The Lion Sarcophagus 

rainer maria rilke, letters to a young poet

Things That Never Happened in History Class

1.  Professor Gadling's History 101

"... and so you see, Nan Boleyn was no 'femme fatale' homewrecking the happy Tudor household and leading the 'good' King Henry astray..."

There were snickers in the room.

"... though it makes for some pretty good stories, aye?  Always love me a good bodice-ripper or that Jonathan Rhys-Meyers on the telly.  He's a dish, that one."  Professor Gadling leaned a bit forward, a naughty gleam in his eyes.  "Though, the real King Henry was a looker when he was younger.  Looked a bit like our Prince Harry, now that I think about it."  

More laughter.  Which was typical in Professor Gadling's classes.  Iggy Pop - really, that was his name and yes, his parents loved him dearly - said, "Like, the dude's got a way with bringing all that historical stuff to life.  Like he was totally there.  Totally awesome, dude."

Iggy also had some of the best grades in the class, California surfer animated Pixar turtle accent and all.  But the observation was accurate.  

And it was also one of the reasons why Professor Gadling's history classes were booked solid every semester.

2.  Nevermore

Sometimes, there was a raven on Professor Gadling's shoulder.  

The first time he appeared, he was perched all nice and comfy on the professor's shoulder, looking as calm as you please, fixing the class with his beady black clever eyes.  

The Professor sighed.  "No, he's not me familiar.  He's babysitting."

"You mean, YOU'RE babysitting him, right, Professor?"

The raven squawked in protest.  Professor Gadling rolled his eyes.  "He's the one doing the babysitting.  I try not to pick arguments with ravens, you see.  Terribly bad idea."

"Nevermore," said the raven clearly and drolly.  

The class eventually learned the raven's name was Matthew.

3.  There can be only one

There was a persistent rumor that someone once confronted Professor Gadling with an honest-to-God actual sword.  

It happened in that secluded alleyway created by the old library and the faculty building, or so the story went.  

The Professor, in atypical fashion, went, "Nope."

"There can be only one!" declared the sword-wielder, raising his weapon.

"Nope, I'm NOT that kind of immortal.  You don't get to take my head, there's not going to be any ruddy lightning quick-thing whatever it is you lot call it.  I'm not the droid you're looking for.  Go off with you."

Apparently, Matthew the Raven helped drive whoever it was away - aside from the fact that the Professor was actually pretty good in a fight.  

"Ugh, Pierson owes me THREE pints for this!"

4.    Shakespeare In Love

There was a rule that got passed down from class to class.  

For sheer unadulterated entertainment, get Professor Gadling to rant about William Shakespeare.  Oh, he wasn't one of those who posited that the Bard never wrote his plays.  Far from it.  

He just absolutely had Very Specific Opinions about the man.  And they were Loud, Pointed and absolutely Hilarious.  

This was also good for distracting the Professor long enough to get out of any last minute homework or suprise quizzes.  There was hell to pay during the next class, but it was well worth it.  

"You are too harsh on dear William, sir," said the snow-pale young man in black, with the messy, rumpled hair.  

The class wasn't sure how he suddenly appeared in their midst, although it felt like he'd always been there.  He looked perfectly grave, absolutely serious... except for the glint of mischief in his odd dark blue eyes.

The professor crossed his arms over his chest, looking sourly at him.  "He was a ruddy hack.  Got a bit lucky, I'd say."

The pale young man smiled faintly.  "He had a true gift that just needed a little bit of nudging."

A scoff.  "Sure.  Exchanged his soul for artistic immortality, Faustian bargains, deals with the Devil."

"No."  The smile was still there and it was mesmerizing to see, as if this wasn't a man given much to that expression.  "Just two plays, commissioned to order.  What need have I for men's souls?"

"Hmph."

"Jealousy does not become you, Hob Gadling."

"Oi!"

"Uh... Professor, should we leave you two alone now?  Like, this whole lover's quarrel UST thing you've got going is kinda cute, but we really don't wanna be around for the kiss-and-make-up part!"

Of course, it was Iggy Pop who just had to ruin what seemed to be the most interesting moment that had happened so far in Professor Gadling's history classes.  

Someone raised a hand.  "I don't mind being around for the kiss-and-make-up part!"

The class would later learn that the young man's name was apparently "Murphy."  

