#Single Parent!Bilbo

[physalian]

The Hero with Dead Parents is not Cliché, it’s Necessary

The staggering number of protagonists in sci-fi and fantasy with dead parents grows every single year. Frodo Baggins, Harry Potter, Luke Skywalker (before the retcon in ESB), almost every Disney Prince and Princess, the Baudelaire children. Beyond the realm of fantasy into action, thriller, romance, mystery, slice-of-life, and bildungsromans.

Dead parents, or parent, is the curse of being the hero of the story and for a very good reason:

Parents are inconvenient as f*ck.

Unless the mom and/or dad is the villain of the story or the entire story is about the relationship with the parent/parents, the “dead parent” trope serves many purposes and while it may be “cliché” that doesn’t mean this trope is bad or, in my opinion, overused.

It’s one less liability the hero has to worry about protecting

It’s one less obstacle in the hero’s path to their adventure

It’s one (or two) less characters to find excuses to stay relevant in the story

It’s a juicy backstory a lot of people can relate to

Trauma. Is. Compelling.

It’s an excellent motivation

And their murder is an excellent inciting incident

Living parents and guardians get killed off both for internal plot reasons, and meta writing reasons: Living parents are a pain in the ass to keep up with. You’re stuck with a character your hero should still keep caring about, keep thinking about, keep acting in relation to how their actions will be seen and judged by that parent. That parent becomes an obvious liability by any villain who notices or cares.

Living parents can of course be done well, unless they’re the villain, but they just kind of sit there on the fringes of the plot, waiting around to be relevant again and they kind of come in four flavors:

There when the plot demands for pie and forehead kisses (Sally from Percy Jackson)

A suffocating but well-meaning obstacle in between the character and their independence trying to do right (Abby from The 100, Katniss’ mom from Hunger Games, Spirit from Soul Eater)

A mentor figure (Valka from HTTYD 2, Hakoda from ATLA)

The only rock this character has left (Ping from Kung Fu Panda)

*Notice how many of my examples lost their partners shortly before or during the plot, thus still giving the hero the “dead parent” label.

Most of these are self-explanatory so I’ll say this:  I think this trope gets exhausting when the parents are written out without enough emotional impact on the hero. These are their parents and a lot of the time, the emotional toll of losing them isn’t there, like just slapping a “dead parents” sticker is all you need to justify a character’s tragic backstory and any behavioral issues they might have.

Like, yes, the hero has dead parents, but you still have to tell me what that means to them beyond obligate angst and sadness. When the “dead parents” trope reads as very by-the-numbers, usually the rest of the story is, too.

How present the parents were in the character’s life should be proportional to the death’s impact on the narrative (as with any character you kill off). If they were virtually nonexistent? No need to waste a ton of time. If they didn’t matter to the character before, they don’t need to matter now unless the plot revolves around some knowledge or secret their parent never shared.

Sometimes, the hero’s dead parents are a non issue. Frodo being raised by Bilbo doesn’t impact his character at all. It’s a detail given and tossed away. On the other hand, sometimes the entire centerpiece of the work is revenge/justice/catharsis surrounding the parent’s death—Edward and Alphonse Elric’s entire story is defined by the consequences of trying to bring their mother back from the dead.

As someone who kept one of my protagonist’s parents alive and didn’t make them villains just to spite the trope, I have all the more respect for this enduring legacy of fiction. You can of course keep the parents alive, but I don't think it's seen as lazy or cheating or taking a shortcut just killing them off, so long as you remember that your hero is human and should react to losing them like a real person.

#writing advice #writing resources #writing tips #writing tools #writing a book #writing #writeblr #character design #character development #fantasy #scifi #dead parents

[lonelyvermonster]

There, But Never Really Back

TW: Mentions of death and PTSD

While watching The Hobbit I began to think about what it must have been like for Bilbo after he returned home. The books and movies don't talk about the trauma. How much of bilbos life must have been different after the quest. The other hobbits talk about how reclusive he becomes in his later years, but I want to know more from bilbos side.

How terrifying it must have been for Bilbo the first night he slept in his own bed; finally safe again, only to awake screaming. Blood and fire and dead blue eyes haunting him. I wonder how many years it took Bilbo before he no longer carried Sting everywhere he went. How much longer still before he stopped needing to check to make sure that horrifying blue glow didn't come back. It may not have been present in the books or the movie, but Sting gained a permanent place next to Bilbo's bed.

It didn't take long for Bilbo to pull away from everyone else but it's only because how could he possibly expect them to understand. How could the innocent hobbits who have never known war and death be able to understand the haunted look in his eyes? How odd he must have seemed. The only Hobbit who wouldn't eat any stew at the gatherings and parties. The only Hobbit who shrunk away from hugs because being grabbed was no longer comforting.

Do you think the first time someone tried to pull him into a hug he was overtaken with fear, Thorin's name slipping from his lips?

Do you think Bilbo noticed the way people would stare at him? The Hobbit's may have noticed him pull away, but I don't think they noticed the rest. They may have heard about trolls and dragons, but they didn't know about the sickly little creature he found in that cave. They didn't know about the nights he would wake up frightened, eyes searching for the shadows for Gollum. His neighbors didn't notice how he froze up the first time he heard a little hobbitling ask for some "eggsies". He still spun the occasional riddle but there were some he never repeated again.

Then there is the protectiveness that often comes from the trauma of watching others die.

How odd it must have been for Merry and Pippin's parents to watch Bilbo fiercely defend them against those who disapproved of their pranks and yet in the next breath berate them for the danger they put themselves in. The first time the boys got hurt bilbo could barely stand to see them; the image of two young dwarves who he had loved like family all his mind could see.

God how much worse that must have been when Frodo came along.

Dark black curls and bright blue eyes. Just close enough to haunt him. When that little hobbitling came into his life, how much of his decision to take him in was because he looked like Thorin? How many nights did Bilbo peak his head into Frodo's room to reassure himself that Frodo was alive and breathing, rather than laying on a stone slab? He protected him the way he could not protect his dwarf. Yet he also never bought him a single piece of clothing that was blue.

He filled that hobbit hole with greens and yellows and browns. Never blue. That color was perhaps the deepest tie to the pain he carried. Blue fabric, blue eyes, blue light; all capable of spiraling him into a pit of hellish memories. There were days he could not even bear to go outside because even the blue of the sky was too much.

