Thank you for the tag, @talesofsorrowandofruin!! 💛
A line where someone is saying someone's name:
Nikolaos’s dark gaze is searching. His pupils are slightly dilated. “What do you ask of me, Quintus?”
A line featuring a vehicle:
Quintus, limping behind him, sweating through his borrowed shirt, exhausted from carrying only his sword, glares down at the sight of his boots passing over every pebble and crack in the earth. “Only one horse? Why not a carriage?”
A line featuring a food:
Quintus picks at the sweet pear tart and the rich goat’s cheese and the soft, fresh bread. Nikolaos is ravenous, but he holds himself back. Dying always seems to make him starved.
A line that makes no sense out of context:
Nikolaos’s mouth quirks. “We got the peacock.”
I'll tag @reneesbooks @mrbexwrites @zmwrites @sunset-a-story @talesfromaurea @pertinax--loculos @loopyhoopywrites and anyone else who sees this and wants to join in! Your lines are:
A line about a piece of clothing
A line featuring a smell
A frightened line
A line with the word forget
A line about a kiss <3
Find a line that fits the specified parameters given by the person who tagged you then give new lines to the people you tag. This was so fun. Thank you for the tag @sunset-a-story.
A line where someone lies
“Leolin, would I call you were the need not dire?” Wounded Fade sounded hotter than arrogant Fade, even if he talked like an asshole.
“If you were in the mood, you’d call me to lick a single drop of blood off your boot. Fae are all drama queens. Are you just rattling my chain, or do you need me specifically?”
“Leolin…” The silence hung on the line so long that he checked to make sure the fae hadn’t hung up on him. As he put the phone back to his ear, Fade continued in a very different tone, “You’d lick my boots?”
Leo tried to ignore the things that did to his blood circulation and lied, hoping fae superpowers didn’t work over the phone. “Fuck. No. Why don’t you have nats to deal with this shit?”
I was required by law to give this many lines because context makes this lie more terrible also this is required to make it clear why the line later in the chapter is funny to me.
A line you find funny
“I wanted their beating hearts, their cursed tongues.” He took a step toward Leo and it made a wet sucking sound. Fade looked down at his boots. A smirk curved his lips, sharp teeth peeking out, and he said, “Oh dear, I seem to have blood on my boots, Leolin.”
A line about loss
Her eyes fixed on the chain and she reached out to pluck the ring it held from where it had slid to rest in the hollow of his collarbone. “Tell me about this.”
After a moment of blind panic about what story he could give her, he realized he could tell the truth. It was so novel it made him giddy for a moment before the pain of thinking about it hit. Kim had to lean forward to hear him when he said, “I got married when I was a teenager. They died. Overdose.”
A line with an insult
Triumph, when the corner of those perfect lips twitched upward. The tone never softened. “You smell like an animal. If you show your face again, I’ll sear it off.”
Tagging zero pressure tags for @ryns-ramblings @revenantlore @doinglinesakawriting and open tags! That means YOU. Do ittttttt (if you want).
📝 Find a line in your story that fits each of the parameters given by the person who tagged you, then give new lines for the people you tag
These are from Miles From Morning...
A line about a game (combat training is a game, right?)
“Turner, you have earned yourself the dubious honour of being half of the first hand-to-hand combat pair today. Step out.”
A line where someone trips (someone falls...close enough?)
And I wait until he falls. And I leave him where he lands.
A line mentioning purple
Doc wraps her arms around me and her purple hair smells like lavender, rose, and some other gentle scents I’ve only ever known as synthetic, connected to colours more than to real plants.
A line about heartache (this is VERY difficult to do without spoilers)
I wake up drenched in cold sweat and shame. It never gets any easier and I will never forgive myself.
A line with a joke (I don't think I have any jokes, so please accept this piece of snark as tribute)
“Turner, you can’t just go around breaking people’s wrists when they piss you off.”