He was also Matthew's "boss."  

Any kissing and making up supposedly took place at that New Inn down the road, which also served, among other things, a delicious shepherd's pie.

- end -

NOTE: Yes, I did a Highlander reference. I couldn't resist.

Guillaume Apollinaire, from Aubade (tr. by Donald Revell); Alcools: Poems, 1913

i think we as modern humans have a tendency to forget that historical people were also humans who had thoughts and feelings and dreams just like we do

More Arcana merch???

ok so the only official arcana merch are some 40$ posters that are all sold out and some stickers. i mean i understand that the posters were limited edition, but i think they could make some more if we ask for it????? tbh 40$ is a lot, so how about some cheaper, tiny posters 👀?

the stickers are the only actual things available, but the only ones they sell are the side character’s stickers…and it seems to me like it’s not gonna change.

i actually really want some arcana merch!! i think the whole fandom does. how about they make some plushies? figurines? keychains? shirts? i would pretty much buy any of it. ive never really seen anyone talking about this so thats why there isn’t any…

LET’S MAKE THE ARCANA MERCH HAPPEN

if you agree - reblog, so that more arcana fans will see this and actually make the lack of merch a problem???? idk i just want to support the creators. i really hope they see this and consider making it a thing :)

some gangsey/pynch things

so ronan is secretly a huge one direction fan. only adam knows this

and the gangsey figure it out one summer day when they’re all packed into the pig, windows rolled down, radio on, just bein aesthetic and all that

and a 1d song comes on the radio!! and no one really notices it at first because it’s turned down and the windows are open (plus the engine is noisy af as always)

when ronan starts humming the song from the front seat

and ganseys like………. “ronan,,, do u know this song??” turning up the volume a little

ronans all like hm? no huh

and adam grins wickedly, because he knows ronan’s secret and he’s about to get exposed big time

blue sees adam smile and jumps out of her seat as far as her seatbelt will let her, arms wrapped around ronan’s headrest, and yells “yOU DO KNOW THIS SONG”

adam laughs. bc he’s evil

and noah immediately reaches forward from the middle seat and turns up the volume

ronan is hardcore GLARING at adam

of course noah loves 1D, he’s basically a part of the band, so he starts singing loudly “YEAH, WE’LL BE DOIN WHAT WE DO”

and adam joins in, making full eye contact with ronan, “JUST PRETENDIN THAT WE’RE COOL”

ronan is now sitting in the front seat with his arms crossed and he’s absolutely FUMING

and now they’re all singing the lyrics, grinning and trying to get ronan to sing along

ronan turns around to glare at them all, but he sees adam laughing and singing and his eyes are sparkling, he’s shining, and he’s happy. and ronan loosens a little

just a little

so ronan rolls his eyes, sucks it up, and yells: “and if we get together, yeah, get together, don’t let the pictures leave your phone, ohhh”

blue and gansey cheer, and gansey turns up the volume to max when the chorus comes on, and now the whole gangsey is screaming the chorus, hands sticking out of windows, wind blowing in their faces, and they’re all smiling and happy and stupid:

LETS GO CRAZY CRAZY CRAZY TILL WE SEE THE SUN, I KNOW WE ONLY MET BUT LETS PRETEND ITS LOVE AND NEVER NEVER NEVER STOP FOR ANYONE

ronan’s shouting the song out too, and he locks eyes with a beaming adam, and ronan hasn’t felt this happy in a long time

blue is SCREECHING “tonight let’s get some and live while we’re young”

it’s just. so aesthetic. they’re all just so full of love and joy and they’re being carefree teenagers  and it’s just a perfect moment

in conclusion, ronan thinks 1D is hot (but his boyfriend’s hotter), noah is literally the epitome of a boy band singer, and they’re all just teens. let them be stupid teenagers

when adam’s not at college, he’s living with ronan at the barns (obviously)

so summers are pretty much bliss

when the whole gangsey isn’t over (which is often) adam and ronan just do Domestic Things together, and cooking/baking is one of them

they love baking together because they’re not even good

like they actually suck at making food. it almost always comes out inedible

they go out and buy a shit ton of baking ingredients/supplies, like just piling whatever they can find into a shopping cart, and take it back to the barns to pour it all into one bowl and stick it in the oven

they always blast music too!! but it’s one direction, because ronan is a 12 year old girl and he’s obsessed

so imagine: ronan and adam, faces and clothes smeared with cake batter (because of course making out while baking??), mixing all kinds of sugar and flour and baking powder into pots and pans and glass bowls, singing along stupidly to their favorite boy band, drunk on each other’s happiness. the sun is streaming through the windows and lighting up the whole kitchen and a light breeze is coming through the open sliding doors and it’s just perfect, they’re perfect, and they’re just living

