#trying to sort out my theme ...

[icewindandboringhorror]

Little bright colored outfit with a fun vest ~

(shoes from ebay like 10 years ago. everything else is thrifted)

[arsenicflame]

It's a time-honoured tradition- every time Sam comes across Izzy (and Ed) in their travels, he asks Izzy to marry him. And every time, Izzy turns him down.

At this point, Sam is asking more for the sake of it than any belief Izzy will ever say yes, a remnant of childhood dedication touched with 30 years of heartbreak and regret- though even now, a small part of him still holds out hope. Sam's promises have only got more extravagant over the years, from a job as his first mate, to a captaincy, a fleet at his command, a whole fucking island if that's what Izzy wants- but he knows it isn't though, not really. If Izzy was ever going to agree to marry him, to leave his life and go with Sam, it wouldn't be for anything Sam could offer him. Izzy never did care for flashy shows of wealth, for a ship or to be captain. The only thing that ever mattered to him was loyalty given, and loyalty shown in return. 

It all comes to a head after Stede left and came back, after Izzy lost a toe, lost his leg. Sam hasn't seen him since before things with Ed started to really slide off the rails, before stress permanently set into the lines of Izzy’s face. So, when he sees a dishevelled man with a hoof for a leg in a no-name port, he doesn't even consider the idea that he might know him. It's only when he turns towards him, and Sam catches a glance at those oh too familiar tattoos, he realises this is Izzy, his Izzy, that stands before him.

Knowing Izzy's discomfort with pity, he doesn't treat him any differently than he would in years gone by, positioning himself in Izzy's line of sight before approaching and sweeping him up into a bone crushing hug. 

“Israel-goddamn-Hands!” he exclaims, as Izzy grumbles back a begrudging “Samuel-fucking-Bellamy”, a tradition almost as old as their friendship itself. Izzy might not hug him back, but he can’t keep the corner of his mouth from twitching, just for a second.

(If Sam holds Izzy a little tighter and a little longer than usual, well. That's his business)

By the time Sam lets go, most of the crew has appeared in the town square, drawn in by the commotion. They may have given Izzy his leg and welcomed him as one of them, but still there’s an underlying tension, with nobody quite ready to set aside everything that happened before the Kraken. Seeing him cosying up to an unknown man sets everyone on edge, unsure whether to come to their first mate’s aid, or to assume that they've been betrayed once again.

When Ed sees that the yelling was Sam, his hand goes tense where it's held in Stede's. He knows the routine, has seen it more times than he can count, but as he watches them part he realises that this is the first time in a long time he's unsure of what Izzy's response will be.

Knowing that something’s different, knowing that Izzy's feeling vulnerable already, Sam doesn't go for the same flashy proposal he’s been giving for years. He doesn't promise Izzy the world, he doesn't cause a scene (or, any more of a scene than he already has, anyway). He looks at the fractured man in front of him, takes his face in his hands, and says the exact same thing to him he said when they were little more than boys. “Israel, I have to ask you. I know what you'll say, but I have to try. Come with me. Marry me and sail away with me. I'll keep you safe”

And Izzy… hesitates. He glances over at Ed, at Stede, and says to Sam “...We’re staying in port for a week. Ask me again then”

That's the moment Sam knows there is something deeply, horribly, wrong. He's not just looking at an Izzy who got seriously injured in a fight and is struggling to cope, this is something so much bigger than that- and that Ed has something to do with it. Izzy wouldn't even be considering leaving if he didn't. Whether it was negligence or something more sinister, Sam doesn't yet know, but he intends to find out.

[puppppppppy]

fake ep idea + doodles

[whetstonefires]

#4 please !

Now see this could be tricky, because generally if I don't get some key elements written down very quickly the idea flows away again and the 'yet' disappears, even if I remember generally what it was about, but I have one this time! I am still just enough plagued by this vision that it's not out of the question I'll go for the capture, but so far nada.

