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steddieunderdogfics · 1 day

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This week’s writer spotlight feature is: Sidekick_Hero! @sidekick-hero has 82 works on AO3 in the Stranger Things fandom and 80 of them are in the Steddie tag!

@steddieas-shegoes recommends the following works by Sidekick_Hero:

I wore his jacket for the longest time

Suitcase of Memories

to the rhythm of eternity

Will you cleanse me with pleasure?

Sandy is an incredible writer and always manages to paint beautiful scenes regardless of rating or situation. She was one of the first authors I found in the fandom who really captured so many things about Steve and Eddie that I love. She continues to inspire me constantly! -- @steddieas-shegoes

Below the cut, @sidekick-hero answered some questions about their writing process and some of their recommended work!

Why do you write Steddie?

Great question! I'd been out of fandom and on a writing hiatus since 2016, the spark had just left me. Until early 2023, when I wanted to give Tumblr and fandom another try, but nothing really clicked until late summer when this wild-haired, bambi-eyed guy started popping up on my dash more and more. I fell in love with Eddie first, looked him up, and found that people were shipping him with this Steve character. I've never seen Stranger Things. I went to AO3 looking for some fic and the rest, as they say, is history. I fell in love with this ship the way you fall asleep, slowly, imperceptibly, and then all at once. I think what drew me in is these two characters who are so different from each other on the outside that you'd never think they'd work, but the closer you look, the more you can see how well they would fit, how good they could be for each other, bringing out the best in each other.

What’s your favorite trope to READ?

Wow, so many. I actually love the range of tropes this fandom offers. I'm a big fan of modern aus, especially ones where one or both are famous. If it's canon-based, I'm a sucker for Kas!Eddie. In general, I love it when one or both are creatures of any kind. I also love friends with benefits fics because they are idiots. Enemies to Lovers and Fake Dating are also high on my list. Last but not least: Porn with feelings and hurt/comfort.

What’s your favorite trope to WRITE?

That's tough. I enjoy writing all kinds of smutty tropes as one-shots. When there's more plot going on, I really enjoy the "exes to friends to lovers" trope, just because as someone in their 30s, I look back on past relationships and hookups and realize what went wrong and how it could be different today, and I think that's something I can relate to a lot when I'm writing it for Steddie. I also love writing about second chances in general.

What’s your favorite Steddie fic?

It’s impossible to pick just one, sorry. I give you three with the disclaimer that there are so many more I could - and probably would - have picked on a different day. But I wanted to share some older ones in the spirit of what this blog is all about. the most remarkable thing about you standing in the doorway is that it’s you by greatunironic Keep it Steady, Eddie by outofmygourd Love blooms, love hurts, love prevails by corrodedbisexual (mishabawlins)

Is there a trope you’re excited to explore in a future work but haven’t yet?

Yes! I definitely want to explore some fantasy/creature fics (more outside of a pwp I wrote with Lake Creature Eddie), I already have the idea for Werewolf!Steve, and I really want to try my hand at Vampire!Eddie. I'm also super excited to finally get to work on a fake-dating trope fic for the summer exchange, I've been dying to do that. Last but not least, I really want to try writing an omega!verse at some point, I just don't have an idea yet.

What is your writing process like?

Pretty straightforward, I guess? It never really feels like a process, to be honest. I have an idea and I let it grow in my head (daydreaming, my beloved) until it has grown enough to become an actual fic, and then I sit down and write it out chronologically. Before I start writing, I need to know a few things about the story. I don't usually work with outlines or anything like that, but in my head I know where it starts, what the emotional beats and major plot points are, and how I want it to end. The rest I let unfold as I write. That's why I'm not the fastest writer (plus the whole not-native-English thing). Often the story tells me where it wants to go, so as long as I have the cornerstones, I let it flow.

Do you have any writing quirks?

Not sure if these are quirks, but my sentences tend to be very wordy. My dear friend @yournowheregirl used to comment on my fics when she beta-read them, "Another Sandy sentence. Make it multiple sentences." Also, I only write in present tense, even though I know most people prefer past tense, but it's too hard for me. Other than that, I can't have too many WIPs, I have to finish one story before I can start another.

Do you prefer posting when you’ve finished writing or on a schedule?

Post when I'm done writing, for sure. I hate waiting, I have the patience of a toddler.

Which fic are you most proud of?

I wore his jacket for the longest time, no question. It's still so precious to me, especially because I got to write it with my platonic writing soulmate @legitcookie, but also because I got to really explore these characters and their growth in this story. It has so much of me in it and I'm really proud of how it turned out.

How did you get the idea for I wore his jacket for the longest time?

Actually, it wasn't all me. I just had this idea of them being kind of friends with benefits, but Eddie wants more than Steve is willing to give him, so they hook up one last time before Eddie sends Steve away for good. That was the original idea that inspired the prequel "we pass the ghosts that haunt us later". The idea for that actually came from a song, "we can never be friends" by mgk. Jen (legitcookie) would not accept the ambiguous (sad) ending, so she demanded that we fix it. So we decided to find a way to let them both grow as people apart and then rebuild their friendship, because only then would they have a real foundation for their second chance.

When writing I wore his jacket for the longest time, what was something you didn’t expect?

How much fun it would be to develop those OC side-characters, especially Mrs. Horowitz but also fucking Tom or even Fritz. It was also the very first time I collaborated with someone on a fic and I was a bit apprehensive if this would work out so I was surprised when I discovered how much I love writing with someone else.

What inspired to the rhythm of eternity?

My love for London, really. I am madly in love with this city and have explored it a lot, so I wanted to use my experiences in a fic. And when @tboygareth asked for a long distance relationship fic for our server holiday exchange, I knew this was my chance. Their meeting as well as the ending is heavily based on my own experiences.

What was your favorite part to write from Suitcase of Memories?

The dreams! They were so much fun to explore because there's a certain mood I wanted to set with them, that dreamy feeling mixed with events from another time period. Their first date and especially their first kiss is a close second, though, because the swing set scene is something I've been thinking about since I saw 13 going on 30 as a teenager.

How do/did you feel writing Suitcase of Memories?

To be totally honest, a bit stressed 😀 It was my first big bang and I was so glad to have Jen by my side, but then real life happened and I realized it's hard to write on deadline. BUT I still love this fic. Especially the theme of love as a choice, even if some cosmic interference gives you a second chance, you still have to WANT it, you still have to work for it and choose it, over and over again. I feel like we nailed that pretty well and I'm proud of us and this story.

What was the most difficult part of writing Will you cleanse me with pleasure??

The emotional setup, because it was a gift for Ger (@steves-strapcollection) and he wanted them to be disgustingly in love, but I also needed Eddie's condition to be something he kept from Steve at first for fear of losing him. Besides that, the logistics, really. So many tentacles, man. So many.

Do you have a favorite scene and/or line from any of your fics?

Okay, some very, very self-indulgent scenes I wrote are for my Runner!Steve verse. I am a passionate runner, and it was so much fun to write that love for Steve and to geek out about it in my writing. Another scene I'm very fond of is from my very first ST fic, "I'm tired of asking to settle the debt," and it's a scene where they're both kids and meeting for the first time, it's winter, and Eddie is doing an impression of a dragon with his breath.

Do you have any upcoming projects or fics you’d like to share/promote?

Well, by the time this comes out, I will have posted my reverse big bang fic "Emotional Motion Sickness" with art by the amazing @arimakes. There's also the summer exchange, in which I was lucky enough to claim my dear friend @starryeyedjanai's prompt, and the steddie big bang 2024. I'm also finishing the last chapter of "hold me close (I'm shaking apart)" and hope to post it soon.

Outside of these questions, Is there anything YOU would like to add?

Yes, I want to thank everyone for making this project possible! This fandom has grown so much and there is so much amazing fic that easily gets buried under all the content, so having this project to give the writers of this fandom some visibility and love is precious to me. Thank you, really 💜🙏 Also, all my love to every single writer out there - you make my life and the lives of so many better by sharing your gift with us.

Thank you to our author, Sidekick_Hero, and our nominator, @steddieas-shegoes on tumblr! See more of Sidekick_Hero's works featured on our page throughout the day!

Writer’s Spotlight is every Wednesday! Want to nominate an author? You can nominate them here!

#writer's spotlight #writer's wednesday #ao3 writer #steddie writers #steddie #steddie fic recs #steve harrington #eddie munson #steve x eddie #stranger things

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transmurderbug · 1 day

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🦚 Weekly Tag Wednesday! 🦚

On an actual Wednesday this time.

