#three full tags and some for this rambler

[mother-rhoyne]

Arys Oakheart was courteous, and would talk to her cordially. Once he even objected when Joffrey commanded him to hit her. He did hit her in the end, but not hard as Ser Meryn or Ser Boros might have, and at least he had argued.

Sansa I - ACOK

It still shamed Ser Arys to remember all the times he'd struck that poor Stark girl at the boy's command. When Tyrion had chosen him to go with Myrcella to Dorne, he lit a candle to the Warrior in thanks.

The Soiled Knight - AFFC

[xxplastic-cubexx]

Honestly your tags are so fun to read every time, i'm almost more excited for them than the actual post (but not entirely because your art is SO GOOD!!!! i adore it). If you don't mind me asking, what are you studying?

i am studying psychology because i refuse to see a therapist so ill figure out whats wrong with me myself !!!!!!!

[kaoharu]

hello friends welcome to my milgram outfit observations 👍 im your host yves and im a totally seasoned clothing analyzer

anyways onto the observations themselves warning for incoming long post cause im a rambler o7

tagging @urrvw & @monopoisonous ^–^ !!! hi guys

alrighty now then as you can see in the newest milgram art, all the male prisoners seem to be wearing the Exact Same suit at first glance however there are some stark but also miniscule differences in both the type of suit and style of the outfits as a whole on each of them ( at least to me anyways )

some of the more noticeable parts of the suits that are different for each would be the pockets , buttons , and vents while some smaller things wld be the lapels , shoulders , seams , and collar type + tie as well as shoes

( i drew up a helpful graphic for the suit jacket parts for your convenience using fuuta as an example since we can see the most of his suit 👍👍 )

— MIKOTO

so based off the details we can see of mikotos jacket, he is Most Likely wearing some variation of a two / three buttoned single breasted notched or closing front lapel sports jacket or blazer with flap pockets. he also has front darts ( front seams ) going up the whole front of his jacket, as opposed to the side seams i highlighted on fuuta's jacket

his jacket also appeared to be a fitted silhouette as the shoulders are sligjtly defines and lifts slightly up, unlike a structures or sack jacket. as for his shirt, he seems to be wearing some type of cutaway collared shirt with a four in hand knot tie ( its very hard to tell to be honest im guessing on the general size of the knot ) his collar is neatly done and more reminiscent to how an office worker might wear theirs

finally we have his shoes, seemingly very similar to harukas, but i believe they are plain toe derby loafers since the shape is more rounded than it is sharp like a wingtip

— KAZUI

next we have kazui who im guessing is wearing two button single notched lapel suit with jetted pockets. the jacket is prob a fitted silouhette as it goes across the shoulders in a relatively straight line but kinda ? showing off his shoulders in a way. i believe he has side seams as well if you look closely to his shoulder not being covered by the bouquet 👍

his shirt seems to be a (semi)spread collared shirt with a (?) half windsor knot <- once again its hard to tell really 🤷‍♀️ then unlike all the other dudes, kazui actually has a suitvest underneath his jacket this is usually only done for formal events such as weddings, galas, or high profile business meetings . . . his collar is neat and closed tho not as much as shidous

then we have his shoes, which i think are cap toe derby loafers, his shoes are very similar to shidou, like how mikoto and haruka had similar ones, but the overall shape of kazui's shoe suggest a more casual derby rather than an oxford

— SHIDOU

shidou has a six buttoned double breasted notched lapel blazer jacket with jetted pockets. the jacket seems to be a structured sihoulette since the shoulders go pretty much straight across rather than dipping at all. he also appears to have front darts starting from his breast pocket, tho it doesnt span the whole front like mikoto

his shirt wld appear to be either a classic or spread collared shirt and an oriental tie / simple knot 👍 this a knot that is often done by wives for their husbands iirc . hrm !! his collar is completely closed as well

and like i mentioned in kazuis section, i believe shidou has cap toe oxford. these are often seen and worn in mainly formal settings

— FUUTA

fuuta has a two buttoned single breasted notched lapel blazer jacket with flap pockets. it would also appear that it has a fitted silhouette, and as pointed out in the graphic i drew he has side seams running from around the underarms to the bottom of the jacket

his shirt underneath is most likely a full cutaway w a four in hand knot ? its tied rather loosely compared to the other tho as uu can see his collar is more open than kazuis

fuuta is so silly cause he has pennyloafers ( i love these shoes btw theyre basically slip ons and once broken in theyre very comfy in my experience 👍 anyways tho ) these are often worn in business casual setting

— HARUKA

haruka has a three buttoned single breasted notched lapel sports jacket with flap pockets, tho he has a noticeable lack of seams that are used to fit the jacket on a perskn better. this makes the jacket look slightly ill fitted to him but it cld also be intentional as the shoulders imply that its a sack silhouette type

as for his collar, it looks most similar to a classic one w a kelvin knot, done a bit looser than normal but still tighter than fuutas tie

finally, im pretty sure haruka has wingtip derby loafers, as mentioned in fuutas section, as overall design of the shoe is similar to fuuta but the tipe is slightly more pointed looking

aaaaand thats pretty much it ❓️ i dont have any connections to make so yepp . . . sorry these got shorter and shorter LOL

[nerdieforpedro]

Last Line Tag Game

rules: in a new post, show the last line(s) you wrote (or drew) and tag as many people as there are words (or as many as you like).

Tagged by @tinytinymenace @djarinmuse @chronically-ghosted @pedroshotwifey

So I think I’ll give three last lines, because it’s what I’ve been working on, first up is Din Djarin smut. I was supposed to be writing fluff, between @alltheglitterandtheroar and @megamindsecretlair it changed for the better and teasing is always fun. ☺️

Both arms pull Din’s head to your chest, the sharp inhale of air before he’s buried in your body has you whining. The intensity of just two of this thick fingers have you close to your second orgasm but he removes them, a pop then a second as he mouth part from your nipple. “Taste yourself, then you’ll come twice for me.”

Second is from “This is the Neighboorhood Din” my modern Din AU:

“Dear Lord in heaven I am not dressed or prepared to talk to that sort of man any day.” She muttered as Ms. Harris made her way down the stairs toward her, she hugged her, and her arms wrapped around her as well, eye still lingering on the man sitting on the porch. His sweatpants did not leave much to the imagination. They weren’t tight by any means; one could just trace the lines. Thick thighs and well… heavy in the middle is the most polite way to say it. The only way she can think to describe it while hugging her aunt.

Third, last line from chapter 5 of “The Lake Between Us” (yes I do have future chapters written I planned! Unheard of in Nerdie-land)

“That I did Moonbeam. You should be cautious of my motives, but I can start at the beginning of my troubles for you if you like.” He placed his hand on hers, running up her arm to her shoulder and drew a small circle around her mole. “Be forewarned, the past is neither rosy nor glamorous. It is fraught with hardship, double-crosses and some death.”

Moonbeam grinned, nodding as he spoke, “Sounds like a thriller Ezra. I’m all ears. Add a dash of romance and some mistaken identity and you have yourself a movie marathon.”

“I’m sure you’d be riveted to hear it.”

“That I would.” Moonbeam crosses her legs and leans forward, touching his chin with a finger, “Speak.”

Lastly, I might be trying finish my Dave York series finally. 👀 Or one of them, though I’m not sure all of them are on Tumblr. I think I write too much stuff and it get’s jumbled. This is a softer Dave:

At her core, Kiara felt safe with him. It hurt to admit though she wasn’t exactly sure why, pride maybe? Maybe she wanted to continue to be independent but she hadn’t been for a few months now.

No. Not when she really thought about it.

Her head was leaning against the steering wheel, the nurse had seen his SUV parked in the driveway. Dave pretty much lived with her now, though she didn’t remember giving him a key. He hadn’t needed a key their first night together either.

I’m also working on “Roc & Doc” and crafting the murder mystery since I killed off Rockford’s partner and introduced his brother. What role will his brother play? We’ll see. Also, if you’re going to be a furry for the night, make sure you can in and out of your suit. 😎

Chapter 5 of “Weddings 101 with Dieter” is under way as well. I want a lot to be in it, might be too much. We’ll see how it turns out, also smut because Dieter’s gotta get Maya’s dress off - he did promise her that. 😘 Half-ass and Bridezilla are in full swing!

It’s a lot like always because it’s Nerdie, what else am I supposed to do? Too many ideas, not enough follow-through. I did four instead of three. 😵

NPT: @maggiemayhemnj @morallyinept @rhoorl (for the sweatpants) @linzels-blog for Din @inept-the-magnificent @soft-girl-musings @angelofsmalldeath-codeine @magpiepills @secretelephanttattoo @goodwithcheese @undercoverpena @legendary-pink-dot @for-a-longlongtime @lady-bess @mysterious-moonstruck-musings @gemmahale @laurfilijames @avastrasposts @ramblers-lets-get-ramblin @tightjeansjavi @frenchiereading @boliv-jenta @thefrogdalorian @trulybetty @kewwrites @beefrobeefcal @fhatbhabie

And whoever else saw all this and was like, let me do it too! ☺️

[ellie-24]

USS Randall Ramblers Part 3

Okay, this is the 2 in 1 deal everyone's been looking forward to not!

Writing prompts:

"Are you always this shy?"

"You're staring."

Tagging my partners in crime. @vintageshanny @from-memphis-with-love @thatbanditqueen @whositmcwhatsit @missmaywemeetagain @powerofelvis @be-my-ally thank you for the support, the debates, the inspiration and the horniness.

Summary: Phone calls aren't enough. These two just can't stay apart for too long.

Word count: ~ 5.5 k

Part 1 Part 2 Part 4

Frankfurt am Main, Germany

"Talk to me, honey, whatcha do today?"

His smooth, velvety voice instantly made Mary shiver and she had to supress a childish giggle. She tightly gripped the phone and caught her reflection in the full length mirror on the other side of the bedroom, seeing herself blushing furiously and smiling. With a sigh she sank further into the matress and slowly twirled the cord in her slightly trembling fingers.

"Actually, I should be asleep already." She grinned teasingly, even though he couldn't see it.

"Aww, Come on, tell me something nice. Please. You know I can't go to bed without talking to you." He mumbled with a pleading tone. Mary could almost picture the famous pout he was probably sporting right now.

She raised her eyebrow. It's been almost four weeks since her visit to Bad Nauheim. It was then that he told her that he would be stationed at Grafenwöhr for the next six weeks, putting him even further out of her reach. But he'd call her every day. That's at least what he promised upon seeing the distressed look on her face. And he actually kept his promise.

For 4 days.

After that, his calls became less frequent. Mary didn't want to admit it to herself, but hearing his voice three or four times a week instead of every day didn't feel enough. It scared her a bit. She was falling way too fast for him and the mere thought of his calls possibly ceasing completely one day made her heart ache terribly.

That's why she sat by the phone on her nightstand every evening, waiting for him to call and ease some of the anxiety she felt. She'd stare at her phone for hours, eyes burning and heavy, stifling yawn after yawn. On some occasions Mary felt kind of pathetic, especially when she'd pass out from exhaustion while sitting up against the headboard, drool already gathering at the corner of her mouth. Oftentimes he'd call her when she was already fast asleep anyway, usually around midnight. The sharp ringing would pull her out of her dreams, which mostly revolved around him anyway, causing her to be wide awake in an instant.

If it was up to him, they'd probably talk to each other throughout the whole night. Sometimes he'd ramble on and on for hours as if he had no one else to talk to and sometimes he just wanted to listen to her talking about her day, family drama or the latest gossip at work. She found that gossiping was rather fun with him because he actually paid attention, unlike other men she's talked to.

"Well alright, you know it's Barbara's birthday on friday." She reminded him.

"Didn't you want to organize a little party at the office?"

"Yeah, scratch that, probably not gonna be a real party, but I really want to get a cake. I asked the other girls if we want to split the cost for a really fancy cake. You know with layers and frosting and decoration and the whole shebang. Now, guess who had a problem with that."