Idea was basically a Jiang family character study by way of modern au. (So tw canonical abuse.) I started from the reflection, in a modern au very high chance the Jiangs are divorced, because being a divorcee wouldn't necessarily ruin Yu Ziyuan in the modern world, as long as she was allowed to control the narrative enough that she didn’t look at fault, so it might be on the table.

Especially because modern views on child abuse are such that while she'd hold back more than she already does in terms of physical chastisement, Jiang Fengmian would also be under less societal pressure to not interfere in her disciplinary system too much, and both these factors mean he’s more likely to put his foot down.

So, concept: Jiang Fengmian, when his son is eight and his daughter thirteen, forces the issue of taking in his best friends' abused orphan child whom he’s just managed to track down in a nightmarish group home, probably leveraging the fact that wherever their money comes from it's mostly his, something he usually doesn't do, but she has always known he could, and been fucked up about it (reasonable) and hated him a little (less so) and hates him so much more now (understandable but still fucked up).

They were obviously still both pressured into this marriage by their families, because I literally cannot imagine them choosing one another of their own free will, and if they did that would be an au in an even more dramatic way than being modern, and no longer work as a character or relationship study as far as I'm concerned. I mean or it’s a cql-based au, but that’s not the version of this toxic marriage I find compelling.

Situation subsequently deteriorates to the point that when the boys are around twelve some outside party observes and is repulsed or otherwise upset by Yu Ziyuan's treatment of Wei Wuxian specifically--she's emotionally abusive to everyone in the family, canonically, and it harms Jiang Cheng significantly more than Wei Wuxian, which I think is also pretty explicit on the page, but she's more openly antagonistic about going after wwx because he's basically a proxy for her husband, whom she doesn't consider to be someone she's capable of harming.

And ofc in a modern family scenario, being abusive to your foster kid is more plainly personal misconduct than being unfair in how you discipline one of your husband's many students, even if it is his favorite. Which means she's very unlikely to chase him around with a whip, but whatever she does do will sting that much more emotionally.

Anyway the outside judgement provokes a more explicit confrontation than the last four years of maneuver and attempting to balance all the competing needs according to two very different standards. And the upshot is that by the time wwx is 13, the Jiangs are divorced. To avoid making a humiliating spectacle of themselves they present a weirdly united front in court and have a very smooth uncontested proceding, although the closed meetings with their respective lawyers involved a lot of vitriol.

Yu Ziyuan, despite having a smallish trust fund and probably a job of some kind, though one that's more prestigious than profitable like uh. Olympic fencing coach. Idk what they make but it's probably not enormous. She and Cangse Sanren probably competed in the same events back in the day.

Anyway she gets a solid chunk of alimony, the house, and primary custody of both her children, although Jiang Yanli is almost 18 at this point so mostly she just gets Jiang Cheng. Everyone thinks Jiang Cheng wants it that way, including sort of Jiang Cheng; he has this idea that if he has his mom to himself they'll finally have a good relationship, even though he's also terrified of being left all alone with her. He's complicated. Families are complicated.

Also she would never have forgiven him if he hadn't concurred that he wanted to stay with his mother because she was the only one On His Side.

Jiang Yanli ofc does not move out right away when she comes of age, in part because her brother needs her, but she probably does go to college, so she's only around part-time.

Jiang Fengmian, meanwhile, keeps most of his financial assets and Wei Wuxian, and gets his kids on the weekends.

So that's all setup for how you have this situation where Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng are entering high school--probably the same school, together, but no longer sharing the commute except maybe Monday mornings--and Wei Wuxian's primary residence is Jiang Cheng's dad's apartment.

It’s really chill. They get a cleaning service in once a week and eat a lot of delivery food, but they do cook at least once a week. The canonical thing where they largely agree about what’s funny and what’s right-or-wrong, and so forth, on the one hand really pops when there’s mostly no external conflict disrupting it, but also probably gains more complexity now that it’s not a thread of positivity fighting for its life against a background of drama. They get to know each other better than they ever had a chance to in canon.

