#unreal unearth got me (obviously)

[inkymaws]

i think the part of girlhood i hold on to is being completely alone in a room in the late hours of night and still worrying how i look when i cry

[fortunafavours]

Welcome to Fortuna, Kingdom of Splendor!

demo • FAQs • bsky

You are the bastard child of the king’s cousin, you’ve never been anyone special. The Crown made sure of that. Taken in by your father after the death of your mother, you were never allowed to speak of your parentage under threat of being sent to an orphanage, so you took on the role of servant to your father's house. Now, just before your thirtieth birthday, you’ve begun having a strange, recurring dream: something beneath the mountains knows your name—something ancient—and it wants you to find it. But the stone isn’t the only thing after you. According to your oldest friend, an elite team of sorcerers from a group known as SCEPTRE are interested in speaking with you—by order of the king. And that's nothing to say of the rumblings of discontent in the streets, led by someone known only as the Crow. Apparently, they've got eyes on you, too. Why have you suddenly become the centre of attention? You’re nobody special. …Aren’t you?

Fortuna Favours the Bold is a low fantasy, high stakes, romance forward tale about self-discovery and buried secrets. Unearth the truth of what waits under the mountain, find out who you really are, and try not to get yourself blown up along the way!

It draws inspiration from media like Dragon Age: Origins, House of the Dragon, the Elder Scrolls series, as well as a myriad of Dungeons & Dragons campaigns I've been a part of, and other similar stories. If you like any of those, you might like Fortuna!

Fortuna is currently a WIP and, as always, is subject to change!

Play as male, female, or non-binary; gay, straight, lesbian, or bisexual!

Get caught up in a government conspiracy, or expose the corruption within!

Choose from six characters to romance: a chivalrous blacksmith, a charming physician, a socialite lawyer, the captain of the guard, the soft-spoken acolyte, or your mage friend from childhood!

Determine the ultimate fate of the kingdom! Will you lead it to ruin, or improve the state of affairs? Will you be a hero of the people, or a pawn in someone else's game?

Protect yourself, protect your loved ones, protect the city - or don't!

But above all, remember to keep the peace. The Crown thanks you for your cooperation.

Fortuna is rated 18+ for explicit language, sexual content, alcohol and drug use, violence, morally questionable behaviour, and more.

For a full list of content warnings, please see below the cut.

CONTENT WARNINGS: sexual situations (optionally explicit), abuse of power, sexism, misogyny, (occasionally graphic) depictions of violence, elements of horror, unreality, mentions of suicide, classism, alcohol and drug use, mentions of upsetting situations regarding pregnancy (abortions, miscarriages, stillborns, infertility, and birthing complications), confined and dark spaces, and death.

There may be some I've missed, but I've listed all the ones that I know for certain off the top of my head. Please reach out if there's something you've noticed that isn't listed here!

Please note that the MC is 29, almost 30; the most significant age gap is 9 years. Please do not message me about this. Everyone involved in the story is a consenting adult and is treated as such. If the gap in age bothers you, don't feel compelled to read it. I won't be upset.

I, myself, am 30 years old, and am fine with all listed age differences (obviously. I created these characters lol).

Now that that's out of the way, meet the ROs!:

Malcolm Ashford, 36 [M]

The primary blacksmith for the Crown ever since they took over his forge, though he's not exactly happy about it. Malcolm is a good, honourable sort; kindhearted and genuine, he's easy to approach and talk to. He is also the biggest hopeless romantic - a fact that Cyril never lets him forget. He can primarily be found at the forge in the centre of the courtyard marketplace.

Malcolm is 6'4" (193 cm), broad shouldered, muscular, and usually covered in some sort of soot. He has fair skin (but is usually sporting an intense farmer's tan), shoulder length light brown hair, a light beard, dark grey eyes, and a beauty mark just above his upper left lip.

His face claim is Eoin Macken.

Cyril Trevelyan, 34 [M]

An old friend of Malcolm's. If anyone asks, Cyril is a "non-practicing" physician. Previously a member of the Royal Physician's Guild, he has since left and now operates an illegal clinic in the lower quarters of the capital, where he can primarily be found, though he has been known to frequent a local tavern and can occasionally be spotted harassing Malcolm at the forge. Cyril is charming, outgoing, and would love to get to know you. Just don't expect him to be very forthcoming about himself.

Cyril is 6'2" (187 cm), with an athletic build. He has tan skin, short, cropped black hair, stubble, and hazel eyes. He has a small scar across his left eyebrow and another small scar through his upper lip.

His face claim is Miguel Ángel Silvestre.

Dominic / Dominica Trevelyan, 38 [M/F]

Cyril's older sibling and the current Commandant of the King's Army. They care about the citizens of Requiem, but are less idealistic than Cyril about how to go about bringing change. They generally mean well and try to make things as easy as possible for the masses, but it isn't always seen as enough. Their relationship with Cyril is... tense. To say the least. They are taciturn and serious, and could probably do with some lightening up.

