#to deem me worthy enough to add tags to

[stunt-lads]

I hate the tumblr app

It never lets me add tags to posts unless it wants to and like

I thrive in the tags

I thirst in the tags

If i cant go off in the tags of a post then like what the fuck is even the point?

[valiantvillain]

15 lines of dialogue

Rules: Share 15 or fewer lines of dialogue from an OC, ideally lines that capture the character/personality/vibe of the OC. Bonus points for just using the dialogue without other details about the scene, but you're free to include those as well!

Tagged by @arendaes. Here are some of my fave Miraz lines (cause her fic is still a livewire in my brain but maybe in the future I'll do these for some of my other OCs as well). 1. "Take a good long look at me and tell me what-if anything-on my person could be considered little." 2. “Ah, yes, my charms...Do you intend to add discretion to the list?” 3. “Oh, there’s more than a few things this bloody well looks like. Care to narrow it down?” 4. "Oh, for the love of gods and good sense" 5. "Absolutely not!" 6. “With all due respect, I am a paladin. I would know if I was an oathbreaker.” 7. "Call me 'good girl' even once and I will not hesitate to knock you flat." 8. "I'm told I was named after my grandmother. I was also told she was Calishite." 9. "Why must your love fortunes always sound like" curses?" 10. "And you just think that if you try hard enough, do everything your told as best as you can, squeeze yourself into as small a box as demanded then they will suddenly be persuaded to love you. That if you just become everything they want and more they will finally deem you worthy. But it's never good enough, is it? We always fall short, don't we?" 11. "The more you talk the more you tempt me not to heal you at all." 12. "I like children well enough...so long as they are above the age of ten and I can hand them back to their parents." 13. "Well, I would have rather been Mazzy Fenton but I was too big to play a halfling." 14. "People with power are supposed to protect those without. They don't, and the institutions they inhabit are inherently prone to misuse, but they should. And so I remind them." 15. "Yes, yes, vampiric rogue and a paladin, elf and a half-orc. We are the very picture of a most ironic pairing and both our irrespective families would likely be mortified."

[shego1142]

I think it’s also come along with the advent/enforcement of the replies feature, the direct messaging system (tho I do love that) and what I call “tag talk”

I’ve seen a whole lot of people, in their welcoming or begrudging information sharing to the Reddit and Twitter newcomers saying “don’t reblog a post and add anything to the main one unless you think it’s good enough, just add it to the tags.”

And that… feels a bit… off, doesn’t it?

“Put your thoughts and feelings where they’re less likely to be seen!”

In a similar vein I’ve seen people conversing on a post and someone is like “Eugh we have direct messaging just talk there”

The entire ethos of tumblr being a peer to peer communication site has had a huge breakdown, which sucks because it is quickly becoming the only site that still has the infrastructure to be that.

The internet is prioritising a stark and distinct “Entertainers vs the entertained”

In which the idea goes as thus: “if you are not directly making the website money, therefore allowing the website to control you, then sit down, shut up, and don’t interrupt the play.”

It’s very obvious on sites like YouTube, of course, where YouTube can enact wildly inane bullshit policies and enforce said policies by fucking with someone’s livelihood until they fall in line.

But other websites have decided they want a piece of that too. That’s what reddit wanted, more or less; control and profitability. Twitter (rest in pieces) wanted it too.

They’re auto-cannibalising and sifting through their user base looking for the entertainers and silencing anyone they deem “the entertained”

But of course some of it is cultural, we are literally in a depression, for the majority of the world, especially those of us unfortunate enough to be in the United States.

So we have a lot of people coming to tumblr or who are on tumblr who are desperate or petty or both

Who go “Eugh if you don’t have anything funny/interesting to say just keep it to yourself.”

Cringe culture has been repackaged as “boring/annoying/worthy of doxxing” and tumblr users are absolutely afraid to send messages to random blogs they like.

I’m more than moderately aware of it, having been on this site for more than 10 years now, and even I am fully 100% a victim to it.

“What if I say the wrong thing? What if I’m boring/annoying people?”

“What if so many people report my blog just because I said something that annoyed them that tumblr auto-bans me because the company would rather hide the users that a large portion of the website reports than actually review whether what they said was violating terms of service”

Because “terms of service” has devolved to “if what you say might make people upset then we don’t want you here because people being upset looks really bad to the brands that are paying us money.”

I know that sounds like a reach but keep in mind that’s exactly why YouTube took away the dislike button.

At this point being critical of a website can get you kicked off the website, even if that criticism is fair. It’s less rampant on tumblr, for now, but it’s still there.

Social media has become a favourites game. A popularity contest.

It’s no longer about talking to people and making connections and sharing information, it’s about “are you the money maker or are you the product, tell us quick!”

You know, an interesting tumblr transformation that's happened gradually, and which I've seen no one talk about: ask-culture has essentially dropped off to nothing.

By which I mean, asks used to be WAY more of the tumblr economy. They used to be more common to send, and receive, and see. They were integral to the collaborative, forum-like behavior of old tumblr communities, not even to speak on the HUGE number of ask-blogs that used to exist to only be interacted with in ask-form.

I'm not saying this in a vying-for-attention way but instead in an observational way: I used to get way way more asks in like 2015, even with a fraction of my follower count. I wonder if it's due to the homogenization of social media sites? There's a lot more of this divide between "content creator" and "consumer" instead of just a bunch of peer blogs who would talk to each other. "Asks" aren't really a thing on twitter, are they? And as I understand it, the closest thing to an "ask" on instagram or tiktok would be a creator screenshotting some comment and responding to it in a new reel or video or whatever those content mediums are. Are asks just too tumblr-specific? Is that aspect of the site culture dying out as more and more people converge to using all their social media sites in the same way?

[beggars-opera]

how do I use tags correctly? like, whats the propper tag etiquette? I'm pretty new here and don't wanna screw this up haha

Tags serve three main purposes: they help others find your posts, they help you find your posts at a later date, and they serve as a way to add metatextual commentary to a post.

So, at a base level, if you want other people to find your post, or want a way to find the post more easily yourself at a later date, you would add purely descriptive tags like on any other social media site so people looking in those tags will see your post. For example, a post of someone baking bread might have #food #baking #cottagecore etc. Fandom tags often utilize abbreviations (tagging #OFMD instead of #OurFlagMeansDeath for example) and these are best found by searching around yourself and seeing which tags are the most active.

A few pointers here:

Don't tag hate. It's fine if you dislike something, but going on a rant about how much you hate a thing and then tagging it so that everyone who loves the thing will have to look at it is considered aggressive and rude.

People will often tag for common triggers like gore and rape as a courtesy to those using extensions to erase posts containing those tags from their dash. The exact format of these tags has never been formalized, but most use the #cwtrigger, #twtrigger, or just #trigger format.

Tags on original posts mean that post will show up when you search for that tag. Tags on reblogs do not make it show up in the tag page a second time and are only useful for internal blog searching.

You can also choose to use tags that are just for you, like #mythoughts or #myart, which allows you to search your own blog more easily. If you are an artist of any sort, using a tag denoting what is an original work is highly recommended.

Some people also use a tag specifically for posts that are in their queue, to let people know that the post is automatic and that they are not necessarily online at that particular moment. Getting creative with puns gets you brownie points. #scoobydoobyqueue

Tags specifically go into the tag section at the bottom of the post editor. Adding hashtags to the body of a post does absolutely nothing. You can, however, @ another user in the body of the post.

Tags are also often used for commentary purposes. They are sort of like whispering under your breath after you've publicly stated whatever is in your post. This can include musings, jokes, and other information that didn't quite seem important enough to put in the main body of the post. Every post of a beautiful woman does not need five hundred people writing "as I lesbian I am looking respectfully *googly eyes emoji*" in the post but you can 100% put that in the tags.

Pointers with this:

Eventually everyone gets the hang of what thoughts are important enough to put in the body of a post or reblog and what should be relegated to the tags. You can ask yourself "is this adding something useful to the conversation, or is it just me rambling or keysmashing?"

If your tags are witty enough, other users may deem them worthy of being included in the main post, screenshot them, and put the screenshot in their reblog. We consider this a peer review process of sorts and it is a badge of honor.

Again, being kind is a common courtesy. When you add tag commentary, the original poster and person you reblogged from are notified, and everyone can see it. So if you write in the tags that the post is stupid and that the OP is a cunt, congrats, you've just made the OP cry and you should probably not be on the internet.

Tags are comma delineated so if you are typing a thought in the tag long enough to need a comma, use a semicolon instead, otherwise the tag will be split in two. Likewise, quotation marks will not show up in a tag.

I hope this helps!

[youarejesting]

Sly like a… ? Part 8

[Master list] [Sly Master List] Beta: n/a (at the moment) Rating: All Pairing: Hybrid!BTS x FailedHybrid!Reader Genre: Hybrid au, fluff, action, adventure, angst, drama, slice of life. Some marked chapters will contain mature/smut scenes, BUT they will not have plot in those scenes and are 100% skippable without losing your place in the story. Words: 2.2k

Summary: Human’s strive to be better, faster and stronger looking to animal DNA. Thus Hybrids are born. As the rise for designer and Pedigree Hybrids increase, so do the failed attempts. There is one species scientists are unsuccessful in creating, but, folklore says they have been here all along, hiding and blending in with the humans for many millennia. How clever they are.

[First] [Prev] [Next]

With Yoongi hauled up in his room, you began speaking with each of the boys and discussing where their learning levels were, you started with Jungkook, Taehyung, and Hoseok, you sat them at the table and started to teach them the basics of the Korean language and Maths they were quick to learn as they weren’t children and by the end of the week, you had them at a mid highschool level.

You taught all of the Hybrids about internet and phone safety, not giving out their number to random people they didn’t know. They all agreed and after a long discussion on scammers and voice phishing, they all seemed to understand.

Learning how to use computer documents and the internet and more, you explained virus’ and online shopping and you explained that you wanted them to have free reign. So, if they had something they wanted to buy to go to you.

“Unless it is something you are not comfortable asking from Y/n then please feel free to ask me instead.” Jimin said, “I can also get you things you might want or need?”

“Okay, now onto the final topic of today is finding a degree, you don’t have to choose exactly what you want to do with your life right now,” You stressed, hoping they knew they had plenty of time to explore their options. “but, maybe think about jobs you might have seen in movies or read about or heard about and I will help you achieve that dream”

You placed down a few booklets of jobs and they looked at you, “Yoongi you are already halfway through your degree and you said you wished to continue it, so you start next week, please let me know if there is anything you need.”

“And afterward if you ever need a job, if this program gets approved, I will need someone like you in my team.” You smiled, ever since the outing to the shop, Yoongi has been quite cold towards you and it hurt but you knew he would understand soon.

Namjoon told you he wanted to be a businessman, you signed him up for a bachelor of commerce and he was speeding through the classes like they were a children's book. But though he knew everything he didn’t exactly understand the point of the essays and assignments.

You talked him through it and explained that they wanted him to show off what he learned so they knew he was smart enough to pass, he still had three more weeks before school started and you were worried he would have already finished all the essays and assignments.

You heard Taehyung saying he wanted to be an actor or maybe a photographer and you wanted his dreams to come true. “if you finish an acting course, maybe Jimin and I can put in good words in some agencies?”

That got you thinking where was the calico, he hadn’t left the house, maybe he was in his room listening to music or something. Your focus was taken up by the two young men in front of you both flicking through the booklets of perspective courses and careers.