Thank you for tagging me Kat @mybrainismelted, Nosho @creepkinginc, Evie @energievie, Ice @spookygingerr, Jess @jrooc and

Pie @gallapiech 🥰

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name: Sky. Sometimes.

where in the world is carmen sandiego? (or you): Carmen is in Antarctica. She's apparently a penguin. And I'm under a pine tree.

ok, so this week we are going to snoop into your google search. type in each phrase and tell us what the first suggestion is that google gives you!

What is the best way to… avoid getting spyware on a machine? The "machine" part really drives this home.

Where can I… watch Hazbin Hotel? Are you asking me? Which version? Now I'll be humming all night, thanks.

How old is… Hungary? No need to google this one, it's pretty easy to remember, if you wanna look at the founding of the state. My memory is not what it used to be, but this one is burnt into my brain, I'm pretty sure. It's about to be 1024 years old. Why am I answering these questions though? 🤨 I do love history, to be fair.

How long does it take… to learn Hungarian? What does Google take me for? I want to see the algorithms behind these predictions. A long time, I'm pretty sure.

How many… days between dates? What dates?? Someone help me out, I'm getting confused.

Who set the record for… the fastest time to reach one billion views on YouTube? What is happening.

When did… the Queen die? Which one.

What does it feel like to… get shot. I've been told a scraped wound is worse, that's all I know. Again, why am I answering these?

Can you… run it? Run what...?

When you… say nothing at all. This is a Ronan Keating song. Who I only heard of when he was a guest artist at a symphonic concert I went to. Now you all know him too.

Why do… men have nipples? What kind of a question is this? Why does any mammal have nipples! Biology, dear Google.

Is there a way… to save Karlach.? Ehm. Spoiler alert?

How old do you have to be… to go to college? However old you are when you finish high school. Don't give up on your dreams!

Where do the… Simpsons live? Why would I want to know this?

What is the best time to… post on TikTok? Google wants both Nosho and me to become influencers, this is just another sign.

And to finish us off… What comes up when you type in Shameless? szereplők. I love the language switch. I do however know who the characters are, thank you.

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Well, this was a wild ride. Never in my life have I googled or even thought about googling these things. I either know the answer or I don't even think about the subject. Good job, Google predictions! Job failed successfully! This was pretty fun though. (Just to soften the blow, the Karlach question probably comes from previous BG3 searches. The rest? What even.)

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Tagging, because I'm on time! Yay! Voluntary, as always, if you want to skip, here, have these blueberries: 🫐

@ian-galagher, @transmickey @stocious @suzy-queued @blue-disco-lights @deathclassic @spacerockwriting, @ms-moonlight-inn, @sam-loves-seb @samantitheos, @krysmiss @look-i-love-u @sickness-health-all-that-shit, @heymrspatel @michellemisfit @sweetbee78 @grumble-fish @metalheadmickey @rayrayor @crossmydna @thisdivorce @callivich @gardenerian @lupeloto @francesrose3

@palepinkgoat @heymacy @lee-ow @roryonic @thepupperino

@doshiart and anyone else I'm probably forgetting!

#tag game #weekly tag games #tag game wednesday #google predictions failing at life like I am #I love this trope

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eerna · 2 days

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Omg the way Eloise is written as a feminist character BOTHERS me. I can’t always put my finger on why, but a thing that sticks out to me the most is how she just says the most blatantly basic (for us 21st century viewers) things and idk it’s supposed to seem revolutionary… but it’s never clever. And it is never deep.

Anyways I saw your tag on the Eloise/Cressida post and I was curious to hear any elaboration of your thoughts on her feminist portrayal? (But no pressure!)

YEEAAAH EXACTLY! I have the same issue, Eloise just says 21st century equality stuff without ever having read a single feminist pamphlet (this is canon, she doesn't start reading them or attending discussions until she's 18). Somehow she developed a perfectly uniform idea of modern womanhood when she was isolated and raised to be a traditional lady. Her opinions should be WAY more half baked and full of holes because this life is the only one she'd ever known. That's not even mentioning the inability to discuss feminism without discussing class, something Eloise has No Idea About.

Then comes the issue of writing. This is a stupid show. No one looks smart on this show. So when Eloise drops a "smart comment", it is cringe and dumb. She is supposed to be eloquent and witty, but most of the time she looks like a mean snob belittling everyone around her.

Another issue is that everyone else around her is a horrible sexist caricature. Yes, she is snobby, but my god every other woman only cares about men and marriage and gossip so I can't even blame her all that much for it. Her friends don't really care about what she has to say and will always leave her to go chase a man. And even SHE starts fitting the description the moment she falls for a guy - she lies to her friend and puts everyone in danger, and 90% of the reason is a man with only 10% being her self actualization. You can't write a proper feminist if everyone in your story has the same goal, which is to find a husband. It doesn't help that we know Eloise is headed for marriage and babies because every time a character expresses they don't want one or both of those things, they are proven wrong by the narrative.

And finally, my last thing making Eloise a bad feminist character, is that she is SO PASSIVE. Sure, it might be the point of the show as Pen calls her out for it, but we still don't know if they are gonna fix it so I am putting it here anyway. She only talks and complains about her lot in life, but never acts against society. I was happy when she started sneaking out and hang out with The Working Class Feminists TM, but that turned out to be a short failed romance subplot instead of a character moment and she gave up on it almost right away, so it doesn't count. And now in s3 she decided to embrace society and its expectations, so I am not sure we will ever get to see that kind of rebellion again - I sure hope so! But idk.

As a "well written Eloise" character, I'd like to suggest Felicity Montague. She is a character from a 18th century romcom, a noble lady, aroace and trying to go to med school when her gender prevents her from getting an education. She doesn't use her screentime for long-winded monologues about the unfairness of the world, she ACTS on her thoughts and opinions so we know what they are. She switches covers of romance books and textbooks so she can study without being bothered, she runs away from home to try make her dreams come true, she finds alternative solutions. Her thoughts are never lauded as One Truth, in fact she is often called out for the blind spots in her opinions since she too grew up a sheltered noble and can't account for all experiences. She is surrounded by women who challenge her ideas and make her into a better friend and person. AND she is funny and reading her is just plain fun. You CAN do a feminist who doesn't belong in her era, you just have to be careful to also make her a good character.

#eernask #eernanon #eernask talk bridgerton

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olderthannetfic · 3 hours

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I hate this kinda unspoken implication that the major archive warnings on Ao3 are only there for people who want to filter them out. I know that's probably not what they mean, but the way people talk about it, that's definitely the vibe I get. And like. I've known people where that was their actual understanding of the tags! I had to tell a friend that their fic discussing past rape in a non-graphic way that didn't occur onscreen should not be tagged as rape/noncon, but rather, tagged as CNTW with elaboration in the additional tags section and some in the author's notes if they felt so inclined, because I enjoy noncon and not only would I have been sorely disappointed if their fic was tagged with it but I've literally been disappointed by authors tagging like that!

In my opinion and to my ceaseless frustration, easily the worst offender for this out of any of them is the GDOV tag. I've entirely given up on that tag when looking for gore porn, because nobody uses it right, to the point where I've seen readers be surprised that a fic tagged GDOV does, in fact, contain graphic depictions of violence. PLEASE. I am BEGGING people. STOP tagging your fic with a single nongraphic description of a knifewound as GDOV. The tag is fucking useless from how people have abused it. Head in hands.

I've experienced this a lot with the GDOV and rape/noncon tags, but admittedly I don't know as much about the MCD and underage warnings because those aren't really my personal playground. I just wish authors would stop fucking blueballing me by promising me graphic gore and rape and then not fucking delivering. I Want My Fucking Torture Porn Goddammit.

The main cop-out in the MCD tag is the admittedly confusing case of temporary character death. Personally, I don't think this is in the spirit of the warning and instead mark it with the appropriate additional tag even when the death is on-page and graphic.

Underage is on there basically because Australia's government is a bag of dicks, and we all already know the tag is useless for kink purposes since a 16-year-old who is over the age of consent in their jurisdiction boning on-page still requires it.

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pastelwitchling · 5 hours

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The Missteps of Bridgerton Season 3

I love Bridgerton, I love Polin, and I enjoyed the first half of the season fine... but as someone who'd started watching Bridgerton only because of Polin, who'd read the book, and who had been looking forward to this particular season from the very beginning, I have to admit that I was a little disappointed by what we got. Not because it wasn't good, but because it wasn't as amazing as it could've been.