I’m not sure there’s any worse I can make this, so I may as well be honest. “I can. I’ve done it loads of times. Not always wrists, but—"
Tagging @jkit45, @k--havok, @lamuradex and @ls-daydreams if you'd like to do it, with an open tag for anyone else who wants to join in.
Your lines are...
A line about darkness
A shouted line
A line with less than five words
A line you LOVE
Reblogs, replies etc on my tag posts are always welcome, but if you're doing this tag yourself, please make your own post instead of using mine to start a reblog chain.
Want more of my writing than I post on Tumblr, with all my stories, blog posts, updates, and audio readings? Head on over to my Patreon! There's a free membership option and I'd love to welcome you to my cosy little queer fiction community 💞
tagged by @oh-no-another-idea, thank you! playing fast and loose with the notion of a line but i. can do what i want :p
anyway, here’s some claws bits and pieces
[ID - a red and black decorative divider]
A line with a musical instrument
The swarming spiders form shapes around them. What could be faces—what could be a face very like Vivien’s only sharper, meaner, deader. Thudding upstairs; the rhythmic thump and squeak of a bed under strain, the muffled chug of heavy electric guitars. Distorted, incomprehensible shouting: anger, disgust, and then footsteps and wailing and under it all, constant and inescapable, a steady, hungry hiss.
A line where someone is writing
He pays enough attention to take a few notes. There are slides he can look at later—or maybe get a repeat of the entire lecture in private, sup the knowledge directly from Rainier’s mouth.
A line with a pet
At last he approaches the largest tank—Bitsy’s tank. She’s larger than any of the other tarantulas in Rainier’s collection; larger, Vivien thinks, as she emerges from her burrow to greet him, than her species normally gets. Her diagonal leg span is definitely more than five inches. The namesake neon blue of her legs is so bright it almost glows in the dim light of the room, and the small cluster of her eyes glitters like black diamonds.
A line about a fight
A fight. They fought. Why? You’re not supposed to fight if you’re in love.
A line featuring the stars
Vivien’s eyes are a pulling abyss. Who has eyes like that, like the space between the stars, like bottomless pits of ichor?
[ID - a red and black decorative divider]
no-pressure tagging @chauceryfairytales @talesfromaurea and @reneesbooks with the following lines:
Thank you @aalinaaaaaa for the tag! (Your lines were great by the way 🩵)
The lines I'm passing on are:
something about grief
someone sharing a secret
two characters bickering/teasing each other
one of your favorite lines/one you're proud of
Now, onto the lines!
Something ironic
From Grieving Through Permanence:
She had lost her people to the Purge;
Kevin Flynn to his creation;
the Grid, the place she called home, to their integration;
and now Sam to the limitations of humanity.
Was there nothing she could do as an ISO to stop it?
Flynn once said that the ISOs were the key to everything— health, technology, you name it—
And yet Quorra found herself helpless, unable to save the one person she cared about most.
About the weather
From The Chaos Wars (chapter 7):
Kaeya walks over and opens the door to see Jean standing there underneath an umbrella, rain pouring quite hard around her.
“We need to talk,” she says, trying to enter right away, when Kaeya blocks the doorway. “Wait, why are you–”
“Can’t we just talk out here?” He pulls the door as close as possible behind him, so she can't see inside. It's at that moment, when he's halfway outside his apartment, pants soaking wet from the downpour, that he spots his brother on the other side of Jean, not under the cover of her umbrella, already completely soaked by the rain.
“He has company over,” Diluc says matter-of-factly to Jean. “I’m going to guess it's his entourage from the other day.”
Jean glances at Kaeya, raising an eyebrow, waiting for him to confirm.
“What are you doing here?” Kaeya replies in exasperation. “And standing in the rain like that... are you crazy? Wait– don't answer that.”
“I offered, but he didn't want to get under the umbrella,” Jean states with a sigh. “Anyway, are you going to let us in, or are we going to keep standing here?”
