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wlntrsldler · 2 months

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thinking of you're on your own, kid and luke x reader.

warnings: fluff, friends to lovers, luke being a simp, hurt, betrayal.

i. summer went away, still, the yearning stays.

your first summer at camp half-blood was a whirlwind, as you assumed it was for anyone who finds out that they are a child of a god. you were one of the older ones, you've come to learn soon after arriving. at seventeen, you were years behind many of the children who inhabited the camp. still, you were treated like anyone new who entered.

you were greeted by the head counselor of the hermes cabin-- luke, he said his name was. it was an easy enough name to remember, but you knew him as the boy whose eyes looked honey-brown in the sunlight, whose lopsided smile made you feel a pit in your stomach, and whose voice made your head spin.

you'd gone to summer camp before. you knew what it was like to have a summer crush. in the third grade, you met a boy named evan kim in asheville. he always had his nose buried in a book. his glasses would slip down the bridge of his nose and he pushed them up with his index finger without skipping a beat. you found comfort that you could sit beside him under the shade of the tree beside the dining hall, not saying a word, just reading.

but the haze of summer subsided as the leaves on the trees changed colors, and by september, you could hardly remember what he looked like. and when he didn't return to camp the following year, you forgot all about him.

but camp half-blood was different, of course it was. and luke was different, of course he is. he stayed with you longer than he had to, but you didn't know that at the time. after all, you were new. you didn't know that all luke had to do was show you around on your first day.

he found you sweet. and really pretty. he loved how the tips of your ears turned a shade of pink when he said your name (he said it too often after he learned it, it just felt right rolling off his tongue). he loved how you smiled at him, looking up at him (he was thankful that he had a growth spurt the summer before he met you), and the crinkles beside your eyes were on full display. he loved how you giggled his name when he did the stupidest things (he did it to make you laugh; chris rolled his eyes, fondly, every time.)

the entire summer, he spent glued next to you. the campers knew that if he wasn't at training or doing his duties, he would be wherever you were. that often meant sitting at your feet while you read under the tree by the lake. too often, you'd rarely get any reading done because luke would ask you questions about yourself. he asked about your life outside of camp (what's your parent like? what kind of school do you go to? do you have a boyfriend? when you answered no to the last one, luke internally cheered.) sometimes he'd read over your shoulder, or ask you to read an excerpt to him, but he never brought his own book to read. he much preferred to watch you.

when you were claimed by your godly parent, luke feared that you'd stop hanging out with him as often (or really, stop letting him follow you around like a love-sick puppy.) because you'd prefer your own siblings' company. but he let out a breath of relief when he found you sitting under the tree the following day, reading your book.

you heard his footsteps, ones you've grown to love, and the sounds of the grass crunching under the soles of his shoes.

you grinned at him (with the smile you reserved for him), "took you long enough, castellan. thought you weren't gonna show."

he took his usual spot sitting diagonally at your feet and smiled, "there's no place else i'd rather be."

so yeah, you'd been to summer camp before. you'd had summer infatuations before, but not like this. not like luke.

when it was time for you to head back home after summer ended, you promised to return the next summer. you promised him that you'd write letters and he made a joke about how it was just like those romance books you read. he didn't miss the way your eyes widened in shock at the comparison. unable to speak, you kissed his cheek goodbye.

at that, luke made a promise to himself that next summer, he'd tell you how he felt.

ii. i waited ages to see you there.

luke waited for your return that summer. he'd grown bigger over the months since you last saw him. he was more muscular, more confident. the girls at camp were taking notice of it. sure, luke had always been a good-looking guy, but there was something about him now that made his charm undeniable. (he would never admit it, but the entire time you two were apart, luke was dedicated to making himself better for you. he wanted to impress you.)

annabeth rolled her eyes at the new-found attention her brother was getting and made it her mission to humble him every chance she got. luke made it clear to her that the attention would never get to his head. there was something unspoken there, but annabeth knew. the only attention luke wanted was from you.

she found it cute, a little gross, but cute nonetheless, so she waited with luke at the entrance of camp-half blood for you. when the sun set and there was still no trace of you, annabeth didn't comment on how luke's shoulders were slumped as they walked into camp together.

luke had faced a lot of disappointment in his life. from not being the perfect child his father expected him to be, to returning to camp as a failure after his quest, he'd gone through a lot of disappointment; far too much for a nineteen-year-old to bear, but this one was the worst of it all.

he skipped dinner to retire to the hermes cabin early. he pulled out a shoebox from under his bunk, the place where he stored all the letters you sent him over the months you'd been apart. he read through them, trying to figure out if you gave any indication of not returning to camp. but there was none.

at the end of every letter, you had written a countdown until you were back at camp. luke's excitement grew as the numbers on the bottom of the page dwindled to a week, the last time you sent him a letter. the last letter was about your eighteenth birthday. you had dinner with your friends from home and received new books to read for when you were at camp. (luke had a top three; he was really hoping you'd read them to him.) in the letter, you also managed to sneak him a polaroid of you before you blew out the candles on your cake. on the bottom of the photo, in your lovely handwriting, you wrote: "for luke."

he kept the picture in his wallet since he first got it.

as he was reading through the letters again (the paper was falling apart between his fingers. he had re-read your letters too much over the months because he missed you so much), annabeth came running into the hermes cabin. she was out of breath and luke could barely understand her. but when your name, "another kid," "grover," and "hurt" left her lips, luke ran out of the cabin to find you.

when he saw you lying on the bed, bloodied and bruised, luke's heart stopped. he ran to you, distressed, and held your hand, only hoping that you'd feel his presence. when you gave his hand a weak squeeze, luke smiled under the tears that spilled from his eyes.

as others tended to your wounds, luke sat there patiently, not once letting go of your hand. when you were finally cleaned up, luke let his sleepiness take over. he fell asleep on the uncomfortable, wooden chair beside your bed, making sure that he was touching you at all times. when his hand cramped from holding yours, he stretched out his fingers, letting his thumb rest on the pulse point of your wrist. he wanted to make sure you were really there.

waking up to a slouching luke castellan, face buried in the crook of his elbow as he snored softly, was arguably the best way to wake up on your first day of camp. softly, you moved your hand from under him and ran your fingers through his messy curls. he stirred under your touch and woke.

"thought you weren't showing up," his voice was deep. he cleared his throat to get rid of the drowsiness. "waited for you at the door."

"as you can see, i was a little caught up," you tried to joke, but failed when you winced. "ow."

"are you okay?" luke was fully awake now. his brows threaded in concern, his hand finding yours again. "do you need anything?"

"'m okay," you whispered, "or i will be, after i heal."

"you'll tell me if you're not okay, right?"

"of course, luke." you said, smiling. "don't you have better things to do than watching me heal?"

"no, nothing important," he replied. you knew he was lying. "being here with you is where i need to be."

iii. something different bloomed.

"can you read to me?"

it was one of those hot, sticky days at camp, but luke refused to get up from where he was laying on your stomach. sweat dripped down from his forehead, but he made no effort to wipe it away. he was too comfortable.

"sure, luke," you couldn't say no to him. you read a passage from the book you were reading (the book was from his top three) as luke listened to you. he hummed when you read a particularly well-written line. he made no mention of when you paused to highlight something. he waited patiently when you struggled with a few lines. you read to him until your voice was hoarse.

"you're a great reader," he said after you were done. "i always had trouble reading. the words get jumbled in my head."

"i wasn't always good at it," you confessed, closing the book and placing it next to you. you looked down at luke only to find him already looking at you. in the sun, his freckles were more prominent. they littered across his face. "when i was younger, i really struggled with it and it frustrated me a lot. but because i can't live with not being good at something, i tried really hard to get better. 'm still not the best at it. there are still moments when the words don't make sense in my head, but i learned to take my time when that happens. if i mess up, then i try again."

luke had a feeling that that last part didn't just apply to reading. he admired that about you. in the short time that he'd known you, he saw how determined you were. last summer, when he taught you how to sword fight, you stumbled a few times but never fell down. he must've spent hours on end with you because you wanted to learn. when he saw you in the infirmary on the first night after the attack on percy, he was thankful that he did that (even if his joints ached for days after.)

"have you heard from percy?" your voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "are they okay?"

luke swallowed, "yeah, i talked to him and annabeth."

"are they okay?"

