#prepare for more tags to come i procrastinate

[weirdsht]

Helooo :ppp

Would it be ok if we get more yan!cale. He makes me so thirsty dawg... 😞 Crazy scenarios will always be on top. Like what if they find out the reader has a weak ass heart (me) and reader's been fighting with them against war since like forever

Recuperation - Yan!Cale/Reader

a/n: i swear you guys took a peek at my notes and forced me to write prompts i've been procrastinating. this and that other req about isekai reader has been on my notes rotting. also i'm working on it but i'm still struggling to write yanderes

tags: reader's gender not specified, yandere Cale, confined reader, hints of gaslighting and manipulation

English isn’t my first language so there will be grammatical errors

Pls don't repost my work anywhere without my permission

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First, it started for hours, then it became days. Days turned into weeks, and before you knew it you have been confined in your room for months now. It’s not like you’re imprisoned inside your room, at least that’s what Ron tells you, rather, it’s for your safety.

You try to understand their point of view, you really do. But man does it get boring and tiring really fast. Especially when you know that the rest of the group is out there, adventuring everywhere.

It wasn’t like this from the start. You used to be part of the missions Cale leads. Used to practically not see the underground manor as you were too busy running here and there. In fact, before that day you used to be the person Cale trusted the most when it came to infiltration.

Then everything changed when you suddenly felt lightheaded before a mission.

“You okay?”

Cale asked as he looked at you with that nonchalant yet caring gaze of his. You held out your hand, asking him to give you a moment before answering.

“I’m fine, I just felt lightheaded for a moment. Probably because things had been so hectic lately.”

Your lover nodded and continued his preparation. However, he made sure to monitor you closely as he was still worried.

Turns out his concerns aren’t unfounded.

One simple lightheadedness turned into full-on dizziness. Then while on the mission you felt more out of breath than usual. You were also sweating more when the work wasn’t even that strenuous.  

You were showing clear signs that you were sick so everyone silently agreed to wrap it up quickly. And you were thankful for that because you barely managed to hold on while finishing the mission.

After that, you fainted and that’s when everyone started coddling you.

“Ron until when must I stay here?”

You looked at the old servant with pleading eyes. Of course that blasted geezer only smiled at you like he always does.

“The young master already told you that you are free to leave your room.”

With that usual calm and composed poise of his, Ron poured tea for you as you finished the last of your dinner. You took the teacup with grateful hands but still flashed a frown at his response.

Both of you knew that was not the answer you were looking for.

“Let’s ask Saint-nim to take another look at you when they come back and we’ll decide from there.”

The answer only made you frown more because you already knew that being as healthy as before is almost impossible. 

And so you tried to control your temper. Logically, you knew that it would only make your condition worse. Could trigger your heart to become erratic once more.

Nevertheless, a part of you has had enough. You felt dead, you felt envious of everyone else being busybodies while Cale wouldn’t even let you outside your room without a servant following your tail.

“We all know that won’t do anything! I already promised I would take better care of myself, why won’t any of you listen to me!? I’m tired… I’m sick and tired of being here! I feel so incompetent, it’ll be better to let me die in the Forest of Darkness!”

At the end of your shouting session, you were heaving and clutching your chest. Ron, already expecting this merely took the necessary measures to take care of you. As he does a knock sounded on the door before it opened revealing Cale Henituse himself.

He entered your room as if he owned the place, well he does but the point stands, and sat down on the side of your bed once Ron was done.

“I could hear you shouting from the stairs. I told you not to get worked up, it’s not good for you.”

That handsome face of his frowned before kissing your forehead. Still angry, you turned your head away from him. Cale’s frown deepened slightly but he let it go, he's not going to stoop so low that he’ll fight a patient.

Ron cleans up before leaving the room, creating privacy for you and your partner.

“How did tricking White Star go?”

You grumbled silently, still concerned about everyone’s welfare.

“It took longer than expected but we had fruitful results.”

“Everything could’ve been done faster if you allowed me to join the war.”

Cale didn’t answer for a few moments. Opting to caress your hair instead. It was as if he was gathering his thoughts. Trying to think of the best way to make you understand his side.

“You’re concerned, I understand… but this is jarring my love. I cannot keep living like this.”

As Cale can’t seem to find the words, you let him know that you understand.

“You won’t I promise, I wouldn’t do that to you.”

Cale let’s go of your hair to caress your cheeks instead. Each stroke of his hand conveys the concern he carries with him every day. He can’t help but worry even though you are in the safest place he knows of.

“So please just bear with it. Just until you stabilize or until we can find a solution of some sort.”

You nodded and that was the end of the conversation as you dozed off thanks to your lover’s doting. It didn’t take long for you to fall into a deep sleep as your heart finally calmed down.

When Cale noticed you were sound asleep he tucked you in before pressing a kiss in your temple.

“I’m not so cruel that I will imprison you, but I do need to find a way to monitor you no matter where you go. Need to make sure that you will be safe at every step.”

Cale stood up from your bed so he could turn off the lights.

“So just until I’ve planted people all over this world and beyond, please patiently wait.”

He walks towards the door to go to his. Usually, he and the kids would sleep with you, but you need some quality rest so they’ll do that another time.

“I’m doing all of this for your safety after all.”

With that, he shut the door behind him. Leaving you inside the little cocoon he has created for you. Unaware of the bloodbath he has been causing in the name of keeping you safe.

[eahtheramblings]

A deeper dive into how the destiny system would work in a rewrite

Alright, little housekeeping before I get into it, I have finally created a tag for the hypothetical rewrite fanfic that I keep procrastinating due to college - so people can use the tag to either find the posts related to it or block it depending on if they like/dislike my ideas. You can now find it under #RamblesRevamp. Felt after posting the time loop au idea that I should probably start creating tags for these or else it’ll get confusing very quickly.

Moving on, I have come across the problem that every eah fan and fanfic writer has to face after thinking about the story for a while; just how in the world does the destiny system actually work? 

The books and show give us some threads to make sense of it, we know it’s generational in most cases, and we know that signing the book ensures the story plays out again, but beyond that most things are speculation. It was definitely written as a looser magic system to ensure that no matter who was writing a special or a book for eah they would be able to bend the rules to fit the plot, but for something so central to the story it really feels like it should be fleshed out more. Luckly, this is the world of fanfic, and I am not beholden to make a story that can adopt different writers quickly, so I can world build as much as I want!

Below is a list of changes/rules/expansions upon the original destiny set up we were given that the Revamp AU follows. These rules are what the average character in the revamp AU would know:

Rule 1: Destiny is understood to be a set of two cycles, one for fairy tales that need to be retold every generation (snow white, goldilocks, etc.), and one for the greater myths that covers universal creation to universal destruction and would happen over billions of years (Greek myths like cupid would be here). Here's a very quickly made visual example: 

Behold! the Destiny Cycle, or Narrative Cycle as it’s sometimes called. When we start the story with Apple and Raven, they are on fairytale cycle number 1,017. No one knows how many myths cycle’s the universe has gone through since that encompasses the creation and destruction of the universe, but scholars enjoy debating about it and saying a person “thinks they know how many cycles the universe has gone through” is akin to saying a person thinks they know everything.

Rule 2:

Oftentimes in fairy tales the characters have set ages that are much younger or older than what someone who just graduated high school would be referred to as, such as little red riding hood and Hansel and Gretel being referred to as children, or other characters being referred to as old kings or hags. However, having everyone complete their stories at the age they would be in our version of the fairytales would negate the whole point of a high school to prepare students for redoing those stories. In the revamp au the storybook of legends gets around this by comparing the character’s ages not to each other or to a timeline but rather to itself. 