And no, I will not be tagging this as 'anti.' I've gone through the anti tag, and it's some very vile bull from people who genuinely hate the show or hate the characters (or hate other fans), and I love them. I just have some criticism of a few choices made.

So. If you can't handle any critique to the show at all, then please don't read the rest of this. Otherwise, grab some tea and a snack because I have quite a few thoughts.

I don't even know where to start.

I think the most frustrating thing for me in the beginning was how many other plotlines they tried to shove into this season. I don't want to sound mean, but I don't care about Will and Alice's business, I don't care about Benedict's boring relationship with another dArInG wOmAn WhO dEfIeS sOcIeTy'S eXpEcTaTiOnS (more on that later), I don't care about Cressida's redemption.

In fact, let's start with her. This was such a bad fucking idea. Not the redemption itself, though I don't know why some storytellers think there are no unlikable people in the world, why every woman especially has to be redeemed and forgiven. Some are just awful, they exist, it happens. It's okay to have scenes of our characters just reacting to these people and navigating kindness and forgiveness in spite of them. But anyway, working on Cressida's redemption in this kind of story doesn't freaking work. Why? Because we've seen this character put Penelope through endless shit already, and her season is not the season to work on her bully's redemption. Because Penelope already lost her best friend to this girl, and trying to redeem her now isolates Penelope even more, because instead of Eloise getting to properly realize how much she's lost in giving up Penelope as a friend, we're getting her genuinely bonding and getting closer to someone else. Most importantly, redeeming Cressida now doesn't fucking work because you have her and Penelope competing for the affections of the same guy.

You can't pit the girl we want to see win and root for against her bully for the affections of a man, and try to make us sympathetic for the bully. Are we not supposed to want Penelope to get him? Are we not supposed to root for Penelope? I get the idea of complex characters and relationships, but for the love of the gods, Penelope has been crapped on over and over and over in this series. I don't know about anybody else, but I got so excited when I saw her with Lord Debling in the promos because I thought, "Finally! We're going to see Penelope actually be pursued and cherished by someone else!" And instead? We have her embarrassing herself in cringey and awkward conversations against the bully we're also supposed to sympathize with? This was the show's chance to finally give Penelope someone who values her, but oh no, we have to show how tough things are for Cressida, so we have to make her actual competition who actually connects to Debling as well. So which is it, writers? Are we supposed to root for Penelope or Cressida? When Penelope wins, which is already unfair because she's had to bust her butt to get this guy so it's always her in pursuit, how are we supposed to be happy for her when Cressida is in the corner all sad?

Don't get me wrong, when Cressida chose not to gossip about Penelope at the ball, I was really touched. But the problem in trying to redeem her is that it works, which then creates a whole other problem when her and our heroine are then competing for the same guy!

Speaking of that guy; Lord Debling. I'm conflicted on him because I like how much he comes to learn about Penelope (arguably more than Colin does, but we'll get into that later), and I like how genuinely kind he is. But I hated seeing Penelope have to embarrass herself in front of him. I hated that we had to watch this girl who already feels like less than everyone else not even properly get this guy's attention for half the time we know him. Why did the writers think that would be fun to watch? I thought a majority of the time with him would be spent with Colin's jealousy, but even in those brief moments when Colin was jealous, it was from a distance, and we knew that in reality, those conversations Penelope was having with Debling were awkward and kind of degrading to her character.

Which brings me to my biggest pet peeve in this whole thing. The changes made to Penelope herself. Look. I'm not a stickler for accurate adaptations, okay? I don't care if the adaptation matches the source material so long as it's entertaining, which is why I enjoy the Percy Jackson movies more than the actual show. How I see it, we get two different, very fun and likable versions of a beloved story. So I didn't come into this season hoping it would be like the book, I just hoped it would be a good time. However...

Something I did appreciate in the book, and in the past two Bridgerton seasons, was Penelope's wisdom. She was hopeful with Colin, but realistic. She knew she would probably never be with him, but she was determined to be happy anyway. Lady Danbury even calls her something along the lines of the cleverest person in the room, and that's why she takes such a liking to her. Penelope is supposed to be clever, witty, amusing, and wise enough to know that even if she may not get everything she wants, she has her best friend and a guide in Lady Danbury and the small joys of being alongside the Bridgertons, and that was enough for her. Colin saw her for that wisdom and wit, saw the love and joy and pride she had in her work, saw that her priorities were the people she loved and the craft she'd perfected, and fell in love with her for it.

Here? She's the butt of every joke, she's a subject of mockery and dismissals, she's someone to be pitied, not appreciated. Yes, she was a wallflower in the book too, but she had at least a few supporting figures who she admired and helped her be happy where she was. I don't care SO much that they switched the scene of him finding out she's Whistledown, so much as the fact that they changed the meaning behind it. Her and Colin honestly spent so little time together because the show was trying to shoehorn in all these other plots, and so when he suddenly decides he's going to stop her marriage, it feels like he just does it because he's horny! In the book, he's impressed with the strong, talented, and passionate woman she is. In the show, I technically know that he wants to be married to his best friend, but the scenes I was most looking forward to with Colin and Penelope properly talking more and getting to really know each other aren't even there, so based off what friendly interaction had he suddenly learned to see her differently?

Finding out she was Whistledown was a shock to him, and it pushed him over the edge of his feelings for her. Not to mention, him finding out she was Whistledown told him so much about her as a person. Really think about it; what does Colin Bridgerton in the show know about Penelope? Nothing! Lord Debling knows more about her interests and what she enjoys better than Colin does! Knowing about Whistledown also gave him access to a secret part of her that no one else was privy to! Taking that away means that when they get married, Penelope knows everything about Colin and his travels and what he enjoys, and he knows next to NOTHING about her! So we spent the season with her being a joke to everyone, her having to compete for a guy and fail for a good long conversation, and then her ending up in a relationship with a guy who never bothered to get to know her? Fun.

In fact, why don't we talk a little more about Colin, too. Um. What the fuck was he writing? I don't care that it's sexual, but him describing Greek beaches and Scottish pubs in the book and interactions he's had with people shows exactly how grown he really is without him even knowing it. In the book, Colin hated being known for nothing but his charm. He even resented it and turned bitter when Penelope brought it up! He wanted to be more than that, he wanted to have a real purpose and be taken seriously and even be perceived more like Anthony. Writing about the landscapes he'd seen on his travels and his interactions showed that he wasn't just travelling to sleep his way through Europe, but that he was actually learning about new cultures and experiencing new worlds and lands. Here? He's just writing smut! In itself, it would be fine, except that he CLEARLY had a problem not having a purpose in his conversation with Anthony and Benedict and when Penelope praised his writing, so he does want the same thing Book Colin does, except... doesn't just writing erotica completely undermine his whole thing of wanting to be known as more than a charming flirt??

Not to mention, Book Colin ends up publishing his travel journals, so how's this version going to do that? You can tell us he's doing it at the end, but it will ring hollow because we all saw what he's been writing, so if they try to divert at the end to Book Colin's ending, it won't make any sense when we've already heard what he's written. In that time period, how the hell is he going to publish that? AND Book Colin ends up giving his stuff to Penelope to read once they're married because he wants her opinion on it! How the hell is that going to work, giving your wife your erotica with other women to test read? I know it could be done, but the charm of the book version is then gone because it feels like you've reduced a cultured man to a rake who just wants to gloat about how many foreign women he'd gotten to sleep with. Doesn't even that then undermine the whole flirty act he put on in the first episode when even Lady Whistledown could tell he was just pretending to be someone he wasn't??

I'm so tired, so I'm going to end this with a few final notes:

Why does arguably the most charming Bridgerton brother, Benedict, always get the most BORING storyline? I hate the woman he's with, there's absolutely nothing original or charming about her, and I am SICK TO DEATH of these so-called "quirky, strong women who don't care what anybody else says because they're edgy like that," it's just so cliched, and I need that archetype to die already. I thought they were going to do something with the fact that she's clearly a lot older than him, but they don't address it at all, so there goes that interesting concept.

Francesca's fickleness was getting on my last nerve, and I was so bored with her storyline until she met that guy. Their relationship is a cute and unique one, but before he shows up, nothing of what she wants is clear. She doesn't mind meeting a guy, but the second someone actually tries speaking to her, she backs off. She wants to talk about music, but when someone tries to speak to her about music, she backs off. I just couldn't get a reading on what she wanted.

