Tumgik
#also it could be a kids book or collection of short stories they’re cool too
hollysbooknook · 7 months
Text
hello tumblr people who read books originally written in languages other than english, i have a request
i have to write a book review for my reading in translation module at the end of november and i’m trying to find a book to use for it. i’ve not (to my knowledge) read any books that have been translated to english from another language - besides one i also read in its original spanish but i don’t wanna use that for this - so i have literally no ideas.
basically i’m looking for book recs, it’s a translation to english i’ll need to use but if you don’t know whether it’s been translated that’s fine i can easily find out myself :) thank you to anyone who helps! <3
13 notes · View notes
lampmanliveblogs · 7 months
Text
Tumblr media
Ah, I see The Collector used his space magic to summon a book filled with the completed version of all the fanfics I’ve never finished. I know I always say it’ll be a miracle if I ever get all my ideas written down, but I didn’t think it’d take an actual miracle.
You guys might think I’m exaggerating, and I am for comedic effect, but not by much. Just today, I started jotting down yet more notes on my phone while eating lunch at work. What if Masha discovered that they had psychic powers? I have so many unfinished first chapters, short snippets of dialogue, and premises for stories written down on my computer, phone, in various notebooks, pieces of cardboard, and reciept paper lying around. It’s honestly a bit ridiculous.
Tumblr media
Oh wait, the pages are stone slabs? Or maybe they’re supposed to be clay tablets? That’s kinda cool actually, brings to mind the earliest stories written down by man in our own world. You know, like the Epic of Gilgamesh.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
…hold on, I gotta go get myself a drink to dramatically spit out in shock and disbelief, give me a sec.
”Right, now where was I?” I say as I sit back down with a refreshing beverage. I rewind the video by a few seconds and hits play as I take a sip of my drink.
”Collectors live long, we watch things pass.”
”Pfft!” I spit out my drink in shock and disbelief, spraying my computer screen with liquid. ”What!?” I exclaim between coughs. ”Other Collectors?
I mean yeah, sure, The Collector is a child of the stars and whatnot, I kinda figured there’d maybe be some subtle hint at a larger pantheon out there, but, uh… I guess we get it confirmed right here, right now. I was even thinking of including a joke about The Collector’s parents being Mother Nature and Father Time, I just couldn’t figure out how to work it in.
Alright, calm down Lampman, think…
Based on this short summary, it appears that the collectors are if not gods, then at the very least god-like beings. They travel the cosmos and collect specimen of various lifeforms to preserve them in their collections. That in and of itself doesn’t sound all that horrible… but, ah… that second paragraph is a bit concerning.
Should the mortal beings they collect begin to meddle in the affairs of the Collectors (like, oh, I dunno, maybe NOT wanting to be turned into a collectible), they’ll scorch the planet and wipe them all out. Which… yeah that sounds about right for gods of mythology.
Our little Lord of the Fireflies doesn't like that mentality though, they’d rather play games and have fun and make friends (though evidently, The Collector still don’t care too much about what the mortals want).
Right of the bat, this does make me wonder something: is it possible that The Collector we saw in the Owlbeast’s flashback in Knock, Knock, Knockin’ on Hooty’s Door wasn’t THE Collector, but another collector? Cause that’d explain why that one didn’t look a whole lot like this Prince of Plastic
It also makes we wonder if maybe The Collector ISN’T the Grand Huntsman worshipped by the Titan Trappers, but rather, another collector (or several of them). Indeed, we see at the bottom of the page, three collectors looming over several worshipping humans. Because’s I’ve been wondering about that; aside from calling King’s dad a bully for putting him in divine time-out, The Collector really didn’t seem to have much against Titans from what we’ve seen thus far. Heck, he was super excited to meet King. So could it be that The Collector was not the one responsible for wiping out the Titans, but rather some other collector?
What I’m thinking right now is that The Collector is the divine equivalent of a kid that ran away from home. And their family either doesn’t care, doesn’t know, or enough time has not passed for them to notice.
(hm… a kid that ran away from home because they didn’t fit in with their peers… where have I heard a similar story before…?)
(the book mentions that the collectors would scorch the air… the demon realm planet is covered in a boiling sea… perhaps scorching the air is a more poetic way of saying ”set off a bunch of volcanoes”? In real life, the worst mass extinction event known was caused not by the meteorite that wiped out the non-avian dinosaurs, but a massive flood basalt taking place about 251.9 million years ago, colloquially referred to as ”The Great Dying.” Volcanoes are good at killing stuff, is my point. and undersea volcanoes spewing out lava would explain why the sea is always boiling)
Tumblr media
I mean, look at this face. Does this look like the face of someone who could wipe out a race of giants? Look at him! He couldn’t hurt a fly.
Except Belos, but he doesn’t count.
And I guess they did turn an island’s worth of people into puppets and force them to play along in their games, hmmm…
14 notes · View notes
acertainmoshke · 4 months
Text
TDATS characters that have vanished
These are the ones who were stolen away from their homes and lives, with the expectation that no one would ever miss them.
Wire
Tumblr media
Wire is somewhere in his mid-late 30’s. He has spent his entire life in one of the underground caverns in Jhakour called underworlds. They have numbers too and factory specialties, but since no one who lives there is likely to leave they all just call their own home the underworld. He lost his parents young and bounced around between the lean-to homes of anyone he could beg or bribe to give him and his little sibling shelter. He grew up and, like about 70% of the underworld population, got a factory job. Which was terrible. Almost worth the accident that cut both his hands off, leading him to instead be the go-between for his sibling’s illicit mod business. The two lived in one of the newer lean-to neighborhoods with curtains instead of doors. Factory workers got the actual apartments (though even they were spilling over now) while the rest of the population were all considered criminal and left to make do. The only new neighbors were the occasional people sent down from the surface for being dangerous or useless.
Tril
Tumblr media
Tril is in her late 20’s. Her family have been factory workers for generations. Maybe since the start of this system on Jhakour. The surface is just a fairy tale to them. Tril works at the factory now too to help support her elderly father and several young siblings and cousins, all of them living together in a one-room apartment. They’re lucky though, because they have a stove and a door. She’s really smart though, and even though the underworld has no public education and reading is rare she taught herself and her older sister to. She spends what little spare time she has running experiments with chemicals and medicine.
Dlar
Tumblr media
Dlar is in his 70’s. He’s also an unusual case in the underworld, because he’s not from there, though he doesn’t advertise that fact. He grew up on the surface, went to school, and fell in love with reading stories as well as telling them. He has whole books memorized. But he got in trouble for trying to do the right thing for someone and banished underground. Now he mostly tells stories to children (plus Pixel and whatever other adults can surreptitiously listen in). He is too old for factory work or to learn one of the illegal trades. He tells stories and collects books when he can track them down. He mostly eats the lunches the sellers give him in appreciation.
Zippy
Tumblr media
Zippy is in her mid-20’s. She has been well trained to think of herself as a problem. She lives with her mom, sister, and niece. But Zippy is chronically ill and can’t work. And, since underworld factory wages are carefully calculated for the bare minimum based on the number of workers and children in the household, she is an extra cost. Not that her family ever holds it against her, but it makes life hard. Her main escape is making art. She loves to mix her own paints when she can get the materials.
Du
Tumblr media
Du is in his late 20’s. He was always a soft kid, loving to knit and crying easily at stories. But he wanted to be cool, to fit in, so he followed around his big brother and tried to be tough. He went to school but struggled and quit as soon as he was allowed. Ended up being a mechanic, and a fairly good one. He was good natured, loud, always laughing. But his brother was always getting all these mods, so he started going them too. Mostly moving tattoos, nothing over the top. Until he decided he needed one that wasn’t quite legal to stay competitive at work. It was poorly done, short circuited his brain. Basically trapped him inside himself, always an observer, unable to communicate or process most input. He still knits and it’s the only thing that comforts him, but his creations no longer make any sense. He’s lucky to be allowed to stay on the surface.
Twig
Tumblr media
Twig is in her early 40’s. She lives on the surface, but only in the most technical sense. She has no home and usually sleeps on the cargo ship she works on as it shuttles back and forth between the planetary docks and the larger port on Jhakour’s moon. Twig is odd. She does her job well, but has no friends among her coworkers and spends no time with anyone except the barely-coherent Wolfy when she has surface time. Her posture and voice and manner are off putting, even creepy, and she makes no attempt to be kind but is also not cruel. Oh, also she is always muttering about the future—and she’s always right.
Peppermint
Tumblr media
Peppermint was born 11 years ago but is the equivalent of 22. They are also not, technically, a person, although they did choose their own name and gender. Technically, they are a failed genetic experiment, a combination of human and cat DNA. They were the only such experiment to live to adulthood, and they do have improved senses and reflexes, but they proved useless for war purposes. They were proven sentient and thus may not be killed or discarded, but they are legally property. Which means the scientist who owns them can do with them whatever she wants. Peppermint has never left the lab high in the spires among Jhakour’s wealthiest living above the smog, but they do have a roommate/best friend and they love to research trivia questions.
Za’Niyah
Tumblr media
Za’Niyah really is 10 years old. She’s the last of a very successful human worker cloning program. But she is also a mistake, a mutant, not acceptable. She can’t be discarded for the same reason as Peppermint, but she can be repurposed.
3 notes · View notes
ivyaugustetc · 3 years
Text
the dead poets at hogwarts: a headcanon from hell
@aedan-mills @charlie-dalton-simp @pretentious-strikes YOU ENCOURAGED THIS BEHAVIOR SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE CONSEQUENCES. also i love you a lot but THAT'S BESIDE THE POINT.
also @aedan-mills i found out that some of the wand stuff is related to their birthdays and i am much too lazy to look all that up and figure it all out, but anyone else is welcome to lmao. sorry to disappoint but alas it's summer and i don't want to research that much. but other than that, please listen to me flex my extensive knowledge on harry potter :)
neil (half blood): i'm sorry,,,, can you say gryffindor? this boy would get up there and in a second the sorting hat would have him all figured out: big dreams with the will to pursue them, but not ambitious enough to step over others to achieve said dreams? sounds like a gryffindor to me. i just know he'd thrive at hogwarts, probably going on to play quidditch (def a chaser) and would excel in charms class. as far as pets go, i feel like he'd stay simple and classy with a chill barn owl he'd name after a famous broadway actor. he would kind of be a mix of james and remus, in which he's wild and crazy but still manages to get good grades. the teachers love him simply because they don't know much about him outside of class. he would absolutely LOVE going to hogsmeade and going batshit crazy at zonko's and honeydukes. he'd have a whole phase where he gets addicted to licorice wands and everyone else thinks they're disgusting but he simply cannot buy enough of them. he'd play a bunch of zonko tricks on the rest of the poets, saving the most harsh for charlie and the most wholesome for todd <3
todd (muggle born): ugh see i can see him being both a hufflepuff and a ravenclaw, but my heart says hufflepuff so i'm gonna go with that. he would absolutely HATE the sorting ceremony with a burning passion. getting up in front of everybody only to have a hat judge u??? no thanks. HAHAHA CAN YOU IMAGINE HIM ON A BROOM. i can't either because he would simply never get on one, probably referring to them as "flying death traps" more often than not. "hey todd, you think about joining quidditch?" "no thanks, i'd rather keep my limbs intact ;)". but he would love muggle studies a lot, even if the teacher was boring as hell. snape would scare the hell out of him for sure, resulting in his lowest class being potions. he would excel in classes that are more learning out of the book rather than in practice. for a pet, he'd want something that could not possibly turn on him and would just be sweet and loving, so ima give him a toad :) he'd name it something fancy and british, like nigel or sumn. and because of nigel, he'd love chocolate frogs because hey they're twins!!
fanon knox (pure blood): hogwarts fuck boy. okay well maybe not f boy but like...his favorite part is the fact that this is a co-ed school rather than an all-boys school so he can spy on both genders equally yknow. hmm i get hufflepuff vibes from him because he's a big romantic, sucker for cute relationships, etc. he would enjoy whichever class his current crush is in, although I feel like he'd do well with classes that involved spells and wand work mostly lmao. he'd want a really fucking cute pet, so i'd give him a kneazle (it's like a cat but a bit more lion like). he'd give it a strong sounding name, something german idk. but he'd love the shit out of that kneazle, i can tell you that much. i feel like he'd try out for quidditch his first few years, not make it on, and then make it on to the team around fourth year and somehow end up team captain in seventh (and that proves kids, that you too can have a redemption arc in sports). as far as candy goes, ima say he likes the super sour candy like acid pops n shit. like i feel like the others would dare him to each as much sour candy as he can and then he wouldn't be able to taste for a week. but he'd think it was worth it :)
cameron (muggle born): good god this boy just wants to learn. magic just fascinates him, what with growing up in a big muggle family (bestie he is the weasleys if they were all type a). he's a ravenclaw, no questions asked. he would love classes involving preciseness and attention, things like potions and transfiguration. i feel like he'd have a cute, stable relationship along the way ofc because he deserves so much love and happiness and UGH he's a baby. he'd stick with a lil ginger cat, naming it after one of the famous wizards he's read about. he would love spending christmas at the school and going places when the ground are nearly empty, enjoying the scenery. for candy, he'd go plain and simple with chocolate frogs. can't go wrong with those. he'd still have fun with his friends, but he'd skip a lot of parties for some studying (don't judge, i do it too lmao). would not play quidditch but would enjoy it, end of story.
charlie (pure blood): slytherin. don't dispute it. think the weasley twins but even more flirtatious. he would be a regular at every single party that happened, flirting with the guys and gals shamelessly and drinking butterbeer like it was water. look me in the eye and tell me he would not absolutely fucking HATE GILDEROY LOCKHART WITH EVER FIBER OF HIS BEING. he'd do spot-on impersonations of him though. teacher's worst enemy. like when he walks into class on the first day, every teacher collectively mutters "bloody hell not this kid again". asks the most incredibly stupid questions ("okay but is there a spell to turn my eyebrows green? just the eyebrows though, not my hair"). he would be the most aggressive beater on the slytherin team, though he would never deliberately try to hit someone, just distract the shit out of them ("put the fear of god in them and fate will do the rest"). he'd want a loud, aggressive pet but he'd probably end up with a mean cat that hisses at everyone. he'd give it the most adorable name that just. does not fit the personality. something like priscilla. for candy, he'd take his chance with bertie botts' every flavour beans and just roll with the punches. he's chaotic like that.
pitts (half blood): ASTRONOMY IS HIS JAM. he fucking loves that class. he tutors the entire ravenclaw house in that class. he's the guy that little first years who are terrified of the class go to when they're completely lost and don't understand what's going on. besides that, i feel like he'd just be everyone's cool older brother yknow? like he'd be in charge of helping all the first years figure out where stuff is and giving them advice to help them and stuff. he would be a die-hard quidditch fan although he would not play the sport (maybe recreationally on the weekends and holidays and stuff, but the fact that it's so fucking dangerous just does not appeal to him). he'd like the candy that does tricks and stuff, like fizzing whizbees and stuff. he gives me charlie weasley vibes, where he's hardcore in certain areas (in his case, astronomy) and just flipping chill in anything else. cool older brother vibes, man. it fits.
meeks (half blood): i've said it once and i'll say it again: nonproblematic ginger dumbledore. also a hufflepuff <3 this dude just wants to fucking coast along, getting good grades and not participating in the dumb shit that could probably get him killed (even though he would in a heartbeat if his friends were in danger. duh). he'd be a teacher's favorite, probably having conversations with his favorite teachers during free time. okay ik this isn't technically at school, but i swear to god he would be dumbledore one day. like he would be the chill ass headmaster who gets shit done while also being very la di da life is nice flowers are pretty type of person. that being said, his favorite candy is and has been lemon drops ever since dumbledore got him addicted to them. his favorite classes would be potions (he'd surprisingly get along well with snape) and he'd just be great and mixing shit right and just knowing how much of stuff to add in ("how much powdered root do i add?" "about three and a half shakes." "that's not a measurement, meeks." "*shrug* it works"). he'd stick with his small friend group and love them to death, but he'd be a friend to all really. he'll help anyone that comes to him asking for help with homework (and though he won't admit it, he gets super prideful when it's someone a few years ahead of him).
stick (muggle born): harry potter if harry potter could've been more harry potter. like he would just be a part of everything and end up being part of some prophecy that demands he'd save the world and at first he'd be like HEY i'm just a small boy but then he'd grit his teeth and finesse the shit out of this preventing the end of days stuff. he'd definitely be a gryffindor, and fucking proud of it. he'd be the seeker on the quidditch team because he is so short and small and yeah he'd fucking kill it there. he'd kind of be the shy one no one expected much from, but once he starts absolutely wrecking the shit out of the other houses' quidditch teams, he'd become sorta popular? like people would invite him to parties and stuff and he's too nice to say no, but he'd mostly just hang around the outskirts, saying hi to the other poets if he saw them and mostly talking to chris and ginny (danburry, not weasley). he'd like defense against the dark arts and minerva mcgongiall would become his literal mother i can't explain it. he'd have an owl as a pet and treat it like it was his own child, telling it thank you every time it brought his mail or took his mail. as for candy, he'd like drooble's bubble gum because the bubbles are all magic and shit and i just feel like that would make him so happy <3
chris (pure blood): the older sister lesbian <3 she'd be a sweet hufflepuff who would be friends with everyone while also being the greatest socialite the school has ever seen. you know that party that practically the entire school attended and talked about for months on end? she planned that shit. she'd be like pitts in the respect that she'd help all the first years find their way in the school and in life in general. she's just such a warm and kind person that everyone would love her. she's have a little pink pygmy puff to match ginny's purple one, and she'd give it such a perfect, human name like lila or something. she'd be great at muggle studies and all the teachers would love her. also every one is so invested in her relationship with ginny it's adorable. he favorite candy is acid pops even though they make her eyes water like crazy. she'd make pretty good grades, every once in a while getting one slightly lower than she'd expected, but she always manages to bring them up to her satisfactory level :) she would not play quidditch, but she would go all out to support ginny, even though they're in different houses. that's what i call love, baby.
ginny (half blood): the mom lesbian <3 she's a ravenclaw and also one of the sweetest people in the whole school. while chris helps other with the social aspect, ginny will help anyone in any subject they need help with (she and meeks are a help duo on this). she's quieter and less social than chris, but she's one of the best chasers the ravenclaw quidditch team has ever seen. she'd end up team captain by fifth of sixth year. she'd be like oliver wood in that she is sO invested in the team's success that at sometimes she'll go a bit crazy, but chris is always there to help her put things back into perspective <3. she'd make stellar grades of course, being good friends with all of her teachers. her favorite candy would be the sweetest things like fairy floss. as previously stated, she'd have a purple pygmy puff to match chris's pink one, and she'd also give it an adorable human name like lisa or something. ginny's just sweet to everyone, especially neil and his friends.
I DID IT. IT TOOK FOREVER AND A FEW HAIL MARYS BUT I DID IT. enjoy besties <3 love u all
138 notes · View notes
superhero--imagines · 4 years
Text
Tumblr media
* There’s so many ways this can go
* But I bet you’d meet him when you moved into his apartment building
* It’s in this -for lack of better words- shitty building in Gotham
* But it’s the best you could do with your budget, plus it’s the only building with a gate
* Not that it means much in Gotham, but something is better than nothing
* (Also if you have a pet/dog, they aren’t charging a pet deposit)
* Jason is someone who lives on the same floor, either next to you or across from you.