You see, the book is magic, it somehow holds signatures from every generation with an individual page for each character and yet looks to be the same size as a standard textbook. In essence, it is a non-Euclidian object, not tied to rational laws of time or space. If the book wants, a character can seem like a young child to it, it’s been around since the start of the cycle! And if it needs to write a character as old, then that character can seem old in comparison to it, it’s a magic object that for all anyone knows popped into existence with a new cycle last Thursday! It isn’t bound to time the same way the characters are, so it can get away with fudging the ages a bit when writing each generation's version of the stories down. 

Rule 3:

In ever after, there are 2 kinds of people, the common folk and the destined. 

All destined regardless of birth order have a destiny, but what type is dependent on various factors. For Example, there are two types of destinies in the land of ever after, blood bonded and soul bonded. Blood bonded destinies are the most common, they’re what happens when a character's first child takes on the same exact destiny for the next fairytale cycle. Apple, Raven, and many others fall into this category. Then there are Soul bonded destinies, which are either destinies that have a role in the fairytale cycle but aren’t exactly the same as your parents, or in extremely rare cases destinies bestowed upon a person from a non-destiny family.

 The Charming's are a good example of the former. The original blood bonded destiny of Siegfried passed down to Grandpa Auspicious's eldest son, but he had no other destiny to pass down to the younger children. Because they are a part of the destined, however, all the children needed destinies, so the book bestowed soul destinies of being prince charming's and damsels in distress onto them. Their children in turn also got soul destinies, which is why the Charming’s know what their general role in stories will be but not the exact character (with the exception of daring, which I will explain in a bit). 

The latter, the case of a soul bonded destiny going to someone not already part of a destined bloodline is extremely rare, but does occur occasionally, especially when an old charming line dies out. You see, to keep the destined bloodlines from getting too interconnected, those with familial soul destinies like Charming's will often have fewer children as generations go by because fertility issues set in. Eventually, the blood line will either no longer be able to produce children or will produce merely 1 every 1-2 generations or so. When this happens, a new charming family might rise from the common folk in the form of a rags to riches prince story like the penniless owner of puss in boots. Again, this is really rare, but is also why the Charming's push for Daring, Dexter, and Darling to have prominent destinies. The sooner they marry into blood bonded destined families the less likely their bloodline is to disappear or thin out. 

You can have a family with both blood bonded and soul bonded destinies. Holly as the presumed oldest got the blood bonded destiny of Rapunzel, but Poppy as the younger one has an unknown soul bonded destiny, assumed to be a damsel due to her royal blood but no one’s really sure.

 And furthermore, while we're on the topic of pairs of siblings, a story that includes a set of siblings will have those siblings born to the oldest child of the last generation, not the weird cousin thing that happened with Helga and Gus. This means that if you're a part of the twelve dancing princesses for example, only the oldest princess’s twelve children would have the blood bonded destiny of being a dancing princess. The daughters of the other eleven princesses would get random soul destinies like the charming's. 

Finally, the first line of this rule is a little false. While unofficially there are two types of people, the destined and the common folk, Headmaster Grimm, and those who truly believe in the destiny system from both camps of people, would say that everyone is destined, as it is the destiny of the common folk to continue on their family trades and support their kingdoms. They even have symbolic legacy signings in some villages where a single page is signed by every child of age and then sent to Grimm to bind into the storybook of legends, and the one held in Book End village each year is attended by nearly every child of age within reasonable travel distance as they get to see Grimm bind the page into the book at the end of the ceremony. 

Rule 4: this brings me to the next point, Grimm isn’t just the headmaster of the school in the revamp au, he is also the Oracle of the Storybook. Grimm is thought to be immortal, here since the beginning of the cycles themselves, and he interprets the Storybooks will through visions and the like. This is why Daring knows what his destiny would be, Grimm saw a vision of a blonde prince in armor that had the Charming crest on it leaning over a glass coffin and told his family. He doesn’t control when these visions come, but despite this his position as Oracle makes him almost the head of all the leaders in ever after.

Rule 5:

And finally, number five, the storybook will make little changes each cycle to continue its and the universe's ensured existence. When the original tales happened, they were quite violent, with villains always dying at the end and even some hero’s dying as well. This however started to become a problem for the cycle, as destined who died without having a child first didn’t pass on the story by blood and thus their destiny got spat out randomly to a soul bonded destined. To keep this from happening, two things started to emerge. 

One, for stories where the deaths happened right before the end, the book started to look the other way so long as the character was dead until the last words were written. This is how Ginger's mother and previous ancestors survived. Yes, she was pushed into the oven and died, but one, fire resistance potions exist, and two, her oven had a door on the other side that could be opened, so after the storybook wrote “the end” the second door was opened by Grimm/someone else he trusts, and she was given a powerful healing potion. This is the equivalent to your heart stopping for a minute and then being revived by a doctor. You were dead, but like, it was temporary. 

Two, for other characters whose deaths happen too early on to be reversible (or that kept the story from being retold entirely), they slowly morphed into other fates. Cinderella’s mother doesn’t so much as die now as she becomes a tree. Somewhere in the middle of the cycle Odette stopped dying and just became stuck as a swan. The little mermaid is an extreme example of this, as Meeshell's ancestors went from dying, to turning to seafoam, to living happily ever after through a very long line of generations. Some say these softer endings have to be repeated a number of times before the book considers them the new versions, but no one's sure what that number is. Some also believe that you can convince the book to give you a softer ending, but this has no proof and is vehemently denied by Grimm who insist the book decides of its own merit what to keep or change each generation when it comes to large plot points based on what's needed to ensure the safety and continuation of ever after. 

That’s it for now folks, tune back in whenever I get free time next for some light Snow White and Apple angst. 

[fordohyon]

THE SECURITY HAS A CRUSH ON YOU?

PT.1

pt. 2!

PAIRING - maknaeline!xikers x fem!reader

TAGS - fluff

WARNING(S) - lmk if theres any, lmk if there are errors as well!!

wc - 2.2k, each member around 300-400

req by - @junghoonateezzanti

a/n - finally 🙌🙌 ive finished it!! sorry it took a while (like really really long), but i am now not procrastinating my reqs and doing them! Very long overdue!!

정훈

JUNGHOON

Since you've been dating, Junghoon has only seen you without makeup or minimal makeup. It's not that he thinks you look ugly, though he's seen you buy some and paid for a few. Your cousin's wedding is in about 3 hours, he knows about the wedding and you've talked about going together. Buzzing from your phone echoes throughout the room confirming that you called him. "Babe...? Isn't it too early?" Evident in his voice that he had just woken up. "Sorry, did I wake you up? Though, are you sure you're gonna come with me? I mean, it's your first time meeting my family and it's during a wedding." Your boyfriend hums as you babble,

"Of course..! We've talked about it, honey. I wouldn't say things I'm not sure of, okay? I'll be there, I'll bring my suit and things too." He voices, affirming you.

Your doorbell rings while you scramble to find your dress, your boyfriend messages, telling you he's at the door. Treading to your door and hearing your boyfriend calling out your name you open it instantly, "Hi honey, you look good." He mumbles whilst you kiss him. "Thank you... You'll be dressing up here?" You question him, making sure what you heard a while ago was right.

"Yes, I brought my suit and everything," Junghoon confirms with a warm smile, holding up the garment bag. "I thought it would be more convenient to get ready here together. Plus, I wanted to spend some extra time with you before we head out."

