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myladysapphire · 12 hours

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My Lady Strong (VI)

Aemond had always been protective of his neice, obssessed even, insiting on keeping her sheltered, and purley his, he never let her stray far and following the incident at Driftmark, Aemma was rarley without Aemond as her shadow. How will the kind, sheltered girl fair in the dance of dragons?

word count: 3,100

CW: MDI 18+, toxic relationship, manipulation, mommy issues, bullying, co-dependancy issues, self harm, not beta read.

Fem!oc x dark!Aemond Targeryen

Masterlist | series masterlist | previous part | next part

disclamer: i do not own any of claim any of the A song of ice and fire characters, all rights belong to GRR MARTIN, all characters are his except for my OC

A/N sorry its been so long! forgot wehat direction i was going in with this story so going off the few notes i had left about this chapter! might be a few changes ive made from the last few chapters, but hopefully it all makes sense! but this story is gonna get dark and sad!

Aemma had been pacing back and forth for the last hour, nerves clear on her face as her mother and brothers were set to arrive in only a days time. She hadn’t spoken to her in what had felt like forever, and she had no idea on what too expect. She thought that perhaps she might have done something but thinking back on the countless letters she had written, she could not think of a single thing she could have possibly said. Perhaps taking Aemond’s side at Driftmark, or perhaps refusing to leave his side after the fact.

She had made her complaint to Aemond, the morning after they had reconnected, he had simply laughed, “oh Aemma, do you really think your mother cares about you? She happily sent you of to wed me the second it was suggested.” He said as he brushed her hair for her, having dismissed her ladies so they could break their fast. “if she cared about you she would have demanded I got to Dragonstone, not you here, she simply wished to be rid of you.”

Aemma looked down, she refused to believe it, her mother had always preached how she was her favourite child, then again, after Driftmark her mother did just send her away, she would have visited her more or asked her to visit if it was true. “Really?” she asked tears in her eyes.

“oh of course” he smirked, “but do not worry dear, soon enough you shall be my wife and she will no longer have to even act as if she cared for you, and you will not have to care for her either.”

She shook her head, and looked up at him, meeting his smirk in the mirror “do you think she loves me still?”

“no” he replied instantly.

A tear fell from her eye “do you love me?” she near begged.

Aemond’s smirk widened, his eyes twinkling, “of course” she turned her head, and he instantly gripped her chin, “and you love me, don’t you?”

“no” she replied. His grip tightened slightly, “I do not know what it is to love Aemond, but perhaps…once we get to know each other more.”

He frowned. “We have known each other our who lives”

“Yes, but these past years we have been distant, I know nothing of you”.

“And whose fault is that” he said stepping away, “was it not for that bastard I would still have my eye! And you would love me!”

She stood up, following him, “how does-“he stopped her, turning around quickly to face her.

“Because it does!” he almost whined, “you were mine! And then you were handed to me on a silver platter and yet all you have done is whine about your mother and your stupid brothers!” he took a breath, allowing her an opportunity to speak.

“I begged to stay with you Aemond, I defended you and –“

“And you begged them to stay also!” she looked at him, she had never told him of the conversation with her mother.

“How do you know that?” she asked bewildered. “and what does that have to do with anything?”

“everything!” after what they did to me, to YOU! And you wanted them to stay” he shook his head, “I went to find you, I needed you and you were begging your mother to stay? Do you think I could forgive you?”

“Aemond-“ she was crying now.

“these past years I have grow into the man I knew you wanted, not the silly little boy you grew up with, but the man you need, my mother has been nothing but a mother to you, and yet you still crave that whore and those bastards”

“I’m sorry Aemond. “she said, reaching for his hands, “your right, I am so sorry, I just wanted my muna, I didn’t mean to hurt you.” She caressed his hand, “but I didn’t want too lose you or her and yet I lost you both!” she whined, “I needed you too!” she cried, wrapping her arms around his waist.

She needed him. Aemond smiled, “goo. because I am all you will ever and have ever needed.” He said holding her to him, “your mother is here in formality over, and at the end of the week she will be nothing to you, I will be your everything, your husband, your protector, your Aemond.”

“And let me remind you sweet Aemma, that without me you would remain Lady strong, a princesses bastard. And yet you betrayed me, begged for our tormentors to stay and if that had happened do you think I would have been able to devote these past five years to becoming your protector, to become the man you desired?”

She shook her head.

“They were cruel to you, hated you. All because your mother favoured you, do you think they will have changed?”

She shook her head again, and started to think back, growing up all she had ever wanted was to marry Aemond, and have him be her protector and never have to see Jace and Luke again.

She had thought that after Driftmark she would never get that Aemond, he had changed the second that eye was taken from him. He became cold and cruel and there was even whispers he was mad.

“but-“she started to speak, a part of her felt like he had turned into them.

He had tormented her for years and now he seemed to be perfect for her. It didn’t make sense.

“But what?” he asked, suddenly moving closer to her.

“you have been cruel, ignoring me then you started to torment me, sending me the heads of Aemma’s roses, as if you were threatening me.”

He shook his head, “I don’t know what your talking about”

“yes you do!”

“no Aemma, your confused, I sent you Aemma’s roses, to show I was thinking of you , and I never cut there heads of” he laughed, “and I only ignored you as I felt so hurt by what you did”

“i- but you cut of-“ she shook her head, “I-I I’m so confused, Aemond I- perhaps I should ask Cassandra, she has a better memory than me –“

“no Aemma, your just misremembering, you’ve always had trouble with remembering things” he said, “and do you not trust me?” he said sounding sad.

she shook her head, “of course not- I, just I thought you hated me for whatever reason and now I must have thought your acts were of torment and not …love” she said unsure.

“it okay Aemma, I know you struggle and I know you have always had difficulties with things” he said softly, “I was hurt and scared you would hate me too, I should have been more upfront, it is all my fault” he said, pulling her into a hug, “I know you are sorry, and I am too”/

He wasn’t, he loved the look on her face when she opened the box of cut of Aemma’s rose heads, loved the way she was scared, but he also realised years of ignoring her had made him seem untrustworthy, and he feared he made a mistake, he had a new strategy to play. At first he wantec her to be scared and run to him for help, but it seems her ladies and beloved Cassandra had gotten in the way of that plan, and made him the villain.

He supposed he had to get them out of the way.

Since that conversation, Aemond had made sure she did not leave his side.

Saying how he missed her dearly, and realising how much he needed her and pushing her away had hurt him more than it hurt her.

She had felt so badly for him, and before he knew it they were back to their old habits, were she went he went, she would even ask him too choose all her clothes, even serve her dinner.

She forgot how simple life was with Aemond, how happy and easy he made her life.

And Aemond was loving it, he loved getting to control every detail about her, she would dress how he liked, believing it her choice to let him pick, she would follow him everywhere, meaning he no longer had to follow her.

The only problem was that her ladies maids were still in the way. They ere there when she woke, and dressed, giving question stares as he would enter her rooms, whispering in her ear about things Aemma would never reveal.

He wasn’t jealous just angry.

He had been hurt all those years ago and ignored her because he wanted to be better. Become the best possible Aemond, become her protector and a man who would never again loose his eyes to is silly little nephews, and someone who would never let them hurt Aemma again.

And it was blatantly obvious that his ignoring of her head made her annoyingly close to her little friends.

He had hidden letters from her mother the first year, then they came less and less, before stopping altogether. He would allow a few of Aemma’s letters to be sent, not before reading them himself. He wanted her too feel isolated, but that had failed, and now it would be too suspicious for Aemma to receive the letters her mother had sent over the years, especially as he had read them all and hated the love his sister had for her daughter, hated that no matter how hard he wanted to hide it, her mothers return would only pull them apart once more.

So he realised the game of isolation needed to change and to get ride of the Ladies he must earn their trust, so he wooed them, by sitting in at their gatherings and showing undivided devotion to Aemma, there was still the issue of Cassandra Baratheon. She despised him, and he here. She was brash and loud, and Aemma’s best friend.

He wasn’t jealous, no, not at all. Not jealous of the way she effortless laughed at her jokes or talked to her without having the perplexed and wanted to please look in her eyes that’s she did with him.

He watched the bitterly as they chatted the day away. She seemed to light up around Cassandra, and he hated it.

“Are you nervous about you mother and brothers return?” Cassandra asked, sipping her tea.

“yes, especially my mother” she sighed, stirring her tea “I did receive a letter from my brothers this morning” she reviled, much to Aemond’s surprise. He had ordered all letters addressed to Aemma be sent to him straight away, how this had escaped him – “I had waited in the ravenry for a reply for my letter, and one had just arrived when I got there.” She reviled, answering what Aemond was wondering.

“what did it say?” Cassandra and Aemond asked simultaneously.

“Luke and Jace were asking about how I am , and saying they were sorry if their actions in our youth and wish for us to reconnect upon there return.” She replied.

“you will do no such thing” Aemond spoke, standing up.

“And why not?” Cassandra asked, clearly unhappy at Aemond.

“because of how they have always treated her!2

“oh please, they were children!” Cassandra spoke, now standing alongside Aemond, “ they have apologized and wish to know there sister, and from what Aemma has told me, I and my sisters have done far worse to each other than they did to her!”

Aemond scoffed, “please, they were bullies, they locked her in the black cells!”

“they- they what?” Cassandra asked, no looking towards Aemma.

“i- its true they did, but they have apologised incessantly since then.” Aemma said, trying to diffuse the situation, “they are my brothers, and they.. they said sorry”

“You still have nightmares Aemma” Aemond spoke, now moving back to his seat and taking her hands in his.

This perplexed Aemma she had never not once told Aemond of her dreams, especially of that night, he himself had always felt partly responsible for it, having taken so long to find her, and having left her alone that night. “what?” she asked, “I never told you about my dreams…”

Aemond flinched sightly, realising his mistake, and Cassandra herself took on an angry expression, “how do you know of those dreams Prince Aemond?” she asked, moving herself closer to Aemond and Aemma, as if to protect her.

“i- she is to be my wife, I only took a concern when the guards said she would often wake screaming.” He said, trying to sound nonchalant.

“but that still-“ Aemma started, slowly removing her hands from Aemond.

“don’t concern yourself too much Aemma I simply stood guard to ensure you did not try to harm yourself.”

Aemma flinched, Aemond cant know about that, no one does. Not even her maids. She had always kept her arms covered, he cant know.

