#this is going to be an interesting journey -_-

[lynxgriffin]

Eldritchrune - Kris's Birthday

Story Setup Eldritchrune Masterpost

Close to the end of their journey, Kris has a small celebration with the beasts, and reflects some on both their past with their brother, and the light world ahead.

(Reminder that I draw these scenes out of chronological order!)

YAY managed to get another part done! This one won the poll, so had to go with it first! At least Kris finally gets a nice, happy moment with all the beasts they've recruited!

Alt text under the read more:

Page 1

Panel 1 - Wide opening shot. Kris sits facing Ralsei, with the rest of the Fun Gang surrounding them. The Gang now consists of Susie, Noelle, Lancer, Berdly, Catti and Jockington, and Monster Kid. The Fun Gang have set up camp in a hollow crater, the landscape around them rocky and barren. Everyone is lit solely by the glow of a campfire in the center of the crater. Ralsei addresses Kris: “Get plenty of rest, Kris.”

Panel 2 - Medium shot of Kris and Ralsei, still across from each other with the fire between them. Ralsei continues, “Tomorrow we face the last bound god before the Dark Fountain…it’ll be our toughest fight yet!” Kris responds, “Yes. I understand.” They stare into the fire.

Panel 3 - Closeup on a happy Ralsei as he holds up one claw. “And since we’re so close to the end…”

Panel 4 - “...I thought I’d conjure up a special surprise for you!” Ralsei moves his claws, and magically congeals a plate, food and frosting all together in a swirling center.

Panel 5 - Ralsei holds up the finished object in front of the fire: a small frosted cake, topped with strawberries. “SURPRISE! Happy birthday, Kris!” he declares with a broad smile.

Page 2

Panel 1 - Ralsei holds the cake up in the foreground. Kris looks at it in surprise. Behind them, Susie and Noelle look on with interest. “Wow! Is today really your birthday, Kris?” Noelle asks.

Panel 2 - Closeup on Kris. They scratch at their head in confusion, and respond, “I… Is it? I’ve lost track of the days since arriving here…”

Panel 3 - Medium shot as Ralsei happily hands the cake to Kris, who takes it. He says, “Well, I’m not sure if it’s exactly today. But by my estimates you should have had one by now! So now is as good a time as any!”

Panel 4 - A wider upshot as Kris takes the cake, and the beasts watch. Berdly leans in closer, curious, and asks, “What do you humans do on these ‘birth-days,’ as you call them?”

Kris replies, “Well, typically…you eat cake, or some other sweet treat, and you spend time with your friends and family.”

Panel 5 - Kris stares into the fire again, and continues, “And usually, they also give you gifts.” Behind them, as if in abstract shadow, is an image of a younger Kris surrounded by the other Dreemurrs, all smiling. It seems to be a memory of a past birthday.

Page 3

Panel 1 - Closeup of Kris still looking into the fire, their eyes hidden by their hair. A shadow seems to fall over them. The memories of happier times still hurt.

Panel 2 - Lancer pipes up: “Ya got the cake and friends part right here!” Kris turns to see Lancer and Susie smiling at them, and gives a small smile back.

Panel 3 - Noelle leans in over Kris as well, her head taking up most of the panel. She says, “Sorry, we don’t have any gifts for you…but two out of three isn’t bad, right?”

Kris’s smile broadens a little, and they reply, “No, it is not.”

Panel 4 - Kris pulls out a smaller knife…

Panel 5 - And in a shot focused on the cake, begins to slice the cake into equal pieces with the knife.

Panel 6 - Kris offers a piece to Catti, who happily licks it up. “Tasty.”

Panel 7 - Kris tosses a piece across the fire to Berdly, who catches it in his mouth. “Thanks, Kris!”

Panel 8 - Kris turns around and tosses another piece into Susie’s open jaws. “Hell yeah, cake!” she says, excited.

Page 4

Panel 1 - A wide shot as the whole Fun Gang sit around the fire, enjoying their cake slices, small as they are. Kris works on eating their own slice. Noelle says, “That was good! …Do you think there’ll be lots more cake in the light world?”

Panel 2 - Medium shot of Kris, who turns to look up at Noelle. “Yes, there are. But I would have thought you’d be interested in the humans more,” they say around a mouthful of cake.

Panel 3 - Noelle looks off to the right, and responds, “Sure, I’ll have some, if they’re soft… I don’t like the hard bits, like armor and bones.”

Panel 4 - Wider shot as Noelle leans back against Susie, snuggling into her side. “I mostly want to get to the Light World and quiet this feeling in my mind…once I do that, I’ll be happy,” She says.

Susie grins, and says, “More for me, then! I can’t wait to get to the Light World and all that food…”

Page 5

Panel 1 - Susie rests her head on the ground, and continues, “I’m gonna eat up all those humans and finally feel full!” She smiles and licks her lips at the thought. Lancer sits just nearby.

Panel 2 - Wider shot of all the beasts around the fire. Across from Susie, sitting in a loaf, Catti says “Greedy.”

“Oh come on, like you aren’t excited for the food!” Susie responds with an annoyed look.

Panel 3 - Medium shot as Catti looks up towards the dark clouds above them, grinning broadly. Behind her, Jockington also looks Skyward, his body wiggly. Catti says, “Not just that. Open skies. Sun. Fresh smells. New magic.” Jockington adds, “It’s been, way too long since we, learned a new technique!”

Catti reiterates: “Lots of things. Looking forward to them.”

Panel 4 - Wider shot as Kris turns to Monster Kid, who’s been quiet this whole time. They’re mostly buried underground, but their tail is currently out of their mouth. Kris asks them, “You’re looking forward to leaving the Dark World, too?” They reply, “Y-yeah, Kris! I wanna eat some humans too, but…also wanna be someplace niver, y’know?”

Panel 5 - Closeup on Monster Kid’s face as they continue: “Here it’s really hard to find food. And it’s so dark and cold, and e-everyone’s trying to fight each other… I hate it, yo.”

Page 6 

Panel 1 - Wide downshot of the whole Fun Gang huddled together in the empty crater. The barred landscape stretches out around them. Berdly looks to the skies, and says, “Yes, it’s true. The terrain here is so bleak and devoid of sidequests.”

Panel 2 - Closeup on Berdly as he smiles, looking excited and proud. “But if the Light World has as many humans as you say, I’ll be able to max out my volume in no time!”

Panel 3 - Susie looks away and sticks out her tongue, clearly annoyed at the prospect. “Oh goody, we’re aaaall excited for that…”

Berdly, not picking up on her sarcasm, just continues to beam proudly. “And rightfully so!”

Panel 4 - Noelle nudges her enormous nose against Kris’s back, and says, “We’re all really excited to see the Light World with you, Kris.”

Kris turns back towards her slightly, and smiles. “Me too.”

Panel 5 - Kris reaches around the fire to hand the now empty plate back to Ralsei, who takes it.

Panel 6 - Ralsei makes the plate vanish into shards of nothing with a wave of his claws. “Then let’s get some rest!” he says, satisfied.

Panel 7 - The small campfire is now extinguished. Only a thin wisp of leftover smoke rises from the blackened wood and coals.

Page 7

Panel 1 - A wide shot of the crater, still at night. With the campfire out, all of the eldritch beasts are now asleep. Monster Kid is buried underground. Catti is sleeping as a loaf, with Jockington resting on her back. Berdly sleeps with his head tucked under one wing. Susie and Noelle sleep snuggled up together, with Susie’s long tail curled around them. Kris lays nestled between them, long hair and shaggy fur serving as a makeshift bed. Ralsei stands off to the side.

Panel 2 - Medium shot of Kris. They lay awake between the two beasts, staring up at the sky. They look pensive.

Panel 3 - Slightly closer, Kris looks down and to their right. Ralsei asks from offscreen: “Kris! Are you feeling all right?”