“Ooh directing would be fun?” Jungkook pretended to film Taehyung who immediately started acting out a rather elaborate scene worthy of any K-drama, the two laughing at the silly monologue, “or maybe gaming?”

The cheeky grin on Jungkook's face made your heart flutter. He was almost twenty-four, his birthday nearing and if you remembered correctly so was Namjoon’s. They were all classified as adults but were they ever given the chance to just be giggly, playful boys?

It was almost dinner, you stood up and as you walked past the two hybrids you ran your fingers through their hair. Leaning between them, you held their shoulders.

“I will be back, keep thinking and mark any pages with these sticky notes, purple for Kookie and green for TaeTae,” it was strange but both young men turned their head into your neck and nuzzled you for a second a low purr from the feline and a rhythmic wag of the tail from the canine. You went to leave, your heart stuttering at their affection before anything awkward happened.

“Y/n smells nice, doesn’t she?” Taehyung’s voice was low and Jungkook’s answering purr left you feeling a little warm under the collar. The ghosts of their tiny breaths against your neck would not leave you, the skiing tingling under your touch.

Shaking your head trying to clear it of anything that could be deemed impure and strolling the hall until you reached Yoongi’s door. Knocking softly the door opened to reveal Jimin smiling.

“Hello love,” Jimin flashed the dangerous eye smile and you wondered if the boys were nearing their ruts, that would be a conversation after dinner. Yoongi was sitting on the bed looking at the unopened box of headphones, phone, and laptop.

“Am I interrupting something, I can come back later?” you rambled, gesturing down the hall, “I was just wanting to see where everyone was as I was thinking about starting dinner.”

“Yoongi and I were just talking, but I think we have both come to a comfortable conclusion of topics.” He smiled patting the older feline's shoulder, “Thanks for the talk, it's nice to finally have some brothers.”

“Yoongi, I-”

“I’m sorry,” Yoongi interrupted you and his cheeks were dusted pink, he didn’t look up from the bed where all the devices sat. His tail curled around onto his lap and his ears twitched listening intently for your reaction. “Jimin said you weren’t like that and you really just wanted to get us nice things,”

He opened the special hybrid headphones and grinned as they sat on his head like a headband and cupped his ears gently, you opened his phone and found his favorite song hoping to test the headphones.

“Tell me if they work okay, or if they need charge,” standing in front of him you turned the headphones on and attempted to Bluetooth them to the phone. Making sure to turn the volume down before playing the song. His eyes lit up and his tail gave a long elegant swish, he looked so cute and you had to suppress a laugh at how his hair was all bunched up in the headband.

You moved a little closer still and began running your fingers through his hair until it fell over the headband, Yoongi tensed and surprised you by clutching the hem of your overall shorts and nuzzled his face into your stomach, his neck bright red. You froze and gently finished with his hair and stepped back and smiled pausing the song.

“I fixed your hair, cause it was all caught in your headphones,” you explained and he looked down growing almost impossibly red. You reached out and carded your fingers through his hair affectionately. In a gesture that had often calmed Jimin as a child, you rubbed your bare wrist against his neck.

A purr almost ripped through Yoongi as his tail swished dangerously. You stepped away heading for the door, “I just wanted to ask if you wanted to help me make dinner?”

[First] [Prev] [Next]

Tags:  @simplymemyself​ @lolsiiike​ @min2jeon​ @notruercolors​​ @luvaffaire​​ @grazysf​​  @ella-mella​​ @lustremyg​ @sonnymii​ @moments-of-melancholy​ @calling-dips-on-j-hope​ @jiminiessipabo​ @staerryminimini​​​​ (please make sure you have tagging setting on so you get notified when the story updates)

How can I save this to receive and read updates?

‘Follow’ and turn on ‘Notifications’ so you never miss an update

Add your name to a ‘Tag’ list [HERE]

‘Reblog’ this post with the hashtag #BTSsly

Or you can ‘Like’ this post (but good luck trying to find it a week later, we both know how many things you like a day, perhaps we will meet again in the future.)

[yesokaythatsfine69]

Heavy Dosage (Levi Ackerman x reader)

Description: after getting hurt during a scouting mission, y/n is given quite a heavy dosage of medication. Will her secret crush on her squad leader remain secret?

Character(s): Y/n, Hangi, Levi, nurse, eren

Pov: 3rd person

Warning(s): pain, broken bones, kissing, no spoilers

A/n: hello! I took a little break earlier and recently I've been watching two new animes, AOT and Kakegurui (both r completely different lmao) so I decided to add more fuel to the fire that is the Levi Ackerman x reader tag. Don't worry there aren't any spoilers I just wrote a cute thing.

*none of the gifts used are mine. Full credit goes to the maker.

"Shit!" That was the last thing y/n had said before she disappeared from the view of her fellow squad members. Levi watched, fear causing him to freeze. One moment she had been calling him a "old slow poke", her smile dazzling and eyes brighter than diamonds- and in an instant she was gone.

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

Pain had seared through y/n's skull when she finally landed from being thrown. The titan had grabbed a line of her odm gear and flung her, snapping the line and causing her to fall straight down and into a tree. Her body had tumbled through the branches, each branch snapping with the weight of her body and the force she had been thrown from.

Y/n was usually proud to say that Titan's couldn't touch her- she was fast, faster than almost any person in her squad- and that usually meant that she was untouchable to them. She was the one who helped the other members of her squad survive. Today, however, had been different and not even her speed had saved her.

The pain in her skull forced her eyes open. The area in which she laid was dead silent, but she didn't feel scared or worried. It was peaceful and almost poetic. She focused on her breathing, and tried to register where she had been hurt. Her head hurt, her back hurt, and her legs seethed, but she could at least feel pain.

She tried to move but only whimpered when the pain in her legs intensified. Her eyes watered. She couldn't get up and what she thought had been luck that she experienced from not dying from her tremendous fall- had suddenly become a curse. Now, she would be easily found by a titan and just as easily eaten.

"you've...got to...be fucking kidding...me." she wheezed between hot tears. Suddenly a zipping noise broke the silence around her and a small thumping sound caused her tense up. "Y/L/N!" Her eyes widened at the sound of her squad leader's voice. Then, Two arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her up. Captain Levi was above her, on his knees before her- not in the ways she had always dreamed about either.

"What did you do, Brat?" His silver orbs narrowed as he searched her face. Any other time being this close to Levi would've been similar to Heaven, but now, it carried a strange and dangerous weight. "Captain Levi, I-" His expression cut her off. His face was blank, eyes were narrowed, mouth drawn up in a thin line. He was angry, she could sense his emotions beyond what he showed with his face. That had been the reason they worked so well together- y/n could read him like a book.

He seemed to notice she had been crying, and wiped away a stray tear. "I-I'm sorry, Captain Levi I-" He said nothing and hoisted her up in his arms, pressing her head against his chest. She could feel his heartbeat- constant and comforting in her ear. For several moments they trampled in the woods in silence.

Finally he spoke. "I'll get you to the wagons and you'll be okay, y/n, try to be still." His voice seemed tired and his movements were oddly weary. Y/n frowned as she looked up at him.

Somehow she felt like he had said these words not for her benefit, but for his own. He hardly ever used her first name, preferring "brat" and "y/l/n" to order her around with. Now, as his grip on her tightened, she buried her face against his chest, deciding it was best to leave her thoughts unsaid.

As she snuggled against him, he relaxed, his shoulders releasing the tension they carried since he saw that bitch titan thrown her out of his sight. Levi had been angry- but not angry at Y/n. Angry at himself for not protecting her, angry at those fucking Titan's for taking away the people he loved from him. He felt y/n adjust slightly and that's when he realized she had fallen alseep. Her breathing evened out, and she seemed limp against him.

When he reached the clearing Petra ran up to him. "Y/n! Is she okay?" Levi said nothing, and Petra watched in worry as he pushed past her.

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

Sometimes lines get blurry. The separation between two distinct things gets combined and those two things once so distinctly different are now seemingly the same. Y/n stared straight ahead, boards on the walls combining and shape shifting. They had given her medicine for her pain, that fact was that her leg had been broken, along with a fractured skull and a few other twisted and mangled bones, so anything was deemed worthy to give her.

The medicine, whatever it was could definitely be considered "that good stuff". She giggled, watching as the nurse adjusted her covers. "You're trying to tickle me!" "Y/n?" Y/n's head slowly bobbed to the side, where Hanji was standing. Her arms were crossed, but a smile shown on her face.

"You look better than I was expecting." Y/n smiled widely. "It's the drugs!" Hanji mimicked her smile. Y/n, was for the most part a lively a fun person. She wasn't anywhere near as loud of bouncy as Hanji herself was- mainly because y/n had a better sense of timing. Now however, Hanji noted that her personality seemed to come on quite strongly.

"I just came to check on you, considering what I heard had happened you are very lucky." Y/n only giggled. "lucky-smucky. Luck had nothing to do with it. It's a skill to hit every single goddamn tree branch in the world and still be kicking." To empathize her point she kicked out the leg that wasn't broken.

"woah, maybe you shouldn't move too much." Hanji put her hands up. "It's okay I don't feel anything!" Y/n lifted her hand up and smacked herself right upside the head. "No pain!" Hanji smiled, "Right, I'll be sure to tell Levi how well you are doing."

Y/n shot up at her captains name. "You should tell him to come see me! It's been too long since I've seen that hot piece of ass!" Hanji frowned. "I- um... I don't think that's for the best...you seem pretty uh... preoccupied." Y/n opened her mouth to most likely say something else unexpected when the nurse reappeared, nodding to Hanji.

"I better be leaving y/n, I'm glad you are doing well. I'll see you later, yeah?' y/n nodded excitedly and Hanji let herself out.

She laughed, nodding her head. "Hot piece of ass...Levi Ackerman?" She snorted. Then, quite quickly the pieces for together and she stopped. "Oh no. Oh no. I should...wait a second, this could be quite an interesting experiment..." She smiled and turned in the direction of the lunchroom.

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

"She is doing very well. So well infact she told me not to send you, she doesn't want you to worry. She'll be out before long." Hanji spoke gently to Levi who stared at his tea, his face expressionless. "What do you mean she doesn't want me to visit her? I'm her squad leader." Hanji shrugged and smiled.

"She's doing very well. You'd be wasting your time. She'll be back before you know it." Levi's eyes flashed to his friend, narrowing. The rage he had experienced when he had found her broken body...the way her teary y/c/e looked up at him... He could've exploded with rage. but he needed to stay with y/n, and that's what he had done, making sure she was safe...And now he was being told to stay away from her? His fists clenched.

Hanji seemed to see the conflict. "Why don't you try and take of yourself now? You've done enough for her." Levi only stood up, the sound of his chair scraping against the floor caused those in the lunchroom to look up at him. Leaving his tea, Levi, in his own Levi way, stormed out of the room. Hanji sat there, stirring her tea.

She raised it to her lips and smiled.

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

Levi's feet practically moved on their own to the infirmary, each step more angry than the last. In angry flashbacks he felt her head pressed against his chest, her warm breathe tickling his neck, her warm orbs searching his own icy pair- he felt all of that and more...and yet she didn't want to see him?

Had those affectionate moments just been something he wished had happened instead that had actually happened. No. It couldn't have been. But the why would she try to shut him out?

He pushed open the door to the infirmary. He stood in the shadowy doorway for several seconds doing what he did best- watching.