* I’ve got two headcanons about neighbor!Jason
* He’s either a friendly neighbor who engages you in small talk whenever you run into each other
* Or he’s incredibly reserved, you hardly ever see him and when you do he enters and leaves his apartment so quick you can’t get a word in
* Overall you don’t really talk to him much
* Honestly you’re probably a little intimidated by him
* He’s like 6’0 and 250 pounds of muscle
* He’s also a beautiful man, so you’re also a bit intimidated by how you’re attracted to him
* Jason barely registers that you’re his neighbor tbh
* So many people filter in and out of these apartments he’s stopped forcing himself to remember their names
* He only notices you when Dick is with him at some point, helping him carry some things from Bruce’s mansion
* “I’m starting to think you’re pretending to need help so you aren’t suffering alone”
* “It took you this long to realize that?”
* You come back from work at this point, in your cutest outfit, you’d had a good day so far
* Riding the wave of confidence you wave at them before disappearing into your apartment
* “They’re pretty cute” Dick whistles, and Jason looks to where you stood
* “I guess” well you did have a pretty face, and every once in a while he can hear your music from his apartment
* It’s always lo-fi beats or something relaxing
* it’s kind of cute too
* “Do they live alone?” Dick asks, and Jason shrugs
* You’re pretty quite, not many visitors, he likes that. The less people around the better
* “I think they have a dog.” He recalls seeing you walk a dog early in the morning, slightly concerned, this is Gotham after all
* “So no boyfriend?” Jason raises an eyebrow
* “Please don’t date my neighbor Dick.”
* “Why, do you want to be their boyfriend?”
* He shoves another box into Dick’s arms to get him to shut up
* Jason notices you a bit more after that, he notices you when you’re at the mailbox getting your mail, or when you’re climbing up the stairs with bags full of groceries
* Unfortunately everytime he sees you it’s followed with “oh, it’s that person that Dick thinks is cute.”
* Which usually makes him grimace.
* One day though, as he’s getting mail he notices a few of the letters he has have your name on them
* Looks like the mail person got the unit numbers wrong
* He sighs, more human interaction he doesn’t really want
* He’s considering just waiting for the post office worker tomorrow so he can slip it in your box, when he sees you in front of your door
* “Hey, I got your mail by accident” he says, sticking out the package. You grasp it with both hands
* Jason can’t help but think about how small your hands are compared to his
* well, someone would surely find that a little cute
* He doesn’t realize he’s staring until a finger digs into the corner, ripping open the plastic.
* “Oh cool, I’ve been waiting for the book for a while, thanks so much!”
* The smile you give him should be illegal
* He can feel his face grow hot, as he nods
* “N-no problem” he mumbles, escaping into apartment.
* It doesn’t really bother you, you go into your own apartment, excited to start your new book
* The back of Jason’s head rests against his front door
* Okay he gets it now, yeah you are pretty cute
* After that things get a bit smoother between you two
* “Is that a new book?”
* “Yeah, I picked it up on my way home, I’ve been meaning to read it for a while”
* “That ones okay, but I like the one the author wrote before better.”
* Jason’s pretty well read, so you two end up mostly talking about books
* “If you want I can write you some recommendations”
* “Sure I would love that!”
* And here comes that smile again, Jason’s not a Virgin, so he doesn’t understand why every time you smile his face erupt into flames and he can’t think right
* “I’ll leave it on your door later”
* Talking about books turns into trading books
* “Hey, you wanted to read Murakami’s short stories right?”
* “Oh, Thank you! Also I got your mail haha!”
* Jason’s starting to wonder if the postal worker is trying to set you both up
* “Hey, are you feeling okay?”
* Jason’s really not
* “I’m just a little tired”
* Just then a cough escapes him
* God dammit
* “Do you want to come in? I have some tea that might help”
* Tea does sound good, but he shouldn’t, adorable neighbor or not he should keep some distance
* “I also have some whisky, if you’re a believer in the medicinal effect of hot toddy’s.”
* Aw hell
* Thats how Jason finds himself in your apartment, sitting on your couch, looking at your rather impressive book collection
* He knew you liked to read, but he’s still impressed
* “Here.” You hand him his hot toddy and a coaster
* He takes a sip and grimaces
* “Are you trying to get me drunk?”
* Your face erupts in flames, you honestly weren’t. In truth you were expecting to get rejected. So to see him here, at your apartment, petting your (dog/cat/bird/etc) is pretty surprising
* “I’m kidding” Jason says, noticing you blush “I like them strong too”
* You’re a little nervous that things will get awkward, but Jason’s a pro at the art of conversation (when he wants to be)
* “You like Scott Fitzgerald?”
* From there the conversation falls into books, to music, to things that are deeper
* “I don’t know, I just thought I’d be further ahead by now yknow?” You say, leaning back in the arm chair.
* Jason’s sprawled out on the couch, no longer trying to make himself as small as possible
* “Where did you think you would be?”
* You’re both drinking straight whisky at this point
* “I don’t know, I just never pictured myself spending all my time at a job I hate. Living in an apartment where the floorboards are coming out, and the paint is falling off the ceiling”
* It’s true, the paint does fall off the ceiling. One time the drywall fell off in a clump and landed beside him when he was sleeping.
* “And honestly, I thought I’d at least have a boyfriend”
* Jason’s head pop up to look at you
* He can be your boyfriend
* The words are dancing on his tongue, but what comes out is:
* “Relationships are over rated, I haven’t dated anyone since 2016”
* “2018 for me,” you grin “I can’t tell if that makes me the winner or the loser though”
* You both laugh, and for a moment Jason thinks that you’re just like him, lonely in your own way
* Maybe you can make each other happy
* But he extinguishes the thought as soon as it comes to life
* He doesn’t want to make you uncomfortable in your own home
* And as he takes another swig of whisky, he realizes he might be drunk
* So he lets himself laugh with you, excusing himself once it starts to get late.
* “Hey Jason, I realized I don’t have your number.”
* You give him your phone, and he has to try extra hard to make sure all the numbers are entered correctly
* “Cool, I’ll text you about what time is good for us to go to that book store you mentioned.” You say before closing the door behind you
* Jason doesn’t remember inviting you to his bookstore, but he still finds a grin curling onto his face
* You slide against your closed front door
* Your face is burning, and you feel way more embarrassed then you should
* He just looked so handsome when he was smiling, and he said he hadn’t dated anyone for even longer than you
* It doesn’t help that you had quite a few drinks, so you took a shot
* The worst that could happen was that you would have to laugh it off as wanting to be his friend
* Or wanting to know who his book supplier was
* Both were equally true
* You’re feeling even more embarrassed when you feel you phone buzz
* Jason: Do you have the weekend off? We could go then
459 notes · View notes
ace-trainer-risu · 3 years
Note
what are your fave diana wynne jones books that aren’t howl’s moving castle??
Oh whattt a lovely and fun question which I was definitely not secretly hoping someone would ask!!!! Yay!!
Hm okay so, not specifically in order, probably my top fave Diana Wynne Jones books would be:
Deep Secret! Deep Secret is not just one of my favorite books by DWJ but one of my favorite books full stop! It’s so good. Basically, the premise is that there is an infinite series of interconnected worlds, some of which have magic and some of which don’t, at the center of which is a vast interdimensional magical empire. Magic in the multiverse is overseen by an organization of magicians called Magids and there must always be a specific number of Magids in existence. When Rupert, a young Magid living on Earth, discovers that his mentor has died (ish) he becomes unexpectedly responsible for finding and training the next Magid, which is extremely inconvenient timing for him because the aforementioned magical empire is on the brink of civil war and chaos and its his job to stop it. And also almost all of this takes place at...a science fiction convention. It’s amazing.  I have read this book minimum four (probably more) times and every time it’s absolutely delightful and hilarious. I would like to go to the sci fi convention in this novel more than anything. It’s such a good read and its one of her few novels which is specifically aimed at adults, so I would EXTREMELY recommend it. Plus the romance in it is extremely good...not exactly enemy-to-lovers but more like ‘annoys-the-shit-out-of-each-other’ to lovers.  (**One note about this one...there’s a few very briefly mentioned side characters who are gender noncomforming and even tho they are actually portrayed very positively, it’s not necessarily ideal and 100% respectful (basically the protags comment on them being very beautiful and nice but also keep trying to guess their “real” gender). Additionally there’s a different briefly mentioned side character who is fat who isn’t portrayed very nicely. Both of these are brief incidents, just wanted to provide a warning for them)
Dark Lord of Derkholm - Okay this one is weirdly hard to summarize but it’s about this magical fantasy world which has been taken overy and is being used as a tourist destination by a non-magical world (heavily implied to be Earth) for people who want to role play at being in a classic high fantasy story, including fighting and killing THE DARK LORD...who is really just a random magician pretending to be evil. The inhabitants of the fantasy world do not enjoy this and are trying desperately to stop the tours, but unfortunately according to a magical oracle, their best hope of stopping the tours is this year’s Dark Lord, a hapless farmer magician named Derk, and his, um, eccentric family consisting of his glamorous wife, seven children (of whom five are griffins and one is a bard) and a simply improbable amount of magical animals. And also there is a very good dragon.  I think Derkholm is so great as a novel b/c it’s a very funny, loving but sharp, parody of high fantasy stories...but a lot of the time parodies only function as parodies but not as good stories in their own right, you know? But this novel completely functions as a story too, and in fact the first time I read at maybe age nine or ten, the high fantasy parody went completely over my head...but I still loved it. I also really love that this novel is very accessible to all ages, I think I enjoy reading it as an adult just as much as I did as a kid, which is rare.  For anyone who has read Howl’s Moving Castle but nothing else by DWJ and isn’t sure where to start, I think this is a great place to start. (TW: There’s a brief, non-explicit scene which has implied sexual assault.) 
Fire and Hemlock - This may be the most controversial one since it features a romance with a significant age gap where the two characters meet when one is a child and the other an adult. And I fully agree that that’s :/ and normally that trope is NOT my thing but it doesn’t come off at all creepy in this story imo, and if you think you can deal with that then this is a very weird, atmospheric, cool book about storytelling and fairy tales and growing up. The short summary (this is another hard to summarize one) is that as a child, Polly encounters and strikes up a friendship and correspondence with a young man, Tom, which mainly consists of the two of them jointly making up a silly, ongoing fairy tale type story...but things get weird when parts of their story start to come true in real life.  I’ve only read this one twice but it really stuck with me and in fact just describing it here...really makes me want to read it again!
The Chrestomanci Series - So all of the above are either specifically aimed at adults or a general audience whereas the Chrestomanci series is aimed at children, mainly a middle grade type audience. And tbh I started reading them as a kid (fond memory - I bought an omnibus of the first two with my allowance money...b/c it had a cat on the cover!) so I don’t know what it would be like to first read these as an older teen or an adult. BUT. Honestly they are really good and would be a quick read so I do still recommend them. There’s seven overall, with th seventh being a collection of short stories, and they’re only semi-chronological so the reading order isn’t vital. My recommended order (b/c this the order I read them in, haha) is Charmed Life, The Lives of Christopher Chant, The Magicians of Caprona, Witch Week, The Pinhoe Egg, Conrad’s Fate, and then Mixed Magic you can read whenever you want so long as you read it after Charmed Life and The Magicians of Caprona.  So the very core premise of it is not dissimilar to Deep Secret - there’s an infinite series of worlds/universes and there’s a magician, called the Crestomanci in this case, who is responsible for making sure magic isn’t abused across the multiverse. The Chrestomanci is an extremely powerful enchanter who has nine lives, and the novels are various semi-connected stories about the adventures of Chrestomanci as an adult and child. Chrestomanci is a title so it’s not always the same person, but for the majority of the stories it is the same guy and he’s...the best/worst...He’s this extremely handsome, charismatic, powerful enchanter who is very good at his job, loves his wife a lot, wears very beautiful clothes and makes, um, questionable life choices and is very annoying to everyone. I’ve thought about this very hard and I believe that he’s what happens when you take a fundamentally chaotic good person and make him do a fundamentally lawful good job; yes, he’s going to do it and do it well, but he is going to do it in the most chaotic, ridiculous way possible, and he IS going to die at an ALARMING rate, doing things that would not normally kill a person, such as playing cricket and trying to catch stray cats. He also, as previously mentioned, frequently wears very dramatic silk dressing gowns with elaborate embroidery, which the protag of Charmed Life finds deeply alarming.  It’s very odd to me how these books don’t seem to be well known, because the Chrestomanci books were some of my absolute favorite books as a child. I still have my omnibus editions of the first four novels and they are very worn and very beloved. And it’s so WILD to me that I don’t think I have ever talked to someone who also read those as a kid! Like I’m not saying those people don’t exist, I’m sure I just haven’t met them, but that’s so weiiirddddd to me. If I bring up Tamora Pierce or Garth Nix or other authors of weird, eccentric children’s fantasy novels to other avid childhood consumers of fantasy, people usually know what I mean, but Chrestomanci and its just..crickets. Is it b/c she’s British? Anyway all of the Chrestomanci books are very degrees of good, but if I had to pick a favorite, I think, controversial choice here, it would be Conrad’s Fate. Particularly in terms of recommendations to others, Conrad’s Fate works as a standalone and, unlike the other books in the series, it’s aimed more at a YA audience, so if you wanted to read a Chrestomanci novel without getting into the whole series, that’s a good way to go. It’s about a boy, Conrad, who is told that he has a terrible, possibly fatal Fate awaiting him unless he goes to work as a servant at a wealthy, and weird, estate neighboring his town, at which place he encounters things including color changing livery, an extremely annoying teenage Chrestomanci, and the greatest liminal space house EVER. It’s like a combination of an upstairs/downstairs Downton Abbey type social drama with bizarre fantasy shenanigans. How could that not be good??
Also as Honorable Mentions - A Sudden and Wild Magic and The Time of the Ghost. A Sudden and Wild Magic is fun b/c it’s one of her few works aimed specifically at adults and it’s (gasp) a little bit NAUGHTY which I was very surprised and delighted by when I read it. (This may seem like an unfair statement considering that Deep Secret fully has an orgy in it, but Rupert is so fundamentally unnaughty of a character that he completely unnaughtifies the whole novel, whereas Sudden and Wild Magic embraces being a (little bit) naughty.)   The Time of the Ghost on the other hand is weird and haunting and creepy and atmospheric. I only read it once but it’s one of those novels you just think about periodically and go “wait what the fuck that was a weird novel” (Also known as the “Garth Nix” effect) 
83 notes · View notes
letterstomilen · 3 years
Text
i discuss the classification of igneous petrology as you fall asleep during my lecture (PART 2) (ASMR)
Childe/Zhongli, Alternate Universe  When Childe's younger sister tells him about the volunteer at the library, he does not make the connection between that and his new favorite ASMR YouTuber, Rex Lapis.
Childe’s unfortunate love life starts at the age of eight. He, of course, did not call it “love” when he’s eight. When he was eight, he plucked a couple of weeds and sunflowers from his neighbor’s garden before he went to the park and handed them over to a classmate he doesn’t remember the name of now.
Handed over is an understatement here, seeing that she fell over from him shoving the flowers towards her chest before declaring, “Please marry me!”
In hindsight, storming over with the delicacy of an elephant with two left feet was not the best idea. But as somebody who recently discovered that watermelons could not grow out of your stomach no matter what, he was not the brightest. (Lumine now would argue that this is still the case. Unfortunately.)
She, as all eight-year kids would when faced with a loud boy that shoved you to the ground, started bawling. It didn’t help that Childe wasn’t aware of the fact that some worm wriggled in with the weeds and sunflowers he uprooted, with said worm now wiggling on the glittery, cursive ‘i’ in ‘Magical’ on her t-shirt.
This promptly resulted in her mom heading over and a long talk over dinner that night on why you should not ask girls to just marry you at your age.
“So I can ask boys then, right?”
Pleased with the loophole he discovered at age eight, Childe toothily smiled at his mom, who sighed and shook your head.
“You can’t ask anybody to marry you when you’re eight. And please don’t throw flowers at them too.”
The stolen flowers resulted in him being on his neighbor’s blacklist for the next couple of years; this in itself was fine, seeing that Childe was always a bit of a troublemaker and it was bound to happen at some point. However, the crying girl left a big impression on him even as he got older.
It did help that the older he got, the more silver-tongued he became, but this resulted in short-term relationships and a famous incident that once got dubbed ‘Tartaglia’s Shakespearean Slipup.’ (It involved a drunk retelling of Macbeth, several dumb questions, and a shirt that could never get the stain washed off of it.)
So in short, Childe’s love life is, to put it bluntly, a travesty. It has been downhill ever since he was eight years old, and nearly two decades later, he’s sure that he finally hit rock bottom.
“Tonia,” he begins, wondering how his little sister could be so cute yet so cruel at the same time, “what did you not tell Zhongli?”
“Hmm… Oh, I didn’t tell him about your obsession with his channel!” And cue the self-satisfied smile before she took another sip of his coffee.
Oh lord, she learned it from him.
“Anything else?” he presses, wondering what kind of image he has of him now — definitely not a good one. No amount of smooth talking or knowledge about petrology could save him from his past mistakes. He’s sure that Zhongli would not take kindly to the plethora of times that his insobriety has made him infamous among certain groups of people.
And he’ll admit just to himself, he was wholly unprepared for this. He couldn’t even be lulled to sleep by his voice last night — which is unfortunate because the series where he discussed the inspiration behind Tao Yuanming’s work just came out and if there’s one thing Childe likes, it’s poetry — because he couldn’t stop himself from thinking that he knew who he was.
Except not as Childe. As Tartaglia, his younger sister clarified, ever so proud of herself that she taught somebody how to say his birth name correctly, never mind that it stumped even the most persistent of professors.
“Not really! He said he likes listening to me brag about my older brother! ‘Cause he’s an only child and everything. Actually… he mentioned that you’d like to hear your stories sometime. Sweet, right?”
“My stories,” Childe echoes slowly. “The ones I told you when you were a kid? The fairytale rip-offs?”
“Yup.”
“Including the one where the kids locked the evil queen up and used her Magic Mirror to cheat on their tests?”
Admittedly, he was a bit lazy with that one. But Tonia was just eight and Childe was half-awake, trying to remember the difference between Hudibrastic and hija. So, like any good literature major with a bone to pick with their academic advisor, he decided that he’d very subtly rehash Snow White and make it all about cheating. (On tests of course.)
“Yuup. They got in trouble, right?”
They didn’t, but his mom would have his head if he said otherwise, so he smiles at her, ruffles her hair, and says with the attitude of a picture-perfect older brother, “Of course. The evil queen immediately sent them to the dungeon. So don’t cheat, okay?”
She nods, rewarding her compliance with another sip of his coffee. The library is fairly close to their apartment, as all things in Liyue are. A tightly packed city by the sea where you were sure to know everything about your neighbor and their neighbor. Which meant that the tenants next door still remembered when Childe first moved in and spent a week high on ambien, only to invest his time in writing a paper about how Snowpiercer was the sequel to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. (When they spoke for the first time, they asked politely if he could please turn down the volume, because it was difficult to sleep when your neighbor watched the two movies consecutively with the volume all the way up at three in the morning, don’t you think?)
(The paper ended up being legible to only the most dedicated of readers anyways.)
