#so a child's ''every struggling person i meet may be a secret test of character'' turns into

[gffa]

I have often given Qui-Gon Jinn a hard time because he’s so often used in STAR WARS fandom as a weapon to beat on other characters I love and it makes it difficult to like him, as well as it overshadows who the character himself is. So, to help balance that out some, I wanted to do a set of recs to remind myself–and just share some happiness in!–that I actually do very much like Qui-Gon! He’s a good person who really loved the people around him, he cared very deeply, he had an amazing friendship with Yoda (seriously, that Yoda’s the one he reaches out to when he becomes a Force Ghost, that even after death, Qui-Gon loves his Jedi family, it gives me feelings in my feelings place every single time), and one of my favorite things about Master & Apprentice is that I often got the impression that he knew he was kind of obnoxious sometimes, but he was at peace with it, he was fine with that. That was a straight shot to my heart, I love that dude! So, here have some fics that celebrate that Qui-Gon is actually a really great character. He may not always be the central character, but I remember him being well portrayed in these and they gave me good Qui-Gon feelings! STAR WARS - QUI-GON JINN FIC RECS: ✦ Reprise by Elfpen, obi-wan & qui-gon & anakin & dooku & mace & cast, time travel, 491.1k wip    Ben Kenobi dies aboard the Death Star in the year 0 BBY. He wakes up shortly thereafter in the Jedi temple in the year 41 BBY. Haunted by memories and regret, Ben must forge a new path for himself in the Jedi Order of his youth while navigating the murky waters of time travel. Crafting a better future from bitter experience is hard, but learning to heal is even harder. Major AU. ✦ The Way Back Home by Anakinstopyourpanakin, happygiraffe, obi-wan & qui-gon & bant & tahl, 39.5k wip    He had been missing for nearly four years. How could Obi-Wan be alive? It was too good to be true, and simultaneously too horrifying. What had been done to the innocent child who was currently falling asleep against his shoulder, and did his wounds run too deep for Qui-Gon to mend? ✦ When the world gets too heavy put it on my back by nematoda, obi-wan & anakin & qui-gon, 29.8k    Obi-Wan is different when it comes to relationships. Not in a bad way, just… different. Studies of platonic love in the life of Obi-Wan Kenobi, exploring the master/padawan relationship with Qui-Gon and eventually with Anakin. ✦ Shadows of the Future by stormqueen873, obi-wan & anakin & qui-gon & cast, 129.3k    ObiWan lost the duel on Mustafar, but instead of dying, he finds himself on a ship leaving Tatooine, with his old Master and a familiar young boy. As events begin to unfold, can he stop the future he knows from occuring? ✦ No Galaxy for Good Jedi by Annie_Walker, obi-wan & anakin & padme & qui-gon & dooku & yoda & cast, some obi-wan/satine, sith!qui-gon, 124.8k wip    Obi-Wan Kenobi was only a young padawan when he ran away with three-year old Anakin. He had no choice after his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, fell to the Dark Side by Master Dooku’s manipulations. ✦ Masters and Padawans: Three Generations by GirlwithCurls98, qui-gon & obi-wan + obi-wan & anakin + anakin & ahsoka, 24.6k    Three generations of incredible bonds. ✦ What Is My Heritage? by Marnie, qui-gon & yoda, 7.7k    Qui-Gon, age 13, tries to find a place to belong. ✦ Coming Home by Marnie, qui-gon & yoda & dooku, 18.1k    A story telling how Qui-Gon comes to be Dooku’s apprentice. ✦ Trust Me by Charmisjess, dooku & qui-gon, 2k    A certain Jedi Master is less than pleased about being laid up with the flu. ✦ Triviality and QuiGon by Charmisjess, dooku & qui-gon, 4.1k    The Council’s infinite cruelty gives Dooku the most brutal of punishments: quality time with the Padawan and his plantlife! ✦ Rainy by Charmisjess, dooku & qui-gon, 26.8k wip    A seemingly easy mission goes horribly wrong for Padawan Qui and Master Dooku as they struggle to battle an insane adversary, poisons and curses, and an awful lot of rain. ✦ The Luckiest Man Alive + Letting Go by Elfpen, obi-wan & qui-gon & dooku & yoda, 7.9k    Yoda, Dooku, and a twenty four year old QuiGon go to the small planet of Omartia to pick up a forcesensitive infant. + Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan go to pick up a Force-sensitive child. On the way back, Qui-Gon is faced with the fact that someday very soon, he will have to let Obi-Wan go. ✦ Lineage by ruth baulding, obi-wan & qui-gon & xanatos & cast, 35.9k    AU!Jedi Apprentice. Book I: In which master and apprentice meet for the first time, enjoy a disastrous adventure courtesy of Xanatos DuCrion, and reap the fruits of patience and fortitude. A fanciful retelling of the original. ✦ Lineage II by ruth baulding, obi-wan & qui-gon & cast, 40.9k    A year or so has elapsed since the last time we saw our heroes. BOOK 2: In which master and apprentice investigate an evil brainwashing plot, attend a boisterous wedding, and battle the enemy within. ✦ Lineage III by ruth baulding, obi-wan & qui-gon & dooku & xanatos & bant & cast, 49.4k    AU!Jedi Apprentice. Book III: Master and apprentice face an important rite of passage, grapple with a traitorous plot within the Temple’s walls, and discover the limits of obedience and intuition. Appearances by Bant Eerin, Xanatos DuCrion, Yan Dooku, and others. ✦ Lineage IV by ruth baulding, obi-wan & qui-gon & siri & adi gallia, 39.3k    Master and apprentice endure a stint with the Agri-Corps, and find that trouble has a way of coming home to haunt them. Featuring a pile of bantha poodoo, a tentacled carnivorous plant, a desperate escaped convict, and a highly provocative young woman. ✦ Lineage V by ruth baulding, obi-wan & qui-gon & tahl (& some qui-gon/tahl) & dooku & cast, 50.7k    An evil scientist wreaks havoc when she captures Jedi Knight Tahl Uvain for purposes of obscure research; Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan rush to the rescue, only to be embroiled in further trouble; and Master Dooku joins in the hunt with characteristic aplomb. ✦ Lineage VI by ruth baulding, obi-wan & qui-gon & cast, 66.2k    Master and apprentice undertake a risky undercover mission to expose conspiracy in a far-flung sector; a comedy of manners abruptly transforms into a nightmare when their cover is blown; and a desperate escape gambit strikes deep at the foundations of trust. ✦ Lineage VII by ruth baulding, obi-wan & qui-gon & siri & adi gallia & some obi-wan/siri, 74.5k    Sent to the aid of their fellow Jedi on a disastrous mission to New Apsolon, master and apprentice contend with brainwashing, genocide, conspiracy, and the perilous realm of the heart. ✦ Lineage VIII by ruth baulding, obi-wan & qui-gon & cast, 83.4k    Hard on the heels of the mission to Apsolon, master and apprentice find new troubles - in their own backyard. Jenna Zan Arbor faces prosecution for her crimes; the Jedi grapple with the disastrous realities of corruption and personal loss; Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon undertake perilous and disparate quests. ✦ Lineage IX by ruth baulding, obi-wan & qui-gon & dooku & cast, 61k    A year after parting ways, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon struggle to complete their self-appointed quests for enlightenment and justice. ✦ Lineage X by ruth baulding, obi-wan & qui-gon & dooku, 49.2k    The war-ravaged world Melida-Daan is backdrop to a manhunt, an occult conspiracy, a bitter guerilla conflict, and a test of ultimate loyalties. ✦ Lineage XI by ruth baulding, obi-qan & qui-gon & cast, 56k    The disastrous situation on Melida-Daan takes a turn for the worse; the Jedi dispatch a team to capture a dangerous murderer; and Qui-Gon Jinn and his former apprentice face the consequences of their rebellion. Series finale. ✦ Snakefic by esama, obi-wan & anakin & qui-gon & yoda & cast, 6k    It was only the matter of time before the egg hatched. ✦ Strokes of Colored Grey by Elfpen, obi-wan & qui-gon, 9.5k    ObiWan has been drawing since he was a small youngling, but only a few people know, including his teacher, Vianro Dleka, and the elderly, trustworthy archivist, KinWan Terius. But what happens when his master discovers his secret? ✦ Pies, Books, and Swords, obi-wan & qui-gon/tahl, 1.2k    Qui-Gon Jinn has made quite a good name for himself, as far as holonet cooking shows go. ✦ They Are by Charmisjess, dooku & qui-gon, 1.7k    This is their moment, their eternity. They think its going to be like this forever. ✦ Strongest Stars by Elfpen, obi-wan & qui-gon & chirrut & cast, 2.6k    The Force works in mysterious ways. A few quiet moments in the dark create a touchstone spanning across three generations, two orthodoxies, a war, time, space, and the galaxy. A maverick meets a visionary and listens for a song. Spoilers for Rogue One, sort of? ✦ Anecdotally by Elfpen, obi-wan & qui-gon & cast, 14.6k    The biggest stories are always made up of smaller ones. Here are some of the forgotten moments in the life of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Will feature a wide variety of genres, characters, eras, and AUs. Oneshots from whenever inspiration strikes. ✦ the floor under our feet by FoxGlade, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka & qui-gon & dooku + background pairings, 4.5k wip    or, the adventures and exploits of Qui-Gon’s three adopted children. ✦ A Long, Long Time Ago by ruth baulding, dooku & qui-gon + qui-gon & obi-wan + obi-wan & anakin + anakin & ahsoka, 5.8k    A wisdom tale handed passed down through the generations poses troublesome questions for a line of masters and Padawans, from Dooku to Ahsoka Tano. ✦ Family by lilyconrad, obi-wan & anakin & qui-gon & darth maul & cast, sith!obi-wan, 6.8k    Seven years after the duel on Naboo, Obi-Wan Kenobi has turned to the dark, Maul has turned to the light, and young Anakin is caught somewhere in-between. Can Qui-Gon rescue his Padawan before it’s too late? ✦ Fountain of Force by esama, qui-gon & cast, final fantasy 7 crossover, 8.9k    In which Qui-Gon Jinn comes from Gaia. ✦ Midwinter Sun by orphan_account, dooku & qui-gon, 4.2k    Padawan Jinn is a rebel and Dooku is very much not ready. ✦ Jedi In Winter by bluedragoninamber, obi-wan & qui-gon & dooku & yoda, 12.3k    In which Yan Dooku understands regret and tries to make things right. Something new will be born from the ashes of the old but exactly what remains to be seen. ✦ A New History by Annie Walker, obi-wan & anakin & qui-gon & dooku & cast, time travel, 533.4k wip    During a heated battle, Dooku escaped into the past! Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker follow to stop him, but discover that Dooku went to the past where Obi-Wan is a young padawan to a very much alive Qui-Gon Jinn. Now, the two must go undercover to stop Dooku’s plans from coming to fruition in order to save not only the future, but also young Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn. ✦ In the Heart of the Force by ReneeoftheStars, ahsoka & qui-gon, 1.7k    Ahsoka Tano travels back to the world between world’s. Searching for answers, she comes across a past event that only makes her question the past even more. ✦ Stitches and Time by ladyarcherfan3, obi-wan & anakin & qui-gon & ocs, 4k    Alara Nel is a seamstress who keeps getting an unusually large number of orders for Jedi robes from an Obi-Wan Kenobi. Over the years, she learns why and gets to know the Jedi a little bit better. ✦ The Uses of a Sandwich by Laura Kaye (laurakaye), obi-wan & qui-gon & oc & cast, 17.6k    A few months after being taken as a Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi faces a challenge: meeting his Master’s first apprentice. ✦ untitled by elfpen, obi-wan & qui-gon, 3.1k    Anonymous asked: if you’re still accepting prompts: smol padawan obi-wan letting slip his law abiding exterior and letting loose the terrifying intensity beneath it. preferably in defense of qui-gon or something. ✦ The will of the Force by Lysore, obi-wan & yoda & qui-gon, 2.7k    Obi-Wan piqued Yoda’s interest early on, except the Grand Master of the Order had known for just as long that the Initiate was destined to be Qui-Gon Jinn’s Padawan. ✦ I thought I fought this war alone by stonefreeak, obi-wan & qui-gon & cast, time travel, 3.7k    Obi-Wan is thirteen years old, just about to start learning Ataru from his Master. Obi-Wan is sixty-one years old, dead and one with the Force since four years back. Obi-Wan is both, and neither. ✦ The First Trial by Raven_Knight, obi-wan & qui-gon, 2k    Accompanied by his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, young Obi-Wan Kenobi undergoes his first trial and rite as a Padawan Learner on the frozen planet of Ilum. ✦ Hearts Entwined by KeeperofSeeds, obi-wan & shmi & qui-gon, time travel, 6.5k wip    stolen moments between Padawan Kenobi and Shmi Skywalker, glimpsed by Qui Gon Jinn, and his continued attempts to understand both this strange new addition to the Temple and the unexplained relationship between the pair ✦ The Orchards by Raven_Knight, obi-wan & qui-gon & cast, 3.6k    When young Obi-Wan Kenobi is injured on a previous mission, Qui-Gon Jinn refuses to accept further off-planet missions until his Padawan’s recovery. Yoda assigns the pair an in-Temple mission of utmost importance while Obi-Wan heals. Master and Padawan welcome the change of pace. ✦ The Path of Totality by Raven_Knight, obi-wan & yoda & qui-gon & cast, 1.8k    Before going their separate ways into exile, Obi-Wan Kenobi shares with Yoda a lesson of wisdom he’d learned from his late Master, Qui-Gon Jinn. A lesson of darkness, light, and hope. ✦ Finding Balance by Raven_Knight, qui-gon & dooku & jocasta, 1.4k    Eleven-year-old Padawan Jinn is left behind while his Master goes on a mission off-planet. Qui-Gon is left in the care of Jocasta Nu, and he’s not exactly enthusiastic about it. ✦ Warmth by Tomatosoupful, obi-wan & anakin & qui-gon & xanatos & tahl & shmi & cast, child endangerment, time travel, 59.8k wip    Time Travel AU. Anakin has woken up in the past. Time to say hello to past friends, right? Only problem, Anakin is a walking talking human disaster and makes a lot of stupid decisions. Stealing a Jedi baby from the temple certainly isn’t the smartest thing he’s done. ✦ Abducted by devilinthedetails, obi-wan & qui-gon, 1.6k    In trying to rescue the kidnapped daughter of a planetary leader, Qui-Gon finds himself abducted and in need of Obi-Wan’s rescue. ✦ Trust Fall by devilinthedetails, obi-wan & anakin & qui-gon, 1.4k    Two generations of Masters and Padawans. Two generations of trust falls. ✦ Something Borrowed, Something New by Raven_Knight, qui-gon & dooku/jocasta, 1.6k    Qui-Gon Jinn had only been claimed as Knight Dooku’s Padawan for three weeks before he’d managed to get himself into trouble with his Master. ✦ In Memoriam by ruth baulding, obi-wan & anakin & qui-gon & evan piell, 6.4k    In the midst of a desperate escape from the Citadel, Obi Wan mourns a friendship. A tribute to Jedi Master Evan Piell. ✦ One Day by ruth baulding, obi-wan & qui-gon & mace & shmi & bail/breha & palpatine, 9.9k    A single moment in time, on five different planets. A birth, an election, a discovery, a marriage, and a mission. Because all things are mysteriously united in the Force. ✦ They Are by Charmisjess, dooku & qui-gon, 1.7k    This is their moment, their eternity. They think its going to be like this forever. ✦ The Exchange by MissLearn, obi-wan & anakin & some anakin/padme & ahsoka & qui-gon & rex & cast, time travel, 77k wip    ROTS Obi-Wan and Anakin are swapped with their younger, TPM, selves. It changes things, in both parallels. ✦ Family by lilyconrad, obi-wan & anakin & qui-gon & darth maul & cast, sith!obi-wan, 6.8k    Seven years after the duel on Naboo, Obi-Wan Kenobi has turned to the dark, Maul has turned to the light, and young Anakin is caught somewhere in-between. Can Qui-Gon rescue his Padawan before it’s too late? ✦ Fountain of Force by esama, qui-gon & cast, final fantasy 7 crossover, 8.9k    In which Qui-Gon Jinn comes from Gaia. ✦ Rewrought by esama, obi-wan & qui-gon & maul, time travel, 4.4k    Bit o time travel ✦ Lion Jinn by esama, obi-wan & anakin & qui-gon & cast, 5.7k wip    Qui-Gon Jinn reincarnates as a lion. ✦ Brothers (working title) by Charity_Angel, obi-wan & anakin & qui-gon & padme & shmi & yoda & cast, 17.3k wip    In which Qui-Gon has a very near miss on Naboo, Obi-Wan is very stubborn, and they end up breaking a lot of rules accidentally as a result. All because of that kid they picked up on Tatooine. ✦ untitled by legobiwan, yoda & dooku & qui-gon, 1.5k    Yan Dooku was getting too old for this type of thing. He had rushed into the healer’s ward, Qui-gon’s limp body in his arms. That in itself had been a feat, as the boy’s gangly limbs were everywhere, but somehow the older Jedi Master had been able to deposit his wayward Padawan on a bed before an errant arm took his nose off. ✦ Drifting Starlight by Pandora151, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka & qui-gon & cast, time travel, 60.3k    Just before the fateful Battle of Naboo, Qui-Gon Jinn is brought to the future, to the Clone Wars. He doesn’t know why or how, but he knows one thing for sure: He never, in a million years, expected the galaxy to end up like this. ✦ Although He Smiles by AutumnChild22, obi-wan & anakin & ahsoka & padme & qui-gon & cast, time travel, 86.9k wip    She’d counted the 750 steps down from the Temple. She’d said her goodbyes, and left Master Anakin standing below the great pillars. What more could the Force want from her? ‘Everything’ sums it up nicely. Waking 13 years in the past, Ahsoka faces a harsh reality. As events begin to unfold, she faces a ticking clock that times a galaxy’s end. ✦ A New History by Annie Walker, obi-wan & anakin & qui-gon & dooku & cast, time travel, 533.4k wip    During a heated battle, Dooku escaped into the past! Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker follow to stop him, but discover that Dooku went to the past where Obi-Wan is a young padawan to a very much alive Qui-Gon Jinn. Now, the two must go undercover to stop Dooku’s plans from coming to fruition in order to save not only the future, but also young Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn. ✦ The First Trial by Raven_Knight, obi-wan & qui-gon, 2k    Accompanied by his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, young Obi-Wan Kenobi undergoes his first trial and rite as a Padawan Learner on the frozen planet of Ilum. ✦ Hearts Entwined by KeeperofSeeds, obi-wan & shmi & qui-gon, time travel, 6.5k wip    stolen moments between Padawan Kenobi and Shmi Skywalker, glimpsed by Qui Gon Jinn, and his continued attempts to understand both this strange new addition to the Temple and the unexplained relationship between the pair ✦ Highly Dissatisfied by Raven_Knight, obi-wan & qui-gon, 1.1k    Obi-Wan enters the quarters he shares with his Master, intending to ask for help in preparation for his exams. Qui-Gon, however, is dealing with a far more urgent matter. ✦ playing yourself like a red three by EclipseMidnight (EternalEclipse), obi-wan & xanatos & qui-gon, 7.7k    As usual, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon’s mission has gone spectacularly sideways, this time before they even reach the planet they are meant to be helping. Luckily for them, they get some help from an unexpected source. ✦ so far the suns by blackkat, mace & qui-gon, 1.3k    “My old friend,” Qui-Gon tells Mace, quiet, and his presence comes closer. “I fear I made several mistakes in the past weeks, and I would ask you to correct them for me.” ✦ The Cry by batsojopo, obi-wan & qui-gon & xanatos & ocs & cast, 4.2k    This is my version of how Obi-Wan Kenobi arrived at the Jedi Temple. ✦ kybersong by Shadaras, obi-wan & qui-gon, 1.6k    Obi-Wan Kenobi goes in search of his lightsaber’s crystal heart. ✦ What Have We Become by Batsutousai, feemor & qui-gon & obi-wan & anakin & cast, time travel, 43.7k    One of Feemor’s greatest regrets, was that he never had the chance to get to know his brother-padawan, but the Force is willing to give him one more chance. And maybe, if he’s lucky, he can finally make amends with his former master and save them all in the process. ✦ We Start and End With Family by Batsutousai, feemor & qui-gon & obi-wan & yoda & cast, time travel, 8.8k    Qui-Gon had been mostly joking when he’d originally brought up the idea of a lineage dinner, but when his former padawan grabbed for the idea with both hands and a desperation Qui-Gon didn’t understand (and privately hoped he never would), he knew he would never be able to refuse. ✦ turning dust right into gold by blackkat, mace/qui-gon & depa & cast, 1.3k    Mace knows Depa too well. She’s absolutely going to do something terrible, particularly for Mace’s dignity. ✦ A Price to Be Paid by Peach_Bitters (Starf), qui-gon & dooku & cast, 3.1k    Young Qui-Gon learns there’s a price to be paid for his curiosity. ✦ For the Future of the Order by thetorontokid, obi-wan & qui-gon & cast, 3.9k    There are important lessons to be found in the Jedi Temple crèche.

#qui gon jinn #obi wan kenobi #dooku #yoda #mace windu #xanatos du crion #fic recs #star wars fic recs #long post #really long post

[christinaroseandrews]

Looking for a Romance this Valentine’s Day?

So, every publication and blogger is putting out a Valentine’s Day romance list, and we are nothing if not followers. We’ve assembled a large list (33 Books) of a mix of traditionally and indie published books. All of the books on this list are ones we’ve read and feel comfortable recommending. And they all fit the definition of romance - a story where the relationship is central to the overall plot and features a happy for now or happily every after ending.

We’re going to break this down into several categories because not everyone reads Regency romances (but we are going to start there).

Regency Romance

These are books set between 1795-1837. While the Regency itself was only from 1811-1820 most people use these dates including Wikipedia. This was honestly one of the hardest for us to narrow down, mostly because it’s the dominant genre in traditionally published romance -- even Contemporary doesn’t hold a candle to Regency right now.

Sweet Disorder - Rose Lerner - M/F Romance (Steamy) - Election hijinks ensue when the local election hinges on who the widowed wife of a newspaper printer marries. Other Notes: Plus-Sized Heroine, Family Drama, Disabled Characters, Everyday People Falling in Love, Marginalized Author (Jewish).

The Baroness Affair - Jean Wilde - M/M/F Romance (Steamy) - A desperate noblewoman enlists the help of a male courtesan to help her get pregnant... no it’s not what you think. Other Notes: Equal Triad Polyamory, Period Appropriate Homophobia, LBGT Romance, Family Drama.

How To Start a Scandal - Madeline Martin - M/F Romance (Steamy) - A wallflower and secret society reporter reconnects with the Earl Next Door who’s recently returned from the war. Other Notes: Plus-Sized Heroine, Family Drama, Positive Mental Illness Portrayal, Cute Plot Animals.

Project Duchess - Sabrina Jeffries - M/F Romance (Steamy) - A duke returns to his family after the mysterious death of his stepfather, yet another duke, only to be enchanted by a woman who has a connection to the last person to see his stepfather alive. Other Notes: Older Heroine (the whole series features these), Romantic Suspense Series, family drama. I’m really enjoying the whole series and it’s worth a read.

The Rakess - Scarlett Peckham - M/F Romance (Steamy) - This is a love it or hate it kind of book that flips so many of the conventional romance tropes on its ear. It features a hard-drinking, hard-smoking, highly sexual woman who authors progressive literature and causes a scandal just by living her life meeting up with a mild-mannered reputation conscious Scottish Architect with two small children. Even the cover flips the script on the classic clinch cover. I loved it. A lot people didn’t. Other notes: Period appropriate sexism/hypocrisy/etc., CW: alcoholism, neighbors to lovers, adorable plot moppets.

Paranormal Romance

These are romances that feature a fantastical element. This can be anything from vampires to shifters to time travel. These also will often be series which may or may not continue with the same relationship throughout several books.

Hot Ghost - Annika Martin - M/F Romance (Steamy) - A waitress finds love with the ghost who haunts the pier near her family’s restaurant. Other Notes: Major Character Death (It’s a Ghost Romance...), Everyday People Falling in Love, Novella.

Accepting Fate - Deanna Chase - M/F Romance (Steamy) - Fresh from a bad break up, a woman meets her soulmate at an art gallery opening. Together they have to work through their trauma and find out if they can be happy together. Other Notes: Childhood trauma, Fire Fighter Romance, Soulmates, Artists.

Gretel - Niamh Murphy - F/F Romance (Steamy) - A retelling of the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel with a very interesting twist. Other Notes: Age-Gap Romance, Novella.

