#they deserve to live their peaceful happy cottagecore life

[steve-needs-a-hug]

bbc merlin characters + hobby headcanons

Gwen - flower pressing

• Gwen likes to collect pretty flowers from the field or her garden and press them in a book. Sometimes when she writes a letter to someone dear to her, she'll place a dried flower between the pages.

Merlin - painting

• Whenever he can steal away a spare moment for himself, Merlin will paint on scrap pieces of paper - usually a small vignette capturing a memory from the day. They're impressionistic with a dreamlike quality to them, but once in a while when he has the energy he'll incorporate more detail.

Arthur - reading

• You'd think that because he spends a decent portion of his days poring over dusty old documents, doing paperwork, or learning speeches, reading a book might be the last thing Arthur would like to do in his free time. But reading a story in bed at the end of the day has become a pastime he quite enjoys - he especially prefers epic sagas of battles, romance, tragedy, and heroism.

Morgana - wine and cordial making

• She's become an expert in cooking up all manner of potions and elixirs, but in her home in the forest Morgana also likes to brew spirits, cordials, and wines with the variety of fruits and herbs she gathers in her woodland walks. Her recipes are top-secret but her sweet and aromatic concoctions are famous among the nearby villages.

Lancelot - miniature figurine painting

• Ever since he absent-mindedly played with one of those little soldier figurines used to mark out battlements on the war room table, took notice of the chipped paint, and brought the figurine home to repair it himself, Lancelot has become somewhat of an avid miniaturist. He started out restoring the figurines they used for planning war strategies, but eventually started handcarving his own from wood - he once very proudly presented Arthur with a little painted figure of the king, crown and all, which Arthur pretended not to be impressed by (he actually found it delightful).

[just-queue]

Final thoughts on Five x Lila situation

I get it. But I don’t want it.

I get it because of the following:

- Five deserved a piece of happiness after his long sad lonely life

- Five also acted totally in character the whole time. He retired and found connection with someone. Of course he didn’t want to leave. But also of course he eventually revealed he found a way home, because he knows it’s right.

- Lila was struggling with suburban life, and allowed herself to fall into this fantasy of living off the grid with someone who treasures her. The SECOND home was found, the fantasy broke and she didn’t run from it.

- Lila didn’t “trade suburban housewife with being a cottagecore wife”. Her life with Diego involved a pessimistic husband, organizing loud children’s birthday parties at arcades, living with family, balancing children schedules, etc. The time in the greenhouse involved survival, which is more “adventurous” than suburban life. It’s also paradoxically more peaceful.

- The mental vs physical age thing and age gap isn’t a big deal in canon for these characters based off their previous work fucking with time

- I did love seeing two hard-ass stressed badass characters be soft for one another.

- After six years, the growing hopelessness and realization they may never go back home, you’re going to intimately connect to each other in ways no one will ever be able to match, regardless of your past experiences with them. This is a very common troupe in fiction.

- Technically it was cheating, but I think the post-apocalyptic space-time forced proximity desperation is a very valid excuse and shouldn’t be seen as cheating, ESPECIALLY when she went back home the second she knew she could.

- Aidan as an adult gave consent to the scenes. We need to realize he isn’t a kid anymore, he can decide what he wants to do and we should respect it.

I don’t want because of the following

- I still feel icky that Lila knew Five with a child body, and now has romantic feelings for him? THATS the taboo troupe I personally can’t get behind. Age difference? Weird but fine. Knowing them as a child? Nope. But I also get this is a personal preference/feeling/reaction with the fiction I consume. And I know I said before their previous professions shows they know different mind/body age, but that doesn’t change the fact he had a child body when they met and she watched him grow up.

- It also feels icky the importance the writers put on Five having a romantic subplot RIGHT when Aidan was of age. Especially cause Five / Aidan are so sexualized. It’s not necessarily WRONG, I just feel icky about it.

- It was shortened because the season was short, so it didn’t land as well as it could.

Here’s the main reason I didn’t want it.

IT DIDNT NEED TO BE ROMANTIC LOVE.

I am aroace. I understand that deep intimate connections can be made without romance. Similar to how everyone says Frodo and Sam were gay lovers when in reality strong platonic bonds can reach that level of devotion and intimacy. Not every character needs a romantic partner, and Five never displayed any romantic or sexual affection for ANYONE until this.

(Before you say anything, YES he did have Delores, but that was also just a need for connection when alone for decades. That doesn’t change the fact she’s not a real person, and he would very unlikely be attracted to her without the traumatic apocalypse world.)

ROMANCE. ISNT. NEEDED. FOR. DEEP. CONNECTIONS. we could have had two platonic soulmates living a happy life together, with kisses on the top of their heads, sitting shoulder to shoulder reading books, holding hands while looking for scrape metal. BUT NO. IT HAD TO BE ROMANTIC. UGH.

Like the stuff post-subway could have been similar still without a dumb love triangle. Five could have been Lila’s person, like Meredith and Christina in Greys Anatomy. And when Five sees Diego and knows Lila’s feelings about their marriage and such, he would go into protective mode.

I will admit I’m bitter about media putting romance on a pedestal. And I’m also not saying Five should be canonically aromantic and/or asexual. I just feel the weird parts of the situation would have been “fixed” if it wasn’t romantic, just a true platonic bond.

[shxtodxroki]

Match-Up Exchange

These are some match-ups done for @strawberrisnow as part of a match-up exchange we agreed to! Thanks so much for reaching out and deciding to do this exchange with me, I had a ton of fun writing these for you and learning more about you! You seem like such an awesome person and I’d love to get to know you more in the future and be friends, and I hope you enjoyed these match-ups as much as I enjoyed the ones you wrote for me! Also this hasn’t been proofread so apologies in advance for any spelling/grammar mistakes :]

For My Hero Academia, I’d Match You With:

Eijiro Kirishima! :)

Reasoning:

I went back and forth a bit on this one and went through a lot of different options, but Kirishima was my very first thought and I just kept coming back to him when deciding on your match so in the end he definitely seemed like the right fit. He’s a perfect mix of sharing some similarities to you in his more positive outlook and many of your interests, while also being different in ways that would help you mesh well. He’s also an incredibly kind and empathetic person, so I think he’d just be the perfect partner for you overall

Headcanons About Your Relationship:

- First of all Kiri is huge on physical touch, you’ll never be low on affection in that way when you’re with him. He knows it’s taken you a while to feel comfortable with him, so especially when you first get together and/or when you’re going through a tough time he asks for consent before touching you, but as long as you’re comfortable with it he basically never goes anywhere with you without touching you in some way lol. And he frequently leans in to press a kiss to your head or cheek or your nose (his favorite spot), wherever he can reach honestly

- And he also love love loves kissing your beauty marks! He’s heard that superstition that their marks of kisses from lovers in past lives, and so he always feels the need to kiss over each of them as a way to show any “past lovers” that you’re all his now lol :>

- He knows that you tend to be your own harshest critic, so Kiri will always do his absolute best to contradict that voice beating you up inside your head by uplifting you and praising you whenever he can. And whenever he hears you talking negatively about yourself, he’s always telling you how much you bring to his life and the lives of so many others and how you deserve to feel proud of yourself for all the good you do, not beat yourself up for mistakes you’ve made. He never invalidates your feelings, though, he always lets you vent and share your thoughts with him even if it hurts to hear you talk negatively about yourself. He just makes sure to reassure you of how amazing you truly are as well

