#raising willa series

[cherrys-writings]

The Perfect Moment

Hey! I know it's been forever and a day since I've updated this series. Thanks to all of you patient people who love Grayson and Flower

Grayson’s talk of inheritance has me thinking about the mysterious box that’s been living on my kitchen table. I rip the tape off. Inside, I find an envelope sitting on top of another box; this one wooden.

How original. 

A flashdrive clatters onto the table when I pull out the letter.

Take care of them.

T. Hawthorne

The last thing I need is to be pulled into one of this man’s puzzles. Then again, I may have pulled Grayson to the forefront of the rumor mill. I take the box and flashdrive upstairs. As soon as I plug it into my laptop a passphrase prompt appears.

Wilde

I type in my immediate thought, a line from the book that allegedly had several pages removed by the editor without the author’s knowledge. A line that remains an unexplainable favorite.

“I represent to you all the sins you never had the courage to commit”

The text box shakes on the screen and the line disappears. The passphrase likely relates to the four words of his letter, but it can’t be so obscure that I wouldn’t know it. I picked up the wooden box, not much bigger than a tea tin, and gave it a shake. There’s a light rattling, probably whatever’s inside. The lid has eight diamonds embedded in its surface. Seven of them form a vague outline of a house. If the house had no floor and one side was longer than the other. The eighth diamond sits alone at one corner. I try to take the top off, but it doesn’t move, sliding it doesn’t work.

I stare at the box. One problem at a time. I know I have to tell Grayson about the incident, but he’s already dealing with a lot. He’ll be upset, though probably not enough to argue about it. Even if he does, there’s no way it could be as bad as our last argument. I doubt anything could compare to those weeks more than a year ago; the pained, rage-filled glances. Constantly running into each other at school, around town, and drawing breath to speak before thinking better of it. The agonizing distance that grew each day, but nothing hurt quite as much as the victorious grin on the face of that strawberry-blonde sociopath. 

“She just made a joke,” Grayson’s defensive words echoed through my mind as the fight played out again. 

“She humiliated him and you know it was deliberate.” I had to force myself to speak normally. No matter how much I wanted to yell, I knew who I was arguing and there was no way in hell that I’d raise my voice first.

“So what if she was testing him?” 

“Oh? That’s how you’re spinning this?”

Grayson took a step closer, “The only one here that’s spinning is you. I get in a relationship and suddenly you’re having this identity crisis; hanging around this guy with questionable work ethic and unrealistic aspirations for his future.”

I rake my hands through my hair, “You don't like Cade because he’s on scholarship AND lets himself have fun and relax. We have opportunities people would die for. Cade worked hard to get where he is and knows it doesn’t stop here.”

“Show me these opportunities, Flower,” Grayson scoffs, “After that gap year, my life is over.”

“Then why are you wasting your time letting yourself get manipulated by some greedy girl?” My raging words echoed through the great room.

“There it is,” he shook his head, “you’re jealous because of how much time I spend with her.”

The next several seconds are painfully clear in my mind and probably one of Hawthorne House’s many security cameras. Both of us acting on instinct, Grayson grabbing my wrist as I walked away, me breaking the grip and shoving his arm back hard. Grayson tried to blink away the tears welling in his eyes. I had walked out before he could draw breath to apologise.

I shuddered at the memory. Grayson had apologised weeks later for everything. Sometime between me ending things with Cade and Emily….

Willa rubbed her face against my arm, clearly tired of waiting for my attention. She starts purring when I scratch her head. “I don’t think Gray will be too upset about the incident, do you?”

She just lays across the keyboard, deciding which problem I’ll deal with first. 

*******************************

I played with the little box while waiting for Grayson to show up. He finally walks in when I’m tracing the design for what feels like the millionth time. 

“You said you needed to tell me something.” Grayson sat beside me, momentarily distracted by the wooden box.

“It’s about this morning.”

“Specifically?” “When I got home and Olive was here.” My heart pounds as I prepare for what comes next. I keep my eyes on the box, sliding my finger from diamond to diamond. “My class heard everything about last night.”

Grayson chokes, “By everything you mean?”

I nod, “Every detail I told Olive.”

He takes a deep breath, “Okay.”

Grayson rises to stand by the window, watching the late afternoon sun sink lower. “Well, there’s been nothing on gossip sites today.” He massages his forehead, “You have that interview tomorrow about that slasher book you wrote senior year, right.”

“Yeah.”

Grayson lets out a long breath, “Maybe there’s nothing to worry about. If someone asks you about it or anything remotely close to the topic, let me know. We’ll deal with it together.”

[atopvisenyashill]

my asoiaf crack ships

Jon/Sam/Gilly i KNOW the forced baby switching makes this uncomfortable i don't care they have my heart!!

Jon/Aegon Vi listen, beyond my jokey "jon finally finds a hot single twink to smush only to find out they're brothers" take, i think given all of jon's bastard baby brother issues re: robb colliding with general targ gender & sexuality fuckery AND aegon's short fuse + raised by a proud gay dad + is dornish and they're less uptight about that shit has the ability to give me a homoerotic toxic spiral to rival visaemon and throbb and i will hold onto this until i'm dead and buried

Jon/Arianne i just want my faves to smush + "we were both in love with the same man" bicon duos are my favorites

Aegon IlI/Gaemon Palehair i know there's a wonky age difference but it's bc george is a coward and he knew if they were the same age they would have kissed on the mouth

Willas/Ellaria they bond over both being lovers of Oberyn and missing him (Willas/Oberyn isn't a crackship they're friends in canon i’m justified in having a crackship offshoot for a non canon ship alright!!!)

Baela/Cregan my opinion on the pact of ice and fire is that instead of being this vague thing where Jace's theoretical first born daughter goes North, Baela has to marry Cregan even tho the regents hate the idea of this and she winds up defying them, which gets her cut out of politics, the succession, and generally pariah-ed in the South. Then she never has a living child with Cregan after all that. It just makes way more sense to me that Cregan would want a Targ now and not in the theoretical future (plus you still have the pact thing re: the main series bc they never have a living child, and Jace doesn't actually get to crown Sara)

Black Aly/Alyn Oakenfist they both love a war crime, they're opposites aesthetically so it would look hot, plus I think "i left my culture, my religion, and my home to be with you only for you to constantly cheat on me including with your incredibly young Valyrian relative" is less aggravating and more tragic if its Black Aly instead of Baela "is vastly superior to everyone yet is constantly cheated on by her shit ass, mid lovers" Targaryen

Grey Worm/Jeyne Poole i had a dream where Grey Worm and a large band of unsullied decided to stay in the North after the war for the dawn and they fell in love due to shared history of extreme trauma and Sansa gave Jeyne away and helped Grey Worm design a coat of arms for the marriage cloak and now I’m attached to this idea.

[maid-with-sunset-in-her-hair]

I just realized that Septa Lemore was probably Aegon VI’s wetnurse, that’s why GRRM included the tidbit about her giving birth at some point in the past, because pregnancy is what triggers milk production under normal circunstances. So far in the series, two wetnurses participated in secret plots to protect royal babies, Willa helped hide Jon’s true identity and Gilly was forced to do a baby switch plot to save Aemon Steelsong from a pyromaniac king, so it would make sense if a wetnurse also participated in the plot to baby switch Aegon VI and then raise him under a fake identity.

[scarred-serafina-fan]

My origin story

So on Christmas day in 2015, I opened a box my mom handed me and it was full of books. In that stack of books, I picked up one with the silhouette of a girl on the front. I was not really interested when I picked it up but my mom started telling me about how much I was gonna love it and that she already read it and it was based in the Biltmore house in Ashville. Only then did I recognize the house on the cover. I wasn't convinced yet but decided I would give it a chance.

Later that night when I couldn't sleep I pulled out my new stack of books and decided to try a chapter figuring I wouldn't care to read anymore then that boy was I wrong lol I stayed up forever reading it and never put it down until I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore

A few months past and my mom sees a book signing event for the new book and I was ecstatic she drove me all the way to ashville with my grandma and I got to meet robert beatty for the first time this was the first time I'd ever met a author of a book I've read (and he's still the only author I've met) he was really nice to me and I got my copy signed and they gave me a bookmark and a copy of the first two chapters of the new book! (It was not supposed to be out for another two days I think it was anyway it wasn't out yet) so I went home and excitedly read the two chapters and was freaking out it had totally hooked me

Eventually the book did come out and I excitedly read all the way until the staircase scene in one day when I then read the words "she raises her finger towards me" and I literally screamed and slammed I book shut and almost threw it across the room and then proceeded to run into the living room screaming at my mom I was never going to pick up that book again because they killed off Gideon and rowena was a piece of trash that annoyed me so much I hated her (my opinions at the time I do not share them anymore lol)

Anyways my mom read the book since I was "done" with it and came back to me to tell me that Gideon wasn't dead and I needed to continue reading lol a few more months past and they announced the splintered heart and I decided I'd finally suck up the trauma of the staircase chapter and continue reading and I was so mad at myself for waiting because I was so excited for the 3rd book again

My mom took me to the book signing again and this time they had moved it to the Barnes and Nobel they are always at since and since it was so much bigger it wasn't as crowded and they had more things there including selling the book 2 days early (that's right I got to read it 2 days before everyone else lol) he was super nice again and again I LOVED it it actually became my favorite book in the series and still is I was so thankful that my mom talked me into picking the series back up

Willa came out and again I went to the book signing and got the book 2 days early (they also had a special willa flavored ice cream which I'm still obsessed with since they have sold it at every book signing since) I enjoyed it but it was probably still my least favorite out of the 4 books (or second to least considering I was still very much traumatized by twisted staff still lol)

Book 4 came out and same as usual went to the book signing had a fun time loved the book but.... I was now in the summer of the worst year of my life the dreaded year 13 XD I actually ended up in a depression and was dealing with a lot and wasn't reading as much serafina just sat on my closet shelf collecting dust until 2021 when he finally released willa of dark hollow and despite still not being able to find the energy to read I bought the book and hood from the king raven trilogy by stephan r lawhead with the hope it would get me back info reading again and despite having a hard time getting back into willa I did binge read hood and it reignited my love for reading again even if I was much slower at it then before and I decided to start rereading the series again and I still re-read and fall in love with the books all over again on occasion it's a obsession I've never been able to kick and probably never will <3

Course then he released the graphic novel and had the first book signing since 2019 I was so excited I dragged my mom back to ashville with me again and we stood in line for me to get willa of dark hollow signed (the graphics novel was presigned smart ngl) and when I looked at the card they always gave us to put down a message for him I decided to tell him about how he had affected my writing because when I first started writing I picked up his books to analyze how he did it and build up from there and I go up there I hand him the card he glances at it and starts to actually read and looks up to me and smiled and says "so your a writer" and I swear yall I was about to fangirl so hard me and him had never had a real convo before because I get my book signed take a photo and move on that's how those things work but he just started asking about what I write and stuff and it was quick cause I had to get out of line so the next person could meet him (she was so sweet ngl I loved her I would love to meet her again ngl) but he was so encouraging!

Then I started posting on tumblr and decided I was gonna make a fandom myself if no one else was gonna do it lol and I met all yall and it's been great! That's my story and I hope it continues on as he releases more books!

[heath-morgan]

contains mentions of: death, substance abuse, psychological abuse and mental disorders

BASICS

Full Name: Heathcliff James Morgan

Nicknames: Heath

Age: 55

Gender: Cisman

Pronouns: He/Him

D.O.B: March 22, 1970

Zodiac Sign: Aries

Birth Place: Dallas. Texas.