Her eyes betrayed her, showing a scared expression, an expression both Aemond and Cassandra took to be scared about hurting herself.

“I – I” she stuttered, “I don’t know what you-“

“don’t worry Aemma, nothing bad happened, and your brothers wont get anywhere near you” Aemond spoke.

Aemma nodded, trying to mask her own fear of Aemond potentially knowing her secret to make it look like she feared her brothers.

Her parents were set to arrive on the morrow, and All Aemma could do was twist and turn. Dreams had been plaguing her. Ever since the black cells she has been getting premonitions, dreams of what was to come, dreams that have come true.

She supposed she was lucky, Helenas dreams caused her to speak in riddles, some even called her mad. When in truth Aemma was the one who was mad. She scratched and bleed as she dreamed, tearing at the skin on her arm. Her hands felt like they were soaked in blood, her nails turned red, as she scratched and teared. She dreamt of herself, she was married with children, but one was dead. She killed him. She must have, blood was on her hands, on her dress her face. Her other children cowered in the corner, flinching away from her.

“a son for a son!” she woke up gasping, the words ringing in her head.

Her bed sheets were stained in her blood, her arms scarred. The wounds from her last dream only just having healed.

She couldn’t help it, it was if her only escaped from her dreams was to harm herself. Perhaps it had been the three years of isolation she had felt so alone, where the dreams controlled her. She would send days and days tuck in the loop. Until one day her mother wrote to her of needing alliances and how her and Alicent had chosen her ladies. Her ladies had saved her, Cassandra specifically. She would wake her up, help her dress, and for once Aemma had a reason to escape her dreams. But then Aemond’s neglect and ignorance of her had turned cruel, calling her “my lady strong”, a name he had only just stopped calling her.

But something haunted her as she paced around her chambers, Aemond’s torment had put a stop to her dreams, the dreams were there was no dancing dragons, or no blood-soaked hands and gowns. Instead the dreams were of dragon snapping dragons neck, storm soaked nights and screams. And then since this week her nightmares have been full of crying, begging and blood. And now this.

It seemed no matter what her life would be full of tears and screams, and death.

“Aemma.” Cassandra said, walking into her chambers, alongside the rest of her ladies, Cerci Lannister, Cerelle Costayne, Margaret Fossway and Rosia Tyrell.

She had not slept since being awoken from her dreams, she had bathed and dressed, applied ointment to her scares, and had proceeded to pace her rooms nonstop.

She was worried, her mother would be here soon, and she had no ideas what she would be like.

She knew nothing of her, and she feared her mother may no longer love her. And well she was nervous about her wedding, and the wedding night. Aemond and Alicent had told her about it in the past week, and she was scared. And she just needed her Muna.

“how are you feeling?” Cersi asked.

“I am nervous” she admitted.

“of course, you will be wed on the morrow, you are bound to be nervous” Margaret added.

“well i-“

“but think, you will get to marry someone who loves you!” Rosia gushed.

“yes you are so lucky!” Cerelle complained, she had received news yesterday of her father engaging her to some man who had been married twice before and she had never met.

“oh Cerelle, he’s old hell probably die before you can wed.” Aemma said nonchalantly, and Cassandra laughed as she watched Aemma gasp at her own words. “sorry, just today the first time I will see my mother and brothers in years. I’m nervous”

Cassandra grabbed her hand, caressing home gently, “it’ll be okay, I’m sure.” She then looked to Cerelle “ and Aemma’s right, he’s what eight and seventy, he could croak at nay moment!” they all laughed, and for the first time that day Aemma’s mind was finally taken of what was to come.

She stood in the courtyard wating for their arrival, alongside her stood alone, Alicent having to have leave only moments ago to take care of something. She had done all her wedding planning with Alicent, she had comforted her when she cried over her mothers lack of care over her wedding, and visiting her despite her countless letters over the years. But Alicent seemed nervous, as if she was waiting for something or scared of something, and even more so when she had to leave.

After a few moments a carriage finally arrived in the courtyard, and her mother was the first to step out.

She wanted to run to her, to hug her and tell her how she had missed her. But her dream, it rang in her head.

“A son for a son” that all she could hear, and a voice in her head told her it was her mother’s fault, that her mother would force her to kill her son. She didn’t want to think it, but her mothers face, her blood soaked hands and a headless child was all she could see.

She made her way slowly walking down the steps the greet them.

“muña, lēkia” she greeted, a smile gracing her face. “welcome home”

Taglist (bold means could not tag)

@aemondssiut@idonotknowenglish @sydneyyyya @wondergal2001 @whitejuliana1204 @meowtastick @bellaisasleep @tinykryptonitewerewolf @sarahkimtae @winchesterfamiliebusiness @iiamthehybrid @zzz000eee @spookydaddy01 @melllinaa @ateliefloresdaprimavera @aelora-a @aleemendoza2425-blog @chittakii @gghoulzz @ryiana @duckworthbean @cynic-spirit @may-machin @Gianinaa19 @wolfiealina @unique7676 @yentroucnagol @loserwithnofriends @mariaelizabeth21-blog1 @urmomsbananabread @azaleapotterblack @delaynew @bunbunbl0gs @adira033 @babyzzlove @targaryenmoony @theanxietyqueen17 @flrboyd @zillahvathek @dark-night-sky-99 @apollonshootafar @blossomedflowerofluv @violet-potter

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sitp-recs · 10 hours

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Hello! I saw your last rec for Draco being whipped for Harry. Would you have any recs for the reverse situation? Harry being absolutely smitten for Draco. I love when it's mostly from Harry POV and Draco is driving him mad. Does anything come to mind? Thank you for your lovely recs and your presence in the fandom, it's a blessing! 💜

Yes of course! I feel like I did quite a few lists for pining Harry so this one will focus on smitten Harry told from his own pov. I tried to mix old favorites with fics I don’t see recced often. I’d highly recommend checking @tackytigerfic, @bixgirl1 and ignatiustrout as they all explore this trope so beautifully!

Take A Stab At It by @sorrybutblog (E, 3k)

It’s a bit pathetic, Harry knows, to have a hard-on for the guy who bullied you in school. Kind of cliché to look back on years of obsession and hatred and think, Oh.

Hourglass Heart by bixgirl1 (E, 5k)

It only happened once — depending on how Harry counted.

Blue Sky Is Living Here Today by ignatiustrout (G, 5k)

Draco's a father, Harry's in love with him, and it's really hard to take things slow.

The Things They Never Say by bixgirl1 (E, 9k)

Harry and Draco don't know how to talk. So they do other things instead.

Sex Ed for Aurors by curiouslyfic (M, 9k)

Some things, you need to learn on the job.

i wake up falling, orphaned (M, 9k)

Draco’s always leaving, one way or another. Harry’s usually 240 thousand miles too late.

Poppiholla by @moonflower-rose (M, 12k)

Harry had accepted that he would pine silently for Malfoy forever, but one, humid summer might change that.

Take the Moon by tackytiger (M, 15k)

Harry Potter has always wanted a family of his own, and when a deadly blood curse forces him into a marriage bond with his best friend Draco Malfoy, it looks like he might just have found one. It's just a shame they’d always planned to break up after a year…

White as Snow by bixgirl1 (E, 19k)

After a quick escape from danger, Harry and Draco find themselves trapped in a blizzard, a small cabin their only refuge from the storm. It's the perfect place to recover and regroup — and to have a long-overdue conversation or two.

We Might Be Too Old for a Bildungsroman by @wellhalesbells (T, 21k)

Harry finds something he’s been looking for since the war’s end. Admittedly, the packaging’s a bit odder than he expected.

With Great Yawns and Stretchings by sugar_screw (T, 22k)

The coffee is very good. Really. And the cats are so cute. That's why Harry goes so often.

On Your Shore by @xanthippe74 (M, 35k)

Clearing out a remote house full of cursed collectibles in the Outer Hebrides? Not a problem for an experienced curse breaker like Harry Potter. Spending a week with the straight, happily-married man that he’s starting to have feelings for? And sharing a bed with him at night? Surely Harry can handle that, too.

LA, Who Am I To Love You? by @epitomereally (E, 42k)

Harry’s summer in LA is not going as expected. Pansy Parkinson keeps inviting him to parties in the Hollywood Hills and harassing him to finally go to the physical therapist, Blaise Zabini keeps slipping new strains of his company’s magical weed into Harry’s pockets in hopes of an endorsement, and Draco Malfoy keeps having sex with everyone but Harry.

Here's The Pencil, Make It Work by ignatiustrout (M, 49k)

Harry thinks "Why is Malfoy working in a coffee shop in muggle London?" is a much simpler question than, "Are you going to accept that auror offer and, if you don't, what will you do?"

Modern Love by tackytiger (E, 61k)

Harry Potter, of all people, knows that life isn’t always fair. And no one gets to be happy all of the time. But surely there’s something more—something better—than a rubbish Ministry job, and a lonely old house, and that feeling that everyone out there is doing a better job of living than Harry is.

Azoth by @lol-zeitgeistic (E, 88k)

Now that Harry is back at Hogwarts with Hermione for eighth year, he realises that something’s missing from his life, and it either has to do with Ron, his boggart, Snape, or Malfoy. Furthermore, what, exactly, does it mean when one’s life is defined by the desire to simultaneously impress and annoy a portrait?

What We Pretend We Can't See by gyzym (M, 131k)

Seven years out from the war, Harry learns the hard truth of old history: it’s never quite as far behind you as you thought.

Can't Sit Still by wilteddaisy (E, 193k)

Five years after the war, Harry finds himself drawn to Draco Malfoy by memories that aren't his own.

#asks #anon #drarry reclist #smitten Harry #Harry pov

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milquetoast27 · 2 days

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Subtext in The Creeping Man

I find that this story of Arthur Conan Doyle's Holmes canon features some of the most complex subtext we've had aside from A Study in Scarlet. But rather than being complex early-on because of our lack of knowledge of the characters, it is rather complicated by the fact that we both know too much and too little of their relationship. This story, with astonishing subtlety, conveys the cooperative relationship between Doyle's two characters — the nuance in their limits and strains, but also the joys that they work to reach, together. It emblemises the beauty of the Canon, where it all ties back to the joy and complexity of human understanding and belonging.

