Oh look… the muse kissed me…

Rawhide Epilogue is in the works…

Steve snorted, listening to the guys banter as he leaned back against the tree trunk, his hat pulled down over his face. It had been a busy few days, moving the herd back down to the summer pastures and getting ready to bale the hay and silage that would see them through the winter. But, he wasn’t complaining. In fact, he hadn’t complained about much over the past 5 years or so. Well, bar Bucky being a persistent pain in his ass, but what else was new?

In the months that followed the battle, Fury had been appointed interim president of the WSC and had been permanently installed following a term of elections, for two terms running now. As such, the World Security Council had made good on its promise. Each state had their own elected representatives, and the divide which had separated red and blue states had been torn down. Of course, some states still held conservative views, but even in those areas things had gotten much better for Omegas. Because their basic human rights had been secured through the Omega Rights Act at a federal level, something they had failed to do the first time round due to the WSC preferring the appeasement method. Now, violation of those rights was punishable by law, no matter where you were, although how much it was enforced was anyone’s guess and varied, again state to state.

It wasn’t perfect, but then again nothing was. And it had been met in some instances with violent opposition, but that had been quashed pretty quickly. Some had been in favour of a more gradual overhaul, suggesting that each state should be allowed to install their own laws around Alphas, Betas and Omegas, as a sort of half-way house with a view to eventually changing the overall attitudes of people.

But, as Tony said in his speech when he was elected as the Senator for Montana, “sometimes you gotta run before you can walk.”

❤️❤️❤️❤️

its always ”b-b-but arent you DEAD??” and never ”was it fun getting buried it looked fun?” never ”was it difficult to claw your way through the soft earth?” they NEVER ask if the first breath of air after fighting myself out of my coffin was refreshing and tasted like sorrow and relief. it did. by the way. not that anyone CARES >:(

am I the only one who gets so emotional every time fig calls gilear “dad.” when she started calling him “dad” again after not doing it for so long I nearly full on wept

Loustat during the Rockstar lestat era

Okay but what if in Tears of the Prophets, Worf had beamed into the sickbay to say his goodbyes to Jadzia, just as Julian was giving her CPR to revive her one last time.

Worf sees red, thinking that Julian's going in to kiss Jadzia, and throws him violently against the wall. Julian's dazed for a good half-minute, meaning the chance to bring Jadzia back again is lost. Sisko walks in to find Julian shouting furiously at Worf and Worf in return pinning the doctor against the wall.

--

(Do you ever think about the hours in between Jadzia being attacked and the Defiant coming back? Her begging Julian to keep her alive so she can say goodbye to Worf? Julian doing all he can for hours, even as she keeps slipping away from him... but he has to keep bringing her back from the edge, knowing she's going to die anyway, knowing how much pain she's in...)

(Or about Jadzia asking him despite knowing how much it will hurt? But also this is her last chance to say goodbye and she can't just leave Worf without seeing him. And she trusts Julian will get her there.)

(And, of course, he does. But what if he had put in all that work and effort for her and also for *Worf*, just for Worf to ruin it with his 0-100 jealousy?)

(What if Jadzia's last wish to see Worf had been taken away by Worf himself?)

ohhhh so the came back wrong trope is a fictionalized account of when a traumatic event kills the old you and you are forever changed by it no matter how you try to become the old you again I get it now

Bamon I Coney Island

The Majestic, except that Ryoko and Junko are different people and the town mistakes amnesiac!Junko for Ryoko.

tbh i'm really glad i isolated myself from the genshin fandom.

Whether intentionally or not, everyone talks about lore events as if you've been following the game since release day, which means spoilers abound everywhere. i tried to hang around when inazuma released even though i'd only just gotten to liyue, but it was literally impossible to avoid spoilers. even something as nonchalant as background footage in a commentary video wasn't safe; i basically had the entire plot shoved immediately in front of me before i had the chance to experience it at my own pace.

however, now, i've finally gotten the chance to get back into playing it regularly. i'm about three YEARS behind in the story at this point, it'd be such a drag trying to catch up if i already knew what was happening. all the surprise would be ruined.

