#otp: candle and moth

[verecunda]

AU we deserve: Caranthir saving Aegnor/Andreth by giving Aegnor the angriest pep-talk in history, going off at length about how the women of the Edain are valiant and honourable and deserve fucking better, fucking sons of Finarfin, most useless fuckers on this side of the Sea or the other, I don't give a damn what Finrod thinks, you are going back to that woman and you are going to do the right thing by her. It ends with him dragging Aegnor by the ear back to Ladros and dumping him at Andreth's feet like "This idiot has something he wants to say to you." >:[

[annafdd]

Oh this is so beautiful.

A brief reunion in the Halls

[des-dabbles]

For Tuki and Adi: 1, 18, 22 & 28 Thank you!

1. What are things they both find funny? 

Oh man... it would have to be something so completely random and unexpected. Tuki has a much darker humor while Adi will giggle over dad jokes. 

18. What would be their love motto? 

To believe in their love. 

They’re both guilty of getting wrapped up in their heads, of listening to others negative perceptions, and not putting 100% behind what they know to be true. So for them, they just need to believe in their love for each other. 

22. If their lives were what was originally intended at birth, would they have still fallen in love? 

Yes?! I answer as I question myself. I mean... their story is average, for lack of better words. They’re a couple of kids whose parents are friends. Neither had lofty expectations for their future that would have torn them apart. So yes, they would have always fallen in love. 

Ask your own OTP question here.

Last question under the cut for spiciness, though truthfully more due to length.

28. Write a ~300 fantasy one of them has about the other. 

It was a simple white box, tied up with a navy blue ribbon. With a gentle tug, the bow came loose and he was able to open the lid. Nestled on top of the crisp white tissue paper was a little card. Printed on it were three words. 

Put this on.

No other instructions were given. His hand shook slightly as he pulled the paper out, unsure just what he would see. A shaky laugh fell from his lips as he realized it was a simple piece of folded cloth. Reaching in, he pulled it out, letting it unfold itself. It was silky to the touch, but thick enough to fulfill its purpose.

Taking a second, he lifted the sash to his nose. A calm settled over him as he was engulfed in the soothing scents he was so familiar with. It was Sulani, the deep tropical scent of ocean breeze and tangy floral buds, but also something more. Something unique to his merman. 

Letting out the tightly held breath, he tied the sash around his head. A moment of panic rushed through him as he fell into darkness. It was foolish though. He had been the one to tie it. He knew that at any moment, he could reach up and the sash would fall away. Instead of following through on that urge, he nervously tucked his hands into his lap. Fingers linked together as he sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for what was to come next. 

Through the open window, a cool breeze blew its way in. It carried in the sounds he had grown accustomed to hearing, but tonight they were amplified. The water lapped across the silts, a rhythmic beat that matched the beating of his heart. The hairs on his arms stood on end as the buzzing of the insects matched the electric feeling racing through his body. 

And the soft click of the door as it opened was like a gunshot in the night. A breathless chuckle escaped as he picked up on the heavy footsteps entering the room. Even without his boots on, his merman’s footfalls were steady and strong. A man on a mission.

His head tilted as he listened to the man’s trek through the room.The trip to the bed only took seconds, but it felt so much longer. Each step building the anticipation coursing through his body. And even though he knew the man was in front of him, he couldn’t help but jump as he felt fingertips graze his forehead, brushing back a lock of his hair. He was due for a haircut, but every time he had recently brought it up, his husband had convinced him to wait. The length was perfect for him to run his fingers through and give him that just fucked look, leaving the blonde blushing and the merman smirking. He really was an ass at times.

“You ready?” the merman whispered, as he continued to thread his fingers through the blonde’s hair. 

“Where are we going?” His words were just as breathless as his earlier laugh. He couldn’t see it, but he knew the man above him was shaking his head. 

“Trust me.”

A simple statement. One that was as easy to follow as taking his next breath. There was never any doubt of trusting the man looming above him. He trusted him with his life, with his heart. 

So it was only natural for him to stand when he felt his hands being grasped, followed by a gentle tug. It never crossed his mind to worry about being led into a wall or a piece of furniture. And not a single bit of panic filled him when he realized he was being led outside and onto the sandy beach.

When they reached the shoreline, he did pause. The water was cool as it washed across the top of his feet, the sand squishy under his toes. The earlier breeze he felt was stronger here. Lifting a few strands of his hair and causing a shiver to run through him.

 His hands slipped from his husband’s, but soon he found his hips in their grasp. A gasp squeaked out as he felt himself being lifted into the air. Not very fitting for a pirate captain. Before he could struggle, he was placed back on solid footing.

Well, as solid as a boat could be. He sank onto the bench as he felt the canoe being pushed further into the water. Another gasp escaped as the boat tilted and rocked from the merman jumping in. He tried to track the man’s movements as he set everything up, but it was harder out here. Too many sensations competing to take first place in his mind’s eye. 

Soon though, the merman settled next to him on the bench and they were sailing off. He still had no clue where they were headed. The longer he sat in darkness, his fingers itched to remove the blindfold. But he didn’t. He didn’t need to see the islands as they passed, nor the stars shining above. Instead, he focused on the soft hums coming from the merman. 

