#oh yes definitely doing this instead of my essay

[welcometomyoasis]

Okay, the seventeen with a chubby s/o brainrot is real. I'm going to go write the rest of the members now 😭

#shu's daydreaming ☁︎ #oh yes definitely doing this instead of my essay #sorry professor #seventeen comes first #shu's uni trials ☃︎

[festivalsofmargot]

how do you think Ominis, Garreth, and Sebastian would react to a jealous reader being jealous because someone else was being flirty and asking them to the Yule Ball?

The 3 Boys & Your Jealousy

{Garreth Weasley/Ominis Gaunt/Sebastian Sallow x GN!Reader}

Word Count: 

Garreth: ~ 1500 words

Ominis: ~ 1700 words

Sebastian: ~ 1400 words

Warnings: Kissing, Fluff, Angst

Author’s Note: Lord, I’m having so much fun with these requests. Thank you, anon!!! I tried to make them all have different reactions to reader getting jealous, but I know they’d all secretly love it lmfao. So it’s a little similar, but it’s definitely the 3 boys enjoying it in their own way. Have a fun time, everyone 🥰 Hope you’re all having a good day ❤ 

Songs (if interested):

Garreth’s song: You Stupid Bitch - girl in red

Ominis’ song: Silence / akiaura - hentai boys, akiaura

Sebastian’s song: My Kind of Woman - Mac DeMarco

-

Garreth:

“I feel like you’ve been avoiding me. Did I do something wrong?” Garreth Weasley had come up to you and asked. For someone who was asking if something was wrong, he could look a bit more concerned. Rather than just munching on his apple, looking at it like it was the only thing that had his full attention.

You took a deep breath and rubbed at your temple roughly. You were overreacting and you knew it, but dammit you couldn’t help but hate him at the moment. “No Garreth, I’m just not in the best mood today.”

“Well, talk to me.” He plopped himself down on the Central Hall fountain bench next to you. “Some have called me a good listener.” He took another bite of his apple, obnoxiously loud.

“Not right now. Why don’t you go bother someone else?”

“Who else could I bother like this? You and I got a good thing going.” He haphazardly joked.

“How about your date to the ball? That’s a good place to start if you ask me.”

He furrowed his brows, trying to decipher what you were talking about. Then he remembered Samantha Dale had asked him to be his date the night before. “Oh! You know about that? How does word travel so fast in such a huge castle?” He wondered aloud with his mouth full, looking at his apple as he turned it in his hand.

Merlin, you didn’t know why you were so head over heels for Garreth Weasley. Something about his carefree, aloof attitude made you fluttery all over. You wanted to smack him just as much as you wanted to kiss him. 

Truth be told, you were convinced he was going to ask you to The Yule Ball. But once you saw Samantha Dale talking with him about it and seeing how big his smile was, you became so frustrated with yourself for ever thinking such a thing. How could you have been so wrong about his signs? You shouldn’t have assumed your flirty banter together was something special between the two of you. You had no one to blame but yourself.

“Look Garreth, I’m pretty busy. Samantha will be better company than me today.” You took out the essay you were halfway finished with and began writing, hoping he would take the hint.

He was about to take another bite of his apple when the pieces came together in his brain. You think I said yes to Samantha... and you're jealous. 

It was hard to keep calm when he felt so elated. He had been pining for you since 5th year and never had the courage to confess his feelings. Being with you as a friend was better than risking not being with you at all. But here you were, acting as green as his eyes. Becoming jumpy, he scratched the back of his head and looked away from you, trying to bite back his delighted smile.

“So...” He began as casually as he could, “You don’t like the idea of me going to the ball with Samantha?”

You stiffened. Am I caught? You swallowed the lump in your throat. “I don’t care who you go with, Weasley.”

You used his last name instead of his first, that was how he always knew if you were upset with him. In this particular moment, he took a dark pleasure in it. “Well, it sounds like you care a little.” 

You looked up from your essay to the marble floor in front of you and clenched your jaw, trying to calm your irritated nerves and stop yourself from saying something you’d regret. “It doesn’t matter if I care. Go with who you want.” You went back to your essay.

“But you care.” He slid closer to you so that his thigh was touching yours. Your whole body tensed and you shifted your leg away, disgusted at his brazenness to continue flirting with you when he was going to the ball with someone else.

“I’m going to work in my room.” You pulled your belongings together and left your place next to him.

Garreth got up and followed you easily, finishing the last of his apple and tossing it in a nearby bin. He rubbed the back of his hand across his mouth to wipe off any apple juice. Maybe he could wipe off his idiotic smile while he was at it too. 

You could feel his chest practically against your back as he followed close in pursuit. “Leave me alone, Garreth. I’m really not in the mood today.” You growled at him, but he didn’t let up. 

He took glances around as he kept up with you. Once he was confident no one was looking, he grabbed your arm and pulled you into a nearby, empty corridor.

“What are you -”

“Tell me you’re jealous. I want to hear you say it.” 

His words sent your mind through a whirlwind and you shoved him away. “You got some nerve, going to the ball with Samantha and going after me like this -”

“Oh, for Merlin’s sake! I turned her down. School gossip failed to mention that part, I see.” He interjected. “Now let me have this a little longer.” He stepped closer to you, daring you to push him away again. “This thing where you want me all to yourself, I think I really like it.” His words came off as a jest, but he was genuinely aroused.

You narrowed your eyes at him, trying to determine if he was being truthful or just trying to keep up his flirty banter with you. But your icy glare at him through your lashes only made him more feral rather than intimidated. 

“I -” He cleared his throat, regaining composure. “I’ve been looking for you all day so I could ask you to the ball, but you kept dodging me.”

“Garreth, if this is some sort of messed up joke where you try to get two dates to the ball -”

“It’s not. But, that is a fun idea.” He quipped, hoping it would lighten the mood. 

Sighing, you turned on your heel to walk away.

“Sorry sorry sorry, bad joke, bad time.” He grabbed your wrist, panicked. “But I’m serious about taking you. I really want to take you.” He swallowed thickly and held your wrist in his hand. “Would you... want that too?” As he waited for you to respond, he had started stroking your skin with his thumb, unaware he was doing so.

His hopeful look along with his tone had managed to convince you he was being truthful. This was the first step either of you had taken beyond flirty banter, and it had you finally soften to him that day. You looked at his hand on your wrist and adjusted so you could entwine your fingers through his. His heart nearly burst out of his chest. Was this finally happening?

You looked up at him then, but locked on his lips rather than his eyes. Heat formed in his abdomen at your gaze. He used his free hand to cup your jaw. The dark look in your eyes told him you had the same severe craving for him as he did you. He eased towards you and brushed his lips over yours.

He pulled back to gauge your reaction. You looked at him with wide eyes and for a brief moment, he thought he had messed up and taken it too far. But all that panic went away when you dropped your books and threw your arms around him, seizing his lips, taking all coyness between you two and throwing it out the window.

Your sudden burst had rocked him both physically and mentally. Gripping you back, hard and fast, he steadied himself, stepping on your essay as he did so. He matched your eager mouth movements with just as much intensity. 

Needing to come back up for air, you pulled back. You looked at each other, breathless. All that tension between you two through the years had finally been able to get released at least somewhat.

“You looked so happy when Samantha asked you. I assumed you said yes.” You told him, still catching your breath.

He hadn’t realized you had been there to see Samantha asking him to the ball. He was both sorry you didn’t catch him rejecting her and sorry you had to catch it at all. Merlin only knows how he would have handled watching someone else asking you. “She’s a good friend, I mean I wasn’t going to scowl or laugh her off. I was letting her down as easy as I could.”

“I’m sorry I was jealous.”

He kept his face close to yours and glanced back at your lips, ready for more. “I’m sorry I enjoyed it.”

“No, you’re not.” 

“I’m not.” He captured your lips once more.

- 

Ominis:

Ominis was in a full on panic. He hadn’t the faintest idea what he had done wrong. He may be blind, but he could sense, clear as day, that you were upset with him. 

He was pacing back and forth in his dorm room when he was supposed to be at dinner. The sickness he felt had made it hard for him to want to digest anything.

He had been up at all hours of the night thinking about how he was going to ask you to The Yule Ball. But every time he tried to approach you that day, you’d take your leave. He thought he would have gotten his chance in History of Magic class, but everything seemed off. You usually tried to sit close to him and brush your fingers along his, it excited him each and every time. But today, he felt as if you were sitting as far as you possibly could from him.

He was trying to think back on everything that happened before you became so drastically distant. The last time he remembers you two being fine was when he had finally built up the courage to ask you that morning. 

Sebastian had pushed him to do it and fueled his ego to prep him, affirming that he saw the way you looked at him and how you weren’t so subtle about it. He was filled with so much joy, he couldn’t stop himself from smiling like a buffoon when he went to talk to you. 

“Ominis!” You had greeted him so cheerfully, it had removed any doubt in what Sebastian told him. As he was about to greet you back, Adelaide Oakes had touched his shoulder from behind to grab his attention. She then went on and on about how she fancied him, and took the ball as her chance to finally tell him how she felt. He had never been so overwhelmed with romantic attention in his life, it only fueled his confidence more. His words came out in a stutter to Adelaide to thank her but decline. It was difficult to turn someone down while grinning like a fool.

“I um - I'll leave you two to it.” He heard you say before he finished speaking with Adelaide. Your footsteps behind him had walked away so fast, he would have believed it if you were running. And ever since, for some reason you’ve been... oh. It hit him then. You must have assumed he was going to say yes to Adelaide. You couldn’t possibly be jealous, could you? If you were, he needed to find you and fix this immediately. But damn him if he wasn’t a bit thrilled at the idea.

He had his wand guide him to the first place he thought you could be in, the astronomy tower. It was late in the day, he was sure you’d be there. As he made his way up, he found his excitement at your jealousy swelling. You weren’t jealous because he was a Gaunt, a descendant of Salazar Slytherin, going with someone else. No, you were jealous because he was Ominis, a boy you liked for who he was, going with someone else. Or so you thought.

When his wand brought him to the astronomy tower and sensed you were close, he felt a bit of pride that he knew you as well as he thought he did. But he steadied himself, remembering you were upset with him. Coming at you beaming probably wasn’t the best approach.

“Ominis? What brings you here?” Your voice was monotone, nowhere near as pleased to see him as you were earlier.

He was relieved you were willing to speak to him rather than run off. “I needed to talk to you. Figured you’d be up here.” He approached cautiously.

You furrowed your brows, wondering what he could possibly need you for. Oh you’d just die if he wanted to ask for advice on how to treat Adelaide well at the ball. You turned away from him and lazily looked through your telescope. “Probably best we talk tomorrow.”

“You’re upset with me.”

You peeked up at him briefly, knowing it wasn’t fair to be, then went back to your telescope. You exhaled, inwardly chiding yourself. Ominis doesn’t owe you anything. “I’m sorry, I’ve just... had a lot on my mind.”

His wand guided him to the railing you were near and he leaned himself against it. “I’m all ears.” Part of him wanted to clear everything up as soon as possible, but another, increasingly louder part of him wanted to hear you confess that you were jealous, confess that you didn’t want anyone else to have him but you. So, he dared to play coy a little longer.

“You don’t want to hear what I have to say.”

“Try me.” The way he said it had taken you aback, as if he was telling you, not asking you, to talk to him.

“And what if I don’t want to tell you?” You looked back up at him, a bit of venom coming through.

He took a few steps towards your voice. I think I like this game. He knew he shouldn’t find your jealousy this exhilarating, but he did. He wanted it to absorb you until you couldn’t stand it anymore.

The look on his face stirred something fierce in you and you tried to take a quiet, calming breath. You hoped he wouldn’t hear you doing so, but he did, and it only added fuel to his fire.

“I don’t hear you walking away, so I think you do want to tell me.” He reached out for your robes and pulled at you to come closer to him. 

You had been weak for Ominis Gaunt since 5th year, so you obliged. But you didn’t do so without internally screaming at yourself for being such a fool. 

Despite being so close, you kept your hands to yourself, he noted. But he could sense your body tensing and he knew you were close to talking. He just needed to hold out a bit longer, push you just so in the right direction. “You’re angry with me, tell me why.” He knew why.

“I shouldn’t be angry with you.”

“Yet you are.”

“I am.”

“Tell me what I’ve done.”

“You... haven’t done anything.”

His grip moved from your robe to your waist, he could feel you shift at his touch, but you didn’t pull away. “I have, tell me.”

“You know, you shouldn’t be up here with me alone, touching me like you are. Wouldn’t want Adelaide or me getting the wrong idea, would you?” He could hear the bitterness in your voice, and it was sending him over the edge. You shoved his hand away and went to the railing, leaning forward and looking out. “I don’t think you mean to, Ominis. But you’re really messing with my head. Looking as happy as you were when Adelaide asked you to the ball, and now you’re here acting like you care for me.”