I really don't care at all about Will and Alice's business. It's the same storyline every freaking season.

Eloise's whole "It's not nice when Whistledown writes about you, is it?" is very stupid because Lady Whistledown has written plenty about Penelope's family before that point (and in the book, about Penelope herself). You can't have Colin acknowledging that Whistledown outed Marina in the first episode, and then have Eloise forget that Penelope threw her own family name under the bus to protect Colin.

The carriage scene, I'm sorry, was cringey and came a little bit out of nowhere. And I really didn't like that Colin was backing away until, again, Penelope put herself forward. She's always the pursuer, and I'd hoped for something different this season. I also didn't like that she had to be dumped first. Like, yeah, let's really not give her a single break until Colin deems it time to actually do something for her.

That's all I've got that I can think of, at least in terms of negative criticism. I'm sure more will come to me later, but this was the big stuff. And I don't want to hear anything about, "But Rin, the season's not done yet!" Yeah, but half of it is. No matter what happens in the last four episodes, this was how they started. I guess when the cast said it was their most graphic season so far, they meant the most graphic for everyone but the main couple, and isn't that what you wanted to see?

#penelope featherington #colin bridgerton #bridgerton #polin #bridgerton season 3 #bridgerton s3 #bridgerton netflix #bridgerton 3 #colin x penelope #bridgerton rant

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kckt88 · 1 day

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The Lost Dragon 2 - I'll Never Let You Go.

Summary:

A King loses his Queen.

Warnings - Death, Grief, Mourning.

AEMOND TARGARYEN x O.C -VAELYS TARGARYEN

Word Count: 5890

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the House of The Dragon or Fire & Blood characters nor do I claim to own them. I do not own any of the images used.

Comments, likes, and reblogs are very much appreciated.

Tag List - @jasminecosmic99 @kaelatargaryen @yesterdayfeelings-blog @immyowndefender @0eessirk8

"Vaelys, my love," Aemond began, his voice barely audible. "Please, don't leave me. I can't cope without you. You're my strength, my light. I don't know how to live in a world where you're not by my side."

He squeezed her hand gently, as if the mere act could tether her soul to this world. "I can't lose you," he continued, his sobs growing more pronounced. "I won't survive it. You're everything to me, Vaelys. My Queen, my heart. I don't know how to go on without you."

Aemond's tears fell onto her blanket, creating tiny, darkened spots on the fabric. He pressed his forehead onto her shoulder, his body shaking with the force of his sobs. "-I love you so much."

The room seemed to close in around him, the oppressive silence amplifying his grief. He could hear the distant murmurs of the Maesters, but their words were meaningless to him now. All that mattered was the woman lying in his arms, the woman who held his heart.

The realm could go to the seven hells, for all he cared.

As the night deepened, Aemond continued to whisper his desperate pleas, his voice raw with emotion. "You promised me a lifetime, Vaelys. Don't let this be the end. I can't do this without you. Please, come back to me. Please-"

Exhausted, he laid his head beside hers on the pillow, still holding her hand tightly, his tears mingling with the strands of her silver hair.

As dawn's light began to seep through the heavy curtains of the chamber, Vaelys stirred. Her eyes fluttered open, and she found Aemond still nestled beside her, his face etched with worry and exhaustion. His eye, though filled with sorrow, softened as he saw her wake. He leaned in, his breath catching in his throat.

"Vaelys," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion.

Vaelys managed a faint smile, her hand reaching up to touch his cheek. "Aemond," she said softly, her voice weak but filled with love. "My brave dragon. My heart."

Aemond clutched her hand, bringing it to his lips. "I'm afraid," he admitted, his voice breaking. "I don't know how to live without you."

Vaelys shook her head gently. "Aemond, my love, you have given me everything. Because of you, I've had a life filled with joy, with love. Our children-they are a testament to our bond. You've made me the happiest woman in the world."

Tears welled up in Aemond's eye again, but he listened intently, holding onto her every word.

"You are my twin flame," she continued, her voice growing steadier. "In you, I found my other half, my soulmate. We've faced so much together, and through it all, you've been my rock, my strength. I am so grateful for every moment we've shared."

Aemond's tears fell freely now, his heart aching with the intensity of his love for her. "Vaelys, I don't want to face the world without you. You are my everything."

Vaelys smiled, her eyes shining with affection and a deep, abiding love. "And you are mine, Aemond. Always remember that no matter what happens. Our love is eternal. It transcends time, and nothing can change that."

She took a shaky breath, her gaze never leaving his. "You have to be strong, for our children, for our legacy."

Aemond nodded, though his heart felt like it was breaking. "I will, Vaelys. I promise. But please, don't leave me-"

Vaelys cupped his face with her hand, her touch gentle and filled with tenderness. "I love you, Aemond. More than words can express. No matter where I am, a part of me will always be with you. In your heart, in our children's laughter, in the legacy we've built together."

She closed her eyes, her strength waning. "Thank you for loving me, for giving me a life filled with wonder and joy. I will always be with you, my love. Always."

Vaelys stirred, her eyes fluttering open to meet Aemond’s. She managed a faint smile, her hand weakly reaching up to touch his cheek. "My Aemond," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "My dragon."

Aemond leaned in closer, his heart aching. "Vaelys, I'm here," he said, his voice trembling. "I'm right here."

"I’m so tired, Aemond," she admitted, her voice frail and filled with exhaustion. "So very tired."

Aemond's tears began to fall, dropping onto the silken blankets that covered her. "I know, my love," he said, his voice breaking.

Vaelys looked at him with eyes full of love and sorrow. "I-I don’t want to leave you," she whispered, her voice quivering.

Aemond clutched her hand even tighter, his tears flowing freely now. "If you need to rest, Vaelys, you can," he said, though every word felt like a dagger to his heart. "If you need to go, it’s okay-“

Vaelys' eyes filled with tears as well, and she nodded weakly. "I love you, Aemond. More than anything in this world. You’ve given me a life filled with love and joy. I will always be with you, in your heart."

Aemond leaned down, pressing his forehead against hers. "And I will always love you, Vaelys. Forever and always."

Vaelys' hand slipped from his cheek, and her eyes closed as her strength finally waned. She took one last, shallow breath, her body relaxing in his arms. Aemond felt her go limp, a wrenching sob escaping his lips as he realized she was gone.

"Vaelys-" whispered Aemond, his voice breaking.

He held her close, his body shaking with the force of his grief. The room was silent, save for the crackling of the fire and the sound of Aemond's heartbroken sobs. In that moment, the world seemed to stop, and Aemond knew that nothing would ever be the same without his beloved Queen.

Aemond screams of heartbreak and anguish echoed throughout the Red Keep, a mournful sound that reached the ears of everyone within its walls. The guards outside the chamber exchanged solemn glances, their hearts heavy with the sorrow that filled the air. Servants paused in their duties, bowing their heads in silent respect for the King Consort's grief.

Aemond rocked back and forth, holding Vaelys tightly, as if his embrace alone could somehow bring her back. "I love you," he sobbed, his voice hoarse and desperate. "I love you more than anything. You were my everything, my heart, my soul. How am I supposed to go on without you?"

He pressed his forehead against hers, his body wracked with uncontrollable sobs. The room felt colder, emptier, as if the very essence of joy and life had been stripped away with her passing. "Vaelys, please," he whispered, his voice a broken plea. "-Not yet."

But there was no response, no gentle touch to soothe his pain, no loving words to ease his despair. Vaelys was gone, her spirit departed, leaving Aemond to face a world that felt unbearably dark and empty without her.

As his cries of grief continued to echo through the Red Keep, the people within its walls mourned alongside their king consort.

"Your Grace, please allow us to enter. We must tend to the Queen."

Aemond's response was immediate and fierce. "NO" he shouted, his voice raw with anguish. "No one is to enter. No one will touch her."

Maester Clarke exchanged a worried glance with the other servants and guards. "Your Grace," he tried again, his tone gentle but insistent, "-The Silent Sisters must be allowed to prepare her- It is tradition."

Aemond's grip on Vaelys tightened, his eye blazing with a mixture of sorrow and fury. "I won't let them take her," he said, his voice breaking. "I won't let anyone take her from me."