Deciding that they’re an appropriate distance from the entrance of the library now, Tonia stops walking and drags her brother towards the benches. “Now, before I take you to meet Zhongli, I just want to ask you one thing.”
He looks at her expectantly, wondering if she’s going to ask if he remembers what Lumine said. Don’t embarrass yourself, don’t act shady, and before you do something—think ITWTWW? (A.K.A Is This What Tsaritsa Would Want? A joke that arose after a particularly hellish class last year after the professor’s attention towards Childe was a source of debate—did she hate him? Did she think of him as her son? Did he—a suggestion brought forth by Aether—remind her of annoying neighbors that’d spend all night partying? To this day, he still doesn’t know.)
“What is it?”
“Did you bring your library card?”
“Huh?”
It turns out, Childe learns five minutes later with relief that his long-forgotten library card was collecting dust in his wallet, that Zhongli has a limit on books he can check out because he’s always forgetting them. And his overdue fees are quite an impressive sum—both for a library volunteer and anybody that’s frequented a library for the past decade.
But to the library’s great relief, he’s only checking out books nobody has ever checked out in the past so by default they belong to him now. (No harm no foul—unless you’re the occasional poor individual that has to research an incredibly specific and niche topic only to find out that the book is not in the library at the moment.)
Tonia sounds immensely proud of herself as she informs him of this while they wait for him to finish help somebody find a book. Help is an understatement, Childe realizes, as he watches Zhongli talk, smiling as he ensnares the visitor in an answer to a question where “yes” or “no” would have sufficed.
It’s ridiculously cute. Really. Tonia seems used to this sight as she drags Childe closer to the two. Zhongli must’ve realized that he slipped into a tangent because he apologizes and points to the nonfiction section before opening his book once more.
“Oh… I forgot.” Tonia purses her lips the same way Lumine does as she sighs, lowering the hand that she was enthusiastically waving moments earlier.
“Hm?”
“He won’t notice us. Ah, Zhongli,” she says melodramatically while they watch him flip through pages in a book, her tone every bit the longing princess in books they poured over when she was younger. “Why can’t you see us? Isn’t my wonderful big brother enough to catch your attention?”
He’s very flattered. Really. He knows that compliment was partially influenced by letting her have a lion’s share of his drink and Lumine’s sarcasm, but he takes it in stride, squeezing her cheeks. Tonia rolls her eyes in response, and heads over to Zhongli, chatting him up quicker than Childe can respond.
“And this is my older brother,” she introduces, gesturing her hand towards Childe, who smiles brightly, hoping he looks every bit the composed person he doesn’t feel like right now.
Zhongli is just as charming in person and it doesn’t help that just the realization he’s standing right here makes Childe’s pulse race, contributing to his increasingly forced smile that he reserves for uncomfortable situations. Oblivious to that, Zhongli smiles at him—one that is ingrained in his memory from days of watching it on loop —and says, “You must be Tartaglia, right? Tonia told me a lot about you.”
Oh fuck. 
His first thought: of course she told him about him. He knew beforehand, the dread of being characterized through his sister’s dramatizations of Childe’s mistakes. It’s partially why he could only get up this morning through two cups of coffee and dunking his head in the freezer for several minutes.
But also his name— 
Childe’s torn between asking why the hell his sister told him his real name or excusing himself to go read a dictionary to cool his nerves. Even though he’s well aware most of his family calls him Tartaglia still—mainly his parents when he’s in trouble (which, to be fair, is most of the time)—most people in Liyue call him Childe for two reasons.
One, Tartaglia is a mouthful and two, after many questions about how his name was pronounced only to get it butchered on several occasions, he’s stopped. (Scaramouche, Tsaritsa, and Signora are the only ones who call him that at this point, really; but he’s convinced Scaramouche does it just to vex him.)
“Yes,” he chokes out. “That’s me. Tartaglia.”
Childe decides that if Zhongli would just say his name and nothing else, he would die happy. Which is a mortifying thought but maybe a little bit of an upgrade from falling asleep to listening him talk about rocks. Isn’t it?
“You can call him Childe,” Tonia offers. “My brother doesn’t like it when people call him Tartgalia.”
His mouth forms an ‘o’ out of realization and sheepishly says, “My deepest apologies, Childe.”
“N-no—” Childe starts, his sister’s expression burning into the back of his head. “It sounds really nice when you say it. Call me Tartaglia—anything you’d like, really.”
“Oh, yeah. I forgot.” Tonia smiles mischievously, implying that she never forgot all along as she raises a finger to her chin in mock thought. “You watch his ASMR channel, don’t you?”
“You do?”
They both turn to Childe, who’s sure this is turning into an interrogation; their burning gazes, the expectant silence, and a question he’s reluctant to answer.
“Yeah. I’m a huge fan,” he confesses brightly. “My favorite series of yours is the petrology one. It felt really nostalgic.”
He never thought he’d remember high school clearly ever again, but the videos made his classes a little less lazy. And the heat of the sun on the back of his neck as he slept in class would follow, lulled to sleep by a lecture he couldn’t quite remember. But he recalled his friends’ amusement clearly when they asked how he managed to sleep nearly every class, only to get a cheeky smile as an answer.
“Is that so? May I interest you in some books then? There’s quite the collection here, although I’m not sure which would interest you the most then. Any preferences?”
Ohhh, his expectant look was so cute. But Tonia looks bored at the prospect, so he clears his throat instead.
“Actually, I came here to check out Legend of the Lone Sword so I could follow along with your newest video,” he finally says. “Could you show me where it is?”
“Hmm… We do have two copies but unfortunately both have been checked out. One has just been checked out by Xingqiu and the other… ah, it’s still at my house. We’re having difficulties with the video unfortunately because Venti said… now what did he say?” Zhongli asks himself, humming as he takes out his phone and reads out loud.
“’Find somebody that’s willing to record the video and help you set up b-c’… er, before Christ?”
“Because,” Childe clarifies.
“Thank you. ‘Because I can’t do it without laughing’,” he finishes before sighing. “Also several crying emojis followed by a wine emoji and a suggestion for me to find Diluc…? There are also several other texts that I would not be able to read out loud but that’s the gist of it. As soon as I manage to find somebody, I’ll be able to return the book so you can check it out. My apologies.”
Diluc? All Childe remembers about him is what Lumine once said about him.
‘I was convinced him and Kaeya hated each other until I found out they were siblings.” A pause. Then: ‘I’m still fairly sure they hate each other. They’re at each other’s throats a lot. Diluc more so.’
He had not considered him to be a rival in love. Granted — that’s limited information from several years ago but it’s not as if Childe knows that many people outside of his own department. But still. 
Eager to save any chance of a love life, Childe says, “Why don’t I help you record?”
“That’s a great idea! Then my brother can read the book while he stays over. Right?” Tonia presses on, smiling far too brightly for his taste as Zhongli muses, considering the possibility.
“Are you sure that wouldn’t be too much trouble?”
Childe nearly stumbles at the sight of his relief. Really, his smile isn’t good for his heart—neither is the look he gives him, as if he hung over the moon that very moment. “None at all.”
“What a relief… I’ll tell Venti immediately that I can record the ‘ASMR: Boyfriend Reads to You’ video.”
—What?
Zhongli looks up from his phone after he texts his friend and tilts his head slightly in confusion, his earring brushing against his shoulder.
He looks adorably concerned and maybe a little bit aware that he’s responsible for Childe’s reaction. “Is there something wrong?”
“N-no. Nothing. That’s great. Good. I’m excited to be your boyfriend.”
Tonia lets out a little giggle and he’s sure that there’s somebody at the library silently praying for his downfall as he hurriedly corrects himself. “For the video, of course. Should I give you my number so we can set a date?”
Not deterred by Childe’s flustered expression, Zhongli nods as he hands him his phone. Maybe this is what he expected—that’d most likely be the case if most of his prior knowledge about Childe came from Tonia, who delights in both embarrassing and complimenting her brother like there’s no tomorrow. “Of course. Please give me your number.”
So with the shame of a college student that never managed to shake off his competitive streak from high school, Childe types his number in and promises himself that this won’t happen again.
(His younger sister lords it over him anyways on the way home, a skip in her step as she recalls it.)
Childe 2:34 i got his #
Twin 1 2:35 for the video recording*
Twin 1 2:35 u also embarrassed yourself. tonia told me all about it lol
Ugh. Of course she did. Childe peeks his head into his sister’s room, hearing her recount the library incident with a few more exaggerations poking fun at what he did than he’d like. Aether must be having the time of his life, which should make them equal considering that Childe made him think that Scaramouche was the best TA ever and would be even nicer if you made him an apple pie. (He hated apples.)
Well. They’re even now, aren’t they?
Childe 2:38 ya but he didn’t notice so its ok. BTW neither of u told me he was that airheaded
Twin 1 2:38 itd be funnier that way
Childe 2:39 oh yeah it was really cute
Twin 1 2:41 didn’t need to know that. anyways u do know how to work a camera right?
Childe 2:41 yea…? who do you think takes all of tonia’s pictures
Twin 1 2:42 no i mean like actual professional cameras used to record
Hm… That was a bit of an oversight on his part, wasn’t it? He texts a quick ‘yeah’ because it couldn’t be that bad and he’ll watch several videos on how to work a camera later, won’t he? There should be three buttons max. Easy.
Not to mention he took an elective on film and he’s watched Zhongli’s videos more times than he can count at this point. So really, there’s not much to worry about. The only problem is that he needs to build up immunity.
If he looks like a “blushing maiden”—Tonia’s words, not his—every time Zhongli looks at him, wouldn’t that be trouble? It’s bad enough that he embarrassed himself in front of his twelve-year-old sister but to look like a fool in front of the same guy his sleeping schedule depends on would be debilitating in more ways than one.
Deciding that he won’t let himself lose this time around, he sends a quick text to Zhongli saying ‘Saturday at 4:00 PM, right? See you there :)’ to psyche himself up before deciding a plan of action. There must be something that’ll impress him—no, completely sweep him off his feet.
More aware than ever that he’s fitting the image of a lovestruck idiot his sister painted him as, Childe watches his phone as it pings with a single ‘OK’ and ‘I am looking forward to working with you’ trying to convince himself that his erratic heart rate and the heat rushing to his face is just a side effect of working with somebody that he greatly admires. (It is, by all accounts, infatuation — but he’ll try to ignore that for now.)
147 notes · View notes
toukenramblings · 3 years
Text
How To Lose Your Tantous: Gokotai, Shinano Toushirou, Taikogane Sadamune
No collage/artsy thingy this time. This time, you are getting a meme. Warnings: None. I’m funny I swear
Tumblr media
The three tantous known as Gokotai, Shinano, and Taikogane have been with you since the beginning. Kiwame or not, these three have stuck by your side since forever and you wanted to thank them for their work. So why not take them to the mall to relax????
The minute you announce that to the trio however, their eyes light up. Sada-chan is already half way out the door and trying to drag you along with him. “Let’s go! What are we waiting for????”
Shinano is a bit more calm but he’s also tugging on your arm, not as hard as Taikogane but enough to be like, “Let’s go! Let’s go! I want to see what’s out there!!!”
Poor Gokotai on the other hand is worried you’ll be torn apart and tries to get them to calm down. Sadly he can’t bring his tiger(s) with him on the day trip but he makes a shy request to hold your hand during the trip. Of course you comply because who the fuck wouldn’t want to hold Gokotai’s hand???????? My baby boi
Of course just as you lot are about to leave, you get accosted by KIkkou, Yagen, Ichigo, Micchan, and Ookurikara.
“If anything happens to my little brother master...well,” Kikkou would say with a smirk, a familiar red rope in his hands. It’s not that he doesn’t trust you or anything. But he turns to Taikogane and begins to lecture him, telling him not to give you a lot of trouble.
“You lot be careful. Do keep an eye on my brothers, general.” Yagen would say with a smile. You know he wouldn’t try to threaten you or anything.
“Come back safely!” Micchan would say, having packed snacks for all of you. “Most of all, enjoy yourselves!”
Ookurikara is the one holding back the tiger(s) from following Gokotai outside of the citadel. It hurts Gokotai to be away from them but if Ookurikara is going to take care of them they are in good hands. He won’t say much, he trusts that the four of you will be alright.
And then you lose Sada-chan the minute you arrive at the mall. Taikogane didn’t mean to disappear on you like that! He saw something shiny in the distance and had to follow it! Shinano was hot on his heels though, so at least you know those two are together.
Gokotai refuses to leave your side, still very much holding on to your hand. He swings your arms a little, flushing and stopping when you notice, then asking if it’s okay. If Taikogane and Shinano are back from their shenanigans, you and the other will hold both hands of Gokotai and gently yeet him forward like you do with lil kids!
At this rate you might as well get kiddie leashes for Taikogane and Shinano since they will immediately run off to do whatever the hell they want.
Taikogane will always be on the look out for clothing, trying to look cool and impressive. “What do you think?! Do you like this on me??? I think Micchan will like this too! Oooh maybe I should bring back some clothing for the rest of them! We all can match!”
Shinano loves it when you spoil him, giving you puppy eyes as he points at something, “Can you buy this for me, pleaseeeee? I’ll be good I promise! And I’ll help you carry your bags too!” and then you cave.
Say goodbye to your bank account.
Gokotai on the other hand is much more subdued, when he sees something that he’s interested in he will lightly tug on your sleeve or arm and shyly question, “M-May I go see what that is?” and point at the thingy, then of course he will run off. He won’t go too far, oh no, he will always look over his shoulder to see if you are watching him/if he can still see you.
If you, the saniwa, are short as hell like the rest of them, be prepared for heart attack o’clock, all day every day. It’s hard to see them within a crowd so you will have to shout for them all the time. Shinano is easy to see due to his red hair, Gokotai is smol as fuck so it causes some issues and Taikogane is...somewhat easy to see? Just find him at the most flashy and cool things in the mall, or whatever the hell catches his eye.
Bless everything if you are tall as fuck though. You can see them over everyone and they can see you! They will never get lost if they can see you over everyone! They’ll immediately run back to you and tackle you into a hug (Gokotai is slightly sobbing at this point but it’s okay, just hug him and don’t you dare let him out of your sight every again)
What kind of stores do these boys like? Well, Taikogane will zoom in on anything that catches his eye. Clothing, trinkets, books, games, shiny things, whatever the hell! You’ll have to follow him everywhere though. He gets distracted by everything and you need to keep him on track. Is that one kid who is suddenly found carrying 60 plushies because you turned your back on him ONCE.
Shinano is slightly more controlled than Taikogane but he will also go find things that catch his eye. He’s more into the clothing stories though, finding little jackets and sweaters his brothers could wear! He will want to spoil the younger ones (you and Shinano have to hide any gift for Gokotai though, he’s right there after all, and you want it be a surprise!) and Shinano loves seeing their eyes light up when they get their gift. Of course he might gave and give his present to Gokotai early. Other than clothing stories, I would say Shinano is into little figures. Animals, historical figures, worldly places, who knows? He likes collecting things a lot.
Gokotai will adore bookstores and pet shops. He’ll find new toys and stuff for his tiger(s) and will love to get them a little collar with a bell on it. He likes bells, he honestly thinks that they are nice. As for bookstores, Gokotai would immediately look for fairy tales and books about animals with happy endings. He adores books and even more so when you or someone else offers to read to him! Hell, he even comes into your office with a book of his choice just for you to read to him!
Lord help you if they have an arcade/gaming corner in the mall. Gokotai doesn’t like all of the loud stuff but is enamored by the plushies. He’ll stick close to you while Taikogane and Shinano are trying to kill each other in lazer tag - wait where did they go? Why are those two suddenly bowling? Get back here!
If you have a cellphone with you, be prepared to take pictures of the little ones every 14 seconds. They’re just...so fucking cute. It makes your heart melt and almost sob.
Someone probably mistakes you as their parent or elder sibling. Just to play around, Taikogane and Shinano will call you by a parental term and maybe you’ll start crying right then and there. Just maybe.
Snacks? Snacks. These boys burn through energy so fucking fast so the snacks that Shokudaikiri gave you guys are gone by the second hour of spending time in the mall. Off to the food court you go! They’re willing to try anything new really!
If you happen to have someone you are romantically interested in (especially if one of Shinano’s elder bros or Sada-chan’s bros/other Dategumi) expect these two will casually slip in (not too) subtle hints. “Oh he’ll love this, I swear! Especially if it’s coming from you!” “Oooo, maybe you should give this to him! You know...for no reason.” Gokotai is at least polite about it. “I-I think that this...would make a great gift for someone!”
Lord help anyone who makes one of the tantous cry. Gokotai tripped over air once back at the citadel and you were ready to fistfight God themself. If someone trips over one of your boys or like sneers at them, you will immediately roll up your sleeves and go to town. All three of them have to hold you back but even then it’s a struggle.
By the time you four get home, the car is full of package to the point Gokotai has to sit on Shinano’s lap and all three of them are dead asleep. You need half of the citadel to help you get these damn gifts out of the car and carry the boys back to their room.
44 notes · View notes
planetchii · 3 years
Text
THE MEGA NICHIASA SHITPOSTING REPORT
NOW WITH THAT GREAT 2 WEEK LATE TASTE
Tropical Rouge, Culture Festival! Everyone Together, Let's Put Make-Up On Aozora!: The Tropical girls are getting ready for the best time of the year: The cultural festival. And in true Tropical Fashion, the girls decided to hold make-up classes for all visitors. But while planning just the right make-up to teach the novice children and grown adults, Laura gets suspicious that Minori is looking over to her ex, the Literature Club. I mean, when you up and disappear into the library, it's kinda hard to not think that you're looking for an escape route. But it's fine because they totally have enough people to help with the make-up classes. As long as Minori stays in the clubhouse.
That being said, distancing yourself from the rest of the group isn't very cool, Minori. Now you have a suspicious smug fish being all suspicious. And being a detective. And asking questions. A lot of questions. And she would ask even more questions if Manatsuu and the Smug Fish Laura's homeroom booth wasn't short-staffed because the kids with that shift decided to get an early head start on getting their Yaruki power stolen.
Meanwhile, the Lazy Trio has clocked into work, and Chongiri drew the short straw today. Guys, he just wants to cook. He wasn't trained for this. And he certainly wasn't trained for being kidnaped by a bunch of martial artists to run their grilled squid booth. Even if it's the most fun that he's had. At least right up until the point where he remembered he was still on the clock. At least everyone is busy.
I mean, really busy: Sango is still teaching people how to put on lipstick properly, and Asuka is trying to make sure no one cuts the line. The only one who the Broadcast Club could interview for the Tropical Club was Minori. Who turns out to be a secret master of the make-up arts.
The lesson the monster should have taken away was don't touch books. Books are supposed to bring people joy. I feel like I've heard that before. It also turns out that the reason Minori left the Literature Club is because her sempai quite literally read The Great Book and that story was already written, and therefore boring and too familiar and unoriginal. Again, I feel like I've heard this before. But that's okay because Minori's stronger with the Sword of Logos Tropical Club.
Reviving A Legend! The Pretty Cure's Power-Up Makeover!: After getting the results of a contest that the girls were not aware they were part of, The Tropical Club finds out that they came in second in the "hey, this booth is pretty cool" contest. Everyone is so excited that even Kururun even has to say something in front of the School newspaper. In other news, the girls suddenly develop a love of ventriloquism. Before telling Kururun to do their best impersonation of a statue.
