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californiaboytoybilly · 1 month

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🩷🧡💛💚🩵💙💜💐🌸 for Steve, Billy, Jason, Nancy, Chrissy and/or Eddie. I'm in need.

Okay okay, I’m gonna do a mix of them depending on who I have the best answers for. Some questions may get multiple answers :P

🩷 Why are they your favourite?

Billy, Eddie and Nancy are three of my all time favourite characters in a show ever, because I can relate to all of them in very different ways.

With Eddie, it’s about growing up an outcast and visibly out of place in a small town. I was tall, queer and autistic in a town where the last two weren’t welcome (and the first made me stick out, because I was the tallest in my class, especially among girls, at 5’11 by fifteen years old).

For Billy, it’s about the cycle of abuse and the anger that being mistreated brews inside. It’s about sitting outside of school and purposefully missing the bus because I didn’t want to go home. About how- even eight years after leaving the situation- I can’t handle being shouted at without breaking down or lashing out.

And finally, with Nancy, it’s about being constantly underestimated just because I’m a woman. About having a drive to prove people wrong, and sometimes realizing I’ve stepped on toes or treated people unfairly in my path to be seen.

🧡 Anything in common with them?

I kind of got into this above, so I’ll pick different characters for this question.

Chrissy - I was a cheerleader for several years in high school!

Jason - I can sometimes be so set in my beliefs that trying to convince me against my deeply held convictions can be… challenging. Not impossible, but might give you a slight headache.

💛 Do you have any polar opposite traits to them?

A few, yeah.

While Steve is constantly seeking validation through romantic connections, I rarely do so. My need for validation comes more in the form of approval of things I’ve done, or towards my intelligence or creativity. I can and do fall in love, I am in love currently, but in the past it hasn’t been a burden to me to be alone. Romance isn’t something I go out of my way to find, just something I appreciate when it comes along.

💚 Favourite representation headcanons?

Oh, this is a real long list but I will narrow it down for readability’s sake.

Chrissy - I tend to head-canon as suffering from chronic pain. As someone who spent 14 years of my life between competitive gymnastics and cheerleading, as an adult I struggle daily with constant levels of pain from injuries, being dropped, being kicked by flyers, the stress of competition season and more. Cheerleading is incredibly hard on the body if done for multiple years.

Steve - my favourites have to be dyslexic Steve and Italian Steve.

Eddie - Appalachian Eddie truther. Also, that boy is so autistic. Please, just look at him. I tend to double him up and make him AuDHD for projection reasons but also because it just… makes sense.

🩵 What’s a popular headcanon for them that you just can’t get behind?

As much fun as it can be to explore in fics, I can’t see Eddie secretly getting laid all the time. This boy is no sex god. He gets overwhelmed when someone attractive breathes on him. Tripping over his feet when people flirt. He’s too focused on music and D&D. I could see someone trying to hit on him, making some comment about his wand and him getting excited and showing off an actual magic wand replica from a book series he loved.

Also please look at his van for ten seconds and tell me he loves cars and knows how to fix them. That thing coughs up rust in the equivalent of a vehicular smokers cough.

💙 What’s a popular headcanon that you adore for them?

As mentioned above: Dyslexic Steve, touch-starved Billy, Eddie with an oral fixation (Hellfire had to give him the Heimlich one time because Jeff spooked him and he choked on a dice he’d been rolling around in his mouth).

💜 Put that guy into situations / take him out?

See, now, I would love to take them out of situations and give them a break with a vacation and unlimited icy drinks and a on-call therapist but… I do be putting them in horrible situations in my head. Whoops.

💐 Favourite polycules for them?

MMM.

Eddie/Steve/Billy/Jason

Steve/Nancy/Billy/Eddie

Jason/Patrick/Chrissy

Steve/Eddie/Chrissy

Jason/Billy/Patrick/Steve

🌸 Favourite mono ships for them?

Billy: My favourite Billy ships are Mungrove, Byergrove and Harringrove.

Steve: My favourite Steve ships are Steddie, Harringrove, Stargyle and Cheerscoops.

Jason: My favourite Jason ships are Tigerfreak, McCarver, Cargrove and Stason.

Chrissy: My favourite Chrissy ships are Buckingham, Sleuthcheer, Patrick/Chrissy (I refuse to call them Pissy and I can’t think of another ship name 😭) and Hellcheer

Eddie: My favourite Eddie ships are Mungrove, Steddie, Tigerfreak, Edgyle and Edancy.

Nancy: My favourite Nancy ships are Edancy, Bubblesleuth, Sleuthcheer, Bancy and Ronance.

#long post #billy hargrove #steve harrington #eddie munson #nancy wheeler #chrissy cunningham #jason carver

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daintyduck99 · 6 months

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'tis the damn season (write this down)

For your consideration: some JatP Christmas fics

Summaries included below, check AO3 tags for more information

where the lovelight gleams by @bananakarenina

Julie Molina, one of the biggest popstars on the planet, is spending the month of December in New York City to promote her new Christmas album and a huge Christmas Eve concert at Madison Square Garden. Her team has hired her a personal driver for the whole month--Reggie Peters. Julie's struggling with losing her creativity and passion, while Reggie is struggling with just trying to make rent in the big city; he hasn't been really creative in years. Can the two of them find their way back to music before Christmas comes? What else will they find along the way? (Love. Obviously the answer is love.)

you could call me 'babe' for the weekend by @locketletters

“Look, there's no way my parents are going to buy the fact that you’re my boyfriend.” Luke crosses his arms, brows furrowing, “What’s that supposed to mean?” in which luke goes home with alex for he holidays as a pretend boyfriend, and leaves with him as a real one.

Not Found Under the Tree by @breakaway71

There's only one thing Julie wants for Christmas.

Haunted Holidays by @invisibleraven

JatP Advent ficlets 2023!

Our Luxury (A Love Like Stars) by @psyduckappears, @daintyduck99

“So, I bought a ring,” Luke says, casual in the way that usually Reggie would realize is nowhere near casual and much closer to freaking out, but he’s a little busy choking to death on his lunch.

not the last unknown by @bananakarenina

It's Christmas Eve, and the Molina family goes to church. This year they have a couple tagalongs.

Joy To The World by @wishfulstargazer

"Christmas in LA is free of snow, but not of spirit. In fact, between the lit up palm trees, the shop displays everywhere, Feliz Navidad playing on every radio station, and a host of Christmas music and decorations all over Los Feliz high school, Christmas is pretty much unavoidable. It all grates on her nerves. Christmas without Rose Molina is unthinkable. Almost as unthinkable as music without Rose Molina." Can a well meaning trio of ghost boys bring back Julie's Christmas spirit and help her reclaim her music?

From the Heart by @breakaway71

Reggie gives Julie a gift, but she is not the only one to have some feelings about it.

Hallelujah, Everybody Say Cheese (Merry Christmas From The Family) by @a-tomb-with-a-view

Reggie sighs and turns in Luke’s arms to face him. Luke leans forward to kiss Reggie’s nose, his smile playful even if his eyes are huge and full of concern. God but Reggie loves him. “I’m not going home for Christmas,” he admits eventually. “I don’t know what I’m doing, but… but not that.” Luke frowns, and kisses Reggie’s forehead instead this time, having to lean up on tiptoes to do so. “Why don’t you come over to ours?”

Phantom Carols by @invisibleraven

Fills for the JatP Advent Event 2022!

Kiss Me Under the Missile Toad by @wr0temyway0ut

“Woah, little dude,” Willie says as he lowers Carlos to his feet. “You gotta be careful up there. What were you even doing?” Carlos gives Willie a proud grin and thrusts something into their hands. “I’m hanging the missile toads!”

why do i care how much it may storm (i’ve got my love to keep me warm) by @tillstarscollided

There is something special about nighttime snowfall, how it’s quiet and almost eerie with only the lights from the porch to show it, but how that also means you can watch it collect and sparkle in a controlled section of light instead of being blinded by the sun reflecting off the entire landscape of white. There had been snow on the ground already, slowly melting, but this new batch was evening it out, covering up the mud and sludge with a new blank canvas that Reggie really wanted to just go and mess up with snowmen and snow angels, as the ones he had already made disappeared, but it was 1 am and he should be cuddling in bed with his partners, and he has bad impulse control but not that bad of impulse control. or: Reggie’s partners bring him to New York to see the snow, and he hasn’t stopped staring since.

a lonely boy on christmas by @nuandia

Alex doesn’t really think twice. He takes the tangerines and a wrapped sandwich and a bottle of water out of his shopping bag and offers them to him. The boy looks up, startled. His face guarded, his posture tense before he blinks at Alex and then relaxes. He smiles a tentative smile and slowly reaches for the offered groceries. But his eyes are sparkling, making the breath in Alex’s throat catch. Or, everybody's lonely on Christmas Eve. Or well, maybe not.

Of Hearts Borrowed And Blue by @daintyduck99

“Some vacation,” Julie mutters, shedding the duvet and reaching for the coffee maker. She still doesn’t know why everyone was so convinced that a change of scenery would do her good—it’s not like Julie can outrun Christmas. Caleb apparently also forgot to mention that everyone in this town is obsessed with the holiday, which isn’t all that different from the current atmosphere at Molina Family Photography. If anything, Julie’s even more of a grinch here that she would be back home, because she stuffed all of her grief into a battered suitcase, and she can’t just pull it out for every single stranger trying to get her into the Christmas spirit.

#fic rec list #christmas fics #julie and the phantoms #feel free to add on

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nootqueen404 · 6 months

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Sooo uh hi?

I’m alive, but I gotta be honest I’ve been STRUGGLING the last few months. The last job I got ended up going belly up really fast, and a lot of stuff came forward about the place and owner that has now resulted in me hiring an attorney. I can’t go into too much detail, some of my friends on here know what happened and I’ll ask if they can keep that to themselves and out of the spotlight. The most I can say is that the people in question violated a bunch of state and federal laws to cut corners and has tried to tarnish my reputation and career to keep me silent.