Sexual & Romantic Orientation: Heterosexual

Relationship Status: Single

Residence: Manhattan

Children: Two

Occupation(s): Professional Athlete / Retired F1 Driver

Gang Affiliation: The Brotherhood

Role: Captain

PHYSICAL EXAM

Faceclaim: Jeffrey Dean Morgan

Voice: Effortlessly deep and gravelly, with a deep southern accent. his speech have a cool, natural rhythm

Eyes: Hazel

Hair: Dark Brown

Beard: Salt & Pepper

Height: 1.88

Distinguishable Marks: Tattoos ( about 10 total )

MENTAL EVALUATION

Mental Health Conditions:  (Undiagnosed) NPD,

Positive  Traits:  Incisive, Dominant, Ambitious, Bold, Resourceful, Confident, Charming, Charismatic, Eloquent

Negative  Traits:  Unrepentant, Volatile, Manipulative, Cynical, Rough, Competitive, Vengeful, Malicious, Predatory

Alignment  Type:  Neutral Evil

Personality  Type  (MBTI): ENTP

Mannerisms: He often carries himself in a confident, relaxed but assertive way. Signature half smirk, often paired with a slow head tilt. Gestures are deliberate but never excessive. Has a habit of running a hand through his hair or rubbing the back of his neck. His laugh is low, gravelly, and genuine

Languages: English, Spanish, Italian, French, Russian, Portuguese, German

Narcotics of use: Cocaine

AFFILIATIONS & RELATIONSHIPS

Parents: John “Johnny” Morgan ( father; deceased ) , Raelynn “Lynn” Davis ( mother )

Siblings: TBD Morgan ( male, 47 )

Children: Willa Rose Morgan ( daughter - 6 years old ) * NPC . Matthew Hammond ( son - 27 years old )

F1 TIMELINE :

1988 : got his FIA international grade A license. he was 18

1991 : started competing for ferrari. he was 21 years old

1992 - 1999 : won six world titles consecutively

2004 : signed with mclaren.

2007 : won his seventh world title

2009 : won his eighth and last world title

2010 : retired. 40 years old

BIOGRAPH

CHILDHOOD AND TEENAGE YEARS :

Heath was born into humble beginnings in Dallas. His family lived in a modest neighborhood, where his father worked long hours as a mechanic and his mother worked as a waitress to make ends meet. His father, a former mechanic at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, instilled in Heath a deep passion for cars and the sport of racing from an early age as he began driving karts at the tender age of six, immediately showing his natural talent and passion for speed.

However, life was not easy for him. His mother was an alcoholic and abusive, she also struggled with drug addiction and would constantly disappear from home for weeks at a time. His father got tired of this and moved with his children to a trailer park, where he raised them as a single dad. His father tragically passed away due to an armed conflict with the police, which caused him and his younger brother to be raised by different paternal relatives in Indianapolis, his father's hometown. But despite the challenges, Heath remained focused on his passion for racing, spending every free moment in go kart competitions. The sense of belonging and control he felt behind the wheel was an escape from his difficult reality.

By the time he was 15, he had become a local karting champion, attracting the attention of race teams who saw a raw talent in him. His natural driving skills and determination caught the eye of a team that provided him with an opportunity to develop his talent further. It was at this point that Heath started to seriously consider motorsport as a career.

THE PATH TO FORMULA 1 :

Heath got his FIA international grade A license at the age of 18 in 1988, a major milestone for any aspiring driver. Racing in the lower ranks, he quickly moved up the ranks with a string of impressive victories in the american formula ford series. By 1990, at just 20 years old, he won the european formula 3 championship, earning a reputation as a rising star in the motorsport world, known for his impeccable driving precision and unshakable calm under pressure.

FERRARI ERA AND THE 1990s DOMINANCE :

When Heath joined the scuderia in 1991 at just 21 years old, the team was at a crossroads. Ferrari, despite being one of the most famous and storied teams in F1 history, had not won a championship since the mid 1970s. The team was going through a period of transition, both in terms of leadership and its technical development. His arrival marked the beginning of a new era, one that would ultimately define Ferrari as a dominant force in F1 for nearly two decades. Ferrari, at the time, was still trying to build a car that could compete consistently with the likes of McLaren and Williams. despite having legendary drivers in the past, the team’s organization was struggling to produce championship winning machines. As Heath settled into his role, he began working closely with the engineers, mechanics, and team members. he was passionate about improving every aspect of the car, from aerodynamics to tire performance.

One of Heath’s early moves was to push for a more driver centric development process. He became instrumental in revamping ferrari’s design approach to make the car more adaptable to his driving style. This involved working closely with legendary engineers like Ross Brawn and Rory Byrne, who would become key figures in Ferrari’s championship winning years. His attention to detail was unmatched, and the engineers would often rely on his insights to fine tune the car. They not only had the fastest car but also the smartest approach to racing. He was a master at reading the race, and his ability to make split second decisions was a hallmark of his dominance.

By 1999, the team’s dominance was evident. They had won multiple constructors’ titles and Heath had claimed six driver’s championships. Ferrari, was no longer a team trying to play catch up - it was now the team that others feared. Even after Heath’s departure in 2004, the legacy he built at the team lived on. The foundation he helped lay for team culture, car development, and strategy formed the backbone of Ferrari’s continued success in the following years.

MCLAREN ERA AND CONTINUED GLORY :

Joining McLaren in 2004 signaled the beginning of a new chapter. Despite his age, Heath proved he was far from finished. The rivalry between McLaren and Ferrari had only intensified over the years, and it was clear that Heath would not only have to battle his former team but also a new generation of talented drivers. In 2007, Heath triumphed once again, securing his seventh world championship after a dramatic final race of the season.

In 2009, after an intense and hard fought season, he secured his eighth and final world championship. At 39, Heath became the oldest driver to win the championship in the modern era - unbeatable resilience, skill, and enduring talent.

RETIREMENT AND NOWDAYS :

After securing his eighth world championship in 2009, Heath began to contemplate retirement. Despite still being one of the most dominant drivers on the grid, he felt that he had accomplished everything he set out to do in f1. In 2010, at the age of 40, he retired, leaving behind a legacy that would become legendary in motorsport.

Heath Morgan’s retirement did not mark his exit from motorsport. Instead, it solidified his position as a global ambassador for F1. His contributions to the sport went beyond just driving; he became an outspoken advocate for driver safety, team collaboration, and the growth of young talent in the sport. Heath worked closely with the fia to mentor young drivers and served as an ambassador for the sport globally.

Contacts with shady sponsors allowed him to achieve even more exclusive cycles, and consequently even more skeletons in his closet. The Brotherhood. Meticulously chosen individuals, whose every weakness could be exploited and shaped into a weapon.

New adversaries appeared on the way, more organizations than they could count, but nothing that couldn't be turned into a vile public message of what would happen to anyone who got in their way.

THE TRIPLE CROWN PURSUIT :

Despite his legendary status in F1, Heath never stopped seeking new challenges, winning the 24 hours of Le mans in 2018.

In 2025, at 54 years old, he is in the final stages of securing his triple crown by racing in the Indy 500 for the Arrow McLaren team. This pursuit has been a personal dream of his since childhood, and he is now preparing to take on the legendary race in what will likely be his last major motorsport challenge. Heath’s decision to pursue the triple crown in his mid 50s has inspired a new generation of drivers and fans, demonstrating that age is no barrier to ambition in motorsport.

Today, Heath Morgan is widely regarded as the greatest legend in motorsport history. His eight world championships, his groundbreaking career with Ferrari and McLaren, and his longevity in the sport have solidified his place in the motorsport hall of fame. Fans continue to celebrate him not just for his remarkable on track performances but for his dedication to advancing the sport off the track as well. He remains a source of inspiration for drivers across all levels of motorsport.

ADDITIONAL INFO :

During his life, Heath lived in different locations. Indianapolis ( during his teenage years ), Maranello, Italy ( early career with Ferrari ), Monte Carlo, Monaco ( throughout much of his career ), Woking, England ( during Mclaren years ). He officially moved to New York City after his retirement, but still keeps his residence in Monaco, alongside other properties.

Michael Schumacher was his teammate ( also biggest rival ) at Ferrari from 1996 - 2004. Kimi Räikkonen was his teammate at McLaren from 2004 - 2006. Lewis Hamilton was his teammate at McLaren from 2007- 2010.

Ferrari gifted him a F2002 when he left the team. McLaren gifted him a MP4-23. He keeps both at his place alongside his trophy collection.

He has a Cane Corso named Buddy, who has been his partner in crime for a few years now. They're always together and he even has a paddock pass to accompany Heath on F1 events and gp's.

He has a degree in mechanical engineering

[randomestfandoms-ocs]

Fandom: Gilmore Girls + FC: Willa Fitzgerald

Laney Danes in There She Goes (x Kathryn Gilmore)

Laney Danes is William's youngest child, she's 21 in s1 and more of a big sister vibe with Jess then actually being an Aunt (only 4 years older)

Luke basically raised her but she got a scholarship to Columbia and reached out to Jess when she first moved to New York, he practically lives with her because of how unreliable Liz is

But Liz still has custody and eventually ships Jess to Stars Hollow anyway, Laney is pissed. She can't drop everything and move back because she's in her senior year and determined to graduate, but she spends a lot of time in Stars Hollow and moves back in s3 to get Jess through high school, gets a two bedroom apartment and Jess lives with her, with lots of help from Luke and Kathryn, she's determined to find a way to make it all work

(this was the last from the "all these new ocs but i can't fit to plot bunny asks to pair them with" series, thank you for sending all of those 😭🥺 )

[kangaracha]

LIKE STARS IN THE SKY full prompt collection

AO3 | FF.NET

—

THE RIVER NEAR THE VALLEY zeddison/wyaddison royalty au; 70k AO3

TWO LONELY HEARTS MEET IN THE DARK zeddison; addison searches for the perfect ending; 20k AO3

IF ONLY WE KNEW (THE THINGS WE KNOW) pre-z2; the moonstones are dying, and the wolves left are young and naive, left alone to grapple with the fate of their species; 20k AO3 | FF.NET

AND THE CHASM GROWS the moonstone is destroyed in the powerplant explosion. The wolves are left to pick up the pieces; 17k AO3

I-D-E-N-T-I-T-Y after four days stuck in containment, eliza makes a discovery about zombies; 12k AO3 | FF.NET

RIVER COLD, MOUNTAIN WILD wyaddison; after three years living as a werewolf in a human world, Addison returns to Seabrook and the wolf pack; 16k AO3 | FF.NET

NEW DAWN, NEW DAY AO3 | FF.NET

THE GONE AND THE GATHERED trapped within the walls of zombietown all her life, wanda discovers what's waiting outside; 13k AO3

PRETTY zeddison; addison falls for a boy that is all the things she isn't; 8k AO3

MY HAND IN YOURS wyliza; after school, trapped in the same home town with nowhere to go and nothing to do, two high school friends reconnect; 3k AO3

THE KING WALKS THE TOWER wyaddison, medieval au; 7k AO3

ALL THE THINGS LEFT UNSAID willa and wyatt are abducted from the side of the road. what happens next is the breaking, and the healing; 35k AO3

BURY YOU BACK UNDERGROUND zeddison; three years after the program to allow zombies into human schools goes wrong, zed sits in a containment centre and laughs; 3k AO3

(WHEN THE SUN COMES UP) wyaddison; by next week, there will be no more monsters that call Seabrook home; 7k AO3

TO WHAT YOUR HEART ONCE WAS willa & wyatt; the twins are born wrong, according to prophecy, two halves of the same whole. willa takes fate into her own hands; 8k AO3

BLOOD//STONE zeddison; the power plant explodes, fifty years later; 7k AO3

—

ZOMBIES ONESHOTS

aftermath we’ve come too far (zeddison)

WEREWOLVES ONESHOTS

patience i raised a stone, to end its pain it cuts like a knife (to take back your life) (wyaddison)i can feel your heart (hanging in the air) (wyaddison) going too far (wyaddison/zeddison) truth or dare (wyaddison) break a leg

It’s Do Or Die (series) Part 1: Hunters

[ginevrastilinski-ocs]

Finally They Have A FC!

Yes, I had some (read: too much) ocs without fc that were already on my masterlist... but now they have one! (Everyone thanks my brainstorming for my new ocs)

Good Omens

Althea Price - witch; Eltanin’s girlfriend; immortal being (kind of? it’s complicated)

Her faceclaim is Diana Silvers!

Shadowhunters

Nico Lightwood - Shadowhunter; descendant of Violet & Samuel’s kids; Vienna’s younger brother; lives in Rome Istitute; main character in TWP (Yes, I know that series is not out yet)

His faceclaim is Finn Wolfhard! 

