#vampire academy: Homecoming

[authorgirl1111]

Dimitri: I'll take Mark but that's it Rose: Hey what about me? Dimitri: That was a given.

Dimitri has grown up so much! Book 1 and 2 he was telling Rose to wait in the car and now he's like: "Well obviously your coming with me."

[yourartmatters-itswhatgotmehere]

so, alright, here are the movies/MEDIA that make me go *oh shit I'm so bi, omg bisexual panic*

so, alright, here are the MOVIES that make me go *oh shit I'm so bi, omg bisexual panic*

(it can be very bi-vibes movies or simply movies that make me feel how very deeply i love being bi, or the ones i just enjoy rewatching-not necessarily with bi/queer representation!) : Red, White & Royal Blue 2023 , Wicked (Part 1) 2024 , The Mummy 1999, The Little Mermaid 2023, The Little Mermaid 1989, Anne Of Green Gables 1985, Anne Of Green Gables:The Sequel 1987, Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story 2000, The Road to El Dorado 2000 (the iconic Both. Both is good), Mulan 1998, RENT 2005, The Cutting Edge 1992, Ten Inch Hero 2007, Rebel Without A Cause 1955, The Fallout 2021, Better Off Dead 1985, According To Greta 2009, Anastasia 1997, Serendipity 2001, Running for Grace 2018, The Christmas Secret 2014, Cinderella 2021, The Idea of You 2024, Rise Of The Guardians 2012, 10 Things I Hate About You 1999, Do Revenge 2022, Charlie’s Angels 2019, Bottoms 2023, Cadet Kelly 2002, Lemonade Mouth 2011, The Perfect Man 2005, The Lizzie McGuire Movie 2003, A Cinderella Story 2004, Agent Cody Banks 2003, Roman Holiday 1953, My Babysitter's a Vampire 2010(MBAV), Purple Hearts 2022, Carry-On 2024, The Little Vampire 2017, John Tucker Must Die 2006, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies 2016, The Princess and The Frog 2009, The Addams Family 1991, Addams Family Values 1993, Treasure Planet 2002, Atlantis: The Lost Empire 2001, The Favourite 2018, Challengers 2024, The Runaways 2010, Upgraded 2024, Fallen 2016, The Half Of It 2020, A Biltmore Christmas 2023, Feel The Beat 2020, My Old Ass 2024, Time Cut 2024, Ice Princess 2005, Zootopia 2016, La Dolce Villa 2025, Heart Eyes 2025, Picture This 2025, Starstruck 2010, To All the Boys I've Loved Before 2018 + To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You 2020 + To All the Boys: Always and Forever 2021, The Princess and the Pea 2002, The Life List 2025, Love, Simon2018, Coraline 2009, The Greatest Showman 2017, The Game Plan 2007, The Craft: Legacy 2020, Descendants (2015) & Descendants 2 (2017) & Descendants 3 (2019), Tom and Jerry: The Movie 1992, Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior 2006, Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School 1988, (but also like SD anything, tv & movies 60s 70s 80s 90s 00s and more!!), The Hating Game 2021, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief 2010, The Perks of Being a Wallflower 2012, The Duff 2015, Beauty & the Briefcase 2010, Raise Your Voice 2004, Winter Spring Summer or Fall 2024, Death of a Unicorn 2025, How to Train Your Dragon 2010 & How to Train Your Dragon 2 2014 & How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World 2019, How to Train Your Dragon 2025, Snow White 2025, The Cutting Edge: Chasing the Dream 2008 & The Cutting Edge: Fire and Ice 2010,Wild Child 2008, Beastly 2011, Jurassic World: Rebirth 2025(+ will probably keep adding to this soon-ish)

+TV SHOWS that my bi heart loves:

One Tree Hill(OTH), Shadow and Bone, Roswell 90s(OG), White Collar, Reign, Mary & George, Heartstopper, XO, Kitty, Wild Cards, Living for the Dead, Warrior Nun, Wednesday, Maxton Hall : The World Between Us (2024), Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous(JWCC) & Jurassic World Chaos Theory (JWCT) , Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Dawson's Creek, Anne Shirley 2025 (Anime) + AWAE/ Anne with an E 2017-2019, Vampire Academy 2022, Fallen 2024, Willow, Dickinson, Heartbreak High, Bridgerton (S2!), Teen Titans, Legacies, TheAddamsFamily(1964-1966), Love Victor, My Babysitter's a Vampire(MBAV)(2011-2012), Finding Carter, Lab Rats, Star-Crossed, Lockwood&Co, Queer As Folk, The L Word, Sabrina The Teenage Witch 90s, Shadowhunters, Lizzie McGuire, Ginny & Georgia, Get Even (2020), Geek Girl (2024), Agatha All Along, Sabrina: The Animated Series 1999 , Never Have I Ever, Lucifer, DC' Titans, The Royals, Cruel Intentions 2024, Adventures of The Gummi Bears, The Duck Tales, Tom and Jerry, Fantaghiro 1999, The Scooby Doo Show (70s), Scooby Doo Where Are You? (60s-70s), What's New Scooby Doo?(2002), The Trouble with Miss Switch+ Miss Switch To The Rescue, Pulse 2025, Motorheads 2025, We Were Liars, My Lady Jane, Smoke 2025, Atypical,

-also bi4bi stories: Fiyero Tigelaar & Elphaba Thropp(FIYERABA)(Wicked (Part 1) 2024), Morticia & Gomez Addams(The Addams Family), Li Shang & Mulan(Mulan1998), Peyton Sawyer/ Rachel Gatina & Brooke Davis (BREYTON/BRACHEL)(OTH-One Tree Hill, canon to me idk), Ariel & Eric (ERIEL)(The Little Mermaid-TLM, also canon for me), Alina Starkov & Mal Oretsev(MALINA)(SAB-Shadow And Bone, also canon f me), Kate Sharma & Anthony Bridgerton(KATHONY/KANTHONY),(Bridgerton since S2, yup, this is how i see them), Kitty Song Covey & Min Ho Moon (MOONCOVEY/KINHO)(XO, Kitty), Kenji Kon & Brooklynn(KENLYNN/BROOKJI?)(JWCC-JWCT-Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous-Jurassic World Chaos Theory), Percy Jackson & Annabeth Chase(PERCABETH)(Percy Jackson and The Olympians), (ANYHOW let’s stop assuming any f&f or m&m couples are lesbian/gay and f&m straight because BISEXUAL PEOPLE EXIST!)

+MUSICALS on Broadway/ West End that my bi heart adores just beyond:

Wicked, Anastasia , Hadestown, RENT , Tick Tick BOOM, Redwood, The Little Mermaid, Next To Normal, The Phantom Of The Opera, Moulin Rouge! , The Lightning Thief (The Percy Jackson Musical), The Addams Family, Gay Card, Dear Evan Hansen, EPIC The Musical, Maybe Happy Ending, SUNSET BLVD. 2024.,THE JONATHAN LARSON PROJECT, Evita, The Great Gatsby, Little Shop Of Horrors, West Side Story, Beetlejuice, Aladdin, The Color Purple, Les Misérables, American Idiot Musical, Jekyll & Hyde Musical, The Outsiders, Spring Awakening, The Secret Garden musical, Some Like It Hot Musical, The Greatest Showman musical,

+BOOKS/ BOOK SERIES that my bi heart absolutely LOVES:

Artemis Fowl Series by Eoin Colfer, Shatter Me Series by Tahereh Mafi, The Folk Of The Air Series by Holly Black, The Diviners Series by Libba Bray, The Devouring Gray Duology by C.L. Herman, GRISHAVERSE books (Six of Crows!!, Shadow and Bone, King of Scars-3 mini series) by Leigh Bardugo , This Woven Kingdom Series by Tahereh Mafi , Fallen Series by Lauren Kate, Elixir Series by Hilary Duff, The Cemetery Of Forgotten Books Series by C. R. Zafón, The Keys To The Kingdom Series by Garth Nix, Infinity Cycle Series by Adam Silvera, Anne Of Green Gables Series by L. M. Montgomery, Bloodlines Series & Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead, An Ember In The Ashes Series by Sabaa Tahir, The Selection Series by Kiera Cass + STANDALONES Lauren Kate-Unforgiven (standalone book in my opinion), Eoin Colfer- Airman, David Nicholls- One Day, Gayle Forman-Just One- Day & Year & Night (mini series), Vanessa Len-Only a Monster (mini series here too), Adam Silvera- History Is All You Left Me, Adam Silvera- They Both Die At The End , Adam Silvera- The First To Die At The End, Becky Albertalli-Imogen,Obviously, Mason Deaver- I Wish You All The Best(+short novella here!), Casey McQuiston-Red, White & Royal Blue, Casey McQuiston- The Pairing, Casey McQuiston-I Kissed Shara Wheeler, Casey McQuiston-One Last Stop, Aaron H Aceves-This Is Why They Hate Us, Page Powars-The Borrow a Boyfriend Club, M. K. Lobb-To Steal from Thieves, Wen-yi Lee- The Dark We Know, Mason Deaver-The Feeling Of Falling In Love, Sophie Gonzales-The Law Of Inertia, H.E.Edgmon-The Witch King & The Fae Keeper (duology!) , H.E.Edgmon-Godly Heathens & Merciless Saviors (mini series here!) , Carlos Ruiz Zafón- The Midnight Palace, Isabel Abedi- Whisper Haunted House, Francis Scott Fitzgerald- The Love Of Last Tycoon, Leo Tolstoy- Anna Karenina, S. E. Hinton- The Outsiders, Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera-Here's to Us & What If It's Us (duology), Amanda Woody- Exes & Foes + They Hate Each Other,

+ATM Magazine(Anything That Moves Magazine)(1990-2001) : .https://anythingthatmovesarchive.carrd.co/ &https://anythingthatmovesarchive.carrd.co/#scans &https://anythingthatmovesarchive.carrd.co/#about

(will keep adding here probably!)

