#the whole 'it was a foreseeable tragedy'

[angstigone]

just realized that naoko's and aki's relationship is very much imprinted onto andromache and hector and I now shall cry

[rootspiral]

Agatha All Along deep dive: episode 6 part 1

(Wandavision entries: [1][2][3])

(AAA entries: ep1 [1][2][3][4] ep2 [1][2][3][4] ep3 [1][2][3] ep4 [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][+1] ep5 [1][2][3][4][5] ep6 [1][2][3] ep7 [1][2][3][4][5][6] ep8 [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] ep9 [1][2][3][4][5][6])

ooh the "magick" mitzvah? I've been puzzling about the connection between william and billy, that's an interesting detail. I'll elaborate in a minute

I've seen a lot of irony about joe locke clearly not being 13 here, but the thing is, sometimes boys do suddenly hit puberty and have an insane growth spurt! and then you get the hilarious visuals of some guy sitting in a tiny desk in a classroom full of children.

my point being, they should have had joe dancing with a bunch of actual 13 year olds, it would have been so fucking funny

I love mama and papa kaplan, and it really gets to me that they lost their boy and don't even know it. I was worried about billy's episode because I thought it would be just a bunch of marvel tie-ins with no heart. glad to report I was wrong

lilia who hates witch stereotypes performing those very stereotypes in order to not fucking starve

william's reflection is billy reversed

lilia foresees william's death and billy's takeover, and she is SO sorry for him. patti as usual conveys so much, you can tell her heart is breaking but she's being kind and lying in order to not scare this poor kid. and this is exactly why being a Seer has always been a burden to lilia, how do you form any relationships, how do you love someone when you've already seen the day you're going to lose them?

“The Tower Reversed.” disaster, destruction, sudden upheaval. but reversed, it means miraculous transformation.

and there is something about lilia choosing this moment as the most representative for billy, a moment that symbolize both billy and william. this is future!lilia embracing her own strength and reclaiming the coven and the community she denied herself her whole life. and not only she includes billy in it, but also william as a fundamental part of billy, a kid that she protected and cherished despite meeting him only briefly.

not only lilia goes above and beyond for william, hiding the truth from him, inviting him to enjoy the party she knows will be his last. she hides the sigil on him so she can protect billy too, because she knows that another little boy is about to wake up in a strange reality and be so lost. she tells william he's a good egg, but she is the goodest egg.

I love the little choices here. wanda's voice on the radio, pretending she's in an idyllic sitcom marriage. and a real life marriage where wanda's 1950s tropes are reversed, rebecca is the one who drives and grabs her husband's hand to reassure him.

another great detail: the dissolving Hex reflected in the car window.

the parallels are taking my breath away. two moms, agatha and rebecca, fiercely loving and protective. both would blame themselves for their sons dying.

but sometimes, boys die. and to quote jac shaeffer, that is tragedy enough to fill the universe.

you can hear william's heart slow down and stop. then, when billy takes over, it starts beating like crazy.

and here's alice, who's also never met william (or billy) before, but she will unquestionably do her utmost to help.

I miss you so much, alice

he's so scared. the way he shakes his head and doesn't know where to look.

imagine being born yesterday, and suddenly you are in a different body and your head is cracked and you're surrounded by strangers. and your brother is nowhere.

that is the worst omelet I've ever seen in my life by the way

(also I know billy is used to instant growth, but imagine switching from child to teenager just like that, it's like going through puberty in two seconds. kafkaesque nightmare fuel)

and it's just so realistic and so moving that the kaplans are presenting a united front even though they are crumbling underneath. and they won't say any of it out loud because they are good fucking parents and it's their job to protect and worry without their kid ever feeling guilty about it. (billy does end up reading their minds because they're not equipped to parent a superhero yet. not that they wouldn't RAISE TO THE FUCKING CHALLENGE. I love you rebecca and jeff kaplan)

william liked classic movies, board games and magic tricks. there were budding hints at a goth vibe too, with dario argento quotes and creepy victorian posters. it doesn't seem at all incompatible with the person billy will eventually grow up to be, I know he had to settle into william's life, but he didn't revolutionize any of it, he kind of followed in william tracks. I think that yes, william died just as wanda dissolved the hex and it was a wrong place and wrong time kind of situation, but he also had to be a compatible donor - as similar as billy as possible, I don't know if genetically or soul-wise or what. they even look a bit similar, same ears, same nose, same eyes, same chin, same triangular face.

these guys really like doing mirror shots, don't they

by the way I will keep calling him Boyf because it's so damn funny, but I do know his name is eddie and I'm really really happy for the representation. there won't be any particularly deep meta about these two because gay boys are so, so far from my realm of interest or expertise, I'm sorry if you were looking forward to it. if you want to add context or ideas about them please do!

another possibility is that billy's soul, while not having any of wiliam's memories, was still shaped and conditioned by his dna and brain chemistry and past experiences, so in a sense william is still in there. you put software in a different hardware, it's gonna affect its performance.

I'll say this about boyf, he's very sweet. billy gives him this crazy story and he doesn't flinch, he just tries to understand and be supportive.

*cough cough* nerd

but look, he's pulling a detective agnes! he really is an agatha mini me.

ah yes, the future coven looking after billy even before meeting him. lilia giving him the sigil, alice being first responder on the site of the accident, jen saving his dating life by teaching him good skincare (he's a teenager! he's got pimples!)

you guys, I hope you don't mind me dedicating some time to billy alone, but I do like this episode a lot.

and tomorrow: it's the return of butch agatha!

go to episode 6 part 2

[synchodai]

It's very important to me that Jacaerys Velaryon is not perfect. He suffers from the same affliction Robb Stark and most young, inexperienced commanders do — that despite being good at short-term strategic planning, his decisions in the book absolutely suuuuck long-term.

He wanted to send himself and his brother instead of ravens because he wanted to prove to the lords that they could ride dragons.

“We should bear those messages,” he said. “Dragons will win the lords over quicker than ravens.” His brother Lucerys agreed, insisting that he and Jace were men, or near enough to make no matter. “Our uncle calls us Strongs, but when the lords see us on dragonback they will know that for a lie. Only Targaryens ride dragons.”