One Shade of Grey - Monica Corwin - M/F Romance (Steamy) - Dorian Grey, yes that one, has a bit of a problem. He keeps seeing a woman who he thinks is the reincarnation of his lost love. But is she really? Or is he going insane? Other Notes: Positive Portrayal of Mental Illness, Classical Story Retelling, Billionaire Romance, Immortality

Tangled in Time - Barbara Longley - M/F Romance (Steamy) - Cursed to see spirits, Regan is approached by the spirit of a cursed Irish warrior. Now they must work together to lift his curse and fall in love along the way. Other Notes: Fae Romance, Time Travel Romance, Ghost Romance.

Hunger Pangs: True Love Bites - Joy Demorra - M/M/F Romance (Steamy or Fluffy) - A vampire, a werewolf, and a magic user walk into a plot to end the world. Of course they have to fall in love along the way. Other Notes: Vampire Romance, Werewolf Romance, Magic User Romance, LBGT Fantasy Romance, Bisexual Romance, Postive Mental Illness representation, Marginalized Author (Disabled, Queer, Neurodivergent).

Erotic Romance

These are books where the sex is as much a part of the romance as the rest of the story. The plots here tend to be thinner, but they’re still present and important. This is not smut for smut’s sake. The relationship is important too. All of these are going to rate high on the steam.

After Hours - Lynda Aicher - M/F Romance - An executive assistant accidentally observes an after hours orgy in one of the boardrooms. Rather than be repulsed, she’s aroused. And up for more. Other Notes: Workplace Romance, Voyeurism, Exhibitionism, Mild BDSM, Boss/Subordinate Relationship.

Loving Maddie from A to Z - Kelly Jamison - M/M/F Romance - An outwardly happy couple looks to add something to their relationship by inviting their friend into their home and bed. Other Notes: Polyamory, BDSM, Big City Romance.

Ever After - Eden French - M/M/F Romance - An erotic modern retelling of the Cinderella fairy tale featuring billionaires, celebrities, and lots of hot sex. Other Notes: Interracial Romance, Polyamory, Billionaire Romance, CW: Child Abuse.

Test Drive - N.S. Johnson - M/F Romance - A so-called good girl finds that she’s really not when she falls for the leader of a street racing crew. Other Notes: Polyamory, CW: Infidelity, Interracial Romance, Reverse Harem, Recreational Drug Use, Author of Color.

Other Historical Romance

These are romances set outside of the Regency but not during contemporary periods. A lot of old school romances tend to be this because medieval was big then. But it also includes everything up to 1990 too... Yeah... I know... I feel old.

Let It Shine - Alyssa Cole - M/F Romance (Steamy) - Set during the civil rights movement, this story follows two young people struggling to find their voice and love amidst the turmoil of the 1960s. Other Notes: Interracial Romance, Period Appropriate Racism, Period Appropriate Anti-Semitism, Author of Color, Sports Romance, Novella.

In Pursuit Of... - Courtney Milan - M/M Romance (Steamy) - Set immediately after the American War for Independence it features a British soldier falling in love with a Black man who fought for the American side. Other Notes: Interracial Romance, Romantic Comedy, period appropriate racism, author of color, Novella.

Bringing Down the Duke - Evie Dunmore - M/F Romance (Steamy) - A rare female scholar tries to keep her scholarship going while also crusading for the rights of women in Victorian England. Other Notes: Alpha Hero, Clueless Heroine.

Contemporary Romance

These romances are set in the last 25 years and run the gamut of tropes.

Get a Life, Chloe Brown - Talia Hibbert - M/F Romance (Steamy) - Sick of living her life wrapped in tissue paper, Chloe Brown sets off to live a little. And to do that, she needs the help of her building’s manager. Other Notes: Plus-Sized Heroine, Interracial Romance, Disabled Characters, Positive Portrayal of Mental Illness, Marginalized Author (Black). As a note the sequel Take a Hint, Dani Brown is just as good and features a Bisexual Woman of Color.

Beg, Borrow, or Steal - Susie Tate - M/F Romance (Fluffy) - A medical student has to juggle the needs of being a single mother, a student, and paying the bills. And if that means she’s got to take off her clothes to do that, that’s what she’s going to do. Too bad she keeps falling asleep in class. Other Notes: No Sex (No really), But also Super sex positive, Student/Teacher Relationship, Adorable Plot Moppet.

Soft Hands - Ariel Bishop - M/M Romance (Steamy) - A professional Hockey Player ends up falling for the team trainer and massage therapist. Other Notes: Bisexual Rep, Sports Romance, Interracial Romance.

The Year We Fell Down - Sarina Bowen - M/F Romance (Steamy) - Two people who’ve suffered from accidents which have left them disabled find each other at a Harvard Expy. While one of the characters only has a temporary disability (broken leg) it still fucking counts. Other Notes: New Adult Romance, Disabled characters, Sports Romance, College Romance.

Small Town Romance

A subgenre of Contemporary Romance, these are books set in a small town and often the stakes tend to be pretty low. They can run the range of no-sex to lots of steam. They are also often VERY WHITE. While many are set in America, they can also be set elsewhere with Australia and the British Isles being the most common other settings.

Falling for Her Brother’s Best Friend - Noelle Adams - M/F Romance (Steamy) - Who doesn’t love a small town romance featuring characters that used to be childhood friends becoming more? Other Notes: New Adult Romance.

The Last One - Tawdra Kandle - M/F Romance (Steamy) - Meghan, an art student, and Sam, a farmer, and how they meet in small-town Georgia when Meghan comes to teach art over the summer to the kids in town…and ends up staying with Sam and his family. Other Notes: Alpha Male Hero.

If Wishes Were Horses - Caitlyn Lynch - M/F Romance (Steamy) - When an Aussie woman inherits partial ownership in a horse ranch in Ireland, sparks fly. Other Notes: Novella, Irish Romance.

Old School Romance

These are romances that were written before the rise of indie publishing where white men had the power and it shows. These are what people point to when they reduce romance novels to just “bodice rippers” but even then they weren’t just that.  BTW none of these books feature Fabio so suck it!

Skye O’Malley - Bertrice Small - M/F Romance (Steamy) - Daughter of a small Irish lord, this book follows Skye through her life and romances across England, Ireland, and even Algeria. It’s wild and all over the place and is not your typical romance novel. It ends on a HEA but there is a JOURNEY. But gods it’s one of my old-school faves. Other Notes: Major Character Death. Non-Con, Pirates, Interracial Romance, Historical Domain Characters, This is not your typical romance. I like the whole series... but that’s a me thing.

The Traveling Matchmaker Series - Marion Chesney/M.C Beaton - M/F Romance (Fluffy) - A housekeeper inherits a large sum of money and decides to use it to travel about England. Along the way, she makes matches for the other passengers of the stagecoach she’s traveling on while getting into all sorts of adventures. This series is pure fluff and I love it. Other Notes: Period appropriate xenophobia, Age Gap Romance.

Remembrance - Jude Deveraux - M/F Romance (Steamy) - A romance novelist discovers that the reason she hasn’t found love is because of an issue with her past life. So she decides to do something about it... only to find it’s just the very tip of the story. Other Notes: Time Travel Romance, Past Lives, Meta... so very meta.

Desire in Disguise - Rebecca Brandewyne - M/F Romance (Steamy) - Look this is set during the French Revolution and features duelling (quite literally) pirates. This is a wild ride and it’s so old school it hurts. Other Notes: Alpha hero, mistaken identity, enemies to lovers, spies, pirates, But oh so many problematic tropes. This looks to be out of print... so check your local library.

Gentle Warrior - Julie Garwood - M/F Romance (Steamy) - Set right after the Norman Invasion of England, this features a Norman Lord who was granted an Anglo-Saxon wife and all of the drama that comes with. Note... this is the first Romance Novel I ever read.. My mother bought it for me when it was newish -- in 1987. Other Notes: CW: Rape, Arranged Marriage, Non-conventionally Attractive Hero.

Books that check all of the boxes of Romance but aren’t Labeled as Romance because Sexism.

Romance isn’t about sex. There’s lots of books with explicit sex in them that aren’t Romance and several with a strong romantic relationship that drives the plot which ends happily and satisfying. But sexism is a thing and so here we are.

The Princess Bride - William Goldman - M/F Romance (Fluffy) - You’ve probably seen the movie. The book is also fun. And since the romance is central to the plot AND the ending is a happy one (especially in the movie) it qualifies.

The Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins - M/F Romance (Fluffy) - Look who would have thought that in a book about kids killing each other and the violence of war that Romance would play that big of a role? But it does. And it is. And it’s important.

Katherine - Anya Seton - M/F Romance (Fluffy) - This could feasibly go into Old School Romance, but apparently the publishers have decided to downplay the actual romance and try to sell this as literature. It follows the real-life Romance between Katherine Swineford and the Duke of Lancaster. 

Did we leave off any of your favorites? It’s probably because we haven’t read them! We always like recs, especially featuring marginalized authors or main characters with marginalized identities.

If you like this kind of thing, consider leaving us a tip in our Ko-Fi!

#Romance novels #romance recommendations #romance books #romance #valentine's day #historical romance #regency romance #contemporary romance #small town romance #paranormal romance #old school romance

[ecoamerica]

Watch the American Climate Leadership Awards 2024 now: https://youtu.be/bWiW4Rp8vF0?feature=shared

The American Climate Leadership Awards 2024 broadcast recording is now available on ecoAmerica's YouTube channel for viewers to be inspired by active climate leaders. Watch to find out which finalist received the $50,000 grand prize! Hosted by Vanessa Hauc and featuring Bill McKibben and Katharine Hayhoe!

#ACLA24 #ACLA24Leaders #youtube #youtube video #climate leaders #climate solutions #climate action #climate and environment #climate #climate change #climate and health #climate blog #climate justice #climate news #weather and climate #environmental news #environment #environmental awareness #environment and health #environmental #environmental issues #environmental justice #environment protection #environmental health #Youtube

[morganas-pendragons]

No Body, No Crime | a.s.

As soon as I heard No Body, No Crime from Evermore, I had to write this with him. This is my first test of writing for Anakin - please be gentle. If you enjoy, let me know! I intend to make most of Evermore into a growing series for different SW characters! The first of them is below!

i may have played with the lyrics for a bit 

long story short, i survived - din 

*** 

He did it. 

He did it. 

Your eyes flicker out to the awning in which Padmé Amidala stands. The cool air of Coruscant is tinged with something out of place tonight, something that makes the hairs on your nape stand to attention, and your watchful gaze flickers out to the skyline where you can usually spot the Jedi Temple in all its majesty. 

The image of the skyline is tainted by the sound of screaming and the sight of fire encompassing the spires that usually stand so proud against the Coruscanti sky. 

From where she stands beside you, Padmé Amidala bursts into tears and wraps her arms around the growing swell of her stomach. Part of you wants to say you aren’t jealous, that you don’t wish that was you carrying the child of Anakin Skywalker, but the part of you which desires - Jedi don’t desire, they don’t have wants or needs, they simply ARE - buries that feeling deep down and dredges the rage back up to the surface. 

It’s so hard to believe that the same man who left you in charge of his pregnant wife, who was not so defenseless as he thought her to be, to return to the Temple - the same place you were both raised, the same place that saw the way you looked at him when he wasn’t paying attention - and inevitably be the reason it is now on fire. 

Or so you think. 

Padmé’s a friend of mine 

We meet up every Tuesday night for dinner and a glass of wine 

Before the war, you were a Jedi Knight who had great influence with many of the Senators in the Senate. It had been how you’d met Padmé Amidala to begin with - at the tender age of fourteen when you had not been much older then she was - and had orchestrated the protection she’d received from Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. 

Known for your sharp tongue and even more clever mind. Maybe that’s why Anakin took an interest in you. 

Padmé’s been losing sleep 

Her husband’s acting different 

And it smells like infidelity 

Anakin Skywalker had not been much younger then you when you met. Still a Padawan himself, he only had the eyes for Amidala and often reminded his Master of that. You’d spent many a nights with Obi-Wan Kenobi on the terraces of the Temple in deep conversation about his struggles training such a head-strong Padawan. 

Then the war had come, and so had Anakin’s padawan. Starry eyed Ahsoka Tano who was barely thirteen years old and having a difficult time believing she was the apprentice to the Chosen One. 

You’d never called him that. It made him too prideful, too arrogant. It was unfortunate that he was so often the topic of your dreams when it was clearly obvious he was tightly wound around Padmé Amidala. 

To you, he was the same boy you’d met all those years ago before a woman and the war had changed him beyond repair. 

Still, you never spoke of it. Never spoke of the way you’d watch him train his padawan in the salles, never about the way he commanded an entire army with just his fierce devotion and loyalty to the clones, never about the way you felt when he made you laugh, never about how he made such a reputation for himself that the galaxy began calling him The Hero With No Fear. 

And here you were, having been one of the people who made him, just another Jedi General fighting on the front lines of a war that seemed to be going on forever. 

  “Master? Can I ask you something?” It had been Ahsoka to bring it up one day late on the fronts of Felucia, a mission that you’d been assigned to accompany Anakin and the 501st to with your own battalion of clones. You were among the best Jedi General with the lowest casualty rates besides Anakin and Obi-Wan and he’d advocated specifically for you to join him and the rest of the 501st. 

The real reason why you’d said yes was because he said he missed you. 

  “Absolutely, Ahsoka.” 

  “You know... The Jedi has taught me my entire life that we’re not supposed to have attachments. We’re not supposed to love. I’m not sure how to do that.” Ahsoka wrung her hands in her lap and lifted her eyes to where Anakin sat on the opposite side of the fire with Fives and Hardcase, mouth stuffed with ration bars and fingers pointed at you. He was probably telling some confounded story about the three missions the two of you had taken together. One of them had ended up with you nearly stuck with a Gundark and her mate, but that’s a story for another time. “How long have you?” 

You still marvel at the fact that she was that intuitive. 

  “Have I what?” 

  ‘’Been attached to Master Skywalker?” 

That question had struck you so hard that you hadn’t quite been able to answer her the way she’d wanted. When had you accepted the fact that you were just a leech on Anakin Skywalker’s back - someone who he’d never see because his gaze was always on Padmé - desperate for his affection that he was never going to return? What the point of running after someone who’d never chase you just as recklessly? 

  “I guess I always run to the people who aren’t willing to run back to me.” 

From that point onward, you’d vowed to bury your feelings for Anakin Skywalker as deep as they could possibly go. There was no point in entertaining a fantasy. That’s all it was. A fantasy. 

This moment, however, is anything but. 

When Anakin comes back to the apartment at 500 Republica, Padmé rushes out to meet him. You’re perched in the sitting room that is swathed with shadow as you keenly watch their short lived reunion. The Force is ringing with alarm. Like it’s trying to tell you something. 

  “Are you alright?” Padmé asks, concern laced in her tone as she grasps his arms like her life depends on it, gaze sweeping across his face as she scans him for any injury he may have obtained. “I heard there was an attack on the Jedi Temple, you can see the smoke from here!” 

I think he did it 

But I just can’t prove it 

I think he did it but I just can’t prove it 

You’ve never had a hard time being able to read Anakin. He was always so bright and receptive to both the Force and other Force sensitive people, always tuned into the feelings of people he cared about most - and victim to the destruction of his own heart that so often got him into trouble - and now as he stands mere feet in front of you, you find it akin to staring at a wall. 

It’s blank. All of him is blank. All those micro-details that had fabricated the very existence known as Anakin Skywalker is as bare as the skies above Coruscant, now filled with smoke and screams. 

No, no body no crime 

But I aint letting up until the day I die 

  “What’s happening?” 

  “The Jedi have tried to overthrow The Republic.” Your breath catches in your throat at what is so very obviously a lie, and your heart immediately reaches out for the presence of dear Obi-Wan Kenobi who happened to be off-world in the midst of the destruction. 

The Force had spared him. You.. however... you remain unaware on whether or not it’ll spare you from what inevitably comes next. 

I think he did it 

People who aren’t quite sure of who they’re supposed to be are so very easily manipulated. 

  “I can’t believe that-” Padmé argues, ever the intelligent, and shook her head at her husband’s accusation. 

  “I saw Master Windu try to assassinate the Chancellor myself,” Anakin replies. Blue eyes swept into the sitting room undoubtedly in search of your form to ensure someone he trusted was still looking out for his beloved. “Are they still here?” 

Padmé nods. Your devotion and loyalty to both the safety of her and her child reminded her so fondly of Sabé - her Queen’s Shadow from her time sitting on the throne on Naboo - and she desperately hoped that would not end with either of you in a grave. 

  “You trusted the right person with our secret, Anakin.” Padmé murmured. It was rather unfortunate that he happened to choose the same person who was trying to fight the way they felt about him. Padmé ached for you. She’d been in that very same position once. “But what are you going to do?” 

  “I will not betray The Republic. My loyalties lie with The Chancellor, with the Senate, and with you.” The lack of your name should alarm you. It doesn’t. Given what’s currently occurring at the Jedi Temple, which is where you should be, you are not surprised that he’s forgotten your presence. Forgotten you. 

Anakin’s eyes fall on the sitting room. Just as he tells Padmé of the next phase of his plan, the darkness he is growing so accustomed to feeling is lit with the sight of a glaring emerald lightsaber. 

  “What about them?” 

You emerge from the room to stand upon the landing platform. Padmé’s lips are poised to call out your name, to beg you not to hurt him, but the very fact remains: This thing standing in front of you is not The Hero With No Fear. He’s something else entirely. Something dark, something fake. 

And darkness goes against everything you have ever stood for. 

  “I don’t know who you think you are.” Your voice is laced with anger as you move forward, not a drop of fear in your aspect, all while keeping your blade trained at Anakin’s chest. Your mind is screaming at you - this is anakin, he’s been broken, stop stop stop stop stop you LOVE him! - but you’re too concerned about the darkness that curls around his bones and makes its home within him to listen to your heart. “But if the Jedi who are currently screaming right now are dead at your hands, I will come back and find you. I will be your end.” 

You press your hand against Padmé’s. Her eyes widen at the feel of a blaster against her palm, nearly the same as the one Saché had hidden within the throne during her first year as Queen. She hears your voice clear in your mind, be careful. 

Anakin has one last thing to say to you before you depart. “If you return to the Temple to save the Jedi,” He calls out, voice monotone and lacking any of the depth and warmth he so often reserved for you and Padmé and Ahsoka. “You will be marked a traitor, and I will find you.” 

Your fingers curl so tightly around your lightsaber that your knuckles turn white. Your stomach threatens to drop as reality finally catches up with you: This thing currently inhabiting the body of Anakin Skywalker is far from the same boy you’d harbored feelings for. Far from the man you’d wished he could’ve become. 

  “I’d like to see you try.” 

The last time Padmé Amidala-Skywalker sees you is the night of Operation Knightfall. She’s more then aware of the way you look at her husband, but your love for Anakin is not her concern. It’s how he could never love you back. 

The last time Anakin Skywalker sees you is before he loses himself to the Dark, gives into his thirst for power, and becomes Darth Vader. 

I think he did it. 

***

Padmé wasn’t there 

Tuesday night at her apartment 

At her job 

Or anywhere 

Somehow, someway, Sabé contacts you. She seems to be aware of your relationship with Padmé prior to the fall of The Republic and so presses you on the details she has been deprived of - seeing as how she’s been with Tanaka for months by that point - and how she had just... died. With no warning, no logical reason, the woman she had dedicated her life to serving was dead. 

Your memory still haunts you with the sights that you’d been greeted with upon landing on Mustafar. Her half-dead body carelessly tossed on the landing platform, head lolling on her shoulder, eyes fluttering as she fought consciousness. 

It had been you who had given her solace aboard her starship, and it had been you to hold her daughter. 

  “You were the closest to my Lady and Skywalker!” Sabé snaps over the holo, and you wince at the bite in her voice. It’s been weeks of sleepless nights and living nightmares. You’re not sure you aren’t hallucinating this entire conversation anyway. “You are truly telling me you are unaware of how she died?” 

She thinks I did but I just can’t prove it 

You have theories. Theories with no evidence to make them facts. 

No... no body no crime

  “I don’t know how she died, but she did.” Your hardened gaze lands on the former handmaiden. “And now it’s up to you to protect her legacy, Sabé.” 

   “Amidalans.” Sabé nods gravely at the moniker and hangs her head. “That is what we will call those who guard our Lady’s tomb. Amidalans.” 

  “She told me about you all the time. We are brave, your Highness.” You feign a warm smile as she meets your eyes. “There’s never been a better time to be brave for your Lady then now, Sabé.” 

That is the last the former Handmaiden of Amidala hears from you. She will go on to form the Amidalans, the guardians of Padmé Amidala’s tomb upon Naboo, and will even live to survive Darth Vader. 

***

The Force had spared you. Until today. Today you stand on the ground of a planet you never thought you’d find yourself apart of, today you stand in the ruins of a Sith Temple with two survivors of Order 66 and the youngest Force sensitive you have seen since the genocide of the Jedi. 

Today, your soul knows what is coming. The inevitable. 

I wasn’t letting up until the day he... 

The name you had given Kanan and Ezra was not your real one, even despite what Ahsoka had claimed about knowing you. She knew you well. After the brief argument that had occurred in light of that news, you’d taken her aside to disclose that you’d briefly joined the Empire and had been an Inquisitor under their ranks after you had been found. Among the best of them. 

You don’t tell her about how they broke you. About how he broke you with the way he towered over you, the way his fingers danced across your cheek and the way his lightsaber had burned itself into your arm. His kyber crystals had called out to you. Had weeped for reprieve. 

Neither of you found it. In front of you, The Sith Temple is alight with emerald and white light. 

No, no body no crime 

I wasn’t letting up until the day he... 

We are brave, Your Highness. 

No, no body no crime 

  “I always said I would be the one to end you.” You call out. Planted in place by Ahsoka, you disengage your saber in favor of both you and his former Padawan using your words to beckon to the person who laid within the suit. “I still fully intend to keep that promise. You’re not-” Tears prick your eyes as you turn your head away from Vader. “You are not the man I would’ve ripped the galaxy apart for.” 

  “Anakin Skywalker was weak. I destroyed him.” Vader tilts his head. He’s clearly proud of himself for something. “And I destroyed you as well. What a shame. You were among the Empire’s best.” 

I wasn’t letting up until the day he...

  “Yeah, you did destroy me.” Ezra watches in awe as both you and Ahsoka engage your sabers, a blinding flurry of green and white light, and take your defensive stances against the Sith Lord. “And now we will destroy you, in honor of him. In honor of Anakin.” 

You launch yourself right at the ghost of Anakin Skywalker. He is a mirage, a fake, a shell of darkness that once housed a being you could have sworn was made of pure starlight. Of love. 

So much for fantasies. 

died. 

#Anakin Skywalker #Anakin Skywalker x Reader #Star Wars imagines #Star Wars oneshots #Darth Vader #Ahsoka Tano #Kanan Jarrus

[1doll-4u]

𝐎𝐁𝐒𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍: 𝐎𝐍𝐄 — 𝐁𝐍𝐇𝐀

𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆: dark! shinsou x fem! reader

𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓: 1,447

𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐄: angst, fluff 

𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘: growing tired and overwhelmed with your royal responsibilities, you take off into the night for a little walk to clear your mind. you meet someone..or something that night.

𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒: cussing, violence, gore, sexual situations/smut (not in this chapter), possible triggers, horrible writing, character deaths, sexual content

𝐀/𝐍: lowercase intended + this is just a random drabble so it isn't written very well. i didn't proof read it or anything. in the future i may write something similar to this if ppl do like it. this won’t be continued atm but maybe in the future if i get feedback.

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐍𝐄: 𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑

“you can’t keep doing this, you know that right?” your mother sighs, clearly tired of your antics.

you look down at the polished floors, it is easier this way. you never liked disappointing your mother but you can’t help it.

“i told you, i don’t want to do all of this..” you mutter, not having the will to raise your voice. you fear you’ll be punished severely if you do.

“all of this, is for you. your reputation and for the kingdom’s future. stop being so selfish. you can’t be unwed for the rest of your life,” she chides, moving her hands in the air to emphasize her words as she walked around your room, “you have to choose one of them by the end of this week. i do not care if you are against it. neither does your father. if you don’t choose by that time we will decide for you.”

you opened your mouth to protest but she stops you with her next words.