Y/n had spent four consecutive hours counting each board- one by one. Every time she got to twenty though, she got distracted and had to start over. "Twenty-one!" "Y/l/n?" Slowly y/n's left hand, which she had used to count the board, lowered to her side. "Damnit! Lost count! At least I got to twenty one this time." Her head slowly turned to the side where her sexy captain stood, peering down at her. He looked absolutely peeved and y/n giggled.

"Well hello beautiful? Long time no see!" Levi's eyes widened the tiniest bit- but he quickly played it off. "You didn't want me here? Your own captain? Unless you forgot-" Y/n purred. "Damn you're sexy when you're mad! I don't have a clue what you're talking about but-" she shrugged. "It wouldn't be the first time!" She reached up and tugged him closer.

"I- y/n-" a finger placed itself over his lips. "Shhhhh..." The finger lifted then hit him again. "Shhhhh...shhhh." y/n stared up at him with a dazed, but delighted expression. She gently stroked his face, reaching up and flicking her hair from his eyes. She smiled at his slightly dazed expression.

"how'sithangingbabey?" Levi blinked out of his daze and grabbed her wrist, pulling her hand back from his mouth. "What is wrong with you?" His eyes were fairly wide and his stared at her in both worry and confusion. "I'm in love baby!" She shouted. "In love with youuuuuu!" She sang out flailing her arm and hitting him in the head.

"tch! Ow! Will you-" He paused, his brow furrowed. "You...love me?" She giggled and pressed a finger to her lips. "Shhh. Don't tell Levi." He stared at her. "I am Levi, you brat." Her eyes widened. "Whoops!" She laughed. "My bad!" Levi opened his mouth to speak when the nurse appeared. She gasped upon seeing him. "Captain Levi! I didn't know you were coming!" Y/n lifted her head up to look at the young nurse.

"hey, layoff! This Raven haired beauty's taken!" She yanked him forward. The action caught him off guard and he had to catch himself before he fell. Levi grumbled before detaching himself from her. "I'll speak to you later, y/n."

"You're leaving!?" Gently he ruffled her hair, and in the most soothing voice he could muster, he said, "I'll be back later, don't worry brat." Levi Nodded to the nurse to walk him out. As the nurse turned to follow him she glanced at y/n who mouthed aggressively "he's mine!"

At the door he turned to the nurse, "y/n was in large amounts of pain, so we gave her some medicine to dull it. It seems to have a worked a little..." The two turned back to y/n who had restarted counting the boards again. "Too well."

"tch, right." The end of lips upturned into almost a smile. "Keep me updated." The nurse nodded, "Right, sir."

Casting one last glance he left the infirmary, humming a new tune softly to himself.

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

Y/n sighed happily. She had finally been released, given a brace for her leg to help her walk till she was 100% and around fifteen get well cards. Her first move was definitely to go to her room. She missed her room.

She visited with Petra and the other members of her squad, making sure to show off her cool ass brace. She also made sure to say hi to Eren, Mikasa, Armin, Sasha, Connie, and Jean. She hadn't seen Captain Levi yet but she figured she'd find him soon- or he'd find her. The nurse mentioned that he'd visited a few times, none of which she remembered- but the thought that he cared enough to do so warmed her up.

Y/n entered the lunchroom, coming face to face with her captain and his fellow squad leader, Hanji. "Oh hi Hanji! Hello, Captain!" Hanji immediately jumped up and hugged her tightly. "Y/n! Congratulations!" Y/n smiled brightly, and hugged her back. "Thank you! I'm feeling pretty good!" Her eyes turned to Levi, who had been watching her intently. He nodded. "The squad has been waiting for your return, y/l/n." Y/n smiled. "Well, you guys won't have to wait much longer. The nurse said just a little while longer then I'm ready to go."

Levi nodded, his expression remaining stern. "I am pretty excited to finally get some sleep in my own bed though, so I'll see you all later." She turned, but a hand wrapped itself around her wrist. Levi had stood up, and was behind her. "I'll walk you there." Her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed, but she nodded. "The more...the, uh, merrier."

With curt goodbyes the two began their walk to y/n's room. Hanji had watched the interaction without surprise, sipping some tea.

She laughed to herself as the two went out of view, pushing up her glasses. "This experiment- a definitive success."

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

"How do you feel?" Levi matched his pace with y/n, careful to make sure he wasn't moving too fast so that she wouldn't have to walk faster on her leg. "I feel good, itching to go back out there." The two stopped walking and turned so that they were right in front of each other instead of side by side.

Levi only made a clucking sound at her response. "Be sure not to push it, brat. You may be feeling fine now but-" He stopped talking when she put a hand on his chest. He frowned slightly and looked up at her from where his gaze had been.

"Thank you, for everything. I- I'm sorry I wasn't more careful. Next time I'll-" He placed his hand over her own. "Tch, there better not be a next time you stupid brat. If there is I do not I think I could handle it."

Her cheeks darkened. "Captain-" "Just Levi." She smiled at him. "Okay, just Levi." The slight upturn smile Levi had worn vanished at her bad joke into a frown. Lifting up his index finger he placed it directly over her lips.

"shhh..." She tried to speak. "shhhh." Y/n raised a brow at him. "I have lost enough in this life, y/n." Her eyes widened at the use of her first name, and his finger remained on her lips. "But, I cannot lose you, too...please." Her eyes glistened a, a familiar wetness clouding them. Slowly, Levi lowered his finger, and soon as he do so she pounced, pulling him into the tightest hug she could administer.

"You couldn't get get rid of me even if you wanted to." He hugged her back. "Good, because I do not want to." She pulled back. It was now or never, and this maybe the only chance she has left. Braving up, y/n swallowed thickly. "Hey...erm, uh Levi...I-I love you, okay?"

Levi smirked, his eyes twinkling with something close to mischievousness. "I know...you, kind of...told me already." Y/n pulled back. "No I didn't." "Tch, you did, y/n." She rolled her eyes. "I think I would remember telling someone I love them."

Levi frowned. "Are you calling me a liar?" Y/n laughed sharply. "Well, I'm not calling you a truther." She turned and began to walk away. "Even if I did, you could at least say it back you jerk!"

With reflexes faster than a blink of an eye, Levi had pulled her back and into his arms. She stared at him, wide eyed. They were mere inches apart now. Never had she been this close to him, and she could clearly see every inch of his face. The silver twinkle of his eyes, his long lashes, the pretty pink of his thin lips. He was so beautiful, like a statue of a god. Y/n blinked, realizing she had been staring a bit longer than innocent and met his gaze.

Levi only raised a brow, seemingly unaffected by their closeness. "I love you too, brat." He said finally, and Y/n relaxed into his arms, much like before. "Good, good. It makes doing this a lot easier." She placed her hand to his cheek, closed her eyes and then she closed the gap.

He sighed into her, clutching her tighter to him. It seemed as if he had been waiting almost as long as y/n had because it was if the flood gates had opened. She dipped her head to get to more of him and he grunted softly, easily letting her. She reached up, finding his soft undercut. She ran her finger threw his soft locks (just as soft as she imagined) and gently tugged. Levi opened his mouth a bit more in response, and she quickly took advantage of his action. Her tongue slipped in, and despite himself and who he was- he gasped.

Maybe this was all a bit quick but hell, she'd been around the man for going on a year now with nothing but this to show. It was quite upsetting, especially because it seemed as if Levi had no idea his effect on women, especially y/n. You can bet on your life, however, she was going to take advantage of it now and teach him exactly what he meant.

He grunted again and pulled his arm to her neck, clutching it softly. She hummed into his mouth, biting his lip and pulling. She loved him, everything about him, and almost as much as that- she wanted him. Now, in almost every way she could've imagined, she had him.

She was so wrapped up in him, y/n put her unbraced leg around his waist, trying to get somehow even closer than before but unfortunately she neglected to remember that her braced leg couldn't handle that much pressure yet and it collapsed under their weight. It sent both her and her lover crashing to the ground.

"oof!" "Tch! Hell!" Levi landed on top of her with a thud. The two shared a look. Levi had messy unkept hair, flushed cheeks and red, abused lips- all thanks to y/n. But she doubted she looked much better. "Are you okay, brat?" "Yeah, sorry. Looks like you made my legs weak." She smiled crookedly.

Levi only sighed and lifted her up. "Tch', Keeping you alive will be much harder than I expected." Y/n laughed and wrapped her arms around him, she was beginning to enjoy him carrying her around bridal style. "What can I say? I wasn't built for the weak."

"No," He hoisted her closer to his chest. "No, you are not."

They resumed their journey to her room. "But at least you are mine, brat."

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

A/n: whoo! That was a lot more than I expected to do. I hope y'all like it and don't forget that comments and critism are always welcomed. I tried to make this to where it doesn't really involve any timeline and it's just kind of an extra thing. Thanks for reading!

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

[alatismeni-theitsa]

I have no idea when you posted asking about the experiences of Greek diaspora / Greek heritage but I just saw it so I thought I’d send in my stuff.

I am so disconnected from it because my grandma didn’t want to pass the language into her children so she could have adult conversations they wouldn’t understand. And she didn’t pass on the culture because her husband was Jehovah’s Witness. And so I just feel an intense feeling of grief over a culture that I’m apart of but know very little about. I have some recipes my Yiayia made, a cookbook by women from the Greek Orthodox Church in NYC, and two lullaby’s. (We lived in the US with my great grandma so we had more interaction with Greek culture than our cousins who’s lived with my grandma in Ireland)

And there’s not much out that I’ve found where I’ve been able to learn about my culture and not felt like I’m intruding. Especially because I don’t “look Greek” like some of the other greek kids at my school. I look Irish. I don’t have a Greek name and I don’t speak any of the language. The only way I’ve found to connect is through food but I’m limited to the cookbook because if you look online it’s hard to find recipes that aren’t just trendy mediterranen inspired health food. My mum is starting to reluctantly tell me a little about my family from Greece. And my grandmas cousin and her family is very very greek. So if I fly down to see her she’ll teach me stuff (though she’s the matriarch of the family so she’s pretty intimidating). Anyway. That’s my experience with my my greek heritage.

I just sent the long-ass ask about Greek heritage but I forgot the bit where I was Greek enough to get bullied over Greek food. Yay. Dolmades are good though I don’t care if they “look little poop”

___________________[END OF ASK] __________________________

Hey and sorry for the delay 💙 I asked some time ago but that doesn't mean newer answers aren't welcome anytime!

Dear, I am grieving with you for the loss 😔 I can't say the reasons the language wasn't passed on seem very logical to me. There are things that didn't get passed on to me because my grandparents thought I would automatically know, or they didn't bother teaching, so I can relate to that feeling 😔

You are definitely NOT intruding! I can understand why it feels this way after what you told me, but it seems to me you have every right to know! Greek culture welcomes anyone from Cameroon to Japan, so, realistically, nothing should stop you from having access to it. Plus, it's your own family!

Oh damn, the "I don't look Greek" plague 😩 As everyone knows there's no specific qualifier of appearance for being part of Hellenismos. On this particular occasion, I'll go one step further and say that, unless you have raid hair, you probably look like a lot of Greeks.

There are Greeks whose appearance is rare for this ethnicity, but "looking Irish" is a thing that 1/4 (at least?) of Greek people relate to. One thing Greeks of diaspora often hear is that "they don't look Greek enough", aka they look "too white". Your surrounding Greeks might not look like you but if you go through my tag #Greek people, which has hundreds of videos, portraits, and photos of Greeks from all eras, you might realize you look like many Greeks.

