#we can do better xD

[flightofaqrow]

[paintedcrows]

Say hello to my horrible little triangle! He is the reason I haven't had time to draw for like a week 💙

...He watches me while I sleep now! :)

[bitterseaproduction]

Angsty Bilbo dying Bagginshield art giving me another story idea~ 😂😭💕

But no, seriously? A play on the popular time travel fix-it, but one where Bilbo dies protecting Thorin during the Battle of Five Armies? And Thorin is inconsolable, I can’t even. And he might pull himself together long enough to stabilize Erebor, but there is No Way he can be a good ruler in his grief, so he has to pass it on. (I was going to say to Dain just to twist that knife a little harder, but actually there are reasons hinted below on why Fíli & Kíli must have lived.) And Thorin just… he wanders, probably. A shell of himself for the rest of his days.

And yet, when he inevitably passes away, he awakens on the road to the Shire. And he’s younger. And he’s so confused, quickly suspecting he must be dead and this is nothing like what he was taught to expect. But then his instant impulse to check Bag End has him walking in on that same meeting from so many years ago, his Company intact, the wizard smiling at him, introducing him to… to…

Bilbo. His Bilbo. The sight of him makes Thorin want to weep and hold him and never let go again, but he is instantly terrified to do anything, because is this a dream? Will he wake? What happens if he says something new, will ‘this’ be ruined somehow? He doesn’t want that, doesn’t want to change anything, save for the end. The very end.

But, even as he strives to mimic himself, he knows something is wrong. He’s off-script from the start purely due to his shock, but he tries to recover, get back on track, and within words, he’s managed it. The discussion is righting itself, and no one there could possibly know the difference, right?

And yet, Bilbo stares at him. From the instant Thorin walked in, Bilbo was staring, looking lost. As he had before, that first time, but it wasn’t the same. Bilbo had been confused then as well, but it had been a light, anxious uncertainty then. This time? He was frowning, his expression tense.

His eyes haunted.

Because Bilbo has also lived that night before. Just once as far as that night was concerned, but it was familiar to him. So familiar. That first night had haunted him for decades, to the very end of his long, long life, when he thought he might know rest, and perhaps — if he was truly as lucky as some once claimed — he might get to see his friends again. See Thorin again.

Instead he had slept, drifted away, and awoken to a battle about to start.

And he had questioned it, had stumbled that first time, but he adjusted. He tried to save Thorin. To save them all.

And he failed. Again.

Then, when he finally slept for the first time afterwards, he awoke to the battle starting again.

And again.

And he tried, over and over, day after the same horrid day to find a way to get through. And sometimes Thorin lived. Sometimes the princes did. Sometimes, new people died. The wrong people.

Once, in his darkest moments, he thought that perhaps someone was trying to teach him humility, teach him to accept fate as it was and not try to fight it, not change anything. And so he went through the motions as well as he could remember them after all those years, following them to the letter, save for when he sobbed all the harder when it was done.

He sobbed again, the relief bone-deep, when he awoke again the next day, the battle still awaiting him.

He lost count of his attempts, and no one could rightly vouch for his state of mind when he finally resorted to the one thing he had refused to try: Not since that fourth (or fifth?) time, when he managed to be there for the fight and threw himself in Azog’s way, but Thorin pulled him out of the way, and screamed at him with such outrage and fear and despair in the few beats he bought by pushing Azog over, that Bilbo never attempted it again.

Until that final day. And that time, Bilbo didn’t give Thorin a chance to stop him.

And it broke a heart Bilbo thought long since shattered to hear Thorin scream, to feel him pick him up and hold him close and hear his voice like that. But the words faded soon enough, and he couldn’t feel anything, nothing except for regret and acceptance, because this was different. He felt it. This time, he would not awaken again, and that was fine. He had saved his king, kept all of his dwarves safe that last time. If that was to be the last, then that was all he could ask for. It was alright. He could sleep.

Then he woke up.

Not outside Erebor, but inside a hole. His hole. Bag End.

He walked outside, stood in the sun, and watched a wizard walk up the road to his door.

He did not understand.

[selemina]

Been listening to the Adeptus Ridiculous podcast, and I have mental images to share about the revival of Roboute Guilliman!

[weretoad-art]

You can't compete with a memory.

[pixelatedraindrops]

Yuma Month: Day 31: Post Game

…for the sake of the world’s happiness.

[divinekangaroo]

Whilst waiting for my drawing program books to arrive, a couple of days ago I drew this shitty 3-minute artline scribble of my kids cuddling on the sofa.

Today I found out my son took it to his school to show off to all his friends and his teachers because he loved it so much, and I’m like:

…are you proud of me son?

*him gone bashful* yeahhhhhhhhh

[frozenhi-chews]

One of these days I'll expand on this, but HOLY CRAP I cannot imagine the betrayal Starlo must've felt if you kill Ceroba in Flawed Pacifist. This guy, this monster who idolized humans and was so ecstatic to see one that he had them join his posse, killed his best friend. And, just, that's gotta hurt MORE than when she git married to Chujin, because despite his broken heart, she was at least THERE. She was ALIVE.

Here she's not.

Despite her willingness to die, Starlo hates you once you kill her. And part of it is how close they were before she was killed. The other part is the fact you basically betrayed him. You had no inclination to kill anyone beforehand. Heck you probably didn't even SHOOT anyone (unless you were me and was pissed at Axis).