"Father," called Sovia softly, "Please. Let us in-let them help. Mother deserves the proper rites."

Aemond shook his head vehemently, tears streaming down his face. "No. I can't let her go. I can't bear it."

"Father, we understand your pain, but Mother wouldn't want this. She would want us to honour her properly,” said Daevyn.

"We must be strong, Father. For Mother. For each other. She would want us to carry on, to honour her memory with dignity” whispered Aemon.

Aemond's body shook with sobs as he held Vaelys closer. "I can't," he cried. "I can't say goodbye."

“We're here, Father," Rekara said softly. "We're all here to help-to get through this together. But you need to let them in."

“Father-“ uttered Jacaerys.

But Aemond would not be swayed. His grief had turned to rage, a tempest of emotions that threatened to consume him. "I won't listen to any of you!" he spat, his voice thick with anger. "I won't let anyone take her away from me!"

"Grandpa-it's Vhalarr. Can I come in?"

With a heavy sigh, he rose from his seat, his steps heavy as he approached the door.

Slowly, he opened it just a crack, his eye meeting Vhalarr's with a mixture of grief and gratitude.

Vhalarr stepped into the chamber, his heart aching at the sight of his grandfather's pain. He crossed the threshold, closing the door behind him with a soft click.

The room was silent save for the sound of their breathing, the weight of their grief hanging heavy in the air. Aemond stood before him, a broken figure bathed in shadows, his sorrow etched deep into the lines of his face.

Vhalarr approached him slowly, his footsteps echoing softly against the stone floor. "Grandpa," he said gently, his voice filled with compassion. "I'm here for you. Whatever you need, I'm here."

As Aemond turned to face him, his facade of strength crumbled, and he collapsed into Vhalarr's arms, his body wracked with sobs. Vhalarr caught him instinctively, holding him close as the weight of his grief threatened to crush him.

Aemond's cries echoed through the chamber, a raw and anguished sound that tore at Vhalarr's heart. He held his grandfather tightly, offering what little comfort he could, knowing that no words could ease the pain of losing someone so dear.

For what felt like an eternity, they remained locked in their embrace, the only sound the desperate sound of Aemond's weeping.

"Grandpa," Vhalarr said gently, his voice steady despite the turmoil in his heart. "I know this is hard, but we need to let the Silent Sisters in. They can help prepare Grandma for her final journey."

Aemond's body tensed at the mention of the Silent Sisters, his grief-fuelled resolve still strong. But Vhalarr held onto him tighter, refusing to let him push everyone away.

"They will treat her with the utmost respect, Grandpa," Vhalarr continued, his voice soft but firm.

Aemond remained silent for a long moment, his body trembling with silent sobs. Vhalarr could feel the weight of his grandfather's grief pressing down on him, threatening to drown them both.

Finally, with a shaky breath, Aemond nodded, his resistance crumbling in the face of Vhalarr's unwavering support. "Okay," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the echoes of his sorrow. "Let them in."

Vhalarr released a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, relief flooding through him. With gentle hands, he helped Aemond to his feet, guiding him to the bed where Vaelys lay.

Together, they watched as the Silent Sisters entered the chamber, their movements graceful and reverent as they approached the bed.

But as they moved to lift Vaelys from the bed, Aemond's hand shot out, grasping the edge of the sheet with a fierce determination. "No," he said, his voice hoarse with emotion.

The Silent Sisters exchanged uneasy glances, "We must take her now, Your Grace," one of the sisters said gently, her voice filled with sympathy. "It is not proper for you to witness-"

But Aemond cut her off with a fierce shake of his head. "I don't care about propriety," he said, his voice trembling with emotion. "I won't leave her side. Not now, not ever."

Vhalarr stepped forward, placing a hand on his grandfather's shoulder, his eyes filled with understanding. "Grandpa," he said softly, "Please. Let them take her-“

But Aemond's gaze remained fixed on Vaelys' still form, his determination unwavering. "I won't leave her," he repeated, his voice barely a whisper. "I can't."

In the chambers of the Silent Sisters, Aemond stood with a heavy heart, watching as they prepared Vaelys' body. The air was heavy with silence, broken only by the soft rustle of fabric and the hushed whispers of the sisters as they went about their sacred task.

As they reached for the linens to wrap Vaelys' body, Aemond's hand shot out, his voice firm and resolute. "Stop," he said, his tone commanding yet filled with a quiet intensity. "I'll do it. I shall be the last to touch her"

The Silent Sisters hesitated, surprised by Aemond's sudden assertion. But they could see the determination in his eye, the love and reverence he held for his beloved wife.

With a nod of understanding, they stepped back, allowing Aemond to approach Vaelys' still form. He stood before her, his hands trembling slightly as he reached out to gently caress her cold cheek, his touch lingering with a tenderness born of a lifetime of love.

Leaning down, Aemond pressed a soft kiss to Vaelys' forehead, his lips lingering against her pale skin for a moment before he straightened, his resolve firm.

“I love you-“

With steady hands, he began to wrap her body in the white linens, his movements slow and deliberate. Each fold was a testament to the depth of his love, a silent vow to honour her memory with the utmost care and reverence.

As he worked, the Silent Sisters watched in silence, their hearts heavy with sympathy for the grieving King Consort.

But Aemond remained steadfast, his focus unwavering as he carefully completed the task. And when he was done, he stood back, his hands resting on the shrouded form of his beloved wife.

With tears streaming down his cheeks, Aemond looked upon Vaelys one last time, his heart heavy with grief yet filled with a quiet sense of peace.

With a choked sob, Aemond collapsed to his knees, his body wracked with the force of his grief. His cries echoed through the silent chamber, a haunting lament for the woman he had loved so deeply the woman who had been his everything.

Aemond felt a hand rest gently on his shoulder, a silent gesture of support and understanding. He looked up through tear-blurred eyes to see Vhalarr standing beside him, his own cheeks stained with tears.

"Grandpa," Vhalarr said softly, his voice thick with emotion. "You're not alone. I'm here with you."

Aemond lay curled up on the bed he had shared with Vaelys, her absence a palpable ache in the air. The scent of her lingered on the sheets, a haunting reminder of the love they had shared and the emptiness that now filled his heart.

Suddenly, the door swung open, flooding the room with light and the sound of hushed whispers. Aemond looked up, his eye bleary with tears, to see his children entering the room, their faces etched with sorrow and compassion.

Without a word, they climbed onto the bed, surrounding their father with their presence. One by one, they wrapped their arms around him, pulling him close in a silent embrace.

Aemond buried his face in the crook of Sovia's neck, his body shaking with silent sobs. Daevyn placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, his own tears mingling with his father's. Aemon and Rekara held onto him tightly, offering silent support, while Jacaerys leaned in close, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"We're here, Father," he said softly. "We're here for you."

Together, they lay on the bed, their bodies forming a protective circle around Aemond. They held him close, offering what little comfort they could as he grieved the loss of the woman who had been the heart of their family.

As the sombre toll of the bells echoed through the streets of King's Landing, the city mourned the passing of their beloved Queen. The people lined the cobblestone streets, their faces etched with sorrow as they watched the procession pass by.

Flower petals drifted through the air like tears, their vibrant colours a stark contrast to the grey skies above. The scent of roses and lilies mingled with the heavy weight of grief, filling the air with a bittersweet fragrance.

At the head of the procession, a grand carriage draped in black carried the shrouded form of Queen Vaelys.

But it was not the carriage that drew the attention of the crowd—it was the figure walking behind it, his head bowed, and his shoulders stooped with the weight of his sorrow.

Aemond had, refused to sit in a carriage or ride a horse. Instead, he walked behind his Queen, his steps slow and measured, his gaze fixed on the ground before him.

With each step, Aemond felt the weight of his grief pressing down on him, threatening to crush him beneath its relentless weight.

The people of King's Landing watched in silence as Aemond passed by, their hearts heavy with sympathy for the grieving King Consort.

But as they lined the streets, their silent presence spoke volumes, a testament to the love and respect they held for their Queen and the man who had loved her so fiercely. And as the funeral procession disappeared from view, Aemond walked on, his silent vigil a poignant tribute to the woman who had meant everything to him.

As the funeral procession wound its solemn path through the streets of King's Landing, the sky above was suddenly filled with the majestic form of Vermithor.

With each powerful beat of his wings, he soared through the air, his massive form casting a shadow over the grieving city below.