Elsewhere, the Witch is waking up from a nightmare when her ex-girlfriend up and left her. If only her ex just didn't have the energy to leave... she probably should have given her ex's money back. But on the plus side, the Butler finally does something! He heads to the nearest watering hole and figures out a way to make polymer slime. While that is going on, Manatsuu and Laura are having a loving conversation over who is the most Tropicool.
After a nice long conversation, Manatsuu and Laura head to sleep, where Manatsuu meets the legendary Precure in a trippy and glowy dream aquarium. Manatsuu probably shouldn't overeat at dinner. Especially when she nearly drowns in her own dream.
But in the morning, the Girls start heading to school, only to have the Butler's slime experiments come up from the depths of the town's canals. So the girls transform and try to find the source of the Yaruki power, only to have the Aqua mirror 404 error on Cure La Mer. But while trying to find the source of the Yaraneda power, Cure Summer learns that Kururun is a good listener and has not moved since the beginning of the episode.
Meanwhile, the villains really still have no idea what their actual job description is. They're now working to form a union because they don't even know why they have to do all of this extra work. They're just a maid, doctor, and cook respectfully. They have also decided that union dues are due at the end of the month. Nuremi will collect.
Elsewhere, Cure Summer has picked up one (1) Kururun but ends up having to sacrifice herself to save the good sealo. And while Summer is now being farmed for Yaraneda power, Kururun becomes the new Cure Summer. All Hail Cure Kururun. Only to get hit with friendly fire via Cure Papaya's eye lasers. RIP Cure Kururun.
But with the power of Friendship (TM) and a new Mirror (buy our toy) Toei actually giving a good budget for an episode and some new barefoot dancing, The Butler's polymer slime experiment is defeated. This type of leadership should be the Student Council President. Revice, The Devil is Just a Bad Guy?!: It's time for a company review of last week's (lol), super conference where FENIX was super happy to show off their belt and their choice for a Rider in front of the whole world and one over-excited family. Since it didn't go too well, someone's getting demoted as punishment. RIP Hiromi's commandership. Perhaps he shouldn't have tried to be a hero, because now instead of a belt, he has a contract to become a magical girl I mean, have a deadman walking around. And now, the one that they wanted to be Revice in Daiji, has become a go-for to get his older brother to sign a contract to also become a magical girl I mean to work for FENIX, since he's not scared of the belt. Daiji can't win.
Meanwhile, in a golf competition, an older brother and younger brother are fighting over who has the better swinging motion, and who has the better golf knowledge. The fighting gets so... well, not intense, but belittling for the younger sibling, so much so that he gets fired as his older brother's caddy.
Don't work for family. (I say that as a younger sibling too.) But at least he was sold this spiffy new contract by a personified alcohol person. Alcohol for your soul. Salespeople are getting real pushy with their selling.
Meanwhile, back at the bathhouse of Happiness, Daiji has come back home to offer Ikki an offer he can't refuse.
Ikki promptly refuses it. Something about needing more bare butts in the tubs. And probably wouldn't want to trigger Vice's fight or fight harder instincts. But in the mists of the "Please, Ikki, there's a 300,000 yen signing bonus" fight to get Ikki to work for FENIX, the dad apparently found a live stream of the golf fight. Fight or Fight Harder instincts fully engaged, Vice possesses a bike to get to the action faster. Regular bikes are for squares; get your demon-powered bike now at your local bike store.
At the golf course, Ikki and Vice transform. And while Ikki was actually doing his not-his-job, Vice went off to do some selling. He'll be denied no fights. At least until the new VStamp pulls him back in to become an Eagle. After beating the older brother's contract deadman, Vice goes back to selling things. At least until Ikki undoes the transformation.
But good news, everyone! Mama is almost completely healed from almost being eaten unceremoniously. And soothes Ikki's fear and tells him that plenty of people have had 2 jobs before. I mean, look at Vice, selling things. He sold the younger golf brother on visiting the Deadmans and getting his own Deadman. That's some A+ selling.
Not the right selling, apparently, since Ikki is pissed. We're not supposed to be selling the Deadmans, we're supposed to be selling the bathhouse. I mean the bathhouse services. And as punishment, Ikki fights this new Deadman without transforming when Daiji notifies them of this new, totally out of the blue and not sold to, Deadman. I mean we can't have other lives in danger.
Tasked with either apologize and fight properly or not fight at all, Vice agrees not to sell shit like Deadmen again and finally gets that magical girl contract. After beating the second Deadman of the day, the two golf brothers make up as much as siblings are willing to, for the low price of their stamps.
Hostage Trouble, What To Do Brother?!: While hanging out at the best-awarded rave place in town, the Deadmen are trying to look for a way to revive their head of ravers, and peanut butter named villain Jif I mean Giff, with a new recruit, a walking hood. Meanwhile, while Mama is trying to support her middle child, in a surprise to all middle children everywhere, an eviction company came to evict the bathhouse. Ikki proudly states that they will never be evicted from that spot, despite the father's best attempts.
Elsewhere, Sakura and her best friend forever Ayaka are going shoe shopping, where Ayaka finds these really nice sparkly shoes. Since Ayaka was not invited to her little sister's photoshoot (instead opting to bring her mom), it was only fair to bring about the shopping therapy. But it turns out that one of them has a stalker following them. And that stalker has some Deadmen foot soldiers. He really has this thing for Ayaka. But Sakura has a cellphone, and calls for Ikki, since we're not doing hide the identity thing.
When Ikki gets to the scene of the crime, he tells them to run, only for the stalker to throw a Pokeball and catch Ayaka. He also demands Sakura, a woman who could probably kick his ass, or he'll kill off Ayaka. But live your dream dude. No kink-shaming here. But they agree because killing people is bad. But is then interrupted by the Kong Deadman. At least Daiji comes in at the right time with the 555 suitcase, now holding the Revice Driver.
While in the midst of a hard-fought battle, the Deadman runs to where the girls are kidnapped, and while chasing this Deadman, Revi and Vice run against another alcohol personified man who wants to make a bargain: The girls for the stamps. This leads the new Go-For Daiji to go back to the FENIX Inc., and retrieve the new stamps, and takes a look at the new P-Bandai belt. Daiji asks if it's possible for him to use that belt, only for George to do his best Ankh impersonation and laughed in his face.
In a sign of kindness, the stalker allows Ayaka to call her mom, who tells her to bug off, she's watching her daughter work the cameras. It sucks to know you're not the favorite.
Elsewhere, the trade is going down, in the following fight allows both of the stamps to go back to Ikki and Vice who pull off their best Den-O impersonation, and end the fight. And in the confusion, Sakura breaks out of her confinements and kicks the ass of the stalker, proving that if Toei doesn't make her a Rider they are missing an opportunity. Sucks that it seems the stalker isn't the actual contract holder.
Back at the Rave Central, The Hooded Intern has these new sparkly shoes.
Zenkaiger, No. 27-kai! A Great Voyage Through Seven Worlds!: After hearing that his mom is still alive and has escaped her deep sleep can on Tojitendo Kikaitopia, The Zenkaiger group starts looking for Kaito's mom Mitsuko. Despite their best efforts, including a massive Google search by Secchan, they still can't find her. This leads to the thought by Gaon that maybe she escaped to a whole other world.
Since it was a good thought, Kaito asks his boyfriend Vox if he can borrow his pirate ship to go look for her. He promises to fill it back up with gas. What does it take, diesel? Regular?
Vox doesn't allow this because Kaito has no driver's license. I mean, neither does Vox, but Flint does and Flint has the keys.
Meanwhile, Stacey hates his job and now is sent on a wild chase to find a woman he may or may not have let out for the sake of his adopted grandma and ice cream supplier. Truthfully, it wasn't entirely his fault. It's not like he attacked the warp gate like the others when he may or may not have left the sleeping pod open.
Back with the heroes, Vroom and Gaon stay behind because Toei's budget is running a little tight. Can't have all that CGI and stuff after spending all that money on the CGI for the other worlds. There are budget concerns to think about, you know. But the remaining heroes board the Pirate ship and Magine sets about looking for Mitsuko with her crystal ball. But because the Pirates have no time for proper seancing, they just start picking the closest worlds to our heroes' world and work from there. Mr. Su is everywhere, by the way.
And after going to worlds where they are called perverts, nearly arrested, and freeze to death, in that order, Stacey arrives with his entourage of other people looking to cash in on overtime and says that all of the other worlds are getting visited, because she didn't just go back home, and not because they shot themselves in the foot. Instead of searching for clues in the Ice World, the Zenkaigers and Twokaizers head off to the Mushroom Kingdom. They did not see any plumbers, however. But, they "find" "Mama" "Mitsune" before Stacey and his crew of merry overtime workers, and a fight breaks out. After beating this wave, the Pirate ship heads off to Earth, much to the relief of Stacey who just wants to make Yatsune happy. Only to be told to follow them. Leading to another battle on Ice World. Stacey better be getting paid time and a half for this. The Zenkaigers win again and head back to Earth. But after the fight, "Mitsuko" takes off the magical disguise to show that it was Me, Magine! (not actually this writer.) with the hope that the bait and switch will get Tojitendo Kikaitopia to leave the other worlds alone, and just focus on them.
No. 28-kai! Weekly Shonen Manga World of Great Illustrations!: Kaito finally got his learner's permit to drive interdimensional ships and is going on a drive with Flint and some of his friends for practice before his big test with the Experienced Driver Flint. Vox has decided that is not his scene and is hanging out at Colorful, on Kaito's dime.
As someone who loves discovery, Vroom has made a big one: Vox is an Otaku. Vox loves him some manga. This is cool since Vroom is also a Manga Sommelier. And so is today's world, Manga World. And Manga World is working on his new hit piece for not-Shonen Jump about the everyday lives of the People of Earth. The pages even move! Now with exclusive Zyuran and Magine chapters! This is a limited edition, so make sure to get yours soon.
Back at Kikaitopia, the entire Tojitendo is still not happy about losing the Eve to their Adam. It'll be fine guys. It's not like there's someone there who'd sell you guys out for one ice cream parfait or something. He's too busy trying to get intel and how to get the father out to really mess with his own dad.
Back at Colorful, the Comics and the Not-Comics are having a conference about how to deal with Manga World. Kaito thinks that because Manga is just "drawing" and "some words" and some "Ink" that anyone can be a Mangaka. That it's sooo easy. This may or may not piss off Vox (and this writer.) about how people think it's so easy to be a Mangaka and storms off. Probably to an art room to make his Manga.
So because plan A didn't work, they go with plan B and buy the latest edition of the most popular manga. And after unbinding the pages of the latest Tankobon of Kimetsu no Yaiba and laying them off on the floor, Manga World starts trying to collect and read the pages. Kaito, thinking he's a ninja tries to steal it while he's reading, only to be caught and sent to the Manga page world. That Limited Edition now has a Kaito Chapter. Only 50 made! (Use the Ninninger or Hurricaneger gear next time.)
But this gives just enough time for Vox to drop ALL of his doujinshi and Original Works onto the floor. The Manga World loves the fact that they're seeing this new work about a pirate in space, looted, in true fashion, from Mangatopia. So much so that Vox does what pirates do best and swipes the limited edition not-Shonen Jump.
Everyone transforms to fight, including the comic pages. And proceed to fight and win, with half of the time acting it out in comic pages. And all the people are freed from their comic pages. I hope you got that limited edition not-Shonen Jump before it was too late.
And while Vox used that manga to save his family, he'd like to get it back now. Too bad Yatsune has ordered that manga back to Mangatopia. If he doesn't tell, will he get to keep it?
9 notes · View notes
janeofcakes · 3 years
Text
Soulmate: How John Met Sherlock...Again  Chapter 2
Hello, my friends! I come to you today knowing there is but one burning question in your minds today: What will Gracie and Olive get up to next? Okay, maybe two: When the hell will John and Sherlock meet, Jane? Tell me. Tell me now! Haha. Patience, my lovelies. You know I can't write a story without stringing you along for a while first. I am very firmly on the naughty list and like our dear friend, Martin Freeman I cannot abide being on anyone's nice list. Mwahaha.
I also wanted to say that the next few chapters are not as long as the first. There was so much to get through in that one. I hope you aren't disappointed. The good news is my typing and editing are going well so I should be able to keep my weekend schedule. Hooray!Happy reading. Jane
----
Gracie casts a side look at Olive from where she sits on the jungle gym. It is afternoon break and the two girls just climbed frantically up the poles and bars to sit at the top for a rest after running themselves ragged all over the playground pretending to be Nancy Drew and George Fayne solving a mystery. Every day since Monday has gone more or less the same way. They play together for morning break, talk at lunch and play again in the afternoon. They write notes on one another’s notebooks during lessons, but manage not to disrupt class or miss instruction. It has been a truly amazing first week of school, better than Gracie could have ever imagined.
Gracie looks at Olive again and feels her throat swell. It’s like she has known Olive forever. They seem to always understand each other and be in perfect sync. Gracie has talked about nothing else at home and has even dreamed about playing with Olive each night. Olive has told her all kinds of things about London and its history. Tower Bridge, London Bridge, the National Theatre, but what Gracie is most interested in seeing is the Tower of London. She asked her father just last night if they could go sometime to see the old castle and the crown jewels. She can’t wait to see and do everything, and it would be even better if Olive could come along for some of it. London is much more exciting than Bath ever was, hands down!
“Gracie,” Olive begins in a lazy tone, “how do you feel about bees?”
Turning to face her friend fully, Gracie furrows her brow and frowns. Olive does not react to the movement and continues looking at something in the distance, or perhaps at nothing at all. Gracie says nothing at first, wondering if Olive had been talking before and all Gracie heard was the bee question. The taller girl finally turns her head and fixes the blonde with an inquisitive gaze. Gracie frowns as she considers the question. She is not really partial to any insect, nor is she upset by them. 
“They’re all right, I guess,” Gracie shrugs. “They make honey, so there’s that.”
“Mm…” Olives hums in approval. “True.”
Gracie raises her brows, every inch of her face asking ‘What are you on about?’. Olive blinks and seems to realize she was lost in her own mind, leaving Gracie with absolutely no context for the question.
“That’s what my dad wants to do when he retires,” Olive explains. “Beekeeping. In Sussex, probably.”
Oh no. This can’t be happening. Gracie just met Olive and had the best week of her life and now she’s going to lose her to bees?!
“You’d leave London then?” Gracie chokes on the words, not even trying to hide her distress.
“Yeah,” Olive answers absently, playing with the end of her long braid. “He says they’re fascinating.”
Gracie’s whole body tenses and her stomach roils. She feels sick and a bit dizzy when she glances away from Olive to a girl laughing wildly on the swings. It’s like a bad dream spiraling out of control to the soundtrack of that girl’s mad laughter. Gracie bites her lip hard to ground herself and looks back at Olive.
“Is he close to retiring?” Gracie forces out, beads of sweat beginning to collect at her temples.
“What? No,” Olive huffs a laugh and looks at Gracie again. “He’s definitely old, but not ancient. He has too much fun working anyway. Hey, are you okay?”
“Fun?” Gracie asks incredulously, ignoring her friend’s inquiry. “At a crime scene?”
“Oh, yeah, he loves it,” Olive laughs, seeing Gracie begin to relax. “He loves a good mystery. Locked room murders are his favorite.”
“Wow,” Gracie mutters, only half understanding what that means.
“He used to have a partner, you know,” Olive adds with a grin. “He loved it even more then.”
“So he had his own Clue Crew?” excited energy vibrates through Gracie’s body as she pictures a grown up and male version of Olive with a man and woman posed behind him like on Charlie’s Angels. Gracie’s dad loves old shows and movies, so she has seen her fair share. James Bond is his favorite. She makes a note to ask Olive if she has ever seen any of them.
“Not a crew,” the brunette corrects. “Just the one partner. They solved all kinds of cases together. They were best friends.”
“Like us?”
“Yep, exactly like us,” Olive says with a flash of teeth. Gracie grins too and is about to ask about Bond when something else pops to the forefront of her mind.
“Oh! It’s like my dad’s bedtime stories!” Gracie blurts eagerly. “Sam Williams and Dean Jensen. They’re best friends and solve crimes together. That’s how I got started on Nancy Drew in the first place. Dad’s read some of the old ones to me.”
“Really?” Olive cries. “Oh! Oh! Mystery of the 99 Steps?”
“That’s my favorite!” Gracie shrieks, her hands flying to her cheeks.
“Mine too!” Olive gasps.
“Girls,” the teacher on duty calls up to them from the ground below. They look down at her, all wide eyes and smiles. “Time to go back inside.”
They climb down as the teacher walks away to tell other kids. The two girls bound towards the school, slowing to a walk as they get closer. Gracie feels something brush against her hand and glances at it just in time to see Olive’s longer fingers wrap around it. She shifts her wide eyes to her friend’s, barely able to contain her joy.
“We should get our dads to read us the same old Nancy Drew book, a chapter each night,” Olive tells her conspiratorially. “Then we can compare notes the next day and see if we can solve it before Nancy.”
“That’s the best idea!” Gracie crows. “We can figure out which one during library time.”
“And then you check it out,” Olive says decisively. “Mrs. Hudson has all of them. I can borrow it from her.”
“Ok,” Gracie agrees, already knowing so much about Olive’s godmother that she doesn’t even question the woman would have the whole series. Honestly, Gracie wants to meet her almost as much as she wants to meet Olive’s detective father.
The two girls giggle for a moment at their new plan and then skip into the school building.
***
Saturday afternoon finds Gracie hand in hand with Candace McCleary, a nanny John handpicked while Gracie was still in Bath. They met the day after Gracie arrived last week and she instantly fell in love with Candace, much to John’s relief. Candace would not be a live-in nanny, but is employed like one. John needs her to get Gracie from school and stay with her until he gets home in the evenings. He also needs her to be available at a moment’s notice for when an emergency, like the birth of a baby, arises. John had warned his daughter after Angela Taylor’s check-up on Wednesday that he thought the baby would come early and probably at a most inconvenient time. Sure enough, he received the call just as he started lunch. Gracie was disappointed that her first trip to Hanover Gate Children’s Playground in Regent’s Park would be without her father, but was still over the moon when Candace was happy to take her. She had been looking forward to it almost all week.
“Oh my gosh!” Gracie exclaims as she and Candace approach the playground. There is equipment everywhere to climb and swing on and slide down. Gracie immediately decides the sandpit is first on her list. A tall tree stands in its center with wooden bridges and walkways built all around it. Rope ladders and nets offer admittance and there is even a hammock to sit on. “Candace, this is amazing! This is the best park ever!”
“Why don’t you jump right in?” the woman laughs. “I’ll just be right on this bench if you need me.”
Candace points to an empty green bench as she speaks and starts heading for it before someone else claims it. Gracie calls out her agreement and makes a b-line for the nearest rope ladder. She is up it in seconds and running across a bouncy bridge, laughing all the way. She runs the whole course, turns right back around and does it again. There are quite a few kids in this part of the park, but it’s still easy to work her way around them. After a few more laps on the equipment, a small group of kids asks Gracie to play tag. She recognizes them from school and accepts.
