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shxdowsofombra · 1 year

Text

About An Author

[Nibs]

Nibs had caught his assistant reading a book about him and Misty and some random other person in a relationship. The more he read the angrier he got. He tracked down the author and silenced them before ordering for every book to be burned for slander against them. They never consented to being used in the book and the author didn’t even bother changing the names.

It doesn’t matter that it was a work of fiction. It was the principle of the matter. He returned home afterwards and took a shower.

[Misty]

Misty stood in the ballroom as she went over the ball for next week. She pushed her hair out of her face before seeing some of the royals in a corner whispering. “Is something wrong?” She asked before they walked over and asked her if Nibs actually took her virginity. She blushed brightly and looked around, “Um…I…why? I…I…I don’t think Nibs would be happy if we talked about that.”

[Nibs]

Nibs came out of the shower and got dressed. When he left the room, he could hear people whispering. “If you talk about the book I will rip your tongues out.” He growled as his eyes glowed bright red. His wolf ears perked up as he heard some people talking about it in the ballroom. “That isn’t your place to know. And if you keep trying to see what is fact and fiction in that damn slanderous book I will let my assassin do whatever he wants with you.” He growled before pulling Misty away.

[Misty]

Misty was confused when Nibs mentioned a book before hearing one of the royals ask her if she was as tight as the book described. “What?” She asked before feeling Nibs pull her away. “Wait…Nibs…I don’t understand. Will you slow down please?” She asked before pulling her arm back. “Baby what is going on?”

[Nibs]

“Someone wrote a book series about us in a threeway relationship with the author. They used our names and everything. Now people want to know what is real or not and it’s not their business. I have had all the copies burned and that author won’t be writing such material ever again. I can’t believe someone would have the audacity to do that in our kingdom and think it would be okay.”

[Misty]

Misty listened to his words and was beyond confused, “It’s a book series about us? I don’t…is that why they asked if you took my virginity? Because of this book?” She asked. “How…how many books are there? How long has this gone on?” She asked.

[Nibs]

“I found my assistant reading it and they told me about the series. I don’t know how long it is but it doesn’t matter. Any books not burned will be gone through magic. Yes, that is why they asked. “They tried to keep it under the radar and it worked until now.”

[Misty]

“I…” Misty moved past Nibs and walked to the library. “I know you have them. I want to see them.” She said before forcing the librarian to show her the books. She saw five of them and picked one out before reading a section of the main character locking Nibs up and forcing him to watch as him and Misty fucked. “What the fuck?”

[Nibs]

Nibs saw her turn to a page and just reading the words enraged him. “This is slander and invasion of privacy. How dare they write about us like this. Now people will think they can be the exception like this stupid reader and you might get hurt again.”

[Misty]

“There are five like this?” She asked. Hearing Nibs' words, Misty knew if Nibs could tell she was upset that would just make him madder. She could already tell he was in alpha mode and she didn’t want him to kill every person in the castle. “Um…well…it’s not…it’s not that bad.” She said as she flipped to a different page and read it. “Um…it’s..I mean…yeah…”

[Nibs]

“Would you stop reading them?” He asks before snapping his fingers making them disappear. “Don’t you get it? With these books out people are going to try to take liberties with us just because they think we live a life like the book.” He growled.

[Misty]

She felt the book disappearing from her hands and she looked at Nibs as she tried to make sure her eyes didn’t turn blue. “It’s fine. It’s a book…it’s just a book. I’m not like that in real life. I would never…another person would never fuck me in front of you.”

[Nibs]

“What?” He asks while noticing her change in attitude. “You actually liked reading that?” Nibs asks in confusion. “We would be dead. We would both be dead and people don’t know that is a consequence of that and I don’t like the thought of someone fucking you in front of me. Fuck no.”

[Misty]

“I…” Her eyes turned blue as she looked down. “No I didn’t. I hated it.” She said, “But it’s fine. It’s not real. It’s not…real.”

[Nibs]

“Of course it’s not real. That’s why the books won’t exist and neither does the author anymore. We will have to do damage repair now that everyone knows about the books. I don’t want you leaving my side until all this settles down.”

[Misty]

“You don’t have to worry about me Nibs.” She said as she tried to smile. “Please don’t. It’s a stupid book and you got rid of the author. It’s fine.” Misty tried to tell him.

[Nibs]

“We have a baby on the way what if someone tried to do one of those things in that stupid book?” He asks.

[Misty]

“They won’t. No one would. It’s…I can’t follow you around in case something happens. I don’t want anything bad to happen either. It’s just a stupid book.”

[Nibs]

“You always say they won’t do it and someone always ends up doing it. Can you please just be realistic about this for once and believe me because everytime and I mean every time I tell you about it you say they won’t do that or people wouldn’t dare upset me and then they do!”

[Misty]

Misty flinched as he yelled at her and just nodded, “Fine yeah. Okay.” She said as she quickly wiped her tears away. “I’m just…I’m really tired so I’m just going to lay down. I’ll see you later, okay?” She said as she walked out of the library.

[Nibs]

He noticed her flinch which she had not done in a long time. “Misty…” He says as he tries to stop her before walking away. “I am sorry for raising my voice. I am just tired of the past constantly repeating when it comes to people going after you.”

[Misty]

She felt Nibs stopping her and looked at him. “It’s okay. You don’t have to apologize.” She said as took her hand back. “It’s not something you can change…it’s the alpha in you.”

[Nibs]

“It is but that still isn’t an excuse to let it out on you. I am sorry.” He tells her before pulling her closer for a hug as he gave her a sweet kiss.

[Misty]

“You know I always say you can be mad at me. It’s okay to be mad at me.” Misty said before hugging him back. She let her hand cup his cheek as she kissed him back. “I know why you are worried…I can feel how worried you are.” She said as she placed her hand on his heart.

[Nibs]

“Well it's for a good reason.” He says as he just holds her in his arms for a while.

[Misty]

Misty stayed in his arms as he held her. “Sometimes I wish we could just go back to the beginning.” She said softly before hearing Luna calling their names. She pulled away from Nibs and wiped her tears away. “Hi sweetie, I’m sorry I almost missed your playdate. Let’s get you ready.” Misty smiled before taking Luna’s hand and walking her back to her room.

[Nibs]

“Playdate? She is a teenager, they don’t have playdates, they have real…are you going on a date?” He asks while looking at her as he stops them from walking away. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

[Luna]

“Daddy, we still have play dates. Like sleepovers. It’s fine.” Luna said before he stopped them. “I’m not going on a date. That would be ridiculous. Come on mom.” She said as she took her mom’s hand and continued walking her to her room.

[Misty]

Misty looked at Luna before looking at Nibs. “We can talk later okay?” She smiled softly.

[Nibs]

“Then call them sleepovers. Playdates just sound weird at your age. Your mother and I never called them playdates. You would tell me if you were going on a date and not hide it like your sister would you?”

[Luna]

“Hm Hope was hiding sex. I am not having sex daddy.” She said as she pushed her mom into her room. “I would tell you. I am sure the person would ask for your permission. I have to get ready.”

[Nibs]

“Mhm you better cuz if I find out you go on one without telling me…you know how that ends.” He says with a warning.

[Luna]

“You are so bossy. I get you are the king daddy, but you should lighten up.” She smiled. “Besides I heard some royals talking about mom. Bye daddy.” She waved before closing the door behind her.

#muse: nibs #nibsxmisty #nibsxluna #misty312

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vespertine-legacy · 3 years

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I got to teach a rando the mechanics of Toborro’s Courtyard today!

There was a call in genchat/Endgame for a dwt for TC groupfinder, and I offered to do it, since I was on Eleison. They told me to go ahead and queue. Queued up, but kept matching with a group that didn’t include the person who had asked for help. Apparently they queued and got someone else and just went with it? But someone in the group that I matched with whispered me and asked me to ready up, so I went with it.

Upon getting inside, noticed no one was setting up isotope canisters, but that’s not too big of a deal in story mode, tanks can really choose whether they want to use them in sm based on how much they want to stress out their healers, I guess. Then the discussion of who was going to take adds sort of suggested that most of them hadn’t been in TC before.

Tank pulled, positioned in between Golden Fury and the grass. All melee taking damage from Fury’s attacks. Tank stayed in for most of the first laser and nearly died (or might have died and gotten res’d, I’m not sure). Tank stayed in for second laser and died. Fury fixated on me, so I moved to the gate behind him to keep the radiation and stompy-stomps off the melee dps, but because I didn’t have isotope, I took a lot of damage, and even with dcds, didn’t do super well, and we ended up wiping. I whispered the tank and asked if they were actually tank spec or if they were dps but had just queued as tank. They responded “I can do either, but I’m tank right now.” I explained that they should probably break an isotope tank right before pull to protect them from the radiation and turn the boss toward the back wall to keep the dps from taking damage. They took my advice on the first part, but still stood with the melee dps. I pulled threat off of them pretty easily (I think they were probably not geared), and got positioned by the gate, shrouded for the first round, then got isotope during the first laser, and kept Fury’s attention for the rest of the fight. Once it was over, I whispered them to stick around so I could show them some tips if they tanked it again - how to position the canisters before the fight and when to refresh them, where to stand so that the tank is pretty much the only one taking damage from the boss, and a reminder that you have to get out for the laser.

They seemed really excited to have gotten some pointers, so I hope they had fun and get to run some good stuff.

#swtor #swtor groupfinder adventures #i need to remember to change eleison's groupfinder role though #because if i queue as tank for flashpoints or anything i will have Regrets #i mean groupfinder may still assign her tank anyway because it thinks it's funny #but she is squishy dps and needs more heals than a tank does if she tries to tank #also it felt rather appropriate for eleison to be the one to have to take charge #and just shove a massive unit sith pureblood tank-in-training out of the way #break a container of what we all know is actually hutt shit no matter that they call it 'isotope' and get covered in it #yell at a giant droid 'OI LOOK AT ME ASSHOLE'#and then teach the poor starstruck sith what's what #the baby-faced assassin librarian

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lgbtqiahistoricalromance · 4 years

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Finishing Out Summer 2020 TBR List! - Updated 7/31

Starting back in March, I was adding novel after novel for purposes of reading during social distancing and Summer 2020. I’m hoping you all found some great reads, even if you haven’t been able to read them all. *Here is another batch to round out Summer 2020, and I’m thrilled by the selection that includes sapphic, trans MCs, and more eras and locations than any list to date.

Leather and Lace by Rebel Carter (Good Sky series #5) - May 20th - sapphic

Mary Sophia James came to Gold Sky, Montana to find a husband at the insistence of her overbearing mother. Striking out in spectacular fashion after setting her eye on Julian Baptiste, her options are dwindling, and time is running out. She needs to find a man to marry before her condition becomes…obvious. Her mother’s prejudices and sharp tongue aren’t helping matters and Mary, to her shame, hasn’t behaved much better. But all her plans are derailed when she spots the most beautiful person she’s ever seen across the town square. Alex Pierce is strong, intriguing, looks stunning in a pair of trousers…and a woman.

Gold Sky is accepting of all types of love, and that between women is no different. Still, Alex didn’t expect to be so floored by the sight of the firey haired, yet fragile looking young woman. Mary needs to be married and Alex has a solution. Because in Gold Sky, Montana there are many ways to be married…and not all of them include a man.

Leather and Lace is a 35k word novella set at the same time as the events of book 2, Hearth and Home. It includes a passionate and romantic f/f love in a town where diversity, and love, reign supreme.

Note : Leather and Lace has a bit of mail-order, arranged married, kind of secret baby with some foreced proximity sprinkled on top!

The Sugared Game by KJ Charles (The Will Darling Adventures #2) - August 26th

It’s been two months since Will Darling saw Kim Secretan, and he doesn’t expect to see him again. What do a rough and ready soldier-turned-bookseller and a disgraced, shady aristocrat have to do with each other anyway? But when Will encounters a face from the past in a disreputable nightclub, Kim turns up, as shifty, unreliable, and irresistible as ever. And before Will knows it, he’s been dragged back into Kim’s shadowy world of secrets, criminal conspiracies, and underhand dealings. This time, though, things are underhanded even by Kim standards. This time, the danger is too close to home. And if Will and Kim can’t find common ground against unseen enemies, they risk losing everything.

The Revolutionary and the Rogue by Blake Ferre - August 24th

Perrin deVesey knows pain. As a member of Crimson Rose, a secret club for men who love men, he’s taken the vow “to stand and shield.” Standing together during these perilous times is the only thing keeping their necks from the guillotine. Now their leader is using the club to rescue wrongly accused traitors. After losing a past lover to an unjust execution, the decision to support this treasonous cause is easy…until a devastatingly handsome Committee Officer complicates Perrin’s whole world. Officer Henri Chevalier hates aristocrats. But the man he finds while investigating Crimson Rose is more than just wealthy and fancily clothed. He’s a rogue that could take him to the heart of the uprising and stop it before it starts. His plan to get close to Perrin and steal his secrets backfires, though, when Henri finds himself falling for the damned aristo and his dangerous smile. His heart is even more conflicted as he learns the truth behind their cause…and the truth his own people have been hiding. Together they must make the choice—to stand and shield at any cost—and their love might be the deadliest weapon in all of France.

Healing Lance by MD Grimm (A Warrior’s Redemption #1)- July 28th

A baby’s laughter. A mind uncaged. Lance is known as Scourge, the warrior in the black armor, the dog of the warlord Ulfr Blackwolf. He was just a boy when Ulfr found him and molded him into the perfect weapon. He slaughters and pillages on command, merciless and numb, devoid of emotions. Then a baby girl laughs at him during a raid. And everything changes. When Gust, a talented healer, is out deer hunting and stumbles across a magnificent horse bearing a mortally wounded rider, he has no idea that his life is about to change forever. Gust applies all his skills to his patient, determined to save the rider’s life, and is rewarded when the man opens his eyes. As friendship, and more, bloom between warrior and healer, so does the danger over the horizon. Ulfr has not forgotten, and Lance must take his first steps on the long road to redemption.

The rest of the series is either out this Summer or finishes in Sept!

Unhallowed: A Novel of Widdershins (Rath & Rune Book #1) by Jordan L Hawk - July 17th

Monsters. Murder. Librarians. Librarian Sebastian Rath is the only one who believes his friend Kelly O’Neil disappeared due to foul play. But without any clues or outside assistance, there’s nothing he can do to prove it. When bookbinder Vesper Rune is hired to fill the vacancy left by O’Neil, he receives an ominous letter warning him to leave. After he saves Sebastian from a pair of threatening men, the two decide to join forces and get to the truth about what happened to O’Neil. But Vesper is hiding secrets of his own, ones he doesn’t dare let anyone learn. Secrets that grow ever more dangerous as his desire for Sebastian deepens. Because Kelly O’Neil was murdered. And if Sebastian and Ves don’t act quickly enough, they’ll be the next to die.

My Heart’s in the Highlands by Amy Hoff - July 17th - sapphic - time travel

The year is 1888. Brilliant and beautiful, Lady Jane Crichton has fought the constraints of her Victorian Edinburgh upbringing to become one of the first women to attend university for medicine. Denied a degree because of her gender, she decides to marry a closeted gay man, providing him with political and social cover and herself with the time and money to pursue her scientific interests—one of which is a time machine. Jane’s machine works…but not exactly as she expected, and soon she has crash-landed in the 13th-century Scottish Highlands. There she is rescued by a wild, red-haired warrior woman, Ainslie nic Dòmhnaill, next in line to the chiefship of the great Clan Donald, the rulers of the Sea Kingdom of the Isles. Despite the constant threat of attacks from enemy clans, harsh winters and a touch of homesickness, Jane finds herself bewitched by this land, this time and this magnificent woman. The rough and warlike Ainslie also feels the magic and revels in a passion and love neither she nor Jane had ever imagined. But Jane is hiding a dangerous secret—one that threatens to tragically transform their Highland fairy tale.

Kinship and Kindness by Kara Jorgensen (A Paranormal Society Romance #1) - releases July 29th -trans MC

Bennett Reynard needs one thing: to speak to the Rougarou about starting a union for shifters in New York City before the delegation arrives. When his dirigible finally lands in Louisiana, he finds the Rougarou is gone and in his stead is his handsome son, Theo, who seems to care for everyone but himself. Hoping he can still petition the Rougarou, Bennett stays only to find he is growing dangerously close to Theo Bisclavret. Theo Bisclavret thought he had finally come to terms with never being able to take his father’s place as the Rougarou, but with his father stuck in England and a delegation of werewolves arriving in town, Theo’s quiet life is thrown into chaos as he and his sister take over his duties. Assuming his father’s place has salted old wounds, but when a stranger arrives offering to help, Theo knows he can’t say no, even if Mr. Reynard makes him long for things he had sworn off years ago. As rivals arrive to challenge Theo for power and destroy the life Bennett has built, they know they must face their greatest fears or risk losing all they have fought for. With secrets threatening to topple their worlds, can Theo and Bennett let down their walls before it’s too late?

More under the cut...!!!!

My Highland Laird: Sci-Regency Book #5 by JL Langley - releases August 10th

Bannon Thompson, talented artist and youngest son of the Duke of Eversleigh, is hastily shipped off after his latest indiscretion. After crashing on rural Skye, leaving him and his valet the sole survivors of a diplomatic mission, Bannon must navigate the complexities of a primitive clan society and take up a role he never wanted: helping a sexy Highlander ensure the safety of both their planets.

Laird Ciaran MacKay wants nothing more than to keep his clan safe from the off-world intruders who killed his father. Suspecting complicity among his own people, he has no choice but to trust outsiders from a spaceship crash—and he can’t seem to fight his attraction to the stubborn redhead. Drawn to the handsome laird, Bannon risks a bold affair. But there is more at stake than reputations as they find two lost Regelens and uncover the Intergalactic Navy’s plot.

Artful Deception by Jackson Marsh (The Clearwater Myseries Book #5)

“Deception. The lie that tells the truth."

A damaged painting tempts Lord Clearwater to a final battle with his arch-enemy, and it's not a summons he can ignore.

Archer must free his homicidal brother from incarceration and reinstate him to the title. He will be left humiliated and penniless, but free to live his life with Silas with no threat of exposure. The alternative is death.

Drawing inspiration from a work of art, Clearwater manipulates a series of illusions to stay one step ahead of the endgame. While James, Tom and Silas race to solve clues and reach Archer before the fatal deadline, the assassin, Dorjan, remains hot on his heels ready to kill.

The sixth book in The Clearwater Mysteries series brings back popular characters from previous adventures in a fast-paced, twisting mystery that can have only one of two possible endings.

Or perhaps one of three. After all, deception is the lie that tells the truth.

Ten or Fifteen Miles by BL Maxwell - May 27th

Tim Latham had only been riding for the Pony Express for a week before he has to show the new guy the trail. Being raised on a farm in the Sacramento area, the Pony Express gave him an opportunity to see more of the country beyond his family’s little plot of land. He loves everything about the job: the adventure, the scenery, and the speed. Racing the wind on the back of a horse was as close to perfect as he could imagine.