“speak and you won’t be able to leave your room for a whole week.”

she paused to see if you’d defy her. you didn’t. feeling satisfied, she leaves you to sulk alone.

your parents have been bugging you to get married. it was getting tiring. you tried to convince them that you had no interest in being some old rich guy’s arm candy but they simply didn’t care for your thoughts.

you felt trapped even in your spacious room. what are you going to do? you don’t want to choose anyone to be your spouse and you didn’t want your parents to either..

if you do get wed, you’ll lose a lot more privileges. you won’t be able to leave the house without your husband knowing, your hobbies will be reduced to nothing as you’d be too busy putting up the appearance of a loving wife..and bearing a child.

you don’t want any of that. just the thought of being in that situation repulsed you.

time passed with you not leaving your room for dinner or anything else. you didn’t even notice that it was dark out until you looked up at your windows.

the moon shined bright and bathed your room, making everything look shiny underneath it. you felt like it was calling to you.

somehow you mustered up the energy to get out of bed and change into more suitable clothes for your little escapade.

you blew out all the candles that were still lit and leave your room as quietly as you could.

after going through many secret doors the guards and your mother don’t even know about, you make it outside with no trouble.

you have done this before, many times. breaking rules always felt thrilling.

with the adrenaline going through you, you continue your walk towards the forest. it feels nice to have some freedom even if it may be the rebellious type.

the walk to the forest felt short but peaceful to you. it didn’t feel scary walking alone in the dark. the moon’s company made you feel safe.

you enter the woods and look around. usually you only ever stop at the little lake. your parents forbid you to go any further and you didn’t understand why. the forest is beautiful but you wish to see more.

maybe there are some rare animals that exist further into the forest? a rabbit walking on two legs? a deer that can talk? that would be a fun story to tell.

you take a step over the invisible line stopping you from venturing forward, it was hesitant at first but your steps grew more solid as you continue.

nothing seemed different at first glance. the deeper you go in though, you notice some things.

purple flowers you’ve never seen more appear. they glow in the dark vibrantly, urging you to pluck them and touch their soft petals.

and that you did. you go to pick up one but a voice stops you.

“i wouldn’t do that if i were you..”

startled, you look around frantically, the voice seemed close..but there is no one in sight. could it be one of the guards? did one of them follow you here?

“why?” you didn’t know what else to say, too busy looking around and glaring hard at the trees, trying to find the person.

“those flowers are deceiving. they look pretty but once you take a sniff you’ll be out.”

the voice sounds again, still very clear but no body in view. growing anxious you finally ask what’s been plaguing your mind.

“and..who am i speaking to?”

you continue to look around fruitlessly, growing impatient when the person doesn’t speak for a few seconds. they couldn’t have left already, could they?

“you are speaking to me, of course.”

you stagger forward, surprised when the voice whispers directly into your right ear. turning around quickly you see a man with bright purple eyes that almost seemed like gems in the dark.

his skin is pale but not an unhealthy pale. he seemed to glow, drawing you in more. the unruly hair framing his face doesn’t make him less attractive. it actually suits him.

you have never met him before. you would be stupid to forget such a face. as you continue to take in his form, you notice something behind him..are those wings?

big black wings protrude from his back, the tips being a pretty regal purple. they seem to be transparent and sparkly. is he a fairy?

“you know, it’s bad to stare,” the..fairy teases, a smirk playing on his lips when you snap your eyes back to his and blush.

“sorry..” you don’t even want to say any more. it feels like your throat is tightening with every breath you take. your face is flushed and you probably look like a ripe tomato.

he brushes your apology off, reassuring you that you don’t need to apologize and continues to speak.

“why are you so far from home, princess?” he walks over to some pink flowers and plucks one, observing it as you watch.

how did he know you are a princess? no, that’s a stupid question to ask. of course he knows. you aren’t dressed like most of the common folk.

“i..couldn’t sleep, so i thought maybe a stroll would do,” you answer, still standing in your place. for some reason your body does not want to move. part of you is too scared to in his presence.

“i understand. it must be tiring in your position but i would advice against going so far into the forest. who knows what kind wicked creatures you could encounter in the night.” the fairy carefully touches the flower in his hand, brushing the petals and shaking off the dust that covers it.

an unknown warmth blossoms in your chest. no one has ever taken your struggles seriously. at the same time you feel slightly irked by his advice to not venture further into the woods.

“thank you..but i don’t see why i shouldn’t? no creature has pounced on me yet,” you tried to counter.

“yes, not yet. but they do exist. they are just lurking in the shadows of the trees. they watch. they wait for you to feel safe, and then they pounce at your most vulnerable state.” he gives you a smile as if to somehow quill your now bubbling nerves.

“are..you...” you aren’t sure if you should voice your thoughts. what if he takes it the wrong way? will he lash out? put a spell on you?

“hm? what is it?” the fairy walks closer, the smile still etched on his face, slowly growing when noticing you having your little dilemma with yourself.

“..are you one of them?” you ask, looking at the ground instead of at him. this is it. you are going to die from angering a beautiful fairy.

“..one of the wicked creatures? hm...” he doesn’t answer you right away, deciding to contemplate on it as he walks around you.

you grow anxious from the close proximity, wishing he were a few feet away from you like before.

“what do you think? am i one of them?” he stops right behind you and leans into your back, his mouth near your ear. his warmth seeps into you and your body becomes rigid at the sudden contact.

no one has been this close to you before. no man ever has. you don’t know what to say. is this a test? is he messing with you? will he kill you if you say yes?

“well? what is it, princess?” his deep voice urges you to answer, you could feel his chest rumble against your back.

#anime #bnha #boku no hero academia #my hero academia #bnha fandom #mha fandom #mha #mha shinsou #shinsou hitoshi one shot #shinsou x reader #shinsou hitoshi x reader #bnha shinsou #dark! shinsou x reader #fantasy au #bnha x reader #bnha x y/n #mha x reader #mha x y/n #mha x you #bnha fanfic #bnha fanfiction #mha fanfic #mha fanfiction #anime fanfiction #anime fandom

[cfdiamonds]

[ ARON PIPER, CIS GENDERED MAN, HE/HIM ] shh ! LEOCADIO SYNDER, the TWENTY-TWO year old SECOND year ECONOMICS major from MADRID, SPAIN, is known as a DIAMOND around here. HE was invited to join because OF HIS PERSISTENCE AND HIS FATHER WAS IN THE SOCIETY, and now, they’re here to stay. HE reminds me of A LEGION OF STAFF CONSTANTLY AT YOUR SERVICE, A WARDROBE FILLED WITH THE FINEST MATERIAL, + EXPENSIVE RINGS ON EACH OF HIS FINGERS.

helloooo!!  it’s been a long time coming but i’m finally excited to be here and join in on this super cool story the admins and all of you have created! i’m lia, i’m 23 and i go by she/her and they/them pronouns, so feel free to use either of them. i was going to make a graphic and a google doc but i’ve got plans with my family to watch a movie tonight, so until i can make the time i hope his app is enough! 

a past and character reflection.

you were born into success and luxury, the only child of two glencore billionaires — a diversified natural resource company. the synders are responsible for the marketing of lead and make a little over a billion dollars each year. all they’ve ever known was their jobs and their money, leaving little room for anything more than that, especially the addition of a child. the nannies changed your diapers and the maid picked up your toys, while the butler handled the broken glass splayed across the marble flooring from one of your daily tantrums. they bit their tongues because you were raised to view yourself as extraordinary living in a world of the ordinary. despite this, these people meant more to you than the ones who brought you into the world. you had a mother that asked you how your day went and then immediately turned her attention back to her phone or laptop, checking off that mental to-do-list that made her believe the question was enough effort. you had a father that saw you as weak and continuously pushed you past your limits, focusing on every little flaw you had and giving you no choice but to be better. you became so conflicted between your drive to be the best and your need for love, that anger became your method of coping. even the lightest of offenses were met with your spite and you glorified material things as if it were the only thing that mattered in the world. even at the tender age of ten, power was the one thing that kept you driven.

growing up, you never had any real or close friendships. the people that you called your friends were just more people that you could benefit from — the children from rich and influential families that spanned the globe. regardless of your rude and cold exterior, they still found reason to look up to you like you were their leader, be it an inheritance from your father’s charisma or your mother’s sophistication — because everything you had, you had to thank them for right? you knew exactly how to draw people in and use them until you didn’t need them anymore, kicking them to the curb the second their time ran out. the kids that excelled in school got you the highest grade, the kids that excelled in sports helped you become captain of their teams, and the kids that assisted you in breaking the rules always took the fall. and yet, no matter how hard you proved yourself as this apex predator, your parents saw you as inferior. they always told you to work smarter not harder, but when you did, it still wasn’t enough. what more could you take from the world? it had nothing left to give you.

the next chapter in your life became your second chance to prove yourself, but this time with a different method to your persistence. just as your parents did, you’d build yourself from the ground up, not taking whatever you wanted but fighting to obtain it. you already had the determination to do what had to be done to reach your goals, now all you needed to do was make it yourself. you enter your first year at strathmore university and you never take what you need to succeed, you push yourself until you earn it. every time the fates fight against you and you feel hopeless in meeting these high expectations you and your parents have made for you, you grasp onto the anguish of that ten year old boy yearning for approval and press forward with your strength. you still hold onto that cunning aspect of your character but this time, it’s something you keep hidden beneath the surface — away from prying eyes. you slip up once or twice, but it’s never enough to allow others to see you for who you truly are. you join several clubs even though you barely have the time, slipping your name into the minds of those spanning the entirety of the campus. you maintain one of the highest grades in your classes through dedication and hard work, scoffing at the students that request your assistance … they don’t deserve your help. not now anyway. not while you fight to be noticed in a place filled to the brim with excellent minds. not while you await your invitation to the society, the first step at proving that you can be great just like them. just like your parents.

on the society

upon arriving at strathmore university, leo became obsessive in his studies and joined many clubs to assist in his quest of standing out amongst the other first years. unbeknownst to many though, he also did this in hopes of earning a spot in the secret society. this is because his father had been in the society when he was young and in order to prove his potential, this was an organization he knew he had to be involved in. despite not knowing what the society was like or what they were about, he knew that they existed because of his father but that’s the extent of his knowledge on it.

when he was finally given his chance thanks to the diamond opal, leo became passionate about his spot and willing to do whatever means necessary to keep his spot. he takes advice willingly ( but goes against it if he believes they’re wrong ) and pushes to lead in some situations, not letting anyone or anything stand in the way of his goals. although he mainly does everything for his parents, whether they will ever notice or not, it is also for himself and his desire to be something great ( something he outwardly believes he already is but has struggled with internally for a long time ). leo wants to be the best prodigy and opal that the society has ever seen, and visualizes himself as the diadem when he builds himself up to that point.

when it comes to poppy nighmore, leo is more intrigued than he is worried about the reason for her disappearance. if those within the society that knew poppy are upset about her disappearance, leo is willing to take initiative in trying to solve the mystery. he will take risks and push limits in order to find information, but does so for selfish gain than anything else. he believes that he may prove himself as a worthy and necessary addition to the opal society if he continues researching and physically proving he cares. it also gives him a chance to show the others that he is capable of big things.

wanted connections.

as i read about your characters i’ll be able to generate a bit more ideas when directly plotting with each of you! these are just the ideas i have coming into the group, so if you do not see your character fitting them, worry not! we can brainstorm<3

his soft spot — the person that leo can’t seem to say no to no matter how hard he tries. his entire life he has felt little to no remorse in his conquest for power, no matter who he trampled along the way but suddenly, out of nowhere, the world presented him with this person and every time they’re around, every ounce of him becomes vulnerable. when they tell him to do something or to behave a certain way, he seldom disobeys. if they happen to be in the room when he’s behaving as he normally does, he avoids their eyes in fear of backing down. in a way, this person in his anchor that protects him from himself.

his adversary  — the person that gives leo a run for his money, testing him and pushing him every step of the way. they bear too many similarities to get along and compete over even the littlest of things. when one says yes, the other says no. the steve rogers to his tony stark. the thor to his loki.

fellow rich kids — those he knew by association prior to strathmore university or the society. they all understand each other because they grew up in similar conditions, where material things were the forms of love they received as children. they understand the lifestyle and flock together, regardless of whether or not they actually like each other. they board a private jet and escape real life for a weekend, only to return like nothing had happened come monday morning.

his best friend — leo doesn’t know it yet, perhaps neither of them do, but this person is his best friend. close relationships of any kind are foreign concepts to leo because he had, in his opinion, more important things to focus on as he grew up. love doesn’t exist in his world. so by his words, he trusts this person the most and is constantly inviting them around with him. he would never call it as it is in fear of cutting them loose and never feeling an ounce of remorse, but he’s acknowledged it in his head once or twice. this person is like the sibling he’s never had.

his mistake — in leo’s first year, he befriended this person and the pair eventually started to see each other romantically. however, leo wronged them somehow and now that he’s in the society with them, he realizes how big of a mistake he made hurting them. perhaps he fell back into old habits and made their acquaintance with the intention of gaining something, maybe in a class or by their personal influence in the world / at school, and they eventually found out about it. just an angsty exes plot.

his mentor — the diamond that took him as their prodigy. leo takes the dynamic between them incredibly serious and is willing and ready to do whatever they ask of him in order to prove they made the right choice taking him under their wing. he understands that his place in the society must not be taken for granted and so he treats it as a passion, rather than just another club around campus. he rarely does something society related without first receiving the opinion of the opal, but he also would ignore their opinion if he feels they are the one that’s wrong. this is business as usual and leo is their prodigy knowing that if all goes as planned, he will have their seat in the future.

#𝓁𝑒𝑜𝒸𝒶𝒹𝒾𝑜 𝓈𝓎𝓃𝒹𝑒𝓇 〳 ⑉ introduction. #opalsintro #i sweat i'll have a stats / more in depth bio / wanted connection list soon okay #and by sweat i mean swear #sweating too though because all of you are so cool ? catch my leg on fire more like catch my heart on fire #nobody read these tags

[welcometothebookreport]

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Rating: 3

Genres: YA, Contemporary, LGBTQIA+

Tropes: coming of age, slow burn, self-discovery

Content Warnings: homophobia, internalized homophobia, transphobia, violence, hate crimes, murder, animal death

Recommended if you enjoy: medium-paced, emotional, insightful, reflective, character driven, diverse, flawed characters

Follow Me on Goodreads!

“Through that telescope, the world was closer and larger than I’d ever imagined. And it was all so beautiful and overwhelming and I – I don’t know – it made me aware that there was something inside of me that mattered.”

I’m going to start by saying that I loathe myself for giving this a 3 and considering lower. I actually really loved about 90% of this book, and it was the ending that fell flat for me. But, let’s start with why I loved it.

“I didn’t know exactly how to say what I was holding inside me.”

First: Aristotle is ultra relatable. He’s rough around the edges, knee-deep in the tumultuous teen years, and is questioning everything inside of (and around) him. If that isn’t every teenager, I don’t know what is. He’s angry because he’s treated like a child, secrets are kept from him “for his own good”, and we get to see the ramifications of that play out as he begins to test the waters of being social after he meets Dante.

Second: As much as I raged against the writing style for the first hundred pages, I actually appreciate what Sáenz has done. So much of Ari is captured in these broken, repetitive, short sentences—it’s an added layer of character development that I didn’t appreciate until later in the book when pieces began to click for me.

Third: I’m sorry, y’all, I’m old and have a teen son and so I related hard to the parents in this novel. The way these parents failed and succeeded and admitted to their faults, and tried their best through their own traumas, spoke to me. They didn’t always get it right, arguably they failed in spectacular ways, but when it mattered for Ari and Dante, they showed up and were there, and offered unconditional support.

Now to the 10% I struggled with.

“This was what was wrong with me. All this time I had been trying to figure out the secrets of the universe, the secrets of my own body, of my own heart. All of the answers had always been so close and yet I had always fought them without even knowing it.”

Sorry, not sorry, but I really hated where the brother’s storyline went to. It felt unnecessary, and what’s worse, we get no actual closure on anything to do with it. It’s plopped down, discussed for half a second, chewed up, and we move on. I can forgive terminology due to the time period. I can overlook the discomfort that, yet again, a book has reduced trans issues to a plot point, because: 80s realism. But, to have Ari sit down with his parents and be told he’s gay (again: in a self-discovery book), and then to have him realize it’s true, only to discover what his brother’s done to land in prison and then just… move on from it… felt disingenuous.

Like. There was no question from him, that this person he’s put on a pedestal has committed such an atrocious crime. He’s just like “yeah I think I’ll write to him!” as if there weren’t a million questions and emotional conflicts to be had over it. It felt glossed over, and it made me uncomfortable.

I almost wish Ari had discovered his brother’s crime early in the book. It would have added a layer to the narrative, even more of a hesitation for Ari to discover the truth about himself and what that meant in relation to someone he idolized. Instead, it just felt tacked on for the shock factor of the 80s realism vibe—an incredible let down to me.

Also, like many other reviewers, I struggled with how Ari was sat down by his parents and told he loves Dante, that he’s gay. Part of me gets it—he’s not very good with other people’s emotions and he’s woefully ignorant of his own feelings; he just doesn’t understand sexuality in the way a lot of teens seem to (and, quite frankly, I would have preferred Ace Ari for this reason). Buuuuut, I think part of the potential in the book was for character growth—for Ari to have that “aha!” moment. And it really didn’t… happen. It was flat. A whole two pages dedicated to this major realization.

This may be a book I go back to reread next year. It’s highly nuanced, and admittedly I may have missed some of the finer points given its a multiple award winning novel. I can’t wait to see what they do with a movie, and I’ll be interested in where the sequel goes from here.

“Maybe everyone loves differently. Maybe that’s all that mattered.”

#jessireads #bookish #booklr #book review #literature #aristotle and dante discover the secrets of the universe #benjamin alire saenz #ya #coming of age #lgbtqia books #TW: homophobia #TW: transphobia #books #reading #contemporary young adult

[divinion1990]

Family Law

Summary: Fourteen years ago, Sherry Blendy and Lyon Vastia shared one fateful night together. Now, the conflicted fourteen-year-old Chelia discovers that her father is not the man that she believed all these years. Their journeys are destined to intertwine, but will the truth destroy their family bonds, or pave a strong future together? Collection: Fairy Tail Dad’s AU Main Characters: Chelia Blendy, Lyon Vastia, Sherry Blendy, Gray Fullbuster

----

May 12, 2020

The sounds of singing and pop music played by an overworked speaker resonated throughout the community centre. To some it was sweet, to others it was a nail through the forehead. Bouncing around the wooden floorboards and the pale teal walls, escaping through to the small reception room at the front.

“I’m sorry, the halls have ended up double booked due to the holidays,” the receptionist apologised to the two men. “The girls will be finished up in the next five minutes or so, I promise. Then the day-care centre will be free again!”

Lyon nodded, a polite smile written across his face. “That’s quite alright. We can wait.”

“Or we could not,” Gray rolled his eyes.

The older male scoffed. “Nonsense! This meeting is the best thing for you. See, they’re stopping already!” Lyon told him.

It was true. The sounds of the singing were replaced quickly with childish giggling and running around the room. Bags, coats and all other belongings were quickly gathered by the gossiping teenagers, little care for what was around them as they discussed their latest rehearsal successes.

“Did you hear that high note? And the dance routine… That last step was so hard!”

“Don’t worry, you’ll get the hang of it!”

“I’m sure we’ll do much better next time.”

“We’re already getting much better!”

Gray tucked himself into the corner of the room as the small collection of young women raced out in front of him. They bounced around with an excited air, chattering and wishing each other the best of luck. It only gave Gray reason to give Lyon a long, flat stare.

“I promise you; it’ll be worth it,” Lyon reassured him, folding his arms over his chest. “I’ve recommended similar groups to many, many others in your exact position. They’re a great way to assist you in getting over your issues.”

Gray’s frown turned into a glare. “Issues?”

“See, Aki agrees with me,” Lyon offered, leaning down to the child by Gray’s side. He in no way seemed to be in an agreeing mood, too busy staring at the small crowd from behind Gray’s legs and holding onto his father’s hand tightly. Lyon didn’t seem to notice this. “We’re going to help daddy get over his issues. Aren’t we Aki?”

“Please don’t talk to my son about issues…” Gray hissed at him, grabbing onto Aki’s hand even tighter.

“The room should be free now,” the woman behind the desk called out to them both. “Second door on the right.”

“Thanks,” Gray huffed, quickly moving away and towards the door.

Lyon grinned proudly, watching his friend disappear with his son. Without a shadow of doubt, he knew that Gray would take great things from this experience. It had been an excellent idea - after all, Lyon had tried and tested this many times with other clients.

“Mom! We got through the second verse!”

“Excellent work, both of you! Oh Wendy, I love what you’ve done with your hair!”

“Th-thank you, Mrs Blendy…”

“Oh Wendy, how many times? You can call me-“

“Lyon!”

Lyon blinked suddenly, looking back to the man calling his name. “S-Sorry?”

Gray frowned back at him. “Are you coming or what?” he asked him impatiently. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I just… thought I recognised someone,” Lyon explained, quickly ignoring his instincts and following Gray into the room.

 -----

 “I saw him today.”

Ren turned to his wife, pausing. It wasn’t her words that made him concerned, but the way that she held her arms over her body, the awkward glance away, the pauses between each breath. It was all enough to make him stop and listen.

“Oh?”

She hesitated. The words caught on her tongue. It held an almost ominous presence in the build up to her admission. “Her father.”

He paused again. He turned away, putting another item back into the cupboard. “I see,” he said simply.

She bit her lip. Squeezed her arms tight. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him around. I’d assumed he’d moved away again. But he was at the community centre at the same time as Chelia. If I’d been a few minutes late…” she gave a heavy, defeated sigh. “Not that I suppose that would be a bad thing…”

Ren just listened, continuing to put away the groceries in a solemn silence. Hearing that his silence was being returned, his hand stilled. “I don’t think this is my problem…” he said slowly.

She sighed again, this time more dramatically. No matter how sharp and uncaring that might have sounded to the untrained ear, Chelia understood. “No, you’re right. I need to decide what to do with this. We’ll stay a family no matter what happens. She isn’t going to stop loving you, you know,” she told him with a twinkle in her eye.

He turned away, taking an excruciatingly long time to put away just one can of peas.

She giggled. Ren was being as proud as always, but she could always see the love there, even when he didn’t like to admit it. “Thank you,” she told him, walking back to his side and placing a kiss on his cheek. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

——

“And then she started going on about love and how we are all still a family,” Chelia finished explaining before ducking her head into yet another dusty box.

“I see…” Wendy told her softly, brushing the dust from another label. ‘Chelia’s Toys, 2006’. She pushed the box aside. “I can’t imagine what it must feel like finding out your father isn’t-I mean, he is-but-“

“It wasn’t exactly a well-kept secret,” Chelia admitted, pulling out random items and inspecting them. “I always suspected. I don’t look anything like him.”

“That’s true… but even so…” Wendy whispered quietly.

“Nothing’s changed,” Chelia told her seriously. “Even though he isn’t related to me by blood, he’s still my dad. All I’m looking for now is my father.”

Wendy nodded. It really was admirable watching the way that Chelia had dealt with the news that would have shattered her own world. To the point where she was concerned that denial was burning strong inside her, no matter how well she seemed to have rationalised the information. The only thing left for Wendy now was to be a support, a close friend, and a sister to prove not all family relied on blood.

“Um… Chelia…” Wendy paused, trying to get the words right that she’d already thought through a hundred times. “If your mother had this conversation with you… why didn’t she tell you who your father was? Why are we having to look in boxes?”

Chelia paused. It was a question she’d both expected and still struggled to find an answer for. “I didn’t want to ask her...” she admitted, looking down. “I didn’t want her to feel like I was-like I was turning my back on Dad,” she said.

Wendy nodded slowly. There seemed to be a lot more emotions going on there than what Chelia was willing to say, but that at least seemed healthy. She reached over and put a hand over her friend’s.

“We’ll find him together,” she promised her.

Chelia’s smile lit up. She jumped on Wendy, grabbing her into a tight, tight hug. “Thank you, Wendy.”

Wendy gasped at the sudden affection but smiled back warmly. She held on tight, knowing that it wasn’t for her own sake that they’d share this moment. “Any time,” she promised, giving another squeeze before letting go. As she did, her eyes drifted to another box in the far corner, and a name that filled with promise. “Look,” she gestured.

It was everything Chelia had both anticipated and feared. The cardboard box with the words scribbled along the side; ‘Sherry High School/College’. She slid across the floor to the box, pushing away the thick coatings of dust. A line of Sellotape that had long since lost all adhesive properties came away easily in her hands, as she opened the flaps. Everything seemed painfully slow to reveal. An oversized school sweatshirt, with gold embroidery of a snaked creature emblem. Old schoolbooks that were filled with notes, love-hearts and scribbles that could have one day been considered ‘important’. Dusty shot glasses that had been packed and forgotten about, tainted with memories of exciting nights.

Usually, Chelia would have found it all fascinating. A different side to the loving mother she had always known, one that had her whole life ahead of her and – from the contents of this box – seemed content to spent it chasing dreams, scribbling love-hearts and enjoying life. She began to pull out pictures, so many frozen images of long nights ago. She had been a popular woman, wearing a wide smile and more often than not with her hands cupped into a heart shape.