"If you ask like that, sweetheart, it's gotta be Kate." He chuckled.

Mary threw her hands up in frustration. "Of course it was her! Anyway I met up with Helga in my lunch break and her uncle owns this cute, little bakery and he'd probably do it for half the price... Hopefully Kate will be on board with that."

"Honey, just tell me, I'll pay for the damn cake."

"You don't even know Barbara!" She laughed.

"I-I know, but it means something to you." He clarified in a soft voice.

Mary pressed her lips together to stop the embarassing squeal that threatened to espace her and tightly held the phone against her chest. After taking a deep breath she put it back against her ear. "You're so sweet."

"I'm just trying to help my little girl."

Her cheeks started to hurt from smiling so much. "And I appreciate it... I'll let you know what Kate says."

"Alright, sweetheart. What else did ya do today? Wanna know everything."

"Not much I'm afraid. After work I just went straight home. It's so cold, being outside really isn't fun."

"Yeah, you tell me. This damn cold here is driving me crazy."

"And then it also started raining when I walked home from the bus station. I was soaking wet when I arrived. Fingers numb and everything." Mary continued and flexed her hand as if proving to herself that, yes, she could really move it again.

She heard him click his tongue. "Aw, my poor yittle baby. You all bundled up in your blankets now? All warm and cozy?"

Mary pulled the soft fabric up to her chin. "I am."

"And you're wearing your fuzzy little socks? Don't want your sooties to be freezing."

"Yes, Elvis. I'm all warm again, don't worry." She chuckled and watched the raindrops race down the glass window next to her.

When he spoke up again, his voice sounded clearer, as if he put the phone closer to his face. "I-I wish I was there with you sweetheart, sharing a blanket, just like on that ship. Remember? With you running your fingers through my hair." It sounded like he was smiling.

She smiled as well and bit her lip, the memory still very clear in her mind. If she closed her eyes she could still feel his soft hair on her skin. "And your cold hands nearly giving me a heart attack. But yeah I'd really like that. You're a lot comfier than my pillow."

He cooed. "You're such a cute thing. The bunk beds they have here can give ya a mighty back pain, I'll tell ya. Getting some real sleep is a damn hassle."

She sighed and her face scrunched up. "Oh, I know, I shouldn't complain. They make you sleep in these horrible beds and then they want you to walk miles and miles through that mud and I don't know what. Without getting some proper rest!"

He hummed. "And it snowed the other day. You won't believe it. We were knee deep in the snow. The vehicles nearly got stuck, and there were these stupid photographers everywhere, trying to get a glimpse. I looked like a damn idiot."

"Elvis don't say that. What are you supposed to do? And I think it's very brave of you to carry on and do your job, despite everything. And damn these photographers, I'd like to see them do what you gotta do, first."

"Language, yittle. Doesn't suit ya."

"Elvis, don't, you're starting to sound like my mother." She laughed.

He sighed. "One of us has to be the responsible adult."

"A responsible adult? Where? I can't see one."

"Very funny, sweetheart."

She shrugged. "I know. One of us has to be the funny one."

"I'll tell ya if there weren't hundreds of miles seperating us, I'd put ya over my knee now, little girl."

Mary's eyes went wide and she nearly pulled her blanket over her head, as if hiding would improve her situation. "Elvis!" She finally gasped.

"Where's that smart mouth now?" He teased.

She tucked a few locks that had fallen over eyes behind her ear. "I'm just trying to cheer you up with that smart mouth."

He snorted. "Getting on my last nerve sometimes, that's what you do, sweetheart."

She knew he was pulling her leg but she couldn't stop the words that followed. It was just too easy to mess with him sometimes. "Well, then I suppose you should just stop calling me."

There was a pause. "Now, you know damn well I could never do that."

She hummed.

He took a deep breath. "Talking to you is what gets me through all this." His voice got lower, almost like a whisper, which made it hard for her to understand him. "Honey, I'm already dreading tomorrow, ya can't imagine."

Mary squeezed her eyes shut as if actually feeling his sudden anguish just through his voice. She didn't even want to imagine the look on his face right now. Whenever reality would set in, it overwhelmed him in an instant. She never really knew how to respond to his complex and seemingly all-encompassing emotional turmoil. "Oh Elvis, I wish I could help you somehow." She mumbled helplessly.

His voice trembled. "...Cherry, I-I gotta see you. I-It's so horrible here, please I have to see you."

Mary still wasn't sure what to make out of the fact that Elvis sometimes nicknamed her after his dog of all things, but she tried to believe that this was just his very unique, strange way of showing affection.

"Elvis... you know I'd love to visit you. But I can't ask my mum to come with me again."

"I-I know, sweetheart. But they won't let me leave. I can't come over." He paused for a second. "I just... I miss you."

She took a shuddering breath. "I miss you too. Terribly."

He groaned and there was a low thud, which made her jump slightly. It sounded like he hit the phone against a wall or something. When he spoke up again his voice sounded strained. "Let me talk to your father, yittle. I need to see you. Y-You can stay at this inn, my father stayed there as well when he visited. The owner, she's a sweet older lady, she'll take care of ya."

Mary pursed her lips. "Well, I guess you can try. I'll also make sure to use my pout on him. Do you think it'll work out?"

"Trust me. I'll make it happen... Love you."

There it was again. He started saying it a few days ago, their phone call now always ending with the same sentiment. Mary wasn't too sure what to make of it. She always told her friends that she loved them. Was this the same thing? It certainly didn't feel the same, the butterflies in her stomach and the lightheadedness she would feel whenever he'd utter those three special words were proof of that. But what exactly did he mean by it? Mary didn't know if she would call it real love yet. Of course she deeply cared for him, but love seemed to be something for grown-ups. Something that she still felt too young for.

"Love you too." She'd still always reply, both out of a weird sense of obligation but also because it did reflect her feelings towards him and she wanted him to know.

He'd always let out a pleased hum before hanging up.

Grafenwöhr, Oberpfalz. One week later.

Mary looked around tentitavely. Everything here seemed to be made out of wood. She tried not too make much noise while walking around, the floorboards creaking with every step she took. The chairs and tables looked carefully crafted, albeit a bit used and discoloured in places. Mary raised an eyebrow when she looked over at the counter at the other side of the room, with various kinds of liquors stacked onto the shelves behind it. All in all this place seemed to be a bar rather than an inn but she quickly decided that she didn't care. Right now she seemed to be the only one here, except for a few faint voices that could be heard from behind the heavy, wooden door next to the counter. Mary pondered what she should do while carefully inspecting the crochet tablecloth in front of her. She even briefly wondered if she was at the right address.

"There she is! My sweet girl." His voice suddenly boomed behind her. With a jump she quickly turned and saw Elvis beaming at her as he approached, determination in his stride. In an instant she felt his arms around her, a feeling that seemed to be almost familiar by now. She leaned against him and hugged him back, her arms around his neck in a tight grip. She pulled him even closer, happy that she could actually feel him again, and he laughed.

When they parted again he smiled down at her, his eyes wandering towards her lips. Mary felt her heartbeat picking up rapidly when he leaned down and pressed his lips against hers in another short, yet incredibly sweet, kiss. She looked at up him, eyes wide open, her cheeks red.

He softly caressed her waist. "Little Cherry came here all alone just to see me. She's best. Been on my mind the whole day now."

She reached up and rubbed her hands over his hard chest with a smile. "It's so good to see you again."

Suddenly the door behind them opened and a kind looking, middle aged woman wearing an apron appeared. She threw a towel over shoulder, her gaze flickering towards Elvis, then her.

Upon seeing the curious look on her face he stepped forward and cleared his throat. "Ma'am, this is Mary. She's my guest."

Her face lit up. "Oh, you're Mary. I am Frau Feiner. It's lovely to have you here. I hope you'll like it, if you need anything just ask me."

"Thank you, that's very kind." Mary nodded with a smile and looked back at Elvis. He guided her towards a nearby table and promptly plopped down onto the wooden chair. Without warning he pulled her onto his lap and gently patted her stomach with a grin. "Come on, sweetheart, ya gotta eat something. Mrs. Feiner here makes the best Schnitzel. Ain't that right?" He hollered over to Mrs. Feiner who was still busy wiping the counter.

"That's true." She replied with a wink and disappeared through the same door she'd come from before.

"That sounds great, now we only need some Schlager music to round it off." Mary joked, eyeing the old jukebox in the corner of the room.

He snorted. "Ya really listen to that?"

"Helga sometimes makes me. It's not that bad actually. But I still prefer that other guy. That rock 'n' roll singer. You know the one we talked about before?"

"The one who's been on TV and everything?"

"Yeah, that's the one!"

"Mhm. You talk a whole lot about him, honey, makes me wonder if I should feel jealous."

His strong arms pulled her closer to him, so that she was now fully leaning against him. He winced a bit at his own action and squeezed his eyes shut with a shake of his head. Mary furrowed her brows and reached out to gently stroke his hair, just how he liked it. "What is it? You're not feeling well?"

He closed his eyes and leaned into her soft touch. "Just a bit tired, honey. And a bit of a headache. Spend the whole day at the Czech border, patrolling."

Her frown deepened. "Oh no, I hope they didn't give too much of a hard time."

"Honey, the thing is I constantly feel like I-I gotta prove my worth or something. Everyone in the Army still thinks I'm a damn joke."

She shook her head. "I only hear good things about you, Elvis. Part of the reason why my father allowed me to come here on my own is because he trusts you to take care of me. Word gets around you're doing a great job serving your country."

"Definitely don't feel like it."

"My father told me he heard that you're always the first one to volunteer if there's a difficult task ahead. Always doing way more than what's asked of you."

He threw up his hands. "That's because I'm trying to do everything in my power to show them that I'm worth my salt. Gotta work ten times harder than any other G.I.!"

She carefully patted his chest, playing with the breast pocket of his jacket. "I know, it's not fair. But it's paying off, believe me. You should be proud of yourself."

He looked down at her fingers, avoiding her gaze. "Don't know."

Mary reached up to cup his chin, forcing him to look at her. "I'll get you there. I'm certainly proud of you."

He furrowed his brows and his eyes briefly welled up before he managed to catch himself again. It seemed like he wanted to say something, his mouth opened and closed multiple time before he swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. He watched her intently for a moment before a half smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "S' good that you're here now. It's balm for the soul I'll tell ya. I already feel so much better. It's like magic." He mumbled and pressed his cheek against hers.

She giggled. "I'm no wizard, Elvis."

"Are you sure?"

She gave herself a once-over. "Last time I checked I wasn't, no."

"Maybe a little fairy then. Far more fitting. Look-wise, I mean. Although-"

"Careful, Presley." She warned jokingly and jabbed a finger against his chest, making him chuckle.

Ms. Feiner then approached them, two plates in her hands and swiftly set them down on the table with a sweet "Enjoy!" before making her way back again. Mary gave him another look and quickly kissed his cheek before sliding out of his lap onto the chair next to him. He playfully narrowed his eyes at her and pulled her chair towards him, making sure their legs were touching under the table. With a giggle she quickly started eating, feeling rather hungry because her nerves had made her skip lunch that day.

"You wanna go to the movie theatre at the base later? I'll invite some friends so I can show you off and then we'll have a nice evening, what do you think?" He asked and gently nudged her with his shoulder.

She slowly blinked at him. Actually she'd hoped to spend the evening alone with him, but the prospect of being 'shown off' sounded intriguing as well. "Uh, sure why not? Sounds fun."

He smiled at her, his mouth full and swalllwed. "Okay sweetheart, then you'll get all fixed up and I'll have someone pick you up in an hour alright? Mrs. Feiner will show you the guest room upstairs and she'll take care of ya, okay?" He lifted his fork to his mouth. "Damn, that's good." He mumbled to himself as if he hasn't eaten in years. After they both finished their plates, when Elvis finished his third portion anyway, he briefly pecked her lips again before heading off to the base again.