Some of that isn't all that positive, because now they have the space to discover the places where they do actually have the capacity for friction, but both of them are very good at dispersing tension (I do tend to suspect jfm's dad was abusive he sure acts like it), and on the whole it's a good thing.

Jiang Cheng is going to have such a mental health crisis, and Jiang Fengmian is going to handle it so badly. Because of course when his son starts replicating his ex-wife's toxic attitudes and behaviors more now that she has primary custody, he’s going to feel guilty and like it’s His Fault, but he’s going to feel like it’s his fault that Jiang Cheng is growing up to be a shitty abusive person.

And even if he’d never say that the subtext would come through, in the assumptions he made when framing communications and so forth, as in canon, so the thing where Jiang Cheng’s father loves Wei Wuxian more than him, or at any rate likes him better and thinks he’s a better person and prefers his company, would wind up feeding into a self-reinforcing loop.

(Jin Zixuan's nasty public remark about Jiang Fengmian treating Wei Wuxian better than his own children hits Jiang Cheng significantly harder in this scenario, where he's being Tormented by the feeling that all his peers know his dad walked out on him for another son. Wei Wuxian's punch is therefore even more clearly primarily for Jiang Cheng's sake, although Jiang Cheng is probably more inclined to see it as being for his dad's. Jin Zixuan is about halfway between the Jiang kids' ages here, so he's a senior saying this shit to a sophomore.)

So that cycle builds to the point where Jiang Cheng would eventually have one of those rare moments where he resorts to actual violence, because his poisoned feelings are choking him so bad his rationality deserts him.

He’s not going to be nearly as close to actually murdering Wei Wuxian as he was in canon the night the Jiang Sect was massacred, because it’s a less extreme situation, but he still goes for the neck. So Jiang Fengmian is in his home office one Saturday about a year and a half into this new normal, and realizes the boys are fighting. He hears through the wall the accusation you stole my dad. He says to himself, well that’s terrible but interjecting myself into this situation would definitely make it worse.

Then he hears sounds of violence, and then an ominous abrupt silence, and updates that analysis.

And when he opens the door to the boys’ room, Wei Wuxian is being strangled. He’s not really resisting, which is because he’s made the call that that’s way more likely to get Jiang Cheng to snap out of it, and thinks it might make Jiang Cheng feel better to get it out of his system (because he does sort of feel like what Jiang Cheng is going through is all his fault, or at any rate is much worse as a result of decisions made for his sake) and is severely underestimating the dangers of choking, but looks to a third party like he’s already passed out and Jiang Cheng is still at it. Which is to say, it looks like a serious murder attempt on the brink of success.

So that sure made that situation worse!

So yeah that's my idea that I probably won't write but it sure has its teeth in me.

[onesnoopyaday]

waiting for the Great Pumpkin

Snoopy #30

31/10/2024

Happy Halloween everyone!

[midnight-mourning]

MUHAHAHAHA Trick or Treat me!!! I accept all!!!

Oh! What a great costume!! looks familiar somehow… wonder why

Anywho,

Trick!

Have this sketchy thing I made based off my promptober day 21 post

And also this assortment of plastic spiders, do with them as you see fit

[maraschinotopped]

ive been staring at the naqtube channel page just doing analysis thoughts in my head for like 15 minutes and ive just been hit with the realization that Damn this is not normal. normal people dont do this. either the mental illness or the mild sickness is doing something to me right now.

[mint-is-here]

Day 1 of the @lmk-season-5-drawing-challenge :D

I thought i would be the only one who would draw Nezha for this day but nop!!!

Anyway this is sort of for my au? I mostly use this Nezha outfit in my sk8ter boy au but i also just. Use it outside of the au in general. So yeah.

[prolibytherium]

I've got big opinions on dream sequences in writing. Which is mostly that they really shouldn't be there like 90% of the time because they grind the narrative to a halt, but I think they CAN have value. It's just that they tend to be executed in a way that's kind of pointless.