Because at the end of the day Gandalf was right.

Bilbo was not the same, and he never would be again.

#the hobbit #bilbo baggins #bagginshield #lord of the rings #thorin x bilbo #the hobbit bilbo #thorin oakenshield #thorin #lotr frodo #frodo baggins #fili and kili #merry and pippin #merry brandybuck #pippin took #post botfa #ptsd #gandalf #tolkien dwarves #tolkien #j r r tolkien #the hobbit movies #the rings of power #desolation of smaug #middle earth #nightmares #flashbacks #life after trauma #line of durin #kili durin #fili durin

[smolestboop]

Chilchuck x Senshi is literally Thorin x Bilbo if Bilbo was a cynical divorced single parent with three kids and Thorin just really got into cooking

#boop rambles #bagginshield #bilbo baggins #thorin oakenshield #the hobbit #chilchuck #senshi #dungeon meshi

[bagginshieldweek24]

Welcome to Bagginshield Week 2024! DATES & PROMPTS

First things first, sorry for the slight delay!

All of the elements of this event (dates, extra posting days, prompts) have been voted for by participant or people interested in it, with the sole exception of one of the prompts for Day 7, and the specific dates of the week (the vote fell on the side of "second half of June").

Event Dates & Prompts June 24: Role Reversal/The Shire Falls Instead + Bilbo is the Thain/Is a Royal June 25: Thorin in The Shire + Developping Relationship June 26: Soulmates/Soulmate Marks AU + Dwarf Culture June 27: Bookshops & Libraries + Khuzdul Language June 28: Canon Divergence (gen.) + Hairbeads/Beads in general June 29: Single Parents/Uncles AU + Gardening June 30: Gothic Horror AU + Sky/Storms

Regular Alternate Prompts: Alpha/Beta/Omega AU - Mythology AU (gen.) - Fire/Smoke - Enemies to Lovers, or Enemies to Allies to Lovers - Secret Relationship

Whump Alternate Prompts: "I thought I had lost you" - Gold Sickness - Hurt/Comfort - Fake Death/Believed to be Dead - Hidden Injury

The event consists of seven regular posting days, for which there are be two distinct but easily relatable prompts per day, and two sets of alternate prompts with five prompts each (one is for regular prompts and the other is for "whump" tropes). On top of that there will be two extra days for you to post your works right at the end of the week (you can post the very first chapter of your work on either day and then finish it some other time, no problem!). You can also mix and otherwise use prompts however way you want: maybe you want to go about it the traditional way and pick one prompt for each day, or close to it and only switch one of them for an alternate; or you can take a Day 5 prompt, a regular alternate, and cap it off with a whump trope and post that for Day 1. Pick your poison!

Have a great time, and see you around!

P.S.: friendly reminder I'll be reblogging/posting things like references from here until the event takes place! Let me know if there's anything you might be looking for and I'll try t help <3

#bagginshield #thilbo #thilbo week #thilboweek24 #Bilbo Baggins #Thorin Oakenshield #Thorin II #The Hobbit #Fandom #Fandom Event #JRR Tolkien

[velvet4510]

I love how Tolkien shone a spotlight on single parenting in the form of Bilbo’s relationship with Frodo. Bilbo was never interested in marrying, but that didn’t prevent him from developing fatherly feelings toward young Frodo and wanting to take care of Frodo himself. Orphaned Frodo needed a solid parental figure, but Bilbo also needed a new purpose in his life after coming back changed from his journey; he needed company, but not necessarily romantic company. He needed someone to whom he could offer love and safety and protection, and to whom he could pass on his stories and the lessons he learned from living those stories. And look how it turned out. Yes, he unknowingly passed the problem of the Ring onto Frodo, but he also made Frodo’s ultimate success possible. Once the adoption happened, Bilbo single-handedly raised a tweenage hobbit into adulthood and shaped him into the one and only person who could carry the Ring far enough to save Middle-Earth. Eccentric and imperfect as he may be, we still have Bilbo to thank for doing most of the work in developing Frodo into the great hero he became - not just by giving him the Ring, but also (and more importantly) by raising him right.

#lotr #jrr tolkien #bilbo baggins #lotr books #frodo baggins #bilbo and frodo

[a-sneaky-bagginses]

Collecting the most important information for important reasons

#the hobbit #the hobbit trilogy #bagginshield #bilbo baggins #thorin oakenshield #lotr #thorin/bilbo #thorin x bilbo #bilbo x thorin #bilbo/thorin #thilbo #lord of the rings #ao3 #fanfic #thorin #bagginshield fic

[frodothefair]

Hobbit romantic/sexual headcanons

Frodo: Ok, so the prevailing fandom views are that he is aroace or gay, but I also see a world where he is straight, perhaps heteroflexible for Sam (if Sam should ever work up the courage to tell his about his feelings, but that's another story). In a world where he is straight, he ends up single until his 50's because 1) the Ring makes him feel "thin" and uneasy, and therefore reluctant to put down roots. He senses that someday he will leave the Shire and follow Bilbo 2) the community came on too strong after Bilbo's leaving in trying to matchmake him (because he IS, on paper, a very attractive match), and that left a bad taste in his mouth 3) he really is an odd duck, and it really is hard for him to find a kindred spirit. However, he does have needs, so he has a few secret liaisons with unhappily married women, widows, or confirmed spinsters -- because those sorts of women wouldn't want to be married either. I also have a headcanon where he starts getting romantic and sexual early, since he's confused, lonely, and has little parental oversight at Brandy Hall.

Sam: Bisexual and in deep denial about it. In love with both Frodo and Rosie, but in different ways. Also incredibly sexually repressed, likely due to the Gaffer's browbeating. Would never tell anyone directly that he is interested, gets easily embarrassed, and Rosie took the lead on every part of their relationship.

Merry: Incredibly self-assured, and gets around like a record, which is ironic, because of all four of the hobbits, he is the least "conventionally attractive." However, his confidence, his wit, and the fact that his father is the Master of Buckland all certainly more than make up for it. Despite his many conquests, and something of a reputation for being a rake, he is nonetheless a gentleman, knows how to break up gracefully, and remains on good terms with all of his former flames. He likes to tell stories of his liaisons, but never mentions specific names.