“Your mother was beautiful,” Wendy commented, glancing at the pictures that Chelia was putting onto the ground. “She-she still is beautiful! She was very beautiful in these pictures, though…”

Chelia nodded. “She was,” she agreed, starting to see the patterns. Though it often seemed she would be with a different person every night, she finally saw the friendship groups emerging, until she confidently could pick out a picture with four young people. “I think… I think this is it…”

Wendy glanced over, a serious look on her face. “… You’re sure?”

A small pause from the young woman before another nod. “The way that mother talked about him… I’ve only heard her talk that way about me and my father. It was someone that meant a lot to her. One of her closest friends. It has to be someone from these pictures, one of these… one of these men is my real father.”

----

Sometimes it felt like Lyon was a dark mark upon the world of children.

He was the monster that forced parents to fight and separate. He was the demon that turned lives upside down. He was the villain who asked the painful questions: Who do you want to live with? Did they hurt you? Who do you feel safe with? How often would you like to spend time with these people? They were no questions that any child should have had to answer, and it was not an easy question to ask. Sometimes Lyon had to play the bad guy, for the most important reasons.

There was always a secret sense of dread when he saw a child in distress. There were the background thoughts running through his head, the guilt of separating a child from comfort, the terror that if he made one wrong step someone could get seriously hurt, and then there was that look. The one that cut him right to his core. Even if he forced himself into that polite smile, tried to offer a peace offering of candy, and pray the child was not traumatised for life.

Lyon’s eyes stayed pinned to the small child, watching him even as he took continual sips from his coffee mug. Waiting for him to make a sign, some kind of indication of the trauma he’d caused. Or perhaps the salvation he’d brought.

Instead, Aki just brought him a small block. Lyon looked at him quizzically… and turned back to Gray.

Gray nodded with a small smile. “He’s giving it to you,” he said with a small smirk, relishing perhaps a little too much in how uncomfortable Lyon looked.

Lyon looked back at the ‘gift’, reaching over and taking it. “Oh… thank you very much.”

The child beamed and walked off again to search for more toys.

“For someone who works with kids all day, you sure are awkward around them,” Gray commented.

It was hard for Lyon to understand what Gray’s tone meant, even after all his years of training in other’s true motives. “I usually don’t talk to children as young as Aki…” he admitted, looking even more surprised as another wooden block was passed to him by a very proud looking Aki. “And when I do, they’re usually not social visits… Does that bother you?” he asked.

Gray paused for a few seconds, before shaking his head. “You’re a natural,” he said.

Lyon didn’t feel like a natural. He put down his mug to take yet another block, as Aki disappeared into his toybox and produced five more. He giggled as he was racing back and forth across the room now, trying to drop them into his father’s friend’s lap, a fun new game to explore.

“If you say so…” Lyon said, muttering yet another ‘thank you’ and looking more perplexed by the second. “Is he usually so, uh, generous?”

“No,” Gray smiled faintly. “It means he likes you. And trusts you.”

Lyon swallowed hard. That innocence. He was clearly far too young to understand. Either that, or he had been through too much and resorted to taking kindness in the most unlikely ways. “Well… I like him too,” he admitted, smiling back.

When Aki came running back over, instead Lyon held out one of the building blocks back in his direction. The child’s eyes widened, taking it in his hands and inspecting it intently. He smiled and made a happy little sound, running off again to repeat the game again.

“I’m surprised you don’t have a kid yourself…”

Lyon paused. There it was again, an edge of sadness he’d been expecting whenever around children. No matter how much joy or love it filled him with. “I… got distracted,” he excused himself, looking away. He didn’t want to talk about the years he’d wasted. On work, on some girl, on paths taken that left him much older and much less wise than he’d hoped to be by now. It wasn’t a choice he’d made, but many smaller choices which had left him alone.

It became clear he wasn’t going to say any more. In the spirit of distraction, Lyon quickly became caught into the new games with Aki. He poured the blocks onto the coffee table and within a few seconds had been showing the young boy how to rearrange them. Or Aki had been showing Lyon. It was hard to tell, Gray noticed, finding a very small hint of a smile on his face as he watched them both.

At least this, this small protected bubble, felt safe.

#fairy tail #ftdadsau #Lyon Vastia #chelia blendy #fairy tail dads au #adoption #family drama #family secrets

[scrumptioushottubinfluencer]

Er Emergency Room Season 1

Susan Lewis, MDFirst appearanceSeptember 19, 1994 (1x01, '24 Hours')Last appearanceApril 2, 2009 (15x22, 'And In The End')Portrayed bySherry StringfieldDuration1994–96, 2001–05, 2009In-universe informationNicknameSusieTitle

Resident (1994–1996)

Attending (2001–2005)

Chief of Emergency Medicine (2003–2005)

OccupationEmergency PhysicianFamily

Henry Lewis (father)

Irene “Cookie” Lewis (mother, deceased)

Chloe Lewis (sister)

SpouseChuck Martin (ex-husband)Significant otherDiv Cvetic (ex-boyfriend)ChildrenCosmo Martin (son, with Chuck)RelativesSuzie Lewis (niece)

Emergency Room

Hospital Er Rooms

Susan Lewis is a character as played by Sherry Stringfield, on the fictional television show ER. Sherry Stringfield is one of ER's original cast members, portraying Susan in Season 1 as an eager resident. Stringfield left the show, the character was not recast and Susan left County General Hospital and the series in Season 3, but. ER Confidential November 17, 1994. Season 1, Episode 10. November 17, 1994. Cvetic (John Terry) struggles with a growing sense of hatred toward his patients; Hathaway faces an ethical crisis.

Dr. Susan Lewis is a character as played by Sherry Stringfield, on the fictional television showER.

Sherry Stringfield is one of ER's original cast members, portraying Susan in Season 1 as an eager resident. Stringfield left the show, the character was not recast and Susan left County General Hospital and the series in Season 3, but Stringfield and the character returned five seasons later as an attending physician in Season 8. Susan Lewis eventually checked out of the ER for good in 2005, at the beginning of Season 12, having been passed over for tenure in favor of John Carter by Kerry Weaver. She was offered a tenured position at a hospital in Iowa City.

Development[edit]

During the third season of the series, actress Sherry Stringfield left ER for the first time. In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Stringfield explained that having a family was one of the primary reasons for her to leave the show.[1] According to Entertainment Weekly, Stringfield's decision to quit angered the show's executive producer John Wells, because she left just as Dr. Lewis got embroiled in a budding romance with Anthony Edwards' Dr. Mark Greene.[2] Stringfield revealed it was not a pleasant situation and said: 'The producers were in shock. They tried to talk me out of it. It took a long time to get out of my contract.'[3]

However, by the time of the eighth season, her schedule allowed her to return to the series. Wells said they were 'delighted to welcome her back as a series regular and can't wait to work with her again.'[1] Stringfield remained in the main cast for four more seasons, until August 2005, when she announced that she would be leaving ER again and stated: 'I am extremely grateful for the time I spent on ER,' Stringfield explained. 'It is a wonderful show, and there are so many people I will miss. But I'm ready for new roles and new challenges.'[4]

Character history[edit]

Seasons 1–3 First Departure (1994–1996)[edit]

In Season 1, Susan is a second year resident. She is shown to be an eager and competent young doctor working in the emergency department of County General Hospital. She is good friends with Nurse Carol Hathaway, Dr. Doug Ross and especially Dr. Mark Greene, who is her best friend.

Though an extremely capable doctor, Susan is initially seen to have problems asserting herself. This is frequently taken advantage of by the senior and more forthright doctors in the hospital, such as Dr. Peter Benton and particularly Dr. Jack Kayson. This leads to several confrontations, and animosity worsens when Kayson discharges one of Susan's patients, failing to notice the severity of his symptoms, which ultimately leads to the patient's death.

Kayson tries to deflect the blame onto Susan and her competence is questioned. Her superior, Mark, is forced to monitor her every move and their friendship is put under strain as a result. During the case review, however, the board rules in Susan's favor and reprimands Kayson—much to his chagrin.

Shortly after, Kayson is rushed into hospital suffering from a heart attack. Despite their past disagreement on the issue, Kayson opts for Susan's non-invasive form of treatment against the advice of a senior doctor, who (like Kayson) is an advocate of surgical angioplasty. Finally asserting herself, Susan stands her ground and refuses to allow Kayson to be treated surgically. Following his recovery, Kayson shows his gratitude by asking Susan to be his valentine date, which she awkwardly declines.

Susan's personal life is far less settled than her professional one. In Season 1, she is seen to have a brief relationship with psychiatrist Div Cvetic, who ultimately has a nervous breakdown and disappears. Susan later learns that he married someone he met through a dating service, run by a taxi driver from his cab.

Most of her problems, however, are family-related. Susan's parents, Cookie and Henry, are shown to be flighty (her father is jokingly referred to as a test pilot for Barcalounger) and difficult to talk to. Her older sister, Chloe, is the source of most of her distress, with a seemingly never ending series of problems with alcohol, drugs, men, and money. Chloe eventually has a baby girl, who she names Susan ('Little Susie') after her sister. During Season 2 however, Chloe begins to use alcohol and drugs once again. After deciding that she cannot look after her baby, she leaves Chicago, abandoning Susie on a flustered and overworked Susan.

Susan as she appeared in 1996.

She struggles to be a good mother to the child while completing her demanding residency. Already overstressed, Susan clashes with the new Chief Resident, Kerry Weaver, numerous times, forcing Mark Greene to step in between them. Animosity between Kerry and Susan lessens over time, but never goes away completely. Realizing that Chloe may never return, Susan considers giving Susie up for adoption. She gets as far as introducing the baby to potential adoptive parents, but cannot bring herself to part with her niece, so she decides to keep her and adopt the child as her own.

Susan grows extremely attached to the baby, but she gets a surprise when a reformed Chloe reappears later in the season and tries to reclaim 'little Susie'. Susan can't see past Chloe's mistakes, regardless of her recent turnaround and new responsible boyfriend. Desperate to keep the baby, Susan attempts to fight Chloe for custody, but is forced to reconsider when the judge warns her that she would lose. Susan begrudgingly reaches an agreement with her sister, and after regaining custody of 'little Susie', Chloe moves her family to Phoenix, Arizona to start a new life.

Susan struggles to cope with the loss of her niece and goes through a period of grief and counseling. She throws herself into her work to escape her feelings of loneliness, which manages to impress Weaver and, with Mark's encouragement, Kerry agrees to offer Susan the position of chief resident (she promises to support Susan's promotion if Mark recommends her as County's new attending physician). Much of the ER staff hoped Susan could achieve that title, but Susan turns the position down, later telling Mark that there is more to life than work.

Setting up Sherry Stringfield's departure from the series in Season 3, the beginnings of a romance appears to develop between Susan and Mark, or more to the point, they are shown to have problems identifying their current relationship as friendship. Both seem timid and cautious around each other. Initially more upfront about the situation, Susan invites Mark to join her on holiday in Maui, Hawaii, but is embarrassed when he appears hesitant, and later retracts the offer, feeling she overstepped a boundary.

Fearful that he may have missed his chance with Susan, Mark attempts to convey his attraction towards her upon her return, though he cannot find the courage to follow through and is left perplexed by Susan's reticence. It transpires that Susan never actually made it to Maui, she instead visited her sister and 'little Susie' in Phoenix as she could not overcome her fear of flying. Mark helps her overcome this fear in the following episode ('Fear of Flying'), supporting her during a helicopter flight rotation where they are called upon to treat victims of a serious motor accident.

As they grow closer, Mark finally plucks up the courage to casually ask Susan out, however she declines, telling him that they 'need to talk'. Shortly after, Mark witnesses Susan in numerous secret talks with the ER's chief of emergency medicine, David Morgenstern, and concludes that they are seeing each other. He confronts Susan, but she reveals that Morgenstern was merely helping her to transfer her residency. Desperately missing her niece, Susan had made the decision to move to Phoenix to be near her sister's family.

During a hectic last day for Susan at County's ER, Mark struggles with her imminent departure, but still finds himself afraid to admit his true feelings for her. The hospital staff arrange a leaving party for Susan, but it is canceled due to an influx of critical patients from a motoring accident. Susan leaves the hospital unable to say goodbye to Mark, who was busy working on a trauma patient. He manages to arrive just as her train is about to depart (episode 'Union Station). Mark pleads with her to stay because he loves her. But Susan doesn't see a future in Chicago or with him. She kisses him and says 'I love you, too' as the train departs.

Seasons 8–12 and second departure (2001–2005)[edit]

Susan returns during Season 8 as she left, shown to arrive on a train into Chicago to interview for a job. Susan visits County General for the first time in 5 years and sees the hospital has changed as well as the faces. She meets Mark for coffee and reveals that Chloe has moved on to another city, and she has decided that she can't follow her sister's family around forever. Mark offers her a job as an attending physician at County General, despite Kerry Weaver's reservations – the two never got along when they worked together before.

Susan returns to County (2001).

During Season 8 Susan has a brief relationship with Dr. John Carter after they both admit that they had a crush on each other when he was a medical student and she was a resident – it doesn't last, as Susan realizes in the episode Secrets and Lies, that Carter is really in love with Abby Lockhart. She then tells Carter to 'tell her' about his feelings. The two both break up on good terms and remain good friends throughout the rest of her career at County. Her problems with Chloe resurface when her niece Susie goes missing in New York after leaving a distressing voicemail message on her aunt's phone. Susan flies to New York (in a crossover with Third Watch) and discovers Chloe doped up, sleeping rough. Towards the end of the season, Susan faces one of her most difficult story lines, as her best friend Mark Greene reveals to her that his brain tumor has returned. The two rekindled their close friendship as she helps him come to terms with his diagnosis. Susan is alluded to in Mark's goodbye letter in 'The Letter' when Mark comments that he had to leave the way he did, even though there were things of a more personal nature to say. After her best friend's death, Susan warmed up to other friendships in the ER with Abby Lockhart and Elizabeth Corday, and was able to work better with her old colleague Kerry Weaver. Dr. Romano, who actually respected her (he once told another doctor to get Dr. Lewis when he had a medical emergency, calling her 'the least annoying person down there'), also promoted her to Deputy Chief of Emergency Medicine much to Kerry Weaver's dismay.

Into Season 9, Susan meets a flight nurse named Chuck Martin (played by Donal Logue) on a plane to Las Vegas. They both get drunk upon arrival and end up getting married in Vegas. They quickly have the marriage annulled once they return to Chicago, but eventually start dating again, and Susan becomes pregnant. She is finally promoted to the position of Chief of Emergency Medicine after Robert Romano dies in Season 10. While other pregnant characters had given birth on the show, at the time, Susan's was the first major birth offscreen, with her giving birth sometime between Seasons 10 and 11 (and being placed on bedrest amid concerns of preterm labor). Chuck ends up caring for their baby boy Cosmo as a stay-at-home parent while Susan works.

Into Season 11, Susan begins to build some anxiety about the upcoming tenure offer. It ultimately goes to her friend John Carter, due to her lack of grant funding, finally leading to her final exit from the series at the beginning of Season 12 in the episode 'Canon City'. Susan is offered a tenure track position at a hospital in Iowa City, Iowa (presumably University of Iowa). Technically, Stringfield was the first and last original cast member to leave the show. (Being the first to leave in 1996, then in 2005 after the rest of the original cast left.) This was later bested by Noah as he returned in the final season of E.R in 2009.

Season 15 Return in The End (2009)[edit]

In the season 15 episode 'The Book of Abby', long-serving nurse Haleh Adams shows the departing Abby Lockhart a closet wall where all the past doctors and employees have put their locker name tags. Amongst them, the tag 'Lewis' can be seen.

Dr. Susan Lewis returned for the series finale titled 'And in the End...',[5][6] returning to Chicago for the opening of The Carter Center. During evening drinks with Peter Benton, John Carter, Kerry Weaver, Elizabeth Corday, and Rachel Greene, Susan is heard confirming to Dr. Corday that she still lives in Iowa. Additionally, she states that she and Chuck have split and she is now dating again. She eventually returns to the ER for the last time in the series with Rachel Greene and Carter, where she visits and jokes with the staff, much to the annoyance of Dr. Banfield who interrupts the talk by asking Susan who she is.

Reception[edit]

Sherry Stringfield's decision to leave ER was a 'shock wave through Hollywood.'[7] According to Entertainment Weekly, people called Stringfield 'nuts' for leaving 'the hottest show on TV for some investment banker in New York.'[3]

Other officesPreceded by Robert Romano Chief of Emergency Medicine 2004–2005Succeeded by Luka Kovač

References[edit]

^ abVanessa Sibbald (2001). 'Why Sherry Stringfield has returned to `ER''. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2019-07-11.

^Kennedy, Dana (1997-10-17). 'Why I left ER, by Sherry Stringfield'. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2007-02-24.

^ abKennedy, Dana (1997-10-17). 'Sherry Stringfield, the Goodbye Girl'. Entertainment Weekly.

^'Sherry Stringfield quits 'ER' Again'. Digital Spy. 2005-08-06. Retrieved 2007-04-12.

^Mickey O'Connor (2009). 'Sherry Stringfield Returning to ER'. TV Guide. Retrieved 2019-07-11.

^'Sherry Stringfield is Back!'. TV Guide. 2009-02-12. Retrieved 2009-02-12.

^'STRINGFIELD YEARNS FOR `NORMAL LIFE''. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 1996-11-22. Retrieved 2012-03-28.

Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Susan_Lewis&oldid=992148957'

Doug RossFirst appearanceSeptember 19, 1994 (1x01, '24 Hours')Last appearanceMarch 12, 2009 (15x19, 'Old Times')Portrayed byGeorge ClooneyDuration1994–1999, 2000, 2009In-universe informationFull nameDouglas RossNicknameDoug, DougieGenderMaleTitlePediatric Fellow (1994–1998) Pediatric Attending (1998–1999)OccupationPhysician, PediatricianFamilyRay Ross (father; deceased) Sarah Ross (mother)SpouseCarol Hathaway (wife)ChildrenKate Ross (daughter, with Carol) Tess Ross (daughter, with Carol)Born1962[1]

Dr. Douglas 'Doug' Ross is a fictional character from the television series ER, portrayed by George Clooney. George Clooney's removal from the main cast opening credits was in the 16th episode of season 5.

Plot[edit]

Doug Ross was raised by his mother, Sarah, after his father, Ray, abandoned their family. In Season 1, Ross revealed to a patient that he had a son, and he tells nurse Wendy Goldman that he doesn't know his son's name as he's never seen him. Not much else is known about Doug's past. Despite his jumbled personal life, Ross is a dedicated ER pediatrician. He has always been committed to medicine and children and to helping no matter the rules or the consequences. During Season 2, Doug rescued a boy trapped in a flooding storm drain during a rainstorm. His heroic efforts were filmed on local television, making him a media star. This event helped him earn back his job at County, because his supervisor in pediatrics originally wasn't going to renew his fellowship due to his disrespect for authority.

During Season 2, Ray tries to reconcile with Doug, who has difficulty reconnecting with the man who abandoned him and his mother. Ray owns a ritzy hotel in Chicago, and Doug lets his guard down a little but is disappointed when his father offers to take him to a Chicago Bulls game and then stands him up. Ross later reveals that he and his mother were abused by his father. Doug later has an affair with Ray's girlfriend, a woman from whom Ray stole money, but ends the relationship when it becomes clear that she has many problems.

Ross is a womanizer who dates and leaves many women throughout the course of the show. His womanizing days abruptly end after a one-night stand with an epileptic woman who hides her condition and dies in the ER. Ross learns her name only after she dies, after which he stops dating for a while until he gets back together with Carol Hathaway, the head nurse of the ER at County.

Warner Bros. Television, the studio which produces ER for NBC, kept secret from NBC Dr. Ross' cameo in 'Such Sweet Sorrow', which promoted the episode as Carol Hathaway's goodbye, with no mention of Ross' appearance. The original version of 'Such Sweet Sorrow' that Warner Bros. sent to NBC ended after the scene where we see Hathaway on the plane to Seattle. At the eleventh hour, Warner Bros. sent an 'edited' version of the episode by messenger to NBC headquarters in New York for broadcast. NBC was miffed that it was kept in the dark as it could have generated valuable ad revenue if it had aired promos that the episode marked the return of George Clooney. Clooney cited the fans of the show for his reason for making the cameo (he wanted Hathaway's and Ross's characters to get back together, which many fans hoped for). Clooney reportedly only asked to be paid scale for the cameo.

In the season 15 episode 'Old Times,' Ross is working as an attending physician at the University of Washington Medical Center. He is helping a grieving grandmother (Susan Sarandon) whose grandson was gravely injured in a bicycle accident. He talks to Sam and Neela after finding out that they are from County, asking them whether any of his old colleagues still work there. Doug and Carol are responsible for getting the kidney for Carter and a heart for another County patient, but they never discover who receives the organs.

Career[edit]

In the pilot episode, which takes place on St. Patrick's Day 1994, Ross is brought into the ER not long before his shift, to be 'treated' for drunkenness by his longtime friend, Dr. Mark Greene. Throughout the next few seasons, Ross is shown to be compassionate, though not always using the best judgment. His love of children is best seen during darker situations, such as when a child is in danger. When Peter Benton talks about how surgeons deal with emotionally charged cases and ER doctors have it easy, Ross leaves him stunned into silence when describing cases that include a young girl who beat her mother to death, a kid who is going to lose his leg to cancer and another kid who is dying from a life of homelessness. His lack of judgment leads him to assault abusive parents in the ER, but his counseling in that case just consists of the shrink telling him not to do that again.

He is a passionate doctor who puts the welfare of his patients, especially children, above his medical career. In one episode, Dr. Ross saves a young boy who is drowning and is flown in to County General using a news helicopter. This garners him much attention, earns him an award, and saves his job. Ross doesn't handle authority well, even when Mark is his boss. He is a pediatrician, but in several episodes performs medical procedures on adults, usually when the other doctors are busy.

In another episode, he tries to do an ultra-rapid detox on a drug-addicted baby without the mother's consent. Hathaway assists, but when Greene and Weaver discover that the procedure is being done in violation of hospital policy and the law, Doug is punished. He is left on probation for 30 days and is supervised by Dr. Kerry Weaver and Dr. Greene, who have to co-sign his charts. Doug's attitude toward patient treatment often has consequences for his coworkers and supervisors, who have received reprimands from their superiors for Doug's actions.

He vies to be an attending physician for emergency pediatrics. He eventually gets the job, even though doctors Greene and Weaver oppose his promotion because the position isn't necessary and the funds are needed elsewhere. Greene is ultimately happy for Ross, but Weaver is aghast and campaigns against his new position.

He resigns in the aftermath of a scandal in which he shows a mother how to bypass the lockouts on a DilaudidPCA, enabling her to give a lethal dose of medication to her terminally ill son. Ross had earlier stolen Dilaudid from a pain- medication study and given it to the mother, only to be discovered by Weaver and Greene, who reprimand him but kept the incident private. The incident prompts the closure of Hathaway's free clinic in the hospital, since it supplied the PCA to this mother, and Ross faces suspension from work and possible criminal charges. A friend of Ross, who is the Chief of Genetics, stands up for him and the charges against him are dropped, but Ross resigns from the hospital and moves to Seattle. When Ross leaves, he and Hathaway are on poor terms until she discovers that she's pregnant with his twin girls. Her clinic is later re-opened, but she has to report to her former assistant there.

Ross was written out of the series because Clooney wished to focus on his expanding film career. He also said that there wasn't any strong story in place for his character after Season 5.[This quote needs a citation] He appeared at the end of the penultimate episode of season 6, when Carol leaves Cook County to reunite with Ross in Seattle. He was reportedly asked to return briefly in season 8, to make an appearance in Anthony Edwards's last episode during Greene's funeral, but Clooney declined because he did not want his cameo appearance to overshadow the departure of a beloved character on the show.

Clooney returned to ER for its 15th and final season in 2009 in a story arc beginning with Episode 328, titled 'Old Times', with Julianna Margulies also returning as Hathaway. The two are now married and work to help convince a grieving grandmother to donate her grandson's organs. During the process, Doug talks with Neela Rasgotra and learns that nearly everyone he knows has since departed County with Anspaugh being the only one left. At the end of the episode they receive word of the success of their efforts, unaware that the doctor who got the kidney was their old friend John Carter.