This story opens in "those latter days" (1903, near to Holmes's retirement) where Watson describes their relations as "peculiar". The word certainly feels like a euphemism from the ever-polite Dr. Watson, when it is soon made clear that their relations were far from amenable. Watson has become one of Holmes's "concentrated habits", and apparently is as good as a piece of funiture, as all of Holmes's remarks would have been as "appropriately addressed to his bedstead." It's given through snapped sentences; "I was a whetstone for his mind. I stimulated him. He liked to think aloud in my presence." This "irritation" and discordance between them is extremely concentrated in the early pages of this story, but drags through it, as well. Take, for example, the "laconic" (or perhaps iconic?) message:

"COME AT ONCE IF CONVENIENT — IF INCONVENIENT COME ALL THE SAME. S.H."

Watson gives us the original of Holmes's telegram to demonstrate to his readers just how "long-suffering" he is. A true exhaustion is apparent in how he simply shows the telegram, rather than politely referring to it. Compare this with the unendingly civil telegram sent to Watson in The Boscombe Valley Mystery, and you can see the great shift that has taken place in their alliance.

"HAVE YOU A COUPLE OF DAYS TO SPARE? HAVE JUST BEEN WIRED FOR FROM THE WEST OF ENGLAND IN CONNECTION WITH BOSCOMBE VALLEY TRAGEDY. SHALL BE GLAD IF YOU WILL COME WITH ME. AIR AND SCENERY PERFECT. LEAVE PADDINGTON BY THE 11.15."

While long-term and intimate relationships will remove need for over-courtesey, there are two very different reasons for why Doyle has shown both of these telegrams at a point in time. This accumulation of Holmes's ungrateful behaviour not only imparts Watson's utter despondancy, but also, importantly, Holmes’s — and this is something that Watson's ever-perceptive and intelligent heart does not fail to miss. It is important to note that this story nears Holmes's retirement, where he acknowledges that he has been "sluggish in mind". There is no doubt, then, that the great detective is out of his prime. Hence the temperementalness, taking his Watson for granted, and a heavier reliance on those "narrow and concentrated habits."

Despite the turbulent roads of their life, we see Watson's undying devotion co-exist with it. Past all the irritation, Watson closes, "Such was my humble role in our alliance." It is more than clear that he consciously makes the decision to remain at Holmes's side, to be his ally. Such has always been Watson's role in their alliance. His "humble" service extends to his practice as doctor and soldier. His pride is in his duty to others, and to Holmes as his assistant.

There is something that shines through Holmes's unsocial behaviour when we look closely at the text.

I sank back in my chair in some disappointment. Was it for so trivial a question as this that I had been summoned from my work? Holmes glanced across at me. "The same old Watson!" said he. "You never learn that the gravest issues may depend upon the smallest things."

We know from the Canon (opening of DANC and RESI) that Watson's emotions are like an open book to Holmes. This 'sinking in some disappointment' is not missed by Holmes's 'glance'. "The same old Watson!" he says, and I feel it important to note that he compliments one of Watson's most distinguishing features; his stability and fixture — the "one fixed point in a changing age." Yet, we may miss these details, because Holmes, ever in his own insecurity, must back-hand every praise with a teasing chide. We could say that an attempt was made to cheer Watson up, though not very successful.

Developments continue, as Holmes tryingly says "I had hoped to have a longer chat with you", then parades him with compliments before their client, "Dr. Watson is the very soul of discretion". But mixed indications continue to come as he flips back to patronising language; "You will appreciate it, Watson, when"—. Doyle further cements Holmes's particular unbecoming behaviour on this day as he further also annoys their client, who speaks in a "tone of reproach" when Holmes does not listen, and is "clearly annoyed" at irrelevant interruptions — to which, Holmes only smiles in, what I believe, is pure self-importance.

Here we find a shift — a greater effort on Holmes's part, a second round of appreciation for Watson's stability, even when his opinion is faulty. "Good, Watson! You always keep us flat-footed on the ground". He's then included in his bubble; "We were gradually coming to that conclusion, were we not, Watson?", and even a sordid attempt at bringing Watson with him on the bait of the Chequers in 'Camford' where "the port used to be above mediocrity and the linen was above reproach." (Which he follows up on!)

And, despite these attempts, their connection still does not rekindle. Watson is clearly irritated still with the inconsiderate easiness with which Holmes was able to leave London, leaving only difficulty on Watson's end to join him. It's an indicator from Doyle that nothing's remedied, yet.

Here is an interesting passage for study.

"Have you the effrontery necessary to put it through?" "We can but try." "Excellent, Watson! Compound of the Busy Bee and Excelsior. We can but try — the motto of the firm."

Burstive praise from Holmes at the merest utterance of a phrase — a phrase which has only ever been used one other time in the Canon; the previous story, The Problem of Thor Bridge. This suggests it may be some small motto of Holmes's, though one not often seen in Watson's records — this makes his use of the phrase a very Holmesian approach. This participation, no doubt, is nothing but a delight for Holmes, who is trying to restring their relationship, and continues to overenthusiastically affirm Watson's sturdiness.

Yet it's made clear that superficial praises are not a true apology, as we see signs yet again of Watson's dispassion. As they sit to their meeting with Professor Presbury, Watson writes:

Mr. Holmes smiled amiably.

This sentence may seem unassuming, but be assured it is one of the coldest in the Canon. This usage of "Mr. Holmes" is entirely unique within the Canon. In other times, when Watson has used "Mr. Holmes" or "Mr. Sherlock Holmes", it has been when speaking directly to his readers, since they would be using the honourific. This moment is the only exception, where Watson has intentionally used "Mr." to create distance and convey undesire for intimacy with Holmes (rather than any professional effect). Why has Watson used the line here? Well, Holmes is 'smiling amiably' — in a way that forces a friendly manner, one that attempts to create a good impression with Professor Presbury — which also didn't work out, by the way. Considering all the superficial means up to now employed by Holmes on his companion, Watson no doubt feels cheapened and no more important than Holmes's investigative objects; as if his trust is just as easy to gain as anyone else's, with nothing but an 'amiable smile'.

We are shown time and again that Watson isn't pleased with Holmes's desultory attempts at reconciliation, until finally, a shift happens. One that is not identifiable in the text, and so is reasonable to assume happened unpenned. We find Holmes acknowledging that "Dr. Watson has his patients to attend to", when before this information seemed completely irrelevant to him. Holmes even sent Watson a "short note asking [him] to meet at the train"! The greatest change is when we finally have Watson using "my friend" and "my comrade" for the first time in this story. Now we see Watson taking real excitement in the case, in the "assurance of [his] comrade". Self-teasing also makes its way into their dialogue as Holmes cries "Oh, Watson, Watson, what a fool I have been!" The emphasised address seems to suggest an apology for something more. It's as if he cries 'Look how wrong I have been Watson, how imperfect and daft I can be!' It's adorable, really.

All semblances of reproach towards Holmes disappear as they steal together in darkness, come to the dénoument of their adventure, as Holmes philosophises on science and nature, and described admiringly as "the man of action". Our story ends in a light-hearted resolution, as always.

"There is an early train to town, Watson, but I think we shall just have time for a cup of tea at the Chequers before we catch it."

To conclude, this story presents so much so subtly in its pages; a reflection of the small, nuanced and unseen processes between human beings, but those which we must be attentive to in order to find fuller understanding between each other. Yet, there is still much uncertainty in my inferences; which also shows the uncertainty of lanugage and communication. We simply must be clear of ourselves, as we can only assume Holmes and Watson were, off-page, for them to have found that resolution, rather than fleeting smiles and compliments. Arthur Conan Doyle, with this story, further cements the triumph of bonds and connection, perhaps far more than any other of his stories.

#acd canon #sherlockian scholarship #sherlock holmes #acd holmes #classic literature #literature analysis #victorian husbands #fun fact I bummed out the LFW server with the “Mr. Holmes smiled amiably” line #was worried this was too long but I think all of this is necessary for my point #CREE is so underrated! I think it's brilliant for this reason #I don't actually care for the mystery. it's shit #the real mystery is whether Holmes and Watson actually made up while in Camford or not #ACD how are you so insanely good at subtext. you put so many treasures in the text for me to find and puzzle over. i love you #hashtag the indomitable human spirit #I could have also commented on some way more suggestive lines but they didn't feel relevant to this analysis #it doesn't actually matter if they're fucking or not sorry guys

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regular-gnome · 2 days

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Absolutely /adore/ your art and overall take on the Demon Realm world + it's history and the Archivists. Especially coming from someone who adores speculative biology and trying to find logic/science in magic (I'm not sure how to word it so it makes sense - basically almost everything you are doing here)

Curious if you have any ideas on how the titans managed to inhabit the planet, because Papa Titan's hand managed to reach the atmosphere just from lying down. There's no way that planet was big enough for a bunch of titans to walk around comfortably.

Idk much about planetary stuff, but is there some way the planet may have changed? Maybe the Archivists did something?