Pippin: Curious, likes the lasses a lot, and wants to be like Merry, but you've got to realize -- he's canonically, like, 16. Therefore, his forays into relationships are always incredibly awkward and overwrought. He does have a great sense of humor and a cute accent, though, and what he really needs to do is to just. stop. trying. so. damn. hard. Eventually, he starts a cottage industry of singing at weddings, which helps him meet lots of new people, ladies included, in a more organic setting. His musical talent also gets him a lot of attention from the opposite sex, so pretty soon he doesn't need to approach anyone: they approach him!

All of the above is/will be elaborated in the Flowers of Mordor au.

#lotr #lord of the rings #frodo baggins #sam gamgee #meriadoc brandybuck #pippin took #flowers of mordor au

[lordoftherazzles]

TRICK-OR-TREAT

This was a part of my 2021 #ACORNTOBER event! While I am still debating on whether to keep the drabbles on ao3, I am absolutely keeping them here on tumblr, and want to give them a little bit of polishing and love! So, with perfect timing for Halloween, enjoy this Reshirement-Parentshield centered drabble!

“And once the sun goes down that’s when all the fauntlings will go out with their parents and go door to door and ask for the sweets,” Bilbo was rambling, feeling as if he was expertly explaining this whole Halloween thing, but truth be told, the confused look on Thorin’s face said otherwise.

“...There’s good food in the larder, Bilbo. Plenty of sweets. Why are we sending Frodo to beg for them from our neighbors?” Thorin scratched at his head some, genuinely trying to wrap his mind around the concept of this trick-or-treating thing. Hobbits sure were fond of their holidays, just as dwarves were, but this one was a little extraordinary.

No doubt Fili and Kili would have loved something like this when they were small, and even when they were full-grown, just as they were now.

“Thorin, I love you, but please try to keep up. Frodo’s not begging for food, it’s just a fun thing that we get to do! The kids love dressing up, and these aren’t just any sweets, you won’t find a single tart in Frodo’s basket—” Bilbo narrowed his eyes dangerously before reaching forward and giving the bottom of one of Thorin’s braids a small yank. “And stay out of his basket when we all come home!” He said loud enough for Frodo to hear in the other room before dropping his voice with a wink. “We go through the basket after he’s asleep.”

Like any good parent, it was customary to sneak a few pieces out of the young one’s baskets. They couldn’t possibly eat it all!

It was still confusing, but Thorin was just going to go with it. He had been trying incredibly hard to adjust to Shire life, and this was part of it. It was part of why he had allowed Bilbo to put this silly bit of headwear on him. At first, Thorin had scowled, but tossing a few dark horns on his head to replicate that of a dragon was no big deal.

The headpiece would come off, at least.

Bilbo on the other hand had little ears on his own head that likened him to a rabbit. That was what Beorn had called him once upon a time, no? Little rabbit, or bunny, something of the like.

“And what’s Frodo dressed up as?” Thorin asked while adjusting the headband on his head.

“I’m a wizard!” Frodo announced as he dashed into the room, a gray pointy hat on his head and a robe swooshing as he ran. “Just like Gandalf!” 

“If you’re a wizard, can’t you just magic yourself some sweets?” Thorin was promptly swatted on the arm as both Bilbo and Frodo cried in unison.

“Uncle Thorin, we’re going Trick-or-Treating!” Frodo handed his basket over to Bilbo, grabbing a free hand from each uncle and moving to tug them along as the light outside was fairly dim. Someone was incredibly eager to enjoy the holiday, and catch up with the other fauntlings of the Shire.

Bilbo flashed Thorin a grin as they all eased out the door and already the shrieks of happy young ones could be heard. “Now Frodo, remember your manners at each door. Holiday or no, you will say please and thank you, right?”

“Yes, Uncle Bilbo.” Frodo sighed, sounding incredibly annoyed, but that was a kid for you, even as young as the fauntling was.

Thorin couldn’t help but crack a grin as Frodo released all hands, grabbed his basket, and took off a few steps ahead of his uncles, ready to see how many sweets he could fit into his basket. “He really does remind me of Fili and Kili.”

“Except Frodo knows his O’s from his A’s. They still call me Mister Boggins.” Bilbo sighed, sounding just as annoyed as Frodo had a few moments prior. At least Bilbo’s exasperation had gotten a laugh out of Thorin.

Watching the fauntlings run up to doors, knocking fiercely, and being on their best behavior was quite a sight to behold. Now that he was witnessing it for himself, Thorin could see where the appeal was. There were a fair amount of decent costumes running around as well. More wizards, a dwarf or two, and Thorin was certain he had seen a young one dressed up as Lobelia in all the most obnoxious of ways. 

For as much energy as Frodo had though, darting from smial to smial, you could see the exhaustion in his little legs start to plague him. There were a few doors to hit and Frodo seemed determined.

“He’s getting T–I–R–E–D,” Bilbo laughed, spelling out the word before hearing a disgruntled sound ahead of them.

“I’m not tired, Uncle Bilbo! We only have a few more. Can we please finish them?” At least he said please.

“Of course.” Tired, you could see it in Frodo’s big blue eyes.

When it came down to one door left, a familiar yellow door that housed one of the better families of Hobbiton as far as kindness went, Bilbo had Frodo’s wizard hat atop his head as well as the basket of sweets, and Thorin had Frodo in his arms who was drifting into slumber.

That yellow door opened up and there stood Hamfast and Bell. 

“Trick-or-Treat,” Thorin and Bilbo both spoke softly in unison.

“Oh, look at you three,” Bell cooed as she placed a hand over her heart. “Samwise was all tuckered out before we made it home too. Bless their little hearts. Wait here.” Bell disappeared, earning a small chuckle from her husband.

“Be sure to tell Sam in the morning that there is a special tart in Bag End with his name all over it. He’s welcome to it anytime,” Bilbo grinned, looking towards Frodo and adjusting a small bit of those curls away from the fauntling’s face.

Hamfast gave a small nodding hum in response, everyone seeming to be as quiet as possible to not wake Frodo who was now snoring pleasantly against Thorin’s shoulder. 

“Here we are, one of my apple pies. Thank you both again for watching Sam last week,” Passing over the pie to Bilbo where it could rest carefully at the top of the sweet-filled basket.

“Sam is welcome anytime,” Thorin interjected quietly, adjusting Frodo in his arms who had a death grip on one of his braids. “Frodo’s done nothing but talk about how excited he is for Sam to stay with us a few days next weekend while you and Hamfast are out of town.” 