It's mostly that a lot of writers have the sequences be literal 1:1 depictions of the character's anxieties or feelings, or otherwise the absolute most on the nose symbolism possible. And it's not like dreams are NEVER like that, but why bother stopping the narrative to include a full sequence that essentially just repeats information the reader already knows?

If it's established that Character A is scared that Character B will get murdered by Jeff the Killer, and then A has an entire dream sequence of B getting Jeff the Killed and A wakes up sweating like 'Noooooooooo I do not want that to happen noooooo' it's jsut like. Yeah I knew that already?

[incomplete-ruler]

Uh oh I think I might actually start a ryuu roleplay blog

[tildeathiwillwrite]

Writemas Day 8: Remembering

<- Previous | Masterpost | Next ->

Prompts: "Can you forgive me?" | The cusp of dawn | Blinding fury

Fandom: Original Work

Words: 1100

Tag List: (message me to be added or removed) @fourwingedsnake @whumperofworlds @pigeonwhumps @mr-orion @scaewolf

@the-ellia-west @agirlandherquill

CW: arguing, swearing, anger

Tapping in the hall signaled Altair's return, and she folded her arms, directing her full attention at him. In his free hand, he carried his blue carpetbag, his expression unreadable. "Altair Ravensworn," she asked in a severe tone, "What happened in Lerwick six years ago, that I do not remember?"

"A great many things," Altair answered, setting the bag down on a nearby armchair. He opened it and began rummaging through its contents. "Far too many to explain. No, what I need you to do is remember. And then we can figure out what happened."

He pulled out a long magnifying glass. Except... no, this wasn't a magnifying glass. The lens wasn't warped, but smooth like a window pane. He glanced at Kore, who stood beside Thea, hands on her hips. "I would ask you to leave us alone," he said, "but something tells me you won't do that."

"Observant," she remarked.

He waved at the sofa. "At least sit down, so you're out of the way."

Kore looked to Thea, who eyed Altair for a long moment before nodding. Her sister hesitated, but did as he said, though by the way her hands toyed with her skirt, she was clearly stressed. Thea didn't blame her.

"Alright," Altair said, holding up the not-magnifying glass. "Hold still."

Thea obeyed, and he began to walk in a slow circle around her, studying her through the strange, smooth lens. "What are you looking for?" she asked.

"I'm trying to figure out how it is you do not remember the event that changed us forever," Altair responded, frowning at her right hand for a moment before continuing his circuit.

"Us...?"

"You, me, Caelum. Lift your left arm. I need to see your hand."

She raised it, and Altair leaned closer, closely inspecting her fingers. Or, more accurately, her wedding ring. He hummed softly. "There it is."

"There what is?"

Altair nodded to himself before stepping away, setting the not-magnifying glass down beside the bag before looking through it again. "The evidence that Caelum did not listen to my warnings."

Thea stared at the ring on her finger. "What?"

"Oh, the ring itself is fine," Altair said, digging deeper into the bag. "Rather, he used it as a focal point for the thinnest strands I've ever seen. He did always have a way with the subtler threads. Now where did I put those shears...?"

"Strands? Threads?"

Altair made a noise of triumph, withdrawing a small pair of scissors from the bag. At first glance, it appeared to be a pair of sewing scissors, the type carved to look like a bird. But the metal caught the light oddly, reflecting the warm lamplight into a colder tint somehow.

"It will all make sense soon enough," he replied, gently taking her hand and opening the scissors, resting the lower blade on the surface of the ring. He squinted at both for a long moment. Finally, he exhaled slowly and snapped the scissors closed.

For a moment, everything was still.

And the world burst alight.

Thea gasped, stumbling back, the threads binding the world together seeming to bloom into existence before her eyes. New and yet so familiar it was like finding a treasured object from years and years ago. Memories flooded back, sudden and shocking but very much hers.

Lerwick.

The mirror.

Volantis.

The Slain.

Everything.

Everything.

It was early morning, the world on the cusp of dawn. Neither Caelum nor Thea could sleep, so they were in the sitting room, the need to talk hanging heavily over them. Heavy like when the reapers---no, the Slain---were around. The threads had been twisting on their own in a way Thea had never seen before lately.