Panel 4 - Downshot of Ralsei as he looks up towards Kris. He spreads his arms out in a hopeful gesture. “I know perhaps this isn’t the sort of birthday you would have had back home, but I was hoping I did okay on such short notice…”

Panel 5 - Closeup on Kris as they close their eyes. “I just…” They take a deep sigh.

Panel 6 - Kris looks up from the makeshift bed, looking sad. “I can’t remember the first birthday I had with mom and dad and Azzy anymore.”

Page 8 

Panel 1 - Shot of the dark skies above. Thick clouds silently roll across a starless expanse. “The whole day feels like it’s completely gone.”

Panel 2 - Wider shot, with Ralsei in the foreground. He still watches Kris carefully. “Oh, I see. I suppose Seam has asked for quite a few payments from you during your time here…perhaps you sold the memory?”

Panel 3 - Closeup on Kris as they squeeze their eyes shut, trying to block out budding tears.

Panel 4 - “Yes. Likely,” they say. Kris sadly holds up their left hand above their head. Their hand is missing the pinkie finger…another payment to Seam.

Panel 5 - Closeup on Ralsei as he looks downward. “I’m sorry, Kris.”

Panel 6 - Medium shot as Kris hugs themself, still nestled in the hair and fur. “Asriel would usually get me a book he thought I’d like, and I’d complain about it, but then read it cover to cover in one night. Once I learned how to read, anyway,” they say with a small smile.

Panel 7 - Low angle shot as Kris continues to reminisce, watching the dark clouds above. “Mom and dad also always got me a square of chocolate. I don’t know how they afforded it.”

Page 9

Panel 1 - In a flashback panel, Asriel and Kris sit across from each other outdoors, each leaning against trees. Simple woods surrounded them, and a lazy river rolls by just past them. Beyond the river are a few small homes and farms from the town. Kris holds an apple, while Asriel has a book and feather pen. Both are talking, looking happy. 

Kris speaks over the flashback: “Azzy and I would go and sit by the river in the summer, and he’d point out plants and animals and tell me to give them science names. Even when I said crass or foolish ones, he wrote them down and said he would petition to get the names changed.”

Panel 2 - Closeup on Kris as they look away, the memory still feeling a bit sad to them.

Panel 3 - Closeup on Ralsei, interested and responding to the stories. “Your brother sounds like a generous soul.”

Panel 4 - Kris looks down, still sad and reminiscing. “He didn’t have to be so nice to me. Everyone said he’d leave town and go do great things.”

Panel 5 - Another flashback panel, this time in Azzy and Kris’s shared room. It looks similar to their room in canon, but much older and more bare-bones, with simple wood walls. Kris sits on the edge of their bed, listening. Asriel sits on the edge of the bed, looking pensive, his cheek resting against his hand. 

Kris continues over the flashback: “But he…he told me that he didn’t like that pressure. That I was more fun to hang around than whatever great thing the town expected him to do.”

Page 10

Panel 1 - Closeup on Ralsei. He looks on, his tattered scarf flowing behind him. A curious smile crosses his face. “The way you have spoken about him, all this time…I am so curious to meet him.”

Panel 2 - Kris nestles down into the bed of fur and hair, and shuts their eyes, drifting off to sleep at last. They mumble, “Maybe…maybe soon.”

Panel 3 - Wide shot of all the beasts, asleep in the crater. Kris finally sleeps as well, tucked between Susie and Noelle. It’s dark, and quiet. In the foreground, Ralsei remains awake and watching, his back to the camera. It’s unknown what he’s thinking.  

[isaadore]

THE PATH AHEAD ⭑ OSCAR PIASTRI

pairing oscar piastri x norris!driver!reader

SUMMARY when red bull announces your signing, it catches the attention of many,  but no one seems more interested than your brother’s teammate. word count 0.5k + smau

warnings fem!reader, use of y/n, fluff, short

note this is the first work for the norris!driver!reader au. i’m so excited for you all to read this <3 it’s a bit short since it’s just an introduction, but i hope you enjoy it as much as i enjoyed coming up with the au 🤍

MASTERLIST | OP81 MASTERLIST | AU MASTERLIST

INSTAGRAM

redbullracing ✔︎

Liked by tatacalde7, landonorris, and 1,237,589 others

redbullracing ✔︎ We're excited to welcome Y/N Norris 🇬🇧 to the Red Bull Racing family! 🙌

As the first female F1 driver since 1992, Y/N is making history, and we're proud to support her on this journey. Her determination and talent are inspiring; we can't wait to see what we can achieve together!

Welcome to the team, Y/N! 🔥

#F1 #RedBullRacing #GivesYouWings #Breaking Barriers #Y/NNorris

Tagged: y/nnorris

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maxverstappen1 ✔︎ Great to have you on the team 💪

fan01 verstappen and norris dominance could bore fans

fan02 fan01 i forgot we were talking about y/n and not lando 😭

jamiechadwick ✔︎ Huge moment for the sport and women in racing 👏

fan03 the queen herself

fan04 it’s happening guys HOW ARE WE FEELING

fan05 We finally have both Norris siblings on the grid 🫶🏻

fan06 this feels surreal I’M SO PROUD OF U Y/N 🥹

fan07 ur making history in f1 and motorsports <3

fan08 I have tears in my eyes

fan09 Representation matters ❤️

fan10 YOULL DO GREAT Y/N WE KNOW IT

fan11 i’m so proud our girl made it!!

y/nnorris ✔︎ just added to their story!

Seen by naomiosaka, oscarpiastri, and 587,342 others

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fan01 u were always an inspiration to me 🥹 i’m so proud of u!

fan02 i saw this coming babess but first woman in f1 since 1992 so proud!!

fan03 future world champion i feel it

fan04 Seeing you and Lando on the grid is a dream come true

fan05 i can finally say ur my favourite f1 driver

fan06 WOOHOOO

REAL WORLD

You smiled as your screen filled with comments and DMs from fans all over the world. Red Bull officially revealed your signing, introducing you as the newest Formula One driver—not just any driver, but the first female driver since 1992.

Your signing wasn’t entirely unexpected. There were rumours over the past year that you and your team had to ignore, but it was hard because Red Bull had supported your racing career since you were young; everyone saw this coming. While you had proven again and again that you were capable, many still believed that women didn’t belong in motorsports. But being offered the contract was a testament to your hard work and talent.

You were reading more comments when a sharp knock came at your door.

You peeked through the peephole to find your 24-year-old brother standing there, looking impatient.

“Lando, what are you doing here?”

“It’s official!” he said, his excitement evident in his smile. You raised an eyebrow, looking at him skeptically. “You knew I was signing before Mum even did. Why are you so excited?”

“Because now the world knows, and that makes it special,” he replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. You rolled your eyes, ready to shut the door in his face. You both lived in Monaco, his house just a few minutes away. And at that moment, you wished he’d just go back home.

“Hey, hey, don’t be rude. Mum and Dad want to take you out to celebrate; you in?” He wedged his foot in the door to prevent you from closing it entirely, speaking through the narrow gap while flashing another grin.

“Fine, but can you please leave? You’re going to be spotted by a fan hoping to meet a driver.”

“Pft and they say the older one’s bossier,” he said, turning to leave.

You rolled your eyes and gave him a light shove toward the driveway. “Just go,” you replied, closing the door behind him with a sigh.

But the peace didn’t last long. A few hours later, you found yourself at a candlelit table in one of Monaco’s top restaurants, Lando across from you, laughing with your parents as the waiter poured wine into crystal glasses.

“So, you’re officially an F1 driver! How are you feeling?” Your dad’s voice broke through your thoughts as you looked up from the menu. He smiled proudly over his wine glass, a familiar gleam in his eyes from when you won your first-ever karting race.

You couldn’t help but laugh. “Honestly? Pretty much the same, but I can’t wait to get started.” Your mum nodded in agreement, her smile warm and encouraging. “I can only imagine! It’s great to see you and Lando out there; you both are making us the proudest parents.”