Sorry this ask got kinda long, hope you have a lovely day doing little gnome things :}

glad you like them!:D

So, one of the gnome things is overanalyzing things and avoiding doing math, but here we are, you actually made me read my biophysics notes from 4 years ago. There are a few things to really focus on and think about, but I gotta preface this by saying I am very much not an expert on speculative biology xD I just have the internet and some books I am basing my theories on

Titans:

First the titans themselves. A while ago, I made an approximation of how large the Boiling Isles titan is and got that it would be around 27 km in height post-mortem. Buuut if the titan was this height during its life is another question because it would run into some biophysics issues

Issues like the atmospheric pressure. At ground level, it is 101.3 kPa, but at 27 km, it falls is 1.6 hPa (titan bless wolframalpha for counting this as exp funtions are the death of me). That is 63 times higher pressure on their legs than on their head! Blood circulation would be shot to the moon. The blood is liquid that in general transports gasses so travelling fron upper body parts to lower ones where there is diffrent dissoving of oxygen would end up in gas bubbles, which are NOT GREAT. Additionally, their ability to stand up or lie down quickly would be pretty much non-existant as that would be super fast change of pressure and more bubbles. But okay, lets say they are like some kind of abyss fishes and keep constant internal pressure.. that would still mean their hearts would need to be either massive or they would have multiple pumping mechanisms to handle their size (maybe like the single-chamber hearts in fish??) And the thing is we saw their heart, it was big but not THAT big so unless it was just one of many, maybe the last beating heart there might be diffrent explanation. And Im not gonna even go into how temperature changes every 100m around 0,6C, lets say their fur makes them warm and cozy and blue blood avoids freezing problems like some arctic critters

bringing those graphs up again cause they show the altitude change nicely

All of this to say the titans during life were probably smaller. They would still have been massive, but maybe not three times the size of mt Everest massive. So next thing to consider is their magic. Their powers are closely tied to life, healing and creation and so, the demons on the Boiling Isles are said to have originated from it and their evolution waas likely sped up a lot thanks to it. Next we saw size-changing spells affecting King in the carnival episode, so it's not a stretch to believe that all titans could be affected by this kind of spells, with the strength depending on the particular titan's magic. So anyway as the titan was activly dying, its magic could have desperately attempted to save it by rapidly generating more cells to repair its failing systems, ending up in expansion of all tissues and their overall size. (Maybe thats why the vains were so big and empty in the mines, you cant create more energy so maybe the magic going with simmilar concept expanded everything around but not made more of blood?) However, despite these efforts, the magic would ultimately fail to save them. When it reached a critical point, maybe after using up most of its magical energy, the process would stop or change focus. There are some fun grusome possiblities on how that might have went down but this is already pretty long

So in short, I think the titans during life were big but only got island sized after death, otherwise theyd have some wild biological mechanisms battling physics and them becomming bigger would explain where did most of the blood go after death. Not to mention how much food they would need

Planet:

Next the size of the planet. While we don't have many clues to determine whether it's bigger or smaller than Earth, one clue is Luz's lack of reaction to changing gravity after passing through the door. If the planet were larger (or denser I know), she would feel change in g-force, so like the feeling of being on a lift going up in case of bigger planet or down in case of smaller. If the diffrence was significant she would develop issues with circulatory system and fatigue. But thats not the case and I do not have the energy to calculate min change xD

So let's say the planet is Earth-sized. This is still a lot. We don't know if there are any continents on the planet or their sizes, but even if there were same like earth, the scale is immense. If the Boiling Isles were the size of New York (based on titan's height) or even larger, say the size of Hawaii, compared to the world map, that's tiny. If Earh is 510 100 000 km², while NYC covers 1213,3 km² to cover the same area, we'd need 420423 titans lied up neatly next to each other. And thats if they are isles sized their whole life. There can also be landmasses where they can lay on, oceans deep enough to cover bodies, they can be stacked.... I don't think the planet necessarily needs to be much larger to accommodate creatures of this size

TOH as a show:

One thing to remember while analyzing shots from the show is that we we will run into contradictions because it's a show, one that is not focused on speculative biology. While most elements are well-constructed, some details may show inconsistencies. For example, determining the direction of north on a titan becomes challenging when one shot shows the sun setting in one direction and later another. Finding the titan's height poses difficulties when one shot shows their arm reaching the atmosphere while another barely shows them reaching it while standing. But its not due to carelessness, its more about serving purpose of the shot, conveying the atmosphere. They both show the titans are giant, the view from above is beautiful and if they were more focused on keeping them some arbitrery size it might have taken away from it

And Im pretty sure that I'm wrong around a lot of aspects here, how it wasnt supposed to be interpreted like that or its more convoluted than I realize. Thats just my take on this. World we live in can seem small as we can only see a tiny part of it but Earth is so amazingly vast. It's larger than we can comprehend, and yet, it's nothing compared to the vastness of the universe. So, yeah, some of my thoughts on titans and the demon realms planet xD peace

#died during writitng this #i spend 6h on this i dont know why its already light outside #toh #the owl house #owl house #toh archivists #toh titans #toh papa titan #toh analysis #ask

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ariaste · 2 days

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Did you have to do a lot of nautical research for this book? What was the weirdest thing you had to learn?

Actually I did almost NO nautical research for RUNNING CLOSE TO THE WIND! This was for two reasons:

1. I grew up sailing on a boat around the Bahamas until I was 10, so a lot of the Vibes of what it's like to sail and the setting descriptions are drawn straight from personal experience! There's a line about bougainvillea bushes growing up some of the houses in Scuttle Cove, descriptions of goats wandering around and eating the scrubby grass on the hillsides, the smell of the sea, the fact that seagulls are rats of the sky -- all of that is direct experience. Also, the name of the pirate ship, The Running Sun, is taken directly from another childhood memory -- I used to hang my head over the side and look at the reflection of the sun flashing in the water and watch it "keeping up" with the boat as we were sailing, and I used to pretend that it was racing alongside us :D The running sun! (Looking at the sun's reflection was probably a bad idea and might explain why my eyes are a bit fucked up now as an adult. Don't do that, kids.)

2. The main character whose POV we're in doesn't know shit about boats (or at least likes to pretend that he doesn't -- he doesn't like to have too many things in his head, he likes it to be really clean and uncluttered in there, he's a minimalist. Head Empty No Thoughts is a lifestyle choice for him). I HAD started to research things like what the different parts of a Big Tall Ship are called, but then I realized that being in Avra's point of view meant that I could get away with calling the yardarms the "sticky-outy bits". So the only actual research I had to do was things like "how long does it take a tall ship to tack" (like 5-20 minutes depending on how good they are) and the names of all the different sails when other characters need to talk about them. (The only sail that Avra remembers the name of is the spanker, because it makes him giggle)

(RUNNING CLOSE TO THE WIND comes out in ten days on June 11th! It's a comedic fantasy novel about queer pirates stealing and trying to find a buyer for the most valuable secret in the world and fighting back against oppressive institutional powers! You can read a review of it here and the first chapter of it here, and you can preorder it here.)

#alexandra rowland #running close to the wind #books #comedy #booklr #sailing

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tarteeee · 2 days

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ive recently been playing Detroit become human again just to feel something and it's just so happened to coincide with my obsession with one piece and my brain is going places. zosan places.

so perhaps...DBH zosan au? long post under the cut

Im imagining that Judge is some main engineer at CyberLife and created a line of prototype military androids. he starts off with Reiju, perfects the tech then in one fell swoop creates 1234ji. BUT, as per canon, Sanji is defective. Against all protocol and logic, Sanji has somehow had a caretaker (cooking, cleaning, babysitting) android program installed and it Just. Won't. Delete. It's Sora, Judge's wife and fellow engineer who hates that part of her work is going to be used to harm people rather than help them.

Judge can't fix whatever the hell's wrong with Sanji so he sends him to some local police station, figuring that it's way too expensive (and sort of illegal) to destroy property that's technically not his and the rest of his programming dedicated to stealth, reconnaissance, and data gathering could be put to use. 124ji gets instead shipped to do military work.

What neither Judge nor Sora know is that Sanji deviated, he'd deviated from the beginning. The program won't be deleted from his code because he doesn't let it. He wants to try helping people, He's relieved he's being sent away but really would rather just settle down with some family and at least get to try some of the things he knows how to do now. Cooking at least looks like fun...

At the police station he gets partnered up with Zoro, a gruff young upstart that has put away so many criminals people think he's some sort of demon. Zoro has his own beliefs on androids, doesn't like that despite the fact that they look human, they're cold and unfeeling. He can't shake off the fact that they're just machines after his childhood best friend fell down the stairs in the middle of the night and a glitch in their household androids code made it unable to alert emergency services despite the fact that she fell right in front of it. Nothing quite sparks a hatred for androids like knowing that a normal human would have immediately jumped in to help, no program necessary.

Needless to say he's not the happiest about being saddled with the android, and gets even more pissed off when it tries to tell him how bad his self-care habits are. Sanji doesn't actually care, its only programmed to. He's not human, it's even numbered for fuck's sake.

I imagine they'd have a lot of tension, with Sanji trying his hardest to both take care of the people around him but also not act too far out of what he's supposed to do because he doesn't want others to find out he's deviated. And he really doesn't understand Zoro, who despises any help or attempt to get closer from him but only barely manages to hide a smirk and stifle laughter when Sanji accidentally lets out some snide comment about an annoying coworker. In his mind palace, zen garden area, the person who meets him switches from Sora to Judge, depending on what issues are at the forefront of his task list and he gets along well with Robin, a crime analyst and her husband Franky, who works in the precincts' IT and tech department.

For the other androids obviously Luffy would take Markus' place, wanting to gain legal freedom and rights for androids. He's inspired from the freedom he saw in his previous owner, Shanks, and even got to have his straw hat after Shanks told him to run and chase his dreams. His revolution is backed by other androids he finds along the way. Koby, who wants to have a peaceful revolution and not be shunned by human society, Trafalgar Law, who urges him that humans won't listen to reason and that a bloody battle is inevitable. Usopp, despite being afraid of being deactivated follows Luffy and says that he trusts his judgement and knows that there are understanding humans out there, like his previous owner Kaya. Brook and Chopper join Luffy as well, they were androids who were a model skeleton and an animatronic made to have kids feel at ease at a doctors' office, respectively. The three of them are not water proof models ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Nami, I feel, would take Kara's place. She comes to at a CyberLife store and is taken home by Arlong who uses her for housekeeping. At Arlong's place she finds Vivi, a girlfriend that he's obviously abusing. She deviates the same night that she find him hitting Vivi. They run away together and the less that's said about the state they left Arlong in, the better. They try to take refuge at Crocodile's place but find out that he scraps down androids for parts and sells them. There they find Jinbei, a strong android whose model was originally made for carrying heavy loads at docks and stuff, and escape together. They later find out that Vivi was an android girlfriend that Arlong had bought a while ago.

#one piece #one piece au #detroit become human #vinsmoke sanji #black leg sanji #zosan #zoro x sanji #roronoa zoro #one piece nami #op #nico robin #franky one piece #soul king brook #one piece usopp #vivi nefertari #tony tony chopper #first son of the sea jinbe #trafalgar law

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cultmachine · 3 days

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time for me to talk too much and take p1 too seriously. All of this is just my take on his character and my hcs

Starting off I wanna go over what I think his arsenal looks like pre-killing spree. He's got only his AR at the start of the game, but considering that a shotgun is right outside in his yard, I'm gonna say that gun is also his. The shotgun came first, an heirloom from his dad (who I believe was also a gun nut but that's for another time). The shotgun's manufacturer is lost to time, but it works well and that's what counts.

For a good while the shotgun is all he has. He feels safe enough with that kind of protection, but as the paranoia ramps up he starts longing for something that's easy to conceal and carry with him, a faster shot and holds more ammunition- like a pistol. It's probably safe to assume he didn't spend a ton of money on this (because he couldn't), and depending on when he bought this, he could have gotten it from Walmart.