Then I got a new job - which I love and I’ve now been at for almost 3 months. But adjusting has been hard since it’s a lot more physically demanding than initially thought. Imagine walking 3-5 miles a day in an itty bitty work space. But that’s life as an esthetician. Then there is the holidays, which I’ve always struggled with since it brings up bad memories for me. Mostly family drama that will probably never get resolved thanks to Father Time.

But thankfully I have some good news - I’m FINALLY moving out!

I’ll be moving with Tom (my boyfriend of almost 7 years) at his condo. It’s right around the corner from a major highway, the people in the complex are all really nice, and I’ll be able to access public transportation. Plus, Tom works from home and is able to drive me to and from work when needed. This will cut the travel to and from work from 45 minutes…to 15-17 minutes. So yay for not wasting gas and time!

I’m beyond excited to finally start this new chapter of my life. The one downside is that I have to wait until after Christmas to start the moving process. But because of all of this I’ve had next to no free time to write and all of my creative energy has been zapped from my body. I know I had someone a while back ask me to write an Eddie x chronically ill!Reader fic - and I REALLY want to write it - but I just don’t have the time right now. Plus I can’t cerise what path to go with it. I’ll probably shoot them a DM and let them know that

1. I’m still interested

And

2. For forgiveness because OH GOD I’m so sorry for being a flake.

But yeah; the bottom line is that I’m going on a hiatus.

I don’t know how long I’ll be gone, but I want to at least get settled in with my living arrangements and with my job. Obviously the legal shit will stay off of here unless I get the okay to spill the tea. But for now I need time and space to get my life back in order.

I love you all and I’ll do my best to keep in touch with all of my besties on here.

Sarah Jane

(Tagging said besties to let them know that I’m not dead @reddeadgirl666 @ali-r3n @maladaptive-day-dreams @chrrymunson @lovinvane @woahlifehitsyahuh @mothymunson @kurtsroo )

#oh shit it’s Sarah Jane #life update #Jesus Christ Sarah why are you like this #but that’s life #now I threw him off his rhythm #sorry I couldn’t help myself there gotta do it for the but

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archandshri · 4 months

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Creative Intentions for 2024 from Shri - 02/Feb/2024

Hi Archie! Yesss returning to the humble sketchbook is always such a joy! Especially when working through an artistic or personal problem.

I totally agree with the anatomy thing you mentioned, it’s so boring (and unrealistic) to learn something in one sitting, so implementing it slowly when you can, is great!

I actually don’t work on anatomy unless I find I’m struggling with a specific bit in my final work e.g. I'm drawing someone and their hips don't look right, I’ll go and do some quick studies on it to solve that problem. I'm not sure if this is the right way to do it but it's how I do it and it works for me.

Definitely a bit existential for the first post but it's always good to keep a critical mind about your practice, always checking in with it. Because if you know why you do things, you can do it with more intention than before. In both your creative practice as a whole and your whole person-nes. Knowing why you do things is so important.

Quick update on my endeavours

I’ve got a few projects on the go at the moment,

A short 8-page comic for a publishers

T-shirt for a friend’s t-shirt design

Plymouth Comic and Zine Fair which is around the corner (which I still need to prep for *sweats profusely*)

Continuing on my comic Again.

I’ve just finished a project for my sibling's friends making ten emoticon reactions for their YouTube channel (it’s a League of Legends channel). I’ve put a few below of my favourites. :)

What I did well in this project was - The nose, God I love drawing noses so much! The hands a looking pretty good too.

What I can do better for next time - Do a few more studies on the person I’m drawing and really look at how I can translate their unique features into my simplified style; diversifying my characters and drawing.

Anyway to the actual post, I thought my first actual post could be about the intention I want to set for my artistic practice this coming year. With a small overview of last year in terms of my creative practice

Overview last year

Last year was basically my first year out of uni (out of education completely *gasp*) which was a huge adjustment and it took me a long time to pick myself up from the post-uni sad boi hours.

Once I got back on my creative feet I jumped straight into my projects intending to fill the gap in my portfolio and update it, as well as making dummy books/pitches.

I managed to complete one dummy book, made one self-published picture book and go to Thought Bubble!!! With a few single illustrations, testing single image storytelling.

I had a gap between July and November, where I was working on two big projects, which is great but it would be a lot better to stagger work a bit more effectively, making sure I have only one big project while working on smaller ones to keep work flowing smoother.

This year I’d like to:

Complete the first volume of Again comic

Death is relative pitch set-up and ready for pitching

Complete my cover project (finish the last two covers)

Be a bit more confident in graphic design

Start the habit of sketching in life more

Learn a bit more about how to use a Carma

Doing small ‘final’ illustrations for socials and experimentation.

Be a bit more confident in graphic design

I want to be a bit more confident in graphic design within my illustration. This has been on my to-do list for years! So this year I’ll actually give it a go this year!

Start the habit of sketching in life more

I would like to do more life drawing in my day-to-day life. This is to record the smaller moments in my day-to-day life both for inspiration/ideas and practice/learning. So I'll start keeping a sketchbook in my pocket more often so when I commute to and from my day job or go about my day I can visually record more of these small moments.

Learn a bit more about how to use a Camera

I want to set myself this year is be a bit more confident around a camera. This had less to do with illustration but more my overall practice. But for so many years I've been hopeless with cameras all my life. So I finally want to be able to practically use a camera for both product photos and adding to my overall creative practice

Doing small ‘final’ illustrations for socials and experimentation.

This last one is something I’ve only briefly thought about, and it's come mostly from the fact that working in publishing you work on such long turnarounds, so to keep things fresh and creative I thought it might be fun to do some really small 'final' illustration more often. in the past, it's these sorts of things that are the original inspiration for my books and other projects. :)

And finally, I mention this in my recent endeavours but I’d love to continue improving in capturing subtle fetchers in my characters, as for a long time I had a terrible case of same-face syndrome. I’m a bit better nowadays but I still want to develop things like face shapes, eye shapes and placements because using only different skin tones in characters is not really diversifying anything.

Lats notes is the one thing I have in the last year fallen head-over-hills for is NOSES! God, I love drawing all the different kinds of noses, At the moment my favs are the Roman Nose, the straight-down nose and the Hooked Nose.

Anyway, that's it for me for this week, hope you all have a lovely week and a good dinner!

#art #smileyshri #illustrator #illustration blog #art on tumblr #artist blog #comic artist #art blog #illustration #artists on tumblr #2024 goals #queer artist

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lqfiles · 4 months

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heyy uhm thjs is my first time sending these kind of things and i js wanted to say that i really really reallyyyyy love stg, i've been reading it since chapter 10ish? but started following at about 20ish (srry abt that) and ik it doesn't mean much coming from an anonymous person but it makes me very happy (and PROUD) to see how many people are reading it now and how many asks you get :) overall im js immensely proud of you and your work

again ik it does not mean much coming from an anon but still you have no idea how great my days get when i get notis from your acc replying to questions or anons (cause i've figured it usually mean that you'll upload another chapter) ANYWAYS i've been struggling a LOT these few months, and one of the only things I seriously look up to is stg, so again, thank you SO so much :(

you don't even have to reply to this or anything (bc tbh i wouldn't know what to say either lol) but i would appreciate it if you could at least read it and know just how much power your ideas and writing actually have <3

also not sure if 50 was the last chapter (?) i was planning on writing smth like this when the smau ended BUT ITS WHATEVER RLLY !! anyways i will never be able to thank u enough for taking your time in this and genuinely putting effort and feelings on it, you are amazing !!

also im from Chile so idk if i made any mistakes while typing this… whatever i'll make sure to support you through each and every work of yours from now on ! take care <333

(god this was a little long IM SORRY again you don't have to reply to this i js hope u read it and know just how capable and dedicated you are and how happy you can make other people iwnsnsks <3)

anon you actually made me tear up wthh :(( LONG ANSWER INCOMING……

i think this is the best thing i could’ve been told and hear, and the fact that it’s anonymous doesn’t change how much your words mean to me trust me. i honestly wasn’t sure how commited i’d be to this smau since i never have managed to finish a slow burn ideas because of the lack of creativity. but i think the fact that you still kept up from such an early chapter (when i remember pointing out that i’m really just writing this without a full plot yet multiple times) is endearing and don’t worry, i don’t take it to heart that you didn’t follow me immediately loll, for all you knew this could’ve been the shittiest piece of writing and then you’d have to just unfollow lmaooo. also i think it’s cute that those who have kept up from early on until now have witnessed with me the growth of this series and the support on it 😭 i remember when 70 notes in day alone excited me and would get giddy by getting a SINGLE ask hsjdjdjd and now i’ve had chapters with 400 notes and get 10+ asks ??? i didn’t even really dwell on it that you guys who have been ogs too have seen the growth too :(( i think it’s quite funny, because last year, i rarely got any asks and barely checked on this account except for posting some drabbles here and there, and didn’t even speak to any mutuals, i remember i told myself i’d keep this a writing blog only without interacting much at all but ever since stg i’m surprised by the amount of mutuals i’ve made and how many people are really perceiving my account AND how interactive i’ve been even tho i’d usually log out immediately after posting something lmaoo! it’s cute and i appreciate you for sticking around and being proud of me !!! it honestly catches me off guard when some of you say that stg is the highlight of your day or how much you love it or how it has inspired you to start writing yourself, because i can’t comprehend myself being influential like that at ALL 😭😭 but at the same time it warms my heart every time because it makes me feel useful…? i like seeing people happy and feel inspired by something i did so seeing people be so happy of a mere chapter really does make me smile :) i’m sorry to hear that life is hard on you, but again it means a lot to me knowing stg DOES affect your day positively (can’t believe we’ll be reaching the end tho..)

this wasn’t the last chapter, i got two more and then some bonus chapters so i hope you’ll enjoy them and my future work as well anon <33 i’ll continue to pour my effort and feelings into my writing love you and thank you for making time to write this !!!