He followed your voice again and came up behind you. His hands found your shoulders and he comfortingly slid them down to your biceps. His touch still had the same, nerve-racking affect on you. You shrugged him off and turned to face him. He put both hands on the railing on either side of you, trapping you in. “I do care for you.”

As a friend. You wanted to finish for him. Him saying this to you knowing he was going to The Yule Ball with Adelaide hurt. Ominis was the last person who should be comforting you. “I need to go.” You nearly choked, heartbreak constricting your throat. But Ominis kept you blocked in, he wasn’t going to let you leave. 

“Tell me why I’ve upset you.”

Being in this position with him had an inferno swirling in you. Being able to see his pale, blue eyes this close had any fight in you vanish. “I wanted... you to ask me to The Yule Ball today. I wanted you to go with me, not Adelaide.” 

He leaned forward towards your neck and brushed his nose along your skin. 

Your melancholy turned into something else at his touch, something more throbbing. You reached your hands up along his chest, felt his heartrate pick up along with yours. “I want you to be with me.” You confessed in a whisper.

He began to kiss at your neck and you fisted the fabric of his uniform to keep yourself upright. He kissed up your neck, along your jaw, feeling his way to find your lips. He got to the corner of your mouth and pulled back just slightly, leaning his forehead against yours.

“I want you all to myself.”

He crashed his lips into yours. Your hands held tight to his shirt to keep him close. He took his hands off the railing to wrap his arms around your waist, his place against your mouth feeling all the more secure. You nipped at his bottom lip and he couldn’t help but let out a throaty “mmh.” 

He often tried to imagine what it would feel like to kiss you, the taste of your lips, the sensation of your hands roaming him as pretty as you pleased. This moment had been better than anything he conjured up in his head. He had never envisioned how much hot need would be in it until he had you there in his arms.

You tried to push him away suddenly, but he kept at you, not yet having had his fill. “Wait -” You caved for a brief moment and kissed him back, then pulled away again. “What about -”

“I said no to Adelaide.” He went back to your lips, then to your neck to explain himself so you’d stop pulling away. “I was going to ask you. But you ran off.” He hoped that was enough to stop any further questions, because his mind was already onto more pressing matters. He had heard that sucking on someone’s neck would leave marks, he decided to try it on you then.

You bit your lip, trying to keep your eyes from rolling into the back of your head. “You um -” You cleared your throat, “You still want to ask me?”

“I will, but let’s not talk right now.” 

-

Sebastian:

“What has gotten into you today?” Sebastian caught you off guard, shutting the greenhouse door behind him. You were tending to the carnivorous plants for Professor Garlick, you being the only student she really entrusted with such duties. 

You glanced at him over your shoulder, then brought your focus back to the plants. “I’m a little busy right now, Sebastian.”

He had never heard you speak to him with such acidity, you might as well have slapped him in the face. You had been in a sour mood with him all day. Of all the times for you to be upset with him, why did it have to be the day he had finally decided to confess his feelings and ask you to The Yule Ball? He strode to your side and bore his gaze into you, willing you to face him and explain yourself.

You didn’t give in and continued tending to the chomping cabbages. Sebastian was the last person you wanted to see. After everything the two of you had gone through, all the glimpses you gave each other, all the near kisses, how could it not mean the same for him as it did you? Was his overprotectiveness for you something brotherly rather than romantic? You felt so stupid having mixed the two. You had fallen so deeply in love with him through the years, and now you’ve come to find he doesn’t see you in that way. He made it very obvious how smitten he was when Grace Pinch-Smedley fawned over him, professing her love and asking him to the ball. 

“At least tell me what's upset you so.” He said sternly, interrupting your tragic thoughts.

You knew you should wait until your anger dissipated before speaking with him, but in that moment you didn’t care. You set down your gardening tools and turned to face him.

“How about we talk about you first, Sebastian?”

He let out a frustrated exhale through his nose and crossed his arms over his chest. “What about me?”

“I saw you and Grace speaking this morning, seems you were quite pleased with yourself. Care to share?”

He quirked his brow, not sure where you were heading with this. He remembered Grace speaking with him, but he didn’t remember feeling ‘pleased with himself’. “You saw Grace and I, did you?”

“I did.” You turned back to the chomping cabbages then. “Seems she was doing more than just asking you to the ball.”

He inwardly cringed at the memory. He was flattered at her confession, sure. But the part where he had to reject her had really taken away anything pleasant about the moment. “She told me she had been... harboring feelings for me.” He got shifty thinking back on it, getting rejected after spilling your guts like that must be dreadful.

You took note of his body language, and rosy cheeks. It was salt in the wound and the scowl on your face deepened. “No need to be so bloody bashful about it, Sebastian.” You mumbled.

He stilled then. You thought he was ‘bashful’ thinking back on his interaction with Grace? The gears in his brain started turning.

In that moment, you figured this was your last chance to lay it all out there for him. Since Grace very blatantly told him she wanted more than just a date to the ball, best to tell him how you felt now before they were officially together.

You turned to him fully. “Sebastian, do you care for me?”

His heart began racing and he straightened. “Of course.”

“Like you care for Anne and Ominis?"

“I do.” He said with conviction.

“So, like a sibling?”

“I - Well, I -”

“Because I don’t care for you like a brother, Sebastian.” You took a step towards him.

He was entranced, listening close to everything you had to say. The air between you two grew thick and it clicked for him then. The possessiveness he usually felt over you was now what you were feeling over him. You were under the impression he accepted Grace’s feelings... and you can’t stand it. A rousing sensation shot through him. He wanted to see what more you would do with this newfound greediness for him. 

“Perhaps you should have gotten to me before Grace did.” It was bold. He knew he was treading on thin ice, but seeing you act in the way he usually did was a turn of the tables he never knew he wanted to see. He was going to egg you on, get as much of this avaricious side out of you as he could before you devoured him like the plants in this room wanted to.

You reached out to him and began trifling with his tie. He stood perfectly still, afraid that if he moved you’d get discouraged and release him. “Are you telling me you would have been mine if I got to you first?”

Oh yes. “Suppose we’ll never know, considering you didn’t.” This wasn’t at all how he thought confessing his feelings to you would go. But this was a much more electrifying way to do so.

The two of you had unknowingly stepped closer to one another, pulled together like magnetic stones. Your hands were no longer fiddling with his tie, but rather holding it, ever so gently pulling him towards you. “So I’ve lost you, have I?”

Fight for me. Don’t let anyone else have me. “And if you have?” He wanted to find out what your lips tasted like more than he ever had before. He was so close, and eyed them oh so hungrily. But he tried to hold strong a bit longer, so he could know if you were feeling just as carnivorous for him as he always had for you.

The fire in your eyes almost had him on his knees. 

Claim me. Claim me as I’ve claimed you.

Giving his tie a hard yank, you pulled him to you and caught his lips with yours. You didn’t waste any time, straightaway tasting his bottom lip with your tongue. Keeping an unyielding grip on his tie, you shot a hand up to his hair and held tight. He put his hands on your hips, and couldn’t stop himself from pulling at your shirt so it came untucked. His hands roamed around your lower back, under your shirt to feel your skin.

Your movements in this kiss were the result of years of pining. There was both an ache to take it slow, feeling everything you both possibly could, and an urgency to make up for lost time right then and there. Now that you finally had him... Wait wait wait, I don’t have him.

You tore yourself from him and walked away, tucking your shirt back in.

“Wha - What? Where are you going?” He was breathless and dizzy and disheveled from your kiss. Get back here.

“Go to Grace.”

He groaned. He should have known keeping up the Grace ruse would have some sort of consequence. But in the moment, he was so obsessive over the fact that you wanted to stake your claim on him, he couldn’t help himself. “I lied about Grace. I turned her down.”

You turned to face him, still keeping your distance across the greenhouse. “Why would you -”

“Because being near you makes me crazy, that’s why!” He shot a hand through his hair, more out of anguish than to fix the mess you made. “I’m mad for you. How have you not noticed? This... possessiveness you have over me today? I feel it for you all the time. So, I’m sorry if I crossed a line, I -” He let out a shaky breath, trying to put the words together. “Seeing you act how I have... I wanted to relish it a bit longer. Forgive me.”

You remained where you were, but he could see your features shift. “Enjoyed my suffering, did you?”

Trying to keep his composure, he nodded his head. Your sultry look had his blood heading somewhere it shouldn’t in the middle of the greenhouse.

He may have been slow catching onto your jealousy, but he was quick to catch that you wanted his lips back on yours. Ravenous himself, he strode up to you and pulled you back against him.

#sebastian sallow imagine #ominis gaunt imagine #garreth weasley imagine #sebastian sallow fanfiction #ominis gaunt fanficiton #garreth weasley fanficiton #Sebastian sallow x reader #Ominis gaunt x reader #garreth weasley x reader #sebastian sallow x mc #ominis gaunt x mc #garreth weasley x mc #sebastian sallow #ominis gaunt #garreth weasley

[poppurini]

him as a private tutor

leona, jade, malleus, lilia & gn reader

magicless au, platonic, for fun

˖ leona kingscholar

“Just Leona. Let me see your textbook.” no introductions or anything, just straight to the point. probably doesn’t ask for your name since he already knew. yes he didn’t prepare anything beforehand, no flipping through your syllabus before the actual tutoring because this man just skims through your textbook under twenty minutes and started teaching. yes he’s good at it. unfair, really. sometimes he’ll get a generational shock at the current syllabus though. “The hell are kids learning these days.” “Do you even need these in real life.”

he may seem like an indolent man (and he is) but it’s honestly so impressive of him to be able to understand your syllabus the moment he reads through them and being able to teach you about it.

strictness is 4/10 he doesn’t really care if you didn’t do the homework he assigned bc he’s not gonna be the one failing those exams that determines 70% of your future. yes those were his exact words. he might nag you a little but after that nothing’s on him. clocks off right on time.

˖ jade leech

this mf whips out a whole stack of 9cm tall worth of exercises for you because he thinks it’s funny. eerily friendly. might unintentionally make you feel a little dumb when he does that little inhale and tilts his head slightly, looking genuinely confused as to how you could get this question wrong. wears glasses (i know what jade leech stans are) occasionally. yes those attractive thin framed ones. only when you’re halfway selling off your soul to deal with the mountain of exercises he’s telling you “Oh, you needn’t get all of them completed today.” with that very innocent smile.

strictness is 7/10 he’s scary when he’s strict. might let you off the hook once or twice with incomplete homework (only with valid reasons tho) but afterwards that service smile drops and questions why you’re so reluctant on doing homework. it’s just a 2k word essay. also clocks off right on time even if he’s about to finish teaching a topic he’s not going to provide free labour.

˖ malleus draconia

this man is INSANE literally not one day does he wear a casual outfit to your sessions it’s always professional wear with him. yeaah i’m back with my dress pants dress shirt along with vest plus neat tie malleus only this time he doesn’t have his collar unbuttoned and sleeves rolled up sob sob gotta look clean. intimidating asl but that’s just bc he’s bad at connecting with the younger generations (or anyone, really) however it’s very sweet of him to still try and crack some academic related jokes with a straight face (it’s up to u whether they’re funny or not) hoping you’ll laugh. look he really wants u to open up to him so that u can absorb knowledge better instead of being constantly on edge around him ok

strictness is 9/10 oohlala much like jade he’d close an eye if it’s not a frequent occasion but he demands respect and you constantly putting off the works he assigned to help you clearly shows you don’t think of him as anything. he is patient and nice but only when you deserve it. also he’d delay a maximum of twenty minutes of your time after class ends just to finish talking about the topic.

˖ lilia vanrouge

DEADASS the most fun tutor ever. he’s all malleus ever want to be. bought drinks or snacks on his way and decided to buy you some too (just take it even if the flavours are weird). this man makes you comfortable around him instantly and teaches better than most of your teachers in school. definitely checks out your stationary while you’re suffering in doing matrixes. you can hear him mumbling to himself sometimes “Broo we didn’t even have these back then.” and it’s a squared glue stick. “Can you link me where you got this.” also THE most patient tutor and he won’t even let you feel bad for making him explain the same thing for the nth time. his job is to teach! not scold.

strictness being a 2/10 he’ll still advise you to do your homework but not in a scolding manner. he’ll really gently talk you into doing them for your own good unless you’re outright being disrespectful then the rate changes :p will ask if you want him to continue when the clock strikes end of session. if you don’t, okay! he’ll get back to it next lesson.

#leona kingscholar x reader #jade leech x reader #malleus draconia x reader #lilia vanrouge x reader #twisted wonderland x reader #twisted wonderland #leona kingscholar #jade leech #malleus draconia #lilia vanrouge #gn reader

[shadowbriar]

George Weasley - Loved and Lost You

Pairing : (F/M) || George Weasley x Gryffindor!Reader Word Count : 4.8k  Warning : Mention of food. One foul language. Synopsis : Fake dating gone wrong when she realises that her silly idea to help the Hufflepuff boy costs her her bestfriend. Notes : I had no idea how to end this, definitely not my best ending to date but I hope you can still enjoy it. If you like this story and would like to support me, please visit my kofi page and perhaps get me a coffee?☕

“What would I do without you, truly?”