Mrs. Feiner took her updtairs and she quickly settled into the small guest room. She decided to call her parents to let them know that everything went well, or she'd never hear the end of it. After that she tried to calm her sudden nerves again. How would Elvis introduce her to of his friends? Who even were they? Fellow soldiers? She just hoped they'd be nice as she combed her hair, her gaze transfixed on the thin layer of snow still covering the window sill.

When she arrived at the training area about an hour later she spotted Elvis standing at the entrance of the movie theatre, along with another man and a small, brunette woman. The enthusiastic smile on Mary's face quickly died when she saw Elvis reaching out to stroke the strange girl's cheek and leaned over to softly kiss her cheek. Mary halted in her tracks, nearly stumbling over her own feet. She couldn't stop the burning feeling of jealousy coursing through her veins at the sight of him being affectionate with another woman. He had a reputation of always being very loving and warm in his interactions with the women in his life, his fans, that's at least what she knew from magazines and his many apperances on TV. But this... seemed more intimate. She didn't like it.

"Come here, Mary!" Elvis shouted and gestured around wildly. The deep breath she took formed a small, misty cloud around her face and she slowly walked towards them, careful not to slip on the frozen cobblestone ground. She tried to ignore the knot in her stomach as her eyes flickered between Elvis and the woman next to him. When she was within reach Elvis grasped her hand and turned back towards his friends. "That's her. Isn't she the cutest thing y'all ever saw?"

"Hello, I'm Elisabeth, it's so nice to meet you!" The brunette spoke up with a polite smile and a light German accent.

Mary tried to force a sweet smile as she shook her hand.

"Mary." She curtly introduced herself. The girl seemed to be nice, at least she made an effort, but Mary just couldn't bring herself to like her, no matter how hard she tried to ignore her personal feelings. She wondered if she was acting childish and tried to control the creeping feeling that maybe she did take her and Elvis' relationship more seriously that he did. Even though this was only their third time meeting each other she knew that no one ever made her feel the way he did and she was certain that no one else ever would. Her thoughts started to spiral for a horrible, incredibly long second before the other man spoke up and held out his hand as well.

"Rex, pleased to meet you."

Mary didn't look at him, her gaze fixated on the stoneground beneath her as she tried to control the chaos in her head. Elvis put his arm around her shoulders with a smile, his body pressing into hers. The feeling of his solid strength so close to her made her feel both grounded and erratic at the same time.

"Are you always this shy, Mary?" Rex inquired with a gentle smile after a few seconds of her refusing to look at him. She then absentmindedly shook his hand before it would get even more awkward.

Elvis let out a little chuckle, his body vibrating against hers. The feeling finally pulled her out of her wicked thoughts. She cleared her throat and tentitavely hugged Elvis as well, her hand gliding over his back. "Well, it's not often that you go out with a world famous celebrity, is it?" She offered and tried to look flustered instead of hurt and confused. With a flick of her wrist she carefully squeezed his side, making him jump slightly.

Elisabeth briefly touched her arm. "Don't be nervous, Mary. He's a nice man. And I should know, we're here together almost every evening." She replied with a genuine, kind smile that was probably meant to calm her.

"Is that so?" she asked and looked up at Elvis, whose face betrayed nothing, a stiff mask displaying nothing but utter neutrality. "Well then there is nothing to worry about I suppose." Mary quipped and leaned further into him.

The four of them made their way inside with Elisabeth and Rex happily chattering and leading the way. Mary barely managed to pay attention to the conversation, but politely nodded along every now and then as Elisabeth kindly linked her arms with hers and pulled her aside a bit, telling her about her stepfather being a sergeant in the Army and how he and her German mother met and got married. Elisabeth then proceeded to share the story of how she and Elvis met at this very movie theatre only a few days ago. Mary kept looking over to him, now apparently deep in a conversation with Rex. When he caught her eye he winked at her and she quickly averted her gaze again.

The auditorium was small and practical, nothing fancy, with seats that didn't look too comfortable and bare, grey walls. "I wanna sit in the back." Elvis announced and leaned in closer to Mary. "What about you, Cherry?" He whispered into her ear about a second later.

"I don't care." She replied, her expression indifferent.

He briefly frowned at her in confusion.

Elisabeth then gestured towards the seats next to her. "What about here?"

Rex nodded and Mary looked at Elvis.

"Come on then, honey." Elvis chimed in and pulled her along with him, towards the back. She turned her head and saw Elisabeth and Rex shrugging at each other as they went to sit down. Well at least she would be alone with him now, she thought as she eyes the last row where no one had sat down yet. Shortly after her and Elvis sat down, she felt him watching her intently, trying to figure out her why she's been acting so strange ever since entering the movie theatre. He was interrupted by a small group of soldiers approaching them, seemingly wanting to sit down next to them.

"Go on, get your own row, damnit!" Elvis shouted over to them, making them look at each other and shuffle away quickly.

He then let out a content sigh and put one arm around her, his hand resting at her neck. He gently smiled down at her and briefly kissed her temple. His soft, tender touches almost made her forget his earlier interaction with the German girl he apparently saw almost every evening. She still felt his gaze burning into her profile and shifted in her seat. He didn't even try to make it subtle, facing her shamlessly instead of the screen. Mary focused on keeping her breathing even and tried to act as normal as possible but despite her best efforts her head eventually turned towards him on it's own. Instead of feeling caught and looking away his eyes lit up and leaned in closer to gently bump his nose against hers.

"You're staring." She whispered.

"What, I'm not allowed to look at the prettiest girl in here?" He grinned.

She hummed, not quite believing what he said.

"What? I'm just saying how it is."

She leaned back and looked straight ahead again.

He cleared his throat. "You know, I can't help but feel like you're, uh, angry with me, honey."

"It's nothing."

His hand around her neck reached out to play with a strand of her hair, gently twirling it between his fingers. "Come on, sweetheart. You think I'm gonna fall for that? I already told ya I know everything there is to know about women."

"Really, it's nothing."

He clicked his tongue in frustration. "Stop being so stubborn. As much as I'd like to read your mind and see what's going on in that pretty little head of yours, I can't. Ya gotta help me a bit. Please, talk to me."

Mary bit her lip and looked away from him, thinking about how she should phrase what exactly bothered her. If she should tell him at all. His fingers now drew comforting circles on her arm and he was uncharacteristically patient while waiting for her to sort out her emotions. "...Alright, uh, I guess... First-" She held up a finger. "-you promised me that you'd call. Every day."

He opened his mouth.

She held up another finger, silencing him. "Second. You said 'no other girls'."

"There are no other girls, just you." He replied without hesitation.

Mary raised an eyebrow at him, her gaze flickering towards the brunette a few rows in front of them and then back to him. He lowered his face and looked at her through his lashes. "Now, don't gimme that look. Elisabeth... she's just a friend. A-And she happens to speak German, which is useful, I reckon. That's all, Cherry. Now, don't spoil the fun and be good, okay?"

She huffed. "I'm not trying to ruin the mood. And I don't want to tell you what you can and can't do. I'm not like that. Just..." She let out an exasperated sigh. "Don't make promises you can't keep."

He turned his body back towards her and gently cupped her cheek. "...A-Alright, I can see why you're mad at me. I-I get it now, trust me... I've neglected you too much. I'll make sure to take care of you more."

"Elvis, that's not-"

He lowered his head and moved to nuzzle his nose against her neck. "Mhm, that's what my widdle baby needs and what she deserves." He whispered, his hot breath ghosting over her exposed skin. It tickled her and she tightly gripped her skirt, the heavy fabric now bunched up in her fists.

"Elvis-"

He rested his chin on her shoulder. "Cherry, you're my best girl, I want you to know that."

Mary sighed and tried not to let her cheek sink into his soft hair. She failed. "...Is that true?"

He hummed and moved closer to her neck again. "S' the gospel truth, honey." With that she felt the feather light brush of his soft lips against her pulse point. She let out a small yelp when he continued peppering soft kisses along her now heated skin. He put one arm around her waist to pull her closer towards him. She could feel him grinning against her when she lifted her chin and angled her head away from him to give him easier access. While he licked, suckled and mouthed at her neck she quickly looked around the dimly lit room, relieved that no one seemed to pay attention to them. Mary had to press her legs together when his hand moved over her jaw, along her neck until it rested just below her clavicle. He could probably feel her heart beating wildly in her ribcage.

"Elvis." She whispered.

He let out a low grunt in response.

"Kiss me."

"I am." He murmured, his voice muffled.

With a playful click of her tongue she promptly moved away from him and his touch, making him whine as he tried to chase after her. She let out a small giggle at his confused face and leaned over to press her lips against his, her fingers brushing over his jaw. He laughed into the kiss before eagerly moving his mouth against hers. His hand grazed over her upper body, back to her clavicle before moving down further. Mary couldn't suppress a small groan when he attempted to slip his tongue inside her mouth and briefly squeezed her breast at the same time.

"You!" She gasped with a grin and gently tugged at his earlobe. He chuckled, his teeth clanking against hers, and boldly squeezed her breast once again. It sent shockwaves of pleasure directly into her lower belly and their lips quickly met again in an open mouthed, heated kiss. He put a hand on her knee and Mary shivered when he moved it higher and higher, fingers digging into her the supple flesh of her thigh. A small sound escaped from the back of his throat, adding to the throbbing sensation she felt. He was now dangerously close her core and just when she thought he'd touch her there and ease some of the ache, he pulled his lips away from her. When they parted they just looked at each other for a moment, both breathing heavily. His hand still soothingly rubbed over her thigh and she swallowed hard.

"All good again?" He asked with a grin, still a bit breathless.

She exhaled shakily. "Sorry, Elvis, it's just, uh, I don't know."

"Tell me, honey."

She shrugged and leaned forward to press her forehead against his. "I guess I don't know why you would want to spend time with me... I'm nothing special." She cringed at herself while saying it out loud, being openly vulnerable with others wasn't something she was particulary fond of. It's not that she didn't trust Elvis, she just preferred to deal with her emotions on her own.

He urgently hugged her closer to him. "Honey, no no no, don't say that. I don't wanna hear any of this nonsense. You have no idea how special you are to me. I-I can always talk to you a-and you never judge me. You're there when I need someone to take care of me."

"I guess." She mumbled, her eyes burning.

"You always cheer me up, honey. Lemme do the same for you now. I don't like seeing you sad. Wanna see that smile again."

She hummed and shrugged, not trusting her voice right now.

He gave her another kiss. This one was slow and sweet, his pillowy lips barely brushing against hers as he held her cheeks in his big, strong hands. Then he went on to pepper her whole face with small kisses until she couldn't stop the grin tugging at her lips. He stopped and gently ran his fingers through her hair and cupped the back of her head.

"There's that pretty smile I love so much." He mumbled.

She let out a watery laugh. "You really know how to make a girl feel good."

He bit his lip with a smile, his eyes twinkling. "Oh, my sweet Cherry, you have no idea."

Also tagging a few people who seemed to enjoy the first two parts. Please let me know if you don't want to be tagged! @godlypresley @18lkpeters @lookingforrainbows @richardslady121 @kingdomforapony @c-rosenn

[trivialbob]

Tagged by @keepgoinggreen​.

I love this Yeti Rambler 20 ounce tumblr. If I leave ice in it overnight, there will still be some ice the next morning.

This is an older model. The original lid was one piece and didn’t close. I saw upgraded lids at REI one day. The black piece is held on by a magnet embedded on the bottom of the lid. That slider neatly clicks open or closed. I love the design. It isn’t completely waterproof, but I find it keeps hot drinks hot longer. Also, if I knock over the Yeti very little liquid will spill.