"they're okay," luke felt his voice betraying him so he let out an awkward laugh, "they're like an old married couple now. they're always bickering."

he was thankful that you laughed along with him. it was good that you didn't suspect a thing. he wasn't ready to tell you, not yet. he got up from where he was lying and sat up to face you. you smiled at him, reaching over to wipe the sweat off his brow.

"i gotta tell you something," you mumbled, eyes now looking everywhere but him. "promise you won't get mad."

"could never be mad at you," he said. his voice was sincere then. he meant it. "what's on your mind, darling?"

"i think i love you."

luke's face dropped, which you took as a rejection. with tears in your eyes, you began to fumble your words. you quickly got up, picking up the book next to you, and said some ridiculous excuse about why you had to go. you were about five feet away from him when luke realized what just happened.

he sprung up from his spot and chased after you, calling out your name with each step. he stopped in front of you and grabbed you by the shoulders, "where are you going?"

"luke, i don't really think it's fair that you're asking me that when you just rejected me."

"when did i reject you?" he asked. he racked his brain trying to figure out if his voice had betrayed him.

"i saw your face, luke," you sighed. "it's fine. i should've known. you're still just being nice to me because you have to be. i just got into my head thinking that you might like me, too, but it's okay if you don't. really, it is! i just need some time to wallow and-"

"oh no," he shook his head, "i was only upset because i was supposed to do it first."

"huh?"

"i was gonna tell you how i felt this summer, but since the attack, i didn't know when the right time was." luke wanted to kiss the cute look of confusion off of your face. he laughed, "i think i love you, too. was just upset i didn't get to say it first."

"oh."

luke really wanted to kiss you then.

"you love me?"

"mhm," he grinned, stepping closer to you. he moved his grasp from your shoulders to your waist. he pulled you in, letting his lips ghost over yours. "i think i do."

you placed your lips on his.

iv. you're on your own, kid.

"luke, what are you saying?"

"he has a plan," he explained, eyes wide and begging. it was only a matter of time before annabeth alerted everyone about percy. about him. "he has a plan for us."

"luke, you're scaring me," you said, backing up from him until you felt your back hit a wall. your hand found the cool metal of the blade he got you. your fingers wrapped around it, making you flinch.

this wasn't right.

you let go of your blade, letting your hands fall to your sides.

"no, no, darling, don't be scared," he said, "please, just listen to me. there's no time."

luke saw tears in your eyes and he cursed himself for making you feel this way. he tried to comfort you with his smile, but for the first time, it didn't work. you just stared at him; the same look of terror etched across your features.

he frowned, pleading, "please, just come with me."

there was a flicker of uncertainty in your eyes. luke thought, for a moment, that you would take his outstretched hand, that you would follow him and disappear into the night with him, that you would fight with him.

"no, i'm sorry, luke," you shook your head, "i can't. i won't."

his ears were ringing. he dropped his hand at the same time all of the commotion outside began. he looked at you, then at the door, panicked. his time was up.

he was on his own.

#luke castellan #luke castellan one shot #luke castellan x reader #luke castellan imagine #pjo #pjo spoilers #pjo tv show #pjo series #pjo fanfic #luke castellan x yn #luke castellan x you #luke castellan x y/n #frances song fics #frances writes

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viridianevergarden · 1 month

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My thoughts regarding Azriel’s shadows and their behaviors:

This is a very long deep dive into Az’s shadows and covers every aspect that I have been able to identify about them. Read at your own peril.

Let’s start with what we’ve been given in terms of his lore…

We know that in his childhood, Az was locked into a dungeon until he was eleven years old. He was denied light and social interaction.

He would only ever be allowed to see his own mother for an hour per week. And he would only ever be let out for one hour everyday for whatever else.

Then he was abused by his brothers at age eight, his hands being endlessly burned and half healed as to torture him for fun.

He was never allowed to learn how to fly nor fight because of his fucked up family.

Rhys guessed that the shadowsinger gift came to him in his cell at some point but nothing more has been said since. Not even Rhys or anyone else knows. Azriel hasn’t spoken about it.

If I’m to glean anything from what we’ve seen, Azriel’s shadows:

Are a tool that he utilizes

Act as a defense mechanism

Have minds of their own

Can showcase his feelings externally

So let’s run through these one by one, shall we?

1. A Tool

Through the books, time and again, Azriel has shown that his shadows provide information and feedback to him as a Shadowsinger. They are responsible for his expert ability to be a Spymaster and he is able to clearly communicate with them. He understands them.

This is no secret and by far the easiest observation to be made, especially since this is what characters talk about most regarding Az’s spymaster abilities in the books themselves.

Examples of Az utilizing his shadows:

Azriel stepped out of a shadow. “What is that,” he hissed.

A shake of the head. “No—but the shadows, the wind … They recoil.”

I assumed Azriel was nearby, seeking sanctuary in the shadows.

Within a heartbeat, Azriel had vanished into shadows and was gone.

Az snickered to himself, to the listening shadows around him. Sleep, they seemed to whisper in his ear. Sleep.

I wish I could, he answered silently. But sleep so rarely found him these days.

He pulled the small velvet box from the shadows around him. Opened it for her.

Again, none of this is any secret at all but this is pretty much the foundation of Az’s abilities.

2. A Defense Mechanism

This might be more of a controversial take but I do think that his shadows are most definitely a defense mechanism in their own way.

Think about it:

He was a boy who underwent massive torture day in and day out, who was left in a cell for years on end. He was alone. Imagine how his mental state spiraled.

Perhaps the shadows came to him then because he was alone. They became some sort of company for him even if they weren’t there to provide comfort. And when they did attach themselves to him, his powers festered into existence. Only then was he dumped into a war camp.

So not only are they a part of him because they have attached themselves to him, but they protect him by making up for his insecurities or vulnerabilities.

To be aware of all of his surroundings at once, to have another voice in his ear to say “hey, this person has just left.” I can imagine that the shadows keep him feeling secure. They keep him safe by notifying him of his surroundings and the presences that encompass them. As a Spymaster and Shadowsinger, I’m sure that security is huge, especially for himself.

To add on to this, consider how Azriel is as a person. He prefers to keep attention away from himself. He doesn’t talk much and he hides his hands from everyone when he can. He dislikes being the center of attention. He avoids the topic of his past actively and limits how much others speak of it. He uses his shadows to hide during certain conversations and to hide his emotions.

This excerpt from Feyre’s POV:

Nothing. Absolutely nothing on that face, on his scent. The shadows, whatever the hell they were, hid too well. Too much.

I think he very well does use them as a method of defense even from those he trusts and loves, be it consciously or subconsciously.

3. They Have a Mind of Their Own

Now we do know that the shadows have a manner of conscious and intelligence.

They have:

Told Azriel to sleep (Do they care for his wellbeing?)

Actively relayed him information

Occasionally failed to notify him of things or they simply choose not to when they want (proof in BC)

‘Danced’

Occasionally skittered back in response to certain stimuli

Fully disappeared in the presence of few

Been reactive to their environment

They have persistently shown that they are quite like another being or mind that is attached to Az. They have a voice, they respond to stimuli, etc. It just makes me think that they are somehow, some way, a type of separate entity that latched onto him or perhaps they are a mirror of himself, kind of like an altar ego.

4. They Externalize His Feelings

This is the biggest gripe and most controversial of it all. This is the part that people usually argue over because it deals heavily with Az’s feelings. Of course this section is always up for debate —on how you interpret Azriel’s shadows and their behaviors— but this is my opinion.

His shadows have been repeatedly shown to shy away, skitter back, or completely disappear in the presence of two people and specifically react to one thing.

Now with this being said, let’s look into the two people that they react around.

Mor:

It was almost enough to distract me from noticing Azriel as those shadows lightened, and his gaze slid over [at Mor].

Mor patted Azriel on the shoulder… The lurking shadows vanished entirely as Azriel’s head dipped a bit—his night-dark hair sliding over his handsome face as if to shield him from that mercilessly beautiful grin.

“He did not,” Mor said, and the shadows that Azriel had indeed been subtly weaving around himself vanished. “Azriel has never once said anything that awful. Only you, Cassian. Only you.”

Most instances are where Azriel is near Mor, when he is looking at her, when she touches him, when she is defending him or talking about him while he is around. They vanish or dissipate in her presence. These were all during the times that Azriel was obviously in love and pining for Mor.

Elain:

Azriel arrived first, no shadows to be seen, my sister a pale, golden mass in his arms. He, too, wore his Illyrian armor, Elain’s golden- brown hair snagging in some of the black scales across his chest and shoulders.