There are Greeks whose appearance is rare for this ethnicity, but "looking Irish" is a thing that 1/4 (at least?) of Greek people relate to. One thing Greeks of diaspora often hear is that "they don't look Greek enough", aka they look "too white". Your surrounding Greeks might not look like you but if you go through my tag #Greek people, which has hundreds of videos, portraits, and photos of Greeks from all eras, you might realize you look like many Greeks.

Again, appearance doesn't matter in the slightest when it comes to culture, but I sensed your appearance issue was the flavor of "too white looking" and it's the most infuriating thing to me because many, many Greeks look "too white looking" for the standards foreigners have made for them!

Anyways, on to the food! I am so happy you are trying some of the recipes :D (And that you are doing everything to connect to your heritage if it brings you joy!) How dare they speak badly about dolmades??? 😭 Many countries close to Greece also have that dish and we must find them so we can have a dolmades alliaaaaanceee!

I'd also like to add, don't feel pressured to get too much into the culture if you don't want to. Many Greeks in Greece keep different types of distance from their tradition and that should also be your right. Again, do and learn whatever pleases you! Just keep in mind that you are valid in your current state without going the extra mile to learn every Greek thing possible.

People across the globe can have various degrees of Greek heritage and if that "amount" of heritage is "less" then it's okay and natural because it's what happens when people immigrate. The more generations pass, the more this old part is left behind. For example, many Greeks in Greece can also come from other backgrounds (Austrian, Egyptian, Slavic (various countries), etc) and they, too have many parts of their older heritages lost. They practice Greek customs almost exclusively now.

There's a cultural plane that shifts all the time in countries around the world and families assimilate to a new culture as they adapt to a new place. At this moment you are also part of a US regional culture and there is no shame in *also* identifying as part of it. That won't erase any Greek part of you.

The above doesn't aim to discourage you in any way on searching more about Greek culture! It's only a general disclaimer. People from inside a culture (usually in diaspora) tend to judge those who participate less, as if any person with X heritage is in a place to keep the same amount of touch with it 🙄

Sure, tradition is very important but nobody should be forced to practice it if they don't want to - or if they just can't. Tradition is people, and some traditions change or die naturally because many individuals from the inside wanted it to.

It's hard being caught in between - not "American enough" and not "Greek enough". The paradox is that you must first feel secure in this position. Granted, it's easier said than done but mentally it will save you the mindset of needing to be "more American" or "more Greek". As you understand, you don't need to feel apologetic to Americans for who you are, and you don't need to feel apologetic to Greeks in America or anywhere else for the exact same reason.

Some Greeks of diaspora feel distressed about their accents in Greek (or they don't want to admit they have an accent) or for not being perceived as Greeks automatically by other Greeks when they visit the country. But that's unavoidable because these differences exist and people raised in Greece can spot them. Therefore, people in the US whom you are afraid might feel superior to you for knowing more things about Greece, may come to Greece and feel like foreigners.

So they shouldn't make this a race beacuse it's not one they would normally "win" by their own standards. Chances are, after you learn anything you can, you will also have distance from what is considered the "default" Greek culture. It's part of the organic process of time + distance from the country, and Greeks with half a brain won't look down on you for that.

What I mean to say is that there is no certain bar an ordinary person can ever pass to be given any prize of the "ultimate Έλληνας". Not even Greeks in Greece know where that bar is when it comes to their own touch with tradition. There is no golden standard, no finishing line!

I encourage you to continue your journey on learning Greek things and while you are at it, know that objectively you have nothing to prove to anyone, even though you might feel otherwise. I say, fly to your grandma's cousin and let her teach you stuff!

You know that the intimidating demeanor Greek aunties and grandmas have doesn't necessarily reflect their love for you. You might also know that older Greeks are more reserved in showing appreciation. And in the hypothetical scenario where they don't really like you that much, they are still bound to you because you are family, so feel free to use their expertise 👀 If they don't give their knowledge to their family, whom are they going to give it to?? The neighbor??

If they throw any shade at you for now knowing enough take a deeeeeep breath, remember this isn't a race, and continue learning from them. (And you will feel the Greek experience of not deemed worthy enough by your relatives 😂 It's a win win!) If you haven't, check the poem Ithaca by K.P. Kavafy! I think it applies to this situation in a way!

You can always come here and browse thousands of posts about Greece! (In the Desktop version the most important show up on the left of the main page). I have #modern Greece #Greek custom #Greek tradition #Greek dance #Greek cuisine #Greek literature and whatever else your heart desires!

If you want to slowly learn Greek, Greekpod 101 and Easy Greek channels on YouTube have great content! I also have my tag #learn Greek on this blog with sources and explanations. (#Greek language and #Greek word can also be useful!) They are all accessible to English speakers!

You now have a distant Greek auntie who is at your disposal for any type of question (even the "stupid" questions)! Literally, ask me anything and I will try to answer it or find more info for you! You can DM me if you don't want to leave an ask. You are not intruding and it's my pleasure to help!

[westywrites]

THE SPHAERA

We'll start with a bit of a TL;DR of the following little expositional prose about the Gods in the world of Cypress Ascending

Basically:

There used to be many gods, but they were eradicated for the sake of "progress" by the Sphaera and their God-touched worshippers

The Sphaera are the 6 gods who are currently worshipped - Life, Death, and the Stages (the Stages being Infancy, Adolescence, Adulthood, and Old Age)

The God-touched are mortals they give powers and missions

Mortals who still know of the old gods call them the Forgotten, and they believe the Forgotten Gods are not truly gone

The Sphaera are so-called because they are usually represented as a sphere, or more metaphorically, the globe. Life below, Death above, and the Stages on the middle plane. Something like this (a simplistic armillary sphere with stars of different colours labelling the 6 gods):

The easiest way I can think of to explain the Sphaera is with a bit of prose, so the other day on the bus to work, I wrote this. It continues under the cut (about 450 words total)

The Story of the Sphaera

Long ago, the world was ruled by many gods. There was a god for each thing, no matter how insignificant. And the people worshipped whichever god they pleased.

But a god of songbirds does not help humanity. And a god of rainbows should not be more beloved than a god of youth.

So, the Sphaera was formed - six gods united under a common goal, worshipped by those who sought the progress of humankind.

At the foundation, in shadow and soil, is Life - a goddess named Haia. The mortal plane consists of the Stages: Infancy, Adolescence, Adulthood, and Old Age - or Taphla, Hedaph, Raishadin, and Eadim, respectively. Above it all, watching with light and clarity, is Death - Yarham - a benevolent god rarely seen by mortals.

It was not hard to make the mortals believe that the Sphaera were the only true gods. After all, what is there that cannot be associated with Life, Death, or one of the Stages? Their sphere is enough to encompass the whole world.

And so the Sphaera chose their heroes; they granted them powers, gave them missions. Select few mortals were deemed worthy of meeting the gods, of becoming God-touched. And these God-touched worshippers would do anything for their gods.

Thus began the Eradication. The God-touched faithfully followed their missions and systematically destroyed all who would not submit to the true power of the Sphaera, all who would not renounce their feeble "gods" of unimportant affairs. Humankind could only progress in a world with organized rule, dictated by the chosen and most powerful few. Worship of other gods would only hold humanity back. The Sphaera said so, and the God-touched believed.

Centers of worship were destroyed, replaced by temples to the Sphaera. And soon enough, the many gods became few. The Sphaera were proud of the blood on their hands and the weapons of their God-touched warriors.

Within a few generations, the old gods were unknown to mortals - living or dead, it did not matter. All that remained was the Sphaera.

But at the edges of society, there are those who protest the cruelty of the God-touched. There are those who believe knowledge should not be caged, should not only be seen by the few the gods deem worthy. There are those who believe that the progress of humanity should not leave behind songbirds, rainbows, or any "insignificant" thing that shares the natural world. These resilient, dangerous few whisper of the Forgotten. They dare suggest that perhaps, it is time for old gods to be remembered.

Maybe, they whisper, the Forgotten Gods never disappeared entirely. And maybe, just maybe, they did not die without a plan.

Taglist: If you’d like to be tagged in (likely infrequent) updates about this WIP - including mood boards, excerpts, and worldbuilding - please let me know and I’ll add you to the list!

(@lady-redshield-writes I know you didn't ask to be tagged, but you seemed so interested in that other Cypress Ascending post, I thought I'd tag you here - this is the only time I'll do this without your express permission, so if you'd like to be tagged in the future, let me know! But if you don't like being tagged, don't worry! It won't happen again unless you say~~)

[requiem626k]

Hey um Req, if you are busy you can answer it later 😅

But you see, im thinking of reading some new books, and well i would love to hear your thoughts on them.. like uhhh some suggestions? Is that the right word?

Ok, what i mean is, Can you suggest me some books? The genre can be anything im not picky when it comes to this, if i like the plot i read it

Sorry this is all over the place >_<

Hello there Rown! ❤️ I hope you’re doing alright~

Of course, I’d love to suggest some books! I’m so honoured that you deemed me worthy enough to ask this😖 And that’s the right word, exactly🤭 or you can say ‘recommendations’ too I guess

Here are my few book recs that I absolutely loved reading under the cut~ I won’t be including classics such as Dostoevsky or Tolstoy etc., you know, the classic classics since I think you already know of their famous works.

Vingt Mille Lieues Sous les Mers (Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas) by Jules Verne

Please, I ADORE this book. The nerd in me vibes so well with Jules Verne, and this book was just something else. I definitely recommend this one.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

This one absolutely enchanted me with its philosophical aspects. I remember being truly shook while and after reading it, I love it.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

This one always has a special place in my heart 🥺.

Emma by Jane Austen

Jane Austen is usually known for her Pride and Prejudice, however I like Emma more. The love that’s spoken of in Emma fits my view much better, but that’s a subjective opinion haha.

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

This book has a very captivating aura, the characters are all very charismatic and it’s quite a long but enchanting read🤭

Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert

God, I adore French literature. I could put millions of books from it here😭 But for now, I’ll keep it at this :)

I’ll stop before I truly start overwhelming the list😳 But if something else comes into my mind, I’ll be sure to add and tag you🤭 Please let me know if you read/have read any of these!!

[silverwhiteraven]

Wings of Broken White - Ch.8

Tag List: @marichatmay

[ Posted on Ao3 ] [ Chapter 1 ] [ Chapter 7 ] [ Chapter 9 ]

Marinette and Chat Blanc continued to see each other sporadically after their midnight meeting full of emotional rollercoastering and winged secrets. He had told Ladybug about it a few days after, leaving out the part about Marinette’s revealing of having wings. It made her heart skip to know that he would keep a secret that wasn’t his to tell even if he didn’t have to. Ladybug thanked him for being honest with her and told him to be careful, but she was happy he got the chance to spread his wings around another friend.

Ladybug also offered to increase their patrols together if he ever wanted to practice flying with her. She even teasingly said something along the lines of them both needing the benefit of practicing with each other, just in case they ever had to have each other’s backs during a fight in the skies. He accepted, looking giddy to get even more opportunities to fly with another. She also found it unfairly adorable when he joked that he wouldn't get jealous if she wanted to fly around with one of her own civilian friends.

The two even thought about the possibility of some day both flying with their civilian friends together. Ladybug had to hide her giggle at the thought that she might have to break the news that Ladybug and Marinette could never fly together, if this proposed group flight practice were to ever take place.

