, moreso the overall direction that the disk horse is currently going in

i'm gonna break this down into points. 

1) “i want him to take off his helmet because i want to see his face, but i feel like w/ this new information if we get that kind of scene it's going to HURT” - so far the only time din's helmet has been removed was during a traumatic experience. he did not want to take it off. it was scary for him. why the hell do you want it to come off when he's adamant that it stays on? bc that means likely the only way we're seeing his face is if it's taken off against his will. either that, or he abandons his creed in a crisis of faith, which would also be traumatic. so i agree that if the helmet comes off, the scene is going to hurt to watch. why do you want that??

2) “...that he's in a cult...” - the children of the watch don't fit the definition of a cult. instead of being a cult, they're a diaspora with a shared creed. their 'isolation' stems from safety measures taken in the wake of the purge - face coverings for safety, only one member of the covert can leave at a time, and literally living in the sewers to avoid detection. these are all valid actions, considering that the covert is slaughtered as soon as they’re discovered, and that din has been accosted for his armor twice in three episodes, way after the purge ended. if that's how the galaxy treats mandalorians, then you bet your ass that their secrecy is justified, unlike the secrecy found in cults.

the children of the watch are not exploitative, either, which is a hallmark of cults. they saved din during the clone wars, came to din's aid on nevarro, and were systematically killed for doing so. they knew this was a risk, but they did it anyways, because it was the right thing to do to protect the child.

cults are also closed to outsiders. now, i'm extrapolating from legends here, so bear with me. bo-katan said they followed the 'old ways' or something along those lines. the most well known mandalorian code of conduct was the resol'nare, or the 6 tenants. they were: wearing armor, speaking the language, defending oneself and family, raising your children as mandalorians, contributing to the clan's welfare, and aiding the mand'alor when called to. anyone who followed these tenants could claim to be a mandalorian. anyone. that's why i said they have a shared creed, not a shared race. anyone can become a mandalorian in legends, and if disney keeps that canon, then that's the exact opposite of being 'closed off'.

3)”... as if it were his choice when clearly it wasn't” - okay show me where he was forced into this ~evil cult~. show me where he has no agency. din was rescued and taken in as a child, yes, but he currently upholds and defends his belief system, and actively chooses on multiple occasions to stay true to his creed. even if he abandons the way later in the season (which I sincerely hope that he doesn't), he was never forced into his belief system - he was raised with it. i wasn't forced into christianity*, i was simply raised with it. did i eventually leave the faith? yeah, and my parents were chill. there's a big difference between being forced into it and raised with it.

4) “he was robbed of getting to show his face to another person and being lied to. that's a shock to him and he's going to have to deal with it in his own way” - hoo boy. HOO BOY. how was he """robbed""" of anything? if you're talking abt omera in s1, he made the decision to keep his helmet on himself (sidenote: omera was not disrespecting him by trying to take his helmet off ffs) and so how could he feel """robbed""" when he was the one to make that call?

onto the next part - what was he lied to about? the origins of the children of the watch? why tell din about their links to an organization that they don’t even resemble anymore?

the last part, the part about this being a shock to him, is likely correct. anyone would be shocked if someone told them they were actually a member of a cult. din being shocked doesn’t mean that bo-katan was right, though. bo-katan is a liar. even if you don't take into account her own past with death watch that she conveniently left out, she lied to din about taking the ship, rather than just stealing weapons. she did this for self serving reasons - she wanted information on the darksaber. at the end, she asks din to stay. who's to say she didn't tell him his clan was a cult to drive him away from his creed because she wanted to gain another grunt for her team? do i think that this is her angle? no, bc i don't think she or the writers are smart enough for that. but could it have been her motive for the cult comment? anything is possible, especially in light of the fact that she's left out her own involvement with death watch when telling din his clan was a cult.

that’s it. that’s all. shit, i def put way more effort into this post than i should have, but what’s done is done. i’m tired of people calling any old religion a cult just because they don’t like it. words have meanings, you can’t just say whatever the fuck you want and not get called out on it. sorry if this comes off as aggressive, but i’m fed up with this discourse, and this will be my only post on it.

*the mandalorians are not coded as christian, and here’s a post on why. i’m using this analogy because i was raised with a belief system like din was, not because the children of the watch resemble christianity.

[tangled-cl0wn-core]

Where, besides Tumblr, can people find you doing fannish things? (Obviously only mention sites and usernames you actually want to be found at. Don’t expose your secret identities on my account.)

What other names have you gone by on these platforms, including Tumblr, if any?

When did you join the IT fandom? And what got you into fandom, to begin with?

What are your favorite ships, or characters, if any, and why? What do they mean to you?

In what ways do you participate in fandom? (ex. Posting memes, reblogging/commenting on content, writing fanfic, making fanart, creating fanmixes, etc.)

Do you have any in-fandom inspirations? Other members of the community that drive you? (And if you have the time/energy, in what ways do they inspire you?)

Name and link some of your favorite works, please!

Do you have any works of your own that you feel particularly proud of, or wish more people would’ve consumed? Please provide links if possible.

Have you ever participated in a fannish event (ie. IT Week, a fic Big Bang) or applied to be a part of a fanzine? If so, which ones, and can you please link them?

Without any form of bashing or lashing out, what is something you feel this fandom is missing?

 HI!! since you asked before sending it, I knew this was coming but my First Cool Guy Tumblr Ask is so neat,, anyway!!

This is my only IT-specific account, but I post almost everything I draw on my instagram, https://www.instagram.com/fabricsofteners/ (I don't know how people make links cool on tumblr aaa) I also have an AO3, https://archiveofourown.org/users/tangledheadphonecord , where I might post this one really long fic I’m working on (maybe not, as it’s super lame but God am I putting in work)? But mostly it’s just really old stuff atm, and no IT content right now - just some random drabbles from past hyperfixations tbh.

I used to be ‘fabricsofteners’ everywhere besides here - tangledheadphonecord is a username I used for my tumblr because I want a change from the fabricsofteners brand, as I've had it for quite a few years and have just grown kind of bored - just waiting a bit to change my instagram user. I also used to be ‘unbrandedmarkers’ like, three years ago on instagram? but, that era ended fast. I think I might have an old Tumblr under some variation of ‘fabric softener’ but honestly even if anything is up on it I’d probably be embarassed to look at it now.