D is 6'4" (193 cm) (M) / 6'1" (185 cm) (F). They are broad shouldered and a little paunchy, but muscular, strong, and a force to be reckoned with in battle. They have tan skin like their brother, short, black hair that they keep slicked back from their face, and light brown eyes.

Their face claims are Keon Alexander and Rosa Gilmore.

James Johnathan / Jane Josephine 'J.J.' St. James, 28 [M/F]

JJ is a notable lawyer from the noble St. James household, though they aren't typically the first one that comes to mind when the St. James name is brought up. No, that luxury would go to just about anyone else in their family, given JJ is the only one without magic. They're a hard worker, extremely diligent, but have just a teensy tiny chip on their shoulder. They're a bit smarmy, but there is a good heart in there. Somewhere.

JJ is 5'10" (177 cm) (M) / 5'8" (173 cm) (F). They have a lean, athletic build, pale skin, light blue eyes, and copper-brown hair.

Their face claims are Richard Madden and Philipine Urvois.

Amaryllis / Amaranthus Calyx, 30 [F/M]*

One of the royal twins, but also an acolyte to the Divine Valentine, goddess of mercy. They have chosen to dedicate their time to the Temple of the Divines, honing their healing magic and providing succor to those in need, emulating all the virtues Valentine embodies. They are soft spoken and kind, but sheltered and naive. They want to help, but have an impressive lack of self-awareness and preservation, and are more likely to get themselves into trouble unintentionally. Hopefully, you won't have to babysit them too much.

A is 5'10" (177 cm) (F) / 6'0" (183 cm) (M). Amaryllis has a slight, willowy build, shoulder length, dark brown hair that she wears in a bob, a small dusting of freckles across the nose, and dark brown eyes that (like most members of the royal family) are ringed with gold. Amaranthus has a lean, athletic build, short, dark brown hair kept neat and styled back from his face, and the same dark brown gold-ringed eyes as his sister. He also wears glasses, though he's constantly forgetting where he put them.

Their face claims are Adeline Rudolph and Kenta Sakurai.

*Unlike the other gender selectable ROs, A's gender setting determines which of the two twins you end up encountering as opposed to deciding the gender for one character. The other will appear in the story regardless, but will not be romanceable if you select the opposite gender. The other twin has a separate job, position, and demeanour and an entirely different personality from the chosen romanceable one, which will be determined by who you select as RO.

Elliott 'Eli' / Eleanor 'Ellie' Rosefinch, 30 [M/F]

Your oldest friend and most trusted confidant, they've known you since you were twelve and you've been thick as thieves since. They're one of the very few magic users in the capital, and have been recruited into SCEPTRE, the kingdom's elite training program for budding sorcerers. They're down to earth and easygoing, grounded, and calm under fire. They tend towards being the far more rational of the two of you.

E is 5'11" (180 cm), with a dancer's build. They have brown skin, short, curly black hair, brown eyes, and sparse freckling.

Their face claims are Dev Patel and Nikita Chadha.

[jesuisserieux]

do it. write the fic.

Alright bestie @passiveaggressivegummybear I don't know how you pulled the motivation out of me but here's a drabble. For anyone who doesn't know this is in response to this post I made about Hozier's new album Unreal Unearth, which if you haven't listened to, I HIGHLY recommend. I can't promise actually writing a fic for each song, but here's one based on First Light, because it made me weep. Sorry this is like a month late lmao. Also sorry if it's not what you were expecting, I am physically incapable of writing things without happy endings atm. I hope you like it!

Read it on ao3 here!

Could This Be How Every Day Begins?

            R wakes slowly, blinking sleepily in the faint golden light filling the room. He’s awake early, he realizes, which is unusual for him. He turns, to look at the clock on his bedside table, but he’s not in his room and he’s not looking at the clock. There, on his other side, sleeps Enjolras. He’s still, his breathing deep and even, and he is beautiful illuminated in the light of the new day. Grantaire just stares at him for a minute, not even trying to think about how he got here, just enjoying this sight he never thought he’d get to have. He thinks back to the night before, despite how unreal it all still feels.

~

            He had been anxious. He and Enjolras had been getting along so much better this past year and Grantaire was about to ruin it all with his stupid feelings. But he had to tell him. He’d talked extensively with Joly and Bossuet about it, and everyone agreed their friendship would always be a little bit weird if R never told him how he felt. He’d always be wondering “what if?” about things. They were definitely right, and it was definitely the mature adult thing to do, but that didn’t mean it didn’t make him want to throw up. There was no way Enjolras was just going reciprocate. Probably. Joly and Bossuet (and also Eponine and Courf and Bahorel and-) had been insistent that there was evidence that Enjolras liked him back. They were biased though, they had to be, they were his best friends!