Last picture is Oliver, doing his best to piss me off today. I have been working on something very detailed. Small distractions seem like big distractions. Oliver likes to go right to big distractions. It’s his usual bullshit. There are three metal food bowls. Two of them are full. He’s knocking the empty one around, trying to get me to fill it. He’s too lazy to move after he’s plopped down on the kitchen floor.

[to-mars-and-saturn]

now i'm shining bright

Author’s Note: I am starting to feel like I am on some kind of roll, popping out another little diddy. Inspired by the wonderful Echosmith song, Bright. I mean how could I not write some Steve feels after this song? Tagging @exitableunderpants​ because I love her always, and she always helps kick my muse into working again. Also, this was supposed to top out at like 700 words max, but I am a rambler and that did not happen. My bad? 

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Reader 

Warnings: 18+ for smut (slight orgasm denial), language and adult themes. 

Word Count: 1779

She never really took his breath away, he concluded one night as the two of them laid in bed. She was asleep soundly, head on his chest with his arms wrapped around her. He was awake, staring at the ceiling and lost in thought. She was beyond anything he could have imagined. He never expected a chance at love, thinking it was frozen away on the ice alongside him. Waking up and realized time moved on when he hadn’t had been hard. Peggy had moved on and lived a full life without him. He sometimes wondered what would happen if he had survived then.

But then he would have missed out on her.

He didn’t dare think about comparing the two of them. They were both different, good for him at different times in his life. Peggy was there when he was becoming Captain America, and now he was Captain America, and he had someone else beside him. It fit. He didn’t think it’d ever happen for him, but they fit together in a way that reminded him of a puzzle. Alone, he was just pieces but together they formed a whole picture.

It all started with longing glances and too-close moments between them. Everything changed on a mission where she was shot, and he thought he was going to lose her. Steve never really had the knack for big romantic moments, but their first kiss wasn’t destined to be in the hospital, with nurses in and out of the room constantly, the beeping of monitors filling the room.

It had been though, and it was perfect.

That didn’t mean things had been easy between them. They were both known to be stubborn and headstrong, neither knowing when to walk away from a fight. As teammates, it made for a good battle tactic, but that didn’t bode as well for them as lovers. He hated the feeling of doubt and fear that nested in his stomach when he saw anyone come near in her battle.

She willingly followed him when the team fell apart, leaving behind her friends and life. Steve hadn’t wanted to ask her to, but she volunteered before he could even think of the words needed. The nights on the run were hard, and sometimes he felt guilty for stringing his friends along—especially her. There was a chance all of this ended badly for all of them, and that was on him.

He had a lot in his life that he would change if he could, but she was never one of those things.

He may have wondered what a future with Peggy would have looked like, because she took his breath away back then.

No longer did he feel like he missed out though, knowing that while it took pain and time, he found something in his life that was right. It was pure, honest and good. Maybe she didn’t take his breath away like Peggy had…

She was the one who taught him how to breathe again.

-------------

“What did I say about getting yourself stabbed, Cutie?” He stood in the doorway of the dingy bathroom in their motel room. The floor tile cracked, paint on walls chipped, an odor that was foul and lingering throughout the room and yet somehow it was one of the better places they had stayed.

“Not to.” She grumbled, taking a cloth to the wound on her stomach. “It wasn’t like I was waving around my stomach for him to try target practice on. People just get stabbed sometimes.” She shrugged it off like it was no big deal. For someone like her, it wasn’t. She had the ability to heal and he knew that in just a few hours that deep gash would be nothing more than a scratch.

It didn’t make him feel any better though.

People just get stabbed sometimes. As absurd as she made it sound, there was a truth behind her words. In their life, sometimes a stabbing happened. This wasn’t the first time she was stabbed, and he had his own fair share of stab wounds over the years. No, they had the routine down with handling a stab wound, a gunshot wound or just about any other kind of wound they could receive in battle.

Again, that didn’t make him feel any better.

“Look—” he started, unsure really where he was going with this. He worried about her, but she never liked when he made a big deal of it. She hated feeling like she was being protected or but on minimal action because of their relationship. He hated having to send her off in battle, knowing that there was a chance she wouldn’t return to him.

Being a man with something to lose instilled a fear in him unlike anything else ever had.

“I promise I will try harder to dodge the knife next time, Steve.” She sounded tired, and he from experience how exhausting a stab would could be. “We got what we came for, Babe. It was successful, all in all.”

She wasn’t wrong. They had retrieved the information they were after, and he knew how critical it was. He didn’t like the feeling that resided deep inside of him knowing that the price of the mission had been a risk to her safety and well-being.

Maybe he was no longer the symbol of Captain America, taking Bucky with him as he walked away from Tony. But he still had people who followed him, and she was one of them. They all had to be safe. She had to be safe.

He didn’t know how to go on in a world without her in it. She was his everything, and even saying it like that didn’t feel enough.

“Alright, Cutie.” He dropped it, not wanting to fight with her now. He picked up the cloth she had, motioning her get up on the counter, holding his hand out for assistance. He noted the wince that came from her, biting down on his tongue to avoid saying anything that would provoke her.

She was absolutely the most stubborn person he had ever met. Yet, she’d say the same exact thing about him.

“I’m going to be fine really soon, Steve. I can feel myself really healing.” She reached out to cup his face, her thumb running over the bruise on his cheek. He grabbed her wrist, placing a kiss to the palm of her hand.

He bent down some to look at her stomach, noting that she had been right. She was healing, and at a rapid pace that he was thankful for. What was once a red gash was now merely a scratch, and soon there would be no mark there against her skin.

“Good.” Standing back up, he crashed his lips to hers. A kiss, white-hot and raw, reminding him that they were still both here and alive. Death was too much of a threat in their lives, and this was how they fought back—by taking the moments to really and truly feel alive. He always had a need to fully feel her in an intimate way after a battle, to be able to feel her tremble under his touch.

They took the emotions they were plagued with and fucked each other into a state of bliss and content.

Routine. Survival.

His hands gripping her waist, he lifted her with ease without ever breaking the kiss. He carried her towards the detestable bed, as always missing the bed that the two of them used to share. He placed her on the bed, looking down at her as she laid there, beautiful and eager as always.

His hands made quick work of the remaining clothing she had on, fingers teasing and exploring her body as his mouth found her nipples and he teased her with a mix of stokes of his tongue and the occasional nip with his teeth.

It didn’t take long for her to start whining under his touch, hips wiggling as she begged for more.

“You sound so pretty, Cutie.” He said, spreading her thighs even more as he settled between them, placing a soft kiss to her inner thigh. “I think I want to hear you begging for me tonight.” He warned, fingers parting her folds as his tongue met her—the taste of salt and honey on his tongue, causing him to groan and her to cry out at the feeling.

“Fuck, Babe.” She muttered, fingers locking in his long locks, making him glad once again that he was letting it grow out. She mentioned time and time again that she loved the longer hair and beard and he had to admit that in moments like this, he really loved it too.

Two fingers enter her, stretching her open as she mewls under his touch. He licks soft little swipes against her clit, working her body close to her release, but never letting her get close enough. He loved toying with her from time to time, letting her get close to the edge to leave her hanging time and time again.

It was going to be one of those nights.

His mouth worked against her clit, adding a little more pressure as he increased the speed of his fingers. Just as he felt her begin to clench around him, his actions stilled, and he received a whine from her lips.

“Steve—” she pleaded, but he only placed a soft kiss to her inner thigh again, waiting until her body started to calm down some. After a few moments, his fingers entered her again as his mouth returned to her clit. He brought her to the edge once more, just to leave her hanging again.

And then he did that three more times, leaving her absolutely wrecked under his touch, babbling and whining at each of his movements.

“I told you I wanted you beg for me tonight.” He finally spoke up, and she raised her head to look at him with her wild, wide eyes.

“Steve, please. Please. Please. Please.” He chuckled at her words, his fingers entering her once more, hard fast stokes as his mouth returned to her clit, nipping at it and causing her to cry out as she was close to her release.

Just as he felt her clenching around him, he once again still his movements listening to the profanity that left her mouth at his actions.

“I think you can beg better than that, Cutie.” His thumb stoked her clit lightly, a feather of a touch just to rile her back up. “And I’m not going to let you come until you do.”

[the-littlest-showgirl]

About Me Tag Game

So I was tagged by @silverlynxx in this and thought I’d give it a go. [New to this tumblr thing so bare with me if I mess up lol]

1. Nickname: Not sure if it counts as ‘nickname’ as such but pretty much everyone who knows me shortens my full name to ‘Lou’ even when they’ve only known me a little while. 

2. Zodiac: Cancer

3. Height: 5′3″

4. Last movie I saw: At the cinema: The Front Runner; starring Hugh Jackman as Gary Hart; pretty cool film if you haven’t seen it. Currently watching The Fountain [yes I’m a huge Jackman fan lol}

5. Last thing I googled: Erm probably the DVD release date for the Front Runner. 

6. Favorite Musician: Don’t know if I’ve got one ‘favourite’, I like a lot of different stuff but if I had to pick probably Bryan Adams whom I’ve seen in concert twice. :

7. Song stuck in my head: At the moment: ‘Tightrope’ from TGS because it’s the last song I was playing on my piano before the film. 

8. Blogs: Just this one and replicaartbylou which will have all my sketches on it eventually. 

9. Do I get asks? not yet but my account is super new and I’m still figuring out how everything works lol

10. Following: A few, mostly TGS ones and some other stuff.

11. Amount of sleep: Varies. Probably not nearly as much as I should as I usually end up staying up writing or drawing. 

12. Lucky Number: don’t really have one tbh

13. What I’m wearing: pyjamas. 

14. Dream Job: artist, writer or maybe photographer/film maker. something creative anyway. 

15. Dream Trip: New York for sure and then maybe Australia or Paris. 

16. Favourite Food: Roast Dinner [what can say I’m a Brit ;) 

17. Play an instrument? Spent the last year teaching myself to play piano and I’m doing okay, i’m getting there. 

18. Languages: English. Did French in high school but can barely remember it but one of my close friends is French so I’m slowly picking bits up from her. Also the odd German word because my dad worked in Germany for a few years.

19: Favorite Song: Pretty much the whole The Greatest Showman soundtrack at the moment. It’s hardly off, i’m either singing it or playing it. To sing my fave is probably Tightrope but to play From Now On or A Million Dreams but i love playing them all really. Also I’m a huge musical’s fan; Les Mis, Oklahoma and The Phantom of the Opera being my top three aside from the Showman. I have so many fave songs it’s hard to pick just one lol

20. Random Fact: I really want to take up tap lessons [don’t ask] 

21. Describe yourself as aesthetic things: Okay so I have no idea how to do this erm . . . so i might add this once I’ve had chance to think. 

I TAG. . . . .well i don’t really know anybody yet to tag  or who’s already done it so . . I guess just tag yourselves. [Also I’m a writer & a rambler by nature so if I’ve gotten carried away i apologise :)]

[nilletellsstories]

You’ve Got Mail - Chapter One

The First One

Pairing: Harrison Osterfield X OC (Elle Richardson) Words: 960+ words Warnings: None… Well, A LOT of rambling, but that’s Elle! A/N: HERE WE GO AGAIN! New blog! Same old stories. Updated taglist, which applications to are still open. And for new readers, Welcome! This story is in NO WAY related to the Tom Hanks / Meg Ryan blockbuster, “You’ve Got Mail”. It just has the same title as it seemed to fit.

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To: Unknown [h.o.1996@gmail.com] From: Eleanor Richardson [eleanorrichardson@hotmail.com] Date: June 14, 2018; 23:57:54 GMT Subject: Post-it note of luck?

Dear... Well, I actually don't know, soo... Hi there!

So, I found this post-it note in all my notes and other things (that shall not be named) on my desk today. On the aforementioned post-it note was this email address. I do not usually write emails to people I don't know, but this is an exception, I feel like. I hope it is okay that I have sent you this mail.