His siren’s call. A melodic hum meant only for him. His husband was blind to it, never quite realizing he did it. Always shaking his head when he would bring it up. That was okay, though. He would bask in these moments of true contentment. His voice might not have been refined as his brother’s, but to the blonde, there was no better sound. He let the song fill him as he closed his eyes behind the sash and sank into the man sitting next to him.

Time faded and became nonexistent. They could have been sailing for minutes or hours. It didn’t matter. He knew that wherever they ended up, it would be just the two of them. The two of them under a blanket of a thousand stars. Stars that dotted the night sky like the freckles splashed across his skin. His husband often would say there were too many to count but worthy of the hours spent trying. 

Though eventually, the boat did come to a stop. The relaxation that had overcome his body fled as he heard the merman get up and fiddle around the boat. The urge to remove the blindfold grew to be almost too overwhelming. Just when he had reached his limit, he felt the blindfold slip away.

He blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted to the moonlight. His gaze flitting around as he tried to discern where they were. There were small islands in the distance and the main ones further than the eye could see. Crystal clear water reflected the cloudless sky. He truly was in the middle of nowhere. He wasn’t alone though and that thought brought his gaze back to the other occupant in the boat.

Kneeling in front of him was the love of his life. In his hands, a single chocolate cupcake. He knew instantly it was from the little bakery in Strangerville, the one run by the sweet elderly woman who was a true master at baking. The chocolate ganache would melt across his tongue and the cake so heavenly moist. On top, a single candle flickered. Its flame competed to shine as bright as the stars in the sky.

“Happy Birthday, my darling pirate.’

Tears sprang to his eyes as his heart melted. His merman had remembered. From the mystery present left on the bed to the midnight sail. Every detail taken from his book. How had he not noticed til now? 

He smiled as he leaned over. His eyes never left his husband’s gaze as he blew out the candle. Was it bad luck to not make a wish? It was something he was willing to risk. There was nothing he could imagine being better than this moment. Taking the cupcake from the merman, he set it aside. There was something he needed to do first, something more tempting than the sweet pastry.

Sliding from the bench, he fell into the merman’s arms. The kiss started out gentle, a simple press of the lips. A small taste not enough to quench a growing hunger. His tongue seeking entrance to the finest dessert. And once he tasted it, his moan echoed through the silent night.  

His hands tangled in the merman’s hair. Positioning his head to the perfect position. He wasn’t the only one making his claims. Hands grasped his hips, pulling him closer. Fingertips gripping hard enough to bruise. Each trying to to get closer. It wasn’t enough though. Never enough.

As if hearing his frustrated thoughts, the heat between them bloomed even higher. Clenched hands loosened in favor of roaming. Each finding those spots that called to them, like a moth to the flame. Bare skin was revealed as clothes were tossed aside in the unending quest to sink into each other. Answering that need to be closer. 

Just like in his novel, the night held still as they gave themselves to each other. Heart, body and soul. The pirate captain and his merman.

[riviae]

Regis and/or Dettlaff for the character headcanon meme (ya know, if a hundred others haven't already asked lol)

character meme (accepting!): under a read more due to length 

Regis: 

favorite thing about them:

besides his obvious kind heart & unflinching loyalty, i love how passionate he is about things!! dude’s been alive for 400+ yrs & he still wants to travel, to make friends, to learn, to teach, to heal, to share his interests & knowledge. he loves life–loves humanity (cdpr can miss me w/ his referencing humans as mosquitoes metaphor nonsense)–& is my favorite example of a good redemption story/character. 

least favorite thing about them: 

he can be… rather pretentious at times. but to his credit, he never really belittles or alienates anyone in the hansa–it’s more like he has a lot of ‘high-brow’ interests for the time/setting (not counting distilling, of course) & in sharing/explaining them, he goes a bit over the top. i don’t think it’s on purpose, but case in point… not everything has to be a lecture, ya know? 

favorite line: 

kinda cheating on this, but my favorite scene of anything ever is this one from lady of the lake: 

“Well,” sighed Regis. “Have it your way. I��ll have to avoid mirrors and dogs, and will have to beware of sorcerers and telepaths… And if I’m still exposed, I’m counting on you.”“You can count on me,” Geralt said seriously. “I’m not in the habit of leaving a friend in need.”The vampire smiled and because they were alone, he did not hide his fangs. “Friend?”

now specifically from b&w, i like this line from Regis’ journal: People justify bad deeds by good intentions. I’m not sure if there is greater idiocy

brOTP: 

geralt/regis (which you’ll also see in the otp section), regis/yen (goth-nerd solidarity & also they both love geralt so jot that down), & regis/angouleme (he’s a wonderful uncle figure to angouleme)

also if regis ever got to meet vesemir i’m 100% sure they’d have gotten along swimminglg

OTP: 

geralt/regis–it’s my lifeblood babey

nOTP: 

romance-wise, any regis/hansa member that isn’t geralt is just not my cup of tea as well as regis/dett****

random headcanon

after his second regeneration, he became wearier around unknown sorcerers/sorceresses/magic users (w/ the exception of yen). at one point, geralt had decided to light a candle near regis using igni w/o really thinking abt it & noticed that regis had visibly flinched. geralt apologized immediately & now lets regis know when he’s abt to light something using magic (’normal’ fires, those not started by magic, don’t bother him. so it’s less of an aversion to fire & more of an aversion to fire made thru magic).