#asks.#from anon #( score that goal! )#i’ll cherish this message tysm!#also i think it’s funny how you’ve picked up on the #‘when lqfiles answers asks a new chapter is coming’ LMAOOO i was wondering if anyone else noticed that

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variousqueerthings · 2 years

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I was tagged by @oh2e for some books and texts I’ve been reading recently

Before We Were Trans (Kit Heyam): I finished this last night and I am so happy that this exists. A challenge to the existing frameworks of what we call Trans History, purposefully intersectional and broad in its exploration

Brand New Ancients (Kae Tempest): This came out before Kae did, so ignore the name there. A beautiful story in poetic form, you can see it was intended to be read out loud. Reconsidering mythologies and gods

Shikhandi And Other Tales They Don’t Tell You (Devdutt Pattanaik): A queer exploration of Indian mythologies and religious stories. I have a lot to learn here, and I’m so glad this perspective exists

I Sexually Identify As An Attack Helicopter (Isabel Fall): A short story that sparked a lot of conversation about how we forcibly out creatives, genuinely an interesting set of questions about what happens when queer gender rights are appropriated by militaristic society

The Prophets (Robert Jones Jr.): Rethreading queer lines that were broken under slavery, centres two enslaved men on a plantation, while creating queer cultural roots through space and time

Detransition Baby (Torrey Peters): A story about a detransitioned trans woman (now cis man) who accidentally gets a woman pregnant and tries to find a way to queer parenthood. I’m pleased I read it and definitely recommend, but there were elements that I struggled with. The detransitioned character was so worth following

Braiding Sweetgrass (Robin Wall Kimmerer): Recommended to anyone who’s feeling climate doom, especially to get us out of an individualistic headspace and into anti-colonialist allyship with one another. Also plants. Remember to thank them

A Bright Room Called Day (Tony Kushner): Can’t believe I never read (or watched) this play before, considering it’s Kushner and I was a baby theatre gay, but I found it very healing in our times + Kushner’s musings in the 1994 afterword, thank you @mimsyaf

Between The World And Me (Ta-Nehisi Coates): A letter to his son. I don’t even know what else to say, go read it

Thanks again for the tag, I feel like if there’s one thing I actually have had the energy to do it’s read a lot (ngl it’s been a coping mechanism/avoidance tactic at times) and I always want to !!!! about it. I noticed with this list I’m currently drawn to books about creating/recreating threads; historical, mythological, political, communal. I’m very much feeling the potential power of finding similarities, allyship, and family, rather than cutting ourselves off into individual causes and clear-cut hierarchical identities. Some of these books were for me to find myself in and some of them were about listening. I think that’s an important balance too.

hon mention: The Peregrine, JA Baker

tagging (and no pressure whatsoever, I don’t know if you’ve had the spoons for books): @hunkydorkling , @le-red-queen , @an-sceal , @elsonambulo , @pohjanneito , @likethegardensofbabylonn

#tags people and is like *these are all cobra kai folx*#and that is because.... this is my ck blog but also.... I really like you all a lot #but ALSO.... idk if you're in book headspaces right now so apologies if not #ALSO also if I DIDNT tag you and you've been reading something neat PLEASE let me know!!!! I am always !!!!!! about what people are reading #seriously consider yourselves tagged OR just write to me privately if that feels too anxiety inducing #also @mimsy i know your favourite book right now is the one about drip and the one about summer (both excellent -- bean has taste)#rambleramble #books #book recs #yes yes i know *folx* is cringe and bad form etcetc but consider this: I stim to it because i like the sound of overemphasising the x #im wary of calling stuff cringe as a gotcha even if the basis of it (folks is already genderneutral) is sound enough -- not hurting anyone

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the-assignment · 1 year

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Blog #2 - Parable of The Sower Prompt

This week for our assignment we were actually given a prompt to follow – which is something new and makes someone like me – who isn’t a very creative person – very anxious. But it was supposed to be a fun assignment, so I tried to let go and not to get too overwhelmed (haha JK I was).

Explain TWO (2) real-life issues that make it necessary to create your Earthseed community. What are you seeking shelter from?

Though there are certainly more than two real-life issues that would make it necessary to create my own version of Earthseed, if I had to narrow it down to only two, it would be the rampant poverty and food insecurity that our current (and historical) landscape is living through in America. As someone who was born into generational poverty (and am working on breaking that cycle – First-Gen College student FTW!) as well as someone who has always struggled to get adequate food and nutrition – both of these sit heavily on my heart.

Quote two (2) Earthseed verses from Parable of the Sower and show how you will apply them to your community. You may be creative in your interpretation.

I think the most famous or quoted verse would apply to my own community:

“All that you touch

You Change.

All that you Change

Changes you.

The only lasting truth

Is Change

(God is change)”

As well as the verse:

“Belief

Initiates and guides action---

Or it does nothing”

I think these both will be incredibly important to my community as the first will be used as an encouragement that things CAN be changed and that you can be changed as well – that that’s the nature of the game. So, especially in terms of poverty and food insecurity (and its cycle), working on the assumption that it can be changed (while not shaming the victims) will be critical.

The second verse will be used as a way, to not just believe that certain things can be challenged and changed (like verse one), but that action needs to be taken as well.

Belief that Change can Happen and the Will and Action for It To, will be how I apply these two verses to my community.

Explain WHERE you will create your Earthseed community to be safe.

In the beginning, my community will be created… in my small studio apartment, I guess. I think it’s a safe and convenient location. I don’t anticipate us all needing to live in the same spot at first – but it’ll be a safe haven and a spot where anyone in our community can stop in. Where anyone can come in and be accepted and safe and welcome. It will be the place that can start us off as we learn and grow together.

Who can join your community and why? Who can’t join? Why not?

Not everyone is invited to my community for obvious safety reasons. For not only physical but emotional and mental safety. Individuals who refuse to see that poverty and poorness and the other symptoms of these things are not because people just “want to be poor” or they believe people are just not working hard enough – are not welcome. Individuals who want to join must believe that poverty, inequity, food scarcity and insecurity are systemic and typically and intentionally affect certain people – like minorities, POC, women, etc. Any individual who believes those things and wants or needs a place that is safe can join as long as they agree to pool resources together (more about this in community survival section).

What will your leadership model be for your community?

I’ve actually taken a few courses at UCLA about this and there are quite a few ways to go about this. And I think I would combine a few. It would be important to have an open forum type of leadership, where everyone has a say and contributes. This will bring about a multitude of different and inventive ideas that may not have been heard otherwise. As well as gaining knowledge and understanding amongst the members of the community – so no one feels left out or unheard. Though we may need to be a democracy where the majority wins on the matters at hand in order to actually make decisions.

Create a FUTURE TECHNOLOGY (one on the horizon, not something like teleportation or time travel) to help improve life at your Earthseed community.

Oh man, this is a tough one. I would say every member would have a small handheld device that’s small enough to carry with you and cleans/purifies water (because the tap water in California is gross) as perhaps nothing is as lifegiving as water. Or something like a small portable greenhouse that can adapt to any needed climate in order to grow food there year-round – no matter the season or weather.

Explain/show how your Earthseed community will SURVIVE.

Well, I think the important part is that we will pool resources together. A person may not be able to survive off what they make/have but with the contribution of multiple people it can be easier. Additionally, those with different experiences will share what they know/have learned – enriching the whole community. It takes a village! As people either move on or away from the community (hopefully passing on what they have learned or shared there to newbies) more individuals will know of our community and can join and/or contribute.

Explain/show what TWO steps your Earthseed community will make to build a better future, i.e. education, housing, conservation, farming, etc.

One way we’ll build a better future is through education – all kinds. There is more than one type of “smarts” and while higher formal education is one way – it’s not the only way. So, sharing street smarts or how to navigate the system or financial literacy or how to plant and care for different types for plants / foods or understand social cues are all types of education that we can use as a stepping stone. (As well as helping individuals who don’t know their options about formal higher education – and having someone like me – who has had to navigate and learn about it on my own – can help them).

Secondly, perhaps we can expand – pool resources as stated above and buy land for housing and farming / food. Being able to grow and have access to our own food (veggies, dairy like milk and eggs, etc.) can not only help feed the community but give skills to individuals so they can have work and also, once well-established we could sell some of the items to help continue to our community and also give some to others in need. I think both these things will help the members of my community make a better future for us and for others.

#ucla #the-assignment #homework #parable of the sower #octavia butler

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raayllum · 2 years

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fanfic writer emoji asks!!!!

🤲🏻💖🎶

🤲 Would you please share a snippet of a wip?

snippet from an upcoming rayllum / caylangst oneshot called “once i realize you’re there” in which callum experiences a nightmare both with rayla by his side and during the two years they’re apart

Strictly speaking, Callum doesn’t have nightmares often (and no, dark magic induced coma dreams don’t really talk). For someone with such a creative mind, he doesn’t have dreams too often, either—not the fantastical kind Ez does, anyway.

snippet from my next rayllum reunion drabble in which things don’t quite go according to plan...

There’s barely time to process it’s her—Rayla, five feet away from him, his water flask tumbling out of his hand in shock as she bounds over the river, feet hitting the grassy riverbank—barely time for her to register it’s him, taller with wind-slicked hair and here in Xadia—before the trees behind her shake, leaves scattering into the water, and Callum realizes she’s being chased. Rayla’s face goes from shock to fleeting happiness, eyes bright amid the scrapes on her cheek, to fright, before she’s yanking at his hand and pulling him along because now they’re being chased—

“This way,” she says, and he leaves his water flask, his most consistence source of substance, abandoned in the grass as they weave through trees, the earth pulsing at their backs.

snippet from og work bc i’m having a great time with draft 1.3 of book two, feat. two old childhood friends reuniting on very different sides of a political divide

It was cooler in the shade, the sun shining on the other side of the courtyard, and Felicity took them down to an alcove that might've been a shrine once upon a time, the moss covering too much of the wall and statue-bust to tell for sure.