I might as well introduce myself. My name is Elle Richardson, well, my full name is Eleanor Marie Richardson, but I like Elle so much more. I'm an almost 21-year-old Interior and Spatial Design student, who are slowly finding her way in life while being obsessed with sports events and actors/actresses coming out with new movies (You are more than welcome to suggest some, as I need to broaden my knowledge of movies, as my roomie would say).

I'm not good with making friends, but the ones that I have, I'm tightly knit with and they mean so much to me, I can't describe it. Last summer, two of my friends and I moved in together in a nice apartment in South Hackney. It's an old, renovated industrial building and it can easily be seen on some of the fixtures, but it's home and it all has its charms. We have now been living here for a good year and we are still good friends. My two roommates are Georgina "Georgie" Wright (Seriously, DO NOT EVER call her Georgina. I did once and she locked herself in her room for a week, only coming out to grab something to eat), a 23-year-old "struggling" singer/songwriter/youtuber (She's absolutely AMAZING, but you didn't hear that from me 😜), Julia Graham, a 19-year-old with a cooking talent and temperament that could easily battle Gordon Ramsay's (I'm about 85% sure, she did the "Idiot Sandwich" before him). And while Julia is the youngest, she's also the most motherly and mature out of the three of us. She makes sure that Georgie and I remember our laundry ("Because I'm not doing them as I'm not your mother!" - and that's an ACTUAL direct quote from a few nights ago), makes sure there's always food in the house, to be honest with you I could go on for hours about all things she does. And this is all while she's doing a ffull-time culinary degree and works 16 hours shifts when not studying. Both Georgie and I agree that Julia needs to be protected at all costs.

My family is just me, my almost 18-year-old brother Nathan, our parents James and Alice, and the family dog, a labradoodle called Mols. Her name is supposed to be Molly, but when we got her, Nate was dealing with a speech impediment that meant he only could say Mols. Also, my mother's family comes from the Danish island, Mols, so it's also a tribute to that part of the family roots. While I have moved to London, my parents and Nate still live in Guildford. Since I can remember, we have lived in the same house in Guildford. It really is my childhood home. A bit about my parents and brother. My father is an inspector in the Surrey Police force in Guildford and my mother is a secondary school teacher. She currently has Nate in her advanced math class and he absolutely hated it the first few months until they agreed that in class they were student and teacher first and family second. I was lucky to escape the possibility of having my mum as a teacher as I didn't take maths for my A-levels. Nate is just finishing up his A-levels and has decided to take a gap year before going to Exeter to study Civil Engineering. It's kinda weird that my baby brother is almost done with his A-levels. I feel like it was yesterday that he came into my room in his superhero pajamas, crying about how Dad was a bad cop for not scaring away the monsters under the bed and in the closet. Anyway, that's enough about my baby brother.

As for myself, as I said in the start, I'm trying to find my way. That means studying Interior and Spatial Design at UOTA in London, working a few design jobs here and there, trying to do my bit in the apartment, emerging myself with editing work (I dabble in writing and I edit/"beta" other's fanfictions on different websites), and being taste tester for Julia. I took two gap-years to try to find an education that suited me and my hobbies and that ended up being interior design. I'm still trying to enjoy the small time off that I have, by pursuing other ideas and opportunities that I may encounter. If I find something that I really want to do, I'm able to take most of my courses online, which eases up much of my planning.

So, I just went back and read all that I wrote. I'm a rambler. That is definitely clear. I had been told by others that they thought I was a rambler, but I have not really noticed it myself before now. Well, I can mark that down as one of my many quirks. I have probably revealed for too much about myself, my family and my friends, but when I get started, it easily flows out of me. I think slight nervousness is also mixed into all this.

I would absolutely love a reply, so just try to follow the points that I have used, like friends, family, living situations, work/studying, THE FUTURE, etc. I look happily forward to your reply,

Love, Elle.

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TAGLISTS

Strikethrough @’s couldn’t be tagged

All Stories:

@spideycentral-1 // @micki-smiles // @stardxstparker // @secretly-spider-man // @imagineholland // @mikahjosephine // @sweethosterfield // @ap93mcu // @heavenly–osterfield

You’ve Got Mail:

@sam-hollands-darling

Harrison Osterfield:

@mischiefmanaged49 // @sunshine112

[seenashwrite]

The Nail: August 2017

The Nail isn’t about perfection. It isn’t about award-level contenders. It’s about seeing focus and effort and hard work radiate off of the screen.

And The Nail’s purpose isn’t to highlight genres of fics or specific ships or pieces written during a certain time frame - the sole focus is quality.

Character dimension. Writing with clever readers in mind. Solid world-building. Tension through boundaries. Crazy crisp dialogue. Incredibly tight plotting. Big emotion.

And though yours truly - nice to meet you, new folks, I’m Nash! - is editor of the list, the goal is for YOU to curate the content.

Read more about how all this came to be, find past editions, see what factors are considered when constructing the list, and how to get your recommendations in/be a curator HERE.

Hey, ramblers? Let’s get ramblin’.

For your reblogging convenience, here’s The Nail Master Post of Editions!

Quickie Nash Note:

As this project evolves, I'm still determining the best way to present it for easiest reader use.

And so, faithful followers of The Nail, you'll notice a touch of a categorization change-up. The lengths are still the m.o. vs. type ["angst", "fluff", etc.], but are now listed in order of word count, low to high. The rest of the categories remain the same, plus a new one that may or may not appear on every edition [you'll see why!].

I've also put a new page on my blog, mainly for authors, with explanation for things they may question regarding this format - things I’ve mentioned prior, but it takes up too much space. Some of the current FAQs are....

- Why did someone make up a summary/why didn't you use my summary? - Why did someone make up a title for my story/poem? - What are those Q comments? - Is Nash actually reading all of this?

One last thing: The Nail is meant to go out the first full week of each month, and was mostly ready this weekend, however I just wasn't in a jovial, woo-hoo mood, I made a brief post why, I've no doubt each and every one of you understand, but you have my apologies nonetheless as poor time allocation on my part meant this wasn't out at some point during the past week.

XO - Nash.

* ~ * ALL FROM THE WORLD OF "SUPERNATURAL” UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED * ~ *

- SUPERNATURAL SUPERSTARS - Organized by length.

THE BOY KING'S DEMONS  -   @rex-daemoniorum / @vengeuse WORD COUNT - 279

Sam understands that there are exceptions to even his own rules. 

Q: Nice detail, pertinents given painted the picture effectively/no belaboring; through-line present of Sam's ability to relate without spelling it out/written for intelligent readers; complexity of situation related in short amount of space

[Nash Note: Additional shout-out to @azazelsocks, who provided a high-quality prompt, as - if your humble editor may be blunt - most fic prompts are beyond lame. Well done, 'Socks.]

--> I cannot tag these folks, if someone could kindly let them know or give it a go in your reblog

CIRCUMSTANCES -  @jessmoorechesters WORD COUNT - 347 words As years pass, the Moores have often found their thoughts turning to Sam.

Q: While perhaps started as headcanon, reads third-person omniscient; emotional, rambling, almost panicked cadence/style/lack of caps/punctuation absolutely works for this subject matter; nice full-stop short sentence toward end; inclusion of poignant details/no unneeded detail

[Nash Note: I already had this on the list, had a couple informal suggestions to check it out, spotted it more than once in my feed - overall, this resonated with many of you, and rightfully so.]

DESIGNATED DUTIES  -  @fanforfanatic  WORD COUNT - 412

A tale about the seemingly ordinary things we do for one another.

Q: Moves at a crisp clip; heartfelt without bending sappy; several great lines/points of humor, prevents getting too heavy given the short length/action in question; nice cap-off/prompts reader to use imagination while not ending on a proverbial cliffhanger

HELLO, DARLING  -  @whispersandwhiskerburn  WORD COUNT - 789

Crowley and Billie have a little chat.

Q: Excellent use of vocab in descriptions; quick, crisp dialogue; spot-on characterization; kept story moving/pacing well done; didn't waste time on explaining things/rehashing things readers already know from watching the show/written for clever readers

SHAPE OF YOU  -  @winchester-family-business WORD COUNT - 1K [minus song lyrics]

In which Dean walks into a bar, has a drink, meets a woman, and whether it's for now or forever, it's definitely meaningful.

Q: A get-in-and-get-out in the opener, setting the scene with just enough information and moving on to the actual story/no wasting time with a long set-up; excellent use of a "gimmick", re: initial communication; nicely fleshed-out protag who has her own thing going on, which he respects, which is in line with the character we know; took a commonly used set-up and took it to a thoughtful but not belabored/shmoopy place

GOOD NIGHT, LITTLE KING  -  @moonlightcas WORD COUNT - 1.6K

At the age of six, Sam is visited by Lucifer.

Q: in medias res; excellent pacing; perfectly plausible in canon; slightly chilling and pressing and foreboding without being suffocating; timing of the name reveal is Absolutely. Spot. On.

ONE, TWO, THREE  -  @kathaswings  WORD COUNT - 3.4K

A trip to a bookstore turns out to be more than you - or Sam - could have imagined.

Q:  in medias res; structure that would please any screenwriter; meet-cute without being immature/shmoopy/saccharine, specifically - protag didn't turn into a pile of weepies or gigglies/displayed strength; nice choice to include action; solid ending/author knew when to step away from the keyboard

[Nash Note: author's inspiration is revealed post-story, however they kept a light hand/did not merely re-hash source material bit-by-bit & just throw SPN atop it, instead made it their own - points and gold stars for this, always]

SUNDOWN, SUNDOWN  -  @thayerkerbasy  WORD COUNT - 6.2K 

"Crowley was done. After hundreds of years and one last sacrifice, he was done. Except, somehow, he wasn't."

Q: in medias res; spot-on characterization; tackled character departure in unique manner that could have easily gone shmoopy/author demonstrated restraint in walking the emotional line/kept that slightly off-kilter tone; moved at quick clip/efficient structure/fluid; touched on things/events seen in show but did not belabor/used as tool vs. crutch; phenomenal end dialogue/last line

- POEMS & POETICAL PROSE - Mostly quick reads, these are actual poems of any structure & short [< 2K] stories that have a poetic feel to the narrative with appropriate use of poetic verbiage given the subject matter and / or setting; pieces in the less-than-300 words neighborhood are considered quality in their entirety, therefore no "Q" notations; organized by length.

SECOND FALLING  -  @vintagesam  WORD COUNT - 135

"Despite the silence in the church, the earth is deafening."

INTOXICATION  -  @copbydayfangirlbynight  WORD COUNT - 199

"Out of nowhere, these two guys you’ve never seen show up and slip onto the bar stools next to you."

THE LEGEND  -  @quailpower  WORD COUNT - approx. 300 words

Exploring the costs of immortality, and what one angel chooses to do with his time.

JULIET  -  @roxy-davenport  WORD COUNT - 1.7K [minus song lyrics]

A night in the life of Crowley's beloved hellhound.

Q:  HERE [Nash Note: Short version? Knowing when it is appropriate to inject "flowery" verbiage into a narrative. Hint: fits the time period and/or character, is kept crisp, to-the-point, and used sparingly, regardless]  

- MULTI-PARTERS - Stories with a minimum of 2 parts, max of 3-to-4, with modestly sized [1-to-2K] chapters; completed as of this list; organized alphabetically by title. 

None this time! [but I’ve got a couple bookmarked whose wrap-ups appear to be en route]

- SERIES SPOTLIGHT : SUPERNATURAL & SPN CROSS-OVERS - Works that are completed series, as well as ongoing / in progress series, with at least 3 parts published as of/prior to the edition of The Nail in question; unfinished series must have been updated within roughly 6 months of this post;  these are lengthier than multi-parters, getting into a 5K+ range per chapter; organized alphabetically by title.

MISE EN PLACE  -  @sp-oops  

A look inside the ways you  - and the rest of the family - help Dean deal with the effects of the Mark of Cain.