“You two are just precious, as is he,” Bell wiggled one of Frodo’s feet, earning a small twitch from the sleepy fauntling. “Happy Halloween, boys. I’m sure we will see you tomorrow.”

Then came the usual pleasant goodbyes, though the more time that went on, the more informal it all became. Thorin truly admired the Gamgee’s and was happy to lend a hand where he could. 

The trek back to Bag End was quiet. The Shire all seemed to agree that it was time for all the little fauntlings to be tucked into bed and for the adults to settle down as well. The excitement was short-lived but well worth seeing the joy it brought.

“I’ll put him to bed,” Thorin announced quietly as they awkwardly maneuvered the door open, careful not to jostle Frodo around in the process.

Bilbo met Thorin’s gaze, his brows rising and falling playfully. “And then…”

“...we go through his basket,” Thorin grinned just as playfully in return.

“Exactly, now you’ve got it.”

Thorin finally understood the importance of Trick-or-Treating. 

#bagginshield #parentshield #the hobbit #thorin oakenshield #bilbo baggins #frodo baggins #hobbit fic #bagginshield fic #fic: acorntober #razzledrabbles #raz reposts #razzywrites

[zerozeroren]

Bbs on an adventure! :3

The gist of the pokemon au (after playing a single game) under the cut

This au turns out a lot more Tony-centric, actually XD it's his character journey more than Sophie's

The two of them meet in a Minor League fighting type gym. Sophie's there as a regular challenger getting ready for the proper Gym Challenge, she had just embarked on her journey. Tony is a trainer in the gym, aka one of the guys Sophie has to take down before challenging the gym leader. She can't help but notice him immediately: every single gym trainer she's ever met boasts a chipper overexcited attitude, but Tony gives off a strong "I hate every second of me being here" aura. He clearly goes through the motions in challenging her, and seems almost afraid of his own pokémon. Fighting type does not suit him, especially with the fact that the gym itself and the gym leader especially play it off extremely macho and toxically masculine, and Tony sticks out like a sore thumb. Sophie actually feels bad for him. Her and Mr. Mime put on a little funny pantomime for Tony, to which he cracks a smile, and Sophie thinks that it's nice.

Sophie quickly deals with him, though, as well as the rest of her competition (given that her ace is a fairy type) and fully intends to move on with her day. But she can't get this encounter out of her head, so after the challenge Sophie asks some other trainers about Tony, and they tell her where he usually has his lunch.

She meets him there and they have a long conversation about how Tony's stuck in the gym because it's a family business, the gym leader is his dad, and his own """ace""" Machamp is his grandfather's. He also slips and accidentally mentions that he secretly has some other mons, not fighting types, that he likes to spend his time with when nobody's looking, and Sophie immediately challenges him to a battle with them. He's hesitant at first, but then agrees, and the match between them is the tightest most exiting one he's ever had. Turns out that it's completely different to battle alongside pokemon he formed a genuine connection with.

Sophie suggests she'd steal Tony away from what is clearly stifling him. There are other people who'd happily take the place he hates being stuck in, and he clearly needs an adventure to shake him out of his depressive state. She just started the journey herself: they can take on the Gym Challenge together and see where it takes them. Tony doesn't know what to do: his legacy and sense of duty weigh on him heavily but he just can't with it all anymore. Dreading every new day became so much it is too hard to handle. And here comes this absolutely random person who suddenly wants to land him a hand. He is confused and doesn't know what to think or how to feel. Sophie wants to give him space to think things through and tells him she'll be waiting for him in the same place tomorrow, and if he doesn't show up by a certain hour, she'll know he decided not to go, and will go her own way as if they've never met. He agrees, and they part ways.

Queue in that scene from The Hobbit where Bilbo runs uphill joyfully yelling "I'm going on an adventure!"

And for Sophie, she decided to manic pixie dream girl Tony out of his situation because she had been in a very similar situation herself. Her parents (in this au both Sophie and Tony have completely different parents and family situations BTW, nothing like OG Attitudes) were really pushy about her interest in Pokemon and Pokemon battles and wanted her to have "a real job" someday, so they made her study and study everything hard and boring, and their position was always this disingenuous kind of "do anything you want once you graduate but until you do you owe this to yourself (read: us)". So Sophie took them up on their words, graduated, took her savings and immediately went away to take part in the Gym Challenge. When she met Tony she saw a lot of her own struggles in him and wanted to help him because nobody did the same for her. She knows how scary it is to go through such a change all alone.

The rest of this au is simply the two of them doing the gym challenge together, camping in the wilderness, having little adventures, catching and playing with pokemon and bonding (falling in love too, ofc😈)

#my art stuff #attitudes #sophie brannt #sophie #tony #tony leventini #pokemon au #pokesoph #sophietony #I don't really like how the pic turned out but I'm sick so I did what I can #generally not in a creative mood recently with all the everything going on in my life rn

[beautiful-basque-country]

Las Vulpess: the scandal

Just 40 years ago, four girls from the Bilbo neighborhood of Irala, between 17 and 21, starred in the first media scandal related to freedom of expression in Spain. Las Vulpess had not yet recorded a single single when the music critic Carlos Tena decided to make a music video with them on his new program on TVE, Caja de ritmos.

The sisters Loles and Lupe Vázquez (guitar and drums, respectively), were responsible for adapting the lyrics of I Wanna Be Your Dog - by Iggy Pop & The Stooges - in their own way, which Mamen Rodrigo would sing while Begoña Astigarraga played the bass. The song's title?: I like to be a whore.

Nothing happened at that time, since it was a program with a very small audience. The scandal erupted ten days later, when newspaper ABC published the lyrics of the song and vigorously protested its broadcast in children's programming hours, arguing that the song "degrades Spanish society, revolts the father of a family, unworthy the responsible citizen, breaks the intimacy of the home, violates what is established in the Constitution and goes beyond the limits of what is tolerable".

The media of that time asked for heads to roll: Caja de ritmos was not broadcast again, the presenter submitted his resignation and, the following Saturday, what the children's audience could see at that time was… a bullfight.

The snowball continued to grow until it reached the courts. The State Attorney General's Office filed a criminal complaint against the director of the program "for offense to modesty and good customs" and Loles Vázquez as the author of the lyrics and Mamen Rodrigo as vocal interpreter for public derision. Three, five years in prison and ten years of disqualification were requested for them. In 1986, the case was dismissed.