Development[edit]

Casting and creation[edit]

George Clooney did not receive a casting call for the television series. He received a draft of the script from a friend; he read it and became interested in the part. He said: 'I like the flaws in this guy. I can play him.'[2]

Neal Baer who worked on ER was inspired by his personal experiences to write storylines for the character of Doug Ross. He did his residency while he was on ER and became a pediatrician, which helped to 'draw on really complicated ethical dilemmas.'[3]

Characterization[edit]

The character was described as 'a complicated children's doctor who could be self-centered quick-tempered and giving, hitting the bottle to avoid dealing with consequences of his actions.'[4]

Reception[edit]

In 2004, Ross was listed in Bravo's 100 Greatest TV Characters.[5]Entertainment Weekly placed Ross in its list of the '30 Great TV Doctors and Nurses'.[6] The character was included in Fox News' list of 'The Best TV Doctors For Surgeon General' and in Philadelphia Magazine's 10 Best Doctors on Television.[7][8] Ross was also listed in Wetpaint's '10 Hottest Male Doctors on TV' and in BuzzFeed's '16 Hottest Doctors On Television'.[9][10] His relationship with Carol Hathaway was included in AOL TV's list of the 'Best TV Couples of All Time' and in the same list by TV Guide.[11][12]

For his work on the series, Clooney received two Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series in 1995 and 1996.[13][14] He was also nominated for three Golden Globe Awards for Best Actor – Television Series Drama in 1995, 1996, and 1997 (losing to co-star Anthony Edwards).[15][16][17]

References[edit]

^Mimi Leder (director), John Wells (writer) (1996-02-22). 'The Healers'. ER. Season 2. Episode 16. NBC.

^Keenleyside, Sam (April 1998). Bedside Manners: George Clooney and ER. ECW Press. p. 51. ISBN978-1-5502-2336-1.

^Tate, Nick (January 11, 2015). ''ER' Producer Dr. Neal Baer Turns Lens on Poverty, Education Reform'. Newsmax Media. Retrieved August 15, 2015.

^Potts, Kimberly (September 1, 2011). George Clooney: The Last Great Movie Star Revised and Updated Edition. Applause. p. 51. ISBN978-1-5578-3785-1.

^'Bravo > 100 Greatest TV Characters'. Bravo. Archived from the original on July 17, 2007. Retrieved November 11, 2006.

^Wilkinson, Amy (June 15, 2009). 'George Clooney – Paging Dr. Feelgood: 30 Great TV Doctors and Nurses – Photo 12 of 28'. Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved January 24, 2013.

^'The Best TV Doctors For Surgeon General'. Fox News. Retrieved January 24, 2013.

^Palan, Erica (October 11, 2011). '10 Best Doctors on Television'. Philadelphia Magazine. Retrieved January 24, 2013.

^Martin, Rebecca (December 21, 2012). 'The 10 Hottest Male Doctors on TV'. Wetpaint. The Cambio Network. Retrieved January 24, 2013.

^'The 16 Hottest Doctors On Television'. BuzzFeed. September 28, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2013.

^Potts, Kimberly (February 11, 2008). 'Best TV Couples of All Time'. AOL TV. Aol, Inc. Retrieved September 24, 2012.

^'Couples Pictures, ER Photos - Photo Gallery: The Best TV Couples of All Time'. TV Guide. Retrieved June 25, 2012.

^'Primetime Emmy nominations for 1995 - Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series'. Emmys.com. Retrieved January 24, 2013.

^'Primetime Emmy nominations for 1996 - Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series'. Emmys.com. Retrieved January 24, 2013.

^'The 53rd Annual Golden Globe Awards (1996)'. Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Retrieved January 24, 2013.

^'The 54th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1997)'. Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Archived from the original on May 21, 2013. Retrieved January 24, 2013.

^'The 54th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1998)'. Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Retrieved January 24, 2013.

Emergency Room

External links[edit]

Bio at TNT.com

Official ER website at NBC.com

Hospital Er Rooms

Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Doug_Ross&oldid=991497793'

[salems-varieties]

Anime for Halloween

I should have posted this before my movies list. But hell, It’s here now and Y’all can binge-watch over the next month. But little disclaimer. These are anime I have seen and ones I associate with Halloween because they have to do with something from the holiday. So anything with Vampires, witches, demons, etc. Anything I got a Halloween-y vibe from. This list is gonna be kind of long. Now time for me to suffer typing it and yall to get an idea from reading it. 

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Title

Synopsis

My thoughts on the Anime

Everything in bold is strictly my opinion. Agree to disagree with me, and put down your own opinion in repost or in the comments but be respectful. Rude or anything of the sort will be deleted or reported depending on the severity.

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07-Ghost

Teito Klein, a student at the academy, is one of the most promising soldiers produced. Although ridiculed by everyone for being a sklave (German for slave) with no memories of his past, he is befriended by a fellow student called Mikage. While preparing for the final exam, Teito uncovers a dark secret related to his past. When an attempt to assassinate Ayanami, a high-ranking official who killed his father, fails, Teito is locked away awaiting punishment.

This one is religious, HOWEVER, Demons and the Gods of Death kinda make it more Halloween-y so :p Also as a side note; It’s only subbed so all y’all who prefer dub are gonna be disappointed.

Ancient Magus Bride

Chise Hatori, a 15-year-old Japanese girl, was sold for five million pounds at an auction to a tall masked gentleman. Abandoned at a young age and ridiculed by her peers for her unconventional behavior, she was ready to give herself to any buyer if it meant having a place to go home to. In chains and on her way to an unknown fate, she hears whispers from robed men along her path, gossiping and complaining that such a buyer got his hands on a rare "Sleigh Beggy." Ignoring the murmurs, the mysterious man leads the girl to a study, where he reveals himself to be Elias Ainsworth—a magus. After a brief confrontation and a bit of teleportation magic, the two open their eyes to Elias' picturesque cottage in rural England. Greeted by fairies and surrounded by weird and wonderful beings upon her arrival, these events mark the beginning of Chise's story as the apprentice and supposed bride of the ancient magus.

I love this one so much. My only issue is what would have made it more Halloween inspired would have been if they’s gone through Samhain and not skipped straight to Yule. BUT monsters, mages, witches, alchemists, and fae make this anime perfect for magic inspire Halloween watch.

Another

In 1972, a popular student in Yomiyama North Middle School's class 3-3 named Misaki passed away during the school year. Since then, the town of Yomiyama has been shrouded by a fearful atmosphere, from the dark secrets hidden deep within.

Horror, horror, horror and gore. Enjoy this with friends and family who have a strong stomach and are old enough to not get scared. The deaths are absolutely horrific and it takes place all around a middle school class. (Read the novel, of the same name, it’s based off if you dare)

Ao no Exorcist

Humans and demons are two sides of the same coin, as are Assiah and Gehenna, their respective worlds. The only way to travel between the realms is by the means of possession, like in ghost stories. However, Satan, the ruler of Gehenna, cannot find a suitable host to possess and therefore, remains imprisoned in his world. In a desperate attempt to conquer Assiah, he sends his son instead, intending for him to eventually grow into a vessel capable of possession by the demon king.

Anyone who’s been around anime long enough knows or knows of this anime. Who wouldn’t have added this into their Halloween Anime list? It has to do with Demons and the Son of Satan.

Black Butler  

Young Ciel Phantomhive is known as "the Queen's Guard Dog," taking care of the many unsettling events that occur in Victorian England for Her Majesty. Aided by Sebastian Michaelis, his loyal butler with seemingly inhuman abilities, Ciel uses whatever means necessary to get the job done. But is there more to this black-clad butler than meets the eye?

Classic as well. Don’t forget the movies and season 3. We don’t speak of season 2 0.0″ Also the manga has taken a VERY dark turn as of recent so if you’re looking for reading material, there you go.

Blood-C 

Peaceful schoolgirl by day, fearsome monster slayer by night, Saya Kisaragi is leading a split life. Equipped with a ceremonial sword given to her by her father for sacred tasks, she vanquishes every monster who dares threaten her quiet little village. But all too soon, Saya's reality and everything she believes to be true is tested, when she overhears the monsters speak of a broken covenant—something she knows nothing about. And then, unexpectedly, a strange dog appears; it asks her to whom she promised to protect the village, curious as to what would happen if she were to break that promise. Tormented by unexplainable visions and her world unraveling around her, we travel with Saya through her struggle to find a way to the truth in a village where nothing is as it seems.

Another very gory anime. Children, please do avoid.

Bloodivores

60 years ago, a strange case of insomnia struck the population, forcing them to stay awake for more than a full week. The victims, completely sleep deprived, all went mad. To cure this illness, a new medicine was produced, but the side effects turned the patients into vampires. Humanity went to war against this new species and triumphed, but some of the vampires managed to survive. Born from a Human and a Vampire, the main character Mi Liu, "The Child of Hope," is to represent the new hope that will connect the two species. Ringleader of a bank robbery, Mi Liu is arrested and transferred to a special prison of the National Defense Agency that monitors Vampires.

Genetically created vampires. Need I say more?

Blood Lad

Staz Charlie Blood is a powerful vampire who rules the Eastern district of Demon World. According to rumors, he is a bloodthirsty and merciless monster, but in reality, Staz is just an otaku obsessed with Japanese culture and completely uninterested in human blood. Leaving the management of his territory to his underlings, Staz spends his days lazing around, indulging in anime, manga, and games.

A vampire otaku... Thank you, this is exactly what I needed. 

D.Gray-Man

Losing a loved one is so painful that one may sometimes wish to be able to resurrect them—a weakness that the enigmatic Millennium Earl exploits. To make his mechanical weapons known as "Akuma," he uses the souls of the dead that are called back. Once a soul is placed in an Akuma, it is trapped forever, and the only way to save them is to exorcise them from their vessel using the Anti-Akuma weapon, "Innocence."

*Piece of advice. D. Gray-Man the first series was not finished in Dub if you’re one who prefers Dub. So heading into D. Gray-Man Hollow, you’ll be confused as hell. It’s best to just watch Sub so you don’t have to worry about missing a huge chunk of info. 

But if you like anime about demons and exorcists there’s more than just Blue Exorcist. This one I suggest because it’s phenomenal, but that’s personal opinion XD

Dance with Devils

Ritsuka Tachibana has always been a good student, so she is completely shocked when she is suddenly summoned by the student council. Even more, they seem to think of Ritsuka as a troublemaker. Led by the handsome Rem Kaginuki, the student council—also consisting of Urie Sogami, Shiki Natsumizaka, and Mage Nanashiro—tries to question her, but it soon becomes clear that they have ulterior motives.

This is one based off an Otome (Dating game) so try YT for gameplay if you wanna see the whole story. Yet another about demons and exorcists, but this time there are vampires and Cerberus added to the mix. Plus for those who know-how Otome heroines are basically pushovers, this one has a strong-willed girl as our protagonist. Thank you, Ritsuka for breaking the mold T/\T

Diabolik Lovers

At the behest of her father, Yui Komori goes to live in a secluded mansion, home to the six Sakamaki brothers—Shuu, Reiji, Ayato, Kanato, Laito, and Subaru—a family of vampires. Though at first the siblings are confused as to why the girl has arrived, they soon realize that she is to be their new "sacrificial bride," not to mention their other, more carnal intentions for her. After meeting the brothers, Yui quickly begins to question why her father would have sent her here and why she feels a strange, new pain in her chest. With each brother more sadistic than the last, Yui's life as a captive takes a harrowing turn in her new home. As her days turn into endless nights, and each brother vows to make her his own, Yui falls deeper and deeper into madness and ecstasy.

Otome with like 4? games, try YT for gameplay. I’m a little sad that it only has two seasons and the episodes are like 13-15 minutes long. Still, if you like Otome based games, you’ve most likely seen this. DO NOT EXPECT VANILLA ROMANCE. THIS IS NOT A FUN RIDE IF YOU EXPECT THAT.

Death Note

A shinigami, as a god of death, can kill any person—provided they see their victim's face and write their victim's name in a notebook called a Death Note. One day, Ryuk, bored by the shinigami lifestyle and interested in seeing how a human would use a Death Note, drops one into the human realm.

Classic... But not my personal cup of tea. I added it because it’s a salute to one of my dear friends.

Little Witch Academia

"A believing heart is your magic!"—these were the words that Atsuko "Akko" Kagari's idol, the renowned witch Shiny Chariot, said to her during a magic performance years ago. Since then, Akko has lived by these words and aspired to be a witch just like Shiny Chariot, one that can make people smile. Hence, even her non-magical background does not stop her from enrolling in Luna Nova Magical Academy.

This one is just cute and intense. Witches are starting to die out but one girl wants desperately to be a witch like her idol was. I love how this brings in witchy elements and some fairy tale elements.

Makai Ouji: Devils and Realist

The story revolves around William, an aristocratic family's progeny with rare intellect. One day, his uncle lost his possessions after his business failed. Fearing that his family's name has been tarnished, William returns home and searches with his family's butler for anything that can be converted into cash. A search of the premises yields an underground room left by an ancestor. In the room is a magical seal, and William unintentionally summons a devil. The summoned devil tells William his name Dantalion and reveals that William is the designator who can choose the acting ruler of the demon world.

If realists were like William, I think the world would be on fire. The poor people that have to deal with him. At least most of them are demons, maybe that will knock his head into gear... right?

Miira No Kaikata 

High school student Sora Kashiwagi is accustomed to receiving bizarre presents from his father, who is on an expedition around the world. Unfortunately, these gifts have been nothing but nightmares. As a result, when his father sends him a huge package from Egypt, Sora prepares himself for the worst, only to be greeted by Mii-kun—a cute, pint-sized mummy! While initially wary, Sora soon learns that Mii-kun is harmless, a delicate creature yearning for attention.

I can understand people who don’t like horror or gore. I was there once. So here’s a cute anime about a boy and his pet mummy. Sanrio really did a great job turning the manga, which was darker than the anime, into something so cute and so wholesome.

Mirai Nikki

Lonely high school student, Yukiteru Amano, spends his days writing a diary on his cellphone while conversing with his two seemingly imaginary friends Deus Ex Machina, who is the god of time and space, and Murmur, the god's servant. Revealing himself to be an actual entity, Deus grants Yukiteru a "Random Diary," which shows highly descriptive entries based on the future and forces him into a bloody battle royale with 11 other holders of similarly powerful future diaries.

I have no word on this.

Owari no Seraph

With the appearance of a mysterious virus that kills everyone above the age of 13, mankind becomes enslaved by previously hidden, power-hungry vampires who emerge in order to subjugate society with the promise of protecting the survivors, in exchange for donations of their blood.

The Apocolypse starts and vampires rule the world. I dunno if that sounds like heaven or hell for me? But in this world, it would certainly be hell. Vampires rule the world but that doesn't mean the humans are gone. An army rises to protect what’s left from the bloodsuckers. And did I mention demons? Along with the concept of corrupt angels? Oh yeah, that’s gotta be hell on earth.

Pandora Hearts

To young Oz Vessalius, heir to the Vessalius Duke House, the perilous world called the Abyss is nothing more than a folktale used to scare misbehaving children. However, when Oz's coming-of-age ceremony is interrupted by the malicious Baskerville Clan intent on banishing him into the depths of the Abyss, the Vessalius heir realizes that his peaceful life of luxury is at its end. Now, he must confront the world of the Abyss and its dwellers, the monstrous "Chains," which are both not quite as fake as he once believed.

I couldn't have found a better gif for this anime. It’s Alice in Wonderland inspired but with a much darker twist than what Disney gave us (and yes I do mean both the original and the Tim Burton version). Enjoy this one because it’s not all dark there is humor to break up the heart-wrenching. But don’t expect it to always be comical. 

Phantom in the Twilight

Set in modern-day London, the story takes place in a world where "Shadows" are born from human fear and anxiety. A young girl arrives to study abroad, only to be caught in a bizarre incident as she enters university. In a city with no acquaintances, the helpless girl wanders into "Café Forbidden," a mysterious café that exclusively opens at midnight. She meets an assortment of handsome men employed at the café, where guardians who protect the boundary between humans and shadow convene

Vampires, werewolves, ghosts, and even demons; this one would be great for Halloween. I will admit though, it’s lackluster considering these guys are supposed to be Dracula, the Wolfman, and so on. It might be someone’s cup of tea, just not everyone’s 

Rosario to Vampire

Youkai Academy is a seemingly normal boarding school, except that its pupils are monsters learning to coexist with humans. All students attend in human form and take normal academic subjects, such as literature, gym, foreign language, and mathematics. However, there is one golden rule at Youkai Academy—all humans found on school grounds are to be executed immediately!

I couldn’t get through this one. I’m not gonna lie. It was basically light hentai and I’m not into that kinda stuff, but I feel like someone would have called me out for it not being here so T-T

Servamp 

Mahiru Shirota firmly believes that simple is best and troublesome things should be avoided at all costs. It is troublesome to do nothing and regret it later—and this ideology has led the 15-year-old to pick up a stray cat on his way home from school. As he affectionately names the feline Kuro, little does he know that this chance meeting will spark an extraordinary change in his everyday life.

I’m gonna be completely honest, the manga was better. I love the anime don’t get me wrong. I’ve rewatched it many times. But it cut out so much from the manga. So as an anime, watch it first before reading the manga, then go back and nitpick. If you do it the other way around you may be more disappointed.

Soul Eater

Death City is home to the famous Death Weapon Meister Academy, a technical academy headed by the Shinigami—Lord Death himself. Its mission: to raise "Death Scythes" for the Shinigami to wield against the many evils of their fantastical world. These Death Scythes, however, are not made from physical weapons; rather, they are born from human hybrids who have the ability to transform their bodies into Demon Weapons, and only after they have consumed the souls of 99 evil beings and one witch's soul. This one is perfect for Halloween with it’s dark but funny themes. If you prefer the cutesier stuff like I do sometimes try Soul Eater NOT! The concept of soul-eating monsters and a school that teaches teens to fight and destroy them, A+ content. Plus some of those teens turn into actual weapons. Where is my sign up sheet? I would gladly take that over normal boring high school. Also add the grim reaper into the mix then give him a funny voice and disposition. Gold I tell ya.

Togainu no Chi

In the wake of a third world war that left Japan in ruins, an organization known as Vischio seized control of Tokyo and renamed it Toshima. Taking place in its back alleys are battle games known as Igura, overseen by the Vischio, in which contestants battle and bathe in each other's blood to earn the chance to go up against its tournament's king, Il-re.

This one is for all my lovely fujoshi/fudanshi peoples. It’s a dark anime and based off a rated M, BL Otome. Sinners welcome.

Tokyo Ghoul

Tokyo has become a cruel and merciless city—a place where vicious creatures called “ghouls” exist alongside humans. The citizens of this once great metropolis live in constant fear of these bloodthirsty savages and their thirst for human flesh. However, the greatest threat these ghouls pose is their dangerous ability to masquerade as humans and blend in with society.

This one is mainstream for a reason. It’s a good story, anime or manga. Mainly manga. Anyway, I haven’t seen Re yet, but I’ve heard it’s sheit. Still gonna watch it though cause why the hell not.

Uragiri wa Boku no Namae wo Shitteiru

Growing up as an orphan, Yuki Sakurai questions his reason for living and the ability to see a person's painful memory by simply touching them. After receiving anonymous notes telling him to die, Yuki is unable to shake off the nagging feeling forming inside of him. Unbeknownst to him, he is being watched, both by people who want to harm him and those who want to protect him.

Reincarnation from a girl to a boy and the girl had a hot lover that is now with her male reincarnation. And the lover is a vampire. Man, that’s confusing but the story is good. I have yet to read the manga. The anime was great from what I can remember, so give it a shot. It’s another BL anime, so proceed with caution.

Vampire Knight

Cross Academy is an elite boarding school with two separate, isolated classes: the Day Class and the Night Class. On the surface, Yuuki Cross and Zero Kiryuu are prefects of the academy and attempt to keep order between the students as classes rotate in the evenings. As the Night Class is full of utterly gorgeous elites, this can sometimes prove to be a bit difficult. It is completely necessary, however, as those "elites" are actually vampires. Yuuki and Zero act as guardians, protecting the secrets of the Night Class and the safety of their ignorant morning counterparts.

If twilight was an anime, but Bella and Edward were siblings and Jacob was another vampire. This is not a great anime but let's face it, some of us watched it as preteens, enjoyed it, and were head over heels for Zero and/or Kaname. It’s a trash anime, but great for those who are 21 and over. Do I hear drinking games, anyone?

All synopsis came from My Anime List (where the links take you). Also, I’m sorry it’s a lot to read, I just didn’t want to cut them down. Feel free to add what you think should have been on here, or what you think is a Halloween favorite on reposts. Comments are welcome and have a happy spooky season!

#anime #ancient magnus bride #another #ao no exorcist #blue exorcist #black butler #kuroshitsuji #blood-c #blood lad #bloodivores #d.gray-man #d.grayman hallow #dance with devils #diabolik lovers #diabolik lovers more blood #death note #Little witch academia #makai ouji #miira no kaikata #mirai nikki #owari no seraph #seraph of the end #pandora hearts #phantom in the twilight #rosario vampire #servamp #soul eater #togainu no chi #tokyo ghoul #Tokyo ghoul:re

[spellnbone]

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT 004: MYER BRIGGS

YOUR PERSONALITY TYPE IS: MEDIATOR (INFP-A)

Mind: 74% Introverted / 26% Extroverted Energy: 15% Observant / 85% Intuitive Nature 86% Feeling / 14% Thinking Tactics: 35% Judging / 65% Prospecting Identity: 728% Assertive / 28% Turbulent

Mediator personalities are true idealists, always looking for the hint of good in even the worst of people and events, searching for ways to make things better. While they may be perceived as calm, reserved, or even shy, Mediators have an inner flame and passion that can truly shine. Comprising just 4% of the population, the risk of feeling misunderstood is unfortunately high for the Mediator personality type – but when they find like-minded people to spend their time with, the harmony they feel will be a fountain of joy and inspiration.

The INFP personality does reflect Edgar quite well. He does tend to come of as a calm sea, while those who know him know that there’s wonders lurking in the depth of his mind. It is however surprising to see that his Thinking is less impactful than his Feeling, as you’d expect him, he who reads and ponders so much, to be less of an heart-person and more of a head-person. Yet, I do think it fits. His Thinking is driven by Feeling, by the wish to understand and explore more than to just analyse and take the facts as they are. He cares about how they impact the world, the universe, the people around him, and how he feels about it all is an important factor that makes him read so much.

Mediators have a talent for self-expression, revealing their beauty and their secrets through metaphors.

This is certainly accurate for Edgar. While this self-expression is never meant to be expressed for the sake of others, but simply because his words are an outlet for the thoughts he gathers and connects, he does love to talk about it. Not constantly, not randomly, but with those he trusts and those he wishes to join the conversation.

Listen to Many People, but Talk to Few

This also applies beautifully to Edgar. While he definitely doesn’t struggle to hold a conversation, he enjoys listening more than to preach (even if he were someone who thought his own words deep or important enough for preaches, which he certainly isn’t). Perhaps this won’t show as well in this RP, as most of the people around him, the members of the Order, are deeply trusted people, so of course he is able -- and willing! -- to share his thoughts with them. An interaction with a stranger would certainly look different than with someone by whose side he has fought for death and life. Perhaps it’ll show itself in the recently-joined members, compared to those who have been in the Order with him for a long time.

If they are not careful, Mediators can lose themselves in their quest for good and neglect the day-to-day upkeep that life demands. Mediators often drift into deep thought, enjoying contemplating the hypothetical and the philosophical more than any other personality type.

The latter goes without question, the former, I believe has shown itself in recent years. Certainly, Edgar has always been withdrawn, enjoying the comfort of the Ravenclaw tower all throughout his stay at Hogwarts, but ever since then, ever since engaging with the Order’s cause, he might’ve forgotten himself even more. He used to write a lot, unrhyming poetry and jotted down epigrams, mostly, but this, along with other, adolescent hobbies, have drifted away from him eventually. All of his relationships (most of them long-term and considered serious) died because he would withdraw and not put enough effort into the love. He cared, of course, but sometimes he’d forget, staying out for hours, nights, sometimes even entire days, without letting his partner know where he was going. He means no harm in that, he just ... forgets, too absorbed by his own pondering and quest for good.

Mediators share a sincere belief in the idea of relationships – that two people can come together and make each other better and happier than they were alone, and they will take great efforts to show support and affection in order to make this ideal a reality. [...] But Mediators aren’t necessarily in a rush to commit – they are, after all, Prospecting (P) types, and are almost always looking to either establish a new relationship or improve an existing one – they need to be sure they’ve found someone compatible.

The test says that Mediators don’t enjoy committing to relationships, mostly because they prefer the prospect of things over actually doing it. This is the point I initially disagree with, as Edgar for me always had a very loyal personality, someone who longs for someone to be at his side, someone he can come home to. But now that I think about it, I think he’s always, somewhat, one foot out the door. As though he doesn’t really believe that no matter how beautiful and important the thing is he has with that other person, it will never last. Partially because of the war (the secrets he fosters because of the Order and he knows secrets are poison to a relationship, but also because he’s been with Muggles, and the worlds are just too different, it’s too dangerous to let them come together like this), and partially because, in a way, he knows that in the end there’s no one he wants to be as close to as with Amelia. If he were to picture his future -- which he avoids, usually -- then it’s always her, old and wrinkly, by his side, and no one else. 