A good hour later, two of the kids have to go home and Gracie is exhausted. She begs off, having had her mind set on playing in the sand since she and Candace got there. Plopping down in a shady spot, she plunges her hands beneath the beige and brown grains. The sand is cool and dry and feels soft in between her fingers, not like the rough sand that is sometimes used in parks. It’s like the white sand from a beach. She has half a mind to pull her shoes off and let her feet sink into its depths. Gracie closes her eyes and wiggles her fingers, feeling the sand move around them like a favorite blanket. She opens her eyes as she curls her fingers around the tiny grains and watches them slip through when she lifts her hands. 
Gracie does this again and again until she grabs a stick and begins to drag it through the sand like a plow. At one point, she makes a short trench and plants sunflower seeds and raisins from the snack baggy in her pocket. She pats the sand with satisfaction after covering them and looks toward the bench where Candace sits. She waves and her nanny waves back. Gracie giggles and gets to her knees, but stops when a figure just sitting down on the hammock suddenly blocks her view of Candace.
“What the…” Gracie mutters, her mouth falling open in disbelief. She gets to her feet and runs straight for the rope hammock and its occupant, who hears her footfalls and looks up with blue-grey eyes.
“Gracie!” Olive cries in surprise as her friend trips in the sand and drops face-first next to the hammock. “Gracie?”
“I’m okay,” the blonde girl declares, pushing herself up and standing quickly. The two girls lock eyes and start laughing. “What are you doing here?”
“We come every weekend,” Olive replies, pulling Gracie onto the woven rope. “Our flat’s just that way.”
“Really?” Gracie gasps with a delighted squeak. She points in the opposite direction. “Mine’s that way.”
“No way!” Olive shouts with glee. “That’s amazing! I had no idea we lived so close.”
“I know right,” Gracie exclaims, beginning to rock the hammock a bit. Olive unfolds her legs to hang them down and help push. “What are the odds?”
“Well,” Olive considers, adopting her contemplative face. Gracie knows instantly that a deduction is coming. She giggles and her smile widens as she watches her best friend. “Since we go to the same school, it seems fairly likely that we would live close together because it’s usually based on geography. However, it’s a bit different with public school. Kids can come from all parts of London as long as they have the money to pay.”
“Oh my god,” Gracie can barely contain her excitement and she stamps a foot on the ground a few times. “We could play here every weekend! I’m sure I could get Dad to bring me.”
“Yes! Let’s set it up now,” Olive sits up straight, ready to jump off the netting. “Is your dad here?”
“No, he had to deliver a baby,” Gracie rolls her eyes. Olive makes a dismissive noise that sounds like she just opened an air-tight container and sinks back into the hammock “Exactly. I mean, babies are important and all, but now he has to wait another week to see all this.”
Gracie swings her arms out wide and tilts her head skyward before flopping unceremoniously onto her back. Olive lets herself tip backwards as well and they soon lie side by side, looking up at the clouds. Gracie points out one that looks like a panda and proceeds to tell her friend all sorts of facts about pandas.
“I even have a panda,” she finishes.
“You do?” Olive asks, her eyes widen with wonder. 
“Since I was three,” Gracie nods. “She’s my favorite stuffie. She’s called Pandy and I sleep with her every night.”
“I have a bee,” Olive says without hesitation. “I call him Wellington, sometimes Wellies for short.”
“Do you like bees as much as your dad does?” Gracie is curious because Wellington might have been a gift like Pandy was, but it certainly sparked her interest in pandas. 
“I don’t think anyone could like them as much as Dad,” Olive huffs a laugh, “but yeah, I definitely like them too. It’s amazing how they make honey and their whole society and all.”
“Wow. Would you tell me?” Gracie fixes her with a serious gaze and licks her lips. “I loooove honey.”
“Sure, and you can tell me more about pandas,” Olive grins and points to a medium-sized cloud. “That one looks like a catapult.”
Gracie cocks a brow and follows her finger to a cloud that, amazingly enough, does resemble a rudimentary catapult.
The afternoon passes as the two girls tell each other stories and make up new games, their favorite being pirates sailing their hammock boat across the sea to a mysterious island. They leave their spot at this point to explore sandy beaches, nearly being vanquished by a giant hippo and almost losing Olive beneath quicksand. Gracie keeps her head about her and is always within Candace’s line of sight, and it’s a good thing too because the two girls are interrupted as tea time nears.
“I knew I’d find you here,” a low rumble of a voice comes from behind Gracie where she sits facing Olive. They have just dug up a treasure of sunflowers and raisins, a very valuable find on the sea. Their eyes grow wide as a menacing laugh fills the air around them. Gracie swallows hard and turns slowly to see the towering silhouette of a man in a billowy black coat. She shields her eyes, but with the sun behind him, she cannot make out his features. He probably has an eye patch and everything.
“What are you doing on my island?” the man demands as he steps closer. Gracie gasps and pushes herself backwards toward Olive to get away from the dark figure only just coming into focus.
“Hi, girls. Is everything okay?” Candace McCleary asks from the right and Gracie glances at her gratefully. Her trusty companion must have bolted from her park bench as soon as the giant appeared. Now she stands alert as though ready to pounce and Gracie breathes a sigh of relief. She hadn’t even seen this man until it was too late. Gracie grits her teeth and silently berates herself as her father’s words about being observant come to mind.
“Uhhh…” Gracie finds her voice, but it comes out as a meek croak. Meanwhile, Olive leaps up next to her and runs for the figure with open arms. Gracie gapes, sure she is about to see her friend eaten before her very eyes.
“Daddy!” Olive cries, launching herself into the man’s arms. Gracie blinks and it is like a cloud has moved from where it had covered the sun. The giant, no longer in the shadows, transforms into a tall man wearing a nice suit with no tie and a long coat. Gracie finds herself marveling at the fact that he doesn’t appear to be hot in the slightest and momentarily wonders if he has ice in his pockets, but stops all speculation when she sees his face. Angles and cheeks like Olive, dark curls and the same grey eyes that seem to change from green to blue and back. The corners of Gracie’s mouth turn up and a sense of ease washes over her.
“Is it time to go already?” Olive is speaking at a mile a minute. “We only just started playing pirates. Can Gracie come home with us? We’re having Thai for dinner. I bet she’ll like it.”
The tall man chuckles at his daughter and the sound is like a really warm blanket, soft and comfy. He glances at Candace and settles his gaze on Gracie. She bristles for a moment at those all-seeing eyes. It’s true they are like Olive’s, but much wiser. Gracie has the feeling he is learning much more from just watching her than anyone else can. She’s not entirely sure how she feels about that, but supposes it’s why Olive is so perceptive and she loves her. Besides, this is her dad. Gracie feels like she knows him already after all the stories she has heard.
“Ah, so this is the infamous Gracie,” Sherlock says surreptitiously with a look in Olive’s direction. The girl smiles broadly and nods while Gracie smiles a little timidly. His chin dips in greeting. “I’ve heard a great deal about you.”
“I know a lot about you too,” Gracie replies as she rises, finding her tenacity again.
“Of that, I have no doubt,” Sherlock answers. He turns his attention to Candace, who still looks a touch uneasy. “And this is your friend?”
“Yeah,” Gracie confirms enthusiastically. “This is Candace.”
She jumps up and grabs Olive’s hand, pulling her toward the young woman.
“And this is Olive,” she exclaims.
“Oh,” the last traces of suspicion vanish from Candace’s eyes and she gestures at the girls. “Of course. You’re Olive. Gracie has been telling me about you all week.” “And this is my dad,” Olive introduces. “Sher…”
“William,” Sherlock interrupts, offering his hand. Candace steps forward and takes it in a firm shake. “Will.”
“Nice to meet you,” Candace replies, not noticing the quizzical look on Olive’s face, but Gracie sees. She also sees Sherlock glance at his daughter and communicate something that clears the confusion from Olive’s mind in an instant. Gracie tilts her head in thought, considering this new information. She and John can do that sometimes too. It makes her that much more certain that Olive is meant to be her best friend.
“It’s quite a coincidence them meeting in the park like this,” Candace is saying when Gracie emerges from her thoughts. “Do you live around here?”
“Yes, just on Baker Street,” Sherlock answers politely, but with a tinge of the tone Olive has when she mutters that something is obvious. Gracie lets out a quick giggle.
“Oh, right,” Candace nods with a friendly smile. “That’s not far at all. Maybe we’ll see you here again.”
“I wouldn’t doubt it,” Sherlock looks down at the two girls, both of which are very excited. Olive is almost dancing in place and Gracie would swear she needed the toilet if she didn’t know better. “We’re here every Saturday just after lunch.”
“Perfect,” Candace says. “That’s about when we arrived. I’ll let her father know too. He’ll usually be the one who brings her.”
“He had a baby to deliver,” Gracie supplies. “He’s a doctor.”
“So Olive tells me,” Sherlock tells her with a certain mirth in his tone. “I would very much like to meet him, especially now that I’ve met you.”
“He’s wanted to all week,” Olive exclaims, giving Gracie’s hand a squeeze. “Ever since the first day.”
“I just can’t believe we ran into each other like this,” Candace declares, still a little dumbfounded.
Gracie doesn’t hear Sherlock’s response because Olive leans in close to whisper in her ear how great it will be when their fathers meet. The blonde nods her head vigorously and they laugh together quietly.
“Oh my, it’s nearly tea time,” Candace says to her watch. “I have to get her home. Are you ready, Gracie?”
“I guess so,” the girl pouts. She throws her arms around Olive in a huge hug. “I can’t wait to see you on Monday.”
Gracie gasps and looks at Olive with wide eyes, her hands still clamped around her arms.
“I’m going to write you a special note tomorrow and make a comic with my favorite markers,” she announces with glee. “They smell like strawberries and grapes and stuff.”
“Oh, wow!” Olive hoots. “I’ll make one of my maps for you.”
“It could be of this park!” Gracie shouts as Candace’s mobile sounds. She pulls it from her pocket and glances at its screen, pressing the surface to turn off the alarm.
“We really have to be going,” Candace says apologetically. “It was so nice to meet you both.”
“And you as well,” Sherlock dips his chin in farewell as Candace takes Gracie’s hand and leads her away.
“Bye, Gracie!” Olive calls, waving madly.
“Bye!” the blonde shouts back.
Olive waves for a good thirty seconds and then turns to face her father with her arms crossed over her chest. She raises a brow expectantly and Sherlock knows precisely why, but says nothing.
“Let’s go, shall we?” he begins walking toward home, knowing she will follow. “I believe Mrs. Hudson is making fresh biscuits.”
“What was that about, Dad?” Olive asks in disbelief, already matching his steps. “Why William?”
“You know I use aliases at times,” Sherlock replies without looking at her.
“Yeah, for cases, but these aren’t criminals,” Olive insists. “These are my friends.”
“I know, love,” he turns his head to see her earnest expression looking up at him. “I just don’t want to prejudice Gracie’s father.”
“What’s prejudice?” Olive furrows her brow as she repeats the word.
“Well, you know my profession can be dangerous,” Sherlock begins.
“Yeah…” Olive says slowly, eyeing him curiously.
“A lot of people know that because they see my name in the media,” he explains. “I don’t want Gracie’s father to hear my name and assume Gracie will be in danger. I’m concerned he will get the wrong impression and feel uncomfortable about you being friends.”
“Oh,” Olive says flatly as if she hadn’t considered that. They walk in silence for a moment until she speaks up again. He knew she would. She is too smart and inquisitive not to have follow-up questions. “So what are you going to do when we’ve been friends for months and it’s time to tell them your real name? Say ‘By the way, my name is really Sherlock Holmes.’?”
Sherlock gives her a withering look and says nothing. Her jaw drops and she shoves him lightly.
“Dad! You can’t NOT tell them,” Olive insists. She bends at the knees slightly to emphasize the word not. “It’s dishonest. Dad, it’s lying.”
“Sometimes we lie for the greater good,” Sherlock tells her curtly.
“Now you sound like Mycroft,” Olive sneers and that stops Sherlock dead in his tracks. He turns to face her, dropping into a squat and meeting her eyes.
“I would do anything for you, Olive,” he says sincerely, resting his hands on her shoulders. She curls the corner of her mouth and cocks a brow.
“Dad,” Olive begins matter-of-factly, “I know that and I would do anything for you too, but you told me I couldn’t lie.”
“Yes. Yes, I did,” Sherlock sighs and then continues resolutely. “You’re right. I’ll introduce myself properly when we meet Gracie’s father. Okay?”
“Okay,” Olive grins and they walk again, hand in hand.
“Olive?” Sherlock says, glancing her way. She looks up at him in answer. “Don’t compare me to Mycroft again.”
Olive lets out a quiet chortle and tightens her grip on his fingers. 
“Desperate measures,” she replies more than a little pleased with herself. Sherlock puffs a quick breath through his nose and smirks as they walk on. Like father, like daughter.
---
What the hell, Jane?? I know what you said at the beginning, but this is unfair. Gracie and Candace get to meet Sherlock, but not John?! I want the boys to meet again! NOW! So sorry, my friends, but you'll have to wait a bit longer. Worry not, it will happen. Eventually. (insert evil smile, cruel chuckle and holding of fingertips together like Mr. Burns) Love, Jane
@johnlock-rocks
21 notes · View notes
catboymingi · 4 years
Text
Tumblr media
dummy
navi/masterlist
pairing: mingi x reader
genre: angst, crack, fluff; enemies to lovers
word count: 3.9k
warnings: parental death, almost-assault (i promise it’s short and i promise it’s not bad, most of this is just really silly)
there’s no boy more stupid than song min gi. you’ve been convinced of that since you met him at age five, and he didn’t really try to convince you otherwise. but maybe, just maybe, he’s not as much of a dummy as you thought.
the first memory you have of mingi is the one that made you start hating him. you were five years old, and your parents had left you at your neighbour yunho’s place because they had to sort some adult business that you’d forgotten as soon as they told you. it was much less exciting than getting to play with your friend, and you’d proudly brought your toy car so you could do races as you always did. it was new, and you really liked it, and you were excited to show. 
but you weren’t the only friend visiting yunho, a weird, annoying loud boy having claimed your best friend as his before you had any option to even complain. and when you tried to play with your toy cars, the weird, annoying loud boy laughed at your car, the car you’d been so excited to show yunho because you always showed yunho, and you had begged your parents to get you this car for days upon days because you felt like it went well with yunho’s favourite, and it was much cooler and fancier than the old one you used to play with. but before you could present it, present the little button it had that would make it honk and the way it would shoot forward by itself if you pulled it back on the floor, yunho’s annoying friend was laughing at you.
“that’s not for girls!”, he told you. “and that car is so lame!” you felt tears of disappointment and anger well up in your eyes, and he only laughed more.
“you want to play with the boys but you don’t even have a cool car! and now you’re crying like a little girl!”
“because you’re stupid!”, you replied with as much hate in your voice as was possible for a five-year-old, and now he was angry, too.
“i’m not stupid!”, he shot back. you’d really hit a nerve. “you’re stupid and you suck and you’re just a little girl wanting to play with the big guys! we don’t even like you!”
before he knew it, you were throwing your little body on his taller one, hitting his chest with as much strength as your little fists could muster up, because while you didn’t care about him you cared about yunho and this annoying boy had said yunho didn’t like you when he was your best friend, and when you knew that yunho loved playing with your toy cars with you. this stupid bully just didn’t know anything, and you decided in that moment that you’d hate him forever, with the sternness only a five-year-old girl could have about her decisions, being sure that your promise to yourself to hate him forever was something you could most definitely keep. and you told him, still hitting his chest.
“i hate you! i hate you now and i’ll hate you forever because you’re stupid and you don’t know anything and i don’t like you!” and you refused to stop hitting him even when he was sitting up, recovered from the surprise of your sudden attack, and yunho’s mother had to remove you and call your parents to pick you up early while your best friend was watching you wide-eyed.
//
and you were keeping your promise to hate the annoying boy, whom you sadly found out to be called mingi but whom you opted to call dummy instead since you were convinced it fit him much much better. two and a half years later you still stuck your tongue out at him whenever you saw him, now almost eight and feeling much more mature and much better equipped to handle his stupidity, until you actually came near him. then you were calling him names, but it was definitely justified because he called you names, too, and he regularly put out his foot while you were running so you’d trip, and he’d steal your things and use his height to an advantage to hold them over his head where you wouldn’t be able to reach them even if you jumped. you in return had pulled down his pants more than once, revealing his embarrassing superhero underwear for the world to see. it was fair to say that he was your archnemesis and you were his.
but today yunho had asked you to be nice because he was turning eight and he wanted to invite you both and he didn’t want you to argue. you promised him you’d try your best, and your best was just completely ignoring mingi no matter what he did, a tactic that worked until it was time for the movie night, all the children gathered around the tv in the living room wrapped in colourful blankets and eyes glued to the screen. all eyes but the dummy’s. you didn’t notice how he was creeping closer to you, frustrated that you’d ignored him all day no matter how hard he’d tried, determined to make you pay attention to him now. and he had a plan.
you’d barely had a second to react between the time you felt someone grab your arm and the time when he buried his teeth in your flesh, yelping out loudly as you tried to break free from his unrelenting grip. that only hurt more, though, and you were certain that he was breaking skin and spreading his gross dummy germs in your blood and infecting you with his dummy disease so that soon you’d be as stupid and annoying as him.
“let go!”, you yelled, free arm hitting his head violently while he refused to stop biting you. you were almost crying now, and all the other kids were watching in horror.
“mingi, stop!”, yunho yelled, pulling at his friend who had just managed to ruin his eighth birthday party but who you knew would be forgiven the next day because yunho always forgave mingi, even when mingi had broken his favourite superhero figurine. but at least he got the dummy to stop, and you got up while you yelled so loud you couldn’t understand the movie anymore.
“i hate you, mingi, i hate you and you’re a dummy and i never ever ever want to see you again! and if yunho invites me over i won’t come unless you’re far far far away because you’re a stupid dummy!” and with those words you stomped to the front door, taking off before anyone could stop you, stomping angrily all the way to the neighbouring house, surprising your parents when you rang the doorbell all by yourself even though you were supposed to stay at your best friend’s pyjama party.
“what happened?”, your mother asked, incredibly worried.
“mingi is stupid and i hope someone pees in his socks!”, was the reply you gave before you stomped off into your room, going to bed thinking very angry thoughts.
//
it only got worse from there. and when mingi moved in with yunho at age 10 you were convinced he did so for the sole reason of annoying you, because that was what he spent his days with now, and you couldn’t escape him anywhere. he’d transferred to your school, and he lived next door, and he’d thrown wet dirt at your window more than once. he was annoying and irritating and you refused to visit yunho for a whole month, trying to ignore him the best you could because he’d willingly taken the enemy in, and you were convinced he’d sided with mingi. newly ten-year-old you hadn’t been informed of the actual reason why your nemesis moved next to you, and the only explanation that made sense to you was that he’d annoyed his parents so much that they didn’t want him anymore.
and you told him so when he stole your candy, the candy you’d gotten from your teacher for getting the best grade in the entire class on your maths test. he stole it and ate it before you could stop him, and you yelled at him that he was so annoying and that it was no wonder his parents had given him away, you doing the same if you had a choice.
it took two teachers to pull mingi away from your small frame, hitting you with all his force as he yelled that he hated you repeatedly. you were covered in bruises when he was down, blood oozing from your nose because he hadn’t had any mercy and hit wherever he could reach as hard as he could. you both were sent home, no one knowing just what you had said that had riled him up like this, and the two of you not telling, either, in silent agreement with each other for the first time in your life.