She shrugs, passing the redhead his quidditch robe, “I don’t know, actually. Probably died a long time ago.”

The boy grins, receiving the said item thankfully.

The sun was beaming, steady wind blowing that lovely morning as the Gryffindors began to crowd the quidditch field. It was another typical practice but for as long as she could remember, she has always been a constant audience of the activity. She wasn’t sure if it was purely caused by her admiration of the said sport or was there any other hidden meaning she tries so hard to bury inside her chest, but if Voldemort himself is not outside of her doorstep and threatening her with the cruciatus curse, best believe she would come and cheer for her favourite Wealeys.

Yes, Weasleys.

Though it was obvious for everyone else that she has always been more fond of one of the twins, she would always argue that they both are her best friends and that she loves them equally. Sure she has been more open with one of them, spent more time on his bed and shared more of her heartfelt stories with him, but that doesn’t mean that she has any special feelings for him. They simply connect better, like the way honey fits best with tea instead of sugar.

“Say, do you have any plans after this?” He asked, putting on his robe in the process “I was wondering if you’d like to do that Charms essay together?”

“By together you mean by copying mine?”

He grins sheepishly, “You know me best.”

“Yes, I’ve heard that before.” She says as she rolls her eyes “Meet you here after?”

“Sound.”

He ruffled her hair, the very dear habit he does whenever they’re going to part ways, before he jogs lightly to the field.

She finds herself walking to the bleacher, finding a spot next to Hermione who was trying to bite down her smile, “What?”

“Nothing.”

“Oh, don’t ‘nothing’ me, Hermione. I know something’s running wild in your precious witty brain.”

“It’s just that,” The younger Gryffindor vents, turning to her “You and George look so cute together. Whatever is stopping you two from dating? Everyone could see the heart eyes you’ve been exchanging with each other.”

She rolls her eyes, “There’s no heart eyes between us. Don’t make up words, Hermione, you know how rumours go wild in this school.”

“Oh, but there totally is!” She argues, feeling rather curbed over her emotions “George has never looked at anyone the way he looks at you and vice versa. You both are neck deep in love with each other yet refuse to acknowledge it. Merlin, you both are denying it for no reason, really!”

She turns her head to watch the game, not entertaining the younger girl any longer.

Hermione wasn’t the first to question their friendship. In fact she’s one of the least vocal about it, compared to Ginny and Harry would blurt out the questions right in front of the younger twin, making the atmosphere to be awkward for the next 2 minutes to come. It would be a lie if she never pondered about the underlying truth beneath the curious accusations their friends made, but being best friends with the Twins was all she’s known for since she first stepped in Hogwarts. She’s been the honorary third twin, so Fred called, and their close relationship has always been something of her identity. There really isn’t anything more than that.

They were all just making things up, she was sure. There’s no heart eyes, no soft gazes and George definitely doesn’t like her that way. If he does, she would’ve known about it because who else could read him like an open book? Right?

—-

Her attempt on keeping her giggles in was evidently failing as George continued to nudge her under the table. Troubles in Potion is always the worst and she wouldn’t want to get any of them detention from Snivellus, but what exactly can you expect from sitting next to one of the Twins? It would be a cold day in hell if they don’t try to tickle or at the very least make silly comments about the Professor throughout the lesson.

And as if on cue, George was pulled up from his seat abruptly, arm being yanked away by the foul Professor, “Switch your seat with Diggory. Now.”

The joy on both their faces turn into horror in the blink of an eye. George nods silently, packing his belongings. She shot an apologetic smile at him, watching him as he shuffled away from their table. Diggory, who looks surprised that his name was being called, is now walking to their table, his unfinished essays disorganised in his hands.

“Hi.”

She smiles, nodding, “Hello, Diggory.”

She glances at George, making sure that the boy wasn’t much affected by Snape’s wrest, though she knew that it would require much more than the Professor’s assault to frighten the boy. Hell, she wasn’t even sure there would ever be anything George Weasley is afraid of. That boy has always been confident and undaunted no matter how severe the circumstances he was in. Yet she still couldn’t stop herself from checking in on him. It has become an unconscious habit she picked up over the years.

George wiggles his eyebrows at her, showing his unphased state as he takes a seat. She rolled her eyes. Of course he’s still being his jesterself.

She turns her head back to her paper, only to notice Diggory’s eyes glued to a few tables in front of them. She follows his direction, raising her brows as she realises that he was watching Patricia Stimpson intently. She looks back at Diggory who still hasn’t blinked from the last she saw him.

“Is there something on Stimpson’s face that I didn’t notice?” She asks aloud, making the boy snap out of his thought “Is it only noticeable from your side of the table?”

“No, there’s nothing on her face.” He answers, cheeks turning rosy “I was just spacing out.”

She squints her eyes, noting the nervous shift of his gesture, “Are my eyes deceiving me or are you blushing right now, Diggory.”

“Shut up.”

“Oh, Merlin!” She exclaims quietly, grinning at the secret she’s just learned “You fancy Stimpson, don’t you!”

“I said, shut up.”

She nudges the boy, teasing the poor Hufflepuff who’s now trying to bury his head under his arm, hiding his face that is as red as a tomato. In no time the two strangers become close. Funny how one fortuitous action could bring the two close in no time. It was as if they’ve been friends for years.

And the sight wasn’t left unnoticed by a pair of jealous eyes.

George chews on his lower lip with anxiety. He’s never seen her grow close with someone as fast as this, not even with Lee who has been their fourth wheel for years. What is it about Diggory that seems to be such a magnet for girls? Was it his pretty face? His humour perhaps? Surely he couldn’t have better jokes than the prankster of the castle.

The redhead’s bubble of thought burst as a crumpled paper hit his head. He turned to the direction where it came, seeing his twin who’s gesturing him to open it. With a huff, he opens the parchment paper and his frown grows even more sour.

‘Losers Weepers.’

—-

She throws her head to the back as she laughs her heart out, giving George light punches to the arms. The Gryffindor table was full of familiar faces. It has been a while since the whole squad was present. With the different year they’re in, different classes they’re taking, and evidently different teenage troubles they’re facing, spending breakfast together seems like an impossible task to do. Now that everyone’s present, she couldn’t find a reason to leave the table early.

But one.

“Hey, you.” A voice calls, greeting her with a smile as she turns to face him “Ready to go?”

“Of course!”

George’s brows were furrowed, disapproving her who’s now standing from her seat, “Where are you going?”

“Oh, Cedric and I are planning to do our Potion essays early.” She explains hastily “Also, George, you wouldn’t mind switching partners with him, would you? I kinda need his help with the upcoming assignments.”

The boy blinks, completely taken aback at the wave of information and requests she’s throwing at him.

“Brilliant!” She exclaims, taking his silence as approval “Let’s go, Ced.”

The whole table was left appalled, watching as she walked away with the Hufflepuff boy. Ginny and Hermione were audibly gasping when she linked her arms with him and he ruffles her hair, skipping out of the Great Hall happily. The sight was so peculiar they would’ve preferred seeing Dumbledore wearing a bikini than to witness the situation for the second time. The things she was doing, linking arms, laughing, and getting all jumpy was a sight they would see with George, not Cedric.

Since when were the two close?

“What’s just happened?” Harry broke the silence, blinking his eyes “What’s she doing with Cedric Diggory?”

“Didn’t you hear? They’re going to do their Potions essay.” Fred comments mockingly, knowing that his twin isn’t capable of making up for an answer “I didn’t even know we have Potions essay.”

The younger twin stabs on his innocent sausage as if trying to butcher it to its death. His eyes were vacant, feeling a silly pool of knots forming inside his stomach. To know that she prefers to do Potions essay than to spend time with her literal family at Hogwarts shows exactly where Cedric is positioned in her priority list.

Disappointed would be the most understated word he’s feeling at the moment. She has never been that close to anyone but him. He had always been the one she would drop the world for yet now he could sense that the seat was filled with others. He knew that something was going on. There’s no chance in the seven hells that they simply want to do their Potions essay early. Since when does she care about Snivellus’ classes anyway? Yet the realisation only further stomps him, making him drown deeper into the pits of anguish.

“I’m sure they’re just friends, like we all are.” Hermione comments, noticing the dejected look on George’s face “There’s nothing really to be worried about, George.”

He chuckles bitterly, not looking up to see the girl, “Why would I be worried?”

The table went quiet. They all could see the sorrow bleeding out of his skin. It was common knowledge to the pack that he’s madly in love with her. In contrast to her blatant denial whenever their relationship was being questioned, George chose the more vague path of simply smiling and clinging his arms around her shoulders, showing a sign of approval but not really. As if he was waiting for her to stop denying it so he could finally shed the mask he’s been wearing all these years.

Yet it seems like he wouldn’t ever get the chance to take it off now.

“George-”

“I’ll see you guys at the field.”

The boy shoots a weak smile to the group, standing up as he picks up his satchel and exits the Great Hall. The group stares at each other, feeling the mutual sorry for the heartbroken boy. Everyone could see the quidditch robe left unconsciously on the table and yet, for the very first time, she wouldn’t be the one giving it to him later.

—-

“There’s Stimpson.” She whispered to Cedric before faking a laugh, glancing at the girl who’s just entered the Great Hall “Quick, put your hand around my waist.”

“Is that really necessary?” He comments but still does the gesture “Could she even see my hand under these giant tables?”

“Stop, Ced, you’re hurting my stomach!”

The boy chuckles, watching her fake laughter with glee, “You’re entirely something else, you know?”

She grins as she takes a bite of her toast.

The plan was in motion. The two of them have done more public display of their intimacy, indicating that a romantic affair is happening between the two without telling anyone the truth behind such actions. Cedric found the idea to be ridiculous initially, but now seeing Stimpson to be taking silent glances and frowning lightly at the sight of them together, he came to the realisation that not only is she a great actress, she’s one hell of a genius too.

Yet he couldn’t help but to notice that the green emotions were radiated not only from Stimpson but from one of the Weasley twins too. If anything, the younger twin seems to be in a different level of jealousy that everytime he looks in his direction, he would find the Gryffindor’s eyes to be throwing him daggers.

“You know,” Cedric starts, clearing his throat “As much as I’m grateful for you for this stunt, are you sure it is fine for you to be fake dating me?”

“Yeah, of course. Why do you ask?”

“Because something tells me that one of the Weasley twins is despising it.”

She frowns, turning to see the Gryffindor table where the twins usually sit. Her eyes met George’s for a brief second before he looked away, joining the conversation Lee and Fred was having. She notices from afar the light hue of grey underneath his eyes and how his smile doesn’t seem to reach his eyes, no wrinkles around it as he laughs.

Guilt starts to creep inside her. When was the last time she truly looked at him? He looks awful, despite still looking as charming as ever. She could tell that something was bothering him and she feels terrible for not knowing what caused it. She used to know everything about him like the back of her hand. How long has she been gone, really?

“Are you sure nothing’s going on between you two?” Cedric asks, breaking her train of thought “I really don’t want to be the cause of your ruined relationship.”

“What, no. Nothing’s going on between us. We’re just friends.”

“Doesn’t seem like it.” He argues with a shrug “I mean I’ve seen you two around. Even a blind man could tell that something’s going on between you two. Do you not reciprocate his feelings, is that it?”

“What feelings?”

Cedric stares at her with disbelief, a teasing smile tugged on his lips, “You’re joking.”

“Do I look like I'm joking?”

“He fancies you!” He exclaims with a nudge “Come on, surely you’re not that daft to see it.”

“George doesn’t fancy me.” She comments, looking away from the Hufflepuff boy to hide her blush “Why does everyone keep telling me that.”

“Maybe because that’s the truth.”

She glares at him before looking back down to her breakfast.

Her thoughts were running wild. Being told that George was in love with her by their group of friends has always been something of an ordinary. She never thought much of it as she figured it was just one of those friendly teasing you make within your group of friends. But now hearing it from Cedric who was the literal definition of an outsider makes her ponder if such words ever actually hold some meaning. Is it really that obvious for others that he hoards feelings for her?

“Look, all I’m saying is this fake dating goes both ways.” Cedric continues “On my end I get to make Stimpson jealous and it seems like it’s working so far. On yours, I think that it’s making one of the twins jealous. What I’m questioning is, are you up for such a consequence? Are you ready if he somehow changes his demeanour around you because of our fake relationship?”

She frowns, “George wouldn’t change just because we’re dating, fake or not.”

“Are you sure? Because it looks like he’s ready to hex me to death.”

“Positive.” She rolls her eyes at him “In fact, I’ll come over to their table now and show you that his actions would remain the same.”

“Bet you 10 galleons he wouldn’t.”