            But the bottom line was Enjolras deserved to know. He deserved to know how disgustingly and totally Grantaire was in love him, and if he didn’t want to be friends after, that would be okay. It wouldn’t be okay, a voice in his head said, it would take months, maybe years to recover from. But that wasn’t Enjolras’s problem. Another more sensible voice in his head pointed out that, even when (if) Enjolras turned him down, he wouldn’t be mean about it. There’s pretty much nothing Enjolras cared for more than his friends, and if Grantaire had already made that cut, then a love confession wasn’t likely to push him over the edge. But still, his brain was echoing what if what if what if? all the way to Enjolras’s door.

            “Hey,” Enjolras’s smile was like the sun when he greeted him, “are you still up for Pride and Prejudice?”

            “You know it.”

            It was an inside joke between them (they had inside jokes now!) that Enjolras had never seen a movie before. It was completely untrue obviously, but it felt like every time Grantaire made a movie reference he inevitably ended up explaining the whole plot of the film because Enjolras didn’t know it. Eventually, they’d just started writing down all the movies he needed to show Enjolras. Pride and Prejudice was at the top of the list because Enjolras had read the book, so he’d actually know what was going on. Grantaire hadn’t thought that choice through when he was planning out a love confession.

            The movie had finished, Enjolras discreetly wiping away a few tears, and then they were sitting on the couch just talking. It was far too late, but Enjolras didn’t seem to care, and R certainly didn’t. The conversation was easy, like it almost always was now. He was in the middle of telling him how he felt before he even realized he’d begun. He felt weirdly calm. This was Enjolras. He could talk to him about anything. And the feeling of that, that surety, made him tear up a little. He felt a hand on his and looked up. Enjolras was watching him raptly, looking a little teary himself.

            “So yeah, basically I’m in love with you. Not basically, I love you. That’s it.” Aaaand the nerves came rushing back. Never let it be said it was an eloquent confession.

            Enjolras squeezed his hand, so tight it almost hurt. “Do you really mean that?”

            R was taken aback, “Of course I-” but that was all he got out before he was being kissed, passionately, awkwardly, and most importantly by Enjolras. He grabbed Enjolras’s waist on instinct alone, pulling him closer, practically into his lap.

            Enjolras pulled back a few inches. “I love you too. I’ve loved you for a while.” He smiled shyly.

            “Really?”

            Enjolras nodded, some of R’s nerves reflected in his face. “Are you sure?”

            R’s brain was still coming back online after that kiss. “Sure of what?”

            “That you love me.”

            R laughed out loud, “Did you hear everything I just said, Ange?”

            Enjolras flushed red, “Yes of course I just mean- sometimes, you don’t want it to be reciprocated. Or… I don’t know you could’ve changed your mind now that you know how I feel. It’s okay if you do!” he added hurriedly, though his expression seemed to contradict that statement.

R kissed him. Enjolras melted into it almost immediately, throwing his arms around his neck. “I meant it. I mean it,” said R between kisses, “I love you. I’ve been in love with you pretty much forever, ask any of our friends.”

“Okay.” Enjolras twined his fingers in R’s hair. He still looked uncharacteristically shy. “I love you,” he said again, like he just had to say it. Grantaire had felt like his heart would burst. He just had to kiss him again. And once he’d started, he couldn’t really think of a reason to stop.

~

            In the light of morning, Enjolras stirs. His eyes blink open slowly, a far off look in them. Then, as if he can sense Grantaire looking at him, awareness sparks in his eyes, and he turns his head. His whole body relaxes when he sees R. He makes eye contact and smiles, a small and joyful smile.

            “Hi,” says Enjolras. God he’s beautiful.

            “Hi,” says R, and then, “God you’re beautiful,” because he can.

            Enjolras blushes and slides a little farther under the covers. It’s adorable. “So are you,” he says. Before Grantaire can make a self-deprecating remark, he continues, “I love you.”

            R can feelhimself grinning like an idiot. “I love you too.” He leans into give him a good morning kiss.

When he tries to deepen it, Enjolras pulls back, “Stop, my breath is disgusting.”

“I don’t care, I love you. Bad breath and all.”

“Gross,” says Enjolras, but he allows himself to be pulled in for another kiss.

~

            When Grantaire finishes brushing his teeth, he steps into the kitchen to find Enjolras is making them breakfast.

            “Hey,” he says smiling, and Grantaire realizes that that look on his face isn’t new. How did he miss how Enjolras lights up when he sees him? He’s going to get such an earful from their friends later. “Are banana pancakes okay?” asks Enjolras, like he’s worried they really won’t be. Like he doesn’t want to fuck this up just as much as Grantaire. “They’re not fancy or anything, but I’m pretty good at making them and I-”

            “They’re perfect,” says R, “I love pancakes of any kind.”

            “Great.” Enjolras hands him a cup of coffee and then leans in to pour creamer. “Cream no sugar, right?”

