LETTER #1
CHARACTER: LOKI
FANDOM: MARVEL
Maya,
As a God, our immunity to mortal problems is commonly misconstrued. We are not numb to our feelings, but are rather conditioned not to pay them any mind. So I know what it means to not be loved. I know that putting on a ‘happy face’ takes a drastic toll on both the mind and the spirit. But I also know what it means to love someone else. I know that being genuinely happy is one of the best feelings in the world.
The truth is that we are only given one family. We can hate them or love them, but they will always be
our blood.
As you get older, you will have the power to decide the part that they play in your life. But for now,
do what you can do for yourself. Your healing. Your progress. Your growth. Don’t let them tear you down, Maya. Don’t let them win. You’re too valuable and worthy to let them decide who you are and how they make you feel about yourself. The only person who has the power to determine your value and your worth— is you. Everyone else’s opinions don’t matter. You are the one in charge of your path and your journey. No one else.
I will not sit here and tell you that it will be easy. I may be mischievous, but I am no liar. So do not mistake me. Your mountain will be excruciatingly hard to scale. You will want to give up. You will want to turn back around. But that’s when you must take a moment to look out at the view around you. Look at the trees and the stars and know that you got yourself there. No one else. And then, you take a deep breath, and you continue climbing.
You have what it takes, Maya. I’m hundreds of years old and I’m still trying to reach the top of my peak. But I’m not going to give up. I won’t let my enemies take satisfaction in my downfall, and neither should you.
You are a warrior. And a marvelous one at that. I do not doubt that you will make it far in life. Keep climbing, Maya. Keep climbing.
-Loki
LETTER #2
CHARACTER: JOHN B.
FANDOM: OUTER BANKS
Harley,
What’s up Pogue?? I don’t see you around much anymore. You’re either out surfing with JJ or hanging out with Sarah. I miss you. I miss our long talks by the campfire and running away from the cops after vandalizing the Cameron’s property. It’s been too long since we’ve met up to do some crazy shit, and I think we need to rectify that as soon as possible.
Oh, and speaking of the Cameron’s, Sarah and I had a talk the other day about you, and she told me that she has feelings for you. At first I didn’t know what to make of it because— well, because it’s Sarah we’re talking about. But after giving it a lot of thought I’ve come to the realization that you two are perfect for each other. She could use someone to balance out her stubbornness and hard-headed ego. So, I say that you should go for it. As weird as it may sound coming from me of all people, I think you should give Sarah a chance. You’re my best friend, Harley. And I wouldn’t be telling you this if I didn’t think it wasn’t what’s best for you.
My Pops always said that if you want something, you gotta go for it, no matter how hard it may be to achieve. And I honestly live by that. Maybe you should too.
All I ask is that you be careful. We’ve all seen what can happen when you date inside of a friend group (i.e., Kiara and JJ and Sarah and I) and I don’t want our friend group to be torn apart if – on the off chance, this ends badly. I care too much about the both of you to want to choose sides.
So, think about it. Think about what you really, REALLY want and then make a rational decision. Don’t go at it full throttle like I know you do sometimes. Or, all the time. Okay? Think with your head, not your heart. And maybe if you two end up getting married somewhere down the line, you can remember this letter and make me your best man. It’s just a thought. But whatever you do, don’t let JJ be your best man. He and I already have a bet going and I can’t stand to lose any more than I already have to that jackass.
I love you, and we’ll get together soon alright??
Your best friend,
-John B.
LETTER #3
CHARACTER: ATLAS
FANDOM: CUSTOMER'S WRITING PROJECT
Ivy,
Don’t you find it a bit strange – the fact that you are the one that brought Lilac and I to life? I mean yes, of course it is quite extraordinary, but also rare. No one else has the ability to cultivate and color us in like you do. Where we were once white pages with black lines, that is no longer the case. Now we are flourishing with vibrant colors. Warm yellows and eccentric purples. We are now jumping off the pages in delight because you created us. You... brought us into existence. And that – well, I think that is the best present an author can ever gift her characters. Never mind the readers who will be hooked from the very first page when you shower them with exuberant word choice and plots that come alive as their eyes fly over each and every page. No one else accomplished such a feat, except for you, Ivy. You gave Lilac and me a voice. You outlined our story from start to finish and executed our entirety with diligence and grace. What started as a mere thought in your mind, has turned into an accomplishment that speaks volumes about your own character and abilities.
I suppose you are special in that way. It takes a very patient and determined woman to write a novel and get it published. Publishers are mean and wicked creatures at times. They will try to steal your work and call it their own. This is when you must stand your ground and wield your sword like I’ve taught you how to. That is when you say, “No! This story is mine – not yours”. Know your book’s worth, Ivy. Know OUR worth – your beloved characters. We deserve to put on every shelf and in every classroom. And now, I know what you’re thinking. “But Atlas, what if I’m not enough? What if others are better than I am??” It is not uncommon to feel such a way, but I’d like you to keep in mind that only YOU have the capability to decide if your work is enough. Other might critique or form their own opinions, but it is up to you to determine your worth... and ours.