Jeremiah Rollins grew up in San Francisco under the shadow of his father's successful shipping business. But Jeremiah craves the adventure he reads about in the dime novels he can’t get enough of. On a whim, and despite his father’s disapproval, he signs up for the Pony Express and leaves his old life behind for the steep, rocky trails that cross the Sierra Nevada. Both men are excited to begin their journey on their first ride together to Nevada Territory. They set out, making their way from station to station, racing as fast as their horses can carry them, and their friendship grows every mile. They both wanted adventure, but they may end up getting more than they dreamed of. Every ten or fifteen miles brings new experiences, and new feelings that grow with each mile they pass.

People Like Us by Ruby Moone (Winsford Green #2) - July 21st

Arthur Fitch clawed his way out of the violence and poverty of the slums of London to become a valet to the aristocracy. His ambition to secure a higher position led him to a disastrous appointment with a cold, brutal man, and when things come to a head, Arthur is forced to flee into a snowstorm to find safety. Joseph Wilkinson is the Winsford Green blacksmith. He has a good life, good friends, owns a thriving business, but at the end of the day when he goes home, loneliness consumes him. When he stumbles upon a small man determinedly trudging through the snowstorm, he invites him into his home to shelter. Arthur Fitch is older, smart-mouthed, and as prickly as hell. But, as Joe peels back the layers, he discovers a warm, funny, vulnerable man whose tastes in the bedchamber leave Joe gasping and desperate for more. Trouble is, having found the real Arthur Fitch, how can he convince him that life in a small town can be infinitely better than working for an Earl? That love really is possible for people like them? Particularly when Arthur’s past catches up with him in horrifying fashion.

Seaworthy bu KL Noone (Character Bleed Book #1) - August 1st - bisexual MC - contemporary, but with a lot of historical touches

An epic motion picture! A gay Napoleonic War love story! Ballrooms and battles at sea! Romantic happy endings on the silver screen! And a film that’ll change everything for its stars ... Jason Mirelli can’t play adrenaline-fueled action heroes forever. He’s getting older, plus the action star parts have grown a little thinner since he came out as bisexual. This role could finally let him be seen as a serious dramatic actor, and he needs it to go well -- for his career, and because he’s fallen in love with the story and the chance to tell it. The first problem? He’ll be playing a ship’s captain ... and he hasn’t exactly mentioned his fear of water. The second problem? His co-star: award-winning, overly talkative, annoyingly adorable -- and openly gay – box office idol Colby Kent. Colby’s always loved the novel this film’s based on, and he leapt at the chance to adapt it, now that he has the money and reputation to make it happen. But scars and secrets from his past make filming a love story difficult ... until Jason takes his hand and wakes up all his buried desires. Jason could be everything Colby’s ever wanted: generous and kind, a fantastic partner on set, not to mention those heroic muscles. But Colby just can’t take that chance ... or can he? As their characters fall in love and fight a war, Colby and Jason find themselves falling, too ... and facing the return of their own past demons. But together they just might win ... and write their own love story.

The Engineer (Magic & Steam Book #1) by CS Poe - May 28th

1881—Special Agent Gillian Hamilton is a magic caster with the Federal Bureau of Magic and Steam. He’s sent to Shallow Grave, Arizona, to arrest a madman engineer known as Tinkerer, who’s responsible for blowing up half of Baltimore. Gillian has handled some of the worst criminals in the Bureau’s history, so this assignment shouldn’t be a problem. But even he’s taken aback by a run-in with the country’s most infamous outlaw, Gunner the Deadly. Gunner is also stalking Shallow Grave in search of Tinkerer, who will stop at nothing to take control of the town’s silver mines. Neither Gillian nor Gunner are willing to let Tinkerer hurt more innocent people, so they agree to a very temporary partnership. If facing illegal magic, Gatling gun contraptions, and a wild engineer in America’s frontier wasn’t enough trouble for a city boy, Gillian must also come to terms with the reality that he’s rather fond of his partner. But even if they live through this adventure, Gillian fears there’s no chance for love between a special agent and outlaw. Based on the short story, “Gunner the Deadly.” Entirely revised, newly expanded, and Book One in the exciting new steampunk series, Magic & Steam.

Pirate’s Promise (Pirate’s of Port Royal Book #1) by Jules Radcliffe - May 12th - the rest of the series is also out this Summer!

Press-ganged as a boy, Job Wright must learn how to live as a free man.

For years Job has been a captive, treated as a servant—and sometimes more—by a crooked merchant crew. Until the day his ship is attacked by pirates. English pirates, no less, and Brethren of the Coast, a brotherhood of free men who owe allegiance to no one but themselves. Job thinks he's been rescued at last, but he's badly mistaken. As an Englishman aboard a Spanish ship, the Brethren believe he's a traitor and an enemy. But just when pirate justice is about to be delivered, Garrett Dubh intervenes. He both saves Job's life and recruits him to the pirate ship Audacious.

Surrounded by a fearsome crew, Job finds protection under Garrett's wing. He's ready to do anything for the handsome pirate—things he'd never willingly do for another man. But Garrett ignores Job's shy overtures. He believes Job is too traumatised by his past. Too young to know what he wants. And nothing Job says will change his mind.

To show Garrett he can take care of himself, Job leaves the safety of the Audacious. He joins the most ruthless Brethren crew in the Caribbean, led by the enigmatic and cruel Rusé.

But in the French pirate haven of Tortuga, thoughtless actions can have fatal consequences, something Job is about to discover. And this time, Garrett isn't there to save him.

Chasing a Legacy by D. A Ravenscroft - May 2020

Against the tense political backdrop of the Second French Empire, siblings Camille and Marianne find themselves wrestling with personal demons both past and present. As Camille strives to keep family secrets buried and unveil a plot against them, Marianne becomes involved with the handsome Baron Auclair and his mysterious younger sister. Little do the siblings know that soon their very different lives will come crashing together…

The sequel to a sequel! In this follow up to the unofficial Les Mis sequel ‘Chasing a Ghost’, we follow Enjolras and Grantaire’s children, Camille and Marianne, through dangers untold and family strife. Set in 1866, towards the end of the Second Empire, this story has murder, mystery, romance, drama, comedy, and a pet lion. And yes, it’s very, very queer.

https://www.lulu.com/en/gb/shop/d-a-ravenscroft/chasing-a-legacy/paperback/product-y58wrq.html

Two Rogues Make a Right by Cat Sebastian (Seducing the Sedgwicks Book #3) - June 23rd

Will Sedgwick can’t believe that after months of searching for his oldest friend, Martin Easterbrook is found hiding in an attic like a gothic nightmare. Intent on nursing Martin back to health, Will kindly kidnaps him and takes him to the countryside to recover, well away from the world. Martin doesn’t much care where he is or even how he got there. He’s much more concerned that the man he’s loved his entire life is currently waiting on him hand and foot, feeding him soup and making him tea. Martin knows he’s a lost cause, one he doesn’t want Will to waste his life on. As a lifetime of love transforms into a tender passion both men always desired but neither expected, can they envision a life free from the restrictions of the past, a life with each other?

Best Laid Plaids by Ella Stainton (Kilty Pleasures #1)- August 31st

In 1920s Scotland, even ghosts wear plaid.

Welcome to a sexy, spooky new paranormal historical series from debut author Ella Stainton.

Scotland, 1928

Dr. Ainsley Graham is cultivating a reputation as an eccentric.

Two years ago, he catastrophically ended his academic career by publicly claiming to talk to ghosts. When Joachim Cockburn, a WWI veteran studying the power of delusional thinking, arrives at his door, Ainsley quickly catalogues him as yet another tiresome Englishman determined to mock his life’s work.

But Joachim is tenacious and openhearted, and Ainsley’s intrigued despite himself. He agrees to motor his handsome new friend around to Scotland’s most unmistakable hauntings. If he can convince Joachim, Ainsley might be able to win back his good name and then some. He knows he’s not crazy—he just needs someone else to know it, too.

Joachim is one thesis away from realizing his dream of becoming a psychology professor, and he’s not going to let anyone stop him, not even an enchanting ginger with a penchant for tartan and lewd jokes. But as the two travel across Scotland’s lovely—and definitely, definitely haunted—landscape, Joachim’s resolve starts to melt. And he’s beginning to think that an empty teaching post without the charming Dr. Graham would make a very poor consolation prize indeed…

The Gentleman’s Thief by Isobel Starling (Resurrectionist Book #2)

Tuesday 28th December 1897. Mr. Benedict Hannan, the owner of Hannan’s Auction House in Fitzrovia, London, receives an unexpected visitor at his Bloomsbury home. The man on his stoop sends Benedict’s heart into a flutter, and on inviting the mysterious stranger into his house, he is inviting mystery, adventure, and volcanic desire.

Sebastian Cavell—master thief, gives the impression he has sought out Benedict for the sake of business, but the kind of business Sebastian has in mind has nothing to do with making money!

Cavell has been tasked with finding the whereabouts of a missing German aristocrat. With Benedict’s society connections, Sebastian gains access to his Gentleman’s Club and to men whose behavior is not so gentlemanly!

Benedict is pulled into the circle of a dangerous secret society and he not only learns the truth about the mysterious Sebastian Cavell, but learns the truth about himself and all he truly desires.

The Curse of the Mummy’s Heart by Julia Talbot - June 30th

Something is rising in the desert sand, and between two adventurous men.

Famous 1920s Hollywood actor Douglas Fitzhugh and his brother Donnie are headed for Egypt on a classic monster movie quest. Their mysterious benefactor, a man they call Grant, has sent them to find a stranded archaeologist, and all they have to go on is a handwritten journal. That's just the kind of adventure Douglas loves, and he never passes up the chance to get away from his studio-driven life.

Charles Angeloff is also on his way to Egypt with a special object his father has asked him to return to the tomb he ripped it from. Charles is just out of university, and when he meets Douglas, he falls hard for Douglas' charm and his worldly ways.

As they travel, more men of adventure join them: a cowboy, a rich seminary student, and a librarian. When they're all together, it's like magic happens, and the men all realize they're on a mission to stop the horror that stirs beneath the desert sands, even as that creature sets its sights on Charles. Will Douglas and Charles lose each other just when they've found what they both think is the man they want to be with forever?

Starcrossed: A Paranormal Historical Romance (Magic in Manhattan #2) by Allie Therin - May 18th

When everything they’ve built is threatened, only their bond remains… 1925 New York Psychometric Rory Brodigan’s life hasn’t been the same since the day he met Arthur Kenzie. Arthur’s continued quest to contain supernatural relics that pose a threat to the world has captured Rory’s imagination—and his heart. But Arthur’s upper-class upbringing still leaves Rory worried that he’ll never measure up, especially when Arthur’s aristocratic ex arrives in New York. For Arthur, there’s only Rory. But keeping the man he’s fallen for safe is another matter altogether. When a group of ruthless paranormals throw the city into chaos, the two men’s strained relationship leaves Rory vulnerable to a monster from Arthur’s past. With dark forces determined to tear them apart, Rory and Arthur will have to draw on every last bit of magic up their sleeves. And in the end, it’s the connection they’ve formed without magic that will be tested like never before.

Another Chance For Love by Ellie Thomas - July 4th

Former British Army Lieutenant Adam Merryweather survived the Western Front of WWI and has slowly recovered from his injuries. But can he heal from a broken heart? Torn between family duty and personal happiness, he sacrificed his love for Alf and has never ceased to regret it in the two years since the war ended. Adam is slowly putting his empty life back together, working for the family firm in the city centre of Bristol and trying to stop his mother’s meddling to find him the perfect socially acceptable bride. When he happens to meet Alf out of the blue, Adam is determined to try again. But convincing Alf to give him another chance may be too much to hope for. Can a chance meeting bring them back together? Or has Adam lost another chance for love forever?

The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows by Olivia Waite - July 28th - sapphic

When Agatha Griffin finds a colony of bees in her warehouse, it’s the not-so-perfect ending to a not-so-perfect week. Busy trying to keep her printing business afloat amidst rising taxes and the suppression of radical printers like her son, the last thing the widow wants is to be the victim of a thousand bees. But when a beautiful beekeeper arrives to take care of the pests, Agatha may be in danger of being stung by something far more dangerous…

Penelope Flood exists between two worlds in her small seaside town, the society of rich landowners and the tradesfolk. Soon, tensions boil over when the formerly exiled Queen arrives on England’s shores—and when Penelope’s long-absent husband returns to Melliton, she once again finds herself torn, between her burgeoning love for Agatha and her loyalty to the man who once gave her refuge.

As Penelope finally discovers her true place, Agatha must learn to accept the changing world in front of her. But will these longing hearts settle for a safe but stale existence or will they learn to fight for the future they most desire?

*If more come to my attention after this is posted, they will be added!!!

#lgbt romance #historical romance #sapphic #trans romance #f/f romance #m/m romance #books

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chroniclackofselfpreservation · 3 years

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Creatures of the Night

Chapter 7 - you know they were made to be used

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AO3

Masterlist

(TW: manipulative and toxic relationships, emotional abuse, intense pain, graphic imagery, implications of torture)

(The title for this chapter comes from "To be of use" by Margie Piercy.)

400 years ago.

The Witchlands.

The palace was abuzz with nerves. The cooks in the kitchen kneaded bread in the basement nervously. The servants went about their chores with the quick, curt movements of someone waiting for something bad to happen. The head butler strode furiously up and down the halls, barking orders and polishing china until his fingers blistered. Groundsmen brushed the horses, trimmed the gardens, and swept the walks with barely a word to one another. The palace guard patrolled every inch of the palace, faces as stoic and unmoving as the statues in the Great Hall. Tension flooded the castle until everyone inside waded through it up to their knees.

Today was the day. The Witchlands would receive the newest heir to the throne.

In a not-so-quiet room secluded in the most secure location in the castle, Queen Inez growled and screamed and threatened maids with their lives as the new heir came into the world. The prince consort paced outside the door, dodging the maids that rushed in and out with hot towels and rags muttering things about his wife that he couldn't quite hear over the pounding of his own heart. The captain of the royal guard approached him, a look of amusement on his face.

"What if something goes wrong? What do we do then? If something happens to Inez, or the baby—"

"Your Highness..."

"I don't know the first thing about children, let alone a royal one! What if it doesn't like me? What if I'm not a good father?"

"Darren!" the captain barked, grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him a little. He chuckled. "Calm down. Everything's going to be fine."

Darren took a breath, "You're right, Lawrence. Thank you. Did you have something to tell me?"

The captain straightened. "The palace is completely secure, my lord. I'd be surprised if a mouse got in without my men's say-so."

The prince gave a weary smile, and patted Lawrence on the shoulder. "What would I do without you, captain?"

"What, indeed?"

A maid poked her head out of the door. "Pardon me, your highness, captain," she said, giving a lopsided curtsy as best she could, then turned her attention back to the prince. "The queen will see you now."

Darren exhaled, and nodded, following the maid into the room with one last glance at his childhood friend. Lawrence gave him an encouraging nod. Inside, Inez lay on a bed, completely red faced and sweating, but just as gorgeous as the day he fell in love with her. A small bundle of cloth sat clutched against her chest.

She looked up at him and smiled. "Come meet your daughter, love."

"Daughter?" he breathed, feeling like he'd been hit over the head. He had a daughter? He was... a father...

Inez laughed at his expression and beckoned him closer. "Come now, she won't bite."

Darren approached, and his breath hitched in his throat. "She's beautiful."

"She is," the queen cooed, stroking the baby's face. "My little Rosemary."

* * * * * * * * * *

Fourteen years later.

The sky was a brilliant, clear blue. Entirely too brilliant for a funeral, in Rosemary's opinion. The sun was out, making the air humid and sticky and about as unbearable as it possibly could. A line of green-clad beings wound their way down the palace road, through the valley, to the burial site. The procession was nearly a mile long. Every witch, arcanist, nixie, and sprite in the land was in attendance, paying their respects to their once glorious Queen Inez. Rosemary lead the throng alongside her father, her dress a deep, mournful green, reminiscent the black colors that humans in the outside world wore when one of their own died. Though, no one here would recognize the similarity except perhaps the guards or any particularly well-aged witch.

Personally, Rosemary favored the Witchland's own tradition of green as the common funeral color; it made things far less dreary, reminding them all of the infinite cycle of life, and such. However, sometimes the world was dreary, and wrapping herself in lime green felt... wrong.

Rosemary glanced over at her father. He looked sad and tired, and she wondered if he'd have any trouble making the journey. While he certainly was not the oldest witch among the procession, he wasn't the youngest either. His hair was white and the creases in his face guided the beads of sweat away from his eyes and down the side of his face. She would have asked him how he was fairing, but speaking was frowned upon during a funeral procession, especially a royal one.

The entire affair took too long, and not long enough. Rosemary might have been fourteen, but she wasn't ready to give her mother up just about yet. She held no illusions regarding her complete competence to be Queen beginning today—honestly, change was needed soon, else the Witchlands would fall into economic ruin due to nobility running around with entitlement shoved so far up their backsides they cried gold leaf and ball gowns—but Rosemary doubted any one of her plethora of advisers would ever amount to the diplomat, strategist, or leader her mother had been.

And yet, as the funeral came to an end, and as the last spade-full of soil was patted down atop the old queen's grave, no one could deny the feeling of anticipation and excitement rippling through the crowd.

Rosemary turned, and started back up the road to begin her coronation.

* * * * * * * * * *

Twenty-two years later.

Dorian walked quickly down the corridor, a pile of books stacked high in his arms. The royal librarian had been rather irked at the continuous stream of his books being funneled into the basement of the palace. He doubted that the man would express such concerns if the queen herself had come up to request the books, but the very thought of her having to make the trek up and down the narrow spiral staircases between the ground level and the research lab she'd set up in the basement made him cringe. He didn't mind. It was his job, after all, as the head of the queen's personal staff.

"Morning, Dorian," a woman piped cheerfully as they passed.

"Good morning, Esther," he replied, leaning around the books to meet the young maid's eye. She smiled, her brown hair bouncing about her freckled face like silk ribbons and her cheeks flushing.

"May I walk with you?"

"Certainly." Dorian enjoyed her company, despite the fact that she was a bit infatuated with him. He had no romantic interest in her, but found she listened to his ramblings far more patiently than most other people he'd met.

"On another errand for Her Majesty, I assume? What is she doing down there all the time? You'd think she'd want to get out and feel the sun every once in a while—not that I'm criticizing the queen, I never—"

"Relax," he chuckled. "I know what you mean. The queen's research is quite important to her, which means it's important to all of us, but I assure you I will suggest she go for a walk around the grounds later this afternoon."

Esther folded her arms. "May I speak rather freely? You won't tell the queen I said it?"

He smiled. "As long as you aren't planning an assassination, my dear, she won't hear a word of it."

"Do you think she's grown a little distant from the kingdom? She used to be so involved in the affairs of the Witchlands, but ever since she started her experiments, you're the only one who even sees her... I'm just worried for her. Everyone is."

They came to a stop just outside the staircase, and Dorian shifting the books in his grip. "I understand your concern, but trust me when I say that the queen is fine. Her research is for the good of the kingdom." He gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder and began descending the stairs, the lie bitter on his tongue. It was true, everyone was worried for the queen.

But no one was more concerned than he was.