- I think he’d really enjoy playing video games with you! He loves that you still play on the DS since hand-held consoles are usually his favorites, and though he’d never played Animal Crossing before he met you, he decides to play it with you and ends up falling in love with the game lol. The two of you end up logging so many hours playing together and he’s always on the hunt for the perfect villagers for his island

- He also adores your taste in both fashion and aesthetics! He thinks cottagecore is so gentle and soothing and is a nice contrast to the often harsh and abrasive environment of the hero world, even if that is his personal taste it’s nice for a more peaceful vibe on occasion. And when it comes to your fashion he’s completely hooked, he thinks it looks so pretty and if you ever point out something specific that you like or would just want to try on, he always encourages you to go for it and takes lots of pictures 

- He probably hadn’t heard of dermatillomania before he got together with you, but once you’ve told him about it, not only does he research what it is so that he can better understand what you’re going through, but he also tries to help however he can. If you’re interested he’d be happy to buy you one of those picking stones online or something similar, though he never makes you feel judged for your condition. He just wants the best for you, whatever that means to you and is happy to fulfill anything you ask of him in that regard

- He also always notices any acts of service you do for him, even small ones like knocking an item off his to-do list. And he always thanks you with the brightest grin and a hug to show his gratitude, as he wants to make sure you never feel underappreciated in your relationship. He wants you to know that he sees you and what you do for him, and that he values your presence in his life every single day <3

- And while Kirishima’s a very bright and energetic person most of the time, he’s also someone who has his fair share of hardships he’s experienced throughout his lifetime. So he’s an incredibly empathetic and kind person, and he’s always willing to hold and reassure you when you’re going through your own struggles or anxieties, and to be a listening ear whenever you need to get something off your chest. If you need space, though, he understands that as well, as I said before he just wants what’s best for you so whatever you need from him in order to feel better, he’s more than happy to provide

- And because of your kindness, you’re one of the only people he’s ever felt comfortable enough around to tell about his own past experiences and insecurities. He knows you’d never, ever judge him, and knowing that you’re able to tell him your needs and worries allows him to feel safe doing the same, and the kindness you both share breeds an incredibly comfortable and safe relationship between the two of you

Second Choice:

I also really considered Tamaki for your match-up. He’s someone who would absolutely understand what you’re thinking and feeling a large majority of the time, as he’s very perceptive and feels many of the same things you do. I feel he’d be a very kind and understanding partner too, the only reason I decided not to go with him is because he seems like the kind of partner who may struggle to show his love verbally or through physical touch for quite a while, so I went with Kirishima as he shared many of these qualities and would also be more comfortable fulfilling your love languages :)

Song For Your Relationship:

I’m Yours by Jason Mraz <3

For Haikyuu, I’d Match You With:

Keiji Akaashi! :)

Reasoning:

When looking through all the Haikyuu boys Akaashi definitely seemed the best suited for you overall. I think the two of you have a lot of similarities, so you’d be able to understand each other well in a lot of ways and communication would be so smooth between the two of you because of that. And he’s also a very gentle, kind person, so he’d be the perfect person to be by your side in all moments, even during hard times :]

Headcanons About Your Relationship:

- Now I think Keiji would meet all of the qualities you look for in a partner, he’s absolutely kind and honest. But he’s especially loyal, he knows how hard it can be for you to grow comfortable with someone and he really treasures your love and the relationship the two of you share, so he’s fiercely loyal when it comes to you. He’s not really in-your-face or super public about you, but he has a picture of you of his homescreen and tells anyone who asks about it who you are straight away, and if anyone even hints at any interest in him, he’s quick and succinct in shutting them down in order to make his way home to you and show you that you’re the only one who will ever have his heart <3

- He’s also big on communication, it’s definitely a top priority for him in a relationship as well so the two of you would mesh really well in that regard. And he’s very open and communicative with you, he never raises his voice or loses his temper and he always talks things through with you, and your guys’ relationship is so incredibly healthy because of how much you both value communication since you rarely ever even have disagreements and feel like you’re able to be completely open and vulnerable with one another

- And he’s also incredibly understanding of your needs, whether it’s words of reassurance and affirmation which he provides with ease as he never gets tired of how important you are to him and everything he adores about you, or if it’s just some time to yourself which he’s also happy to provide. All he asks is that you check in with him when you feel up to it, so he knows you’re okay, and whenever you’re ready to see him again he’s happy to drop everything and make his way to you once more

- He knows that you tend to be a people pleaser, and while he’d never try to change you and in many ways admires your kindness and compassion for others, he’s always making sure that you aren’t being taken advantage of or stretching yourself too thin for someone else’s benefit. And oh boy, if anyone ever does take advantage of you they’ll have him to deal with. And while he’d never behave this way towards you, anyone who hurts you will see how truly harsh and vicious his words can be when he’s angry

- Akaashi’s also incredibly sensitive to and understanding of your OCD. when you first explain it to him, he does a lot of research and listens carefully to everything you tell him to make sure he knows what it means and what you may need from him, but he also understands that no amount of research he does will replace your own lived experience, so he always defers to you and listens to you above all else when it comes to your needs for him in being sensitive to your OCD

- I think he’d also really admire your love of art. He finds both ceramics and painting incredibly captivating and thinks they’re such beautiful art forms, and if you’ll ever let him watch as you work, he’d be completely hooked. He’s very interested in all kinds of art forms even if he doesn’t express it much (and he’s also incredible with color theory, if you’re ever struggling to blend a certain shade just ask him and he’ll have it ready in seconds) and you actually help him come out of his shell more in that regard and embrace his artistic side, with creative date nights like ones where you swap paintings one another to create two fun, unique pieces together :D

- Another common date idea between the two of you would be beach dates. He knows how much you enjoy the beach and the smell of the ocean air, so though he’s never been much of a beach person himself, it’s become somewhat of a regular occurrence for the two of you to get in his car and head down to the beach, because he’d do anything to see the serenity and happiness on your face when you’re at one of the places you enjoy most. And he really enjoys the sound of the waves too, even if he doesn't always go swimming with you he's content to just relax and listen to the sounds of the ocean

- He’s also so fascinated with your interest in languages, he finds intelligence and desire to learn and/or teach others to be incredibly intriguing and attractive so that’s definitely one of the qualities he would admire most about you. And if/when you decide to learn another language, he’s more than happy to help you study if you ask him to, and he may even end up deciding to learn it alongside you 

- He’d also really enjoy baking with you, I think he’s the kind of person who’s good at both cooking and baking when he has the time to do so. So on his days off, sometimes he likes to cook a nice dinner for you (and makes sure to avoid any spicy foods, since he knows you don’t like them) and then the two of you can bake whatever dessert you’re in the mood for together, for a nice treat to end off the night

- Bonus: He’d also be totally fascinated with your love of marine biology, it’s a subject he knows very little about but he’d be happy to listen to you infodump for as long as you’d like about the subject since he finds other life forms so interesting and loves getting to hear about your passions

Second Choice:

I was really close to matching you with Sugawara instead before settling on Akaashi. He’s very bright and optimistic like you, while also being incredibly kind and understanding. He’s big on communication and he’d understand whenever you needed space as well, he’d truly be a dream partner as well. It was really hard to choose between him and Akaashi and they both came pretty close, I just thought that Akaashi’s slightly more down-to-Earth nature would blend a tiny bit better with your personality overall :>

Song For Your Relationship:

I Like Me Better by Lauv <3

For Obey Me, I’d Match You With:

Beelzebub! :)

Reasoning:

When reading about the kind of person you are, my mind was immediately drawn to Beelzebub as someone who’s perfectly fit for you in most every way. I think he’d be pretty emotionally intelligent (just more subtle about it) and very sensitive to your feelings, and he’d meet all of your needs in a partner and a relationship

Headcanons About Your Relationship:

- You mentioned that a quality you’d really like in a partner is being kind to both other people and to animals, and Beelzebub definitely fits that, especially when it comes to animals. I think he’d actually be incredibly gentle when it comes to animals, especially cats since he says they remind him of Belphie :> But sometimes you catch him sacrificing some scraps of his own food (which you know he cherishes) to feed to strays around the Devildom, and he’s happy to invite you to join him when you eventually catch him in this routine

- And if you’d be interested, he’d love to get a pet someday too :) As I said before he’s a bit partial to cats but honestly he’d be down for pretty much any pet, and he’s really good at keeping track of feeding times and giving whatever pets you choose lots of love and affection as the two of you help it live its best life possible

- He knows how you enjoy sweets, so he’s always bringing you along to new places in the Devildom to try a yummy baked good or experimental candy flavor :D You’re literally the only person he ever shares food/sweets with on a frequent basis, and whenever he’s out buying food for himself and sees a little sweet treat he knows you like he makes sure to buy it especially if it’s peanut butter flavored (and restrains himself from eating it, no matter how hard it is) to give it to you when he sees you next

- He would also love watching cartoons with you! Whenever he knows you have a lot going on he always makes time to help you decompress, as he prepares PLENTY of delicious snacks and holds you in his lap while the two of you marathon whichever show you’re in the mood for at the time :> And he doesn’t watch them just to appease you either, he genuinely gets invested in the characters and storylines and days later he’ll randomly reference something from the show absentmindedly, it’s clear he genuinely enjoys many of the shows you show him

- He also becomes absolutely obsessed with slime. It starts with him seeing a few videos online and sending them to you asking “Is this what you were telling me about the other day?” and eventually he orders you a few different slimes, but when he feels all the different textures and notices the way it calms him to play around with one in his hands, he becomes hooked and buys a few for himself for when he’s feeling overwhelmed or hungry and can’t have food. He just has to be careful to avoid any with food scents, since he definitely couldn’t resist the temptation to eat them if he had them 

- He’s a very casually affectionate person, especially physically, so he’s often holding your hand or wrapping an arm around you when you’re together, even if he doesn’t realize it. He definitely loves cuddles too, once he’s had a nice big meal his favorite thing to do is visit your room, crawl into bed and wrap his arms around you like a nice, warm cocoon as he nuzzles into you and enjoys your company <3

And he’s very good with words too. He knows that you’re a sensitive person so he’s always careful to think about what he says before he says anything, because he’d never want to speak without thinking and accidentally hurt you in any way. And he’s big on communication too, he knows that a relationship can only work when there’s honesty and communication so any issues between the two of you are brought up and resolved before they can blow up, and you always work to solve any issues together as an “us vs. the problem” mindset rather than feeling pit against one another

- He also would be understanding of times where you don’t want cuddles or verbal reassurance and just need time to yourself, though. He never takes it personally when you push it away, as I think he’d have experience with situations like this as Belphie often reacts the same way when he’s upset or overwhelmed. It may take him a while, but eventually he learns how to read your emotions and know when you need space without having to tell him, so he leaves you with a warm cuddly blanket or your favorite drink and gives you all the time you need to decompress, while making sure you know that you’re welcome to come to him whenever you feel ready to do so

- And though he doesn’t often blush or get flustered, one thing that I think would actually make him flustered would be if you wore his shirts/clothes around the house. He already buys them to be a tiny bit big on him, so they’re comfy and oversized on you and the sight of you in his favorite shirt definitely melts his heart a little :> And he’s never really been a jealous guy, but it does bring him a bit extra joy to see you wearing one of his oversized shirts around the house/in front of his brothers, just because he loves being able to show off your relationship to others in small, subtle ways like that 

Second Choice:

I also considered Simeon when choosing your match-up. He hits a lot of the same qualities in a partner that made me pair you up with Beelzebub, he’s kind and gentle and I think he’d really admire you and be invested in a lot of your interests as well! Beelzebub just seemed like a slightly better fit, as I thought the two of you were the perfect balance between similar and different to make the best possible match

Song For Your Relationship:

Paper Rings by Taylor Swift <3

[corner-stories]

🍐 🍈 🍇

fruit emoji ask game for fic writers

🍐 Is there anything in canon that you absolutely hate and love to fix in fics? A wrong choice made, a fuck-up in characterization, a misunderstanding never cleared up, a conversation never shown onscreen, etc…

I wouldn't say I hate this but I would argue that it's criminally unexplored. I think a lot of things post-Rumbling were not explored as much as they deserved to be, like the state of Paradis Island, what Mikasa has been up to in the 3 years after the Battle of Heaven and Earth, as well as what exactly the Ambassadors have been up to during that time.

There's like... so much story to be told in here and it just gets glossed over. And hey, if we're not gonna get a sidestory/OVA about characters who aren't Levi, then I guess I gotta make it myself.

🍈 Who’s your blorbo and what are some of your favorite headcanons/ideas about them that repeatedly show up in your fics? Free pass to rant about blorbo opinions.

I'm a Jean Kirschtein girlie, have been from day one. A lot of my headcanons are about him pursuing art in his spare time. As a kid he began sketching with whatever he could find, usually pencils or charcoal, then as he gets older he comes across new supplies like coloured pencils and watercolour paint. I just think it's very human of him to pursue something small that makes him happy, despite all the chaos going around him.

Like damn, he seems to be the only Scout who has a hobby and that's how he barely kept it together over the years.

My end game for him really is him living at some seaside cottage where he spends the rest of his days painting. He deserves it.

There's also my Commander Kirschtein AU, which is exactly what it sounds like. Jean is the Commander of the Scouts because that's what us SNK fandom geezers believed would happen in the future. I just... I just really like the idea of Jean being in Command despite how it actually went down in canon.

🍇 Is there a particular scene/episode/book/etc that you want to just write a million fics about, over and over? Which one?

I'm not sure if this counts as a "scene" but as a Jeankasa truther, I've noticed that a lot of fics (as of recently) either take place post-Rumbling or during the timeskip between 850-854. It's essentially a genre of its own and I find myself eating that shit up. So I guess it's more of a in-universe time period that I wanna write a million fics about.

Also I just need to mention that a lot of the fics where Mikasa and Jean hook up during the first time skips are sad. Like... I'll be reading the most delectable citrus I've seen in a while but it will also feel sad. We love angst in the Jeankasa community, I guess.

I've written some post-Rumbling Jeankasa where they're just living a quiet cottagecore life, but I should write more. Something I'd actually love to write more about is specifically how they got together. And along the way, Mikasa slowly processes her trauma, maybe picks up a hobby that makes her happy, and learns to love again.