The mournful song of Vermithor echoed through the streets, a haunting melody that seemed to pierce the hearts of all who heard it. His sorrowful cries filled the air, a lament for the loss of his beloved rider.

As the funeral procession reached the grassy banks outside of King's Landing, Aemond stood with a heavy heart, his eyes fixed on the spot where Vaelys' body now lay. The air was heavy with grief, the solemnity of the moment weighing down on him like a leaden cloak.

With a deep breath, Aemond approached the pyre, his steps slow and deliberate. His heart pounded in his chest as he looked down at Vaelys' shrouded form.

In his shaking hands, he held a daisy chain-made by his youngest great granddaughter, a simple yet poignant symbol of the love they had shared. With trembling fingers, he placed it gently on her wrapped body, the delicate flowers a stark contrast to the starkness of death.

Closing his eye, Aemond bowed his head in silent prayer, his thoughts filled with memories of the woman he had loved so deeply. He whispered words of farewell, his voice barely more than a whisper, as tears streamed down his cheeks.

And then, as if in response to his grief, Vhagar descended from the sky with a thunderous roar. Her massive wings beat the air, stirring up clouds of dust and debris as she landed beside the pyre, the great dragon lowering her head low in a silent gesture of sorrow and respect for the passing of her rider’s love.

The time had come for him to give the command to Vhagar, to ignite the pyre and send his beloved Queen on her final journey.

But as he opened his mouth to speak, to utter the word that would set the flames alight, he found that the words wouldn't come. His throat felt tight, his tongue heavy with the weight of his sorrow. Try as he might, he couldn't bring himself to give the command.

A sense of panic washed over Aemond as he struggled to find his voice, his hands trembling at his sides.

But then, a gentle hand slipped into his own, grounding him in the present moment. Aemond looked up to see Sovia, standing beside him, her eyes filled with determination and strength.

Without a word, Sovia glanced towards Silverwing, who stood nearby, and in that moment, Aemond understood.

With her voice firm and unwavering, Sovia gave the command that Aemond could not. "Dracarys," she said, her voice carrying across the quiet clearing.

As the flames roared and danced before him, casting a flickering glow over the clearing, Aemond felt an overwhelming urge to step forward, to immerse himself in the searing heat of the dragon's fire. It was as if a voice whispered to him, urging him to join his beloved Queen in her final journey.

With a heavy heart, Aemond took a tentative step forward, his eye fixed on the blazing pyre before him. For a brief, fleeting instant, it seemed as though he would surrender himself to the flames, to the consuming embrace of fire and ash.

But then, as if sensing his intentions, the hands of his children closed around him, pulling him back. Their grip was firm and unwavering, their voices filled with concern and determination.

"Father, no!" Sovia cried out, her voice echoing through the clearing.

Aemond looked into the eyes of his children, his heart heavy with sorrow and gratitude. In that moment, he realized the depth of their love, the strength of their bond.

With a trembling breath, Aemond allowed himself to be pulled back from the flames, his steps faltering as he collapsed into the arms of his children.

Sovia stood at the forefront, her expression stoic yet resolute. Her mother's crown, a symbol of power and authority, was placed upon her head with great reverence, its weight a reminder of the responsibilities that now rested upon her shoulders.

Beside her stood her husband, Daevyn, his own expression solemn yet supportive. The crown of their father, now passed down to him, sat upon his head, a testament to the legacy of their family.

With a steady voice, the High Septon stepped forward, his words echoing through the clearing as he declared Sovia the new queen of the Seven Kingdoms. The crowd fell silent, their eyes fixed on the newly crowned queen and her king consort, their hearts heavy with the weight of the moment.

Sovia held herself with grace and dignity as she accepted her new role, her gaze unwavering as she surveyed the faces of her subjects. She knew that the road ahead would be fraught with challenges and trials, but she was determined to lead her people with wisdom and compassion, just as her mother had done before her.

Beside her, Daevyn stood tall and proud, his hand clasped tightly in hers as they faced the future together.

Alone in the dimly lit chambers of the Red Keep, Aemond sat in solitude, his heart heavy with grief and his mind consumed by memories of the woman he had loved with all his being.

The coronation of his children, Sovia and Daevyn, should have been a moment of great joy and celebration, a testament to the enduring strength of their family and the resilience of the realm.

But for Aemond, the thought of attending such an event was unbearable.

Instead, he remained hidden away in his chambers. He sat before the crackling fireplace, the warmth of the flames a stark contrast to the cold emptiness that filled his heart.

In his trembling hands, he clutched a robe that belonged to Vaelys. The fabric was soft and worn, the scent of her perfume lingering on it like a bittersweet reminder of the life they had shared together.

With each breath, Aemond drank in the familiar scent, allowing it to envelop him in a cocoon of memories and longing. He closed his eye, his mind drifting back to happier times, when laughter and love had filled the halls of the Red Keep, and Vaelys had been by his side, radiant and full of life.

But now she was gone, her absence a gaping hole in his heart that could never be filled. And though he knew he should attend the coronation of his children, to fulfil his duty as the previous King Consort, he could not bring himself to leave the safety of his chambers.

Eventually exhaustion overtook him. His eyelid growing heavy with the weight of his sorrow, and soon, he succumbed to the embrace of sleep.

In the quiet of the chamber, the flickering flames of the fireplace cast dancing shadows across the room, and Aemond drifted into a fitful slumber. His dreams were haunted by memories of Vaelys, her laughter echoing in the recesses of his mind, her gentle touch a fleeting sensation against his skin.

But as sleep began to loosen its grip on him, Aemond felt a gentle touch on his shoulder, pulling him back to consciousness. He stirred, his mind still clouded with the haze of sleep, and for a brief moment, he thought he heard Vaelys' voice calling his name.

"Vaelys?" he murmured, his voice thick with sleep as he reached out instinctively, expecting to find her warm embrace.

But instead, his hand met with empty air, and he blinked away the remnants of his dreams to find Sovia standing before him, her face etched with concern.

"Father," she said softly, her voice breaking through the fog of his mind. "It's me, Sovia."

Aemond's heart clenched with a sudden surge of grief as reality crashed over him like a tidal wave. He looked up at his daughter, his eyes brimming with tears, and in that moment, he saw the ghost of Vaelys reflected in her features.

"Sovia," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "I'm sorry. I thought-"

But Sovia reached out a hand, gently brushing away the tears that streaked his cheeks. "It's okay, Father," she said, her voice filled with compassion. "I understand."

And in that moment, Aemond felt his grief swallow him whole once more, consuming him with its overwhelming intensity. He buried his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs as the weight of his loss pressed down upon him like a leaden shroud.

Sovia knelt beside him, wrapping her arms around him in a comforting embrace, offering him solace in the midst of his pain. And as they sat together in the quiet of the chamber, father and daughter bound by their shared sorrow.

In the weeks that followed Vaelys' death, Aemond retreated further into the solitude of his grief, his heart heavy with the weight of his loss. The once vibrant halls of the Red Keep now felt empty and cold, their echoes a painful reminder of the woman who had brought light and warmth into his life.

Day after day, Aemond shut himself away in his chambers, seeking solace in the silence and solitude. He spent hours sitting before the fireplace, the flames casting flickering shadows across the room as he stared into the dancing embers, lost in memories of the past.

At times, he would take out parchment and quill, penning letters to Vaelys that he knew she would never read. He poured his heart out onto the page, his words a desperate plea to the heavens, a futile attempt to bridge the chasm that now separated them.

But no matter how many letters he wrote, no matter how many tears he shed, the ache of his loss remained unchanged, a gaping wound that refused to heal. And so, he would sit, lost in his thoughts, his heart heavy with the burden of his grief, praying to whoever was listening to just let him die, he had promised her-but this was one promise he couldn’t keep, he couldn’t exist without her-he didn’t want to exist without her.

Outside his window, the sky stretched endlessly overhead, a vast expanse of blue that seemed to mock him with its boundless freedom. Aemond would stare up at the heavens, his eyes tracing the path of the stars as they shimmered in the darkness, wondering if somewhere among them, Vaelys was watching over him.

But no matter how long he stared, no matter how hard he searched, he found no solace in the vastness of the sky. For his queen was gone, lost to him forever, and no amount of longing or despair could bring her back.

As Aemond lay in bed, enveloped in the silence of his chambers, he felt the weight of his grief pressing down on him like a suffocating blanket. The memories of Vaelys haunted him, her absence a constant ache in his heart that refused to fade.