“I can help her,” said Azriel, stepping to the table as Elain silently rose. No shadows at his ear, no darkness ringing his fingers as he extended a hand.

[Elain’s] smile grew, bright enough that it lit up even Azriel’s shadows across the room. “I would like to build a garden,” she declared. “After all of this … I think the world needs more gardens.”

He still wore his Siphons atop either hand, and shadows trailed his footsteps, curling like swirled embers, but there was little sign of the warrior otherwise.

Elain sucked in a soft breath that whispered over his skin. His shadows skittered back at the sound. They'd always been prone to vanish when she was around.

It has been made extremely clear that Azriel’s shadows also disappear or partially dissipate when he is in Elain’s presence. They react to her actions accordingly.

They acted the same way around Mor until the detail of his shadows disappearing around Mor slowly became noted less by Feyre. On the same timeline, Az’s behavior toward Mor slowly changed. He became indifferent and his longing looks toward her became few and far between as noted by Cassian and Feyre. He had evidently given up hope on Mor.

At the same time, Feyre began making note of Az’s shadows and their behaviors around Elain as well as his behavior toward her.

From here on out, I’m going to assume that we all know how Azriel feels about Elain. Regardless of your opinions on their relationship dynamic, I hope we all can agree that at the very least, Azriel has a growing positive attraction to Elain across 4 books, which has then been blatantly shown to be mutual between the two in the Bonus.

With all of this being said, his shadows’ behaviors between these two women parallel one another with the obvious answer being Love.

Aside from the two girls, there is one last thing that Azriel’s shadows have reacted to.

Music:

Azriel entered the warmth of the stairwell, and as he descended, he could have sworn a faint, beautiful singing followed him. Could have sworn his shadows sang in answer.

(HOFAS) And with each mile onward, she could hear Azriel humming softly to himself. The rolling, wild melody of “Stone Mother” flowed off his lips, and she could have sworn even the shadows danced at the sound.

I think that with the addition of HOFAS’ bonus chapter (with Bryce, Nesta, and Azriel), the claim that the shadows’ reactions to Gwyn’s singing being something special can be softly debunked. (There are still possibilities, I know, hence ‘softly’.)

Azriel is a musically oriented person from what we’ve seen. He claims that he does in fact sing and it’s obvious that he does in fact like music. This in turn may explain why his shadows react the way they do. Again, if Azriel’s shadows are a mirroring of his inner self, if they are indeed an outward expression of himself, it would be natural for them to react to music since he enjoys it.

Final Thoughts:

Azriel’s shadows have only disappeared around the people that he has longed for.

If the shadows do in fact have a mind of their own, if they do cover him as a means to protect him and are defensive toward any other being or force, if they only falter for one person, then it must be because those shadows know that Azriel is safe with that person. Or at the very least, they dissipate and disappear around that person because they are the one who he wants to be most vulnerable toward.

If the shadows are indeed a mirror to Az’s inner self, then of course they would ‘dance’ to music. Because that is something that Azriel loves and is passionate about. Of course his shadows would reflect that, especially if his passion is strong enough.

Azriel’s shadows, all and all, are an entity that has a conscious. It has intelligence. It communicates with him. It protects him. But it also has the ability to expose his deepest feelings.

They are motivated by love, passion, and act even against Az’s will.

Maybe he’s not as unreadable as some think. I don’t think most of the IC have really thought about the shadows much. After all, he’s just a Spymaster and Shadowsinger.

Good gods this was very long but if you made it this far, I hope you enjoyed lol. I hope all of this made sense.

#acotar #elriel #azriel shadowsinger #elain archeron #mor #the morrigan #a court of thorns and roses #those blasted shadows #pro elriel #elain x azriel

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lilyginnyblackv2 · 1 year

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It takes a village... - Buddy Daddies - Episode 5 - Cultural Elements

There is the famous saying “It takes a village to raise a child.” And I think that was a key focus of this episode, and one of the lessons that Kazuki and Rei had to learn. There are three social and cultural aspects of Japan that I want to look at in regards to this episode:

1. Flus at School

2. Babysitting in Japan

3. Work-Life Balance

They all connect to each other in some way.

1. Flus at School

Likely when everyone saw the notice that Kazuki and Rei got about the daycare being temporarily closed due to a virus, the initial thought was Covid. And it was likely meant to be a nod to that. But, even before Covid, the flu (influenza) has always been taken very seriously in Japan and at Japanese schools.

In Japan, I worked at elementary and junior high schools, so a bit of a different setting from the daycare (my daycare experience with Japanese kids was back in the States at a juku and learning center). But, I doubt there is too much difference. Basically, once we entered flu season, parts of the whiteboards up in the Staff Room would be dedicated to keeping track of which students had the flu and how many students had it per class. Once it reached a certain amount, everyone in that class (whether they were sick or not) would not be allowed to come to school for a number of days.

(From a study that will be linked to below, and which was published online in 2015).

In the above excerpt I included, it talks about the effective measure of school closure to prevent pandemic influenza (specifically talking about the one in 2009). When I worked in Japan (2013 - 2019) as an ALT, I never experienced a full school closure because of the flu, but I knew of other ALT who had.

2. Babysitting in Japan

In this episode we have Kazuki telling Kyutaro, “Lately, we’ve been taking on some babysitting jobs...”

Kazuki really didn’t have a plethora of options to choose from here to make any sort of plausible excuse. This likely was the best thing he could say and pick, but it also isn’t that surprising that Kyutaro didn’t buy it for a second. Not only because male babysitters are rarer in general, but also because babysitting still isn’t a normal thing in Japanese culture. From a 2014 SavvyTokyo article entitled: Babysitting Services in Japan, there is this excerpt:

However, hiring a babysitter in Japan remains a privilege reserved for high-income earners, and is nowhere near as popular as it is in Western countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, some families are forced to use babysitters due to a shortage of after-school nurseries. Some believe that a babysitter could help inject a dose of fresh air into a typical Japanese home, which can sometimes be known for its seclusion. This is particularly true today, in an ever-increasing international environment, where English education is at the forefront of most Japanese parents’ minds.

This lines up with my experiences with being a Weekend Camp Counselor for about 3 or so years when I lived close to the Tokyo area of Japan (from 2016 - 2019). My job was to play American summer camp style games and activities (Duck, Duck, Goose, Red Light, Green Light, Thunderdome, Tooty Ta Song, etc.) with native Japanese children at parks (like Yoyogi Park or Toyosu Park). The goal was to have the children get a full English immersion experience, while enjoying physical activities outdoors. But, like my boss told me, our service was also meant to allow the parents to have some free time in the day, since babysitting isn’t a big thing.

In American media, seeing a (usually) teen girl babysitting a neighbors kid is incredibly common. In Japan, there is still an expectation that the parents (mostly the mother) should be caring for their child or children, but that is getting harder and harder with the need for both parents to work, in order to get by (due to the state of inflation Japan has been in for years). One Japan Times contributor, Yuko Tamura, wrote about their experience with hiring a babysitter in a blog post entitled: Hiring a Babysitter for the First Time in Japan Taught Me a Lot.

In this article she talked about the social and cultural aspects. First she notes, “Without grandparents in my neighborhood, I had almost no one to ask for help except my husband.” No mentions are made of siblings, cousins, aunts, or friends. In America, it wouldn’t be that uncommon to hear of any of the above (as well as, of course, grandparents) to do a little temporary babysitting for family or friends. But in Japan this just isn’t common, smaller family sizes are also likely a reason for this as well.

She also mentions lack of communication among neighbors, something that is definitely common, especially in cities in Japan, and “ I have been a highly private person; I suspect the majority of Japanese people are the same. Welcoming strangers at home could be a severe headache for people like me because it just doesn’t feel right.”

Houses in Japan are seen as very private places. Having big get togethers or parties at someone’s house in Japan is really uncommon (I have been to one or two, but it’s still not the norm). Going elsewhere to meet up, like at a karaoke place or café is far more common. So the idea of a babysitter goes against that idea, as well as the societal expectation of the mother being in caretaker mode 24/7, so it has made it harder for babysitting to become common place in Japan.

That being said, the internet, the pandemic, the economy, women working more, and many other things are starting to shake things up a bit more in Japan. I also suggest that you give the blog post a full read (I’ll link to it below, along with every site and article I reference here), since it also touches on another concept a bit: Work-Life Balance, my last discussion point.