Felicity turned around to face them, and Ally tried to figure out how much space to leave in between them, standing. What she should do with her hands. Felicity wouldn't even have to reach for a weapon, with the talons embedded in her hands ready-made, precious seconds that had likely cost other people their lives.

"Interesting," Felicity drawled. "That you brought those two."

Ally stiffened. "They're my friends—"

"One is quite small," Felicity said, pointing to Rayan with a finger. Then to Flames. "The other would be much more useful to your friends if they needed to get away quickly, yes? If, say, we captured or killed you, your friends would struggle to leave without a dragon, would they not?"

The blood drained from her face. Oh gods. "Felicity—" Heat flared at her right arm, radiating from Flames, whether due to anger or nerves she couldn't tell.

Felicity leaned back against the mossy statue bust, her hands braced on the stone. "Relax," she said. "But I remembered you being smarter, Ally. Unless you are distracted?"

💖 What made you start writing?

i’ve been writing fanfiction ever since i was like six, i just didn’t know it! the first ever ‘original’ story i wrote was a one page bit about two twin sisters who lived in a house (and now i’m writing about a pair of twin sisters who are death and life incarnate, so funny how things circle back) and another about a girl raised by dragons on an island and political divisions when i was like ten.

thus, finding fanfiction.net when i was like twelve was a god send and i’ve been writing more formal fic and og work ever since

🎶 Do you listen to music while you write? What song have you been playing on loop lately?

yes, always! i listen to a little bit of everything but lately it’s been a lot of gracie abrams and lizzy mcalpine’s album “five seconds flat.” i also love florence and the machine, flora cash, SYML, sleeping at last, and a plethora of other stuff to get the perfect lyrics and/or writing vibes for a given situation, although sometimes i write the saddest shit with the happiest song on loop, so i don’t need it to match the mood. it’s just fun when it does

#thanks for asking #blu-on-main #writing stuff #upcoming #my books

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cinnaspicepie · 1 month

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Greetings mortals,

This is an introduction to whatever lies ahead.

The date is currently 4/25/2024 and I am a hot mess.

Currently I am crazy behind in school. However, if I am able to get myself together I will still graduate with my bachelor’s in history by June 2024. There is a slight problem, this has got to be the worst off period of my life. No motivation, lost my fitness routine, and nothing but the urge to just lay in bed all day. I’m tired of this. Soon, if all goes well, I’ll be free from school and my life will be a whole lot simpler. To do that I need to get my life together, for me.

Something I have always struggled with is doing things for me and only for me. If I truly desire to get better I have to put myself first, none of this “I need to graduate to make Mom and Dad proud,” or “If I get my life together, maybe she’ll love me the way I love her.” It has never worked when I put my self image in the hands of others as a way to measure my worth or progress. The only time I was able to change my life for the better was when I put myself first, measured my progress to how I felt, and wanted to be better for the sake of me and not solely to make my loved ones proud. I miss that mindset and hopefully this blog will reflect my efforts to live for myself.

While it may seem odd to anyone reading this, seeing that I want to live for myself but I want to post about that journey online for others to see. Let it be clear, whatever following I get (though I expect few will stumble across this blog and actively follow updates) is not my motivation. They have no idea who I am and honestly, the only reason I am doing this is because journaling has stopped working. I mostly want this as an archive and Tumblr has a unique way of keeping your online presence separate from real life, I would be shocked if anyone in my life found this blog. Plus, archiving my efforts anonymously on the internet to a crowd that only will view it if they want to is a good way to get out of my head and remind me that there is a world outside of my front door. Besides, I’m a bartender, in my eyes I’m not doing anything to weird considering how many strangers of all walks of life have came up to my rail and dumped their troubles over a drink only for me to watch them walk out the door and never see them again. Sometimes you just need to get things off your chest to whoever is willing to listen.

So, here’s what the nitty gritty of what I have planned on this god forsaken blog:

Fitness journey. I was in amazing shape at this time last year. I am still healthy by all means, but I miss the strength and endurance I had. As someone who was overweight and out of shape for most of high school and then was able to turn my life around and get into the best shape of my life, this point hits hard. Eating healthy and getting daily exercise did wonders for my mental health, it was like taking drugs without taking drugs. I really miss the process of trying to get stronger, it was fun and addictive in the best of ways. So, I’m going to actively work on creating that habit again.

Writing. I would like to post some creative writing on here, I love to write so I think it would be fun to share quick little prompts even if they’re just a few sentences long. I have a story in mind and I think it would be fun to keep track of ideas for it here.

Study/school. Despite being horribly behind in school, I love the process of learning. In the beginning of this blog I know whatever I post will be about catching up on missing assignments and then focusing on graduating, but there is a deep love I have in the process of learning. I’ve been out of touch from that love, but maybe if I share how I go about my studies it will have the same effect as mirroring does on me.

Enjoying life without screens. I believe everyone misses that awe for everything we had as children. I remember a time when my life wasn’t stimulated by scrolling for hours on a screen. I would get lost in books, take shity pictures, stare at bugs, dance to songs in the living room with my mom, and so much more. While it may seem counterintuitive to post about these experiences on a blog, that you will see on a blue light screen, I need to reiterate that this blog is in place of journaling. It’s a space for myself before anyone else, the major difference between this blog and my many journals is that people can see it, which is actually a good thing because I need to be reminded that I’m not alone.

Thoughts on life. This is where the blog will really come in place of my journal. I want to post quick questions, frustrations, and reflections I have on life. I would like to do so creatively so maybe it will come in the form of creative writing. Maybe it will come in the form of vent posts? Who knows.

So yes, this is the start of something I’ve never done before. Hopefully having a place to dump everything will help with my mental health, it will be fun to look back on everything that I post if all goes well. I’m going to take a quick nap since I wrote this at 5:00 am, then I’ll hop out of bed and try to get my life together. I’ll workout, I’ll shower, I’ll turn in at least one assignment. I just need to actively try creating the life I want or else I’m going to stay stuck in my head for the rest of my life.

Despite being in the dumps for a while now, I think I’ll have fun with this blog.

#my post

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veronicaleighauthor · 8 months

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Fun Facts About “No Place Like Home”

In my previous post, I announced my latest publication, “No Place Like Home,” in Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine. If you’re interested in reading my story, head over to Amazon and order yourself a copy. Right now, it’s only available in print, but a Kindle version should be released soon. Now onto the fun facts/behind the scenes stuff of my story.

The title, “No Place Like Home” is kind of a nod to my love for the movie, “The Wizard of Oz.” I’m sure you recall Dorothy Gale clicking her ruby slippers together three times and saying, “There’s no place like home.” The scene has been referenced and spoofed in various TV shows, movies, and songs. It’s also the final line in the 1822 song, “Home, Sweet, Home!” Ironically, “Home, Sweet, Home” was my story’s original title before I settled on what it is now.

I wrote “No Place Like Home” waaaaay back in 2015/2016. It was the second mystery/crime story I ever wrote. I didn’t really know what I was doing, but everyone who read it liked it. It was accepted by SHMM in 2017 on the understanding it would be a while before it appeared in print. Six years later, it has finally been published. I’m telling you patience pays off.

When it was accepted SHMM, I took it as a sign that I finally found my writing niche and continued writing mystery/crime stories. God only knows what I would have written if “No Place Like Home” never found a home.

Since I wrote it in 2015/2016, and it was accepted in 2017, I didn’t look at it again until the editor of SHMM, Carla Coupe, sent me the edits in 2022. Now, I remembered the story, the characters, and the outcome, etc. But as I went through it, I was thinking “oh, that’s the dialog!” “oh, that’s how I described such and such?” “oh my gosh, how did this ever get accepted for publication?!?!” Thank you, SHMM for giving me and this story a chance!

This was the first time I wrote a contemporary mystery. I usually set my mysteries and crime fiction in a historical era.

The story is set in Seelyville, Indiana. It’s a real town, east of my hometown Terre Haute, in Vigo County, and consists of like a thousand people. I’ve been there a few times.

Not to drop too many spoilers, but the main characters’ struggles with depression, anxiety, and agoraphobia. This character’s struggles were inspired by my own. Now this character’s reason for these struggles is different than mine. But what they feel during an anxiety attack, the little habits, the tics, the feelings – they are what I experience whenever I’m thrown into an anxiety attack.

The main character lives in a two-story Sears Roebuck house, which was built in 1913. The house is based on the house I live in. Back in the early 20th century, wealthy families could order house plans from a Sears Roebuck catalogue, as well as materials, and build a house according to their tastes. When my family and I moved in, we had no idea about the house’s history. A year later, two little old ladies showed up on our doorstep saying they were the granddaughters of the original owner, and they asked if they could come in and see their grandmother’s old house. This was approximately 1999, so we totally let them in (we wouldn’t do that now, lol!) and gave them a tour, and they told us all sorts of facts and the Sear Roebuck house history, what changed since they were last in the house. For this story, I did add a balcony to the house…for creative reasons.

This isn’t just a mystery/crime story…this is a gothic mystery/crime story. So, naturally, I had to have “To Kill A Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee and Boo Radley referenced.

I originally had plans to write a sequel to “No Place Like Home,” but since it’s been six or seven years since I wrote the original, a sequel probably will never happen.

I have someone named Tabitha in this story. Ironically, the Regency Era novel I began back in August also has a character named Tabitha. I really like the name.

I just want to say how happy I am for “No Place Like Home” to be published. I can’t explain why, but after waiting for so long to see it in print, I feel like in a way I’ve come full circle.

Well…until next time!