She'd grown obsessed with harnessing immortality shortly after her father passed from illness. Dorian wasn't exactly sure what had changed within her, but ever since, she'd only shown her face for the bare minimum of state affairs and public appearances. Esther hadn't been lying when she said he was the only one who saw her on a regular basis. She trusted him—or, at least, she trusted him the most out of anyone else in the palace. It was tragic, really. She was ten times the queen her mother ever was, with more magic in her little finger than most people ever encountered, and yet she stayed locked up in her own castle. Dorian had never seen anything like it before, but she didn't think it was enough.

But she was the queen, and Dorian was loyal to her until his dying breath. He would do anything to ensure her happiness, even if it meant feeding into her isolating research. He couldn't help the way his chest tightened when she laughed, or the way his heart stuttered when looked at him. Despite his best efforts, he was completely and utterly hers.

Dorian reached the bottom of the stairs and pushed open the heavy oak door with his shoulder. The acrid smell of complicated chemicals, herbs, and poultices assaulted his senses and made his eyes water. The basement was quite large, though it was now cluttered with various tables, shelves, smelting pots, and even a small make-shift forge they'd constructed in the far corner. In the middle of the room, the queen hunched over a beaker of liquid, looking rapidly between it and a scrap of paper in her hand. Her hair was a mess, and she wore a maid's blouse and trousers she'd probably snatched from the groundsmen. The first and last time she wore one of her proper gowns down here, she'd caught it on fire and nearly burned the entire palace to the ground.

The door swung shut, but she didn't look up.

"Ah, Dorian. Set them all over there next to the tinctures. Come, look at this," she muttered, squatting down and staring into the beaker from the edge of the counter.

"Of course, Your Majesty." He set the stack of books down on a wooden table with dozens of glass vials stacked precariously high, and joined her beside the beaker. "What am I looking at?"

She pointed a nail at the small specks floating freely in the cobalt liquid. "Look. The kystrine is congealing into droplets. Do you know what this means?"

"I'm afraid not, my queen."

She stood, muttering to herself while looking around for something. "Ah!" she cried, seizing a dark, intimidating book from a different table. She flipped through the pages, a few of them singed black from who-knows-what. “Here… when placed in an acidic solution of mugwort extract and its complementary bases, kystrine will congeal and solidify, becoming conducive to extraction and concentration. Combine this new extract with hemp, witch hazel, blah, blah, blah—oh! Once combined and heated, the solution will produce a serum known colloquially as The Blood of Drok’ben. Dorian, this is what I’ve been searching for for years! I've created a potion of immortality!” the queen laughed.

Seemingly without thinking, she jumped up, grabbed his face, and kissed him on the mouth. Stars exploded in Dorian's eyes and his knees nearly buckled. His entire body buzzed with energy, like he'd been struck by lightning; he could practically taste her magic, it was so potent. She pulled away and continued rambling and laughing into her hands, rushing around the basement. Dorian stared ahead, fingers lightly touching his lips. His mind wasn't working right, like she'd put him under a spell or hit him over the head with a brick.

"...back to the library. I won't be needing them anymore. Well, I might need this one for a little while longer, but—hey, are you listening to me? Dorian?"

"Huh, what? Oh, apologies, Your Majesty," he said, still a little dazed. "What did you need?"

"Take these books back to the library. I'll be working late tonight. Bring my food directly down here."

"Yes, Your Majesty. Right away."

* * * * * * * * * *

The sun was setting, and Dorian sat in the kitchens with his chin resting on his hands, staring out at the horizon.

"Ya look awful dreamy today," Maybelle, the head cook, commented. She kneaded a giant ball of dough with rough, calloused hands, and forearms that looked like they could snap Dorian in half. "Might I presume it has somethin' ta do with Her Majesty the Queen?"

His ears reddened and he turned away. "I haven't the faintest idea what you're insinuating, Belle."

"Don't use that silver tongue'a yers with me, boy," she snapped, pointing a flour-covered finger his way. "I've seen a love-struck fool enough times to know one when I see it. You been jittery as a drok'ben-fearin' drunk, tappin' yer fingers like some infernal—"

Dorian stiffened. "What did you say?"

"Yer a love-struck fool."

"No, after that. Drok'ben. What about Drok'ben?" he demanded standing.

Maybelle looked at him oddly. "Just a legend, really. A pixie-tale about a man who tried to live forever and got turned to a monster fer violating the laws o' nature, or somethin'. Real sad tale. Why?"

Dorian stumbled back, putting a hand on the counter. "A monster..." he echoed sickly. It couldn't be true, could it? Just a pixie-tale, as Maybelle said, and yet...

...known colloquially as The Blood of Drok'ben.

"How... how did he do it?" he breathed.

"What?"

"The man in the story, how did he attempt to become immortal!"

Maybelle looked up, thinking. "Ah, I haven't heard the story maself for a while, but he was some sorta chemist. Mixed things that weren't meant to meet 'n stuff like that. Was his own undoin'."

It was ridiculous. Dorian knew it, and yet he couldn't get the image of the queen drinking that cursed serum without researching, or testing it, or even thinking. He bolted from the kitchen before Maybelle could so much as open her mouth to ask what was wrong. He sprinted down the palace corridors, barely avoiding crashing into a group of guards.

"Hey!" one of them yelped. Another, reacting faster, grabbed Dorian's shoulder and yanked him to a stop.

"Why are you running? What's the matter?"

Dorian could barely speak, he was so frantic. "The... the queen, I—I believe she's in grave danger!" He barely got the words out when the guards grew terrifyingly stern.

The one that grabbed him nodded, "Lead the way." They all ran down the hall, and in the back of Dorian's mind, he worried about bursting in on the queen's research with a group of hysterical guards. They rocketed down the staircase, and he nearly tripped and fell a few times, but somehow kept his feet underneath him.

"Your Majesty!" he cried, slamming the door open. The queen looked up from her seat at one of the tables, a thin vial of golden liquid near her hand. Dorian's eyes locked onto it and he rushed forward. She stood, and he tumbled to a stop, barely keeping from running into her.

"What is the meaning of this? Why are you all so upset? Has something happened?"

"You..." Dorian huffed, pointing to the vial. "You can't drink that."

"Excuse me?" Her expression grew dark.

"Your Majesty," he amended, lifting a placating hand. "I know you think it's safe, but I have reason to believe—"

The queen's nostrils flared and she rose to her full height, a few inches taller than himself. "You are out of line, Dorian. You would do well to remember your place."

"But, Your Majesty—"

"Guards!" she cried and the men jumped to attention. "Seize this man. It seems he is under the impression he can tell me what I can and cannot do."

Dorian felt as if he'd been punched in the stomach. This man. As if she didn't know his name. Rough hands grabbed his arms and pulled him away from the queen. She picked up the vial and held it between her first two fingers.

"I finally achieve my life's work, and you want to tell me that I shouldn't take it?" She stalked toward him and the pit in his stomach grew to a gaping hole. Despite this, he couldn't shake the overwhelming feeling that she was in danger.

"Please, my queen, if you would just listen. I believe that the potion you hold will do far more damage than good! You—" he cut himself off before he could say the words. You don't know what you're doing. Please, I know it's not much to go on, but I feel it in my bones. This is bad.

"And how, pray tell, do you know this?"

"I... I need you to trust me, Your Majesty. I would never strive to inhibit you in any way, and I only seek for your own well-being and the welfare of this kingdom. Please, do not drink the potion," he pleaded, pulling against the guards. The queen eyed him quizzically, and then suddenly her hand was moving, nearing her mouth and oh no, she was going to drink itwaitwait—

"Rosemary!" he shrieked, lunging forward again. "Rose, please, please stop, just—"

SLAP!

"You dare address me so casually you insignificant worm!" the queen hissed. The guards tightened their grips, pulling him back once more. Dorian couldn't see through the tears in his eyes. "Fine," she spat, storming up to him. "You think it's so dangerous? Drink it yourself."

"Wh—What?"

"Prove to me that it really won't work. However, be warned. If it works, and you simply wanted to get your hands on my potion" she growled, "I will make your life a living hell. Now, drink it."

Dorian's mouth opened and closed wordlessly as he struggled for some sort of response, something that would convince her that he would never try to steal from her, much less take her life long dream away from her.

Her expression softened and she placed a hand on his cheek. "You'll do this for me, won't you? If you cared about me, you would want to protect me. Right?"

Dorian's mouth snapped shut. "...Yes, Your Majesty."

The guards released him, looking at each other with mixtures of confusion and concern. The queen held out the golden vial, a murderous look in her eye. Dorian didn't know exactly what the serum would do to him, but if him taking it in her stead would save not only her, but the kingdom as a whole, it was a risk he was willing to take. Her words echoed around his skull. If it works, I'll make your life a living hell.

With a hand that he was surprised was as steady as it was, he took it from her, and drank.

Nothing happened.

It tasted like acid, and, strangely, absorbed into his body the second it touched his tongue. He hadn't even needed to swallow. He looked at the empty vial in his hands, then up at the queen, and his stomach dropped through the bottoms of his feet. She had the calm disposition of a volcano about to decimate an entire countryside.

He'd been wrong. Blinded by his paranoia for her safety and the mumblings of legends that meant nothing. She was the smartest person he knew, of course she'd known what she was doing. His heart wrenched. He'd stolen her one life goal from right in front of her.

"Take him to the dungeons," she breathed, glancing at the guards behind him. "I will decide what to do with him later."

"Yes, Your Majesty," one saluted, stepping forward and reaching for Dorian's arm. Dorian opened his mouth to apologize, beg forgiveness, say something, when the air in the basement shifted. All of the hair on his arms and neck stood stick straight and the room felt electrified. Not a second later, a horrible pain gripped Dorian's entire body and he gasped, falling to his knees. The queen and guards all took a step back, unsure what was going on or what they should do. His eyes burned like hellfire and tears that felt thick and strange streaked down his cheeks. He touched his face, and it came away covered in gold liquid not unlike the potion he'd ingested. He looked up at the queen—at Rosemary—and saw gold light reflecting off her face from his direction. He blinked, and the light flickered. His eyes were glowing.

"What's happening?" she asked, though she sounded more intrigued than afraid. Another wave of pain shook Dorian's body, and he shuddered, groaning.

"I..." he managed through shallow breaths, looking up at her face once more. He managed a pained smile, and laughed wetly. "I'm so sorry." A few seconds later, stars exploded behind his eyes and his mind whited out.

* * * * * * * * * *

One year later.

Dorian didn't remember what it was like to be human. Sure, he saw the servants when they brought down food for the prisoners, or the guards whenever they came to get a kick out of torturing them, but he couldn't remember what it was like. What it was like to have legs, and bob up and down when you walked, or feel your hair tickle your face, or your cheeks grow taut with a smile. None of it. It was depressing to think about the fact that it only took a year for him to forget what he'd looked like for thirty. So, he didn't. He forgot that he had once been a normal man, who loved, and smiled, and laughed. No, now he was just the beast that guarded the dungeon.

The familiar clang of the dungeon entrance being unlatched out of sight atop the winding staircase snapped him out of his thoughts. He was coiled in on himself, his head resting lazily atop his body. Quick, light steps tapped out a staccato that echoed around the cavern. Eventually, they slowed, and a small head peeked around the corner.

It was a girl. A maid. Brought food for the prisoners, most likely. Dorian had quickly discovered after his transformation that he no longer required sleep, food, or even water to survive. Not that he never ate, but the last time he recalled actually eating something was when one of the guards had slandered the queen whilst bringing down a new batch of prisoners. The act of eating in this form disgusted Dorian, but he had quite enjoyed that particular experience.

The maid was short, with brown hair like silk ribbons and a round, freckled face. A flick of his tongue, and he was suddenly aware of the hot blood pounding through her body at abnormally high speeds and her clammy, cold hands. It was strange, this double-sight he'd acquired. He couldn't quite explain it, but it worked in light or dark and he'd found it quite useful in catching prisoners trying to escape.

The girl took a breath, and stepped out into the open. She carried no food tray with her. Dorian stared at her unblinking, his tongue flicking out once more curiously. No one was allowed down here unless given permission from the queen or on an express errand.

"Hello, Drok'ben," she called, hands clasped tightly behind her back. He chuckled internally at the name. He'd been surprised when the guards had begun addressing him as such—the few times they did address him—and found it funny in a sad, tragic sort of way. Often times, he forgot which was his true name.

“I—I know I’m not allowed down here for personal reasons, but I was hoping I might visit a friend of mine? His name is Dorian and I’ve been told he’s being held down here.”

Dorian couldn’t withhold the earth-shaking laugh that rumbled out of him at her words. She let out a squeak of surprise, but didn’t retreat. He slithered forward, slowly unraveling his body with a sound like a rockslide. He could tell her pulse quickened at his movement, and yet she didn’t bolt. She didn’t even look away from him.

“This is not an inn, little one. You do not visit the people here.”

The girl swallowed. “I want to know why he’s down here. No one will tell me. Not even the queen. He is my friend, and I don’t believe he would purposefully act against the queen. I’m... worried about him.”

“Do not concern yourself with him. He is lost.”

“What does that mean?”

Dorian bristled, “You try my patience, child. Get out before I decide to do something about it.”

She pressed her lips together, looking as if she were about to cry. “All right, but would you at least tell him that Esther came to visit him?”

Dorian froze. Bouncing hair. Giggles. Sunlight cast across a pale, freckled face. Faint annoyance that faded into fond amusement. Berry tarts snuck under his door in the middle of the night, and constantly asking what he was up to around the castle.

“Um, Drok’ben?” Esther asked softly, looking somewhere between concerned and absolutely terrified.

"Leave," he managed, turning away from her and burying himself beneath the weight of his own monstrous body. Stop it. Stop remembering. It will only cause you pain, he thought bitterly. Despite his attempts to run away, he heard her reluctant retreating steps as they faded and the click of the dungeon door. He sat like that for a long time, lamenting the fact that he never slept. Then, at least, he could escape his life for some stretch of time. Over the course of his time in the dungeon, he'd discovered a sort of pseudo-sleep he could slip into if he was undisturbed for long enough. Less like being lost in thought, and more like drowning in them. Completely submerging himself in the darkness of his own mind. He would still be aware of his surroundings and able to "wake up" if someone came down the stairs, but time seemed to pass a little faster.

"Would you look at that," a hoarse voice—a woman's voice—chuckled from the direction of the cells. It was soft, and a normal human would not have been able to pick it out. Dorian didn't move. "Never seen a young lady get the best of a demon before."

"Be quiet."

The voice cackled, devolving into a fit of coughing. "Excuse me if I'm not trembling in fear, but a butler turned into a wingless, legless dragon doesn't exactly fit my idea of intimidating." The other prisoners gasped and hissed at her to keep her mouth shut, did she want to die?

Dorian shifted, and sighed tiredly, "Do not make me repeat myself."

"Oh, but you want to hear what I have to say. I can offer you something that no one else can."

He considered it for a while, playing the options in his mind. He really had nothing to lose by listening to her, aside from peace and quiet. If she began to annoy him, he could always break into her cell and eat her. The queen would not appreciate him eating her prisoners, but this particular captive had been locked up for years—even before he'd... changed. He doubted Rosemary had any use for her other than keeping her out of the way.

He poked his head out from underneath his body and examined the rows of cells extending out behind him. He could see the heat of all of the prisoners radiating through the cracks in the walls. The voice had come from down the hall a ways. His head was bigger than the doors, and if he did end up deciding to eat her, he'd have to damage the walls. Quite the effort to go to for something so worthless. But what did he have to lose, really?

Sighing, he slowly slithered forward toward the cells. The hallway was narrow, and his body rubbed against both walls with almost a metallic clinking against the iron bars. Usually, he'd avoid small, constricting places like this as he wouldn't be able to turn around, and moving backwards wasn't exactly this body's forte. Thankfully, however, the cell block was a square U shape, and he'd be able to loop around. The other prisoners—the ones that were conscious, at least—grew deadly silent, and a few even began to cry or mutter to themselves.

Dorian reached the cell door and peered inside with one of his eyes. The prisoner in question sat slumped against the stone wall of her cell, hair matted with blood and several cuts traveling up and down her body. She looked horrible.

"Well?" he demanded.

She raised her head to show her face. From her vantage point, she'd only be able to see his one eye, and a portion of his head, and yet her eyes filled with tears. "Oh, you're beautiful," she breathed. Dorian tensed, resulting in a horrible scraping noise from the other cell doors he was pressed up against. Other prisoners gasped or screamed.

"Do not waste my time."

"Right... sorry," she mumbled, still entranced. With what looked like a considerable amount of pain, the woman dragged herself to the door. She reached out with a tentative hand, then pulled back. "May I?"

"No," he snapped, "You may not. Now, tell me what this offer is before I lose my patience and eat you." The woman pulled herself into a cross-legged position and smiled.

"You are far more powerful than you realize, Dorian," she began. It was strange hearing someone say his real name for once. Even the queen herself called him Drok'ben. He wasn't sure how he felt about it, but didn't interrupt. "Being quite the accomplished witch, myself, I'd be willing to help you harness that power."

"And why would I want to do that?"

She scoffed. "Are you kidding? You're a prisoner here, too. Don't you want a chance to esca—"

"I am not a prisoner," he roared, something inside him clicking. The witch's eyebrows shot up. "I am a loyal servant to the queen, and will perform my duty to the best of my abilities, unlike you, traitorous swine."

"You mean to tell me you turned yourself into a demon, and volunteered to guard a dungeon for the rest of time?"

"Without question," he hissed with more conviction than he'd heard in his voice in months. He couldn't help it. He loved her with his entire being. Even if she hadn't forced him to drink the potion, he would have done it anyway. Again, and again, if it meant her happiness.

"Oh, sweetie," she murmured, reached out toward him again. He jerked back, cracking his head against the ceiling and sending a shower of dust over the both of them.

"Who are you, and what do you want?"

The witch smiled.

"My name is Amaryllis, and I can help you turn human again."

* * * * * * * * * *

The first time he'd actually done it, he broke down crying for hours. It was simple magic, according to Amaryllis, just a basic transfiguration spell, but it had taken him weeks. Not because he was weak—Amaryllis explained that he had more inherent magic within him than most other magical creatures in all of the Witchlands, if not the world—but because being an enormous serpent instructed by a human witch confined to a small cell with limited resources turned out to be quite the challenge.

In the end, however, he did it. Kind of. He'd had a sort of existential crisis when he'd discovered the left side of his face and body, but after a fair bit of long-distance reassurance, Dorian was able to come to terms with it. On the bright side, he still retained all of the enhanced senses and inhuman strength that he had as a serpent, but nothing could compare to being in a human body once more. It was amazing. Getting to run, and jump, and stretch, and speak with a normal tongue and human teeth and oh, it was bliss. He would have never turned back, however shortly after this accomplishment, a group of guards entered the dungeon and Dorian, panicking, had shifted back into his demon form before they could see him like that. Unfortunately, he found that he still lacked the ability to sleep, but he found this a small price to pay for being able to turn human again.

As the days passed, he became more and more comfortable with the transition. He was able to make the shift smoothly and effortlessly, now—and, after much trial and error, figure out how to transform back wearing clothes. A miracle, really, as running around the dungeon stark naked hadn't been the best of experiences. A simple suit and dress shoes, just like he used to wear.

He spent as much time as he could as a human, sitting in front of Amaryllis' cell learning to harness his powers.