The challenge is the many dualities that this type harbors when it comes to being sociable – Mediators crave the depth of mutual human understanding, but tire easily in social situations; they are excellent at reading into others’ feelings and motivations, but are often unwilling to provide others the same insight into themselves

I think, as long as Edgar is allowed to sit in a corner and observe at a party, he won’t feel particularly drained. It’s when he has to force himself into expression to make himself feel understood and therefore has to see himself through the eyes of others, that he wears out. I imagine that during the Inner-Circle meetings at the Order, he’s not the one to just take the word and go on about ideas, even if he has some, but listens first and then take someone aside in the five-minute-break to share his opinion. Furthermore, I wonder if his symptoms of OCD make it hard to fully relax when many people are around. In a dangerous situation this comes in incredibly handy as he notices patterns and uncommon happenstances, but when it’s a party where he’s expected to enjoy himself, it’s in the way. That’s why he smokes, to keep his hands from twitching and reaching out to fix little details, keep that calm sea facade of his. And what a luck that this is the 80s and smoking inside wasn’t a tabu yet.

Even as friendships grow stronger and deeper, and friends are lulled into a sense of mutual understanding, Mediators’ enigmatic qualities will never truly vanish.

Very important. Edgar isn’t ‘philosophical’ on purpose. To impress or appear a certain way. he couldn’t care less what his impact is on other people’s minds. There’s not a self-image with reputation he fosters, even when it seemed so in the past when he tried to please his parents by being the Good Child. He did so to keep Amelia out of trouble, and to make his parents happy, never to develop a certain opinion of others on him. This just happened as a by-product. So even when he does get to know someone, and loves sharing his thoughts with them, he won’t change. Because that’s just him, from beginning to end, always.

In the workplace: As subordinates, Mediators prefer latitude, and would much rather immerse themselves in a project, alone or with a close team, than simply be told what task to do and move on. People with the Mediator personality type aren’t looking for easy, forgettable work that pays the bills, they’re looking for meaningful work that they actually want to think about. [...] As managers, Mediators are among the least likely to seem like managers – their egalitarian attitudes lend respect to every subordinate, preferring communication as human beings than as a boss/employee opposition. People with the Mediator personality type are flexible, open-minded and give their subordinates the tools they need, be they responsible delegation or an intuitive and receptive sounding board, to get the job done. Keeping their eyes on the horizon, Mediators set goals that achieve a desirable end, and help the people working under them to make that happen.

Edgar is in the Inner-Circle of the Order, but not because he’s a Leader personality, but because he’s been around for so long that he just knows the ins and outs, because he knows the rules, because he’s undeniably trust-worthy and helpful when given the opportunity. Hence why I added the bit about a Mediator as a manager, because while, in a way, the Inner-Circle does seem to play a leading role in the order, it’s important to understand that Edgar doesn’t see himself as more important than any other member. On the contrary, he embraces every idea, no matter if it’s from someone who joined the cause centuries years ago or last month. Perhaps this is why he finds the negative opinions on the Dorcas and Co. so surprising; he firmly believes that new ideas should always be welcomed, especially if old ideas haven’t really gotten them far in the past, and therefore wonder why people are so resistant to more radical means. On the other hand, the ‘doesn’t just look for work that pays the bills’ amuses me, as Edgar does work at the Daily Prophet mostly for that. Money. He has to get around somehow. Then again, you could say he chose his column for the arts, so here again, he does love thinking about what he’s doing, putting his thoughts into his words.

All in all, I think Edgar fits the Mediator type. It is funny, however, how the Mediator sounds like quite the Hufflepuff type of personality. Naturally, we all know that Edgar’s second house would’ve been Hufflepuff, but considering how the Mediator’s weakness is ‘dislike having to deal with data’, I do wonder what the test got wrong about him (or me, as I took the test). Perhaps it is the fact that he doesn’t collect the data for the sake of data, but to translate it into the bigger picture, which is a Mediator thing to do, or perhaps it is because over the years, he’s grown more distant from just studying the world for the sake of studying it.

I’d like to retake the test in a few months, when I know Edgar a little better. Or when Edgar might’ve changed some more. After all, the events of the world don’t leave him cold, even if he’s not showing his fears and worries on the outside all the time.

#homenumcharacter #{ it's rotten work }

[hilarieburtonmorgan]

After Multiple Miscarriages, Hilarie Burton Says She and Jeffrey Dean Morgan Have Their Happy Ending

In her new holiday movie, A Christmas Wish, Hilarie Burton’s character dreams of having one simple wish fulfilled by Christmas — finding love.

Off-screen, the One Tree Hill alum will be spending her holidays living out her festive fantasies next door to a Christmas tree farm in Upstate New York with two beautiful children and her new husband, actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan. But while the 37-year-old actress may be living a picture-perfect holiday this season, her journey to get here was filled with heartbreaking setbacks. At times, she says, she felt like the struggling lead in a holiday movie, waiting for her happy ending.

“I wasn’t necessarily wishing for love, but I wished for a baby for a really long time,” says Burton, who suffered multiple miscarriages before she and Morgan welcomed their second child in 2018. “I've been very open about my struggle with that and I have a book coming out in March 2020 with Harper One called The Rural Diaries where I talk about a wish for a different life.”

“My life has mirrored these holiday films since I've been doing them,” Burton continues. “It was like life was imitating art because I started doing all these movies about a woman who leaves the unfulfilling life in the city, moves out to the country, falls in love with her life again and ends up getting her happy ending. In the birth of my daughter, that was the fruition of this whole wish I had for moving out here and growing my family.”

“Every morning of the five years it took us, I'd open my computer at the kitchen table and see the news and I'd grow bitter over the endless parade of celebrities showing off their bumps and babies,” she wrote on Instagram. “I'd weep out of jealousy for how easy it was for them. Didn't they know something could go wrong? Didn't they know that there were other women out there struggling?”

"Fertility is a fickle thing," her post continued. And the last thing she wanted was for her daughter's birth "to cause any other woman to weep at her kitchen table. If anything, my wish is that she would restore hope for others.”

Recalling her own dark days, Burton says she can relate to the shame that many women suffer while experiencing fertility challenges. However, she believes the increasing number of women speaking out about their struggles is helping shift attitudes.

“There’s a difference between personal shame and public shame,” she notes. “I think people speaking up has really helped remedy the public shame of infertility. Personal shame is an individual thing. I felt a great deal of personal shame, so I think the more this dialogue happens, the more women are freed up to process their feelings rather than bottle them up.”

She hopes to continue expanding public dialogue around the once-taboo topic through her book, The Rural Diaries, and thinks her husband's perspective in the storytelling can be particularly helpful for men experiencing this kind of loss. After all, it was a book that Burton turned to while trying to understand how Morgan was dealing with their first miscarriage.

“We had multiple miscarriages, and every time his reaction was very, very different,” she says. “There's a wonderful book that was given to me by a friend and it's from a man's perspective of dealing with infertility. Even though Jeffrey wasn't necessarily able to articulate his feelings the first time it happened, I was able to read a book of someone else's account,” she continues. “It helped me understand what he was going through, so if our book can do the same thing for people, then that's the whole reason for putting it out there in the universe.”

Although Burton and Morgan have been together for more than 10 years, the actress admits that she has been surprised with how different it feels to be husband and wife, even just one month into marriage.

“Married life is fantastic — we’re still in love!” she says. “It feels nice to be Mrs. Morgan. It’s a comfortable feeling. It feels different; I didn’t think it would, and it didn’t necessarily at first, but now when I say, ‘My husband,’ that little nagging, dark cloud in the back of my mind that knew I was lying [previously] is gone. Now, I’m smug about it. I’m like, ‘Well yes, that is my husband,’ and no one can question it. I feel validated, so it’s fantastic!”

While Morgan had his Supernatural family there on the couple’s big day, Burton had her nearest and dearest One Tree Hill costars, including Sophia Bush, Antwon Taylor, Bethany Joy Lenz, and Colin Fickes. The cast have remained tightknit, which Burton owes to the show's North Carolina setting.

“When you’re isolated in the little coastal town of Wilmington, North Carolina, there’s a summer camp vibe to it,” she says. “You’re each other's community and family. You work together 18 hours a day, and on the weekends you hang out with each other, so a lot of us saw working on that show as like going to college — those were my sorority sisters.”

“That kind of bonding at that particular age, during our first taste of freedom, too,” she continues. “For a lot of us, it was the first time we’d been away from our families. Those are people that you cling to and you grow up with, and I’ll love those bastards forever! My husband teases me about how obsessed we all are with each other, but when you meet fantastic people, you keep them in your world, and they’re worth every effort. I just adore them.”

Although many of the actors established unbreakable bonds during their time on the series, it was two years ago that the strength of those relationships was tested. One Tree Hill staff writer Audrey Wauchope accused series creator and showrunner Mark Schwahn, of sexual harassment during her time working on the show. Many of the show’s actresses — including Burton and Bush — came out in support of the writer, signing an open letter backing Wauchope’s claims. Shortly thereafter Schwahn was fired from The Royals, the E! series he was working on at the time.

“Every family has their secrets, and it’s always a test of the family when that dirty laundry gets aired,” Burton says. “I personally appreciated the men of the show supporting us in a way that’s hard to articulate. They easily could have stuck their head in the sand and said, ‘Oh, I didn't see anything,’ but they didn't. They stood by us. This is a business where you can't trust everyone, and I’ve found the people I can trust — that’s why I want to continue working with them over and over again.”

That included the 2018 holiday film, The Christmas Contract, and this year’s A Christmas Wish, the Lifetime film which also stars singer-songwriter Tyler Hilton and his wife, Megan Park, which will air on Nov. 28. Burton says she created the whole film around Park, having wanted to play sisters with her for years. She then asked Hilton to portray her love interest since he was off tour.

The film sees Maddie (Park) convince her sister, Faith (Burton), to place a wish for love into their hometown’s Christmas wish box, but while a romantic opportunity presents itself, Faith finds herself questioning her feelings for her best friend Wyatt (Hilton) instead. Singer-songwriter Ryan Cabrera makes a musical cameo, too.

Burton notes that holiday films like A Christmas Wish are about more than feel-good festive fun and cute romances, citing her own transformative experience leaving Los Angeles in pursuit of a more fulfilling life.

“These kinds of stories empower women to take risks and, in my own life, it's a testament to that,” Burton says. “It's a testament to taking risks, making that wish, saying it out loud, and letting it happen.”

#hilarie burton #instyle #interview #news #2019

[unbearablylight]

11/11/11

ok i got tagged in two of these, one from @shit-she-wrote and another from @carrotgirl-1 (thanks to you both!) so time to answer some questions

1. What’s the first story you remember writing?

i was kinda late to the writing game, and the first big venture into creative writing i remember was running a hunger games roleplay blog, so i had to write the updates on those lol there was also a book i started writing in a similar genre around that time, but i don’t remember much about it

2. How has your taste in books changed since childhood?

umm i mean it’s matured somewhat i suppose, but i’ve always enjoyed a good fantasy or mystery

3. Do you see any similarities to your favorite books in your work? If yes, what are they?

i love a found family, so i like to write about those when i can

4. What sort of music inspires you?

to inspire ideas/creativity, i like music that sounds like it could be used in a movie or trailer, kinda big and epic or with emotional shifts. for actually writing, i need music i don’t know or without lyrics, otherwise i’ll start singing along and get distracted

5. Favorite book?

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

6. Favorite mythology (Greek, Norse, etc.)?

greek is the one i know best, so i’d have to say that. but anything with mythological/religious basis interests me

actually if we’re including “religions” (whatever the distinction between religion/mythology may be), christianity/catholicism is what i was raised on, so i know and like to play off of a lot of that usually

7. Dream vacation?

one someone else is paying for lol

um if i’m going with something new, i’ve always wanted to visit japan

i will also always accept a trip to Disney World

8. Favorite writing snack?

i can’t eat, i need both hands on the keyboard lol (something not super messy i suppose, like blueberries)

9. What tea do you drink the most while writing?

i don’t drink tea whoops

10. Do you have a special writing cup, that you drink tea out of specifically when writing to fill you up with inspiration?

i have this very large mickey mouse mug that i would probably use if i was drinking something hot like that, but again, not a tea (or coffee!) drinker

11. Write your favorite quote from your recent wip!!

*~~warnings for sexual language not great for work or minors probably lol~~*

RYVER: Don’t you pretend to be their boyfriend? MAX: Not like this! Usually I just tell them how special they are to me while pounding their brains out. RYVER: Huh. I would’ve pegged you as a bottom. KAT: You would’ve pegged him as a bottom? RYVER: I stand by my word choice.

and on that note, on to round two!

1. How do you pick character names?

through a long struggle. i hate naming things. honestly it depends on what i’m working on, so sometimes it’s just what sounds good, sometimes it’s to fit a personality, sometimes it’s just keysmashing until something vaguely pronounceable appears

2. Which OC would you like to meet irl?

probably Toph from where things may lie unseen for ~secret~ (spoiler) reasons

3. Sunset or sunrise?

sunset for the colors, but i do enjoy a good sunrise (tho i detest waking up that early)

4. Would you rather explore the deep space or the deep seas?

*chanting* deep space! deep space!

5. What inspired your latest WIP?

so i’m actually currently revamping an old script of mine, and for the life of me i cannot remember what sparked the initial concept for it. but what made me want to go back and rework it was watching Fleabag (which is amazing btw)

6. Happy endings or sad endings?

a mix? i guess. i’m good with either as long as whatever it is is done well

in my own writing i tend to mix them a bit, just because i think life and stories are never quite that simple (at least the stories i tell) so there’s usually some satisfaction amidst devastation

7. Do you believe in ghosts?

i grew up watching Ghost Whisperer (it was like the first Adult™ show i watched) and now i can’t not believe in ghosts

8. What’s the first line from your favorite WIP?

you’re asking me to choose a favorite child?!

for scripts, it’s probably Small Ponds which starts:

EXT. LAKE KINGFISHER - DAY - 2010

The lake is relatively still in the summer afternoon. A bird arcs out of the sky to skirt over its surface.

currently The Vestige of an Unwonted Wind is my favorite novel wip, since it’s the one i’m working on lol. it starts:

The beginning of the end was gentle, a dipping of the toe into a spring of boiling water.

Which, should you come across a pool of bubbling liquid, do proceed with caution, for it is either very hot water or not water at all, and neither offer a pleasant swim.

9. If you could shapeshift into any animal, which would it be?

ohhh this is so tough. probably into some type of bird so i could fly

10. So if you’re heading to a lovely garden buffet, with every cuisine imaginable, and you had free-flowing drinks and a chocolate fountain and desserts galore, and you’re wearing a nice dress or suit, right, and there’s a line in front of the roasted meats area, but you’re drooling and you just can’t wait to bite into that juicy steak so you go–you go to the seafood section, and then you see this person, this person who’s hogging all the lobster, just smiling at you as they keep piling on lobster after lobster, they can’t hold it anymore, they don’t have enough hands or plates, so you help them out, and after you help them out they smile sweetly and ask if you’d care for some lobster.

Who is this person?

first of all i’m obsessed with this question

second of all, i have absolutely no idea lmao i don’t know if i know anyone this into lobster. is anyone this into lobster? are they okay? do they like need to bring 99 lobster to a troll guarding a bridge in order to pass? are they on a quest? can i join them?

11. What’s your favorite line from your favorite OC?

you’re really testing me here, aren’t you?

hmm Ben and Monique from Small Ponds are the children i never stop thinking about so i’ll do a line from each of them

Monique’s:

Any actress worth her salt makes her presence felt long after she’s gone.

Ben’s (with context, but the last line specifically):

DYLAN: If I’m lurking, what do they think you’re doing? BEN: Trying to seduce you. DYLAN: At a funeral? BEN: There’s worse they think I’ve done.

ok from what i’ve heard, this cycle has gone on for too long so i’m not gonna make questions or tag anyone because i think the people i would tag have done this at least once

however! if you haven’t been tagged and are like aw man i wanna answer some of these cool questions, feel free to pick 11 of them and just say i tagged you. i’ll take the fall, that’s a sacrifice i’m willing to make

#tagged #tag games #long post #thanks again for the tags and cool questions #dang i hate picking faves i never know #especially about stuff i made

[emilys-write]

Mistake

“Had I known how much I’d be struggling right now, I wouldn’t have done it. Doing this was just one huge mistake.”

I thought I had it all. I know how cliché that sounds, but I truly did. I was thriving at work as one of the stars of a TV show entering its 15th season—Forgotten Ones; I’d also been a part of one of the biggest movie franchises of the 21st century—the Voyagers trilogy. My co-stars Andrew and Eric are more like brothers to me than anything. I was content in my personal life. Sure, I was single, but I had amazing friends, and I was closer than close with my family, despite the fact that I only got to see them a few times a year. I was happy, and I put some need to conform to archaic societal norms ahead of that happiness. Everyone I knew had kids, and I was tired of being “Aunt Naomi.”

I wanted to be “Mom.”

I wanted it more than anything. I wanted to get to experience those firsts: the first word; the first time they sit-up, crawl, walk; the first time they get their haircut; cutting and losing those teeth. Everything I’d experienced second-hand through the eyes of the parents around me, I wanted for myself. I was even looking forward to the 3 AM feedings and not getting a decent night’s sleep for the foreseeable future, the times when I’d try everything to figure out why they’re crying but would never be able to find the one thing that’ll soothe them, and always having some kind of spit-up on my clothes because all of that would mean that I was finally a mom. 

In September of 2016, three months after my 30th birthday, Andrew and his wife welcomed their second child, and I decided I was going to try In Vitro Fertilization. At the time, the longest relationship I’d had in four years was a one-night stand turned occasional late-night companion, so a natural conception was out. I wasn’t a fan of choosing a stranger from some national database to make up half of my child’s genetics, so I had to bite the bullet and ask someone I knew. Really, though, the only one I’d felt comfortable asking was my best friend Matt. I was closer to him than anyone, and given that he was—in the iconic words of Janice Ian—“almost too gay to function,” there was no chance of any kind of romantic feelings making an already complicated situation that much more.

Matt and I had met 9 years previous on the set of the first Voyagers film. He and I were in the same place in our lives—feeling stuck in our day-to-day lives and ready to quit acting—when we were cast, and so we hit it off immediately. We were there for each other through every high and low life threw at us, like the time our co-star and my then-boyfriend Derek cheated on me in the middle of shooting the second movie, and I was then stuck playing his loving girlfriend for the next year-and-a-half. Matt was the one to encourage me to take on new challenges, and I would do the same for him. He let me write and direct some inconsequential skit he was obligated to do for some website because he knew how interested yet apprehensive I was in entering those fields. A year later, I made my writing and directorial debut on Forgotten Ones.

To say Matt was wholly on-board with a baby, though, is a gross overstatement. He’d just broken up with his fiancée of two years when I sprung the idea on him. I’d meant to do it in a more meaningful way and approach the topic gently, but one too many Jägerbombs during one of his visits to Vancouver in early December led to a very loud and very slurred “D’ya wanna have a baby?” He ended the conversation with a very firm “Hell no!” followed directly by another shot. I didn’t bring up the idea again until I visited him in Pasadena the next month.

“Matt, I need to talk to you.” The words fell from my mouth in a jumbled frenzy after what was supposed to be a calming deep breath.

“Oh, God. That doesn’t sound good,” he joked, jumping over the back of the couch to sit next to me. “What’s up?” I kept my gaze on the glass of wine on the coffee table in front of me and continued to fidget with my hands—cracking my knuckles, checking my nails, anything that got rid of even the slightest bit of the anxiety I felt.

“I want to have a baby, and, well, I’m not exactly swimming in romantic partners at the moment, but I don’t want it to be with some stranger and I just—would you want to have a baby with me?” I finally looked over at him as I cut myself off and got the question out. He was silent for what felt like forever, which only prompted me to continue my nervous rambling. “You wouldn’t have to be involved—if you don’t want to, that is. You could totally just be, like, Uncle Matt, or whatever. A-and it’d be through In Vitro, so you and I wouldn’t be doing it the old-fashioned way, and—”

“Okay,” he interrupted me. “I’ll do it.”

We had our first appointment to have the Intrauterine Insemination done four months after that conversation, in April of 2017. And the second two months after when the first didn’t take. And the third two months after that when that one didn’t take. Finally, in early September, those two blue lines appeared on each of the ten pregnancy tests I took. Just to be absolutely sure, I made an appointment at the doctors for the next day. The pregnancy was confirmed two days later, and I was over the moon. The more and more we tried, the more Matt came around to the idea, but I don’t think he ever seemed willing to take on responsibilities further than being “Uncle Matt,” which was fine by me. He told me not long after he agreed that he’d done so mainly because of how much he knew I wanted to have a baby, but he’d never had any inclination to have children himself. He was always one who didn’t want to be tied down to anything, which is why his engagement had been so shocking to me. I had never really expected him to want to be that baby’s father, and the fact that he was even willing to help me in this was more than I could ask.

Early on in the process, we decided that we’d keep it a secret from anyone who didn’t absolutely need to know. I didn’t want some second-rate gossip column telling the world before I wanted it known. In order to give them enough time to adequately rework anything they needed to, the first people I told were the stunt coordinators, wardrobe department and the writers on Forgotten Ones. My character, Carter, had already had a child five seasons back, and so everyone decided to work with the pregnancy rather than around it and end the season with the birth of Carter’s second child. My family was the next to know.

Christmas Eve in Bantam, Connecticut. I was already at the tail-end of my first trimester and eager to finally spill the beans. My family had always celebrated together on Christmas Eve, and so this was my one chance to tell everyone at once. I kept the focus of the announcement on my mom, though. It was her first grandchild after all. 

As tradition dictated, my family always opened gifts from youngest to oldest. My uncle acted as the guardian of the gifts, passing them out when the time came for each person to open theirs. I’d pulled him aside before dinner to ask him to “overlook” a gift for my mom, and act as though he’d just seen it after my grandfather had opened his final gift. He followed the plan perfectly. Everyone was getting ready to leave the basement and go back upstairs for dessert when he found the final gift.

“Oh, Michelle. There’s one more for you.” He grabbed the box adorned with red-and-white-striped wrapping paper and handed it to my mom.

“Huh. There’s no name,” she commented as she looked over the box. For the last month, I’d been incessantly telling her that she, my brothers and I should all get brand-new stockings to hang on her mantle this year. And so, when she opened the box to find a note resting on top of some tissue paper reading “Make sure to leave a space for me on your mantle next year,” she rolled her eyes and looked over at me.

“Naomi, I told you I like the stockings we have just f—” She pulled back the tissue paper to find a “My First Christmas” stocking with the first sonogram sticking out of the top and another card reading “Merry Christmas, Grandma! I’ll see you in May!” She jumped out of her seat and, as everyone huddled around the box she’d let fall to the ground, ran over to hug me. With the same shaking hands and tear-filled eyes she was sporting, I returned the embrace.

Two months later, we found out we were having a boy. Charles Alexander Collins. Around the same time, I’d finally let everyone on set know about the pregnancy. The scripts with the reveal of Carter’s pregnancy were about to come out, I was starting to show, and I couldn’t let Andrew and Eric find out through deduction instead of through me. The three of us, along with their spouses, were opening a wine bar in Virginia, Andrew and Eric’s home state. We all flew down for the weekend to check on the progress, and so the boys could spend time with their families. I arrived to the bar half an hour before we had planned to meet in order to set up. I’d ordered a fake label off of a store online that read “Babyfeet. Sweet Spring Baby. Connecticut. May 2018” and put it over one of the bottles we were supposed to be sampling that day, placing that towards the end of the line. Everyone began to arrive soon after I’d let Ali, our bartender, in on the plan and ensured my stock of red and white grape juice were set. We all sat at the table, and Ali brought over the first wine. After a lengthy discussion of the notes and bodies of the drinks we’d sampled—of which I faked my way through almost as badly as April on Parks and Rec had—Ali brought over five new glasses, four filled with the white “Babyfeet” wine and one with white grape juice. We sampled, and Eric asked Ali to bring the bottle over. I had to take another sip of my “wine” to cover my face as she did and they looked over the bottle. Andrew’s wife Jennifer was the first to catch the meaning and, with a squeal of excitement, jump out of her chair and hug me. Everyone else was quick to follow, a congratulatory chorus echoing in the space. As I’d assumed would be the case, we didn’t get much done after that.