That feels so Postal to me that I gotta go with it, but finding what kind of pistols were available there back in the day is kinda impossible. I have no idea what would have been affordable for him either, but that doesn't matter too much because for Postal purposes we could escalate it (if we even have to) and say his local supermarket sells anything you can think of. I'm gonna have to look around and see what guns would even be in his price range before I can decide on the one he buys, but I'm gonna talk about his first pistol more in our fic for sure because it marks the very start of his rapid decline into the mindset he has in '97 yayyyy

These two guns are all he keeps for a while, despite his growing fears, because on top of the fear of being attacked he is also wildly aware of what's going on with gun control laws. No matter his political stance on it, one thing is for sure and that's that if he owns too many guns, the cops are gonna start looking in his direction. Or at least he thinks they will, like they have some kind of sixth sense. He's at least partially convinced for a while that purchasing weapons makes him a target.

Now onto the AR-15 he buys. This gun is super important to everything. To his state of mind, to the commentary on politics and society and to his story as a whole. I've never held a rifle like that, I don't know what it's like to shoot one, but it doesn't take a lot of imagining to understand how powerful Dude would feel with something like that in his grip. I'm not sure where he would have gotten it realistically, but for Postal it's safe to say he popped into an ATF r Us or something like it and slapped some cash on the counter. No background check required, right? Right.

And this would be his first gun he bought to go on the offensive with, his other guns were meant to be defensive, but the AR is bought with the intent to kill. Not right away, though. He has his AR for a few years prior to the massacre in '97, dealing with his intrusive thoughts surrounding it, but finding it comforting to have that kind of firepower available to him. That comfort doesn't last forever, though........ We all know what happens.

As for the rest of the guns and knives and shit Dude owns, all of it was picked up or stolen, just like gameplay. He's like a crow and guns are his shiny quarters. He doesn't even use half of his collection regularly, he just wants to own them. Especially once we get to his P2 era, his interest in guns is 10% needing to protect himself and 90% guns sexy.

Ok I'm gonna shut up

#postal

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archivistofnerddom · 9 hours

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The Batch + Life In Retirement On Pabu

Slightly AU: Tech lives, though he’s got a prosthetic leg as a result of his fall.

Hunter’s fashion sense swiftly nose-dives into that of every dad at an amusement park. Don’t ask why that happened so quickly. It just did. He’s rocking cargo shorts, corny shirts, and comfy shoes like they’re going out of style. (Crosshair gave him a tactical fanny pack as a joke. Hunter wears it all the time with all due seriousness.) It takes years for the rest of the Batch to get him to branch out from that.

Tech alternates between his space jeans and sweatpants, depending on his mood. The sweatpants were necessary when he first got his prosthetic leg during his post-Eriadu recovery process. He too starts wearing ironic shirts, but somehow makes them more fashionable than Hunter.

Crosshair has the widest selection of island-appropriate hats and sunglasses anyone has ever seen. No one knows how he gets so many, and he’s certainly not going to tell on himself. Omega is the reason why he has so many floral-print shirts though.

Wrecker discovers overalls and pretty much lives in them. No less than half of his overalls have the legs cut off at the knees. This is more practical than fashionable though. He’s just so big that he has a hard time finding pants that fit him at the waist and have a long enough pant leg.

Omega finally gets to decide on her preferred style now that they’re permanently in one place. She still wears a lot of hand-me-downs from her brothers though. Omega spends a lot of time helping out around the island, so she needs clothes that no one minds her getting dirty or ruined when she’s working on a project.

Echo has an extensive collection of sarongs he stores on Pabu that he only busts out when he’s visiting. Rex knows not to ask Echo to do anything if he sees him wearing one. (Visiting the family on Pabu is the only time Echo gets a break or a chance to relax and destress.)

Batcher gets a pretty collar and a massively cushy bed. Someone starts bringing her sweaters to wear when she gets cold. (Crosshair is the leading suspect. Hunter won’t confess to anything.)

Wrecker has an extremely extensive cookbook and recipe collection. He picks up cooking as a hobby post-retirement, and he is really good at it. Given the diversity of people and species on Pabu, Wrecker spends a lot of time learning different recipes from across the galaxy.

Crosshair and Wrecker go fishing together pretty regularly. They don’t say a lot during those times, but that’s okay. Crosshair enjoys spotting where the best fishing areas are. Wrecker just sits back and lets his baby brother take the lead on this. (He brings snacks and a cooler of drinks to keep them fed and hydrated when they decide to make a day of it.)

Tech upgrades the Archeum to improve how things are stored and protected. Omega helps out. They spend a lot of time adding details about the specific items housed therein, including any historical details, cultural relevance, and any notes about how best to handle the items. They’re working with Phee on an oral history component to the Archeum as well, so that the stories about the items in the Archeum and the residents of Pabu are preserved.

Crosshair makes hammocks and strings them up around the island in random places. He says it’s so that he can take a nap wherever and whenever. Really, it’s just his contribution to life on Pabu. (Plus, making hammocks were good physical therapy when he got his new prosthetic hand.)

Omega instituted regular family game night. (Echo is expected to be there as his work with Rex allows.) Depending on their moods, Batch family game night is either extremely chill or extremely cutthroat. There is no in-between.

Wrecker is the first one to “move out” of the shared family house. It’s only because he built an upgraded kitchen with a huge family room attached. The shared family home couldn’t accommodate those upgrades. His house is two houses down and is still where everyone eats dinner almost every night.

Tech moved out second. He moved in with Phee. It was a combination of their evolving romantic relationship and him wanting to be closer to the island repair shop that he runs in his spare time. (Tech became the island’s mechanic once he recovered from the injuries he sustained on Eriadu.)

Hunter develops a massive green thumb. The family shared house (which eventually is just him, Omega, and Crosshair full-time) is overflowing with plant life. He built and maintains a greenhouse for Wrecker to grow speciality plants for his cooking.

Echo usually crashes with Wrecker when he comes to visit. Wrecker renovated part of his house to be prosthetic leg friendly and got a really comfy recliner for Echo. Crosshair put in a hammock for Echo in the backyard.

Crosshair, Hunter, and Omega go on early morning runs together. It’s their bonding time.

Tech upgraded the whole family’s prosthetic limbs many times over the years. Hunter made a point of keeping the older models as a reminder of how far they’ve come since they retired.

Batcher is the most spoiled dog on the island. She adores the attention and winds up becoming the unofficial therapy dog for every new resident and refugee who finds their way to Pabu.

#random bad batch headcanons that popped into my head #post series headcanons #just the batch living life in retirement on Pabu #also - tech lives #bad batch headcanons #headcanons #the bad batch #tbb tech #tbb wrecker #tbb crosshair #tbb omega #tbb hunter #tbb echo #tbb batcher #captain rex #phee genoa #tech x phee #star wars

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atryoshka · 2 days

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Tommy and his Found Family

It really started with Buck, their conversation before the kiss where Tommy let himself be vulnerable, taking a leap of faith and trusting that Buck, despite his initial panic, wanted to openly be with him. Having that trust validated in the hospital really solidified things and its clear their relationship has been thriving since then.

It's shown in the dinner how they've learned how to read each other and their willingness to communicate when asked. He's become someone Buck can be honest with and depend on. Buck telling Tommy how scared he was about losing Bobby, someone he considers his real dad, and Tommy responding in kind by opening up about his fears too, talking about his bad relationship with his real father and Gerrard's negative effect on him.

Both of them are people who have spent a lot of time finding themselves, around people but still feeling alone and looking for something that feels elusive, that they couldn't put a name to until they found it, with Buck finding it first.

The 118 is such a close-knit, ride-or-die found family and I'm so glad that Tommy, someone who has felt alone for so long, who keeps people at a distance by default out of fear, but still yearns for connection, can be a part of that too. He finally found his people and I think he'll do everything in his power to keep them.

Happy Pride Month ❤

#BuckTommy #911 abc

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elminx · 2 days

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Energy Update: June 2024

June is a "5" Universal Month [6 (June) + 8 (2024) = 14 = 1+5 =6] in an "8" Universal Year. 5 months tend to shake things up and carry some level of tension. Some adjustments may be in order. This aligns with the astrology of the month as we have a major shift of focus as the Sun, Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter all leave the fixed sign of Taurus for mutable Gemini.

The Set Up

We begin the month with the Sun Venus and Jupiter in Gemini, Mercury and Uranus in Taurus, Mars in Aries, Saturn and Neptune in Pisces, and retrograde Pluto in Aquarius. By month's end, all our personal planets will change signs (Mars into Taurus and Mercury and Venus into Cancer), the Sun will enter Cancer, and Saturn will retrograde in Pisces.

The Nitty Gritty

We continue our month-long astrological lineup with a sequence of all planets stretching from Aquarius to Gemini. We are finally starting to move into new ground, symbolized by our personal planets finally transitioning out of the last quadrant of the horoscope wheel (notice those pesky outer planets still hanging out there), but something is holding us back. It's worth noting that while the Sun, Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter will all chug away as trailblazers through Gemini this month, Pluto is working toward moving backward into Capricorn one last time.

If you're looking ahead, circle 9/1 on your calendar (the day Pluto enters Capricorn - it's gonna be a whopper) but for now, we just have to live in this in-between zone. With so many planets in Gemini, that shouldn't be particularly difficult as Gemini is nothing if not adaptable. (at times, perhaps, even pathologically so)

In a year made of ups and downs (8 years are the rollercoasters - they contain the whole gambet), we will find ourselves floating neither at the top nor the bottom of the ride. Maybe coasting is a better word. This isn't a bad thing - a lot has been going on and the aftermath of it demands some serious introspective and hopefully adjustments. The natural inquisitiveness of Gemini will likely keep things from being boring. But after some big bangers, June looks pretty...terrestrial?

That's a weird word to apply to a month ruled by mutable air and then cardinal water, but, here we are.

That's sort of it. We've been getting whopped by some major astrological conjunctions between the Big Hitters and our personal planets for the last two months. This can be seen as the hands of fate - or whatever you personally feel like calling the thing that is beyond us that seems to impact our lives - reaching down and having a good fuck around with our personal lives. It was a lot. If you can read these words, you've made it through - maybe some of you even got to beat the bad guys.