All that training, all that bonding, the fact he stopped you and gave you that Deputy badge, said that he was PROUD of you. Suddenly all down the drain because now his best friend is gone. I cannot even fathom how that must've felt. Like no wonder he sees you less than dirt, you killed his friend and broke his trust. No longer are you his Deputy, even if you wanted to go back to the Wild East. Actually that would likely be a bad idea, he just would not like you around.

Also it's such an interesting contrast of, "yes you're safe in the law, but personally I do not want to see you again." Just, hoough love that!

Have no idea how to end this, so, yeah holy crap Starlo absolutely hates you in Flawed Pacifist

[thedeafprophet]

less yearly flondon events focused around companions and instead make one on outfits

Colour choices, styles, hats, gloves, its a fantastic idea. let us pick colors and style choices along the way that will influence which item we get. drop new outfit designs with various colours and use unique colour names for each and you're good to go

maybe something in the background going on with veils (which would have greater implications for BaL players)

this is my message

[bigcats-birds-and-books]

Books of 2024: STARLING HOUSE by Alix E. Harrow.

Still in my Haunted House Era™, finished this one this afternoon, had a great time!! Harrow somehow always puts Just Enough of my personal catnip in her books, and I've really enjoyed everything of hers I've read so far (WITCHES, JANUARY, and now this, which was decidedly more modern--I'm a fan!).

Like with THE ONCE AND FUTURE WITCHES, I really enjoyed the sibling dynamics in STARLING HOUSE. Opal and Jasper were delightful, and the ONLY valid Miscommunication Plot Point is one-upping each other on [SPOILER REDACTED]--wholesome, perfect, no notes. I loved how sharp and vicious Opal was, and I loved how insufferable Arthur was, and I loved Jasper (who, me? having a soft spot for clever kind teenage boys?? whaaaat), and Bev, and the hellcat, and THE HOUSE!!! The House was great, I'm making so many NaNo prep notes over here.

I also enjoyed the parallels between Eleanor and Opal and how cyclic violence was emphasized through the circular framing. AND it was fun piecing together the whole manuscript's structure--definitely a break from, say, VanderMeer, or Le Guin, but I liked the footnotes and the offset fonts and figuring out who was telling which stories and Why It Was Framed Like That. Good book! Good time!! Do recommend!

[dungeons-and-dragon-age]

actually the way that line should have gone is *record scratch* you. think i'm handsome??

[longagoitwastuesday]

Every day I am haunted by the fact JJK could be amazing but it will be just idk Bleach or something

[nothingwronghere]

[handsomethrowrug]

AU Verse: A Better Life

One thing I say a lot is that I personally think staying in the Pride Lands his whole life was ultimately really bad for Scar. The main form of redemption that I know of is for him to spend time away from that, and then return with a broader sense of the world and his place in it.

So I designed that.

It started when he was an older cub on the cusp of becoming a teenager. The bitterness was setting in, and he had taken to long walks to try and keep the simmering frustrations at bay. One fateful day, he was so caught up in his thoughts that he wasn't paying full attention to where his paws were landing. One misstep had the stones come loose. His balance teetered to the side, and he tumbled down a steep slope. Something pulled in his lower back, and he couldn't move his rear legs. He was stuck, helpless.

Luckily, instead of vultures or other hungry opportunists, Tacari was found by a group of kind souls who brought him with them to help him recover.

Several months were spent outside of the Pride Lands, where Tacari was merely a stranger rather than a shadow. The living arrangements were temporary, as the plan was to help him return home once he was able to walk properly again. But in that time, Tacari's perspective of the world expanded.

For the first time, he saw that it was okay not to have a set purpose in life. Sometimes life was simply what you made of it, not what someone decreed it to be for you. Others would like you for being who you are, rather than who they want you to be. Not only that, it was okay if you didn't live up to another's expectations. It didn't make you "lesser". Simple lessons for many, but it was a strange topic for someone who had been decreed the "spare".

The season came and went, and Tacari's strength returned. He was able to return home and... To his surprise, his family were thrilled to see him. That had never happened before. It somehow proved that he was indeed cared about, even if he wasn't the first born.

As time passed, he began to realise that there was a possibility that he never wanted the throne at all. He only wanted others to see him and notice him. He could "prove his worth" in other ways. He was certainly capable of it.

Tacari was the one who spearheaded the campaign to allow the hyenas to return to the Pride Lands, citing that their punishment was too severe for an innocent generation. He would still take to his quiet days away from Pride Rock, but it was more to simply appreciate the land. Though he was anti-social, he did try and partake in various events. He wasn't pushing animals away, and was instead trying to be amicable.

Then, when Simba was born... He was still reluctant to be cubsitter, let's be honest here. But he was better at it, and he was willing to share stories. He was also known for straight up lying and encouraging Simba to ask his parents about utterly ridiculous topics. But there were never any plans to put the cub in harm's way.

Life is... What it probably should have been.

[pageofheartdj]

"It's Not Hard To Be Kind" is such a bullshit! Actually it DOES take a lot of energy and personal self work and patience and being mindful and being considerate.

Do NOT diminish people who do their best not to cause more harm. People who try their hardest to have an open heart and mind in any situation.

This shit is hard and kind people deserve all the respect!!

[despairforme]