About nature
From Fighting Winter (chapter 39):
He pulled away slightly, when they noticed a group of crystalflies that had suddenly gathered around them, fluttering about. Their soft, green glow illuminated their faces against the backdrop of the evening sky as they stared at each other, deep in wonder.
A line that's your favourite/you're proud of
From Rise with the Sun (chapter 2):
“Only you can determine that,” she replied, “by what you value and hold dear.” She motioned toward the Vision at his hip. “Your Vision has brought you many opportunities. It's symbolic of your relentless desire to fight for what you believe in.”
He noticed a brief hint of sadness on her face before she continued. “I’m afraid, though, that life isn't always going to be so clear cut. In those moments, remember who you are, and what you fight for. And most of all, remember…
…no one fights alone.”
Tagging @chaoticxsnowflake @withered--ivy @frostedsakurablossom @matchboxbug @inhurtandincomfort @your-reluctant-optimist @askyaphelion and open tag!
Here's an open tag for anyone reading this, plus tags to @forthesanityofstorytellers @winterandwords @nightmaricwriter @darkluminosity @zinabug-writes @askyaphelion and @savvyminnow
The lines I'm passing on are:
something ironic
about the weather
about nature
a line that's your favourite/you're proud of
Below the cut are the lines I've been given!
Where someone lies
Something funny
A Note About the Inevitable
Namon stopped in his tracks, dragging the guards with him. “Excuse me, gentlemen, may I trouble you to let me send a note?”
“You can do that when we’re down there.” One of the guards said. He tugged him forward, stopped by Namon and the other guard standing still.
“What’s the purpose of it?” The other guard asked.
“You wouldn’t deny a man the chance to let his loved ones know he was jailed, would you? I have the note pre-written.”
“Hmm, I suppose if we can see the note then why not?”
About loss
Dancing Around the Dealings
Eshani grazed her slender fingers over her deck, a septet amongst septets. Her focus on the cards, and on him, the pair the focus of her fellows who watched and whispered in wait.
“I believe I have my pick.” The two of them whipped out their cards, hers a decadent painting of a snake dangling a crow, his a dashing portrait of the Bloodcarver and two ravens.
“Eyy, one more to go⁓” Namon winked, sliding her card back along with his own. One loss down and now another… Blush flooded her cheeks at the thought of a third.
“Someone’s getting excited…” She leaned back, keeping her cards close. “I hope you like the taste of failure.”
Namon looked to her wide-eyed, choking on his drink and banging twice on his chest. “I can’t say I’ll be complaining.”
Featuring an insult
Under Death’s Duvet
Nepheret sputtered on his own blood.
Twenty-four candidates. The number he ploughed through to get to this point, and no longer.
He lost not to High Councillor Emar, but to her Bloodcarver. A dirty, bloody trick, a sleight to purchase time.
Obligations to Obfuscation
He breathed a long, heavy sigh. “What happened to her is a tragic accident, gods know I’m going to find her. Trust me in the process, won’t you?”
“That’s my sister you’re talking about, please tell me you will—“ Sharigan gasped, her jaw dropping as she took a step back agape. Her eyes brimmed with tears, her throat ebbing and sinking.
Dread pierced her heart. She shook her head. “Wait, you disappeared the same day Charimone did, does that— Desemir Yvenaire-Eschredaine, do you mean to tell me you’ve been spending Solstice in the Court of Morilast all this time?”
He took a step forward, as she took two back. “Sharigan, you know not to speak that court’s name aloud—“
“I don’t care. Screw superstition in the face of you. Just tell me— Were the connections worth it?” She turned around, tears flowing down her cheeks.
Find a line in your story that fits each of the parameters given by the person who tagged you, then give new lines for the people you tag.