One of my ideas for them is Jean living that quiet seaside cottagecore life I mentioned and Mikasa finding that he's been on Paradis for years and didn't tell her. The reason why is that he wants her to be safe and him being considered a traitor to the island would jeopardize that, so in that he feels like he has to distance himself for her so she can live a peaceful life. And as one can imagine, Mikasa has a lot of conflicting thoughts on that mindset.

[eulchu]

rogie 💖💕

it was a little death heavy for a finale like they really wanted to cause some damage before they peaced the fuck out

sometimes charlie is so sweet and normal and then othertimes his reactions and thought processes really reveal the fucked up childhood trauma LIKE OF COURSE BABE WAS FUCKING DEVASTATED YOU PSYCHOPATH but I'm so so happy that they are back together and I need them to be happy forever now

sonic and north, I need the most heart wrenching devastating love confession and then they kiss whilst crying tears of relief because how the fuck has it taken so long and then they refuse to let go of each other even though sonic still tries to fein indifference but no one can take him seriously anymore because he melts everytime he makes eye contact with north

fuck tony, glad he died in a puddle of his own blood and it would have been wrong for anyone else to have killed him other than kenta, my poor sweet boy, he deserves so much love

way did not have to die and I honestly don't want to think about it too much because I'm in denial, also he's an enigma so surely SURELY there's a chance he's not DEAD dead ya know? but two fake deaths might be pushing it also my poor fucking boy babe, that was an extra layer of trauma he just did not need

jeff is pregnant and no one can prove he isn't, jeff and alan deserve each other so bad and bring me peace

winner gets an award for being the most pathetic and least serious villain ever

kenta???????? kenta needs to be adopted into the hunter fam immediately and looked after and loved and cherished and cuddled at this point I don't even care who by, he just needs someone

definitely need a special ep, heavily focused on northsonic and kenta and kim with the happy couples as background characters (and like towards the end it cuts to pete and way living happily in secret without anyone ever finding out way didn't die because apparently that was such an essential plot line)

anyway thank you so fucking much for your review I appreciated it so bad you don't even know and I'm sorry to your followers who do not give a shit about bl dramas but like maybe they should and I am here to support all the demons you have <3

oh my anogie ur my favorite person ever i agree with everything you said And you know what you're right in my mind way is somewhere safe living his best cottagecore life with pete and sometimes babe and charlie go to visit😭😭😭

[yiifu]

also i’m finally finally done with the main story bit of yuwu, still have the epilogue and extras (murong lian’s diary) to finish but wow like,, it’s been a truly wild ride. this story is so jam-packed because things just keep happening and it’s blown my mind more than mdzs. at some point during the last few chapters i was seriously gonna lose my mind with moxi. man’s made of steel istg how could he keep going after everything that’s been thrown at him? one of my fav lines was something about how moxi felt that he kept showing nothing but sincerity to everyone around him, and everyone around him had nothing but facades and lies to offer in return. his sincerity has been taken advantage of so many times, even by gumang. and i love that the story is not afraid to tell us that. sometimes even the ones we love also hurt us a lot. but in the end, moxi still never backs down on his sincerity. he stayed true to himself and what he believes in till the very end. our little fireball, stove, princess, shidi, the spirit of tuntian itself. i love him so much :(

(on a side note i found it very very cute how tall and terrifying xihe-jun, commander of the northern frontier army with a face like ice, has the cutest nicknames ever like, ‘stove’, ‘little fireball’, ‘princess’, even ‘silly princess’ im just like *head in hands* yes he is tall and scary and intimidating but he is also a tiny squishy baby)

also, this story just keep on having plot twists left and right, even until the last few pages. just when you think there can’t possibly be anymore twists left, meatbun just springs a surprise on you T-T mo xi and gu mang finally got their well-deserved happy ending and who would’ve thought that in the end, it’s murong lian who stays with our heroes? was a pity that murong chuyi had to go, i really liked him a lot and he never got a chance to showcase his real personality to others and to us readers. poor guy.

as for what happens after that, here are my headcanons: i suppose yue chenqing will rise to take over the northern frontier army commander position and ofc the head of the yue household. ximang and murong lian remain happily at the academy and raise the next batch of cultivators who will go on to establish great cultivation sects and change the world (look at the nangongs mentioned in the extras! i see what u did there meatbun). the haitang tree absorbs murong chuyi’s teachings which then manifests in chu wanning centuries later. jiang fuli leaves with su yurou to resume their nomadic lifestyle or settle down in a small village somewhere. they have children and somewhere along the way down their descendent line, jiang xi is born and he establishes the guyueye sect and becomes rich just like his ancestor once was. peace is established in chonghua once more, but things keep changing in the imperial jianghu and centuries later the new emperor of the mortal realm, taxianjun, wrecks havoc upon the land.

if there’s anything all these xianxia cultivation danmei novels have taught me, it’s that sometimes in the end, all anyone wants is a simple life in domestic, pastoral bliss. heroism and legacy is good, but the cottagecore enthusiasts were always right. sometimes it’s just better to be a commoner and live a quiet life away from the public eye. 

i haven’t finished 2ha yet, so there are some things that i’ve yet to look out for in the story e.g. mentions of the ancestors of the characters in yuwu. am very excited for that. thank you meatbun for creating these characters and this world!

[littlepinktarotqueen]

https://www.tumblr.com/littlepinktarotqueen/715225124388913152/hello-hope-youre-doing-great-can-i-please-ask

Whoa you're wonderful!!!!! Who answers in so much detail? And not only that but additional information as well? Had I known you'll be so generous with your reply, I would've sent you a much more deserving ask with lots of compliments! ♥️

The answer "probably" sounds about right 😂. Story of my life. Never a straight answer from the Universe! 😂 It's not you, it's me 😆. But atleast it's not a 'No', so I'll be happy with that. Regarding what all you've mentioned for time frame, actually I have already started a new phase of my life. I was in a very hectic 24/7 corporate job for a very, very long time. I quit it last year and I'm just relaxing now and living in peace in my downtime. I'm so burnt out, I have no plans for a new job right now, lol. So I am kinda in the Fool energy 😊, except for that I don't go out much coz I'm borderline agoraphobic, but otherwise it's alright :) This is actually literally the first time in my entire life that I don't have a future plan. I saved up a bit on my job and now I'm living in content. And my FS better be completely new as you said coz everyone I know is already married 😂. I really hope all this means that that time is arriving soon...

The relaxing on a blanket on grass by the river is totally my kind of thing! I'm actually hardcore into cottagecore, grandmacore and similar things 😂. The picture you painted was so beautiful 😊. I'm always shy and closed off especially when I'm out and about coz of my social anxiety, so your 4oS description sounds absolutely perfect 😂. But, I'm really looking forward for the Wheel of Fortune to manifest...as soon as possible.. coz I'm tired of waiting for my FS.

Thank you so much for such a wonderful reading and for all your time, energy and consideration 🙏. It was so kind of you. And thank you for such a quick response!! I wish you the very best of happiness and luck 💞

Hello!

Thank you so much for all your kind words! I'm glad the reading resonated! I'm really happy to hear that I helped you to find an answer to your question.