+https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/139102124?shelf=bi-bisexual-characters-done-well

-also bi4bi stories: Violet Saunders & Isaac Sullivan (The Devouring Gray + The Deck Of Omens (duology), Kit Fairfield & Theo Flowerday(The Pairing), Noah Byrd & Asher Price (The Borrow A Boyfriend Club),Jonah Collins & Dylan Ramirez (They Hate Each Other), Nathan Allan & Ben Benjamin De Backer (I Wish You All The Best +I’ll Be Home For Christmas),

https://www.instagram.com/the_bi_library/ & @ the-bi-library here on tumblr!!

BOOKS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BISEXUAL HISTORY & ACTIVISM:https://www.tumblr.com/ruimtetijd/686000390089621504/list-of-books-about-bi-history-and-activism-from

+ https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Q--nIkJu0OS0BgiyZmdKVwOVg1G90SFzWijNDWFTt58/edit#heading=h.wqkaxpi7o5je

+about THE MUSIC:

love you all, we need MORE bisexuality in media!!

+some links:

The Bisexual Flag, its meaning and history!:https://www.tumblr.com/yourartmatters-itswhatgotmehere/762664140472008704?source=share + Lani Kaʻahumanu talking about how bisexuals have ALWAYS been around!:https://www.tumblr.com/yourartmatters-itswhatgotmehere/762663819491328000?source=share

.https://anythingthatmovesarchive.carrd.co/ &https://anythingthatmovesarchive.carrd.co/#scans &https://anythingthatmovesarchive.carrd.co/#about

also i recommend this podcast ‘A Little Queer Podcast’ by two incredible bisexual people Capri Campeau and Ashley Whitfield. episode linked here, ‘Debunking Bisexual Myths and Stereotypes’ :https://open.spotify.com/episode/3wcP8HBIY0IyVxROjpZPNg?si=TIHDv-eFQi-mdsCS6zKzNA (all covered here for real!) +also check ‘A Bit Fruity Podcast’ by Matt Bernstein (very educating one!!) + Bisexual Brunch Podcast (UK) by 3 bisexual people, 2 men and 1 woman! here:https://open.spotify.com/show/3tH2DAjYrk2cXdYRSqt5nS?si=2ae6bb60b1534366

let’s talk about biphobia/Kit Connor (Max Hovey TikTok) important video:https://www.tumblr.com/yourartmatters-itswhatgotmehere/770851818143186944?source=share +Bisexuality has never excluded trans and non-binary people. Please stop spreading this lie. It actively harms trans/n-b bi people and bi people with trans/n-b partners. STOP BI ERASURE :https://www.tumblr.com/yourartmatters-itswhatgotmehere/770848612526735360?source=share + WHAT IS BISEXUAL ERASURE:https://www.tumblr.com/yourartmatters-itswhatgotmehere/770848534830399488?source=share + ‘ANYTHING THAT MOVES’ ATM 90s Bisexual Magazine is Shockingly Relevant Today--- Despite the joy of reading this bi-centric work, however, it's telling how little has changed since 1991--The first several stanzas of "This Poem Can Be Put Off No Longer" by Susan Carlton, featured in the first issue of 'Anything That Moves.' Credit: Anything That Moves / The poem continues, but the point is clear from the start: Bisexual people aren't believed for who they are. They're belittled and told to "choose a side," that they're bisexual for attention. It's difficult to think that this poem is over 30 years old. The poem "truly could've been written yesterday... or 50 years ago," said Marshall. "How long do we have to keep screaming the same things to the world over and over until people stop pretending we're speaking another galaxy's language?" --- The solace of Anything That Moves, however, is that even though progress has been slow, fellow bisexual people can relate to the shared experience detailed in its pages.:https://www.tumblr.com/yourartmatters-itswhatgotmehere/770848263124500480?source=share

THIS song (bi bi bi THIS IS OUR SONG!!) by Sub-Radio (the lead vocalist Adam Bradley is bisexual♥) :https://www.tumblr.com/yourartmatters-itswhatgotmehere/765512527066087424?source=share &https://www.tumblr.com/yourartmatters-itswhatgotmehere/765512891127480320?source=share + THIS BAND SINGING THE BLACK PARADE but make it ever more queer pride parade♥ :https://www.tumblr.com/yourartmatters-itswhatgotmehere/765565710891155456?source=share &https://www.tumblr.com/yourartmatters-itswhatgotmehere/765565917201612800?source=share (you’re scaring Ron you’re scaring Rooonn) + an awakening with HSM(?) :https://www.tumblr.com/yourartmatters-itswhatgotmehere/765565797378719744/mndvx-subradioband-happy-pride-yal-anyone?source=share

(+IMPORTANT) (Nov,2023)-A Bit Fruity Podcast (created by Matt Bernstein (gay American Jewish man) Ep with Moe Dabbagh, a gay Palestinian American with family currently in Gaza. ‘Queers for Palestine & The Power of Pinkwashing’. Palestine has been occupied for more than 76 years now, since 1948 year. This ep gives you a LOT of information, especially if you are one of the people who can’t see right through the propaganda; or the ones who go ‘well if you’re gay then go to Gaza and see how that goes for you’. Queer Liberation is a liberation of Palestinian people. We can’t have one without the other. Free Palestine. Free all the people that are not yet free. This is where we start!! Ep on youtube :https://youtu.be/Xsgdk-DDSXc on spotify :https://open.spotify.com/episode/62WOjKJYih6lhuisP8tmZH?si=soRArGs1QeWqEzEaiSVlUg on iheartcom:https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-a-bit-fruity-with-matt-ber-117844074/episode/queer-palestinians-the-power-of-129612460/(keep learning & keep showing up!)

!!.http://alqaws.org/siteEn/index & https://queersinpalestine.noblogs.org/ + https://www.instagram.com/queersinpalestine/

[notrapsplease]

Fire & Moonlight Chapter 1: Delusional Optimism

Synopsis: Fire & Moonlight is sequel to Baldur's Gate 3. Two years after the Absolute is defeated, Astarion, Halsin, Varan, and Kalius are all living in Gale’s house in Waterdeep. All seems calm in the realm until news of an attack on the town of Amphail brings Gale’s cousin back to Waterdeep and with her the threat of a larger conspiracy that threatens the Sword Coast. This is mostly written from Gale's POV and so features a lot of Morena and Tara, and a bunch of headcanons about Gale's family and history. Also a lot of Forgotten Realms D&D lore. Including two original characters: Varan Crassus (DU) and Kalius (OC from Varan's backstory). If you are interested, I have a DU introduction post here. Pairings: Astarion/Gale/Halsin/DU/OC (poly) Tags: polyamory, werebear Halsin, werewolf OC, purring tieflings, emotional hurt/comfort, emotional support tieflings, implied/referenced sex, smut in later chapters, past abuse, family issues.

Status: Ongoing! New chapters every week. Current wordcount: 15k (3 chapters) Subscribe on ao3! Leave kudos if you enjoyed it <3 Full Chapter below the cut!

Gale was sitting at his desk in his study. The door to his balcony was open across the room, letting the morning breeze off Deepwater Harbor clear out the musty smell of old books. Gale rarely used this study anymore, he did most of his work in his office at Blackstaff Tower. He couldn’t really focus on grading papers or research notes at home, not when he had so many distractions living on the floor below him. 

Today though he had time to himself. Everyone else was out and about in the city, except for Astarion of course, but the vampire didn’t like to disturbed while he slept through the daytime. 

The study had been cleared out significantly since Gale’s return from the Absolute Crisis. In the months that had followed his homecoming Gale re-organized his entire home to accommodate the idea of new roommates. 

At the time, he had worried his efforts were nothing but delusional optimism. Once he and his companions were separated from each other as they dealt with the personal consequences of what had happened, the bonds they had formed felt like a dream he wouldn’t be able to return too. But Gale had busied himself with trying to make his home somewhere they could all be together anyway, despite his fear he might never see any of them again. 

Astarion had been the first to move in. Six months after the defeat of the Elder Brain, just after Withers had pulled the group back together for their strange little reunion. Astarion had been helping Cazador’s surviving spawn spread out through the Underdark. Gale had been most confident about Astarion moving in. Gale and Astarion had talked about the vampire moving to Waterdeep even when they were still traveling on the road to Baldur’s Gate. Gale plying Astarion with the rumor that one of the Masked Lords of Waterdeep was a vampire, so surely Waterdeep would be a fine place to live. And of course the allure of the academy helped the wizard’s cause, since Astarion had wanted to start learning magic again, after two hundred years of being a spawn. Astarion had been a fairly competent wizard in his life before Cazador. He even came from a long line of elven wizards. Gale had been stunned when Astarion had first showed him his old spellbook, one night when the group was camped in the shadow-cursed lands. Astarion had asked Gale to help him cast something and that had been the first night the two had sat down together and talked like friends. 