Despite the fact that he considered the witch a shaky friend and was indeed grateful for her help, he had no illusions about his remaining loyalties, and kept no secrets from her about it. If the queen asked him to kill her, he would in an instant. She never seemed surprised at his comments, but rather, a bit sad.

He also grew to know the other prisoners under his watch, as well. Anouk, a blacksmith who had taken up illegal smuggling as a way to pay off a debt. Killian, a masterful arcanist who had been incarcerated for malpractice. Jerika, an unhinged murderer who took an unsettling interest in his scales, human form or otherwise. Aside from the crazy ones, Amaryllis seemed to be the only one who actually tolerated his presence. Anouk, whose entire family had been killed in some accident, held his life without concern and frequently taunted Dorian in an attempt to get him to kill him.

It went on like this for another year or so, Dorian steadily growing in magical ability and surety of himself as a person. The only times he returned to his demon form was when guards or servants came down. Thanks to his hearing, he was usually able to hear the door open even when he sat amid the cells.

So, when he returned to the large open area out in the main part of the dungeon and found Queen Rosemary standing there, dumbfounded at the lack of a giant serpentine demon, you can imagine Dorian's surprise. He hadn't even heard her come in, let alone descend all of the stairs. He hadn't been that distracted, right? Or maybe he was just growing complacent?

He cleared his throat, straightening his jacket and approaching the queen. "Your Majesty."

She jumped, her eyes shooting to him. A dagger was in her hand, which she pointed at him from across the room. "Who are you? What happened to..." she trailed off, unbelieving recognition flashing through her eyes. "Dorian?"

"Indeed." He couldn't keep the smile from his face.

"You're... human again."

He chuckled, "Not quite. But human enough, my queen."

"But the serum," she said, still rife with confusion, "It's irreversible."

"Quite so. This," he gestured to himself, "is a simple transfiguration spell. I am still, and forever will be, that demon."

She took a step back. "You never knew how to perform magic before."

"It seems being transformed into a magical being has its side effects," he said, keeping a good distance between himself and the queen. How he longed to rush to her, to hold her hand with his own, but from the wariness in her eyes, he could tell that he wouldn't get far if he so much as took a step in her direction. No, she wasn't afraid. He expected no less from the most powerful witch in the land. Wary, on the other hand? Very much so.

Moving slowly, so as not to spook the queen, he lowered to a knee and placed a fist against his chest. "I am at your service, my queen."

He didn't move as he heard her approach, keeping his gaze at the stony ground. A hand, softer than silk, slid against his cheek and brought his face up to meet her eyes. Dorian felt his eyes grow wet. She'd touched his scales. Willingly touched them without a hint of disgust or derision.

"Even after all this time," she whispered, pulling him to his feet, "You are still loyal to me?"

"Of course, my queen. Forever, and always," he breathed incredulously. How could he have been so careless? Surely, it was his fault she had forgotten. He hadn't been loyal enough. Guilt still gnawed at his insides when he remembered drinking the potion. Her face as he stole what could have been her biggest achievement.

She cocked her head to the side, running her thumb across Dorian's cheekbone and sending shivers down his entire body, and, with a hint of a beautiful smile, asked, "Do you love me?"

"Yes," he said wetly, relief flooding him. "I loved you from the moment I met you."

Her smile split open, revealing a perfect row of teeth. "Good," she said, and pulled him into a searing kiss. His mind spun and his entire body burned, like he'd downed an entire glass of the strongest whiskey from the palace cellars. Her magic washed over him, seeping into every bit of his being and making it hers. Not that it was particularly necessary, but Dorian didn't mind. He felt weak in the knees, like he'd pass out from the sheer power of the kiss. He was out of breath when she finally pulled away, looking as put together and beautiful as ever.

"I believe a change in occupation is in order."

* * * * * * * * * *

Two years later.

The throne room was full of every one of the palace officials. Generals, magistrates, elders, even the queen herself. Dorian sat coiled behind the throne, where the queen enjoyed him the most. Even though the throne itself was intimidating, his body would take up most of the back area, small as it was, and proved quite the terrifying display. It made the "right sort of impression" as she had explained when first giving him the role of enforcer. He loved his job. Not only did he accompany the queen wherever she went, but he also got to punish those who dared speak or act against her. Sure, she still had guards for the everyday sort of threats, but nothing struck more fear and respect into the hearts of her subjects than seeing her walk down the street flanked by a demon.

Today, however, was different. Before them, bound in chains, was the traitorous witch Ursula, a terrorist who had attempted a coup d'état against the queen. Next to her, a black cat had been stuffed into a small cage—her familiar, most likely. Dorian smiled internally as he remembered the look on her face when all of her rebellious troops turned on her. Had she really thought that she could outsmart the Witch Queen herself? In truth, they had known about the rebellion from the start, and and made sure to supply her efforts with spies and double-agents. She only received the information that the queen wanted her to know. Of course, there had been a few unforeseen complications, including the destruction of the dungeons and the escape of all of the prisoners, but in the end their gains outweighed their losses.

Dorian felt an all too familiar sense of guilt rake through him as he remembered the prison break. He remembered the look of silent pleading Amaryllis had shot him as he'd come barreling down the stairs to kill them all. He'd told the queen that none had survived. In reality, they'd all escaped, because he'd been too weak to fulfill his duty. How pathetic.

"Bring the traitor forward," Queen Rosemary stated, and two guards shoved Ursula forward. She fell to her knees, numb with disbelief. The queen grinned wickedly. "Oh, wait! I remember you! You're that little girl who called herself the Dragon Witch. Right? What a cute little nickname. Well, anyway, you have been found guilty of treason, acts of terror against the Witchlands, malpractice of magic, and the deaths of hundreds of innocents."

"But that wasn't me!" she shrieked, looking up. "It was your men who—"

"Shut up," a guard snapped, cuffing her sharply over the head. She fell silent, tears streaming down her face.

The queen looked down at her with glee. "You wish to plead your case? By all means," she sneered, gesturing to the room full of her subordinates.

Ursula looked up at her through her hair, breathing heavily. "You aren't a queen."

The whole room stiffened. The queen's nostrils flared, but she said nothing.

"You're nothing more than a vicious tyrant who's so obsessed with power she can't even see how her kingdom despises her," she spat. Dorian tensed up, making his body even bigger and more imposing. He moved to strike her, but the queen held up a hand and he stopped, despite the look of absolute terror washing through Ursula's face at his movement.

"Common law dictates that any witch found guilty of one or more of these crimes is subject to death by The Hounds," she said with a smile. A shiver ran through the room, and even Dorian would have flinched if he'd been in his human form. What a horrible way to die. Ursula paled, and the queen continued. "However, I believe a different sort of punishment is in order. Since you think I'm such a vicious tyrant, you will merely be banished from the Witchlands. A slap on the wrist, really," she laughed. Dorian, along with the rest of the court looked at her incredulously. Was she serious? However, looking at Ursula's face, it was evident what the intended purpose was. It was an insult. The queen was insinuating that Ursula's rebellion wasn't drastic enough for a death sentence, or even incarceration. She was effectively being put in time out for the rest of her life.

She went on, "I think you'll find that life on the outside isn't as kind as you'd like to believe. You'll have to tell me how the view is from the human world. Send me a postcard, or something."

Ursula bared her teeth, "You insufferable little—"

"Guards, take her to the edge of the Witchlands and see that she leaves for good, will you?" she said with a wave of her hand, dismissing the entire affair. While Dorian would have loved to kill Ursula himself for her treasonous acts, but he couldn't deny the truly magnificent mind of the queen. Now, she could be justified in being called merciful, while doing possibly the worst thing aside from killing Ursula.

The witch and her familiar were dragged from the throne room.

Surely, that would be the last they ever saw of the Dragon Witch.

#tw toxic relationship #toxic relationship tw #manipulation #tw manipulation #tw emotional abuse #emotional abuse tw #tw graphic imagery #graphic imagery tw #implications of torture #sanders sides fic #sanders sides #sanders sides fanfiction #roman sanders #janus sanders #deceit sanders #fantasy au #backstory #janus backstory

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jflashandclash · 3 years

Text

Tales from Mount Othrys

Alabaster: Delicate Dance of Chance IV

Alabaster found Pax in Camp Othrys, hiding with the laundry bins. There were few places Axel couldn’t smell his little brother out. This laundry room was one of them. A logical choice if Pax wanted to avoid being found. Alabaster almost forfeited his plan at the reek of towels soaked in demigod sweat and monster ooze—all cottony causalities from that morning’s training session.

One blanket trembled in the far corner of the room. Judging from its lack of filth, Pax, fortunately, must have swiped it from a clean pile. The blanket went still when Alabaster stepped alongside of it.

He hoped he hadn’t mistaken his friend for two demigods getting intimate. No. The sheet tucked tight enough to show Pax’s form: his legs curled up and arms folded atop them, looking like the grumpiest B-rate ghost. Alabaster nudged dirty towels away with his foot and settled down beside the blanket.

Alabaster lifted the small paperback from his stack of two books. The cover had a few stains and was a little too dingy for Alabaster to have kept in a library if he was a librarian. He cracked it open. The coarseness of the pages felt wonderful, even if he didn’t prefer the first page’s sketch of a baby. At an utter, a reading rune glowed on his necklace, bringing the font to proper focus.

“Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much,” Alabaster read, “They were the last people you’d expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn’t hold with such nonsense.”

The blanket ghost stopped shaking and sniffling. Alabaster paused in his oration, as though about to turn a page—a ridiculous notion. What book had a page turn after one short paragraph? He berated himself, forgetting the beautiful opening of, It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness… The best example of a necessary run-on sentence. Regardless of A Tale of Two Cities, Alabaster had paused here so Pax could comment.

“Is—is that Harry Potter?” Pax squeaked.

Instead of answering, Alabaster continued to read, past the turn of a page, until he came upon the sentence, “It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar—a cat reading a map.” [1]

Alabaster hadn’t meant to stop there. His breath choked. Sphinx, Lelly’s late cat, had been able to read maps. A brilliant Mist form, she’d been able to do so much more than that: a utilitarian helper in the lab and a compassionate friend to his little sister.

For the first time since he, Pax, and Axel had almost been captured by Romans, Alabaster pressed a hand over his mouth. His eyes felt warm. Every time he’d let Lou Ellen cry in his arms, he’d kept focused on his hatred of the Romans and on their own undiscovered traitor. Why, now, with this stupid, juvenile book, did he find himself choking up over the loss? Over a cat that could read a map?

Pax misunderstood his silence as another page break. “You… You said you would only read me books for educational purposes. And, and that Harry Potter was a ‘gross misrepresentation of magic and b-better as a study of plot holes,’” the words came out a rapid jumble of—presumably—snot and hiccups. They were a distracting relief to Alabaster.

“You wanted to read it. No one would read it to you. This is an apology, not for my unrequited feelings, but for the boarish delivery of my response. This is my attempt, over the next seven hours of reading, an hour per evening this week, to prove that nothing needs to change between us, that we can still be friends.”

The sheet ghost crept closer. “Friends,” Pax echoed, “We’re friends?”

He didn’t even know if we were friends, but was still willing to express his infatuation? Alabaster growled. Instead of pointing out the error in logic, he said, “Don’t get cocky. It’s not every day that I get a willing lab assistant with no sense of self-preservation.”

The next noise sounded like a choked laugh.

“Is your arm functional?” Alabaster asked, examining the blanket. “Jack never found you to tend to it.”

The ghost extended its limb out without any apparent pain or struggle.

Alabaster sighed in relief as Pax lowered his arm back down. He tapped two fingers on the edge of the book. This will be fine, he assured. Nothing needs to change. All he needed was the affirmation from Pax. “Are my terms acceptable to you?”

Pax laughed. The chime was more genuine. “You don’t have a lot of practice apologizing, do you?”

“Ajax.”

The sheet ghost rested its head against Alabaster’s thigh. After a pause, Pax squirmed further into his lap. Something familial, Alabaster decided. He wouldn’t know. He didn’t grow up with any of his half-siblings and his grandparents hadn’t been touchy. In his fatherly charades, Jack often let Pax curl up on his lap. Axel spent plenty of time shoving Pax off him when Pax was sleepy and wanted a nap.

“Will you read it in a British accent?” Pax asked, poking the book’s binding.

Six to seven hours of reading in a fake British accent? Alabaster weighed his options. He could double check to assure there was no recording equipment in the room, though he doubted Pax would press their fragile friendship with such antics. “…yes.”

“Will you make Ron’s voice higher in pitch?”

“Shut up and let me read to you.” Alabaster found where he left off and pressed his lips at the cat reading a map. He continued, lilting his words in what he hoped was a British accent. He never had the ease with accents that the Pax brothers did.

Pax didn’t complain. His breathing eased by the time Alabaster finished the next page.

At the end of the third chapter, Alabaster decided he would send Pax to bed with the other book in hand, the one for Axel (who had better not ask Alabaster to read to him). That was the other half of his plan. That book had a passage marked with a simple question, “Who is John Galt to you?” The question and passage should be subtle enough. They would strike conversations with Axel about tyranny and freewill without rousing suspicion from others. Then…

Alabaster scowled.

What would happen? What would happen if their talk of evil tyranny led to discussions of overthrowing Luke? The three of them, Pax, Axel, and he, worked well together in a stressful situation. The crowds took well to them when they were on stage. Alabaster was irritated to think a name like the Triple A Chimera (Pax didn’t even go by his first “a” name) could be useful, let alone a symbol for change, but what if it could? A symbol for liberation through insurrection.

He needed to reflect on this with his mother. Her wisdom was years beyond his own, and she could reveal their different potential futures, one that might involve the “Triple A Chimera” slaying a corrupt titan.

“We work well together. With our skill sets combined, we could make an excellent assassination team,” Alabaster muttered.

“Um… Uncle Vernon started to assassinate wizards?” Pax asked. He pulled the sheet partially off and rolled to stare up at Alabaster. His eyes were wide.

Alabaster hadn’t meant to speak aloud. “No—well—we don’t know yet. He might, judging off their insistence to break into his house.”

“But, the wizards could just magic him to pieces, right?”

“No. No, bullets work quite effectively against wizards.” Though, less so against brats with the Achilles’ curse. Luke’s weak spot was under his arm, where Axel had hefted him out of the River Styx. Kelly and Jack were the only two that Luke would let close enough to touch him there. And, Kelly would immediately rat Alabaster out if he suggested killing Kronos after the war.

What about poison? Could you kill a cursed of Achilles from the inside?

Pax pulled the sheet the rest of the way off. His amber and black eyes were so startled, they might roll out of their sockets. “Are you thinking about assassinating wizards?” With the sheet off and his sleeves rolled up, Alabaster could see bruises along Pax’s arm. The injury must have hurt more than he let on.

Alabaster sighed.

Pax wasn’t ready to talk about this sort of thing. Although the child of Eris held it together against the Romans, Alabaster noted how Pax tried not to kill anyone. Besides, right now, Alabaster was supposed to focus on being nice to Pax, not using him as a tool in this cosmic power struggle.

Alabaster removed a blank spell card from his stash and placed it between the pages as a bookmarker. “What you don’t realize Pax, is, after the events of the book series, and after he went mad with power, that I killed Harry Potter.”

Pax’s jaw dropped open at the thought. “That is a fanficiton I would read.”

“I’m sure you would. I forbid you from having Jack compose a ballad about it. [2] Come on. Let’s get you back to your tent. I have something I need to give to Axel.”

As they made their way back through camp, others were trickling in from the party. From what Alabaster heard, buses had been rented (in place of giant-carting death traps like Alabaster had to take). Some were loud with revelry; others were quiet with subtle glances tender touches, all hinting at future intimacy.

Pax didn’t speak as they walked. Under typical circumstances, Alabaster would have prayed for this. Faced with the silence, only occasionally alleviated by passing partiers, tension dug Alabaster’s fingers into his library books. Would the lab be like this in the upcoming weeks? Awkwardly quiet? Pax’s chatter and excitement made for soothing white noise. “Not that I’m regretting the ability to think without interruption, but are you alright?” he asked.

Pax’s jammed his hands into his punk jacket, toying with something in his left pocket. Alabaster knew it was probably one of those apples—the ones Pax’s mother gave him each morning to turn into someone else. “Just thinking.”

A warm breeze slithered through camp and Alabaster realized how exhausted he was. Emotional stress was tiring. He cleared his throat. “Ajax—”

“Matthias and I were talking about sneaking into the girl’s bath house again. He perfectly measured the amount of water you need to fill a balloon to simulate a realistically filled bra, and I think he makes a lovely lady when he raises his voice a few octaves,” Pax spoke quickly and adverted his gaze. This mustn’t have been what he wanted to talk about.

Another sigh choked in Alabaster’s throat. “Wait—you’re not thinking about turning into one of the girls, are you?! Ajax, that’s absolutely unethical—”

“What? No!” Pax cried. “I would not! Then, I couldn’t prove that my hair can be tamed by no amount of conditioner! Lucille thinks I just don’t use enough.”

“Prometheus and I should place a bet on how quickly you’ll be kicked out.” Alabaster shook his head. “I forbid Lou Ellen from helping you in any way, shape, or form and I certainly hope you haven’t discovered a new gift of magic, only to debut it with something so juvenile.”

“Hey!” Pax protested, “Mercedes would agree: if Matthias and I do a security test on the girl’s bath house and find it wanting, then we’ve done a favor in pointing out its weakness.”

“I’m not even the one you’re spying on and I get catharsis at the thought of your comeuppance.”

They neared the Pax brothers’ tent.

Alabaster debated whether he should give Mercedes a warning about their plan or if she’d find that insulting to her skills as an intelligence gatherer. If the Nord was strapping on a bosom and a wig and walking in the front, then it would probably be the latter.

Still, he was obligated to ask, “You haven’t found an alternative non-magic route to become invisible or a woman—”

Pax withdrew the golden apple from his pocket and nipped it.

Nothing happened, which was peculiar. Eris’ apples of mischief were never duds. Godly item only malfunctioned by intentional design. Usually, Pax turned into someone when he ate his apples, something Mercedes was thrilled to use for spy missions and something she’d only allowed Pax to tell Alabaster, Lou Ellen, Jack, and Flynn. (Alabaster suspected Mercedes’ fear—that Luke would abuse this to see Annabeth sooner, even if it wasn’t really her.)

The longer Alabaster examined Pax, the more he noticed subtleties: Pax’s jaw line softened, his shoulders looked slimmer, something far less subtle about his curvature—

“It worked!” Pax laughed, grabbing at his—no—no—her—chest and lifting. “Oh my gods—Alabaster—they dance! You put your right tit in, you put your right tit out, you put your right tit in and you shake it all about—ow.”

Alabaster shrieked and jumped backwards.

Pax, didn’t seem to notice. He—she was too busy turning to do the Hokey Pokey and giggling. “Oo! Ow, okay. Gentle with the titties. I’ll have to name them. Huh, weird that I never thought to name them before—”

“Ajax!” Alabaster repeated in horror. He was at such a loss for logical words, he resorted to profanities. “What the fuck?!”

Alabaster’s heartbeat pounded so loud in his head that he couldn’t think. He adverted his gaze to the ground. His face felt like it was on fire. Panic, it dawned, I’m panicking more than I did during Rome’s attack.

A bloodcurdling comment came from the tent as someone stepped out.