And then, as if from the depths of his own longing, he heard her voice—a soft, melodic whisper that sent shivers down his spine. It was as if she were calling out to him from beyond the veil, a beckoning from a world he could not see.

For a moment, Aemond's heart soared with hope, his mind filled with the possibility of reunion with his beloved Queen. He closed his eyes, his breath catching in his throat as he reached out, as if to grasp hold of her ephemeral presence.

But then, a sense of peace washed over him, a calmness that seemed to settle deep within his soul. He realized then that he was ready, ready to let go of the pain and sorrow that had consumed him for so long.

With a sense of finality, Aemond closed his eye once more, surrendering himself to the embrace of the unknown. He felt as though something were reaching out for him, a gentle hand guiding him towards the light.

As Aemond slowly stirred from his slumber, he was met with a sensation unlike anything he had ever experienced before. Surrounding him was a blinding light, so intense that it seemed to sear through the darkness of his dreams and into the waking world.

Blinking against the brightness, Aemond raised a hand to shield his face, his heart pounding in his chest as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. Everything felt strange, yet familiar at the same time, he was in his chambers but as his vision began to adjust to the light, Aemond realized something even more astonishing—there was no pain. No dull ache that had plagued him for so long, no phantom twinge of the scar that had marred his face since childhood.

With trembling fingers, he reached up to touch his face, his breath catching in his throat as he realized what he had found. His left eye, the one that had been lost to him for so many years, was whole once more.

It was a sensation he had almost forgotten, the feeling of having two eyes instead of one.

He stood in front of the looking glass and was stunned at his youthful reflection staring back at him, over the years his hair hair grown grey and his face lined with wrinkles but here now-his hair was silver and his face smooth and sculpted.

What was going on?

As Aemond stood in the threshold of his chambers, the sound of laughter danced on the air, drawing him irresistibly forward. With each step he took, the laughter grew louder, filling him with a sense of warmth and joy.

And then, he stepped through the doorway and found himself standing in the midst of the gardens, bathed in the golden light of the sun. The warmth of its rays washed over him, chasing away the shadows of his grief and filling him with a sense of renewal.

Beneath his feet, the grass was soft and, tickling his bare skin as he walked. The scent of flowers hung heavy in the air, their delicate fragrance a symphony of colours and shapes that surrounded him on all sides.

And as he wandered through the garden, basking in the warmth of the sun and the gentle embrace of nature, Aemond felt a sense of peace settle over him.

Then he saw her, sitting amidst a bed of wildflowers, her hands deftly weaving daisy chains with a grace and ease that took his breath away.

She looked so beautiful, her youthful skin glowing in the warm sunlight, her smile radiant. Aemond's heart swelled with a mixture of joy and disbelief as he watched her, unable to tear his eyes away from the vision before him.

"Vaelys," he whispered, his voice trembling with awe and love.

She smiled, that same tender, loving smile that had always made his heart skip a beat. “I’ve been waiting for you."

Aemond sank to his knees beside her and reached out, cupping her face in his hands, his fingers tracing the familiar contours of her features.

"I missed you so much," he said, his voice breaking with emotion.

Vaelys placed her hands over his, her touch grounding him in the reality of their reunion. "I missed you too, Aemond," she replied, her eyes glistening with tears. "But now we’re together again, and we have an eternity to share."

He leaned in, resting his forehead against hers, their breaths mingling in the still air of the garden.

Without a word, he pressed his lips to hers, the kiss soft and tender.

It was a kiss that spoke of love, longing, and the promise of forever. In that moment, Aemond knew he was home. His heart was whole once more, mended by the presence of the woman who had always been it's other half.

When they finally pulled apart, Vaelys smiled up at him, her eyes twinkling with mischief and affection. She patted the ground beside her, indicating for him to sit. "Come," she said, her voice as warm and inviting as the sunlit garden around them. "It's time you learned how to make daisy chains."

Aemond chuckled, feeling a lightness in his heart as he settled down beside her. Vaelys reached over and placed a pile of picked daisies in his lap, their delicate petals soft against his skin. She took one flower and began to demonstrate, her fingers nimble and sure as she wove the stems together.

"Watch closely," she instructed, her tone playful yet patient. "It's simple once you get the hang of it."

Aemond watched her intently, his eyes following the movement of her hands. He picked up a daisy and tried to mimic her actions, his larger hands fumbling slightly with the delicate stems. Vaelys laughed softly, her laughter a melody that filled the air with joy.

"Like this," she said, guiding his hands with hers. Together, they worked on the daisy chain, their fingers brushing against each other in a dance of love and connection.

As they wove the flowers together, Aemond felt an overwhelming sense of peace and contentment. Each daisy added to the chain was a symbol of their unbroken bond, a testament to the love that had transcended time and death.

"There you go," Vaelys said, holding up their finished creation. "See? You did it."

Aemond smiled, pride and happiness radiating from him. He took the daisy chain from her hands and gently placed it on her head, crowning her with the delicate flowers.

"Thank you," he whispered, his voice filled with gratitude and love. "For everything."

Vaelys reached up and touched the daisy chain, her eyes shining with tears of joy. "We're together now, Aemond," she said softly. "That's all that matters."

And as they sat in the sunlit garden, surrounded by the beauty of nature and the love they shared, Aemond knew that he had found his paradise. With Vaelys by his side, his heart was whole, and he was finally at peace.

#house of the dragon #aemond targaryen #hotd aemond #aemond fanfiction #hotd fanfic #aemond fic #aemond x oc #hotd fic #aemond one eye #aemond x original female character #aemond #prince aemond #prince aemond targaryen

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actuallycassidyiambusy · 20 hours

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Duuuude you're brave for posting your art on Twitter. People over there are fucking crybabies and will literally harass you for drawing fake people in a way they don't like.

I'm not one of them. I love your art and the way you draw. Bluffy is my new favorite ship because of you. I'm just saying you're bold as fuck and I seriously envy your courage.

This pisses me off for several reasons. First, I'll be clear. Anon, you did not piss me off in any way, so do not be put off by the aggression of my reply.

Nobody should be fucking scared to post their art anywhere. Art of fictional characters doing WHATEVER is exactly what it is. Art and fiction. I am so goddamn tired of these prissy fucking babies coming at artists who are simply enjoying themselves. "Antis" and the whole "proship dni" community who base their morality on how you portray fiction can suck a fat fucking cock. They so desperately tell us not to interact with them, but the moment we post something we're proud of, all of a sudden they wanna talk. All of a sudden, interaction is okay. As long as it's an attack from THEM. As long as they can degrade, threaten and make us feel like we don't have any right to enjoy something that literally doesn't fucking hurt them.

They can come at me from right and fucking left, I'll still fucking post whatever the hell I want. They know where the block button is. They know how to filter tags. If they'd rather come onto my post that had nothing to do with them in the first place, and bitch at me, I'll gladly post more. Shit, I'll post it AGAIN and tag them if they want to play around. I don't put up with hate and I certainly don't put up with people who wanna cry and come at me for something that's fucking FAKE.

LET PEOPLE FUCKING ENJOY THINGS. FOR FUCK'S SAKE. Anons come into my inbox or people dm me asking me to light someone up for bullying or threatening that they receive. What do you fuckers gain by screenshotting and blasting artists who don't even fucking know you? What do you gain by bitching and crying at artists who just want to enjoy their ships or literally anything else? Screenshot me, bitch. Go ahead. Post your petty little comments about how wrong I am and how you're morally superior because you would NEVER. Go off about a fictional piece that "hurts" you while you continue to hurt the artist who created it even more. OR, and this is just a mere suggestion, you can move on from your high school stage, grow the fuck up, and learn how to scroll past shit you don't like. It's the fucking internet, sweetheart.

Post whatever the fuck you want. INDULGE in that shit. Enjoy your kinks and your fantasies. Enjoy your fictional characters kissing and falling in love in seventeen different ways. Draw it, write it, read it, post it. And if someone wants to bother you, hell, you know where the block button is too. No shame in blocking people and keeping your peace. Surround yourself with people who fucking encourage you and all your weird shit. It makes you happy. That's what matters.

Once again anon, I am not mad at you lmao. I'm mad at people who can't separate fiction from reality, and feel the need to drag those who CAN through the mud.