Lando chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners, and in that moment, everything felt perfect. Surrounded by family, with your first F1 contract signed, you weren’t just chasing a dream—you were making history in motorsports.

INSTAGRAM

y/nnorris ✔︎ just added to their story!

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fan01 can i join next time 🙏🏽

fan02 say hi to lando for me!!

fan03 I LOVE U Y/N

fan04 my favourite sibling duo

oscarpiastri started following you.

y/nnorris started following oscarpiastri.

MASTERLIST | OP81 MASTERLIST | AU MASTERLIST

[perfectlysanexd]

I haven't done one of these kind of posts in a while, but the expressions in Rebirth were top notch, and I wanted to talk a bit about and analyze Sephiroth's different smiles, both pre and post Nibelheim.

Nibelheim itself is difficult to gauge, because SOLDIER Cloud is actually Zack, and furthermore, some of it is definitely his own wishful thinking. But one thing you can say for sure, is that they portray that Sephiroth, despite being so emotionally weary, still summons up the energy to smile at his friend.

As soon as he turns away from Zack, his smile falls, and he doesn't give one to the Mayor at all.

However, when he turns back to inform the men that they're free until sundown, he summons up another smile for them. I don't think that he's just attempting to keep their morale up, he genuinely has affection for Zack, and cares for the others. He respects them for their service, putting their lives on the line for what they think is a good cause, and Sephiroth—as we saw in Ever Crisis—learned to be a compassionate person, who cares about the lives of others, even enemies.

Of course, he's deeply distressed during this time, the despair is eating him alive. Even Cloud acknowledges(despite having not known Sephiroth on a personal level) that he just wasn't himself once they arrived. But I'm not going to talk about my theories on all the Jenova stuff right now, that's not the focus here. Even at the window, you can tell he's feeling off, but when he turns to Zack, he attempts to smile again.

Sephiroth has never enjoyed his fame, and as we learned in Ever Crisis, he didn't choose it; Shinra made up bogus achievements and declared him to be a hero before even his first field assignment, as part of their recruitment campaign. Can't argue with results, I guess—it certainly got Cloud to join up out of hero worship, right? In EC, Sephiroth admits that all he ever wanted was to be normal, something that he knows he can never have. How sad...

So when this man wants to take his picture, it's no wonder that he's over it by then, and tells him no. And rather politely, too, all things considered. But even before that, he smiles and tells Zack that as long as he does his job, their young tourguide will be safe.

But as soon as he turns his back and walks away? Yeah, that smile immediately fades.

Which certainly doesn't change when the guy takes his picture. But of course, when Zack asks Sephiroth to pose for one, he just can't say no, even though he's not super happy about it. Anyway, he continues to smile at Zack for the duration of their journey up Mt. Nibel, making an effort to talk and even cracking a couple jokes, just trying to be a good leader and keep them in good spirits.

And of course, there's the very sad bridge part, where you can tell that he's genuinely upset that he failed to save the other infantryman that got washed away. He searches for him, but comes up empty-handed. Still, he smiles for Zack and teases him about a performance assessment, since their morale is quite low now, but they need to keep going.

Honestly, the Nibelheim part of Rebirth really did an excellent job of portraying Sephiroth's inner struggle. For reference, there are only 3 points in Remake, I think, when Sephiroth drops his ever-present, sometimes affectionate(towards Cloud) and often unhinged, smile: First, it's replaced with sheer rage as he kills President Shinra.

Second time, is when Aerith has a Cetra moment and suggests that his entire existence is "wrong".

And the third time is when he holds out his hand to Cloud at the Edge of Creation, and is rejected by him.

Anyway, back to Rebirth. Ignoring the bizarre smiles he showed us as Nibelheim was burning, as if he was in a trance and just not all there(that's a subject for a different chat), post-Nibelheim Sephiroth's smiles are interesting, too, if we consider what kind they are, depending on who he's dealing with.

For people he hates, like Tseng, it's much more unhinged looking, and very cold. You can tell there's a certain measure of satisfaction from shanking him, haha...

For someone like Aerith, who...I wouldn't exactly say that he hates her, but she's definitely in the way. I would almost say that he considers her to be actively preventing Cloud from recovering his true memories, leading him to remain as merely Sephiroth's "puppet", but that's a theory for another day. He looks at her coldly, as well, but it's a bit different. There's a bit more respect there than there was for Tseng.

And then there's Zack. Actual Zack. I feel like, deep down, he still cares about him, and has no intention of killing him. I almost sense a little...regret? Maybe? Hm. It's definitely a bit warmer of a smile. And of course, although he had many opportunities to get rid of Zack, he doesn't. Instead, he sends him off into the space between worlds safely.

And of course, last but certainly not least, is the way he smiles at Cloud. I know, I know. "But Sane, you like sefikura, so you're biased!" Look, I won't deny that. However, when you really look at it and compare his smiles, which is what this is all about, his truest smiles are always saved for Cloud. He has 2 different "flavors": pure affection and cruel affection. (There are also a few pity smiles, I think.) The former is used most of the time, whenever Cloud is in his sight, and the latter is used during moments when he's trying to control/influence him. I would almost say that he's...satisfied, yet regretful at the same time?? Like these:

And now, let's contrast that with his more genuine, affectionate smiles for Cloud... (The first shot here ⬇ can be contrasted with the shot 2 up from the bottom there ⬆, as the one above is when he's calling Cloud his puppet, and the one below is when Cloud goes to attack him and he opens his arms wider for the incoming uh...embrace.)

Remake had many interesting smiles from him, too, but that will have to be a different post, as this already has 30 screenshots. Anywho, you're free to draw your own conclusions, and not everyone reads faces in the same way, so maybe I'm nuts. Who knows? Either way, I hope you enjoyed this random, indulgent, very long post, haha. If you made it to the end, you're awesome. 💕

All screenshots were taken by me on my PS5. I won't ask for credit on them, since literally anyone can take an identical shot if they pause at the right second. (The exception are the 3 Remake shots, which were taken on PC with mods and the freecam. For those, I would appreciate credit if you use them anywhere, since I don't watermark them.)

[karisantics]

since stranger things revolves around its main characters being outcasts, here’s the primary ways that make the suspected endgame couples outcasts in season 5:

(my opinions are very much included!!)

jopper

I couldn’t start this without mentioning the fact that hopper is a literal fucking fugitive & joyce is his partner in crime for harbouring said fugitive. besides russian soldiers, they also have the US military to be worrying about next season, as they are also both parents to children who are connected to the upside down.

byler

stranger things follows “freaks” & outsiders on their journey to fight against supernatural fources & exploitation from government officials, to save the people around them. I don’t believe for a second that wills love for mike was written for it to be unrequited, leaving the character that started it all without a love interest, whilst his straight friends have all found love. will has been outcasted for being gay from children at school & even his own father, from as early as season 1. it is clear from season 4 that he struggles from already accepting. it is also clear from season 4 that mike struggles from denial, which (imo) is why it looks like “he doesn’t feel the same way.”

we know that vecna uses people’s greatest fears & struggles against them so I imagine this could play a big part in how stranger things manages to address the feelings that come alongside homosexuality within a small heteronormative town in the 80’s. I think that the plan was always to show the difference in struggles between a character who does know that he is gay & a character who does not acknowledge that he is. a lot of people argue that they’ve already showed this struggle with robin & vickie but keep in mind the stranger things ending has been planned from season 1, but robin only asked to portray her character as a lesbian - after joining in season 3 - because it felt right when she was acting as robin.

also is there some sort of town rule that I’m unaware of that prevents more than one gay person acquiring a love interest lmao????