But Ladybug did confess to Chat Blanc, that if she were to ever choose a civilian to fly with, it would be either Nino Lahiffe or Alya C��saire, because if there was anyone besides Marinette Dupain-Cheng that was trustable, it had to be the people Marinette herself trusted most. Chat hardly held back on his approval of the choices, and it made her laugh to see his bright antics.

After that, several more months passed by the duo, and the world. School was nearing the end of another year. Akuma’s were just as rare and random as ever. Best of all, Chloé had continued to be reprimanded by an ever vigilant Adrien. She was starting to almost mellow out as the fact slowly sunk in that someone she cared about and who cared about her, too, was actually willing to go against her, and even leave her, because she was in the wrong.

All of this led up to an end of school project for their class.

The students were to work together in equal shares to put on a play, telling either one of the fairy tale stories they had studied in class, or one they made up on their own. Nino had proposed that they make a short movie out of the project so that the fruit of their joint efforts could be shared outside of class. The teacher thought the idea was brilliant, and gave them extra time and afterschool privileges to help them set up.

Marinette had been a little tired the day the class was assigning the roles. Her mind only half paid attention, causing her replies to be badly timed and delayed. Because of it, an interesting selection of character parts were assigned.

“Now, I know we’ve been delaying assigning the lead roles,” Nini spoke from where he stood at the front of the room, acting as one of the movie’s directors, “ but I wanted to make sure everyone knew what the other options were before a bunch of people tried to jump at being the Knight of the Princess. So let’s start. Any volunteers or votes for the Knight’s Princess?”

There was various various calls of names and a few ‘me!’s, and most of it all went over Marinette’s head. The only part that really registered was ‘votes for the Knight’, so Marinette half-heartedly pipped in, “Adrien could do it.”

The room went quiet and all eyes turned to her like she had just declared herself to be an Akuma or something. She blinked, wondering what she said.

Nino was the one to break the silence with a crooked and amused smile. “Marinette, you want Adrien to be the Princess?”

She gaped like a fish, realizing she had heard his earlier question completely and utterly wrong. She waved her arms around and she stuttered, trying, and failing, to clear away her mistake. She froze when Adrien burst out laughing, clearly not offended or even upset.

“Why not?” Adrien chuckled as he calmed. “Not the first time I’ve been told I’m pretty enough to be royalty. It would be a nice break from the cool-guy look I’ve been doing at photoshoots lately, too.”

The room started to buzz again with noise. It seemed everyone was considering it, liking the idea of breaking away from assigning a girl to be the Princess.

Alya pipped up above the others mischievously. “So if Adrien get’s to be the Princess, who’s taking the role of Knight? Another of the boys, or one of the girls? At this point, anyone can take the spot since we’ve decided to ignore traditional gender roles. Any volunteers?”

There was more discussion filling the room at that declaration, and a few people glanced at Chloé. She had probably been gunning for the role of Princess, but now she seemed to be pouting. “If Adrien is taking the lead role, then I still want a good one. But I refuse to be a smelly Knight! I’d rather be the King.” She stated decidedly, and the class chuckled and murmured their acceptance of her decision. They were happy to have her not throwing a fuss. It was rather refreshing, actually, to see her still being dramatic but cooperative with the class.

Murmurs continued as the class discussed the role of Knight. Marinette stayed out of it, too embarrassed that she might mess up again. It wasn’t long before Adrien hummed to himself and turned to her.

“Marinette? Would you like to be the Knight to my Princess?” She squeaked at the sudden proposal, and the class hushed. Adrien turned to the others, a small but confident smile on his lips. “She’s helped all of us in Akuma attacks before, right? Marinette acts the part of a Knight saving dames and damsels in distress naturally. I think she could do this, if she wants to, that is,” he adds with a reassuring glance. There wasa round of agreements from the others, before all eyes turned to her, breaths held in anticipation of her answer.

Retreating into the neckline of her oversized shirt to hide a fluster, she nodded her acceptance. There were a few excited woops, and Kim even whistled.

After that, all the roles and assignments for the project were set.

Marinette and Adrien were to be Knight and Princess. Chloé and Juleka took to the King and Queen. Kim and Ivan claimed a joint role of the Dragon for themselves. Rose volunteered to be the Evil Sorceress. Mylène wanted the role as the Knight’s Fairy Guide. Alix was to make props and set backgrounds in the art room. Nathaniel and Alya were the script-writers for the story. Max and Nino were on camera duty with the help of Markov. Sabrina was put in charge of coordinating, scheduling, and final edits.

Lastly, everyone was given two tasks as a group: First, if they had nothing to, they were to help their fellow classmates who were still working. And second, everyone pitches in for the costumes if they can.

Everything went surprisingly smoothly for their project once everything was divided up. Adrien got Chloé to pitch in for the costumes with him, both allowing their immense closets to be raided. Alya and Nino were able to check out cameras from the yearbook and photography clubs. Props became a group-effort when most of the class rather enjoyed, and got carried away with, the art room’s free to use supplies. Some of the musically inclined were putting together a playlist for mood and background music. Kim helped the cast members practice their lines, even standing in for a partner if someone wasn’t there.

It was fun, Marinette had to admit. Up until the inevitable hitch caught up to them, though.

The days of filming their project were upon them. The school’s courtyard had been commandeered for the majority of their sets, empty due to it being a weekend. Large green rolls of poster paper had been used like wallpaper, hung from the second floor banisters to act as a greenscreen. The stairs got covered in painted cardboard so they would look like castle walls and towers from the side.

The entrance to the school was left clear, since the class had deemed it worthy to be its own set background twice over. The first was to act as the front gate to the King and Queen’s castle for the opening scene outside. The second would be from the inside, doors closed and covered with curtains to make it look like the inside of a Great Hall. To give the makeshift Great Hall its finishing touch, Chloé had ‘borrowed’ the fancy chair from her Father’s office to act as a throne.

All in all, things went great. The story and filming opened with the Knight, Marinette, decked out in painted cardboard and foam armor, returning from a mission in another country. He was summoned by the King and Queen immediately upon arrival, to be told that the Princess, Adrien, had been cursed and kidnapped by the Evil Sorceress. To their credit, Juleka and Chloé actually did an amazing job of acting and looking like emotionally distressed parents who just lost their daughter. And when they did a flashback scene in one of the classrooms, Rose proved to be one scary Evil Sorceress with Adrien a perfect damsel in distress. They did have to redo the scene several times, though, because the Queen, Juleka, was having trouble not looking like she wished she was being kidnapped by a very pretty girl instead.

The Fairy Guide, Mylène, was then called forth to help assist the Knight in tracking down the Evil Sorceress and navigate through the Magic Woods. This part took a mix of walking along the makeshift greenscreen wall multiple times and actually going out to a few of the parks around Paris. They had to admit to themselves, though, that they mostly just wanted to run around in-costume and have fun, as well as eat a picnic that Alya’s mother and Marinette’s father had both contributed to after hearing about the project.

It was the pre-rescue battle scene that caused the hiccup. The class artists had done a too-good job on the two-person costume of their Dragon. Kim sat upon Ivan’s shoulders, allowing the Dragon to have an impressive two and a half metre height from head to ground. Kim was also very set on being very animated and expressive with the Dragon, so the mouth, full of sharp paper mache fangs, opened and closed at his command while he threw glitter out like it was fire. Ivan controlled the legs, wings, and body, which all had moving parts for mobility. The legs were strapped to his own, so they walked and stepped when he did. The wings were controlled by Ivan’s Raven wings, allowing them to move realistically. Kim, acting as the neck, would twist around, and Ivan, needing to keep balance, would follow his movements, causing the whole dragon to lumber around and sway like it was alive.

The Fairy Guide, Mylène, couldn't bring herself to face the Dragon at all, let alone appear on set with it. What really took them off guard, however, was the Akuma that came along as the class was gathered around Mylène.

[royalty-of-all-things-snuggly]

I posted 4,539 times in 2021

48 posts created (1%)

4491 posts reblogged (99%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 93.6 posts.

I added 1,000 tags in 2021

#ts - 513 posts

#tw emoji - 153 posts

#ts spoilers - 62 posts

#lgbt - 48 posts

#soc - 46 posts

#back on my royal bullshit - 42 posts

#ask to tag - 41 posts

#dp - 39 posts

#information - 29 posts

#uquiz - 27 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#and when i started thinking about new names my mind just replaced the first letter w my deadname initial and i thought it fit me really well

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

The academic enby experience is wanting to get a doctorate so people will refer to you as Doctor instead of Miss/Mister

58 notes • Posted 2021-01-26 20:33:21 GMT

#4

(Posted to Instagram)

Original Caption: Please accept this casual Logan look 💙🪐

[ID: Thomas Sanders is posing with one hand behind his head and his face turned slightly to the side in front of a mural with light orange and blue shades on a brick wall. He is wearing a black shirt that says “I need space” over outlines of a tent, two trees, and campfire in front of mountains, stars, and a crescent moon. The campground scene and words above are white and circular in shape. He is also wearing Logan’s black glasses and a blue denim jacket with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.]

183 notes • Posted 2021-03-30 00:03:33 GMT

#3

Me, after recognizing I’m exhibiting clear ADHD symptoms: There’s no way I’m not ADHD

Me, anytime I think about seeking professional help: nahh there’s no way I have ADHD, I’m just *insert literally any stereotypical excuse*

718 notes • Posted 2021-01-24 10:08:16 GMT

#2

For Aro Awareness Week, I want to give a special shout out to

✨Allosexual Aromantic Guys✨

I want you to all to know:

You are valid

You are appreciated

You are important

You are a full member of the LGBT community (this includes heterosexual aros)

You are not a predator, and you are not at fault for not feeling romantic attraction

You are whole

You are valued

Feel free to add on 💚 and happy aromantic week!!!

939 notes • Posted 2021-02-24 02:08:31 GMT

#1

One year ago, I believed I was cisgender, heteroromantic, and asexual.

Today, I know that I am nonbinary, biromantic, and asexual.

One year ago, I was a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

Today, I am still a member of the LGBTQ+ community. My understanding of myself has changed, but my membership in the LGBTQ+ community has not.

For years, I struggled to embrace this - I thought that since I was cis and heteroromantic, I couldn’t be “queer enough” to call myself LGBTQ+, but I was wrong. I have always been queer enough, regardless to how my understanding of myself has changed. Learning more about my gender identity and romantic orientation has not affected my “level” of queerness, and it has not deemed me more “worthy” of the LGBTQ+ label.

This same principle applies to you as well. If you are asexual or aromantic, regardless to how you otherwise identify, you are a full member of the LGBTQ+ community, and I am honored to have you here 💜🤍🖤

1133 notes • Posted 2021-01-22 21:46:33 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

[thewickling]

Winding Moonrise - 7 to 9

I got around to making a Winding Moonrise masterpost to make finding parts easier.

As five arrives, Lan Wangji comes to himself, uniquely refreshed. Never had he slept in a day in his life, but this cloud-like sensation of zen is what he imagines it feels like from all the stories he’s heard. His chest swells with calm. His arms warm with peace. His mind shines with tranquility.

Opening his eyes, understanding washes over him. Wei Wuxian’s billowing fringe blocks his face but undoubtedly this is his moon sleeping in his embrace. His breath catches in his throat.

His limbs lock. His heart speeds up. Da-dum. Da-dum. Da-dum. Each beat grows heavy.