3. Work-Life Balance

I won’t say too much about this, since I think the concept of Work-Life Balance is a fairly universal one and one that people are always trying to struggle with. It may be better and easier to navigate in some countries, and harder and more difficult to navigate in others.

For Japan, it is harder, but there has been more of a push for more life and less work focus in recent years, and the pandemic has caused work-from-home, remote work, and so forth to become a bit more common in Japan. It’s still not as prevalent of a shift in work culture like we’ve been seeing happen elsewhere, but it is a start! I’ll add an article or two in the comments about this topic, just in case anyone wants to read up on it.

In this episode, we see Kazuki and Rei struggling with Work-Life Balance in a way neither has likely ever experienced before, since adding a child into the mix really does make for a very different beast. What I really like that we saw in this episode was showing Kyutaro telling Kazuki and Rei that he would look after Miri:

It’s unconventional, as noted above, but it is a good message to tell. And one that should be told more in anime and Japanese media. A sense of community is important, especially when raising a child, since as the saying goes, “It takes a village.”

#Buddy Daddies #Rei Suwa #Kazuki Kurusu #Miri Unasaka #Kyutaro Kugi #BD spoilers #Buddy Daddies spoilers #long post #meta post #Japanese culture and society

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delicatefade · 4 months

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WIP Wednesday - Lex comes home

Excerpt from my kissy kissy elves draft. Dragon age setting, but it’s all OCs. My OC is Eilan Lavellan and @bluewren’s OC is Lex Lavellan.

Lex and Eilan are twenty years old. Lex has been off on a solo adventure for seven months. Eilan has received three letters from him in that time. (Forwarding letters to a nomadic clan is very hard.)

wc: 585

Five weeks after Lex’s third letter Clan Lavellan was camped outside Kirkwall. It was here one year ago in a clearing in the woods not a half mile out from camp that Lex had first learned of Eilan’s secret playwriting. Eilan had been so nervous to tell him, so scared he would find her strange. She still remembered the tender way he looked at her, and how touched he had been to be let him into her secret. Though they had kissed hundreds of times before and hundreds of times since, that kiss stuck out in her memory for it was the first time something like love had wormed its way into her reluctant heart. Remembering that moment made Eilan ache with longing. She could not focus on that day’s magic tutoring. Today’s lesson: augury. She knelt on a pillow in her grandmother’s, the Keeper’s, tent. Incense burned in a corner. It smelled of jasmine and rose. Eilan stared blankly at a silver plate filled with colorless oil. She recited an incantation as she poured a darker oil from a small vial, drop by drop, and watched the oils swirl. The patterns were supposed to mean something, but all Eilan could see was Lex.

Outside the tent a young man whooped jubilantly. A woman cried out as an excited murmur swept through the camp. Eilan cocked her ear towards the exultations. Her heart raced against hope. Finally she heard Evelyn cry out, “Lex!” Eilan gasped and looked towards the tent’s exit. Her grandmother smiled knowingly. “Go.” Eilan leapt her feet and sprinted out of the tent. She followed the stream of clanmates, her eyes peeled as she searched for him. There he was, in a bear hug with his sisters, one arm around Evelyn and the other around Tali. The siblings swayed from side to side as they embraced. When they parted Evelyn inspected her brother for any signs of ailments, malnourishment, injuries, and general neglect. Lex let himself be fussed over as he ruffled Tali’s hair and said something to make her laugh. Cylen called out “Letha!”, the hip abbreviation of ‘lethallin’, the elven honorific for a friend. The men embraced, patting each other on the back. Elves lined up to greet Lex one by one. Those who belonged to the generation of parents who saw all teens and 20-somethings as their communal brood made sure to impart little observations with their greetings — “You got a tan!” “Survived the wilds, eh? Good lad.” “Look at you! Feeling all grown up?” Lex spotted Eilan at the back of the line and looked arrested as if by a vision. He worked his way through the crowd of well-wishers and greeters with polite impatience, often stealing glances at her. She was overcome, hands clasped over her nose and mouth, eyes wet with happiness. At last he reached her, his hands sliding along her waist as he pulled her close. He buried his face in her hair. They held each other tightly. She smoothed a hand over his back. He cradled her head close. They kissed several times. “I missed you,” they both said at the same time, in the same way. They laughed at the synchronicism. He wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb. They kissed again. A sparse wisp of hair clung to his chin. “This is new,” she said as she rubbed it. “Yea,” he said. He couldn’t stop smiling. He cupped her face and looked at her like she hung the moon.

tagging for WIP Wednesday @warpedlegacywrites @exalted-dawn-drabbles @nirikeehan @monocytogenes @theluckywizard @crackinglamb @rosella-writes @dreadfutures @anneapocalypse @bluewren @liza011 @rakshadow @megasaurusssss @hekaerges@moonlightheretic@flaggermuser

#dragon age fanfiction #eilan lavellan #dragon age fic #delicatefade excerpts #clan lavellan #dalish elves #lex lavellan #oc x oc #elf love #young love #delicatefade wip #wip excerpt #wip wednesday #dalish culture

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thegirlwhorideslikeasamurai · 23 days

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After one week of writing on my Young Vitya coming-of-age/coming-out story, I can say proudly and with 100% certainty that teenage Viktor is an annoying precocious brat who is constanly defying his elders and antagonising his skating federation by challenging the norms of his sport. And he's gay as fuck (he just doesn't know it yet) and it's so much fun to write him like that.

I also acquired a low-key obsession with Rudolf Nureyev who I headcanon as Viktor's idol (it's really a very headcanon-y headcanon, but the more research this guy, the more reasons I find that Viktor would have loved him although he was a ballet dancer, but he was also camp as fuck and married to his sport and a creative genius who challenged the traditions of his sport, so there's that). If I had been alive when he was, I would have fangirl-screamed about him like I fangirl-scream about figure skaters today, I'm sure of that.

That also brought me to finally having found the place where I headcanon Viktor to learn ballet as part of his training as a figure skater: Vaganova Academy

It seems like the place Lilia would teach at and of course, Viktor trains under her because Yakov decided that Viktor needs a proper ballet education.

That last part about the ballet school is a bit embarrassing because in the last two years, which is since I'm writing about Yuuri and Viktor living together in St. Petersburg, I never found a ballet school in that city, which I attribute to my occasional clumsiness of operating google (or rather ecosia for that matter) and me not knowing any Russian. Because of that, the ballet school was just a not-further specified ballet school downtown. I call myself fortunate that so far, I haven't posted anything where this matters.

I wish I had more time to write this story. Of the 10 days I had off in total, starting from Good Friday, I only had 3 days in which I really wrote all day. It's not what a writing holiday should be like, I'm not relaxed, and I hate it.

I still have about 60% to write and I think it might end up around 90k, which is way more than I planned for, and I'm not even sure I'm ever going to post it once it's complete and edited because all this is based on the very story that is doing abysmally out there (Thousand Spotlights). At least I can't imagine a story about Young Vitya struggling less with finding an audience than a story about adult Viktor. I don't really know what to do with it, maybe I will only share it with a friend who liked the excerpt I sent her and trat it as an extended background study for Vitya. But anyway, that's what I'm working on right now.

#jen's mind vomit #writing update #my yoi fanfic

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isilrina · 5 months

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Erel'Vrae is one of my oldest original characters. Over the years, I've created several characters with that name. Some changed names later on, but in a way, she represents my archetype of the Drow woman. She's sort of my Jane Doe, and later, as I learn more about them and the world I want to write them into, the name might change.

So when Baldur's Gate 3 was released, I knew I was going to create an Erel'Vrae. She's no longer a beast master but is now a gloom stalker, now that I have a better understanding of the two ranger archetypes.

This iteration of Erel'Vrae is a character who escaped from the dark clutches of Lolth, the Spider Queen, under the guidance of her aunt—a devoted follower of Eilistraee. Eilistraee, also known as The Dark Maiden, is not only the goddess of song, dance, swordwork, hunting, moonlight, and beauty but also the daughter of Lolth herself.

Erel'Vrae's journey takes her away from the Underdark, and she starts a life on the surface. Along her way, she finds herself abducted by mind flayers, and as she tries to escape, she meets some companions.

However, being the overly creative person that I am, I couldn't resist writing about it. This is how "Woven Destinies" came to life, and this scene is directly excerpted from one of its early chapters.

In this drawing, titled 'The Dark Maiden's Song,' Erel'Vrae passionately sings for her beloved goddess while a certain wizard, Gale Dekarios from Waterdeep, secretly listens, captivated by the scene before him. It's a moment of magic and emotion captured in this artwork.