They were so insistent on proving themselves as "Targaryen men" that they couldn't foresee the obvious danger of how easy it would be for some lord to take them hostage or sell them out to the greens.

It was his decision to send Aegon the Younger and Viserys II to Pentos while leaving Joffrey in the Vale.

The Prince of Dragonstone also had to care for the safety of his half-brothers, Aegon the Younger and Viserys, aged nine and seven. Their father, Prince Daemon, had made many friends in the Free City of Pentos during his visits there, so Jacaerys reached across the narrow sea to the prince of that city, who agreed to foster the two boys until Rhaenyra had secured the Iron Throne.

In this part, you could tell he saw Daemon's children as seperate from the brown-haired sons and made the unwise decision of relying on a foreign connection that he himself couldn't vouch for. He reaches out to a foreign ally he never spoken to and suddenly the brothers who he sends off to the Free Cities are targeted by Free City warships? It's uncertain if he was betrayed, but this tragedy could have been avoided if Jace wasn't so complacent about the Pentoshi prince's loyalty to Daemon and Corlys's naval dominance remaining uncontested.

And finally his biggest achievement/blunder was calling for the dragonseeds. Yes, it gave them the raw firepower needed to take King's Landing, but it also had the worst long-term affects on House Targaryen as a whole. It gave a bunch of untrustworthy randos access to their most powerful weapons and shattered the already crumbling mystique of Targaryen Exceptionalism. Not to mention how it burned and killed scores of their own men who tried their luck at claiming.

Like a lot of his decisions, this is a reckless gamble that only seems like a solid plan if you don't spend too long thinking about the possible consequences.

His poor decision-making isn't as obvious on the show because they gave a lot of his wartime contributions to Rhaenyra, probably since she's their designated main character and they had to give her something to do, but it leads to the unfortunate outcome of fans thinking Jace was this noble, put-upon boy who had the wisdom and temperance his peers lacked.

That's not only untrue, but also flattens his character by putting him up on the "perfect prince" pedestal that is so clearly his albatross. A lot of his choices were motivated by hubris and the desperation to prove himself as a man and prince. Once Rhaenys died and Corlys was instated as Hand (with Jace convincing him), Jace was empowered to make such decisions and act as the de facto head of the blacks — and almost every one of those decisions eventually come back to bite them.

He was a smart young man, that was clear by how he was responsible for securing key alliances. But he was also a foolhardy and inexperienced boy who modeled himself after a peerless adventurer and a rogue prince. Corlys and Daemon's rashness was ultimately tempered by their age and experience, but Jace didn't have the luxury of living through his mistakes.

[sorryimananti-romantic]

sorryimananti-romantic's tumblr wrapped, 2024

tagged by @makeitmingi and @sungbeam <3

2024 review

this year i explored a lot of the darker characters/dynamics which was an absolute pleasure, but i think such heavy plots also drained the energy out of me (or maybe it was the absolute monster of a wip i was writing consistently all year). while i did slip in some fluffy lighthearted fics here and there, i decided to take a break in november from writing in general. after an actual no-writing few weeks, i went back to my wip series and decided to just follow my heart (as if i hadn't already been doing that before) but more importantly, not force myself to write.

as of 2024, i have written more than a million words in a span of 3 years. i think i deserve to be slow with writing now! (plus, life, folks. real life.) thank you to all my lovely mutuals and readers for the incredible support you've shown me here!

total statistics of 2024

no. of fics: 8 total wc: 190,299 (+ a solid 113,000 if we count the leaders) no. of wips: 1 (+ a few ideas that have only been brainstormed but not written)

genres explored in 2024

fantasy, supernatural, historical, royal, thriller, action, crime, psychology-ish, futuristic, tragedy, adventure, romance, mafia (basically... everything?)

first fic of 2024: siren

- posted: jan 2nd - pairing: siren!yeosang x sirenhunter!reader - comments: this was my first time writing anything related to the sea (if memory serves me right) so while this was quite the challenge, it was fun bc i wanted to make sth unique out of the typical siren x siren hunter plot. i'm glad the response was good!

longest fic: light

- posted: sept 10th - pairing: mafia/angel!seonghwa x chemist!reader - comments: i think this is my second fav fic from this year. the idea of 'what happens when an angel becomes evil' plagued my mind so bad that i just had to get this out of my system. plus, i love writing fantasy in general so this was fun.

last fic: the leaders | chapter I

- posted: dec 31st - pairing: ot8!ateez x reader, mafia au - comments: just posted, pls check it out! it's going to be a long series since it's been in planning and a wip for over a year now. the leaders is going to be my whole personality for the foreseeable future (plus, according to my schedule, it's going to end in the 3rd quarter of 2025 so... buckle up!)

top 3 most popular fics of 2024

guerrilla

- posted: jan 31st - pairing: serialkiller/vigilante/doctor!yunho x writer!reader - comments: when i wrote this, i had no idea it would blow up. it's lighthearted but i think the response triggered me to explore more morally grey characters and darker dynamics.

ateez as villains

posted: nov 5th comments: this marked the last fic of this year, and also the villain/dark characters arc I've had going the whole year. i think it was a nice wrap because i'm taking a break from writing other stuff and just focusing on finishing my ongoing series.

new world

posted: june 5th pairing: prince!hongjoong x physician!reader comments: i think this was peak morally black characters and peak toxic manipulative dynamics between the characters, yet there was a sad beauty to it. i enjoyed writing this very much.

yumi's personal picks

star 1117

- posted: july 10th - pairing: wooyoung x alienoid!reader - comments: and this is my fav fic from 2024! it has everything i love: wooyoung, space, time travel, wholesome side characters jongho and yeosang, alienoid reader who learns to connect with the human in herself, and such delicious plot twists and foreshadowing. i'm ngl, i'm the biggest fan of this fic, and it's prob also one my fav oneshots I've written. while this didn't blow up (why do my fav fics never do), i had sooo much fun writing this.

cyberpunk

- posted: march 27th - pairing: droid!jongho x programmer!reader - comments: this was THE toughest fic to plan (not the time travel ones, not even mafia, but THIS). i haven't read many droid stories so lack of reader knowledge, and then wanting to still make a plot out of it other than 'omg my boyfriend turned into a droid' was hard. i rewrote this so many times but i'm very satisfied with how it turned out.

wave (sneaking this here bc it's the only unmentioned fic LOL)

- posted: april 25th - pairing: teacher!mingi x teacher!reader (headcanons) - comments: this one was a fun filler fic (bc i'm guilty that I've not written much mingi, and bc i literally could not write at that time). i love a fluffy mingi, i love fluffy fics in general so this was the product of my simpness, if you will.