I had my first real confrontation with people who had a more negative opinion towards my decision when I posted a picture of the bump online that same weekend. I’d included a brief explanation of why I’d chosen IVF, and left it at that. Of course, there were the many excited fans posting positive comments and posts, but there were those ones telling me I was wrong for doing it this way, that I was “going to Hell and the baby would be damned.” So many people telling me they’d lost respect for me because I couldn’t wait and do things the proper way. I’d love to say I took those comments in stride, that I ignored them and focused instead on moments like when Colton, who played my son Noah, started excitedly making plans for everything he was going to do with his “new best friend” Charlie, but they got to me. I worried that Charlie wouldn’t get the same love from our fans as Andrew and Eric’s children got, that instead he’d be ridiculed for my choices. I was afraid for the future, how everyone I wasn’t close with would treat him when they found out he was different. I wanted to believe I’d be enough for him, but was that just false hope? It’s not like his world wouldn’t be filled with strong male and female figures, but did he need a dad to really make it? Was I just being selfish, and was that selfishness going to ruin his life? Even worse than the comments, gossip magazines began running stories, using me as the poster girl of “alternative pregnancy.” It was like I wasn’t a person anymore, just some idea people could lash out at. It’s not as though I hadn’t received my fair share of hate comments in the past, but all of this was different. No longer were they shaming me because I cut my hair shorter than they thought or dyed it the wrong color, things that were so inconsequential in the long-run. They were criticizing me going after what I wanted, condemning me during what was supposed to be the happiest time in my life because the way I went about it didn’t fit their cookie cutter world.

We wrapped shooting in early April, the last scene filmed being the birth scene. Given the current plot of the show and our setting in a post-apocalyptic world, Carter had a vastly different experience than I was about to have a month after. Instead of a nice hospital room with doctors and nurses galore, this scene involved laying on a dingy table in a dimly lit room with her friends to help. Still, when they placed the all-too realistic doll on my chest, it just made me all the more eager to get to do this for real and finally meet Charlie.

May 2, 2018. Three days before the projected due date. I’d woken up early in the morning to sharp pains in my abdomen. I made myself busy until my water finally broke and my contractions had gotten to that “every 5-7 minute” point at 9:23 AM, 5 hours after I’d woken up. Go time. I was out of the house and in an Uber on the way to the hospital in 7 minutes flat, a new record. I made it to the hospital in just under 20 minutes, headed straight to the Labor and Delivery area and was admitted to the triage room. The nurses decided the labor was progressed enough to admit me, and the next thirteen hours turned into an ice-chip fueled waiting game. I was alone in Vancouver, everyone having already gone home now that the season was over. Matt was in Louisiana filming his next movie, and my mom was supposed to fly in on the 4th. At around 11 o’clock that night, I finally began to feel like I needed to push. I called a nurse who, in turn, found the doctor, and it was time to go.

For the first few minutes, everything was going well. Then, I started feeling light-headed and more tired than I’d been all day. I chalked it up to the pain and continued to follow the doctor’s orders. Moments later, the machines I was hooked up to began beeping rapidly. The nurses and doctor began working faster to get Charlie out. Once he’d made his arrival, they quickly took him to the table against the wall. He wasn’t crying like he was supposed to. He was silent.

“What’s going on? Is he alright?” No one answered. I listened to the doctor’s rushed commands as they worked on Charlie, every word he uttered hanging in the still air of the room.

He wasn’t breathing.

It wasn’t working.

They lost him.

It was determined that the drop in my blood pressure during the delivery led to Perinatal Asphyxia. Charlie couldn’t get enough oxygen; he went into cardiac arrest and died on the table before I’d ever even gotten the chance to see more than a glimpse of him.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

“I can’t do this. I need to stop.” I stood from my chair, handing the baby to Andrew as the director yelled “Cut,” and walked off the set. It had been three months since Charlie, but the wound was still fresh. I’d erased all the social media apps on my phone, unable to let myself use the sites as distraction when I was flooded with notifications from people expressing their sympathy once the news broke. I appreciated the sentiment, but I couldn’t keep seeing that every day. I spent our hiatus back in Connecticut with my family and Matt—who’d remained my rock through this—and only made the decision to come back to work because I thought it would distract me. But playing a doting mother of a newborn when my reality was so far from that pulled me right back into those initial moments after I had Charlie. I couldn’t take it. The director called to break for lunch, and I sprinted back to my trailer, tears welling in my eyes.

I was in my trailer alone for a few minutes before there was a light knock on the door. I wiped my eyes but remained in my spot on the couch.

“It’s open,” I called out, my voice small. Our Prop Master, Cathy, opened the door and walked up the steps.

“Hey, hon. Do you want to talk?” She came over and sat at the other end of the couch.

“I just…I just feel so hopeless now,” I started, skipping any kind of formality. “Charlie was my everything for so long, and now I’m stuck with this huge emptiness. I don’t know what to do. I want so badly to go out there and keep going. Carter, this show, all I’ve known for 15 years is this. I don’t want to give it up but…I don’t think I’m strong enough to do this.” Cathy put her hand on my arm sympathetically.

“Here.” She reached into her pocket to retrieve a card and handed it to me. “This is a support group for women going through what you did. A few years ago, my friend went through this, and she says she wouldn’t have been able to get through it the way she did without going and sharing with the group.”

“Thank you, Cathy,” I said, looking up from the card. “But—”

“Just think about it.” She smiled warmly and, like some fairy godmother here to point me in the right direction, gave me a tight hug and left.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

“And, uh, that’s what brought me here. I have to admit, I almost didn’t come. I just had those nasty comments going through my head along with the thought that some paparazzi would catch me coming out of here, and I’d be ridiculed for not being able to handle this. But I know I can’t. And I can’t keep going like this, either. I mean, I was so happy before this. I can’t help but think that had I known how much I’d be struggling right now, I wouldn’t have done it. I would have just found a way to be happy being “Aunt Naomi;” I wouldn’t have forced this. I don’t care how happy I was through the pregnancy, It feels meaningless now; everything does. I just feel like doing this, trying to have a baby like this…

it was just one big mistake.”

#emilys-write #my writing #fiction #tw miscarriage #cw miscarriage

[chrissheridan552]

Best storylines- spiderman

‘LIFE STORY’

Life stoy is by far my favourite spiderman story to emerge in recent years and would act as a perfect book to read for my users as it is basically a love letter to all things spiderman. spidermans character is 57 years old and this books premise is what would have happened if the same amount of time passed for Peter. each issue is a different decade and showcases everything great about his character.

‘GOBLIN NATION’

One of my favourite spiderman stories doesn't even feature spiderman, well it does in a way. the superior spiderman featured his longstanding villain take over the body of spiderman by swapping brainwaves leaving peter parker trapped to die in doc ocks decaying old body, but since i cant include it as its not technically spiderman i thought id feature the next best thing, spiderman return.

the superior spiderman end when norman osborn as the green goblin takes over new york and otto octavious realises that for all his resources and tech and ambition, he lacks the self-sacrificing nature that truly makes Spider-Man a hero for the ages. His decision to die so that Peter can live again is a perfect end-cap to a years-long character arc. And the scene where Osborn realizes he’s no longer battling Octavius ranks one of my favourite if not my favourite spider man moment

‘NO-ONE DIES’

It goes without saying that Spider-Man is a character all too familiar with death. From his Uncle Ben to Gwen Stacy and countless others in between, Peter Parker has dealt with death more than most other Marvel heroes -- with the deaths in Peter’s life having a tendency to be permanent too, unlike most comic book characters. One such casualty was Marla Jameson, wife of J. Jonah Jameson, who died taking a bullet for her husband after mad scientist turned Spider-Slayer Alistair Smythe incited a violent crusade against the Jameson family. this makes spiderman sadly relive all those who hes lost over the years blaming himself for their deaths. 

this is spiderman at his best, we see the character as the wisecracking optamistic hero that can and has done amazing things, but at his core he does what he does cause he is racked with guilt even by situations in which he was helpless which is why he makes the decision form this story out that ‘ no one dies’ under his watch. an impossible standard which defines the character in  a great way for new readers.

‘SPIDER-VERSE’

this story explores the Spider-Man mythos on a Multiversal scale, while featuring relatively few characters outside the world -- or worlds, as the case may be -- of Spider-Man. Bringing together the various incarnations of the webhead from across the Multiverse, “Spider-Verse” sees the return of Morlun, one of the most terrifying villains Spidey has ever faced, as well as his family, the Inheritors, as they embark on a violent crusade to consume the life force of every Spider Totem in the Multiverse.

Featuring the likes of Superior Spider-Man, Spider-Gwen, Spider-Ham, Spider-Man 2099, Spider-Man Noir, Spider-Woman, Silk and Miles Morales, just to name a few, the event sees the disparate group of Spider Totems work together to put a stop to the Inheritors’ reign of terror.  its a facinating character study in a unique way because it shows so many variations of what the character could have been or in fact could be and is now a staple of the spiderman mythos, but maybe isnt the best for new readers because its a bit like throwing them into the deep end.

‘KRAVENS LAST HUNT’

Kraven’s Last Hunt is one of the most memorable Spider-Man stories of all time, without a doubt. The story features Kraven the Hunter completing the ultimate challenge – “killing” Spider-Man, his ultimate game, and replacing him, only to allow Spidey to awaken to see how thoroughly defeated he’s been. Though predominately a story centered on Kraven himself, this arc does hold some nice moments for the newlywed Peter and Mary Jane. Here, we get the first real test of their resolve as a married couple when Peter is “killed” by Kraven, causing him to disappear for two weeks. Upon his return, we witness Spidey’s devotion to his city as he leaves his new wife at home to capture the murderous Vermin, who Kraven has set loose upon New York.

even though its one of the best spiderman stories its a story about the villian, what happens when a villian achives his ultimate goal its proably not the best for a new reader.

‘SPIDERMAN-BLUE’

i mentioned how great the colour books in my hulk post and the spiderman version blue is no exception. Blue takes a look between the panels of spidermans formative years, in this case Spidey's budding romance with Gwen Stacy – which grows complicated by his first meeting with Mary Jane Watson. the series is framed around Peter speaking into an old tape recorder on Valentine’s Day, trying to capture his feelings in a recording to Gwen that she’ll never hear.

The story is honest and heartfelt, capturing one of Peter’s greatest tragedies through the eyes of the modern day incarnation of the character. which is why its great for new readers.

‘THE NIGHT GWEN STACY DIED’

The death of Gwen Stacy in the now-iconic “The Night Gwen Stacy Died” may well be the most famous event in comic book history, and there’s good reason for that. Arguably the most significant turning point in Spider-Man’s entire career, the story also signalled a huge turning point for the comic book industry at large. Serving as Spider-Man’s greatest failure, the death of his first true love traumatized Peter Parker for years to come, forcing him to evolve as both a person and a hero. Meanwhile, the story also shocked comic book fans and creators, with the thought of such a major supporting character being killed -- especially in a book as child-friendly and optimistic as Spider-Man -- being previously unheard of.

‘MARVEL KNIGHTS:SPIDERMAN’

Marvel knights is a mature look at the spiderman character following him struggling to protect his family and friends as a villian discovers his secret identity. the story shows him face against a new and improved version of the sinister six, the sinister 12. in essence it iss quintessential Spider-Man. and a great character study at whats most important to him, those he loves.

#IXD503

[dfroza]

have you found your treasure in an eternal Tree?

(and simultaneously have you found my heart as a friend?)

for there is a pure Tree of life that connects us, and we must become as humble children to see its Light

A point made clear in Today’s reading of the Scriptures from the book of Matthew in chapter 18 where we see the True illumination of “Home” and the path of the Son that leads us there:

Around that same time, the disciples came to Jesus and questioned Him about the kingdom of heaven.

A Disciple: In the kingdom of heaven, who is the greatest?

Jesus called over a little child. He put His hand on the top of the child’s head.

Jesus: This is the truth: unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. In that kingdom, the most humble who are most like this child are the greatest. And whoever welcomes a child, welcomes her in My name, welcomes Me. And do not lead astray one of the weak and friendless who believes in Me. If you do, it would be better for you to be dragged down with a millstone and drowned in the bottom of the sea.

Beware indeed of those in a world filled with obstacles and temptations that cause people to turn away from Me. Those temptations are woven into the fabric of a world not yet redeemed, but beware to anyone who lures righteous women and men off the narrow path. If your hand constantly grasps at the things of this world rather than serves the Kingdom—cut it off and throw it away. If your foot is always leading you to wander, then cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to hobble, crippled, into the kingdom of life than to burn in hell with two hands and two feet. And if your eye always focuses on things that cause you to sin, then pull your eye out and throw it away. It is better for you to see the kingdom of life with one eye than to see the fires of hell with perfect sight.

Make sure that you do not look down on the little ones, on those who are further behind you on the path of righteousness. For I tell you: they are watched over by those most beloved messengers who are always in the company of My Father in heaven. [The Son of Man has come to save all those who are lost.]

The Book of Matthew, Chapter 18:1-11 (The Voice)

to be accompanied by the lines of Psalm 17 and Proverbs 17 for Today’s date of October 17:

A David Prayer

Listen while I build my case, God,

the most honest prayer you’ll ever hear.

Show the world I’m innocent—

in your heart you know I am.

Go ahead, examine me from inside out,

surprise me in the middle of the night—

You’ll find I’m just what I say I am.

My words don’t run loose.

I’m not trying to get my way

in the world’s way.

I’m trying to get your way,

your Word’s way.

I’m staying on your trail;

I’m putting one foot

In front of the other.

I’m not giving up.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 17:1-5 (The Message)

and the complete Psalm in The Voice:

[Psalm 17]

A prayer of David.

Listen, O Eternal One, to my cry for justice.

These words of mine are true—turn Your ear toward me.

Announce that I am free of all the charges against me—only You can see into my heart to know that to be true.

Treat me with fairness; look at me with justice.

You have searched me—my heart and soul—awakened me from dreaming and tested me.

You’ve found nothing against me.

I have resolved not to sin in what I say.

The path violent men have followed,

I will not travel. Violence is not my way.

Your ways and Your voice now guide my journey.

I will press on—moving steadfastly forward along Your path.

I will not look back. I will not stumble.

I am crying aloud to You, O True God, for I long to know Your answer.

Hear me, O God. Hear my plea. Hear my prayer for help.

Put Your marvelous love on display for all to see.

Liberator of those who long for shelter beside You,

set them safely away from their enemies, ever welcomed by grace.

Keep close watch over me as the apple of Your eye;

shelter me in the shadow of Your wings.

Protect me from the wicked who are poised to attack,

from the enemies swarming around me and closing in quickly.

Like clay baking in the sun, their hearts have hardened;

arrogance spills from their mouths.

They’ve tracked me down like quarry.

They’re surrounding me

and are poised to throw me down into the dirt.

Like a lion—crouching in the brush—they are ready to tear me apart.

Like young lions in their hiding places, they are poised to strike.

Rise up and confront them, O Eternal One! Make them pay.

By Your sword, set me free from my wicked enemies!

May Your rescue find me here.

By Your hand, save me from my enemies, Eternal One.

Save me from men whose hopes are rooted in this world.

But as for those You cherish,

may they feast on all You have set aside for them;

may their children never be in need;

may they have enough so their children will inherit their wealth.

But as for me, my hope is to see Your face.

When I am vindicated, I will look upon the holy face of God,

and when I awake, the longing of my soul will be satisfied in the glow of Your presence.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 17 (The Voice)

and lines of wisdom from Today’s chapter in the book of Proverbs:

[Wisdom’s Virtues]

A simple, humble life with peace and quiet

is far better than an opulent lifestyle with nothing

but quarrels and strife at home.

A wise, intelligent servant will be honored above a shameful son.

He’ll even end up having a portion left to him in his master’s will.

In the same way that gold and silver are refined by fire,

the Lord purifies your heart by the tests and trials of life.

Those eager to embrace evil listen to slander,

for a liar loves to listen to lies.

Mock the poor, will you?

You insult your Creator every time you do!

If you make fun of others’ misfortune,

you’d better watch out—your punishment is on its way.

Grandparents have the crowning glory of life:

grandchildren!

And it’s only proper for children to take pride in their parents.

It is not proper for a leader to lie and deceive,

and don’t expect excellent words to be spoken by a fool.

Wise instruction is like a costly gem.

It turns the impossible into success.

Love overlooks the mistakes of others,

but dwelling on the failures of others devastates friendships.

One word of correction breaks open a teachable heart,

but a fool can be corrected a hundred times

and still not know what hit him.

Rebellion thrives in an evil man,

so a messenger of vengeance will be sent to punish him.

It’s safer to meet a grizzly bear robbed of her cubs

than to confront a reckless fool.

The one who returns evil for good

can expect to be treated the same way for the rest of his life.

Don’t be one who is quick to quarrel,

for an argument is hard to stop,

and you never know how it will end,

so don’t even start down that road!

There is nothing God hates more

than condemning the one who is innocent

and acquitting the one who is guilty.

Why pay tuition to educate a fool?

For he has no intention of acquiring true wisdom.

A dear friend will love you no matter what,

and a family sticks together through all kinds of trouble.

It’s stupid to run up bills you’ll never be able to pay

or to cosign for the loan of your friend.

Save yourself the trouble and don’t do either one.

If you love to argue,

then you must be in love with sin.

For the one who loves to boast is only asking for trouble.

The one with a perverse heart never has anything good to say,

and the chronic liar tumbles into constant trouble.

Parents of a numskull will have many sorrows,

for there’s nothing about his lifestyle that will make them proud.

A joyful, cheerful heart brings healing to both body and soul.

But the one whose heart is crushed

struggles with sickness and depression.

When you take a secret bribe,

your actions reveal your true character,

for you pervert the ways of justice.

Even the face of a wise man shows his intelligence.

But the wandering eyes of a fool will look for wisdom everywhere

except right in front of his nose.

A father grieves over the foolishness of his child,

and bitter sorrow fills his mother.

It’s horrible to persecute a holy lover of God

or to strike an honorable man for his integrity!

Can you bridle your tongue when your heart is under pressure?

That’s how you show that you are wise.

An understanding heart keeps you cool, calm, and collected,

no matter what you’re facing.

When even a fool bites his tongue

he’s considered wise.

So shut your mouth when you are provoked—

it will make you look smart.

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 17 (The Passion Translation)

my personal reading in the Scriptures for October 17, the 25th day of Autumn and day 290 of the year:

[maychorian]

hey! i was wondering if you have any voltron angsty lance-centric fic recommendations? aside from your own amazing ones ofc

Mmkay, so I’m what I’m doing here is going through my fic rec tag and just copy-pasting stories where Lance suffers. Some are angst, some are hurt/comfort, some are epic stories where the angst and hurt/comfort might be more of a side dish than a main course. The word count on most of the WIPs is no longer accurate, and some are complete, but I am too lazy to edit. This is taking long enough as it is. But yeah, you asked for it, you’re getting it. Langst recs, maychorian style. Warning: This is long. If you press the read more, be prepared to scroll.

Trembling Lips by nonna Words:  14,001 (WIP, but only one chapter to go)Author’s Summary: Lance is an emotional person who cries easily (and does the trembly-lip thing a lot) but tries to stay strong in front of the team.ORFive times Lance stopped himself from crying in front of his teammates, and the one time he couldn’t hold it back.My Comments: The BEST gen Lance-angst I have found yet. It is so good. The fourth chapter almost made me cry and I think I read it five times. I just…kept going back. I am DYING for the last chapter, omg, join me in waiting for it. Lance’s characterization is great, and Shiro is trying so hard, and everyone’s making mistakes but they don’t mean to. It’s absolutely marvelous and you should read it.

Collateral baggage by Zan_scrawlingWords:  718 Author’s Summary:  Lance can’t sleep; Coran is up and able to listen. My Comments: TOO SHORT but very sweet little character study. I’m such a sucker for Coran being serious and comforting for all these tiny, tiny smol children who have ended up in his castle, for real. I read this fic early on in my fandom experience with Voltron, too, so it, uh, might have influenced me.

I’m not the Lance You think I am by KairaKara101Words:  36,200 (WIP)Author’s Summary:  Lance isn’t human. Not that the team would know, he likes to keep that little fact a secret because he’s not sure if they’d treat him the same. That they’d be as welcoming as his family is. How in the world did he go from fighting in space to living on Earth acting like a class clown to fighting in space again?My Comments: I haven’t finished reading even what’s available yet but I’m reccing it anyway because it’s FANTASTIC. Lance as an alien crash-landing on Earth and immediately being adopted by an enormous, loving Hispanic family is absolute joy, and I’m just getting into the chapters where he joins Garrison and meets Hunk and the others. It’s just…really fun, and Lance is adorable and SO sweet with his new family and siblings. I love it, great stuff, I wish it was 200k words and I am honestly glad that it’s a WIP because I want more and I want to watch it grow up healthy and strong.

Burning by Tiger1Words:  11,457 (WIP)Author’s Summary:  The aftermath of their escape from Zarkon led to serious consequences for each member of the team, but at least they were all still alive - still together. Lance, however….well, let’s just say Lance didn’t get by totally unscathed. My Comments: As soon as the notification for my subscription on this lands in my email, I drop everything to read it. It’s a little more simple of a story, maybe, but it has everything I like. I would also like this one to be much, much longer, and also finished so I can read it at once.

Hunk and Lance’s Excellent Adventures by kiaella_vWords:  4,883 (WIP)Author’s Summary: Hunk and Lance being buddies.Chapter 5: Breathe.Or; Hunk and Lance Best Friendy Fluff..now feature Angst.My Comments: The CUTEST Hunk and Lance on AO3, golly, I love them so much. The first three chapters were just pure fluffy sunshine, then the author brought in the pain, and I am breathless for more. (Apparently going to be Klance eventually, but the focus is Hunk and Lance friendship.)

my head is dizzy now by asexualreyWords:  3,871Author’s Summary:  Allura had better get there soon. He doesn’t want to be responsible for Lance dying just because he’s completely useless. My Comments: Lance gets suddenly sick on a planet and Keith has to take care of him and Keith is AWKWARD and he is SCARED and it’s really NICE. Klance but can be read as gen.

My Youth Is Yours by MilkTeaMikuWords:  29,840 Author’s Summary: An unforseen blast in the middle of a battle de-ages Lance into a child for a week. Keith does not understand babies.My Comments: I am a HUGE sucker for deaged fics, and oh look, it’s Lance! What an adorable wee child! But also there is angst and heartache and pain and the Galra, and Keith is confused, but also drawn, and everyone is sweet and helpful, and Hunk and Shiro will be amazing parents someday if they live past this war, I swear. But yeah, well-written, super cute, baby Lance. Klance endgame, but mostly it’s about how cute tiny Lance is.

Tight Spaces by Emerald_AshesWords: 2,716 Author’s Summary: Set after “Crystal Venom”, the castle is slowly being brought back into working order after the corruption in the ship’s systems. Coran has a training exercise planned to serve as a test that is supposed to be simple, and easy. But with Lance things are never easy, although this time it’s really not his fault. My Comments: Mmm, yeah, Lance having a panic attack. This is really well-written and heart-wrenching, and everyone is very supportive in the end. I may have read this more than once. Or twice.

Waiting Room by GemmaRoseWords:  3,033 Author’s Summary:  When a fight ends badly, Hunk is hurt and needs more medical attention than a cryo-pod can provide. Luckily for the paladins, they’re close to home. My Comments: Really lovely future fic in which the paladins have been fighting together for over a year. Told from Lance’s POV as he fights to get Hunk medical attention, then has to wait for news with the others. The author does a great job of making everyone feel a little older, and a little harder, and a whole lot closer. I want a lot more. This could go 20k+, easy.

Just Static by Jessadilla (wobblyarms)Words: 73,144 (WIP, one chapter to go)Author’s Summary: –Static—–iro, Hunk, Kei—, nybody? I’m—–static—-I’m sorry guys. This is all my—-static–cc—–I found my coordinates. They’re—stttcc–guys. I hear something—–scccc–end transmission- Alone on a hostile planet, transmissions aren’t getting through. How did it come to this?My Comments: Another really good Lance-focused hurt/comfort fic. Everyone is well-written and characterized, though Keith and Lance get most of the screentime. Starts with the self-doubt and ends with Lance stranded on a planet with a very cool and interesting new enemy to deal with while everyone fights to save him. Epic H/C, and Klance.

Seeing Red by SagitarrowWords: 4,360 Author’s Summary: There’s a constant throbbing in his spine, like someone royally pissed at him is taking a hammer to it. It radiates through his whole body, every inch is pulsating and Lance can’t even remember what it was like to be pain free. Or: Lance falls down a hole. The rest of the team freaks out.My Comments: What it says on the box! Lance is hurt and the others rescue him. The descriptions are really sharp and visceral, and Lance’s self-doubt rears its ugly head again, but for the most part it’s a fairly simple hurt/comfort fic. And I LOVE that. Klance if you squint.