I watched IT for the first time in 2019, I believe, but wasn’t really in the fandom until actually like, April of this year. I entered the fandom and developed a hyperfixation (sobs) by complete mistake - I read all the fics for michael mell/rich goranski on ao3, and was on a camping trip and wanted to read some Homosexual Fanfiction and literally remembered IT on a whim (rich-to-richie association) and read a bunch of Reddie fics, and it was all down (up?) hill from there.

Unshockingly, I’m sure, Reddie is my number one favourite IT ship. I’m also an enjoyer of Benverly, as well as Stanley/Patty - IT is like, the only fandom where I actually like the canon ships. I do also think Streddie/Stozier is really cute and Bill/Mike (unsure of the shipname?) is nice when I see it!! I think Reddis is cute because I am a total sucker for best-friends-to-lovers, as well asthe  ‘I tease everyone but mostly you’ and the ‘I’m so tired of you bullying me but if you ever stop I’ll cry’ and... just, the entire dynamic that they have. Stanley/Patty - there is no reasoning, I just want Stanley to be happy. Benverly - the way they were each other’s first Meaningful Interactions in so like?? agony, they’re so cute. They both deserve to be happy, and I’m so happy they find that happiness in each other. 

As for characters - Richie is absolutely my favourite. I (unfortunately /hj) kin and relate to him on so many levels it hurts. Having a character that feels that fear of their sexuality because of a horrible environment is painfully real. covering up struggles with humour and all that?? yeah, mood (also, crushing on your best friend-). What he means to me, in a sense, isn’t really canon - I read strictly fix-it fics, because I want to feel that hope that like fanon Richie, I don’t have to hide forever. I can be myself and be happy. Obviously I can’t much look to the movies or anything for that but hey - what’re Andy or Stephen gonna do, tell me to stop reading fics? 

I also really like Stanley!! I don’t,, have a reason. I just think he’s adorable and I love his dynamic with the other Losers a lot. Stanley breathed like, once, and instantly became a comfort character and not even I know why at this point, he just is. Eddie & Bev are up there, too - honestly, Bill is the only Loser I don’t have a strong attachment too. And honestly, he’s growing on me rapidly.

I mostly draw whatever my goblin hyperfixated brain can think of, as well as rebloging just about every post that I see and like (art, jokes, edits, fics, etc.) - I start and stop a lot of fics, maybe one day I’ll finish one but as of yet I have not... Sigh.

I honestly don’t think I do have anyone to tag for inspiration? I follow IT blogs but none I would go to for inspiration (no offense to any mutuals-) inspiration for me is mostly just seeing a pose and going ‘okay’ and suddenly I have a drawing - I have no clue what happens in between.

So, my current all-time favourite IT fic atm is https://archiveofourown.org/works/18213215/chapters/43087232, though I will say it’s a really heavy fic and to read with caution. Going away from Angst, any ‘famous Reddie’ AUs are amazing, but I constantly reread the entire https://archiveofourown.org/series/1560019 series. It’s cute and funny and I THRIVE for domestic Reddie content. 

Actually not Reddie, I throughly enjoyed https://archiveofourown.org/works/23201011 for giving me the Mike content the movies have robbed me of for too long, as well as https://archiveofourown.org/works/25262698 which is pure stanlon greatness and made my heart flutter for the boys more than once.

I don’t really have any IT fics up of my own creation, and honestly my reception in way of Tumblr notes is far better than I expected so honestly, I have none to link lol. As long as I get minimun interaction I will thrive.

I wish I could say I’ve been in anything like a zine or anything, but I have not! I’m relatively new to the fandom (and having a social media dedicated to one thing) so I wouldn’t even know where to begin to join or be qualified for one, y’know? I’ve done art weeks in the past and found them incredibly fun but haven’t seen any for IT - but if anyone does happen to know of any... Feel free to send them my way-

As for the last question - other than like, hyping up Chosen and Jeremy just as much as we do the other IT kids (which, honestly I’m not even sure if is still a problem - I’ve just seen posts about it and it’s made me wary), I’m not sure? I’ve honestly not encountered anything in the fandom I find awful and honestly, for a fandom about a movie that is... Well, IT, I’ve really just kind of enjoyed my time in the fandom thus far?

(I will say we need 200% more attention being drawn to 1990s adult Eddie Kaspbrak, who is one of the most beautiful men I have ever seen - but I also feel that way about James Ransone, so I’m not mad.)

(Also, we should be calling out the 1990s IT more, I watched it recently and it’s so bad /lh)

Anyway!! I feel like this answer was incredibly long and I am so sorry!! But like, thank you so much for asking me anything at all fihabsfhbafb I thrive at any chance to talk about the dumb clown movie. (Also, i’m sorry I say ‘honestly’ so much-)

[literaphobe]

Also (just read that other ask abt wanting to talk abt she-ra) Ik making posts and putting urself out there gets other people to reach out n make connections and shit but damn. Doesn’t it make u anxious? Bc I have 3 mutuals and any time they reblog a post I made I have to fight myself not to delete it lmao. And I’d also not like all the people watching me through the screen. It all seems v disingenuous and stressful so props to you man. I’d just b anxious abt all the people I can hurt/disappoint

oh :( i get. feeling anxious about what people think of you and feeling Seen and worrying that you’ll hurt/disappoint people. the truth is i do try to be very careful about this because I don’t want to hurt anyone either. but i do think it’s a bit worrying that when ur mutuals reblog ur posts u have to fight the urge to delete it. if it helps, i don’t think of running this blog as being Seen. it’s not the same as running an Instagram/TikTok/YouTube account? no one holds me accountable for the things i say on here irl (i mean my dad used to track my internet usage and online presence for a few years and that produced several deeply traumatic experiences but that’s not the point here) and even if everyone on the internet were to decide they hated me and i lost all my followers it still wouldn’t have any tangible effect on my life. no effect on the people i know outside of the internet

if it helps no one is watching you, in any literal sense. people only see the specific thoughts that you choose to put out there, and even then not every single person following you has seen every post you’ve ever made. and also, you don’t post every single thought that runs through your head. you can conceal anything about yourself that you don’t want to reveal, and no one would fault you for that, because at the end of the day, that’s what we’re all doing to certain extents. no one truly knows someone else, and here on tumblr u have the added advantage of hiding your face. and your follow count, and your following, and your likes, etc

i get wanting to keep yourself hidden for fear that you’ll disappoint others, but by doing so you are robbing people of the opportunity to experience you. your innate brilliance, your light, your humor, your opinions. and you might think you’re nothing special but no one is unlovable and there will always be people who will like what you are, you just have to find them!! so know that you are very valid for all your fears and anxiety but also know that you should chase after the things that you want. ultimately it’s COMPLETELY okay to be silent on here. it’s okay not to make posts, it’s okay to engage passively with other users online. you’re not obliged to make friends no matter the situation! but if it’s something you want, hindering yourself and getting in your own way like that will only make you more unhappy

[thefloatingstone]

Should we block all bots that follow us? Are they harmful somehow? I would like to know as much as possible.

