i just realized that the siblings never really discussed the fact that klaus honest-to-goodness died, so hear me out:
imagine that one night, after every single apocalypse the world could possibly throw at them has been averted and they’re all getting ready for an ‘adult sleepover’ (which is basically just a bullshit excuse they pull to build the most awesome blankets-and-pillows fort ever), diego blurts out “hey, luther, remember the time you got high for the first time at that rave?” and klaus chuckles and adds “yeah, the one where i died?”
and all movement in the kitchen just–freezes.
vanya and allison stare at him, open-mouthed, the bottles of nail varnish on the table temporarily forgotten; luther’s hands curl into fists, even as he tries to breath in all slow and deep; five’s left eye is doing this funny little twitchy thing; and diego actually manages to squeeze the popcorn bowl in half.
and of course klaus doesn’t notice because he’s soooo used to flying underneath his siblings’ radar, so when they all attack him at once in a massive group hug, he screams, his body going into fight-or-flight mode, before he realizes that they’re scolding him out of pure worry.
”you ramble about a billion different things, and yet the one time something this important happens to you, you just conveniently ‘forget’ to tell us?” five scoffs, with his face smushed into somebody’s collarbone.
klaus can’t tell who, can’t really make out where his body ends and another sibling’s begins and suddenly, klaus feels nothing but love and gratitude for them, because hey whaddya know, his family actually cares about his fucked-up ass.
“y’know, i really wish ben were here,” vanya mutters after a bit in a shaky voice.
and diego pats her hair softly because it’s yet another thing they share aside from the shittiest luck when it comes to love: to have their brother back after seventeen years of mourning him, and lose him within the next hour without a proper goodbye.
“don’t worry, vanny,” klaus says, squeezing her tight. “i’m sure he’s up there puking his guts out at how lovey-dovey we’re being right now.”
and just like that the spell is broken. his siblings suddenly find better things to do, like cleaning up the spilled popcorn and giving vanya’s fingers another coat of shiny varnish, but klaus just gives them all the widest shit-eating grin he can muster, because ben–curse the bastard–is right again:
it’s all gravy.
if you’re having a bad day, here’s a cute little marching band
as much as the concept of Jesus being a fairly normal lad has its charms, im personally very intrigued by the idea of him being just… extremely weird. not even in a mystical sense, just…….staggeringly BIZZARRE.
you go to the well to get some water, and here’s Miriam’s boy, staring at the sky, completely still. his expression is unreadable. you hazard a hello and ask how he’s doing, and he slowly, unblinkingly, lowers his gaze on you (he’s 8 and is missing his frontal teeth, not that this is making you any less uncomfortable) and says “I cannot speak of the state of my being, Nathan son of Saul, my brother, but rejoice for the water you shall take today will be as pure as the soul of the children of Heaven”
…you start sweating
I keep The Amazing Devil's Bandcamp page open on a browser tab (sometimes I just wanna roll around in their lyrics even though their words are already burned into my brain, okay, don't look at me). And today I scrolled all the way down to the bottom of Love Run's page and I noticed something I just never paid attention to before:
The antifolk tag (which is also in their other albums) intrigued me so I looked it up and found this website and this description:
Antifolk (sometimes incorrectly spelled as anti-folk) is a musical genre that promotes song-writing over technique and personality over polish. Some see it as the evolution of folk, others as a combination on punk and folk. Others believe the musical genre is so loose and difficult to define that in reality it is more of a scene.
Emphasis mine. Isn't this what we've all been yelling about in so many posts, tags, and conversations? Validation, fuck yeah!
Anyway, I think it's neat to have an answer (even if it's a nebulous one) for the ever-confounding question of what TAD music is like, a term that captures their storytelling flair and raw emotional power. Not that I believe any of us can ever limit ourselves to a single-word response when asked to describe TAD, lol.
[What is this?]
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come to light by leaveanote
( @ welcomemysentence )
“It feels,” Geralt says slowly, “like you’re still trying to prove your worth to me.”
Jaskier laughs nervously, even though something hollow twists in his gut.
“Can you blame me? Old habits, I suppose—”
“No,” Geralt cuts in, sitting up. “I can’t blame you. But I’d like to break those habits.”
—
Healing takes effort and tenderness.
technically the sequel to something healing, but can be read as a standalone.
Part 2 of something healing
[Explicit] [2,806] [Read on AO3 here]
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Sprung by valley-of-renfri (santamonicayachtclub)
( @valley-of-renfri)
Geralt is a bit bewildered when Jaskier strolls into the lake, boots and all, but only a bit.