Varan had been the next to move in. Gale had been terrified he never would. Gale had been so desperately in love with Varan when they were traveling together, when Varan turned the wizard away from Mystra’s edicts, when Varan had shown Gale he could live instead. But then so much had happened when the group reached Baldur’s Gate. Gale had struggled to process everything that had come out about Varan’s history in the city and about about his heritage. About Bhaal and about the Crassus family who had kept Varan like a loyal hound to hunt their enemies. About his role in the rise of the Absolute and everything else so tragic from his history. Gale had wanted to bring him to Waterdeep on the first night after the Elder Brain was defeated, but Varan didn’t give him the chance, telling him right away that he was staying in Baldur’s Gate, that he was helping with the rebuilding. Of course he would. That was his city, his home and with the rest of the Crassus family dead, Varan was the Lord then. Duke now. Varan had stayed in Baldur’s Gate for almost a whole year, helping Wyll to try and fix the corruption, to remake the Council of Four. Gale had been in denial for a long time, but when Astarion came to stay with the wizard, Gale decided he had to accept that whatever Varan and him had before was gone. But then there was a society event in Waterdeep, something political, with delegates from many of the Sword Coasts cities. Gale had gone with his mother, who worked for a guild in Waterdeep, and Varan had been there too. And Varan, it turned out, had been just as afraid Gale had moved on as Gale was that Varan had forgotten him. Varan still went back to Baldur’s Gate every few weeks to stay for a few days, but that was no real struggle for Gale to teleport him back and forth. Or for Rolan to come and get him from Ramazith. 

That had been the end of Gale’s expectations. He had known that Varan would want to visit Halsin sometimes, so had Astarion. He had known Varan and Kalius would want to see each other, frequently. After the Absolute Crisis when he was rescued from the Crassus family, Kalius had left Baldur’s Gate with Halsin. The two had gone back to the Grove for a while, then Kalius had moved to Shadowheart’s — Jenevelle’s farm. Kalius had needed time to reconnect with Selune after being kept in a soul cage for eight years. Time to make sure his curse was settled again. But Kalius had been born and raised in Waterdeep and he wanted to move back anyway to be close to the House of the Moon, so when the opportunity for Halsin to create an orphanage in Waterdeep came about after his success with one outside of Baldur’s Gate, Kalius had convinced the Druid to move too. Gale had agreed to let them move in, though he had assumed they would only stay for a little while. Then Gale and Kalius started developing feelings for each other, and now here they were. All together, in varying degrees of togetherness. Halsin and Gale were the edges of their little web, the only two that hadn’t, and probably wouldn’t, move past platonic friendship. Though they still ended up in bed together — albeit with someone between them — a few nights a month. 

It had been about eight months since Kalius and Halsin had moved in now, almost two years since the end of the Absolute Crisis. And Gale had still not technically told his mother, or any of his family, that his roommates were more than roommates. Morena knew about Varan, since the tiefling had proposed to Gale soon after moving in. But Morena assumed everyone else were just friends avoiding rent by living under Gale’s roof and Gale hadn’t corrected her. Gale was sure she’d be fine learning the reality, but didn’t enjoy the idea of the rest of his family learning about it. They tended to have opinions about such things better left unsaid, though often spoken loudly about. He was going to have to mention Kalius at some point, since technically when Gale and Varan were married, Gale would be married to Kalius too. Varan had thought Kalius dead for eight years, and so never bothered to dissolve their previous marriage. Now that he was rescued of course they wouldn’t want to anyway. 

Gale heard the chime of someone starting up the third floor stairs. He frowned, wondering who it was with everyone else preoccupied. His study, and the adjoining bedroom, were on the fourth floor, in fact they were the entire fourth floor. No other reason to come up here except to see him. Or steal from him, he supposed, but the outside alarm hadn’t triggered so the visitor must be someone with a key. 

The door opened by a mage hand. Gale had to lean around the edge of a bookcase to see who it was. He frowned when he saw it was his mother, and Tara. He glanced back to the balcony door to check the position of the sun. 

“It’s not even nine, mum, I thought we were meeting for lunch?” he chided, slouching back in his chair. 

“Sit up straight, Mr. Dekarios, you’re going to hurt your back.” Tara said as she drifted from Morena’s shoulder to Gale’s bureau. 

Gale obediently shifted in his seat, but his attention was on his mother more so than the tressym who was pawing at the papers on his desk. Morena was wearing her usual finery, a purple and blue gown with silver threads, her dark hair streaked with gray was up around a silver pin the shape of a peacock. She looked put together, as she always did, but there was something about her expression that was disheveled. 

“Is everything alright?” Gale asked, he reached out and scritched under Tara’s chin. The tressym purred contently. 

Morena was biting the inside of her cheek as she studied Gale, it wasn’t concern, but it was a calculating expression that Gale didn’t really enjoy.

“Am I in trouble?” Gale turned instead to Tara, who was looking over the student’s papers, using mage hand to hold them up so she could read them. 

“You might be.” Tara said, she plucked Gale’s quill out of the pot with the mage hand to correct something on a quiz and Gale had to grab it out of the air to stop her. “That’s my job, thank you Tara.” 

“Something happened to Amelia.” Morena said. Gale laid the quill down, Tara bundled herself into a loaf to listen.

Amelia was Gale’s cousin, on his mother’s side, the daughter of Morena’s older sister Concetta. Amelia and Gale were about the same age and had been close growing up. One of the few members of the Dekarios clan that Gale didn’t wish misfortune on. 

“What happened?” Gale asked, annoyed at his mother’s underspecification.

“That’s part of the trouble, little love. We aren’t sure.” Tara said, soothingly. Gale frowned at her.

“She sent a letter, to me and one to Concetta.” Morena explained, Gale waved his hand and a chair was dragged across the room so Morena could sit next to him, “Concetta also got a missive from Melled Amcathra.”

“Amelia’s father-in-law?” Gale clarified. Morena nodded. “Apparently there was some kind of attack on their house in Amphail.”

“Attack?” Gale repeated, “Was Amelia hurt?”

Morena shook her head, “No, she wasn’t, I don’t know if anyone was, but the family is coming back to Waterdeep for the time being.”

“Of course, that makes sense.” Gale agreed. 

“Amelia asked to move in with you.” Morena continued.

Gale was baffled, “I would have thought the Amcathra would have more than enough room to house the wife of their patriarchs only son?” 

“They do. They want her to move into their villa in the city. Amelia is the one refusing too.” Morena explained. 

Gale thought about that, “I thought she was happy with Lennem.”

“As far as we know, she is.” Morena agreed.

Gale stared at her, considerately, for a moment before he asked, “So we don’t know why she asked to move in here?”

“She said in her letter to me that she wouldn’t feel safe anywhere else.” Morena said, tone softer. 

Gale thought about that, “Well, I suppose I can’t blame her. My tower is certainly one of the more secure places in Waterdeep.” He ran a hand down his chin, “And we have no idea what happened at Amphail?” 

Morena shook her head. “Maybe when they arrive, they can give us more detail. Their caravan should be here tomorrow night or the morning after.” 

Gale took a moment to consider it, consider everything. He grimaced as he realized he was going to have to move someone out of a room. He was sure they would understand, but he also knew Amelia being here was going to immediately draw attention to the reality of his living situation. He also knew that Varan was going to be furious if he agreed to this. Not because Varan wouldn’t want to help Amelia, or didn’t want Gale to be close to his family. Varan wouldn’t like the idea of not knowing what had happened in Amphail. He would worry that whatever had attacked the Amcathra house could be something that would attack again. Gale worried about that too, especially since none of the details had been shared. But it could just be a simple fire, or bandits, or gnolls, there were plenty of dangers out in the world that didn’t lead to apocalypse events. This could be something simple, something that mundane peoples were scared of but Gale and his friends couldn’t be, not with everything they were capable of. 

“I’ll talk with everyone tonight, but I’m sure it’ll be fine. I certainly don’t want to force her to go live at the villa if she and Lennem are having trouble we don’t know about.” Gale agreed. Morena smiled and nodded. “She can stay with me too, if you can’t make it work.” Morena suggested lightly.

Gale didn’t like that. If there was some kind of dangerous plot, he’d rather be the one to deal with it, instead of having his mother in danger too. 

“I think Concetta is planning on throwing a party at my house next week anyway.”

Gale had been lost in thought, he took a moment to realize what his mother had said and frowned, confused, “Why?”

“Claudio is coming back into the city for a visit.” Morena explained. 

Gale rolled his eyes, “Wonderful.” 

“I was going to invite you to it at lunch.” Morena added.

Gale sighed. 

“You can invite all your friends to come too, I know Concetta is planning on inviting all sorts of socialites. I’m sure they’d love to get their claws into a Duke from Baldur’s Gate.” 

Gale had to balance the desire to show Varan off in front of his family, and the concern about Varan being exposed to his family.  

“I’ll offer.” Gale decided. Morena nodded, a sly look on her features Gale didn’t like. 

“Something wrong with offering?”

“Nothing dear, but news that you are engaged has gotten around. Everyone wants to meet him.” Morena said carefully.