All lines used are from Purity, OH which can be found in part here: @churchofmortalpurity
Your specified lines are...
a line spoken in anger:
"I'm fine, jackass, worry about yourself like you usually do. God," I curse, getting some of the tape off and it takes my skin with it. I glance up and Beckett still hasn't left, standing there engulfed in his big black hoodie that goes halfway to his knees.
a line said quietly:
Emory's cheeks flush. He looks over his shoulder at James, back at me, down to my shorts and gym shoes and still-numb feet, and at his own fidgeting hands. "James is fine. Um, he did ask me to—I need to help him with something, so, what did you need?" He tucks his tangled hair behind one ear.
a line with less than five words:
It's a closed casket.
a line that mentions the sky:
I wipe my nose on my sleeve and stare into the gray sky, too overcast and the truck too bouncy to make out stars. "Doe or buck?"
a line that makes you smile every time you read it:
"You're okay, Calvin." He smells like mouthwash. "We're all okay."
~*~*~*~*~*~
The one that makes me smile is because it's fucked up but we dont need to talk about that shsjdjdjfj
Tagging @karolinarodrigueswrites @robeansthebean @rayne143 @cursivefiction @writerabigailcooper @ruchi-writes and open tag for anyone! Feel free to reblog/add to this post.
Next ones!
-- a line that's an incomplete sentence/sentence fragment
-- a line that takes place in the early morning
-- one of your favourite lines or one that was hard to get right
I was tagged by @catchingbigfish to play this, thanks so much!
My specified lines are:
-A line that references nature
-A line of dialogue
-A line that foreshadows something that comes later
-A line involving love (familial, platonic, romantic, etc.)
-A line that is your favorite
Gonna take lines from Ch. 19 of The Heralds of Blood (the most recent one released). Specified Lines Below The Read-More:
-A line that references nature:
There was luckily little bracken dotting this section of forest floor, Ian’s big, booted feet stumbling around a few jagged sticks, stones and the odd cluster of colorful mushrooms. The will-o-the-wisp whistled and chirped as it led Ian further and further into the dark heart of the forest. Only the largest pieces of kindling remained clutched by his aching arms.
Carmen’s going to kill me, Ian mused while leaping over a mossy log, too short of breath to speak aloud. He pushed away all thoughts of the crew’s fireside revels, his belly groaning from the imagined meal it was missing.
At some point, the trees grew denser and denser before abruptly stopping altogether, a head-high hedge of thorny brambles and rambling roots woven together into a crooked hollow surrounding him. Stooping as he ran, Ian wondered why he felt like he was being swallowed alive rather than pushing through an oddball tunnel made by nature.
(From Ch. 19: The Hollows of Time)
-A line of dialogue:
Ian approached the boy and after his handshake was stared at with puzzlement, he clapped Eli softly on the shoulder. The mageling shuddered like a chill went up his spine so Ian backed off and tried a different approach.
“Hi there! My name’s Ian. I’m also new to Sterling Keep, so no worries if you’re a touch spooked, so am I. While they figure a few things out, want to watch a monster movie together? We can sneak some snacks from the kitchens, my treat!”
Eli blinked and bit his lip, spindly fingers fiddling with a coat button. He hid his eyes beneath his shaggy bangs, so he had to brush them aside to see Ian. His voice was high and halting; he clearly hadn’t spoken much in days, maybe even weeks.
“What’s a m-monster movie and why do we watch it? Can my cat come watch, too?”
Ian tried hard not to laugh, glad to no longer be the only lonely stranger in the castle—
(From Ch. 19: The Hollows of Time)
-A line that foreshadows something that comes later:
—Port Nightshade was a mad maze of a city, ramshackle hovels of pale wood and looming blocky brick-and-brownstone row houses crowded around narrow streets and winding steps. Sculpted stone arches and grotesque statues wherever you looked, black domes and corroded copper spires rising high into the winter-pale sky. Ragged red-and-gray banners fluttered along every gas-lamp and terrace, the striped awnings of makeshift market stalls huddled together for warmth even though it was well into spring.