            Grantaire nods, watches him pour with a small amount of awe. It’s possible, that this whole time he’s been noticing things about Enjolras, that Enjolras has been noticing things about him. Wow how did it take them this long to get their shit together?

            Enjolras smiles and goes back to watching the stove. His hair has a coppery tinge in the light of the sunrise. The sky is beautiful right now, an explosion of colors painting them both in shades of gold and rust.

            R must be staring, because Enjolras turns back questioningly, “What?”

            “Nothing,” says R, “I just can’t believe I get to have this now.”

            Enjolras’s smile is brighter than the sunrise.

[jerzwriter]

Make Me Admit List

1 - Would you have sex with the last person you text messaged?

6 - What are you excited for?

90 - Opinion on sex before marriage?

82 - Favorite type of cookie?

79 - Last concert saw.

For both the T and Cs

Hey Nonny - thank you for the asks! And I don't know how I ended up with two T and Cs! lol From -> Make Me Admit Stuff

OK, for question 1, I literally put names of people they might be texting in the wheel of names and spun... so this is what I got! lol

1- Would they have sex w/ the last person they text?

Tobias: The last person they texted came up as Jackie. And no, he's not having sex with Jackie - not now, and prob not even in his old ho-ho-ho days because Jackie wouldn't have it. lol

Casey: The last person she texted came up as Sienna. And no, even though Casey is bi and thinks the world of Sienna, it's just not someone she thinks of in that way.

Trystan: The last person he texted came up as Astrid - so no. lol

Carolina: Her last person was Trystan, and, well.... we've already crossed that bridge. lol

6- What are they excited for?

Tobias and Casey: Their first anniversary is coming up on November 16th, and they're taking some time away together, and they can't wait. Tobias is also starting to talk about when they can have baby number 2... Casey is also excited about that, but willing to put it off a little longer.

Trystan: He's just so excited to be back in New York and free of the constraints he had before. It's the first time he's ever felt truly free, so even though he's coping with the aftermath of everything that happened in Book 2, he's in a good place overall because he has a lot of hope for the future.

Carolina: Carolina is excited to be back home in New York. Being in Drakovia gave her a newfound appreciation for it. Also, she is there with Trytan at her side, and that opens a whole new world she's eager to explore.

90 - Opinion on sex before marriage?

Tobias and Casey: If you follow Tobias and Casey - you already know this. lol Obviously, they don't have any issue with sex before marriage - at all. Since little Samantha was already conceived when they said I do, that solidifies it. lol

Trystan and Carolina: they're both a-OK with it too. lol

82- Favorite type of cookie?

Tobias: Chocolate chip (the classic) and peanut butter; bonus if they have a Hershey Kiss on top.

Casey: Homemade chocolate chip, on the thinner side, and nothing comes close (but she won't turn most others down, either).

Trystan: Coconut macaroons. He had his first one at Magnolia Bakery in NYC, and it was love at first bite. Since then, he is obsessed.

Carolina: Her favorite is mantecaditos, a Puerto Rican cookie with a thumbprint where you place a dab of guava jelly. And, truth be told, after Carolina makes a batch of these for Trystan, they are officially tied with his macaroons!

79- Last concert saw.

Tobias spoils his girl, so he takes her to see Taylor's last show in Los Angeles. Taylor was in the Boston area too soon after Casey gave birth to Sammy, and she was so sad, so Tobias surprised her with tickets to the last show in LA. She took her bestie and fellow Taylor-obsessed friend, Bryce, along with her.

But that's not the last one, they say. They also saw Hozier's Unreal Unearth concert last month in Boston.

Trystan: I'm not sure. I don't think he's been to any concert recently, and Carolina will be doing her part to change that.

Carolina's last concert was last year, Bad Bunny in Yankee Stadium.

Thanks for the ask, Nonny!

[caluski]

I got an espresso with milk and it was SO cozy, its an artsy cafe with man many paintings including one on the ceiling and drawings and decorations strewn about (think, maximalism, walls covered in art, shelves covered in little decorations and fairy lights etc. But genuine, it wasn't like one of those super Instagrammable things you could tell this was just something someone liked instead of algorithmic coolness)! The drink was very nice, i was sleep deprived so i needed the warmth and the caffeine, and the music was whatever the lady running it put on YouTube. It did a lot of abrupt mood transitions as she queued up songs she liked regardless of cohesion which was very charming tbh! I hung out for a while to gather warmth and good vibes.