unpopular opinion: 

i don’t really like his sideburns or hairline–not bc i think the design is bad per se (i think it solidified his intro in b&w as a more scholarly character), but bc i think it ages him much more than necessary. when the other 2 higher vampires (dettlaff, orianna, hell–even the unseen elder), look much younger, then it just seems unusual imo. a middle-aged tax collector w/ a crooked nose is how sapkowski describes him & idk, i think cdpr just wanted to give regis a more stereotypical scholarly look instead of using descriptions from the books. 

song i associate with them:

when i’m in an angst™ mood, this song is what makes me think of regis (& higher vampires in the witcher series in general). it’s called far from home (the raven) by sam tinnesz 

favorite picture of them (i’m too lazy to do this but assume every picture of regis is my fave)

Dettlaff: 

favorite thing about them

his hobbies! woodworking & building toys for kids is nice™; cdpr should’ve at least given us a tiny scene of him tinkering on stuff. presumably he has a caring nature given that he nursed regis back to health but once again, cdpr couldn’t be bothered to flesh out the interesting aspects of his character & instead gave us an albeit cool but ultimately unnecessary boss battle :/ 

least favorite thing about them

oof, his lack of patience & propensity towards violence. well, perhaps propensity is the wrong word; i mean that in a character who is powerful/deadly (in which even a brief lapse in judgement could mean death for another), a hair trigger temper is... not going to endear me to them. for instance, i don’t think that dettlaff went to tesham mutna with the intent of killing syanna--i don’t think he knew himself what he would do upon seeing her. BUT, he still did it--& i’m sorry but killing an unarmed/defenseless (presumably unarmed, but even if she were armed it wouldn’t change the fact that she was defenseless against him & dettlaff knew that) woman in a fit of rage (who yes, wronged dettlaff greatly) speaks of a deeper problem relating to his inability to process his emotions. 

i originally thought that cdpr was going to do some cool parallels between dettlaff and geralt bc both have issues w/ emotion but in different ways (i.e., dettlaff has difficulty controlling his while geralt has trouble expressing them), but they shared maybe a handful of sentences w/ each other before the conclusion of the dlc so yeah D: 

favorite line: 

“If you acknowledge any gods... start praying, now.” 

brOTP: 

regis/dettlaff is pretty much it/the only relationship i find interesting in b&w for dett anyway 

OTP: 

dettlaff/character development 

nOTP: 

mentioned in regis’ list above, but i also am not a fan of geralt/dett

random headcanon: 

his “pack” up until syanna consisted almost entirely of orphaned lower vampires. whether due to their family dying or abandoning them, dett’s reserved & calming demeanor makes it easier for LVs to trust him. he’s nursed plenty of injured LVs back to health & when he passed thru the remnants of stygga castle, he did so bc he originally thought that he was following the trail of an injured LV (having caught regis’ scent). it was only when he got closer that he recognized the ‘shapeless smear’ was regis--someone he hadn’t seen in centuries--& chose to help him heal despite how taxing it would be. 

unpopular opinion

i don’t understand his popularity as a character or how his actions can be defended. his character design is great (i still wanna to buy his moth brooch tbh), he was voice acted very well, & there are hints of an interesting backstory esp in relation to why he chose to help regis regenerate, but that’s not the focus of the dlc. 

if i have to rely on regis to explain why dettlaff is a good person/deserves redemption/etc., then that’s lazy writing. i love regis to death, but he, like anna henrietta, was blind to/didn’t want to see his loved one’s faults/misdeeds. u can’t make an unbiased character judgement on someone you’re close to and indebted to imo. 

granted, regis himself is an example of dett’s charity since he is alive & well (& also is stressed af bc of dettlaff), but does one good deed wash away all the death he later commits in the attack on beauclair? motivation or not, murder is murder, plain & simple. i can forgive but not condone regis’ actions in his youth bc, arguably, regis was already punished severely for it & chose to change/become a better person. cdpr didn’t give us an option to allow dett to be punished for his crimes (in something other than death--which i don’t think he nor syanna deserve) or let us know if he eventually grows to be a better person w/ the help of regis & so i can only care for him in the respect that i mourn the character he (& syanna) could’ve been. 

in summary: everything i dislike abt dettlaff is entirely due to a lack of care when it came to fleshing out his character. we only see him committing acts of violence/murder, never healing or helping. we see the fallout of his anger, see that he feels grief & even remorse (like in de la croix’s death), but it doesn’t excuse the act itself. ppl are more than welcome to like or love morally dark/dubious characters, but i have an issue when a morally dubious character is painted as good or good but misunderstood. 

song i associate with them

the song inferno by sir sly gives me real dettlaff vibes: I think you clipped my wings to save me from the sunForgot my hands and knees, I had to learn a lessonOh fearless teacher how'd I ever lose my sightWhy'd I ever try to fight against your path?Somewhere at half my life, I wandered in the woodsCan't find a single right, I swear nothing is goodI'm blinded now and darkness shrouds my every sightWhy'd I ever try to fight for my own path?

favorite picture of them: 

once again, too lazy to find one, but his final form in the boss battle was cool even if it kinda went against sapkowski’s lore.