Alice Knight - witch/warlock; adoptive “mother” of Lydia Knight; Alice and Magnus are like the fixed points of all the series lmao; angst queen

Her facelaim is Lily James!

Lydia Knight - witch/warlock; Elys’ childhood friend; Brian’s girlfriend

Her faceclaim is Vanessa Morgan!

Brian White - werewolf; Elys’ childhood friend; Lydia’s boyfriend

His faceclaim is Mark Mckenna!

Jackson Milligan - Mundane; Elys’ adoptive father

His faceclaim is Tyler Hoechlin!

Samuel Milligan - Ascent Shadowhunter; Mundane raised in a Shadowhunter family; Alistair Carstairs’ parabatai; madly in love with Violet Lightwood

His faceclaim is Josh Whitehouse!

Vienna Lightwood - Shadowhunter; Nico’s older sister; been to the Academy the same year with Simon Lewis

Her faceclaim is Shelley Henning!

Cassandra Blackthorn - Shadowhunter; Ty and Livvy’s twin sister (they’re a triplet); main character in both TDA and TWP

Her faceclaim in TWP is now Emilia Jones! (Her fc in TDA is Malina Weissman)

Downton Abbey

Lady Elisabeth Crawley - second daughter in the Crawley family; takes shit from no one; her and Sybil could run the world if they wanted to

Her faceclaim is Keira Knightley!

Madeline Barrow - Thomas Barrow’s niece; the most rebel girl in town; a menace to society

Her faceclaim is Millie Bobby Brown!

MCU/Marvel

Victoria Vill (2) - Spider-Girl; Vicky from Raimi!Verse

Her faceclaim is Emmy Rossum!

Victoria Vill (3) - Aranea; Vicky from TASM!Verse

Her faceclaim is Willa Holland!

Ate Erisdottir “Aimee” - goddess; daughter of Eris; Loki ship (they’re literally soulmates okay? 🥺)

Her faceclaim is Emilia Clarke! 

XCU (X-Men)

Leia Forbes - Mutant; half-aware of the fourth wall; Wade ship

Her faceclaim are Zoe Kravitz & Margot Robbie! (Trust me, it has sense, okay?)

Ness Fitzgerald - Hellfire; Ness from the original timeline

Her faceclaim is Angelina Jolie!

Ness Fitzgerald - Hellfire; Arcane; Ness from the New Timeline (but not First Class)

Her faceclaim is Nina Dobrev!

RiordanVerse

Catarine “Cata” Johnson - Redacted; parents Redacted; Apollo/Lester’s friend (her story is setted during TOA); powerful lesbian

Her faceclaim is Rachel Zegler!

Evelyn Chase - Magnus’ adoptive sister; daughter of Loki; TJ ship

Her faceclaim is Kiernan Shipka!

Teen Wolf

Redacted “Addie” Lewis - werecat; Stiles ship

Her faceclaim is Anya Taylor-Joy!

Stranger Things

Autumn Hopper - 013; Anya Richards; Hawkins Lab experiment; Miles Henderson’s sister figure; Steve ship

Her faceclaim is Jenny Boyd!

Under this you have my Harry Potter ocs! You’ve been warned!

Harry Potter 

Nath Andrews - wizard; part of the S.Q.U.A.D.; Ravenclaw;

His faceclaim is Jordan Fisher!

Theo Denton - wizard; part of the S.Q.U.A.D.; Gryffindor

His faceclaim is Evan Mock!

Callisto Black - witch; daughter of Rosalinf and Sirius; sister of Jan us and Justine Black; Hufflepuff

Her faceclaim is Danielle Campbell!

Janus Black - wizard; son of Rosalind and Sirius; brother of Callisto and Justine Black; Gryffindor; Luna Lovegood ship

His faceclaim is Joe Keery!

Justine Black - witch; daughter of Rosalind and Sirius; sister of Callisto and Janus Black; Slytherin

Her faceclaim is Alba Baptista!

[girddlepatchilles]

skipping out

This is just a fic in a modern Westeros au I wanted to play around with and may turn into a little series. Kind of Fall of the House of Usher-y.

Rhaenys hummed along to the radio as she continued to pack for the weekend getaway her boyfriend had planned. The annual Tyrell Garden Party was to occur at the family’s estate Highgarden, and it was to be the first event where Willas and Rhaenys were officially a couple. They’d been together for four years at this point, but they’d never really made it official in the eyes of the public. Both Rhaenys and Willas were quite private people and there were… outside forces who would not have approved of their dating. The Tyrell parents (and grandparent) still held a grudge over Willas’ injury during a friendly polo match and Rhaenys’ father was still trying to match her with every eligible (non-related) Valyrian man he could think of. The fact that Willas held no ill will toward Oberyn Martell for the accident meant nothing, nor did the fact that Rhaenys very publicly called out her family’s Valyrian supremacist tendencies. Rhaenys had met the Tyrells about six months ago and had won over the formidable Olenna Tyrell soon after meeting. 

Renly was still sour that the old woman liked Rhaenys almost instantly, although privately she suspected she’d won over Olenna by not even really trying. In truth she’d been more worried about winning over Mace and Alerie. Still… it would be nice to be able to attend more charity events on Willas’ arm, instead of “bumping into” each other. Her own family (or, rather her Mother’s family) adored Willas and had already insisted he attend the annual Martell New Years Extravaganza. The Targaryens? Well… she’d know after this weekend, wouldn’t she?

Her phone kept pinging as she packed, some notifications barely showing up before being replaced. Rhaenys knew he decision to skip the family gathering would not go over well, but she hadn’t expected to be inundated with messages. Most begged her to reconsider, others cajoled and bribed, while several just outright berated her. Cousin Maegor’s distinct all caps tirades had been deleted without reading. As were Daemon’s and Armond’s. Grand-Uncle Jaehaerys’ long winded “disappointed” text was deleted after she read the first paragraph. Rhaenyra had just outright told Rhaenys not to bother coming to any other event. The cousins she was closest to all sent messages of support and promises to catch up next weekend for a debrief. 

Everyone knew why the Conquerors wanted to gather the family. 

Everyone knew what Great Grandfather Aegon wanted to say. 

Everyone knew that this was where lines were about to be drawn. 

Rhaenys had already made her choice, and the person who needed to know the most already knew. She was considering just turning off her phone when Egg’s ringtone began to play. She grabbed her phone before Belarion could begin batting at it and answered it.

“Please tell me you’re not going to the family thing this weekend?” Egg didn’t even bother with a greeting. Rhaenys raised an eyebrow, reaching out to scratch Balerion behind his ears. Her wizened old cat was definitely hanging on more out of spite than anything these days, but he always wanted affection from his human. 

“Of course not. I’m going to Highgarden with Willas. Renly will probably be there too,” she replied. Not that anyone in the family really cared about their Baratheon cousins.

“Well… Dad just told Great Grandfather you were coming, and that you’d have good news,” Egg said. They both only called Rhaegar Targaryen “dad” because he hated it and used “baba” for their step-father Myles. Rhaenys scowled, her hand stilling in Balerion’s fur.

“What news?” she demanded. She heard Egg sigh on the other end of the line and heard Shireen murmur something she couldn’t quite make out.

“The news you’re getting engaged to Monterys Velaryon…” her brother sounded nervous, although at this point Rhaenys couldn’t even be mad. Her father’s insistence that she marry a man of “good Valyrian stock” was little more than a joke at this point. The first time he’d tried to set her up on a date with his appropriate Valyrian boy of the week, she’d been utterly furious. Now she just ignored her father and politely told whatever hapless man she was being set up with she wasn’t interested. Honestly, she’d go full non-contact with her father if he wasn’t the one paying her university fees.

“I mean… there will be news to tell after the weekend, but not that…” she conceded. Egg gasped loudly.

“You mean… is Willas proposing? Are you proposing?!” Egg must have gone out of his room and into one of the main areas of the share house he lived in, because suddenly Rhaenys could hear an episode of The Matchmaker: North blaring in the background. She grinned, blushing despite the fact her brother could not see her.

“Kind of? We kind of both proposed during our anniversary trip. He’s officially doing it during the party. Maximum media attention. A massive fuck you to Grandfather, the Old Man and Great Grandfather,” Rhaenys explained.

“Mama and Baba already gave their blessing.” Willas had insisted he ask both her mother and step-father for their blessing, especially since she considered Myles Manwoody her father more than Rhaegar. Egg chuckled and their conversation naturally fell to how the preparations were going for his trip to Essos, how Shireen was, even sharing gossip about their Martell cousins. By the time she hung up, she noticed Willas had left a text message to let her know he’d picked up the ring and was looking forward to seeing her tonight. Rhaenys smiled before sending three red hearts in reply. 

She’d met Willas during her first week of undergrad at university. He’d been finishing his final year of a Bachelors in Economics, while she was staring a Bachelors in Linguistics. She’d got lost on her way to her first lecture and he’d helped her find the right building. They’d properly been introduced a month later when her uncle, Oberyn Martell, had invited Rhaenys to one of his famous dinner parties. They’d hit it off almost instantly and only really started dating after a year of friendship. Now Rhaenys was completing her Masters in Linguistics, while saving funds to pay her own way to complete her PhD. Willas had graduated and was helping to run the Tyrell Education Fund, a charity designed to improve schools in low income areas. They’d recently decided to start looking for a house together, preferably one with enough room for Rhaenys’ two cats and one dog as well as Willas’ own hound. Rhaenys still remembered when she and Willas had shown up to her uncle’s dinner party the first time as a couple and he’d simply rolled his eyes.

“Why did I not see this coming?” he’d said. Rhaenys later heard that her sort-of-but-not-really aunt Ellaria had placed a wager with Oberyn about whether or not they would start dating. Ellaria had won. Willas had joined Rhaenys to celebrate the new year in Dorne and Uncle Doran had commented that he was a “fine young man”. 

As far as many of her Martell relatives were concerned, their wedding was only inevitable.

Only a handful of her Targaryen relatives knew about Willas, with a smaller number knowing how serious they were. Baelor Breakspear, Luke Velaryon, Baela and Rhaena Velaryon-Targaryen, all the younger black sheep of their family. Renly technically counted in this group, but the Baratheon cousins had been long exiled from family gatherings. They were all part of a group chat where they complained about the family and shared news about their lives that their relatives would not approve of. Like Baelor coming out as non-binary, or Luke deciding he wanted to live with his biological father and neither of his parents. Outside of Renly, none of her cousins had met Willas, but many of them quite approved of him. He was a kind man and unlike many of the men Rhaegar (and their relatives) wanted Rhaenys to date, he cared about the lives of the average person.  

Rhaenys finished packing her clothes, including a new dress in green and orange that was a nod to her Martell heritage and the fact she was due to join the Tyrells, when her phone rang again. She didn’t even have to check the screen to know it was her father. Rhaegar would undoubtedly want to try and talk her into coming along, to ensure his children could be pulled back into the family fold. Rhaenys ignored the call and busied herself with picking out jewellery to take on the trip. Moments later the phone rang again, this time with Lyanna’s ringtone. Despite everything, Rhaenys did somewhat get along with her step-mother and was pleased Lyanna was finally divorcing her father. She had yet to move out of Rhaegar’s gaudy townhouse in central King’s Landing, so Rhaenys let the call ring out just in case. She and Lyanna had set up a system when she was a teenager to ensure Rhae would know when it was actually her step-mother and not her father trying to trick her. The tone indicating that she’d got a new voicemail proved her suspicions correct. She stepped back to her bed and deleted the message without listening. 

Something something, family reputation, something something, I want what’s best for you…

She had just finished closing the final zipper on her case when one final call came through: Jon. Technically yet another Aegon to add to the list, he’d always been Jon amongst the family and most tended to forget what his birth certificate said. Rhaenys answered, peering out the window to see if Renly was waiting outside. With Willas already in Highgarden she was being driven up in a van Renly was hiring for the weekend. Apart from Rhaenys, he was also picking up Margaery and her new girlfriend from the university. 

“Hi Jon. Did Dad put you up to this?” she asked, stepping back from the window. Vhagar, a rather pampered hound, nudged his head under Rhaenys’ hand. She gave him a quick pat before sitting on the floor to allow him to drape over her lap.