She shows a disapproving expression before standing from her seat, planting a small kiss to Cedric’s cheek before walking away from the Hufflepuff table. For some reason she could feel her heart beating faster, unsure if she’s more afraid to prove her words wrong or true. Neither of the outcomes seem to be pleasing for her. If George really has feelings for her then she wouldn’t know how she could live her life knowing that she’s hurt him with the fake dating. Yet if he doesn’t, why does she feel like she would crash and fall from the bitter truth?

“Morning, Gentlemen.” She greets the table “Saved a seat for me?”

“Aren’t you already secured one with the Hufflepuffs?”

Her smile dilutes, George’s cold tone poisoning her, “I’m still a Gryffindor, aren’t I?”

“Yeah, well maybe there’s another spot open down the right.” George continues, still not looking up to her “You can join Ron and his group of friends.”

“There’s a spot right next to you, George.”

The boy picks up his satchel, placing it in the mentioned space, “Full. Sorry.”

She blinks at his callous gesture. It’s hard to believe that such words came out of his lips, the very one person who has always showered her with affection and warmth. She could see the same appalled expression shown on Fred and Lee’s faces, who didn’t expect George to be this bitter at her. Sure they know that he’s been struggling with the new sight of the couple, but never in a million years have they expected to see George being this hard to her.

“I see.” She replies, forcing a smile now “Well, I’ll see you guys at the field then.”

“Don’t even bother coming if you’re going to be with the enemy.”

“What’s got your wand in a knot, George?!” She bursts “Why are you suddenly so cruel to me?”

“Me? Cruel?” The boy questions, this time looking up to see her with angered eyes “I’m not the one tossing their friends away for some pretty boy she’s only befriended with for weeks!”

“Toss away? I didn’t come to one of your quidditch practices and you think that I’m tossing you away?” She questions, chuckling bitterly “I’m sorry, I wasn’t aware that being friends with you meant that I couldn’t date someone I like.”

George smirks, “At least you got that part right.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You really think that Diggory likes you?” He asks, this time standing up to tower her “You really think that someone like him would ever like someone as bland like you? You’re dense if you think that he ever likes you back.”

She let out a shuddering breath, tears starting to prick on her eyes from his harsh words. George seems to realise the weight of his words too as he blinks, facial features turning softer yet still showing the much bottled anger he’s erupting. He opens his mouth before closing it again, unable to make up words to follow his last.

“Fuck off, George.” She says with a cold tone, glaring at the boy.

Fighting her tears, she walks back to the Hufflepuff table with a broken heart. The possibility that George likes her has certainly been crossed out. The words he uttered are not the ones you said to someone you like, let alone someone you love. His words were only the reflection of his jealousy and bitterness that she’s now found someone who could appreciate her as much as he does. Well, did, as she swore not to ever befriend the red head again.

She takes the seat next to Cedric, sniffling slightly, “Kiss me.”

“What?” He questions, looking worried at her teary eyes “What happened? Are you alright?”

“Just kiss me, Ced.”

And so the boy leans in, kissing her gently on the lips. For the first time the couple finally shows intimate gestures, something more than holding hands or hugs, something that further proves that the two are indeed in a romantic relationship. The stunt was witnessed by the eyes of the Great Hall. Some were gasping in awe, some raised their brows in confusion, and two were staring at the couple with a sinking heart. One having a worse anguish than the other.

—-

She chews on her lower lip, trying to focus on the words Cedric was telling but his first sentence rang in her head like a broken record. Stimpson has finally asked him for a study date, meaning that she’s finally taken interest in him. The objective of the fake dating is achieved, there really isn’t any reason left for them to keep the act.

She should be happy that Cedric could finally get the girl he’s always been pining for, yet a bigger part of her wished that Stimpson would approach Cedric a bit later. Perhaps a few weeks from now when things between her and George were already settled. When he’s finally come to her and apologise for the hurtful words he spat on her that day. She knew that there was no way that Cedric would ever like her, it’s not like she cared about it anyway, but did he really think that she was bland? That she wasn’t worth Cedric or any guy’s time? Is she really that unattractive?

“Hey, you okay?” Cedric asks, looking worried at her now “You seem off today.”

“I’m fine.” She says with a smile, taking a sip of her butterbeer “So we should end this act, then.”

He nods lightly, “I suppose.”

“Why don’t you sound happy about it?”

“Because I know things between you and one of the Weasley twins is yet to be resolved.” He explains, taking her hand and giving it a light squeeze “I’m very sorry that with my uprising, comes your downfall with him.”

“Don’t be silly, it wasn’t your fault.” She rolls her eyes, smiling “We’ll figure something out. He’ll come around.”

No, she wasn’t sure that he'd come around. It has been weeks since their dreadful fight and George has made every effort to avoid her. She hardly ever saw him, not even at the Great Hall or the Common Room. It was as if he was a ghost that used to reside inside her brain, now gone into thin air as some beautiful myth she’s to tell to others.

But at the same time, George was there. He was still in their classes, still at quidditch practices, and every other activity that they used to do together. The fact that he hasn’t made any effort to fix their friendship hurts her. She didn’t realise that the foolish idea she proposed to Cedric would lead to such a devastating outcome.

And she too didn’t expect that their fight would make her realise that she’s in love with her own best friend.

Perhaps she was denying everyone’s question about their relationship because she was scared that the affection only flows one way. George has never approved nor denied the accusation thrown at him about them anyway and he certainly never made any effort to advance with his feelings should he ever have any in the first place. It was hard for her to tell if what others say was true about them and she didn’t want to have high hopes over something that he himself hasn’t approved of.

But now that the fight’s happened, how he blatantly says that she was bland, she knew that the words others say were mere lies. George had never liked her that way. She has always been a friend to him, nothing more. The affection he’s shown to her was nothing more than platonic and it broke her heart.

“So should we end it here? Right now?” She asks, taking a deep breath “The sooner we break up, the sooner you can woo Stimpson. Might want to be fast before she loses interest.”

Cedric smiles, nodding and standing up to give her a hug, “Thank you, and I hope you can reconcile your friendship with Weasley.”

She nods, waving goodbye to him who’s now walking out of the inn.

She let out a sigh, feeling pathetic to herself now at the corner of the Three Broomsticks. She’s lost George and now she lost Cedric too. Just how worse can her life be now?

Yet as if she’s spoken too fast, she saw her group of friends entering the inn. Fred waves at her, followed by Lee who calls for her name. George was standing not far behind them, seemingly not ready to meet her yet still follows the other two.

“Hello, stranger.” Fred greets, walking to her table “Long time no see. Where’s pretty boy?”

“Freddie,” She replies with a smile “Gone, we broke up.”

Fred’s smile fades, frowning, “I’m sorry, Love, I didn’t know.”

“Yeah, it just happened, actually.” She answers nonchalantly, turning to George this time “Supposedly you're happy now, aren’t you George?”

The boy didn’t say a word, only staring at her with an apologetic expression.

“You know what, I have to go.” She says, not wanting to spend any more minutes with his presence “I’ll see you guys around.”

And so she takes her purse and walks away from the table. She exits the inn in a hurry, not wanting to be followed by any of them. Her chest was tight and head loud. So many things running inside her mind and every one of it revolves around one particular ginger.

How could she face him now? How could she face him after their fight? He was being a jerk that day and now that they’ve broken up, it would only further feed his ego. Being right about their short lived fake relationship would be something George would wear like a badge of honour. She couldn’t care less about him being right, what bothers her is the fact that not only was he right but that she’s also the loser who hoped that her best friend was actually in love with her too.

Why couldn’t George be jealous the way Stimpson did? Why does he have to be jealous for a whole different reason? Why couldn’t he like her?

“Love, wait!”

She fastened her pace as she heard his voice calling from behind. No, she’s not ready to talk to him. Her head is still fuzzy from all the questions and self blame. Meeting him would only lead to another argument and she’s unsure if her quivering heart could survive another turbulence.

“Wait,” George says as he catches her arm, making her stop on her track “Please, I just wanted to talk.”

“Well, I don’t want to talk, George.” She says, still not looking at him “You’ve made your point and you’re right, no need to rub it on my face.”

“No, that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about. What I wanted to say is-”

“Look, I’m tired, alright? It’s been a long day and I really want to get back to my room.”

“I know, this would be fast, I promise-”

“Not now, George.”

She turns her body, ready to walk away before he grabs her wrist again and turns her.

“What?!”

Before she could complain further from his persistent action, she finds herself being kissed on the lips. She could feel how tense George’s body was, in contrast to how gentle his kiss was. His eyes were tightly shut, as if afraid to see her rejection from the abrupt action. The grip on her wrist loosen, giving her the chance to pull away and shove him off if she would want to.

George lets out a nervous sigh when he pulls away. He could see her appalled expression when he opened his eyes, his blood running cold from the possible outcome of his hasty action. Would she hate him even worse now?

“I’m sorry.” He gathers, voice barely above whisper “I- I don’t know what came into me. I just-”

She didn’t let him finish his words. She pulled him for another kiss, this time showing him how to properly kiss a girl. She pulls him close, eliminating any distance between them that seems to be growing further apart lately, He hesitantly rests his hands on her waist, showing more meaning and confidence to his action. Both of their hearts were beating wild, adrenaline pumping through their vessels as they prayed that the other party wouldn’t regret this once they breath for some air.

“We have so much to talk about.” George says in between the kisses “How is this happening?”

“Less talking,” She answers short “More kissing.”

George grins through the kisses. He now has his hands cupping her cheeks gently, giving her his most possible soft caresses. Merlin knows how much he waited and prayed for this to happen. The second guessing and self doubt now has dissipated, melting away with every peck they share. At last the denial has come to a close. Both acknowledging and embracing their long hoarded feelings for each other with glee. What was once loved and lost, have now returned, giving them the chance to properly show their devotion this time.

#george weasley #george weasley oneshot #george weasley scenario #george weasley fanfic #george weasley fanfiction #george weasley imagine #george weasley angst #george weasley fluff #george weasley x reader #george weasley x you #george weasley x y/n #george weasley x oc

[cringe-but-proud]

OK SO HI AGAIN I have an idea for Reggie again (I am sorry if this is getting annoying please let me know and I will stop)

But I had a thought like were in the library or something and reader is reading with Reggie and then she blurts out a random nickname (idk what there called) but instead of it being cute like love or darling it something stupid like chicken nugget?? And then you can have Reggie’s reaction to it being like are you okay what was that??

ALSO PLEASE DO NOT FEEL PRESSURED TO WRITE ANY OF THESE AND TAKE YOUR TIME IF YOU NEED

Ok, this. But, I've decided to take some creative liberty and change the nickname to

😚🦄💖 Babygirl 💖🦄😚

Thank you.

Regulus Black x gn!Reader

A/n: This one's a little short. But, that's okay. Y'all already know, requests are open

You loved spending your afternoons like this.

Cooped up in the library, studying with Regulus. It was nice, quiet, sweet. Plus, knowing you'd get to spend time with Regulus while studying was good motivation to actually do it.

The two of you sat next to each other at a table in the corner of the large library. You were working on a Herbology essay you had to turn in tomorrow while he read about some boring old wizard for his history of magic class.

A few textbooks were stacked on top of each other beside you, some were for you and some were for Regulus. You were in the middle of writing when Regulus spoke.

"Could you pass me that textbook that's on the top of the stack?" He whispered.

You looked up from your parchment and smiled at him.

"Anything for you, babygirl."

...

Oh my God, why would you say that?

You and your friends had all developed a habit of jokingly calling each other "babygirl", because... Well, because you all thought it was funny.

But, that was an inside joke reserved for your friends. You never intended on calling your boyfriend babygirl.

And yet, you just did. And now he was looking at you with a look of bewilderment.

"What?" Regulus managed.

"Uh-" There was no way to go but down. "Anything for you, babygirl." You repeated.

He paused, just looking at you with that same look of bewilderment for a moment and then snickered. Not long after it had turned into a full on laughing fit. His head was down and his hand covered his mouth as he tried to stifle his laughter. You couldn't help but quietly laugh with him.

"That was so stupid." You said, covering your face with your hands in embarrassment.

"Yeah, I can't argue with that." He said as he finally stopped laughing. "Why did you-"

"I really don't know." You chuckled, uncovering your face to see his amused grin. "It slipped out."

"It slipped out?" He repeated. "Is that how you refer to me internally? Was that something you'd just been holding in?" He said through quiet laughter.

"No! That not what I meant. I just-" You ran a hand down your face. "It's a dumb joke I have with my friends. I didn't mean to-"

"Call me your 'babygirl'?" He finished in a teasing tone.

You blushed. "Yes." You shook your head. "That was so dumb. I can't believe I said that."

"Still not the worst nickname I've ever been called." He shrugged.

You tilted your head. "Really? What's the worst one, then?"

"Barty once called me his pookie bear, and I-"

You let out a loud laugh, quickly covering your mouth as Madam Pince shushed you. Regulus quietly chuckled along with you. "Pookie bear is definitely worse than babygirl." He stated.