[gxldencity]

otp playlist meme

tagged by @lakambaeni

tagging: steal

eu knows this and knows that my reyder playlist is basically fall out boy song from all of their albums but i’ll still do them bc ppl need to see this gimmick

Grand Theft Autumn/Where is Your Boy

maybe he won’t find out what i know; you were the last good thing about this part of town

A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More Touch Me (this is legit their song im not gonna lie lmao)

i don’t blame you, for being you; but you can’t blame me for hating it

Thnks fr the Mmrs

thanks for the memories even though they weren’t so great; he tastes like you, only sweeter

Irresistible

like a moth getting trapped in light by fixation

Dulo Ng Hangganan by IV of Spades (wOW a non fall out boy song lmao)

kapag makapiling ka, hindi alam ang gagawin; i-iwas ba o titingin sa’yo kagandahan

(when i’m with you, i don’t know what to do. do i look away or do i look at your beauty?)

I’m Like A Lawyer With The Way I’m Always Trying to Get You Off/Me & You

we’re the new face of failure; prettier and younger, but not any better off

Alone Together

i’m outside the door, invite me in; so we can go back and play pretend

Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes

so boycott love detox just to retox; and i’d promise you anything for another shot at life

Magbalik by Callalily (that one song that millenial Filipinos would always play like don’t lie you’re probably yelling this song)

tulad ng ilog na hindi tumitigil sa pag agos; pag ibig di matatapos

(like a river which never stops flowing; love will never end)

Come Inside Of My Heart by IV of Spades

come inside of my heart if you’re looking for answers; look at the stars, go a little bit faster

Mundo by IV of Spades

limutin na ang mundo; nang magkasama tayo

(forget the world; while we’re together)

The Last of the Real Ones 

i know this whole damn city thinks it needs you; but not as much as i do, as much as i do

[verecunda]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH

Oh gosh, I love this so much. The claustrophobic, apocalyptic atmosphere of the Bragollach; Andreth as proud, patient and bitter as ever; Emeldir being fierce in the background... then the moment when the candle goes out. *screams*

My heart: rent.

Hi! If you're up to the ask meme, Andreth & isolation please? <3

The land of her people was burning. 

The flames of Angband climbed from the plain of Ard-galen up the hillsides, leaving them blackened and bare after the flames had passed. Fire leapt from pine to pine, and Dorthonion’s once-mighty northern woods stood wreathed in crowns of flame. Sparks fell among the underbrush and fallen needles and kindled fires about the boles of trees, sending tongues of flame licking up their trunks. 

And everywhere was the reek of smoke. Great clouds of it hung heavy over the hillsides, settling upon Ladros in a heavy bulk, and hid the flaming, charred ruin of Ard-galen behind their mass.

Andreth’s eyes burned from the smoke, and her throat felt raw. Wrapping her winter scarf more tightly about her face, she set to stopping her windows and door with old blankets she had dampened in the snow drifts outside her house.

Emeldir, her eyes glittering bright and fierce from between the folds of her scarf and her hair turned grey with fallen ash, had beseeched her to join the other women and children in the Great Hall, but Andreth had deferred. The smoke was too thick to leave her home for more than a few minutes without being racked by coughing fits, and the night was too cold for her joints to endure such a long walk.

Her house was high enough above the fire break that she had no fear of burning within her home, and she was safe as long as the defenders held the northern slopes, though she had no great hope that the defenses would long hold.

Emeldir and the other women meant to barricade themselves within the Great Hall and set a guard about the hall of all of the women of Ladros who could bear sword, spear, or bow, but Andreth knew that such shows of defense were futile. The siege had broken, and all of Angband’s filth had poured forth, and the scouring of the land would not cease until all had fallen to fire or blade.

And so Andreth stopped her windows and drew the curtains tight against the horror of the night. She blew out all of the candles but one and let her fire die down to a faint glow, that the presence of her house might go unnoticed in the mirk of smoke and ash, should Ladros’ defenses be breached and Dorthonion overrun. She wrapped herself in the shawls and blankets that she had left and sat before the lone candle.

And she waited—for dawn, death, or deliverance, she did not know.

Ever her thoughts turned to the defenders: Bregolas and Barahir, her kinsmen, who fought though their fighting years were drawing to an end, and Angrod, and Aegnor most of all. 

Aegnor had been certain, as had Angrod and the High King of the Noldor, that this night would come, though the other Elf-lords who held the leaguer had doubted, content with the long peace the siege had brought. This night was why Aegnor had turned away while she was still in her youth and left her grasping across the gulf between their kindreds, seeking a flame forever out of reach.

But too soon in the North wind his flame will go out! I say to thee thou shalt live long in the order of your kind, and he will go forth before thee. 

A bitter laugh rose in her chest as she looked upon her hands, creased and knobbed with age. How many years they could have shared together before this night came, before her youth faded like the leaves of autumn and winter stole upon her. Death came for him, Finrod had said, and would find him first, but it dogged her heels just as surely.

With these bitter thoughts, Andreth watched the flicker of the candle’s flame long into the night and into what would have been the grey hours of morning, had the light of morning had the strength to pierce through the mirk of smoke and ash.

When she deemed that morning had come and passed, she pulled more wood inside her house from the pile next to her door, and she dampened her blankets in the snow and prepared for another night of interminable waiting.

The days and nights passed in a dark fog of choking smoke and drifting ashes, and her stores of food and split wood, carefully rationed, drew low. Andreth considered the wisdom of Emeldir’s offer now, knowing that the women of Ladros would have salvaged what they could of the grain stores and would have brought the livestock within the hall with them, to slaughter as needed.