To further align it with the story and the game, I incorporated elements of the first camp landscape into the background. Specifically, those exact rocks are located just behind Gale's tent.

It was quite a challenge because I had never drawn someone in that pose, submerged in water or illuminated by moonlight, but it turned out exactly as I had envisioned.

The idea of the moonlight reflecting on her and her surroundings was suggested by my sister, @valkblue.

#my ocs #isilrinart #fanfiction illustration #drow oc #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 tav #tav #bg3 #bg3 fanfiction #bg3 fanart #oc:erelvraebg3 #bathing #singing #praying #moonlight #woven destinies

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the-gayest-sky-kid · 1 year

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okay so huffman is always framed as a very reliable hardworking, and even uptight member of the knights of favonius. this of course, is not the entire truth.

here you go @bamboowritess !

an excerpt from mika schmidts character story one

When Mika began learning to read his mother went inspiration- gathering abroad with his father accompanying her. During that time, the responsibility of looking after little Mika landed in Huffman's hands.

However, Huffman had already made the Knights of Favonius his second home — he was preoccupied with work during the day and indulged in drinking with his friends night after night. With his own life lacking organization, how was he expected to take care of his little brother?

So it was little Mika who learned to take care of both himself and his brother whenever he'd return home drunk at night. When other children his age were enjoying their childhood without a care, Mika had already learned to stick to an organized schedule, sometimes even helping Huffman with his everyday chores.

ive bolded the text to show you what im focusing on here. just putting aside the blatant fucking stupidity of their parents.

Huffman was placed in charge of Mika. Mika, who had just started learning how to read, which makes him around SIX YEARS OLD. And he's taking care of his adult brother, who is coming home drunk at night???? And helping Huffman with his own chores????? The character story even states that other children were enjoying their childhoods without a care, something Mika should have been doing rather than adulting for his older brother.

and like Huffman had to have been drunk enough to have a reputation as a drunkard.

another excerpt from mikas character story three

Word of Mika signing up for the expedition spread like wildfire throughout the Knights of Favonius.

"Huffman's little brother will be joining us! The little kid who always takes care of that drunkard will be joining the Knights!"

and dont even get me started on how this means they literally just let huffman keep going home drunk so often

huffman had a responsibility and he floundered it, instead turning it upon MIKA. HE WAS SUPPOSED TO WATCH OVER MIKA BUT MIKA WAS TAKING CARE OF HIM.

huffman and his parents may have supported mikas cartography dreams but they messed him up during an extremely formative part of his life. like thats literally child neglect.

and yes mika is a lot better outside of a professional setting but it's very clear that he has issues™. like noelle and jean, mika is often taken advantage of by the other knights to take care of things they should very well be able to themselves.

when it rains

Ahh, the rain is really coming down... let's just hope the conditions out here won't get too muddy. Otherwise, I'll need to help everyone clean their boots, and there won't be enough time to prepare a meal...

about mika: mundane tasks

Making camp, starting a fire, cooking food, and maintaining equipment... these are all essential tasks that must be done. If the others dislike such duties, and if I can uh, manage them to a satisfactory degree, then the least I can do is to help out... That way, everyone can have a breather and relax a little...

and like he still very clearly has self esteem issues and stuff

feelings about ascension: intro

Even though I'm still miles behind you, I'm feeling a little more confident now. At least, I won't end up dragging you down again.

least favorite food

Unlike my brother, I can't stand the taste of alcohol. All it takes is one sip and I'd be out cold, and the others would have to go out of their way to take care of me. Even just the smell of a strong drink being opened is enough to make me dizzy.

he doesnt want anyone to have to go out of their way to take care of him.

and not to mention that his least favorite food is ALCOHOL. if the smell is enough to make him dizzy now then how the fuck was he when he was six huffman?

anyway slander huffman swan supremacy 🛐🛐🛐🛐🛐

#longer post #swearing cw #caps cw #okay im done now #mika has a lot of info in his character stories and voicelines showing his issues™ i made a post compiling them a while back when they were #only on honey hunter #ill find it if you want #anyway stan swan from the mondstadt gate 💯💯💯

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urlocalwitch555 · 1 month

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painting be rand burns

WIP INTRODUCTION ๋࣭ ⭑⚝

because camp nanowrimo is starting tomorrow, i decided to do an intro for the novella i'll be writing this camp! (which is also my first camp nano)

✧┊ ⁭title: veil of shadow

✮⋆˙┊ ⁭genre: high fantasy

✧┊ ⁭literary genre: novella

✦┊ ⁭current word count: 1,241

✶┊ ⁭goal word count: 30,000

๋࣭⭑┊ ⁭setting: land of the moon; enchanted forests and mountains

★┊ ⁭tropes and themes (i'm so bad at this): werewolves, vampires, monsters, witches, dragons, dragon riders, lost heritage, finding one's identity, feminism, equality, slavic folklore, dictatorship

☆┊ ⁭playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6GM91iRqdFluI1pAyCJZPi?si=5oFyf8B7QjOyoVR8Xq7f8Q&pi=e-9aGJpn3MR_K9

🌙 plot summary

when alesya has been found by druids as a kid, all she had was a golden medallion of an unknown coat of arms. soon the full moon came and the druids found that the girl was in fact a werewolf. for years they've held her closed off from villagers, hiding her during full moons, and times when wolven features showed on her human form. behind closed doors, they took care of her and teached her all magic and knowledge they had. alesya was a quick learner and soon enough became a proper witch.

one day, when alesya was already an adult and got sick of being held back by the druids, she decided to run away. what made her make that decision was meeting of a spirit guide familiar, and the fact that villagers wanted to hunt her down. alone with her horse and wolf familiar, she went on a quest to find out where her medallion came from, and find her biological family. along the way she met new people and creatures, helping them, taking down regimes, and learning about the world after not seeing it for her whole life.

₊ ⊹ ┊ ⁭inspiration (aka the playlist that made me write this story): https://youtu.be/BaFuOrwIAK8?si=Kjr0OwKwVXZqZl84

✪┊ an excerpt:

The sun was low on the horizon. Night was approaching, and with it the full moon, ominous in its silken light. Children were returning home, running away from what hid in the shadows, and Alesya was what they were running from.

painting by dennis sheehan

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ell-vellan · 4 months

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Excerpt from Tav and Halsin?

Thank you so much for enabling me! This was so difficult to smooth out enough to post, and I still don't love it, but you did motivate me to flesh it out quite a bit! So I appreciate it :)

Below the cut: druid Safiel has a student/teacher type crush on Halsin. He only now remembers that half-elves age quite differently to full-blooded ones, and to his surprise, she's not the child he assumed her to be.

He had called her “child” unthinkingly, more than once, without even pausing to consider whether it was actually true. Perhaps he had spent too long in meditative solitude, or too many years in too small a circle, and not enough time in the company of half-elves. But only when she mentioned something lightly in passing about her mother being human did everything click.

Halsin had been brooding on this for days as they traveled, having gotten to know his fellow druid and her ragtag bunch of ill-fated friends as they trekked through the Underdark. Safiel had followed his advice to avoid going overland to the Shadow-Cursed lands, pleasantly surprising him. And she continued to surprise him. No one who was not a female drow went lightly into the Underdark, but she had trusted him – a stranger – on his word alone.

Her druidic upbringing seemed quite different than his own, perhaps due to her being but half-wood elf instead of full. But it had been something they had in common, and Halsin had surprisingly enough enjoyed their intellectual discussions these past days. Safiel was refreshingly even-tempered, calmly and happily willing to explore the ways their philosophies diverged without hurt feelings or devolving into anger. Her view of the druid’s purpose in the balance of nature was more liberal than his own, perhaps, but she spoke so passionately and elegantly, he even began to find some parts of his foundational, long-held beliefs soften to new ideas for the first time since their formation.

Her wisdom ran deeper than he'd assumed, disguised by an easy smile and an absolutely guileless demeanor, which hid the years of her maturity.

To his growing shame, Halsin realized that not only had he called her a child, but may have inadvertently treated her as one, as well. Perhaps what he thought had been good-natured discussions had come across instead as patronizing or condescending, taking on the role of teacher as he was so wont to do, towards an adult woman who did not want or need to be taught about her own beliefs.