#no place like home #sherlock holmes mystery magazine #contemporary fiction #mystery fiction #crime fiction #gothic fiction

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littlelambdrgnfly · 1 year

Text

I should really be working on the next chapter of the fic but I really don’t feel like it. 🙃 The last two weeks have been so damn stressful. Not necessarily bad, but really sucked up my time and my energy. I had to fly out of state to visit my family which is never a good or easy time; I also took two of the kittens I was fostering because my sisters are adopting them, and ngl, I miss those little fluffballs so much. 😭 One of them has taken to the new house like a fish to water, but the other is much more shy and barely came out from under the bed while I was there. I know it takes time to adjust, but it breaks my heart thinking that he may not be getting the love he needs. I’m pretty sure he’s frightened of my parents because they’re so loud and honestly, can’t blame him. The other one is literally having the time of his little life lmao.

On top of that, once I got back I had so many errands to run and some big projects to do for work just got plopped onto me. To top it all off, I took the kittens’ mama to get spayed this week, and her recovery has been slow. She developed an ulcer on her eye during the procedure, so I have to put medication on it, and she’s still really lethargic. She’s eating and going to the bathroom, otherwise I’d be really worried, but I’m going to call the vet about her tomorrow. I’ve spent way too much at the vet already, another thing that’s been stressing me out. 😓

God, I just feel like I have so much to do, and so much on my plate. I have no idea how on earth some people manage to be perfectly organized and still find time for creative projects or hobbies or self-improvement. I know I shouldn’t be too harsh on myself, life with adhd has always meant my life wasn’t going to turn out the way it’s “supposed” to, and I still struggle with being kinder to myself for not being more productive. I spend so much fucking time playing stupid games on my phone, and watching YouTube videos, and it truly feels like I’ve watched every tv show in existence (definitely haven’t but man it feels like I’ve seen a big chunk at least). I’d love to have to motivation and energy spending my free time writing, or learning a new skill. I need something to do with my hands, a physical skill/hobby, like knitting or something. Idk, I’ve always just been so bad at crafty shit, my only real talents lie in writing and singing. Feels pretty bad how little time I have for either of those things. I usually only have the bandwidth to write for a couple of hours a week, but I haven’t written more than a paragraph since I posted the last chapter. I feel like the world’s slowest fucking writer, I wish it could just be my job to write so I wouldn’t have to waste eight hours a day on extraneous bullshit lol.

#this jumbled mess has been brought to you by adhd

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sohotthateveryonedied · 3 years

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so i’m trying to write duke and i don’t think i’m writing him right. how would you describe his personality because with don’t trust fanon lmfaooo

(this was only supposed to be a paragraph or two i swear to god)

1. first things first, duke is a hardcore gryffindor. don’t let the yellow color scheme mislead you, okay. and while most of the time he’s depicted in fanon as “omg this family is crazy and i’m the only sane one,” it’s actually pretty much the opposite? if anything, i think the other batkids would be like “oh finally, someone who can match our level of chaotic energy. HEY DUKE WANNA BUNGEE JUMP OFF WAYNE TOWER—” and an hour later they’d all be in the batcave getting lectured by bruce for leading poor sweet innocent duke astray when really he was already planning on doing that this weekend.

listen, this is the kid who once jumped off a bridge to escape police. this is the dude who decided to fight criminals while they’re still eating their wheaties at 6am in a bright yellow suit. and while duke seems to be the best at following bruce’s command at the moment due to having been trained by him most recently compared to the others and is still figuring out how to be a hero, i’m positive that if bruce weren’t here to guide him, duke would be running around gotham taking down criminals anyway. i mean, he literally did do that with the “we are robin” kids. plus there was the whole thing when he was like ten years old and decided “i am going to singlehandedly stop the riddler in my light up sketchers and pikachu backpack. try and stop me.”

duke is headstrong and has a strong drive toward heroism. he’s an extremely enthusiastic and passionate person in general, and i try to capture a little of that when i write him, even with mundane things like trying to beat his siblings to the last cupcake.

2. another thing i noticed is that duke swears like a sailor in comics? seriously, this boy could give jason a run for his money with how many “@#!%” speech bubbles there are. i don’t know if this is just a trend the writers added in the comics i’ve read of him, or if it’s a genuine trait throughout every comic he’s in, but that’s something to make note of when writing dialogue for duke. after all, he did grow up in the narrows, so it makes sense that he’d use a lot of swearing and slang in his everyday vernacular.

3. i would also make a point of noting that duke is fairly young compared to the rest of the batfamily, being the second youngest after damian. duke is still a teenager in high school, and he acts like it. he’s got homework and friends and is eager to make a difference in gotham, trying to juggle everything and make it all work somehow. he’s stubborn and doesn’t give up easily, so it’s important to write him as someone who is trying to save the world while also struggling with finding time to study for his next math test. he's human. he doesn’t get to dedicate all of his time to fighting crime like cass or jason might be able to, since duke is still a mostly normal teenager with teenager problems.

4. and don’t forget that unlike the other batkids, duke still has two living parents. sure, they’re jokerized and might not ever be the same again, but they’re alive and that’s what holds him back from letting himself get as close to the waynes as he wants to. duke won’t be calling bruce “dad” anytime soon, and i think he’d have some internal struggle over stuff like holidays and birthdays with the waynes, remembering what his parents are missing out on and wondering if joining the wayne family is a betrayal to them. duke is very conflicted over this, even if he doesn’t say it directly. stuff like ducking out of movie night early or feeling a bittersweet pang during thanksgiving dinner makes sense for someone in his situation.

(i usually ignore that aspect in my fics because i want duke to just be adopted and part of the family already, but not everyone does that, and that’s perfectly fine.)

5. honestly, duke is such a caring individual and we as a fandom need more of him being a shoulder for people to lean on because he’s?? so soft?? duke can be so sympathetic and rational when it comes to emotional problems. it seems like duke internalizes every bit of advice he gets from the people around him and uses it to inspire others and help them through their own problems. as tough and hotheaded as duke can sometimes be, he really is good when it comes to emotions.

6. duke is a smartass. he will 100% use sarcasm against any and every authority figure he meets, usually just for the hell of it.

7. he’s very frank in general, usually the first to be like “okay full disclosure, we’re about to die right now. that sucks. anyway—” in a situation. he’s honest and tends to be upfront about his fears/anxieties, usually for comic relief, but i think it still counts.

8. okay i have to add that duke is also kind of a punk? he and jason have a lot in common because of this: they both grew up in one of gotham’s worse areas (jay in crime alley and duke in the narrows) and they’re both highkey deliquents. duke has no problem getting into fights or talking back to authority figures, and it’s gotten him in hot water on more than one occasion. it’s why he kept getting moved around the foster system before bruce took him in because no one wanted to keep him.

9. he’s also gotten so close with the other batkids and we love to see it!! duke calls cass “sis” and treats damian like the annoying little brother he never had and i adore every second of it. we haven’t gotten a lot of interactions between duke and the others aside from training and stuff, but he and jason have the whole “punk kid who got adopted by batman and is baffled by how rich people live” going for them, so they can bond over that. and duke is a thinker like tim, so they can hang out and do puzzles or play chess or whatever it is that smart people do. (and duke and steph are BESTIES i don’t care what anyone says.)

10. most of all, duke is still learning how the whole hero thing works. he’s young and he’s trying his best, but he also makes mistakes. he will be impulsive and screw up, and he’ll try and merge the lessons batman’s taught him and that his parents taught him and that other heroes teach him until it all makes sense in his own mind. duke isn’t experienced like dick or even damian, so he’s going to be lagging behind for a while until he grows until the role he’s made for himself.

other miscellaneous details to include:

- duke is dating izzy, who used to be part of the “we are robin” gang with him - he used to live at the manor and now lives with his cousin jay, but honestly i just have him living at the manor in everything i write because i like it better that way - he can control shadows and light now! what a king! - duke secretly writes poetry and is good at creative writing in general - this:

- duke is super smart?? he figured out that agent 37 was dick grayson without even trying?? i’m so proud of him - his biological father is this supervillain called gnomon so now duke has got four parents: his mom, his dad, his supervillain dad, and bruce (plus selina if you count her as the batkids’ stepmom, which i do) - jason calls him “narrows” and i love that

- and, lastly, the most important panel in the history of comics:

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iovchlde · 3 years

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the problems with dating advice.

maybe asking venti for dating advice was a bad idea— a conclusion you’d come up with after many failed attempts. scheme after scheme, try after try, and it seems that diluc still is unaware of your affections. and now it’s up to you whether you give up or to pursue him one last time.

in which venti plays as a (cheeky) matchmaker for you and diluc.

pairing.

diluc x gn!reader

genre.

fluff

author’s note.

it’s so rushed TT written at 12am, unrevised at like the last fourth of this fic because my eyesight was starting to get wonky :((

a cheeky smirk splays across venti’s lips as he watches you hunch over on one of the tavern’s tables, seemingly wasted. on any other day, he might’ve been slightly bothered by the fact that he’d have to assist you back to your quarters by himself, but the concerned glances that come from a certain red-headed man across the room tells him that he need not to worry. this situation is, actually, quite perfect for what he had in mind for you— a last attempt to confess to the man you’ve been pining for, for god knows how long. “are you sure you’re going to give up?” he asks you, and you throw a half-hearted sneer at him.

“yes,” you drawl out, not in the mood to deal with any more of venti’s foolproof plan to make diluc fall in love with you. if anything, it’d made you even more of a fool, and the annoying snickers from donna from your failures are the last thing you need at the moment. “i’m starting to think that it would’ve been easier to just get over him.”

“really?” he asks in a rhetorical manner, bringing a hand to his chin. the look on your face is anything but impressed, and he simply grins at you. “i’d like to think that we were quite successful. diluc seems even more fond of you now, and maybe, even harbors some sort of feelings for you.” venti implies, and you simply shake your head at this. you sink in your seat— you’re starting to think that maybe you and venti have some contrasting definitions of what successful is.