Inaccuracy in the response from the Universe is a common thing when it comes to something important. Also, according to Wheel of Fortune, if the situation should happen suddenly, then to give an accurate answer is to spoil the surprise 😉 So the Universe asks you to trust It 💖

And, ofc, you're always welcome with your questions! 💘💕💗

[yoong02]

@gukslove ♡

[vilmublue]

Since I earlier talked about the Varjak Paw books I loved, I wanna talk more about books I've loved when I was younger and still do.

The Brothers Lionheart is a 1973 Swedish children's fantasy book written by the around-here very famous Swedish children's author Astrid Lindgren.

The story is about two brothers, one more young and timid and doesn't feel he can do much, while the older brother he admires is very beautiful, brave, charming, kind and popular–very much a hero and like a prince from a fairytale, deserving of the name Lionheart.

It's an interesting story, as most of it is spent in an afterlife that is like a world of its own where people live very much like they do in the living world, and where it turns out things aren't all happy and honky dory. This is another case of a children's book with dark stuff in it. It is even a bit controversial.

The story starts in Sweden during the early 20th century, in the house of a poor dressmaker whose husband was lost in the sea years ago, and now her young boy Karl Lion is bedridden and suffering from tuberculosis. One day, the customers talk and because they assume Karl is asleep, they mention that the boy will die soon.

Karl is obviously distraught, but is comforted by his older brother Jonathan Lion, who affectionally calls him Rusky, because he loves dry rusk biscuits and especially loves his younger brother, though Karl cannot really understand why as he considers himself quite ugly and dumb. Jonathan tells him stories about Nangijala, a world beyond death, a land of campfires, fairytales and adventures where his little brother can play free. He comforts Karl by reminding him that one day he will be with him in Nangijala and he wouldn't have to wait for long even if Jonathan lives super old, because time works differently in Nangijala, and the dead can visit from Nangijala in the form of white doves.

One day, there's a housefire and Jonathan saves his sick younger brother by lifting him on his back and jumping out of the high window, the older boy sadly dying from his wounds caused by the fall. Jonathan's mournful teacher writes about him on the newspaper, reminiscing how they had read about the brave Richard the Lionheart and how the boy deserves that name as well.

Quite soon afterwards, Rusky feels his death approaching fast and writes his mom a note "Don't cry, Mother. See you in Nangijala," the similar words he felt he had heard from Jonathan right before he had died from his wounds. That night he succumbs to his illness and dies, and arrives to Nangijala where he reunites with his brother (just try not to think about their poor mom losing all her children, husband and house.)

At first, the Cherry Valley of Nangijala seems like a beautiful paradise surrounded by mountains and filled with cherry blossoms, where people live in peace, kind of like an idealized version of an older time village and nature.

The two brothers do some cottagecore shit, fishing and living in a little house of their own (which even had the sign "The Lionheart Brothers" before they arrived.) Rusky is even able to swim and ride his very own horse despite not being able to do so in life and of course he's no longer ill. They have pet rabbits, too!

The villagers chat in the Golden Cockerel Inn and help and give to each other according to what each one needs. A woman named Sofia is very well-respected and seems like the leader of the village–she raises the special doves that can fly anywhere and borrow their feathery form for those who wish to visit their living relatives. How nice!

But turns out the neighboring Wild Rose Valley has been taken over by a cruel tyrant named Tengil of the Ancient Mountains, who wants to rule all of Nangijala. The people aren't free to leave the valley or even move outside their homes at certain times of the day, death sentences are very common and some are forced to hard work and slavery to death, so they obviously hate the guy. But they don't dare to oppose him–why?

Because he has an absolutely massive black dragoness on his side, who loves to snack on humans and weapons cannot harm her. If that wasn't bad enough, Katla the dragon's flames don't seem like your usual fire–her dark flames seem more like some sort of cursed poisonous fire that soon enough either kills or paralyzes everything it touches. People fear her so much that the words "Katla is coming" will make just about anyone lose their fighting spirit.

But a resistance is secretly growing and the brothers become a part of it...

There's also a movie made in 1977, which follows the story well, except for one character-specific scene I think they should've included and the ending portion with Katla that's sadly changed and didn't include the really cool scene in the book (likely because of budget reasons.)

Also, I'm now gonna talk about MAJOR SPOILERS regarding the ending of the book and what the author had to say about it:

So, Lindgren has stated that the adventures in Nangijala are Rusky’s dreams on his deathbed after he fell unconscious and Nangilima which he enters at the end of the book is the true afterlife, and like heaven as it is a truly good place with no evil unlike Nangijala. The controversial ending is more Rusky accepting and no longer fearing the unknown of death as he finally dies in real life. However, Lindgren doesn’t want this to spoil the fantasy of the book and very much supports children’s interpretations of it, saying that “If any of you ever tell this to your children, I will kill you” lol. She wrote a short “happily ever after” chapter to children who really wanted to know what happened next (which I just learned about,) which included the boys reuniting and living with their adoptive grandpa Mattias and their horses in the Apple Farm in Nangilima. A wild dog decided he wanted to come to people and became Rusky’s pet. The bad people like Tengil went to a place called Lokrume (described as not exactly a horrible place, but a one where they can no longer continue doing evil and have influence over others; though apparently it’s super awkward whenever Tengil and Jossi happen to pass by each other there) and no one knows where Katla and Karm went, maybe a mysterious place called Sorokaste. The boys’ mother went to Nangijala at first and Sofia took care of her. Eventually they both arrived to Nangilima and live together in a nice little house close to the Apple Farm, Sofia becoming kind of like a second mother to the boys, as they visit the women every day. The end.

[trouble-in-space]

hi omg this ship idea is so cute and i would love a marvel and harry potter ship please!! tysm for taking the time to do things, they are genuinely so wholesome and you deserve the appreciation <3 so i'm a 21-year-old aries disaster, i'm pansexual af, and i use she/her pronouns. my mbti is INFJ, which i tend to hyperfixate on and love learning about others' because i'm a psychology major and personality theory is fascinating to me. i'm 5'5" and am a skinny flat lil rectangle, but i'm ginger and have green eyes and now i feel like i'm devolving into a my immortal description lmao anyways. i absolutely love the beatles, dodie, and dua lipa, and my aesthetic is cottagecore. seriously if i could be a hermit in the woods foraging mushrooms i would abandon everything to do it. in my free time, though, i really like writing fanfiction and poetry and playing video games, but i'm starting to get into digital art and photoshop as well! thank you again!!

Hi love! Thank you so much, I hope you like these!<3

Marvel: Wanda! I need her to live a happy peaceful life in a little cottage. Introduce her to Dodie's music! She's also one of those people who wants to seclude herself from society. You guys could get a little cottage in the woods and live out the perfect cottagecore life. She'd slowly adopt that aesthetic as well, I think it'd suit her. Loves your poetry! Wanda will always model for your photography if you'd like her to, she also gets into it herself. I could see you guys going on little walks in the woods just taking pictures of each other and other things you find. She would love to learn about psychology from you and I think it would help her a little.