"That's fair." You agreed.

There was a brief pause in which you both got all of your laughter out. Regulus sighed and spoke up again. "I still need that textbook."

"Right. Of course." You grabbed the textbook he needed and handed it to him.

"Thanks."

You smirked. "Anything for you, babygirl."

#x reader #fanfiction #regulus black x reader #regulus x reader #regulus black fanfiction #marauders x reader #marauders fanfiction

[lo-shouldve-been-an-email]

Why Dionysus was actually clever but got botched.

Okay,this is my first big LO essay so please don’t mind a bit of awkwardness.

The thing with Dionysus is that on paper it’s actually really smart.

Let me explain-

To understand why Dionysus in particular was chosen we need to understand the original myth of his birth,or welll,the original myths.there’s technically two of them but I’ll explain it later-

Let’s start off with the simpler one,aka:

Semele is the mother.

The myth goes like this:

Zeus falls in love with a mortal named semele,and tells her he’s Zeus.

Semele gets pregnant and Hera gets jealous.

Hera turns into an old lady and implants the idea that Zeus might be lying to her about being Zeus,so she must ask him to show her his divine form.

Semele does this and is-unsurprisingly- burnt to ashes,but Zeus saves baby dio and puts him in his thigh until he’s born,by then being upgraded from demigod to straight up god.

Who raises him afterwards depends on the story,sometimes it’s Hermes,sometimes it’s nymphs,and sometimes it’s-you guessed it-Persephone.

So you already have some inkling on why Persephone is raising dio,but oh wait there’s more.

So let’s gets into another version:

Persephone is the mother(?)

Okay,so have any of you played hades?go play it.

But,there’s a character that has an story tied to Dionysus,and people who’ve done a certain side quest might already have an inkling:

Zagreus,the prince of the underworld.

Now,you may be wondering wtf zag has to do with this but I can explain.

Basically here’s the ancient Orphic version of the myth:

Persephone and Zeus have a son named Zagreus.(it’s important to note that hades didn’t really exist at this point or at least he was merged with Zeus,hence why it’s Zeus and Persephone and not hades and Persephone,since yes Persephone actually predates hades)

Zagreus is the golden boy of Olympus and Hera gets jealous.

Hera RELEASES TITANS FROM TARTARUS and they tear Zagreus apart,the part remaining being his heart.

And dio is made with that.

There’s more to the general ancient Orphic origins of Dionysus but that’s just the basics.

I highly recommend overly sarcastic productions video of Dionysus if you want an in depth look at this explaining his origins to his cult.so yeah.check it out.

Why it fails within LO.

I admit,dio is a good reference.

He’s a good nod and a fun idea,it’s just the execution that leads it to having as many positives as a house fire.

First of all,it definitely wasn’t planned from the start.

Other have talked about this but RS has a habit of bullshitting things into the story to reference a real world date.

In this case,dio was supposed to be a Mother’s Day thing,but when matched up to the timeline?well…I don’t know why it’s such a bad decision on Persephone’s part…may be it’s because HER AND HADES HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR LESS THAN A DAY.

Also the whole thing comes out of nowhere.

Zeus just bust into persie’s house,says he’s giving birth and instead of going to a doctor(Asclepius isn’t the only one,zeus)

Then,Persephone straight up refuses to give him to Zeus AFTER HE GAVE BIRTH and takes the baby for herself because “he looks like hades”.

Never mind the fact he’s literally purple-

After that Persephone realised she’s fucked up and ignores hades,but he bursts in and she explain how she basically kidnapped a child.

And it’s supposed to be romantic.

Anyways,I’m probably gonna make another of these rants soon,just with Apollo,but this is why the dio plot point…frustrates me.

On paper it’s an interesting reference but in the end it just ends up being stupid.

#anti lore olympus #anti lo #lo critical #lore olympus critical #lo criticism #lore olympus #lore olympus persephone #Lore Olympus Dionysus

[xinyuehui]

I don't know if I want to write a massive essay about this, but they missed the whole point with all the characters, especially Ye Wenjie. I'm assuming everyone who said this portrayal is accurate and a raging angry Ye Wenjie is good is because they either never read the book, or non-Chinese, or both. (Or maybe projecting their own views on Maoism). Ye Wenjie received higher education during a time period where it wasn't common for women. She believed in science, she believed in people, but time and time again, the people in her life let her down and never showed any signs of remorse. What I've gathered from the text is that she isn't fuelled by rage, more so she is dead on the inside, she has lost all hope in people. Her decision to reply is not because she wants to destroy, she believes that a civilisation from a higher standpoint could save humans, and this roots in the fact that she is educated. She's not some crazy rage driving women who would ever say "time is a motherfucker", not even a Chinese equivalent.

I'm not sure why the writers decided to write Ye Wenjie and Yang Weining's relationships out of the story...Oh so she is rescued by a white man later on hmm??? (Coincidentally, all the characters driving the plot are also non-Chinese in this). Ye Wenjie marrying Yang Weining and giving birth to Yang Dong gave her a glimpse of light in the life from which she had lost hope. Spending time in Qijiatun also gave her a bit of warmth. When she pushed Yang Weining off the cliff, it marked another significant point, she was calm, cut the rope with no hesitation. She did not care to get herself entangled in romantic affairs. Making her have a child with Evans is laughable. They also dumb down Yang Weining, to the extent that Ye Wenjie had to explain 43+8=51 to him. Mind you, he was a real proper engineer. (Weirdly with all the diversifying, they did not keep a single male Chinese scientist in the main team huh)

Anyways, before I go on a tangent. The writers have fast tracked everything and left out the finer text about the characters in the book. I'm not sure if they missed the point or that nowadays the audience are ruined by fast media, something like the tencent version are simply too slow for the people in the west. Any of my moots and followers who watch cdramas will know that the real good stuff is all in the build-up. It's all the little text that adds up to a fleshed out character. If the culture difference is too much for Netflix, leading them to change all the characters and most of the plot, why not just buy a western ip. There's plenty of good western sci-fi ips.

I can't help but think they want to do this because they wanted to film the scene where Ye Zhetai is beaten to death. Have an excuse to turn Ye Wenjie an angry woman. We all know why. If they really cared about showing a true China during that time, they would have spend some care with the Red Coast details as mentioned above (we did not have screens in 1960s that display Chinese text!!! And definitely no simplified Chinese characters on computers!!!!). Instead of having her snog Bai Mulin off - unrealistic since people were a lot more conserved back then, they would not have done this and it's ooc for Ye Wenjie. Falling in love with Evans - a real blasphemy. I guess the 3 Body Problem here means 3 bodies pounding at each other. Jin-Raj-Will also seem to have their own 3 body problem going on too.

(One last tangent) Ye Wenjie and Yang Dong(Vera) as scientists not believing in god but having monks at her funeral ??????????? Not even a typical normal Chinese funeral will have monks. The stereotype enforcing is real.

#okay i did say im not writing a massive essay in sentence 1 but i got carried away #3 body problem #three body #also changing the game to a mongol background - as if it isnt obv enough what they are trying to do #i cant help but to think that this adaption being bad is what they intended #typical viewer will not care to read the original they'll pass this as bad chinese media and leave a bad impression on china overall

[remedyturtles]

YOUUUUUUUU

Yes, you. I adore you so much you have no idea. FUCK.

I love your latest oneshot about the boys "stare directly at the sun" and I'm going insane. I AM UNWELL. I could write a whole ass essay about how much I love it, how you've written the characters felt so authentic and how you've emotionally broke me in the worst places possible, I've read ROTTMNT fics before, but this one stood out being an alternate setting with character being HUMAN and living normal mundane lives. How much their lives differ from what we know in the OG series yet we can spot things that stayed the same.

I love how instead of being crime fighting Ninja's, while I know that's pretty badass, But these kinds of fics makes the characters feel real for me, there's not much human setting fics of the boys which I'm sad about, (kinda wish there's more) I could literally write my own fic about em but sadly I'm not built like ao3 authors with the time and energy to do so :(( which your fic touched me on a personal level, they are going through school problems, SPLINTER HERE BEING A GOOD PRESENT FATHER GAAAHHH and then having more access in mundane things it holds a special place in my heart omfg...🫶✨

And the fact Leo wants to be a doctor my heart goes out to him 😭😭😭 I'd like to ask what do the other brothers dream to become in the future? What careers they wanna do? I have a few guesses, but I truly wanna know it in your inverse human au you've cooked up with and totally cool if you ignore this part– I don't wanna take more of your time— buuuut I really wanna know more about your human au about the boys;

Are other canon characters still there?

How drastically did you change the world to make it more humanely normal for them?

Do Yokais still exist?

Will this just be a oneshot one time thing or can we expect more of the human verse of your world?

Oahskwbw anyways, thank you so much for existing and writing your beloved fics, I love your works sm you're literally one of my favorite ao3 authors, it's making my heart explode!! Pls do take care of yourself also!!!! <33

STOP you are far to kind to me omg

i am incredibly influenced by the fact that i've read 'problem child' by taizi approximately a MILLION times. also shoutout to 'teenage mutant ninja what now' by tangledinink and the related 'scotch gambit' by like_theletter. OH and of course 'running on low (all the way home) by gibbouslunation. if you've never read human au's before and liked mine, DEFINITELY check out these!!!

writing 'stare directly at the sun' was literally because i had this idea of leo not wanting to be a doctor anymore being like a HUGE red flag and essentially built a story around that hahahaha.

i have zero intent of writing more in this au (i wrote it in 11 days like a fever dream and now i am turning my attention back to firefight haha) but i will answer your questions regardless:

no idea if there's other canon characters. it is genuinely just the real world lol, so no yokai.

raph is currently in university for education to become a teacher, undecided for what age but probably younger. mikey has changed his big ambition at least once a year, anything from chef to professional gymnast to zookeeper. donnie is going to take engineering (to start, he wants to milk the education system for all it's worth so he may get multiple degrees) and he would be accepted at any school he applies to so he will choose whichever one accepts leo haha

cheers mate thank u for the kind words ;__;

#rem askbox #i wrote it so fast i legitimately hurt my wrists. MINOR REGRETS

[thelastarchangelaskblog]

Bonus Scene: Draco Malfoy's Adventures in Dating

Bonus scene time! This is one I've been holding onto for a while now. :)

Yes, it is indeed titled that. When I went to dig this out of my files I was delighted to see past me had titled this accordingly. It's so delightfully apt.

This doesn't really go for any year because it spans some months.

Let me know your thoughts! :3

**

Move on, right? He had to move on. The best way of moving on was…finding someone else to date!

That was easier said than done. Especially when he wasn’t even sure who to ask out.

Pansy was out for very obvious reasons, as were the other Slytherin girls that he knew.

At this point Draco wasn’t genuinely interested in anyone, but he could admit when someone was aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

He was aware that Abbott was interested in Padma Patil, but Parvati was also pretty and also rather bright if one disregarded how she liked Divination.

“What about Wayne?” Parvati seemed disbelieving after he asked her out. “Does he know you’re doing this?”

That had been the last reaction Draco expected. “Yes,” he answered, ignoring the fact that no, Michael did not know Draco was asking Parvati out this very second. He only knew that Michael had encouraged this, which was why Draco was asking Parvati out in public and risking public humiliation.

Parvati squinted at him, clearly unconvinced. “Aren’t you together with him?”

Draco wished that was the case but no. “If I were, then I wouldn’t be asking a lovely person such as you out, would I?”

Parvati snorted, then covered her mouth. “Oh God, that looked like it hurt for you to say.” She patted him briefly on the arm. “Thank you for the compliment, but I’m afraid I’d have to decline. Whatever’s going on with you and Wayne, you can work it out instead of trying to get back at him.”

Draco went back to the drawing board after that conversation and considered the other options in Hogwarts’s admittedly limited dating pool. They all shot him down with various reasons that usually involved Michael.

It was absolutely mortifying how many people knew. And by now also frustrating because they had never been together. Only people thought they had been or that they were on the verge of something that shouldn’t be ruined because of a mere quarrel.

“No,” Greengrass said when Draco glanced askance at her.

“I didn’t say anything,” Draco protested.

“You didn’t have to. My answer is still no.”

“You don’t know what I was about to ask!”

“I don’t have to. You trying to ask people out is all over Hogwarts by now.” Greengrass gave him a look over the essay she was writing. “I know what you’re doing, and I have too much self-respect to put myself in that mess.” That said, she busied herself with her essay, shutting the conversation down.

“Definitely not,” Zabini said when Draco glanced his way.

Draco threw his hands up. “I wasn’t thinking about it!”

“Either way, no.”

With Greengrass and Zabini out for obvious reasons – the chief being that Draco had never even considered asking either of them in the first place – he was relegated to desperate measures.

Draco was considering just how to approach Romilda Vane when Pansy stormed up to him in the Common Room, fuming. “You!”