But her heart told her still to remain and to wait.

And so she did. She had not been named “patience” for nothing. 

Night came again, perceptible only as a slight deepening of the gloom, and Andreth sat before her candle, watching its flame dance against the dark shadows of her house until the flicker of candlelight filled her gaze. Her mind drifted, conjuring up images and strange forms within the shifting shadows of the flame’s movement, and she lost herself to the bright light of the flame, drawn to it as surely as she had been in her youth.

The howl of sudden wind, strong enough that it shook the timbers of her house, startled her from her trance. Outside, the spruce trees circling her house groaned and cracked, and several branches fell. One struck the corner of her house with a crash that sent her heart leaping like a frightened hare, and she clutched at her chest in fear.

Her candle snuffed out in a thin wisp of smoke. 

Cold creeped through Andreth’s chest, and her hands felt suddenly leaden. A great weight seemed to bear down upon her, and she bowed her head from the burden of it, even as the realization of its meaning cut through her consciousness.

Aegnor was gone. The Sharp-flame was no more.

In the darkness, Andreth wept.

crossposted to AO3 | send me a character and a prompt and get a ficlet

[verecunda]

Been meaning to share this for ages - an absolutely beautiful commission of Andreth and Aegnor done for me by the lovely @neldeathstar. Thank you so very much again! 🥰🥰🥰

[monsterlovinghours]

All of the soft asks 👀

WOW you're literally the sweetest and I love you so much 💖💖💖💖🌸Blankets: Have you been in love? -Yes! Am currently still in love.🌸Stuffies: How did you meet your best friend? -One I met at a college worship service, and the other I met on OkCupid.🌸Fluffy Pillows: What happened in your most recent dream? -Sadly, I very rarely remember my dreams.🌸Scented Candles: How do you relax? -Hot soaks with a bath bomb, lots of orgasms, rain sounds, and retail therapy. Not necessarily in that order. 😉🌸Gem Stones: What’s your birthstone/favourite stone?-My birthstone is sapphire, but my favorite stone is amethyst. I actually have a tattoo of a cluster of amethyst crystals.🌸Pyjamas: Describe your favourite pyjamas!-Black cotton shorts and a tshirt. Add socks in the wintertime. 🌸Fuzzy Socks: What’s your favourite movie?-It (2017) followed closely by Silence of the Lambs.🌸Kittens & Puppies: Name of your pet or your ideal pet? I have two kitties, Ryu and Salem.🌸Laughter: What’s the funniest joke you’ve heard? It wasn't so much a joke as my friend being funny, but not too long ago my friend Chris was over, and at some point one of the potatoes in our pantry had escaped and was just lying on the kitchen floor. About the time we all noticed there was just...a potato, just hanging out, Chris dramatically throws his arms out toward this wayward potato and in an impeccable Irish accent, yells "HENRY ME SON, WHAT WOEFUL FATE HAS BEFALLEN YE? NEVER A FINER LAD THERE WAS IN THE VALLEY." I don't think I took a breath for ten minutes.🌸Mittens: Do you like the snow? I love it!!!🌸Hot Coco: What’s your favourite Starbucks drink? I don't really go to Starbucks that often except for PSL season, so we'll say pumpkin spice.🌸Soft Kisses: Describe your OTP I self-ship a lot, so my OTP is my self-insert Molly and whichever Bill Skarsgard character I'm currently obsessed with. Right now, it's Henry Pearl, the softest of boys. 🌸Rainy Days: What do you do on a rainy day?Open all the windows, put on Brian Crane, drink lots ofntea, and take naps. 🌸Flower Petals: What’s your favourite flower?The iris! It's sort of become a symbol for the women in my family.🌸Cotton Candy: What’s your favourite candy? Reeses, in all its variations.🌸Bubble Baths: Your favourite memory? When I was 18 and my cousins took me to go see The Producers at the Starlight Theatre.🌸Wooly Scarfs: What song do you think relates the most to you? Oh God. I honestly don't know, I relate songs more to characters than to myself. I guess Raglan Road, by the High Kings.🌸Roasted Marshmallows: Your camping with friends! Describe the forest you’re pitching your tent in. Well, it's right next to a lake. The trees aren't very old, and there's still plenty of light because the leaves are starting to turn and fall. We're bundled up in cozy sweaters at night, and the fire is big and bright.🌸Bird Songs: Name 5 things you love 1. The fact that Bill Skarsgard exists2. Roses3. Black cats4. My friends who put up with my bullshit5. My online community🌸Old Books: Do you read? If so, what’s your favourite book series? I do! I really like the Iron Druid series, though offhand I can't remember who writes it. Of course I love Harry Potter, have since 2nd grade. And I really want to get more into the Parasol Protectorate series.🌸Warm Hugs: Who would you love a hug from right now?Bill Skarsgard or Tom Hiddleston. Just wrap this big ol' gangly limbs around me and rock until I forget I was ever sad.🌸Clouds: What’s the best shaped cloud you’ve seen?When I was young, I saw a cloud that was almost exactly shaped like our Christmas tree angel. Also I saw this cool wall cloud a few years ago that actually ended up being a tornado later that night. We chased the damn thing for about seven miles then went drinking. Welcome to Kansas.🌸Fae: Describe yourself as a fairy Chubby, literally always covered in sparkles, purple everything, moth-like wings.🌸Holding Hands: What was the name of your first love? Tobi. 💖🌸Cupcakes: Favourite cupcake flavour? Red velvet 🌸Tealights: Describe a romantic date perfect for you Dinner (doesn't matter where), a walk through the Plaza, kissing by all the fountains-there's a lot of them. End with a drive out to the country with some blankets and a bottle of wine to stargaze. 🌸Gardens: What’s the sweetest gift you’ve received?Last year for Valentine's day, my girlfriend got me a custom book full of 50 things she loved about me. She also gave me this giant jar full of Hershey's kisses, and she said, "There's 365 in there. One for every day I couldn't kiss you." (We were long distance at the time)