“Ajax! I’m glad you’re….” The word “back” died on Axel’s lips. “You’re a girl.”

Alabaster looked at Axel, keeping one hand firmly between his eyes and where Pax was dancing. He assumed Axel would be staring at his little brother with the same shock Alabaster felt. Instead, Axel scowled at Alabaster with the intent of a crouching jaguar. “Torrington.” Threat and accusation rolled out with the growl. Tension made the muscles in Axel’s neck strain.

Alabaster’s jaw dropped. “It—it wasn’t me!”

“It had better not have been.”

The movement behind Alabaster’s hand minimized. “Am…. Am I not allowed to be a girl?” Pax’s question was quiet and insecure.

Axel’s response was immediate. From his lack of surprise or hesitation, Alabaster wondered if Axel had been expecting this for years. “You can be whatever you want.” Axel gently ruffled Pax’s unruly hair. Alabaster lowered his hand to watch the interaction, to see Pax’s fragile smile at her brother’s approval.

Seeing Pax like this troubled Alabaster, striking some uncanny valley in the approximation to his friend. All the other times Pax had shifted around Alabaster, it had been into completely different people (pretending to be Jason Grace or Luke Castellan) or completely different species (mostly weasels since Lou Ellen struggled to turn people into much else). The scientific and magic-loving part of Alabaster’s brain should have found this fascinating—could Pax alter individual features about himself? Maybe give himself freckles, change his hair, skin, or eye color, or have a pincer in place of a hand? Why did he feel uncomfortable instead?

Axel had continued to speak, “As long as you want to be one and aren’t doing it for someone else.”

Pax tilted her head, spilling her hair off to the side. “Why would I do it for someone else?”

Axel glared at Alabaster again. Word must have spread about why Pax ran from the dance. With the ordering of events, the potential problem was obvious, though Alabaster had hoped that Axel would think better of him. “Oh, for Kronos’ sake!” he hissed. “Axel—I—he just did this! I didn’t ask him to.”

Axel finally broke eye contact to glance at Pax’s continued dancing. “Ajax,” he sighed, “What did we talk about with touching yourself in public?”

“That it’s inappropriate—oh!” Pax dropped her chest. She made quite the buxom lady and it furthered Alabaster’s discomfort. “My chest is inappropriate now… Man, that doesn’t seem fair for girls. I get why Lucille says it’s sexist bullshit. The titties should fly free—”

“Ajax!” both Alabaster and Axel snapped.

“Sorry. I normally can’t touch myself when I turn into other people because, uh, I turned into someone else, that’s their body, and that would be creepy—”

“At least you have some moral sense,” Alabaster muttered.

“But, I’m just me right now—”

“You’re just you in public,” Axel said, “And, you’re my sibling. Don’t do that in front of me. Or anyone for that matter.” Whatever Axel had predicted about this situation, Pax’s unorthodox dancing hadn’t been part of it.[3] “And don’t think Flynn is going to let us off dawn training just because there was a party in our honor.” Despite Axel’s suspicion of Alabaster, he flashed both of them a smile that might have been… cocky? Proud?

This party had been for them. Although they assuredly would have died without Jack and Flynn’s rescue, Jack happily spun the tale as an exclusively victory for the Triple A Chimera. They had worked well together, with Pax’s expert surveillance granting the opportunity to prepare, Axel’s mastery of terror and tactic, and Alabaster’s magical subterfuge. The books in Alabaster’s hands felt heavy. He withdrew the one thick enough to glaze the eyes of the feeble and handed it to Axel.

“Some light philosophy for meditation.” Alabaster hoped his voice sounded metered and not high with residual panic. “If you grow bored with the length, I marked the chapter that best encapsulates the theory. Well, the primary one of discussion.” Axel was smart, but could grow tired of things he found meandering. Worry made Alabaster swallow. What if Axel mistook the recommendation as idle chatter? What if he understood and reported him to Mercedes? Or worse, Luke himself?

Alabaster visualized Axel’s rigid posture as he stood between Luke and Annabeth’s door. There were details Luke had surely missed: the way Alabaster prepped a spell, the way Mercedes reached for darts that she kept pinned under her shirt, the accumulation of Axel’s energy as he prepped a jaguar transformation. In that room, Alabaster learned these were people who would fight for what was ethically correct, even to defend an enemy, even against a titan.

All of them were probably afraid of the same thing: expressing that their leader had lost his mind. Maybe, Axel needed a nudge in the form of a book.

Axel took it and frowned at the cover. “Atlas shrugged?” he read aloud, “That’s a little tasteless considering what happened to the General on Mount Tam.”

Alabaster smirked. He’d never liked Atlas much in the first place. “I’m glad we’re all alive. Good night, Axel.” He nodded his head and turned to Pax. In the moment, he’d forgotten Pax wasn’t his typical self.

She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly, making it ever more apparent how differently she was shaped. “Thanks for staying my friend,” she whispered into his shirt.

Alabaster’s face felt hot. Although he hated the word, he could find no better adjective to address the situation other than, “This is weird.”

“Yea, this is weird.” Axel grumbled. Alabaster could hear his eye roll. “But turning us into weasels and polecats? Completely normal.”

“That is normal!” Alabaster snapped. My normal. One of Pax’s swirling black hairs had slid against his chin and he blew it away. The indents of her face felt warm as she burrowed against his chest. A puff of mint—Pax must have been chewing gum—flooded Alabaster’s senses, sending them into hyper-awareness.

Alabaster gently put a hand on either of Pax’s shoulders and removed her. Holding Pax a foot away, Alabaster flashed back to the first time they’d met. “Can you really do magic?” she’d asked, tugging at his sleeve and batting her lashes. He thought Pax was a girl, then, and been humiliated upon finding his mistake. What made someone a boy or a girl? Belief? And if it was belief, and not biological presets, what did that belief entail?

He cleared his throat. Her amber and black eyes were wide, a little afraid, and Alabaster slipped his grip from her shoulders, hoping they hadn’t been there for an inappropriate amount of time.

“Are you okay?” Pax asked. “Do you need another hug? Prometheus approved: he says my hugs are cure alls.”

“No,” Alabaster said quickly. In attempt to make the denial seem less desperate, he added, “No, I think the only person who might be able to claim panacea hugs is Apollo.”

“And no one should hug that creep,” Pax said. From the way she glanced off in the distance, Alabaster wondered if that was data in Jack’s seminar: What To Do When Pursued By a God and You Can’t Turn into a Tree. “But… are you okay? You’ve been acting funny since…” Her eyes widened. She glanced down at her curves, then back up at Alabaster. Her lips quirked into a half-smirk.

Horror clogged Alabaster’s throat. Pax knew. Alabaster wasn’t exactly sure what elusive information Pax knew, but she did, and Alabaster had to leave before she used it against him.

“You—you think I’m hot! You’re—you’re just straight—!”

There was no viable response to either of those comments. Disagreement would make him sound cruel and any compliment would require Alabaster to (both) lock himself in his lab in a vow of humiliated solitude and hide from Axel for that eternity.

Axel scowled critically at Alabaster’s pause.

This. This is what would be different if Pax was Axel’s little sister instead of little brother. Axel would have an excuse to hunt Alabaster down on unwarranted suspicions and make a sign out of his lanky frame that read, Reasons Not to Hit on My Little Sister.

With nothing else to say, Alabaster nodded to Axel. He hoped that he had managed a calm exterior: his thoughts were uselessly incoherent. His voice sounded shrill. “That’s on loan from the local library and is due in 21 days. I expect it returned to me on time and in prime condition. I hope both of you sleep well.”

Before Pax could respond further, Alabaster rigidly turned and strode away. Although the night had taken on a chill, Alabaster wiped a line of sweat from his forehead.

Stupid. Trivial. Distracting.

He harnessed his focus, tuning out the unnecessary emotions. This was something he was more accustomed to doing with shame, shutting out his grandfather’s and house servants comments about, “Witch,” and “bastard child.” It was harder with this current emotion—whatever it was that made his heart thud.

He grasped at the other thoughts drifting on his consciousness: Sleep. Axel’s nightmares. Recognizing the Pax brothers as his friends. The three of them making an excellent team. Potential for assassinations. Luke’s increasing failures as a leader. How to lead an army without their golden boy mascot.

They couldn’t. Alabaster swallowed. The chilly air cleared his head. They needed Luke for the rest of the war effort. Disposing of him now would create a rift in Camp Othrys, one that they couldn’t afford. Alabaster knew some of his siblings wouldn’t follow him if a divide happens. If something happened to Kronos, the titans would split into opposing parties. Lamia and any children of Hecate that opposed Alabaster would surely fall on that other side. They didn’t have a replacement leader strong enough to lead the war, other than… who? Flynn?

Alabaster’s stomach churned. Axel was popular, but an outsider. None of the Titans, xenophobic by Hellanistic nature, would listen to him, other than, maybe, Prometheus. Flynn, thanks the roll of luck, had no interest in being a leader. That kind of power vacuum would likely lead Krios and Hyperion to sibling rivalry.

They would have to dispose of Luke after the war. They would need a plan to dispose of Luke after the war, assuming Axel and Pax would agree.

An idea slithered along the seams of Alabaster’s awareness, one involving the murky silhouettes of a lion, a snake, and a ram. Maybe Alabaster could rid Axel of his nightmares at the same time as making a weapon to defeat Luke. The Triple A Chimera…

Magic couldn’t save his dying father, but maybe it could save the world from the return of an ancient tyranny. With thoughts of this new death machine, Alabaster walked back towards his room, blissfully unaware that—for the next week—he’d spend an hour every night reading to a curvaceous, flirty female Pax.

***

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed! (Sorry for falling off the face of the earth again >>’‘‘) I rewrote this ending, like, three times XD I hope it worked! Stay tuned in two weeks (hopefully >>’‘ in the theoretical universe) where a certain maniac redhead finds himself on an island with a population of two. Love you guys. Thanks for your support! <3

***

footnotes:

[1] When everyone stopped reading Tales from Mount Othrys, to pick up on a much more nostalgic work XD If it is not obvious enough, I do not have any rights to this book. There are not enough weasels or evil parents for me to have written it.

[2] Maybe, guys. I’ll consider it XD

[3] Pax’s playing the part of Captain Cook and the Isles of the Titties. Don’t ask questions.

#Tales from Mount Othrys #TOO #Heroes of Olympus #percy jackson #Alabaster #Pax #Axel #My favorite part is--if Axel thought Alabaster could be into dudes--he would have been JUST as paranoid before this.#Nothing actually changes XD #More opportunities for Axel to go full Big Bro mode

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lefaystrent · 5 years

Text

LeFay’s Masterlist

Here’s a list of all of my Sanders Sides stories. There’s a lot down there. Lots of pairings, lots of genres. Don’t get lost.

ONE-SHOTS

20biteen??? – Patton’s really confused and Logan’s just trying to make a sandwich.

A demon? In my attic? More likely than you think -- “Well that’s what happens when your dad asks you to clean the attic and it’s filled with a bunch of junk from his wiccan days,” Virgil explained, though from the demon’s pinched expression the explanation left a lot to be desired.

A Dire Situation - Logan tries not to make a single move or sound. His whole body coils tight with tension, knowing that the animal can strike at any moment. (additional parts can be found here)

A Storm Rolled into Town - It’s not like Virgil meant to become famous anyway. It just sorta happened. And now he’s shopping in some small-town mom-and-pop store on a weekday morning. Despite wearing the hood of his jacket up and perhaps looking the more conspicuous for it, he can sense that someone somewhere in this store is watching him.

Ashes –Three months ago, Roman returned home to find the house that he shared with his younger brothers up in flames.

Baby you’re a Firework - “Patton is MY best friend!” you screamed, and then you looked to me with those eyes. How else was I supposed to react other than to tell you that we would be together forever? Logicality

Beneath the Boughs –The feeling of tender fingertips tracing from his jaw to his temple made him want to run through fields, but he wouldn’t move an inch away from this spot for anything in the world. Royality

Curiosity – Deceit’s mission to annoy Logan somehow involves sharing a bed with him and refusing to leave. Logan doesn’t really mind. Loceit

Death of a Bachelor - Virgil invites a bunch of billionaires to his fake wedding with his roommate, Logan. He doesn’t expect one of them to actually agree to go.

Dino – Patton visits his local library one day and meets the librarian Logan, a man who loves dinosaurs.

Down by the Pier – Patton lives by the ocean. He likes to go sit out on the pier because the view is sweet but the company is even sweeter. Moxiety

Every Friday Night – “There’s a cat? In the sink?” Virgil said. platonic LAMP

Existentialism – Patton is a demon and really bad at it.

Five Times – There were five times that Virgil’s path crossed with Logan Sanders. Each time memorable, each time helping to shape Virgil into the kind of person he wants to be. platonic Analogical

Flutter and Fall – Virgil doesn’t believe in love at first sight, but he wonders if you can fall in love with a moment. Prinxiety

Happy Birthday, Virgil – Logan tends to take things literally.

Heartbeat – Roman’s out on the hunt for prey. He gets more than he bargained for.

Heartbeat AU – More info on the story.

Hello Mr. Spider - He’s heard the screams of people whenever they lay eyes on him. They take one look at him, this monstrous being with too many limbs and eyes, and they quiver in fear and tears. He doesn’t blame them. He hides himself away, hoping to never hear those horrified screams. Moxiety

Hello Again - Humans trespassed into the church occasionally. Some during the day, most of them at night. Never did humans come two nights in a row. Moxiety (Sequel to “Hello Mr. Spider”)

Hold On - He felt someone grip the sleeve of his shirt. Logan looked to his side where Deceit stood, holding onto him. platonic Loceit

How to be a Good Person - “There’s an unconscious man in my flowerbed. What should I do with him?” Dee should be used to getting phone calls from his brother needing help. brotherly Moceit

I got to pet the dog - Patton gets distracted easily. Virgil doesn’t have the heart to tell him he’s supposed to be working.

I met God last night - Predictably, Patton looked up to stare at Virgil. He set aside his scrapbook, clasped his hands together, and said, “Okay, I’m listening.” platonic Moxiety

I wanna intimi(date) you — Virgil teaches Patton to be more intimidating. It doesn’t go very well.

In a magical kingdom far away… — The evil Lord Of Logic descends on the land, forcing all it touches to obey the laws of physics.

It’s hot – Virgil won’t take off the jacket.

Love Isn’t Blind – Patton notices a lot more than what people think he does.

Never Too Old – Patton worked as a manager at a toy store in the mall. Lately, the employees were noticing a reoccurring customer. Well, if you could call him a customer. He never actually bought anything. platonic Moxiety

Picture That – “What are you doing?” Patton says between a flurry of giggles. He lifts the book he’d been reading to half hide his face. Roman dances around him snapping pictures as if Patton is a model. Royality

Piggyback – It’s late, and Patton’s falling asleep on the couch. Virgil’s not used to being the responsible one. Moxiety

Potatoes – Virgil has worries for days, but there’s only one thing that truly scares him. Moxiety

Rewrite – So here Roman is, lying by the sidewalk, very much not okay. Not because the local squirrels ostracized him, and not because he’d tripped or some such unfortunate mishap. No, he just has a lot on his mind. Prinxiety

Ribbit – Two lab partners and one dead frog do not make for the most romantic atmosphere but Roman tries. Logince

Roamin’ Nights - Not that anyone’s looking right now, but Virgil’s glad that it’s dark in the kitchen, lest the color in his cheeks show. Roman’s not usually this affectionate with Virgil. Makes him wonder if he even realizes that this is Virgil he’s basically trying to use as a pillow. Prinxiety

Round and round we go – Logan stood there long after the commotion began outside, the one where everyone realized what had happened and were running to help and call an ambulance.

Sacrificial rituals and other fun activities – Virgil was a mage—one of the best. He’d seen a lot of things, but a handsome man chained up in the middle of a field? Even he had to take a moment. Prinxiety

Shark Attack! - “I could be wrong here, but I’m pretty sure sharks don’t attack their victims with hugs.” platonic Moxiety

Sicky Icky – Most people assumed Roman would eat up all the attention he could get even when sick. They’d expect loud dramatics and Roman acting like he was dying every minute of it. That’s not how he was at all. Logince

Side-by-side – Virgil’s tired. Moxiety

So help me, I’m not moving from this spot – Virgil has the day off from work and chooses to spend it in true Virgil style. Queer platonic LAMP

Soft Prinxiety – Literally just a softy prinxiety scene. Prinxiety

Some Days – Some days are better than others, and some aren’t. These are Virgil’s days in the mindscape.

Someday I’ll find my way home - Love cut deep and left scars on the heart. The heart never quite beat the same way again afterward. Analogical

Supposed to be – People get locked into a certain kind of perspective and decide what kind of person you’re supposed to be. Patton is frustrated.

Take Over the World - There’s not much else to do in the Mindscape for Deceit and the Duke.

That one time Deceit played hero in the mindscape – Deceit goes to the common rooms to find that everyone…is acting too much like themselves.

The Hug Booth - In Patton’s free time, he had a booth set up somewhere on campus and he’d go sit there. The booth advertised ‘free hugs’.

The Ties that Bind – Everyone has a soulmate. Even the ones who probably shouldn’t. Logicality

This is the police! – “This is the police! Open up! Tell me something about yourself, don’t be afraid.” Prinxiety

Ties - Roman and Patton try to persuade Logan to wear a bow tie. Logan is uncooperative. romantic LAMP

Trances – The sides go into trance-like states sometimes.

Trouble in Tiny Town - Logan is six inches tall. And somehow the human is the one cowering in fear.

Useless gays are useless – Patton is shirtless and Roman and Virgil are very, very gay. Roman/Patton/Virgil

Stil Gay - Roman and Virgil are still thirsty gays, and Patton is a tall drink of water. One night of tv watching with his roommates leads to none of them paying attention to the tv. Roman/Patton/Virgil (Sequel to “Useless gays are useless”)

Wake up call - There’s a muffled siren blaring from outside somewhere. He can feel the time slipping between his fingers.

We are family~ - “Patton,” Logan called. He stood in the doorway, stern-faced for a moment before slumping forward with a pout. “I require physical affection.” platonic LAMP

MULTI-CHAPS

Analogince - What started as a list of headcanons became a story of how three men fell together. part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4

Dog Days – In the midst of grieving for his beloved pet, comfort comes to Thomas in a curiously small form. platonic LAMP/Thomas, borrower!sides

If you have nightmares, we’ll dance on the bed - Fae thrived on chaos and the fear that came with it. Well, most of them anyway. Virgil never really shared that sentiment. (Or alternatively, the story of how Virgil loves humans so much that he makes stupid decisions because of it, like save princes from attempted assassinations.)

Kid!Logan AU – Logan somehow finds himself back in time, waking up in his eleven-year old body.

Reverse Kid!Logan AU – Roman just wanted a normal babysitting job. Now he’s caught up in debunking why he sees five-year-old Logan Sanders as if he were a grown man. part one , part two

Lifeline – Long ago, when his sides first started showing up, Thomas had pondered long and hard about reality versus imagination. But this? It became more apparent that Patton was carding his hand through Thomas’s hair. It was as if any of his friends were doing it, so tangible it was. Tangible in a way that shouldn’t be possible. platonic LAMP/Thomas

Nursing Home AU - Patton had seen Virgil during the hiring process, and his personality didn’t seem like a … good fit. Too closed-off and kinda gruff, and probably not a good bedside manner, right? Plus there was that criminal record to consider… But he’s hired anyway, and Virgil joins the staff.