Harry Potter: Tonks! I haven't gotten Tonks vibes from anyone yet but she just immediately came to me lol. She'd also hyper-fixate on things, so she'd understand that yk? (I do it too and sometimes when friends don't understand it's aggravating?) Personality Theory would interest her too! She loves gingers, I'm just getting that vibe. Tonks would definitely be a Beatles fan and would like Dodie! Cottagecore isn't really her aesthetic but she loves it for you. So she'd always be picking up little things that she thinks fits you or the vibe you go for. I could see her really getting into video games. Eventually playing together would become a weekly routine.

[anystalker707]

Not so punk, are you, love?

Pairing: Punk! Gerard x Cottagecore! Reader Word counting: ~ 1 500 Genre: Fluff TW: Vague description of violence Summary: It’s been a nice day for Gerard and Reader until walking across a rude catcaller

Requested by @thegnotecannothurtusanymore​

“More, please,” Gerard says as holding his cup out while I’m serving myself tea. I hum as doing as requested before carefully setting the teapot on the table again, the porcelain clinking lightly with it. He brings the cup to his lips to take a sip of the drink and hums in appreciation. “This is good.”

“Thank you.” I smile, happy with his comment. It’s the first time I’m preparing this kind of tea, so I’m happy Gerard likes it. Maybe he’s becoming an expert in tea too. I'm almost sure he was explaining Frank the difference between the types of Earl Grey some other day.

The calm summer breeze embraces us warmly and sends a few strands of hair flying now and then, but nothing too annoying. Shaky shadows are cast under the plants and trees and flowers of the garden and by our feet, on the wooden tiles of the back porch. A quiet song plays in the background, contributing to the calm atmosphere we’re set in.

“These are also really good,” Gerard says as grabbing another one of the cookies, earning himself another thanks from me while I happily watch him eating, also doing so myself. His gaze falls to the table, observing it for a moment. “Is this tablecloth new? I don’t think I’ve seen it before.”

“I bought it yesterday,” I reply and start observing it myself. It has delicate drawings of flowers in soft colors, matching the tea set.

“I guess I still like the one with golden details better, but this is also beautiful.” He traces one of the flowers with his fingers, observing it for a long moment, maybe trying to find the pattern between the images.

“The golden one is special. I would use it more, otherwise; I like it a lot.”

“I bet you’d use it as much as the lace one, if not,” Gerard says as catching my gaze, smile disappearing behind the cup again.

“Of course,” I say with a chuckle. There’s a silent moment in which I observe him before speaking up again. “I’d say you’re pretty cottagecore too if it wasn’t for the heavy punk style,” I grin, taking a quick look on his messy dark hair, faint scars on his face and all the leather, “but I guess you’re just like this because of my influence.”

“Well, who knows if I am not, a little bit, internally?” Gerard winks, setting the cup down carefully to grab himself another kind of cookie. “I’m not here because you ‘influence’ me to, you don’t force me to anything. I actually genuinely enjoy doing this,” he says truthfully, eyes meeting mine as he speaks like if to prove he isn’t lying and he’s not afraid of admitting that. It makes my heart flutter. And he knows it.

“Are you up to going for a walk?” Gerard suggests, leaning back on the chair after having finished the tea and still nibbling on one of the cookies. “Mainly just to hang out, but we can go somewhere, if you want.”

I hum thoughtfully at first then nod, though continuing on trying to figure out somewhere to go. “Sounds fun, I don’t know where to go, but we can think about that later, I guess.”

“Wonderful,” he grins.

Gerard helps me with cleaning the table then washing the dishes, keeping a small talk with me the whole time, seeming to have the only purpose of snatching happy giggles from me and making my cheeks turn as red as possible so he can watch me with that stupidly happy face of his, like if I was the most precious think in the world. The look itself is enough to make me melt. He doesn’t even look at art like that and I feel like I don’t deserve being looked at like that. Like if there’s something worth it looking at.

“Ready to go?” Gerard asks with arms around my torso from behind and a kiss is pressed to the side of my neck while I dry my hands on a cloth before letting it on the counter.

“Of course,” I say with a smile. “Just let me grab my things, then I’ll put on my shoes and we can go.” Turning around, I press a quick kiss to his lips before slipping off of his embrace, momentarily disappearing to grab what I need and, soon, we are walking out of the house.

It’s always nice hanging out with Gerard. His presence at all is enjoyable, but I can also find entertainment in how people look at us, making it look like we’re some sort of unsolvable puzzle due to our styles reaching two different extremes. The attention can be fun, sometimes. Gerard won’t stop himself from glaring at people who end up acting too rude to us and it’s also funny seeing their reaction, earning us laughs later when remembering about these moments.

Gerard’s arm is linked to mine while we walk down the street, immersed in a talk that had been about the weather, initially, and somehow evolved into the movie we’ve been planning on watching for a while, looking for a perfect time to do so and without much luck.

A voice, however, pulls us away from our conversation, making it grow quieter when we noticed the rude words were directed to me.

“’Ey, hottie! Why won’t you look at me? Why are you even with that punk idiot? I bet he’s forcing you to stay with him or else he’ll beat you up, right?” The guy says, insistent, chewing on a toothpick as leaning back against a wall with old posters glued to it.

Gerard and I, of course, decide to not feed the troll. Not like it makes a difference in our lives, as much as it annoys me how he talks about Gerard.

Once we walk past the guy, he’s silent, making us let out a breath we didn’t even know to be holding. However, the peace brought by it is just an extremely false hope. Footsteps are heard before the bomb drops.

“Well, no problems, I didn’t even want you, anyways!” The idiot says, now angry and acting like an annoying kid throwing a tantrum. “You’re just a fucking slut, I’m sure he’s just using you for sex and that’s all you’re good for.” His words make Gerard and I stop in our tracks in the same moment, snatching a proud laugh from the guy and he doesn’t stop there, continuing with the awful comments. In a contrast, Gerard and I fall in a thick silence, sharing a look.

From then, things happen too fast.

The idiot guy is silenced by a punch, what will probably earn him a purple eye later. It is enough to throw him to the ground at once and Gerard doesn’t really need to do anything else to scare him, just holding him up by his collar and saying something I can’t hear. Gerard’s words are probably threatening, judging by the guy’s scared eyes. He frantically nods in agreement and puts himself into running as soon as Gerard releases him and approaches me again.

“How can people be that stupid,” Gerard asks rhetorically, a sigh escaping his nose as he links his arm with mine again. He shakes his head indignantly, letting himself calm down before turning to me, pressing a kiss to the side of my face. “I’m sorry you needed to go through this, damn, sugar.”

“It’s fine, love,” I tell him softly, furrowing my eyebrows. “Good thing I have you to throw punches for me,” I joke with a chuckle in a poor attempt of lightening up the mood and it seems to work; Gerard’s lips curl up in a smile, almost letting out a chuckle too, what’d happen if he wasn’t so tense.

“Oh, yeah, what’d be of poor (y/n) without a bodyguard throwing punches around for live entertainment?” Gerard says, waiting for the playful glare I shoot him, before laughing.

Gerard usually really feels bad for me in events similar to this, afraid of how these will affect me, but they’re not relevant enough to cause anything great. It makes me feel guilty, in a way, like if I could do something to stop Gerard from feeling like this, but I’m simply choosing to not do it even if that’s not the situation.

Sighing, I lean my head against Gerard’s shoulder for a moment, trying to comfort him.