#anon ask #ask inbox #proship #fuck antis fr #anti slander #one piece #buggy the clown #monkey d. luffy #bluffy #content rant #rant #im not fucking scared of anyone #too many people getting fucking bullied over fiction #shipping #artists on tumblr #writers on tumblr #self indulgent #ship what you want

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cosmoknightchaos · 5 months

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hey. 9 15 and 18 for the OC ask game

hey.

9. Weirdest OC

Technically Ets but that feels like cheating

I have a character that's part of a project I'm doing with irl friends called Bubbie. It's whole deal is it's a small, fucked up little creature who lives in the MC's closet and occasionally screams at them and also is a living representation of MC's insecurities. It looks like if you gave a two year old a couple of skeletons, told them to build a single human, and then wrapped that creation in bubble wrap. And then stuck googly eyes all over it. Except horrifying.

15. An OC that's hard to write/draw/rp

Here for the full answer. I'm too lazy to write more

18. Do you dislike any of your OCs?

Hard to say. I don't think I genuinely dislike any of them. There's always times where I'm still working on the OC where I don't really like them, but that's fixed by developing the character or changing some details. And of course, I talk about how much I hate some of my OCs because they're stupid or horrible people, but it's always in good nature.

The few OCs I dislike are because I haven't thought much about them. I have a set from a few years ago who dealt with death, the afterlife, the emotional rollercoaster of dying young and slowly losing who you are during your afterlife, peer pressure/possession, and a girlboss god of death. However, this was written at a time when I wasn't very good at dealing with these things! So they're not very good and I dislike that as a result. But now that I've looked into/experienced these topics more, I want to go back and fix it. When will that happen? Hell of I know, it's up to the fates.

#Ask game #Marci Answers #Not tagging any of the characters because I. I don't want to

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project-sekai-facts · 4 months

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How are we feeling about ensekai’s emu3 translation!!! (I’m mad)

(if you remember the 3 whole posts i made when asahi got de-gayed on EN you'll know i am mad too and that this is probably going to get long)

i don't like to be too cynical but it was so obvious that they were going to change that line, i had a feeling since the event first released on JP and after the incident with Asahi where I went through and tracked down multiple other examples of EN removing queer subtext it became clear to me that in no way shape or form was "emu-chan really loves nene-chan" making it to EN without getting changed. what i didn't expect was them changing Nene's line after Luka's comment, which actually makes this whole situation far worse than many of their other instances of toning down queer subtext.

for anyone who isn't aware of what happened, in chapter 5 of the current Emu event, there's a scene where Nene, Rui and the Virtual Singers are talking about what would cheer Emu up. The vsingers all talk about how much Emu loves spending time with Nene, leading to the following exchange

If you look for them, any fan TL of this scene will be something similar to this:

Luka: ...Fufu. Emu-chan really loves Nene-chan, doesn't she? Nene: Th-that's nothing special...

EN's official translation is this:

So what's the issue? I'll start with Luka's part. In the original text, she uses the word daisuki, which can mean to "like a lot" or "love". It's a word you will see frequently in the idol/idol-adjacent genre of games, due to its ambiguity in that it can be read as either platonic or romantic when used towards a person, and often will be used in ambiguous situations so that it's harder to confirm the writers' intentions either way. so here, fans of the emu/nene ship could view the fact that emu loves spending her time with nene as more on the romantic side, but people who don't like the ship could view it as platonic and move on.

while they didn't translate daisuki directly, Luka's line still works, and still contains the ambiguity that works as ship tease in the original text. it's a perfectly fine localisation that still conveys the original intent. despite that, there is something to be said about EN's consistent refusal to translate daisuki as love in most instances when it's not used on An/Kohane (but then again, EN has literally teased An/Kohane on their twitter account so is it all that surprising?).

Here's some examples:

Aibou no koto ga daisuki de / he loves his partner -> he cares about his partner very much (The Power of Unity chapter 7 when Kaito is comparing Arata to Akito and Toya)

HARUKA-CHAN, DAISUKI DAYOOOO!!! / HARUKA-CHAN, I LOOOOOVEEE YOU!!! -> You're the best!!! (Dear Me, As I Was Back Then chapter 4 when minori is at an ASRUN concert. this one isn't actually that great of a localisation)

Honachan no koto daisuki dakara. Kore de iinda yo. / I love Honachan, so this is fine. -> I want what's best for her. And this is it. (Leo/need main story chapter 14 after Saki tells Honami she won't bother her anymore)

Minna daisuki de - taisetsuna tomodachi na no / I love them all - they're my dearest friends -> They're all amazing, and very dear to me. (Leo/need main story chapter 17. this isn't good either)

What's particularly amusing about that last one is that there's a second official translation for it that I assume was done by JP staff (since EN never promoted doing the Journey to Bloom subs like they did back when they provided subs for Petit SEKAI) that actually keeps the word daisuki as love.

Yeah. I love all my friends - and they mean the world to me.

It's a better localisation than the official EN team one.

Questionable localisation choices aside, Luka's line is fine and is actually in line with the original. The issue with this localisation very much lies with Nene's part, because that is an entirely new line.

In the original text, Nene's "that's just normal" or "that's nothing special" or however you choose to TL it, is meant to be her questioning Luka's statement, since all the things that the other vsingers said that Emu liked were pretty normal things like going shopping and playing video games with nene. To Nene, these things are normal activities for them to do together, so she gets embarrassed by the fact that Luka concludes from that information that Emu loves Nene. When I dissect it like that I think you can really tell what the writers were going for here lol.

"That's just us being friends" does still convey the idea that Nene thinks these activities aren't anything out of the ordinary and she isn't sure why the vsingers are picking these out as some of Emu's favorite things to do, but it's very different from the original line. "But those are just normal things we do together" is something I just came up with on the spot, but it's a lot closer to the original text and still conveys the same meaning. The fact they changed the line to "that's just us being friends" is, honestly, not even subtle that they're covering up queer subtext. The original scene was very clearly written in as ship tease, and EN mentioning "friends" for no reason, especially since the word nor anything close to it was not used in the original, is instantly a red flag because it's like the go-to for queerbaiting and censorship. This was intentional. There was no need for them to specify that the relationship is platonic, Luka's part is ambiguous for a reason so that fans can view it how they like.

Just to top all this off, here's Rin's original line just before that Luka+Nene interaction:

Oh, and! And! She said that playing games with Nene-chan is also super fun!

And here's Rin's line from the official EN translation:

That's not the same thing, but even more weirdly, the incorrect part (super fun->really loves) is a correct translation for the part changed in Luka's line. So, they can do it, they are willing to say "really loves", just not in the right places. Maybe because Rin's part is less personal than Luka's part? It's strange actually, this isn't the first time they've done this either. Off the top of my head I can think of an example from Shiho's Varied Kindness 2* story where they translated the word "suki" as really loves, despite that being much stronger than the original word used (and the fact that daisuki is used a lot in the Leo/need stories and it's incredibly rare if not entirely unknown for them to translate it correctly).

It's not subtle that they're trying to remove implications of the characters possibly being queer, they did it in curtain call and they did it in walk on and on, and multiple times before then too. And considering some of the content in this year's events and the amount of times they say daisuki alone, it's gonna keep happening. honestly i hate the fact that i keep trying to justify the translations in these posts. these translations are intentional. what happened in the curtain call translation back in october says enough. when a character who uses explicitly romantic language towards another guy passes as a straight character in the translation you know they're doing it on purpose.

oh and once again, it's only the EN server that has this issue. The scene in question was translated almost word-for-word on the TW and KR servers.

read fan translations. they're better than what EN gives us and people put a lot of effort into them.

#since the EN translation qualifies as a leak i am scheduling this to post when the event drops #asks #mod talks #i'm going to leave this in the tags because i don't want to make the post any longer #but something that's been really annoying to see recently on twt has been the gradual uptick of players saying that there's no queer #characters/subtext/etc in the game outside mizuki being trans. and i do wonder if EN's consistent habit of toning down #or outright removing moments of heavy subtext and other more ambiguous shiptease moments has anything to do with it.#that or people live under a rock because even EN keeps most of An and Kohane's relationship intact and there's still plenty of #moments that were impossible to edit or tone down due to being plot relevant or being part of longer interactions that wouldn't make sense #if part of it was changed. like the An wedding event.#eh maybe people are just ignorant.#but anyway it does bug me immensely that EN-only players are getting a censored version of the game. it's 2024. staff can do better.#also like i mentioned in the part about rin. they /add in/ things occasionally. so why the hell are they removing so much?

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