“Actually, no. Although Mum is now yelling at him for taking her phone again,” Jon replied with an awkward chuckle.

“I was actually wondering… are you going to the thing this weekend?” Jon had never really felt welcome among the Targaryens, and Rhaenys knew he preferred to hang around her, Egg or Dany rather than try to mix with the rest of their relatives.

“I’m not, sorry. But Egg will be there. So will Dany, I think. She said something about wanting to introduce everyone to a new member of the family,” she replied, continuing to pat Vhagar. 

“Oh, right. Well… have fun at whatever you’re going to!” his tone sounded a little forced.

“Um, Rhae? I think I know why the event is happening… I… I’m not really close to Aunt Saera…” Rhaenys didn’t bother trying to hide her smile. She was entirely certain this was due to the Stark influence in his life.

“I haven’t checked lately to see if there are any changes, but I think everyone was wearing something purple? I’ll add you to the group chat,” Rhaenys explained. There weren’t many of them; just those few family members who weren’t so in awe of Grand-Uncle Jaehaerys that they failed to see the giant red flags. Even though she wasn’t going to be present, Rhaenys had packed a purple scarf she was going to wear during the garden party itself where all the photographers from all the various papers could see her. On the other end of the phone, Jon huffed a sound of relief.

“Thanks… as soon as Mum explained what the court case was about, I just knew…” he began.

“I know. I think she really appreciates knowing that even a handful of us support her,” Rhaenys said. She was about to ask how he was handling the divorce when she heard a beep from on the street. 

That would be Renly.

“Sorry, have to go. I’ll text you later,” she said. After saying her goodbyes, Rhaenys hung up and convinced Vhagar to get off. She gave all her animals one last pet, grabbed her case and handbag before shouting a general goodbye to her cousin Sarella and left the house. Renly stood by the back of the van, ready to help her stow her case. He was tall and broad shouldered like his older brother, Robert, but lacked the bulk the eldest Baratheon was known for. Like Rhaenys, he was darker skinned than most of their relatives although he lacked the purple eyes that marked a Targaryen. Renly had dressed with a road trip in mind; track-suit pants, faded university tee and flip flops. His locs were piled on top of his head in a haphazard bun. Renly grinned when he saw her, giving her a tight hug before opening the boot and hauling her case inside. 

“Ready to go?” he asked. Rhaenys nodded, helping him close the boot.

“Did you get the threatening messages from Maegor, Daemon and Aemond?” she asked. Renly rolled his eyes, leaning against the van.

“You mean the Brothers Edge? Yeah. Just deleted the messages. Not like we’re super close to the rest of the family, are we? Like… Great Grandfather Orys doesn’t even talk to his siblings,” he replied. Most people tended to forget that the Conquerors had a half-brother called Orys. He’d been by their side while Great Grandfather Aegon was first running for public office, right up until he’d retired and created the sole airline in Westeros. Orys remained for a while before selling his shares in the company and started his own business. These days Orys Baratheon lived in his wife’s family estate and stayed out of the limelight. Rhaenys privately respected the old man for staying away from his siblings’ bullshit.

With a bow Renly opened the door to the back for Rhaenys and she climbed in with a bow and a grin.

“Hey Rhae! Have you met Sansa? I’ve finally convinced her to come around to meet the rest of the family,” Margaery said, offering a wave in greeting. She had occupied the first row of seats in the back of the van along with a red-haired girl maybe a year or two younger than her. She recognised her from a few of Jon’s pictures on Ravenscroll. She must have been one of his Stark cousins. Rhaenys smiled, offering a wave.

“I haven’t. Hi Sansa. I’m Rhaenys Martell-Targaryen,” she said. Sansa smiled shyly, returning the wave.

“Hi Rhaenys… Jon’s told me all about you,” Sansa said. Rhaenys grinned, claiming the second row for herself. She waved to Loras in the passenger seat, who returned her wave with a grin. Rhaenys pulled out her phone and snapped a quick selfie before sending it to Willas with the message: on my way!!! 

As Renly pulled out of the driveway, Willas sent his own selfie from the garden with his hound Florys. Underneath he had written: Can’t wait to see you… Rhaenys grinned happily, warmth rising in her chest. The drive out of King’s Landing was surprisingly quick, largely due to the fact they’d left before peak hour and had missed the majority of traffic. Once they were on the Kingsroad, it would be a straightforward trip up to Highgarden. Rhaenys settled back in her seat, allowing the chatter of the radio and the other conversations to wash over her. She was close to dozing off when she felt someone shake her shoulder to rouse her. Rhaenys blinked, holding back a yawn. Sansa made an apologetic face.

“Sorry. There’s something on the news about your family? Renly said you’d want to hear it…” she said. Rhaenys nodded, stretching her arms above her head. 

“...and in breaking news, Saera Targaryen, the daughter of respected politician Jaehaerys Targaryen, is bringing a civil case against her father and mother for claims of abuse…” the newsreader announced. Rhaenys looked down at her phone, noticing a new message in the group chat for Saera’s supporters from Uncle Vaegon.

Ooops… I might have told a reporter….

A few moments later, there was a new message from Saera.

Well… Grandma can’t deny it now.

[some-ut-aus]

FriendshipFell Mood Dialouge

Mood Dialogue

My Own

Frisk: I’m going to befriend all of you.

Kris: Is that a threat?

Frisk: Y E S.

Frisk: I’m gonna raise the dead, just cause I can.

Susie: I will rip you apart limb from limb!

Frisk: Do it.

Frisk: *Aggressive pacifist noises*

Frisk: So, I’m god?

Ghost: Yes.

Frisk: Cool.

Frisk: Infinite alternate realities?

Frisk: Wow! Can I see some?

Ghost: Uh, no.

Frisk: Why not?

Ghost: Spoilers.

Frisk: Aw, okay….

Frisk and the Popular Kids

Delilah: I regret getting dragged into your heterosexual tomfoolery.

Nora: Unfortunately, due to several experiences in my youth, I cannot just 'walk up and join a circle of people talking', but it does sound lovely, thank you.

Nico: I once tried to play a pirated copy of Garfield Kart, when Garfield jumped out of my PC! We are currently married with three beautiful children and a summer house in Lisbon.

Delilah: I'm not superstitious... But I am a little stitious.

Elijah: The only thing keeping me from running away and hiding from society for the rest of my life is spite. I could disappear forever, but there are some bitches whose downfalls I have yet to witness, and I wanna be around when that happens.

Delilah: Just took a personality test and got an A+.

Willa: Hello friends! The Squad:Willa: You might be wondering why I’m taped to the ceiling

Nora: Does anyone know how to relax? Asking for a friend.

*out grocery shopping*

Elijah: *takes a free sample twice*

Elijah: Robbery and Fraud. I am a Rebel.

Nora: Please! Pretend I'm useful!

Nico: Fruits that do not live up to their names; passionfruit, grapefruit, honeydew and dragonfruit. Nico: Fruits that do live up to their names? Nico: Orange.

Eli: I don’t go looking for trouble. Trouble usually finds me first.

Elijah: I came out here to have a good time and I'm honestly feeling so attacked right now.

Nora: Are you having another depressive episode?

Nico: A depressive episode?

Nico: I'm having a depressive series and we're just on season one.

Nico: Guess who just found out the difference between wax paper and parchment paper the hard way?

Evan: Wait, what’s the difference?

Nico: One you can use in the oven safely, and the other you can also use in the oven... if the thing you are trying to make happens to be fire.

*At a bank teller window*

Frisk, in a bad Italian accent: I'd like-a to make-a da deposit!

Eli: HEY BUDDY, WAIT, I REMEMBER YOU!

Frisk: *Frantically pours marinara sauce into the vacuum tube*

Eli: GODDAMMIT, IT'S THEM AGAIN!

Evan: Ladies, gentlemen and Delilah, I want to show you the greatest thing your eyes have ever beheld! Elijah: A llama? Evan: No. Elijah: A baby llama? Evan: No! Elijah: A baby llama with a little hat on? Evan: NO!

Frisk: If bees can be fish and boys can be girls, then why can't my dad love me? Delilah: I thought I was going to have to yell at you, but now I think I should hug you.

Delilah: Frisk just insisted Nora and I remember a code word in case we’re ever confronted by their clone or a cyborg doppelgänger and we’re not sure which is the real them and which is the imposter. Delilah: Some families have a fire escape plan, but not us.

Frisk: Do you have any idea what you’re doing? Elijah: Why start now?

Frisk: I type how I think.

Evan: Odd that you type at all then.

Frisk: How did you even get in here? Elijah: Nora's window! Or, as I like to call it, "Elijah's door"! Nora: I’m closing the window.

Willa: The last time I went to an urgent care clinic, I checked off 'excessive crying' on the symptom list, and then the nurse got really confused and said that was meant for babies.

Evan: I'm naturally funny because my life is a joke.

Frisk, to the Squad: I’d die for you. Nico: Then perish. Willa: You will. Evan: Please don’t. Delilah: Cool. Eli: I’d die for you first.

Delilah: This is a very powerful artifact. You’d be messing with some forces we don’t fully understand. Elijah: That sounds like a dare to me. Delilah: Oh my god.

Frisk and their Human Family

Frisk: Can you recommend a book that'll make me cry?

Cathryn: General Mathematics 8th Grade Edition.

Theodore: Benjamin, those tarot card readers know what they're doing! Think of Frisk, they're so smart!

Benjamin: Those are suggestions! They're not-

Theodore: Frisk knew things, Frisk knew things!

Benjamin: I don't think tarot cards told them that, though! I think if you just shotgun blast things into the air, saying you think you know things, then you're bound to hit one of them!

Theodore: I don't like thinking about it like that. They're just brilliant.

Benjamin: Well, they are brilliant! But-

Theodore: And they saw into the future, and they're basically a god.

Benjamin: ...

Benjamin: They aren't.

Theodore: Isn't it weird that people kill mosquitoes just because they're annoying?

Luke: Damn, if people did that to each other, Danielle would've killed me years ago.

Danielle: Stressed.

Willow: Depressed.

Astrid: Possessed.

Benjamin: Obsessed.

Cathryn: Impressed.

Frisk: Chicken breast.

Everyone: ...What?

Frisk: I just wanted to join in.

Luke: Assert your dominance over your friends by kicking them in the face, and then giving them a little smooch on the forehead!

Luke: So, what's for dinner?

Benjamin, staring at the food they burnt: Regret.

Luke: WHO THE FUCK-

Frisk: Whoa, language!

Luke: I speak fucking English!

Frisk: …

Frisk: Be careful, I thrive on negative attention.

Theodore, whispering to Willow, who's on the phone with Astrid: Ask them something! Willow: How are you feeling? Astrid: Fine. Theodore: Something personal! Willow: At what age did you first get your period?

Astrid: I have a problem.

Cathryn: If it's harder than 2+2, I can't help.

Willow: Welcome to Fucking Applebees, do you want apples or bees?

Benjamin: Bees?

Willow: THEY HAVE SELECTED THE BEES!

Benjamin: Wait-

*Theodore approaches, shaking a jar of bees menacingly*

Willow: Is it just me or is instant ramen even better uncooked?

Astrid: It’s just you.

Theodore, in the hospital: Will you visit me when I get out?

Willow: Lol nah, I hate graveyards.

Willow: Sorry I'm late, I was doing stuff.

Benjamin: YOU PUSHED ME DOWN THE FUCKING STAIRS!

*Astrid is comforting Danielle*

Astrid: Stop crying because it’s over. Start smiling because Frisk is someone else’s problem now.

Benjamin: Can you name a single city in Oklahoma?

Cathryn: Oklahoma City, bitch!

Luke, as a child, reading their school assignment out loud: I love my library because... Luke, mouthing words while writing: I love reading, fuck you.

Danielle: That's greatly offensive to my people.

Theodore: College dropouts?

Benjamin: I’m the smartest, wisest person in this group.

Theodore: Really? Then why is your hand stuck in a vending machine?

Benjamin: I paid for my Mars Bar, I’m getting my Mars Bar.

Cathryn, to Willow: If you can ever manage to get over yourself, I would highly recommend being me.

Astrid: I saw you fall, saw the sinners lay on your corpses...