Abashed, he played back his earliest conversations with her in his mind. At the time she had seemed rather young. Her energy was that of an idealistic youngster, not yet browbeaten by the trials of life. And when it seemed that perhaps she was flirting with him during that party in the grove, he had written it off as youthful infatuation, or perhaps just the passing fancies common to young elves, and gently and politely declined to entertain them.

Halsin felt he had learned much about her in a short time. She talked easily and fondly about the exploits of her former life, gregarious and lively stories entertaining them at camp. While listening to her speak of the adventures she'd had before her unfortunate kidnapping, he realized that she was no eager innocent child, but a fully grown woman, and one with strong convictions – even if she didn't treat them with the solemn responsibility he did his own.

He needed to rectify this embarrassing misunderstanding immediately.

Halsin waited until they had a modicum of privacy, the others bickering with some minor squabble up ahead. She switched her gaze from admiring the glowing mushrooms around them to smile as he approached, and his heart pounded with a strange rush of nerves. “I must offer my apologies, Safiel.”

“For what?” Her brow furrowed but slightly, and changed her pace to match his.

“I realize I may have…inadvertently caused some offense.”

“What do you mean?”

Uncomprehending, she gazed back at him with those two-toned eyes – one blue as the sky, one rich amber of the earth – and momentarily forgot where he was going. “I fear I may not have treated you as I should. When we first met, I believed you to be...quite young.” He cleared his throat as she pressed her lips together, holding back a smile. “That is – I hope you don't feel as though I disrespected you on purpose. Sometimes at my advanced age, I feel as though everyone around me is a child. If I spoke down to you in our earlier talks, I apologize whole-heartedly. I'm rather used to taking on a teaching role with younger druids, but in no way did I intend to treat you as such.”

Safiel looked at him askance and then laughed musically. “Oh! Is that all? I'm sure in your eyes, Halsin, we all seem like children – except perhaps Astarion. I didn't take offense! I'm rather hard to offend, actually.”

Halsin smiled and gave a sigh of relief. “Well, then…I'm glad to hear it.”

Her eyes sparkled with a hint of tease, and to his surprise, he felt a strange response in him, almost like the fluttering of butterflies. “I kind of gathered, based on a few things you said, that you might think something like that. And it’s not even the first time I’ve been mistaken as a silly young girl. I’m nearly thirty, for the record, which I’m sure is nothing to you! But no, certainly I’ve not been a child in a long while. Please don’t apologize. I actually found it rather endearing.”

Safiel beamed at him, laughing again when he chuckled and ran his hand over his face. By Silvanus, his face was flushed.

“You talk about yourself as though you're a feeble old man,” she teased.

“Certainly I must seem so to you. A grizzled old elder who cannot stop speaking of things long past.”

“I see a man in his prime, as a matter of fact.” Her voice warmed like honey, and he shot her a look, finding a new light dancing in her eyes, mischievous smile twisting at her lips. “A man admirably dedicated whole-heartedly to nature. And a wise scholar from whom I’ve already learned so much. Please, don’t say you’re going to stop teaching me now…as I’ve enjoyed it quite a lot.”

She grinned at him, and there was nothing for it but to smile back.

#i still haven't gotten in the groove of their voices #i need to play more #my writing #safiel farspirit #also my lore is shaky lol i need to replay act 1 again

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dadvans · 10 months

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Would Love to know what SidNateAndy content you have cooking!! I feel insane about the fic you’ve already shared with us and I wasn’t aware more was coming 👀 (also need to know about cumming of age lmao)

(For the WIP Meme) (Asks Open)

SidNateAndy

I'm so excited people want more SidNateAndy! The SidNateAndy doc is 3 smaller fics + 1 large fic that are all sequels set to Say When. The contents are:

Nate letting Andy fuck him for the first time

Sid blowing Nate on a yacht in Cannes

Nate, Andy, and Sid getting together For Real at Sid's 2017 Cup Party

The big one, which I think I've mentioned, is a fic that takes place in what was once the future and is now an alternate universe where Nate hasn't won the Cup. It's the first year after Sid's retired, and Sid is Eat Pray Loving it up around the world to ignore his own problems, Andy moves to Denver to join the Avalanche, and Nate is dealing with pressure to become Captain after Gabe retires. I've been fiddling with this one again more recently and am just one ending away from finishing the blowjob ficlet at the very least.

Cumming of Age

AKA BDSM Summer Camp (sidnate with some gabe/tyson thrown in there). Worldbuilding is set up that at approximately 18 years of age you come into your secondary gender (dom/sub/switch). In the past 50 years, most places require 18 year olds to spend a summer away where they learn how to have a healthy relationship with their subgender, kinks, and the basics of safe/sane/consensual.

Sometimes a subgender isn't immediately obvious, which is how, on arrival, Nate finds out he's submissive. Despite initially rejecting this about himself, Dom Camp Counselor Sid literally shows him the ropes (and then some).

The hardest part about this story is so far Tyson is kind of this run away character and it's hard not to make it entirely about him, but he's so much fun to write.

Excerpt:

It always sounded kind of like some kind of cult bullshit: puberty summer camp? Okay. Both of Nate’s parents and his sister were Switches. Everyone always sat at the table for family meals, and they all fought over the remote on weekday evenings after homework. When Sarah came home from Camp before she started college, she treated Nate like glass for at least a week, but she was back to normal before she left again. She even told Nate about the people she had connected with at Camp, and how the Switch bunks were on the right side of the lake to catch the sunrise and none of the drama. She never gave away details, but she came back seeming happier, free in a way Nate wouldn’t have known to look for, at the end of the summer. The thing was: Nate always knew he wasn’t a Switch. He wasn’t going to share his parents’ or sister’s designation. He was self-aware enough to know at a young age he’d be different. Everything he learned in Secondary Sex Ed through high school indicated he would present as a Dom: his desire for control, the way his friends said sometimes he was a little too demanding, too pushy; his need to win at everything, an actual drive for dominance. If forced to think about it, he would say he was allergic to vulnerability. Humiliation was not his fucking bag.

#dadvans replies #hockey rpf #delaney writes #ask meme

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haloud · 2 years

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@michaelguerinweek Day 3 - “I’ve never been better”

[An excerpt from the hockey au I will write one day. Context: Alex and Michael played together in juniors but were separated when Jesse discovered them and broke Michael’s hand. Michael was able to play again after re-learning how to grip a stick, but Alex’s career ended in tragedy just before the draft when an injury led to the loss of his leg. Michael goes to the NCAA while Alex begins coaching, and they reunite six years after their separation when Michael gets a tryout from the AHL team Alex is an assistant coach for.]

---

“When I saw you play again, watching game tape from Nebraska,” Alex said so softly Michael leaned closer to listen, “I really almost couldn’t believe it. How good your shot is, after everything. I really thought…”

“Yeah,” Michael replied hoarsely, licking his lips, chapped by the dry, cold rink air and the wind whipping past his face. “When I got out of the hospital, I thought about it morning, noon, and night. Getting back out there and working on it. And when the cast came off, I drilled it…almost had to get another surgery, actually, ‘cause I couldn’t stop. It was all that kept my mind off the other thing, the only thing I thought about more than surviving in hockey and not letting that bastard beat me.”

“What was that?”

“You.”

And Alex played hockey, too. A body never really forgets the sensation of the air being driven out of your body by a check into the boards, and Alex sat there for a second wheezing through that one little word, like a padded shoulder to the solar plexus, ears ringing like he’d had his bell rung. Out of the corner of his eye, Michael watched him, studied him, face set, eyes intense.

“You can’t just say shit like that,” Alex said weakly, rubbing his chest.

“Sorry, man,” Michael replied, not sounding sorry at all. “But it’s true. I thought about you all the time, if you were okay, what you were doing, if you were thinking of me…I would go online and look up your games. I dunno, man, I was a kid. I wrote you all these letters that I never sent.” He laughed softly.

Alex still couldn’t breathe, his throat so tight and painful. His mouth worked, trying to force out some words, knowing some kind of reply was expected, but what was there to say? Nostalgia wasn’t supposed to hurt like this, he was pretty sure.

Michael continued, eyes downcast, staring at both their knees, “When you were in the hospital, after your leg, I tried to call. But your brother picked up and said you didn’t want to talk to me. I knew it was probably a lie, but…I don’t know. If your brother was there, your dad might be too, and the last thing I wanted was to get you in trouble. Again. So…”

How did they get here? How were they talking about this, here, now? Alex’s knee throbbed in time with the memory—laying in that hospital bed, so sure his life was over, he would have done anything to have Michael there with him, even just to hear his voice. This conversation was coming the second Alex saw Michael’s name on the training camp roster, but now that it was happening it all felt beyond surreal.