Psychic Therapist Virgil – Virgil’s not your run-of-the-mill therapist. part one, part two

Roses – The humans steer clear from the forest, warning their children with every generation, “Do not stray into those woods. They will devour you.” But it’s modern times now, fairy tales aren’t real, and Virgil and his friends have just moved into town and want to investigate the ‘haunted’ forest.

Variants – Patton was surprised by the mutant breaking into the jewelry store one night. And by break in, he meant that they seeped into shadows and appeared on the other side of the windows without breaking anything at all.

Weclome to the Neighborhood –Virgil’s really bad at peopling, or so his new neighbors find out. Prinxiety

Witch Way - Virgil just wants to live a quiet life with his familiar, Logan. But we can’t always get what we want.

#lefay's masterlist #sanders sides

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thetiptoeingtulip · 4 years

Note

Discworld for the ask meme?

Thank you!! This was so much fun and discworld is something at the core of my little heart

Top 5 favourite characters: In no particular order- Sam Vimes, Lord Vetinari, Death, Tiffany Aching, and the Librarian

Other characters you like: So many, I love them all so much… I think Mr. Teatime is one of the most enjoyable villains I’ve ever read and obviously he sucks but I still reread Hogfather every Christmas excited to see him. Dr Lawn was also my favourite solo appearance character. Granny Weatherwax, Moist van Lipwig, Nobby Nobbs, Death of Rats

Least favourite characters: There aren’t any characters I dislike just ones I’m less attached to. I found Gaspode annoying sometimes. I like Carrot but am less fond of the parts of books that focus on him too much. Rincewind is a cinnamon roll but also less interesting than some of the other characters.

Otps: Vetvimes and/or VetvimesRankin ;) half a crackship half a legitimate interest in their dynamic

Notps: Don’t really have any because there isn’t a lot of shipping in this fandom but there are so many characters that if you put some of them together I’m sure I’d wince.

Favourite friendships: Vetinari and Margolotta, Om and Brutha, Nobby Nobbs and Colon

Favourite family: Gotta be Vimes, Sybil, Little Sam, although I love Death and Susan

Favourite episodes: N/A

Favourite season/book/movie: Night Watch closely followed by Small Gods

Favourite quotes: My absolute favourite quote of all time is the one from Night Watch when Vimes is talking about The People- ‘The People on the side of The People always ended up disappointed, in any case. They found that The People tended not to be grateful or appreciative or forward-thinking or obedient. The People tended to be small-minded and conservative and not very clever and were even distrustful of cleverness. And so the children of the revolution were faced with the age-old problem: it wasn’t that you had the wrong kind of government, which was obvious, but that you had the wrong kind of people. As soon as you saw people as things to be measured, they didn’t measure up.’ It hits.

Best musical moment: How do they rise up?

Moment that made you fangirl/boy the hardest: Any moment where a character who is not commonly in that series makes an appearance ie. mentions of Vimes in Lipwig books, mentions of Granny Weatherwax in the Tiffany Aching books

When it really disappointed you: This is saddened more than disappointed but the last three books- Snuff, Raising Steam, Shepherd's Crown- were definitely not up to the usual writing standard, although I’m 100% certain that was because of Terry’s condition.

Saddest moment: So many come to mind. Off the top of my head, when Granny Weatherwax has to choose between the child or the mother in the birth scene in Carpe Jugulum

Most well done character death: All the character deaths are well done because of Death (haha) I have to say Granny Weatherwax though, if only because of the weight her character carried.

Favourite guest star: N/A

Favourite cast member: N/A

Character you wish was still alive: I mentioned him before, I almost wish Mr. Teatime had survived if only so we could see him used in other discworld books.

One thing you hope really happens: I just want the characters to be happy. Tiffany Aching grows into a happy young woman. Sam Vimes is happy with his son.

Most shocking twist: The vampire/heraldry dude being behind everything in Feet of Clay genuinely surprised me

When did you start watching/reading?: When I was 16 and going through the roughest time of my life. Later than most people but it really saved me (cliche but yeah)

Best animal/creature: Hm… does the Librarian count? If not than the great A’tuin himself

Favourite location: Ankh Morpork obvs

Trope you wish they would stop using: None I love them all

One thing this show/book/film does better than others: Social and political commentary in a fantasy format that actually works, isn’t preachy, makes extremely intelligent and well thought out points without being tone deaf to the fact that it is a fantasy format.

Funniest moments: Any mention of Bloody Stupid Johnson. Any footnotes.

Couple you would like to see: VetvimesRankin (Sybil still has to be there)

Actor/Actress you want to join the cast: N/A

Favourite outfit: Sam Vimes’ shoes and Nobbs disguise in Jingo

Favourite item: Death’s sword

Do you own anything related to this show/book/film?: No but I desperately want an Unseen Academics hoodie

What house/team/group/friendship group/family/race etc would you be in?: I’d be a witch baby! or an unseen academic (small part of me wants to be in the assassin’s guild)

Most boring plotline: Colour of Magic

Most laughably bad moment: None. Everything is laughably good.

Best flashback/flashfoward if any: The entirety of Night Watch, if time travel counts

Most layered character: Probably Vetinari? Nobby Nobbs was given good depth in Night Watch too.

Most one dimensional character: Rincewind in Colour of Magic (he got better!)

Scariest moment: Vorbis and his torture techniques in Small Gods

Grossest moment: Same as above

Best looking male: N/A although canonically probably Carrot

Best looking female: N/A

Who you’re crushing on (if any): Vetinari and Margolotta because intelligent + powerful = sexy :/ No one!

Favourite cast moment: N/A

Favourite transportation: Leonard de Quirm’s yellow submarine

Most beautiful scene (scenery/shot wise): N/A

Unanswered question/continuity issue/plot error that bugs you: Nothing really, Terry was always exceptional at continuity for someone who wrote about 50 books in one series

Best promo: N/A

At what point did you fall in love with this show/book: Like 5 pages into Guards Guards when there was the joke about black magic cults reserving certain hotels and having overly complicated passwords. Humour made me fall in love, humanity made me stay in love

#discworld #ask

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limonium-anemos · 4 years

Text

tomarrymort fic rec list

10 / 12

TanninTele

False Prophets series

Lost Boy

Before Harry opened his psychic shop in Knockturn Alley, he was a lost runaway finding (and losing) his first love.

False Prophets

Harry is clairvoyant; a genuine one, not like that fraud Trelawney or Madam Umbridge, who claims that the dead communicates by writing messages in her cat's litter box. It isn't fun reliving the deaths of strangers, but when the antique shop next door is placed under new management, things get interesting.

The Matchmaker

'The Matchmaker' is a serial abductor whose modus operandi consists of pairing two same-sex individuals together in a coffin, six feet underground - buried alive. He isn't a killer. He's a kidnapper with morals, and Detective Chief Inspector Tom Riddle finds himself obsessed with solving the case.

Unfortunately for Tom, the Matchmaker is just as intent on knowing him.

Rapture (WIP)

"Can you believe it?" Hepzibah prattled on. "Three relics from the Founders, all in my - Are you alright, dear?

Tom blinked. He fixed a bland smile onto his features. "Oh, yes. I'm very well. Just . . . wait, did you say three?"

"Oh," she flushed, fanning herself. "Yes. My most priceless possession, really. It's a bit controversial, but I suppose . . . you wouldn't want to see it, would you?"

Harry Gaunt is one of the last remaining Slytherin heirs, raised in squalor for half of his life, and raised in luxury for the rest. But he's little more than a parlor trick for his foster mother, Hepzibah Smith, speaking in Parseltongue to amuse her guests. Life is dull, until he meets Tom Riddle.

Tom once had nothing; then he had a diary. A snake. And a ring. Soon, he will have more. A locket. A cup. And a boy.

A boy just like him.

Pick your Poison series

Thrown into a world of politics, assassination attempts and devastatingly handsome aristocrats, Harry must decide to fight for what's right . . . or succumb to his fatal attraction.

Pick Your Poison

In a world with no magic, Harry Potter is dragged along to galas and events to serve as a pretty face beside his schmoozing Uncle Vernon. Tonight's gala promised to be as miserable as the last - until Harry notices a member of the Minister's secret police slipping poison into the glass of Thomas Riddle; leader of an underground criminal operation.

By the Throat

Everyone thought him mad, releasing an insane man from jail to convince a mere boy the difference from right and wrong. It was, indeed, impossible for most - but he was Albus Dumbledore. And he would do whatever it took to keep Riddle from winning this war.

Phoenix or the Flame

'I will always find you, Harry Potter.' He wanted a message from Riddle, and he'd gotten one.

The Dreadfuls series

In a story of revenge, star-crossed love, crime and passion, Harry, Hermione and Tonks cross the line between light and dark, juggling school work, friends and douche-bag ex-lovers. Not to mention Harry's current douche-bag lover, Tom Riddle; tall, dark, and running the largest con operation in Greater London.

The Dreadfuls

Best friends and roommates Harry, Hermione and Tonks each have special skills that make them perfect for the London crime scene. Harry, a student in criminology and fashion, is a master of disguise. Tonks, with street-skills and sticky fingers, is unashamed to use her body for what she calls 'The Greater Good'. And although Hermione is a rule-following perfectionist, she's likely the cleverest librarian assistant around, with an affiliation for gathering information of all sorts.

The Merciful

While in preparation for a grand heist, roommates Harry, Tonks, Hermione and co. tackle Tom's birthday, raising a baby, sex tapes and - worst of all - first dates.

The Powerful

After months of planning, the Death Eaters are prepared to steal the Philosopher's Stone from the Magic Is Might artifact exhibition. However, before they can attend the exhibit, vengeful, cruel (and, frankly, idiotic) enemies appear from the fold.

Philophobia

It's night-time at Privet Drive on the last day of July, and a newly-seventeen year old Harry is waiting for someone special to collect him.

Sweet Ophelia

Life at the Shell Cottage is sweet and peaceful for the dying Harry and his doting husband; but Harry is slowly becoming restless, confined to bed and treated like an invalid. After a storm reveals past secrets hidden within photographs, Harry follows the footsteps of a drowned girl to find the true cause of her death.

Blind Man's Bluff

When Tom Riddle was (mistakenly) hired by the Malfoy family to solve a case of stolen silverware, he expected it to be cut-and-dry; 'the butler did it'. Upon arrival, however, it is revealed that a murder had taken place during the night.

In a house full of strange individuals, including a somber houseman, a spoiled son and a suspicious maid, Tom must distinguish who is a thief and who is capable of murder.

After all, it takes one to know one.

temptresslove

Power Couple series

Power and Control

“Mr. Riddle,” Potter said softly. “I’m surprised you know who I am.”

His face remained docile, his eyes for a moment looked down, as if maintaining eye contact with a man as handsome as Tom Riddle was too much for his chastity. But before he casted his eyes down, Tom thought he saw something flash—amusement, as if he knew exactly why Riddle would know everyone at the ball.

Interesting.

The Other Black Cousin

“Viktor has never been so taken with an omega before,” Tom says. “Ah,” he says smoothly. “But who wouldn’t be?” He looks at Harry and smirks. “You are, after all, the most beautiful omega.”

Harry laughs, eyes shining mischievously. “My poor omega heart cannot take it if you keep calling me that.”

The Life God

Hades sees the god mortals call Persephone for the first time and is instantly smitten.

Pureblood Omega Etiquette

“Harry?” Tom immediately took a step back. Of all the things he was expecting to see on his patrol as a prefect tonight, this was the last thing on his mind. Harry was in his sleeping robes. In silk. In red. And Tom could make out things that he supposedly shouldn’t. “Where are your chaperones?”

The omega had the gall to look embarrassed. “I… they’re asleep, I was hungry.” He said sheepishly.

Without another word, Tom turned to leave. If he left now, then he could still control himself, because what that red silk did to him—

“Tom?” Harry said softly. Harry’s eyes were wide and there was a soft honest smile on his face. “It–It’s fine if it’s with you.”

His eyes widened and his voice was cold even to his own ears. “That’s not for you to decide.”

Because it wasn’t.

Emotionally Inept Dorks series

Harry and Tom are obviously in love even if they don't know it.

Observations of a Pureblood Heir

The Predicament of a Half-Blood

Another Half-Blood's Dilemma

Drunk in Love

“You’re drunk,” Riddle said again, eyes looking at Harry, still amused.

Then Harry, frustrated, pressed his lips into the taller boy’s and forced his tongue into Tom’s mouth.

Handsomest boy in Hogwarts? They should call Tom the most delicious boy in Hogwarts because damn.

(Where Harry gets drunk and "tries" to make out with Tom Riddle... emphasis on "tries")

My Beloved

“I want you to be my boyfriend.” Harry suddenly says, taking his sun glasses off. There was a determined glint in his big green eyes that Tom did not miss.

Lucius, who was drinking juice in the side, chokes on his drink.

Terrific_Lunacy

Set the Sails (and don’t look back)

1724. All Harry wanted to do was to cross the Atlantic and start his apprenticeship under one of the most renowned physicians. Tom Riddle is convinced everything floating in the seven seas belongs to him. That includes ship-wrecked, green-eyed youths. Especially if they tell him to fuck off.

Rebuilt (WIP)

After society as we know it collapsed, humanity struggled for survival. Following a decade of chaos and anarchy, a new society begins to establish. Lords try to assemble the best followers around them and battle other groups for territory. Young Harry Potter tries to stay out of trouble, but when a new lord with unconventional ideas sees the potential in his unique talents, his quiet life soon gets turned upside down.

Armed only with his wits, Harry has to take on one catastrophe after the other, all the while trying to uncover his own past and teach a certain smug bastard the meaning of personal space.

#tomarry #hp #tomarry fic rec list

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homesoutofhuman · 5 years

Text

Locked in- Duncan Vizla/Reader one shot

Request for the fanfic trope challenge- Trope 1: Locked in a Room, Trope 2: Unexpected virgin.

Pairing: Duncan x female librarian! virgin reader

Warnings: explicit sex, swearing

a/n: I’m not a big fan of ‘it’s her first time but five minutes in she’s riding him like a mechanical bull trope’ so I tried to make it more realistic, forgive me.

"Is anyone in here?” calls a deep male voice that resonates through the stacks and almost makes you drop the box of books you’re holding.

“Yes I am but just don’t let the door…” you groan in dismay as you hear the heavy metal door slam closed “...shut.”

Peeking out from the shelf you see Duncan rubbing his moustache and looking at you guiltily. “Sorry, I didn’t know it would lock like that.”

“Yeah it’s for security.” you answer ruefully, walking towards him feeling awkward now that there are just the two of you in a small room. Duncan is so tall he takes up a lot of space, and his chest is broad...damn, it’s getting hot in here.

“For the books?” he looks so confused, scanning your face with apologetic puppy eyes as if to see if he’s going to be scolded.

“Some of them are precious.” Grabbing one of the shelf you show him a first edition of Alice in Wonderland. Duncan bends his head next to yours and gazes at the vibrant fresh illustrations. You feel his eyes on your profile as you turn the pages.

“I see, yes, beautiful.”

You look at him sharply and find his eyes fixed on your lips. You press them together self-consciously and his eyes grow warm, flicking down your body to where the top of your blouse has come undone as you strained to lift the box to a high shelf. He lets out a sigh so heavy it brushes your cheek and gives you some welcome relief from the growing humidity in the room.

“If I had to be stuck in a room with someone I am glad it’s you.” he murmurs, suddenly and unexpectedly gentle.

You are a little stunned, having got to know Duncan casually over the last few weeks since he’s been teaching his class, you greet him every morning and say goodbye every evening, but you were unaware he’d even noticed you, never mind treasured the small conversations you’d managed to snatch in the faculty lounge, usually about books, sometimes about travel and all the different places he’d visited. Truthfully, you are in awe of the man, he has seen and done so much while you’ve been stuck in a small town, loving your job and your responsibilities, but never really quite living in the way he has.

“Yeah.” he answers in a heavily accented voice you can never quite pin down. You love his voice, so deep and alluring, but now it’s giving you issues, reminding you of all the secret fantasies you have about him when lights are out and you touch yourself, it always starts with him talking to you, looking at you just how he is right now.

Duncan notices your erratic breathing, your hardened nipples through your blouse, the way you’re looking at him like you’re starving and he’s some really good food and he finds he cannot control himself any longer. He grabs your arms and pushes you up against the stone wall between the stacks, towering above you, at least twice your size. You feel like a helpless animal in the clutches of a predator. He bends down and just takes your mouth, kissing you like he has every right to do whatever the hell he wants, but gentle at first, testing your reactions, seeing how you whimper when he licks inside your top lip, how you groan when he bites the bottom one.

Affected despite himself you feel him pressing against you, hard and solid and so warm. Duncan flicks open a few more buttons on your blouse and presses his mouth to the exposed skin, sucking hard. Your eyelashes flutter as you look down at him, lost for words, your knees almost buckling beneath you. Duncan lets go your arms, gently grasping your chin between his thumb and forefinger so that you are forced to meet his eyes.

“Look at me” he commands almost sternly “do you want this?”

Holding his gaze bravely you nod in affirmation “Yes Duncan, I want you but…”

Duncan pauses, his jacket half off his shoulders, looking at you questioningly. You smile at him fondly and help him take it off, pushing at his roll-neck in frustration, you want to feel his skin. “But you should know something. I...never really did anything like this before.”

Distracted by your words, Duncan lets you continue to undress him, so you get to run your hands over his bare chest and down to his pants before he stops you, his large hands capturing yours as you attempt to undo his belt. ”Wait, you’re teasing me. You really never…?”

Shaking your head you feel a blush moving across your cheekbones and down your neck. You want to sink into the ground at his feet. How can you explain that living in such a small town you never found the right person? That everyone was either too old or too young, how they wanted to go to sports games and drink beer and didn’t understand you- your craving for culture, for stories, for wisdom of the world. Until Duncan appeared in your life and brought everything you didn’t even know you needed.

“Shit.” he mutters under his breath. “Guys in this town really are stupid.” He rushes at you then, kissing you passionately, winding his hands in your hair to tilt your head just right, hardly letting you breathe between each long, hungry kiss, stealing your breath and making you shake in his arms. His hands move down your pencil skirt and squeeze your butt, bringing you closer to him with a groan.

“Your first time really shouldn’t be here though, but god knows I want it to be with me.”

Stammering you quickly try to reassure him. He’s got you so crazy you know there is no way you want to turn back now. You feel like you’ll die if you don’t have him, and some of your desperation seeps through into Duncan, so he nods, dropping to his knees in front of you. “If you’re very sure?”

Nodding so hard you almost wrench your neck you gape as he rolls up your skirt, exposing your stockings underneath. He raises his eyebrow and gives you an amused look. “Little minx.” then pressing his lips to the top of your thigh, his fingers tracing patterns down the backs of your legs, helping you out of your shoes.