Genshin's writing is phenomenal, but it's a lot to sit through, and there's no point to doing that if you already know how it's gonna go anyway. i just wouldn't care enough to shlog through all that dialogue just for a cutscene i've already seen twenty times.

THAT ALL BEING SAID

i didn't go into Sumeru expecting much. I enjoyed the inazuma quest well enough (although everyone tells me it sucked), but my progression through this game's material is fairly disjointed, which often messes with my perception of story beats.

Sumeru has had me hooked.

like, the minute that first beep went off i audibly went "...oh".

The setup is tense and fascinating. I have absolutely no idea where it's leading, but the writing is TIGHT, the cutscenes are GORGEOUS, this whole arc is making me CARE about characters i didn't give a second thought to when they released...I am SO ready to see where this goes and SO happy i stopped following genshin lore when i did.

maybe at some point i'll finally be caught up and will be able to rejoin the theorycrafting community. but for the time being, i will happily remain on the sidelines getting my first taste of this fantastic game.

so what if i died and came back a little bit wrong? a little bit fucked up?? forever changed in a small but significant way that unsettles both me and everyone around me? isnt that my right??? as a woman?

https://x.com/normalpills/status/1755036081039569187?s=46&t=QiKHdDdvKoMxWGyakqTvxA

ISNAJJ I was just thinking about this post, oh my god-

Well hi!

I'm either remaking or revamping, not sure which yet. But I'm in general doing an overhaul of the blogs I want to keep and deleting those I'm done with for now - or the characters I only am writing specifically on discord.

I hope everyone has been well and staying safe. <3

@quiiscnt im taking the opportunity to do 3 😅 so here's #3/3

Send ⭐ for a sample of a new muse I am thinking of writing // accepting

Distracted in thought, Max tapped the end of his pen to his notebook in a mindless beat, eyes not really registering his surroundings (which was perhaps a dangerous thing to do, considering he was at the bar within Fairy Tail’s guildhall). The hall was a bit emptier than usual however, so his chances of being accidentally struck or pulled into a brawl were rather low. Somehow, that thought wasn’t particularly comforting. Brawls or general rowdiness, it didn’t matter, he just preferred the lively noise and energy of having everyone around. Because there had been long years of quiet.

Even before the Tenrou team had disappeared, he’d never been one to enjoy silence or solitude, he’d always fared best when there was someone to talk to after all. Those years without them, with the remaining members slowly dwindling away or worse, losing their own spark, it hadn’t been easy. And it reminded him too much of his own childhood. Lonely days with no one to talk to, or to even exist around him, no company at all.

Frowning at his line of thought, he rubbed a hand over his face as if to scrub some clarity into his mind. He sighed and turned his attention back to his notebook, eyes skimming over what was written. He had a few ideas down so far, social events that would bring in both some money and extra cheer, yet he hoped to come up with something truly exciting, something that would bring everyone together. Maybe even involving the other guilds?

His mind churned with possibilities, creating and discarding, sifting through them like sand through his fingertips. It was just as he was thinking that perhaps he’d best throw ideas around with someone else, that he became aware of a presence drawing near. As his eyes found them, a smile jumped to his lips.

“Mira, perfect timing,” he said, “Do you have a minute?”

He’d worked closely with her in past years to arrange events, always finding her input and help most useful. During her long years of absence, he’d found himself somewhat stepping into her shoes in terms of running the organizational side of things for the guild. Responsible for recording what jobs had come in (not that there’d been many...) and who had taken them up, along with taking care of most of the paperwork that came with managing a guild. Sometimes Laki, and the others that had remained, still told him whenever they’d taken a job, a habit that hadn’t yet been broken. And he didn’t mind it one bit.

As Mirajane smiled and took a seat beside him, he pushed his notebook towards her.

“I’m trying to come up with a new event,” he explained, excitement beginning to build, “It’s been a while and I think we could all do with a bit of fun, don’t you? I think a little game or competition could be fun, but we all know how those can get…destructive if certain people are involved. But maybe a scavenger hunt of some kind?”