Michael seemed to pick up on the fact that Alex’s brain was nothing but white noise and take it in stride. He reached out and squeezed Alex’s left knee gently, then stood, stretched, and shouldered his bag.

“I won’t keep you any longer. Just know,” Michael said, and something in his voice forced Alex to sit up straighter, to meet Michael’s eyes head-on. “Just know I never stopped then, and I’m not stopping now. I’ve made it this far, and I’ve never been better. I’m not going anywhere. Just…know that.”

And with a firm nod, he turned and clattered down the bleachers to the door, leaving Alex sitting alone in the rink, his heart pounding against his ribs like it was trying to escape.

#mgweek22 #guerinweek22 #my fic #michael guerin #alex manes #malex #hockey au

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jerzwriter · 2 years

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WIP Wednesday - Reset 2

He only wanted to forget her, but lying in the warmth of another 's arms, he realized he never could.

Excerpt below

Tobias peered up from his paperwork, visibly bothered by Dr. Chavez's interruption. His colleague wore a satisfied grin as he sauntered across the room, collapsing into the chair in front of his desk, only serving to intensify Dr. Carrick's growing annoyance.

“This better be good, Julio. I’m on a deadline, and I don’t have time for any bullshit.”

“Dr. Carrick, I’d be nicer to me if I were you. Because I have news that just might make your day, perhaps even your year.”

A sardonic chuckle rose from deep in Tobias’s chest. He threw his pen across his desk and stared bitterly at his colleague.

“Dr. Chavez, I assure you, you have neither the wit nor the anatomical features necessary to make my hour, much less my year. You have five minutes; this better be good.”

Julio crossed his legs and placed his feet on Tobias’s desk with an arrogant sneer.

“Careful, my friend. If this information weren’t mutually beneficial, I wouldn’t even share it with you at this point. But, alas, it is.”

“Spare me the theatrics. I don’t have all day. What is this earth-shattering news that's bound to leave me underwhelmed.”

“I’ve got a resident for you... for us.”

Tobias’s head tilted back as his mocking laughter filled the room. “A resident? That’s your big news? You're interrupting me over an impressive application?”

“Oh, not an application, dear Tobias… an acquisition if you will.”

“We’re not in the practice of acquiring residents.”