Gale didn’t doubt that. But he also knew that his family wanted to meet his intended so they could gossip about it, not because they wanted to support it. 

—  

Morena didn’t stay long after delivering her news. She was always bustling around for work at the Watchful Order. Gale finished all his paperwork from the academy, giving in and allowing Tara to assist him in grading some of the student’s work. 

Gale and his mother met again for lunch, as planned, at a tavern called Selune’s Smile. It had swiftly become one of Morena’s favorites in Dock Ward. Kalius had been the one to introduce it to Gale. Despite spending most of his childhood in Dock Ward, Gale hadn’t been to this tavern before that. Selune’s Smile, as named, had a long history of importance to Selunites, and Kalius was a rather high-ranking initiate of Selune. Gale had heard rumors about previous owners being related to the goddess herself, but not anything about the current proprietress. They served good food though.  

Gale returned home around two in the afternoon. As he walked up to the second floor, he could hear dishes clattering through the wall that separated the stair landing from the kitchen and the dining area. The entire second floor was dedicated to entertaining. 

Gale assumed it was either Astarion having gotten bored with his daytime torpor or Varan come home while Kalius was busy at the Temple. Either one would be nice to talk things over with before explaining the situation to everyone. 

It was Varan in the kitchen. He was pulling dishes out from the cabinets and setting up the counter to prepare something, though the fire in the cooking alcove wasn’t lit. 

Varan smiled brightly as he saw Gale enter the room. Varan was a purple skinned tiefling with long splayed horns dipped in ashy gray. He was quite tall. Technically even taller than Halsin, though only if he counted those horns, Halsin had an inch or two on him otherwise, both in height and width. Varan was a paladin, or had been. His strength was apparent in his build. He was broad, but still lean, though he had put on a little more weight since moving here. When Gale had first met him, he had the kind of physique a person only achieved though constant training and a diet that bordered on malnutrition. He still looked defined, but not sunken anymore and his cheeks were fuller. Maybe that was just because he smiled more now. He had tattoos on his neck and up his chin, thick lines only a shade or two darker than his regular skin color. They were there to cover some of his scars on his throat, but he had many more scars uncovered, including the one across his face in a diagonal. It had faded quite a bit now from what it had been when they had first met. Halsin had been helping him try and mute some of his worst marks with herbs and salves. He had bright green eyes on black sclera. One of them didn’t move as well as the other, it was an enchanted glass eye that he had gotten to replace the hag’s eye. The enchantment on it allowed him to see, though dimly, not a full replacement for his vision but enough that he couldn’t be snuck up on. At least that’s what he had said when he bought it. 

Gale came up to the counter to look at what Varan was doing. “What are you up to?”

“Kal wanted me to get things ready for him to cook dinner. He had a few other things to do before the House would let him leave for the day.” Varan explained, “Where did you get too?”

“I had lunch with mom.” Gale replied, pulling a stool over to sit and watch Varan chop things. 

“Ah. Did she invite you to the party?” Varan asked, innocently.

Gale reeled, “Yes, and she didn’t mention that you already knew about it.”

Varan shrugged. 

Gale rolled his eyes, “Conspiring I see.” 

“She asked if it was alright she told people we’re engaged.” Varan explained. 

“When was this?”

“Last night, she stopped by while you were preoccupied.” Varan told him.

“Preoccupied with wha—” Gale realized he had spent a rather large chunk of the evening with Astarion, “—hm yes, well, I’m glad you two are getting along.”

Varan was smirking. 

Gale just watched him for a moment. He didn’t really want to think about the party right now. 

“There was something else we talked about.” Gale said carefully. Varan’s brow furrowed, the tiefling could always tell when something was worth worrying over. 

“Don’t be upset.” Gale forewarned. 

“Do I have such a temper?” Varan retorted, chiding. Gale decided not to recount the numerous examples of Varan’s temper leading to many an enemies violent ends. 

“I just know you aren’t going to be pleased.” Gale rephrased. Varan stilled his work and leaned on the counter to listen to Gale. 

“My cousin, Amelia, is coming back to the city. She had married into the Amcathra family, they have a villa in the city but also keep an estate in Amphail to the north. She moved with her husband to Amphail. Apparently, something — happened to the house in Amphail and everyone from that estate is moving back to the city for a while.”

“What happened?” Varan asked, he looked concerned, but disconnected. 

“We don’t know, exactly, the word attack was used in the letter my mother received, but no details.”

“Attack.” Varan repeated and Gale saw his eyes darken in that frightening way, like he was already trying to deter the threat from existing just with his gaze. 

Gale couldn’t do anything to soothe the vengeful warrior except to shrug, “We don’t have any details. It could have been anything. The Amcathra’s are a rich family, plenty of motive to strike at them.”

Varan, as Gale had predicted, didn’t look pleased.

“She wants to move in with me when she gets here.” Gale continued.

“Why?” Varan leaned his weight more on the counter, furious already. 

“She said she would feel safest with me.” Gale explained. 

“Safe from what?” Varan prompted. 

“Perhaps she just would feel better staying in a magic tower.” Gale retorted. 

Varan didn't look amused. 

“I don't know any details.” Gale repeated himself, “But I know Amelia wouldn't ask for something like that for no reason.” Gale said. 

“That’s the trouble, isn’t it?” Varan snapped. 

“I know.” Gale agreed, “But I don't have the answers right now. I'm sure she'll explain more when she gets here.” 

“Then she can stay somewhere else until she does.” 

Gale sighed, watching the ferocity in Varan’s expression, “My mother offered to let her stay with her.” 

“Great.” Varan looked down to the counter like the conversation was over. 

“But for the same reason you don't want her here, I don't want her there. We're more than capable of handling whatever the threat is.” 

Varan didn't reply, his jaw tensed.

Gale reached over and grabbed his hand, “I know you worry, but it's probably nothing more than a monster or bandits, or another family that has some political ambition. Amelia isn't going to be a target of another attack for any of those reasons.” 

Varan held Gale’s hand but didn’t look up at him, or react. 

“Amelia is family.” Gale continued, “She's always been there for me, when I let her. I'm not turning her away.” 

Varan pulled his hand away from Gale and went back to preparing ingredients. Gale just watched him a moment. Letting him consider it. Eventually Gale carefully prompted, “Varan, my love—”

“I want details as soon as she gets here.” Varan interrupted. His voice was cool. Gale knew he still wasn’t happy about it. 

“Of course.” Gale agreed. 

They were quiet for a while. 

“When is she arriving?” Varan broke the silence. 

“Tomorrow night or the next morning.” Gale replied. “I still need to figure out where she’ll sleep.”

“You can give her Kal’s room.” Varan said simply. 

Gale frowned at the statement, he had thought there might have been more discussion. “Why?”

“He never uses it. All his stuff is in my room anyway and he’s always with one of us otherwise.” Varan said. “When you bring it up to everyone else, I’m sure he’ll offer it up.” 

Gale smiled at the thought.

“What are you going to tell her about … Kal?” Varan asked. 

“I hadn't thought that far into it.” Gale replied honestly. 

“And Astarion?” Varan added. His voice had an edge to it Gale didn’t like. It was accusatory. 

Gale decided to divert, slightly, “Amelia is my favorite cousin. I’d like to think I’m hers too. We are very close in age and we spent a lot of time growing up together. She was always supportive of me, even when the rest of my family wasn’t. That being said, her mother has most of the crueler opinions I had to listen to in my youth. I don’t really want my current relationships to be subjected to her venom.” 

Varan had finished what he was doing and leaned down on the counter more just to listen. He had an insightful look in his eyes as he watched Gale. Like a dog watching a lure. 

“You haven’t told Morena yet either.” Varan pointed out. Gale was surprised at the callous quality of his voice. “I’ve told her about you.” Gale corrected, looking at Varan assuredly. Varan didn’t look assured and Gale shrank a little at the expression. “I know I should.”

“Astarion thinks you’re embarrassed of him.” Varan said, flatly. Gale winced at the confession. “I’m not. Not in the slightest.” 

“If she’s living here, I’m sure she’ll realize anyway, unless you plan to enact a curfew and a code of conduct on us.” Varan continued.

“I’m — ” Gale sighed, “I know.” 

Varan was still studying his expression and Gale felt very exposed under his gaze. 

“If you don’t want to tell your family about our arrangements, no one is going to force you to. But you can’t just ignore it and pretend it’s fine. That’s all. It’s not fair if you don’t at least explain why you aren’t saying anything.” 

Gale ran a hand down his face. He couldn’t argue that. And he hadn’t intended for his lack of communication to become a long term facade. When Astarion had first moved in Gale hadn’t been sure if Astarion even wanted to be romantically involved. Introducing him as a friend seemed most appropriate. And Gale hadn’t anticipated Kal being anything other than a roommate when he first moved in either. 

“You’re right.” Gale agreed, “I’ll figure it out.” 

Varan smiled at him, the dispassion cleared from this eyes. Varan leaned over the counter and kissed Gale’s forehead gently. 