//
the truth about mingi’s move had managed to somehow stay hidden from you for another five years, during which your hatred for each other only grew. you were physically fighting at least once a week, making life hell for the other on the daily. as you grew older your actions grew more serious, and people were genuinely worried about the two of you’s behaviour at this point. this wasn’t  a normal teen rivalry, your words hitting where you knew it hurt. you didn’t know just how much it hurt, though, using mingi’s parents as a way to get back at him regularly without knowing the truth behind his story. you just assumed they were on a business trip or something, or had moved abroad and would come to collect him when he was done with school. you didn’t know how much your words hurt him, even though you noticed how he lost control whenever you’d bring them up, having actually broken your nose once.
you found out from him, actually. he had snuck his way into your garden where you were reading in the sun and shot at you with a water gun, wetting not just you but also the pages of your favourite book. and because you were angry and because you didn’t know his story and because you wanted him to be angry, too, you yelled at him.
“it’s no wonder your parents don’t want you when you do stupid shit like this!”
before you knew it he was on top of you, crushing you with his huge body (by now he was almost half a head taller than you), but to your surprise he only dealt a single punch to your chest before he stopped, hovering there with tears in his eyes as he screamed back at you.
“my parents are fucking dead! they’re dead because they got into some fucking accident when they were on their way to pick me up and it’s my fucking fault! you don’t know shit!” and he hit your chest another time.
you surprised him as well when you wrapped your arms around him and tried to pull him closer, into an apologetic hug, when you found out why he’d moved next to you and what he’d been dealing with all this time and what you’d reminded him of whenever you brought up his parents. you were so, so sorry because you hadn’t known and you’d hurt him more than you’d ever intended to, and because you’d never be able to make up for all the horrible things you said. but you promised yourself to never ever bring them up again, and you kept trying to pull him closer to you, to pull him into an actual hug, because you wanted to apologise and you wanted to try and comfort him since you were the reason he needed comfort in the first place.
“i’m so sorry, mingi”, you said quietly but earnestly, hoping he knew that you meant it. but he didn’t. instead he pushed himself off you, bringing a few steps’ distance between you.
“no, you’re not.” and with that he turned around and left.
//
you still hated mingi, and he obviously still hated you, but at least on your part you’d become kinder to him once you knew what he was going through. his parents had been off limits ever since that day, and even the things you did still insult him about were handled with more care. you hated him, but you weren’t a monster, and you felt like he’d gone through enough pain, partly caused by you, for him to deserve a break now.
when you went on your first date ever two days after you’d turned sixteen and the guy insisted on bringing you home, you thought it was sweet. when he was visibly affected by the time you’d reached your home, you thought it was less sweet. and when he pressed you against the door before you could open, pinning you there while he told you how excited he was since your parents weren’t home, you didn’t think it was sweet at all. you thought it was disgusting and, most importantly, you thought it was horrifying. he was taller and stronger than you and he had a determination in his eyes that made your breath quicken in panic. it was somewhat late and you didn’t expect anyone to be around, to hear you even if you screamed. not that you could, your voice stuck in your throat.
but someone was around. someone saw the way you were trapped against the door, and someone decided to help you even though he would always insist he hated you, because even if he hated you you didn’t deserve this. someone grabbed the guy by the shoulder and delivered the same kind of punch to his face that had broken your nose ages ago, and someone growled at him to never come near you again or he wouldn’t end up as uninjured as now. and then someone turned to face you, expression changing from a hateful to a soft one, eyes looking at you with a weird warmth in them. you weren’t sure if you were dreaming or if this was real, because that someone had never looked at you like this before, and now that someone was picking up the keys you’d dropped and unlocking your door for you, and when you still made no attempt to move that someone picked you up carefully, carrying you into the safety of your dark house.
“are you okay?” now you were convinced you were dreaming. mingi didn’t care if you were okay, ever, more often than not actively ensuring that you weren’t. but now he was holding you gently, dropping you on the couch as he sat down on the floor next to you.
“mingi?” you just wanted to make sure it was really him.
“hm?”
“why are you being nice to me?” he let out a short, surprised laugh at that. of course the first thing you focused on after some dude just tried to do who knows what to you was the fact that, for once in your life, he wasn’t at your throat.
“there was no way i’d let that guy do whatever he was planning to. you really think i’m that much of an asshole?”
“you’d have all reason to”, you replied silently. “it’s not like i was nice to you about… you know.” he knew. and he knew that you’d tried your best to cut him some slack ever since that day, even though he acted like he didn’t.
“you were, though.” the dim light from the street lanterns was enough to make him able to see your eyes widening and you shaking your head.
“you were. ever since i told you you never brought it up again. and you didn’t know it hurt before that.” he genuinely seemed to mean it. his voice was so calm and steady and soft that you almost didn’t recognise it as his - he’d almost only ever screamed at you, ever since that day he bullied you about your toy car when you were five.
“you’re not as bad as i thought, you know?”, he continued both his elaboration and surprising you. was he sick?
“i noticed how you tried to comfort me back then, i was just overwhelmed with the situation. but later i could’ve kicked myself in the ass for not letting you. i think that was the first time you actually tried to be nice to me”, he chuckled quietly, and it seemed like he’d forgotten that you were even there, just speaking his mind freely.
“and after that you never brought it up again, at all. you were nicer in general, too, and i felt kinda bad because i really wasn’t. but i guess i was scared that if i was nice to you you’d think i’m a wimp, exposing me to the entire school or something. putting up posters saying that i’m a softie.” before you had a chance to react he looked up at where you were sitting, hesitantly putting a hand on both of yours that were playing nervously in your lap.
“and maybe i am, when it comes to you.” he grinned awkwardly. “of course i’d have stepped in if it was anyone else, too, but the way you looked so scared… god, i’m still fuming when i think about it. i don’t ever want to see you look like that again. i want to protect you from whatever could give you a reason to look like that again.”
“why are you saying all this now?” you knew it probably wasn’t the best reaction, but it was what was on your mind, wondering just what had caused him to suddenly do a 180 on his previous behaviour.
“i saw the way you looked at him, and i got scared that one day i’m gonna go too far and you’ll look at me like that. i wanna… come clear, i guess? before that ever has a chance to happen.”
“come clear about what?” you felt bad that you were asking so many questions when he was being so open and honest, but your thoughts were racing at least as fast as your heart, and you had no idea just what exactly mingi was trying to get at. it felt like something important, though.
“that i don’t hate you”, he revealed, and you looked at him in shock.
“don’t look at me like that!”, he laughed. “i don’t hate you, and i don’t think i ever did. i was jealous because yunho was so excited for you to come over back when we first met, and he didn’t seem near as excited to play with me. so i wanted to make you leave.”
you were laughing as well now, and if you were honest his small confession was kind of endearing. that was such a five-year-old thing to do.
“well, it certainly worked. i refused to be near you at all until you moved here and i had no choice.” then, you considered whether or not to let him know your silly childhood thoughts, and decided that it would be only fair. “i thought you moved here so you could annoy me better. that thought kinda stuck until you told me the truth, actually.” you were embarrassed, but he only laughed louder, and while chuckles were still pearling from your lips you started defending yourself.
“you did try everything to annoy me! i had to clean my window so many times because you kept throwing shit at it!”
“i was trying to get your attention!”, he revealed before he could stop himself, and once he noticed what he had just said he decided he might as well expose his embarrassing teen boy crush fully.
“you were always so busy spending time with other boys, and i knew i wouldn’t be able to compete with them in like… looks or charms or anything, but i still wanted to stand out. and i did! you paid attention to me when i was bullying you.”
“you could’ve just drawn me a picture of a car or whatever ten-year-old boys do when they’re trying to impress a girl!”, you said exasperatedly. “you didn’t have to make my life a living hell.”
“but what if you thought my car wasn’t cool enough!”, he countered, “my ego wouldn’t have been able to take that.” you laughed more, but he stopped you.
“no, really, i was so scared you’d laugh at me. and acting like i hate you was a much safer bet than showing that i like you.” and while he’d been hinting at it during the entire conversation you were still surprised to hear him say it so openly, that he liked you.
“you know that treating me like shit on the daily isn’t really the way to make me like you though, right?”, you asked and you couldn’t help but tease him a little, even though your stomach was doing somersaults at his confession.
“that’s what i meant!”, he exclaimed. “you don’t like me back and now you’re making fun of me and i’ll never be able to look you in the eyes again.” the way he seemed embarrassed and nervous and so much like a normal teenage boy rather than the dummy that had made your life a living hell for the past decade and more filled your chest with warmth and you with confidence.
“why don’t you try?” his head jolted up in surprise at your words, and you took your chance as you saw it, leaning down to him to quickly peck his lips, and for once his annoying height worked to your advantage, because if he’d been any shorter his nose would’ve been the limit for how far you could lean down without falling off the couch.
“what was that for?” he was confused and uncertain and somewhat shocked but most of all he was happy.
“you’re cute”, you simply told him before leaning down again to peck the tip of his nose, and again for his cheek, and the bridge of his nose, and his other cheek, and his forehead, not wanting to stop ever when you saw that your actions had made a huge grin spread across his face, the first genuinely happy grin you’d ever gotten from him. and you wanted more.
“can i kiss you too?”, he asked, seeming still somewhat unable to process that this was really happening.
“only if you stop being a dummy”, you told him, and he stuck his tongue out at you as the nickname you’d never dropped fell from your lips again.
“but if i’m not a dummy then what am i supposed to be!” he really wanted to kiss you, but he couldn’t help but fall back into the old teasing, except this time you were both grinning and happy and not down each other’s throats.
“i’m sure you’ll figure something out. put that pretty head of yours to use.” and hearing you call his dummy head pretty gave him the last little boast of confidence he needed for his next words.
“can i be your boyfriend instead?” you looked at him surprised, but then the brightest smile he’d ever seen from you spread across your face.
“seems like a good compromise”, you informed him of your decision, and then he propped himself up on his knees so he was at eye level with you, and then he kissed you. and while you knew he was still a dummy and forever would be, now he was your dummy.
130 notes · View notes
liberty-barnes · 4 years
Text
Done Wondering
Jock!Tom Holland x Female!Reader
Highschool AU
@danicarosaline requested: Hi pretty!! i saw your requests are open so may i please request a jock Tom x reader! Tom is a big softy and the captain of his football team and reader is a tough ‘not taking shits from anybody’ type of person? Like Tom gets in an argument with a team mate and he’s being all nice and calm about it but reader thinks his team mate deserves a good punch in the face so she punches him and it shocks the entire team and Tom himself even though he expected it!!
Warnings: F L U F F, not sure that the football talk is 100% accurate, all I know about American football is that Tom Brady's a quarterback, their jerseys are cool and apparently I'm supposed to cheer for the Pats? (yeah, that's my dad's fault), B99 references (i fucking love that show), cursing, a bit of violence ig
Word Count: 2.3k words (why can i not write short things?)
Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes
A/N: so sorry it took so long to get this out! also, i got waaaaaay to invested in this... oopsie
Masterlist
Tumblr media
You ran across the field as people all around you celebrated with only one goal in mind: kiss your boyfriend.
You and Tom had been dating for almost seven months now, to many people's surprise. The entire school thought you'd be together for a week tops, but you surpassed all their expectations by becoming the longest standing couple in junior year (not that it was hard, high schoolers change partners like discardable gloves). 
Tom was one of Sunset High's best and brightest, loved by the teachers, captain of the football team, and the object of many's affection.
You, however, were nothing like that. You hated sports (everyone knows art's better anyway), social interactions were your personal little slice of hell, and everyone was too scared to approach you since you threatened to gut Charles after he accidentally forgot to give you back your pencil.
All in all, there was no way you two could stay together.
There was no way you could even make a friendship work, let alone a romantic relationship.
But then there was that fateful summer night...
Your mind ran at a thousand miles an hour as you rocked in the park's nest swing. The stars looming over you were the only thing keeping you from spiraling, and after an hour of watching them, the peace in your mind was crumbling.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."
You sat up on the swing and looked to your right where stood a sheepish-looking Tom.
"It's okay, I should probably leave anyway..."
"No! I mean, it's okay, you were here first I didn't mean to disturb you."
You cast your eyes down until he spoke again.
"You go to my school, right? (Y/n)? We were in the same English class in freshman year."
"Yeah, I think so... I'm surprised you remember me, we didn't have any classes together last year..."
He huffed out a laugh and leaned against the support beam, hands in his pockets.
"It's kinda hard to forget someone like you. You stood up to the teacher on the first day after he yelled at a kid and spent the next year having actual coherent debates about the books that most of the class never even read, let alone understood. You're kind of amazing."
You ducked your head once more to try to cover the blush on your cheeks, biting your lip.
"Thanks."
He nodded and took a deep breath, then sat in front of you and pushed so the swing was rocking softly, always catching it before it hit his face.
You giggled a bit and sat criss-cross applesauce, back straight, your mother's words permanently etched into your brain.
"So, what are you doing alone in the town's most secluded park at midnight?"
"Oh, you know, questioning my life choices, freaking out because in three weeks we're going back to school while simultaneously feeling stir crazy after having nothing cool to do all summer, regretting ever being born, the usual. What about you?"
"Getting crushed by everyone's expectations, feeling constricted cause I have to set a good example for my little brothers, freaking out cause I have no idea what I want to do with my life, the usual."
A comfortable silence settled between you.
"Do our lives really suck or is it just the teenagers in us that dramatize everything?"
He huffed out a laugh.
"I don't know, tell me your story and I'll let you know."
You scooched to the side and patted the now empty spot on the too-small swing so he could lay down next to you. Looking at the stars seemed like a better idea than looking at him.
"I never really liked school, people are jerks, cafeteria food is disgusting at best, I have no friends -not that I care about that, I'm better off alone. Still, it's better than being home. When my father isn't working in his study, he's berating me about getting better grades, even though I'm a straight-A student, not that he cares enough to actually know that. My mother's usually either gossiping with her other rich friends or telling me to correct my posture, dress better, act like a lady, it's infuriating...
"My older brother, the only person in that family that I genuinely like, left for MIT today, so I guess I'm just now realizing that I'm really... alone. I'll have to suffer through my father's lectures about getting high grades and act like someone I'm not so my mother doesn't take away everything I love until I "learn to act like a respectable woman". Jake used to get them to lay off me, but now he's not here. Sometimes I wonder why they even adopted me if I'm such a bad daughter. It just sucks."
You felt his hand twitch next to yours and his eyes on your face.
"Your turn."
He took a shuddering breath before speaking.
"My parents are amazing, they really are, they only want what's best for me, but sometimes it's a little much. They constantly remind me of going to training, doing my homework, studying for tests, and even though they always say it's okay, I see the disappointment in their eyes when my grades lower even by a single point.
"My little brothers look up to me a lot, and they're always telling me how much they want to be just like me when they grow up. I know they mean it in the best possible way, but it's just that much more pressure. I just... feel the need to always be the best at everything. The best football player, the best captain, the best student, the kindest person in that school, most helpful... it's all a bit much."
This time, it was you who were looking at his profile while he gazed at the stars.
"It's okay to feel overwhelmed, Tom. It doesn't matter that they have the best intentions, they're still putting too much pressure on you and you deserve the chance to relax."
He turned towards you and for the first time that night, you realized just how close you were.
"You're not a bad daughter just because you have different interests. I, for one, think you are a strong and independent woman who doesn't need to change because of some mere peasants. You're a queen... You deserve someone that'll treat you as one."
Your breath caught in your throat as you locked eyes with him.
"Wanna make a deal?"
You nodded tentatively, though at this point you'd probably agree to murder someone as long as he kept looking at you that way.
"I'll be your friend, give you something to do whenever you need it, save you from your asshole parents and remind you of just how awesome you are every day..."
"And in return?"
"And in return, you'll say stuff like what you said before when I get too stuck in my head, save me from my so-called friends when they're being jerks, and come to every practice with me so you have something to do and I have someone to make silly faces at."
"I'm pretty sure there are a thousand girls in that school that would kill to have you make silly faces at them."
"Maybe so, but they aren't you. A lock of your hair is worth more than all of them combined."
You bit your lip and smiled.
"Okay."
"Cool."
"Cool."
He pecked you softly on the lips before he lost his nerve, quick and fleeting, feather-light but strong enough to leave fires in its wake. You pulled him back and gave him a slightly longer kiss before setting your head on his shoulder and going back to stargazing, now with someone to keep you company.
Three weeks later, you walked into school hand in hand and haven't let go since.
"Tommy!"
You jumped into his arms, ignoring the smell of sweat and how it would probably cling to your clothes.
"You did so good baby!"
He kissed you straight on the lips, not minding his teammate's wolf-whistles, having grown used to them already.
"I had a pretty good motivation."
"Oh?"
"Mm-hm, my girl told me she'd bake me cookies if I won this match, and I really like her cookies."
"Sounds like you have a great girlfriend."
"The best."
You kissed him again and he smiled when he felt the fabric of his spare jersey adorning your figure.
"Yo, Holland!"
You forced apart by Teddy's call, one of the newer players. Since you went to every single practice, you knew that Teddy was being an ass lately, always wanting the glory, never passing the ball to his teammates. If it weren't for Tom's skill as captain of the team, he would've cost them most matches, including this one.
"Why didn't you pass me the ball?"
"Pardon?"
"That last play, I was free and you passed the ball to Harrison even though he almost lost it. You should have passed it to me, we almost lost because you want to make your useless bestie feel included!"
"Johnson was closing in on you, if I'd passed it to you, we would have lost for sure. Passing it to Harrison bought me the time I needed to get out of danger. It was purely strategical, you would know that if you paid attention to your teammates instead of playing all on your own. Haz is an amazing player and I don't treat him differently just because he's my best friend. I'd like you to apologize to him, please, it's not kind to insult your teammates."
You admired the fact that he managed to remain calm and collected throughout the whole conversation, looking like the embodiment of 'I'm not mad, I'm disappointed'. You, however, were not having such an easy time keeping your cool, hands firmly clenched at your side.
"The hell it was! You just feel threatened by me because you'll never be as good as me, so you never pass me the ball, it's ridiculous!"
"Okay, buddy, you need to back the hell off and close your mouth before I punch it shut."
His eyes flickered to you and he rose a brow mockingly.
"Oh, your little slut's standing up for you know? I always knew you were a chicken, guess my theory's been pro-"
You cut him off with a punch to the nose, smiling when you heard the satisfying crack of his bones and his howls of pain.
A collective 'ooh' came from the crowd, and they took a few steps back (excluding Tom of course, who was only looking at you with wide eyes).
"What the fuck?"
"I warned you, didn't I?"
You smirked evilly as Teddy was pulled away by the coach to check his injury.
"You're a bitch!"
"Baddest of them all, sweetheart. Have a fun time at the hospital!"
The whole crowd had gone silent by the time you turned back around, seemingly satisfied with your vengeance.
"What?"
You tilted your head in confusion at the awestruck looks on the team's faces.
"You broke his nose!"
"Uh-huh."
"With just your hand."
"Uh-huh."
"Since when are you so violent?"
You were actually kind of offended at that.
"I know that I bring you guys snacks after practice, but do none of you hear when I threaten other people? It's a daily occurrence."
The rubbed their necks sheepishly.
"Well, you see..."