jancy

next up we have the og outcast couple! (looking a bit like their younger siblings in the picture above)

in season 4 it’s revealed that jonathan does not want to go to college because he is worried about leaving his family, which has been a major cause of stress for him since season 1. after wills disappearance, jonathan was under a lot of pressure to find will & take care of joyce, but even before wills disappearance, he worried about will & joyce due to lonnie being an abusive father. the stress of caring for his family & simultaneously lying to his girlfriend, eventually led him to start smoking. he had no friends before argyle & he’s never had a support system. he was outcasted in school for not fitting in with the other teenagers but now his decision to stay with his family whilst his old classmates move on to college, puts him in another isolated position.

a very common theme for nancy’s character has been the misogyny she’s faced as a young woman. in season 1 she is slut-shamed for accepting help from jonathan after being left alone & drunk by her boyfriend & in season 3 it’s a struggle for her to be taken seriously in an workplace run by men, no matter how hard she tries to show them that she is hardworking & capable. in season 4 we see her come into her own as a reporter & we learn she is accepted into her dream school but we also see her convince robin to change her clothes in order to be taken seriously in front of dr. hatch. I imagine season 5 will touch on this again as nancy’s story comes to an end.

lumax

we saw that the hawkins high basketball team had it out for lucas in season 4 but now that jason’s dead due to vecna’s portal splitting hawkins, I can only imagine how determined the team will be to take their anger out on lucas; especially since they believe lucas & his friends are to blame for what is happening to hawkins.

season 4 ended with max in a coma, after vecna consumed her to make the portal, which makes me believe she will be awoken after the main characters stop vecna & where she is throughout the coma will probably play an important role in stopping him. putting aside the impact of max having this near death experience after we discover her wish to “follow [billy] into death”, the injuries she sustained will be life altering. even if max is healed after vecnas death, I imagine we’ll see her having to readjust to life after the physical & mental trauma. “the eyes are the windows to the soul” we also don’t know if her eyesight will return with her soul or if she will be blind. on top of all this, her mental health struggles played a big part last season & we saw how isolated she was feeling. I wonder how that will effect her story next season. (also that photo!! I love lumax sm)

[mooniel]

Cherik hidden gems - part 1

Here you have some nice fics with with under 10k hits!

Repeat Offenses by popluxe; 35k: “Prickly bits aside—hell, for the two of them, prickly bits included—it almost felt like a date. Which is stupid on multiple fronts. Grudgingly buying your ex a meal after he grudgingly bails you out of jail is obviously not a date.”

Five times Charles bailed Erik out of jail—and one time he didn’t.

Wardrobe Malfunction by Sophia_Bee; 11k : Charles Xavier, Professor Hottie, the very first mutant Bachelor has a problem. It comes in the form of his wardrobe guy, one six foot sex on legs Erik Lehsherr. Oh, and the fact that he's gay. And on The Bachelor. To find his wife.

Three Days in April by Sophia_Bee; 11k: Charles Xavier is holding the envelope with the results of his HIV test from earlier that day, to afraid to look at them, when a handsome stranger named Erik plops a drink down in front of him. Charles finds he can tell a stranger about his woes easier than he can tell his friends and family, and he and Erik embark on a journey of friendship, starting with opening the test results together.

A Weeding Planner Walks Into a Bar by 1sttimefeeling; 19k: When Raven hires Erik to be the bartender at her wedding, he becomes quickly infatuated with the wedding planner, Charles Xavier, who he thinks is her fiancé.

A Toast to the Happy Couple by TurtleTotem; 4,7k: Charles needs to get married to get his inheritance; his best friend Erik is the obvious choice. Erik's straight, but it's all pretend anyway; of course he can keep seeing other people during their sham marriage. It would be just silly for Charles to be jealous.

Talk, Baby, Talk by lyonet; 20k: “Enough,” Erik said furiously. “It’s over. Let it die.” “Be fair, sugar,” Emma said. “We made good music. It was your choice to wear magenta armour and a cape.”

Best Ex Ever by 1sttimefeeling; 12k: Charles wakes up drunk on the pavement of a gas station, phone dead. He finds a payphone but can only remember one number. Erik Lehnsherr's. The problem? They broke up two years ago.

The Plus-One by Populuxe; 14k: When Erik grudgingly agrees to play Raven's boyfriend at her terrible family's holiday party, he'd thought the biggest challenge would be staying sober enough to make it convincing. But then he meets Raven's extremely hot—and extremely infuriating—stepbrother, and everything starts to get complicated.

Special Topics in Mutant Studies by Populuxe; 24k: The trouble with Charles Xavier isn’t just that he teaches genetics and holds terrible views about mutant rights—it’s also becoming increasingly clear that everyone but Erik seems to love him.

The Last Love Song & Testament of Charles F. Xavier by midrashic; 20k: When Erik is accused of domestic terrorism, Charles has no choice but to marry him to keep him out of jail.

Here it is! Now, i plan on making a part 2 of this if anyone is interested! I wanted to make the list under 5k hits but there were some nice ones that I wanted to recommend as well that had a bit more so here we go!

[gothamhappiness]

Being in a relationship with Bruce Wayne: a journey - Hi, Jason (Part V)

It's a big series about an afab!reader who doesn't like Bruce Wayne and who still falls in love with him (he fells quicker and harder)

Reader's origin story // Part 1 // Part 2 // Part 3 // Part 4

Warnings: no proof reading, Jason's relationships with Bruce and Dick are discussed, mentions of Joker, violence, death

You met with Dick again in a bookstore. At first, you thought that it was quite a strange coincidence, until you saw him trying to talk with a very big boy who didn’t seem very interested in talking with him. Dick appeared upset ; the other boy was just shrugging and trying to focus on the books in front of him. 

You hesitated to go to them; you didn’t want to intrude. You weren’t too sure to recognise the other boy, but his face somehow seemed familiar. What decided you was where they were standing: the classic literature aisle of the store. Which was what you were looking for when you entered the shop.

You thought you could just say hi and then leave them alone if your presence was annoying them. You carefully walked to them.

“Hey Dick” you greeted the boy who turned around and instantly smiled at you. 

You weren’t too sure if it was a real smile yet, so you didn’t come closer to him, but his answer showed he was actually glad to see you.

“Hey, Y/N! What are you doing here?” he asked

“Buying books I guess.” you teased “I was looking for Mansfield Park or Emma, now I finished Pride and Prejudice” you said. 

The big boy to whom Dick was trying to talk to, quickly turned around and looked you up and down. He watched you with curiosity sparkling in his green eyes. Dick took his chance before his brother could go back to the cover of the book he was holding.

“Y/N, this is Jason, my little brother. You seem to share the same taste in books” Dick introduced the two of them

“Hi, Jason” you smiled as you cautiously observed him, remembering who he was now you knew his name.

You remembered what you read about Bruce and his son “who came back from the dead” and all the headlines about “Bruce arguing with his adoptive son”. It had quite broken your heart at the time.

“You’re Bruce’s new girlfriend?” he asked you quite bluntly

“I hate titles and I hate to feel like a possession. But yes, I'm currently seeing Bruce.” you replied and Jason nodded “I’m surprised you heard about me.” you added. 

“Didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. It's just that things are rocky with Bruce.” Jason said and you reassuringly smiled at him “And yeah, everyone is talking about you in the “family”. Dick and Tim said you were nice.” Jason explained his first coldness to you

“I understand; Bruce isn’t always easy and you don’t know me” you nodded

“Ah yeah?” Jason arched an eyebrow at you. 

He had expected you to take Bruce’s defence, like everyone else.

“Let’s say that I like challenges.” you smiled “And I’m not Bruce’s lawyer” you joked

“You should thank god for that, or you would have a lot of work” Jason grinned and you could tell Dick was quite happy about the current interaction.

“Can I buy the two of you a drink or something? Or a meal” you asked. “There is this sweet little café right outside the bookstore” you offered

You actually wanted to know more of them. Jason was curious about you so he agreed. Dick wanted to come as well, but he quickly received a call from Büdhaven. He reluctantly left the two of you together. Dick would have enjoyed some time with his brother too, but maybe you would help. If you helped with Bruce, he was certain you could do pretty much anything. At the same time, he really hoped Jason wasn’t going to scare you away from the family as a way to avenge himself.