—

Morena stopped in again with a list for Gale to get ready for Amelia’s arrival now that he had agreed to host her. They had talked a little over lunch, but Morena had checked in with the Amcathra villa in the city for clarification. Apparently the family hadn’t brought much, if anything, from their home in Amphail. That worried Gale too, it sounded more and more like the family had fled Amcathra in a hurry. Gale couldn’t find answers until Amelia arrived, so he worked for a little while, planning with Tara and pulling items he already had out of storage to move into a bedroom later, then went to have dinner with everyone as they always did. Gale and Kalius usually alternated dinners to cook, it had worked out that today was Kal’s day. 

Kal and Halsin were arguing about something when Gale came into the kitchen/dining room. That was normal, especially during the waxing moon. Gale suddenly realized that was going to be another complication and shuddered. 

He came up behind Astarion, who was sitting at the counter Gale had been seated at earlier. Astarion was smiling as the two werefolk snapped at each other with an expression that made Gale sure the vampire had provoked the argument. Varan wasn’t there, Gale realized. He frowned at the air as he laid a hand on Astarion’s arm and slid into the stool beside the vampire. Astarion laid a hand on his thigh. 

“Why are they fighting?” Gale leaned over to ask.

Astarion shrugged. “It’s been about ten things now.” Astarion told him. Gale chuckled, running his hand across Astarion’s shoulder to hold him. He remembered what Varan had said, about Astarion thinking Gale was embarrassed by him and gave the vampire a little squeeze. 

“Where’s Varan?” Astarion asked, turning to Gale. Gale shrugged, “Not sure.”

“He went out to get a couple things.” Kal answered, his voice still stained with the frustration of the fight he and Halsin were having. The knife on the cutting board was unnecessarily forceful. 

Kalius was a tiefling, with red skin and black hair. His horns were straight and curled. He wasn’t as tall or as broad as Varan, but he was still quite strong. He had been in the same order of paladins as Varan for a while, however he served Selune more as a cleric. His eyes were black sclera with bright golden yellow irises. Gale often wondered if his eyes had always been that color, or if they had changed when he had been bitten. He was a werewolf, but blessed by Selune he had unique control over his shifting. Gale had been rather afraid of him when they had first met, when they had first found him during the Absolute Crisis. He had been locked in a soul cage, similar to how they had found Dame Aylin, for eight years. He had been quite wild then. He had tempered himself now, at least for Gale and Astarion’s sake. Varan and Halsin liked to provoke him. Varan had been with him for five years before Kalius was imprisoned, so they were comfortable with each other. Halsin and Kal, well Gale wasn’t sure how much they really cared about each other, but they both loved Varan and they had found some kind of unique kinship both being werefolk blessed by their deities. They were almost always together, and Gale was sure it was nice to not have to hide the bestial parts of themselves to each other. 

Halsin stopped provoking Kalius now that Gale was in the room, letting the tiefling cook without interruption. Gale and Kal both liked to cook, and were both pretty good at it. They both liked to say that was just how it was to be raised in Waterdeep. Waterdhavians certainly prided themselves on their cuisine. 

Gale thought about mentioning Amelia, but he decided to wait for Varan to get back. He didn’t need to, having already shared the news with the tiefling, but Gale never felt half as confident as he did when Varan was in the room with him. 

It wasn’t very long before Varan returned from the market. Fresh fish seemed to have been his main objective. He had also bought a bouquet of flowers, several different varieties were bundled in his selection, but lilac hyacinths were the majority. Gale’s favorite. Astarion clocked the flowers right away as Varan put them into a vase. 

“Oh, did you two have a fight?” the vampire teased as Varan put the flowers on the dining table. 

“Undecided.” Varan answered. Gale decided not to retort, but that had stung a little. He thought the flowers were obviously a kind gesture, so he assumed Varan wasn’t that upset. But it was clear the tiefling was still on edge after the earlier conversation. Gale realized with a slight chill that Varan had a sword on his waist. It was one of his nicer, more decorative blades, nothing like the beast of a greatsword he preferred to wield in real combat. But it was still a weapon. 

Varan was, for lack of a nicer word, paranoid. Gale couldn’t blame him. His upbringing, his entire life had been nothing but a fight. From the moment his father was lost at sea to the moment the Elder Brain crashed into the sea, he hadn’t had a moment to breathe. Bhaal had no doubt orchestrated it to be so. Gale felt guilty now, that he had given him something else to worry about. But Gale also didn’t doubt his ability, or his companions abilities, to handle whatever this was. 

Astarion had turned in his seat to look at Gale, waiting for a response no doubt. The vampire had a casual smile, but Gale wasn’t fooled. Astarion was worried. He hated when any of the group argued — actually argued, whatever Kal and Halsin did didn’t count — he didn’t like anything coming between them. Astarion had grown a lot in the past two years, but he still had a tendency to get defensive if conflict came up. He fell back into sarcasm, into divisiveness and walls sprang up in moments when he felt something threatened the stability he had fallen into. 

“There is something, I need to tell all of you.” Gale admitted. 

Kalius finished putting a pan on the bricks by the cooking fire, testing the heat with his bare hand in the way only a tiefling could, and came back towards the counter to lean next to Halsin and listen. 

“My cousin, Amelia, had moved to Amphail with her husband, some years ago now. Something happened to their family home and everyone who lived there is coming back to the city, for a while at least.” 

“What happened to the home?” Kal asked, concerned. 

“I don’t know. There weren’t any particulars in the letters we received, but the word attack was used.”

“An attack?” Kal repeated, his gaze immediately jumped to Varan, then back to Gale, like he expected the other tiefling to react. Varan was just standing with his arms crossed listening to the news he already knew. 

“I really don’t have any specifics. But Amelia asked to move in with me when she gets here.”

“Not with her husband?” Astarion pointed out.

“I don’t know what’s going on there.” Gale told him earnestly, “As far as I know she and Lennem were happy together, but she told my mother she’d feel safest with me.”

“Hm. Well your tower is quite impressive.” Astarion agreed. “I’d want to stay here too.” The vampire’s voice sounded lightly, but Gale knew he was bothered by something. Astarion wasn’t looking at Gale, he was looking out at Varan. 

“Hold on, did you say her husband’s name is Lennem?” Kalius asked, sounding confused. Gale nodded.

“As in Lennem Amcathra?” Kalius prompted. 

Gale nodded.

“Oh, her husband is famous is he?” Astarion teased. 

“The entire Amcathra family is well-known in Waterdeep.” Kalius said slowly, as he considered it, “So the Amcathra estate in Amphail was attacked?” 

Gale nodded a third time. 

“Brazen, whoever it was.” Kalius commented, quietly. 

“Why? What are they known for?” Halsin asked, looking down at the werewolf. 

“Horses, mostly.” Kalius replied, “But that’s all the families with business in Amphail. Amphail ponies are infamous up and down the Sword Coast. But the Amcathra’s also make weapons. Amcathran blades, are their specialty, some of the finest swords in the city. They stopped forging for a while in the last century, but started up again a couple decades ago now.” Kalius sighed a little, standing up and crossing his arms.

“Also Mourngrym Amcathra was the Lords of Shadowdale sometime ago, he rather famously defended the dale from Bane’s army during the Time of Troubles.” Gale added. 

“Well, sounds like your cousin did alright for herself, with a husband like that.” Astarion commented, sounding amused. He was still looking at Varan though.

“So why wouldn’t she want to stay with her husband’s family? They sound well and wholly capable of defending her.” Halsin mused.

“Wonderful point.” Varan agreed, quietly. 

Gale ignored that, “I don’t have any details.” He was tired of saying that, “We’ll just have to ask her when she gets here.” 

“She can have my room.” Kal said, going back to cooking like the conversation needed nothing further. “I never use it. All my shit is in Varan’s room anyway.” 

Gale smiled at the statement, remembering Varan’s words. “Thank you. I think that would be perfect.” 

Kal looked like he had accepted whatever the situation was, but Gale noticed that Astarion was still looking at Varan. Varan and Astarion were holding each other’s gazes, clearly communicating in silent words. Almost like they had the tadpole again. 

Gale knew he had to say something. He knew what it was Astarion was saying to Varan, what Varan was saying to the vampire. Astarion asking if he would have to be hidden away like a broken thing when guests came over. Varan assuring him that wasn’t the case. But that assurance wasn’t enough, Gale was the one threatening to stash him away, not Varan. 

“Amelia has always been very supportive of me. And my mother. Even when the rest of my family wasn’t, for all the different reasons they weren’t. I don’t know exactly when, obviously her situation is a bit complicated at the moment, but I want to introduce you all to her, the way I should have already introduced you to my mother.” 

Astarion was looking at him now and Gale didn’t want to catch his eye. 

The rest of the room was quiet. Gale was focused on the counter by his hand so he didn’t have to read anyone’s expression. 

“I know my mother will be happy if not slightly bemused to know all of you better.” Gale said then, something he hadn’t expected to say, but he remembered Varan’s colder voice and thought maybe he had to. “I haven’t said anything to her because I know that she will want to share all the news with the rest of the family. She has never balked at them, at any of the ways they might try to tear others down. She always preferred to force them to look at the things they might criticize. And I have always appreciated her courage, but often times that courage meant she was putting me on the pedestal in front of them to scrutinize. While she could ignore their criticism I never could. I didn’t want to tell my family about all of you not because I’m embarrassed or unsure, not in the slightest. I’ve had to listen to their hateful opinions my whole life and unfortunately I’m very used to it. But I didn’t want those words to be directed towards any of you. I thought if I just said you were friends, or colleagues then my family wouldn’t feel entitled to share their judgments, if they had any. I know the moment I would position myself in an equation with you, I know that they are going to have — shitty things to say, because they always do when it comes to things I care about. I thought I could spare you, all of you, that.” He was still looking at the counter. He didn’t think anyone else had even moved. “And maybe I thought if — if you had to hear some of the things they will say about me, maybe being with me wouldn’t be worth it.” 