As you let him into your apartment, you notice a flicker of concern in Junghoon's eyes. Sensing his unease, you gently touch his arm and ask, "Is everything alright, Junghoon? You seem a bit off."

Taking a deep breath, he hesitates before speaking. "Well, I have to admit, I've been feeling a bit... insecure about it lately," he confesses, his voice hardly above a whisper. "Remember the security guard at my workplace who has a crush on you? it made me wonder if I'm not appreciating you enough."

Surprised, you reassure him quickly. "Junghoon, don't worry. I love you, and I'm committed to our relationship. I appreciate your concern, but my heart belongs to you.

Relief washes over Junghoon's face. "Thank you for understanding," he says gratefully. "I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page. I trust you completely, and our love is strong."

You pull him into a solace embrace, whispering, "Junghoon, you mean the world to me."

A sense of reassurance, you both get ready for the wedding. You take your coat, ready to go.

You both attend the wedding, your family asks about your boyfriend and invites him to dinner. Of course, he says yes.

(might make an imagine/drabble about the dinner with your family cs I've been missing junghoon a whole lot lately)

세은

SEEUN

He was already at your place before you were even thinking about getting ready for your date. "Babe...? Are you going to dress up in front of me?" He asks you, you who completely forgot about having Seeun over and about to take your towel off. "Get out... Please" You mumble meekly. "I'll tell you when I'm done!" you shriek at him, voice slightly shaking. As Seeun stumbled out of the room, his mind raced with a whirlwind of emotions. Jealousy surged through him, fueled by the sight of you preparing for your date in a way he hadn’t seen before. His extroverted nature had always made him feel confident, but now he found himself questioning his desirability.

Inside the room, you were left feeling a mix of vulnerability and confusion. The situation escalated beyond what you anticipated, and you desperately wanted to explain yourself to Seeun.

Outside, Seeun's heart sank as he realized the impact of his jealousy on your relationship. He berated himself for allowing his insecurities to overshadow his trust in you,

he gathered his thoughts and knocked gently on the door. "I'm sorry," he said softly, his voice filled with remorse. "I let my jealousy get the best of me." Taking a deep breath, you opened the door and looked into his eyes.

"I understand that seeing me dress up caught you off guard," you began, your voice filled with empathy. "But please know that you are the one I love and have chosen to be with."

Seeun's eyes softened as your words sank in. Realizing the significance of trust and communicatio. "I love you," he said earnestly. "I don't want my insecurities to come between us."

you both chose to set aside the tension and focus on strengthening your relationship. You promised to communicate openly, sharing your fears and insecurities.

You walked out of the room, leaving behind the misunderstandings and doubts that had momentarily clouded your love. As you went on your date together.

유준

YUJUN

Yujun was known for his contradictory nature—extroverted at heart but held back by shyness. You’ve been dating for several months. Sharing a deep connection, Yujun’s insecurities are about to be put to the test.

You had plans to attend a special event. It was the first time Yujun would see you get dolled up, as you usually preferred an easier look to do. As he waited for you to finish getting ready, his mind wandered to the security guard he had noticed at their previous outings. The guard always seemed to cast longing glances in your direction, and it fueled a growing jealousy within Yujun.

As the minutes ticked by, Yujun’s anticipation mingled with anxiety. When you finally came out of the bedroom, he was struck by you. The sight of your radiant beauty, accentuated by carefully applied makeup, took his breath away. But it also stirred up a storm of conflicting emotions within him.

Amid this internal struggle, the doorbell rang. It was the security guard, who had come to escort them to the event. Yujun’s heart sank. Throughout the evening, Yujun battled his insecurities. As he observed the guards’ charming and confident demeanor, he couldn't help but compare himself to the security guard. Doubts gnawed at him, whispering that he wasn't enough for you, that you deserved someone more outgoing and self-assured.

Sensing Yujun’s unease, you pulled him aside, her eyes filled with concern. "What's wrong, Yunjn?" you asked gently, your voice sufficed with care.

Stumbling to find the right words, Yujun finally mustered the bravery to convey his feelings. "I'm sorry. Seeing you all dolled up tonight... and the way he looks at you... I can't help but feel jealous. I worry that I'm not enough for you."

As you reached out to hold his hand, your eyes softened. "Yujun, I understand your concerns, but you mean the world to me. Your shy nature and extroverted heart are what make you so special. I fell in love with the person you are, and nothing can change that."

As Yujun listened to your words, he felt a glimmer of hope. Seeing that his envy was rooted in his insecurities and that you had chosen him for a reason.

As the night progressed, Yujun made an effort to entertain in discussions and showcase his extroverted side. With you by his side.

ฮันเตอร์

HUNTER

Hunter found himself in the midst of a whirlwind of emotions. He had been dating you for quite some time, and your relationship had always been filled with understanding and support. However, tonight was different. It was the first time Hunter had seen you put on makeup, and it ignited a spark of jealousy within him.

As Hunter watched you carefully apply your makeup, he couldn't help but feel a pang of insecurity. His mind drifted to the security guard, whom you had encountered earlier that day. He exuded confidence and had a character that seemed to draw people in effortlessly. Hunter couldn't shake the feeling that you might be attracted to the guards' charming nature.

When you finally emerged from the bedroom, Hunter's breath caught in his throat. You looked breathtakingly beautiful, your natural features enhanced by the subtle touch of makeup. His heart swelled with pride, but at the same time, a wave of self-doubt washed over him.

As they prepared to leave for the evening, Hunter noticed that the guard would be at the event. A surge of jealousy coursed through Hunter's veins as he observed the guards' friendly banter with you during the walk there.

Sensing Hunter's inner turmoil, you gently took his hand and gazed into his eyes with concern. "Hunter, what's troubling you? You seem distant tonight."

Hunter hesitated for a moment, then finally found the courage to express his feelings. "Seeing you so beautiful tonight and the way the guard interacts with you... I can't help but feel jealous. I worry that I'm not enough for you."

Your understanding softened your eyes. You tenderly caressed his face and talked with an earnestness that never wavered. Hunter felt a weight lift off his shoulders as your words sank in. "Hunter, please know that, I love you and there's no one else I'd rather be with. Just be yourself, and that's more than enough for me." As your words sank in, Hunter felt a weight lift off his shoulders.

예찬

YECHAN

Yechan had been dating you for quite some time, and your relationship had always been filled with experience and excitement. However, tonight was different. It was the first time Yechan had seen you put on makeup, and it kindled a storm of clashing emotions within him.

As Yechan watched you carefully lay on your makeup, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of insecurity. His mind wandered to the security guard they had encountered earlier. He had an undeniable charm, and Yechan couldn't shake off the feeling that the guard had developed a crush on you.

As you finished getting ready, you turned to Yechan with a radiant smile. Your beauty, enriched by the touch of makeup, took Yechan's breath away. But alongside the admiration, jealousy began to eat at him, threatening to overshadow their evening.

As they prepared to attend an event together, Yechan's unease grew when he realized that the guard had been assigned to escort them to the event. The thought of spending the night in the guards’ presence intensified Yechan's jealousy, and self-doubt started to cloud his mind.

Seeing the anguish on Yechan's face, you grabbed his hand and drew him away. "Yechan, is there anything wrong? You seem standoffish."

Yechan paused, not knowing quite how to say what was on his mind. But he understood that their connection depended on honesty. "Seeing you so beautiful tonight and the way he looks at you... I can't help but feel jealous. I worry that I'm not enough for you, that I can't compete with his charm and attention."