The bots are not directly harmful to you if all the are doing is following you. What they are doing is, the owners of the porn sites who have created the bots want it to look like their website is getting a lot more human traffic than it actually has. This is because the more popular a website is, the better the chance of it ending up on the first page of a Google search. However, Google’s algorithms are smart enough to identify a real human being’s patterns online from a bot designed to artificially create clicks or traffic.

So these websites make bot accounts on tumblr, which is linked to their websites, and then they have those bots interact with YOUR blog, because Google’s algorithm then sees YOUR activity and it is linked to the porn site. And Google thinks “Oh! This blog is run by a real human person judging by their online behaviour! (like how you type and construct sentences etc) So this website must be popular!” and then the site gets pushed up as a search result. And if a site is on the first page, then it will be the most likely site to get clicked on by somebody googling for porn, which increases chances of the site getting clicked on, generating income for the site via clicks or advertising.

This does not do anything to your tumblr account at all, except give you a false number on how many real human followers you might have.

HOWEVER

there are other porn bots on tumblr which are WAY WORSE, but they do not seem to be the kind of bots designed to follow blogs.

These bots will reblog popular posts (over a certain amount of notes) usually a picture, and delete the OP’s text on it and replace it with a link to an external porn site. (sometimes advertising what it is and sometimes just posting up the link without explanation)

Other bots will directly IM you with messages along the lines of “Hey I just got home. You wanna video chat?” with a link that will either go to a pron site or, more often than not, a hack that will rob your account and possibly use it as a porn bot, locking you out by changing the username and password.

To stay safe on tumblr, the best things to do is block and report any accounts you see reblogging pictures and adding the same looking link to all of them. As well as messages left on popular posts linking to porn sites.

NEVER click on a link sent to you via IM if you don’t know the person. Even if it LOOKS like a youtube link or something else like a discord link. the links are specifically designed to look as legit as possible. Luckily the text itself is usually easy to stpo, even if it’s from a person you recognise or a mutual. It’s usually something like “Here’s something just for you, dear” or something weird like that. NEVER CLICK LINKS FROM PEOPLE YOU DON��T KNOW! And DO NOT interact with IMs asking you to video chat.

It is a good idea to block and report porn bots that follow you, however. This is because the more pron bots you have following you, the bigger your chances of getting MORE porn bots following you. And it hurts the people who create bots which deters them from focusing on you.

So porn bot followers don’t hurt you directly or puts your account into direct danger. Mostly it’s just annoying :/ and it IS harmful in a general way? Like it harms tumblr as a social media hub because it annoys users and drives them away, but it’s not directly harmful to your blog in a way that should worry you.

It’s best to block and report the ones you manage to see and catch.

[smolbeandrabbles]

Veritas - Elias x Reader (Trespass)

The ‘x’ is very suspect. 😉

@mandy23b  @wltz-bby @happyskywhale​ #MendoTagSquad

Author’s Note: The fact I even wanted to watch this is all on you two. Yes you two! I hope you’re happy-! Thank you for making gifs, thank you for reblogging gifs, thank you for watching with me! Actually to be real with you, this was a plot thread for Kyle Sullivan from Guns For Hire (hence why he is name dropped constantly) but at least Elias gets a little more character development! 😁

I realise that Nick Cage’s character was also called Kyle, but oh well-! Too late to back out now, maybe Elias just shouldn’t mess with people called Kyle...?? 🤷‍♀️

Don’t Play - Halsey

Disclaimer: Trespass and everything associated not mine / lyrics not mine (but hey! No song title!)

Premise: On the trail of your own payment, a group of robbers pick the wrong house to mess with... One in particular catches your interest.

Words: 3975

Warnings: Swearing / comically written action scenes! 

_______

All alone out in Saint-Tropez Lookin' as fine as this damn Monet Everybody thirsty, drinks on me Tryna take back what you say to me I don't give a damn what you say to me There ain't no time for games with me I'm moving on, I'm getting paid I'm on my own, I had some space to deal with it I'm moving on, it's getting late Go and grab someone and find a place to deal with it I’m not the type to be out past dawn Tomorrow got a flight headed to Taiwan Now you know where the bottle gone Drippin' so wet with the Pérignon I am not the type to admit I'm on How could I lie when we sip so strong? Yeah, don't even try Can't fuck up my vibe Double cuppin' in the ride Motherfucker, don't play with me

---

Sometimes you wondered why you even did this job anymore. There was something about your professionalism that felt your skills would be better used elsewhere. But here you were. It wasn’t exactly something you could escape now – even if you somehow managed that, you’d be tracked down and killed eventually. And hiding was no way to live. It wasn’t that you didn’t – enjoy was the wrong word, but – enjoy what you did, it was that it seemed to get easier… Unless you were just getting better? Perhaps. You’d been at this alone for quite some time and before that, with your mentor by your side… Years almost blurred, and you’d been bounced around the world more times than you could count, so even your time zones were out of sync. However, now you were back ‘home’ in the US of A you could adjust a little better; despite the presence of four time zones of its own. You were currently working jobs down the East coast, so were only stuck in one. You stretched, before dismantling your firearm, satisfied that the clean-up exercise was also done. Re-opening the office door you walked out into the corridor as if nothing was wrong; flipping all the security switches back to normal you watched all the CCTV screens re-illuminate. You wouldn’t be in any footage; almost as if you never had been around… Walking back onto the street in the warm night air you were approached by a second man; “It’s done?” “Of course.” “…It’s no wonder they nickname you as they do is it?” He was referring to the odd, and yet appropriate moniker you’d been given within the circles of your profession. “Joel. It’s my job to get in and out without getting noticed…” You rummaged in your pocket for a moment, producing a packet from your coat, “See this gets sent to the correct people.” “Of course… There’s a call, waiting for you.” “I would have figured…” You walked together towards a black car parked up on the curb, nothing too flashy, nothing to draw too much attention. “…Thank you, Joel.” “See you back at HQ.” “That you will.” He opened the door, allowing you to step in. The car pulled smoothly away from the curb - you took one breath, and picked up the call. “Good evening Sir.” “I trust it is done.” “Yes. All accounted for. Documents sent.” “Good. Your payment will be wired to you as soon as we receive it.” “Thank you, Sir.” “You haven’t let us down.” “Do I ever?” You could almost hear the small smile, “No. I have another for you. We’ll talk about it as soon as you arrive.” “Of course, Thank you Sir.”