2025 goals

finish the leaders and finish posting it, not force myself to write, write better, read more fics on here, and explore more genres (atp will have to invent some), finish the current ideas before planning and obsessing over new ones vs writing whatever i want (a constant struggle), and finally, just survive :')

np tags: @lorensonebraincell @kitten4sannie @sp4ceboo @sweetinsaniiity @bvidzsoo @pirateprincessblog + anyone who wants to (if yall write for different fandoms, you can add a 'top artists/muses' section too.)

[notmorbid]

harrow.

dialogue prompts from harrow by joy williams.

you are a riot today.

my mother lacked good judgment in many things.

they abolished purgatory, but it still exists.

one should guard against excessive fear.

justice punishes, and mercy pardons.

you're just fucking with me.

astrology can be fun, i guess.

throw down your burdens of time and reason.

you are such a cold cunt.

we all live three lives: the true one, the false one, and the one we aren't aware of.

a ginger ale would be just the thing, unless you have a gallon of tylenol pm and a bottle of bourbon.

who asked to be born? not me.

try to be happy for me.

why are you being so unpleasant?

i'm glad ____ didn't live to see all this.

if you've got the right attitude, you're gonna be fine.

we're students at large. the world is our classroom.

you're older than everyone i've ever met.

everyone dies disillusioned.

i used to think ____ was lucky.

i would like to learn, but i can't seem to.

where did you come from? where were you born?

the past is merely a grammatical construct.

if you're blessed enough to save something, it doesn't stay saved.

goodness, i haven't talked this much in years.

our lives don't move in a horizontal fashion anymore.

human destiny has quite played itself out.

to dream of a fish means death, you know.

it's too late to be afraid, i think.

you're cheering me up, and here i thought i was cheering you up.

i foresee possible unpleasantness on a considerable scale.

i may not have handled everything as well as i could've.

i was complimented on my lucidity and calm.

it tastes better than it looks.

tell me everything, whoever you are.

it's been some time since i've had a visitor.

did you leave? you're so quiet.

you can beat the devil and not hobble evil one bit.

the devil's nothing more than evil's color distraction.

ethics is going to be the ruin of this operation.

repulsed or pitying: the emotions have become so similar.

denial is now an art, a social grace. a survival tool.

the more a person doesn't care, the freer he becomes.

the new thinking is that compassion is nothing but self-cannibalization.

every place is like every place else.

you're not as smart as you think you are.

you look as though you signed a new lease on life.

don't you tell me there's any sacredness to places.

mothers always want something more from us, don't they?

i wish i'd kissed ___ when i could have.

winning became losing, as you are well aware.

i've always had a fondness for the minor deities.

calamity is often necessary for rebirth.

in tragedy, everything has happened before it begins.

i don't know much about ____. i don't have the patience for it.

it's not my business to answer why.

we're pioneers, and pioneers have to be unconventional.

we're free to make our own new innocence now.

i like fragments. sometimes i prefer them to the whole.

i would like to take up living, rather than remembering.

i don't like god all that much.

maybe that was god's plan for me: to give me a darkly colored life.

even a rat needs a challenge.

i never should have sent ____ away.

what's it feel like, accepting your past?

you're a bold little brat, aren't you?

i never knew you had so much integrity.

you heartless little turd.

people pass through. that's all they do, really.

you can spot a moral hazard a mile away.

things used to add up. not so much, anymore.

[meadowlarkx]

8+8+8 Silmarillion Fic Recs 2024!

I was inspired by @sallysavestheday and @polutrope's recs to revisit some of the Silmarillion fandom fics I read and loved in 2024, arranged in lists of 8 long fics, 8 short fics, and 8 bite-size fics that made my year delightful. With plenty of things still on the TBR, I figured I would nonetheless share a few faves!

Fics and summaries under the cut!

Longer fics

Penumbra by @imakemywings (Maedhros/Thingol, M, 18k)

Maedhros presents himself as a diplomatic guest to Doriath, certain he can convince the king to do as Maedhros wishes him to if he only had the chance. It is possible Maedhros is less than prepared for Doriath than he expected.

This is the kind of longer fic that feels so beautifully fleshed out and lived-in to read. Thingol characterization here is INCREDIBLE as is the slow build court romance, political dynamics, and light mentor/mentee. So key to my conception of this amazing ship.

naught green upon the oak series by @welcomingdisaster (Maedhros/Maglor, E, 37k)

Maglor returns from the Bragollach. Or someone returns, anyhow.

I love this Gothic widower Maedhros so much. This CoH-inspired Maedhros/Maglor (in which much is being compartmentalized) is so dreamlike to read. Himring feels like a house in a fairytale, Maglor its lost princess. Also, really sexy.

Mélamar by @buds-of-marjoram (Maedhros/Maglor, E, 40k)

Nelyafinwë doesn't have the sight, yet his dreams are filled with blood, fire and screams. Even in the peace of Valimar.

Please imagine a world where Maedhros foresees the dreadful events and moral spiral of Silm in advance, shares his misgivings with Maglor, and then the tragedy is averted by their close bond and increasingly public D/s relationship as Maedhros takes the reins of politics in Valinor to arrange the pieces on the board differently than in canon. This lavish, sexy fic brings me SO much joy.

What Blooms on Ard-Galen in the Springtime by @jouissants (Maedhros/Maglor, E, 8k)

The grasses and flowers sleep beneath a blanket of white feet thick. When spring comes and Maglor walks among them again, all will be different.

I could not resist the chance to rec Maglor lady-lord of Himring of my heart. This accidental pregnancy AU is so gorgeous and tender. Maglor doubting Maedhros' valuing of him and then it being so plainly affirmed and reaffirmed heals me. Please also read jouissants' absolutely epic postcanon Strange Currencies, which I can't say enough about!!