His ears protest reaching for sound he hasn't quite registered that lulled him into the best sleep of his existence. The phrases of their hearts beating not in sync but in accompaniment of each other lingers in his mind as his galloping pulse sullies what little remains of the melody they improvised throughout the night until it separates to pieces that can no longer be recognized as one. This subconscious duet diverted to different tempos, where one played at pleasure and the other speeding up into an uncoordinated gallop, in the twilight summoned an overwhelming sense of lost in him. The grief gutted deep for something barely realized he ever had. Even as he slowed his own pace and adjusted his placement, he could not recapture that easy, effortless work any more than a child experiencing the beauty of moon could chase moonlight and bottle it.

That is what Lan Wangji would think if he were capable of thought. All he did was stare at Wei Wuxian. With an indescrible feeling in his chest, he regretted how that song was gone yet he if continued to sleep he would have never realized it was playing.

Cough.

Reaching out with his ears, he catches Lan Xichen's familiar voice.

Did he appreciate that he was saved from this situation or regret he could not appreciate Wei Wuxian for longer? Then again, now that he was awake, he no longer had any right to impose his proximity on Wei Wuxian. He exhales.

Untangling himself from Wei Wuxian's sticky limbs, he tucks the other in. He inhales more carefully than he needs to, drawing all of their mingled scents into his lungs. The smile that graces his lips is bittersweet.

As he steps out the door, Wei Wuxian kicks his leg out.

His xiong glides through the hall as soon as he steps out. Lan Wangji automatically falls into place beside him. Their direction tells him exactly where they are heading: his uncle's study.

He's taken this path thousands of times. He lost count how many times quietly entered and stopped at the entrance for confirmation of his presence before taking a seat in one of the two lacquered wooden seats. Lan Xichen circles to stand by Lan Qiren's right.

Lan Qiren sits at his desk. Despite the morning, stacks of papers dominate his in box. Without looking up, he asks, "Have you told him?"

Lan Wangji shakes his head.

Observing his youngest nephew, he dictates, "Tell him."

"No."

Folding his fingers together, he repeats, "No?"

Lan Qiren considers himself just, but when it comes to his nephew and that Wei Ying his calm is more akin to a calm before a storm. That one sound takes all of his patience.

"Mnn." Lan Wangji stares. His back remains unyielding. His shoulders firmly set.

"You!" He grinds his teeth. A part of him hates that he's encouraging Lan Wangji to fraternize with Wei Wuxian, but the rest of him has responsibilities to the pack. "You already brought him back. Tell him."

"Is that an order?" he asks, looking beyond Lan Qiren to Lan Xichen who took over the pack several years ago.

He smiles helplessly. "Lan Zhan, uncle worries about you. Wei-gongzi should know."

How Lan Wangji lamented to the moon the last dozen of years hangs unspoken. Perhaps another wolf may live well after rejecting one's mate, but Lan Xichen thinks that is not the nature of their pack. From their ancestor Lan An to his own father to his didi, the death of their mate weakened their will. Lan An secluded himself as did their father. Lan Wangji barely found himself again after Lan Sizhui arrived. So this refusal confounds him.

"I refuse." His gaze relays his determination. He understands that finding a mate is a blessing; losing a mate is a curse. Few ever have the opportunty to discover a second. That Lan Wangji did not past from heart-sickness was deemed a miracle by their pack. Now that his mate lives, rejecting spits in the face of the moon. Yet Wei Wuxian still fears dogs, after he asked if their pack walks in wolf skins around their lands, so he won't impose that unfair choice on Wei Wuxian.

"Tell me. Why refuse your mate?" The last word twists on Lan Qiren's tongue. Despite the origins of their pack, since his xiong's stupidity, he holds no fondness for fated mates. "You fought so hard for him to be accepted. Why is he unworthy now?"

He isn't, I am, he thinks. Sharing that they are mates, with all that he should as a hunter, with the goodness that composes Wei Wuxian, would he reject Lan Wangji? He can't force Wei Wuxian into a fate-bond. This is the only path for them. He simply repeats, "I refuse."

"You argued for him to be accepted. Now it isn't worthy?" Lan Qiren prods. "He knows about our pack.He's a danger."

"Do you plan to hold him?" Lan Wangji recites, "The pack prohibits imprisoning one's mate-"

"Lan Zhan," he shouts. His face bursts red. He trembles with fury at the implication that he is behaving like his older brother, Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji's biological father.

Lan Xichen steps between them both. "Perhaps, we should discuss this later. He only just found that Wei-gongzi is alive. We should give him more time. Let's discuss this again later."

He bows as he exits the study.

Knock. Knock.

Wei Wuxian rolls over, cracking open one eye. He shouts, "Why is someone making noise so early?"

The door opens a tad. Lan Sizhui warns, "Excessive noise is not allowed."

"Can we enter?" he adds a second later.

"It's your place."

Lan Sizhui enters swiftly followed by Lan Jingyi. Two or three others hover at the doorway uncertain. Only Lan Sizhui had been sent with Wei Wuxian's garments, tagging along most certainly broke a rule or two. At the very least, it was impolite to crowd Lan Wangji's guest but in the end they were curious teenagers.

As the air circulates, a pleasant aroma hits them. The room most certainly smells of Lan Wangji's clean and pure scent. If words had to placed to it, picture a forest with a lake in the center that draws in water from the sea.

"What are you doing?" Lan Jingyi asks, staring at Wei Wuxian's still prone figure.

Pushing half-up, he rubs his back. He jokes, "I can't move. Your uncle is quite aggressive."

"Don't speak nonsense."

Lan Jingyi barely manages to swallow a curse. The other Lans back up. Everyone of their pack knows that Lan Wangji's mate died. None of them would ever dare to imagine Lan Wangji as frivilous enough to indulge in a single night of pleasure.

"Fine, fine. I'm wrong." Shaking his head, he points at Lan Sizhui. "Is that for me?"

He nods. "We had your clothes washed. If that isn-"

"Great!" He stands. His limbs protest. Sleeping atop another person is not the best for a weary body. He stretches. "I can head out."

"Leave," Lan Sizhui asks.

He nods. Thinking of the vampire he left behind in the mountains, his stomach grumbles. He rolls the knots out of his shoulders.

"You'll need an escort." Lan Sizhui says.

He quirks his head, questioningly.

"To enter and exit, you need permission or the wards alert the pack elders," Lan Sizhui explains.

"Ah."

Lan Jingyi interjects, "I'll take you."

His motives are written on his face. He wants to mess around off pack lands. What would be more interesting than following a hunter around?

A deep voice clears itself.

Lan Jingyi jumps like pup. Stepping to the side, he eyes Lan Wangji sheepishly. He inches behind Lan Sizhui.

"Uncle." They all greet in unision as if there was an invisible conductor guiding them.

Lan Wangji nods. "You plan to leave."

Wei Wuxian answers, "Yup. There's a tied up vamp to interrogate."

He angles his head.

"Don't worry. He's inside an array and I left a guard behind. I'll figure out why he took Xiao Zhui." He salutes.

Biting his cheek, he asks, "Would it impede you if I accompanied you?"

His normal protests die on his lips. A werewolf can handle themselves near vampires and of course a father wants to question the criminal who took his son. Grinning, he says, "Ah, don't you have work?"

"I took a Sabbitical."

Lan Zhan would drop everything for his son, he thinks. Glancing behind Lan Wangji, he wonders how the perfect gentlemen will respond to the magic he trends toward. He might as well join up with Lan Wangji if both of them are investigating anyway.

"Sure."

It surprises everyone when it is Lan Sizhui, not Lan Jingyi who asks, "Can I come?"

"Sizhui was there! He might remember something important. I'll go to guard him. It'd be a good experience for us to go," Lan Jingyi start off his support.

Scanning the eager and curious expression of the younger generation, Wei Wuxian rubs his neck. A tiny part of him overlays the memory of his own youth looking up to his seniors with admiration. He always went along if Lady Yu did not stop him.

"Ask your uncle," he says, offsetting their hopes onto someone else.

Lan Wangji shakes his head. "It isn't safe."

The trio at the door drops their head, disappointed.

"Sizhui and I are older," Lan Jingyi whines.

"Lan Jingyi." Lan Wangji only states the name and Lan Jingyi seals his lips.

Lan Sizhui frowns. Staring at the ground, he acquiesences. Somehow his quiet accceptance projects more disappointment than Lan Jingyi's loud protest and the others' lowered posture combined.

"Let's ago!" Wei Wuxian averts his gaze. Somehow their downcasted aura makes him want to sneak them along. The sensation creeps up on him like a vestigal instinct after all when it came to his own youth he lead Jiang Cheng and all of their cousins on tons of adventures aganist their elders's suggestion.

[dovabunny]

WIP LAST LINE TAG

So the sweet @midnightprelude and darling @dalish-rogue a while back! I'm tagging these muffins - @mago-emplumado @storybookhawke @emotionalmorphine @typhonserpent @tearsofwinter @contreparry show me your WIPs! If you want that is :3

I've been meaning to get back into Baker Guide You, and AU where Anders is a blind Baker who falls for Fenris, who thinks if Anders could see his scars and brands he wouldn't take another look. Fic is an old WIP with @protect-him that's on my mind like at least twice a week. Here's a bit I've scribbled down recently - (CW for death but nothing graphic)

________

"What are you doing here assassin," Fenris grumbles as he shuffles into his spartan apartment. He doesnt bother asking how the Antivan got in here in the first place.

"Good evening to you too, my fine friend," Zevran coos from his cozy reclined spot on the window sill. "I'm sure you know why I'm here. And and the questions I have."

Fenris wipes his hand down his face and around his neck. Of course he does. It's no secret that Zevran is very protective of Anders and that the two share a history.

He suspects Zevran is here to echo his own demons telling him to back away, that he is not worthy of Anders' shy smiles or gentle hands or kind heart.

"Fenris," Zev takes his silence as a go-ahead. "I wont insult you or myself by pretending we both dont know I know your history. I have my ways of finding things out. Especially when they relate to something important to me."

Fenris sits on his beat-up sofa he found on a sidewalk and braces.

"I also suspect that you are a man who is familiar with pain. As am I. As is Anders." For the first time since he first met him Fenris sees the Antivan squirm. "Know that I am telling you this for Anders' sake. The man has known enough pain in his life and if you are to add to that pain Creators know they wont find your body when I'm done with you."

Fenris just swallows and nods.

"Anders...wasnt born blind. He had a rough, abusive childhood, in and out of foster homes till he was deemed dangerous for his rebellious nature and ended up in a correctional school where he met Karl. When Karl turned 18 they ran. Karl to start a new quiet life with Anders, who he had asked to marry him after 4 years together, but Anders was barely 17 and wanted adventure. Anders begged Karl till he caved and they joined the Wardens. Anders lying about his age of course. It was supposed to only be a 2 year thing."

Fenris' brows furrow. He had known Anders had ties to the Wardens, but also that bringing it up brought a look of pain across his beautiful face Fenris couldn't take.

"They were out on a mission clearing the Deep Roads when they stumbled upon an underground trade route used to smuggled elves to Tevinter by slavers."

~12 years ago~

"Commander," Anders said, barely contained rage under his skin. "We cant leave this! We need to shut this down!" He looked over at the huddled would-be slaves around the dead slavers.

Tabris bit her lip and peered into the tunnel. She half suspected denying the man would only cause him to storm down there alone. Karl right behind of course. Those two stuck together like a beard on a dwarf. Her knew the poor man was counting the days till their 2 year contract was up. Just 4 months left if she's not mistaken.