But you knew better; you had met Red Hood before and you liked him.

You settled in the café. You started to talk about literature at first. You were both passionate so it was a good conversation starter. You gave each other some recommendations and debated on characters you liked or disliked. Your point of views on characters were often based on your experiences, so it naturally led to a conversion about each other’s lives. And of course, you arrived at the subject of Bruce Wayne.

“I’ll tell him to apologise to you. He shouldn’t have acted that way even if I do agree with the no killing rule” you said “You’re both right in a way, but… Bruce should have talked to you, he should have let you know what was going on with the Joker and why he couldn’t kill him. Why you couldn't kill him either. He should have been there to appease your anger, not the opposite” you said

“You’ll quickly learn that he doesn’t talk much. Especially not about his feelings. If it gets too personal, he’ll push the subject away. If it can hurt him, he’ll run away. He's a bad dad for that. And he might be a bad partner to you as well” Jason told you

“I’m sorry about what happened to you. It must have been so difficult to wake up without your family. And in a body you didn’t know. You did good, despite the murders and everything. Actually, Red Hood has always been my favourite vigilante” you admitted without commenting on the last part of Jason’s words. You wanted to believe that Bruce would make an effort for you.

Jason chuckled as you mentioned his vigilante persona.

“It’s true you never wrote anything bad about me. I thought you were scared of me… Until I realised we actually met” he teased, his eyes litting up

“Oh you remember? Yes I used to live in your territory, and now I’m nearby. I stand by what I said that night: I know what you did for people like us, that’s why I thanked you. Bruce can’t understand what it is to be poor and lost and to have to do bad things to survive. But I’ll make sure he does better with you.” you said “Just promise me to speak with Dick. Your brother looks like he is very eager to have you back in his life. He seemed very sorry you weren’t speaking with him earlier” you added

“I will try to talk with him again then. Thank you for… Thank you. I think I really needed to have this conversation with somebody but no one wanted to have it and I couldn’t really go to a therapist. You’re easy to talk with” he whispered, a little bit awkward

“I know” you smiled “I’m glad if I’ve been able to help”

“Is it your good action of the day to go to Heaven?” Jason joked 

“Absolutely” you giggled

A moment of comfortable silence engulfed the two of you. You both enjoyed your tea before you resumed talking:

“Hey you know what, this is my phone number. You can call or text me whenever you need it.” you offered

“Why?” Jason plunged his eyes onto yours. 

He was definitely not used of adults being there for him, especially without a catch

“Well I’m afraid I’m a family woman and my own family sucks very much. And since Bruce wants me around, I’d prefer it if I can get along with his people. I’d like to take care of you all.” you admitted, feeling a little shy to say all of this out loud.

Jason was also very easy to talk to.

“I don’t think I’m one of his people. Not anymore at least.” Jason sadly smiled at you

“You can be one of mine then. Take it as a repayment for allowing me to go back home every night without having to worry about anyone slicing my throat off” you insisted

“All the pleasure’s mine” he chuckled before saving your number onto his phone “You know, everyone says Bruce is nicer since you’re around. I have to admit this is true. Maybe happiness can truly change a man” 

“Even a bat?” you joked because Jason’s words were touching you a little more than you wanted to show it

“Even a bat” Jason nodded

A few days later, you received a message from Jason, clearly tasting the water with you.

J: Hey wanna go have some lunch together today or tomorrow?

You: Today sounds good :)

After this, you regularly had lunch together and Jason clearly started to see you as a motherly figure, and you saw him as a son. He crashed at your place more than once after patrol, so you could eat together. Bruce never commented on your relationship with Jason, but he heard you when you asked him to apologise.

Which he did.

Jason accepted it and tried his best with Dick and his other siblings. He was still feeling awkward around everyone, but he was slowly spending more time at the manor, even when Bruce was there. 

When Bruce asked if you wanted to meet all of his children anytime soon, you agreed but you instantly sent a message to Jason to make sure he would be there as well. He eagerly agreed because he couldn’t wait for you to be officially a member of the Batfamily.

--

PART 6

--

Taglist for all my work <3

@blublock404

@wind-canoe

@silverklaus

@couldeatthatgirlforlunch

Taglist for Bruce Wayne <3

@alishii

Taglist for this series <3

@Esposadomd

@moraxussy

@resident-cryptid

@legendarypiratecheesecake

@randomnamedmira

[gavillain]

My thoughts and theories after Agatha All Along episode 3. Read no further if you haven't seen the episode yet.

SHARON NOOOOOOO :'( Honestly, with the way Agatha brought her along essentially to be a meat shield, it's not surprising that she died so early on the journey down the Witches' Road, but I was still surprised that they killed off the comic relief this early. But I caught that they didn't add Sharon's hair to the antidote when brewing the potion, and I think that'll be discussed next episode. The show definitely had to establish the stakes of the Road as life or death early on, and Sharon was the only character who they COULD kill off since she was the only one without a mystery to solve. Still, sad to see her go.

In more important news, though, MEPHISTO GOT NAME DROPPED. HE'S COMING ASDFGHJKL; Listen, after all the speculation we were all doing during WandaVision about Mephisto showing up, to hear him get referenced makes me EXCITED to see if that's just going to be a world building detail or if he's going to be relevant in the story.

Agatha giving up her son, Nicholas Scratch, for the Darkhold was established as a part of her reputation in this episode. The trailers confirm that it's a bit more complicated than that, so I'm curious to know the full story. Right now, I'm theorizing that the hair in the locket is Nicholas's, and, if you remember from WandaVision, she plucked that locket off of her mother's corpse after stealing mommy's powers. So, I'm fairly certain Agatha sacrificing Nicholas is tied in with why her mother tried to have her executed back in the 1600s, and maybe Mama Harkness did something that resulted in her grandson's death? I dunno, but I wanna know! I think Nicholas Scratch IS still alive, though, and I think he's going to be the twist Big Bad of the show.

Teen is pretty obviously Billy Kaplan, and it's so obvious in fact that I wonder if it's going to be a bait and switch and he's somehow Nicholas? But like... maybe I'm overthinking it and it's only obvious that he's Billy to us comics fans. For normies watching this with only WandaVision and Multiverse of Madness for context, him being Billy WOULD be a really interesting twist, so we'll see! Regardless, he's the only person on the Road who I am reasonably certain is going to make it out alive.

The hallucinations for Lilia, Jennifer, and Alice were all interesting, though they left more questions than answers: *Lilia saw what looked like Russian royalty taunting her saying "they're all dead" as they took on more decayed and corpselike forms. I joked to my boyfriend that it was the Romanovs, but that's honestly not necessarily out of the question. Lilia in the comics is the "queen of the gypsies" in Scarlet Witch's childhood, so maybe in this verse, she was a part of the Sokovian royal family before their dynasty was killed off by revolutionaries that led to the political turmoil of Sokovia that we saw in Age of Ultron. Being a psychic, I'm willing to bet Lilia survived because she saw the massacre coming but no one else believed her, sort of a Cassandra figure. I could be WAY off base, but I like my theory.

*Jennifer is the one who I have the least read on her hallucination with the weird man trying to drown her. We know that she is bound, unable to use her powers, so is this man maybe the one who bound her? Or is he someone else tied to the events that led to her being bound? She's been bound for a little over a hundred years, and the man's clothes seemed to be from that time period. In the comics, she's from Florida and was an ally of Man-Thing, so maybe something in her story is going to tie back into Werewolf by Night? We'll have to see!