Ian strode along the ice-slick cobbles of a nameless bridge straddling the black waters of The Belladon River, ignoring the cries of huskers and hawkers, avoiding the City Watch in their shining breastplates and pointy helmets. A feral winged cat darted out of an alley and ran across his boots, chasing one of the mottled gray-green isopods that were frequently found in the Harbor District. A filthy-faced pickpocket tried robbing him by the stone chimeras flanking the bridge, but Ian’s height, sword and glare were enough to drive the lad away.
“I have to find them,” Ian whispered to himself, over and over. “The way back to The Abbatoir must be somewhere around here! Why can’t I find anything in this stupid city?”
He turned his gaze towards the crowded harbor around the river mouth, ships and airships cheek by jowl with colossal Guild towers and weather-worn monuments. Amid the chaotic, crumbling splendor of the port, Ian’s eyes fell upon not the bioship he’d hoped to espy but an altogether different discovery. He hadn’t found his friends, but he had found something just as important.
Ian knew where The Blood-Wraith was hiding —
(From Ch. 19: The Hollows of Time)
-A line involving love (familial, platonic, romantic, etc.):
—Mirrorwhite Lake shone bright, cold waves rippling towards a horizon of gray-green hills. A castle perched upon a craggy hill rose above the shores behind Ian, high stone walls hiding the courtyards and city beyond. He was sleepy still, the morning new as the dark cloak and coat he wore. He remembered being rustled awake out of the blue, dressed and fed bacon and fried bread, ordered into the airship’s creaky old lifeboat then rowed across the water.
His parents were with him, leaving Uncle Darius to look after the ship. Ian had seldom seen them so quiet and concerned. They’d said little, explained less. In their hands they held a bag of his belongings and books, several fat envelopes and the family heirloom, the silver-and-emerald cross. They looked at one another with teary eyes, then at Ian.
“This is so you’ll be safe. It’s for the best, Ian. We’re so, so sorry you can’t come with us. So sorry. We’ll be back and we love you. We’re sorry.”
An hour later, as men and women trained in the yard with sword and sphere, Ian stood alone by the jade green beacon, wishing they were back already. The airship was gone, the only object in the air was a swooping dragon. On any other day, that would’ve captivated Ian wholeheartedly. But not today.
(From Ch. 19: The Hollows of Time)
-A line that is your favorite:
Fast as the speed of thought, Ian was whole, his mind and spirit no longer twisting along an endless ribbon of iridescent starfire. Shards of self, torn apart and cobbled together again.
He opened his eyes and found himself both impossibly alone and in good company.
Ian stood upon an island of glossy pinkish-white marble, a hundred staircases spiraling away. Golden stars gleamed against a greenish-black backdrop, the void of space almost akin to a vibrant painting. The stairways twisted in upon one another, helixes intersecting with bridges, arches and paths below, besides, above, stretching away on every conceivable axis. Dozens of different Ians walked the endless paths of the abstract night, various versions of his many bodies marching at all angles. One even hung upside-down right over Ian, oblivious to both gravity and his closest clone.
“Nope, not happening, nope nope nope…”
Ian flew along the bridge before him, covering his eyes and ears. Apart from the dizzying demented sights of the twisted dimension, there was also a sort of martial music playing about the marble void, worming its way into his mind. Strident, serene and severe, a beautiful bombastic bringer of war to the heavens. The sweeping music crested and climbed alongside Ian while he traversed the crazy paving of the maddening path.
(From Ch. 19: The Hollows of Time)
---------------
Open Tag & also tagging @tabswrites, @did-i-do-this-write, @my-cursed-prince, @space-writes, @diabolical-blue, @bi-focal12, @willtheweaver, @aalinaaaaaa, @bardic-tales, @avrablake, @ryns-ramblings and @writingingraves.
Your specified lines:
-A line about something artificial/mechanical
-A line of internal monologue
-A line about something that happened in the past
-A line full of strong emotion (hatred, jealousy, anger, anxiety, joy, etc.)
-A line of your choice-Wild Card, pick whatever you'd like to share!