Take a moment to Breathe. June is not going to be like that, folks. If that shit is hitting the fan right now, it's strictly your own shit. That can feel worrying or freeing depending on your perspective. There's no judgment here, just note how that makes you feel. It's information about yourself and you can never have too much of that.

There are no non-lunar aspects on 6/1 (and honestly not even any interesting lunar ones, I checked) - that is just confirmation that this is a bit of a month off. Sure, there are some power days and a few days we should at least stay aware of. But if anything, we have a chance to get a bit jovial (Jupiter is in Gemini all month, let's talk big and worry about the consequences later) and enjoy life a bit.

Right now, our planets transiting Gemini will be in general alignment with Pluto by sextile and Chiron and the North Node by trine, but misaligned (square) to Saturn and Neptune in Pisces. The few days to watch out for are those Saturnian squares - those will always be the days to look out for. Gemini doesn't exactly ENJOY the consequences that Saturn brings to the table and is known for trying to lie their way out of a tough situation - that's the big thing to look out for this month.

Enjoy yourself but try not to shirk too much responsibility. By sign, Jupiter and Saturn will be square with one another all month and that always indicates some level of tension between our sense of enjoyment and our sense of responsibility. Saturn is preparing to retrograde as well.

Our Saturnian dates for the month are as follows: 6/8 Venus square Saturn, 6/9 Sun square Saturn, 6/12 Mercury square Saturn, 6/26 Mercury trine Saturn, 6/29 Saturn retrogrades We note the pattern here: Venus (emotion), Sun (self), and then Mercury (thought) twice over as our planet of Communication catches up with the Sun and Venus, and moves ahead of the pack. Whereas the hits from the last two months were from the otherworldly energies of Uranus, Chiron, and the Lunar Nodes - Saturn means business. Earthy business (Saturn rules the cardinal earth sign of Capricorn, after all). You may need to attend to the practical things in your life that got tossed aside as the world got so scrambled.

Gemini isn't known for their staying power. They would rather flit about doing this and that than commit to a single path. Remember to schedule free time to explore this month, but Saturn will certainly demand that you stop now and again to regroup, if not actually hold down a home base. This is going to be markedly easier for earth signs, fixed signs, and anybody with a strongly Saturnian chart.

The big flex of the month is being able to tell which days are for exploring versus which days need focus and attention and fluctuating between the two. Mutable signs or people with highly Mercurial charts will have an easier time with this half of things. Magic done to gain higher levels of discernment about which paths to choose may aid in this effort substantially - Mercury will be a good guide here.

The good days look really good (for perspective here: my Venus is in Gemini so I may be a bit biased). Gemini/Mercury days are always going to be good for adventure, information gathering, and communication of all kinds. Have a little fun with your life, play around a little. Be less serious and more inquisitive. Actively explore the other side of an issue, just for fun. The world is Gemini's oyster because Gemini knows that now is the only guaranteed moment. If you've wanted to become better acquainted with Mercury, Gemini's planetary ruler, this will be a very good time.

Gemini/Mercury days: 6/3 - Mercury enters Gemini (the absolute perfect day for a road opener, amiright?), 6/4 - Sun conjunct Venus 14° Gemini (playful love/playful emotions), and Mercury conjunct Jupiter (the best day for writers/speakers to do magic for inspiration for quite some time), 6/5 - New Moon 16° Gemini, 6/14 - Sun conjunct Mercury 24° Gemini (I think, therefore, I am)

Our new moon on 6/6 is at 16° Gemini and pulls in the energy of Venus through conjunction and Saturn by square. Its numerology is 3/6 [3 (Gemini moon) + 3 (Gemini Sun) = 6. and 6 (Geminin new moon) + 5 (June 2024) = 11 = 1+1 = 2.]. Both 3 and 6 are creative numbers which is echoed by Venus's involvement in this particular new moon - this will be a powerful day for creatives of all time to take positive actions (Saturn) towards their craft. Do some concrete magic and then put it into action.

Our full moon on 6/21 is one of the big power days of the entire year. As I have mentioned in past posts, 2024 is most auspicious money-wise in that it has two Capricorn New moons (one in January and one in December) and two Capricorn full moons (one in June and a second astrological blue moon in July). If you have money magic to do, this is the day to do so. This falls on a Friday so don't forget to include Venus in your planning if you're inclined towards planetary magic.

The numerology for this full moon is 4/9 [0 (Capricorn Moon) + 3 (Gemini Sun) = 13 = 1+3 = 4. And 4 (Capricorn full moon) + 5 (June 2024) = 9.] which supports structure and completion. This is a Capricornian moon, after all, it's about getting money into the bank where it can make more money. Don't think fast cash, think big results. This is the kind of energy that requires follow through, do with that what you will.

The energy shifts a lot as the Sun, Mercury, and Venus all enter Cancer. Welcome to the Summer season - we recognize the switchover from willy-nilly mutable Gemini to focused cardinal Cancer as the seasons shift. Now we've had our fun and it's time to get a bit more back into the grind. Our planets in Cancer will get along better with Saturn and Neptune than they did in Gemini (by trine) but will run into some crunchiness as they square off with the Lunar Nodes and Chiron.

Cancer is the midpoint of the axis between Aries and Libra where our lunar nodes still sit for a little bit longer. This is going to be a bit of a hit back to eclipse season and whatever has been coming up in your life around Independence/Togetherness. Mercury squares the nodes on 6/23, this may feel especially intense because Mercury was strongly involved in our total eclipse stellium during April while they were in retrograde. Try not to get too emotional (Mercury in Cancer) about what has already happened. Venus in Cancer follows suit on 6/26 - this last week of the month just may feel overly personal.

Sometimes (most times probably) we all take things more personally than they actually are. Cancer does this especially because they seem to carry their whole very emotional world around with them like a little snail house. Cry it out if you have to, but then put on your emotionally mature glasses and acknowledge what has nothing to do with you. Sometimes life sucks, sometimes bad things happen. Some things just aren't avoidable - no matter how much you worry, plan, or cast magic against them.

That's the big lesson of lunar node aspects: some things happen. All you can do is change how you react to them.

If it feels like a lot, know that you are right on time. Saturn is deep in its pre-shadow retrograde all month and the energy is likely to deepen as we move through the last dregs of June towards their retrograde on 6/29. There's likely going to be a heaviness to the air, possibly a sense of oppression. Saturn stations twice a year, this is business as usual, but it can feel hard to get through in the moment. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other and it will be July before you know it.

The Details

6/2 - Sun in Gemini sextile North Node in Aries/trine South Node in Libra, Mercury in Taurus sextile Neptune in Pisces, Jupiter in Gemini trine retrograde Pluto in Aquarius 6/3 - Mercury enters Gemini, Venus in Gemini sextile North Node in Aries/trine South Node in Libra 6/4 - Sun conjunct Venus 14° Gemini, Mercury conjunct Jupiter 02° Gemini, Mercury in Gemini trine retrograde Pluto in Aquarius 6/6 - New Moon 16° Gemini 6/8 - Venus in Gemini square Saturn in Pisces 6/9 - Mars enters Taurus, Sun in Gemini square Saturn in Pisces 6/11 - Venus in Gemini sextile Chiron in Aries, Mars in Taurus square retrograde Pluto in Aquarius 6/12 - Mercury in Gemini square Saturn in Pisces 6/13 - Sun in Gemini sextile Chiron in Aries, Mercury in Gemini sextile Chiron in Aries 6/14 - Sun conjunct Mercury 24° Gemini 6/16 - Venus in Gemini square Neptune in Pisces 6/17 - Mercury enters Cancer, Venus enters Cancer, Mercury in Gemini square Neptune in Pisces, Mercury conjunct Venus 00° Cancer 6/20 - Sun enters Cancer, Sun in Gemini square Neptune in Pisces 6/21 - Full moon 01° Capricorn, Mercury in Cancer sextile Mars in Taurus 6/22 - Mercury in Cancer square the lunar nodes 6/26 - Mercury in Cancer trine Saturn in Pisces, Venus in Cancer square the lunar nodes 6/28 - Mercury in Cancer square Chiron in Aries 6/29 - Mercury in Cancer sextile Uranus in Taurus, Venus in Cancer sextile Mars in Taurus, Saturn retrogrades 19° Pisces Do you like my work? You can support me on Kofi. I offer astrology reports written by me.

#astrology #energy update #transits #June 2024

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afewfantasies · 20 hours

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🏔️The Retreat 🏔️- Chapter V

Summary: Through the promptings of others Lorena and Gale are both forced to confront their personal feelings for each other, while acknowledging the potential for romance & their future.

Pairing: Gale Cleven x Lorena (black fem oc)

Warnings: None

Tropes: Slow Burn, opposites attract, forbidden love

Word Count: 2K

PART V - Major

Gale had never witnessed a winter prep like this before. Lorena had a strange way of making everything feel like a party with all her personality and ideas to make the mundane fun. There were wood splitting competitions among the boys and stacking competitions. There was no quarrelling as Lorena and Rose were in charge of the harvest and for the first time they were ahead of the schedule in September. A freak frost would have very few consequences on their way of life. Lorena’s sister's visit seemed to do wonders for her well being and in the weeks since her departure there’d already been two letters. Gale kept Felicia’s words close to his chest. He found himself admiring Lorena more and more. Admitting the way her eye’s light when she smiles, the cadence of her laugh, her sense of humour and glamorous nature. He found himself indulging her stories and whims more too. If Felicia thought there was a possibility of happiness between them, then Gale thought there could be a possibility that Lorena could see him the same way all the others did.

“What are you moping about Gale, us soldiers not moving efficiently enough for the Major?” Lorena asks, coming in with a basket of apples to be sliced and hung to dry. Gale smiles at her teasing.

“Wasn’t moping, I just resent there’s nothing to complain about. It’s not good for my reputation” Gale admits. Lorena lights up before laughing a touch. Gale had been opening up to her, it was a wonderful thing. Absolutely wonderful that he was finding his way out of his shell, and beginning to trust her like she trusted him.

“I’ll make a mess of something, you can be sure of it so keep some complaints in your reserves Major” Lorena mocks. He’d inherited the nickname not as a form of respect but admonishment. His small margin for error and serious precision had garnered him the nickname from Lorena. She didn’t understand what surviving a Montana winter was like, what preparation was required to ensure comfort and survival but Gale did. He’d survived the prison camps with next to nothing in terms of food and clothing, and would never endure anything like it again.