“Lie back little one.” he murmurs, and without your heels you do feel even tinier beneath him. Duncan smooths out his jacket to give you some protection from the cold floor and resumes his place between your legs, kissing up and over your underwear, his eyes dark and focused, so much you’re scared to disturb him from the trance like state he seems to be in, but when he pushes aside your panties and puts his mouth on you, you cannot help it and let out a loud whimper, your hands shyly caressing his hair and down his neck as he licks at your sex, his tongue gentle but insistent against your clit. It makes you feel hungry and you squirm against him, wanting, needing more. He pushes the tip of his tongue to your entrance but doesn’t breach it, and you moan incoherent words, begging and pleading with him.

“You’re so wet gorgeous.” he informs you, raising his head with a fond look in his eye, and you see to both your arousal and your shame that his facial hair is glistening with your juices. “I’m so glad I’m the first one that gets to fuck you, it’s a crime that you’ve been left wanting so long.”

You realise his dirty talk is turning you on further, and you’re almost writhing on the ground by the time he’s finished teasing you. It seems to go on for hours, you almost black out as Duncan keeps you on the edge of orgasm, working his fingers inside you gently and gradually, so you won’t feel too much discomfort. For his part Duncan has never been so hard in his life, he wonders briefly if it’s possible to die from blue balls, and if so if it’s a technique assassins should add to their arsenal. Still, he doesn’t get off on causing people pain, and no matter how much he wants to just shove himself inside you, make you scream, he repeats a mantra in his head to keep the animal contained, you are precious, you deserve everything.

Sometime during the sweet torture, Duncan’s got you naked, and when he stands to finally undo his belt he looks down at you, your neck covered in red marks from his teeth, your nipples dark and erect from his mouth, your cunt dripping wet onto his coat. Duncan swears if he dies in this fucking locked library heaven could not be sweeter than the sight in front of him. You see his eyes tracking over your body and you do not feel shy anymore, you move your own hand between your legs, watching him pull his boxers down, his hard cock spring out. It’s even better than you imagined in your dirtiest dreams, thick and dark just like the rest of him. It’s big, looks like he’s going to split you in two. You realise our desire for him is so strong you don’t even care if it hurts anymore, but that doesn’t stop the slight shiver of fear at the bottom of your spine as he lines himself up with your virgin entrance.

“Fuck beautiful…” Duncan swears under his breath watching you touching yourself as his dick touches the wetness of your pussy lips, he tips back his head and takes some breaths. You stare at him wondering why he looks like he’s in pain, and realise his reluctance to damage you.

“Duncan please…” you whisper, deliberately seductively, wiggling your hips and speeding up your fingers on your clit “need you.”

He gives you a look that’s at once loving and despairing, and pushes his way inside you gradually, but not stopping until you’re completely joined. The pain is nothing you haven’t felt before and you feel yourself bearing down on him, wanting to show him you’re okay. Duncan watches you, his eyes barely open, his mouth hanging agape as he watches you fuck yourself on him. He grabs your hips to still you, shaking his head.

“I’m glad you’re okay but let me show you how it’s done baby girl...let me have this privilege.” His soft words surprise you enough to let him take back control and he starts a steady but slow rhythm, thrusting into you, groaning with every movement, and his words grow less gentle as he feels you clenching so tight around him. “Let me fuck you…”

“Yes Duncan…” is all you can say to reassure him, but it seems enough. He bends over you, lifting your legs up gently so he can deepen his movements. You enthusiastically wrap your legs around his waist, wanting to please him. Duncan gives you a deep kiss as reward.

His movements inside you start to feel less uncomfortable and more pleasurable as time goes on, and despite everything the fact that’s you’re so intimately joined with him makes you dizzy, makes it all worthwhile. You can tell he’s getting close, his handsome face screwed up with concentration, his hair damp on his forehead, but his thrusts inside you do not falter, as if it would kill him to stop.

Grabbing his hand you place a kiss on his palm before pushing it between your legs, letting his fingers replace your own. Duncan moans in reply, and the sound is more vulnerable than you’ve ever heard him. He bends his head to suck at your breasts as he continues to rub at you while thrusting a little more sloppily inside you.

“Wait, I want to come with you inside me…” you beg and he gives a shudderingly hard thrust in reply. You start to convulse, feeling the heat coil from your hips up your body and making you shake against him and release, crying out his name. Duncan groans, his mouth on your nipple as he finally gives in to his own pleasure. Realising that you probably don’t have a birth control method set up he reluctantly pulls out and finishes, pushing himself between your thighs, looking down at you possessively.

You feel overwhelmed, and are vaguely aware of Duncan laying down next to you, covering your body with his own. Your eyes run up and down, taking in his athletic, graceful build and you lean to caress his lower back. Duncan gives a little jump, his dick stiffening slightly and you look up at him in awe.

“Already?”

Duncan shrugs, cuddling you tightly “Seems you have that effect on me liebling. Are you all right?” he asks, solemnly, but without pity. It is the enquiry of an equal, and you appreciate it.

“I need to go take a shower but other than that I’ll be fine.”

Duncan looks down between your thighs. “Sorry.” but his dick twitches again and you hide a smile, he enjoys making a mess of you.

You doze a while in his arms, but are awoken by him shaking you gently. “The school janitor will do his rounds in a few minutes, you should dress before he arrives.” Duncan helps you into your clothes and buttons your blouse right up to the top. You blink at him questioningly and he shrugs. Scoffing, you undo one button and watch him sulk slightly, amused that he is so territorial so soon. The janitor frees you both, to your blushes and Duncan’s awkward explanations, you see him just rolling his eyes and sweeping the floor as you lean into Duncan’s side and giggle.

He laughs in response, a loud sound you’ve never heard from him before and hope rises in your chest that this wasn’t just about sex. You leave him at the school gates where he tells you sternly to call him when you get home safe. You’re barely inside the doorway when your phone starts to ring and when you answer it you hear a familiar voice on the other end- gruff but somehow soft.

“I was thinking we could get ‘locked in’ my cabin this weekend, what do you say?”

“As long as you’re gentle with me Duncan” you reply, moving to the bath to soothe your aching muscles.

“I can’t promise that.” he replies, as you sink down into the hot water you shiver with anticipation for all that’s to come.

=========

#trope challenge #duncan x reader #duncan vizla #duncan vizla x reader #duncan vizla x you #librarian!reader #isn't she cute?#this is kinda cringey i don't normally write virgin reader but here we are #fanfic trope challenge

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faenet · 5 years

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hi I just came across your blog & i wanted to say your edits are beautiful!!! & also, I've read TOG & ACOTAR, & I wanted to ask if you have any other book recommendations that are similar I guess to TOG & ACOTAR?? Like fantasy, action & of course romance:)

I’m so glad that you enjoy our blog! Our members have a few recommendations that I’ll put under the cut:

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab: Kell is one of the last Antari—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black. Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they’ll never see. After an exchange goes awry, Kell escapes to Grey London and runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure. Now perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they’ll first need to stay alive. (fantasy, young adult)

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir: Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free. Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear. But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy. There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself. (fantasy, young adult, romance)

Circe by Madeline Miller: In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child—not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power—the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves. (mythology, fantasy)

Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente: Koschei the Deathless is to Russian folklore what devils or wicked witches are to European culture: a menacing, evil figure; the villain of countless stories which have been passed on through story and text for generations. Deathless lights up like fire as the young Marya Morevna transforms from a clever child of the revolution, to Koschei’s beautiful bride, to his eventual undoing. All told, Deathless is a collision of magical history and actual history, of revolution and mythology, of love and death, which will bring Russian myth back to life in a stunning new incarnation. (fantasy, historical fiction, mythology)

Defy by Sara B. Larson: Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king’s army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince’s guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can’t prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she’s sworn to protect? (fantasy, young adult, romance)

Graceling by Kristin Cashore: Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug. (fantasy, young adult, romance)

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers: Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others. (fantasy, young adult, romance, historical)

Hunted by Meagan Spooner: Beauty knows the Beast’s forest in her bones—and in her blood. She knows that the forest holds secrets and that her father is the only hunter who’s ever come close to discovering them. But Yeva’s father’s misfortune may have cost him his mind, and when he goes missing in the woods, Yeva sets her sights on one prey: the creature he’d been obsessively tracking just before his disappearance. Deaf to her sisters’ protests, Yeva hunts this strange Beast back into his own territory—a cursed valley, a ruined castle, and a world of creatures that Yeva’s only heard about in fairy tales. (fantasy, young adult, romance)

Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern: The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. (fantasy, fiction, romance)

Red Winter by Annette Mari: Emi is the kamigakari. In a few short months, her life as a mortal will end and her new existence as the human host of a goddess will begin. Shiro is a yokai, a spirit of the earth, an enemy of the goddess Emi will soon host. But she saved his life, and until his debt is paid, he is hers to command-whether she wants him or not. On the day they meet, everything Emi believes comes undone, swept away like snow upon the winter wind. For the first time, she wants to change her fate-but how can she erase a destiny already wrought in stone? Against the power of the gods, Shiro is her only hope… and hope is all she has left. (fantasy, young adult, mythology, romance)

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo: Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. (fantasy, young adult, romance)

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi: Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days. The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now. Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior. (young adult, dystopian, romance)

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor: The dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around—and Lazlo Strange, war orphan and junior librarian, has always feared that his dream chose poorly. Since he was five years old he’s been obsessed with the mythic lost city of Weep, but it would take someone bolder than he to cross half the world in search of it. Then a stunning opportunity presents itself, in the person of a hero called the Godslayer and a band of legendary warriors, and he has to seize his chance or lose his dream forever. (fantasy, young adult, romance)

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black: Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King. To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences. (fantasy, young adult)

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson: Elisa is the chosen one. But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will. Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young. (fantasy, young adult)

The Girl Who Never Was by Skylar Dorset: The Girl Who Never Was is the story of Selkie Stewart, who thinks she’s a totally normal teenager growing up in Boston. Sure, her father is in an insane asylum, her mother left her on his doorstep—literally—when she was a baby, and she’s being raised by two ancient aunts who spend their time hunting gnomes in their Beacon Hill townhouse. But other than that her life is totally normal! She’s got an adventurous best friend who’s always got her back and an unrequited crush on an older boy named Ben. Just like any other teenager, right? (fantasy, young adult, paranormal)

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer: Isabella Swan’s move to Forks, a small, perpetually rainy town in Washington, could have been the most boring move she ever made. But once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Isabella’s life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Isabella, the person Edward holds most dear. (young adult, fantasy, romance, paranormal)

I hope this helps!

♡ Lauren

#network q's #book recommendations #book recs #fortunately-amazing #answered

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aithne · 5 years

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(Illume) Tomika's Letters, 8/28/1583: The Fall of the Crab

8/29/1583 off the east coast of Japan, somewhere

Dearest Yukiko,

We spent part of the morning dividing up the (thankfully clearly-labeled; Lin had a tidy mind) potions that we found in Lin's workroom in the sewers. The librarian popped away for a little bit to go talk to some of his people, and came back to report that, well, there isn't much news. Hideyoshi hasn't been seen for a week in Tokyo, but that's not unusual.

Funitsu used his orb to spy on Tsutsako, his half-sister who is calling herself Minaku and married to Arenro. She was bathing in some sort of yellow-green light that seemed to be healing cuts, bruises, and even some scars. (The question being, what had she been doing to be injured like that?) He also looked for the woman who used to occupy Minaku's position, who was Hiroshi's foster mother. She was alive, surprisingly enough, and appeared to be in some sort of exile.

Midmorning, as we prepared to get underway, Thomas told Panda that he could see a Crab ship approaching from the north. We decided to investigate, keeping out of cannon range and looping around so we could meet up with the Benevolent. Gryphon went off to warn the Benevolent that there might be a battle going on between us and them.

After a half hour, we could see that the ship was being pursued by hengenyokai ships, three of them. Tadaki went to talk to the lead ship, and came back and reported that General Shiro was aboard that ship, and they were pursuing. They also said that the Crab Clan home had been destroyed by the Scorpion(!) and that killing Shiro would more or less end the Crab Clan line. We all decided that it would be a good idea to block their escape route so Panda took the control webbing of Shrike, and the rest of us waited to see what we could see.

I decided to try something I've been wondering about, and imbued Panda with the ability to cast a lightning bolt. I thought, perhaps, Shrike could cast it if Panda could and was in the control webbing.

The sailors on the ship looked terrified and exhausted, as if they hadn't slept for days. Instead of there being someone at the helm, the wheel was tied in place with rope. Something was very, very wrong. Tadaki set their sails alight, and the sailors scrambled into dinghies and tried to leave.

But out of the hold came four people, and one of them aimed a small crossbow at one of the boats--which exploded. Something was definitely wrong here. The four people were even pulling swords and killing sailors!

Shrike cast Panda's lightning bolt, which crackled across their deck, and three of the four people were staggered by it. The fourth person raised his arms--or perhaps hers, it was a relatively small person--and let the lightning bolt wash over her. Reiko, watching next to me, said, "The little one's lit up like a festival barge with magic."

At this point, the librarian, Funitsu, and Haku decided to go over to the other ship to see if they could take down the four warriors. The enemy ship had mostly stilled and Panda pulled us to a halt, so they could open one of those doors in reality and cross the hundred feet over to the other boat. As we watched them fight, it became clear that the three larger fellows weren't nearly as strong as the small one, who now that we were watching her fight, was definitely female. They were dressed very strangely, and had weird lenses over their eyes. (That reminds me, I must remember to ask our prisoners what they were for.)

While the three larger ones were quickly dispatched, the smaller one was most stubborn, and was handily defeating the librarian and Haku put together. At the same time this was happening, the lifeboat that hadn't exploded pulled up beside us, and a man looked up at our curious faces peering over the side of the boat, asking for sanctuary.

Panda was most noncommittal, but allowed them on board, telling them we'd sort them out later. They were an exhausted-looking bunch, the man who led them even more so. Panda had freed herself from the control webbing and come up, and she appraised the group with a practiced eye. "General Shiro, I assume?"

He nodded. Panda said, "Have a seat over there."

Behind me, I heard Jeron say, "The librarian and Haku aren't going to last much longer, Reiko. I'll take care of Shiro."

She replied, "Give him some of this. I'll be back." She handed him a vial and dove through the door, casting as she did so. Jeron walked forward and calmly asked Shiro to drink from the vial he offered. The general did so without argument, and then closed his eyes and leaned back against the crates he was sitting against.

On the other ship, I could hear snatches of conversation--my husband attempting to talk the one larger fellow who was left out of attacking him. Reiko kissed the librarian (her standard method of delivering touch spells), and he suddenly looked much better, but the small person he was fighting took the opportunity to hit the librarian hard enough to sweep him off the deck, and the shaman with him, soaring over the rails in a tangle of limbs. While the librarian and Reiko climbed back onto the ship (fortunately, the librarian only wears a chain shirt, and the kitsune flatly refuses to wear armor of any sort, otherwise they may have been in trouble, not just wet), I saw Panda evidently reach a decision. She said, "Things are well in hand over here. I suppose I should go lend a hand over there."

She stepped through the door, and appeared on the other ship. Funitsu laid a spell of some sort on her, and Panda began to move very quickly indeed. The small warrior sent Panda sailing over the edge of the ship, but instead of falling to the water, Panda tumbled in midair and then rose calmly back to the deck of the ship, her topknot whipping around her in a breeze that seemed to affect only her. In short order after that, the woman was laid out cold on the deck.

I came over, curious to see what they had found. Reiko was removing the fallen woman's weapons, and Funistu was binding one of the larger fellow's wounds, telling the unconscious man,. "See? I told you that you were insignificant."

Panda said, "That one has a spirit controlling her--an Arenro fragment." She was indicating the small woman who'd nearly killed the librarian and Haku. Reiko was puzzling over something she'd found underneath the woman's skin. When I, too, peered down with my magical sight, curious, I was nearly blinded by the glow that was coming off of what appeared to be rods of some sort under her skin, in her arms and legs. The kitsune pulled a silk roll out of her sleeve, and I recognized it as the kit she carries her surgical tools in.

The woman also had a tattoo of a dragon all the way down her left side. It turned out those people she'd had with her had them, as well.

Reiko began to slit the unconscious woman's skin, and Panda turned pale (well, paler) and left for Shrike. I stayed to watch, fascinated. From the first wound, she pulled out a rod made out of some sort of metal, covered in blood. She paused to kiss the cut she'd just made, sealing it shut so she wouldn't bleed to death, and started in on the other arm. In short order, all four rods were out of her, and the shaman roused the woman enough so that she could swallow a vial of the true source.

We carried the woman over to Shrike, and put her into the rooms we keep reserved for unwilling guests.

Funitsu, while I was watching Reiko cut into the woman, was off in the hold of the Crab ship, investigating. He came back and said that there were crates--with dead dragons in them! Eggs, babies, and, notably, one young fu leng dragon corpse.

I won't give a blow-by-blow of the interrogations that followed, but this is the information we learned.

A month ago, much of the Crab strength had been concentrated in the South, preparing to be one half of a pincer that would destroy the Scorpion Clan home. However, three weeks ago, a warehouse had been discovered that had held dragon parts and evidence that someone was trying to combine dragons with humans. They destroyed the warehouse, and were abruptly beset by assassins, who killed about two-thirds of the noble families of the Crab. After that, a full-scale force, all mercenaries, destroyed the city and killed every member of the Crab Clan they could find.

Shiro, as one of three surviving members of the Toyotomi and Kuni families, decided that living to fight another day was better than dying for what appeared to be no reason at all. Practical people, these Crabs. I found myself almost liking Shiro. He fled in the last ship, which happened to be full of dead dragons, and was still running when he encountered the hengenyokai ships--and us.

It turns out that the Crab Clan all thought that they had been attacked on Funitsu's orders! My husband looked vaguely offended that someone had been operating under the name of the Scorpion. It's not as if there's much good to besmirch there, but it sets a bad precedent.

It turns out that the small woman who nearly killed some of us is called Suzume. The dragon tattoos are a mark of the Covenant, who, as it turns out, is some sort of secret society dedicated to killing Arenro and capturing the dark spirit he holds. They had been the ones trying to combine dragons with humans to make stronger warriors, but had abandoned that and tried the metal rods, instead.

When queried about the Covenant, Suzume said that she had no idea who her superior was, but did know that she was the leader of a cell, and there were maybe three other cells other than hers. Her superior might be the leader of the Covenant, or might be leader of a section of it. She said the purpose of attacking the Crab Clan was to weaken Hideyoshi, as he was evidently rethinking his alliance with Arenro.

This, of course, is most useful information. If we could stop worrying about the armies and concentrate on Arenro, this war might be over before winter.

Reiko had used one of the potions that Lin had left behind, a Discern Lies spell. She asked, casually, if Suzume knew someone named Midori. Suzume's answer was no, and Reiko raised her eyebrows. She said, "Well, just as a passing thought...if you did know someone named Midori who was connected with the Covenant, she's one of Arenro's people."

Evidently, until that moment, Suzume had not lied. But she did know Midori, and was, for some reason, protecting her.

The Crab clan has a thousand or so warriors tucked away in various places, but other than that their strength is not great. Shiro, when we were talking to him later, said that he recognized that the Crab Clan had more or less come to an end. (I can only imagine the pain that one statement must have caused him.) He requested to be taken under the protection of either the Scorpion or the Dragon clan, so they could preserve what was left. He said, "If we must be folded into another Clan, so be it. But as we are, we will all be killed soon enough."