“ah yes,” you agree sarcastically. you wince at the memory that flashes across your mind, bringing fingers to your temples as you rub at them. “because suggesting to carry his papers for him, and then tripping over a pebble right after is such a charming move. if i was him, i totally would want myself too after witnessing that first-hand.”

“well,” he hums. “if we ignore that part, then we were mostly successful in charming him. if i didn’t know any better, i’d say that he thinks your clumsiness is quite cute.” he says, and you grunt at him.

“you’re delusional,” you say.

“i’d prefer being called a creative visionary,” and you almost roll your eyes at him— had it not been for the fact that your headache was quite persistent.

“just— hand me that bottle, if you will,” you gesture to the one partially out of your reach. your arm is practically covering half the width of the table, but it’s placed at the edge nearest to venti, and you stretch to reach it. “i need to wallow in my struggles just a little bit more.” the last few words are emphasized, to make a point.

venti carefully eyes diluc in his peripheral view, watching the man get more agitated at your reckless consumption, and in the most obnoxious voice he could muster, “have a little more. this might drown out some of your sorrow.” there’s a silence as venti pauses. he then purses his lips, muttering under his breath, speaking in a low tone only he could hear. “but it surely won’t drown out the massive hangover the day after, though.”

you sigh in thanks, oblivious to the afterthought, reaching for the bottle.

“that’s enough drinking for you, tonight,” you hear a deep voice fill your senses, and before you could reach for the almost-empty wine bottle in front of you, diluc snatches it up swiftly into his grasp. it doesn’t fully register in your mind who it is, and you pay no mind to him. you let out a whine of complaint, reaching for the bottle in his hands, to which he holds out of your reach. “i think it’s best venti walks you home now.”

a frown is evident on venti’s face at this, and he almost bites back that he’s simply too weak to carry you. though, diluc would not be a fool to believe this, given that he’d assisted you multiple times before. but in a rush of last-minute genius, he grins proudly to himself.

“perfect timing,” venti exclaims gleefully, jumping up from his spot across from you. he wipes off the imaginary dust that coats his clothes, tugging at the fabric to straighten out any wrinkles that might have been there, and he flashes diluc an odd smile. “i was just about to head out, but i’m afraid that i have... other matters to attend to. i was concerned that no one would be able to take them home, but now that you’re here, my worries are purged. i simply cannot thank you enough, master diluc. farewell!” and with that, venti makes a quick escape to the tavern door, saluting at the taller man.

diluc simply shakes his head in dismay at the bard, before drawing his attention back to you. you’re slumped over, in a position that he thinks may be uncomfortable— the edge of the table is digging right at your ribcage, and your arms are lazily thrown about in a way that would cause stiffening after a while. he towers over you, his arms crossed over his chest as he wracks his brain. “i see that we’re left with no other choice here.”

he hoists one of your arms over his shoulder, to which the rest of your body bonelessly falls against him.

“let me have one more drink,” you tell him, and he simply ignores your words. “i’ll pay handsomely if i have to.” and at those words, he throws you a firm and stern look, one that has the words dying at the tip of your tongue.

he holds you as you navigate the small interior, taking extra care not to crash you into tables and chairs.

“charles, i’ll leave the tavern to you for a bit.” diluc calls out to the man standing at the bar, wiping away at the newly cleaned wine glasses, motioning to you— practically folded in his arms. “i won’t be out for too long.” he nods at diluc in acknowledgement, and diluc finally pushes the door to the tavern open.

the chilly wind is a stark contrast to the heat inside the tavern, slightly musty and suffocating with the smell of wine. you peel yourself off of the man slightly, embracing the wind and relishing in the way it hits against your warm skin. diluc, nonetheless, keeps a tight hold onto you to prevent you from toppling over yourself.

something he’d witnessed one too many times before. (and admittedly, found entertaining.)

it’s silent between the two of you as you walk back to your house. not a word is said— diluc doesn’t really know how to strike up a conversation with you, and your mind is a little too fuzzy to initiate an intellectual chat. your clumsiness proves your point; you almost stumble as your foot stubs right into a pebble, falling forward ungracefully, and diluc finds himself pulling you flush against his body in instinct. an unknowing blush creeps up on him, and he lets out a silent breath of relief at the fact that it was dark out.

“always so clumsy,” he chastises, but mutters it more to himself rather than to you, and you grin lazily at him.

“you know,” you say lowly, and out of the blue— a way of filling the silence. judging from the way your words are starting to become more tired and slurred, you most likely won’t remember whatever you’re saying by daybreak, and he can’t help but sigh. “don’t tell this to him, but i’m really fond of diluc.”

he gauges that you’d had one too many to drink, given that you couldn’t even recognize him.

“oh?” he raises a brow at you, a little taken aback by the sudden… confession? he isn’t really able to tell. (the word fond has many insinuations to it, and he’s not about to conclude that you’re head-over-heels for him.) “i’m sure diluc is fond of you too,” he humors instead, but you simply shake your head at him.

“no, not like that. as in, i’ve been trying to catch his attention for months, type of fond for him. i’ve even been getting advice from venti— to which i highly suggest not to, he has really bad advice— just to come up with ideas to impress him. you’d think that after trying so hard, he would at least notice. but no. he’s such an intelligent man, but so painfully oblivious when it comes to things like these.” you tell him. “i have a few things i’d like to say to him, but simply too nervous.”

“and what if i say that i like you?” he asks, testing the waters. you stare at him, bored, and a certain drunk cloudiness hooding your vision. “what happens then?”

“i’m sorry,” you start off, partially grumbling. “but i like diluc,” you confess again, tone sounding slightly apologetic.

a grin almost breaks out across his lips, and an amused expression paints his features. “it can’t be helped,” he says, deciding to humor you just a little longer. “now, do you mind sharing with me the things you plan to tell diluc?”

of course, he plans on having you confess tomorrow— when you’re a little more sober, just for safe measure.

#genshin impact #genshin impact fluff #genshin impact x reader #diluc x reader #genshin diluc #diluc fluff

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callmethehunter · 3 years

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I've read a few fics by different authors about Robert, and I'm kinda confused. They portray him in different ways, so what's his personality like in different aspects? I know that he's extroverted (I saw him getting typed as an ENFJ) and extra, and has a warm heart, but what about his flirtiness and apparent hedonism? How does his rural ideals contrast with touring? I know people are multifaceted and no one's flawless, but I still wanna know some things for certain.

Oh dear Anon, you have made my day! These are great questions about my favorite subject in the world: Robert Plant.:D And as far as that goes, I could (and will) go on and on about this forever, I’ve got so much to say!!

I’ve been obsessed with Robert’s music as well as with his personal life for years. I find him to be a multifaceted, highly talented and intelligent person who embodies traits that one would think were mutually exclusive, yet are somehow at home in him. He is without a doubt, totally outrageous and extroverted, he wants to be the center of attention, yet he is also reclusive, a deep thinker who is keenly aware of the world around him while also being introspective and self-aware. In his own words he has said

“It's part of me to get off on those moments where... well, what people would call attention. Obviously, that isn't the be-all and end-all of life, but at the states of creativity that I've reached, well, it helps the lyrics along a little bit.”

“ I’m pleased with how ridiculous I am. I like me. Though I’m not a huge fan. I know when to switch me off.”

I do think he has a very warm heart. He is genuinely interested in other people, in experiencing the most out of any given situation.

In my opinion, he loves the idea and the feeling of falling in love. He gets off more on that than on the longevity of it. It’s like he’s got ADHD in the aspect of love lol!! I say this because of the number of serious relationships (and not so serious relationships) that he has had in his life. I’m sure he was saddened when they ended, but then he’s moved on to the next great infatuation and adventure. He’s quite capable of starting again, as he has shown multiple times both in his personal and professional life. But I also think it’s a testimony to his heart that he’s been able to continue to be friends with his past loves. “There have been people I've warmed to over the years but, as the situation I'm in is so fleeting and transient, I've always known it's going to be over kind of real quick.”

I mean think about this: after having children with two sisters, Maureen (his exwife) and Shirley, they have been able to raise their children in what looks like a loving extended family. His sons, Logan (with Maureen) and Jesse (with Shirley), are half-brothers as well as first cousins. Just think on that for a moment. In a recent picture, there’s the entire family on vacation: Maureen, Shirley and their children with Robert, as well as Robert and a previous girlfriend, Jessica something or other (don’t remember her name). He’s not confined to societal conventions. He could give a flying fuck. I love that free spirit and he himself has said (and I paraphrase) that he may come across as being a good mate, but in reality he’s out to do whatever the fuck he wants. (And it shows!! )

He says, “...if you do what you think is right for the benefit of everybody and everything and you make decisions, then to go back and regret them afterwards - it's a futile experience and it's not worth thinking about. Because life just unfolds. Provided you do your best and you think you're on the right track, you can only be right or wrong. But to regret it - I don't think there are any huge errors or misdemeanors.”

In the area of friendship, however, he is fiercely loyal. He and Bonzo were like brothers till the end, and even still, Robert honors his dear friend. He’s also been able to maintain friendships with so many people from his hometown- people he knew before he was famous. He puts away the trappings of fame and fortune to be the good old Black Country boy, riding horses and playing with goats, walking around in the forests and enjoying nature.

“I think I could sing and shear a few sheep at the same time.” he says. He is the picture of the word “earthiness”. Able to be the rock god on stage as well as the humble farmer on the farm or at the local pub. He’s loyal to his soccer team and to the sport itself which has been a lifelong passion. I love that in him.