"We need to prepare," Thea said quietly, drawing her shawl tighter around her shoulders. "I don't know why the threads twist around us now, years after we have left Volantis. But we must be ready for the summons."

"If it even is a summons," Caelum murmured, staring at the threads running up and down the wall. His expression was thoughtful, though his hands were clenched into fists. "They would not be twisted in such a way if it were simply a summons."

"What else could it be?"

He hummed softly. "The Slain approaches. The Fallen One, the Insurgent, the Iris."

Thea looked at him in shock. "How can you possibly know that? He has not been seen in millennia!"

"He seeks me. I am the Defiant, the Dahlia. I have stolen his title."

"You... you earned that title! Through no fault of your own!"

Caelum turned to her, expression hard. "It does not matter. I was made a challenger."

"Caelum...."

"There is no way around it, Thea. You know as well as I what the Slain said when we were bestowed our titles. And you know as well as I that I promised to keep you safe."

Thea's jaw tightened. "If what you say is true, there is no keeping me safe. We must prepare."

"There is no 'we'."

"Damn well there isn't!" Thea snapped, "The Iris is the Fallen One. He no longer abides by the laws of Volantis. He is weakened, yes, but he will not play fair. He will see me for what I am, perhaps try to use me against you."

"I know," Caelum whispered, "But I think I have found a way around it. A way to hide you."

"That isn't possible and you know it. Even if it was, I do not want it! If you must fight, I must fight with you! Or have you forgotten our vows?"

His expression was mournful now, and he watched her for a long moment before speaking. "Can you forgive me?"

Thea narrowed her eyes. "Forgive you for wha---?"

Blinding fury exploded from the memory as Thea realized what Caelum had done. She snatched hold of the tiny strands once wrapped around her, the threads that had somehow suppressed all memory of the best and worst years of her life. And with the memories, her ability to see and interact with the threads binding the world. The strands glowed brightly, showing themselves for what they were: energy to be harnessed.

"You..." she hissed through gritted teeth, "You fool. You clever, traitorous fool."

"Thea?" Altair asked gently, and Thea glanced up to find him a few steps away, the scissors nowhere in sight, his free hand grasping nearby strands but yet to harness them. Her eyes flicked to Kore, who was now on her feet, undisguised fear and awe on her face.

Thea took a deep breath and allowed the strands of Caelum's spell to vanish, the threads rejoining the unseen substance of the world around her. When she spoke, her voice was harsh.

"I am Amalthea Hargreaves. Amalthea the Relentless, Amalthea the Rue. And now I understand."

[hypewinter]

Just a heads up I'm trying something new and all of my prompts for the week are going to follow a specific theme. They'll all be somehow related to Superman being good to Connor. Just figured I'd let y'all know in advance so you wouldn't think I'm pushing an agenda or something.

...Or am I?

[starryeyed-seer]

Found how old my main fallen london account is...

...and I still haven't started railway!!

Id like just joined tumblr and the one person I followed sometimes reblogged posts about some weird game where you dated tentacle freaks in victorian London. It turned out I have much worse taste than rubbery but I've stuck about in one form or another since. I only just got back hard into the main game recently

[kald-dal-art]

Do you think Blight is his actual name or a nickname

With how silly Hunger Games names can get I am inclined to believe it is his actual name.

It is interesting though. Blight is a disease for plants, so it is fair to assume it is a nickname, because what parent would name their children after something that is negative. Like the whole industry of 7 would take a big hit if a big amount of the trees suffer from blight, so interesting someone would name their kid after that.

Or idk maybe his parents just hated him lol

[umbracirrus]

Everyone with their songs for their OCs and ships, then there's me with my zero taste in music who basically only listens to the skyrim/oblivion soundtrack 99% of the time and has no idea how people can do that- 😭

[risaceofhearts]

How does one set a spooky tone in writing when one's comfort zone is lighthearted banter and like. Tragic irony.