The Worst Are Full of Passionate Intensity by steadfastalysanne2022 / @last-capy-hupping (Thuringwethil/Ungoliant, E, 7k)

In which Ungoliant comes to Middle Earth, nearly slays Morgoth, and recruits a new servant within a week.

This is so incredibly hot and unhinged and such a gift to fandom femslash. Thuringwethil attracted to power and enmeshed in its hierarchies, served by others and seeking someone worthier/worthiest to serve herself, then biting off way more than she can chew with Ungoliant, is all just so good. Reading it for the first time made like my whole week.

And Love Grew by @polutrope (Maglor & Elrond & Elros, T, 23k)

As a host of survivors makes the journey from Sirion to Amon Ereb under Maglor's leadership, old bonds unravel and loyalties crumble. But from the scraps and ruins, new and unlikely bonds take shape. A story of perseverance through suffering.

This is written in such a classic and considered style--it's beautiful canonverse feelings and atmosphere. I love this story's grim yet so expressive tragic hero Maglor and very bleak (hurting me) leader Maedhros.

Kiss and Marry by @thecoolblackwaves (Celegorm/Curufin, M, 4k chapter fic)

Curvo and Tyelko get married. What could possibly go wrong with these two together?

Curufin thinks carefully and chooses a spouse: who better than Celegorm? This is such good crackfic, it had me cackling aloud to read. This isn't a ship I usually have a lot of feelings about, but the marriage premise and the hilarity/sincerity of it all really made it for me.

Laurë by Huiniel (Glaurung/Maglor, Fingon/Maedhros/Maglor, E, 29k)

Glaurung takes Maglor captive, hypnotizes him, and fucks him on a pile of gold. That's all I have.

(I love this summary, which I read via googletranslate, along with the rest of the fic--it's originally in Russian if you prefer to read in the original!) I can't not mention this fic, updates of which have been such a prominent (and thrilling) feature of my 2024 reading experience. Maglor is rescued from Glaurung's clutches, but he isn't the same as he was before. I love the dynamics between Maglor and Maedhros and Maglor and his other brothers and the angst and smut of it all.

Shorter fics

one whole with my other by @i-am-a-lonely-visitor (Míriel/Indis, E, 4k)

“Indis-i-Noldóran,” spoke the Maia through a mouthful of rain. “I bear news of one who will return to your house.”

God... god. So poetic and beautifully written, so tender and sexy. This fic makes me cry every time I reread it. I love arranged marriage setups and this story, with newly and vividly alive Míriel returned to a lonely, proud, and noble Indis in a reconfiguration of the Finwë-Míriel-Indis relationship/Statute, is such a beautiful take on them.

The Patience of the Oak by @imakemywings (Galadriel/Melian, G, 3k)

Galadriel is determined to show Melian she is capable of more than Melian believes. Melian wonders if her pupil grasps her lessons.

This is just incredible--so poetically written, so magical and atmospheric. The power dynamics and mentorship and osanwë are amazing and Melian's vast and eerie presence are peak weird Maiar. Young, reckless, proud Galadriel is captured perfectly. Also, one of the sexiest G-rated fics out there.

To Wear a Heart So White by Tilion / @tilion-writes (Maedhros & Maglor, T, 2k)

“Will all great Ulmo’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand?” Maglor whispered hoarsely. “No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red.” “My hands are of your color,” Maedhros growled, “but I shame to wear a heart so white.”

Maedhros and Maglor at Sirion, and dialogue from Macbeth. I've been captivated by this ever since I read it. Each line is so well-placed and the dynamic between them sings. I love the way this concept is used to express the canon violence and tragedy of it all, too.

Banked Fires Blaze by Chestnut_pod (Aerin & Fire Pot; Aerin/Brodda, T, 2k)

What is it to be made for a kinder world?

This fic is SO creative and brilliant--telling Aerin's story and the burning of Brodda's hall as part of a longer folktale/myth about women and hearths and Brodda's people and the coming Dagor Dagorath. I really love examinations of non-normative/human/"bad" traditions and cultures in Tolkien and I was blown away by this portrait of a different kind of Silmarillion myth!

Proxy by @aipilosse (Celegorm/Celebrimbor, E, 3k)

Celegorm's nephew seeks him out one evening in Nargothrond. Celegorm is playing king, but Celebrimbor's game is less clear.

This is so juicy and gendery--masc transmasc Celegorm comparing Celebrimbor to Lúthien. Celegorm leaning further and further into playing the villain and Celebrimbor struggling with the family's deeds, the break between them imminent, makes for such a good dynamic. Dark and sexy and fraught!!

the ways of birds by @welcomingdisaster (Maglor & Maedhros, T, 4k)

When Maglor is captured in the aftermath of the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, he doesn't expect a rescue.

Whump in the venerable whumpfic tradition and honestly so formative to me. I love how gritty this is and how vividly I can picture the wretched goblin march through the landscape. I LOVE Maedhros rejecting political expediency and rejecting pragmatism to save Maglor.

My Son by @polutrope (Fëanor/Maglor, E, 3k)

“Father, I assure you: it is nothing. I would choose you a thousand times before any husband. Ever would I choose my own blood before that of a stranger.” After his exile to Formenos, Feanor locks himself in the vault with the Silmarils. Makalaure goes to him.

This is such an eerie and beautiful dark fairytale. With how entwined the Feanorians all are by the Oath and their loyalty to Fëanor, this relationship makes only too much sense in this story. I love Maglor's desire and the gender and selfhood of it all, and how unsettling and selfish Fëanor's taking possession of him is.

make me come alive by @queerofthedagger (Maedhros/Maglor, E, 6k)

Maglor struggles to give up control. Maedhros makes sure that he learns.

MY SILMSMUTEXCHANGE GIFT!! Himring Maedhros + osanwë lifestyle BDSM + Gap Maglor. This builds deliciously--it is sooo sexy. Maglor's loyalty and Maglor struggling to accept Maedhros' authority--but needing it, it settling his guilt and unease--are fantastic. One of the hottest unhinged Maedhroses I have read. I love the way his presence looms in Maglor's mind even in his absence and how convinced he is that he has Maglor's best interests at heart.

+ 1 extra: Forbidden Prey by @whovianofmidgard (Celegorm/Maglor, M, 3k)

Celegorm doesn't know that he is attracted to his older brother, Maglor. He ends up pushing him away, while searching for Maglor's traits in his other potential loves.