You cupped Yechan's face gently and your eyes softened. “His charisma may draw attention, but it's your light that shines brighter than anybody else's, Yechan. I like your gregarious demeanor and your capacity to make everyone around you feel special.” You leaned in closer, your voice dropping to a whisper.

"But most of all, I admire your kind heart and selfless nature. You make me want to be a better person." Yechan's cheeks turned a light shade of pink as he smiled bashfully. "I never knew you felt that way," he murmured. You smiled back, feeling your heart flutter at his sincerity. "Well, now you do."

[thesleepy1]

Bun(s) In The Oven

A/N: What am I doing instead of sleeping? A) Working, B) Writing. or C) Waking Lord Cthulhu from his slumber so that he may reclaim the throne. If you guessed B, then you’d be correct! Hahaha, I really do need sleep. And they call me the Sleepy One! Anon Requested. (Also, I haven’t had the time to sit down and watch season three yet, so please no spoilers.) 

Pairings: Eskel x Reader 

Summary: You were supposed to have nine months to prepare. You were counting on those nine months. You were not a procrastinator by any means, but with something as important as having a baby you were going to make good use of all the available time to prepare for the arrival of your new baby. Nine months. Not six. 

Or, “Could you write something for eskel when his significant other is in labour. I don’t know if he’d be chill and prepared or in total panic mode. Either wait I’d like to read it 😂

Word count: 930

Warnings: birth? 

At six months pregnant you were past the point of still coming up with names for your little one and were well into the process of setting up the nursery. In the beginning, there was fear that the baby would not survive. Miscarriages were common in the village you grew up in and a human pregnant with a witcher baby was unprecedented. Anyone pregnant with a witcher baby was unheard of. There was no way of knowing what to expect.

When you and Eskel had first learned of the little seed that was sprouting in you, you both laughed it off as some practical joke. It wasn’t until months later that you realized there was something going on. The bump proved that there wasn’t some prank being played on you. You were well and truly pregnant. 

First there was denial. That was to be expected. 

Then came the acceptance. 

After that it was just full blown panic. 

You were a bard for heaven’s sake. A baby was not on your bucket list. When you had first met Eskel and decided to tag along on his adventures, you did not realize that having a baby along the way was a part of it. 

But after that…? 

It was quite nice. 

Sure it was unexpected and neither you nor Eskel had planned for it, but it really wasn’t a bad thing. The pregnancy didn’t stop you from doing what you loved. You still performed and sang to your heart's content. In some taverns you even made more coin. Some were from concerned onlookers and some were from others who got off at the sight of you. Either way, money was money. 

And Eskel. Dear sweet Eskel. He grew to love you even more than before if that was possible. It was no worry of yours that Eskel didn’t truly love you. He showed it to you each and every day. But after the two of you had gotten over your panic, he became the most doting and kind and loving witcher possible. It could have been sickening if you didn’t enjoy every last moment of it. 

So yes. You were past the point of panic and name searching. With something around thirteen more weeks to go, you were still working on adding things to the nursery. Most of the essentials were there already. Now was just time to decorate and fill the room with as many toys as you possibly can.  No one was going to stop you, least of all Eskel. 

If anyone were looking for the two of you, then they could find you in the nursery happily sewing up another stuffed animal or embroidering yet another piece of  clothing. Eskel could be found doing the same. Despite his large frame, he had such a talent for needle work. 

You were working on turning shorn wool into wool when you suddenly felt a wetness burst from you followed by intense pain. Before you realized what was going on with your body Eskel leapt up from his seat. 

“I need to get a healer,” Eskel announced, his breaths coming in unevenly. “I can’t leave you here alone—someone needs to get the healer. Lambert! Geralt!” 

That was another thing. Eskel’s brothers were there every step of the way. And they were going to be there for this step too, despite its premature timing. 

“Are you sure? I—we still have weeks, don’t we?” you asked him, face grimacing in pain despite your disbelief. “We-we haven’t finished processing the food for stores or-or finished all the clothes—” You were cut off by an unbearable pain flaring from within. “Dear gods, heavens above. The little one is coming. The little one is coming!” 

“Geralt! Lambert! Vesemir!” Eskel called out to his brothers. His voice boomed in the hallways, sounds bouncing off the stone hallways and carrying towards the other witchers in the keep. Before long, they came running to your aide. 

“Healers. We need to go find a healer.” Eskel was firm. He left no room for argument. Lambert rushed out back the way he came. He was the smallest and fastest of the witchers. He would reach the town at the bottom of the mountain first and hurry back with a healer or two. Eskel had to believe that his brother would. 

“Geralt,” Eskel began.

“Anything you need,” Geralt replied. 

What happened next was beyond you. The pain was indescribable. You knew that you would not remember much of the process. At least, that was what the other mothers had told you. They said that the mind would forget so the body continued.

However, right there and then you were unbearably hurt. And you were vocal about it. 

“Great saints above! Get—” you were screaming. It stung the witcher’s ears but you didn’t have a spare thought to care. “Get them out of me!” 

“T-them?”

It was Geralt who faltered at that.

Years later you would all sit around a table topped with a hearty meal. Roasted elk, mashed sweet potatoes, and mead would be overflowing. Altina and Anna would be given cider that had not ripen into the sort that would make them dizzy and drunk. Everyone would laugh at the way that Geralt had stuttered at the prospect of two. 

Eskel would laugh the loudest. For he was the proudest of the fact. He was a father of two beautiful, healthy girls and he couldn’t be happier. 

No one will bring up the fact that Eskel had almost fainted when Anna's head was crowning and the healer was still twenty minutes away.

[starrieshq]

Home [Thomastair ft. Jordelia]

here is my long-procrastinated Thomastair fic! It's a bit short, but dw! I have plans to write more fics in the future! (I take requests 😁)

Tag: @edwinspaynes

Thomas woke up to the sound of groaning coming from the other side of the bed.

Alastair rolled closer to him, his head resting next to Thomas’s face, his dark hair tickling his nose.

Thomas chuckled. Seeing him like this, with his guard down and happier than he had ever been before, was always his favorite part of the day.

“Good morning.” He said, rolling over.

Alastair scoffed sleepily. “A morning is never good.”

Thomas wrapped his arms around him and nestled his face into his shoulder. “With you, it is.”

His face reddened. “Damn you, Lightwood.”

They laid like this for some time, Thomas’s arms around Alastair, both drifting in and out of sleep, basking in the comforting warmth of each other. Eventually, though, they both heard crying, and had to get up.

He smiled as he got out of bed and headed to the washroom. As he freshened up, he could hear Zachary Arash from his nursery, having just woken up from his slumber and extremely displeased. Sona was at a Clave meeting in Idris and had left him in Thomas and Alastair’s care.

Alastair was an excellent brother. Due to Elias’s parenting, he had taken it upon himself to ensure that Zachary would never have to experience such trauma. Already, he was learning to walk, and had even said his first word (mama). Sona was delighted, and thus surrendered him to their care. Besides, Cordelia and James would have their own child soon. It’s not like there was anyone else fit for the job.

Matthew was on his travel year, headed to Paris, then London, then Reykjavík. James would be a father soon, and it took everything in Thomas to not think about where Christopher could have been.

He headed to the kitchen, where Alastair was preparing breakfast.

“Hello, Zachary.” He cooed, while Alastair rolled his eyes.

They sat down at the table, Thomas buttering a roll, Alastair sipping coffee, and Zachary fussing quietly.

“I never understood how you can tolerate that.” Thomas motioned towards his cup of coffee. “It’s awful.”