Theodore: Hey, what’s up with Astrid?

Astrid: I created you, made the pieces perfect, others marveled at your beauty… their gazes may have held envy, though, for none are perfect but you. I was only looking away for a moment, but you were gone. I had failed you. And I fell into despair. The only way to save myself was to create, but I knew… this time I knew I was only making you to die. And I apologize. For I will undoubtedly fail you again. For a short time, there will be peace and beauty, but none in the face of us shall lay undisturbed. The greatest have fallen, and will continue to fall, and I weep for you for being born unto this place, where brother eats brother, and the undeserving rise to fame. Those that have gone against you know they’ve wronged you, and they will stand before the creator, knowing they have sinned. Do not worry, little ones, you will be avenged.

Willow: ...They made some rock towers and went somewhere else for twenty minutes and when they came back the rock towers were destroyed and people were sitting where the towers once were, so they were sad and made more rock towers.

Willow, to Astrid: Hey, who even is the creator? I thought you were an atheist!

Astrid: SHUT THE HELL UP, WILLOW! I’M TRYING TO BE DRAMATIC AND MYSTERIOUS!

Frisk: Happy Scorpio season. If you have to burn a bridge, do it safely!

Luke: With NAPALM.

Danielle: The best part of an oreo is the cookie part, not the frosting. Deal with it.

Benjamin: Darkness without light is an abyss. Light without darkness is blinding. You cannot have a coin with one side.

Astrid: YO SOCRATES! IT'S A FUCKING COOKIE!

Luke: Dammit, Willow, you ruined everything!

Willow: You’re welcome.

*Astrid and Luke are planning to break in somewhere*

Astrid: We need to distract the guards.

Luke: Right.

Astrid: What are we gonna do?

Luke: I'm gonna break their elbows while you poke their eyes.

Astrid:

Luke:

Astrid: Deal.

Cathryn: Guys, Willow is missing.

Benjamin: Good.

The Mages of Legend and Mercy

[crystiesong]

Birthday Bash

Leaping between bannisters, Aster landed on a pile of wooden crates. She gazed across the room. Despite coming to the abandoned factory for a few months at this point, she hadn't really done much with the place. That changed today.

The first thing she'd decided to do was invite all the stray cats she could find to stay in the factory so they'd have some shelter. The second thing she needed to do was make the factory (or the catory as she'd come to call it) more hospitable for cats (maybe that should've been the first thing). Taking stuff from wherever she could find it (the forest, dumpsters and other abandoned places), Aster had begun to build contraptions and dens for the cats to play and sleep in. One day this place would be a haven for all stray cats.

Aster leapt down from the boxes and began to push a metal crate across the room, a bunch of cats sitting nearby watching her. She pushed the box against the wall and turned around to see a snow white cat walking towards her.

"Oh hi Snowball. Glad you could join us" Aster greeted. Snowball dipped her head in greeting, her emerald green eyes glimmering and her stumpy tail high in the air.

"Greetings. I have a message from Teddy" she said while hopping onto the metal crate.

Aster raised an eyebrow at that "What message did he have that he couldn't deliver in person?"

"He didn't give me many details but he said that you're needed at home"

That confused Aster. Today was her day off from school and she'd decided to not do any hero work to let herself relax. She'd told her family she'd be busy so why was she needed? Standing up, Aster stretched her limbs.

"Alright. I'm going to see what I'm needed for then I'll come back." she turned to address the crowd of cats around her "please don't make too much of a mess, I just tidied up"

She got a flurry of answers that were a mixture of 'ok' and 'no promises'. Shaking her head with a smile, Aster made her way out of the building.

Making it back home was easy enough. Aster made her way up the stairs but stopped in-front of the door. No noise could be heard from within the apartment which concerned her.

Had something happened on her way over? Had Teddy been mistaken and she actually wasn't needed? Guess there was only one way to find out. Slowly opening the door, Aster crept inside. Suddenly all the lights were flicked on and all her friends and family popped out from behind the furniture.

"SURPRISE"

Aster's heart jumped into her throat and she leapt into the air in shock and surprise, hitting the top of the doorway with her head. Her parents rushed over to the young teen who was now leaning against the doorway.

"Are you alright?" Natalia asked, helping Aster up.

Aster gently nodded "I'm fine, just a bit caught off guard"

Her Papá laughed "Well it is a surprise party, that is kinda the point. Now come on, it's time for your favourite part"

Aster's favourite part about birthdays was the present opening. It was the only time she got to be a little bit spoiled. The first present she got was from her parents; they gave her a bunch of different chocolates as she always had a big sweet tooth and a love for chocolates. The second present was from her dear brothers (who had not woken her up with a bucket of water this year); they'd gotten her a new book series she'd been wanting, she couldn't wait to read it. The third present was from Alex and Andy; they'd gotten her a toy crab, it took a lot of energy not to glare at them as she opened it. The fourth present was a joint one from Robin and Sam (and from Willa too Aster guessed); they got her a simple sketchpad which she appreciated, she'd been wanting to get back to drawing so it would be handy. The final present came from Javari and it was probably her favourite one; it was a hand carved wooden figure of a figure from a video game series she and Javari both liked. She loved everything she got.

The food was also amazing, given that it was her parent's cooking after all; and don't get Aster started on the chocolate birthday cake. Aster was loving the birthday celebrations and didn't want them to stop; but there was one more thing she needed to do before the day was over.

As the sun was starting to set, the young teen left her home and made her way through the city. She arrived at her destination and made her way over to her abuelo's gravestone, sitting in-front of it. She gently brushed against the stone, making sure everything was neat and tidy. Aster let out a small but saddened smile as she sat there. Her abuelo might not be able to spend his time with her, but she'd be able to spend as much of her birthday as she could with him.

[babyjakes]

forever and a day | 14. worthy.

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summary | a story in which america’s favorite captain gives a new life and family to a five-year-old girl who has suffered well beyond her years at the hands of hydra.

characters | dad!steve rogers, girl/willa rogers (original character)

warnings | AU similar enough to OU to include spoilers to many Marvel movies (Age of Ultron and beyond). mature themes related to child abuse/neglect. mentions/descriptions of past CSA and CSM. medical abuse and experimentation. ptsd/trauma symptoms in a child (developmental discrepancies, de-humanized behavior, detachment, extreme fears). medical treatment of CSM and other aftermath of abuse.somewhat evil!Tony Stark (eventually)

[Steve]

“It’s a really great view, Girl, and I can point out all the cool places in the city to visit,” I hear Peter’s voice echo from down the hallway as I stand behind the kitchen island, stirring my coffee. Pausing, I look up to see the teen and young girl entering the common space, hand in hand. Checking my watch, I chuckle. It’s almost ten in the morning, and this is the first I’ve seen of either of them today; that is, except for when I climbed out of Girl’s bed when I woke up and she was still fast asleep. Taking a closer look at the child, I see that she’s wearing a new pair of jeans, along with, quite amusingly, a Spiderman shirt. I raise my eyebrow at the kids playfully, earning a smile from Peter.

“Mornin’, you two,” I greet cheerfully as they make their way over to the kitchen.

“Mornin’, Cap,” Peter replies casually. Seeming a little too shy to speak up, Girl simply looks at me, offering the teeniest of smiles. Looking down at his friend, Peter grins affectionately.

“That’s a cool shirt you’ve got there, sweetheart,” I compliment the girl, poking a little fun at Peter who was obviously behind the choice. “Where’d you find that?”

“Oh, I-I helped Girl pick out her clothes this morning,” Peter stutters, his cheeks turning pink. “She even put them on all by herself! Right, Girl?” he adds proudly, followed by a confirming nod from the kid. “Well, except for the button on the pants. But that part’s hard; sometimes I even struggle with it.” Smiling in response, I’m impressed that Peter was able to help her with such a thing, given how frightened changing has made her in my own experience. Needless to say, it really seems like the two have come a long way together.

“That’s great, doll. Way to go. Sounds like you guys make a great team,” I tell them sincerely. Just as I’m finishing my sentence, the elevator bell on the opposite side of the room rings, and Bruce appears as the metal doors part. Walking over, the doctor swings his bag off of his shoulder and places it down on the island counter.

“Good morning,” he says to all of us. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Girl seeming to shrink back slightly at the presence of the dark-haired man.

“Hey Bruce,” Peter and I say in unison. Girl stays quiet. Bruce nods at all of us before pulling a moleskin notebook out of his bag, seeming preoccupied with his work, as usual.

“Girl and I are gonna go out on the balcony and look at the city,” Peter announces.

“Oh, that sounds like a great idea,” Bruce encourages, brow furrowed as he continues looking down at his notes, “it’s lovely out today.”

“Make sure to stay back from the railing, okay?” I remind the teen cautiously. Peter nods adamantly, and though the thought of them out on the balcony makes me anxious, I decide it’s best to let them do a little bit of exploring. Girl hasn’t had the greatest first few days in the tower, so I figure some fresh air and a great view could be good for both of them.

“We’ll be super careful, I promise,” Peter vows, the look in his eyes showing just how much he means it. Nodding at them, I give the pair another smile as Peter guides Girl over to the door, opening it up and leading her out onto the balcony. I watch as they walk the length of the deck, trying to calm my pounding heart as Peter begins to point out certain things in the city below. Girl seems intrigued, which is good; I was a little bit concerned that the height might scare her. But to my surprise, she seems to be having a good time as they stand together out there, looking all around.

“How are you holding up?” Bruce’s voice startles me as it sounds suddenly from right next to me, causing me to jump a little as I turn towards my friend.

“I’m hangin’ in there. To be quite honest, the sight of them out there makes me enter fight-or-flight, but I think Tony’s right; I gotta be a little more laid-back,” I admit as I nod towards the kids through the window.

“Nothing’s gonna happen to them out there. That railing could stop Thor running full speed at it with his hammer held high and everything. They’re perfectly safe,” Bruce assures me. I nod, knowing that he’s right. Taking another glance at the thick glass railings in question, I realize now that they’re almost as tall as Peter, himself. “You’ve been sleeping in her room with her the past few nights?” Bruce asks.

“Yeah. She sleeps pretty peacefully, most of the time. I’m sure she must be exhausted. She just curls right up in my lap; it’s pretty precious.”

“That’s great, Cap, really. I mean it,” the man tells me, looking into my eyes with a strong expression of sincerity. “She’s got a long way to go, but it seems like with you, and also Peter, come to think of it, she’s really making big steps towards letting others in.” I nod, thinking back to the unforgettable look on her face the other morning when she came so close to asking me to be the person to take care of her, a parent for her.

“It just breaks my heart, you know,” I admit, a lump forming in my throat. Gazing out the window at the two children on the balcony, I shake my head as Peter’s arm still points this way and that, Girl’s eyes following his finger wherever it lands. “When I hold her, it’s painfully obvious that she’s never been held before. When I speak gently to her and tell her nice things, soothing things, it’s clear she’s never been treated this way in her life. I hate what they did to her. I hate what they took from her. The atrocities they put her through… I know those’ve done damage well beyond my worst fears. But all the things she was simply never given… I’ve never thought about the consequences of neglect like this but, god, Bruce- god, it’s devastating.”

The doctor is quiet for a few moments, joining me in watching the two through the window. Then, he nods. “It is. When a child isn’t cared for, especially during the early stages of life, oftentimes they spend the rest of their life suffering because of it.”

“She didn’t even know what a stuffed animal was, goddammit,” I curse, feeling an angry heat rising through my cheeks. “I have no idea how they raised her, or what they taught her, but none of it was done right.”

“I would actually be interested to learn what kind of early childhood she did have,” Bruce comments. “Even from just a cognitive-development standpoint. How did she learn to walk, or talk? Who taught her? What all does she know?”

“There’s nothing on it in her files?” I ask, knowing that Bruce has been reading through every sheet of paper in that binder since she arrived.

“I guess they didn’t find it important enough to include in their research notes on her. It’s all about her powers and their various experiments with her. There’s nothing on just the simple things, like learning her ABC’s or color names.”

“Do you think she had any sort of- of caregiver? Ever?” I question aloud, wondering how any infant or toddler could’ve gotten by without having someone to attend to their needs.