Ohhhh milky espresso is such a wonderful thing truly...... And the place sounds heavenly, I love it so much when they put up teeny tiny lights all over the place, it might sound cliche but it's the best thing, something truly unbelievably cozy about it, making you feel so at home and peaceful, with the place bright and lively but also unusually festive, like every silly little boring coffee is an event worthy of celebration, with every order being the most special thing the place could experience... And I love love love places that put up art, whether its some very personal stuff like something staff themselves have made or maybe their friends and family.... or the local artists, like the paintings and photographs and collages bought from universities or small galleries.... Its very lovely and genuine..... And while I feel for you regarding music being "unfit" for a café, I also just like you find it quite charming when staff plays their favorite playlists and albums! It's so adorable because while I usually am armed in my own earbuds in cafés, I also take notice of music playing and it's very cute when baristas and waiters play whatever they like. I think it says a lot about the place, that it's somewhere they feel safe enough in to stray away from some "corporate friendly" royalty free music, and it's specially so adorable when you see them behind the counter, talk about it and laugh and sing along or even switch back and forth to show each other the tracks they like... Its so so so cute.... But yeah I also get it if it's something you personally don't like, it can really throw u off the rhythm.... But it reminds me of when I saw żmijka, the café we stopped by actually seemed to be playing hozier's greatest hits (I assume from spotify) when we popped by.... I think his music, as beautiful and moving as it is, doesn't fit the casual feeling of cafés much, but it was so so so so wonderful because it was just around the time I was exploring his discography for the very first time, and I remember it was just few days after he dropped "de Selby part 2" as a single, but before "unreal unearth", and i remember I kept frowning and whining about it a little bit, but Żmija laughed and said that she remembers I disliked him, because Miłosz also wasn't a fan of his music, and i wondered, ah, is it a transmasc thing, then, such a sudden connection to a stranger.... But obviously, a few weeks later as unreal unearth has dropped, I couldn't just not listen to it, plus I loved that EP of his so much, similarly to Rose I loved "all things end" so very very much, it's such a beautifully moving track...... I think he's very talented, I mean I always knew that, it was more of a "hate the way he's spoken about online" thing, but my goodness...... Anyway, I do miss cafés so much, so so much... I've been living very modestly this past month, I wonder if I could go somewhere tomorrow, have an oat milk cappuccino and raise it to your name dear anon..... For now, I am logging back out, but thank u so much for sharing this, as always, I really appreciate it.... Please support your local non-chain cafés as much as you can, while I personally think the starbuckses and costas and neros look so so beautiful, there is still so much soul and love in the tiny little shops basically run by a few people with a passion..... Love u anon stay good and safe

[ficklecat]

OC Intro: Phineas Morgan

(dialogue responses to the OC interview prompt)

1. Please state your full name and occupation.

“My name is Phineas Morgan, but you can call me Finn. I’m a teaching assistant for Dr. Nichols, and I’m pursuing my master’s in classic and romantic literature.”

2. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

“Well…I like to read, obviously. I’m probably in the middle of about six different books right now, not including the ones for my studies, so obviously I’m great at commitment. But to my credit, I’ve got four dogs, and I think at least three of them love me. Um…I’m an orphan, which I guess makes me mysterious to some people. Oh and of course the obvious thing - I’ve got albinism. Just in case you were concerned, I do always look like this.”

3. How would you describe your childhood?

“In a word? Chaotic. Of what I can talk about comfortably, most is still sort of jumbled for me. I entered the foster system when I was 9, and I was pretty fortunate for a while before things got bad. I was displaced three times, which is less than the usual by a long shot. But most of my memories are either jumbled and confusing or just outright unpleasant to recall. Nothing was stable. It was…difficult. Chaotic.”

4. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

“An attorney, like my dad.”

5. Do you have any role models? Tell us a little bit about them.

“My partner Emmanuel’s father is probably one of the best people I know. He’s incredible. He looked out for me when I was a kid even though he didn’t have to. He still does. He’s hilarious and sweet, always trying to help people even when they don’t deserve it. And he can grow anything, anywhere. He texted me a picture the other day of like twenty cucumbers on his kitchen table with a bunch of emojis and the words ‘LOS PEPINOS’ in all caps.” (laughs) “He’s a gem. I love that man.”

6. Are you introverted or extroverted? Why?

“I guess you could say I’m more introverted but I can achieve extraversion pretty well when I need to, like when I’m teaching. As for why…growing up in foster and group homes it’s kind of dangerous to stand out. You just keep to yourself, you don’t know who’s safe. So I guess that’s a reason. But I really think it’s just because my nose is stuck in a book half the time. I usually prefer to listen over speaking in general, too. Easier to learn that way.”

7. How would you describe yourself in three words?

“Academic. Romantic. Cautious.”

8. What do you like to do for fun?

“You’re not gonna believe this, but I like to read.” (laughs) “But I enjoy watching movies too, and spending time with my partners. I like taking my dogs to the park or on hikes, as well, weather permitting.”

9. What's your greatest achievement? Why do you consider this your greatest achievement?

This was answered in an ask, check the tag to find it!

10. What's your biggest goal? How do you hope to achieve this?

“Big goals are hard for me. Right now the biggest goal I have is to graduate. Which I’m on track to do so…that’s good.”