“I don’t think you understand how the chain of command works,” Gale says, taking far more than he should. His heart had never let him be too harsh with Lorena. From the moment she appeared in the lodge he had a soft spot for her and that would never change.

“I’m just being a pest, I don’t need a court martial for insubordination” Lorena winks filling the sink with water, it only proves her knowledge of the chain of command. She’d learned a thing or two about the military structure during the 101st’s reunion a few months ago.

“Food is important, it’s always better to have too much of it stored just in case we get snowed in, or the trains get snowed out and provisions stop making their way here. Or we have a long winter” Gale explains.

“When’s the last time anyone can really get in or out?” Lorena asks.

“Depends on the year but after November you’re stuck until around March” Gale explains truthfully. Hesitation washes over Lorena as she does a quick calculation. It would be five months away from her family, five months without consistent communication with them. She’d been silently weighing her options since Felicia’s departure. The heartache of her ex had settled into a bearable wound. As much as she wanted to see them she didn’t want to be forced to remain in a town that felt too muddled by a complicated past and a would be increasingly frustrating present. Lorena didn’t know if she could ever truly be okay with the sight of the man she once loved more than anything happy with someone else. It was the defining reason she had yet to return home, and somehow that bit of self preservation felt cheap. Especially around the likes of Rose and Gale who faced insurmountable challenges head on. A war hero who survived with his sanity intact, and a window making her own way in the wilderness.

The sound of the water stops and Lorena looks up to see Gale has stopped the sink from overflowing. The playfulness is gone from his expression and has been replaced by concern. In a perfect world Lorena could have it all. Her family, friends and home, along with Gale, Rose and the others. Allowing her a moment to herself Gale places the apples into the water where they bob to the surface.

“What is it?” He asks finally.

“My parents miss me a lot, this will be my first Christmas away from them” Lorena confesses.

Her words are just that and Gale can’t help but wonder if there wasn’t another reason for her hesitation. The indication that she missed her ex, that he was one of the reasons she wanted to return. Felicia had been right about his feelings for Lorena, perhaps the older sister was also correct about her sister’s inevitable willingness to take the scoundrel who betrayed her back.

“You can get back home in the spring, it’ll be safer to travel to and from. Felicia can come back with you” he offers now that a world without her under his roof has become inconceivable to him. Lorena scoffs knowing full well that it wouldn’t just be Felicia, it would be her brother and mother as well. Reaching into the basin Lorena begins scrubbing the skin of the apples in preparation for their preservation. Gale stands by her side instead of returning to his task of unloading the hay with the others. His eyes wash over her as stands carrying more than she should emotionally. To Gale there were too many positive qualities to the woman that she should have no insecurities. Feeling the weight of his gaze, Lorena meets him. Something about his blue eyes always seemed to ground her, settle her restlessness and put her at ease. It had been so since the very first time she saw him.

“Gale, we need you - there’s another delivery to be signed for” one of the guys yells from outside.

Gale, we need you. Lorena smiles at the truth of the statement.

“I’m coming!” he shouts, turning back to the door before looking back at Lorena. So it would be a fight after all.

“Whenever you decide to leave I’ll make the trip with you, and if you don’t want to go back your family is welcome here” Gale says with the same commitment to his people that he’d had in the war. It brings a genuine smile to Lorena’s face. The thought of Gale waking through her hometown where he’d stick out like a black swan.

“Maybe you could spend a winter with me sometime and enjoy all the perks of city living.” She suggests making him smile. As long as Lorena saw her future intertwined with his, Gale could be at ease.

“Definitely, I’ll probably be in late. Have dinner with Rose” He says far more comfortable with stepping out now. Even if it was only a few feet away Lorena’s melancholy weighed him down more than anything else. Lorena’s smile had made it into his dreams and into his heart. It was the only way he wanted to see her now.

…

Rose and Lorena sit on the porch swing watching the boys finish up loading the last few bales of hay for the day. Rose had prepared a hearty dinner that would surely put them to sleep after providing them with adequate nourishment.

“You’re good for him,” the older woman says.

“Huh?” Lorena questions.

“You’re good for him,” Rose repeats, looking directly at Gale. “He was so angry last year - this entire experience was a nightmare. He hasn’t been angry in months and now he’s finally starting to settle” she says.

“Benefit of time” Lorena says.

“Not just time Lorena, you” Rose says.

“Well, I’m glad I can help,” Lorena responds, making Rose smile.

“Life’s too short to deny yourself the good because of those who’ve mistreated you. We’re all on borrowed time, don’t squander it. You’re young and beautiful and deserve to be loved.”

“Rose? Are you feverish, have you been smoking wild herbs?” Lorena asks, appalled by the older woman's frankness.

“I see the way he looks at you, I’m around. Gale doesn’t make a decision without considering your opinion of comfort. He’s too good a man for most and you’re too good a woman for most. Aside from the obvious facts there’s chemistry there that can’t be denied. Just think about the kind of love he’s capable of Lorena. If he’s been kind, generous and fair with you when you were a stranger.” Rose says hitting Lorena with sobering truths. Looking away from the boys Lorena turns to face Rose who nods with all knowing eyes.

“Gale’s a good man, his heart is set on that gorgeous starlet fiancé that ran away” Lorena sighs knowing intimately.

“He deserves far better than a woman that left him, the man he is and ignored what he was going through.” Rose says and it’s a point Lorena can agree on. “And so do you. I can’t imagine the amount of stupid on that ex-husband of yours. A lady like you being overlooked after staying and being loyal even to this day. Darling you’ve done enough for him. It’s time for you to live for you.” Rose suggests.

Looking at Rose it’s clear as day she’s full of wisdom, she’d always had an omniscient quality to her. Lorena’s silence is only further confirmation of the complicated web of feelings between Gale and herself. Reggie had courted her differently; with large declarations and ostentatious presentations of his affections. Reggie was loud in his love and it was all Lorena had come to know. Gale loved his corners, the quiet and operating in the peripheries if his expertise and leadership were not required.

“So you think I should do what my Ma says and remarry?” Lorena asks, looking into wise eyes.

“I think every woman deserves a taste of the best life has to offer them. You haven’t had it yet and you owe yourself that experience. Someone who cares so much they start digging out an extra cellar in August to prepare enough provisions so that the live-in princess is comfortable” Rose winks before heading into her home.

Lorena sits at a loss for words. Gale stands across the field leading the men in the loading of the barn. Lorena had thought him handsome from day one but she hadn’t thought she was even a contender for his affections, her head hadn’t been in that space when she first arrived. She was nursing her wounds. There was no longing for passion. Only longing for the heartache to cease. And it had. When and where Lorena didn’t know. She could place it. Sometime during the summer after many good days and full weeks. Among the smiles and laughter she’d found peace and Gale had been there every step of the way. Every breakfast, every supper, every night. Every morning he waited to hear movement before getting his day started, and every night he walked across the hall to look in on her before going to bed himself. There’d never been any room or reason for her to think it was something more than otherworldly courtesy. But perhaps with Gale love was the little things, the subtleties, the small kindnesses that add up over time, the careful consideration that makes life easier. The quiet consistency and loyalty that makes you feel a little invincible.

Authors Note: Thanks for reading 💖 I've been in the worst funk lately but the social media algorithm gods have been force feeding so much Austin that my creativity was "re-sparked". Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know how you feel in the comments and re-blogs. The next part is coming and its 🍵 😉

#austin butler imagine #austin butler #austin butler x reader #austin butler x you #austin butler x black reader #black authors #masters of the air #masterlist #major buck cleven x oc #major buck cleven #major gale

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wings-of-ink · 2 days

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hello! sorry for the incoming macabre ask:

you said you liked ghosts, which made me think 👻... do spirits of the dead exist in the GC universe? what’s ROs’ stance on ghosts? (who’s going to get outed as a scaredy cat?) also, if it isn’t something we’ll get to see in the story, what do funerals look like? do people usually get buried or cremated? are there any special ceremonies?

i’ve read whatever i could find of your (delicious) worldbuilding but i need more; i’m hungry!!

I wouldn't say that's so macabre, as long as we're not killing off the ROs or the MC, we're good!

This is a fun subject, really!

The people of the GC universe have varying ideas of what happens after death - sort of how we do irl - but the most prevalent belief is in reincarnation. They don't necessarily ascribe to remembering past lives or anything, but they don't think the soul of a person just vanishes after, and that it's sort of "recycled" back into the world. There are some that think the souls of the dead return to the gods they served - sort of powering them up and becoming a part of them.

Funerals in the world can be big events depending on the person - whole towns may be involved. Most people are cremated in pyres. Loved ones stand watch and speak to the departed one last time. They say goodbye or even air grievances - and it is firmly believed that the dead actually hear or understand everything that is said at their funeral. The smoke is sacred - a representation of the soul departing.

Families usually handle the body of their loved ones with any traditions passed down from within. Otherwise, you may see healers or midwives assisting. Since some are still followers of the gods, there may be something specific to those practices that they'd want done. For example, if they follow the Deities of the Stars - their service would be held at night. If they worshiped Casimir, they'd have a really really big pyre and likely be burned with a weapon. Some families simply bury any ashes or bone that remain, keep them in urns, or actually use them - mixing into a clay to make a memorial pottery of some sort. There are a few regional traditions as well. Those in the north may leave ashes at the tops of mountains. Those in the south sometimes take ashes out to sea. The middle province doesn't really have anything quite like that - burying ashes is the favored tradition.

MC's mother was burned on a pyre according to Dov's family tradition. He's from a nomadic people that burned the dead after placing a loaf of bread in their hands (often the departed's favorite kind) - sort of like a last meal. The pyre itself would have the departed's name etched in it and sometimes mourners would write sentiments to burn with them. Kip and Dov made promises to see that MC was cared for. They buried her ashes among the roots of the tree where she was found with her baby.