[Explicit] [5,489] [Read on AO3 here]
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to make you enough for yourself by asweetepilogue
( @asweetprologue)
Before their first night together, there are some things Jaskier needs to tell Geralt about his reputation as an experienced lover.
[Teen And Up Audiences] [1,174] [Read on AO3 here]
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someone to hold and be held by by murron
When an enemy from his Sandpiper days catches up to him, Jaskier decides to protect his friends by leaving Kaer Morhen without saying goodbye. This does not go down well with Geralt. It also plunges Jaskier into a shitload of trouble.
Racing against time to find Jaskier and bring him home, Geralt finally figures out what Jaskier means to him. But will he be able to show Jaskier how important he is? Or did he miss his chance?
[Explicit] [14,998] [Read on AO3 here]
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another angle on the same subject by haysel
Jaskier had opened the door, so he decided to step through. “I think it’s been proven that I do understand when it’s time to walk away.”
Geralt was quiet for a moment longer. “What are you saying? Are you saying that you’re leaving?”
Jaskier glanced over at him. “Yes. I just need to figure out where I’m going.”
_____
A few weeks after the incident with the deathless mother, Jaskier leaves Kaer Morhen
[Mature] [12,965] [Read on AO3 here]
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tomorrow, i’ll be brave by who_tf_cares
Jaskier doesn’t know where he belongs here.
ft. jaskier and yennefer friendship, an overuse of the word ‘fuck’ and all its conventions, and my unhealthy obsession with joey batey/the amazing devil.
[Teen And Up Audiences] [3,405] [Read on AO3 here]
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oh, the waves. by a_static_world
( @astaticworld)
The shove comes to his chest hard, the force of a Witcher who does not know nor care the limitations of the human ribcage behind it. The words land harder. “Just one big, happy family, eh?” “No.”
[General Audiences] [5,724] [Read on AO3 here]
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blue by d-andilion (irnhero)
( @d-andilion)
Geralt comes across a curious little creature that he just can’t shake (not that he wants to).
[Teen And Up Audiences] [11,810] [Read on AO3 here]
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Never Heard It Singing by didoandis
They’re walking home from school when Ciri stops him, her hand tugging at his sleeve. “Hey, wait, look!” she says, and Geralt turns to see a notice pinned to the streetlight: one of those hopeful ones, the words a little faded, the strips at the bottom curling upwards.
It reads: Lessons from a music postgrad, 15 crowns/hour, any age, any skill level, almost any instrument! Call Jaskier.
Ciri’s looking up at him, doing the wide pleading eyes that he is irritatingly susceptible to. “Can I?” she says. “Please, Geralt?”
A witcher hiding from the world meets a man hiding from himself. It works out well for both of them, eventually.
[Explicit] [28,701] [Read on AO3 here]
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It Started With Fish Heads by Prudabaga
( @helloprudabagastuff)
Geralt, a merman, courts Jaskier using traditional merfolk customs. Jaskier thinks he’s being punked.
[Teen And Up Audiences] [8,875] [Read on AO3 here]
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true love’s kiss by leodesic
( @leodesic)
Jaskier attracts curses like flies to honey. Fortunately, Geralt is an expert in lifting curses.
Approximately 5 + 1 things.
[Mature] [9,105] [Read on AO3 here]
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some good mistakes by some_stars
( @some-stars)
If Geralt were allowed to have a favorite part of Jaskier, it would certainly be his hands.
[Explicit] [7,287] [Read on AO3 here]
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( All summaries are the official summaries of the author. Stats and infos as according to hosting site or information given by the author. If any of the authors that have been tagged don’t want to be tagged, or if any of you know the tumblr names of the ones I haven’t tagged please let me know!)
Looking for more reading inspiration? Check out my fic rec tag here on tumblr, this month reading list masterpost for what I’ve read in other fandoms this month, my all-time reading list masterpost for more of this fandom or just check out my AO3 bookmarks.
we are officially in a new era of avatar fandom i am extremely screaming
Advertising peaked at the Discovery channel “Boom de Yada” commercials
Elizabethan Peasant 1: Look yonder! Someone has writ upon that ceiling that thou art most easily gulled!
Elizabethan Peasant 2: More fool they, for I cannot read.
Elizabethan Peasant 1: *sighing, lowers his visage unto his palm*
Every party is a surprise party when you have anterograde amnesia.
I’m betting we won’t see kissing until after chapter 20
when you responded to the ask abt kissing in chapter six? and said 'oh, my sweet summer child'? i felt that crunch somewhere between the third and fourth vertebrae. the sweating and shaking increases with every passing day
*gentle pats*
I promise the slow burn will be worth it. Hang in there!