Seeing Gerard dealing with practically anything else in life and comparing it to how he reacts whenever something like this happens to his loved ones is almost like if judging two completely different people. He’s able to take the worst criticism if it’s about himself. However, not about people he deeply cares for. I admire him for it; Gerard probably has a very specific list of priorities and it’s not difficult noticing that if you know him well enough.

“What about going to the music store? It’s been a time since we've last been there,” I suggest thoughtfully, knowing how he enjoys the place. Most of my new knowledge on music comes from his rants whenever we’re there. Other people clearly find it annoying, but I’m sure I’ve listened to Gerard making the same rant at least five times, basically whenever he touches a Bowie LP.

“Oh, true!” Gerard says with an instantaneous grin and excitement clear in his voice. “Maybe some of the records we’ve been wanting have arrived!” He starts walking with more enthusiasm, having gained a whole new mood and I can’t help but to grin too, nodding.

[bibliocratic]

‘this is the trouble, even now, with being an archive’

or: Martin’s not the only one overly susceptible to the Lonely 

nebulous post-160 domestic future, hurt/comfort and softness, jonmartin and the cottagecore life they deserve

Jon loses himself in the odds-and-sods shop.

The sign on the door makes promises of it being a cosy bookshop. And there are books, certainly, stalagmites of tomes and paperbacks and collections teetering graspingly up towards the ceiling.

The books are absent flatmates however compared to the boisterous gaggle of stuff that takes up room everywhere else. Teacup candles balanced on Norton Anthologies. A wooden rocking horse keeping the dusty Faber and Faber poetry company. It's bizarre flotsam of the most incomprehensible comforting sort, and it sometimes bustles its way to star in the shop's equally manic window display.

Which is why Jon first came in. He'd told himself that this trip into town was an in-and-out only affair; pick up the spices he couldn't get at the small-stocked village shop, buy more firelighters and return some of Martin's horde to the library from whence it came. He's entertaining some thoughts of making a start on pruning back some of the more frivolous bushes in the garden if the weather holds, though he knows his knees won't credit the idea by the evening if he does so.

But then he saw the pen in the window. Silver filigree engraved at the end like frost spiralling up a window, the base colour deep and blue. 

And it's not anywhere near Christmas, and there's no birthdays for another few months, but Jon looks at it and he can see Martin sat in the two-seater in their living room,  holding the pen, tongue between his teeth as he worries at words, scratching and rewriting and humming when he's caught upon a phrase he feels sits well.

He goes inside with all the furtiveness of a guilty cat. Maryam is at the counter today, and she beams to see him. And he intends – completely – to pick out the pen and be done with it. But Maryam gets talking even once he's pointed out and paid for the pen, and he's twisted up in the soft and easy twirl of her conversation. The pen does come with a box, a regular black affair, but she mentions that they've got in a few antique pen cases down at the back of the non-fiction isle – covering P for Persian Empire to T for Travelogues – and Jon fancifully commits to having a leisurely look because he's going to have to wait for the next bus back anyway, quite taken by the idea of being able to leave such a distinguished looking surprise on the side-table near Martin's armchair for him to find when he comes in from work.

He considers the cases with a furrowing frown, as though weighing up some great decision. For so long in fact, he doesn't notice the shop dip quiet, the muffled steps and page-flicking of other patrons muted to silent.

He glances up, around. Puts back the supple brown leather case he was thinking over, stepping out of his isolated row.

There is no one at the front desk. No one in the other shelves. Through the clogged-up and slapdash window display, he sees no one on the street outside and a sky starting to grey with the threat of rain.

He notices – far away, like glancing through the wrong end of a telescope – that his breathing is getting faster.

“Maryam?” he says, but his voice croaks heatless. He tells himself that he's too old for this now, to be taken in by such worn-down ghosts, that she's gone in the back, that it's just gone quiet, that's all. But the silence is a terror that begets greater, stronger strains, a cycling distress of pin-balling fears and memories, and there is no one around, no one coming, and the panting of his own body is so loud in such an empty space.

And he has always been more easily enveloped by some fears than by others.

He hears the wash of mile-distant waves, as though behind the shelves to the front of the shop, and thinks not here, not here.

He tries to shake his head loose of the fog beginning to bind it like cobwebbing wisps. But the world has such terrors in it, and the Archive keeps record of them all. And that's what Jon is, in the end. A dutiful collection of horror, cruelly moulded into such service by a long dead man. He's long since unshouldered the mantle of Archivist, yet Archive has proven to be such a long-lived, enduring post.

Behind his eyes, he plays out the washed-out retellings of all those almost lost to the Lonely.

He's the statement of Zoe Aristidou, who moved to a beam-bright city but brought her fog along with her, who lost her face amongst the impartial crowds, sanded away like a wind-abused statue.

The statement of Keira Hurley, who struggled to make friends, who drank thinking it might stuff up the gaping absence inside her where the fog was beginning to spark up like struck flint, who would lose her keys, and her wallet and whole days to unremembrance.

There is the echo of beachland nearby and Jon's lost sight of the shelves. The layering cares and carefully tended wards that make him up are starting to peel away.

He rubs at his hands and the colour wipes off like highlighter on whiteboard, smearing before vanishing, his skin blotching with an absent glass-colour of nothing at all. And it's not real, it can't be, it's years since he sighted this muted, mist-encrusted shoreline, the way it gnawed at and  sapped Martin's skin translucent, younger then, his hair still unpicked by white.

But it's so easy to return here even after all that time. Like tripping over your own feet.

It is peaceful here. It always is.

Jon grips the pen, feeling the drunken choke of the statement of Keira Hurley, how it makes his legs unmoored and unbalanced, and he thinks no, no, I'm going to give this to him, I'll surprise him, I'll leave it on his side table to find when he gets home. And the statement is thick on his tongue, as he recalls how she woke up, head woozy, and she had not known where she was, had forgotten her address, her name, and the muted panic of her fear sleeked her face with tears, and Jon shakes his head fervently to try and clear it.

He thinks of how Martin will glow, pleased, will say something like you shouldn't have, or even, you know I don't need any more, and Jon will say, I know but I wanted to, I know but I thought of you, I know but I wanted to make you happy.

There is sand crunching underfoot as he walks, and he's getting lost.

He is the statement of Agneta Blom regarding her grandmother Ebba Blom, swallowed by the fog in her later years at a nursing home; the statement of Lakshman Hamal, the last member of his regiment far from home; the statement of Finlay Erskine, a lone lighthouse keeper midst a terrible storm.

And Jon is one man but he is also all these stories – he breathes in salt-damp from a wave spray that leaves freckles of water struck across his face, he feels the knotted ache in his legs from where he's crouched, tense and gripping his kukri for hours, the over-softness of blankets and pillows and the faded mist of lavender down an empty hallway.

He feels his fingers cramping around the sides of the pen, and he wants to think of Martin, to fill up with recollections of him,  but Martin is someone Jon knows, someone Jon loves, and it is so very hard to remember he is Jon at the moment.  

The fog that subsumes him like a dust cloud, it's muffling. Quiet. He who is Agneta Blom and Lakshman Hamal and Finlay Erskine and so many other names that are layering palimpsest over Jonathan Blackwood, he wanders the beach to the shoreline, letting the sea lap over his shoes. The sky is expectant with dour rainclouds, and his jean cuffs are getting wet, and he hears a distant tumult of voices ever so far off. Like a muttered conversation in another room, a tune playing in a building he is walking past.