Haz started, seemingly measuring his words.
"You're kind of like Rosa from Brooklyn Nine-Nine. No one actually knows what you're capable of, no one thinks you'd actually kill someone, but we're also kind of too scared to test you, so we just... wonder."
"Well, when you're done wondering, go take a shower so we can go celebrate, I'm hungry."
They all scrambled away in a chorus of 'yes ma'am' before you turned back to Tom with a smile on your face.
"You didn't have to punch him, you know?"
"Yeah, but I've been wanting to for weeks now."
He huffed out a laugh and kissed your forehead.
"How're your knuckles?"
"A bit sore, but I'm pretty sure that if we put some ice it'll be good, the rings took most of the impact."
You wiggled your hand, showing off the array of rings covering your fingers in what you deemed to be an aesthetically pleasing way.
"I love you, babygirl."
You kissed him, smiling into his lips.
"I love you too. Now go, shower!"
You patted his butt and laughed at the look he threw you, standing next to the field while you waited for them to get out.
Their coach came to stand next to you and you smiled at him, having taken a liking for him. He was a good teacher and treated the team well.
"Coach Jeffords."
"(Y/n)."
"What's the verdict?"
"Nurse says it's broken but we'll only know the full extent of his injuries after he gets examined at the ER. He's on his way there as we speak."
You nodded.
"You'll be pleased to know that he's been taken off the team and suspended for a week for unruly behavior. His parents aren't going to press charges since they feel it's deserved."
You smirked evilly.
"I'd advise you to watch out for Pembroke. He's starting to become a nuisance. If he keeps it up, he might be next."
He nodded, fighting back his smile even though you knew damn well he agreed.
"I'll do my best."
"And I'll do mine."
"(Y/n)! Ready to go?"
You nodded in goodbye at the coach and walked over to a freshly showered Tom, interlacing your fingers.
"Always."
«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»
Taglists: (if your name is striked through it means for some reason tumblr wouldn’t let me tag you)
PERMA TAG 
@jeezkiddo @beananacake @yoinkyourheart @averyfosterthoughts​ @onebigolemess​ @samoney69​ @agirlwithpointlessideas​ @ddaawwssoonn @inhumanwithpowers​ @imagineshere-forall​ @stiles-banshees​ @orowit​ @spideynut​ @deathofmissjackson​ @ephemeral-limerences​ @write-from-the-heart​ @cardboard-ben​ @my-alignment-is-bisexual​ @mendes-marvel​ @shawnsnovel​ @inthecornerchair​ @lovelynerdytraveler​ @niallssweetheart22​ 
ACTORS/RPF TAG 
@bubblegumbarnes​ @sofiaconlaz​ 
TOM HOLLAND TAG 
@tomsirishgirlx​ @dreaming-lia​ @markleehee​ @juliebean247​ @gypsystuf​ @quechulitaaa​ @theoretical-theo​ @bubblegumbarnes​  @sofiaconlaz​ @underooling​ @hannahholland1811​ @bellaaa321-blog​ @parkerpetertingle​ @emily-louise-hynes @clara-licht​ @ekelly2015​ @inlovewithmobtom​ @quaksonhehe​ @danicarosaline​ @arts-ismything​ @peachyafshawn @tutuabby28​ @sovereignparker​ @tokhalaxoxo​ @cathwritestragediesnotsins​ @incorrect-things​ 
514 notes · View notes
handern · 3 years
Note
Devy this is a weird question but you're my only mutual I know who speaks French. Do you have any recommendations for french language children's books? Especially geared at like 6-10 year old readers? I'm trying to practice my language skills, but my french isn't quite good enough yet to read the book reviews. There's "adult readers", but they have a startling lack of anything at all fun in them. I want dragons and spaceships and shit, not sad people buying groceries
Oh I'm going to pull out my list of french writers books I read when I was 7/10 but I'm not sure if it's really what you're searching for?
Even when they're aimed at kids french books by french authors can have a lot of very pedantic words no one uses on a daily basis
Also keep in mind that most popular books written in english out there have probably been translated into french at some point !
Erik L'Homme :
- Le Maître des Brisants (just read book 1 and 2, the 3rd one was a mistake sorry mister Erik sir) : Steampunkish scifi, I don't remember the whole plot but it was pretty epic and I think it was about a boy coming on a spaceship for an internship? Now I need to re read it
- Le Livre des Etoiles : a young boy training to become a mage in a world that was part of ours and is still linked to ours but through a very small gate. It has celtic themes and epic fights but in a more modern way than most fantasy books
- Phaenomen : four kids in a "hospital for children with special needs" realize they have some powers while they go searching for their favorite doctor who vanished one day without a word. Kind of a modern take on changeling kids, smh it gave me a coping mechanism for ADHD and sensory overload that I still use haha
Pierre Bottero : all his series are linked somehow so here's the publication order, which is not the chronological order
- Ewilan series : a girl finds out she has the power to cross from our world to another one, and also that she's the most powerful magic user born in that world. She goes in search of her biological parents trapped somewhere in that world along with a very eclectic band of weird people. It was some of my favorite books ever.
- L'Autre : set in our world, it follows two heirs of some 7 or so families of people who can use magic, they have to learn to control their powers and I also forgot the main plot but hey the girl can turn into a panther and at some point she murders someone which was very cool of her
- Elana : following my childhood hero, Elana from the Ewilan series. It starts with her as a toddler being raised in the jungle after her parents' death (the best book) then it follows her growing up and being trained as a Marchombre (less interesting but still good) which is a thing that would take too long to explain like, they could be assassins but they're not and they could be thieves but they are not but also they're both assassins and thieves for most of them except they're not, they follow a goal way more important than just assassinations and thievery, of spiritual and physical perfection. I started practicing climbing bc of these books.
Erik L'Homme and Pierre Bottero :
- A comme Association : monsters hunting monsters (4 first books are by both of them, the rest is Erik L'Homme alone). It's pretty fun but I didn't get the end at all. But it's pretty fun yes and makes me very emotionnal bc Pierre Bottero was my favorite author and he died right after the 4th book's completion. The characters are really cool and very fun, and of course there's some monsters befriending
Serge Brussolo : each of his series has like 10000 books, I have no idea how this man writes so much but I'm pretty sure his writing rate should be illegal somehow
- the Peggy Sue series : my grandpa gave me the second book instead of the first by accident and thank goodness he did because the first book absolutely TERRIFIED ME, the rest is really kids books but the first one is horror. It tells the story of a girl who can see ghosts and they make her life miserable for it like, literally try to murder her and her family. She ends up travelling through weird places/worlds, it's pretty cool but jesus christ the first book. Warning for graphic murders, mind control and cannibalism in the first book. Some kids get almost boiled alive to be eaten in the second book but you know what? That's tame compared to the impression the first book left on me! There are sheep who eat people in the 5th book also if I recall correctly
- the Sigrid series : A girl born and raised in a weird submarine realizes that something is wrong and weird, ends up travelling through very eerie worlds where she has to learn the rules very fast to survive, it's also kind of horror-like, but less horrifying than the first Peggy Sue book. There are some spaceships, submarines, ghost boats and a lot more
Fabrice Colin : this man is a genius but also sometimes a dirty little copycat man I love him so much. He wrote a lot and not all of his books are equal in quality but when it's good it's really excellent
- Les Enfants de la Lune : set during WWII, a child who lives with his grandmother finds a letter adressed to his grandfather who died 10 years ago, he goes to the meeting to announce it to the people who wrote the letter and ends up meeting the last elves trying to leave our world before the last portal closes. It's very bittersweet and has absolutely amazing characters including a crocodile who probably ate a nazi at some point, evil pterodactyles and a mechanical kraken in the Seine. I spent 10 years hunting for a copy of this book, I would borrow it ten times a year at the local library
Eric Sanvoisin : I was absolutely obsessed w the atmosphere of his books. Horror but not scary? Kind of intriguing and creepy but in a very cosy and familiar way?
- Les buveurs d'encre : vampires but they drink books ink
- Les chasseurs d'Ombres (type in the author's name or you'll just get the Moral Instruments in the results) honestly it's been so long I don't remember much except that I harassed my parents until they bought me the book after I read it at the library. I think it has vampire-y vibes too with investigations
I also read every single book of the "Autre Mondes" collection by the Mango editor, which has really cool scifi books but there are so many it would make this list way too long so I'll just recommend "Les Abimes d'Outremer" which is about space whales being spaceships, but this collection is a goldmine if you want well wrapped together short-ish novels
19 notes · View notes
Text
Information on Amy.
(Be warned it's a ~little bit~ long, any other pieces of information you want to know I'll gladly answer if you ask.)
~General Information~
Fandom: Toy Story.
Name: Amy the Ragdoll.
Nickname, if any: Amy, Ames, and Doll-Face(usually by more villainous characters or used in a joking manner).
Gender: Female.
Sexuality: ??? (I mean I know the gender of who she has a crush on, but I'm unsure on what her actual sexuality should be tbh)
Age: Mentally, mid-twenties in the first story second movie, thirties to forties in the third and fourth. Physically, she doesn’t have an age, but in regards to when she was made (the 1950’s) makes her fifty to sixty.
City they currently live in: San Francisco, apparently that’s where Toy Story takes place.
Any pets: Would Rex count? He just follows her around like a nervous puppy.
Current occupation: I mean she’s practically a therapist, but she’s a toy and she only treats Rex so it probably doesn’t count lol
~Physical Appearance~
Height: 10 inches.
Body type: Stocky, but a bit gangly too, similar to Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Eye colour: Black.
Skin tone: Light.
Clothing style: Pale green/turquoise shirt with short puffed sleeves, with a denim dungaree dress with a daisy print in the centre over it. She wears yellow rain boots.
Hairstyle: No style, it’s just there. It’s messy and gets in her face easily and is made out of dark brown thin string.
~Speech/Language/Communication~
Amy speaks quietly and politely, rambles a bit if left without a reply or under pressure, very nervous in front of intimidating characters.
First language: English.
Learned languages: A bit of Spanish (Ya’ll remember Toy Story 3!)
Accent: American.
Pitch of voice: High, but soft, not quite annoying, unless she’s stressed, then it gets very pitchy and shrill.
~Behaviour/Habits~
Amy tends to just stand there when she can’t find anything to do, and will immediately try to find Rex, Hamm, Buzz or Jessie if surrounded by strangers (Though she’s not sure if it’s for their comfort or her own) Amy is very polite.
Spending habits: She doesn’t like to be made a fuss of at all, the very fact of someone giving something to her is unnerving (even if the thing never costed anything at all) and she feels compelled to give the giver something in return.
Morning routine: She gets up same time as the others, but wishes she could stay in bed a bit longer though. Before she came to Andy’s room, her sleep pattern was all over the place.
Bedtime routine: Similar to above, now she goes to bed the same time as the others, but before she just slept and got up willy-nilly.
Nervous habits: Amy will try to find Rex if she’s nervous, and she’ll pretend it’s because she’s worried for him, which is quite true, but she also just feels most safe with him. Speaking of, Amy will let Rex hold her hand and squish it whenever he or Amy is nervous, it’s calming to the both of them.
Bad habits: Not a very good exerciser, but then again, she’s spend basically half her life in a small attic, so I’ll give her a break.
Skills/talents: She’ very logical, mind-over-matter, (mostly, very good at calming others down and/or convincing them. She’s very good at spelling and knows quite a lot of words, some of which others haven’t even heard of.
Hobbies: Reading, talking (especially with Rex, Jessie or Hamm), and generally just lazing about or walking around somewhere, on her own or with a friend.
~The Past~
Amy’s first owner was a little girl called Alice. Alice loved nothing more than to read Amy stories (Mostly fairy tales), but of course, Alice grew up like all kids do, and she left Amy in the attic for someone else to have her.
Amy waited for many years, and all that time she’d never given up that someone would find her.
She thought she’s hit the jackpot when Andy and his family move into Alice’s old house, but they don’t go up into the attic to collect her. Some weeks later, though, Andy’s mother brings a set of boxes filled with junk into the attic and leaves. Woody, Buzz, Slinky, and Rex were trapped in one of the boxes (Call me a cheater but this part was actually inspired by a Toy Story comic, where those four toys get stuck in the attic that way and have to escape. It struck me odd that they never met at least one new friend there, so I made one. It was also my first story, I needed some inspiration!)
Amy, in a fit of panic, goes and hides.
But then she’s found by Rex as he and the others try to find a way out.
They then decide to let the strange, dust-covered ragdoll come back to Andy’s rom with them. (well, Rex did, anyway.)
Home town: Would Alice’s old room count? But it’s now Andy’s Room, so it won’t count will it?
Happy or sad childhood: Pretty normal to be honest, as normal a life as a toy could have anyway. And as for sadness, having spent all that time on her own for all those years, having missed out on so much, is a little sad. But Amy made sure she never became bitter over it or used it as an excuse for anything.
Earliest memory: Waking up in her toy store, with a friend of hers for company (a ragdoll Prospector, a much as she remembers) and as she gets bought by Alice’s Auntie, she says she hopes he gets picked up by a kid. (Unbeknownst to her, she would meet him again in a while to find out he never got to experience it)
Saddest memory: One, being left by Alice, yet being so happy for her and how much she’s grown up, if she could cry tears of joy for her owner, she would. Two, some (or most) of the days she spent waiting for a new owner to arrive. And three, watching Rex have a mental breakdown of anxiety.
Happiest memory: One, the time she and Alice went to the park, (Amy absolutely adores nature) Two after sliding down a drainpipe to get to Andy’s room, and three, having known she’d helped her friend out.
Significant events: Being bought, being left in an attic, being rescued from the attic, while gaining some new friends.
~Family~
The entirety of Andy’s room, whether they like it or not, they’re all in this together and are some kind of mish-mash, found family in a sense.
Siblings: I’ve been thinking of giving Amy a brother (since I based her on Raggedy Ann, a matching bootleg Raggedy Andy seems reasonable) bur I’m unsure about it, since I’ve already mapped out Amy’s entire series of stories (Around six or seven all together, so far I’m currently writing only the third) and I can only fit him in the fifth or sixth if I can.
~Relationships~
Romantically? I’d like to say she has a crush on Rex, I don’t know why I thought of it, I was contemplating it one day as I sketched a rough (and terrible) sketch of her, and I drew Rex too because he’s just so fun to draw and I wanted to make a scale for Amy’s size, and one of my friends (who had been watching me) immediately said “I ship it!” and well, the rest is history, I made the decision to ship it too.
Friends: Jessie, Hamm, Buzz, and Rex are her closet friends, but she’d like to say that all the Gang are her friends. Later on she becomes good friends with Mr. Prickle Pants, Buttercup, Trixie and Totoro, and she absolutely loves the peas and Forky.
Best friend(s): Hamm, Mr. Prickle Pants, Jessie, and Rex.
What do people like about them? Amy’s pretty easy to talk to, she’s polite and attentive and will sit in companionable silence with someone if they need it. But she won’t hesitate to give hard truths and advice if it’s needed.
What do people dislike about them? Amy is quite a doormat, if someone is rude to her or breaches anything she just lets it happen, and sometimes she’s too indecisive about her own stuff, unsure whether she’s going to offend others or not over the smallest things, which annoys others quite a bit.
~Mentality/Personal Beliefs~
Amy is a toy of logic, and though she believes others can do it if they set their minds to it, she doesn’t quite believe in herself. She believes she must follow the rules of being a toy at all times, no matter what.
Phobias: Dust. She hates it. It took a good five weeks to brush all the dust out her hair and clothes, and even so there’s still some in her pockets and places she can’t reach. And being alone, too. Now she can’t be alone for more than an hour before she starts to get antsy and nervous. And for a short time books gave her a strange tiredness, after reading them for so long and for so many years she couldn’t even stand the sight of them.
But of course, not for long, since Amy found out Andy had a copy of Red’s Dream by a Mr. William Reeves.
Optimist or pessimist: Depends on the situation really, if her mind can’t come up with a solution, then there’s no point in trying anymore. Unless someone else can think of something, that is.
Personal philosophies: “You are here to make good things happen. No person here is made for one reason only, or even only one. There’s no point in pretending to be someone you’re not just for the attention of others, no matter how cool they are. We should find are own meaning, as we’re the only ones who have control of it.
It’ll take a while, but I swear, it’ll be worth it.”
Biggest dream/wish: Amy wants nothing more than to find meaning for herself, but finds it rather hard to do so. Of course, that doesn’t mean she’ll settle for someone else’s meaning. As cheesy as it sounds, she just wants an adventure. She doesn’t necessarily want to be the hero, though, she’s just happy to go along with the ride so long as it gets her out the house for a few hours. She also, above all else, wants Rex to find meaning too, even if she never does, it would be nice to know that he had.
Greatest strength(s): Persuasion, story-telling, logic, and good grammar.
Biggest flaw: Despite being a ragdoll, Amy can’t sew because of her fingerless hands, which are just soft mittens in shape. Amy is also quite a doormat, as I said before, so if her calm persuasion and reasoning doesn’t work, she’s left to be walked all over.
Regrets: Staying in that dratted attic too long, the window was open, she could’ve just climbed out, but no, she had to stay there for some mind-rotting decades. But if she had just escaped, she would never have met her new friends. Amy just wishes she had met them a lot sooner.
Achievements: Escaped the attic, slid down a drainpipe, leapt onto the windowsill (though nearly knocking Woody and Buzz over in the process) stopped her friend from having a panic attack, and managed to remember the entire Dictionary and is able to recite it down from A to Z, and even Z to A.
Secrets: Not much, just strange feelings for one of her friends, but it’s not much of a secret, Bo knows, and Mr. Potato Head and Hamm could see it from a mile away, and the others have their suspicions.
Goals: Read the entirety of Andy’s (and later Bonnie’s) bookshelves, become more confident in herself, have her own book-worthy adventure, and figure out what those strange feelings for her friend is.
~Likes/Favourites~
Favourite colour: Even before meeting Rex, Amy’s favourite colour was always green. Every time Alice had taken her to the park, Amy adored watching the sunlight pour through the leaves with a golden-green glow.
Favourite book(s): Because it’s sentimental to her, being her owner’s favourites, she loves Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Peter Pan, and The Wizard of Oz. They all hold similar plots (a little girl in a blue dress goes to a fantasy land, has a few adventures, and then leaves said fantasy land to go home to her family and responsibilities) but it reminds Amy of her old owner Alice (who was actually named after Alice from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland) and their playtimes together.
Favourite Book Quotation(s):
“Green is the prime color of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises.”
“There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger. The true courage is facing danger when you are afraid.”
Favourite movie: Amy does much prefer books, since they allow her to imagine the setting and characters in her own way, but doesn’t mind movies, and isn’t picky on what they watch, though she does quite like horror films.
Favourite song: Amy likes any kind of music, new or old.
Favourite game: Amy never really cared for games, the competitiveness always bothered her and stressed her out. But she’s more than happy to watch Rex play his video games and cheer him on.
~Relationships with other characters~
~Rex~
- Hit it off pretty quickly.
- Amy helps him with his anxiety, and helps him find confidence in himself, she acts as a certain therapist to him.
- Both become very stressed without the other around.
- Rex will hold and knead at Amy’s hands sometimes; it calms him down.
- Rex will let Amy ride on his back if she’s tired or needs to see something (Because she’s so short).
- One of them can basically be talking about the most boring-est things ever, yet still the other will hang on to their every word.