"Fine. Nate, take your regiment on the north route. Velanna with Justice stay here and guard the survivors. Anders, Karl, Zev, Alistair- with me."

It had taken hours but they were able to track he tunnels to a cavern where it was clear the exchange of coin and slaves happened. It was a dirty fight, bloody, with Karl pushing to blast the exit tunnel to avoid any escapes. They would have to collapse the whole tunnel later anyway.

The slavers had a a guard of two dozen strong but the tide of the fight was turning. Anders and Zevran stood over the elves to protect them while Alistair and Tabris cirled them. Soon there was only one left, a man dressed in a way that reeked of 'Magister'. He stood in the middle with a glint of madness and bloodthirst in his eyes when he pulled the grenade out of his pocket and pulled the link out. Everyone screamed and ran for cover, but Anders saw the look in their eyes. No one would survive this. Anders grabbed an abandoned shield and held it up as he stood over and elves huddled behind the rubble and ruins, hoping beyond hope.

But then Karl was racing forward, ignoring Anders' cries.

Anders' last image was the surprise of the Magister as Karl threw him down and covered the grenade with his body. Anders had his shield up but an outstretched hand and wide eyes toward the blast.

Then. Darkness.

Hands. Shouting. Distant but close to rumble his chest. How? Where-

"Anders! ANDERS!?"

It settled like led and fire and acid.

"I can't see... I can't see! Karl! KARL ANSWER ME!? Oh Maker please... I CAN'T SEE!!!"

~ Present time ~

Fenris' throat struggled against the rough knot there.

Zev was staring out the window. "You are not a man unfamiliar with pain, you know the sounds a man can make. There is screaming in pain and distress...then there is screaming in agony. A pain deep and tormenting. The scream of a man trying to tear himself apart from the inside out."

Zev turns to Fenris then and he is taken aback at the fierceness he sees there amidst the sheen.

"He didnt stop for three days till his voice gave out."

[terramythos]

TerraMythos' 2020 Reading Challenge - Book 14 of 26

Title: The Count of Monte Cristo (1840s)

Author: Alexandre Dumas (English translation by Robin Buss)

Genre/Tags: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Revenge, Adventure, Classic, Re-Read, Slow Burn, Third-Person.

Rating: 10/10

Date Began: 5/07/2020

Date Finished: 6/13/2020

Young Edmond Dantès is about to get everything he’s ever wanted-- he’s set to marry the woman of his dreams and become captain of a distinguished trade ship. However, everything goes wrong when several jealous rivals frame him for a crime he did not commit, landing him in a horrific prison with no hope of trial or escape. After years of solitary confinement and despair, Dantès by chance meets a wise old abbé imprisoned in the neighboring cell. The two become close friends, and the abbé teaches Dantès everything he knows. On his deathbed,  Dantès’ mentor reveals the location of a fabulous treasure hidden on the abandoned island of Monte Cristo.

Dantès escapes prison after fourteen harrowing years and discovers that the treasure is real. Not only that, the men who ruined his life have obtained wealth and success. He reinvents himself as The Count of Monte Cristo, a mysterious and fabulously wealthy aristocrat. Utilizing this and a multitude of other personas, Dantès enacts a manipulative and intricate revenge on the men who wronged him long ago.

Click the readmore for the full review!

“Dantès cannot stay in prison for ever; one day, he will come out, and on that day, woe betide the one who put him there!”

The Count of Monte Cristo is, obviously, a famous classic. It’s also one of two books I had to read for a class in high school that I actually liked. Considering 15-year-old me was a “gifted” burnout who had stopped reading for pleasure at that point, it says something that an assigned 1200-something page classic novel not only captured my interest, but kept it to the bitter end. Reading this was genuinely one of the few good things that came out of my high school experience. While I didn’t understand everything about it (least of all French pronunciation when I tried to read it out loud-- good God), the adventure, political intrigue, and revenge were all very exciting. It was shocking to actually read a book for school that was so entertaining.

But it’s been about a decade since I’ve read The Count of Monte Cristo. A lot has changed about me as a person since then-- I’m older, maybe a little wiser, and an entirely different gender than I thought I was. So, is it the same novel to me now as it was back then? Yes and no.

On a reread, I found I understood the novel more than I did as a teenager; I was able to follow the multitude of characters, subplots, and events much better. While many people discuss and praise the revenge plot, myself included, Monte Cristo doesn’t fully embrace that narrative until the last quarter or so. Most of the book instead establishes characters, relationships, and events that pay off big time when the Count finally pulls off his various schemes. It’s satisfying to see how everything comes together, especially in the last leg of the story. Each time Dantès reveals his identity is a treat, and it’s always fresh, with different philosophical implications. It’s impressive how Dumas ties so many threads into a coherent and entertaining whole. 

Revenge itself is very psychological in this book. The Count’s revenge plots are premeditated and usually immaculate in execution. He doesn’t just get revenge on the men who wronged him -- he actively fucks with, manipulates, and ruins them in the eyes of society. Even when the unexpected happens, he’s usually quick-witted enough to figure things out and still accomplish his goals. Dantès sees himself as an agent of God, reasoning that it’s the only explanation for how he went from the utter despair of eternal imprisonment to wealthy and powerful. He believes his revenge is ordained by heaven to punish the wicked-- and he likewise shows paternal compassion and care towards those he deems to be worthy. It’s only when innocents begin to suffer for his actions that Dantès questions his pursuit of revenge, and whether his utter devotion to it was divine at all or even the right thing to do. Does a life dedicated to revenge truly make one happy? Does revenge actually improve the world? These are almost universal ideas in modern revenge stories, but there’s no doubt that The Count of Monte Cristo popularized them.

The Count of Monte Cristo is also surprisingly modern for a story written in the 1840s. Many elements would be considered unusual for the time. There’s honest-to-God, non-fetishized lesbians in the story, which was something I definitely didn’t catch on my first read (you can even interpret one of them as a trans dude, which is bonkers). One of my favorite characters is Noirtier, a disabled old man whose entire body is paralyzed except for his eyes. Despite this, he communicates via different blinking patterns to enact multiple complex schemes to protect his granddaughter. He’s a total badass, and the only character that gives the Count a run for his money re: ulterior motives. There’s also some pretty risqué elements-- Dumas really liked hashish, which features quite a bit in the story. Add in the graphic violence and an actual plot-critical serial killer, and you’ve got an adventure thriller that often feels like it was written for modern audiences.

Do I recommend reading Monte Cristo? Yes, absolutely-- but there are definitely some caveats. The length is an obvious consideration. If you want to read this, be prepared for a commitment-- I read pretty fast, and it still took me over a month to get through it. While it’s long, it is entertaining (and often humorous) throughout, even to a modern reader. You also want to avoid the multitude of abridged versions, as they tend to cut out most of the interesting subtleties of the story and focus on the action sequences. The translation I read clocks in at a cozy 1276 pages, and they definitely aren’t short. While I haven’t read other translations, this one (the Penguin Classics translation by Robin Buss) seems to be considered the best English version.

While I mentioned the modern aspects of the story, and Dumas was considered liberal, The Count of Monte Cristo is still a product of its time. Dumas has some very interesting female characters, for example, but their roles are generally still true to the sociopolitical climate of the 1840s. Slavery is just a thing in the story, and while there’s some nuance there considering Dumas’ own heritage, it’s worth mentioning. The Count’s relationship with Haydée is pretty yikes, even though I like her as a character and her role in one of the revenge schemes. Generally speaking, this book also has more pop culture references than a Shrek film, and while the footnotes help, there’s still a lot that isn’t annotated and totally went over my head.

In my opinion, though, The Count of Monte Cristo is definitely one of the most captivating classic novels out there. It’s had an immense impact on modern storytelling, and I can’t understate how genuinely fun it is to read. Definitely give it a try if you’re in the market for a classic and the sheer length doesn’t scare you away.

[imagine-loki]

Pride and Prejudice

TITLE: Pride and Prejudice CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: Chapter 20 AUTHOR: wolfpawn

ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine Loki was raised on Jotunheim as Laufey’s son after the war, but an agreement was then made that he would wed Odin’s daughter so Odin could secure the alliance of Jotunheim through the marriage. Loki, in turn, was raised to be king of Jotunheim, but how he views Asgard is far different from how Odin’s daughter is raised leading to a clash of cultures as well as uncertainty between the pair of betrothed youths.     RATING: Mature   NOTES/WARNINGS: Forced Marriage, not all fun and games. My first real step back into the Loki scene in over a year.

Tags - @skulliebythesea @asimovethroughthisworld @blackcherry26-blog

Ella walked towards Loki’s rooms apprehensively. She worried that everything was not as he was portraying and that there was something afoot that she was not aware of. Nothing made her more uncomfortable than not knowing what she was dealing with, and with Loki, she had no idea what was his situation, of how he thought, and that unnerved her. When she got to the door, she hesitated. The last time she went to those rooms, she felt as though she had been struck by Mjolnir as Loki and his brothers mocked her after one of the most miserable nights of her entire life. She forced herself to shake those memories from her mind. When she chose to walk back to Loki and ask him if things would be different, when she walked towards her father and defied his command to return to Asgard, she chose to leave that moment in the past. She chose to not hold onto it, now she had to honour that choice that she herself, willfully made. Inhaling deeply, she knocked on the door and waited with bated breath. 

When Loki opened it, she gave a polite smile and curtsied slightly. “Your Highness.”

Loki felt a tightness in his throat at her manner. Come in, please.” She passed him and entered the rooms. “Also, I think it best if you address me simply by my name. It does not seem right, since we are attempting to do this right, also, I do not wish to give the impression I am…” “Of course, I understand.” Ella nodded. She looked around apprehensively. 

“Are you alright?” Loki was unsure what was causing her to be so wary. 

“Yes, fine. But I have to ask, why did you invite me here?” She spoke quickly, almost too quickly. 

Loki could barely understand what she said with the pace she spoke. “For dinner, to simply speak with you. If we are to try and make this work, if we are to not repeat past mistakes, we must become more in tune with one another, and that cannot occur if we rarely see one another.” “That is true.” 

“Why are you so suspicious?”

“Because I do not know you, and when I do not know someone and their motives, I do not feel comfortable in their presence. You may very well be my mate or husband, whichever of our realm’s terms you wish to use, but I don’t know your character, not the true one and that unsettles me, as I do not know how to act around you as a result.” “What do you mean, my ‘true one’?” “The man I bore witness to is not the one that tends to his realm and his people to the point that he will exhaust himself for them. The man that makes his brothers love him even though the decision to name you heir when even on Jotunheim, the eldest usually would be named such. The man that would have people tell me, at nauseam I may add, that they look forward to your reign, that they see Jotunheim not as great as it was before, but better than so. I do not know that man, and though he sounds like one worth knowing, the one they all state such of was a far different man to the one I know and that worries me somewhat, as I cannot understand how the same man they say such about is the same man I know.” Loki felt guilty at her words. “No, I suppose not. I have carried myself through this appallingly. My treatment of you has been sub-par, to say the least. You never deserved how I treated you. You have only ever cared for Jotunheim yet I dismissed you as nothing more than your father’s spy.” “A fair enough judgement to make, to be fair. At the beginning.” She acknowledged. “But I have only ever cared to make things better here, Prince Loki. It is my home, and on many levels, I do not wish for it to fail. I loathe seeing realms not reach their full potential. When I went to Svartalfheim, seeing it as nothing more than a desolate wasteland, it was horrid. It had so much potential, yet now, it is nothing.” “You have been to Svartalfhiem?” “Yes, I have been to all the realms, the Allfather is often required to travel, it is somewhat commonplace for his family to join them. I only got to come here for our marriage, but before that, I saw all others.” “Really?” “Why would I lie?” She challenged. “This may surprise you, but I am actually fairly well-travelled and well-read.” 