 *** The sound of smashing glass downstairs only made you curious. You could guess straight away why someone would look at this house and think it was worth robbing – that or they had a grudge against the owner. If you were honest with yourself, you’d also understand that one. Only their presence here was about to make your errand run a little harder. Whoever they were clearly hadn’t done any research on the man himself, but you’d leave them to ransack the place and find nothing of value. Mostly because you already had the majority of it on you. Kyle Sullivan had hired you for plenty of jobs before – though you thought, considering your hefty price tag, that his real intention was just to get to see your face – and usually he paid. Well this time Kyle didn’t have the money (or so he said) and you were about to move on; not exactly being the trusting kind or one to wait, you decided to take matters into your own hands and turn up at his house. Mr.Sullivan wasn’t around, so you’d simply take the next best thing, and call yourselves even. You slid the dresser draw closed and listened for a moment – there was a lot of commotion, clearly they weren’t aiming to be inconspicuous, and you picked out four distinct voices. Three male, one female. Immediately your brain set to work and you straightened, walking across the bedroom floor to listen a little clearer. Kyle had a timer system in his house to make it look like people were around when they really weren’t, he used to bluff that it helped with the security, clearly not. It was how you’d managed to get around – though to be honest you’d be just as effective in the dark with a torch. Not-so-hushed voices floated to you from the lower level, “There’s gotta be a safe somewhere-!” “Alright, we’ll split, office, bedroom, look for anything that seems like an obvious place to hide a safe!” You rolled your eyes; “Idiots.” You didn’t exactly want to leave Kyle’s house full of dead bodies if you could help it – it’d be a waste of ammunition apart from anything else. Wondering if they knew the building layout, you moved from the bedroom to the top of the stairs – having dispersed from below, you descended carefully pulling your gun from it’s hiding place. You might assume they were armed; you wondered why they hadn’t questioned that the alarm wasn’t. If these guys are amateurs, I swear to god… Glass was sprinkled all over the floor from their makeshift entrance – there was a chill in the night air, but you didn’t shiver as the breeze swept in. All you could really think was it’d cost Kyle money he ‘didn’t have’ to fix it all again. You glided silently across the lobby floor, trying to decide which set of footsteps to follow; it was oddly quiet for there being five bodies in the house, but you supposed soon enough there would be shouting of ‘anyone found anything’  and you’d prefer they didn’t have time to mobilize as a group again. Having said that, you’d taken out rooms full of people who were real threats before now. This group was nothing. Even in heels you could make yourself silent as you followed the heaviest set of footsteps; you’d trained to walk, run, fight and even land on heels like this for a very long time, so being quiet was a cake walk… There weren’t many shadows left in a house when every light was being thrown on, but you made use of those there were, and your silence. And it was pretty easy to take a good look at four people who weren’t doing their best to hide. You could hide in plain sight if you wanted; you certainly weren’t about to stand around doing so though – you didn’t need yelling and screaming, you needed four quick strikes, so no one would know what had hit them. The order was determined for you – there was only one of them, perhaps two, that really knew what they were doing. The biggest was the obvious first target, because he was the one that looked like he could take you in a fair fight. He was very meticulous in the things he touched and inspected, proceeding from room to room – the expert. The leader was also obvious just by the way that he moved, less meticulous but nonchalant, cool headed – in control, or so he might think. The third man needed to be taken out as quickly as the first; you’d observed people long enough to know what someone dulled down on medication looked like – well, he was the opposite, a jittery livewire who looked like he’d ignored doctors’ orders for longer than safe to do so. Yet if you thought he was tearing up rooms in a state (and you kinda pitied Kyle at this point, but at least he probably wouldn’t know it was you who stole anything.) it was nothing compared to the woman. Your head tipped as you watched the way she would open one draw, be half way through it and get distracted by something else – pulling clothes out of wardrobes, trying them on before discarding them and trying on something else. What was telling was that you could walk half way into the room and your presence wasn’t noticed. Hard drugs were your first and only thought – there were enough tells on her. You rolled your eyes and traced your way back to the lobby before taking a deep breath, neatening your clothing to make sure it wasn’t about to hinder you, you pulled your hair back off your face and checked your gun was loaded – just in case - tucking it into the front of your pants for easy access. That would have been dangerous, but you were a trained assassin, if you couldn’t handle that what could you handle?