“Hello,” Draco said absentmindedly, contemplating just how desperate he was to ask out the girl rumored to be brewing love potions for Potter. “And, no, I’m not asking you out.”

“Well, fine!” Pansy shrieked. “I don’t want to be asked out by you! You and – and that damn Hopkins!”

Draco’s head snapped in her direction. “Watch your tone,” he snapped.

“I don’t think I will!” Pansy shot back. “Do you know that he’s going around bragging about what he can do in bed?!”

Draco blinked. “What?” That didn’t sound like Michael at all.

“First you have to talk about those things at breakfast! Now he’s going around and saying he’s better than all of us!”

“He’s what,” Draco said blankly, deliberately ignoring the reference to that one Breakfast Conversation that he really didn’t need to know about but which he’d still heard about through the grapevine.

“Pansy!” Nott came up behind her, trying to grab her arm but almost getting slapped in the face.

Pansy whirled on him. “And you! You could be better! He was right! That was – that was absolutely awful!”

Nott turned an unaesthetic shade of red. “You certainly didn’t seem to think so at the time!”

“How was I supposed to say ‘that was disappointing; I thought you’d last longer’?!”

Draco slowly took a step back, mind whirling at what he’d just inadvertently found out about Pansy and Nott’s relationship. And that apparently Michael…had insulted it? Why? Michael didn’t normally go around insulting people.

“No!” Pansy shouted, slapping at Nott’s hands again. “I don’t even know why I bother!” She ran off to the girls’ dormitory, leaving Nott staring after her.

Following a stunned moment of silence, Nott turned to Draco and hissed, “Not a word!” and stalked off.

Draco was certainly intending on never mentioning this again or even thinking of it.

At least until someone asked him in a sly voice, “So is he really that good?”

“Is who good?”

“Wayne Hopkins. Is he really as good as he claims he is?”

Draco almost said “better” before stopping and thinking that perhaps he should clarify what they were referring to. “In what?”

“You know.”

“I…don’t?” Oh bloody hell, Draco hoped they weren’t referring to what he thought they were—

“Is he as good in bed as he claims he is?”

Draco went flaming red in a second, muttered a quick excuse, and fled.

More people asked him similar questions until Draco eventually just said “This is absolutely none of your business” and did his absolute best to pretend he wasn’t imagining what everybody else was clearly picturing.

No, that had never happened and Draco hadn’t really thought about it either because all he had hoped for was a little something but now that the doors had opened it was impossible to not think of it.

It wasn’t helping him get over Michael at all.

Speaking of that, Draco should just ask Romilda Vane out and get it over with.

“You’re asking me out?” Vane’s eyebrows had risen at least an inch since he got the question out. “Wait, is this a threesome deal?”

Draco masterfully resisted the urge to scrub that visual image out of his brain. “No.”

“Oh.” Vane looked mildly disappointed at the denial, and now Draco really wanted to apply a Cleaning Charm to his own brain. “Well, did you pick up any tips from him?”

Tips? Tips?

Draco closed his eyes, pictured Voldemort’s gruesome face before he could ruin everything by blushing, and then met Vane’s eyes again. “You could find out,” he offered with a grin, though his stomach squirmed at the thought.

Damn Michael and Pansy. Damn Michael for insinuating that he knew things.

Vane smiled at him, the sight akin to a predator sighting prey. “Oh?”

“Yes,” Draco managed, still grinning. “How does Hogsmeade sound?”

“Perfect.” Vane beamed at him. “I look forward to it.”

Draco couldn’t quite manage to reciprocate the sentiment but did have to think that he finally got a date. If only because Vane wanted to know if Draco had… No, he couldn’t even think that.

Unfortunately, he had to keep thinking about it because Vane kept shooting him sultry looks and winks whenever he caught her eyes. He was beginning to regret asking for a specific date and not just doing what Weasley and Lavender Brown were doing – minus the snogging.

Thankfully the Hogsmeade weekend came quickly. Vane seemed perfectly happy to go to Madame Puddifoot’s, which was no longer as nauseatingly pink as it had been last month for Valentine’s Day.

Draco had fully intended on sitting through the entire date, even if he would have to skive off near the end so Vane didn’t start getting ideas about what would happen after.

“—but you’re friends with Loony Lovegood, right? Or you spend time with her?” Vane was saying. “God, I can’t even imagine what that’s like.”

Draco had only tuned in the moment she’d said Luna’s last name, having been otherwise nodding and humming his way through the conversation thus far. “What did you call her?”

“Oh, Loony Lovegood,” Vane said, blinking innocently. “Because she’s loony, you know? All those creatures she talks about – and she’s so strange—”

“Or perhaps,” Draco said, smiling tightly, “she’s discovered some species that we’re not aware of. I do recall that Newton Scamander was at one point also considered just as strange.” He stood. “If you’ll excuse me.”

“What – but – Draco—”

“Better not let Wayne hear you say that name either,” Draco said, recalling quite clearly what Michael’s expression had looked like the last time someone had mistreated Luna in his hearing.

“Oh, Wayne.” Vane made a face. “You’re still hung up on him, aren’t you? Why? He clearly doesn’t want you!”

Draco stilled, closing his eyes at the self-doubts that plagued him and told him that was why Michael had turned him down. He reminded himself of Michael’s face last month and at the lake. And how he’d told Draco multiple times he did love him, but not like how a human could.

It was fine. It was fine.

“Better that,” Draco said eventually, opening his eyes and glancing back at Vane, “than this.” He took out some money, placing it on the table to pay for their meal. “Have a good afternoon.”

He headed out of the café without another word, thinking that had gone absolutely terribly but surely it was only upwards from here on out?

…It was not upwards from on out.

Mandy Brocklehurst was certainly much pleasanter than Vane but entirely uninteresting and also insulted Luna to his face.

Luna had seemed absolutely delighted when Brocklehurst came to breakfast the next day with all her robes in disgustingly neon colors. She had also seemed to realize that it was Draco’s doing, giving him a small hug in the corridors.

The girls outside of Ravenclaw didn’t insult Luna but they were also wholly uninteresting and seemed more interested in what Draco could do for them than anything else. Even those who were interesting – such as Katie Bell – ended the date by patting Draco on the shoulder and telling him he was sweet and that maybe he should just try and talk to Wayne.

Draco did eventually move on to the boys because maybe that was different? He’d thought Wayne was a human boy at first (actually, how did that work with angels? Was Michael a boy? Michael was a boy’s name, wasn’t it?), so it stood to reason that maybe he’d find another boy interesting enough to date?

Potter started avoiding Draco like he had the plague once word spread that Draco was also dating boys. It was clear he had no interest in being asked out. Draco was only offended that Potter even thought Draco would ask him out.

“Sectumsempra!”

No, like hell was Draco asking Harry Potter out.

Smith and Finnigan both asked Draco out, but Draco turned that down because he wasn’t interested in what those two were clearly offering.

The other Slytherins were out for obvious reasons, which just left Draco with whatever boys weren’t already dating. In the end everything ended the same way it had when he’d dated the girls, which left him with nothing.

Hogwarts’s dating pool was depressingly small when one seriously considered it.

“Maybe you’re not giving anyone a chance,” Luna said one evening.

“I’m giving them chances,” Draco mumbled, his sense of propriety the only thing keeping him from face-planting on the table. “I’m giving them all plenty of chances.”

Luna didn’t say anything, just patting him on the back.

Draco could definitely see why Michael liked her so much.

Well, there was always the chance he’d find someone over summer. Maybe his mother had some recommendations.

-

Draco’s mother didn’t have any recommendations aside from just…giving it time. That time and space would help heal a broken heart but pushing it wouldn’t do anyone any favors.

“He said I was supposed to try and find someone,” Draco murmured, fingers brushing against the petals of a flower.

His mother sighed from beside him. “I don’t think he meant immediately, Draco. I won’t pretend to understand what goes through his mind, but I do know he loves you very much.”

“Mother—”

“Shush, Draco.” His mother shot him a quelling look. “I know he loves you very much,” she repeated in a gentle tone, “and he only wants you to be happy. What do you think he thought of what you were doing?”

“I don’t know.” Michael hadn’t said anything about the dating, respecting Draco’s wishes to keep quiet. “I don’t think he minded.” He certainly hadn’t seemed jealous or upset about anything. He’d always been there when Draco was tired of making nice with people he didn’t really want to know.

His mother was quiet for a long moment. Then, “What do you want?”

“I want…” Draco let out a long breath, closing his eyes. He wanted it to stop hurting. He wanted for it to be over with.

“Oh, Draco.” His mother rested a hand on his shoulder. “You were always a sensitive child.”

Draco didn’t meet her eyes.

“No one says you have to move on now,” his mother told him gently. “He certainly didn’t. There’s no rush, Draco. Simply take your time; you have that now.”

Time… Draco certainly had that, didn’t he?

The next few months stretched out before him. Months during which Draco didn’t have to see Michael every day for classes. Months during which Draco could do just what Michael wanted him to – move on.

“Does it get better?” The question slipped out before Draco realized he asked it.

His mother cupped his face, angling it slightly down so she could meet his eyes. “Sometimes.”

It wasn’t what Draco wanted to hear, but he appreciated the honesty.

-

It was Ginny Weasley who initiated the conversation, sending him a letter via owl suggesting a surprise birthday party for Michael and inviting him in on the proceedings to surprise Michael as well.

Draco had thus far managed to avoid seeing Michael entirely, even though he kept in contact with him through letters.

He thought it was going well so far. Putting space between them and no longer seeing Michael’s face everyday meant that his heart no longer felt like it was about to crack when he saw him or thought about him. It meant that Draco could think of Michael warmly and fondly without wanting to…well…those things.

A quick head shake put a stop to those thoughts. He’d had enough of those at Hogwarts thanks to the rumor mill.

He wrote back to Weasley confirming the party and also that he would be coming. He then asked what she would be doing to hide the party from Michael, who could literally read minds. He suggested some tips that he’d picked up during his initial Occlumency lessons – tips that anyone should be able to do even if they had no talents in the mind arts.

Seeing Michael on his birthday – his human birthday – was certainly a good test to see if this whole “space and time” thing had worked out. If Draco was really over him.

He thought he was. It didn’t feel the same like it had before, so Draco must be, right?

Luna asked him the same question one day when she was visiting for some tea. Draco hadn’t been sure it was a good idea but she’d invited herself over in one letter and the next thing Draco knew he was introducing her to his parents.

“I think it worked,” Draco said when Luna asked him if he was really fine with everything. “It doesn’t feel the same way, you know?”

Luna nodded, chewing her lower lip. “Are you going to tell him?”

“Yes.” Because this was what Michael had wanted. Draco was tired of putting space between himself and his best friend because of feelings. “I’m not dating anymore, though. That was utterly useless and ridiculous.”

“Well, of course it was,” Luna said. “They didn’t fit your energy at all.”

Draco decided not to ask what she meant by that. Knowing Luna the answer would be as clear as glass, only slightly comprehensible if you turned your head and squinted, or as muddy as swamp water.

Afterwards his mother asked him if he liked Luna? She seemed like a sweet girl if absentminded (which was code for “extremely strange and possibly addled”).

Draco barely thought about it before wrinkling his nose up in distaste. Luna? Really? She was admittedly sweet and nice but Draco didn’t think of her at all like that. She was almost like…

He didn’t have any siblings, but Draco thought that their relationship was like that between a brother and sister. It felt easy in a way that the strained relationships he had with Michael’s other friends didn’t feel like.

His mother must have read something of his thoughts in his face since she didn’t press further.

Draco put those thoughts out of mind in the few weeks remaining before August 31st, and then it was the day and he was Flooing to Weasley’s house. He was told to remain quiet and in the background until Michael arrived with Luna; Macmillan and Finch-Fletchley were emptying bottles of ridiculously shiny glitter into bowls as Draco was told this.

His first sight of Michael since term had ended was that of his friend covered in glitter and blinking in surprise. His dark brown hair was sparkling with glitter and he’d managed to rub it out of his eyes but it still dusted his cheeks and forehead.

Draco’s first thought was He looks ridiculous, followed by Bloody hell, he’s cute and then Oh, shit.

Draco almost missed his cue when Luna said they had one more surprise for Michael. He managed it after Bones poked him in the shoulder.

Michael looked – he looked surprised to see Draco. Surprised and pleased.

Draco’s chest warmed at the thought that he was able to make Michael happy and oh shit, he was still screwed.

It didn’t feel the same as it had before. It felt like more and that was just not on.

Only Draco was so damn tired of trying and trying to push it away and do what Michael had told him to. He’d tried, hadn’t he? He’d tried and there wasn’t anyone else in Hogwarts he could date unless he went for the younger years and that was just gross.

“Well…” Draco coughed, glanced at Michael and realized that was a bad idea when all he could see was glitter and Michael’s face and quickly looked away, rubbing his neck nervously. “You’ve got…glitter.”