11. What does your dream room/house look like? Would you mind showing some inspiration pictures?

“Ah, I don’t really have an exact layout idea. But I would love a cozy home with a little library and a yard for the dogs. And definitely a king bed. A nice rustic kitchen for Vi and E to cook in. But nothing flashy or massive. Just enough space to spread out a little. To be comfortable in a place to call my own.”

12. How would you describe your style?

“Practical for sure. Academic. I like to be comfortable but presentable. Being able to pick my own clothes was kind of a big deal for me and I went a little crazy at first before I found my style . I’m just glad I figured it out before long. You should have seen me when I was 18…far too much argyle for one man…”

13. What's your favorite song?

“Currently anything from Unreal Unearth. But Bowie’s Life On Mars? is always a favourite of mine.”

14. Where are you happiest?

“When I’m with my partners and dogs. When we cuddle up on the couch at night and I’ve got limbs and paws digging into me…it sounds uncomfortable but I’ve never been happier than when I’m sweaty and crampy and squished into a couch corner like that. It’s my favourite place to be.”

15. Who is the most important person in your life? Why?

“I have two people. Emmanuel and Violet. I love them with every part of my soul. I can’t imagine what life was like without them. I don’t want it.”

16. Do you believe in soulmates? Why or why not?

“Yes. Because I found them.”

17. Have you ever been in love?

“Many times. All the time. I’m in love with my partners. But I’m in love with Gatsby too, you know? I’m in love with Jane Eyre and Sir Gawain. I fell in love with Violet like I fell in love with Zelda Fitzgerald. I fell for Emmanuel like I fell for Alexandre Dumas. Every time I’m with them I’m in love all over again, every time I read beautiful prose I’m falling in it. It’s hard sometimes to be falling that often, but it gives the grey things in my life some colour.”

18. Have you ever been kissed?

“And then some.”

19. Describe an average day in your life.

“Wake up, take out the dogs and feed them breakfast, black tea, then shower and prep for my lectures. Do that, then office hours, lunch, classes, and then it’s pretty much dependent on what E and Vi want to do. We try to eat dinner together every night at the least, or we’ll do homework or study nights in the library rooms during busy weeks.”

20. Describe your nighttime routine.

“After dinner with them I’ll come home and take care of the dogs again. If E and Vi come over we’ll usually talk or play a game or watch something until we turn in. And if none of us get handsy I’ll usually be the last to fall asleep. But if I’m alone, I’ll read or do some more prep work if I need to, or just watch TV until I’m ready for bed. I drink a nightly cocktail of medicinal tea with CBD and some other stuff in it to help me sleep, so I’ll do that about thirty minutes before bed. Then I’ll take the dogs out and do my skincare and it’s lights out.”

21. (Make up a question) Tell us a “low-stakes” unpopular opinion you have.

“Admittedly most of my unpopular opinions are about literature, but I’ll avoid boring you and save those for my lectures. Generally speaking I feel like most of my opinions are unpopular so I have plenty, but I’ll just say for now that I think Crocs are actually fucking awesome. They’re comfortable and adorable and I have been known to wear them in public despite protest from Violet. I’d wear them all the time if I could. I once almost wore them to lecture with a button down and trousers. I don’t even care. Let my feet be comfy. And evidently my most unpopular opinion has to do with oat milk but if I talk about it a certain person I know will actually become genuinely upset with me so I’ll refrain.”

(Manny yelling from the other room) “Oye canche, don’t start with the milk thing again!”

(Finn laughs)

[83-is-a-funny-number]

So I got to see Hozier back in April. had to book it out of work. Totally worth it. The show was phenomenal. It was kinda cold and I wish he had played First Light but I can’t be too mad. Was also mildly upset that most of the merch was about Too Sweet when I wanted something I could tell myself was telling both Hozier and Dante’s Inferno which is the reason I’m so autistic about Unreal Unearth, but also because I love me a structured album. (blame the theatre kid in me)

But like also- he started with De Selby 1 and 2 (obviously) which the cover categorizes as “descent” but then finished with Work Song (with Allison Russell which was great we love to see it) but like. First Light is categorized as “ascent” and it would have been a perfect closer and would have made me cry.

also traffic was a nightmare between possible construction and the fair being right next to the venue. you could smell the funnel cake.

rate it a 9/9 rings of hell. (which if you count the sublayers there’s more than 9 so I’d give him a whatever out of 9 if he had played First Light)

[catlynn-reviews]

Book: Nightmares and Dreamscapes Series: standalone Author: Stephen King Pages: 912 Favorite Quote: “I think that myth and imagination are, in fact, nearly interchangeable concepts, and that belief is the wellspring of both.” Recommendation: If you like horror, Stephen King, stories that stick with you, anthologies Overall Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

Synopsis: 

The classic short story collection from #1 New York Times bestselling author Stephen King! A wrong turn on a lonely road lands a wayward couple in Rock and Roll Heaven, Oregon, where there’s no escaping the free nightly concert….A novelty toy becomes an unexpected and terrifying instrument of self-defense….An ex-con pieces together a map to unearth a stolen million dollars—but at what price?...A private investigator in Depression-era Los Angeles is finding his life unraveling as he discovers the shocking truth of who he really is….A third-grade teacher is willing to dig deep in order to exact revenge for his murdered wife.... These are just some of the haunting scenarios to be found in this classic collection—spellbinding tales from the darkest places and the unparalleled imagination of fiction’s master storyteller.