We argued amongst ourselves about this for a while; The Crab lands border on the Scorpion's, so it seemed logical to simply fold the Crab into the Scorpion and extend the Scorpion lands. Haku, however, objected; he didn't want the Scorpion to control all of the warriors that came with the Crab. My husband and Haku argued a bit about this, and then Reiko came up with the idea of allying them with the hengenyokai, giving the shapeshifters land larger than their island, and perhaps making what's left of the Crab less of a tempting target. Since Tadaki seems to be some sort of noble among them (but why? I think Tadaki himself doesn't know), he'll basically accept the loyalty of what's left of the Crab.

We're going to drop Suzume off on the mainland tomorrow, I believe. After that, who knows? There are many fires, and all of them burn brightly. If nothing else, a visit to the Dragon lands may be in order.

One last note--Taura, the other kitsune, has woken me up three nights running now, screaming. I have, in that time, actually seen Taura only once, standing at the rail of the ship, clinging to Reiko's hand. There is something wrong with her, but Reiko isn't allowing any of us close enough to see what it is, exactly. She only shakes her head and mutters about nightmares.

I'm glad to hear you're well, Yukiko, as is Akechi. The weather here holds warm, but being on the ocean keeps us comfortable. Typhoon season is well advanced, though, and we haven't seen one yet. If we arrive in Skyhome dripping wet and shipless, you'll know what's happened to us.

Cheerful thought, no? I love storms.

With much affection, Tomika

Quotes:

"Tadaki doesn't look a gift carp in the mouth." --Storm

"No one ever hastes me. You sit around and watch me get carved down to a stump." "We like you as a stump." --Ray and Bryan

"Scorpions, crabs, both crustaceans, right?" "Um...no, actually, I don't think they are." --Bryan and Graham

"That would be 33 points of healing to you, Haku." "Wow, that's some kiss. I'm going to have a hickey for weeks." --Reiko and Haku. (Reiko voided every single one of her fourth level spells in favor of Cure Criticals that day.)

#so queued #gaming recaps: illume #D&D recap

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vespertine-legacy · 3 years

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I got tagged a while ago by @sleepswithvillains for a wip whenever. I have no idea who to tag, so if you’re writing stuff and have wips and want to share, do it and tag me, I guess?

Anyway, the only oc of mine that is cooperating in any way with wips is Eleison, but I only get random bits and pieces from her, so have her Being An Ass to Acina:

Acina’s image appears on the terminal. “Ah, good. Do you have any updates for me on the Seeds?”

“Our thief has been dealt with. And the Seeds are safe.”

“Excellent. You’ve displayed admirable thoroughness in dealing with this whole matter. Bring the Seeds back to me on Dromund Kaas at once.”

“No.”

Acina’s mouth draws into a tight line. “I’m sorry, it sounded like you just said, ‘no,’ but that couldn’t be right.”

“You heard exactly right, Acina. Do you recall who was in line to be in charge of the Arcanum before you, by any chance? And if I’d had any inclination to be a Darth, you know it would be me over Technology, not you. It would be lovely to have Arcanum in my control, but I have other things to do. The Seeds will help though.”

“You are walking a dangerous path, Lord Kirnah, if you do not return the Seeds to me. I told you that you do not want their power.”

“Do you think you’re the only Sith capable of a little friendly backstabbing, Acina? No, I told you before, you can’t take back what you can’t find. The Seeds don’t belong to you. They’re going home.”

#swtor oc eleison #darth acina #swtor dread seeds #the baby-faced assassin librarian is Causing Problems On Purpose

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tumblunni · 5 years

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MAN OKAY IM MAKING A SELF INDULGENT KINGDOM HEARTS SONA

Probably the only main reason i havent made another one since i was a kid is cos i never really wanted to be a keyblade master. Even as a kid i always hated "they are just all magically born evil because darkness energy" as a trope. Whenever an evil guy had minions who were all "mindless and evill" and you were supposed to mow them down in droves because of it, i always felt like they seemed LESS evil, yknow? Like youre canonically stating that theyre NOT evil! Theyre dangerous, yeah, but you just said that they dont have complex cognitive thought or ability to choose their own actions. Theyrr just being USED for evil, by the guy whos the real evil! Theyre like guard dogs who were abused into dangerness and if they cant be rehibilitated then its sad, yknow? Poor heartless!! And seriously how can they make them have such cute designs and not expect us to see them that way!!

So yeah i hate that canonically the heartless are all evil and canonically everyone good has to destroy the heartless, like its the entire damn point of a keyblade so i couldnt even touch one without being forced to slay the cutebabs! And KHDDD was great with the long awaited addition of CUTE BABS GOOD GUY MONSTERS YOU CAN HUG, although they were a whole new species of monster and its still canon that heartless are all evil and the equally as annoying canon that all good/remotely sentient Nobodies look like regular humans instead of the cute patoots they once was. THE CUTE PATOOT THAT NEVER WAS!!!! Srsly the low level Dusk is my fave design in the whole series its such a good squiggle boye

OKAY OKAY SO MY POINT IS

If i was gonna make a normal khsona itd have to be either specifically a Dream Eater trainer keyblade weilder whose entire story is about pet raising and none of the fightng evil, or an Organization member because theyre the only sympathetic monsters even if they dont look monstery anymore. Even though obviously rationally my self insert in anything would always be a good guy cos i am a very soft boyo who is too much of a wimp to do the slightest evil. But alas all the best characters are evil and the monsters look so cute aaaa!!

SO OKAY my ULTIMATE self indulgent khsona would be ME AM ANSEM NOW

Me as a heartless researcher who hugs all the heartless and becomes a heartless and then we heartlessly heartfully hug! Cos seriously it is a true fact that i would be a good guy but also if someone came up to me and was like "hey its totally possible to BECOME one of the cute monsters" id be like "oh noooo dammit i guess im evil now" *shrugs in heartless* But i wouldnt really do anything evil i'd just run like.. Old friends senior heartless sanctuary. Just make a big nice house for all my monsters and bake them cakes everyday. I WOULD LEARN TO COOK FOR THEM!!!! So if that makes me evil then i guess i am evil, dammit!! "Oh nooo we dont wanna get our souls stolen and turn into really fabulous cute designs with amazing supernatural powers" well you are WRONG okay. Just my most self indulgent everything idea is just *points at the evilest beastie* im gonna lovv and cherish that! *takes a running leap into a ballpit of Darkballs* SERIOUSLY DARKBALLS ARE SOME OF THE CUTEST AND ALL THEIR ANIMATIONS ARE SO CUTE WHY IS EVERY HEARTLESS SO CUTE AND SO ANIMATED WHY ARE THEY THE MOST DIDNEY THING IN DIDNEY WHY DID THE NEW GAME ADD A HEARTLESS WHOSE JUST A BIG PUDDING WITH A FACE HOW AM I MEANT TO NOT LOVE THAT hhhh

So yeah khsona bunni is some librarian mothafucker who does Deep Darkness Research but is also the nice goofy good guy sort of mad scientist, like the nutty professor or something. I'd probably be the comic relief on some team of actual villains, thats the only way id really be any threat to anyone. But i'd also totally be The Mom Friend and itd be like u guys are having some serious battle and then i call up Mr Big Villain mid battle like HEY YO COME JOIN KARAOKE WITH ME AND THE HEARTLESS and then hes like "damn man can we have a rain check on the whole end of the world thing?"

Like lol another self indulgent oc thing would be "power to be friends with all the fave villains and they are my friend and we hug". Like an all star teamup of just specifically all bunni's fave KH and didney villains and then also they never fight anyone and we just enjoy slice of life friendship antics. Like Kuja and Ursula would be so cool!! Cos theyre both similar personality yet Kuja had experience manipulating a more loser-y lady who looked a lot like ursula so i can expect he'd underestimate her and try his queen brahne plan again and maybe get outsmarted? And maybe theyd be locked in an eternal battle of two masterminds trying to manipulate each other and along the way they somehow end up accidentally forming a mentor student or mom and son relationship? Like ursula is the better version of garland and she helps kuja heal from his childhood trauma and also in the process maybe he helps her heal from whatever ambiguous backstory event led to her being ostracized from her royal family and such. THEY WOULDNT BE BAD IF THEY HAD HUGS OK let me believe this!! And also of course theyre both the big gay/trans coded dramatic fashion person from their respective stories, so srsly there could be so much awesomeness from the combination of The Two Most Stylish Of Two Worlds! Also i wonder how Kuja would even work in a khified version? Like maybe terra still exists as a separate world in kh world rules and it has a plan to destroy and take over gaia in the same way as the original ff9. Or maybe take some of kuja's other plot points and go from there? Like with how he disguised himself as a treno noble and how he eas created by garland to be an "angel of death", maybe in this world he's a shapeshifter Nobody assassin who infiltrates different worlds and corrupts important people to help garland destroy them? But since he's a very complex experiment and complex = humanoid in this universe, it could be an excuse for him becoming sentient over time and having a plot similar to repliku wanting to be a real human. And i dunno maybe zidane is his "brother" because he's the heartless made from the same original dead guy, who was discarded as a failed experiment? Like it could be interesting to see both of them as villains on the same side, and actually have a close relationship as loving brothers. And theres even already a monkey type heartless! And i dunno maybe the plot of garland creating the genomes infiltrator heartless and then kuja going on to create black mages still black mages? Like he still makes Vivi cos seriously its SO WEIRD that the heartless are based on black mages and then of all things they decided that Vivi would be the ONLY ff9 character allowed to appear in the whole kh series and itd just be in the role of "normal human kid". But they didnt even change his design!! He still looks like a heartless!! Why does nobody question why fredbob mcnormalson doesnt have a face!! So itd make much more sense if he was still a heartless and he's just a good one who wants to be a real boy BUT COS THE WORLD SAYS ALL HEARTLESS ARE EVIL I CANT HAVE THAT. Theyre all evil and only extra evil people get to be humanoid types! Boooo! So kuja doing Special Experiment Science could explain there being at least one special heartless thats not evil. And i dunno, kuja sends vivi out on his first test mission to infiltrate and destroy twilight town but whoops instead he becomes everyone's favourite baby brother! Like he's about to devour some dude's soul and then seifer and co come in and yell at the victim like DUDE ARE U BULLYING THIS POOR TINY CHILD and they drag off this poor very confused heartless in a hug and now he's Lost Forever I Guess. Kuja: damn he tasted icecream i'll never get him back!

Look ok i really like Villains Who Are Not Bad and i will constantly make Villains Who Are Not Bad and nothing will ever be better than Villains Who Are Not Bad

My khsona is Good Heartless who hugs Good Heartless in a team of Good Heartless and also brings in other cameo characters to become Good Heartless ok yes the end hell yea hugs n such

TYHE BEST OCS IS HUGS OCS OK

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elanorjane · 6 years

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Fanfic Masterlist: Rumbelle, Fosterson, L&O:CI, Spuffy

Thanks @jackabelle73 for declaring this masterlist day!

Rumbelle

California Soulmates - Pop princess Belle wants to write her own music and get out from under her father’s thumb. Single father Gold wants to put his failed music career behind him and get the hell out of L.A. When inspiration strikes, there’s only one problem…the songs they’re writing aren’t their own. They’re each other’s. “Telepathic soulmates” RCIJ for @beastlycheese

Picture of Beauty - Fashion house Jefferson-Mills needs inspiration. Photographer Gold believes a librarian he photographed by accident has what it takes. Now it’s up to Gold to turn Belle into a model worthy of Paris Fashion Week. Based on the movie Funny Face.

Teacup Redux - Rumpelstiltskin trains half-sisters Regina and Zelena in order to cast the curse that will reunite him with his son. In the meantime, he gains a young maid. When he and Belle fall in love and have a son, Rumple calls off the curse. But the two sisters, feeling betrayed, cast the curse anyway, separating true love and raising Gideon themselves. In Storybrooke, a ten-year-old Gideon gets a book from a pretty librarian and he begins to suspect there’s something magical about his town.

Alias Series:

*WInner of the 2018 Rumbelle Prompt Showdown* Written under the pen name Deshelved. Story entries for Rounds 1-5, plus sequels.

His Favorite Criminal - Weaver is killing time at the station on a rainy night when his favorite criminal saunters in.

His Favorite Woman - Weaver juggles the many women in his life.

Minor Charges - Weaver takes a young punk into custody.

Community Stakeholders - Lacey knew that most people thought she was a screw up. Despite people’s doubts, she could give every single one of them the finger with confidence.

We Could Be Heroes - Weaver breaks up a fight.

Love on Ice series:

Belle is an up and coming pairs figure skater. Gold is a disgraced ex-pairs Olympic medalist coerced out of hiding to coach her and her partner, Gaston, to Olympic gold. They go roughly in chronological order from Not Right For Anybody Else on.

Love on Ice - Figure skater Belle and coach Gold. At the Olympics. Over Valentine’s Day. For the February @a-monthly-rumbelling prompt: Love Letter, Candy Hearts, Chocolate, Roses, Blind Date

Not Right For Anybody Else - How Gold became Belle’s skating coach.

First Positions - The first few months of Gold being Belle’s skating coach.

What Was the Last Book You Read? - Written in the final hours of March for A Monthly Rumbelleing’s March Smut Prompt: Having a wet dream and calling the other’s name during it.

Silver Buttons All Down Her Back - Belle had secured Gold’s attendance her 21st birthday party. She’d made the request under the guise of improving their skater-coach relationship. But what she really wants to do is test the boundaries. Written for the @a-monthly-rumbelling prompt: “You’re the most annoying person I know but I think I’m in love with you anyway.”

A Little Flip - Gold tries to transfer Belle's feelings for him to Gaston. Let's all take a guess on how that's going to go.

Naked Male Insecurity - Belle and Gaston grow closer. Gold has a reasonable and mature reaction. Ha! Not.

Foreplay - Gold puts his skates back on for the first time in over a decade. Will Belle be there to help him get his groove back?

Fosterson (Thor/Jane Foster)

Thrown - Mafia AU. The story of two sisters who chose each other ... and two brothers that didn't. Jane Foster is a doctor on the straight and narrow. Thor Odinson doesn't know right from wrong. Darcy Lewis has always lived her life on the fringe. Expelled from his own family, Loki Odinson has never needed an ally more. *Based on philyra-dreamhouse's gifset and prompt: http://philyra-dreamhouse.tumblr.com/post/79058549231

About Time - “Heimdall witnessed a disturbance, beings appearing from seemingly nowhere, altered in some way.” “An Einstein-Rosen Bridge?” Thor shook his head, “He’s unsure.” “But it could be an Einstein-Rosen Bridge,” Jane suggested brightly. “Jane, I thought we agreed,” Thor began, glancing over to where Leika played on the floor. She threw up her hands, “I know, I know, whoever’s race discovers it gets to go check it out first.” She continued throwing items into her bag, now with a little more force than necessary. “But Asgardians seems to find all the good stuff,” she lamented.

The North Star - Jane and Thor’s first Christmas/Hanukkah together. Holiday fluff. Post-TDW

Law & Order: Criminal Intent

Take Me Anywhere - Alexandra Eames never wanted to be a princess. She wanted to play and climb and jump and throw with the boys and for thirty-two years she had. Now a country which she had never really identified with as her own, have risen up to demand her as their figurehead.

A Woman Scorned - Best read after a viewing of Untethered.

Out of It - Begins with Eames and Ross busting Bobby out of the Psych Ward. Post-Untethered

Moments - Various Moments in the lives of Bobby, Alex, Emma, and co.

Telling the Fam' - “Isn’t he the crazy guy that throws himself off of buildings and slices his hand open in interrogation rooms?”

A Labor Story or Hard Labor Emma Jane Goren-Eames enters the world. Alex gets annoyed. Bobby panics.

Overprotected - Future Fic. Emma Jane Goren-Eames recounts how everyone found out about her, with a little help from her parents’ favorite psychopath

Bullpen or Playpen? - Circumstances out of her control force Alex to bring her and Bobby’s daughter, Emma, to the precinct. “Let’s go play ‘terr’gation!”

zoion logia - Future Fic. A series of shorts I have planned – snippets of Emma Jane GorenEames’ life so far.

Spuffy

Back Together- At sixteen they got pregnant and hitched. They regretted it two years later and split, separating their twin babies. Now, thirteen years later the siblings are bringing their parents back together. *Based on The Parent Trap*

Before Today - AU Buffy and Spike are assassins hired by their bosses, Angel and Cordelia, to kill each other. What happens when their passion for killing turns into a passion for each other? (Think rebel Buffy in “The Wish”)

Comedown -AU Buffy Summers has been asked to move in with her boyfriend Angel Giles, heir to the law firm of Wolfram and Hart. But when Angel’s rebel younger brother, Spike, returns to claim what is rightfully his, Buffy sees Angel in a new light as sparks fly between Spike and herself. Angel continues to plow ahead in the relationship, and Spike brings her to question her choices in life. Will she follow her current path or follow her heart?

Dark City - The future of Sunnydale is dark. Buffy Summers is one of the few left to fight the good fight. When she has to make a deal with one of the darkest there is, will she be able to keep to the calling she was assigned so long ago, or will she submerge herself in his Dark City?

Game of Love - Buffy, Xander, Willow, Anya, and Spike are friends from college. After the graduation The Gang, except Spike, opens a now famous wedding boutique Fairytale. While Spike is happy and getting great projects working for a very popular bridal magazine as a photographer. Now, Spike's boss Liliah wants the famous Buffy in her magazine. Who'll take the great, big project? Spike of course. But Buffy refuses to do the spread, so Spike makes a proposition: he'll find her a guy in exchange for the project. What happens when Spike realizes he is The Guy and falls for her big time? Buffy's already found a man -- a guy that Spike set her up with! Much Spuffiness ensues.

Havilon - S6 Glory is still out in search of the key. A gold poison arrow now in her possession. It hits someone. But who? How is the poison cured? This is a story I started back in 2002 on fanfiction.net under the penname bondgirl0018. I’m revising and continuing the entire thing. This is my first go at a long non-AU Spuffy. Spuffy eventually, Spike/Dawn friendship.

It's the Great Slayer, Buffy Summers - Spike and Buffy are together celebrating Halloween. No angst, just happy Halloween-ing with a little homage It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

Out of the Rubble - Buffy Summers is living out every parent’s worst nightmare and it’s up to Special Agent William “Spike” Giles to find the person who kidnapped her daughter and bring her back (hopefully) alive. But as these two will learn, the closer they get to the truth, the closer tragedy will bring them together.

Return To You - Years after leaving Sunnydale, he comes back to claim his childhood love. But she’s not so easily convinced. Can he come to terms with the boy he once was and get back the girl he left behind?

Someday, Much More - Spike Giles’s brother, Angel, skips town, leaving him with a little girl and a big responsibility. Forced to give up his big-city L.A. life, he meets a small-town girl who could be his saving grace.

What You're Waiting For - Buffy Summers is a jaded writer. Spike Giles is her editor. When Buffy is summoned home for a family affair in the midst of her latest novel, she drags New York back home with her to little ol’ Sunnydale. Her two worlds are going to collide. And nothing will ever be the same.

#all the fanfic #masterlist #rumbelle fic #fosterson fic #law and order: criminal intent #spuffy

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