“I’m not sure,” Bruce replies honestly.

“I can’t imagine anyone at Hydra would wanna be bothered with taking care of a baby,” I point out.

“Yeah, but keep in mind, this was a very important baby,” the doctor counters. Through the window, I notice that Peter’s lifted Girl up onto his shoulders to get a better view. And in this moment, from this distance, she almost looks completely unafraid as she gazes out on the city below. After several more minutes, the pair seem to be making their way in, Girl still mounted atop Peter’s shoulders.

The teen ducks as they come back through the door so the little girl doesn’t hit her head, and for the first time since I’ve met her, I think I hear her let out some sort of muffled giggle. “Wow, you were right, Bruce; it really is beautiful out there today,” Peter comments as he helps Girl down to the floor.

“What’d you think of the city?” I ask the child with a smile. She looks up at me with wide eyes, still full of wonder and amazement.

“Big,” she says simply. Then, after a moment, she adds, “Pretty.”

“It’s even prettier at night,” Peter tells her excitedly. “All the lights in the city are lit up; it’s beautiful. We’ll have to go back out there later when it’s dark.” At this suggestion, Girl flinches, and in an instant, Peter’s expression turns to one of great concern. “I-It won’t be too dark, though! The lights from the buildings will all be on out there. And we can turn the lights on over the balcony, too. It won’t be scary, I promise.” At this, the child’s body relaxes a bit, the both of them only continuing to surprise me by how skilled Peter seems to be at calming the little one’s nerves, and how receptive she seems to be with him.

“We could see if Tony might set off some fireworks,” Bruce suggests. “He loves making a big and flashy scene; I’m sure he’ll be in.” Peter and I chuckle along with him, while Girl looks curiously up us.

“F-fire-works?” she asks cluelessly.

“Yeah, they’re these things you shoot up in the sky, and they pop and make bright lights in all sorts of pretty colors,” Peter explains. “It’s like a big light show!” The teen reaches into his back pocket and pulls out his phone, typing something in. Then, he offers the screen to Girl, causing her eyes to widen. “Those are fireworks. They’re pretty, huh?”

“Pretty,” the girl says in agreement, clearly impressed by the picture.

Suddenly, loud footsteps can be heard coming from the entrance to the hallway. Before long, the God of Thunder himself has appeared, wearing a rather odd assortment of clothing: a pair of black jogging shorts with a neon green stripe on the sides, a white hoodie with a pink tank-top peeking out from underneath, some running shoes, and above all, a pair of neon-green knee-high socks.

“What… are you wearing?” Bruce asks.

“The man of spiders and I are about to embark on an adventure that will test both our speed and precision; it is imperative I dress appropriately for the occasion,” the peculiar man responds in his standard serious-that-can’t-be-taken-seriously tone.

Girl shrivels up at the sight and sound of the large man, cowering behind Peter. “It’s okay, Girl; Thor’s not scary. He’s just a big goof,” Peter assures her. I step over on the other side of Girl and crouch down beside her reassuringly, just so that she knows she’s safe and someone’s got her.

Thor peers over past Peter at the child, his face contorting in confusion. Given how hesitant he’s been to initiate any sort of interaction with her so far, it would almost seem as if he doesn’t know how to act around Girl. I think the concept of her just perplexes him; maybe he doesn’t want to do her any more harm, so he’s decided to keep his distance. After a few moments, the god takes a small step forward, and after glancing at me, he replicates my actions, bending down so that he’s more at eye-level with Girl.

“Hello there, little person. I am Thor, the God of Thunder. There is no need to be afraid of me. I do not wish you any harm,” he tells her. The little girl keeps her eyes on Thor, appearing to be thrown off by not only his looks, but also his speech patterns.

Bruce reads my mind, explaining, “Thor sounds kinda funny when he talks, but that’s just because he’s from another planet.” Thor nods as Girl’s eyes grow wide.

“I am from the planet Asgard. But I hang around here from time to time, when the Avengers need me.” Though she’s doing her best to hide it, the child still looks hesitant, and to be honest, I don’t blame her. Meeting someone from another planet for the first usually takes a little bit of getting used to.

“So what’s all this about an adventure? Precision? Speed?” Peter questions. I chuckle at the boy slightly. Usually when these things come up, Peter’s never informed prior to their outings. Thor just decides where they’re going and what they’re doing, and the teen always goes along with it, minimal questions asked.

“Go-kart racing,” Thor states seriously. Peter’s eyes widen in excitement.

“Woah, for real?” he asks.

“Hey, hey, wait. Have you cleared that with Tony?” Bruce interjects.

“The man of iron? Why would we need to clear it with him?”

“What, you’re not gonna ask Pete’s dad if he’s allowed to go?” Bruce jokes, Peter’s cheeks instantly reddening.

“H-he’s not my dad,” the boy mumbles sheepishly, causing Bruce to chuckle lightly.

“Sure kid, whatever you say,” the doctor replies. “Don’t worry. Steve and I won’t snitch on you, just make sure you leave before he catches you on your way out.” Peter turns to Girl, giving her a gentle smile.

“I’ll see you when I get back, okay? And later, when it’s dark out, we can go out on the balcony again and see the lights. And maybe Tony will even put off some fireworks!” Peter reaches out and ruffles the little girl’s hair a bit, barely earning a flinch from the kid as the look on her face begs him not to go.

Peter then waves at Bruce and I, and without another word, the odd pair head off to the elevator.

“I wish I knew why he dresses like that,” Bruce says under his breath, quietly enough so that they won’t hear.

“I think he’s still trying to grasp the whole ‘earthly fashion’ thing,” I guess. Girl’s eyes never leave Peter as he heads off for his outing, all the way until the elevator doors have closed behind him. Even after he’s gone, she just keeps staring over, making my h heart ache a little bit in my chest. “Hey,” I murmur to catch her attention, offering her a smile as she turns to me. Shifting onto my knees so that I’m resting firmly on the ground, I ask, “How’re you feeling, doll?”

The small child bites her lip, not seeming to have an answer.

“Are you hungry? I can make you some juice,” Bruce offers, 'juice’ being the new term we’ve designated for smoothies since Girl always refers to them that way; we’re just kind of going along with it. The little girl looks up at the doctor with wide eyes at his offer, nodding shyly. Smiling at her, Bruce turns back to the kitchen, beginning to pull out the fruit from the refrigerator and the blender from the cabinet.

“I was just gonna make some toast, too. You wanna come and watch while we cook?” I offer. Girl nods again. I stand back up, opening my arms up for her. “Here, I’ll lift you up, okay?” Pausing for a moment, Girl eyes me warily before nodding quietly in agreement, entering my embrace. I scoop her up carefully, placing her down so that she’s sitting on the counter, allowing her to watch with wide eyes as Bruce arranges the fruit on the counter.

“We’ve got lots of variety today,” the dark-haired man observes, looking down at the wide assortment. Grabbing a piece of bread from the bread box, I pop it in the toaster and slide down the handle before turning back to face Girl once more.

“Hey, doll. Bruce and I were just talking while you were out on the balcony; d'you think we could ask you some questions?” I ask carefully. Looking at me with clear hesitancy in her eyes, the child nods. “Do you remember who took care of you, back when you were living in- you know, that scary place we rescued you from?” I choose my words carefully. At the mention of Hydra, Girl stiffens, looking down at her lap silently.

Frowning, Bruce decides to try a different question. “When you were younger, do you remember who taught you things like how to walk or talk?” he inquires carefully. While I want to make sure it doesn’t feel like we’re drilling her with questions, I think it’s important to know whether or not the girl had any real form of attachment at any point in her life or not. She remains silent, the thought occurs to me that she might not know how to answer these questions.

Softening my voice, I try one more. “Was there anyone there who helped raise you besides the scientists and the guards?”

At that, she looks up at me. “I-it- no,” the small child replies simply. “It was a guard. H-he told me. Said he had to raise Girl, said she was such a pain.”

“He said he had to raise you; he was upset about that?” I ask, hoping she’ll say more. Girl nods.

“Y-yelled,” the poor thing squeaks. “Said she was r-rotten since-… since she was a baby. S-said she c-cried when he beat her as a baby and- and why would she still cry now… should know better.” My heart drops.

“He beat you as a baby, sweetheart?” I ask softly. Girl nods, emotions appearing on her face that I can’t quite identify as her eyes become glossy.

“Said sh-she must be- must be st-st-stupid from- from beating her so much. Still… beat her more for it.” I take a deep breath, looking over at Bruce. These are words, phrases that no child should know, and he seems to understand that just as well as I do.

“Did he teach you things? Words and stuff?” he asks. She nods. “What kinds of things did he teach you?”

“A-all the stuff Girl knows. W-words and- and counting, letters a-and things,” she lists. My toast pops up in the toaster, and I quickly retrieve it, setting it on a plate. Then, after a few moments of thinking, the child adds, “Good or bad. T-training. Tests. P-punishments. Stuff about M-Mommy. S-”

“Mommy?” I cut her off, turning back around to face her. Girl looks up at me, her eyes now overflowing with tears. She nods. “What did he teach you about Mommy?” I ask, my voice softening to a mere hush.

“G-gone,” the little girl replies simply. Bruce stops what he’s doing as well, stepping over slightly towards Girl, a look of sadness and guilt plastered on his face.

“Girl, do you know who your mommy was? Do you… do you know what a mommy is?” he asks. She thinks for a good moment, but ultimately comes up with no response.

“Your mommy was the woman who gave birth to you,” I say. “She made you, held you in her tummy for a long time.”

“Gone,” Girl says again.

“I know, sweetie. I’m sorry. But mommies don’t always go away. They usually stay with their babies and raise them,” I explain, only for Girl to look slightly confused. “It’s not normal for a baby to be raised by a guard in a lab. Babies are made to be taken care of, by mommies and daddies and people who love them.” The look on her face tells me that Girl doesn’t have the slightest clue what I’m talking about, and my heart breaks even more for her. “They’re called 'parents.’ They raise you and take care of you; some people have just a mommy, or a daddy, or even two mommies or two daddies. But all the same, they help you grow.”

“And they don’t ever beat you,” Bruce adds. I nod.

“No, never. They give hugs and kisses and snuggles, but they should never hurt you. They’re there to protect you and take care of you; that’s their job.” In this moment, it occurs to me that when I told her about how my mom used to hold me, she probably had no idea what that meant. “Remember Tony called me 'Mr. Daddy-pants?” I ask. “That’s because I kind of act like a dad a lot of the time, meaning I maybe worry a little too much about taking care of others.” As Bruce nods, Girl looks saddened, prompting me to reach out to her, taking her hand in mine. She flinches, tears beginning to trail down her cheeks.

Taking a step forward towards the crying girl, I raise my brow at her softly. “Remember when I told you that every child deserves to have someone to take care of them, to hold them?” I ask quietly, as if it’s just for her and I to hear. She nods. “That’s what parents do.”

“M-mommy,” Girl says weakly. As my chest tightens in heartbreak, I feel tears of my own building up, as much as I’m trying to stop them. “Gone.”

“I know, sweetheart, I know. Shhh, it’s okay,” I soothe, wrapping my arms around the child as she begins to sniffle and shake, her tears worsening. Stroking down her hair, I rock her side to side in my embrace, wanting nothing more than to take all of the pain away.

“Parents don’t have to be the people who gave birth to you,” Bruce tells her softly. “A lot of times they’re not. You can still have parents who love and care about you just as much.” At this, Girl only shakes her head in dismay.

“Mommy… g-gone. No one left in the world t-to love Girl now.” And just by the way she says it, I can tell that these were words she was taught. These were things said to her. These were beliefs burned into her brain by cruel, heartless monsters who wanted her to see herself as forever alone, forever unlovable.

Continuing to rock and shush her gently, I hold the sobbing girl to my chest, a feeling of determination settling into my bones, now stronger than ever. Now that she’s here, now that it’s up to me, it’s going to be my ultimate mission to prove those monsters wrong. To give her what she never had, what she’s always deserved. To show her that she is worthy of love and kindness and care, that since the day she was born, she has always been worthy.