Q: in medias res; quick, crisp dialogue & pace; no heavy-handed/laborious descriptors of setting/emotions, whether internal or verbal; nice character development/casual, easy feel to character interactions; sex fit into plot organically/didn't feel forced; plausible reactions by Dean/Sam/protag regarding the complexities of the residual impacts of the mark; witty humor throughout; nice cap-off/author knew when to step away from the keyboard  

Curated by @smi727 , who said: "Stumbled upon this little beauty of a series recently. I was seriously blown away by the plot, the writing, the reader’s personality, everything! Please Nash, share this wonderful writer with the world!"

- RANDOM FANDOMS -   All types, all lengths, all the things that aren’t SPN but are still pretty damn super; organized alphabetically by title.

AGENT 15  [series in progress]  -  @bellamysgirl

[MARVEL - AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.]

"Agent 15 was one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top agents - that all changed when a mission went terribly wrong... but Coulson found a way to drag her back."

Q: in medias res; moves at a quick clip/no time wasted on extraneous detail; well-done characterization of both known/O.C.; reads as if watching episodes/movie; nice format/use of time flip vs. heavy exposition telling another character about those events; keeps intensity while splashing in moments of camaraderie

VERY MUCH FAEBLOODED [drabble]  -  @mickeyrowan

[POTTERVERSE]

"She knows she’s different. She’s always been different... No place lets her forget this."

Q: Introspective without taking the reader on a deep, angst-filled dive; even-handed character portrayal; tone consistent; nice choice of event highlighting vs. a traditional narrative; well done on complementary kick-off/wrap-up

WHO YOU ARE [one-shot]  -  @blackcaptainrogers

[MARVEL - AVENGERS]

Bucky knows showing love takes on a variety of forms.

Q:  HERE

[Nash Note: Short version? Your audience consists of such variety, it’ll take your breath away. And, well...]

On that piece of white paper, Sam wrote, "Write about me sometime." And I typed something back to her, standing right there in her bedroom. I just typed, "I will.”  ― Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower  

- ORIGINAL WORKS - Anything from haiku to novella; pieces in the less-than-300 words neighborhood are considered quality in their entirety, therefore no "Q" notations; organized by length.

IT IS SO TIRING TO BE DIVINE  -  @mythaelogy WORD COUNT - 52

"The architecture of your bones was built by conquerors."

MYSTERY GIRL  -  @inkskinned WORD COUNT - 111

"[A] girl who convinces you of magic, who flickers just a little on the edge of reality..."

I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT THE STARS IN A MONTH  - @poemsforpersephone  WORD COUNT - 125

"It’s an easy thing, to open a window, to step outside."

A TRADITION  -   @wakor-rising / @wakor  &  @sonatagreen   WORD COUNT - 189

"In peacetime, the ruler grows their hair long. In war, they cut it short."

--> I cannot tag these folks, if someone could kindly let them know or give it a go in your reblog

NEW YORK CITY TO RICHMOND  -  @haleyincarnate  WORD COUNT - 269

"I wonder if he knows that I can see the trying part of him..."

THE HOUSE OF GRUMLY  -  @erinnightwalker  WORD COUNT - 553

"Everyone knew that the Widow Grumly’s granddaughter was a werewolf."

Q: Sharp start with a phenomenal choice of an opening sentence; took a "historical fact", ran with it, and created a captivating world / plot in an incredibly short span of time; formatting, flow, verbiage crisp; nice & layered/written with a clever audience in mind

THE ADVENTURES OF ROXY AND JUJU   - @wheresthekillswitch  WORD COUNT - 2.4K  [part one/series in progress]

"JuJu finally relents and hands over the car keys to Roxy. It couldn’t possibly go more wrong than it did the last time Roxy drove…. right?"

Q: in medias res; crisp dialogue; absolutely engaging, witty characters developed in a short amount of space; vivid descriptors without being heavy-handed; leans into a vignette [character study] feel vs. hashing out a distinct plot; nice intro/kick-off for a series, though if author opts not to proceed, works just fine as stand-a-lone...

[...which is why I broke my own damn series criteria rule, so sue me. -N.]

- STUFF SO CREATIVE & UNIQUE, IT JUST CAN'T BE CATEGORIZED - What it says, organized alphabetically by title.

ENTRIES  - @cardinaleyes

An inside look into the journals of Team Free Will:

DEAN

SAM

CASTIEL

Q: an ongoing pseudo-series with a creative concept; keeps distinct style for each; bonus points regarding convenience for the reader by having a "home" for each character vs. all together in one blog

JEOPARDY

In which Team Free Will plays a game.

It began with a piece of fanart by @lastlabyrinth  ....

....which got some dialogue by @phantomrose96  ....

.... which got a follow-up by @casonly, and a nice wrap-up from  @guntheramvs 

Q: Written with sharp, quick-witted audience in mind; spit-take worthy humor; great characterization, spot-on in fact regarding our host for the evening; crisp, fun dialogue; excellent collaboration by all involved

[h/t  @waywardafbabygirl ]

JOURNAL OF A MAN OF LETTERS  -  @petite-madame

From the creator: "[This is] a diary in first-person narrative written from Sam's point of view. Once a week, I post an art and a ficlet inspired by an episode or a scene. I'm following the show timeline as close as I can but I'm taking liberty with canon here and there."

Q: Extraordinary, above-and-beyond, clearly evident care, devotion, countless hours put into this project, and it has paid off many times over - there is some of the most beautiful art you'll ever see, there are stories [have a sample] that will hit you right in the feels, there are moments ranging from light-hearted to introspection, and you even have an option of platform - go HERE for the LiveJournal headquarters. Phenomenal, top-to-bottom. I am not over-selling this.

TWO AGENTS MISSING, PRESUMED DEAD - @bohoartist & @piecesofscully

[THE X-FILES]

Two agents are missing - follow the twists and turns as clues are examined, leads are followed, and information is exchanged.

Q: The planning and execution throughout was nothing short of excellent; written/developed with smart audience in mind; methodology of storytelling unique and, more importantly, appropriate for how the authors chose to unfold the plot; format/use of images was spot-on; clear through-line and tone; mystery that was engaging, teasing but not frustrating  

[h/t @itssteaksauce ]

*~* Shameless Self-Promotion *~*

Happy Reading!  XO - Nash.

* Authors, I encourage you to express your appreciation to your curator(s). Readers, if you enjoy curator selections & found them to be of quality, I encourage you to not only give the authors feedback, but also thank the curator(s) for bringing the story/series to your attention. I suspect they’ll dig it. *

[that-wandering-belle]

Tag I’m it

Tagged by the lovely @sakuraraestar Thank you! :)

1. Have you witnessed something that restored your faith in humanity or made you ashamed of humanity?

Thankfully, I witnessed things that have restored my faith in humanity when it’s gotten a little shaky. I’ve been lucky enough to experience many times where people have gone above and beyond to help my family and me, whether they had any relation to us or barely any at all. The most recent times I can remember have been with my brother being hospitalized for months because he was really sick. Some of these people were complete or near strangers, and even our friends, went above and beyond to help our family during a really difficult time and expected absolutely nothing in return. Then there’s also things I see in other places and online. Kids giving up a birthday party to use that money on buying things for other people in need. A whole town learning sign language to communicate with a deaf member from their community. I could go on for a while. :)

2. Do you own a piece of makeup that would be considered a wild color?

Haha, no I don’t think so? I guess maybe some eye shadows might be considered wild colors but considering I’m still learning how to blend colors, I haven’t tried those bolder colors yet.

3. How do you deal with road rage?

Lol I actually don’t think I have too bad road rage. Usually I just kinda swear at whatever the other driver did but that’s about it and I usually ignore other drivers with road rage. 

4. Do you have a talent that some would consider amazing?

My ability to procrastinate and jump to insane and worst possible scenarios. I’ve actually been told this about both things, on multiple occasions and by multiple people.

5. How do you watch your shows/movies?

Usually in comfy clothes, with junk food and a full cup of Coke by my side and usually my dog will curl up on the couch beside me at some point or my husband will join me (depending on what it is).

6. Have you eaten something that is out of the norm for you?

Yeah, and so far so good. :)

7. What’s something you like about a friend (don’t have to name names)?

How compassionate and strong she is. She’s someone I aspire to be. :)

8. What type of weather do you enjoy the most?

Fall & rainy weather! :)

Questions:

1) If you had the choice of one super power, what would you pick? 2) Pineapple on pizza. Yay or nay? 3) What’s a favorite book series you’ll read even when you’re old and sitting in your rocking chair? 4) What’s one show you honestly wished you had never touched? 5) In a random turn of events, you’re suddenly in charge of writing the ending for your icon’s story. In three sentences or less, what’s that ending? 6) You hold the power to bring back one of your “dead” ships. What ship do you bring back? 7) Hot chocolate or tea? 8) Favorite book/movie/TV show you’d recommend even on your death bed?

Tagging (only if you want to!): @klarolineutopia @gooddame @austennerdita2533 @accidental-rambler @lclrgsl @livingdeadblondequeen @onlyklarolinefeels

Thanks again for tagging me! :)

[restlessjourneyor-blog]

A PCT through-hiker, a hippie family, and fellow a Hoosier

After I dropped Mom off at the Medford airport at the conclusion of our 4-day road trip Oregon-bound, I came to realization that for all intents and purposes, I was slightly, kinda sorta…. homeless. My future field partner and I had been looking for places to live in Medford, Central Point, and Talent, in hopes of finding a month-to-month place to live for the 4-month duration of our job. I quickly learned that finding housing, at least in southern Oregon, was HARD. Fresh out of college, where you walk down the street and see almost every house/apartment for rent, this was a wake-up call.

I knew of hostels in Ashland, another nearby city in my area. I fortunately scored a bed for two nights in the Ashland Commons, a SWEET, tidy, mural dotted hostel located in the heart of Ashland. After exploring downtown Ashland for a bit, stopping by a farmer’s market to stock some fresh strawberries in my cooler (my only food supply) I parked in the hostel parking lot for some reorganization time. My car was a mess after having lived out of it for 4 days…

At the conclusion of “gear Tetris” in the Hyundai, I chilled on the top bunk, decompressing after hours of traveling. I meandered out into the kitchen after I heard the tell-tale clanking of dishes and thud of footsteps.

**I should take this moment to point out the fact that I am a hopeless romantic (I place 90% of the blame of Nicholas Sparks, whose books I read as though they were the only form of writing that existed back in the early 2000s). So, when I decided to stay in a hostel I had written my love story in my mind, one involving mysterious (and attractive, of course) world traveler who was also stopping by that hostel for a night’s stay, whom with I would then fall madly in love and the rest of days would be spent traveling the world together. Needless to say, my life is NOT a Nicholas Sparks novel, so instead of meeting my soulmate, I met Rambler.

A PCT through-hiker, Rambler was a wealth of knowledge about the dos and don’ts of the trail, as well as the gear that was the best. He was also full of stories woven by threads of humor, heartbreak, and advice (if one chose to see it that way). From Rambler, I learned (or was reminded) that life is hard, and Nature offers a unique comfort to sadness in a its vast forests and miles and miles of trails. He was on his 2nd time through the PCT, driven to the outdoors by divorce, as he searched for an outlet for his pain. He also taught me that $1.50 mosquito nets from Walmart are just as good as $30 mosquito nets from a name brand, and that the plastic used for window covering in house projects, works as a perfect mat to protect your tent or sleeping bag. I find that most things in fact, are this way: less complicated and not as they seem.

As a PCT trail hiker, minimal is maximal. Meaning, the less the better. Rambler was too the point of cutting tags out of his clothes just to save that extra 0.05 ounce, because it all adds up and it’s useless anyways, right? The duct tape trick involves putting pieces of duct tape on all of your pieces of gear, only to be removed when the gear was used. What a simple lesson to remind us to get rid of the duct taped things in our real lives (90% of my taped items would be clothes).