You stretched and, turning on your heels, started towards your first victim of the evening. Usually you’d shoot to kill even if the person in question wasn’t your intended target, if they were getting in the way of what you needed to do. You didn’t see the point here – get them down, finish up your own work, and get out of here as soon as possible. You were right about the first man, he was the heaviest armed – and heaviest set, meaning stealth and speed were going to be the only things getting you through this. Your run up from the room opposite was good, and if he was turning because he heard you or just to move didn’t matter. Your flurry of strikes caught a pressure point, then a nerve, then his head, as you flipped him over your shoulder where he slammed pretty hard onto the floor. You paused for a second, but there wasn’t even a ‘everyone okay-!?’ or curious scuffle from anyone else. You straightened, brushing yourself off, possible overkill – but he was out cold. You smirked; this was child’s play. The second man was a little easier, although you figured slamming his head into anything probably wouldn’t help the fact he needed medication. You frisked both for anything useful before heading back to the woman; now leaving a trail of clothes up the corridor she wasn’t particularly hard to find again – and you even got cocky enough to have your heels occasionally strike the floor. It was still one of your favourite noises – perhaps the reason you wore them.   You found yourself watching her again and almost pitied her – almost. Your movement across this room was a little slower; and you weren’t sure you wanted to hurt her by knocking her into anything. You got as close as possible before throwing your arm around her neck – she let out a gasp of surprise but not much else before she struggled. “Hush… Sweetie, it’ll be easier on you…” You tightened your hold, dragging her slowly down to the floor as her grip on you loosened. “That’s it… that’s it… good girl…” You let her go as she lost consciousness, puling yourself upright. That gave you a little bit of time to deal with the ring leader. You collected your bag of things and threw it around yourself; pulling your pistol, this time you kept it in hand as you walked through the house. This time he made himself a little harder to find right at the back of the house, and you pulled a chair out to wait for him in a side corridor; legs spread you leant over a knee, gun pointed to the floor, head supported by your palm as you ran your fingers over your lips. You’d give him a minute to realise there was nothing worth it this way and walk back. He did. And you were glad to see his peripheral vision wasn’t as shocking as nearly everyone else’s apparently was by the way he walked by your corridor and paused. By the time he’d taken a step back to turn to you it was already too late. *** Elias wasn’t exactly sure if he’d missed it entirely or you’d just popped up out of nowhere, but as soon as he stepped back, he was confronted by a woman running at speed for him. And that was the last thing in hell that was supposed to be happening. He sidestepped, but you expected it; grabbing his leather jacket you slammed him into the opposite wall. He was a fighter though, and immediately his arm went for yours and he pushed back from the wall, you weren’t having that. SMACK – one elbow to his chest knocked the air from him and made him stagger backwards but there was no way you was letting him get away that easy; his firearm was out of reach of his hands if he still wanted to fend you off, and it was easy for you to take and send skittering across the floor. This apparently made him very angry, and you dodged his swipes, long coat blurring and disguising your movements. Discovering that he was a quick learner, he had your next few hits pretty well countered, but of course he wasn’t paying attention to your legs – and you had his feet swept from under him; now he was grounded. “GUYS!” “Oh honey, they aren’t gonna hear you… You and I are the only conscious people in this house…” Elias’s eyes flicked to the gun in your hand, still pointed to the floor. If he could get that from you, he might just have a chance. You continued to walk forward; “I don’t know if you know, but you picked the wrong house to try and rob…” as you did so Elias backed up, and eventually managed to scramble to his feet. You rolled your eyes again; some people never learn. He came for you once more; having you move to your right was a better move than you’d anticipated, as his hand reached out to snap around your wrist; his grip was tight and he had your gun hand immobilised. Bringing you closer he crossed your arm around your front, this time pushing you against the wall. “How’d you like it, huh?” “Dunno, it’s been a while since a man had me pushed up against a wall. Maybe you should do it again and I’ll tell you.” You gave him a little smirk – situation hardly worrying you. You’d been in much worse. Elias’ eyes narrowed, but the pause in action allowed him a minute to catch his breath and survey you. Even in heels you were a little shorter than him, hair pulled neatly off your face to make sure it didn’t get in your way you were dressed in all black and all business. The kind of work he did. Your eyes regarded him with a mix of distain and interest, your skin held just a hint of a tan, as if your holidays in exotic places were just wearing off… And for all he knew they could have been, but then why were you stealing from this house? Unless you were security, but you didn’t dress like security.