Is he a hedonist? Absolutely!! he has tasted every pleasure there is to taste. His every material wish could be a reality in an instant...He has done drugs, had hundreds of one night stands. He is a highly sensual man. IMO the sexiest man that’s ever walked the planet. His sizeable bulge perpetually stands as a symbol (no pun intended) of his virility and lust (and I like it!!) He exudes charisma and raw sexual energy. He’s done it all to the highest level, partied and cavorted around the globe. What a life he’s lived!!

But he is also soulful- in his lyrics there is also a deep spiritual side of him: I think he is a modern day troubadour and philosopher. His lyrics touch on that, “it is the springtime of my loving” ….“In the light you will find the road” “when all is one and one is all” “Then as it was, then again it will be, though the course may change sometimes, rivers always reach the sea” and I could go on and on with other examples. These are just what popped in my head. “I am a reflection of what I sing. Sometimes I have to get serious because the things Ive been through are serious” He’s experienced moments where he is the “golden god” as well as tragic moments such as the loss of his 5 year old son and the loss of his dear friend Bonzo. These are definitely reflected in his music.

And finally, in his own words:

“I'm like one of those firecrackers that goes off in your pocket occasionally. I'm not really struggling with it as much as the people around me. But at least I'm not doing too much damage to anybody or to myself. It's just the condition I'm aware of."

And he’s still got a twinkle in him and always will.

Thank you for letting me go and on about this man, he holds such a special place in my heart. He is a beautiful and joyous old hippie full of wisdom and talent. He has created a lasting legacy and I hold the deepest admiration for him, despite his human frailties or shortcomings.

If you have read this far, you deserve a kiss and a medal! Thanks so much for this ask!!

#an essay on robert #lol #ask #answered

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eliemo · 3 years

Text

Permafrost: Chapter 2

Summary: After Virgil agrees to follow Roman into the Imagination, a shift in the weather and an unfortunate misstep sends Virgil plummeting into uncharted waters. If only it didn’t take a matter of life or death and a race against time to realize the Prince might not hate him after all.

TW: Drowning, effects of severe cold, steps of CPR

Notes: Romantic Prinxiety (pre relationship) I tried to make the effects in this chapter as realistic as possible but if some things are inaccurate no they aren’t

Permafrost taglist: @im-an-anxious-wreck @snowyfires @the-sympathetic-villain @my-life-is-an-artistic-mess @itsjust-la-me @ray-does-stuff @brokaw22 @johnlaurensintheplacetobe @teamplutoforlife @myrandomfandoms12 @riverdoesbadart

Part 1 Part 3 Part 4

Roman knew his role, and he played it well. He was the hero, charging into battle and adventures without a second thought, smiling in the face of bloodthirsty beasts with his sword at his side. Princes weren’t cowards.

But when Virgil lost his grip and went under, Roman had never been so scared in his entire life.

“Virgil!”

He’d been so close, finally dropping to his knees on the unsteady ice and desperately reaching out, fingers just brushing freezing cold skin when the current took advantage of Virgil’s rapidly waning strength and pulled him under.

Roman’s own scream, hollow and empty and terrified, echoed right back at him, thrown in his face to remind him that he’d been too slow-

He pushed his own thoughts aside (he could blame himself later. God why hadn’t he been faster?) and plunged his arm into the water until he was shoulder deep, hissing against the sudden sting of the cold.

But Roman didn’t have the place to complain, not when Virgil had just been completely submerged right in front of him.

It had all happened so fast, Roman reaching into the violent river less than a second after Virgil disappeared, so maybe- maybe there was still enough time. Please please please let him be fast enough-

His fingers found something soft and solid, just barely managing to grab onto what he was almost positive was Virgil’s hoodie (please please let it be Virgil’s hoodie) before it was swept away completely.

He was almost yanked into the water himself by the force of the current, the river fighting relentlessly to pry Virgil away, and Roman felt a sudden rush of irrational anger.

He wasn’t sure where it came from, something defiant and protective that wrapped around his chest- something that went deeper than his desire to be someone’s hero. Because he was Creativity, and this was his realm. It didn’t get to take anything from him.

It didn’t get to take Virgil.

Roman reared back, mind almost blank as he fought against the water and pulled Virgil back towards the surface, heart skipping a beat when he finally caught a glimpse of purple hair floating in the freezing water.

He hadn’t lost him. He was ok, he would be ok, Roman would make sure of it. Virgil was not going to die because Roman had been a little too eager to spend time with the recently accepted side.

He moved closer to the edge, forcing himself to ignore the way the already unstable ice creaked dangerously, letting out a sky breath when he was able to get two hands hooked under Virgil's shoulders.

It was only then, pulling against the weight of the water trying to drag them both down, that he realized Virgil wasn’t fighting back. He was perfectly still, no more kicking or struggling as the current kept him under.

No. No no no. He wasn’t too late. He wasn’t too late. Virgil would be fine.

Roman honestly wasn’t sure how he managed to gain the upper hand in his fight with the current. It was strength he doubted he could have harnessed under any other circumstance, a sudden rush of adrenaline he imagined Thomas got from Virgil sometimes right before rushing on stage and pouring his heart out in front of an audience.

Maybe it was the last of Virgil’s strength bleeding into Roman’s determination, a last desperate attempt to help save his own life. The two of them had always been a good team, even if they hadn’t realized it sooner.

Virgil finally broke the surface, Romans’s arms wrapped firmly around his chest as he dragged him onto the ice, terrified he would lose his grip and let Virgil slip through his hands when they were so close to being safe.

There was no gasp for air, no coughing or sputtering as he choked and spat out water. Virgil was out of the river, but he was still unmoving and silent, lips and fingertips tinged an alarming shade of blue.

But that was ok. It was ok! (It wasn’t ok- it was the farthest thing from ok.) The ice creaked again, shifting a bit under the added weight, and Roman forced himself to move before he got them both killed.

“You’re ok,” Roman said, despite Virgil remaining limp and unresponsive as he carefully scooped the anxious side up off the ground. He had to do something to fill the suffocating silence. “You’re ok, you’re fine. I’ve got you. You’re ok.”

The ice was definitely unsteady as Roman brought them back to the surrounding snow, but it thankfully didn’t crack or give way any further. Apparently Virgil had managed to find the most unstable chunk in what could easily be the deepest part of the lake.

And Roman had kept walking. Roman had teased and waved off his panic. And then when he realized what had happened, when he’d heard the genuine terror in Virgil’s voice, it had already been too late. He’d been too far away.

But Virgil was in his arms now. Virgil was...he was limp against Roman’s chest, river water leaking from his mouth, and he wasn’t breathing. He wasn’t breathing.

He pushed down his panic, even as his head spun and his hands shook from more than just the cold, carefully setting Virgil down in the snow against the nearest tree trunk, the bare twisted branches offering a bit of shelter from the snowfall.

Virgil was horribly pale, even more than usual, and Roman hated how he blended in with the ground, everything a startling shade of white save for the heavy tint of blue his lips had gained.

Roman reached forward with shaking hands, holding his breath as he pressed two fingers against the ice cold skin below Virgil’s jaw, searching frantically for a pulse while his eyes welled up with tears.

There was nothing there. There was nothing, Virgil didn’t have a pulse, and Roman wanted to sob. “Hang on,” he whispered to no one, because he wasn’t sure what to say when his friend looked like a corpse. “Just hang on, Virge.”

Before he could stare too long and spiral into worry, because Virgil’s face should never look so lifeless, Roman squeezed his eyes shut and forced himself to try and recall what Logan taught them to do in a situation like this.

It had been years ago, and Roman had decided the lesson was boring, unnecessary, and not worth his attention. And of course, now it was a matter of life and death, and he was struggling to remember a word Logan had said.

It had been Virgil’s idea for Logan to teach them all how to perform CPR. “You never know what could happen. It’s just better to be prepared.” He’d insisted.

Back then, Roman had chalked it up to Anxiety just trying to ruin their fun and keep everyone paranoid for his own twisted amusement. He really made himself sick sometimes.

If Virgil was awake right now, he would be rolling his eyes and teasing him for being such a stubborn idiot. Virgil had always just been trying to help. To keep them all safe. And Roman had always responded with suspicion and hostility.

But he wasn’t awake, and if Roman didn’t remember this stupid lecture Logan had given, he might never wake up again.

Roman racked his brain as hard as he could, his eyes squeezed shut as he fought to picture Logan’s voice. After pulling someone from the water you have to…you have to move them…on their back!

Roman rushed to move Virgil so he was laying down, working quickly yet handling the anxious side as if he were made of glass. He slowly and carefully placed him flat on his back, making sure he didn’t hit his head on the ground.

Ok, first step finished. Roman closed his eyes again as he reached into his memory for what to do next. He had to put his hands- no, his palms- on Virgil’s stomach. His stomach? No, it was...it was...his chest? His chest!

Roman wished more than anything Virgil was over his shoulder, gently poking fun at the Prince’s scrambled thoughts.

But he wasn’t, and Roman unzipped the soaking wet hoodie to place his hands on Virgil’s chest, one hand crossed over the other, mirroring the way he remembered Logan had positioned his own hands on the practice dummy he’d made Roman conjure.

Now, all he had to do was push down to the beat of ‘Stayin’ Alive’, just like The Office taught him, and then move to tilt Virgil’s head back, pinch his nose closed, and breathe for him until the anxious side’s chest could rise on its own.

Roman wasted no time starting the motions. He hummed the tune under his breath to keep the rhythm, quickly deciding that once this was over he would never be able to hear that song again.

But that didn’t matter right now. Right now he just needed Virgil to breathe.

But...but he wasn’t. Roman lost track of how many times he pressed down on Virgil’s chest, how many times he repeated that song over and over in his head, the compressions getting a little bit more desperate every time.

He lost count of how many times he leaned over his friend to send a breath rattling down his throat, trembling and lightheaded as he touched Virgil’s frigid skin, only able to silently hope his lungs would get the message and bring him back.