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[dwellordream]

because i wanted to drop some expanded folklore/retelling/alternate interpretation recommendations:

the mere wife by maria dahvana headley: inspired by the epic Beowulf, the mere wife centers around dana, a traumatized young veteran who returns to her rapidly gentrifying mining home town to raise her son gren. mistrustful of society and humanity in general and terrified of losing gren, dana raises him in near total isolation in the mountains bordering herot hall, the first of many shining new suburban expansions.

as gren grows, he becomes curious about the world outside their cave dwelling and eventually befriends dylan, the troubled son of willa, a neurotic socialite with her own baggage. gren and dylan’s unlikely friendship becomes an increasing risk as they age into teenagers, as gren is everything the pampered, bigoted and fearful residents of herot hall have trained themselves to hate.

the mere wife is an extremely compelling tale of two scarred mothers as it switches perspectives between the privileged and dissonant willa and the hardened but loving dana, both of whom are trying to protect their children from the abuse and trauma they suffered as they grew into adulthood.

also a pretty searing look at police violence, the intersection of racism, classism, and homophobia, and the military industrial complex’s exploitation of impoverished black and brown youth to fight its wars.

i, tituba: black witch of salem by maryse condé: i, tituba is a satirical in one sense but deadly serious in another take on tituba, the slave accused of spreading witchcraft to the young puritan girls of salem.

it tells the epic life story of tituba, from her conception aboard a slave ship headed to the caribbean to her childhood as an orphan raised by her foster mother mama yaya, who teaches her the power of healing and communion with the dead.

while tituba grows up technically a free woman, living in the shadow of the plantations but without an owner, she willingly enters slavery again to be with her beloved john indian, and winds up sold to the cruel and tyrannical reverend samuel parris and transported to boston and then salem massachusetts alongside his terrified family.

i tituba systematically unpacks ‘the protestant work ethic’ of the ‘upright and noble pilgrims’ who carved out their existence on the backs of the enslaved and the indigenous population.

tituba suffers just about every abuse and humiliation imaginable but refuses to allow herself to be dissuaded from practicing her own spiritual practices and actively seeks to show compassion and care towards her captors, despite it repeatedly backfiring.

ultimately she survives the witch trials and finds herself back in barbados, where her final fate as a devoted rebel against the plantation system that killed her parents awaits.

the bloody chamber by angela carter: probably carter’s most well known and popular set of short stories, the bloody chamber is a series of original takes on the most gothic and disturbing of european folklore, from bluebeard and his murdered brides to beauty and the beast to all sorts of werewolf and vampire mythos.

carter’s language is as lush and purple prosey as ever, and she vividly paints a series of terrifying and alluring pictures of decrepit castles and manor houses, unhinged inbred aristocrats preying on the peasantry, vampiric maidens and girls raised by wolves, men turned into beasts and beasts turned into men, and lots of sex, gore, ghostly music, and rustling taffeta.

deathless by catherynne m. valente: yes, endlesssly overhyped by tumblr but still a very compelling take on the russian folklore of koschei the deathless and his mortal turned goddess bride, marya morevna, this time set in parallel with the unfolding of russian history in the 20th century.

valente gives an absolutely merciless look at the spiteful and selfish whims of gods and what it means to give up your humanity for love, as well as a tortured narrative surrounding power and control in intimate relationships and questions of gender roles and sexuality.

deathless is probably a most capital R Romantic romance, mostly because both marya and koschei have heaps of charm and beauty and passion... and heaps of obsession, jealous violence, and power hungry ambition.

wide sargasso sea by jean rhys: should be required reading for everyone who has devoured Jane Eyre, rhys’ novella tells the take of the reviled and scorned first wife of rochester.

born to a plantation owning family whose fortunes are crushed when the british empire bans slavery, antoinette grows up a lonely and emotional child, rejected by her grieving and closed off mother and longing for a family and place in the world.

as a young woman her stepfather arranges her marriage to rochester, who wants what’s left of her inheritance, and antoinette finds herself caught between her island home where she is still seen as the hated daughter of slave holders, and england, where she is seen as an impure creole woman who will never be able to conform to victorian propriety.

although initially hopeful of a loving marriage, antoinette quickly realizes that rochester’s passion for her is propelled by fear and insecurity, which quickly makes itself known as he turns against her, labeling her ‘bertha’ after her ‘insane’ mother and treating her as a mentally unstable invalid and then as little more than a prisoner.

lovecraft country by matt ruff: lovecraft country both skewers and embraces the eldritch abominations of hp lovecraft, and tackles his own inhuman racism head on, through the perspectives of the courageous and clever atticus turner and his eccentric and loyal extended family. their adventures take them all over america and into a series of increasingly horrifying encounters with cults, monsters, and white supremacy - sometimes all three at once.

circe by madeleine miller: not nearly as discussed as its predecessor The Song of Achilles, Circe tells the story of Circe, daughter of the arrogant sun god Helios and by some accounts, the ‘first’ witch and sorceress to walk the earth.

exiled to her own desolate island kingdom after defying the gods, Circe becomes a powerful and infamous enchantress, painted as a villain while the gods, who amuse themselves by tormenting and impulsively rewarding men in turn, are honored and venerated. circe quickly realizes her growing powers make her a threat to mortals and gods alike, and must decide what her legacy will be and if she cares at all.

[randomestfandoms-ocs]

DC OC Masterlist

Arrowverse || Gotham || The Batman || Titans

Name: Amber Harkness

Story: Untitled

Fandom: Batman

Face Claim: Holland Roden

Love Interest: Jason Todd & Roy Harper

Name: Aurélia Agreste

Story: Draconis

Series: From The Ashes

Fandom: Batman & Miraculous Ladybug

Face Claim: Dove Cameron

Love Interest: Luka Couffaine

Barely a month after her mom disappeared, Aurélia Agreste had found herself shipped off to New York to represent the Agreste Brand in America, guided by none other than Audrey Bourgeois herself.  No consideration to Aurélia’s feelings, no consideration to how hard it would be for Adrien to lose his twin so soon after losing their mother; Aurélia reminded Gabriel too much of Emilie, so Aurélia had to go.  The time apart is hard on both twins, barely allowed to keep in touch and both crumbling under the pressure and lack of freedom that define both of their lives, but one day, it all changes.

Three years of no contact later, Aurélia finds herself under Gabriel’s orders to pack up and prepare for her flight back to Paris, the first since her mother disappeared.  When she returns to the mansion, she finally finds out why — Adrien is being allowed to return to school, and her father wants her to keep an eye on him.  That’s easy, really, she’s been doing it for her whole life.  Proper school for the first time in her life is a brand new battlefield, and that’s before a new villain rises up with an uncanny fixation on her class.  

But Aurélia didn’t spend almost four years sneaking out to Gotham for nothing, and a city-turned-warzone puts her right back into her element, with a confidence that only comes from years of training and fighting far worse villains.  Besides, Hawkmoth’s plans couldn’t account for the farewell present that Bruce Wayne hid in her suitcase.

Name: Avalyn Dorsey

Story: Bleeding Heart

Fandom: Batman

Face Claim: Willa Holland

Love Interest: Dick Grayson

Name: Daisy Quinn

Story: Darkest Little Paradise

Fandom: Batman

Face Claim: Anya Taylor Joy

A few years after The Joker’s arrest, Harley and Ivy are ready to retire. Through a combination of Harley’s smarts, Ivy’s powers, and the also retired Dr. Freeze’s scientific skills, Daisy Quinn is born. A half plant, biologically impossible daughter of Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy. Daisy is raised to be normal, in a cute farmhouse far from Gotham, and has no idea about her family history. But when some clown kidnaps her moms, Daisy will do anything to get them back - no matter what secrets she digs up along the way.

Name: Dinah Holly Queen

Story: Paper Rings

Fandom: Green Arrow / Batman

Face Claim: Brianne Howey

Love Interest: Dick Grayson

Name: Elinor “Elektra” Cross

Story: Lazarus Rising

Fandom: Batman

Face Claim: Madison Davenport

Love Interest: Jason Todd

Name: Emilie Wayne

Story: Untitled

Fandom: Batman

Face Claim: Kaya Scodelario

Name: Emma Gordon

Story: Untitled

Fandom: Batman

Face Claim: Abigail Cowen

Love Interest: Tim Drake & Stephanie Brown

Name: Fiona Fletcher

Story: Untitled

Fandom: Batman

Face Claim: Crystal Reed

Love Interest: Dick Grayson & Roy Harper

Name: Florence Pennyworth

Story: Untitled

Fandom: Batman

Face Claim: Lily Collins

Love Interest: Dick Grayson

Name: Jessie Jordan

Story: Chasing Stars

Fandom: Batman

Face Claim: Erin Moriarty

Love Interest: Dick Grayson

Name: Josette Cobblepot

Story: Teenage Tragedy

Fandom: Batman

Face Claim: Olivia Holt

Love Interest: Jason Todd

Name: Julietta Drake

Story: Seven Devils

Fandom: Batman

Face Claim: India Eisley

Love Interest: Jason Todd

Julietta Drake remembered what it was like to be happy. To be a child in Gotham, raising her baby brother, the perfect little heiress who got everything her heart desired; everything except for parents who were around. But that was before.  Before the League. Before Talia al Ghul. Before she was taken to Nanda Parbat — to Ra’s.

Even then, there were good days. Days when Jason was awake; cognisant. Days when he saw both she and Damian not just as a mission but as the people he loved. Days when Ra’s felt merciful enough to leave her little patchwork family in peace. Days when she could almost forget the bad ones.

Then they took Damian away. Only just four years old, but old enough to embrace his destiny. Losing Damian broke her irreparably, a piece of her lost that she would never get back. Her lifeline for almost five years, ripped from her arms and thrust into the tragic fate she’d tried to shield him from. Jason left soon after; vanished into the night without even a word. She was alone. Alone until Talia decided to let her go — out of pity or something more untoward, Julietta still didn’t know. Unteathered, her life in pieces, she found her way back to Gotham, to the only home she’d ever known.

The Gotham she returns to is unlike anything she could have expected.  Somehow darker, even more haunting than she remembered, the city suffocated her in a way that it never had before.  But the changes helped her realize something; she couldn’t go home.  Not without a plan, an explanation, an apology.  So she stayed in the shadows, watching, waiting, until the day she saw the headline of the Gotham Gazette announcing that Bruce Wayne’s son, Damian, had returned home to his father.  And the picture below it, somehow now ten years old, was Damian al Ghul.

Julietta wastes no time in going to Wayne Manor, determined to have her questions answered.  Only, instead of Damian opening the door, she’s greeted by the last face she ever expected.  Tim Drake.

Name: Kinsley Kord

Story: Until We Go Down

Fandom: Batman

Face Claim: Shelley Hennig

Love Interest: Dick Grayson

Once upon a time, the Titans had been the best part of Kinsley Kord’s life.  They’d been her closest friends, her family, her life.  And then they were gone.  All it had taken was one battle to destroy everything that Kinsley had once held dear, and she had become the first to leave, to start over.  She hadn’t heard from any of them in ten years, only knowing that they were alive thanks to the Gossip Girl rumour mill and her own secret investigations.  She missed them all dearly and she always would, but she never expected to see any of them again.

And then Dick Grayson walks into her bakery, begging for her help to finish the fight that had destroyed their team a decade earlier.

Name: Kora al Ghul

Story: Untitled

Fandom: Batman

Face Claim: Summer Bishil

Love Interest: Bruce Wayne

Name: Laurence Queen

Story: Untitled

Fandom: Green Arrow / Batman

Face Claim: Alex Fitzalan

Love Interest: Dick Grayson

Name: Leonie Murphy

Story: Luck Be A Lady

Fandom: Batman

Face Claim: Kathryn Newton

Love Interest: Dick Grayson

Leonie Murphy had always been told that she was too curious for her own good, ever since she was a little girl.  And it was true, she would admit it, that’s why she became a reporter.  It’s also why she was such a good reporter, in her opinion.  Despite all the scoldings from her boss about pissing off the Gotham elite, all the lectures from Nightwing about getting too close to a fight, all the friends she’d lost because of her desire to know everything, she couldn’t let go of her need for answers.  But she never expected it to come back to bite her in the ass, at least not as spectacularly as it did.