Alastair disagreed. “It’s an acquired taste,” He said. “It’s fine.”

Thomas shook his head as Zachary fussed. Alastair placed him in his lap and began calming the toddler, attempting to soothe him.

“Shall we head to Cordelia’s place after this?” Asked Alastair. “She’s due at any moment, and it’d be great to talk to her and James before they have their daughter.”

Thomas smiled. “Zachary would be delighted to have a new friend.”

After breakfast, they commuted to Curzon Street by carriage, Zachary waving out the window and babbling the entire trip there. Alastair held him with a parentlike yet childish manner, and Thomas felt like his heart would explode every time he looked at him.

“Zachary,” He remarked, hoisting him up, “As much as the citizens love to see you greet them with morning joy, my arms are screaming in pain in a way that is neither loving nor joyous.”

Finally, they rolled to a stop at Curzon Street.

Before they could knock, a very pregnant Cordelia opened the door, her hand helping support her belly.

“Layla,” Alastair said. “You look awfully big.”

She gasped playfully. “Alastair, you know that you’re not supposed to say that to a woman.”

James appeared behind her, an arm wrapping around her waist and resting lightly on her stomach.

“Thomas and Alastair,” He said, “What excellent timing. My parents left not an hour ago.” James peered curiously at them. “What brings you here?”

“Just thought we’d drop by before all of your time is riddled with screaming and crying.” Thomas replied, motioning to Cordelia.

She smiled, then winced as her other hand flew to her belly. “She’s a fighter.”

Cordelia continued to smile, however Thomas noted the slight grimace peeking through. She was extremely pregnant, and as she ushered them into the house, he noticed that her feet were swollen.

“Cordelia,” He said. “Should you be walking?”

James sighed. “I told her that she should be in bed, but she won’t listen to me.”

“Nonsense.” Cordelia said. “I can handle myself. I’m perfectly capable-”

She let out a small gasp and squeezed her eyes shut.

Alastair coughed pointedly. “You were saying?”

James ushered her to the sitting room, where she plopped down in an armchair. James took a seat on the couch next to her, leaving Thomas and Alastair to squeeze onto a loveseat. Zachary, the little traitor, settled in next to his uncle James, causing Alastair to disappointedly sigh. Out of habit, Thomas put his arm around him as Cordelia sighed in relief.

“My feet are killing me.” She complained.

“She’s due any moment now, according to Risa.” James said.

Alastair relaxed in Thomas’s grasp and subconsciously leaned his head on his shoulder. “I can imagine.”

Thomas lightly hit him. Alastair scoffed as he settled in closer to him.

“Rude.”

After their visit, they decided to head back to their flat. Zachary was already asleep, and Thomas and Alastair decided to retire to bed early.

They laid awake in bed, Alastair’s head on Thomas’s chest, rising and falling with every breath. A strand of his dark hair tickled his chin, and Thomas batted it away.

After all these years in the dark, all those days of longing and loneliness, the days of yearning and despair, this was it.

This was home.

[reginarubie]

Just read your new work and as much as I adore anything you write I must confess seeing the past jonsa tag hurt me. I just adore them and have been patiently awaiting for the day the jonsa inspires you again! I hope this doesn’t offend you, it was meant to be a compliment. I’m just awful at wording, like I meant your my go to jonsa author of choice so seeing that tag just left me with feels that your moving on but I know experimenting and dabbling in other ships are great for authors!! I don’t know I’m just in my feels I guess?? So many talented Jonsa authors have become in-active or deleting their works, discontinuing, etc and while I know it just part of life and I’m glad some still continue to write or are SELF PUBLISHING!!! (Although sadly they won’t share their official works-I hunt it down one day) I just feel an odd pang in my chest when another one goes down like dang I just wanna hold you all and never let go. God this sounds like I have abandonment issues, I’m just going stop now before I embarrass myself even more

Aw...hello!,

I am your to-go Jonsa author? That like made my day, so thank you! Also don't worry, you are neither pathetic, not have your embarassed yourself. You have just shared in our common love for Jonsa, which I still believe will be the open endgame of the books, tbh, and I could not appreciate you more for it.

Of course I love experimenting and for a long while I have been uninspired in Jonsa, mostly because I have been hyperfixated on Aemondsa (which I think Jon and Aemond share so much traits it's ridiculous), but I have not forgotten all my wips for Jonsa, to which I mean to return in the Summer (I am a perfectionist, procrastinator so unless I am on the wave of hyperfixation I am never quite satisfied enough with my work to share it, but the updates shall come soon).

You know what else shall come soon, because my muse actually is never satisfied with just one story and just one ship at time?

A new Jonsa story I have been keeping under wraps, a season 7/8 rewrite with specks of book canon as well.

Look, I'll even leave the edit I've done for it, and the summary. I plan to get it out by the end of June with the first chapter, so prepare your popcorns, seatbelts and fav comf food because I'll be back on my Jonsa shit again. And it's gonna be epic!

A song for wolves,

The South has a new queen, a dragon queen who wears her name like a true Targaryen. Mother of the Dragons. Mother of monsters. Dark mother, brought ruin, death and fire to the Realm, and put to torch her enemies. With Fire and Blood she has torn at the lioness of the Rock and the whole world shall bend the knee to this foreign conqueror, or endure become ashes. And yet, to the North a new enemy rises. House Stark. The ancient kings on winter, the last defence against death and ice; battered, exiled and tortured they rose again in the name of the King in the North. A bastard deserter and his sisters; a Lannister's wife and a girl. “They are Starks, and the northerners never forget,” When winter comes... You'll hear no lions roar... No stags grazing the fields... No roses growing in the meadows... No snakes in the sand... The krakens will freeze where they swim... The flayed men will rot and wither... No trouts swimming in the river and no falcons flying in the air... Not even the dragons breath will warm you in your halls. Only the wolfs howl in the night... Winter is coming.

As always, hope you stay tuned, and yes the edit's got better since I started to make them, but alas no, those clips, music and quotes do not belong to me, we all knew how things would go if they did.

As always sending all my love ~G.

[forfluxsake]

a personal slash solitary blog where i publish my doodles, have hobbies, and do anything typical of the average person

utmv server ad

before i write anything else, i’m promoting my utmv (undertale multiverse) server. JOIN PARTYCHROMA TODAY! FOREVER LINK: https://discord.gg/sATaZ8WZDh

if you aren’t sensitive to bold text, fonts, weird symbols, and eyestrainy gradient rainbow themes, join partychroma. it’s a neverending party for people who’re into undertale or deltarune aus and the like. it’s quiet for the time being, which is why i’m hoping people find this post

we are welcoming of anybody who’s willing to have a good time. the server provides funny roleplay channels, a place to showcase your creations, roles, incredible people, and more. i put effort into it and stuff so that’s great

…a better, less half-hearted advertisement can be found on disboard. hope to see you there!

about me

if you’re wondering who i am, hi

i’m flux.

i am a male and i use he/him/she/her pronouns. that’s all you need to know to respect my existence. if you have any questions direct them to the asks feature i just enabled

what do i like doing? doodling, writing, listening to some funky tunes; learning… i’m not picky about creative activities, but i do tend to procrastinate. my hyperfixations are seasonal and i suffer from being unable to let go of past phases. the list of my interests is infinite. if you care, i enjoy a variety of indie rpgs, object shows, args slash creepypastas, webcomics, and television shows.

cartoon series pique my interest the most.