[veraverorum]

You've been visited by the OTP AU fairy Challenge! If you feel up to it, write 500 or less words for your OTP in any AU setting! Hard mode: choose up to 3 different OTP AU settings and write 500 words or less for each! Good luck! (feel free to become the next fairy and offer some writers your own challenge, too!)

I got this message more than 1 moth ago but I’ve finally finished them!Ready for some musical AUs?

Phantom of the OperaThe lock of the door gotturned but Jack didn't notice it. He was too busy changing intosomething more comfortable than stage clothes, deciding in the endfor a white gown with laces at the hems.The oddity of thesituation hit him when he entered the waiting room of his dressingroom and suddenly all the candles turned off as if by magic.Hetold himself he wouldn't act scared. Jack had always been brave,since the day he had been left all alone in the world, orphan of theomnic crisis. Hesitating for a brief moment he looked around,checking for a possible intruder. One could never know, given thetimes. Not to mention Jack was steadily becoming the new star of theopera. Everything could be possible, even the worst possibility.Thevoice that broke the tense silence put Jack's nerves to rest.Uponrecognizing who was speaking, he relaxed immediately. Jackhad no face nor a proper name to associate with the entity but thedeep voice that had spent so much excruciating time coaching himthrough arpeggios and melodies was his Angel of music. An obscureentity who followed him ever since the day he put foot inside theOpéra Garnier and who Jack believed was a messenger from hisdeceased father.It called to him with his tenor tone, warmingits way into Jack's heart even if it stung of jealousy andpossessiveness, “ignorant fool this brave young suitor, sharing inmy triumph!”Jack had to hide hissmile at being somehow coveted that way but more important matterswhere at hand, like his musical education. Sweet-talking the Angelout oh his outbursts was something that Jack had long since grownused to do. He had a demanding nature, prone to tantrums that seemedto be placated only by Jack's angelic voice hitting the right notesof a soft melody – the kind that stole hearts and tears at the sametime.Maybe, though, thistime the ghost had felt that his domain over Jack was beingthreatened, undermined enough that he wanted to re-assert his powerover the singer once and for all. Jack was slipping from between hisfingers, captivated by the spell of an admirer who had nothing tooffer other than the funds that surely were not coming from the hardwork. Certainly not someone who deserved him.If the ghostliving in the basement of the Opéra wanted to keep Jack close to himhe needed to offer him something more valuable than vile money, orhis expertise on singing. He needed toentice him, draw his attention by making him curiousand ensnare Jack in his net. Hismellifluous words had offered him the coveted sight of hisface.Jack followed his beloved voice toward the mirror andinto it, until he came face to face with the man wearing a white halfmask, and then took his hand.

Chicago

Thatsurely wasn't the way that Jack Morrison thought he would becomefamous and end up under the spotlight.He had thought it wouldhappen through a career in cabaret, dancing and singing and lookinglike a delicious candy wrapped in refined, sparkling sequin clothes,and all that jazz.Instead, his audience would get to know himin a very different way... by his bewildered mugshot greeting thereaders of tomorrow's newspapers from the first page, the captioncalling him murderer.But that would be for tomorrow. As fortoday, Jack had been dragged off to jail to wait for his turn at thecourthouse, thrown in together with similarly convictedfelons.There with hims was Gabriel Reyes in all his glory,the latest murderous sensation in town. He was famous for the show heshared with his brother and for killing said brother and his owncheating husband in a blind rage. He had seemed to realize what hehad done only afterward, while washing his hands from all theirblood. There had been no guilt whatsoever.It was too bad thatGabriel's fame was already on the path of decline due to Jack'sunexpected stunt.The world was full of sharks and once Jackhad managed to grab the spotlight for himself, he found it difficultto let go of it, or share, even if Reyes was a true vaudevillain,more than Jack could ever dream of being. A hot one too, worth todance a sweet tango with, but as far as Jack was concerned, it wasnot enough for him to give up on his one chance at popularity.Jackhad done anything he could in order to hold on this opportunity; hescraped together what little money he had and made sure his tale waseven more pathetic, appealing to the masses, fluttering his eyelashesat the paparazzi and lawyers alike.It was that way that AnaAmari, best criminal defense lawyer of the city did her gigs: prettyboys with pretty eyes and sob stories. She was quick to switch fromGabriel's case to Jack's, and her silver tongue was legendary incourt. She spun his account until it became unrecognizable and farfrom the truth. It was self defense! They'd both reached for thepulse rifle!Almost ashamed by his own actions, Jack acceptedtips from Ana that would have been otherwise used in Gabriel's case,making the celebrated actor go ballistic. In the end though,after his own sentence had been lifted, it had been Gabriel the oneto seek Jack out and ask for his help. Cooperation. “You know, mydouble act is still a damn fun time. But to put it on I need apartner.”Double act, double the murderers for double thefame. The vaudeville scene was going to become all theirs. And theinviting smile on Gabriel's face was naughty enough to suggest thatmore would be shared between them than just the profits.Jackaccepted.