*Alice's hallucinations are the most straight forward, she saw her mother weeping because her grandmother had passed away and the mother felt it. We know her mom was a witch, and we can pretty safely assume that the grandmother was one too, I think. The mother mentions that since whatever killed the grandmother got her, now it's after her, and since we know Alice's mom is dead in the present day, that would mean that this mysterious force is now after Alice too. What is this force, though? Alice tells Teen that she has a tattoo that wards off a curse that plagues her family bloodline that her mother made her get, so is it just this curse that's after her or is it connected to something else? In the trailer, we see Alice exploding with fire as a demonic entity emerges from her. I doubt this is Mephisto, since I think if Mephisto has ties to anyone here, it'll be Teen or Rio, but maybe some subordinate of his? In the comics, she and Wanda worked together to defeat a being called Dark Tongji. I think it's likely that he's the being hunting her bloodline.

Then a few notes from earlier:

1. The Salem Seven - I went back to WandaVision for a refresher, and, not counting Agatha's mom, the coven that Agatha murders and drains of their magic in her backstory numbers at seven and they were in Salem... I'm putting money that the Salem Seven is what's left of Agatha's old coven hunting her down, or at least their descendants.

2. Rio keeps getting hints that keep lining up to hint that she's a genderbent version of Blackheart, which has me excited! I don't know if they're actually going to go this route, and her being a "Green Witch" kinda makes it a bit weird. But they keep reiterating "black heart" in relation to her and now they've referenced Mephisto, his father. So I think if Rio isn't literally Blackheart, she's at least possessed by him. We'll have to see. But I do love the crackship of Agatha Harkness/genderbent Blackheart for lesbian Marvel villain lovers. That tickles me XD

Overall, SUPER into this show thus far, and I LOVE that there's so much mystery and intrigue to piece together! I CAN'T WAIT FOR EPISODE FOUR, I NEED IT NOOWWWWWWWWWW

[laura1633]

do you ever think about how max never truly said he hated charles ? like i can think of interviews in which charles said multiple times that they used to “hate each other” and that he hated max, but i can’t think of any interview (at least in english, i don’t understand dutch) in which max told the reporter that he hated charles. he’s always mentioning the inchident but never told how he felt towards young charles (well we can figure, even tho i truly think that max, on this val d’argenton day, felt more amused by menace charles that annoyed)

and honestly, it gives me a heartache because :

1) non lestappen- centric : it just shows how much of a sweetheart max seems to be, never being rude to anyone and even less so charles.

2) lestappen-centric as in being love interests in fic : just think about how hurt max must have felt hearing charles saying multiple times he used to hate his ass ? 🥺 i just know fic-max is always thinking about his teenage self when he gets to have charles in his arms

This is why I always think 'Max fell first but Charles fell harder' fits their situation so well.

I've never heard Max mentioned hating Charles, although I guess he could have said it. He definitely saw Charles as a rival though but seems to just be amused by it when talking about it.

When Charles talks about their rivalry it is definitely in harsher terms (and I mean that affectionately because he is just being honest). I've heard Charles going from 'we hated each other', to 'we are just colleagues and don't need to get on' to saying how Max is one of the drivers he does get on with and is a nice guy. It's such a lovely journey and shows how much they have grown and they both now seem to look back on that rivalry with affection and realise what it meant to them both and how it shaped them.

In terms of fanfiction I can definitely see Max getting a little upset and insecure when he hears Charles used to hate him. Charles would reassure him though and tell him how much he loves him now and that it doesn't matter what they thought about each other as kids. Plus it's something funny to mention in the wedding speech!

[fuckyeselucien]

Creator Highlight #11 - @labellefleur-sauvage

Today we'd like to highlight @labellefleur-sauvage! We were so delighted when she came up on the wheel of fate, because @labellefleur-sauvage writes, consistently, some of the most interesting fan fictions in the community. She has no shortage of creativity, which makes picking three of her works incredibly tricky- all of them are so interesting, so fun, and SO well-written!

@labellefleur-sauvage captures the essence of Elain and Lucien, regardless of the setting. They might be in the mortal lands meeting for the first time, or an ancient mummy and a modern archeologist- no matter the time or place, they are ALWAYS recognizably Elain and Lucien.

Check out some of our favorites from her below, or check out her masterlist HERE:

Tempests And Urges:

Slowly, Lucien turned his head and his gaze found hers. Everything quieted. The house’s inhabitants were gathered around Lucien, talking about what he could expect, but Elain focused only on the male in front of her. She tried to convey her apology and sorrow and want with her eyes, frozen with indecision and unable to say what she wanted.

Lucien stared back at her, and while she could so clearly see his own sadness and longing reflected in his brilliant russet eye, he gave her a small, slow bow and turned away. Elain’s stomach dropped. He was going to leave her, and Elain would be stuck in this house like a neglected piece of furniture, without the one being who had a hope of truly understanding and listening to her. She took a half step down the stairs at the same time Lucien turned to Rhys and nodded his head…

“Wait!”

...

"Take me with you."

OR: A divergent ACOTAR fic, in which Elain goes with Lucien to find Vassa during ACOWAR.

The Highland Fox and English Rose:

Elain Archeron, the middle daughter of an enterprising English merchant, has been raised with one goal in mind: become the wife of a respectable Englishman. Everything else—her interests, her desires—didn’t matter. But when her father convinces her to enter into an arranged marriage with a brutal Scottish Laird to save their family from ruin, Elain is suddenly forced to reevaluate everything she thought she wanted in life.

As the newly appointed Laird of a derelict clan with a crumbling castle, marriage was the last thing on Lucien’s mind. His entire life is thrown into disarray when he is forced into a marriage contract he didn’t sign, to an Englishwoman he’d never met.

But Lucien harbors a dark, ruinous secret that affects more than just himself, and he is determined to resolve the issue at hand. Together, the Highland Fox and the English Rose will go on a journey that will force Elain and Lucien together—or drive them apart.

Or: an entirely indulgent Elucien Scottish Historical AU

The Curse of Sleepy Hollow:

In the quiet village of Sleepy Hollow in the human lands south of the Wall, there’s a local legend: that every All Hallow’s Eve, the ghostly form of a headless fae on a horse from the lands north of the Wall haunts the town for an evening, looking for his missing head and a human woman to take as his bride.

Too bad for Elain Archeron, the headless fae has found his head; now he’s looking for a bride, and he’s set his eyes on her.

Want to nominate someone? Fill out the form HERE

[dungeons-and-dragon-age]

ok sorry i'm just. ????

rant and spoilers ahead because i gotta yell into the void a little

first of and most of all. WHY does it sound like Solas front and center of everthing now??? Including both Inky's and Rook's stories/motivations???? Like okay i understand that Solas will inevitably be important in Rook's story and that's chill! We knew he was gonna play a part in this story! But why do they make it sound like half or Rook's purpose is just there to further Solas's story/character

and it quickly becomes clear that Rook will have their own unique relationship with Solas, as the Inquisitor did before them. I think what's been fun for us, too, is trying to build Rook as kind of almost a mirror of Solas.

Epler also acknowledges that the Inquisitor “obviously has a very personal relationship with Solas,” one that will need to be reckoned with in The Veilguard.

“And I'd say the Inquisitor, to some degree, feels guilty or responsible for what Solas is doing to the world. So while we're not going to get too far into details about what role they may play, they absolutely are somebody who is going to be interested and invested in the outcome of Rook's journey in The Veilguard.”

Why. are you telling us how our Inquisitor is supposed to feel about this?? When you play DAI you agree to play The Inquisitor, yes, but you don't agree to play someone who Cares About Solas. Like. Yes. I get that he is important. That much has been clear since Trespasser. And i'm ok with that! But how come you say "this is a game about Thedas and a world in conflict" and then also talk like this story is About Solas, Actually.

The other thing i absolutely do not get and do not like. At All

Those decisions are: who your Inquisitor romanced (with the options gender- and lineage-locked in the same way that they were in Inquisition), whether or not you disbanded the Inquisition, and whether you vowed to stop Solas or save him.

?????