His blue eyes traced back to your hand; the ring on your finger. It was a tarnished silver… the Latin cut from the ring, hollow/ Veritas. “Truth?” You gave a nod, impressed if only for a second. Elias removed his hand from your wrist to notice the ink under his fingers; “verum nocet?” “Truth hurts.” - though now he’d loosened his hold on you - “A little like this.” You pushed him back and delivered a swift kick to his chest – this time when he hit the floor it sounded painful, and the thud echoed around the living room. “Now…” You clicked the safety back on your gun and holstered it again, “Personally, I don’t like leaving a mess. But I certainly could if I needed to…” You stepped over him, and watched the way he breathed heavily, but his eyes still traced your body. God, men are so predictable.   A beep sounded from another room and you raised your eyebrow, “Is that… a 20-minute burglary alarm? Oh my god, you guys are amateurs. This is kinda embarrassing…” For them, obviously. You titled your head, “What’s your problem with Kyle Sullivan?” “We don’t have one.” He managed, still winded, “Have you seen this fucking house? Why are you here?” “Kyle hired me to assassinate someone and didn’t pay up, I’m just taking what’s due to me. I heard you talking about safes, but you’ve picked the wrong man, …?” He realised you were waiting for his name, but you didn’t miss his eyes widen at the word assassinate; “…Elias.” “…Elias. Because Mr.Sullivan keeps the real important things at the bank or in his downtown office… The only things worth taking are in my bag, because I know where to look. You guys are a little late.” “What did you do to everyone-!? What the hell did you do!? My brother, my girlfriend-!?” “She’s your girlfriend?” You raised an eyebrow, “Oh. Oops…” You pushed your heel into his chest; “…Oh, honey, I think you could do better…” You gave a smirk at the wince on his face and crouched slowly. He was still giving you that same look and the only thought that crossed your mind was ‘some girlfriend…’ You bit your lip, eyes flicking from his eyes to his lips and back; “Like me…” “I don’t even know your name.” You moved your foot so you were now straddling him, hands either side of his head; “OH. Elias, don’t let that stop you! Though, you seem pretty immobilised at the moment, honey…” You leant down, face close to his, “Besides – when else are you gonna get the opportunity to say you got to kiss an assassin and live, hmm?” “Maybe you should get out the Champagne and we can celebrate.” You liked his attitude, even pinned under you. “Perignon do you? He’ll have some somewhere.” Elias scoffed, “Sounds like your interest in this guy isn’t purely professional.” “Please. I don’t sleep with clients.” You watched his eyes trace your body again and this time he bit his lip. “You sure about that girlfriend of yours?” “Shut up.” His eyes met yours again, “What do you want?” “To get out of here without a hitch with my shit, darlin’…” You ran your nails over his face, and he shuddered, lips parted, “…You’re not going to make that too hard, are you? Cuz I can be out of your hair in five minutes if you want…” Elias’ eyes fluttered closed as they scraped down his neck and over his chest. “Fuck…” “Tell me you’re not still thinking about her…” You gave a smirk, “Do you want me to give you a name to scream?” His eyes snapped open at that and he swallowed hard, but you chuckled, “Don’t worry, I hardly have the time. But baby, understand I can’t just let you go… Still, I’d like not to leave Kyle’s house a complete mess. So, I don’t want to have to kill you.” You leant over him again, this time running your hand through his hair. “So why don’t you be good, hmm? And we can all get out of this mess alive.” “…Why…Why Veritas?” You raised an eyebrow, “You get five minutes with me and you chose to discuss Latin?” You smiled, face close to his “…That’s poetic… Do you ask every girl you meet why she had the tattoos she does?” “That’s not just a tattoo.” Elias got this cocky look on his face suddenly, and his eyes flashed, like he’d just figured you out; Your voice got a little lower; “The truth is a powerful thing…” He very nearly scoffed, but that turned to a gasp as soon as your hips ground against his – it was nothing more than a tease, as much as a warning. Just to let him know who was in control here. “Which makes it a problem, no matter what you say. Which is why people lie. Half of my life is based on pretending I’m something I’m not. By the time they find out what I really am… It’s too late. Truth hurts… My mentor used to say it all the time. Before he shot.” “Must have been quite the man.” “Mmmm.” You nodded, “Twice the man you think you are.” That was enough for him to growl; sick of you mocking him, Elias grabbed your shirt and pulled you in, lips on yours roughly, his kiss was harsh – you pinned his wrists back – determined to keep it for as long as you could. It wasn’t like you got to do something like this often, you didn’t keep relationships like this – they usually ended in disaster. You pulled back, both breathless and he could tell by the look on your face that you were about to say something else smart – which only led to him yanking you back for another; he freed one hand – running it through your hair; this time your grind against his hips was pretty near involuntary, and he arched his body up into yours. Elias very nearly hated himself for moaning, but this was comparable to hate sex (unfortunately void of real sex) and he wanted nothing more than for you to tear his clothes off and have him right here. It was delightfully sinful to even think about. But you pulled back, and before he could think his next thought, you’d dragged him across the floor and cable tied him to the coffee table. “What the Fuck!?” “Oh, baby…” you stole another kiss, “I told you, I can’t stay for that. And…” You threw your bag back across your body from where you had left it, “You know what they say, leave ‘em wanting more…” You crouched again, but were unable to resist giving him another hot kiss, nails back to digging into his face and throat, “Now your friends will be awake soon, just hope it’s before Mr.Sullivan gets home…” You straightened up, “I should thank you, Elias… I can blame all this on you…” You winked and blew him another kiss, “That was enjoyable. I’d like to get a little hotter and heavier if our paths ever cross again… I won’t tell her if you don’t.” With that you swept through their make shift entrance, hardly paying attention to whatever he was yelling after you, and hopped back into your car. Maybe you’d give Kyle a tip off tomorrow… Maybe you’d just let him wallow in misery, you wouldn’t have to do this if he had just paid you properly. You pulled away from the house with a smirk on your face – you couldn’t help but admit, that was the most fun you’d had on a job for a long time. *** Elias was not impressed that they were all laughing at him, “Will you just get me the fuck out of here-!?” “Alright, hold still…” “I have been reliably informed that we’re out of luck on this one.” “Well. There’s always another rich bastard somewhere else…” “There’s that…” Elias rubbed his wrists and stood; but as he did so something fell from his jacket – landing on the floor it looked like nothing more than a white piece of card. Ty picked it up with a raised eyebrow, and then looked back to Elias; “Elias, who’s Y/N?” “Huh?” “Dude it fell from your jac-” “I know!” He took it, flipping it over. The second side was black; your name in little white letters and a number underneath. That wasn’t coincidence – that was you. It had to be you. Did assassins have calling cards? He couldn’t help but smirk to himself before he flipped it back. The light caught it just right, and the iridescent white suddenly shone out against the dull card. Veritas.  

 Truth. Truth was you wanted to see him again. Truth was, it might have only been a kiss, but he wanted that just as bad.

---

Thank you for reading! 😁

[littleartbot]

Why you don't want your posts to be reposted?

Omg, this is like asking someone why they wouldn’t like being robbed. I work hours/days to create something and some rando on the internet thinks they should be allowed to just snatch my stuff off my blog and put it wherever they like. As the creator I should be allowed the power to determine where I want my work displayed. 

Why should someone need/want to repost my art? Why should I allow someone else to take something I worked hard on and let them repost it on their own blogs? 

I know some reposters think/say they ‘just want to spread the beauty’ or help promote artists but they’re full of shit. Even if you put ‘credit to littleartbot’ people aren’t likely to actually seek me out, they’ll just like the repost and follow the reposter. If these people genuinely want to help artists they’d Like, reblog, or retweet their work.

Reposters don’t care about the artists they’re stealing from they just want the likes and followers they get from the stolen work. I can’t tell you the amount of instagram accounts I’ve found that have like 8k+ followers and all their posts are stolen artwork. And they barely give credit to the artists they steal from. 

I’ve found sooo many reposts of my art that have gotten more notes&likes than my original post. It’s incredibly discouraging and makes me not even want to post online or in that fandom. I deserve the credit for my work and it’s incredibly messed up that some of you think I’m not deserving of the respect to dictate where I get to post my own work. 

Sorry if the tone of this is defensive. I have to deal with reposters sooo much and it’s just such a frustrating subject for me. 

Finding out someone reposted your stuff sucks ok, it’s an incredibly crappy feeling to see something you’ve worked hard on be taken and not getting the credit you deserve for making it. 

[ask-de-writer]

SEA DRAGON’S GIFT : Part 40 of 83 : World of Sea

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SEA DRAGON’S GIFT

Part 40 of 83

by

De Writer (Glen Ten-Eyck)

140406 words

copyright 2020

written 2007

All rights reserved.

Reproduction in any form, physical, electronic or digital is prohibited without the express consent of the author.

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Copyright fair use rules for Tumblr users

Users   of Tumblr.com are specifically granted the following rights.  They may   reblog the story provided that all author and copyright information   remains intact.  They may use the characters or original characters in   my settings for fan fiction, fan art works, cosplay, or fan musical   compositions.

All sorts of fan art, cosplay, music or fiction is actively encouraged.

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New to the story?  Read from the beginning.  PART 1 is here

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Chapter 13: Outlaw

In the light of the early morning, the day after Kurin was poisoned, a Dark Dragon sailor came up the side of the ship and sprinted towards Sula.  He shouted to get her attention, “Captain!  Loris and I have just found out that the Grandalor left her berth last night!  She was last seen on a course of SSE.”

Galvanized to action she ordered, “Have the Hailing Drum sound ‘Emergency Recall’ and tocsin ‘prepare for battle��.  Go!”