Moulin RougeTheroom was the most absurd collection of things Jack had ever had thepleasure of seeing. It should have been a pleasure. Probably. It wasnot.Itwas gaudy, an extravaganza of exotic objects unlike any other, andfar removed from the simple, almost puritan education Jack hadreceived while growing up.Itmade him uneasy, thorn between gawking at the mess or leaving in ahurry.There where reddrapes everywhere, carved panels of gold painted wood, statues ofmonstrous foreign creatures... In the middle of all that opulence,clad in nothing but black satin and lace lingerie clinging to hisstatuesque body stood Mr Gabriel, motionless. Hissmile was a little awkward, too big and unnatural, one hand in theair, the other resting on the inviting curve of his hip.Jackhad to be honest with himself: he would have immediately said yes toanything the actor proposed him, then and there, at that display. Theproblem was, Mr Gabriel seemed to think the same - as soon as Jackstarted explaining the reason why he had been sent to meet up withhim, Mr Gabriel had launched into a series of yips and barks at hiswords, rolling around on the silk sheets of the bed, gripping them inhis beautiful fingers like a lifeline.Uncomfortable at thedisplay due to both a certain sense of decorum that was beingoffended and the fact that he felt a growing attraction at the sightthat he could not deny, Jack tried to not stammer as he reminded MrGabriel that he was there for  a private poetry reading session, asper their prior agreement in the ballroom.When Mr Gabrielpulled Jack down on the bed with him, begging for more naughty words,Jack gaped at him like a fish. Was Mr Gabriel a kindred soul, one whotrembled in delight at the beauty of rhymes and poetry? Thehand that sneaked on his inner thigh and the hot mouth latching atthe base of his neck, whereis pulse was beating faster than usual,told Jack a different story. Yeah, no. Big mistake.Thatwasn't what Torbjörnhad sent Jack there for! He said as much to Mr Gabriel and theperformer recoiled at the words.“Torbjörn...You're not the Duke!” Mr Gabriel was both offended and distressed.It would have been comical if he weren't throwing accusing glares atJack, who still found him the most gorgeous man he'd ever seen, evenif he looked murderous at the moment.“I-I am not!” whatmust have happened was becoming clear to him. An even biggermistake.A sharp knock on the door broke the momentary stallbetween the two.“Shit, the Duke!” Mr Gabriel whispered ashis face paled, eyes snapping to the door.Shit indeed, Jackthought.To be posted soon on AO3!

[coopsgirl]

So sweet but also so sad 😊😪

Aegnor and Andreth by IsabelStar

[verecunda]

ADANETH, I TELL THEE, AIKANÁR THE SHARP-FLAME LOVED THEE!!!!!

[verecunda]

ooooh, how about Aegnor and Andreth and 'changing seasons'?

Thank you for this! Sorry for taking so long to get round to these - I was hoarding them up for a wet weekend, but the last few weekends turned out busier than I expected. x__x Anyway...

-

The turning of the seasons put Andreth in a melancholy temper, all the more so when she sat with Aegnor by Aeluin-side — the birches and the wych-elms fading from their summer splendour, turning to yellow and shedding their leaves, the inevitable death; all while the great pines stood tall and unchanging against the mountains. She was akin to the birches and the elms: in time, she, too, would fade and die, while Aegnor, like the pines, would remain, evergreen and eternal.

She wondered sometimes whether the pines carried the memory of those other trees who faded every year, and wondered, too, whether Aegnor would remember her.

[verecunda]

Sooooo, for the Tolkien fandom, 8, 13 and 19, and for Aegnor/Andreth, 15, please! :D :D :D

Wooo, thank you! <3

Tolkien fandom:

8. ...a quote from it that means a lot to me.

SO MANY. But I'll go with this one:

And in that very moment, away behind in some courtyard of the City, a cock crowed. Shrill and clear he crowed, recking nothing of wizardry or war, welcoming only the morning that in the sky far above the shadows of death was coming with the dawn. And as if in answer there came from far away another note. Horns, horns, horns. In dark Mindolluin’s sides they dimly echoed. Great horns of the North wildly blowing. Rohan had come at last.

This is one of those moments of the reviving of hope that Tolkien does so well (and boy howdy, are we all needing some hope right now): the dawn breaking and heralding the coming of the Riders to Gondor's aid. Rohan had come at last. *screams*

But the bit with the cockerel hits me deepest. I know most people quote the bit with Sam seeing Gil-Estel and thinking "that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach." And I love that, but even more, I love this bit about the cockerel: how, even down here on Earth, even amidst the chaos, the natural rhythms of life still go on. It's one I hold onto.

13. ...which canon or popular fanon relationship I can't stand or feel 'meh' about and why.

Russingon. My eyes virtually glazed over just typing the damn name. X'D I'm sorry, Russingon friends, but it must be the most boring ship in the whole fandom.