Thanks to growing up in very politically committed families, Loles – whose parents had fought against Franco in hiding, from unionism and women's associations – also had that support.

"My family helped us, my parents and brothers understood and supported us, we all went together, and it was quite important to feel so supported," the guitarist confesses. "We did not fear for our future, but of course it did worry us, because handling a scandal at the age we were was not easy, on the contrary, it was very difficult. A lot of stress, the phone did not stop ringing, everybody wanted to exploit the whole scandal: first musically and then the media, the political parties… It was pretty fucked up, speaking clearly".

Las Vulpess were the first all-female punk-rock quartet in Spain. I would venture to say that, even, rock in general. "If in the US or England it was already difficult for women to be in a rock group, well imagine in the Basque Country at that time. Even the boys had a hard time getting their instruments or a place, nobody had money, we were in a super harsh crisis. Rock and roll was very sexist, women's work was basically escort, groupie. Punk revolutionized everything, and one of the things that changed was the role of women. We too could be in a stage", concedes Loles Vázquez.

Now we are more accustomed, not only in punk but in more formal commercial pop, to hearing the word "bitch" or "whore" reversing its connotations of insult as a symbol of pride and self-affirmation. And, although it is impossible to collect data that proves anything, if they were not the first in the world, Las Vulpess sure were pioneers in this. Before rappers like Queen Latifah or MC Lyte began to use "bitch" in the same way in the US at the end of the 80s, no other precedents have been revealed. "I first played with Latin, hence the Vulpes thing," [Vulpes means fox in Latin, fox in Spanish has the same meaning that bitch in English] explains the author of the adaptation, which she wrote at the age of 15.

"It was what I received then. I wore leopard miniskirts made from car upholstery, we tore our stockings at the feet, because there weren't those things like leggings today… So with those looks, the stiletto shoes, the nets, the eyes painted with the eyeliner, when the guys passed by me they yelled at me: Whore! That was what they called me the most. And, well, I liked it. I liked being who I was. Being different was a source of pride. Those guys who defended marriage and those who were junkies and considered themselves cool, all told me the same. All those people calling me a bitch made me think, to that age, that being a whore was cool."

But what happened to Las Vulpess? Their label, Dos Rombos, hurried them to record the single that quickly sold out a circulation of 7,000 copies and, shortly after, sold 5,000 more, but the girls said they saw hardly any money from it.

Although the worst came with the concerts. On May 18, 1983, barely a month after the controversy, they performed at the temple of the Movida in Madrid, the Rock-Ola. But they ran into the peculiar reception of the security personnel in the room, who gave them a beating in the dressing room for singing a song critical of the Police. According to what Las Vulpess recounted, when they went to the nearest police station to report what had happened, they found that the agents who attended them were the same ones who had attacked them. They were policemen who had infiltrated the concert. It was not the only time, as confirmed by the guitarist.

"Yes, they used to beat us, yes. We were included in concerts with groups that had nothing to do with us. Then the press also released many lies and there were people who thought we would go out naked or in our panties. People weren't going to see a punk rock concert, they were going to cause a scandal. Buses full of fascists also came to boycott us, and we had to get out on our feet many times".

"In the end, everybody wanted to take advantage -adds Loles-, we were fresh meat, and both the politicians and the promoters took advantage, (…) they took all the money and we could not return home. All that burned us out a lot, it annoyed us quite a bit, and clearly, that caused us to break up, although it must also be emphasized that there were already musical differences between us".

That summer at the Bilbo festivities Las Vulpess said "enough" and disbanded a fortnight before entering to record what should have been their first album.

Source

#euskadi #euskal herria #basque country #pais vasco #pays basque #las vulpess #basque people #euskal musika #punk #history #awesome women #spain #Youtube

[frodo-with-glasses]

Teapot

It had belonged to his mother.

It was an heirloom, really; passed down through generations of the Brandybuck family until it finally became property of a Baggins. The periwinkle flowers and red strawberries painted on the outside of the porcelain had long since peeled away, and the inside was stained with a brown patina from hundreds of teatimes of yesteryear. But it was sturdy, and it stayed hot, and he'd swear up and down that something about that particular pot made the tea taste better, every single time.

He didn't have many mementos from his parents. He'd never been terribly sentimental about Things. But the teapot was practical, and saw near constant use, so it became a regular fixture in the kitchen of Bag End.

When the fit came over him, Bilbo would occasionally complain that the teapot was horribly ugly, and that they really ought to get rid of it, and that he'd seen a lovely little tea set for sale at the market that morning and it might be about time to make an investment, but up until the day he left for Rivendell he never did do a thing about it. Frodo knew why. He knew exactly why. Close as Bilbo was with his feelings, and loud as he'd snort at any accusation of sentimentality, he'd always had a tender—carefully protected, but very tender—heart.

He'd been quite close to Primula. He missed her just as much as Frodo did.

Maybe more.

- - -

Over half the estate was given away in the form of birthday presents, but of all the mundane knickknacks that had accumulated around Bag End, the teapot was one which got to stay. It wasn't really Bilbo's property to give away; and anyway, Frodo was sure he wouldn't have parted with it regardless. So it remained in the kitchen of a bachelor for seventeen years, as he grew older (though arguably not much wiser) and maybe a little bit sentimental.

He knew he was leaving the Shire. He didn't know quite where he was going. He had no guarantee he'd ever return. But he'd rather be gutted like a fish than let those insufferable Sackville-Bagginses get their grabby paws on his mother's precious teapot, so with a few other favorite belongings, and packed lovingly in a nest of cloth and straw, it made the cart-ride from Hobbiton to the little house in Crickhollow.

Tea was served with dinner that night in the faded old teapot.

Just for a moment, though he knew he couldn't stay, that little house almost felt like home.

- - -

He was leaving for the last time.

All the arrangements had been made. Once upon a time, for a journey like this, he might have packed a bag too large for even the sturdiest hobbit to carry, but not today. Time and experience had quite changed his mind on what he considered to be necessities.

There were just a few last things to cover; some last instructions to deliver, some final details to sort out, and some last goodbyes to make.

He found it strange, as he ran his hand along the arched wall of the hallway, touched the spine of every book, and gripped the ear of every chair like it was the shoulder of an old friend. He was saying goodbye to Things.

When had he become like this? When had he gotten so old and sentimental?