Counterclock by riverbanksWords: 3,273 Author’s Summary: Post Crystal Venom -Later, there’s a shift, and Hunk notices long before Lance is aware of himself. My Comments: Can be read as Hance or gen. So as you may have noticed, I’m a huge sucker for Lance with PTSD. This is a really lovely exploration of it based on canon, with a tremendously loving and wise Hunk. And the lions, too! Both Blue and Yellow are very important in this fic. Beautiful and touching.

ghost of a king by ashinan Words: 16,878 (WIP, but only one chapter to go)Author’s Summary: During a routine recon mission turned ambush, Lance and Blue must take drastic measures to ensure their survival. The aftermath leaves Lance lost and dreaming, and the team helpless to the possibility that, without a guide, he won’t make it back. My Comments: Klance, but everyone is equally important. This is one of the most gorgeous fics I’ve ever read, bar none, let alone in this fandom. The space battle in the first chapter is absolutely thrilling, as well as visceral and terrifying. The descriptions of the abstract space Lance falls into are stunningly beautiful, and the team’s desperate struggle to get him back is heart-wrenching. And Blue! Blue is AMAZING in this fic! She and Lance have conversations and go back and forth on who is in control at any one moment, a complete partnership much more developed than anything we saw in the show. It’s beautiful and I love it to death. Can’t wait for the conclusion.

Aid by HaurvatatWords: 8,362 (WIP)Author’s Summary: Frankly, the only person on Team Voltron with their shit relatively together is Hunk. Lance tries so hard, but… he can’t help but feel there’s a reason he never gets too far with that one, and maybe not 100% of it is Keith’s fault. All it takes is one battle, one accident, one mistake, and one secret to make it all rise to the surface. My Comments: Really, really good and interesting take on Lance in this one, different than I’ve seen anywhere else, but still perfectly in-character. It feels entirely realistic, and all of the characters are themselves, including sometimes being jerks to each other. But my favorite aspect of this fic is the relationship between Lance and his lion. The blue lion is so SASSY in this story. And she and Lance are incredibly close and good friends. I love it and can’t wait to see where it goes.

weak link by asexualreyWords: 6,249 Author’s Summary: The one thing he always wants when he doesn’t feel well is his mom, and she’s…god knows how far away she is. She probably thinks he’s dead. In this moment, he almost wishes he was.My Comments: I am so BLESSED to be in a fandom that loves writing hurt/comfort featuring my favorite character, like for real. Yeah, Lance is horribly, horribly sick, and he wants his mom, and he tries to hide his weakness from the others. It does not go well. This one made me feel a lot. I’ve read it several times. Klance.

He Sleeps in the Sky of Ice by jadencrossWords:  16,043 (WIP, 8/16)Author’s Summary: It’s been three months since the plan to rescue Allura, and Team Voltron has finally found each other again. Well, almost. A certain blue paladin didn’t meet up with who he was supposed to. And now, the whole team has to figure out why. He wouldn’t just abandon them. Would he?My Comments: This is a great action/adventure type fic where the whole team is searching for a missing Lance. The peril is really intriguing, and the world-building is cool and interesting. The emotions are also very sharp and well-characterized. I’m very excited for every single update. I really want to know what happened, and I want them to find Lance, and I want him to be safe and okay.

 Necessary by always_a_slut_for_hcWords: 22,026 Author’s Summary: Keith screws up, Lance is captured, and the blue light of Voltron is dimmed. Who are you really, Lance? And what do you need?My Comments: Yep, it’s another fic where Lance is tortured, rescued, and recovers. I like these fics, what can I say. This is well-written and complete, so if you’re a sicko like me, check it out. Klance, but everyone is important.

Long Distance by Emerald_AshesWords: 1,565 Author’s Summary: Some nights you just wanted to call home, and know that everything was going to be okay. My Comments: Pidge and Lance! And Hunk as mom friend! But yeah, poor Pidge and Lance are both homesick and tired and they just want their families. I’m glad they have each other, though. The ending made me achy and happy.

Prison Bonds by GriffinRoseWords: 18,295 Author’s Summary: Keith and Lance are captured and stuck in a cell together, but it’s not the Galra. They almost wish it was. These Cordalians feed off of emotions, and their favorite emotion is sadness. Worse, they’ve found a way to make their victims relive their worst memories to make that pain fresh again, and Keith has a lot of terrible memories he’d rather not relive. My Comments: SO GOOD. SO MUCH PLATONIC CUDDLING. Lance and Keith are both suffering horribly, and all they can do is comfort each other and wait for rescue. I’m so happy that it’s gen, too. And it’s finished! Run, don’t walk. It’s so great.

your claws in me by burlesquecomposerWords: 41,766 (WIP)Author’s Summary: “Oh trust me. When I’m done with you, I won’t be able to stop laughing,” Lance says lowly, and his lips curl farther, and there’s something wild in his stare, and it hits Keith suddenly. This isn’t Lance.Lance falls under the control of Zarkon’s Druids, and although his friends manage to get him back, nothing is quite the same. Maybe the Galra succeeded after all. Maybe the Galra merely wanted to tear Team Voltron apart from the inside.My Comments: Tagged as Klance, but so far it reads platonic. Really, really amazing story with Lance fighting brainwashing and everyone struggling to save him, trust him, return him to normal. Everyone has an important role, though there’s an emphasis on Keith. I really liked this one. It’s tense and heartbreaking at times, but it also has moments of great beauty.

Fake It by WashiPuppyWords: 8,994 Author’s Summary: Without the presence of other people to drown them out, the thoughts inside his head were getting too loud. Loud enough to drive him from his room in a desperate attempt to escape his own stupid head for long enough to sleep. It was too loud in there, and too honest. He needed to be around people, otherwise he was just left with…Just himself, and the agitated, twitching feeling of his own skin. A tale in which Lance and the Blue Lion have a one-sided conversation, Hunk is a Lance Whisperer, Pidge notices lots of things, Keith gets the wrong end of the stick, and Shiro gets a new nickname.My Comments: It is a known fact of Voltron fanfic that an insecure Lance requires a wise, comforting Hunk. This should be chiseled in stone somewhere. It practically already is. But yeah, I love this. Some snark and humor in there, too, and the characters feel like themselves.

Space Is Cold by borrowedphrasesWords: 1,152 Author’s Summary: Lance is a pain in the butt, but Hunk loves him and worries about him anyway. My Comments: Hance. Cute, sweet, adorable, loving Hance. My sweet summer boys. Just the way I like them.

Simple by APendingThought for MilkTeaMikuWords: 1,363 Author’s Summary: Keith has babysitting duty for baby!Lance tonight. Six hours into the mission, he calls for backup. My Comments: Hey, look, more deaged!Lance! Wow, I’m predictable. I’ve previously recced the fic this one is based on, and this addition is very sweet and lovely.

Welcome Home by RenaRooWords: 1,253 Author’s Summary: Lance figures they’re lucky that homesickness isn’t contagious. My Comments: LANCE AND PIDGE! I’m so glad to find more fics with these two being kind to each other. The characterization is great, with Lance trying to shrug things off with humor at first, then showing his real emotions to someone he trusts. I want so much more with these two.

Bundle in Blankets by KnightNuraStarWords: 23,173 (WIP)Author’s Summary: The wormhole did more damage to Blue and Lance than anyone could imagine.Lance is vulnerable and Blue makes a deal.Lance faces different challenges ahead. “What the fuck.” “PIDGE LITTLE EARS!” “I AIN’T LITTLE JACKASS!” “LANCE!”“HE STARTED!” “I DON’T CARE WHO STARTED IT! I’M ENDING IT!”My Comments: This one, ah, it’s a little bit of a guilty pleasure for me, but gah, I do enjoy it. Lance is deaged and stuck on a hostile planet, and there’s only one way that Blue can make sure he survives: Make a deal with Sendak. I know, right? But the author makes it work. Things get worse, and worse, especially when the rest of the crew finally finds them, and it’s super dramatic, but the emotions really work for me. Give it a shot if you like deaged!Lance and hurt/comfort and sympathetic Galra.

Coming Undone by Emerald_AshesWords: 2,409 (WIP) Author’s Summary: A mission quickly transforms into an ambush. Outnumbered, and without the immediate assistance of their Lions, the paladins retreat. However, Lance is captured. And when he is eventually rescued, the circumstances of his capture raise more questions than answers. Things only continue to get worse as Lance now has to deal with the aftermath of being prisoner to the Galra, and they try to figure out why the trap was staged in the first place. My Comments: HEY LOOK, one of my favorite Voltron gen writers is doing a multi-chap fic! I’m SUPER excited. Go subscribe!

Nightmares by TrashnessWords: 14,864 Author’s Summary: Lance’s nightmares are getting out of control. It’s effecting his and the team’s performance, but he’s at a loss for how to fix this. Apparently sleeping next to a warm body helps.My Comments: Klance, but it’s so FLUFFY and full of such nice hurt/comfort that I have to rec it. I just really like Lance being cuddled when he’s sad and scared, okay. I really like it.

Vulnerable by nerdyketones Words:  7,850 Author’s Summary: Each paladin gets their own chapter describing a time when they were vulnerable, and when their teammates and team supported them and helped them through their hardship.Pidge-IllnessKeith-AnxietyHunk-GuiltLance- LonelinessShiro- Pressure/PTSDMy Comments: THESE ARE ALL SO GOOD. All of the children deserve comfort, and they get it. Allura helps too!

Damsel in Distress by birdzillaWords: 6,269 Author’s Summary: Somehow Lance always finds himself in trouble. Fortunately, his friends are always there to get him out of it. My Comments: This is so CUTE. The space crew has figured out that Lance has terrible luck and walks headfirst into danger too much due to his friendly and trusting nature, and they take steps to protect him. It’s very subtly and gently done, until the end, when it isn’t anymore. So good. Give me all the Lance Protection Squad fics, please.

Let The Water Lead Us Home by LynnLarshWords: 12,972 Author’s Summary: He’d just wanted a glimpse. It was stupid and childish and selfish, but he’d just wanted one more look out on the ocean, one more peek in the window of his family home, just in case they never made it back to Earth. Just in case he never got another chance.But this wasn’t the Holo-Deck from Star Trek. And this broken simulator tube wasn’t going to be able to do any of that for him, now was it? A.K.A - Lance finds himself stuck in a simulation and Keith is determined to get him out.My Comments: Hey, look, it’s two of my biases in a well-written Klance fic. Please protect Lance and let him see his family again someday, please.

He’ll Be Fine by babitty for everyone who loves some good angstWords: 7,471 Author’s Summary: In which Hunk gets hurt, and Lance has no one to steady him. “Lance’s face burned, and he could hardly see through the blood and sweat dripping into his eyes. His arms burned from supporting Hunk and carrying his bayard. His legs burned from running and his lungs were fire in his chest, pure adrenaline coursing through his entire body. It was the only thing keeping him upright.”My Comments: As always, I am down for an exploration of Hunk and Lance and their relationship, mmm yes, and this is a good one. Poor Lance is so frantic about Hunk getting hurt, and he really needs his team to reassure him that everything will be okay, even though it’s hard to believe. Warm and fuzzy to the max, with bonus big brother Shiro just being as sweet as can be with a distraught Lance.

All That Matters by CamsthiSkyWords: 637 Author’s Summary: Keith talks Lance down from a panic attack. My Comments: Short but sweet! I would read Keith (or Hunk, or Shiro, or anyone) talking Lance down from a panic attack all day long.

I’m Trying to Reach You by WashiPuppyWords: 22,109 Author’s Summary: The mind is a tenacious thing. Once it grabs hold of a thought, a memory, or a problem, it can be hard to convince it to let go.Pidge has her drive to find her family, though right now she has these communication codes that could help her do that. Shiro has his past, though right now he has his a lion asking him for help and teammates who won’t tell him what’s going on in their heads. Lance has his doubts. And Keith… Well, he’s convinced that Hunk is some kind of Sex God who has slept with both Shiro and Lance. Now, how to prove that? Meanwhile, Hunk is just doing his best to look out for everyone. It’s like herding cats.My Comments: This is a sequel to a fic I recced in the past, and you should probably read the whole series for context if you haven’t yet, but this is SO good that I had to tell you about this one specifically. Lance has convinced himself that he’s replaceable, unnecessary, and Keith has gotten a misunderstanding from things seen out of context, but mostly this is about how much Blue loves her paladin and will do anything to prove that to him. The ending made me cry.

The (Not So) Still Of The Night by Sandyclaws68Words: 3,532 Author’s Summary: A few nights in such close quarters taught all of them a lot of things about their team mates.My Comments: Technical problems with their living quarters force the paladins to all sleep together in a little tiny room, and bonding ensues. They all irritate each other, they all help each other, they all comfort and cuddle and learn about each other. It’s beautiful in every way.

Rough Landings by SilfrvargWords: 2,079 Author’s Summary: In which Lance is having a bad day, and Keith is there to help however he can. My Comments: Aw, Lance. Sometimes everything just kind of falls apart at once and overwhelms you, even when you’re a Hero of the Universe. I loved Keith just doing absolutely everything he could to help Lance get through it.

It’s Only Allergies! Swear! by carefulrenWords: 2,621 Author’s Summary: Lance starts his week off with an innocent case of the sniffles that he believes to be allergies. Despite growing worse as the week progresses, he wants to believe that it’s still allergies. It’s not.My Comments: It’s a Lance sickfic. Of course I like it. I’m not even embarrassed anymore. Well, maybe a little bit. But I’m still reccing this.

Open Water by NeyieaWords: 1,398 Author’s Summary: Lance misses the smell of salt and the crunch of sand and the untameable waves. My Comments: I love Lance and Coran interaction almost as much as I love Lance and Hunk interaction, and this fic gave me BOTH. It’s short but incredibly gorgeous, heartachey and sweet and satisfying. It hits the spot.

Beautiful Minds by PotatoBenderWords: 16,247 (WIP)Author’s Summary: Lance used to be proud of his mental abilities. A pilot. A Paladin. Someone experienced with delving and controlling his mind. But after being captured, and enduring just a single encounter with Haggar, his castle was reduced to rubble. Rescuing Lance was the easy part - healing him is much, much harder.My Comments: This is my favorite kind of torture-and-rescue fic, where you kind of gloss over the actual torture and get straight to the rescue and healing and recovery. That’s what I like. I really like this. I’ll be reading each update as soon as it shows up in my email.

Empty Shell Inside Of Me by infiniterhapsody, vagrantBreathWords: 7,180 (WIP)Author’s Summary: After a mission, Lance is acting strange. Spacing out, taking a while to respond to everyone. After a mission, Lance is locked away deep within Galra territory, at the hands of a Galra commander only wanting two things: information and his terror. Wait, what?My Comments: This one is especially heartrending because you get two Lances for the price of one, and they are BOTH scared and hurting and in need of help and gah, I’m so on edge about this story. The chapters are short but they’re updating quickly, which is good. I need them.

All The Stars In The Universe by jamwritesWords: 7,045 Author’s Summary: After being rescued from capture by the Galra Empire, Lance isn’t the same. He’s silent. Reserved. Broken. But Keith won’t accept this; every night, he comes to talk to Lance. Every night, he attempts to fix what is broken, and tonight may be his last chance. My Comments: Mm, yeah, hurt/comfort, this is the good stuff. THE GOOD STUFF. I was really touched by Keith’s tenacity and Lance’s courage, after all he’d been through, to still reach out the only way he could. Klance.

A Million Stars Apart by SerenePhenixWords: 8,217 (WIP 2/?)Summary: Lance usually could deal with a lot of things: being whisked away by a sentient alien ship together with friends, his hero and a rival, becoming part of an intergalatic war he had never known was even taking place, getting separated and reuniting with the closest thing he had to family in space…Yeah, it was not nice but he could take it.—–After surviving another incident with a malfunctioning wormhole, Lance finds himself in a position that might push him to his very limits. There are a lot of things he is unsure of but he knows with certainty that he does not wish to fail Allura or Coran in their quest to save the home they’ve lost. My Comments: This is such a fascinating concept. After a wormhole malfunction, Lance finds himself having dreams of an apparent alternate universe where he’s Allura’s sick younger brother. (BTW, yes, I am a big fan of AUs where Allura is Lance’s mom or big sister. Love ‘em.) Trouble is, he’s not getting any rest during these dreams, so he’s getting exhausted in his regular life. Seeing as I have written over 100k about exhausted Lance getting pushed to his breaking point and beyond, you can imagine how I feel about this fic. I am a fan.

Ablaze by waywardflowerWords: 5,297 Summary: He can’t burden them like this. He’ll be good, he’ll be fine by himself and he just has to show them that and they’ll leave him. Lance wants their attention, craves it, needs it to survive with his stupid omega body, but he can’t stand the thought of needing it. … Lance goes into heat.My Comments: Platonic omegaverse fic! Whoda thunk. Insecure Lance gets taken for a ride by his body, and it takes concentrated effort from everyone else to keep him safe. Some of the speeches at the end felt deeply personal and heartfelt. This fic made me ache, but I liked it.

This House Unfinished by boyghostsWords: 30,776 Author’s Summary: “Concept,” Lance said, his voice heavy and gutted with the ache of it; he caught Keith’s gaze and smiled wide, for show. “The war’s over. We’re back home. All the things we love in one place.” Lance keeps losing the things he’s built. Then there’s Keith.My Comments: Klance. This is a gorgeous fic. The writing is so descriptive and emotional, and I just adore Pidge and Hunk and everyone doing what they can to help Lance with his homesickness. The relationship with Keith feels natural, too, but the author did manage to kind of rip my heart out near the end, so. I’m gonna need some more, okay?

Feeling Blue by SkarmoreeWords: 8,940 Author’s Summary: Lance was the class clown back in school. His crooked grin full of gaps often brought a smile to his friend’s faces. Seeing everyone else smile made him happy. Lance was the shameless flirt in the Garrison. It made the girls laugh at his failed attempts, and the boys chuckle at his ridiculousness.He didn’t mind being turned down, because everyone ended up happy.Lance was the blue paladin. It was his duty as a member of Voltron to keep the universe happy. But sometimes, just sometimes -Lance couldn’t bring himself to smileMy Comments: Another fanfic trope I’m weak to: that one guy who always supports everyone else eventually not being able to do it anymore, having a breakdown, an injury, whatever, and everyone else rallies around to offer support in return. This fic does it well.

Trial by Ordeal by To Be or Not to- Oh forget it (Mikki)Words: 89,187 Author’s Summary: They’re supposed to be two sides of the same coin, or something like that. The truth is a bit more complicated. (Character study of Keith and Lance)My Comments: This is long, but absolutely worth the effort. Warning for depictions of abuse in both parts, but it’s treated realistically and respectfully. There were parts in Keith’s chapter that I had to stop reading for a while and do something else, and pretty much everything in Lance’s chapter made me ache for him and the family he left behind. But it’s really, really good. Amazingly well-written and deep and lifelike, and it all makes so much sense, for both of these characters. I’ll be thinking about this one for a long, long time.

Home by kencatWords: 1,138 Author’s Summary: Lance just misses home. My Comments: BEAUTIFUL Hunk and Lance interaction. I love them both so much.

Winter High, Winter Low by carefulrenWord Count: 3,362 Author’s Summary: Lance and Keith both live in the same shitty apartment complex. With a massive blizzard roaring outside and no power, Keith has to take care of an incredibly sick Lance. My Comments: Klance. Modern AU sickfic, and it hits the spot.

Long Distance by JennypenWord Count: 1,004 Author’s Summary: Someone gets the Christmas present they need. My Comments: Gah, I just love it when the others help Lance with his homesickness.

Just Ask for Help by genericfanaticWord Count: 1,787 Author’s Summary: Lance is having a problem with what should be an easy task. Shiro talks him down from his frustration My Comments: It’s sweet and simple and comforting, and kind, wise Shiro is the best.

Hold me close. by sevansaWord Count: 3,705 Author’s Summary: Lance’s heat is approaching… he has never felt so alone before. My Comments: Turns out I have a weird affinity for platonic omegaverse fics. Who woulda thought. I always hated the concept, but when it’s done like this, I don’t know. The idea of team-as-family is just ramped up to a hundred, and with some of the pack suffering biological needs that require special attention… I dunno. I like it. This is quite an id fic for me. It feeds something. I read it twice.

Restless by BanjiWord Count: 1,899 Author’s Summary: [X-posted on FF.net] Lance tries to find comfort in one of his friend after another night of bad dreams and worries. Keith is probably not the best choice. My Comments: It is fluffy and I approve. Keith tries, even when he’s out of his depth.

Road Trip to End Times by VelkynKarmaWord Count: 1,604 (the next chapter has the langst)Author’s Summary: The outbreak is at its peak, and the country is in ruins. But there’s still hope: Safe Haven, the colony on the West Coast. Reach it, and you’ll find safety and a chance to rebuild a new life in this zombie-controlled world. If you reach it, that is. But Shiro doesn’t intend to give up on trying. Not when he’s got four teenagers desperate to find their families again under his protection.My Comments: The author has been posting ficlets from this sort of tongue-in-cheek AU on tumblr, and they are all AWESOME. I will happily read them again on AO3. My favorite was the one where Shiro saves Lance from bandits, but that one isn’t on AO3 yet. But here’s Lance in his typical role as Best Morale Officer Ever, even in the middle of the zombie apocalypse.

The Empty Spaces Between the Stars by sliveredWord Count: 5,329 Author’s Summary: Talking was a far cry better than grunting, even if Keith’s voice did sound like… Feces, was it? Strange those human phrases that Lance had been trying to explain to him and Allura. But it didn’t sound good, was the point.*Five times Coran takes care of the Paladins.My Comments: This is super sweet and good and Coran is the best and I would like him to take care of me, too.

strength of the small by nowweareunstoppableWords: 12,736 Author’s Summary: A false distress signal lands the paladins in a tough situation. It falls to Pidge to earn their freedom, and it doesn’t come without a dangerous cost. My Comments: This fic is AMAZING. Pidge is an absolute badass, smart and strong and extremely well-characterized. The frantic run afterward to get her to help was intense and wrenching, too. And Lance was especially wonderful. You can feel his desperation, how deeply he loves Pidge and needs her to be okay, because she’s his little sister now and he CANNOT lose his family. Ahhh, I loved this one to bits. Highly recommended.

boredom is cruel and unusual punishment by babittyWords: 3,183 Author’s Summary: 3000 words of Lance getting the shit beat out of him, because i needed to get some angst out of my system. it’s not very graphic but injuries are listed and batons are used. My Comments: This is an old-fashioned whump fic, where the point is very much Lance (and Keith to a lesser extent) getting beat up. But there’s a lot of courage and tenacity on display here, and they do very much feel like themselves. An enjoyable fic, if you’re in the mood for hurt with not a lot of comfort.

all alone, all together by seulesWords: 1,516 Author’s Summary: This is bigger than anything he ever imagined. Lance knows the world’s balls deep shitty, so it’s not much of a stretch for the universe to take a crap and coat itself in it, only in a much larger scale. But it’s different when you’re told that the universe as you know it is about to be completely taken over by a tyrannical, fascist madman (surprise, surprise) and Obi-Lance Kenobi, you’re 1/5 of the universe’s only hope! My Comments: Aww, Lance and Allura bonding! I’m astounded that mine is the only comment on this fic. Please read it and encourage the writer.

Piece of Goo by genericfanaticWords: 1,207 Author’s Summary: Lance is sad and eats terrible food. My Comments: This is an excellent portrayal of depression and UGH I just want to give Lance a hug.

Infection by 5557Words: 73,271 Author’s Summary: While exploring an alien planet, Lance is nearly killed by a mysterious monster. Now he’s convinced that he is infected with an alien sickness. Why doesn’t anyone believe him? It must be Keith’s fault. This is a horror-comedy (but like, also a romance?), and I drew pictures.My Comments: Here, have some epic Klance hurt/comfort. It’s really well done. 

the currents you create by theoddoodisnudeWords: 18,501 Author’s Summary: Some days, he woke up even more tired than he’d been when he’d gone to sleep, and willing his body to go through the motions was just—tough. Like wading through thigh-high water or running on soft sand that gave under the soles of his feet. My Comments: Here’s my obligatory Klance hurt/comfort for the week. I think there’s always one. Anyway, this one is very good. Very realistic depiction of depression, and I liked how supportive everyone was, and how hard Lance tried to deal with everything even when he just wanted to give up. Also some wonderful Hunk and Lance and team bonding in there.

But a Scratch by manunulatWords: 1,052 Author’s Summary: This is a brief vignette set after s2ep2. Some things can’t be fixed by healing pods. My Comments: Would you like some Hunk and Lance being funny, loving bros, with just a touch of angst? I always like it. I like this one, too.

#voltron legendary defender #fic rec #he my babu #hurt/comfort #Anonymous #there are sixty fics #i counted #so with twenty weekly rec lists that's an average of three fics where lance suffers each week #sounds about right