I have to mention this fic because I simply enjoyed reading it SO much. I love a feminine Maglor and a Celegorm who wants Maglor and is taking that out on him. The hints of background Maedhros/Maglor, Celegorm's jealousy and obsession, and the way this spirals into Celegorm's attraction to Lúthien are all just catnip to my brain.

Really short fics (under or around 1k)

The Fortress by TheLegendCreator (Himring & Maedhros, G, ~500 words)

A Dwarf visits Tol Himling and wonders about the craftsmanship. He listens to the stone-song, and it tells him the tale of an Elf-lord that wove his heart into stone.

I love the mythic/fairytale vibes of this--the way Himring's stones remember Maedhros, and the dwarven OC is chilled hearing his tale. It strongly evokes to me the "deep they delved us, fair they wrought us" memory and history of Tolkien's ruins and landscapes.

sundial by @swanmaiden (Pengolodh/Dírhavel, G, ~500 words)

Pengolodh meets a kindred spirit in the market square at the Havens of Sirion.

This is so bittersweet--the humble but bustling life of Sirion before the kinslaying and the mutual recognition of these two historians and tellers of tales. Knowing what's to come makes their brief connection and Pengolodh's resolution to share his feelings hit all the harder. You get the feeling that he never gets the chance to.

One Thousand Days by @melestasflight (Uldor & Maedhros, T, ~800 words)

Uldor has spent one thousand days carefully observing the Lord of Himring. Because everyone has a weakness, and Maedhros’ weakness lies in the West.

I just love the POV switch here on Tolkien's "villainous" peoples, the way this story makes Uldor's betrayal seem not only compelling but reasonable from his perspective. The arrogant preoccupation of Elves with other Elves, the rumors of the kinslayings, Uldor's dying curse flung at Maglor.... all so good.

Fire by @buds-of-marjoram (Maedhros/Maglor, M, ~300 words)

My brother came back; an inferno.

This brief ficlet is so evocative and so sensual. I love the BDSM dynamic here and the Maglor POV of Maedhros--the way Maedhros has changed, become cruel even, but they adore each other and are completely entwined.

Let the water hold me down by BloodwingBlackbird (Daeron/Melian, E, ~900 words)

Daeron and Melian and songs.

Melian captivates Daeron and Daeron gives himself and his music over to her as her conduit. An absolutely incredible eerie, otherworldly Melian and the patron/artist dynamic is so sexy. Daeron's juxtaposed with Maglor--who can't understand what he shares with Melian and can't decide whether to pity or envy him for his queen's patronage. So vividly and poetically written. My Innumerable Stars gift!!

crowns and other trinkets by @thelordofgifs (Maedhros & Maglor, G, 1.4k)

In the years of Maedhros’ captivity Maglor would indulge himself, sometimes, and open the chest, and admire the treasure within as though he were yet a fanciful child trying on his brother’s baubles; and he would tell himself that he would hear Maedhros’ laughing voice at the door any moment now, saying, Are you going through my things again, little magpie? Before the Mereth Aderthad, Maedhros and Maglor sort through some jewellery.

I always adore Maglor haunted by guilt from his "kingship" and this scene brings so much of that for me in subtle ways. I love Maedhros' attention to Maglor, the way he wants to foist adornments on him, and the way the pieces of jewelry link past and present, bringing younger and happier moments into the room in bleak Beleriand where they must decide which of their few things to part with. Hints of Celegorm being cruel and accusatory to Maglor during Maedhros' captivity are the cherry on top for me.

Atonement by @jouissants (Maedhros/Maglor, G, 1.5k)

Maedhros and Maglor, home at the end of the world.

Out of so many amazing fics and amazing Maedhros/Maglor fics from jouissants this year I struggled to pick what to put on this list but it had to include this one--so comforting and tender, I've reread it so many times. I LOVE this weary canon divergence Maedhros--how determined he is to love Maglor well despite everything, to stay with him, to not choose death--how he's deeply satisfied by Maglor's small comforts, too, despite things not being easy and their life being so humble. Maglor pregnancy literally can fix them I believe it.

Surfeited by sabcatt / @shinraelectricpowercom (Celegorm/Dior, E, 1.1k)

Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, The appetite may sicken, and so die. After the Ruin of Doriath, Celegorm has some fun with his prize. Dior would like to get off this ride.

This is like the best evil "tender"(-ish) noncon ever. Celegorm/Dior is such a good ship all the time but especially when Celegorm gets the chance to be horrific and to take out his thwarted attraction for Lúthien on Dior. This brilliantly crafted smut is bringing it all. Go read it...

[deusvervewrites]

Concerning the “MHA ending worse than Naruto”…

Ignoring everything else, at least the “AFO had a hand in Shigaraki’s tragedy” twist was something foreseeable and didn’t come out of nowhere, while still being somewhat surprising (with Tenko originally having a Quirk).

Meanwhile, Naruto had “hey, the Ten-Tails was actually a goddess and this other villain is her secret third son who orchestrated the whole thing, and none of it was even hinted at”. I can’t even.

Also aliens

[burst-of-iridescent]

atla live action thoughts: episode 2

SPOILERS AHEAD

tw: opinions

things i liked:

love, love, love the depth they're adding to suki here. it feels as though they've drawn on the bits we get from the original and deepened it - it makes total sense that suki would feel stifled after having been trapped on kyoshi her whole life, and it adds more weight to her being inspired by sokka to leave kyoshi and go to ba sing se in the future

really enjoyed maria zhang's performance as suki. she brings the fierce strength, but there's also a softness and vulnerability to how she plays the character that's really nice to see

as much as i love suki kicking the sexism out of sokka, toning down the overt misogyny was a good idea, especially since it pretty much disappears from sokka's arc after this episode. i think they did a good job addressing the spirit of the original in having sokka try and show off to suki only to be severely humbled and still choosing to better himself by going back to learn from her

aang and katara laughing at sokka's horrendous flirting... biblically accurate book 1 trio dynamic

i wasn't sold on iroh in the first episode but paul sun-hyung lee 100% won me over here. the scene where he tries to convince zuko to eat quailpole egg felt right out of the cartoon lmao. i do like that this iroh seems to be trying to steer zuko to the right path earlier and more obviously