*This book will be a little different as an anthology. I’m going to give each story in it a rating and one note. Because there are so many stories I’ll do this below the cut.*

Dolan’s Cadillac

This book entangled itself in my thoughts so completely that it was all I talked about in the days after I read about it

★★★★★ (5/5)

The End of the Whole Mess

I enjoyed the twist on this one, but it was a little hard to read at the end (even if that was the point. Not as memorable as Dolan’s Cadillac.

Reminiscent of Flowers for Algernon

★★★★☆ (4/5)

Suffer the Little Children

This one was amazing. Had a lot of twists and bordered the line between psychological horror and monster horror very well

★★★★★ (5/5)

The Night Flier

This one was too obviously horror for me. I like mine to subtly wrap its way around your spine until you involuntarily shudder. Not so much the monsters.

★★★☆☆ (3/5)

Popsy

Seemed unoriginal after the Night Flier and focused too much on the monsters.

★★☆☆☆ (2/5)

It Grows on You

I didn’t really understand this one but according to King it’s related to Needful Things so I might need to read that one.

★★★☆☆ (3/5)

Chattery Teeth

This one was interesting to me, supernatural with the barest twinge of psychological

★★★★☆ (4/5)

Dedication

This story would have been so good (fully psychological) except for one gross scene that made me need to put the book down

The premise of this story makes sense to me - even if it doesn't happen the way King describes

★★★★☆ (4/5)

The Moving Finger

Creepy as hell - to the point where I had to side eye all of the drains in my bathroom.

★★★★★ (5/5)

Sneakers

I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would, no matter how improbable the setup seemed.

★★★★☆ (4/5)

You Know They Got a Hell of a Band

Second best story in the anthology to me

I didn’t know half of the famous names mentioned and I was still captivated by the story

★★★★★ (5/5)

Home Delivery

This story felt rather meh to me. The premise has been done so many times that something new and exciting has to be added for them to bring me any sort of enjoyment

★★☆☆☆ (2/5)

Rainy Season

I love the deeper questions this raised about fate, and the unreal quality everything in the story seemed to take

I think I would enjoy a longer story about this town.

★★★★★ (5/5)

My Pretty Pony

This felt just weirdly preachy and didn’t really have any salient plot points - or plot at all for that matter. 

★☆☆☆☆ (1/5)

Sorry, Right Number

Super engaging. This one had me the most worried to see what happens next, both anxiously and excitedly.

The fact that she ended up being right, but not in the way she thought of? Amazing

★★★★★ (5/5)

The Ten O’Clock People

I enjoyed that nothing in this story happened like I thought it would

Didn’t resonate with me as much as it would to someone who grew up in a time where smoking was more populat

★★★★☆ (4/5)

Crouch End

This was very reminiscent of Portero from Dia Reeves’s books, Slice of Cherry and Bleeding Violet. I love those books but this one was less interesting to me. Not bad, just slower paced.

★★★★☆ (4/5)

The House on Maple Street

This one was much more monstery than I usually enjoy but this story was amazing. It also vaguely reminded me of something that would happen in Portero.

I actually laughed out loud at the climax of this story, so definitely enjoyable.

★★★★★ (5/5)

The Fifth Quarter

This was just a lackluster story to me. Felt a lot like a pirate movie or western.

★★☆☆☆ (2/5)

The Doctors Case

If copyright law does one thing good, its that all of the works people make based on the original come flooding in after the copyright expires.

I thoroughly enjoyed King’s Sherlock Holmes story, and the expansion of Watson as a character.

★★★★★ (5/5)

Umney’s Last Case

Time travel, depression, and authors oh my!

Interesting, but not the best. I do like the idea of how the principles could be applied to a different story though.

★★★★☆ (4/5)

Head Down

I dont read Stephen King for non-fiction, nor do I read non-fiction at all.

Especially not about sports.

★☆☆☆☆ (1/5)

Brooklyn August

Still baseball, not really the non-fiction horror story I read the anthology for

★☆☆☆☆ (1/5)

[ghozt1ng-blog]

Mysteries of the Q Files

Chapter 12: Party Preparations

“You are paying for these accessories from your own quickly diminishing savings, young man,” Trick’s mother told him.

“If we solve this case, I want my allowance tripled,” Trick haggled.

“No son, there will be no negotiating. As it is now, if you solve this case, your father and I might not murder you in cold blood for what you’ve done.”

“Are you recording this Naomi? Since she’s pulled the murder card, I think that justifies me using blackmail.”