(opal walks in, takes in the scene, and wordlessly turns around and walks out the door)

(they do this thing where they drive to the supermarket and make lists of ingredients for each other to get, and then race to see who can get all of their items first)

(once adam told ronan to get baking soda and ronan bought a huge bottle of diet coke)

(and one time adam just straight up bought bleach. who knows what he was thinking)

then they stuff everything in the oven and make out, laughing and giddy, until they smell burning and have to break apart

(adam likes to sit on the countertop so he and ronan are eye to eye, and he wraps his legs around ronan’s waist as they kiss)

one time gansey and blue make an impromptu visit (like normal,, they always just show up) and walk into the kitchen to find ingredients spilled and splattered all over the counters and cabinets, smoke pouring out of the oven and right next to it adam and ronan tangled up in each other, ronan with batter smeared across his cheek and adam, whose shirt is halfway over his head, with powdered sugar all over his hair.

(adam probably has batter on his fingers and ronan is probably licking it off. kinky)

blue bursts out laughing and gansey looks like he’s about to

adam and ronan smile wickedly—adam blushing significantly more than ronan—but ronan doesn’t back up and adam doesn’t unhook his legs from around ronan. so gansey sighs and pulls the mess of a cake out of the oven and immediately walks over to the trash can and just dumps the whole thing

ronan acts offended as they start to clean up

(adam tugs his shirt back down and ronan pouts)

(“get a room” definitely comes from blue)

(“this was our room” definitely comes from ronan)

anyways i have no self control when it comes to domestic pynch and the gangsey reacting to pynch and also just pynch in general

almost whole comic about jayvik and prison guy named tolik who helps them to be together

Enemy Date

When William Shakespeare said, "Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it," and, "These violent delights have violent ends and in their triump die, like fire and powder which, as they kiss, consume."

Summaries/sneak peaks into some of my wips bc if I throw them out here I’m accountable for posting them eventually

Kevin & Aaron jokingly promise one another that they’ll get married if they’re still single at 35. Oh, hey, look, Aaron turns 35 this weekend and Kevin’s been 35 for a year. Oops! Good thing Kevin’s been in love with him for over a decade! (Awkward fluff, Kevaaron)

It’s been more than a decade since the death of Neil Josten. Andrew Minyard graduated, paid for his brother to finish medical school and then quietly moved to Colorado, slipping out from the foxes grasp bit by bit until he was just a shadow in their memories. Trapped in the monotonous cycle of loneliness and anger, Andrew is completely fine. Until Kevin shows up again (angst angst angst, Kandrew)

Kevin is a professional Exy player. Neil is a wide eyed young reporter. Kevin has plenty of money and Neil really doesn’t mind being a sugar baby. Especially not when his sugar daddy is his idol (it’s like 40% Kevin taking Neil on dates, 60% smut. Kevineil)

Wymack hits Neil with his car and ends up taking him to The Foxhole, a group home for kids with nowhere else to go. He learns how to person, makes some friends and kisses some boys (fluff, Kandriel)

Neil is the ghost that haunts the quiet country house Andrew and Kevin have just moved into. Neil likes them. They’ve got cats (though the cats don’t like Neil), they wander around shirtless and, most importantly, they can see him (nothing but fluff, Kandriel)

A collection of snap shots of Andrew and Neil cuddling from the first time to them when they’re middle aged (soft cuddles. Andreil)

Neil owns a bookshop. Andrew owns the very loud music store next door. Arguments are had, revenge is attempted and feelings are felt (I don’t know what this is yet but it’s obviously more Andriel)

Nicky is a little insecure about his relationship with Erik. This is 5 times Nicky realises Erik loves him just as much as he loves Erik. (Fluff with some smut sprinkled in. Nerik because there is not enough)

Kevin is Andrew’s gorgeous if slightly intense housekeeper. Staring and shenanigans ensue (idk but it’s Kandrew)