thank GOD aang still seems to be affected by what happened at the southern air temple. i love the scene where he was hesitant to train because the only person he'd ever trained with was gyatso. going from discovering genocide to riding the unagi was always a major tonal whiplash in the cartoon and it barely worked in animation so i'm glad they're giving aang's trauma the weight and respect it deserves in live action

the action and bending continue to impress, as do the visuals and cinematography. the show is just so visually beautiful to watch and it feels like a fantasy world take notes percy jackson

things i disliked/am conflicted about:

don't really get why we're delving into kyoshi so deeply here. it's not a bad change but neither do i see the need for it when we could've spent the time on other things. if anything, the avatar who should be more fleshed out at this point in the story is roku

katara receiving the waterbending scroll from gran-gran instead of stealing it... i get it, but i also don't love it. it really spoke to katara's desperation and will to become a waterbender that she stole from pirates just to get a chance to learn, and it also highlights the tragedy of what happened to the southern water tribe benders that she had not a shred of her culture or heritage left to guide her

i don't think sukka had to be pushed so heavily in this episode lmao. once or twice was fine, but it was starting to get a little cringe by the end. also not a fan of them kissing at this stage, especially if they're keeping the yue/sokka romance. maria and ian do have pretty good chemistry though

why are we going to the north pole because aang had a vision of them being in trouble?? wasn't needing to learn waterbending enough?? i don't mind them foreshadowing the ending battle but aang needing to learn the elements is the driving force of the show and it doesn't feel like we're getting that here

why is zhao... like that. there is no WAY animated zhao would've ever proposed working with zuko. this zhao feels a lot more like a long feng or a littlefinger than the reckless, hot-headed original who was meant to be a foil to zuko. the whole reason for introducing zhao is to show us that zuko is not the worst of the fire nation by a long shot, but between the two in the live action zuko still feels like the more unlikeable one and that's worrying. i hope we're still getting the zuko v zhao agni kai bc i have no idea where this storyline is heading

aang can only talk to the past avatars in the avatar's shrine? i can foresee this causing issues later on in book 2 and 3, if they happen

i'm guessing the zuko/katara "fight" here is supposed to replace the "i'll save you with the pirates" (RIP you were always gonna be too iconic for netflix) but it just feels out of place. what do we really get from this scene that we didn't know before? in the original scene, this is the moment we see katara master a new waterbending move AND use it in a fight but she's already bending earlier in the episode so it doesn't have the same effect. zuko seeming ready to burn katara while she's cowering and defeated also doesn't feel like something zuko would do. the dude spared zhao, of all people.

overall episode rating: 7/10

[gabessquishytum]

Not to get my grimy little angst hands all over everything, but the Dream oracle fueled by virginity/horniness ask spoke to me and now you get to suffer with me.

Dream's visions are powerful and accurate from years of being kept on the edge without ever going over it. But the thing about visions is, sometimes they're good, and sometimes they're… bad. And over time, as years pass, it starts to wear on him. Maybe he has the misfortune of living during a trying time for his nation, maybe he just has so many visions it just works out that way. Either way, Dream is no stranger to foreseeing tragedy.

Hob will be making him feel so good, he's in this haze of pleasure, and then suddenly he's seeing a crystal clear vision of a plague, or a war, or any number of tragedies befalling his land. Bodies on a battlefield, families starving, floods, injustice, etc.It becomes harder to lose himself in Hob's ministrations, always so scared of what he'll see this time. He still gets worked up, his body still reacts to everything, and Hob knows what works best for him, but he struggles to actually enjoy it anymore. Even when he has a good vision, he can't appreciate it because it just makes him more anxious for the other shoe to drop- makes him certain that the next one will be blood or fire or heartbreak.

He lasts a long time. But one day, Hob comes to Dream for his routine round and Dream looks up at him and bursts into tears.

Hob doesn't touch him below the waist that day, he just holds him and strokes his hair. Eventually, he whispers to Dream, "Run away with me. There are other oracles, you've sacrificed enough for your people. Let me take care of you."

It takes a lot of convincing - this has been Dream's function for so long, clearly this is what he's good for, it'd be selfish to squander his gift. Hob is very firmly Team Selfish, and Dream is just so so tired, eventually he agrees. He just can't do it anymore.

So they run off into the night- Dream leaves basically a letter of resignation in his room, mostly for his family, and they take off for a land far away from their own. They find an inn far enough away for Dream to feel safe, and he begs Hob to fuck him, he wants this to be over before he loses his nerve. Hob is very gentle, and he does everything he can to make it good for Dream, but he still cries and sobs and shakes because pleasure has gotten so tangled up with fear and tragedy. It'll take a long time, a lot of patience and love from Hob (both of which he has an excess of) before Dream will be able to relax and truly enjoy sex again. But for now, Hob just does his best to make it soft and quick, the release of Dream's body finally releasing him from his role.

Afterwards, Hob holds him and kisses him, and Dream sleeps for almost two days, his body finally able to properly rest after years of being kept keyed up.

(The last vision he ever has before finally cumming on Hob's cock is of the two of them, slightly older, sitting together on a porch overlooking a distant seaside. And cradled in Dream's arms is a baby with messy black hair and warm brown eyes.)

-🦇

This is so good, and it makes a perfect continuation of the other bit of oracle au that original oracle anon came up with!!!

So maybe Dream gets kidnapped by Burgess, or maybe it is just completely overwhelming for him to carry on doing this job. It's a huge sacrifice for his mental health, surely no one would deny that. Hob loves making Dream feel good but he hates seeing the tears that slide down his beautiful cheeks after a particularly haunting vision. Honestly, Dream doesn't need a whole lot of convincing to leave. Even if being an oracle is his function, its not just him that he needs to think about. He wants Hob to be happy, too.

It's a terrifying step into the unknown. Dream is used to being touched but he's also used to having his pleasure ruined. It's quite difficult for him to go beyond that sacred line, one that he's never crossed. Not to mention the completely different (and previously forbidden) sensation of penetration with Hob’s cock. He's brave, though. And Hob tries very hard to make it good for him. If nothing else, the orgasm that Hob gives him leaves Dream feeling relaxed and free.