There was silence that went on a little too long for Gale’s liking, he still didn’t want to look up.

“You’re an idiot.” Astarion snapped. 

Gale had to laugh a little at that. He heard some shuffling around him and felt strong arms he knew to be Varan’s wrap around his waist. He leaned his back into the tiefling’s chest. 

“All of us come from shitty situations, especially shitty families. If anything, I hear one of your family members saying shitty things, it’ll be more worth it to love you.” Kal said. He sounded bored with the conversation and Gale smiled at the way he never seemed to balk at drama when it sprang up. 

Gale glanced up finally and was caught by Astarion’s gaze. The vampire was looking at him with a very sad look, but it was also very loving and Gale smiled at him. “You really are stupid sometimes.” Astarion said, softer this time. “I know.” Gale agreed.

Notes: This is going to be a long fic, strap in. I was scared to post this to be honest, but I really have a lot of fun writing Forgotten Realms lore (D&D lore in general really) so I just decided why not? And of course the BG3 brainrot is still going strong and wasn't going to let me rest. Thank you so much for reading! if you liked it, I'd love a comment just to know people are enjoying the story, even an emoji is fine! <3

[eclipsecrowned]

“What does this taste like to you?” Lestat pointed at the meal Karin was enjoying. // @luxsclaris

She ought to have seen this coming.

Every act has its price, some reciprocation, in this modern world. It was probably just the same in his, and in everyone else's. This is nothing new. It just feels like the invention of exchange, because this is her world. Boss must have felt the same, in another life.

They always need a proxy. The irony kills them otherwise, or so she's read. Pausing before the fork reaches her mouth, she raises her eyes, studying the Vampire from under thick lashes. It's the first English she's heard since arriving in Campania.

This can be done. She has the tools to make it so, at least. If she fails, then that's years of academy training wasted, an entire English degree worth less than the paper it was printed on. There's no waiting now, as she tucks into her dinner again. This time, she savors it.

Tomato, garlic, parsley, these are so common in the local cuisine as to be almost forgotten. Almost. They're cooked to textural perfection, though, and elevate the main dish so that she notices their presence immediately. The bream was a great choice -- its taste is subtle compared to whatever else comes from the Neapolitan coast.

Kissing her napkin up to her lips, she swallows. There's no chasing it with the wine. She needs everything just as it has been, moving her mouth without hesitation.

"A summer garden by the sea, the sun high in the sky, fresh-picked produce hanging off the vine and in full bloom from the pot. Fish pulled straight from the water and delivered direct to the kitchen -- white, if you didn't know. Matches the wine. The same dish locals have kept going since... God, probably since Gabrielle was haunting the place."

She shrugs.

"Probably a lot less seawater on the plate, compared to way back when."

Now, she cleanses her palate with wine, letting it linger on her tongue. In the interim, she hooks Lestat with her eyes. Quid pro quo. Reciprocity. A question for a question.

"Have you ever been to Naples before? I can't imagine Gabrielle was the tour guide type, or sentimental enough for any kind of homecoming."

[bewitchingbooktours]

A Bewitching Tuesday

A Round-Up of Daily Virtual Book Tour Stops

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After four years abroad, Jamie Jones Scott is back, and her homecoming isn't exactly warm and fuzzy. With a murder at her family's business and a hot detective on her heels, she's in for a wild ride. Will she survive the chaos, protect her family, and resist the allure of a certain detective? https://amzn.to/40aEP1K #blackliterature #contemporary #fiction #contemporaryfiction #mystery #romanticsuspense #blackfiction #AfricanAmericanFiction #ContemporaryRomance #ContemporaryFiction #CommisionEarned

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[shelbbswrites]

Friends, what are some TV ships you want to see set sail in 2023? 👀

Please send them to my ask box!

[romitritrashswiftie]

[intoomuchfandoms]

Should i start writing fan fics?

i have a lot of ideas but im lowkey lazy and feel like my writing won’t make any sense 

[thejakeformerlyknownasprince]

Writing Advice #?: Choose your descriptive details wisely.

To start, I’d like to share my favorite phrase in the entire English language:

Coffee the temperature of piss

I know it’s no “cellar door.”  But it’s wonderfully evocative on several different levels.  First of all, the obvious: the temperature of piss is also known as... perfect drinking temperature. Coffee slightly less warm than human body temperature is coffee optimal for drinking.  But the choice of comparison has immediately put us off that coffee.

Second, the phrase is viscerally gross: it’s comparing a beverage to a bodily fluid.  And it’s crude: “piss” is rude slang, not childish like “pee” or technical like “urine.”  Third, it’s a great metaphor: pee is acidic and has a strong smell; bad coffee is acidic and has a strong smell.  But the narration didn’t come out and say “the coffee had a strong acidic odor similar to the smell of piss”; it simply evoked that comparison indirectly.

Fourth: I first encountered the phrase in a since-deleted fan fic, in which the narrator was sitting in a hospital room waiting for his son to wake up from surgery.  (A fic about John Winchester on a Supernatural LJ, if anyone cares.) So the phrase worked on several other levels.

We’re in a hospital setting, you’re comparing something to pee: ick, we can guess why that’s on the character’s mind.

The narrator is former military, so the use of profanity fits.

The narrator knows that his son is in this situation because of his own decisions; the self-disgust is evident in comfort (hot coffee) being turned to contamination (urine).

Hospital coffee is famously bad, so anyone who has ever tasted it will get to feel their gorge rise at the image that evokes it so well.

The thinness of the paper cup and the sickly warmth of the liquid within also come through, to readers who know hospitals.

However, like I said: coffee that temperature is good coffee.  But the writer has managed to thoroughly put us off it with the extremely specific word choice for that scene.  “Piss” is about the grossest thing you can compare a beverage to except maybe blood, and drinking blood comes with a whole other set of implications that the author obviously doesn’t want.

Another example done right: Homecoming describes an overpass where cars “hurtled over that bridge as if the devil himself was chasing them. He’d be chasing them from both directions then; he’d catch you either way.” Why?  It’s a bridge that the main characters, on foot, have no way to cross to safety.  This description comes at the narrator’s lowest moment of despair.  It’s just a bridge, with traffic moving at normal speed, but it’s also not.  The circular nature of the description, the sense of fleeing but being unable to get away, are exactly the right details to be evoking then.

An example done wrong: Vampire Academy opens on a sequence where the guy kidnapping the main characters is described as “He was older than us, maybe mid-twenties, and as tall as I’d figured, probably six-six or six-seven. And under different circumstances—say, when he wasn’t holding up our desperate escape—I would have thought he was hot. Shoulder-length brown hair, tied back in a short ponytail. Dark brown eyes. A long brown coat—a duster, I thought it was called.  But his hotness was irrelevant now.”  This paragraph brings the story to a screeching halt.  Instead of the action advancing, it’s dwelling on the “irrelevant” “hotness” of a character’s face.  Why would the narrator notice the physical attractiveness of this person right now?  Why would she wonder whether she has the name of a designer coat correct?  It’s distracting, it’s confusing, and it verbally moves the scene from a desperate shaky cam to a sparkly slow-mo long enough to get a very long pan over this character’s hair and outfit.

It would be easy to describe him as “menacingly large” with “a long dark coat” and keep going.  Then the focus of the narration matches the focus of the characters.  If it’s important for the reader to know that he’s attractive and long-haired and wears leather, then add those details later when the narrator has already been kidnapped and has time to sit around and study him.

So, yeah.  If you have a self-loathing former Marine waiting in a hospital room with a hot drink, “coffee the temperature of piss” evokes worlds of implication in just five words.  If you have an upbeat kid eagerly caffeinating, that same cup can be “coffee with the warm zing of a hug.”  If a third-grade teacher is sucking it down to stay alert, it’s “coffee as tepid as my soul.”  If you’re writing a doctor who sprints past the coffee because their patient is going tachycardic in that same room, don’t mention the coffee at all.

[house-of-slayterr]

INFP - INFJ Characters I Relate To

Luna Lovegood - Harry Potter 

Wanda Maximoff - WandaVision 

Number 7 - The Umbrella Academy 

Cassie Ainsworth - Skins

Max Caulfield - Life Is Strange

Peter Parker - Spider-man

Lapis Lazuli - Steven Universe

Raven Queen - Ever After High

Bubbles - Power Puff Girls

Newt Scamander - Fantastic Beasts 

Nico di Angelo - Camp Half-Blood

Charlie Kelmeckis - Perks of Being a Wallflower

Amelie - Amelie 

Aurora - Sleeping Beauty 

Musa - Winx Club 

Alice Kingsleigh - Alice in Wonderland 

2-D - Gorillaz

Persephone - Greek Legends 

Victor Van Dort - Corpse Bride

BMO - Adventure Time

Asriel Dreamer - Undertale

Jason Dean - Heathers

Courage - Courage the Cowardly Dog

Lucy Pevensie - The Chronicles of Narnia 

Romeo and Juliet - Romeo and Juliet 

Barry Allen - The Flash 

Davy Jones - Pirates of the Caribean 

Merlin - Merlin 

Susanna Kaysen - Girl, Interrupted 

Emma Chotta - The Red Band Society

Carrie Krueger - The Amazing World of Gumball

Arwen Undomiel - The Lord of the Rings

Ethan Lewis - Euphoria 

Anne Shirley - Anne of Green Gables

Rue - Hunger Games

Ratcatcher 2 - Suicide Squad 

Misty Day - American Horror Story

Lydia Deetz - Beetlejuice

Joshua Washington - Until Dawn

The Phantom - The Phantom of the Opera

Aurora - Maleficent 

Alison Cameron - House M.D.