No "who drank from the WoS"? No "who is Divine"? No "does OGB Kieran exist"? No "is Hawke alive" (Varric is there. SURELY he cares about this a lot)? No "what happened to the Mages & Templars"? No "were Wardens banned from the south"? Arent't those uh. Really Relevant Decisions???? WHY is one of the whole grand three (3) decisions that carry over if Inky wants to save Solas or not. I mean ok i guess i get it cus that was The Big Decision TM at the end of Trespasser but again. Why is that the big thing that matters. out of all the things that SHOULD matter.

There's not as many decisions you have made up to this point that have an impact on what's happening in Northern Thedas.

But it’s also part of the advantage of moving the setting up to Northern Thedas, Epler says, with the prior games in the series taking place in Southern Thedas, a significantly different region both geographically and sociopolitically.

Uh. Yeah they do. See above points and also some that i forgot probably. Northern and Southern Thedas don't operate independently from one another that's not how this works. Especially again with things like the WoS or the Divine decision. Also half our companions from the other games are from the north?? Like yes ok i know get what you mean kinda and it's true to an extent but not like this

for one, the team focused on choices that they felt they could react to meaningfully – not just a cameo or one-liner.

“There's never a sense of, ‘Oh, that decision doesn't exist.’ But maybe we don't touch on it in this particular title,”

The. Cameos and one-liners are what make it special though?? You can't say "We want those stories to be personal." and then say you're not making any of those small decisions matter. And i don't mean matter as in having A Big Impact TM but i know that a lot of us LIVE for those small tiny nods to previous decisions that make the world feel actually alive and connected. I understand that we can't have full on-screen cameos or questlines or whatever for every little tidbit but not even. idk. Background convos about what's going on in Orzammar? Gossip about Ferelden's monarch? A line from Varric about Bartrand? Dunno man. Again not to mention the Big Things like Kieran. or the Well of Sorrows consequences. Or the Divine (which. yknow. is directly relevant everywhere except maybe Tevinter??). Those were always the things that made importing a worldstate so charming! because you could see the small little impacts that you have on the world. The tiny things like the line about the pigeons in Ferelden in DA2 or a wartable mission with Wade and Herren in DAI are so so special to me

[all-for-the-game-confessions]

Like, I’m sorry to say this but canon Andrew has no interest in Jean. He shoved Jean off on Renee and cares as much about him as he cares about the upperclassmen and possibly even less. The only reason he would care abt Jean is via Neil or Kevin and that would likely be more antagonistic than thankful in any way

I kind of hate that people are demanding Andreil or Jean and Andrew interactions in tsc 2&3. No hate to the people themselves or the ship and character, but they’re so hung up on them and it’s kinda like anything in the aftg universe is abt Andreil/Andrew. It’s okay to have them be your favourites but tsc is about Jean and Jean’s healing journey and Jean learning to love and appreciate life and the world and people around him again and Andreil/Andrew doesn’t fit in that story.

On the other hand I don’t mind Neil, Renee, Kevin or Thea or even Wymack being there because it makes sense for them to have some contact with Jean (and with Neil only through the way it is done in tsc at the very beginning and end, otherwise it again wouldn’t make sense) (hell, I even have trouble with the way Neil showed up at the end. I kinda wanted him to just not be there at all until the Trojan v Foxes game in the later books)

And don’t even get me started on Andreil. You got your line people. Maybe even two but now it’s time to focus on Jean and Jeremy and Cat and Laila. If you want Andreil just reread aftg or go to ao3

But yeah, people are just too hung up on their blorbos from the main series and try to force that somehow upon tsc when their time to shine has come and gone and life moves on. it really annoys me how easily they just dismiss whatever tsc is about in the need of their own wants to be satisfied

.

If there is not a post tomorrow I apologize! Power may be out thanks to this hurricane

[lalaballa]

I was thinking about the AM song "Old Yellow Bricks", the Wizard of Oz and the queer term "Friend of Dorothy" - and I found this interesting post from reddit, referencing Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" X

Wikipedia provides some interesting info on yellow-brick road and transgender characters which date back to the very first novels:

The precise origin of the term [Friends of Dorothy] is unknown. Some believe that it is derived from The Road to Oz (1909), a sequel to the first novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900). The book introduces readers to Polychrome who, upon meeting Dorothy's travelling companions, exclaims, "You have some queer friends, Dorothy", and she replies, "The queerness doesn't matter, so long as they're friends." There are numerous references to LGBTQ characters and relationships,including a possible innuendo about bisexuality – when Dorothy asks Scarecrow which way to go on the yellow-brick road he says, "Of course some people go both ways" – although it is unknown whether they were intentionally included. For instance, in a case that may be seen as changing gender identity, or being transgender, Ozma, while still an infant, the baby daughter of the former King Pastoria of Oz, was given to the witch Mombi of the North by the Wizard of Oz. Mombi transformed Ozma into a boy and called him "Tip" (short for Tippetarius) in order to prevent the rightful ruler of Oz from ascending to the throne. Thus, Ozma spent her entire childhood with Mombi in the form of the boy Tip, and had no memory of ever having been a girl. Later, Princess Ozma would be the ruler of the fictional land of Oz. Princess Ozma has been referred to as “one of the first transgender characters in literature." This storyline was revived in Emerald City (2017). X

And then, back in 2007, in a brilliant album talking about circuses and identity struggles, under a persona called Jackie Pantomime, Alex Turner put this particular song (possibly about a need to escape) just before the final track 505, which addresses the return to HOME...

AM @ Brit Awards 2007

I don't know whether Alex had Wizard of Oz in mind when writing Favourite Worst Nightmare (btw the album's title seems to perfectly describe Dorothy's journey!), but the subtle engagement with queer culture since that young age... this is exciting to say the least.

[writerthreads]

How to write a villain protagonist

By Writerthreads on Instagram

Writing a villain as your main character can be a lot of fun, but it takes some finesse to make them both captivating and believable. You want the audience to stay hooked on their journey, even if they don't exactly like them. Here’s how you can pull it off:

Give Them a Real Reason for What They Do

Your villain needs a solid, personal motivation. It doesn’t have to justify their actions, but it should help the reader understand why they’re doing what they’re doing. Are they after power? Revenge? Or maybe they think they’re saving the world in their own twisted way? Give them a goal that feels deeply personal, even if it’s dark.

Make Them More Than Just “Evil”

A one-note villain gets boring fast. Your villain needs to have layers—maybe they’ve got a tragic past, a secret fear, or something they genuinely care about. The more depth you give them, the more interesting they’ll be. Show us the human side of them, even if they try to hide it.

Let Them Be Likeable… In Their Own Way

Even villains need redeeming qualities, something that makes us stick with them. Maybe they’re charming, super clever, or fiercely loyal to someone. We don’t have to agree with them, but giving them qualities we can respect or understand helps the reader stay invested.

Show Their Inner Struggles

Villains aren’t always cold-blooded. They can have moments where they doubt themselves, or hesitate before crossing a line. Letting us in on their internal conflict makes them more human, and gives us a reason to care, even when they’re making terrible choices.

Let Us See the World Through Their Eyes

Show the world from their perspective and let us understand why they think they’re in the right. Even if we disagree, getting inside their head helps us relate to them on some level.

Don’t Feel Like You Need to Make Them Good!

Resist the temptation to redeem your villain at every turn. It’s okay if they stay bad or make morally questionable choices. The appeal of a villain protagonist often comes from their willingness to do things a hero wouldn’t. Let them be ruthless if that’s who they are.

Give Them a Worthy Opponent

Just because your main character is the villain doesn’t mean they shouldn’t face opposition. In fact, they need it more than ever! Whether it’s a classic hero trying to stop them or someone even worse than they are, your villain should have someone challenging them, which keeps the stakes high.

Make the Stakes Personal

Villains usually have something or someone they care about, even if it’s in a twisted way. Maybe they’re trying to protect someone, prove something, or avoid a fate worse than death. Whatever it is, make sure the stakes feel personal and emotional. That way, when they make their big, terrible decisions, we understand why.