“...call the school.... It's Mr Blackwood, Conor... one of his turns.... don't crowd the poor man, let him be...”

The Archive drinks in the flat, null landscape with interest and lets the fog bury into the soft spaces of him. It wants to walk out into the shallow waters and see what swims there.

There's a pen in his hand, and it's heavy, and it weighs him down shore-bound.

“Jon? Hey, hey, Jon. Don't go out so far, yeah?”

The Archive sucks in a breath. It is not salted with a harsh coastal grind, it does not bite at his throat. The air is warm, dry with indoor heating, and the people he is not, Agneta and Lakshman and Finlay and Mairead and Pavo and so many more witness to Forsaken, begin to slough off him like autumnal leaves.

There is a hand on his arm, someone being shushed, a breathing like someone's been running.

“That's it, you're doing so well, you can do it.”

He is Jonathan again. He blinks loose the crisping grains of salt that have begun to sediment in his lashes. There are tears streaming down his face, he realises belatedly, and he is trembling like he's freezing.

He looks at Martin who makes up such a happy horizon to be greeted by, looking down. His tie become loose, who has come from work, sweat-patches at the front of his chest, his throat and face reddened with exertion, who is still wearing his navy lanyard, has board pens clunking in his pocket. Martin who is grounding him.

“I...” he says, clearing his throat feeling stupid, and then he is thrusting out the pen almost bullishly. “I got you a pen.”

Maybe Martin doesn't understand how important it is for him to see. But he nods delicately, and carefully nods, takes it from Jon's shaking fingers – You shouldn't have, you know, he says like Jon's foolish, but fondly, ever so, just like Jon thought he would, and Jon almost sobs to be granted such a small victory.  

“You wanting me to call Doctor Varma, Mr B?” comes the tentative, worried voice of Conor at Martin's elbows – sixteen, his voice breaking awkwardly, helping out in the shop after school; Jon remembers lending him books when he was a precocious, demanding child, voracious for knowing.

“We should be ok,” Martin replies kindly. To Jon, he says:

“Julienne's car's out front.”

Jon frowns, confused, before remembering – theirs is in for its MOT, Martin must have borrowed it to cross the three miles between the villages. There is something heavy around his shoulders, warm and scratchy, and he wants to wonder but the questions are sunken in the softness still lingering in his head.

“Do you need...?” Jon starts, and the words are thick and phlegmy in his throat. “The school...?”

“Julienne's covering my last class,” Martin says soothingly. “They understand.”

Jon nods. Years ago, he might have apologised, stewed in how much he needed Martin today, but time has wasted away those anxieties.

“Thank you for coming for me,” he replies instead, his voice still sea-bitten and hoarse, and lets Martin lead him wobbly-legged out of the door so they can drive home.

[starstruckteacup]

Cottagecore Films (pt. 2)

Big Fish (2003)

starring Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange, Helena Bonham Carter

William Bloom visits his storytelling father, Edward Bloom, in his final days, trying to separate the fiction he grew up with from the facts he so desperately seeks. The film follows Edward’s recounting of his life through stories so extravagant that they can’t possibly be real, or can they? Ed grows up the star of a small town, but quickly realizes he needs more from life than it can give him. He finds himself on the road untravelled, until he meets the love of his life, Sandra; he dedicates years to learning who she is so he can marry her. His love for Sandra is the central focus of many of his tall tales, but Will can’t see beyond the doubt that he is missing something. As it turns out, he is, but it’s not what he was expecting.

I truly love this movie. It’s not the first time I’ve seen it, but it’s been several years since I gave it a watch, and it once again brought tears of joy to my eyes. You quickly become invested in Ed’s high-flying adventures and his infallible love for other people, and you can’t help but wish you had known him yourself. This film is incredibly touching, adventurous, passionate, and unusual, all tied together with the appreciation of life as the simple and complex miracle that it is. I rarely call a film magical, but this one certainly has something special about it. 10/10

Goodbye First Love (2011)

TW: suicide attempt (offscreen), rape mention, miscarriage, nudity of a portrayed minor

starring Lola Créton, Sebastian Urzendowsky, Magne-Håvard Brekke

At only 15 years old, Camille is deeply in love with 19-year-old Sullivan. They spend much of their free time together, until Sullivan leaves for a 10 month trip to South America, where he writes to Camille for several months before losing all contact. Camille struggles to move on, but over the years works through her grief and begins work as an architect, where she meets her second love. However, circumstances align and she runs into Sullivan once again, seven years later. Camille struggles to reconcile her past, present, and future in this aesthetic French film.

I enjoyed about a third of this movie: the imagery--the French countryside where Camille’s summer house was located especially--the description of what makes a home from an architect’s perspective, and Camille’s growth as an independent individual. The actors were good, and it wasn’t a bad film, per se, but Camille and Sullivan’s relationship sucked much of the joy from the film, especially as its toxicity was portrayed as acceptable to the audience. Instead of showing how Camille deserved better through Lorenz’s character, their relationship nearly fails before they reconcile, with Camille never facing the repercussions of her actions. Sullivan sucks her will to live and love for life, yet the audience is expected to perceive him as the romantic dream, and Lorenz as someone Camille is settling for. The film is supposed to end on a happy note, with Camille finally becoming healthy and stable, but it rings hollow given the pacing of the film and the lack of character interactions. 4/10

Change in the Air (2018)

TW: attempted suicide (offscreen)

starring Rachel Brosnahan, Mary Beth Hurt, Peter Gerety, Aidan Quinn

A mysterious young woman named Wren moves into a small suburban neighborhood, attracting the attention of her neighbors. Jo Ann, a particularly nosy retiree, follows her actions closely in an effort to understand who Wren is and what she is doing in the neighborhood, and is soon joined by mailman Josh. Simultaneously, Officer Burkheart dedicates his own time to trying to figure out who this mysterious woman is while trying to maintain consistency in the neighborhood. These endeavors bring several characters to terms with their own deep secrets and conflicts, allowing many of them to overcome their own personal tragedies.

I wasn’t entirely thrilled by this movie. It did a lot of telling instead of showing, but I still felt like several key plot points weren’t sufficiently explained. The characters were enjoyable, but I rarely understood their actions and motivations fully, even when they announced it to the audience. It has a very peaceful atmosphere, and I liked the setting of the quiet suburban neighborhood because it makes everything feel a little more mysterious for them and to the audience. The only trouble was that several of those mysteries were never solved within the film, and I ended the movie more confused than I was at the beginning. 3/10

Part One

[thewrittenpost]

I'm caving. Why not do it when it will make me happy? Gwendolyn deserves a little cottage in the woods where she can live out her cottagecore dreams, and just garden in peace. Acheflow deserves a peaceful little hideaway where Tobias can visit (bug) her all the time. Violet deserves people her own age around, because I haven't gotten them sorted in the WIP yet. (Though she has to live with Aria as I don't believe teens can live alone)

I want them to have a Sims life, so they will!

A friend of mine got me into Sims, and I... kinda just want to make all my OCs, so they can live out whatever Sims drama I can throw at them. Just... all of them. A big thewrittenpost sims-ematic universe.

Sims is dangerous.