Name: Liara Bynes

Story: Untitled

Fandom: Batman

Face Claim: Zoey Deutch

Love Interest: Dick Grayson

Name: Lory Tetch

Story: Chasing Rabits

Fandom: Batman / Titans Comics

Face Claim: Jenna Ortega

Love Interest: Dick Grayson & Wally West

Name: Sara “Scout” Porter

Story: Untitled

Fandom: Batman

Face Claim: Kat McNamara

Love Interest: Jason Todd

Name: Tessie Vannelli

Story: Mad World

Fandom: Batman

Face Claim: Anya Taylor-Joy

Love Interest: Dick Grayson

Name: Thomas Wayne

Story: Draconis

Series: From The Ashes

Fandom: Batman & Miraculous Ladybug

Face Claim: Thomas Doherty

Name: Virginia Grayson

Story: Untitled

Fandom: Batman

Face Claim: Nina Dobrev

Love Interest: Roy Harper

Name: Wren Grayson

Story: In Sweetness

Fandom: Batman / Titans Comics

Face Claim: Rachel Zegler

[starksinthenorth]

Musings on ASOIAF Ladies and Ambition

I’ve noticed people use “ambition” to describe Sansa and Daenerys as if it’s a bad word or an insult (often called “power hungry”). Yet in the text of the series, neither of them are shown to be ambitious people as a core characteristic. I blame the series for a lot of this, because it failed to explore the internal dialogue of Sansa, Arya, and even Cersei, who ends up more humanized than either of them by the end (because of the maybe baby).

Cersei Lannister is the classic ambitious ASOIAF lady, whose point-of-view is introduced in perhaps the most iconic sentence of any introductory chapter:

She dreamt she sat the Iron Throne, high above them all.

I can’t think of a sentence in ASOIAF that better introduces the internal thoughts and view of its leading character.

In comparison, Sansa’s first sentence is receiving news about her father’s whereabouts, Daenerys is shown her new dress to meet Drogo, and Arya has crooked stitches again. Arya’s works to frame her relationship with Sansa and her internal struggle to fit the feminine Westerosi mold, while Sansa and Daenerys are setting up plot points. None of these interactions signal ambition, bad or good. Daenerys did not arrange her wedding, Sansa is just told the information by her Septa, and while Arya is aspiring to have straight stitches, that’s hardly an ambitious goal for a girl of nine.

Fans rarely, if ever, deny Cersei’s cruel, cold, often stupid ambition. In fact, it’s one of the reason people seem to love her. She’s internally open about what she wants - power - and when she wants it - now:

All of them are burning now, she told herself, savoring the thought. They are dead and burning, every one, with all their plots and schemes and betrayals. It is my day now. It is my castle and my kingdom.

- AFFC, Cersei III

The rule was hers; Cersei did not mean to give it up until Tommen came of age. I waited, so can he. I waited half my life. She had played the dutiful daughter, the blushing bride, the pliant wife. She had suffered . . . She had contended with Jon Arryn, Ned Stark, and her vile, treacherous, murderous dwarf brother, all the while promising herself that one day it would be her turn. If Margaery Tyrell thinks to cheat me of my hour in the sun, she had bloody well think again.

- AFFC, Cersei V

Cersei is the definition of a power hungry lady, scheming and cheating at every point. Yes, Sansa learned from her, but most of Sansa’s internalized lessons of Cersei’s were to do the exact opposite. 

"The night's first traitors," the queen [Cersei] said, "but not the last, I fear. . . . Another lesson you should learn, if you hope to sit beside my son. . . . The only way to keep your people loyal is to make certain they fear you more than they do the enemy."

"I will remember, Your Grace," said Sansa, though she had always heard that love was a surer route to the people's loyalty than fear. If I am ever a queen, I'll make them love me.

- ACOK, Sansa VI

Cersei isn’t the only POV character who views herself outside of conventional Westerosi standards and aspires to something beyond being a wife and mother. Arya Stark has ambition writ clear on the page, though it is not so cold or denying other people their rights or chances. Compared to Cersei, Arya doesn’t want everything, crown and throne and kingdom and all. She just wants something, and even that is denied to highborn women in Westeros. Even when she asks her father about her future, a man who wants to do right by his children and loves them, Eddard Stark is blinded by Westerosi patriarchy:

Arya cocked her head to one side. "Can I be a king's councillor and build castles and become the High Septon?"

"You," Ned said, kissing her lightly on the brow, "will marry a king and rule his castle, and your sons will be knights and princes and lords and, yes, perhaps even a High Septon."

- AGOT, Eddard V

With Arya in this, I see some parallels to Elaena Targaryen, who was so good at math and management she served as the secret Master of Coin while her husband carried the title. Elaena was “more willful than Rhaena, but not as beautiful as either of her sisters,” yet is also said to have been “more beautiful at age seventy than at age seventeen,” growing into herself like Arya is expected to. They both even cut their hair, Arya to hide her gender and Elaena to hide her beauty, both instances to gain freedom from captivity in the Red Keep.

Despite both these examples of ambition - Cersei’s all-encompassing, without care for how it affects the realm, and Arya’s attempt to find a place in the world outside the Westerosi model - it still becomes an insult when people speak of Daenerys and Sansa.

Critics claim Sansa is ambitious, and negatively so, because she “wants to be queen.” But this criticism misses a vital point of Sansa’s character. Unlike Cersei, she does not want to be queen because of the power and political influence, but because she will be living a song. In the start, Sansa’s got her head in the clouds, not to the dirty world of politics. Her very first chapter lays out this motivation incredibly clearly:

All she wanted was for things to be nice and pretty, the way they were in the songs.

When she thinks of Joffrey and being in love with him, it’s because he’s “handsome and gallant as any prince in the songs” (AGOT, Sansa II), 

Alternatively, it has been said that Sansa is ambitious because of her claim to Winterfell. But compare how Sansa thinks of her claim to how Big Walder Frey does. Despite being far down the inheritance line, he is certain he will someday possess the Twins. He’s likely willing to kill his family to become Lord of the Crossing, and already has killed Little Walder.

In comparison, Sansa isn’t the one who realizes her claim as heir to Winterfell, even after her two younger brothers are believed dead. It’s Dontos who mentions it, and after she still thinks that Robb will have sons to inherit.

But she had not forgotten his words, either. The heir to Winterfell, she would think as she lay abed at night. It's your claim they mean to wed. Sansa had grown up with three brothers. She never thought to have a claim, but with Bran and Rickon dead . . . It doesn't matter, there's still Robb, he's a man grown now, and soon he'll wed and have a son. Anyway, Willas Tyrell will have Highgarden, what would he want with Winterfell?

- ASOS, Sansa II

Sansa’s not ready to kill Bran and Rickon if they show up. Her arc is about taking off the rose-tinted glasses and seeing reality, but also working to make reality like a song. For example, her idea of the Tournament of the Winged Knights for Sweetrobin. It’s a song come to life, all by her making. TBD how the ending goes, of course, but it shows that trajectory.

And finally, Daenerys.

Daenerys is not driven by some lifelong desire to win and dominate. She’s forced into it, a la Brienne’s “no chance and no choice.” If Daenerys were raised in a stable environment, I have a feeling she’d be much more like Sansa: dreamy, hopeful, sweet and studious. Happy.

But instead, her eyes are open.

When she’s introduced as a character, she shows an awareness for the schemes and politics of the world. She knows her brother is called the Beggar King in the Free Cities, and is doubtful of the smallfolk’s secret toasts to Viserys III that Illyrio Mopatis claims happen across Westeros.

Like Sansa and Cersei, there’s evidence of her goals, hopes, and wishes in the very first chapter:

"I don't want to be his queen," she heard herself say in a small, thin voice. "Please, please, Viserys, I don't want to, I want to go home."

. . .

Dany had only meant their rooms in Illyrio's estate, no true home surely, though all they had, but her brother did not want to hear that. There was no home there for him. Even the big house with the red door had not been home for him.

Daenerys remembers home as the house with the red door in Braavos. It’s her brother whose only home and stability was the Red Keep, not her.

Throughout her journey of power to take back the Seven Kingdoms, she is doubtful at every turn and most of her wishes are for happiness, for peace, for stability.

Dany had no wish to reduce King's Landing to a blackened ruin full of unquiet ghosts. She had supped enough on tears. I want to make my kingdom beautiful, to fill it with fat men and pretty maids and laughing children. I want my people to smile when they see me ride by, the way Viserys said they smiled for my father.

- ACOK, Daenerys II

A queen I am, but my throne is made of burned bones, and it rests on quicksand. Without dragons, how could she hope to hold Meereen, much less win back Westeros?

- ADWD, Daenerys II

Even later, Daenerys is determined to bring peace to the lands she currently rules. She does plan to return to the Seven Kingdoms, but it’s not driven by pure ambition. And this is, notably, from a conversation when Prince Quentyn Nymeros Martell asks her to come back and claim them now, saying she has allies for that conquest. And still she turns him down, with promises that it will only happen eventually:

"Daenerys said. ". . . .One day I shall return to Westeros to claim my father's throne, and look to Dorne for help. But on this day the Yunkai'i have my city ringed in steel. I may die before I see my Seven Kingdoms. Hizdahr may die. Westeros may be swallowed by the waves."

- ADWD, Daenerys VII

And yet in both Sansa and Daenerys, these visions and hopes for the futures they might have are considered unbridled ambition, although they turn more on happiness and peace for themselves and their people, rather than the type of ambition Cersei has, which is clearly her own power and being heralded above everyone.

Daenerys’ thoughts in her sixth chapter of ADWD have the same energy as Sansa’s “I will make them love me.”:

"A queen must know the sufferings of her people."

. . .

A queen must listen to her people, Dany reminded herself. 

Daenerys has figured out how to make her people love her, by wearing her “floppy ears” and appealing to the masses, listening to them, et cetera. She’s also a bit ahead of Sansa in the realm of ruling, to be sure.

But how are these similar thoughts ambition in either of them? It’s an attempt to empathize and connect, not to throw away and disregard and rule by force and domination. Both these ladies are more nuanced, and the fandom does them a disservice by painting them as ambitious or power-hungry when at the end for both of them, it’s a desire to have a happy, stable, loving life.

[devitalise]

IMO ur august roundup + september TBR plz 🤲💜

CAS 🫣🫣🫣

so since the july wrap up i did finish another two books. mouth to mouth by antoine wilson. i rated it 4/5. the dialogue was really good, quite mesmerising honestly. the overarching message of what can be personally justified in pursuit of a life you feel entitled to was interesting to read and quite compelling. a guy meets a guy in an airport and he tells a story of how he basically breathed life into who would soon be his father in law, and in turn what he felt he was owed for being a saviour.

then i read outline by rachel cusk. i adored this book. 🤭 a writer goes to athens to teach a writing course in the summer. a novel in ten conversations, that is so deeply moving. she meets people who talk of their dreams, desires, what freedom means to them in marriage, raising children, how freedom plays into personal responsibility and self improvement (and happiness, specifically. is there a moment we truly stand still in our happiness before seeking the next facet of ourselves to change? especially pertaining to our relationships LOVE this conversation). 5/5

started august reading transit by rachel cusk—the second in the trilogy. more prose in this one as the main character goes through several changes in her life. conversations still around freedom, moreso of change with reflections on childhood and the value of suffering. this was still really good. 4/5

read kudos by rachel cusk to complete the trilogy. stylistically this is a blend of outline and transit. prose with monologues. lovely send out i think. conversations around art, politics, parenthood. a series for the literary girlies honestly. 4/5

then i read indelicacy by amina cain. absolutely stunning cover. sadly not much substance in the writing. very scarce, threadbare. it tries to go somewhere but never leaves. quite disappointing honestly i read it over a couple days and the premise is so good but the execution doesn’t come close to doing anything interesting. 2/5

i’m currently reading the brothers karamazov by fyodor dostoevsky and have been for the past two weeks so. HELP. if i finish this book in september then my tbr will be stoner by john williams, the picture of dorian grey by oscar wilde, and death comes for the archbishop by willa cather. i am really enjoying it so far but it’s literally like i’ll read a chapter and immediately go to sleep been very helpful for my nap times but progress is very slow going 😋