boundaries

(be my friend)

i’m a minor. this much information is self explanatory as to how you should approach me. obviously don’t interact with me if you are a nsfw age-restricted page, but also don’t attempt to send me weird asks

i don’t talk about politics.

i think being friends with me requires a lot of patience. sure, you may friend me on my discord, o5fo, but understand that i’m terrible at one on one conversation. if you don’t get straight to the point, i will most likely not respond.

preferably keep contact with me through our shared communities or mutual servers and not direct messages.

if i’ve crossed a line, i encourage people to express their discomfort. nothing is gained from radio silence. (it’s not like i’m not anxious as well LOL don’t be shy to contact me [on dis] if it’s important)

what to expect

this blog is sfw, though it’s prone to having violent and dangerous content, mostly because i’ve drawn a fair amount of works with blood or upsetting themes. be wary of who you follow, always, and take steps to protect yourself online. take advantage of the filter tool to block tags that trigger you.

i will occasionally open art requests. but i won’t do too many at a time.

i might touch on some uncomfortable topics while i’m maintaining this nostalgia-seeking blog, especially about past controversies in the communities i was in since i was a child. and depending on the post, i will treat the flaws in said communities seriously or jokingly. please do not take it the wrong way if i redraw those memories.

assume everything i say is light-hearted for the sake of everybody; spare yourself the trouble of thinking i’m trying to invalidate people’s experiences. i never want to come off that way

fanart. expect a handful of art in general. uncolored/whiteboard doodles are abundant. i have ocs- but i’m anything but organized.

that’s a wrap

i wasn’t prepared to end this post

[cynical-kitten]

WIP Wednesday (err, Friday bc I procrastinate)

Tagged by the lovely @man--eater, which has me kicking my feet in excitement.

I don't have much because my brain has gone on wild tangents, but have a short excerpt for a chapter that is miles away from my current position in the story!

“ALASTOR!”

The red-clad demon looked up from his desk, a trickle of panic racing down his spine. He knew she would find out eventually, just not this soon. He had hoped he would have more time to prepare, but Luck was not in the cards for him today. The winged cat seated across the room gave him a worried look, knowing that what was coming might just end them all. 

Alastor Dubreuil did not fear anything… except for his wife.

Slowly, Alastor stood up from his chair, the legs creating a grating sound as it was pushed back. He walked towards the window of his studio that overlooked the Pride Ring, his eyes widening from the sight that loomed below him. There she was, her fury flowing around her like a tornado. 

His darling witch sure knew how to make an entrance.

Husk came up to stand beside the owner of his soul, his ears flat against his head as he spotted the wild witch stomping towards the radio tower. He noticed how Alastor’s casual smile became strained, as if he was anticipating the same disaster Husk predicted would destroy them.

“Isn’t she beautiful?” Alastor said, his red eyes glued to the purple storm aimed right at them.

Husk looked at him in disbelief, scoffing at the incredulous compliment. ���Murderous is more like it.”

Alastor’s eyes flashed with delight, his grin curving up towards his cheekbones. “Precisely! She’s exquisite.”

“GET YOUR BONY ASS DOWN HERE, YOU SON OF A BITCH!”

He winced, feeling her wrath polluting the air, leaking into every crevice it could find. What a glorious creature his lovely little witch was. Her power had obviously grown in his absence, a fact that pleased him more than it should. There was much to be done now that he was back, and that vast amount of energy of hers would be the key to achieving his ultimate goal of total control over Hell. 

“LAST WARNING, AL, OR I’M DRAGGING YOU OUT MYSELF.”

[brilla-brilla-estrellita]

An ask game for writers to procrastinate working on you WIP(s)

Whoaaaa thank you for the tags @shrekgogurt, @bookish-bogwitch, @thewholelemon, @cutestkilla, @monbons, @drowninginships, and @blackberrysummerblog! I'm pretty sure that's everyone! I love being tagged in shit.

1. 🦈Tell us the name of your/ one of your WIP(s): So you just like... have names for them? Before you post them?

I will say that for once, a name did come to me, so one of them is tentatively titled Fettuccine and Foreplay, but I might change it because Foreplay is misleading. I'm sorry to say that it is not smutty, and the events are questionably even foreplay. But the alliteration. And Fettuccine and Flirting just doesn't have the same ring to it.

2. 🍄Describe your WIP/one of your WIP(s) in the format of “___ + ___ =___” God, why am I so bad at this?

Nevermore Academy + Penny = offensive assumptions, defensive students, and a magical breakthrough waiting to happen

3. 🌍What tags or warnings will one of your WIP(s) need if you intend to share it? uhhhhhh. I don't usually think about tags until I'm ready to post, so I am not prepared for this question... I can't really think of anything. Which makes me feel like my stories are hella boring.

Update after finishing and rediscovering an old wip: fluff! yay fluff.

4. 🧭An alternative title to one of your WIP(s)? Alternative titles??? So not only do you have titles, you also have extras laying about????

I guess I already talked about it in #1, but Fettuccine and Flirting. I do not like it.

5. ⚠️Which WIP you're most likely to finish or update next? Probably the Fettuccine one. It's a one-shot and a good portion done (almost ready for a beta, I think?). I like to write the whole story before I start posting, so the Wednesday x CO crossover is going to take a goooooood while. Idk how many chapters it is yet, I just know it's more than 3.

6. 💾What is your document of your WIP/ a WIP called? (not the stories actual title but what you’ve saved it as) I think my most interesting one is called Sundays With Gran. It's more of a drabble that I might work into a story at some point than it is an actual WIP though. But my actual WIPs have uninteresting names.

7. 🖍Post Any sentence(s) from your WIP.

It’s especially hard to believe in this reality when there’s a glow, a sparkle, a buzz around even the most mundane of sights when Simon is involved.

That's not even from a WIP I've already mentioned. I rediscovered this one while looking at document titles for this post!

8. ♻️A scrapped idea for your current WIP. I have one fic, the one from #7, where I originally wanted musings from each of the main 4, which each describing what's happening through focusing on a different sense or set of senses. Like Simon would be taste or touch, Penny would be sound, Baz would be sight, and Shep would be touch or smell. But that felt too restrictive. Senses are still a big part of it, of course, and there may still be strong affinities for one sense over another for each character, but they'll experience with the most appropriate sense for the moment.

9. 🤔What’s a story you’d love to write but haven’t even started yet? I really want to write more CO x Heartstopper (which we're calling Snowstopper because we're so clever) fics, but I'm making good progress on these other two and I'm afraid I'll lose the momentum if I start on the next Snowstopper idea. So I'll leave that for Kat to start in the meantime.

10. 🤡How many WIPS are you actively working on? At the beginning of this post, 2. As of #7, 3!

11. 🛠Is there a scene or anything in the WIP you are struggling with right now? So many! I think I need to rewrite much of what started the Wednesday x CO fic. The entire first two chapters don't feel quite in character for Penny.

And then most of this rediscovered fic, for now called Tiny Dots. (Hey look! A title!) Like I said before, it's character musings, and I'm not sure how to string them together in a way that feels cohesive.

12. ❤️Not a question, just a second Kudos to send.

I feel like I procrastinated on this procrastination game for so long that everyone else has already done it! I'm sorry if you've already been tagged 100 times, and especially if you've already done it and I missed it, buuuuut: @onepintobean @martsonmars @facewithoutheart umm... if you haven't been tagged, but want to be tagged, consider yourself tagged (or tell me and I'll update this post with your tag and no one has to know).