Spirits exist - more so known as demons - but they are not believed to be the spirits of the dead. They are their own entities but instead of being corporeal, they're magic. Demons can take possession of the living, but in the current world, this is quite rare. Gods nearly eradicated demons (at least the ones most dangerous to people), so they're a rarer find, and are drawn to strong magic and even emotion. This is why the Fields of Desolation are not pleasant. 😁 (Guess where you're headed later, teehee)

Since ghosts as we know them aren't really a thing they would know about, the ROs attitude towards demons:

Oswin–unnerved

Zahn–scared shitless

Duri–fearless (and dumb)

Rune–trying really fucking hard to not look scared

???--annoyed

Thank you for the fun question Anon! I love that you're interested in the fabric of the world. I'll try to pop this in the codex as well. ^_^

#god cursed if #asks #twine if #if wip #twine wip #gc ro reactions #interactive fiction #gc if world

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triptychgrip · 2 days

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Viktor's potential insecurity in the aftermath of Yuuri's poster reveal

As much as I absolutely adore YOI, one thing I would have killed for the creators to show us is the long-term aftermath of the moment (or perhaps, series of moments) where Viktor grasps just how big a fan Yuuri is. And not only even for humor reasons (i.e."Wow, Yuuri! Not even my publicist is able to get their hands on that poster, but you have four different copies!), but also because, depending on when it occurs, the discovery might pose a sort of crisis for Viktor.

Because as confident as he is with regards to the ice, as he and Yuuri begin to spend more and more time together outside of training, I imagine he might find himself confronting a pretty important question: what does he have to offer in terms of personality, and in general besides his skating talent, or the association that comes from his reputation (and, by extension, the longevity of his career)?

While the beach scene is hugely important for the progression of their relationship, you could argue that it's a beginning: when Yuuri tells him that he wants Viktor to be himself, it's from a place of saying "you don't have to pretend, show me who you really are", so Viktor may feel that while Yuuri truly wants to see his full personality, it doesn't necessarily mean he will be accepting of it.

To be clear: I think that Viktor can grasp that Yuuri accepts him for his flaws -- after all, it's pretty apparent that he forgives him when he royally screws up at the Cup of China in that damned parking garage. But accepting someone's flaws and being able to celebrate their positive traits are two different things, even when they are opposite sides of the same coin.

Speaking of the Cup of China (which, don't get me wrong, has me completely in my feels every time I watch that episode), while it's extremely powerful when they both express their feelings for one another via skating, sometimes actual words are needed when it comes to assuaging our insecurities. At some point (and when would this have occurred? I wish we could have seen!) Viktor probably needs concretization around the things that Yuuri perceives about him, good and bad.

Back to the poster reveal. Once Viktor realizes the extent of Yuuri's fanboying, part of me wonders if his thoughts might take a turn in the vein of "What if Yuuri thinks my career is the most interesting thing about me? And "What if the other parts of me aren't palatable enough outside of that?"

When they have the inevitable "come to Jesus" conversation(s) whereby Yuuri tries to articulate that he sees Viktor as more than just an idol on a pedestal, how might Viktor react, and would he be able to take Yuuri's words at face-value? Similarly to Yuuri's journey of realizing that he is more than worthy in Viktor's eyes, I think Viktor goes on a parallel one, and those moments of reassurance are something I really love ideating around.

I think this is part of why I get so much comfort out of writing post-canon/established Viktuuri, particularly in my married Viktuuri Olympic Games series: it gives me a bit more freedom to "move" and portray some of the security they've developed with time (and allows me to imagine some scenarios where Yuuri is able to verbally demonstrate how much he values Viktor in a way that is unrelated to the ice)

#yuri!!! on ice #yuri on ice #yuri on ice headcanons #viktuuri #victuuri #victor nikiforov #viktor nikiforov #insecure viktor nikiforov

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froggyphycosis · 2 days

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Your Fratello Angel

Summary

Takes place Immediatly after episode four, after loser baby. Just a fic of Angel's thoughts as he walks home with Husk and as he talks to Charlie! Mainly fluffy! Or hurt/comfort depending on your view really!

(if u wanna keep this fic after I'm done I'd suggest reblogging because I might delete it after a day or so maybe a week unless it does really well)

1471 words

Content warning!

Swearing/strong language

Mentions of alcohol

Mentions of murder/wanting to kill Val

Mentions of sa/just the scene of Charlie and Val thouggh

Honestly it's not that bad if you watched the series you can read this it jsut sounds bad jsjsjsjs

______________________________

Angel cackles and splays his hand out in front of him, like he was about to tell a grand story, something maybe daring and crazy, his face lighting up with a devilish grin. a good raw excitement that he hadn't felt with anyone but Cherri in a long time. It feels good and refreshing and he takes a moment to bask in it.

Before he's inevitably going to ruin it, because he's actually going to say something extremely silly and stupid, because that's what he does best. That's the realest he can get and that is what Husk asked for. It's the least Angel can do for him after tonight,so that's exactly what husk's gonna get.

"okay so i got in his limmo with these two catty chics- not that that's important though they both started smashin faces the second we got in the car- and Valentino was trying to count up these bills that he had been given after i did like some... Shark dude? I dunno he was probably important though!"

Angel had spent the last hour chatting with Husk and regaling him with stories of Valentino, in return Husk talked about his old Casino, time as an overlord and shitting on Alastor as is expected. But they are coming up to hotel gates now, and Angel desperately tries to push Charlie out of his mind

"and fun fact about 'ole Vally is that because he's a moth his eyes are geuninly a pice of SHIT-"

"he's such a bitch."

Angel is so surprised by Husks bluntness and the complete apathy in his voice and general lack of care that he bursts out laughing (how on earth could he think husk acts like that all the time when his true lack of care sounds like *that*) and Husk probably still high off of adrenaline after having been in a bar fight and shoot out in the last hour, can't help but laugh aswell. Angel is shocked to find out that when Husk laughs he snorts, which sends Him into another fit of giggles that makes him cry and stumble about so much he ends up in The hotel bushes.

"HAHAhahah hohoholy SHIT Hahaha c'mere cmon I need your help!!" he wipes away his tears and waves around his hand like a mad man as Husk hauls him out of the bush wiping away his own.

"sorry sorry okay continue! Continue! Please!"

"Ahahaha fuck I can't remember what I was saying now." Angel is smiling like a loon and he knows it but he he hasn't felt the high of friendship and understanding in someone new in what seems forever and he isn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Try squeezing your hands."

"pfttt what?"

"Just do it its supposed to help you remeber things" Husk is grinning self consciously probably aware that he sounds insane right now

"oh! Oh! Never mind! I remember now!!"

"Oh yeah?"

They've finally gotten to the front door now and Angel completely ignores everything in lieu of looking at Husk. Drinking up this moment like it's champagne, trying to permanently burn this bubbly fruity feeling hinto his brain. Nothing else matters right now exept from Husk and him bitching about his boss.

And it's honestly what Angel considers a perfect moment.

"Yeah! Okay so I know I said he had bills but it was litterally like three it was like three dollars and he got so pissed at me for not telling him but i honestly just found it fucking hilarious that some guy paid him three dollars and he couldn't even tell as he was counting it- I think the shark guys got shot in the head for it though?"

"how long did it take him to realize??" Husk asks, using his whole body weight to push open the tall red oak doors and into the main room.

"he had like three bills. And it took him like thirty minutes to count it!! His eyes are so shit!!" Angel giggles and covers his face with all four hands, heaving out a long and tired but happy sigh as the warmth of the hotel finally knocks into him and settles into his bones, making him realize how tired he is.

However the quiet and warm moment does not last of course.

He doesn't even get a moment to to take in a second breathe before a very upset, very sorry princess, comes barralling into him with all the strength, the emotion and conviction of something 20x her size, and it momentarily knocks the breathe out of him.

Ah shit.... Time to face the music.

He cringes as her arms small and as squishy as they might be, attach themselves around his waist like iron bands, pressing all the multitude of bruises around his body. He wouldn't dare tell her to get off, or say she's hurting him though, because she needs it. She deserves every bit of kindness that a washed up whore like Angel can give her, he'd do it whatever it costs in a heartbeat too.

Everything that had happened that morning came rushing back to him and his left eye started to throb again like it remembered too.

Charlie is an emotional demon with Empathy for others that probably kills her, and Angel feels all the guilt of what she must have been feeling, left at home, forced to sit on it, thinking she had done something wrong like it was ever possible that she could do something to hurt someone. it was Val's fault. Not Charlie's and even he was smart enough to know that.

But then again Charlie probably wasn't smart enough to understand that, considering it was Angel that shouted at her.

He really hadn't meant what he'd said in a cruel way, but the panic of what Val was going to do to him when she left the building and he was alone in a room with him felt suffocating. That and the mix of disgust and anger that he had felt when Val wrapped his slivery disgusting fucking tongue across her arm and he had to watch as Charlie smiled through the discomfort had flared up something fierce and protective in Angels chest. Angel doesn't usually let himself revel in the thought of harming Val because it's all just a fantasy in the end, letting himself get too lost in those kinds of things would slowly kill him.

but in that moment he didn't even bother pretending even to himself that he didn't want to kill Valentino on the spot.

"I AM SOOOOOOO SORRY ANGEL. " she warbles and her face as she looks up at angel Crushkng his heart into powder "i PROMISE ILL NEVER CME TO YOUR WORK AGAIN I AM SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SORR-"

"Woah Charlie. " he put his hand on her head and as she looks into his eyes he's caught by surprise as the sudden flash of his sister when they were both twelve shoves itself to the front of his mind, when she would come running to him with tears in her eyes just like this, with the same long blonde hair and blue eyes as this, with a scraped knee and a plea for her Fratello Anthony to make it better.

And he always did.

"You don't need to apologise Charlie. It's okay, i forgive you." he strokes her hair softly running his fingers through her sleek blonde hair, the other wrapped around her waist and tries to look down at her with the most comforting and level gaze he can manage. It pays off when of course she beams back and the tears in her face come flooding back and she flings herself towards Vaggie wailing,"HE HE HE FORGAVE MEEEEE."

Vaggie the softy she 'secretly' is, (even though everyone already knows) smiles and scoops her girlfriend up in one go bridal style. She looks at Angel in a surprisingly thankful way? He expected to have a spear pointed at him, but she merely nods with a curt smile and starts to ascend the stairs up to their room.

Husk turns to look up at him, he smiles, sharp teeth all yellow from smoking and liquor. Angel swears he can see something like being pride etched into his face. He feels his smile return back full force and let's himself revel in it. The feeling of it, but for once, it doesn't feel red or smoky or suffocating or scary, it just feels warm and safe. Familiar. It's crooked and mishapened it's early mornings spent on self improvement even with the worst hangover ever, it's him trusting with letting fat nuggets around others, it's his care for the people around him, its the care he receives back.

It's family.

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