“Come on, Virgil,” he found himself pleading, vision obscured by gathering tears. “Come on, wake up! You can do it, I know you can do it. Just come back, ok? You’re gonna be ok, just breathe! Please, Virgil please. We...I can’t lose you! You have to wake up!”

Was he doing something wrong? Had he just been too late? Too slow? Too stupid? If it was anyone else, Vigil would have already been awake by now, conscious and breathing.

...If it were anyone else, Virgil wouldn’t have fallen in the lake at all. Virgil wouldn’t even be here. He’d be warm and safe in someone else’s arms and Roman wouldn’t be kneeling in the snow, begging him to open his eyes.

He needed Virgil to wake up. He needed him. It had taken him so long to see it, pushing it down and covering it up with insults and nicknames and denial, but now...now Roman didn’t think he could handle losing Virgil.

He couldn’t lose Virgil’s voice, his smile, the way the whole world seemed brighter when Roman got the anxious side to laugh. Virgil was kind and sharp and funny, and he cared so much. He was...he was perfect, and Roman--

Virgil suddenly jolted under his hands, making a horrible sound that was somewhere between a gasp and a cough, eyes flying open in panic as he fought and struggled for air he couldn’t get.

Roman’s cry of relief came out as something closer to a sob, but he couldn’t find it in him to care, scrambling off of Virgil and not bothering to wipe the tears from his face.

Prince thankfully had the sense to turn Virgil on his side to keep him from choking, wincing at the string of wet coughs and hacking coming from the soaked figure in the snow.

It sounded horrible, Virgil’s breaths coming in strangled wheezes as he coughed and spewed up what looked like half the river, but right now it was the most beautiful noise Roman had ever heard.

He couldn’t imagine how much pain the other side was in right now, every breath an agonized and confused fight for air, but it at least meant Virgil was alive.

“You’re ok,” Roman said, voice still unsteady and raw from crying. “Hey, you’re ok, you’re alright. Just let it out, you’re doing great.”

Virgil was obviously too busy throwing up water to respond, and Roman suddenly had no idea what he was supposed to do.

“I’m here,” he offered, tentatively scooting closer, terrified he would just make everything worse. “You’re ok, Virgil. It’s ok.”

He carefully placed a hand on Virgil’s back, rubbing small circles in between his shoulder blades. The hoodie was just as soaked as the rest of him, heavy and cold and probably clinging to his skin. It was impossible not to notice how hard Virgil was shaking, teeth chattering so much Roman could hear it over the wind.

Gosh, Virgil must be freezing.

“R- Ro...R-Roman.” He coughed again, and Roman wrapped an arm around him to keep Virgil from falling flat on his face. “R-Roman--”

“Shh, I’ve got you.” He pulled Virgil back to lean against his chest, frowning at how the hoodie still dripped with icy water. “I’m gonna help you, ok? We’re gonna get you warmed up.”

Roman moved to take the lapels of the hoodie, gently trying to slide it off the shivering side, tearing up again when Virgil made a noise of protest, scared and small. He tried to cling onto the garment, but his hands were too unsteady to get a good grip.

“I know,” Roman said. “But the hoodie’s soaked, Virge. It’s just making things worse, I need to get it off.”

Either Virgil understood and stopped fighting, or he didn’t have the strength to struggle anymore, but he dropped his arms and leaned even more into the Prince’s side. He just hoped Virgil recognized Roman was trying to help.

The hoodie wasn’t easy to get off, the cloth clinging to Virgil’s bare arms, the anxious side whimpering when the wind hit his skin. “P-please, please d-don’t...Roman--”

“I know.” God, Virgil was barely able to get his words out through his own chattering teeth. “I know it’s cold, but just hang in there. Please.”

Roman wasted no time once the hoodie was off. He quickly laid it out beside them on the snow, hoping the wind would at least do something to dry it off, and repositioned himself slightly, one hand still wrapped carefully around Virgil’s chest.

He detached his red sash first, tossing it carelessly into the snow and vowing not to leave it, or the hoodie, behind. It took a few seconds, Virgil still leaned heavily up against him, but Roman managed to shrug off his white jacket, shuddering when that left him in just a black t-shirt.

It was freezing, the ruthless wind like a flurry of knives against his skin, but Roman forced himself to grit his teeth and ignore it. If he was cold, he couldn’t imagine how it must feel to be soaking wet.

And Virgil was probably aching and bruised from the compressions…

“Here,” Roman said, heart dropping at the fear and confusion in Virgil’s cloudy eyes. “Put this on, alright? You’re gonna be ok.”

Virgil made another quiet, indecipherable noise but didn’t protest when Roman draped the jacket over his shoulders, and the prince was able to help guide his hands through the slightly too big sleeves.

Any other time, under any other circumstances, Roman imagined seeing the anxious side wearing the prince’s jacket would be something that would leave them both smiling like idiots, Roman left trying in vain to hide his rising blush.

Now, it was just a desperate act to keep Virgil alive.

Roman wrapped his arms around him and pulled Virgil close to his chest, desperate to offer as much warmth as he could, the shivering from the other side still beyond alarming. At least his lips and fingertips no longer held that terrifying shade of blue.

He shut his eyes for a moment, dropping his forehead to rest against Virgil’s soaking wet hair, trying to figure out what on earth he was supposed to do. They needed to move, to get Virgil back home safe as soon as possible, but it was still another forty minutes or so to the Imagination door.

He never should have brought Virgil so far out, not with how unpredictable his realm could be. Roman had just...wanted an excuse to spend more time with the anxious side.

He’d wanted Virgil to see him be the hero. For once, he’d wanted to be the hero in Virgil’s eyes, not just Thomas’s. He’d been so stupid.

They couldn’t stay here, not while the snow continued to fall and the wind showed no sign of stopping.

He’d carry Virgil the entire way if he had to, he knew that for sure. But the longer the storm kept up, the temperature slowly but surely dropping further, the more it was looking like he’d have to. They couldn’t afford to move slowly.

He didn’t know what he’d been silently hoping for. Maybe for the weather to become warm again, or for Virgil to magically get better, to sit up with his skin back to its normal paleness and make a snarky comment about Roman worrying too much.

“Jeez, are you trying to steal my job, Princey?” he’d ask, smirking when Roman sputtered and blushed under the accusation. God, he’d give anything to have Virgil back to normal.

But the sky wasn't clear, Virgil’s declining health only seemed to be getting worse, and Roman knew that the longer he waited, the worse it would only get.

“Hey, we need to keep moving,” Roman said, hoping Virgil could understand him. “You still with me? I’m gonna pick you up, alright?”

He felt Virgil cough again, still a broken rattling sound that sent dread clawing up Roman’s throat, and he watched the anxious side reach up to grab at the material of the jacket wrapped around him.

“M’ here,” he said, and he was clearly trying so hard to speak clearly. “I- I can...I c-can walk.”

“Let me help you,” Roman insisted, even as his heart swelled with pride. He wondered if Virgil recognized his own bravery. “We’ll be home soon.”

He carefully maneuvered one of Virgil’s arms over his shoulder and counted to three under his breath before slowly lifting the anxious side off the ground.

He froze immediately when Virgil let out a strangled gasp, broken up immediately by ragged coughs, his shivering body going tense as his free hand flew to his stomach, trying to wrap his arm around himself.

“F-fuck,” Virgil hissed when he had his breath back, and Roman eased them both back into the snow when his knees started to buckle. “Ow, ow, ow, what...Ro-Roman--”

“I’m here,” Roman said. “I’m right here, Virgil. What hurts?”

“R-r-ribs, and- and I...I don’t...what’re we--?”

“Shoot, uh...I think I did that.” Oh god, he’d hurt Virgil. He’d really messed up everything today, hadn’t he? “I had to give you CPR.”

“You...I- I don’t- why?”

“You fell in the river,” Roman explained, trying not to panic at Virgil’s sudden memory loss. That was normal, right? He was just a little confused, no reason to freak out yet. “Remember? I think the cold really got to you and- and I’m...I’m really sorry. God, I’m so sorry Virgil. I tried to get to you but--”

“Y-you-” Another cough, just as terrifying as all the others. “-you pulled m-me up?”

Roman frowned, hating the bewildered confusion in Virgil’s voice. “I did. Of course I did. But you...you weren’t breathing and I couldn’t find a pulse and I...I thought you were...I thought--”

“Well I- I’m f-fine,” Virgil rasped, dangerously pale and shivering and the farthest thing from fine. “Y-you...you really are my hero huh, P-Princey?”

It was like something curled around Roman’s chest, squeezing at his heart so suddenly he felt a little lightheaded. Virgil’s hero. He wanted so badly to believe that.

But he couldn’t- not when Virgil was trembling in his arms and struggling to form a single sentence.

“I’m getting you home,” Roman vowed, holding the anxious side just a little bit tighter. “I promise you that. Just...let me carry you. Please.”

Virgil slumped, his shaky grip growing almost desperate- despite still being painfully weak- but he nodded against Roman’s chest. “It’s...it’ s-so cold.”

Roman didn’t know how much time had passed since he had put his own jacket on Virgil, but while it hadn’t seemed to do much to improve Virgil’s condition, the lack of protection was definitely getting to Roman.

He found he didn’t mind though, not when Virgil was awake and breathing, aware enough to talk just a little. But he knew it was only a matter of time until their luck ran out.

Roman carefully repositioned the anxious side still curled in his arms so he could better hold him in a bridal carry, shushing him gently when Virgil made a pained sound as the Prince stood, stumbling slightly in the thick snow.

“I know,” Roman said, barely audible over the howling wind. “Just hang in there, Stormcloud. We’ll be home before you know it. We’re so close, Virgil.”

He started forward again, hoping Virgil wasn’t aware enough to catch on to Roman’s own rising anxiety.

#sanders sides #thomas sanders #prinxiety #virgil sanders #roman sanders #ts virgil #ts roman #hypothermia #hurt/comfort #writing #fanfiction

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