When he came to the kitchen, he had to stop in mid-tread. Nothing was out of the ordinary—everything was in its place—but suddenly, he was fighting to keep his lip steady.

There was the little faded teapot, sitting on the countertop in a patch of sunlight.

He lifted it in shaking hands; ghosted his thumb across its cold surface. He could almost see his reflection between the old paint chips.

Sam was behind him, leaning on the doorway of the kitchen, watching it all in sad and reverent silence. He looked curious, but hardly confused, when Frodo turned to him.

All at once, he felt terribly silly. Here he was, near tears, clutching a kitchen utensil to his chest like it was his infant child. But in Sam's eyes there was no judgment, only a warm and aching kindness, and with a shaking breath to steady himself, Frodo pressed the little teapot into his hands.

Sam took it without a word, but he did raise one eyebrow slightly when Frodo didn't let go.

His thin fingers lingered there, half on porcelain and half on Sam's calloused skin.

After a long moment, and another trembling breath, he finally found his voice.

"It was my mother's."

Sam's lips dropped open. He didn't say anything at first, but he stood up a little straighter, and his grip tightened ever so slightly, and a little spark of determination joined the grief already heavy in his brown eyes.

"I'll take good care of it," he said softly, and it was as good as a vow.

Frodo smiled, but his eyes and chest ached.

"I know."

- - -

WORD ASK GAME!

#word ask game #frodo baggins #bilbo baggins #samwise gamgee #lord of the rings #lotr #my writing #this is basically just the tea story all over again i'm sorry X'-D #i only have one story and i just keep telling it over again but slightly to the left

[smolestboop]

🍄 Wrote another fic! Not really Bagginshield, it's mostly Bilbo being a single parent to Frodo when he's still young. Soft found family is my weakness!!!!! 🍄

Hush Be All Water by smolestboop / my_dear_man on AO3 | Bilbo & Frodo, Found Family Moments | 1.4k words | Complete | Rating: Gen

Summary:

“Dear boy, whatever is the matter? Come, tell me what’s wrong,” he asked gently. The voice he used brought back memories of his late mother. The way she would worry over her only son, that familiar motherly voice, never failed to soothe Bilbo. He hoped it would do the same for Frodo.  “I… can't sleep.” The little hobbit whispered and paused for a while. He wiped his eyes with his shirtsleeves before the tears had the chance to fall.  “A nightmare,” he said in a tiny voice.

Also I recommend listening to this cover of 'Sing All Ye Joyful' by Bluefax on YouTube. This is what prompted me to write this fic. Happy reading! 🍄🌿🌱

#my fics #bilbo baggins #frodo baggins #lotr #the hobbit #bagginshield (if you squint)

[anna-dreamer]

I am probably in the minority here, but I don't see anything particularly glorious about the origin of Ëarendil the star. It's not a story worthy of an epic poem like the one Bilbo composed. It is a very sad story of a young lad who just wanted to sail the seas and a young girl who was put into an impossible situation of "The murderers of your family are at your doorstep demanding the very thing you believe helps your city survive in a nearly apocalyptic world, or else they will start killing everyone again. What do you do?" These two had children they'd left abandoned in Middle-Earth, it was their home they had left behind - and to rid them both of it was honestly such a horrible move! Elwing was parted with her sons forever, and it feels like she was also isolated from everybody since she got that odd tower in a remote location, and it sounds like her only companions were birds! She could have at least settled in Alqualondë where she had kin! And Ëarendil, oh poor Ëarendil. He had not seen his sons even longer, and he was almost completely removed from this world altogether! Ëarendil, a simple guy who would have preferred a single mortal life, was given a task that he can never complete and that will never end. He is not even a maia who, i don't know, might be more comfortable with a role of a celestial body? How is this endless voyage of isolation and solitude a glorious and hopeful thing? It's a nightmare! And all because of several otherworldly beings with superiority complex who could not bare that some puny undeserving incarnates dared to step onto their forbidden shores. Nevermind that Elwing and Ëarendil were refugies who had come begging for help. Nevermind that the situation itself was their own doing, since they had let Melkor out and ever since he went on a rampage were doing absolutely nothing! The Valar did not deserve any reverence. They did not deserve those pleas from a lonely frightened kid, as if he were a guilty child and them strict but benevolent parents. They did not bestow any great gift onto him - they executed their power because they felt threatened and needed to affirm it even after the most minor transgression.

Fuck the Valar. Bring the Dagor Dagorath as soon as possible. Bring Ëarendil down from the sky. Let him come home.

#obligatory fuck the valar tag #earendil #elwing #anti valar #silmarillion #silmatillion rant #never mind me im just crying over how this mythological creation of planet Venus in Tolkien Legendarium was so so unjust

[velvet4510]

The Gaffer is an interesting character to me. His few scenes definitely show us that he is a gruff kind of guy who never shies away from making his opinion known among the gossips. Though he’s illiterate, he’s not stupid at all, and is actually very intelligent when it comes to all things gardening. But he also has very polite manners toward the gentry and is more than humble enough to “know his place” and be content with the simple working class life. He doesn’t share Sam’s passion for Elves and for learning in general. He’s perfectly fine with his lot in life and has no aspirations. It’s clear that Sam’s modesty, resourcefulness, and grounded sense are all inherited from the Gaffer.

Yet I’ve seen the Gaffer get a bit of hate amongst the fandom. Some dislike how he apparently calls Sam names like “ninnyhammer,” and some fanfics have taken this and ran with it to the point of depicting the Gaffer as a straight-up abusive father. Which…absolutely does not gel with Tolkien’s portrait of him at all.

It seems to me that the Gaffer is actually similar to Gandalf in his demeanor. When frustrated or exasperated, he calls people names, but in an affectionate way. And Sam obviously adores his dad, constantly worrying about his wellbeing back home. It’s clear they have a close and good relationship. Sam just does not seem or feel like an abused child. Maybe overly humbled, yes - the Quest does give him a much-needed boost in self-esteem - but not abused. Sam doesn’t have an abusive or unkind bone in his body; I really don’t think he would be as benign as he is, if he grew up with as cruel a role model as many seem to assume the Gaffer is.

Especially since Sam’s mom is clearly no longer around, and his older siblings seem to have all moved out, since Sam and his dad are the only ones who live in 3 Bagshot Row. So they seem similar to Bilbo and Frodo in that it’s been the 2 of them for a while, they have their own little lifestyle system that works for them, and they look after each other.