[acearcane]

Out of Context WIPs

Rules: if you're tagged, make a new post and share one or two sentences (or lines for artists) from your most recent unposted WIP with zero context.

I wasn't tagged, but I'm procrastinating on my WIP so I'ma do this. :3

*sobs* Please, someone, help me defeat my executive dysfunction, this isn't okay--

(WIP is a young Viktor Hargreeves-centric one-shot! He's pre-transition for the first bit, hence the use of "Vanya" and "she/her" pronouns.)

Something scratched at the back door, jerking Vanya out of her thoughts. She froze, half-hoping she had imagined it in the eerie stillness of the night. But it happened again; someone was picking at the lock.  Vanya scrambled back behind the table, her pulse throbbing in her throat as she raised her butter knife out in front of her. Peanut butter dripped off of the dull blade, splattering against the table top. She wasn’t sure what her chosen weapon would do against an intruder, but she didn’t have time to go for one of her siblings. Chk chk. The lock clicked open. Vanya took another step backwards, fear making her head spin. The knob was turning now, slow and careful. She took a deep breath, preparing to scream. With a soft squeak, the door crept open, and- “Klaus?” Vanya clapped a hand over her mouth; that had come out louder than expected. But she had never once had a visitor down here, and seeing her brother silhouetted in the doorway was almost as startling as seeing a stranger. Klaus froze, looking like a deer caught in headlights. Vanya could practically see the flimsy excuses flitting through her brother’s green eyes, before he landed on a shaky, nonchalant, “Oh hey, Vanya.”

That's way more than 1-2 sentences, but I'm far too wordy for 1-2 sentences to make sense.

Tagging... @childlikegoblinqueen @slightecho @unniebeans @willowsz-plantsz @kazoosandfannypacks

I can't remember any more mutuals who write, so feel free to join if this comes across your dash and I didn't mention you!

[nsk96]

Hey y’all,

I’m gonna go on hiatus again for a month, avoiding all social media. Making a proclamation like this seems to be the only thing that is effective “enough” (meaning that at some point, I’ll probably break the vow of staying away, but a few days away is better than none).

I’ve been struggling with my mental health due to everything in my life being too overwhelming for me to handle, which you can probably tell by how many times I vented for January. As a result, I’ve resorted to doom-scrolling across 3 different apps (Tumblr included) to help me feel better temporarily.

Overall though, it makes me feel much worse because I feel guilty about wasting time and procrastinating, and I’ve lost quite a few hours that I could have used for studying. (As if I wasn’t procrastinating enough without social media. Without social media, my procrastination has always been 4 walls and my thoughts, and whatever activity I could do at whatever ungodly hour of the night).

Then I’m also saddened by the fact that writing my fan fictions or novels, or even reading, would have been healthier coping mechanisms. And I’m always frustrated about not having time for these things (though the writing is understandable because I can’t write when I’m mentally burnt out…and I’m past burnt out since 2022).

I’ll probably still stop by to vent since this site is my safest mode of diary-keeping. I will miss you all, my mutuals and followers and seeing your posts and your tags under your reblogs💙

It will also sting to be cut off from my only sources of news for such a long period, but maybe it will allow me to focus more on the crisis here at home until I finish prepare my first-aid/medical kit, go-bag, and escape plan. I still have classes to get through and then I start rotations near the end of March.

I don’t know how long things at home will be “stable” enough. I found out from my mom a couple days ago that my dad found the handgun that was hidden (the one mentioned on a previous diary entry). Neither of us has asked him about it. We just know that it’s no longer where it was and neither of us have moved it.

Whatever happens, just know that I’m determined to come back and determined to live as long as the universe wills it. Toodles for now, stay safe, stay hydrated, stay awesome ❤️

(My dad has been discreetly digging through their room searching for the handgun for so long that it was only a matter of time until he found it. Another instance of my mom not listening to me. I told her the day that she and I previously found it, to let me store it in my room but she refused. Now he has it. I don’t know what she was thinking making it easy for him like that)

[honks-n-stonks]

saw tags you put when you reblogged a post of mine and just know

i kept misspelling nakarkos and had to look it up lol dw

iceborne barioth ain’t that bad compared to other incarnations it’s more a newbie killer but is still annoying

yes please do consider going through master rank!! i wasn’t expecting to ever get to it but i unintentionally became addicted to world more than i thought and yeah it gets uber fun in the endgame :)

I had to keep looking up his name when I went through GU... monsters kinda just have hard to spell names 😭

but I love that for them. no other game can I play and just say: "oh yeah that's a nibelsnarf" "oh god here comes kushala daora" "holy shit is that a kulu-ya-ku" "dude watch out for that gypceros"

and ahh I see. maybe I should play rise again just to prepare for his iceborne encounter.... my practice definitely paid off when facing Mizustune and Astalos in GU! It's just that I remember seeing a LOT of people complaining and groaning about that ice kitty (+ someone showing that they timed out on their quest for it. closest I've gone to losing a quest like that was in the HR Hub quest "Insomina x2".... I had :42 seconds left and I wanted to DIE so I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW FIGHTING *1* BARIOTH FOR THAT LONG IS LIKE)

RAAHH!! I've been meaning to get back to MR but my TV screen has been broken since December so it's really hard to see what items I have selected n' whatnot >:[ I really wanna start on the siege quests (KULVE I AM COMING FOR YOU) and see what the Hoarfrost Reach has to offer!!! and I've also heard the endgame is pretty sick too so I am super looking forward to that (I've been procrastinating on Anomaly Investigations in Rise😭😭)

(old ss) The screen looks a lot better when the lights are turned off but yeah. This is my situation >:[

[delta-pavonis]

Oh! Tag Game Time! I was looking for a reason to procrastinate on getting work done! :D Thanks for the tags @valeriianz, @teejaystumbles and @seiya-starsniper

Rules: Tag 10 (or less) people you want to get to know better

relationship status: Married & polyamorous. Didn't start the polyam thing until a few years into our marriage. Been married for *does math* almost 11 years now. Which, if you told that to my high school self, would have blown her damned mind.

favourite colour: If you go by the first thing that comes to my mind, green. If you asked other people, purple. Apparently I wear it a lot? *shrug*

song stuck in my head: Thanks to my kiddo being home sick today, that honor goes to the theme song from Bluey. (*whispers while looking directly into the camera* Help. Me.)

three favourite foods: First off, this is like a really fucking difficult question because I love so many different kinds of food. But right now, if I had to choose JUST THREE... Unadon (Japanese preparation of freshwater eel, unagi, grilled with eel sauce on rice), authentic New York City pizza (not NY style, actually from the City), and uh... how about dessert? Cannoli.

last song I listened to: Måneskin's cover of Beggin' has come back on my playlist recently and I remembered why I love it so much. Also, Wet Leg's entire debut album fucking slaps.

dream trip: OK, so here's the thing. Do you go back to someplace you've been because you've loved it? Or do you go someplace you have never gone before? Therefore, I will choose two. Return to someplace awesome: Cape Town, South Africa. Go someplace new: Hokkaido, Japan

last thing(s) i googled: I looked up my favorite recipe for Curry Doria because I am gonna make it tonight and I still don't have the damned thing bookmarked.

Uhhhh, people to tag? I hate tagging people because I always worry about someone feeling left out, which is like the worst possible feeling for me ever, so IF YOU ARE READING THIS YOU ARE OFFICIALLY TAGGED. There. I want to know about you. Yes, you. No, really. Tell me more. *chinhands*

[quackquackcey]

Ch. 14: Hedgehogs, Honey, & Hazelnut-Covered Strawberries

Written for @hdcandyheartsfest day 14 prompt: Valentine's card. 528 words. Many thanks to my beta @wqtson​! 💛

Start from beginning on AO3 here, or click the #fic: HHHS tag.