I know Lilac also reached out to you and I’m presuming that she said something similar to what I am right now. That you ARE enough. Capable enough, intelligent enough – brave enough. It is within you to finish our story and go do something spectacular with it. Whether that means putting it back on the shelf and lying us to rest, or going out into the world to see who is lucky enough to publish such a wonderful work of art – it is up to you, Ivy, to decide. But no matter what you decide, Lilac and I will always be a part of you. We will always be your greatest creation. So, go. Ink your pen. Steep a cup of tea. And then... begin to write. I have another date to go on with Lilac. I’m thinking about asking her to enter a courtship with me. Do you think she’ll say yes? Oh, who am I kidding? Of course YOU know the answer to that. But me? Well, I believe I’m just going to have to wait to hear my answer come from Lilac herself. But I do hope she says ‘yes’. She probably has not one clue that I am hopelessly in love with her. One day she will though. And on that day I will be the happiest man in all of the world.
Oh! And I almost forgot to tell you – ah, well... thank you. Thank you, Ivy, for believing and trusting in us enough to help make your dream come true. I know I’m just a character – a figment of the imagination – but that does not mean I am any less grateful for being given a home between your story’s pages.
I believe in you. So does Lilac. And so does the rest of our kingdoms. You will do us justice; I know it. But if you are ever in doubt (all good authors are from time to time, by the way) just remember that the best writers fail a million times before succeeding even once. But when they succeed that first time, it will be like watching stardust fall from the sky, painting you in the same colors that you’ve painted us.
Be well, Ivy. And just... take it one chapter at a time.
Okay?
Your Friend,
-Atlas
LETTER #4
CHARACTER: LOKI
FANDOM: MARVEL
Mark,
Oh, my darling. How I’ve missed you so. There have been too many nights that I’ve spent lying awake, wishing that you were right there next to me. I wish I could tell you that I will be home soon, but I’m afraid my homecoming has been pushed back just a little bit farther. It pains me because all I want is to feel your body nestled into the crook of mine - like you’re the missing puzzle piece that I’ve been searching for my whole life. There’s just something about the way that the two of us fit together and I can’t help but wonder if it was magic or reality that brought you to me. I’d like to think it was a little bit of both. Life is not worth living if there isn’t a little bit of magic to produce such things like beauty and ethereality, but there also needs to be a touch of reality to balance out the former.
And speaking of ethereality - fate. I’ve never been one to believe in it. I always felt as though we had a choice in what happens to us. It’s a fatal flaw of being a pessimist, I suppose. But it wasn’t until I laid my eyes on you for the first time that I realized maybe... I was wrong.
You see, I’ve explored our vast galaxy quite extensively – I’ve swum among the stars and played hooky with runaway comets. But darling, what I’ve realized over time is that our galaxy in the sky is nothing compared to the ones on your skin. And I would give up nearly everything if it meant that you’d finally understand how much you mean to me. You, as a person, mean something, Mark. Those scars that line your body are reminders of all that you’ve been through and all that you’ve survived. I just wish you knew that all these flaws you think you have – freckles, beauty marks, scars, etc. - are actually the things that make you human. They are the things that make you unique, authentic, and real. Because if it weren’t for our differences – if everyone simply looked and behaved the same – then the world would be very boring. So please, embrace the vessel that is your body. Treat it with kindness and respect. Because in the end, it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks of you. It matters what you think of you. Keep that in mind when you look at yourself in the mirror and begin to doubt yourself. Not only are you a person, but a galaxy and everything in between.
Now I know you’ve been going through a lot lately. There’ve been a lot of dark thoughts swimming in endless circles in your mind. And you’re wondering how you can fix it – how you can make them go away.
You can’t. It’s a horrible reality but you will never truly be able to make your thoughts disappear. But I will tell you this. And I want you to listen to me and listen to me good, darling. Okay?
There is a boy. He is about five years old and he’s looking at you very intensely right now. Analyzing you. Calculating your every move. When he sees you cut your beautiful skin, he wonders why. He’s five. He doesn’t understand why you would hurt yourself intentionally. And when you talk down to yourself he furrows his eyebrows and asks, “Why can’t he love himself like I love him?” That little boy looks at you like you’re a superhero. His superhero. When you accomplish something big, he claps and jumps up and down. When you cry, he cries along with you and whispers to you that everything is going to be okay.
He mirrors your every move. And I know that if you could see him today, you’d want him to know that everything is going to be okay too.
That boy is you, Mark. Five-year-old you loves you just as much as I love you, and I know that he’d want you to treat yourself like you would a child. You would never treat a child the way that you treat yourself, right? So, don’t. Self-love is essential, even for people like me – even for Gods. And the second that you start treating yourself the way you would your five-year-old self, the universe will grant you good. I promise you, Mark - you deserve to feel okay. You deserve to be here, Mark. On this planet and in this galaxy. And I am so so so happy that you still are. It says so much about you and your strength, bravery, and persistence that you are still here fighting.
Breathing.
Living.
I love you, my darling. More than you could possibly know. And I will be home soon.
Sincerely – the star closest to you in the galaxy
-Loki