Notice in particular how the Gaffer often calls his son “my Sam,” which to me indicates he has great affection and pride for Sam. He even seems like he has that parental mindset of remembering and always seeing his son as his little boy, even when his son is all grown up.

The Gaffer also gives off the vibe of somebody who is actually much more open-minded than he claims to be. Yes, he’s a traditionalist and doesn’t like the idea of leaving home for anything. But notice how he fervently defends Bilbo and Frodo in front of the gossips. He’s not among those who disapprove of the Bagginses or call them “mad.” He’s very fond of them and will not speak ill of them. He appreciates how kind they are to him, and doesn’t see any harm in their unusual interests. And while he does drill an absolute sense of humbleness into Sam by saying things like “don’t get mixed up with your betters,” he actually doesn’t seem to mind that Bilbo taught Sam to read and write, even though Sam wasn’t “supposed” to be literate given his place in society. I feel like while he is set in his ways, he is also able to notice and acknowledge when something unusual has its benefits.

And let’s never forget that the Gaffer is also brave! He literally lies to a Nazgûl’s face to protect Frodo, claiming Frodo had already left when he hadn’t. Even if he didn’t know Frodo hadn’t left yet, it’s still clear he has no intention of selling Frodo out to this creepy guy. When push comes to shove, the Gaffer has some admirable courage inside him…another quality of his that Sam inherited.

I also feel great sympathy for him when I consider what that year must’ve been like for him. Imagine your son disappearing without a trace for 14 straight months, right after some creepy cloaked guy comes asking for your son’s boss. How terrified must that poor guy have been! It’s not much of a stretch to assume he was worried about Sam every single day, wondering if he was safe, if he’d ever see him again. How much sleep must he have lost because of his fears.

And of course, Sam names his fourth son after him. Another indicator that they had a genuinely good and loving relationship.

I really like the Gaffer and will always defend him. Let’s give him some credit. He’s a good guy. We primarily have him to thank, anyway, for raising Sam to be the amazing person he is.

#lotr #jrr tolkien #lotr books #lord of the rings #gaffer #gaffer gamgee #hamfast gamgee #samwise gamgee #hobbits #the shire #lotr analysis #nazgul #ringwraiths #black rider

[sinisterbug]

Rediscovering the Amrâlimê anthology has me in my feels this morning. I completely forgot I had a copy. Tosquinha's art style will forever be my favorite, but @shamingcows' submission hurt my feelings in a way I thought I had healed and moved on from.

Apparently not.

I personally struggle to express how excited I am to see the fandom active still/again. It was there for me during hands down the most harrowing, lonely, and difficult part of my life thus far. Everything I'd relied on in my life up until that point was unraveling and I was suddenly a single, first-time parent.

Sansûkh, Amrâlimê, all the fun and amazing fandom events like art and fic exchanges and challenges, the shit posts, the cosplay, and how it all inspired me to create and contribute to the fandom in my own way - it helped me to not just hang on through those times, but it helped me grow and thrive a little, too.

I have a hazy memory of a really cool project but the name is escaping me. It was basically blog entries of mainly Bilbo (and I think Thorin, maybe the other company members had occasional entries too?) and their day-by-day progress toward Erebor.

As I recall, the portion where the company travels through the swamps was ESPECIALLY traumatizing as a reader (imo) because of how viscerally the bug bites were described.

I'm pretty sure it was Bagginshield. Does anyone remember the name of this project or the folks involved? This is going to drive me crazy. Google isn't helping.

#bagginshield #fandom appreciation #help with my mystery #surely someone remembers this project #the hobbit #thorin oakenshield #bilbo baggins

[alloftheimaginesblog]

a proper home {e.m}

Plot: Eddie's never really had the normal home experience so one night, you decide to cook him a homemade meal.

Character: Eddie Munson x Plus Size Reader

part of my eddie ‘pretty eyes’ series

Eddie had a good life; he was safe, loved and he had shelter over his head with food in his stomach every night. Sure, he and his Uncle Wayne weren't the most well off people in the world but they had enough to live off of so Eddie was content. It meant that they had to budget for things and had to save up for bigger purchases but they made it work. Eddie did odd jobs here and there to save up money so that he could buy his beloved guitar, it took him a long time but he made it work.

He loved living with his uncle, he loved living in a trailer; he loved his uncle and loved their life together but it was difficult especially growing up. When Eddie had been young it had been so hard when explaining to kids why his uncle picked him up and dropped him off, why it wasn't his dad. Kids at that age hate things that differ from the norm because they're not used to it so he would get teased for it. He didn't see the big deal that he didn't have his dad there, he had Wayne who was more than enough.

Wayne always went out of his way to make sure that Eddie was happy. He had done so much for the boy for years, given him forgiveness even when Eddie didn't deserve it. They were happy. It was one of the reasons he fell in love with Lord of the Rings so hard; because Frodo lived with his Uncle Bilbo. So even though Eddie had loved his upbringing with his uncle Wayne, he craved a part of the normal growing up experience.

Eddie had never been ashamed of his upbringing but when it came to dating and when you and he started dating, he couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious about it. He would compare himself to the likes of Steve Harrington who spontaneously pick up his car keys and treat his date to dinner, a movie and even bowling all in one night whereas Eddie would need to save for a few weeks to be able to do that. He just felt as though he couldn't provide enough for you.

He'd managed to get a job at the local music shop, selling instruments and even doing repairs. He loved it, he was good at it and he supposed the money was better than nothing but even then, he would give some money to his Uncle for bills and groceries and set aside a little for savings and when he looked at what he had left (after taking off expenses for his van) it wasn't much.

You'd always told him that you didn't mind, you really didn't. You told Eddie that you didn't need to do stuff every single week, you didn't need to be taken to fancy dinners and be spoiled every week. Sure, you liked going out and doing stuff with Eddie like going to the arcade or going shopping or getting lunch at a new café but you didn't expect it and you never expected it often either. You were more than happy with simple things like preparing a picnic and heading to the beach or having a walk through the woods or going for some ice cream or heading into town and window shopping. There was plenty that you and Eddie could do on a small budget but even though you'd reassured him of this so many times, it still bothered him.

He just wished that he could give you more.