Play with Moral Grey Areas

Writing a villain protagonist lets you explore deeper questions of morality. What is “good” or “evil” when seen from their perspective? How far would they go to achieve their goals, and what does that say about them—or us? Use their journey to challenge both your characters and your readers on these themes.

This was a post requested by one of our followers! If you want specific help, let us know in the comments, or DM us :) Or if you're on Tumblr, our question box should be open.

[plasticfreckles]

🌙 solavellan cohabitation enjoy 🌙

It is a long-known, well-tread path he takes. Rising from his slumber, making his own bath in the chamber (filling the tub with ice, melting it, then heating the water to just below evaporation because that takes less time and effort than getting servants do it for him), getting dressed, meditation and stretches, then walking down to the kitchens for a small breakfast to hurriedly eat in his rotunda before returning to his frescos.

It pains him that the stonemason doesn't know that once, ages before, his art covered every crevice in every wall in this place.

What's new on the path is that now, there is somebody else on this journey, changing it ever so slightly every time he wakes.

That now, the mattress is heavy with the imprint of another body; one who shares in his space willingly, enthusiastically. One that even if they sleep turned away from each other, will still hook a long-toed foot around his shin and pull him ever so slightly closer. One that makes sure the fire is bright and his feet warm before laying down next to him.

One that somehow, miraculously, does not invite Desire to his dreams, no matter what unseemly things he dreams of doing with it.

Lavellan sleeps less than he does; he often wakes to see her in her nightclothes, poking at the fire in the hearth before opening the balcony doors and fetching some water from her carafe to soak the soil of her plants. For someone who so easily complains of feeling cold, she has little problem going out in the winter, barefoot and sleeveless.

She has grown her own little forest in their chambers, since coming here; tangy herbs on the west balcony, bountiful hanging vines and tall ferns to keep away the eyes of the people below where they meditate and stretch away the nights aches (among.. more carnal activities, Solas admits).

The bigger of the two, the north balcony, where they sit to eat and read and talk, she decorated with plants from all over the continent and crystals alike. Sometimes he thinks his old magic is the only thing keeping the ground from failing underneath the weight of it all.

When they sit at their little table there, legs of castiron, top of stained glass, and she frowns at him over the pages in her hands, he's never felt more at home here.

A small, vile part inside of him despises her for it, that this enormous, loreful castle, his castle, needed a marred, unknowing woman for him to feel at home in it.

The bigger, gentler part inside of him, however, chants praises in a tongue long lost to time when she laughs at his comments to what she just read; never in mockery, always in soft, loving tones that end up agreeing with him.

She always apologizes for waking him, vowing to fix the creaking door hinges to their dressing room.

"Don't apologize. Being awake with you beats anything I could ever hope to find in the Fade." It makes her blush so deep it rivals the red of her nightgown, every single time.

Today, though, she has a reply for him, as well.

"Even when I'm so feverish you may as well sit in a pond?" It makes him laugh.

"The mattress was not that damp," he says, as he moves to sit on the edge of their bed and pulls her down into his lap. "But yes, even then."

Whatever her feeling the morning at her hip may have brought them, it is taken from them swiftly with a runner and a stack of parchment. Lavellan sighs and stands, though not before kissing his eartip.

The runner can barely look away from her chest, still in her nightgown.

-

They part sooner than he would like. They always do. They hide in the cellar library for their meal, sitting among veilfire candles and tomes older than even him. Sometimes she barely suppresses a giggle at the people going right past the door, looking for her. The Inquisitor's work is never done. It amuses him to no end that even though they do this every day, everyone else seems to forget that door exists.

They never look for him. An interesting turn of events, to be all but invisible inside of his own home.

He cherishes these little moments, when she pulls him close by his shoulders and kisses him over the tray of their breakfast before opening the door, walking upstairs and finding those who searched her in the cellars by her memory of their voices alone with impressive accuracy.

If he asks her at night what all those people needed of her, she will remember little more than their names and how they made her feel. How some of them thought nothing of tugging her along by her arm, looking at her ears and forgetting who she is. They look at me and see a knife-ear to see their will done. They forget I could open up a rift under their feet and disappear them in the Beyond.

She doesn't reply when he notes they might bank on her being too kind to harm then.

-

When she finds him at late at night, well through his fourth candle, still pondering his sketches and frescos in his rotunda, there's a promise of intimacy in her words, even though she carries the exhaustion under her eyes, in the stray hairs from her braids and the crisp smell of winter on her clothes.

"Night has long come, Solas. You've made enough art to last a lifetime, I think." A tug at his clothes, urging him to put down charcoal and parchment. "Wash off the paint, and I'll rub the tension from your shoulders. I brought some sweets up to our room."

He never realizes what sweets she speaks of until she mounts him under her lifted nightgown and presses his face to her breasts, bare from sliding the straps off her shoulders.

When he wakes the next morning, he decides, he will lure her back into the sheets after she opened the doors.

🌙

you can't tell me these two wouldn't smash all day every day if they could.

the fever saga continues ✨️

[acourtofthought]

i feel like a lot of people forget that elain wants to travel, has dreams to see the tulip fields on the continent, and that is enough for me to see why lucien is literally the perfect match for her? idk i just do not see az traveling across the world? leaving his duties and orders from rhys behind??? granted we don’t know exactly what az dreams of doing with his life, but i just feel like with what we know of him as a character he would not travel and explore the world? but idk.. do you have any thoughts about him and he would want besides love?? he is far too complex when you start thinking about him too much lol

100%. "Az had too much on his plate already." How is Elain, "the world needs more gardens" going to set off into the world to do just that when Azriel already has so many duties for Rhys and other things that take up his time (one of which now includes training the Valkyrie)? I don't think "the world needs more gardens" was a line to suggest that Elain is going to travel around to the various courts to help people plant gardens, I think it was more a nod to what Elain's powers might be (life / earth) and how there are various areas in Prythian that have begun dying. The Spring Court / the Prison / the Bog / the sickness plaguing the Pegasus foals. It's not like Az couldn't accompany her to a few of those places but he's got ZERO business going to the Spring Court. He is the notorious spymaster of the NC, are we really thinking he's going to be chilling in Spring by Elain's side with Tamlin as HL? Do we really think Az is getting the carpet rolled out in the Day Court when he is pissy towards Helion because of Mor? Elain's story hasn't been set up to visit the prison, she's been connected to the continent, the Spring Court, we know there's issues in Day and her mate needs to find out about his heritage. And you're right, he has responsibilities to the NC that he does need to handle, he already has a job and it doesn't make sense that he could just push that aside to follow Elain around. Not to mention what he does doesn't really match with what she might be capable of. Nesta and Cassian are both warriors so their stories connected well. How is Az going to help Elain with her visions when his power is shadows? He can't see the future (though Lucien was mentioned as sensing Cassian's arrival before Cassian even knocked). How is Az going to help Elain if her power is life when he's "death"? The crumbs Sarah has left for Elain's future journey align perfectly with the crumbs she's left for Lucien's. Elain's (seeming) current disinterest in Lucien really means nothing when their plots seem to be heading in the same direction. Forced proximity is sort of an SJM specialty. As far as what Az wants, I don't really know. A mate seems the most obvious answer. To feel like he belongs but that's a him problem since the IC clearly loves him. I don't get the sense Az has any interest in hopping around playing courtier, brokering peace, and visiting the flower fields however, though those are things perfectly aligned with both Elain and Lucien's characters.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

At the start of this project all I wanted was to 'learn how to draw' using comics as a medium and the MDZS audio drama as inspiration.

I've come *very* far from making simple, 3 panel black and white comics, and I truly do intend to go even further. Thank you to everyone who cheered me on throughout 2023, it has been an incredible year in so many ways I never could have imagined. I look forwards to drawing throughout 2024 B*)