“I know.” Michael didn’t sound bothered by this fact. “You’re here.” He said it like he hadn’t expected Draco to be here at all – like Draco’s presence was a gift.

Or maybe Draco was just projecting.

“I am.” Draco swallowed past the dryness in his throat, wishing for something to drink. He looked quickly at Michael and then elsewhere, eyes landing on the magically enchanted clock. It was interesting enough to hold his attention so he wouldn’t just be staring at Michael. “Luna invited me, but the party was Weasley’s idea.” 

“I didn’t think I’d see you before Hogwarts.” There was no recrimination in Michael’s tone, but Draco felt guilty nonetheless.

“Yes, I…” Draco wasn’t sure how to explain his thought processes at the beginning of summer. It had been so hopeful back then and now? “I’m here,” was all he managed, smiling weakly. “And, er…” He tried to release some of the tension in his shoulders. He’d had a plan, didn’t he? About what to tell Michael? “I wanted to tell you something.”

Everyone else had disappeared, ostensibly to give Draco privacy to tell Michael what he was supposed to – that he was over Michael now. That things could go back to normal.

But things weren’t fine.

Draco could lie, couldn’t he? He could tell Michael that and pretend things were fine and push everything down. He’d done it long enough and he was tired of not being able to talk to Michael like he’d used to.

He didn’t expect Michael to move closer. “I’m all ears.”

Draco almost laughed at the unusual phrasing, biting his lip before it could break free. He flexed his hands, the words sitting on the tip of his tongue. It’s done. I don’t need time anymore. We’re good now. We can just be friends.

Only when he moved to speak, he instead said, “I made Head Boy.” And then, like a train wreck, he also said, “And Quidditch captain!”

Michael’s smile was blinding; Draco’s heart skipped a beat or several. He wasn’t entirely sure, and he almost missed Michael congratulating him.

He definitely felt it when his cheeks heated, and he had to duck his head before Michael could see, covering the motion by lifting his hand to his hair. “Thanks.” Then, because he was already committed to this conversation, he added, “I’m going to be overhauling the Quidditch team this year – recruit based on talent.”

“I’m sure you’ll do fine.”

The quiet confidence in Michael’s tone had Draco’s stomach squirming in pleasure even as his chest warmed at the same time.

Breathe, breathe. Draco managed a deep breath that helped calm some of the anxious fluttering in his stomach. Once assured that he wasn’t blushing any longer, he dropped his hand and straightened, smiling at Michael.

It was fine. It would definitely be fine.

Draco could do this. “You look ridiculous, by the way. I can’t take you seriously covered in glitter like that.”

“That’s fine.” Yet Michael glanced down as if to check that he was indeed covered in glitter.

He was. Draco felt vaguely sorry for the person who had to clean the mess up as the floor at Michael’s feet was just as sparkly.

Before he could lose his nerve, Draco continued speaking, saying part of what he had originally meant to say. “I’m done with needing time. I – er…” He couldn’t say it. He swallowed, shrugging. “I’m done,” was all he managed.

He was sure his Occlumency shields were still up, but Michael was looking at him as if he knew that wasn’t everything Draco meant to say. His expression was concerned.

“You can take more if you need it,” Michael said quietly.

Oh, Draco knew that. He knew Michael would give him all the space he needed or wanted. He knew Michael would break this friendship off entirely if that was what Draco decided.

“I know, but I don’t.” It was a lie that Michael either didn’t catch or didn’t call Draco out on, and then they were in the kitchen. The kitchen Michael wasn’t allowed to be in because Weasley was trying to hide the cake from him.

“Did that go well or not?” Abbott asked Draco once Michael had been shooed out and told to find Macmillan and Finch-Fletchley. “I can’t always tell with Michael.”

Draco didn’t verbally answer, taking a chocolate-covered spoon from beside the sink and inspecting it closely.

“…Not well, then?”

Draco’s answer was to stick the spoon in his mouth.

“What did you say?” Luna asked.

“Head Boy,” Draco mumbled around the spoon.

Abbott and Bones glanced at each other. Weasley was too busy inspecting the cake layers to react, poking at them and muttering to herself.

“Let’s go outside,” Luna thankfully suggested, and she took hold of Draco’s arm before he could react, pulling him out the back door.

“You can de-gnome the garden while you’re out there!” Weasley called after them.

Draco wanted to ask what she meant by “de-gnome” but his question was answered a moment later when a couple of gnomes gave him beady-eyed glares from the hedges. It figured that the Weasleys had a gnome infestation.

“You can pick them up and throw them over the hedge,” Luna said when Draco didn’t say anything. “It might make you feel better.”

Draco didn’t think he was quite far enough gone to actually stoop to manually de-gnoming a garden. He could, however, do it with magic.

“Were you not able to tell him?” Luna asked him once Draco had levitated his first gnome.

“I told him I don’t need time anymore.” Draco spun the gnome around several times and then let it go flying.

“But…nothing else?”

Draco exhaled through his nose, picking another gnome to be his unlucky victim.

Luna watched this gnome go flying as well before she broke the silence. “It didn’t change, did it?”

Draco mutely shook his head, firing a silent Levitation Charm at one fleeing gnome. It swore at him when it took hold.

“Feelings are funny like that,” Luna said softly. “Sometimes you try pulling them out, but they just go dormant. And then it’s spring and they’re growing again.”

That was certainly a poetic way of looking at the situation.

“They don’t feel the same,” Draco said eventually. “It’s – it’s different.” Why? Because he knew Michael better now?

Luna made a small humming sound. “Why don’t you tell him that?”

The last thing Draco wanted was a repeat of the last conversation they had about Draco’s feelings. “He doesn’t want to hear it. You know that.”

Luna didn’t say anything as Draco sent two more gnomes flying over the hedge.

“He wants to give you a choice.”

The latest gnome fell back to the ground with an insulted swear. “He what?” Draco turned to her. “How is this a choice?”

“He thinks he’s not good enough for you,” Luna said, deadly serious.

Draco scoffed before he could think the better of it. Really? If anything it was the other way around!

“Didn’t you hear?” Luna didn’t look away from him. “It’s what he told Michael Corner – that he’s not good enough for you. He wanted to give you the choice to choose – to try and find someone else.”

“Shouldn’t it be my choice to begin with?” Draco snapped.

“Yes.” Luna’s fierce tone surprised Draco. “It is your choice, Draco. It’s always your choice. It’s your free will; Michael won’t take that away.”

“What was that he did before then?” Draco muttered. “Telling me that I had to move on?”

“But you tried, didn’t you?” Luna pointed out. “He wanted to give you an option – something to choose from. Because you didn’t know before.” Draco could feel her looking at him. “But you know now, don’t you?”

Draco rubbed at the bridge of his nose, thinking of all the dates he had been on and just how awful they had been. It really hadn’t been fair on any of them, but at least he knew better now. “Yes.”

“You could tell him.” Luna’s voice was quiet. “Tell him now since you did try.”

“I don’t…” Draco didn’t think that would change anything. At the end of the day, Michael was still an immortal archangel and Draco was a human.

Maybe Draco needed more time. Maybe Draco needed to just pretend things were fine and back to normal and they would eventually become normal. It was only another year.

He could pretend things were fine for another year and then take all the time he needed to really try and move on and find someone else. Someone who wasn’t in Hogwarts and didn’t know Michael.

“I just want to be friends,” Draco finally said, because he knew that was true.

Luna said nothing, touching his shoulder comfortingly.

One more year. Draco could do this.

#first born #my writing #bonus scene #draco malfoy #the last archangel

[ttal-zi]

head over feet | jungkook x reader

our dearest y/n suffers from an acute case of being absolutely tongue-tied whenever her cute banana milk regular comes in the convenience store. confiding in her closest online friend about her woes, an adventure in stepping out of your comfort zone ensues.

*very much unedited. enjoy

Magicarpediem: I mean rly, ask me any NUMBER of things about seventeen’s discography and i will return with a 5 page essay. But uh oh- cute convenience boy wants to buy some banana milk? 

Magicarpediem: suddenly i forget how vocal chords operate. 

jktheironGiant: LMAO

Magicarpediem: you laugh at my misery

Magicarpediem: ARE YOU ENTERTAINED

jktheironGiant: oh 100% please continue

Magicarpediem: ლ(ಠ益ಠ)ლ

You sigh in frustration, placing your phone facedown on the counter with a little more force than necessary. It was a slow morning at the convenience store, so you didn’t feel too bad about texting your online friend instead of restocking stale chips. It was usually easy, working here- Family on a road trip, interns in a rush, really everybody came in and you handled their interactions with ease. At most a little small talk was required, but after working here for most of your college experience you had become well-versed in the activity.

Until he showed up.

You remembered it like it was yesterday- A crossword puzzle on the counter, a virtually empty store. It was raining outside, with only an hour left of your shift. You just chewed your gum and tried to make time pass. You tapped your pencil to your chin the way they always did in movies, the pitter patter of the rain only mildly distracting.

Alright, let’s see…4 down; Eros, the greek god of-

With a Pop! Your gum burst and the door swung open. But you barely looked up.

“Welcome in.” You called politely, your attention still glued to your crossword. You didn't get paid enough to see if whoever came through shoplifted a stick of gum anyway. 

“Ack, come on I know this. I read percy jackson in middle school…” You grumbled, wracking your brain and rubbing your forehead sthoughtfully. In the distance you heard the customer shuffling around the store. 

“Was it birds? Something about birds, right? No, it needs an O to fit…crow? Ugh, that doesn’t work.”

You hadn’t realised that your mumble was less of a mumble and more of a “Yes-im-talking-out-loud-to-myself-in-a-public-place”.

“What are you working on?” A gentle voice seeped into your attention. Your eyes stayed glued to the page that was slowly driving you mad. 

“Just a crossword. I’ve almost finished it but I'm stuck on this last one. I don’t know why I keep doing these. They always piss me off when I can't get it.”

Footsteps came closer to the counter, the sound of fabric rustling. Soon enough, a shadow hovered over you and your crossword. “Maybe I can help?” it was deeper than you realised, the voice. It had a sense of melody to it, and you couldn’t help but feel like you’d heard it somewhere before.

You spun the crossword around to face the stranger. “Go for it, man.” you saw…hands come into your vision. Not just any hands either. They were deft, covered mostly by fingerless gloves, but you could see specks of nail polish still decorating the strong and bony fingers.

You looked uo quickly, but the stranger was backlit in a fluorescent halo from the ceiling lights- all you saw was shadow. The voice hummed.

“Huh. I mean, loaf definitely fits. Was he the god of bread?” An unexpected laugh tore out of you. “Ha, if only. Eros, the god of loaves.” You rolled your eyes good naturedly but something seems to click for the man. He smacked his fist in his palm in understanding. “Oh! I’ve got it!”

And then everything was dark. You blinked once, twice. Dark, chocolatey black and curly hair tumbled in front of your vision. It took your brain a little while to process what you were seeing. The stranger had leaned his head down to scribble onto the crossword. You had the intense urge to run your hands through it.

You shook your head, trying to clear out the abrupt thought, when the stranger jumped back from the page and turned it towards you. “Love.” He said in that melodious voice. A chill went up your spine.

“I mean, to be fair i also associate love with bread so its quite the easy mixup.” you could hear that smu fuccking grin in his voice, so you looked up with a retort on the tip of your tongue.

And thats when you forgot how to breathe. Someone had thrown the store into mars and opened the airlock. All the oxygen was sucked out of your body at the beauty of the man in frontvog you.

His face was framed somehow both delicately and messy by his black locks , his wide eyes a shade of brown you had never quite seen. You were right- He was smiling, the most fucking smarmy, smug grin you had ever seen. It was the most beautiful thing youd ever seen, his pale rose lips parted around pearly whites. His dark brows furrowed the tiniest centimeter and-

o h. Oh god. He was waiting fir a response. One that you didnt have. Oh, Eros.

“I, uh-”

Think Y/N, think, think, think! Use that smart and sexy brain of yours to come up with a response that will make the fucking myth in front of you propose and take you out of this store with a ring on your finger! A ring pop would be fine!

“I’m allergic to gluten.”

MAYBE NOT THAT-

His eyes widened in surprise at the abrupt response. He let out a good natured chuckle. “More for me, then.”

Y/N, did that sexy brain of yours forget that you are, in fact, NOT allergic to gluten?? Lies are not stable foundations for relationships, dumbass!

“Just kidding.”

Smooth. Really, truly, smooth.

But before the man could respond, you spotted the milk carton he had set on the counter. In your previous crossword blindness you hadn’t even noticed.

“I-It’s on the house.” You said, pushing the milk back in front of him. “For the bread. I mean, loaf. I mean-” You gestured at the milk hoping he understood your unintelligible words. He was going to need a crossword to understand you at this point. 

But instead of taking th emilk and running far away from the wordless cashier that you were, he smiled. It was warm and genuine, not a hint of the mischevious smugness from earlier. His eyes were bright, and he made your knees quake on the linoleum tile. “Thank you!”