The Monster - Frankensstien 

Crybaby - K-12

Sweeney Todd - Sweeney Todd

Abigail Hobbs - Hannibal

Credence Barebone - Fantastic Beasts 

Kermit the Frog - The Muppets 

Ofelia - Pan’s Labyrinth 

Ponyboy Curtis - The Outsiders

Coraline Jones - Caroline 

Rogue - X-Men

Candy Chiu - Gravity Falls

Eloise Turner - Last Night in Soho

Zoe Benson - American Horror Story 

Sam Manson - Danny Phantom 

Louis de Pointe du Lac - Interview with the Vampire

Antigone - Greek Legends

Wiccan - Marvel

Orpheus - Hadestown

Melinda Sordino - Speak

Evey Hammond - V for Venddetta

Fisk - Undertale 

Harry Osborne - Spider-man

Greg Wuliger - Everybody Hates Chris 

David - Hilda

Buffalo Bill - Silence of the Lambs 

Christine Daae - The Phantom of the Opera

Scorpius Malfoy - Cursed Child

Frances Houseman - Dirty Dancing

Max - Sharkboy and Lavagirl 

Susie Salmon - The Lovely Bones

The Grabber - The Black Phone 

Ethan Morgan - My Babysitters a Vampire

Stevonnie - Steven Universre 

Abby Sciuto - NCIS

Miles Halter - Looking for Alaska 

Jacob Portman - Miss Peregrine 

Sarah - Labyrinth 

Marius - Les Mis

Bridgitte Fitzgerald - Ginger Snaps 

Thomasin - The VVitch 

Edith Cushing - Crimson peak 

Basil - Dorian Gray 

Allen Ginsberg - Kill Your Darlings 

Jane Eyre- Jane Eyre

Andrew Detmer - Chronicle

Wanderer - The Host

Kurt Wagner - X-Men

Scout Finch - To Kill a Mockingbird

Emma - Blue is the Warmest Colour

Syrena - Pirates of the Caribbean 

Sara Crewe - A Little Princess

David Haller - Legion 

Skeeter - The Help 

Nico Minoru - Runaways 

Dave Lizewski - Kick-Ass

Annie Sawyer - Being Human 

Nugget - Kindergarten 

Chip Dove - Jennifer’s Body

Mia Warren - Little Fires Everywhere 

Chase Mathews  - Zoey 101

Eli Goldworthy - Degrassi 

Willow Rossenberg - Buffy

Fiona - About a Boy

Violet Harmon - American Horror Story 

Anastasia - Anastasia 

Spike - Buffy

Theo Putnam - Chilling Adventures of Sabrina 

Frances Shea - Legends 

Micheal Darling - Peter Pan

Jughead Jones - Archie Comics

Johnathan Morgenstern - The Shadowhunters

Rapheal Santiago - The Shadowhunters 

Bree Tanner - Twilight 

Angela Weber - Twilight 

Michelle Jones - Spider-man Homecoming

Davina Claire - The Originals

April Ludgate - Parks and Recreation

Alec Lightwood - The Shadowhunters

Nia Nal - Supergirl 

Raven - Teen Titans 

Remus Lupin - Harry Potter 

Atticus Finch - To Kill a Mockingbird

Will Grahm - Hannibal 

Harley Quinn - DC Comics

Amy Dunne - Gone Girl 

Lexi Howard - Euphoria

James - The End of the Fucking World

Vision - WandaVision 

Nina Sayers - Black Swan 

Veronica Sawyer - Heathers 

Mathew Murdocck - Daredevil

Gellret Grindelwald - Fantastic Beasts

Dawn - Total Drama

Sally - The Nightmare Before Christmas

Eurus Holmes - Sherlock 

James Wilson - House M.D. 

Professor X - X-Men

Ester Coleman - Orphan

Winter Anderson - American Horror Story 

Needy - Jennifer’s Body

Joan of Arc - Clone High

Micheal Morbius - Morbius 

Nick Goode - Fear Street

Miss Honey - Matilda

Cole Sear - The Sixth Sense 

Brea - The Dark Crystal 

Ingrid Beuachamp - The Witches of East End

Victoria Winters - Dark Shadows

Bella Swan - Twilight

Ramona Flowers - Scott Pilgrim 

Fern Arable - Charlottes Web

Dwayne Hoover - Little Miss Sunshine

Rose Bukate - Titanic 

Candyman - Candyman 

Magenta - Rocky Horror

Tom Riddle - Harry Potter 

Bruce Banner - The Hulk 

Sirus Black - Harry Potter

Barbra Godron - Batman 

The Enchantress - Suicide Squad 

[avengersfluff02]

Masterlist (add to it later)

MARVEL:

Steve (haven’t seen The First Avenger):

Bucky (same as Steve; haven’t seen FATWS):

Tony (haven’t seen Iron Man 3):

Clint:

Natasha:

Wanda (haven’t seen MOM):

Pietro:

Peter P (haven’t second half of second slo movie and haven’t seen third solo movie, and haven’t seen What If):

Yelena:

Cast:

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

STARKID: (add characters and actors later)

Little White Lie:

AVPM (not seen)

Me and My Dick:

AVPS:

Starship:

SPACE tour:

Holy Musical Batman:

Apocalyptour: 1

AVPSY (not seen):

Twisted:

Ani (haven’t seen):

Trail to Oregon:

Firebringer:

The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals:

Starkid Homecoming:

Black Friday:

VHS Christmas Carol:

Nightmare Time 1 (have seen Witch in the Web):

Nightmare Time 2 (have seen Abstinence Camp, and Killer Track):

Jangle Ball Tour:

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

Tin Can Brothers:

Flop Stoppers (haven’t seen it):

Spies Are Forever:

Solve it Squad (haven’t seen it):

Wayward Guide for the Untrained Eye (haven’t seen it):

This Could Be on Broadway (haven’t seen it):

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

Shipwrecked Comedy

Edgar Allen Poe’s Murder Mystery Dinner Party (haven’t seen it):

The Case of the Gilded Lily (haven’t seen it):

Headless: A Sleepy Hollow Story (saw first episode):

Unsolved Babesteries (haven’t seen it):

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

House of the Dragon (add characters after and cast?)

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

Game of Thrones (add characters after and cast) (We don’t talk about season 8)

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

We Are The Tigers (add characters after and cast)

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

Heathers (movie/musical) (add characters after and cast)

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

Pretty Little Liars (add characters after and cast) (seen season 1)

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

Supernatural (been jumping around, but seen most of the series, and saw season 15) (add more characters and the cast later)

Dean:

Sam:

Cas:

Jack:

Gabriel:

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

H2O: Just Add Water (I know all the lore, but have only seen season 1 so far)

Cleo:

Emma:

Rikki:

Bella:

Claire Holt:

Cariba Heine:

Phoebe Tonkin:

Indiana Evans:

Others that you want:

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

Mako Mermaids (Mako Island of Secrets) (I know all the lore, but am halfway through season 2 (on season 2, episode 9))

Lyla:

Nixie:

Sirena:

Zac:

Ondina:

Mimmi:

Evie:

Weilan:

Rita:

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

Vampire Academy (2014 Movie)

Rosemarie "Rose" Hathaway:

Vasilisa "Lissa" Dragomir:

Dimitri Belikov:

Christian Ozera:

Mason Ashford:

Zoey Deutch:

Lucy Fry:

Danila Kozlovsky:

Dominic Sherwood:

Cameron Monaghan:

Sarah Hyland:

(Anyone else you want)

_____________________________________________________________

Vampire Academy (2022 Peacock Series) (I have not watched the series yet, but I did just buy the series, so I will watch it!)

Rosemarie "Rose" Hathaway:

Vasilisa "Lissa" Dragomir:

Dimitri Belikov:

Christian Ozera:

_____________________________________________________________

Vampire Academy Book Series (2007 - 2010)

Vampire Academy

Rosemarie "Rose" Hathaway:

Vasilisa "Lissa" Dragomir:

Dimitri Belikov:

Christian Ozera:

Mason Ashford:

(anyone else)

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

Frostbite (I just finished it last night and poor Mason :( I kept crying!)