As their sexual relationship develops, Dream gets to slowly and carefully discover the things that he likes. He'd consider himself rather experienced, except that everything is different and the rules have completely changed. He's allowed to find out what makes him cum, he's allowed to take him time or just have a quickie where he gets off against Hob’s leg.

(He really, really likes having Hob's cock and especially his cum inside him. That's a new thing that he'll never be able to get over. He's not particularly surprised when he conceives their adorable little baby, what with how much he begs for Hob’s cum.)

It's a very happy life. Dream spends his nights lovingly impaled by Hob’s lovely cock. It helps keep the nightmares at bay. He knows that he's safe, and well, and happy in his new life. He's full, and in the morning Hob will kneel between his legs and smile up at him, ready to give him an orgasm to start the day <3

[notebooks-and-laptops]

Okay so having had a night to process the ending and the choices given to you; I think I actually really like that bg3 has no perfect choice in the endgame. Like. You or your companion become an illithid the thing youve been fighting against becoming the whole game, and it's uncertain if those characters retain their souls/sense of true self etc. post transformation OR you probably doom the Githyanki people to continue in their military cult for the foreseeable future OR your good friend Gale blows himself up. Like. There's real sacrifice here, there's no easy option, there's no simple way out. Whatever you pick, there's a real negative consequence, there is a real ultimate sacrifice you need to make. Compare that to DAO (which has such a similar end game in many ways) where theres a somewhat easy way to avoid the tragedy the game is working towards (especially when you meet Kieran in DAI and it's literally fine), I think Baulders Gate standing by there being no perfect decision right at the end, despite how it might upset some fans/players is actually really cool and makes the game feel more real, consequences more intense.

[imagine-silk]

Number 9/20 please, with either Preston or MacCready, with them being the one injured (Preston preferred, but which ever got you more inspired!)

》Nah, you're getting the two for one special. But Imma do it one at a time. [Ignore that last thing I lied]

Preston survived again. A band of super-mutants attacked a group of raiders, then those raiders ran to Sanctuary to get cover, or at least bodies between them and the mutants, resulting in the biggest raid since they took over. They picked up arms quick but quick is never enough. He survived but not everyone did.

The bullet taken out of his leg would effect him for weeks and you knew it. And he did what he always did in tragedies like this; he tried to keep going. He purposely refused painkillers to make sure he wasn't out of it enough to have to sit down, you weren't in the room at the time to make him take it. You would have shoved it down his throat.

His leg was barely wrapped when you caught him limping out to help with the clean up. You thought getting shot in the leg would persuade him enough to stay still but of course it wasn't. You quickly forced him back inside. It was ugly, the fight that came after. There was blood, sweat, and tears on both sides. You yelled at him and he yelled back.

In the heat of the moment, in that anger, you kicked his leg to grab him and get him to bed. It worked. He screamed and didn't struggle, he held onto you with all his trust knowing you would never drop him. You were both crying when you got to the bedroom, all of the anger faded away and everything left was mourning. "You're going to kill yourself."

"Would that be so bad?" In truth you didn't want him to go outside and see the devastation, especially if he was uninjured. You didn't want him to see the aftermath and you counted your lucky stars he was shot. He immediately saw your face and backtracked. "I didn't mean that-"

"Yes you did." You brought his hand to your mouth and kissed it, hard. It was pressing it against your teeth really. "I know you did."

MacCready would never consider himself a lucky man but being shot in the throat and living felt pretty lucky. It was a joke between the two of you that your luck rubbed off on him but now it felt true. Well, it didn't feel true when it happened. A farm needed to get water filters and none of them were fighters. Go figure.

You would think you would be caring and doting but the two of you were talking shit, about the gunners and each other. You said he was stupid to get shot. He said you were lame for not killing them in time for them to do it. But you both agreed they were dumb for successfully shooting him and failing to kill him. It was gallows humor but hey, it was the apocalypse.

He wasn't happy about it but you settled in an abandoned building for the foreseeable future. Annoyed, he sat on the couch and took the whole of it. No matter how hard or incessant you kicked he didn't move, just stuck his tongue out and said he couldn't because he was injured. To which you said if he was injured he shouldn't be talking and that his legs were fine. In the end you gave him the couch. He won the battle but you won the war; he was resting, so as far as you were concerned he was untitled to it.

In the night however, you woke up and he was sitting on the floor curled into a ball. He had his gun in his hand. Being shot at was nothing new for either of you, but having one be successful, and to be so close to a fatal shot...

It took a while to get him to sleep again and even then he woke up not too long after. You sat on the floor with him and he got closer and closer. When his thighs touched yours you kissed his neck, not doting but affirming. He responded by moving between your legs and laying on your chest, placing his ear right on the center. You held him with no judgment. "It's okay, man."

[ihaventcomeupwthanameforaheroyet]

Finished Blood Communion.

I need some time to reorganize everything I know about these vampires in my head, but for now.

I am deeply impressed by Marius' character evolution which makes perfect sense to me and yet hits me as something totally unexpected. Like, I never expected this, but in hindsight it makes perfect sense. And this is something I will be turning in my mind for some time, how meeting Thorne triggered these changes inside him and how much this evolution will impact (and is already impacting) his relationship with Armand. (Marius and his redheads. Always a win regardless of whether you choose one or another or both.) Marius really, really became the man who can support Lestat's monarchy and (most importantly) reconnect with XXI century Armand because it's clear they couldn't just begin where they were interrupted - Armand changed a lot during these five centuries and so Marius had to change, too, before they could reconnect. And he did! I am at loss of words. I can't describe how much I like what I see.

I am still very, very bitter about the whole "Rhosh took only those whom Lestat truly loved and David was not on the list" concept, but hey. Not every love is supposed to last. Sometimes you just meet and support each other for a while and teach each other a thing or two and make some memories and then move on. That's not a tragedy. Attending your beloved's wedding is not a tragedy, for instance, if compared to attending the funeral of a young, promising boy who was supposed to outlive you by decades but didn't (or finding out a young, promising girl jumped into the fire). David is old enough to know that. And, thanks goodness, he was never the one to focus on romantic relationships. Nope, his marital status was always "busy fighting dragons", except with Talamasca it was more like "busy finding dragons". Busy finding dragons, busy getting to know these dragons, busy falling in love with a certain dragon... whatever, it's over now, time to move on. Time to continue whatever he was up to when he was interrupted, when Lestat came to take his life. Lestat doesn't care anymore? Good. It means David can reclaim his own life now. This is good thing, althought for now I am utterly heartbroken.