~Jessie~
- Became friends pretty quickly.
- Will drag Amy along anywhere.
- Get along fairly well.
- Jessie does the talking and Amy does the planning.
- Jessie always pranks the other toys and makes Amy tag along (along with Hamm).
- Introvert/Extrovert dynamic for sure.
- Both were left in alone for years so like to find solace in each other.
~Hamm~
- Hamm begrudgingly warmed up to the timorous ragdoll.
- Surprisingly good pals.
- Have full conversations without saying anything.
- Like to sit and look out of the window together.
- Hamm makes Amy laugh when she really shouldn’t (mainly when he makes fun of the other toys, mainly Woody).
- Hamm makes fun of Amy having a crush on Rex every once in a while, though he doesn’t mean any harm.
~The Potato Heads~
- Mr. doesn’t really interact with Amy much, but finds her surprisingly tolerable, if a bit high-strung and annoying.
- Like Hamm, Mr. makes Amy laugh at the most wrong moments.
- She and Mrs. Are quite good friends, and she sometimes lets Amy take care of the aliens if she and her husband are busy.
~Woody~
- Are aquianteces.
- Don’t exactly interact much, even though the whole room practically revolves around him, in Amy’s opinion, though she would never say it to his face.
~Buzz~
- Amy thinks he’s super cool (then again, he is Buzz Lightyear, he practically invented coolness)
- Both are just as clueless as one another when it comes to social cues and interactions.
- Amy helps him with vocabulary and spelling every once in a while.
~Mr. Prickle Pants~
- Are absolute BFF’s.
- Go back and forth with book quotes to the point of driving the other toys insane.
~Bo Peep~
- Amy's not exactly sure if Bo has befriended her or not.
- (She has)
- They later become good friends.
- Amy misses their talks, Bo was one of the only toys she could talk to that could keep a secret.
8 notes · View notes
tirednotflirting · 3 years
Text
just take it easy (hold onto this feeling)
idk what this is mostly but we got to hear luke sing for the first time in a long time and then this just kinda happened. idk if the title is exactly fitting but it was the song that started playing in my head while i was writing. so there ya go.
in a very typical sam fashion, it is 1.6k with exactly one line of dialogue. so.
here’s baby’s first lashton since november 
and here it is on ao3 
Luke had really grown to love the quiet.
It wasn’t something he was used to. After spending the better part of the last decade of his life on stages and in studios, singing for seas of people wider than he could ever really imagine, the silence that came with the break in everything had been almost deafening. The pause that the world was sitting on had felt like slamming on the brakes too hard and his chest hurt like he was being thrown forward against his seatbelt. The band had provided what felt like endless opportunity, like wide open spaces that he was free to explore and discover. Early on, the new normal they had all had to adjust to felt like getting trapped inside a box and as thankful as he was to have a moment to breath, it felt like the air had been sucked out of the room.
The summer made him restless. He ached for the feeling of a breeze through his hair as he ran around a stage or to look to stage right and left and find Michael and Calum jumping and running and smiling with him. He missed meeting kids and hearing their stories in front of hotels and airports. He missed hugs and silly faces and hearing how the words that got him through his own heartbreaks helped so many others do the same.
It didn’t take long for him to realize the spiraling hurricane of sound on social media wasn’t going to help. If anything, sitting in his living room with his thumbs scrolling marathon lengths across his screen was probably making it worse. Every other part of his job had been put on hold, stuck frozen in a world that didn’t allow flights across the globe or the roar of a crowd, so he figured, what’s the harm in deleting a couple boxes staring coldly back at him from his phone screen? Encouragement from the boys on the matter helped too, Michael’s promises of keeping him in the know on anything important going on giving him solace in hitting the red text to make the apps vanish. 
Late summer brought long, warm days beside the pool with a book in his hand and Petunia’s head in his lap. It brought Facetime calls to his mom to ask how to cook different meals he remembered from before his childhood was cut a bit short and to make sure he was watering his fruit trees the correct amount. Without even realizing it, the buzz of silence that had set him on edge for so many months began to lower in volume as the temperature dropped just enough to call it autumn in California. As he traded rolled down windows for sweaters on trips to the grocery store, the noise faded to nothing. Life was slower and Luke found himself enjoying it, appreciating it even.
It’s on a cooler morning in early November when he wakes up and hears a melody. It startles him awake, this new, beautiful song playing through his mind for the first time in months. He stumbles out of bed, pushes his glasses up his nose, and grabs his phone and the guitar gathering dust beside his window. He sits cross-legged on the couch with his voice memos open and recording as he puzzles out the notes playing on a loop in his head. Eventually, Petunia wanders out to join him once she deems it an appropriate time to be awake and gives him a confused look from her spot on the floor beside where he stands above her. He leans down and scratches behind her ears, a bright smile on his face as he whispers to his companion who can’t answer back. 
“I think it’s gonna be a good one, sweetheart.”
It’s not the first time it happens. By the time it’s cool enough that he needs to throw on a sweater and socks before stepping out onto the patio with his morning coffee, Luke has a collection of sweet songs to play around with in the moments in between the serene silence he’s welcomed in over the last several months like a long lost friend. He writes words for feelings and thoughts he never knew how to describe before. For the first time he doesn’t feel selfish knowing that what he’s working on isn’t meant for anyone else. He feels a joy in playing and singing for no one but himself (and maybe Petunia) to hear. It feels like keeping a secret, something he hasn’t been able to do for most of his growing up. It’s exciting in a way he hasn’t experienced before. 
He’s watching the sun set over his hushed Los Angeles on a warm day in the middle of winter. If he closes his eyes and focuses on the last bits of sun warming his skin, he can almost believe he’s back in Australia. His mom had mentioned it was a cooler day on their call earlier in the afternoon. She updated him on the new tricks his dad had taught the dog and thanked him for flowers he had sent her as a thank you for the care package she had sent full of his favorite candies he still couldn’t find a way to get in the US. 
As his blue eyes watch the sky turn from orange and pink to a dark indigo as dusk settles over the city he takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, his mind counting the inhale and exhale like how he would before taking the stage every night with the boys. The world beyond his patio and string of news updates he turned off the notifications for again in December is anything but quiet and calm. But from here, in the last moments before day becomes night, Luke feels okay. He feels alright. He closes his eyes as he feels the warmth of the day lift from his skin and lets the quiet wash over him again. 
It’s only a few moments later he hears the familiar sound of the sliding door push open and the pattering of Petunia’s paws on the deck as she approaches him. His eyes blink open when the light over the patio is flipped on and he smiles lazily at the dog. She takes her normal spot in front of Luke’s feet and lets her head rest against his knee, her big eyes looking up at him in a silent beg for pets. 
He hears the door slide closed again and a moment later the seat beside him is occupied and he feels a kiss against his hair. He smiles at the feeling, the warmth lost from the sunshine replaced by a blush across his cheeks as he reaches for Ashton’s hand with his free one. Luke lifts the hand to his lips before dropping his head to rest against Ashton’s shoulder, shuffling a bit closer to steal away a bit of his warmth as a slight breeze picks up. 
It had taken Luke a while to figure it out, what it was that made the silence more of a comfort rather than something to fear. He’s sure it’s something more abstract, since he can’t really find the words to describe it, but he’s also pretty sure it lines up somewhat well with when he asked Ashton to come stay with him. Luke’s mind wandered too much to really meditate but he figures his evening rituals of catching up on the day with Ashton under the dull yellow patio light must be a similar experience to whatever Ashton had when he started his days doing yoga in the backyard on Facetime with Calum. Eventually, the daily tradition shifted into whatever it was they were doing now, sitting under the nighttime sky, the only sounds to accompany them being the windchime his neighbor had on the front porch or the cars driving up and down his street.
Some days still felt heavy and noisy despite the rhythmic, quiet nature of their living right now. In the evenings on those days, Luke would press himself closer to Ashton and focus on the rising and falling of his chest and the beating of his heart. He would count his breaths and hum at the feeling of a hand playing with his grown out bleached curls until he was able to figure out what it was that was bothering him. And then they would puzzle and talk their way through whatever it was until the tension left Luke’s shoulders and neck and he would press kisses to Ashton’s cheeks to make him laugh. 
He knows it’s not going to last forever. That one day the world will start turning like normal again and the seas of smiling faces will gather back together and the electric buzz of running around on a stage with the boys he loves most in the world will return. He’ll be away from home long enough that he forgets where he keeps the can opener and the code to his garage. He’ll have to pat makeup below his eyes to look more awake than he feels and he’ll have to be reminded of what city they’re in at least three times before he goes on stage so he doesn’t yell out the wrong one. 
For now though, he has the chilly California winter breeze blowing through his hair and his warm, smiling boy holding him against his chest. And even though it doesn’t feel like the world is turning, the very last moments of daylight are fading away and it reminds Luke that it is. And for now, that’s enough.
*
27 notes · View notes
Text
My HTTYD Books Fanfic Ideas
Greetings, my fellow Dragonmarkers! I just wanted to post this for you guys as I tell you what my plans are in regards to fanfics for the HTTYD Book Fandom.
Besides my “A Birthday to Remember” short story which is still in-progress, and the odd one-shot, here are some projects that I’d like to do for 2020-2022:
Companions of the Dragonmark — Platonic Pairings Series
Tumblr media
This work, as you already know from a previous post, focuses on platonic pairings in this series. There will be various types, such as human/dragon, human/weapon, human/human, human/pet, etc. Also includes friends, family, mentor/student, and stranger relationships. This will be the main series I will be working on after “A Birthday to Remember”.
<><><><><>
Antagonistic Pairings Series
Tumblr media
This work is something that I’ve just recently came up with, which focuses on antagonistic pairings. This can be pairings between hero/villain, villain/villain, villain/antagonist, hero/antagonist, antagonist/antagonist, etc. Pairings can include, Hiccup and Alvin, Snotlout and Thuggory, Alvin and Excellinor, UG the Uglithug and Excellinor, Madguts and Big Bertha, Snotlout and Hiccup, etc.
I’m liking this because nobody really writes fanfics that focuses on antagonistic pairings. Only romantic and platonic pairings.
What do you guys think?
<><><><><>
Wilderwest Whumpfest
Tumblr media
This idea was cooked up thanks to recent posts announcing Whumptober 2020. Granted, I don’t plan on doing it for this Fandom, but I do plan on still doing this work — a collection of one-shots focusing on whumping various characters in the series. I’d LOVE to hear what you’d like to see and if this sounds like a great idea. ^_^
<><><><><>
A Tale of Two Swords
Tumblr media
This idea has been stewing in the back of mind for about a year now. This is basically a story told from the perspective of Endeavor, the Dragonsword, as he narrates the story and tells us how he came to be and we’ll see his thoughts and perspective not only throughout the lives of Hiccup the First and his line, but also Grimbeard the Ghastly, Hiccup the Second, and Hiccup the Third, and following up all up into the finale of Book 12. Essentially, this IS a Saga. Somewhere along the way, the Stormblade will be introduced and we’ll get into his POV as well once he is born. needless to say that there’ll be a rivalry between the two — though Endeavor just doesn’t care and ignores Stormblade whenever possible. I mean, the Dragonsword is around 1000 years old already, and the Stormblade is acting all macho for a newborn hunk of shiny metal. In Endeavor’s “eyes”, Stormblade be an infant. lol XD
Also, I just REALLY love Endeavor. (I have an old post that talks all about that here.) One of my favorite characters in the series, despite it being a sword and not a human or an animal character. But I can feel him humming with personality... if that makes sense? But I’ve always had a special love for personification. Ever since I was young and studied literature in middle school, personification has always been my most favorite plot device. I can’t really explain why. Maybe it’s because it’s fun? Getting into the minds of inanimate objects, animals, nature, etc and imagining what they would say and act and feel if they could speak and communicate? It’s fun for ME, at least. ^_^
<><><><><>
Exile on Cannibal Isle
Tumblr media
This story idea is another one that’s been stewing in my brain for about a year or less, give or take. (I’m quite proud of the title, if I do say so myself. Hehe.) This is basically a what-if scenario, a canon divergence, that focuses on what would happen should Hiccup and the others were exiled the night that they should’ve been. That would’ve been interesting to see. I mean, of course, it would mean that 800+ Hooligans and Meatheads would perish, but such is the life of a Saga character(s). ^_^
Other alternative (and more likely) scenarios could be:
1) Hiccup, Thuggory, and the others still get banished after the demise of the Green Death (because Vikings are jerks).
or 2) Hiccup fails to get Toothless in time so he ends up being the only one in his group to NOT have a dragon, and thus is immediately exiled (in winter, yay).
(If you guys can come up with better scenarios, let me know.)
Now, Cannibal Isle is on the map on the Book of Dragons extra book. You won’t find it anywhere else. (That being said, the Isle DOES get mentioned by Hiccup in the epilogue of Book 4: “How to Cheat a Dragon’s Curse”. Only other time.)
Tumblr media
Now in Book 1, while they mention that the kids will be exiled on the Mainland, it mentions cannibals. Of course, in Book 8, it mentions that the Vikings of the Western Archipelago hate sailing anywhere near the Eastern side (the Mainland), so it seems contradictory, in my opinion, for them to send the kids there into exile. So when I saw this map, and saw that there was an island called “Cannibal Isle”, it made sense to me. A place where cannibals exist, and it’s close by from the Inner Isles.
What do you think? Should they be exiled on Cannibal Isle or on the Mainland? Which sounds better?
<><><><><>
Thuggory’s Tale
Tumblr media
This story idea is yet another one that I’ve been thinking on doing for awhile now. This essentially is Thuggory’s story, and focuses on HIS POV throughout the 12 books — including and especially his views and thoughts concerning Hiccup. I mean, the guy DESERVES to have a book that’s all about HIM, right?! He’s so cool! I’m such a Thuggory fan! I wish I had a brother like him. I envy Hiccup. lol ^_^
The bromance is strong with this one. lol XD
<><><><><>
Quest for Wilderwest — Quest for Camelot AU
Tumblr media
This work, as you already know on a previous post, will be a Quest for Camelot AU involving the HTTYD Book characters. Since I’ve already gotten a lot of feedback on this already, I might end up doing this story first as my first multi-chapter story. But we’ll see. ;-)
<><><><><>
Fishlegs’s Impossible Quest 2
Tumblr media
This work I just thought up about a month ago. This is what the title says. Fishlegs SECOND Quest! This time, trying to win Barbara’s hand in marriage — much to Hiccup’s ire. (What is with this guy and these Valkyrie princesses?) I’m debating whether Hiccup should tag along, or if he should stay since he IS the KING. Maybe give Fishlegs Camicazi, instead? Along with some warriors from his Tribe, of course. Him being a Chief and all that. Needless to say, Hiccup and Camicazi will NEEEEVER let Fishlegs live this one down, regardless if he succeeds or not.
Speaking of which, SHOULD I have Fishlegs succeed? Or should I let him fail... again? I mean, would Barbara even be interested in a guy who’s allergic to her CAT?!
<><><><><>
The Wilderwest Saga
Tumblr media
The title is what it says it is. It’s about the story AFTER the series, that focuses on the reign of King Hiccup the Third and co. and how the Wilderwest came to be, what Hiccup did during his life, his future wife and family, etc. It’ll also focus on the other characters and their lives as well. I’m very excited about this one as well. And I’m sure you are, too.
Maybe I’ll get lucky one day and Cressida Cowell will read it and be like, “Oh, what a great idea! I’ll write a sequel series focusing on Hiccup the Third’s reign and finally bring a conclusion to Hiccazi.” 
I mean, it’s wishful thinking, but a guy can dream, can’t he? lol XD
<><><><><>
Hiccup the First’s Saga
Tumblr media
This work will be a Saga focusing on Hiccup the First and his story, from his birth, to the events of the First Dragon War, to him being the First King and the details of his reign, of his conflict against the Romans and the Uglithugs — essentially filling out the blanks in the life of one extraordinary character that most resembles Hiccup the Third.
Hiccup the Second’s Saga
Tumblr media
This work will be focusing on Hiccup the Second’s story, and will be the sequel of Grimbeard’s Saga (or Hiccup the First’s Saga). It will focus on his life with the dragons, his reunion with his father, his life at the palace, his adventures, his conflicts with his father and eldest brother... his death (which, even in a saga, was messed up).
Oh, aaaaand I might have him find love as well. Hehe. Because the books never specify how old he was when he died. And if he was a rebel and went to the library, spoke Dragonese, took the Dragonmark, freed the slaves multiple times, I have a feeling that Hiccup might’ve fallen in love with one of these slaves and married her in secret and had a child through her, whose line eventually led to the Druid Guardian.
So, yeah, this Saga’s gonna get messy... and juicy. Hehe. ^_^
<><><><><>
Possible Projects:
.
Hiccup the Third’s Saga
This work will be a more realistic version of the HTTYD Book series — similar to what you’d see in a Viking Saga, like those for the other two Hiccups. However, this does not mean that the plot will be seriously changed. It just means that I’ll be getting rid of some of the more... exaggerated and absurd parts of the plot that wouldn’t happen in real life. I’ll also be getting rid of the horned helmets and make the Tribes more Viking-y. And I’ll be adding more historical elements into the story, along with those of the previous two Hiccups.
I’m debating whether to get rid of the Dragonese/talking dragons element to the story (having it like the movie franchise), or if I should keep it. What do you think?
Termagant’s Tale
This work will be a story focusing on Fishlegs’s mother, Termagant. How she grew up, how she lived, how she met and fell in love with Alvin the Fake Fisherman, how she felt when he disappeared and how she gave birth... and how she was forced to get rid of her baby. Every single thing. I’m not sure whether to do this from Termagant’s POV, or if I should do it through the eyes of Arrogance, Patience, and Innocence, her Deadly Shadow, and have it be as if they’re telling Fishlegs the tale of his mother from their eyes. 
What do you think?
Grimbeard the Ghastly’s Saga
This work will be focusing on the life of Grimbeard the Ghastly, from his birth to his death. Every detail will be noted, every story shall be heard, and every scene shall be seen. Even the stories of him that you DO know won’t tell you everything. This Saga will further detail and add on to those stories. Including his marriage to Chinhilda, his war against the Uglithugs, his raiding expeditions, his reign as King, his questionable and outright foolish decisions — the whole shebang!
Disclaimer: While I will try my very best, it is most likely that he won’t be such a nice and relatable character to like.
Modern AU series
This work will a collection of one-shots focusing on the HTTYD Book characters in the modern day. The reason why I have this here, rather than farther up, is because I don’t have many ideas for one-shots in this AU. So I would appreciate any prompts and character choices to help me in this, and maybe I might just get working on this if I end up getting enough.
<><><><><>
Anyway, these are the projects that I hope to do in the next couple of years. (If I’m still alive by then, that is.) These stories will probably take time and I’ll probably be focusing on the top 3 since they’ll be one-shots, basically, so they’ll be easier for me to write. But I will be choosing a multi-chapter story idea and working on it.
While I won’t be working on these quite as much since I have other accounts and other Fandoms that I place higher priorities on, I will be working on these as much as I can, despite my schedule. This Fandom holds a special place in my heart and I want to contribute as much as I can so that fans can continue reading recent fanfics for this precious Fandom. ^_^
So tell me what you think? Any titles that interest you? Let me know either in the comments or reblogs.
45 notes · View notes