She ran toward the bridge.  Amid the harsh rattle of the tocsin and the deep, carrying notes of the hailing drum, she turned and said intensely,  “Captain Mord!  You must notify your Council, so that the Grandalor can be outlawed.  We have no such restriction.  The Soaring Bird and I will hunt wide apart, in the hope of overtaking them.  We will return here in two day’s time whether or not they have been caught.

“I have never left survivors in the water, and never felt more like doing so, but once.  If I find them, that ship will no longer plague your fleet.”  Her face contorted in private grief.   She put her head in her hands, shoulders shaking.  “I have prayed never to kill another ship.  Dragons grant that we can take them without loss.”

Mord looked at her, startled, feeling more than a little guilt that he had just been picturing the Dark Dragon destroying the Grandalor.  He didn’t want Sula to have more pain.  He shook his head, puzzled that the thought of sinking the Grandalor should bother Sula.

She straightened up, hardening visibly.  Putting the moment of vulnerability behind her.  The tocsin was rattling a call that had never been heard in the Naral fleet.  In the background the mighty signaling drum of the Dark Dragon was thundering in a strange, hollow voice that almost seemed to arise from that deeps ‘Emergency Recall!’  It was followed moments later by the higher note of the Longin’s signal drum sounding ‘Recall and Assemble!’  The Longin’s crew boiled out of the market and the various ships that they had been visiting.  The Soaring Bird was sounding a mellow seeming but powerful trumpet.  Her crew too was racing for boats.

The crew of the Dark Dragon was diving into rowing boats and dashing for their ship.  The tocsin of the Dark Dragon could be heard, high and sharp, drumming unfamiliar orders, along with such familiar ones as ‘raise sail.’  Tall thin bundles were rising up swiftly, their feet at the deck, their tops high above the ‘A’ frame masts, more similar bundles were rising up on tackle between the masts.  At the drum call from the tocsin ‘make all sail’, the tall bundles opened with a slam and rattle of canvas audible on the market rafts as they caught the wind.

The Dark Dragon’s sails looked like an array of giant lobster claws reaching for the sky.  She slipped free of her anchorage and began to gather way.  The tocsin sounded again, and the claw-sails leaned over in their tackle to nearly sideways, catching the wind better as the ship was brought into trim.  

Gathering speed, the Dark Dragon swept around the western end of the anchored Naral fleet.  Sailors were pulling open her fore-deck, revealing a huge catapult.  Her harpoon catapults were being freed in their mounts and tested for aiming up as well as out and down.  Sailors could be seen racking ammunition by the catapults.  There were strange shot and other things that could not be made out due to the distance.  It was not harpoons.  By the time that she came about on to her SSE tack, spray was flying away from her bows.  

The Soaring Bird was not idle either.  Amid the alien sound of blowing horns, her sails, also big lobster-claws, came up.  They rose more sideways from the start.  Whatever her means of communication, she too, had slipped her mooring and was moving out.  There was only a small purl of spray at her bows as she followed the Dark Dragon around the Naral fleet.

“I thought that the Dark Dragon was the fastest ship I’d ever seen . . . .” said Captain Mord watching in amazement from the front of the Council Pavilion.

Master Juris beside him, standing on a bench to see better, said, “She was — — Until the Soaring Bird got underway.  Come, we still have to get something done about the Grandalor.”

Captain Sarfin, upon hearing in a few words what had happened, ordered the Council’s Drummers to spread the word to all ships, ‘Captains’ Council! Emergency!’  Those Captains not on their ships came at once to the Council Pavilion.  Hailing Drums on ships farther out, relayed the message to those still further out.  Boats were being launched all over the fleet.

While the Council was assembling, the Pavilion was full of the buzz of Captains comparing notes.

“Did you see those strangers go?  Fastest ships I’ve ever seen.”

“I saw.  Saw that monster catapult under the fore-deck, too.  Can’t imagine any good use for a machine like that.  What are they up to, do you suppose?”

“I think that we’re going to find out soon enough.  Sarfin is about to call us to order.”

Sarfin raised both hands for attention.  The hum of voices stopped.  

“Captains, we face a grave crisis.  I can think of no worse thing in all of my Gatherings.  We need to decide what course to set in the face of this.  You have all heard that Kurin Behar Longin has fallen desperately ill.  The fact is no longer disputable.  She was deliberately poisoned by a party presently unknown.

“I must ask, with the authority of a Council Requirement for Knowledge, officially overriding any Ship’s Business, have any of you caught and kept or sold an Ord?”  He looked old and tired as he asked this terrible question.

Three Captains, also shaken, raised their hands.

The first one, Captain Darok, of the Muline, said levelly, “The Muline has not caught an Ord, but I know who would buy one.  The Grandalor approached us on the open sea, about four full Wohans ago, inquiring for an Ord and offering many Strong Skins and Glue blocks for it, if we should find one.  Captain Barad himself talked to me, and his officers to mine.”

One of the others nodded agreement, “Happened to us too.  Almost three and a half Wohans back.”  

Merced, Captain of the Dolthin, said heavily, “I sold it to him about three Wohans ago.  He said that he was going to try to make an infusion of it to stun Strong Skins.  He claimed that he hoped to make them safer to catch.”

Sarfin said sternly, “That is the thing we most needed to know.”  He held out for all to see, the innocent appearing awl with the ghastly green stain that revealed its true nature.  “This was used to injure and perhaps kill two people.  Kurin was the first.  At least one sailor known to be of the Grandalor’s crew bet a Grython crewman the set of sail stitching tools that this awl came out of that he could not take this awl and, undetected, pierce any part of Kurin’s food.  It was poked into her mid-day meal just once.  She collapsed last evening and was rushed to care aboard the Dark Dragon.

“Early this morning, the Grython crewman, whose name we still do not know, heard of Kurin’s illness.  He suspected that he had been used, and tried to bring the awl to Captain Sula.  Not knowing that it was an Ord spine, he put it into his pocket.  He collapsed on the way, and was taken to the Dark Dragon sickbay.  He implicated the Grandalor.

“Unfortunately, with what we have just heard, the facts are clear.  The Grandalor – Captain, officers and men – have long plotted the death of Kurin Behar Longin.

“Kurin is an exceptional person.  As the youngest full journeyman boat-builder in fleet history, she has become a fully legal adult. She is practiced in many skills, yet finds the time to make some of the finest toys that our children play with.  She has lately demonstrated a new form of navigation – a priceless skill.  The Grandalor’s action robs not only the Longin, but all of us as well.