“What if I told you the resident in question is Ethan Ramsey’s star pupil, his darling… in every possible sense of the word.”

~~~~~

Ethan removed the hat off his head and wiped the sweat from his brow for what felt like the hundredth time since he landed. He normally wasn't distracted by discomforts like excess heat, but this would certainly take some getting used to.

“Dr. Ramsey!” A stout, older gentleman called as he rushed in Ethan's direction to introduce himself. “Dr. James Cannard, I’m glad to make your acquaintance.”

“Of course," Ethan said extending his hand. "I’d recognize you anywhere. It's an honor to be working with you on this mission.”

“Ah, spoken like a true newbie,” Dr. Cannard chuckled. “Talk to me a month in, and we’ll see if you think it was worth it then.”

“I’m sure I will,” Ethan grinned.

“Well, I have assembled a fine team, and I’ve learned that makes a mission better right from the start. Why don’t we head up to the base camp together? I’ll begin introductions.”

Ethan nodded and threw his backpack over his shoulder, walking silently alongside the older doctor until they came across a cluster of tables where an array of younger members of the team were conversing.

Great, Ethan thought to himself, I come to the depths of the Amazon and find more… interns.

“They may be younger than you and definitely more youthful than me,” Dr. Cannard pointed out. “But don’t let that fool you. These are some of the best and brightest medical professionals from across the globe. These aren't the hapless interns we’d encounter back home.”

Ethan's lips twisted into a smile, confident that his esteemed colleague could read minds. He almost felt like apologizing when he stopped in his tracks. Most of the assembled looked out of place, just like him. But there was one person that stood out. Already at ease, her voice was melodic as she regaled the group with stories of her prior tours. A natural leader, he could already tell she was succeeding at turning a rag-tag group of strangers into a team. She turned in his direction, and a tuft of blonde hair spilled from under her khaki green hat. For a moment, Ethan was sure the heat had overwhelmed his senses… it couldn’t possibly be…

“Dr. Daniels!” his companion called out. “How lovely to see you again! I’d like you to meet….”

A welcoming smile lit her face as she reached for Ethan's hand. Her steely blue eyes locked on his in an instant he found himself transported over three thousand miles away.

“There’s no need for introductions, Dr. Cannard," she insisted. "I’d know Ethan Ramsey anywhere.”

“You… you would?” He questioned, forcing himself back to the present. “Because I don't believe we’ve met before.”

“Oh, we haven’t," she laughed. "But I'm a self-admitted fan of yours. I’ve followed your work from the very beginning, and I was delighted to hear you’d be joining us. My name is Chloe, Chloe Daniels.”

“It’s very nice to meet you, Dr. Daniels.”

“Likewise, but Dr. Daniels... that’s my father. Around here, we don’t have to stand on formality, so please, call me Chloe.”

Perma: @a-crepusculo @animesuck3r @annoyingmillenialnewbie @bex-la-get @binny1985 @bluebelle08 @bluerosesbloom @coffeeheartaddict2 @crazy-loca-blog @danijimenezv @differenttyphoonwerewolf @dorisz @genevievemd @jamespotterthefirst @jennieausten @kingliam2019 @lady-calypso @liaromancewriter @lucy-268 @mainstreetreaderr @parisa-kh @peonierose @potionsprefect @quixoticdreamer16 @rookiemartinn @rosebudde @schnitzelbutterfingerss @secretaryunpaid @sillydg @socalwriterbeee @thegreentwin @trappedinfanfictionn @writer-ish @youlookappropriate @zahrachoices @kachrisberry @fayeswiftie @choiceskatie @ofmischiefandmedicine @annfg8 @cariantha @forallthatitsworth @inlocusmads @lilypills @mysticalgalaxysstuff @uneravine @aishwarya26 @onikalover @peonyblossom @toadfrog26 @jerzwriter2

#choices fanfic #ethan ramsey #tobias carrick #open heart fanfic #wip wednesday #coming soon

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polutrope · 7 months

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Hey hey! For the Writer Ask:

7. Which character(s) do you find most difficult to write?

15. Have you ever daydreamed about side adventures/spin-offs from your fic? Tell us about them!

21. Copy and paste an excerpt you’re particularly fond of.

😁.

Thank you for the ask!

7. This may surprise some, but in terms of pov, it's Maglor. I have too many thoughts, he's a slippery guy as it is, and I am burdened by self-imposed pressure to do something original and nuanced. I find him so much easier to write from someone else's pov... probably because I experience him like a curious specimen preserved in glass... or some sexymysterious horriblebadnews man I'd never allow within 1km irl hahaha).

Which means I keep ending up writing Maedhros, the second most difficult character to write.

15. Off the top of my head, I'd like to write a one-shot sequel to Ungoliant's Bane where Elrond and Elros are adults watching their dad battle Ancalagon in the sky.

21. This one from Who By Fire. I'm proud of this fic overall, I tackled a lot of complex subjects and a complex relationship and I think I pulled it off.

Here, Fingolfin finds out the Feanorian who was found wounded near his camp is his nephew.

The resemblance would not have been obvious to one who had not spent a lifetime studying, envying every one of Fëanáro’s features. This elf was of slighter build, the line of his jaw softer, his brows less pronounced, and his hair not long and raven black but dull brown, cropped short. But the arching cheekbones, the slant of his nose, even the shape of his mouth—those were Fëanáro’s.

The bitterness of betrayal had corrupted Nolofinwë’s perception of his brother. Years of grinding resentment had erased all memory of Fëanáro’s faultless beauty and replaced it with a man whose visage was as ugly as his deeds. The image of Fëanáro that he held in his thoughts when at last he set foot in Endor was smeared with ash and cracked with frost. But looking upon this elf, that taint was washed clean. All at once he could recall his brother’s face as vividly as if it were him, and not his son, on the cot before him.

The elf’s lips quirked up at the corners; that, too, like his father. “Uncle Nolofinwë. Well met.” His smirk turned to a grimace as he dragged himself up to sit with his back against the wall.

Nolofinwë rushed to assist him, and his chest tightened again when his hand closed around the other’s arm, as if surprised to find that he was indeed present, and real.

He hesitated. How could he ask, Which one are you? The Little or the Last? The twins were near-strangers to him, born when the rift between him and Fëanáro was already too wide for Nolofinwë to have ever known them as children, and they had been mere shadows following behind their brothers on the march from Tirion.

Nolofinwë had never shared private words with either of them; never, in fact, looked into their eyes until now.

“Nephew,” said Nolofinwë, and seated himself on a stool opposite the cot. “I am glad to see you are recovering from your injuries.”

Fëanáro’s son scoffed. “Yes, fortunate for me that I am, apparently, to all but you, unrecognisable—I doubt I would be recovering so well if your healers knew who I was.”

Much as he did not wish to believe it, the same thought had crossed Nolofinwë’s mind. “I will ensure no one learns it.”

“That is probably wise. It would not look good if I died in your camp, would it? But don’t expect that saving my life will put them in your debt, either.”

“That is not why—”

“They will not even notice I am gone. Well—Pityo might, but he is used to my prolonged absences. And I do not plan to tell them I was here.”

He was Telufinwë, then. The Last Finwë, he’d been called, though he had been born when Anairë was carrying Arakáno. How like Fëanáro, Nolofinwë had thought, to use the naming of his own son to assert, as he had with his firstborn, that his lineage was the legitimate one. How like him to sacrifice his children on the altar of his pride.

But was Nolofinwë any better? That is what he had asked himself, when he held Arakáno’s limp body in his arms, already long emptied of life: Had it not been pride that had driven Nolofinwë to lead his child to his death?

He asked himself this again, watching Fëanáro’s youngest adjust himself on the bed, his bandages stained with blood. Telufinwë was not dead, but he was broken. A man who was whole did not set out alone in pursuit of a merciless predator. Only a man who held his life at naught would dare such a hunt.

#asks #fic writer asks #cuarthol #fingolfin #amrod

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drewtanakagf · 1 year

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okay since we decided on diver Percy here is the swimmer excerpt:

She turns her attention back to the pool, where the heat before Percy’s is finishing up. Drew knows next to nothing about swimming, but something about 100 meters and laps and look, the guys on TV looked really hot cutting through the water–

“Look! There he is!” Sally points out her son on the poolside, the only one with a wetsuit on. Drew winces, scars like Percy’s maybe a bit difficult to hide in the usual shorts-no shirt combo. Of course, some still litter his arms, but it raises less questions. Not like Drew should know about the memories that litter her new… friend? Yeah, friend’s skin. She was still an Aphrodite camper after all; her siblings might stay by the lakeside for their own reasons (to fawn over hot guys) but Drew’s pretending act is like a second skin, even so, she can still appreciate what kind of work went into keeping that physique.

Oh, they’re calling the swimmers for Percy’s heat.

Sometime between Drew pulling out her select eyeliner (Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil in the shade Chaos, if you must know) and finishing her symmetric wings, Percy… briefed, for lack of a better term, Drew on what races he would be competing in. Drew caught only a bit of it, mostly focused on making sure she didn’t fuck up the careful swoops of eyeliner she was applying to her eyelids. Something about how “Jeremey is anchoring for the first time” and “Mom, the day I lose a 100m butterfly is the day I drown.” Which is stupid since Percy can’t drown and oh– yeah, figure of speech.

Drew watches Percy as he steps onto the block with the other competitors. He tightens his goggles, which look horrible in Drew’s fashionable opinion and why do people always say sacrifice beauty over functionality, that opinion is pure bullshit Drew’s karambit is perfectly functioning but also the prettiest weapon she’s ever laid an eye on.

A gun sounds off, Drew blinks and misses Percy’s entrance into the water. Sally’s cheering loudly beside her and okay, yeah, this is not even a competition.

Drew has seen Percy swim before, courtesy of many years at camp, and he was always graceful in the water, like he belonged in it (which he was, but that’s beside the point) and other campers called him a fish affectionately.

Well, Percy was a fucking fish in the water, besting the others in the pool by a mile.

That answers Drew’s question, that’s not fucking fair at all.

Drew has to stifle a laugh at how ridiculous his win was. It was watching an olympian (the athlete) compete with ten year olds, worse even. She’s surprised he didn’t get kicked out of the league for being too good.

Goode. Percy’s name never had his highschool attached to it, and he never mentioned anything about the school. And hey, his teammates looked a bit older than him…

That’s when Drew learns that Percy has been swimming for NYU all this time.

#nyu was the first thing that popped into my head but college swimming works differently than what i described #i learned too much about swim meets and used none of that information #clopt #✍🏾 time #will i ever shut up about scars and memories? no #drew tanaka #percy jackson

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delicatefade · 3 months

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WIP Wed: "I don't love it?"

Another wed, another excerpt from my kissy kissy elves draft. Dragon age setting, but it’s all OCs. My OC is Eilan Lavellan and @bluewren’s OC is Lex Lavellan.

Lex had been gone for 7 months. He returned earlier that day. He and Eilan spent the day with their clan. This is their first evening together, alone. CW: Kissy wissy? Questionable facial hair? WIP Wed tagging @inquisimer @bluewren @mrslyncx @breninarthur @nirikeehan@theluckywizard@monocytogenes@sunshowerdandelion@narravero@varric-tethras-editor@melisusthewee@rosella-writes@warpedlegacywrites wc: 622

Unwed Dalish youths were not given tents. They had to make do with nature’s hidden alcoves. Luckily, Lex and Eilan knew just the spot, the very same clearing in the woods that had witnessed their love blossom a year ago. The walk from camp to the clearing would have taken all of ten minutes were it not for their frequent stops. “Gods I missed your touch,” she whispered. Their lips were raw from kissing. He had her pinned against a tree, his body pressed against hers.

He cupped her face in one hand — she loved it when he did that. He must have known for he did it often. Lex looked at her like she was the most precious and beautiful thing he had ever seen, though he had never said as much in so many words. She told herself that if forced to choose between that look or those words, she would choose that look. His thumb tugged on her lower lip. She mewled softly. His hands fumbled with the layers she wore. Their breaths made little plumes in the frost of early spring. “The clearing,” she panted, cheek to cheek. Twenty minutes and four amorous detours later, they reached the clearing. Tempting as it may have been to tear off each other’s clothes and make love with abandon, they had learned after many months of meeting in the wilds in all kinds of weather that a little preparation went a long way. The ground had not yet thawed. The night would plummet into a chill. The forest’s proximity to a shemlen city meant that precautions needed to be taken against potential human threats. They worked together to prepare the camp. Lex set down a thick mat to shield them from the cold earth. Eilan contributed an extra wide scarf that doubled as a blanket. Their old fire pit was still there, though a little worse for wear. Lex tended to it, commanding the overgrowth to clear with an arcane whisper. As he did so, Eilan activated the warding runes that they had carved a year ago into the trees that ringed the clearing. She thought of making a joke, that they should get married if only to claim a tent at camp and make love whenever they wished. She thought better of it. Lex lit the fire pit with a burst of magic. The flames roared and burned without fuel. He sat on the mat and guided Eilan to sit astride his lap. In the firelight they looked at each other, smitten anew. He tucked a lock of her dark hair behind her ear. That enamored look returned to his eyes. “What?” she said coyly. “What?” He smiled at her flirtation. “That look.” “What look?” She shrugged one shoulder cheekily. “That look.” Lex tipped his head to the side, seemingly confused. Eilan’s brows lifted expectantly, as if by pretending that what she spoke of were obvious would make it so. Lex chuckled. “What, babe?” Never mind. She relaxed out of her expectant posture and masked her disappointment by stroking the patchy stubble on his chin. “What about this?” He rubbed the thin wisp of hair. “I’m thinking of growing it out.” Elves were not known for their ability to grow facial hair, and Lex, for all his talents and looks, was no exception. “Oh!” Her smile froze in place. “Really?” “Woooow! You hate it!” Lex laughed. “No-no! Well, it’s just that—” “Oh you really, really hate it.” Eilan winced and confessed regretfully, “I don’t love it?” He laughed harder. “Alright, miss hard-to-impress. Message received. Let’s see what you think of your gifts.” “Gifts, plural.” “Mhm.” He wagged his brows triumphantly as he pulled his pack closer. “Okay, gift number one.”

#dragon age fanfiction #eilan lavellan #lex lavellan #clan lavellan #dalish elves #dragon age fic #delicatefade excerpts #wip excerpt #wip wednesday #elf love #kissy kissy #youths in love

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