I can foresee at least three unevitable crises Lestat's Court is likely to meet somewhere soon, and I can't think of any proper solution for one of them, and I need to write this down at some point, but not today.

Also, I have certain hopes about this Court's present and future, and I really, really need to make a list of things I hope for, just for myself if not for someone else. But once again, maybe not today.

For now, I've finished Blood Communion, and I feel like I need another break from all these vampires. Until then.

[yandere-daydreams]

Would you be open to doing a Slay the Princess comm or are you still going through it all?

Because whether from the view of the princess or the monster/hero, I think you could do stuff about the horror of seeing the one you love come to you and knowing one of you will die eventually, maybe not in this life but some other life or past life because you have and will live and kill and live and kill, usually by the other's hand. And it has to happen several times before the end, if you're willing to even have an end instead of an endless loop of suffering but at least suffering together and loving together out of cowardice or fear of moving forward and having there be any sort of end to the limbo of love and hate and life and death.

i do still have to do a no-knives run through, but tbh, i feel like the game doesn't really need any,,, like,,, axillary horror material? it's already pretty much a romantic horror dating sim, and i think they fully got the whole 'tragedy and anguish and beauty of being hopelessly in love with someone you know you're going to hurt over and over again' thing down. plus there's so many routes that anything i could possibly write would probably just be a scene that exists in the game that i haven't played out, yet. overall i do not think my presence here is required, but slay the princess aus will be orbiting around in my deranged little mind for the foreseeable future.

[littlegreen]

I MUST CLARIFY - I am less in my mclennon era and moreso recognizing the gravitas of their whole thing and the tragedy of it all. In this case I believe mclennon is more important than Jesus but no you will not see me reblogging mclennon yaoi in the foreseeable future - THAT IS ALL!! 🫡

no no i understand completely. it's about the tragedy, the Narrative. i would never think anything less of you nisa.

[blackjackkent]

So. The Dark Urge playthrough. XD Here she is.

Her name is Rakha, she is a wild magic sorcerer who knows nothing but her name and the chaotic power that rages within her, and she is about to be having a very Bad Time for the foreseeable future, I suspect.

The origin description reads simply: "You remember nothing but a dark path paved with blood. Unimaginable cruelty whispers to you from within. Can you escape it? Would you even want to?"

The voiced origin introduction states, in a tone of deepest anguish: "My rancid blood whispers to me - kill, kill, and kill again. My ruined body yearns to reap death in this world. And when this foul Urge calls, it possesses my whole being. Injured beyond repair, I know nothing besides this: I must resist the Dark Urge, lest it consume my mind. I must discover who I was and what happened to me before my twitching knife hand writes a tragedy in blood."

So yeah. Real cheery situation. XD

[sounds-of-arabia]

A Destruction of Mesopotamian History: The 2003 Looting of Iraq’s National Museum

'Bush is criminal' mural in Al-Rashid hotel in Baghdad, commissioned by famous artist Layla Al Attar (ليلى العطار) in 1991.

Regardless of efforts to protect the museums and libraries of Iraq from being looted & destroyed, U.S. military successfully assigned men to chip away this mural of former President Bush on the floor of the Al Rashid Hotel. For days during the uprisings that occured subsequent to the first Gulf War, of 13 museums containing artefacts that ranged back to the dates of the mespotamian age, 9 were completely looted. Many of these stolen artefacts were discovered to being sold on the international black market.

Archaeologists in the United States consider the National Museum of Antiquities, thoroughly sacked, to be among the 10 most important museums in the world.

Examples of stolen artefacts:

a 4,300-year-old bronze mask of an Akkadian king - featured in most books of ancient art history

a small limestone statuette of a prince, circa 3300 B.C.

jewellry from the royal tombs of Ur dating to 2500 B.C.

a solid gold harp from the Sumerian era

a series of small ivories dating to the eighth century B.C.

second-century B.C. Parthian sculptures from Hatra

a collection of around 80,000 cuneiform tablets that contain examples of the some of the world’s earliest writing

To make matters worse, the Bush administration and his military presented this tragedy (their 'extensive looting' of the three major Iraqi cultural institutions in Baghdad) as a spontaneous, unforseeable operation. Where have we heard similar rhetoric? Their whole premise for the 2003 war on discovering so-called 'weapons of mass destruction.' It’s amazing how the US media perpetuates matters to desperately suggest that their actions are consistently justifiable, as after all, they are the ‘Land of the Free’ and the rest of us are in dire need of their support. This self-imposed moral obligation to establishing 'peace' and 'freedom' in Middle Eastern regimes falls nothing short of Western imperialism. Yet, what distinguishes this era of colonialism - more commonly understood under the definition of "neo-colonialism" - is that this intention is left somewhat vague, in other words, disguised. There is no direct claim that they are 'superior,' yet it is heavily implied through their rhetoric and the actions they’ve committed in destroying regimes that are seen as a threat to the hold that they (the White House) have globally. 

The Bush administration’s claim that this looting was not 'foreseeable,' is an excuse rooted in cowardice. They had every right to suspect it - the uprisings in the first Gulf War saw looting from nine of the 13 regional museums. The Iraqi National Museum was included in the Pentagon's 'No Strike List' prior to the war. This was a massive loss for not just the Iraqi people, but for the world, for this museum contained artefacts dating back thousands of years. 

Such tragedy informs - or rather, reminds - us of one thing: America's priorities have always remained the same. This example of 2003 simply reinforces it. They are driven by the classic imperial policy: divide and conquer. The only thing we can rest assured in is the tragic fact that the West will simply never change. This very geopolitical divide between the ‘West’ and ‘East’ is rooted in the mere desire to contain the power and resources of the East - we’ve seen it with the British in India, Iraq, Egypt; the Italians in Libiya; the French in Lebanon and Syria… the list goes on. What was once considered the hub of knowledge for the world became nothing but a place for power-hungry monarchs to quite simply, divide and conquer.