19. ...one behind-the-scenes trivia fact I've learned somewhere and my thoughts on it.

Hey!! Did you know that when Aragorn screams after kicking that helmet, it's really Viggo screaming because he *gunshot*

XDD

Okay, apart from that one, I'm going to choose Tolkien's own remarks from that letter to W. H. Auden on the development of LOTR:

But I met a lot of things on the way that astonished me. Tom Bombadil I knew already; but I had never been to Bree. Strider sitting in the corner at the inn was a shock, and I had no more idea who he was than had Frodo. The Mines of Moria had been a mere name; and of Lothlórien no word had reached my mortal ears till I came there. Far away I knew there were the Horse-lords on the confines of an ancient Kingdom of Men, but Fangorn forest was an unforeseen adventure. I had never heard of the House of Eorl nor of the Stewards of Gondor. Most disquieting of all, Saruman had never been revealed to me, and I was as mystified as Frodo at Gandalf’s failure to appear on September 22. I knew nothing of the Palantíri, though the moment the Orthanc-stone was cast from the window I recognized it, and knew the meaning of the 'rhyme of lore' that had been running in my mind: seven stars and seven stones and one white tree.

As a writer, I always find this incredibly heartening. Middle-earth feels like such a complete, convincing world, you could almost believe he had worked out the whole tapestry before he ever put pen to paper - but no! Tolkien discovered much of it as he went along, just as we all do. I like to remember this when I feel I'm just flailing around in the dark. :D

Aegnor/Andreth:

15. ...how I wish their story would go/would have gone.

Ha! Well, I love a good tragedy, so on that level, I'm quite happy with their canon story. It's perfectly heartbreaking: the unfulfilled love, the might-have-beens, the only too understandable motives that led to their parting, Aegnor's refusal to leave Mandos because he just won't have any interest in rejoining a world without Andreth... *sobbing*

Plus, once you're aware of their story, you can trace its resonances in the wider story of the First Age, too. Like, is it even possible that Finrod didn't think of them when Beren arrived in Nargothrond? Yes, he read the signs of his own doom coming up on him, but it's impossible to believe he didn't think, "I couldn't/wouldn't give my blessing to Aegnor and Andreth, but I can, I will, do this for Andreth's kinsman." They're part of that great tapestry of fate.

But on a purely soppy level, NO. NO IT'S NOT FAIR. THEY DESERVED BETTER. THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOGETHER. SHUT THE FUCK UP WITH YOUR HIGHER PURPOSES OF DOOM, FINROD!!!!

Personally, I'm choosing to stick with the fixit I wrote. Or the one where Caranthir is their unlikely saviour. XD

Fandom ask meme

[verecunda]

@irisseireth​, sending you the Bat Signal. XD

I’ve never seen a theory where Gil-galad was the half-elven son of Aegnor and Andreth, but I would love to see someone do it.

[verecunda]

Actually, the real reason why Aegnor’s hair is Like That is because Andreth’s always fluffing it up with her hands.

[verecunda]

Obviously I have to ask about Aegnor/Amdreth, and tell us about your novel too if you like!

Eeeee! Thanks. :D

The Aegnor/Andreth one I think you know about already; I've been picking away at it for ages now. Pretty much born out of my twin desire to write something about A/A spending time at Aeluin together, since it definitely seems to have been their spot, and also to write something sexy for them, because dammit, they deserve it!

Here, have a grumpy Andreth in the opening :D

The morning was hot, even before the sun had fully burnt the morning mists from the high slopes; and as the sun rose ever higher towards its noonday pinnacle, it grew hotter still. Even in the heights, there was hardly a breath of wind to stir the heather, and the air was hazy with the heat, the sky a dry, parched blue, without even the merest feather of a cloud. Even in country with good roads, the going would have been hard; but in these trackless moors, with all their rocky outcrops and sudden rises, it was nigh unendurable, and Andreth was out of temper long before they ever reached their destination.

Her mood was not at all improved by the sight of Aegnor as he strode ahead, as untouched by the rigours of heat and thirst as by cold and hunger. Indeed, he went lightly, gaily, the sunlight making a beacon of his golden hair.

Truly, the Eldar could be maddening in their perfection.

As for the novel, it's still mostly in planning, though I've started writing wee bits and pieces to get a feel for the characters.

In short: tribal king's sister and Roman centurion have to work together to stop a war erupting on the frontier.

tl;dr version: the Votadini, according to Greek geographer Ptolemy, were tribe who were centred around Lothian. They tend to be seen as nominally, at least, on good terms with the Romans, based on the wealth of high status Roman goods that have been excavated at Traprain Law, which is generally thought to be their premier stronghold, possibly even a royal seat. If this is the case, then they must have been affected by the various fluctuations of the frontier, which sometimes put them inside the Roman Empire, sometimes just outside - and it's easy to imagine they often must've felt caught in the crossfire when war broke out between the Romans and the Caledonian tribes further north. I'm assuming they had to navigate a lot of tricky politics - and navigate them quite well, because they survived into the post-Roman period as the kingdom of Gododdin. I'm seeing all sorts of opportunity for intrigue and political wheeling and dealing, as well as complex loyalties and shifting allegiances, and friendships across cultural lines, even across the gulf between the conqueror and the conquered. All the good stuff. :)