“I’m sorry. My comment is not said in question of the truthfulness of your statement, more than the startlement that you would be brought to different realms. Forgive me if this insults you, but I thought the Allfather would not consider bringing his daughter with him like he would his son.” “I am aware of the inequality of genders in my realm in some manners, but in others, I fear you are not aware of the protocol that is required. Were my father to go on realm visits to which a formal request for such was made without my mother and I, it is seen as an incredible insult.” “Understandable,” Loki nodded, thinking of the logic. He took a moment to think before speaking again. “The day you came to the throne room and collapsed, my father and I were discussing something with regards to an official visit to Vanaheim.” “It is quite nice there.” She smiled politely. 

“I would not know. We never had an alliance with them, not after the war.” 

“Well, Vanaheim is Asgard’s closest ally due to my parents’ marriage. Your being their foe makes you Vanaheim’s by extension, they fought side by side in the war.” “And your marriage to me makes them think us to be what...worthy of their time?” Loki asked, slightly insulted. “A new trading partner. Jotunheim is one of the only realms that produces certain products. Vanir, like Aesir and indeed Light Elves love pageantry, do you know what their favourite form of showing off is?” Loki shook his head. “Ice sculptures, they love them, very grand, you see, ice is not like stone, it melts and is more fragile, it requires a more passionate and caring touch. But there is one issue, have you ever seen how big a block of ice you need for their statues? They cannot get them currently, not as they want them and they hate it. They have to join a few pieces together to get what they want. Jotunheim has blocks of ice a hundred feet high, they are going to be salivating at the mere thought. Not to mention, they will all want to be the first to have food from here so they can be seen to be above others. If you are the first to have Jotnar cuisine, you must be important in the court’s eyes. Now with the Casket back where it belongs and the realm is approaching full productivity once more, it will be a very handy tool for any new trade negotiations to use this information. If you know what they want, you can ensure they do not insult you with any mere attempt to dismiss it and you can use it to ensure you get everything you wish in return. I can tell you what they are abundant in and what they deem of greatest value, if you wish?” 

Loki listened with intrigue. This was all information that would assist in bettering Jotunheim’s position in any upcoming discussions. “I will remember that. Why don’t we sit and eat and discuss it further?” He offered, indicating to the table. “I also got you these.” He walked over to a table a retrieved some flowers. “I noticed your flowers were dying, so…” Ella smiled. “Thank you, that is very kind of you.” 

Seeing it was not the same false smile she tended to use in the past, Loki smiled in return. “So, you are aware of their thoughts on trade?”

“Yes, I can tell you what they have that they will trade, both easily and what they will try to make you work for, but of course, I know where they get some of their supplies, and most importantly, I know where to get their supplies for less.” Loki’s eyes widened. “My travels allowed me to see and hear things that will help us, help Jotunheim.” 

Seeing her passion at the idea, Loki looked forward to the meal more. Sitting down across from her, he was unable to hide a smile as she smirked knowingly. “Well, I am looking forward to hearing what you have to say.” Ella chuckled back. “I would wager so. But first, tell me what they stated in their invitation. Let us see how they plan to approach this so we are prepared.” 

[atlas-of-a-human-soul]

A PR stunt, pt.2 (S.M.)

Summary: Shawn’s PR stunt was meant to further his career, but it damaged his relationship irreversibly. However, he can’t let things be without at least trying to make things right.

Warnings: ANGST

Word Count: 1730

A/N - this is the first fic in line for Part 2s week. Enjoy!

A PR Stunt, pt.1

Shawn stared at the whole in wall, his hand completely ruined. Knuckles red and swollen, his eyes matching them, hair a mess of curls on top of his head. Hell, his look was the least messy thing about him when Andrew walked in.

“What did you do to yourself?” Andrew sighs, not bothering to shout at him. Shawn definitely didn’t need him to add onto his misery. In all his years with his favorite client, friend, brother – Andrew never found him in such a state. He wasn’t stupid, adding things up pretty quickly in his head. He told Shawn that the PR stunt would be good for his career, he recommended it. But he also warned him that in such times where distance and a third party are involved, hearts tend to break. Relationships are never as solid as you deem them to be and Shawn decided not to listen.

“She left me.” Shawn croaked out, trying to create a proper fist with his hand before hissing in pain, his eyes closing in agony of more than just physical hurt.

“And you decide to break your hand for it? Night of the show?” Andrew shakes his head, hands on his hips because as much as he wants to be calm, his nerves are at an all-time high. But Shawn didn’t care.

What Shawn thought about, what he cared about, it remained back north – in Canada.

In the past three years of knowing Y/N, he spent two of them being a complete idiot – a blind man in spite of the brightest light staring back right at him. He never saw her as more than a friend, someone to rely on, to have even in the darkest of times. She was the one he’d call when he’s too drunk to drive, babbling about his latest conquest in the process and all the while, she’d just run her fingers through his hair and smile softly down as his head burned a hole in her lap. She always had some wisdom to share, something funny to say, a kind gesture to give and she did it all…selflessly.

He took that for granted. All of it.

But one night he finally saw her – the way she’d tilt her head to the left ever so slightly when he speaks, and only when he speaks. The way her nose scrunches up when she disagrees with someone’s argument, but waits patiently for them to finish in order to offer her insight. The way her lips purse when she’s holding back a smile when he says something in an attempt to woo her, but actually embarrasses himself completely…Even the way she furrows her eyebrows and a small, horizontal line appears right before them, like a tiny bridge that holds all her anger in but disappears the moment her eyebrows return to their usual position.

Y/N is the person that doesn’t hold a grudge, incapable of cutting people off no matter how toxic they may be. She is selfless, kind and openhearted, her mercy knows no bounds. But it found its end, for the first time for as long as Shawn knew her. She decided to cut him off, to end their relationship, to say goodbye to him and that is everything he needs to break. People like Y/N never give up on people and she gave up on him…that speaks volume of how wrongly he treated her.

“Andrew, I want to go home. I need to talk to her.” Rubbing his forehead with his left hand, Shawn runs his curls back and away from his face in frustration.

“She doesn’t want to see you.” Andrew tries to reason with him, his own heart aching for the young man before him because such heartbreak is sure to make him crumble…but in Andrew’s mind this pain will be useful. Artists who suffer always deliver heartfelt lyrics, incredible art that lives on much longer than the generic happy ones. In his mind, this break up is a goldmine.

“BUT I WANT TO SEE HER. Even for a moment. Even if she’ll slap me silly for thinking for one moment I was worthy of her. Because I wasn’t. I knew it. All along. I’ve finally proven it.” Shawn stands, biting his lip hard enough to draw blood, the taste making him cringe and then sigh.

“Doctor first, show second, plane right after?” Andrew offers, giving the kid one chance to do what he wants, counting on the plan to fail miserably which will only deepen the sting of his wound.

Giving up, Shawn agrees, knowing he has to uphold his duties to his fans. After all, he wanted to make people happy and in a way, he hoped it would ease his own worries.

At the end of the night, his hand was broken. He couldn’t play the show, but he didn’t mind giving his all when he sang his heart out, even dedicating ‘Fix you’ to Y/N without thinking twice about it. The fans asked about his hand, his only response being ‘I’m an idiot’ to avoid speaking about what truly ails him.

But once he got on the plane, his stomach turned to knots.

He wondered what he could say to make things better. If he could truly fix their relationship, mend their broken trust. He wondered if Y/N was completely lost to him.

Although he hated that, Shawn knew he would have to play her, manipulate her kindness to his own benefit as selfishly as he always does. He knew that she would be lost to him otherwise. So he will lie, manipulate, do whatever – just this once, one last time.

The ride from the airport is a blur in his mind, having trouble connecting pictures and sounds, finding himself an anxious mess – desperate and willing to do anything to stop the pain in his chest, even for a moment.

Knocking on the door with his left fist, twice firmly and the third being suspended in air as he hears the faint ‘Come in’ from the other side. He couldn’t help but roll his eyes, wanting to come in with his usual speech prepared about how she can’t do that because the world is filled with people who have anything but good intentions and letting someone in without checking who it is might be the stupidest thing in the world. But he doesn’t. He can’t do that when that very stupid thing is why he’ll enter her apartment and have a chance to speak to her.

He walks in, looking around the dark apartment, the only light coming from her kitchen – the light he always left on and she would always lecture him about it. He stumbles on her doorstep, groaning lowly before venturing inside. The sound of his song is unmistakable, giving him something to follow in order to find the girl who stood with her back turned and her hair down, lazily falling down her back. The thing is, she never wears her hair down at home.

“Did you mean it?” Her voice startles him, his gasp passing his lips inadvertently. His heart hammered against his rib cage, giving him certainty it isn’t dead like he feared. His heart is very much alive and it belongs to her alone…it beats for her and no one else.

“How? What?” He manages to mumble out, running his fingers through his hair, holding his hand to his stomach. The pain radiating from it is great, but he refused any painkillers before speaking to her. He didn’t want to be in a haze during what could very well be the last time he speaks to her. He wanted to remember everything about her, from the way she looks to the way she sounds, smells, moves.

Turning around, she frowns, her eyebrows knitting and that horizontal line appearing.

“I know your walk. You step with your entire foot at once, always managing to somehow trip on the doorstep. Which you did. I know you did, even if you think you don’t. And I’m talking about what you said at the concert. Did you mean what you said?” Just as she finishes, the words he spoke earlier sound through.

“Some of you have come to believe I am dating my new friend, but that’s not true. The kiss you’ve witnessed, all of it…it was just footage or a new video. But it hurt some of you. Angered some of you. It ruined the best thing I’ve ever had in this life – my relationship with Y/N. Whom I actually do love. Do cherish. Do take for granted at times. I don’t deserve you love, I don’t. But if you’re listening, know I love you more than anything and I am sorry. I truly am. And this song, as all songs I sing, is dedicated to you.”

“That. Did you mean that?” She repeats her question, her eyes void of emotion despite them rimming red, the smeared mascara under her eyes betraying what she suffered.

“Every word and more.” Shawn confirms, stepping closer only to find an obstacle in her outstretched hand, her palm pressing into his chest.

“Okay.” She breathes out, pausing to look up at his face and the deeply pink cheeks she loved to tease him about.

“When do you have to go back?” She asks, surprising him, but not entirely. A part of him knew she’d want to try and fix things, the speech itself being a manipulative technique.

“Tomorrow noon. But are we okay?” Shawn whispers, placing his left hand over her smaller one on his chest, clasping it in his gently.

“I don’t know. Maybe we will be. Eventually. But I don’t know now.” She sighs, tucking herself into his side, embracing him with all the strength she could muster. She held him tightly all through the night, until his heart stopped tearing itself and hers took in all his pain. He could feel the dull ache still, but he felt more certain about his future now.

Even as he left, Y/N decided to come along and send him off. As she always did. While their relationship wasn’t magically fixed overnight, it began to mend. Soon, Y/N will join him on tour, the trust will rebuild and with it, they will find their way back to who they were. No...To something better, more solid and everlasting.

Tags: @accalialionheart @esoltis280 @ourlittleshawnie @heyits-claire