If I ever find myself near the Bishop Hostel in California, I know to forego the high-class dinner (or in my case McDonald’s) and head to the bowling alley instead for a lobster dinner…who would have thought?

I dropped Rambler off at one of the PCT trailheads outside of Ashland (saved him a 14-mile walk). It was great to get to know him, and I wish him the best of luck on what I have learned to be a rather treacherous PCT this year.

                                                       ----

As I was chatting with Rambler another hostel inhabitant entered the conversation. Seemingly in an unspoken competition for the most interesting “divorce stories” I learned more about these people than I asked to. And I have found that to be a common theme among the people I speak to. I, myself, am the opposite. More often than not, I avoid any “self-topics”, or personal professions that clue the fellow conversationalist into how I think, or what has happened to me during my life.

Yet, there I was, sitting at the kitchen table, more or less an observer of these people’s seemingly tragic life stories. The other hotel inhabitant was one of three guests in the same family. She, her son, and her boyfriend (the boy’s father). The mother was the sweetest women. One of those types of people who wears the smile of someone enjoying life every second of everyday. Aside from divorce stories, she also bent my ear with tales of the adventures she had been on, and the places she had lived. Her boyfriend (a spitting image of one of the contestants on Survivor from this past season), had one of the most piercing gazes I have ever experienced. On a side note, I felt as though he was analyzing your soul instead of just listening to the words I spoke. I never saw the man wear shoes. In a traditional hippie fashion, he was shoe-less 24/7. These people were the salt of the earth, and I was sad to s e them go. They left me with a pleasant hostel experience and the recipe for the best almond pudding.

                                                       ----

Upon returning to the hostel on my first night I met the new guest, with whom I also happened to be sharing a room. She was only staying in the hostel for a couple of nights as she had decided to keep her belongings in a storage unit and to camp instead of spending money on other housing (super badass). Weirdest part…. she was from Indiana. She went to IU and had spent most of her life in the Midwest (seriously, what are the odds). However, she had called the west her home for the past couple years, working seasonal environmental science positions. We chatted science and biology, as we strolled through the famed Lithia Park. Forestry her specialty, she pointed out trees and plants for me to learn.

We chatted about traveling, and the places we had been. As we swapped mountain backpacking stories we pondered what it would be like to overcome the ‘veil of disbelief’ that is traditionally our involuntary response to seeing a sight that takes your breath away, and renders you unable to  cannot fully comprehend its reality. I spoke of standing at the edge of Black Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park, in disbelief, as we overlooked the “photoshopped” snow-covered mountains, plunging gorges, and pine forests, as the strength of wind held my body up. My inability to completely fathom what I was seeing almost inhibited my ability to enjoy it, or to even convey it to those who were not there in the moment. She surmised that if we were ever able to “overcome the veil of disbelief” it would be an otherworldly experience. I fear that we might never be able to achieve this feat. Good food for thought…I might argue that any attempt to achieve this goal of overcoming the veil might be futile, as the more we see, the more we wouldn’t be able to believe that is was possible for all of this to exist.

[nerdieforpedro]

Wednesday WIP

It's hump day people! So that means it's time to find out what everyone is working on! 😎 As for your girl Nerdie, I have a few things in the works: two Dieter fics, two Marcus Pike fics, and Dave/Santi.

@iamasaddie Popped out a dark Valentine's Day prompt and past Nerdie said sure! Thus we're going to have a different version of Marcus Pike. (Not “Daddy” I made a slight edit to the prompt). He might be a bit manipulative, but it's for your benefit. Not odd at all. It's still in bullet points and some of them may change I gave @ramblers-lets-get-ramblin a preview so have to ask her if it makes any sense. 😄 (The above gif is how I picture this Marcus. Like he looks so sweet, but sir, SIR! But also we're okay with it, maybe.)

@magpiepills gave me an excellent idea for meeting Marcus Pike at a motel based off a Tag game we did a week or two ago. I've thought of three parts for the thing. I just gotta write it. That will be the Marcus fluff we know and love. 💕

@angelofsmalldeath-codeine Sweetly asked if there was an update on my chapter Dieter series "Weddings 101 with Dieter." I am working on chapter 4, I just have to work out the details. The devil is there and he is mocking me. 😈 The Horny Delegation's High Chancellor has high expectations. Maybe I should have written it a little worse. 🤗

Dave/Santi have their bullet points mostly. I did start on them. Maybe February @for-a-longlongtime It needs a lot more meat, lube, cargo pants and zip ties. There may be a preview of that next week along with some Santiago smut. The Santi x reader smut will be @rhoorl (she started it with her ask) and @legendary-pink-dot fault who sent me one journalist's investigative piece on Oscar's Dune beard. 🤣 I also blame Pinterest. You search “Oscar Isaac beard” one time. Sheesh. 😒

I finished my addition to the PMAMC 2024 challenge organized by the talented @wannab-urs and, well, it's done and out there. 👀 Read the other ones and come back to mine, if you think about it. This week is everyone is posting so there will be a masterlist up later with everyone who participated.

I'll end with a small preview of my Dieter Brovo one-shot:

God he needs to feel you, the pocket pussy he has is alright but he needs your full weight on him. You mewling at him, giving him silent direction as he tries to make you vocalize more. Dieter’s aware he’s often loud enough for the both of you and he finds that hearing the few moans that you will give him, fill him with a sense of accomplishment. He remembered that you’d told him that it was difficult to climax sometimes and actually you’ve reached your peak so much more often with him than other partners, because he cared to find out where your spots are, what makes you feel good. Your hushed noises weren’t an indication that he wasn’t doing well, you just weren't used to making sounds during sex. Since the two of you met at a club where you had misplaced your shoes and Dieter let you borrow his crocs, you’d been seeing each other when you could. It was one of the few stable relationships Dieter had outside of his business team.

So that’s all I have this week. 🤗 See you next week!

No pressure tags: @fhatbhabie @trulybetty @morallyinept @maggiemayhemnj @pedroshotwifey @megamindsecretlair @i-own-loki @secretelephanttattoo @goodwithcheese @ladybess-a03 @laurfilijames @musings-of-a-rose @undercoverpena @avastrasposts @chronically-ghosted @gwendibleywrites

[seenashwrite]

The Nail: July 2017

The Nail isn't about perfection. It isn't about award-level contenders. It's about seeing focus and effort and hard work radiate off of the screen.

The Nail's purpose isn't to highlight genres of fics or specific ships written during a certain time frame - the sole focus is quality.

Character dimension. Writing with clever readers in mind. Solid world-building. Tension through boundaries. Crazy crisp dialogue. Incredibly tight plotting. Big emotion.

And though yours truly - nice to meet you, new folks, I’m Nash! - is editor of the list, the goal is for YOU to curate the content.

Read more about how all this came to be, find past editions, see what factors are considered when constructing the list, and how to get your recommendations in/be a curator HERE.

Hey, ramblers? Let’s get ramblin’.

For your reblogging convenience, here’s The Nail Master Post of Editions!

Quickie Nash Note:

I've not had opportunity this month [June] to give individual three-point reviews. So, something a little different here for July's reads - and it just might be the way The Nail rolls from here on out [and yes - I still will review on my "own time", as it were, once I... y'know... have more time].

Aside from the typical short blip of a summary that reviewers provide for their readers, you'll see a handful of reasons these pieces made the list below that, labelled "Q". In other words, the "Q"s  are a handful of elements we [curators & I] look for when it comes to an author nailing it.

Quite wonderfully, the curator submissions are increasing in number with every edition! So much so, many stories have been shifted to upcoming months. If you enjoy curator selections & found them to be of quality, please consider not only giving the authors feedback, but also thanking the curator(s) for bringing the story/series to your attention. I suspect they'll dig it.

XO - Nash.

* ~ * ALL FROM THE WORLD OF "SUPERNATURAL" UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED * ~ *

SPEED READS [from scene do-overs to gif-inspired one-shots to dripping drabbles, all 500 words or less]  

These won’t be reviewed separately in Nash’s usual three-point manner à la #Nash Gives [Feed]back due to their length, excepting those cases where the author pulled off a fleshed-out plot/character or had a unique take that was well-covered in the short amount of space. If there is no title provided by the author, Nash/the curator will pick one for them.

THE YEAR IS 2050  -  @mishasaurus

Years on the job, and still the occasional surprise. 

Q: crisp, quick, no more words/detail than necessary; executed a call-back and wisely eschewed any [uneccessary] explanations; wonderfully delightful, spot-on humor

.

FIFTEEN  -  @teamfreewill-imagine  

Time always has moved differently for Dean.

Q: Concise while still giving character dimension; exploratory without explaining every finite detail; subtle and realistic tipping point in character arc

.

RESERVED SPACE  -  @supernaturalfreewill 

Rather than take action, Dean observes and wonders.

Q: pitch-perfection descriptions that gave just enough vs. too dense; took a prompt that inferred a certain direction/instead chose a thoughtful path to show a different side of a well-known character; pleasant change of pace/atypical use of reader inclusion/insert

.

STEP-BY-STEP  -  @veneredirimmel

A short character study, considering what exactly is behind this hunter's smile.

Q: careful and considerate exploration of a characteristic that often bends shallow and sappy; flow is pitch-perfect, each section adding a bit more gravity, growing more personal as it goes on; kept in line with the portrayal we know while adding believable layers; leaves the reader with a feeling of "I want to go back and read this again"  

---> Unable to tag author, if someone would kindly let them know <---

.

THE LONG, FULL YEARS  -  @ariannnawinchester 

What happens in the life story of the Winchesters after "The End" has been written.

Q: fantastic example of a heavy topic in the hands of a sharp author who can make it feel "light" & not depressive; written with clever readers in mind, painting a picture fluid enough to allow for interpretation; absolutely knocked it out of the park regarding the "main event", in that those details weren't important as the aftermath is the point; fleshed-out OCs whose personalities were clear & enjoyable despite only a few lines between them

.

THERE IT WAS  -  @deathtonormalcy56

There's every reason to believe he'll be back - after all, he's always come back before - and now begins the time in between.

Q: good contrasts between objectives & subjectives/how "dulls" can be "sharps", etc.; took the risk of going with little/no dialogue that can often go awry for many/go sluggish; strong protag in the face of sorrow/doesn't fall apart/introspection without broodiness; 2nd person almost fading into 3rd omniscient

ON THE SHORT SIDE [500-ish to 1.5K]

Works via curators will not necessarily receive Nash's typical 3-point review

URBAN LEGENDS  -  @sasquatchandleatherjacket

Seems that some legends are more than the stories we use to contain them - and just how frightening they are depends on your perspective.

Q: creative take on the subject which made absolute perfect sense; nice, slow burn - despite the crisp pace & length - to the ultimate reveal, nicely camouflaged by the initial, more intuitive reveal; atypical choice regarding perspective, one not often utilized; leaves reader with the feeling of "I'd definitely read this again"

---> Unable to tag author, if someone would kindly let them know <---

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SHEETS  -  @klaineaholic

The basic skills for hunting include weapons and the lore, but when it comes to hunting with the Winchesters, one must also master snark, sarcasm, sass - and those skills may just be the most important of all.

Q: well-done characterization; nice, quick pace; awkward moment handled realistically; fleshed-out protag in a very short amount of time/showed a sharp wit with a softer side that didn't bend sappy

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TEA TIME WITH MILDRED  [on AO3] -  @grey2510 

Crowley has help this time around with his critique of Dean and Castiel.

Q: in medias res with steady pace; excellent characterizations, including fleshed-out & highly enjoyable minor/here-and-gone character from a past ep; doesn't waste time on things superfluous to plot, nice flow

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TRANSPLANT  -  @zepppie 

Dean takes a moment to give thanks for a gift, one that's given him a very different perspective on life.