Adrian Ivashkov:

Mia Rinaldi:

Janine Hathaway:

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

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013 Movie)

Jace Wayland:

Clary Fairchild:

Alexander “Alec” Lightwood:

Isabelle “Izzy” Lightwood:

Magnus Bane:

Luke Garroway:

Simon Lewis:

Lily Collins:

Jamie Campbell Bower:

Robert Sheehan:

Kevin Zegers:

Aidan Turner:

Godfrey Gao:

Jemima West:

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

Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments (Show from 2016-2019)

Jace Herondale:

Clary Fray:

Alexander “Alec” Lightwood-Bane:

Isabelle “Izzy” Lightwood:

Magnus Bane-Lightwood:

Luke Garroway:

Simon Lewis:

Maia Roberts:

Raphael Santiago:

Jonathan Morgenstern:

Kat McNamara:

Dominic Sherwood:

Matt Daddario:

Alberto Rosende:

Emeraude Toubia:

Isaiah Mustafa:

Harry Shum Jr.:

Alisha Wainwright:

David Castro:

Will Tudor:

Luke Baines:

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

Shadowhunters (Books)

City of Bones:

Jace Wayland:

Clary Fray::

Alexander “Alec” Lightwood:

Isabelle “Izzy” Lightwood:

Magnus Bane:

Luke Garroway:

Simon Lewis:

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

Other TV shows (that you request/I forgot to add)

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

Other musicals (that you request/I forgot to add)

[belikov-barnes]

Official Vampire Academy short stories & bonus material

Sunshine - Occuring ~20 years before the events of Vampire Academy, Sunshine is a short story about Eric and Rhea Dragomir meeting for the first time. This is a multi-chapter story from the Kisses From Hell novella. You can read Sunshine here, and purchase Kisses From Hell here.

The Turn and The Flame - Set 8 or 9 years before Vampire Academy, The Turn and The Flame follows Tasha's experiences on the day Christian's parents turned Strigoi. It gives some important context regarding Tasha's place in royal Moroi society, explains why Tasha is so passionate about Moroi learning to defend themselves, delves into Tasha's first love, and shows Dimitri and Tasha's first meeting. There are cameos from Tatiana Ivashkov, Nathan Ivashkov, Janine Hathaway, Eric Dragomir. It was published as part of the Vampire Academy 10th Anniversary edition. You can read The Turn and The Flame here, and purchase the Vampire Academy 10th Anniversary edition here.

From The Journal of Vasilisa Dragomir - Set over several months, this story covers Lissa's experiences with spirit and darkness following the death of her family, and the experiences of Lissa and Rose while on the run. Published in the Vampire Academy 10th Anniversary edition. You can read From The Journal of Vasilisa Dragomir here, and purchase the Vampire Academy 10th Anniversary edition here.

Adrian's Diary #1 - Taking place during spring, the same year as Vampire Academy, this short excerpt from Adrian's diary gives insight into his experiences at college. Originally posted on Richelle Mead's blog. You can read Adrian's Diary #1 here.

The Meeting - Dimitri's POV of meeting Rose for the first time set during Vampire Academy. This was originally posted on Richelle Mead's blog, included in the Vampire Academy 10th Anniversary novel. You can read The Meeting here, and purchase Vampire Academy 10th Anniversary edition here.

Adrian's Diary #2 - Taking place in November, just before the events of Frostbite. This short diary entry hints at Adrian's experiences with spirit, and gives some background context to various relationships in his life. You can read Adrian's Diary #2 here.

Hello, My Name Is Rose Hathaway - Set at St Vladimir's in late November, between the events of Vampire Academy and Frostbite. included in the Vampire Academy 10th Anniversary novel. You can read Hello, My Name is Rose Hathaway here, and purchase the Vampire Academy 10th Anniversary edition here.

Homecoming - Set only about a month of so after the end of Last Sacrifice, Rose and Dimitri return to Baia after his restoration, reunite with the Belikova women, and end up being sent on a mission to protect the local community. Originally from the novella Foretold: 14 Tales of Prophecy and Prediction. This is a short, multi-chapter story. You can read Homecoming here, and purchase Foretold here.

Bloodlines: Adrian's Lost Chapter - The original first chapter of Bloodlines, this short story covers Adrian's feelings after the events of Last Sacrifice. It was originally posted on Richelle Mead's blog via Scribd. You can read Adrian's Lost Chapter here.

Happy Mother's Day from the Hathaway's - A short email correspondence between Rose and Janine on Mother's Day. It's not confirmed when this is set, but I deduce that it was after Rose has graduated. This is because her email address refers to her as "Roza". You can read Happy Mother's Day from the Hathaway's here.

[gopeachllama]

My hopes for the VA tv show

So i got into vampire academy when i was in like grade 8/9 i think? So i would have been in my early teens. It's a book series that is very near-perfect to me, and it is very dear to my heart bc it's been with me for so long. That being said, i will be the first one to admit that there is a serious lack of diverse representation. Like i said before, i got into it almost ten years ago, and back then, even as a poc growing up as a minority, i was aware of this however it wasn't much of an issue for me mainly becuase it wasn't a issue for the people (the non-pocs) around me. Now that va is being developed into a tv series, i think this would be the perfect opportunity to change some things up to include more diverse characters. I've seen that there's already qutie a few people on here dicussing the sexualities of the characters, and they're really great. But this conversation is about race-bending. For anyone that wants to contribute to this post, i'm all up for kind and careful dicussions, it's not my intention to offend anyone, and i'm not trashing the series or it's creator.

Also the points about diversity and race in particular shouldn't be dimissed just because it's a fantasy/paranormal genre. Yes it is a fantasy/paranormal series but it is set in the real modern world, where issues like race and prejudice are relavent! You can't just ignore it. Also im sure that a lot of va stan are like me, in that they got into it at a very young age and now are older and also find these issue important to them, whether they are a poc or not.

Just a warning there will be a lot of spoilers (also random spiderman homecoming spoilers) in this post, so for anyone that hasn't read the books proceed with caution.

So firstly, i want to talk about the characters that won't be changed. Dimitri will obviously be russian. I like the idea that the royal families originating from european countries, so alot of the royals in this series lissa, adrian, victor etc. i think should stay white. It reflects a lot of the real world issues about how the people in 'higher class' western societies are mainly white. this is more personal but i have this weird headcannon that christian is like half-southeast asian (i say south-east asian bc i am also, and i would love more representation of my race (s/o to any of my sri lankan book stans if y'all even exist on here!!)) In the later books there is a focus on the prejudice regarding his relationship with lissa. this is due to the fact that his family is shun from the other royal bc of his parents willingly turning. It was a good plot point, but there was somthing about taking the real world prejudice of interracial relationship and using here between two white characters and framing it as something else that just rubs me off the wrong way (again, i never had these feelings as i was reading it for the first time, it was only until i got older that issues like race a representations became more important to me). This way, they can keep still keep the bit about christian's parents and race-bending christian would have any affect on the overall story. Rose (my baby) she could be made fully persian but if they stick with her being biracial, then i hope when it comes to casting that they find someone that has more persian physical features rather than someone with more eurocentric features.

Now for the main characters I think should be race-bent are eddie, jill and sydeny should be black. For eddie, i first thought that mason should be race-bent but then this would be a major problem in the second book because of the harmful sterotype about black people always being the first (major character) to die (i am STILL taumatised over mason's death and its going to destroy me all over again when i see it with my own two eyes).

Sydney, as far as i know, there's nothing in the books that make is pivitol for her to be white. And while is important to be diverse with race, it's important to be diverse with black characters in itself. Sydney has always been such an interesting character to me. she's analytical and methodical, she's book smart, and she's almost the complete opposite of rose, but doesn't make her any less a compelling character. So much in books, movies and tv shows, black females characters are mainly potrayed as strong, hardass, take-no-prisoners (sometimes even hyper-sexualised) type personalities. So rarely do we see them as with characteristic like sydeny's, so i think it would be really great to show this. Also her relationship with adrian has a lot of the same points with i said about christian's relationship with lissa regarding prejudice.

With Jill, i noticed that in the books, Mead sort of goes out for her way to describe her physical appearance, so that when later it is revealed that she is lissa's half sister, the readers are able to think "oh yeah of course they look really similar" and so it doesn't seem like a telenovella style outrageous plot twist. But for this i want to quickly talk about how in spiderman homecoming, peter's love interest who is black, is revealed to be the daughter of the villan who is white. For me, it was amazing reveal and something i was not expecting at all, but at the same time, its wasn't hard for me to believe because of course birracial people exist. I think it would be really cool to do the same thing here with Jill. It a great way to subvert people's expectations and wouldn't make the plot twist any less unreasonable. Aslo from what i can remember there are no black vampires?? for some reason? that was always kinda weird to me. Also with the three of these character's being black, they can still maintain the storyline of them passing off as siblings when they're in hiding, that is if they ever adapt the bloodlines storyline too.

Whether or not these characters, or any of the characters, will be race-bent, it won't change my experince with the book series. Like I said at the start, vampire academy will always be THAT series for me. The world-building is simple and easy to follow but the plot and characters are so compelling. But this upcoming tv adaptions would be a good oppotuny to address the very few things i (and a lot of other diverse readers) have with it.

[oblivionsdream]

Have you read the 'Homecoming' short story from the Foretold anthology? It's a short story of Dimitri and Rose visiting his family in Russia after Last Sacrifice. If you like Vampire Academy you might like it!

YES I HAVE!! I loved it so much 😭

Though I still need to read the short stories that came in 10th anniversary edition. I never got around to reading them 😅

[romitritrashswiftie]

Okay but who else wants to try Olena Belikova’s black bread? Just me? Okay.