“I have looked into Council records.  I can find no other case of the deliberate, planned murder of a crewman on one ship by the officers and crew of another ship.  I am going to give up the deck to discussion.  We must set our course carefully.  These are uncharted waters.”

An uneasy silence followed.  Merced broke it.  “I can only think that the punishment should be fit to the crime.  At the least, a large part of the crew knew of what was to be done.

“This is the first time that I have heard of a ship being guilty of a crime.  A Captain, rarely.  Some member of a crew?  It has happened. Many, officers and crew alike, being in on the plot?  Never before, nor ever again … .”

“I think that I see where you are going,” Captain Hored, of the Grython, cut into Merced’s long pause.  “I can only see one way to handle this.  Outlawry.  For the entire ship.  Let the Grandalor be stricken from the rolls of the Naral fleet.  Send the word to our neighboring fleets as well.  Give her no place to run.  Give the ship itself, her accounts and all of the goods in her to whoever captures her.

“Let us also keep careful account of all those known to be aboard.  If any are found in our waters, let them be brought to trial, to determine their guilt or innocence in this crime.

“Silor Elon is known to have delivered the lethal awl, along with the other tools.  The Grandalor’s Master Boat-wright, Selked, put his mark on the awl when he made it.  I recognize it, having bought many tools of his making before.  Captain Barad Maks and his officers negotiated for the Ord.  These men should be executed at once if seen in our waters.”

There was a rumble of agreement from the assembled Captains.  With some debate of particular points, and the agreement that it should be made a precedent, the notion was passed.  The Grandalor was an outlaw, with no fleet to call on for aid.

TO BE CONTINUED

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[mintgator]

Beta Readers Wanted

I don’t know how well this will go over here, but I’m seeking beta readers for my recently completed novel. If you’re not interested in beta reading, a signal boost is always greatly appreciated. Now, here’s some info about the book.

Title: NIGHTBURNERS (tentative)

Age category: Young Adult (ages 14+ should be fine)

Genre: Dark Urban Fantasy

*Subgenres: Political, Romance, Magic, Revenge, Friendship, Family, Crime

*I was careful to keep a balance of these that are not overbearing. I don’t get too detailed with the politics or military stuff.

Short summary: When an assassin tries to kill her at school, 16-yr-old Cel publicly reveals her illegal, will-bending magic in self-defense. Now, she must tread carefully to keep her father’s criminal organization from being exposed.

Long summary aka my working query (contains MAJOR spoilers!):

Not everyone wants a soulmate. 16-year-old Cel finds out the hard way when one of hers turns out to be an assassin hired to kill her. Forced to use her illegal, mind-controlling magic to subdue him in front of her peers, she is then subjected to intense public scrutiny. This wouldn’t be so bad if she wasn’t also the heir to a massive criminal organization.

Now saddled with a magic-limiter, a government-appointed babysitter (who’s another soulmate, go figure), and the disdain of her father’s criminal syndicate, Cel thinks things can’t get worse. Until they do.

On live television, her father is murdered by one of his closest allies. With the criminal syndicate at his back, this ally takes over the city, robbing Cel of both her family and her legacy.

Forced into hiding, she must weave a plan for retribution, but her friends are few and far between. If she wants her life back, she’s going to have to win the trust of her two new soulmates—both who’ve worked for her enemies—and figure out just how far she’s willing to go to get revenge.

Some Fun Facts:

Contains LGBTQA+ characters, a disabled character (hoping to add more disabled characters in future books!), racially diverse characters. The main character (female) is asexual, contains 80s-90s tech with some limitations (ie - no guns, phones are landlines, etc.), contains Soulmates and soul-identifying marks (but the connections between characters are not all romantic), does not take place IRL--it is a fantasy city/world

Length: ~80,000 words

Content Warnings: some swearing, mild violence, allusions to child abuse (in a very, very vague context), allusions to sex (also vague), & morally gray characters (I do mean this. My main character is not super obviously cruel, but she’s definitely not nice)

Draft Quality; this is draft 1, with only some vague editing done on certain chapters, which means it is a bit messy and not yet perfected. expect inconsistencies and not quite perfect grammar/spelling/etc. But I am pretty meticulous, so it’s nothing terrible. (please don’t judge me by how poorly i’m writing this post lol)

Comps: Think This Savage Song (in terms of setting/writing style) meets ATLA (in terms of characterization and magic)

Beta Reader Obligations:

I need betas to read the story in google docs within a time frame of approximately 2 weeks. If you do not read any of it within 1 week, I will remove your access from the document. If you stop and decide you don’t want to read anymore, just let me know. You won’t hurt my feelings. My work is not for everyone.

You will be able to comment; feel free to do so as much as you please (ie - react, suggest, complain, w/e you want!) but keep in mind that (at this stage) I know the writing is NOT pristine. It definitely contains inconsistencies and grammatical mistakes. I’ll have to rake through it for those soon, but betas pointing them out would be a big help! You will have to provide an email address so I can invite you to the document. You will NOT have to share a document with other beta readers. You are not to share the document with anyone else or attempt to plagiarize or copy it in any way. I will provide a questionnaire for you to fill out within the same document as the manuscript itself.

This draft has not been sensitivity read, so feedback on that matter is always appreciated. I am open-minded, but I make mistakes. I won’t be upset if you point them out to me. In fact, I encourage it.

Please note that I might NOT respond to any of your comments within the document. In fact, I’ll probably only respond to a few. I appreciate all the feedback, but sometimes I have to compare reactions across a spectrum of betas to get a good idea of what I need to do w/the part in question.

I am from the USA, so my writing typically follows the spelling and rules of American English. Please keep this in mind.

If interested, follow these steps:

Message me with your email address and whatever name you’d like to go by in our conversations. Also, specify that you agree not to copy/steal/plagiarize the manuscript/document in any way/shape/form.

If you’d like a sample of my first-draft writing ability, check out my AO3 account. Maybe you’ll find something there that tickles your fancy.

A final note:

In case you’re wondering, the character in these artworks is the main character of this story. I’m also an artist. YAY. :) Anyway, thank you so much to everyone who beta reads or reblogs or shows even a passing interest in this. Writing is hard work, but beta readers are invaluable, and I’ll appreciate all the help I can get.

*This post will be eventually be deleted.