He paused a moment, intending on waiting for her input, yet it occurred to him that they hadn’t caught up in a little while. With a sheepish tinge to his expression, he added, “Sorry, I’m jumping right into things. I haven’t even asked you how you are…So…how are you? How’s your project coming along? Wait, and last time we talked, you were having trouble with your neighbour, how’s that going? I had issues with mine just yesterday, he has this really annoying little dog-”

@honorhearted continued from x

as morning light found it's way through the window and katarzyna felt the sudden loss of contact of his body against hers, she began to stir. she felt sore in both pleasant ways that brought a flush to her skin as she recalled the events which had transpired in this room and unpleasant ways as she recalled what had happened prior. it was a strange flurry of emotions which welled within her. happiness and anger of two different sources. what marks would she find once she rose to look into her looking glass? battle wounds were nothing to her now, yet these would be a reminder. she had let her guard down and she had failed a heed longwei's teachings. it mustn't happen again. she thinks, a silent vow as she opens her eyes to watch benjamin and finally follows suit. there's an energy buzzing in the air around her as she moves, her senses alight with it once more. she doesn't feel ill or weak. she doesn't feel disconnected from nature but embraced in it.

katarzyna nearly hums as she sorts out her uniform. no, she does not seek the dress she had wore the night before that was much worse for wear, or even any dress similar; she chooses what she should have been wearing the entire time. there had been a purpose in her effort prior, to attempt to seem to fit in more than she would have since she traversed washington's camp as much as her own. however such had not prevented the events of the night before and the fact remained, katarzyna was allied with washington and as such held loyalty to him, but she was not under his sole authority in the same fashion others were. she held her own forces. she was a part of them. she did not need others to fully accept her even if they should question her appearance as all that mattered was the trust and partnerships she did hold with washington's circle. it was time to halt pretenses and be who she was. and to show hickey who she was too. he and the other man may have been able to gain the advantage over her when she was in a weakened state. but katarzyna was a force to be reckoned with and to that point so was benjamin.

speaking of.. light hues drift toward him again upon his utterance, her finishing securing the outer layer of her dark uniform though she had yet to get to her messy hair. "i should hope so. between us he will reveal his alliances." she states confidently, before feeling the energy around her and calling out to her previously missing shadows as if they were children being called home. "or he will die for them." she states, allowing her shadows to manifest between them in a kind of humanoid cloud that suddenly disperses a moment later as if mimicking death. then she moves forward, toward benjamin until she can feel the warmth of his body radiating off him. she raises her hand to the side of his face feeling comfort in their newfound closeness.

"if i had known all i needed was a night with you to regain my powers and strength, we'd have already had many nights like last." her tone is light, teasing, almost playful even if the matter of discussion is serious. of course, katarzyna knew it was a variety of factors which allowed her to finally regain her strength. the temporary loss of her powers had been just that: temporary. however, she could not discount the weight of what they had shared and the evidence it laid forth to her previous theories. if they truly had called to each other in some way, their essences over time, having come together now. then perhaps he did have something to do with her present state. life giving life. energy shared. magic and nature worked in many ways perhaps they were not meant to understand.

"i'll have to speak with a few of my people first. there should be a few reports for me downstairs. it will not take long but i do not know how long our interrogation will last. i should do this before we go." she considers a moment, before speaking again. "you can be there. with me." trust. it was trust which exudes from her tone and words. a trust she wasn't sure others may have for him but they would accept her trust in him. they had to. "perhaps it's time you understood some of my people's side of things." of course, she does not expect to spend long on this, not right now. not when they still had hickey to attend to but she feels, perhaps, allowing him to be present for the small meeting she'd have to have before she could leave the residence would illustrate something. if nothing else, he'd see the base designs of their campaign from their maps and mock ups. it was the same land and towns and terrain but a very different war and her willingness to allow him to see any of this proved the level of trust she was affording him.

Trick AND treat! 😁 You can do two separate ones or combine them. And let Hawkeye take care of and fuss over Charles.