Q: very unique/original plot that fits within the universe of the show; excellent characterization [minor OCs & protag alike]; written with clever readers in mind; big emotion while calmly introspective

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THE BEST OF FOOLS  -  @fanforfanatic

In which Castiel learns that a gift he's received holds more than simply music.

Q: in medias res; scene exploration with unique/original concept; tangible descriptions of the object in question, paints picture of sound extremely well; multiple fantastic turns-of-phrase/keeps a steady flow/prevents a bogged-down information relay

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STICK 'EM UP  -  @seljepw

Dean finds himself in a slightly atypical situation, though he also finds the family mantra still applies.  

Q: Solid beginning/cap-off; very believable characterization/verbiage/behavior of protag; tight plotting with crisp dialogue; little-to-no extraneous detail

MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROAD [around 1.5K - 2.5K]

Works via curators will not necessarily receive Nash's typical 3-point review

LET'S SWAYZE THIS MOTHER  -  @emilywritesaboutdean

They thought Gabriel had been taken out of the equation. They were wrong. Oh wow, were they ever wrong.

Q: in medias res; incredibly creative plot [bonus points for perfect title choice]; both the overall story/structure and characterizations left the feeling of having watched an episode of the show; seemingly effortless humor

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THERE YOU'LL ALWAYS BE  -  @deansdirtylittlesecretsblog

It was a different relationship for Sam, this woman who understood his lifestyle and his secrets completely, though the feelings of contrition seem to find him all the same.  

Q: beautifully fleshed-out, introspective view of the stoic main character that rings true to canon/believable interaction with secondary canon character;  moderate borrowing from source material used appropriately; killer last line to cap off

Curated by @klaineaholic, who said:   "This is so so sad and beautiful! The [pieces of dialogue were] such Eileen things to say, I’m so glad you wrote this!”

LONGER [around 2.5K to  3K-ish]

Works via curators will not necessarily receive Nash's typical 3-point review

  CRAPULOUS  -  @butiaintgonnaloveem 

A tale of a hangover, a vampire stake-out that went awry, and mysterious underwear await.

Q: well-plotted story with just enough detail/purposefully does not reveal every facet/encourages readers' imaginations; quick, witty, crisp dialogue beyond prompt(s); phenomenal featured OC; believable take on canon character; seemingly effortless humor

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THE REST  -  @mrswhozeewhatsis

Deferring to author's pitch-perfect summary - “It’s all about what you give away and what you keep for yourself.”

Q: excellent weaving together of a fleshed-out OC's story in a very plausible behind-the-scenes-canon vignette; limited/no laborious describing of situations/surroundings/appearances; well-done choices of breaks/flipping to next scene/kept flow; bonus points for utilizing a seldom-seen character 

Curated by @klaineaholic, who said: "I'm falling more and more in love with these fics that explore what's behind the canon. [This story is] like following this thread and going until you think you know how it's going to play into the canon and then the end just tugs your heart unexpectedly. Michelle clearly put so much thought and creativity into her pre-canon story on [a] beloved, oft-written about part of the Supernatural universe."

DEEP DIVES [3K and beyond, including completed multi-parters with 2 to (roughly) 5 parts of modestly sized chapters totaling at minimum 3K words]

This does *not* include series, which have their own section. Works via curators will not necessarily receive Nash's typical 3-point review.

THIS IS WHY WE CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS   -  @hannahindie

On a much-needed night of relaxation for the crew, Dean’s picked a happy hour - with the hope of a happy ending - that doesn’t quite go as expected.

Q: rarely seen use of a narrator to help tell the story - and it is pulled it off seamlessly/does not detract or add a cumbersome nature - this is one of those few exceptions to the likely-never-to-fail-you in medias res kickoff; crisp, witty dialogue/interactions; solid all-around characterization  

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SCAR TISSUE  -  @fanforfanatic

It's nothing new when Dean meets a woman in a bar - only this time, as the author puts it, "their damaged parts seem to match."

Q:  took an oft-seen locale/situation and went deeper/introspective without being depressive; lovely, subtle touches sprinkled throughout for adding character depth - particularly O.C. - that add up by the end (bonus points for inventive "naming"); multiple well-crafted turns-of-phrase

SERIES SPOTLIGHT : SUPERNATURAL & SPN CROSS-OVERS [works that are completed series, as well as ongoing series with at least 3 parts published as of/prior to the edition of The Nail in question]

Due to time constraints, series are not read in full. They are given a cursory once-over for the quality basics, most importantly that the author has put maximum effort into world-building.

The first chapter / first handful of chapters / first third of the first chapter - depending on length - are read to ensure there are no gross grammar / spelling errors, as well as ensuring the story’s premise is made clear.

Summation line(s) below are taken from the author/the story, edited/shortened only for length/clarity if needed. Same applies to series from other fandoms featured on this list.

LIKE A ROLLING STONE  -  @stori-teller

"Cas Novak stumbles across a dead body - enter the Winchesters." 

Q: in medias res; character dimension; descriptions of people/places/things unfold organically; plot unfolds organically/no long expositions/etc.; bonus points for mini-summaries/appropriate warnings for each chapter  

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SENSATION  -  @littlegreenplasticsoldier

"Sam is cursed to live without his senses and you are left to look after him at the bunker."

Q: [Deferring to our curators this go, seems they covered it, yes? ;)  -N.] 

Curated by @butiaintgonnaloveem, who said: "It's one of those fics that is heavy, while maintaining humor which is tricky. And the way she manages to describe the senses and the lack thereof just boggles my mind."

Curated by @klaineaholic, who said: "Being inside Sam's head as he loses all of his senses, following along as you (the character) try to keep him sane and make him feel not-so-alone when he can't help BUT feel alone [...] Sam's internal voice is captured perfectly, his characterization is so true, and the plot is just phenomenal."

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BLOOD & PERFUME  -  @helvonasche  +  @madamelibrarian

"A pair of sisters must learn to navigate a life they're not used to, without a family, and with a power that should not exist."

Q: in medias res - and with a kick/thrown right into the action; unique ability/power/skill not seen/rare to see in this fandom; inventive name choices for original characters that fit the tone without being cumbersome or distracting; lets plot unfold organically

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YOUR YOUNG MEN WILL SEE VISIONS, YOUR OLD MEN WILL DREAM DREAMS  -  @winchester-family-business

[SUPERNATURAL + INCEPTION]

"Dreamsharing: digging through the secrets that should stay locked up tight -  and no secret is safe from the Winchesters."

Q: see my review for more detail on how this author essentially gave a master class on how to start a story, particularly in the action/adventure genre; takes inspiration without carbon-copy; characterization on-point; tension through boundaries; writing for clever readers

Nash Note: The link on the right - the second part of the title - is to the first chapter. The one on the left - the first part of the title - is to the brief primer on the “Inception” universe  

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RISE FOR YOUR KING  -  @thran-duils

“You were betrothed to a prince, but when a neighboring king - a mage - decides to dole out justice to your future father in law, he destroys the royal family... and takes an immediate liking to you.”

Q: well-styled fantasy/pseudo-historical AU with solid world-building; in medias res; tension/drama/action that ebbs/flows; gift/power/skill for protag which is atypical/rarely seen

Curated by @klaineaholic, who said: "JaNae is the queen of AU!Cas and she throws this character into new positions and life experiences and draws from the various Castiels that we see on the show in order to play with her AU!Cas' personality. This fic reminds me of Godstiel in a way, and how power-hungry that Cas was. Definitely imaginative, truly unique, and sexy to boot."

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THUNDER ROAD  -  @tankcupcakes

“Sent back in time to stop the murder of their parents, Sam and Dean are met with unforeseen circumstances that strand them in the past.”

Q: in medias res; crisp dialogue; tight plotting; spot-on/fleshed-out characterization [familiar + OCs]; evident critical eye regarding appropriate detail for time period; nice formatting/flow

POEMS & POETICAL PROSE [mostly quick reads, these are actual poems of any structure/length, as well as short prose that sings like a songbird]

These will not be reviewed separately in Nash’s usual three-point manner à la #Nash Gives [Feed]back due to the typically short lengths & structure. For poems: an excerpted line is used in lieu of summary. If there is no title provided by the author, Nash/the curator will pick one for them.

WHAT ANGELS NEED  -  @justrandomspnstuff

"...counting freckles like they’re flecks of gold."

Q: stanzas arranged with common strokes vs. carbon-copy repetition; sweet/thoughtful without bending saccharine/broody; kept clever readers in mind/lets the reader fill in the finer details    

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HIS CREATION  -  @vintagesam

"...enough tiny stars to make you believe in infinity."

Q: impeccable structure; steady through-line with nice break in form for ending; imagery without using over-the-top vocab/kept it simple & sharp yet expressive

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HE KNEW  -  @trexrambling

“The hunting continued while a different dream was born from the ashes.”

Q: nice change of pace with pseudo-”insert” approach in 3rd person/engaging readers with choice of 2nd protag; good formatting to help flow/segments of their time together separated; no "real" dialogue but without loss of pace

[ETA: Caught it on a subsequent glance - I have no idea why only Rex’s got copied from draft when I had it in another category initially, but it’s fixed now! -N.]

RANDOM FANDOMS  [all types, all lengths, all the things that aren’t SPN but are still pretty dang super]

Works via curators will not necessarily receive Nash's typical 3-point review, same standards apply per genre as noted above

TWO BIRDS [series]  -  @whotheeffisbucky

[MARVEL]

“Set in the roaring 1920s, Bucky Barnes runs Manhattan like a kid with a toy set. There’s perhaps only one person who should be more feared than him - and she’s asking for his protection.”

Q: phenomenal/well-researched world-building; tone, verbiage, descriptions that read like they're somewhere in the Gatsby family tree; appropriate to this time period/genre - winding and packed with rich - not laborious - detail

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WHAT'S A LITTLE TRAUMA BETWEEN FRIENDS  -  @withstarryeyes 

[STAR TREK]

An injury proves traumatic to more than just the person on the receiving end.

Q: wonderful characterization/explored side of a protag only seen glimpses of; nice cadence/flow; appropriate use of "breaks" in formatting that didn't disturb the flow; refreshing style to see regarding a distinct lack of laborious descriptions [setting/characters/etc.] in lieu of shots of tiny details sprinkled along paragraphs

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LOGIC AND ANGELS  -  @oneshot-twoshot-redshot-blueshot

[SHERLOCK + pseudo-SPN]

The great Mr. Holmes adds to his vast amount of knowledge.

Q: in medias res; excellent characterization of protag; kept air of mystery/no explicit explanations/ambiguity - written with clever readers in mind; multiple well-crafted lines, both internal and verbal 

---> Unable to tag author, if someone would kindly let them know <---

ORIGINAL WORKS [anything from haiku to novella]

Works via curators will not necessarily receive Nash's typical 3-point review, same standards apply per genre as noted above

I DIDN'T GIVE YOU THE FRUIT  -  @medeae

"I forget that ichor is gold."

Q: imaginative/original; vivid but not overbearing/atypical imagery; crisp, tight structure/verbiage

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LIKE THE SUN  -  @louisamayanniecat

"He looked at her like she was the sun, in that he never looked at her except in frustration."

Q: subverted the concept and made it infinitely better; not a space/word/letter wasted; conveyed a multitude of thoughts and incited as many feelings in a crisp, quick, organized manner

---> Unable to tag author, if someone would kindly let them know <---

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THE JUDGMENT  -  @impala-dreamer

One person's journey through.

Q: good use of imagery; platitude pulled from the facile & given framework;  contrast of easy nature with intensity of setting

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BOOKS ABOUT BETTER GIRLS  -  @inkskinned

Not every princess spends her days alone in the tower.

Q: above and beyond, fantastic, exceptional execution of a trope twist; fleshed-out characters; plot unfolds organically; written for clever readers; lovely world-building/character depth as compared to the length of text [read: many authors would take more words and likely accomplish less]

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