Summary:

A chance meeting—or is it a setup?—leads to the start of a relationship filled with buttery baked goods, sweet smelling flowers, and hedgehogs.~ 🌹🦔

Draco’s attention span shot itself to bits the whole day.

Valentine’s Day had finally arrived, and he was beside himself with nerves as he kept flipflopping between owling Potter about coming over tonight for dinner—(not for a date, of course, but because Draco’s whole excuse for being swamped was to prepare the shop for today)—or just not owling Potter.

After all, Potter might have Valentine’s Day plans. All he knew was that Potter was going to be out for most of the day babysitting Rose Granger-Weasley, which was the whole reason why he was even entertaining this idea when he would usually be cuddling with Potter in his hedgehog form.

Still, it wouldn’t hurt to owl Potter—maybe Potter would stop thinking Draco was avoiding him, even though he was, and they could always reschedule if Potter really did have plans.

The thought of actually writing the letter made him want to sick up, though. Not even the lovely, anonymous Valentine’s gift he received midway through the day could distract him from his churning stomach and frayed nerves. Truthfully, he had no clue who it could be, but whoever it was, Draco appreciated their sincere efforts—they’d sent a bouquet of daisies and purple delphinium, the Pureblood tradition for requesting courtship, along with an unsigned Valentine’s Day card that simply said, “I like you a lot. Will you be my Valentine?”

Draco searched for some clue to the mystery person’s identity, but found nothing, which he thought strange, because why would they send a Pureblood courtship bouquet without letting Draco respond with a bouquet of his own?

That was how Pureblood courtship worked, after all. Draco’s choice of colour in carnations would signify whether he accepted the courtship request or not—yellow for rejection, pink for acceptance, and white for “I like you, too.”

And, of course, red stood for “I love you,” but no one ever sent that back as a courtship response since Pureblood tradition thought it unbecoming to ever seem overly interested, (even if they were overly interested.)

Not that Draco would accept, anyway. It wouldn’t be fair to accept when he was in love with someone else.

If anything, the mystery Valentine’s Day gift just stressed him out more, and thus, it was completely not his fault for procrastinating so hard that he cooked and baked a feast fit for five before finally actually owling Potter at approximately eight p.m.

He changed his clothes and debated whether to keep his long, blond hair up in a loose bun, in a messy side braid, or down to fall on his shoulders for a good half hour, then wondered what the bloody hell he was doing for another half hour, and was in the middle of finally putting away the excess of food he’d prepared when his doorbell rang.

Draco’s hands grew clammy, and they never grew clammy.

He opened the door with a deep breath that unsettled his stomach.

“Sorry I took so long. I had to find someone to take over babysitting Rose.”

Potter flashed that easy grin of his, cheeks rosy and out of breath, and the sight stole Draco’s hard-earned breath away.

[solitaryandwandering]

Current Ask Game!!

Thanks @waitmyturtles for the tag!! :))

Current time: 12:47 AM

Current activity: Procrastinating on ironing and going to bed, listening to music

Currently thinking about: The support group I'll be hosting tomorrow for my Usher syndrome community, writing a card for my best friend and mine's friendiversary tomorrow, my chronic pain flareups, taking a shower, what shows and movies I want to watch

Current favorite song: "Fntsy" by So!YoON! (feat. Jvcki Wai) - I've been listening to this song here and there for a couple months but it just came back on my playlist and now I am RE-obsessed

Currently reading: Emails, emails, and more emails. Press releases, project proposals, querys, homework assignments, etc. Enjoying a weekend with no emails, though I will have to work a bit tomorrow. Sigh. Also, all of Turtles' OGMMTVC write-ups, per usual! Been enjoying @wen-kexing-apologist's and @bengiyo's posts recently too, and always @absolutebl's weekly wrap-ups.

Currently watching: Been jumping all over the place, not committing too much to anything as I prepare to dive back into The Eighth Sense (tomorrow!! yay!!), so been dabbling here and there in Dangerous Romance, Project S The Series (finished SPIKE! the other day which I genuinely really enjoyed), Oh No! Here Comes Trouble, and Laws of Attraction (put a pause on the latter to watch with the bestie). Also have a ton of films lined up, both for the movie nights I do with my young adult group and for personal time.

Current favorite character: Pu Yi Yong and his mother, Ye Bao Sheng, in Oh No! Here Comes Trouble are GREAT, but I also love Charn, Tinn and his grandma in Laws of Attraction SO MUCH, so... Also really loved Puen and Jern (Puen's whole friend group, actually) in SPIKE! Been really spoilt for good characters lately, yay for me!

Current WIP: this! And stuff to write up for my support group!

TAGS - Never know who to tag, so throwing this out to @russiancheesemanfanaccount, do if you'd like!

[taliatravels]

Usually, I procrastinate writing these wrap up posts for the blog, but sitting in the airplane flying above the Mediterranean Sea, I've felt the sudden inspiration to reflect.

On the drive back from Sipi, I read all my blog posts from the last time I was in Uganda. It's not often that I retrace my previous steps so closely, but it was interesting to read through the posts then. My writing style has changed a ton--hopefully for the better--but I also noticed some funny coincidences, like both Sipi posts ended on a sappy reflection on the group I was with.

Talking with Sunna the other day, she asked how I was enjoying the trip, and after giving her a quick rundown of the trip, she said, "Sounds like you've been lucky. Usually, upon returning, you find that the memories were better."

"Lucky," that's the word that's been bouncing around my head for the last four weeks. I am lucky that nine years ago, Kelly called the Iacocca office and told them they needed to accept me. I am lucky that I have a job with such a generous sabbatical policy (Thanks, Lowe Group!) that allowed me to take off four weeks to come back. I am lucky that I could come back, especially when others weren't able to. I am lucky that everyone in the Zaale family is happy and healthy. I am lucky that the group of Lehigh students this year was absolutely fantastic.

I feel so lucky. I am so, so lucky.

To the Zaale family, thank you for having me back and for continuing to work tirelessly to better the lives of the people in your community. To have the chance to sit with Maayi and Paapa and learn about the amazing life they've lived and all they've seen is a blessing, and to reconnect with John, my Ugandan brother, and meet his wife and three beautiful sons, was truly the cherry on top.

To PDI and its workers, it was great to see how the organization has grown and all their plans for future growth. To see the work that they do, preparing kids for school, tutoring high school students, giving teen moms a second chance, helping to empower female athletes, and more was amazing. It was great to finally meet Ganet, Katse, Tau and Friday, along with Teacher Sara and Teacher Ida, who work so hard for the people of Bududa District.

To Kelly and Mark, a huge thank you for helping me with some of the logistics of this trip and for letting me tag along with your group. I couldn't have done it without you.

And last but not least, to the Lehigh students, I am so happy to have had the chance to meet you all. From 5 am wake up calls on safari to gossiping in the guest house to singing along to your carefully curated playlists in the matatu to the biweekly "Stubs led walks" to playing Spot It at all hours of the day and night, I had so much fun with you all. I know from personal experience how my time in Uganda during my junior year chanced my life for the better, and I hope with all my heart that this trip has helped you all become the people you're meant to be.

Anyway, I think this is sappy enough as is, and I feel that overall, my Uganda posts have been sappier than normal. Yet, as I fly home, wondering where the time has gone, I hope you know just how full my heart is.