I tried so hard to come up with something for trick but my brain is not braining today. to make up for it, I added 250 words to a very fluffy, very silly idea because this hit me IMMEDIATELY upon getting this ask and it took everything in me to not write this while I was at work. maybe at some point I can come back with an idea for trick?? but I didnt want this to sit in my inbox forgotten so I hope you can forgive me only doing treat, at least for now

The first snow of the year comes, perhaps luckily, when they have children visiting. 

Charles woke that morning to the delighted shrieks and giggles of children, unmistakable in pitch and volume. The sound was so sweet he couldn’t be irritated at being woken up early, not that he’d ever admit that. He made sure to grouse thoroughly about the hour to his tentmates, knowing they’d rib him to lighten up before moving on, but would never let him live a moment of softness down. 

He’s taking a moment, now, to watch. It’s after breakfast, he has a shift to get to, but he knows that post-OP is quiet and can afford for him to be a couple minutes late. The children are running around, bundled in their mismatched winter jackets and too-big boots, donated surplus hats rolled up extra to stay out of their eyes. Some of them are sporting distinctly fashionable scarves, while others form snowballs in distinctly homemade mittens. They make angels in the snow, they make snowballs and throw them at each other, a few of the older ones are demonstrating how to make snowmen. 

They play. They laugh. They smile with missing teeth and genuine joy in their eyes. For a moment, just a moment, they’re children the way children should be. Charles is happy to sacrifice a quiet morning if it means-

A snowball hits the back of his head with a freezing, wet splat. 

Charles goes entirely rigid, snow sliding down the back of his coat and melting in his hair. A roar of laughter goes up from behind him, and he immediately knows just who that laugh belongs to. He whips around to fix Hawkeye with a glare, only to falter as his eyes skip right over where Hawkeye is doubled over wheezing and land on the young boy falling backwards into the snow, laughing and pointing. 

And, well. Who can blame him, if his irritation is snuffed out faster than a candle? Who could possibly be angry at the sight of a child laughing so hard he can’t stay on his feet?

Hawkeye straightens up, hands over his stomach, still laughing that goose honk laugh of his. And maybe, just maybe, somewhere deep down Charles can’t stay annoyed when he sees Hawkeye laughing right from his belly. Because that’s a rare sight these days, and maybe it makes the snow soaking into his shirt a bit less cold.

Of course, he can’t admit to that. Ever. So, he finishes his turn, schools his expression to raise a judgmental brow. “Ah, Pierce,” He greets, “I see you’ve found yourself a playmate. If only they’d take you with them when they leave. You’d blend right in.” He barbs, all huff and no bite. 

Hawkeye snickers, wiping at his eyes, “Sorry, Charles, but I couldn’t resist,” He offers as a weak apology as he hunkers down to help the boy back up to his feet, “Somebody’s gotta teach the kids the sacred way of the snowball fight, and somebody’s gotta be the target! Thank you for your service.” He grins, straightening himself back up.

The boy points at him again. “Gotcha good!” He declares, with a big smile that barely has front teeth.

Charles nods good-naturedly. “That you did, my fine young fellow,” He tells the boy. Looking back at Hawkeye, he suggests, “Perhaps your teachings might benefit from a second demonstration? Say, some return fire?” He stoops down to scoop up some snow in both hands, clapping it all together and starting to form a compact ball.

Hawkeye laughs incredulously at the sight. “Oh, he has some fight in him!” He crows, “What, did you have snowball fighting lessons? A private tutor in snowball form?” He jeers. 

Charles keeps his face carefully neutral as he forms the snowball in his hands. “Your confidence will be your doom,” He warns, straightening himself up, “Any last words?” 

Hawkeye settle into a smug grin, raising a challenging brow at him. “Bring it.” He dares. 

Charles allows himself a smile. He supposes it is fair for Hawkeye to assume he’s never so much as made a snowball, never mind participated in a snowball fight. It would be an activity most would likely assume he views as beneath him. 

They would be forgetting, however, that Charles is an older brother. And wealth and status mattered not, in matters where Honoria Winchester and her insatiable need to peg him in the head with a snowball were concerned. 

Hawkeye doesn’t see the snowball coming until it hits him square between the eyes and takes him off his feet.