“No one just gets away with blackmailing the FBI, much less their mother, Trick,” Naomi said with a satisfied smile. “But I can start recording if you want. It’ll be great to play at your funeral.”

“Oh, there won’t be a funeral. Just a dark night burying him under the flowerbed, which he keeps forgetting to water and weed by the way,” Susan Brown said with her own satisfied smirk.

“My mother and a my partner in crime teaming up against me. This is going to end terribly,” Trick muttered.

They were driving to a clothes store so that Trick and Naomi could dress themselves for the parts they were about to play. He settled on dressing up as characters from the show Supernatural. It would pass of as costumes at the party and then when they met with the outcasts, they could act like nerds, and Supernatural was a show that enough of a normal following that they probably didn’t risk getting excluded for their taste in series. They would dress in flannel and frayed coats. He and Naomi had also agreed between themselves to have knives on their person just in case. After the vampire attack, they were beginning to feel the reality of this case even more. He was proud of his new friend, that she wanted to tough it out and solve the mystery.

Even if Naomi was siding with his mom, there was still hope for her yet.

“Fine! I’ll pay for it myself,” Trick groused.

“My clothes, too,” Naomi added.

Trick threw her a nasty look as his mother said, “That sounds like a very gentleman thing of you to do, Patrick. I think naomi here is just the kind of good influence you need in your life.”

“I’m happy that you are enjoying this,” Trick said sourly.

“Immensely,” his mother said crisply. “So tell me, what exactly are the two of you looking for in at these two gatherings that you are getting all dressed up for?”

Trick sighed. “I think there are two motivating factors behind these kidnappings and attacks. The more I think about it, the more certain I feel that the cool kids did something to anger the less popular kids in town. They embarrassed them through some terrible prank or attack, something along those lines. These kids want to get back at them, they don’t just want to get even either, they want complete and utter revenge. Now then, the girls who were taken do share a similarity in who they wanted to date. The jerk who got taken by a different creature was also a part of the same circle. That vampire could have gone after all the people at that table, just like the wolf could have easily killed all three girls at the party. But instead the targets were specific. Someone is using the established pecking order to pick their targets. This suggests one of the popular kids. Maybe one of the popular kids is being used by or working with the kids who were humiliated to take out their revenge.”

“That sounds too complicated for a bunch of teenagers to put together,” Susan said.

Trick raised an eyebrow at her as Naomi spoke up. “That is why I think there might be something off about this town. Has Miles looked into what I requested earlier? What kind of renovations have been done in this town. Something crazy might have been unearthed.”

“She’s looking into it,” Susan assured her. “But there is a lot that we are working on at the moment. She’s busy and focusing on what she and Agent Conturbatio are doing. I’ll admit, I don’t like the way that man wants to use you kids for this investigation, but I have the feeling that everything will be taken care before school starts again on Monday.”

“Why do I have the feeling that your certainty has very little to do with what we’re doing,” Trick asked, feeling suspicious.

“I just don’t like that we are sending you into possible danger without knowing more.”

“Then why do you think the case is almost solved,” Trick fired back.

“Agents Miles and Conturbatio have their own special lead. We’ll know everything soon enough, and after that, we’ll have this case wrapped up.”

So they’re keeping stuff back from us. That’ll make things especially dangerous from this point on.

At the clothes store Naomi and Trick beelined it for the Loners R’ Us section. These were the types of clothing that people only wore when they wanted to appear edgy or tell people to get lost. This was far from Trick’s usual style choice, but when in Rome. Naomi came up to him after only ten minutes in stylishly ripped jeans with a hanging flannel shirt and a long, frayed jacket with plenty of pockets.

“I thought girls took forever to choose their outfits,” Trick said.

“I’m obviously not like every girl and nor am I a stereotype, Patrick, you’ll do well to remember that,” Naomi retorted.

“Duly noted.” Yup, definitely hope for you, Naomi.

Trick chuckled and quickly chose his own outfit. He had seen a few episodes of Supernatural, and he kind of liked Dean’s character. He tried to make himself look like the cool guy, but he was missing the signature jacket. Oh well, he wasn’t that big of a nerd. They then went and each got six knives a piece. Trick also got a machete to hide across his back. Just in case. Not because it felt totally cool or anything.

How did a small town like this get cool stuff like this? Then again, there are weirdos walking around in lettered jackets. So dumb… That went out of style long ago!

Trick also kept in close touch with his informant. He had let Rachel know all about the kidnapping and from her figured out some interesting things. If the Sphinx was holding information back, then so would he. Everything about these popular kids came down to dating. More so than most places he had seen, who you were in a relationship with, gave you the status you enjoyed. Everyone who had been kidnapped so far was trying to climb the social ladder. Seriously, this town was unreal. Hence being over prepared with knives.

Knowing what kind of social spiderweb he was about to get himself and Naomi into, Trick wondered if he should be more worried about the monsters or the teens with whom he was about to be rubbing shoulders.