You'd decided that you were going to treat Eddie. You knew that he craved a little taste of the 'normal' upbringing so you decided that you'd cook him a homecooked meal with him and treat him for a change. You wanted him to be spoiled instead. When you'd first proposed the idea to him, he was a little sceptical but when you reassured him that it would just be the two of you, he was more into it. He had met your parents but only a few times and for not very long, he didn't feel like having his first proper sit down homecooked meal with them just in case he made a fool of himself.

So when Saturday midday rolled around, you and Eddie headed to the local supermarket to get the groceries. You had given Eddie full control, he was picking what you made for dinner and dessert. He'd never had this before; he'd never had to be in the supermarket and not worry about the eventual cost. He did feel bad that you were paying for it but you reassured him that you didn't mind, you wanted to treat him so he accepted it (begrudgingly).

He'd decided that he'd quite like some chicken, potatoes, vegetables. "I've not had a proper Sunday roast dinner in... God I dunno... A decade ago? Christmas in... 75? Wayne and I had saved up and tried to cook a roast dinner but... we left it in too long and ended up filling the whole trailer with smoke." He smiled fondly at the memory, "Pretty funny though. We still ate what we could."

Once all of the ingredients were bought (and once you'd promised Eddie four times that you wanted to spend the money on the food so that you could make dinner) the two of you went to your house to start preparing it.

"I really appreciate this, you know," Eddie told you as the two of you drove him, "You don't have to do this you know."

"I know," you told him with a smile, "I want to. You deserve it, Eds."

Eddie felt inferior as he watched you get things set up in the kitchen. He had no idea about what to do. Sure, in school he'd had home economics classes years ago so he knew the very, limited basics such as hygiene around cooking and he knew how to deal with raw foods correctly but that was about it.

The two of you started to cook, you helping Eddie along the way. His cheeks remained a light shade of pink, he was a bit embarrassed that he didn't know this stuff, but he felt better knowing that you were there to help, not judge. Eddie was a fast learner, he took things in his stride and was able to understand them pretty quickly so teaching him things like how to chop vegetables and how to peel potatoes went pretty smooth.

Dinner's on and cooking away as your cleaning the worktops. Eddie looped his arms around your waist, hands cupping your stomach as his head falls onto your shoulder. You smile as his grip on you tightened. You loved the way he touches your curves, never judging and always loving. Before Eddie, you'd never been with anyone who appreciated your curves, your lumps and bumps for what Eddie did. Your curves drove Eddie wild. So round and soft and warm. He swayed to imaginary music as he smiles, "Thank you for all of this," his voice is quiet and you can tell that he really does appreciate all of this, "It, uh, it means a lot."

You smiled and turned your head to press a kiss to his nose, "You're welcome."

"No I mean it," he took the various objects out of your hands and spun you around to face him, hands trailing your hips, dancing over your love handles, "Thank you. I, uh- I don't really think I deserve all this effort but I'm glad that you think I'm worth it."

"Course you're worth it, Eds. I'd give you everything if you asked."

He blinked, he's obviously surprised to hear that you think so highly of him, "You mean that?"

You nodded, "Edward Munson, I love you more than I ever thought possible so you bet your ass I'd give you anything and everything you ask for."

He looked at you with awe filled eyes and then that lustful spark in his eye glinted and made him grin, "When you say anything..."

Laughing as you rolled your eyes, you swatted him away from you, "Oh you're so clever, aren't you?" You joked before you told him that the chicken was ready to take out of the oven.

Eddie grinned at you, capturing your lips in a sweet kiss, before he grabbed the oven mitt and took the chicken out of the oven, "Smells amazing," he murmured, inhaling deeply as he placed it on the counter, "It looks so good!"

Eddie let you plate the dishes, watching the portion sizes you chose, before carrying the plates to the dining table where he sat at one side and you at the other, "I'm weirdly nervous," he laughed, "Do we need to do anything? I've heard of saying grace, do we have to-"

"Not if you don't want to, we can just start eating if you want."

"Okay good because I'm starving."

You began to cut up your chicken in preparation to eat it, Eddie had already cut off a large piece in order and was tasting it right now, "Oh my god," he said, mouth full, "it's incredible!"

It simultaneously made your heart swell and broke it as you watched him tuck into the meal, moaning with every mouthful. It hurt you because you realised he'd never had this experience at least not for a long, long time; he'd never had a home cooked meal, never had the money or skill to do so. He'd never sat down at a table and ate with his loved ones. It hurt you knowing that he craved that so you vowed to give him little sprinklings of it as and when you could.

He cleared his plate pretty quickly, leaning back in the chair with his hand on his stomach, "God, I'm so full. That was so good." He grinned at you from across the table, ranting and raving about how good the meal was and how much easier it had been to actually cook it.

As you finished off your meal, Eddie never once judging you for how much you ate, you smiled at him, "I'm really glad we did this, Eds. I loved this."

Eddie nodded, "Me too... It's nice to have a - I dunno - a proper home experience?"

You shook your head, "You have a proper home, Eds," you told him softly, "just because it's not the same as mine doesn't make it any less real or any less valuable. I get our families money situations are vastly different but it doesn't mean that the trailer with your uncle isn't a home."

Eddie sighed, shoulders sagging, as he nodded, "Yeah, I get that actually... Well I enjoyed your version of your proper home experience." You smiled at him, "I dunno maybe one day we could make dinner for your parents?" He suggested, "Maybe my Uncle Wayne could come along too?"

You grinned at him, standing up and grabbing the dishes, "That sounds amazing, I'd love that, Eds."

He nodded, growing more confident in his suggestion, "Yeah, yeah that does sound pretty nice doesn't it? We could make this or we could make something else? I caught the last half of a cooking show the other night and they made this delicious looking-"

As he cleaned the dishes, he ranted on and on excitedly about what you could prepare for your respective families. You watched him with a smile, he was adorable; ranting away all excited like a kid on Christmas. You cut him off mid-sentence, grabbing him by the shirt and tugging him to you. It didn't matter that his hands were wet and soapy, didn't matter that he held a sponge, you'd not wanted to kiss that curly haired idiot more in your life than in that moment. Eddie dropped the sponge in the sink as you kissed him hard before his sodden hands went to your hips, grabbing the soft flesh of them before you pulled back, "I think that sounds perfect, Eds. I think it's all perfect."

#one shot #os #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson imagine #eddie munson x plus size reader #eddie munson #imagine #stranger things #eddie munson fluff #stranger things imagine #stranger things one shot #st imagine #st #st one shot #prompt #drabble