His words were like a philharmonic orchestra. 

Yours felt like a soundcloud rappers corrupted file. 

“N-no yeah.” Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the hybrid of no problem and whatever the fuck else just happened there!

His smile stayed put, seemingly immovable. “I’ll see you around then. Let me know if you ever come by some more bread-related crosswords.” He waved goodbye, banana milk secure in warm hands. You nodded mutely, afraid of opening your mouth for what would spill out. 

It wasnt until the stranger had closed the door to the rainy city beyond that you let yourself collapse on top of the crossword with an “Ugh”.

“Curses…foiled again.” Even your lamenting needed work, apparently.

You sighed, opening up your eyes to the paper you rested on. There, scrawled in the little four spaces was someone elses handwriting. Completing your puzzle with a neatly written 

Love.

It had been nearly a year since then. You’d seen the man through all different seasons; Bundled up in a winter puffer jacket, sweating in a white shirt in the summer, or even the comfy-looking cardigan you’d seen on a pretty spring day. Every time he’d greet you with that bright smile, lighting up your insides. Eventually you learned his name was Jungkook. 

You couldn’t think about anything else that day.

Besides providing you endless bouts of heart palpitations and sudden onset weakness in your knees, he also provided an endless source of entertainment for your best friend. 

You’d been introduced to jktheironGiant through a minecraft server created by your friend Hoseok. After you both tried to sabotage kingTAEta’s building with a little bit of lava, the two of you have been inseparable. Over the three years you’ve known JK, he’s become your best friend; Despite not knowing each others names or faces, he’s one of the only people that truly knows you.

Which also means he knows how completely mortified you are by these interactions.

And god, he loves it.

jktheironGiant: has he come in today yet?

jktheironGiant: i wanna witness that effect he has on your typing in which you suddenly no longer know how words work >:)

You huff out a laugh, typing a response.

Magicarpediem: ur a sick man jk. this is torture, truly.

The doorbell jingles just as JK’s response comes through. 

jktheironGiant: Kinky 

For no reason at all, you feel your cheeks heat. You put your phone upside down on the counter to greet your latest customer. “Good morning, welcome in-” You stutter at the end as your eyes catch on the man walking through the door. It’s Jungkook. 

Fitting the cold weather outside, he’s wearing a black turtleneck and overcoat, his hand dipping breifly into his pocket seemingly to put his phone away. He meets your eyes, bright and shiny as always. “Morning, Y/N!” He greets you with a grin, beelining over to the refrigerated drinks.

Suddenly, the cozy sweater you’re wearing feels 100 degrees warmer.

Oh god, okay, don’t mess this up. He’s been in here a million times, you can talk to him! Ask him how his day is, how he’s doing!

Jungkook walks over to the counter with a bit of a spring in his step, his eyes glued to you. He sets the banana milk on the counter and smiles at you… but theeres something about it. He looks like he knows something. 

Or i’m reading too much into this and the poor man just wants his drink. You take the milk and scan it, the silence stiffening around you. 

“So,” You begin. Okay here it is, don’t fumble it. “How….” How’s your day? How are you?

But instead you just stop. Even after he hands you his debit card, you don’t continue. Just. How.

“How..?” Jungkook repeats, his eyes locked onto yours like heat seeking missiles. Not for the first time sicne he;s arrived, you feel your entire body burning up.

“How….” You repeat again, glancing for anything around you to possibly take you out of this botched attempt at conversation. Abort mission!

“...How would you like this bagged?” You point weakly to the paper or plastic bags next to you. “W-we have plastic, or paper, but if you want a reusable one i can probably find something in the back, though I can’t promise it will be new or anything-”

Jungkook watches as you flounder, mirth twinkling in those devastatingly handsome eyes. He hums. “No bag today- I’ll just carry it.” He smiles, winking at you. 

Your heart skips several beats, and you wonder if Jungkook knows CPR.

“...Ah. Cool. Bye.”

Y/N I am BEGGING YOU-

“I mean.. Uh.. see ya.”

Please quit while you’re ahead, this is awful.

“Enjoy your…milk.” To top it all off, your possessed hands attempt finger guns. But alas, sleeves are long, and your thumbs are stuck within them, so now you're just pointing at the man in front of you and dying very quickly inside.

The man is a saint, apparently. Or just very oblivious. He chuckles. 

“See you soon, Y/N!” And within moments, he’s gone.

You slump on the counter once more. 

“Why???” You groan at no one but yourself.

.

That night, all you hear is JK’s hysterical laughter at your expense. You groan, shoving your head in your hands as you sit at your computer. “I literally do not know why I keep telling you about this. Every time it happens i regret my life decisions.” JK’s slightly distorted laughing calms to a point- but not completely. His tinny voice comes through your headphones- He still uses his old headphone’s microphone, the quality probably not doing any sort of justice for his voice. 

“It’s probably because I promise you VBucks in return for your emotional damage.” JK cackles. You roll your eyes even when you know he can’t see it. “I’m still only playing that for you and Jiminie- I cannot, in good conscience, say that I like Fortnite.” 

“You don’t have to admit something for it to be true~” JK sing-songs in your ears. You huff, acting annoyed when really…you aren’t. JK’s banter and jokes always manage to uplift you, even when it’s because of an embarrassing thing you did. He manages to turn a situation where others are laughing at you, into the two of you laughing at it. It’s one of the things you like about him the most.

“C’mon I don’t have anything that I can tease you with- this is very unfair.” You grumble, but your hearts not in it. “I guess I’ll have to ask the server about more embarassing JK moments. I need to expand my arsenal.” You quip, already typing away. “Oh NO you don’t-” JK Responds, suddenly alarmed. “Oh how the turn tables~” You answer smugly.

The Crazy Eights :P

Magicarpediem: gimme your most embarrassing jktheironGiant moments go

jktheironGiant: please do not add betrayal to your list of sin 〣( ºΔº )〣

Not even a minute later, there's a flood of responses.

kingTAEta: most definitely cried when we saw endgame

jktheironGiant: WHO DIDN”T

jellyjiiminie5: well yeah but you were the only one that passed out from dehydration afterwards

You let out a surprised gasp. “JK, Really?!?” He just groaned in response.

Magicarpediem: i love this. So much.

lilmeowmeow: one time i asked him if he drank water and he asked me if there was water in banana milk

Magicarpediem: OMG

jktheironGiant: well at least now i see whos not coming with me in the zombie apocalypse :/

worldwidJinn: honestly im disappointed >:( you’re all so ready to stab little jk in the back

jktheironGiant: THANK YOU jin

worldwidJinn: and you’re completely forgetting about the multiple times he’s forgotten about the concept of fall damage in a match

jktheironGiant: nam i’m being bullied.

naMonster: lol

You were having trouble breathing at this point. Your hysterical laughter only bringing sighs out of JK.

jktheironGiant: i think magicarp over here is having a heart attack stop telling embarassing stories she might pass out 

Magicarpediem: PLEASE CONTINURE

hohohoseK: only you have the power to stop this jk [●´︶｀●] you know what it will take

jktheironGiant: …guys i don’t have THAT many vbucks

hohohoseK: all it takes is the truth young padawan ｡･ﾟ･(ﾉД`)ヽ(￣ω￣ )

Lilmeowmeow: do it JK

kingTAEta: stop torturing Magicarp and maybe we’ll grant you mercy :)

JK’s end became quiet as the messages continued. “Yeah JK stop torturing me~” You laughed, trying to brighten up and bring your friend back. The sudden silence was unlike him.

jktheironGiant: >:( fine. Later.

Magicarpediem: i feel like I’m missing something but as long as im no longer being tortured im good (☆▽☆)

“Fine. No more embarrassment about convenience guy.” A message pinged on the chat. “Jiminie is ready to play anyway- You can use your beloved VBucks.” You could only laugh in response, happy to finally be around someone you knew you could talk to.

.

The next day found you sipping your favorite winter drink in a cozy cafe. You had come in to get some work done for a class, but with almost being done with school it was finished in no time. Now you simply enjoyed the atmosphere of the restaurant in winter while reading a book. No strangers had even sat next to you! Life was good, and that could be rare when you took a seat at those long half-booth monstrosities. They were designed to make people anxious, you concluded.

You paid no mind to the people walking and moving around you, content to be absorbed in the fantastical romance of your novel. So much so, in fact, that you didn’t notice the dark-haired figure walking up to you.

“Excuse me… may I sit here?” You froze at the melodious tone of his voice. Slowly, you craned your neck up in horror. 

He was here. Jungkook was here. 

Oh god.

His eyebrows raised as your eyes met. “Oh! Y/N! Hey!” He gestured to the seat next to you. “Would you mind? I promise not to interrupt your book or anything.” He chuckled. 

All you could do was nod.

He looked at you quizically. “You…do mind?”

You shook your head violently. “You don’t?” He still had that lost puppy look on his face.

You nodded again. Your head was getting dizzy. “You do-”

“Just sit down, Jungkook.” You facepalmed outwardly. Oh well. You’d embarrassed yourself enough in front of him- What did once more hurt? A grin grew on his lips. “Thanks.”

He scooted in next to you, and oh god you were enveloped in Jungkook. In this mysterious-not-so-mystery that had whirled into your life so suddenly. THe man made you tongue tied up down and sideways, and now he was sitting next to you with that cologne.

Good lord youd never been close enough to smell it- or him. You were addicted to his presence and had to physically bite your tongue from saying anything about it.

You tried to shove your nose in your book once more, but it only worked for so long.

“Hey, do you think you could watch my stuff real quick? I’m gonna go grab a drink.” He said, giving you that little smile that you would kill for. Apparently now you could nod your head correctly, so that’s exactly what you did. With another quick smile and a thanks, Jungkook left his phone on the table and his bag in the seat.

Enter: Freakout mode.

Oh god what am I gonna do??? He’s probably going to say something fucking- sweet, and, and funny! Shit shit shit shit-

You yanked out your own phone, furiously typing.

Magicarpediem: SOS HE’S HERE- IN THE CAFE- JK WHAT AM I GONNA DO?!?!

A faint buzz from Jungkook’s phone had you nearly jumping in your seat. Was that-? No. No that’s just a coincidence. His phone lay face down on the table, and coming from that direction, you couldn’t even be sure it was his that had buzzed.

You picked up your phone and began typing once more, only interrupted by Jungkooks return. “Thanks for watching my things.” He said, ever smiling at you. You merely nodded and returned to your panic typing.

Magicarpediem: I just messed up nodding, how the fuck does someone do that?? Oh good lord jk. He’s too pretty. I just can’t. I don’t know what it is.

Beside you, Jungkook picked up his phone, taking a sip of his drink. You didn’t notice the way he stiffened as he looked at his device, too wrapped up in your panic rambling.

Magicarpediem: i can no longer come to this cafe anymore :’D not until i can operate my vocal chords again. Packing up and RUNNING in about 3 seconds.  

“Don’t!” Jungkook yelped beside you, and you whipped your head to meet his wild-eyed gaze. “Ah- Shit, sorry just uh. My book. Character’s making a bad decision.” He waved his phone haphazardly in the air. You stared at him for a beat, but you couldn’t hold back the giggle that came out. 

“It’s fine- It happens to me too.”

Was that…

A normal sentence?

Jungkook stared at you, wide eyed, like you’d just told him the moon was made of pizza and he could go pick up a slice. Your cheeks warmed, and you diverted your attention back to your phone.

Magicarpediem: i…. Said an actual sentence. Holy shit.

Jungkook chuckled beside you, presumably at his book. You tried to ignore the fact that you loved the sound so much.

jktheironGiant: lmao, see? It’s not that hard. Cmon i bet hes just as nervous as you

You scoffed out loud.

Magicarpediem: no way- he’s been a smooth criminal ever since i met him. I bet his brain is smooth too. All smooth. Like a river rock.

jktheironGiant:...a river rock?

Magicarpediem: or just like. dwayne the rock johnson. He’s smooth. 

jktheironGiant: smooth head

Magicarpediem: very.

You began to laugh at the same moment Jungkook did. You clammed up suddenly, shooting him a bashful smile. 

“What are you laughing at?” His voice rang out next to you. 

“I uh…my friend. He’s teasing me.” You answered in the least amount of words possible, but once again you managed to make an actual, coherent, response!

Jungkook tilted those inquisitive eyes towards you again, something.. Deeper in them.

“Boyfriend?” 

Your face heated to a billion degrees, warmth crawling up every inch of your body. “I. Uh. Uhm. N-No.” And you couldn’t help but feel slightly…wrong, for saying that. A little disappointed because you wouldn’t mind if JK was your boyfriend. The crush you harbored for him would enjoy it immensely.

Jungkook nodded, seemingly thinking about something. “Good.”

You did a double take. “I- Wh-Wha-” You tried to get the words out, but your mouth just opened and closed like a fish gasping for air while jungkook turned his bemused attention back to his phone.

jktheironGiant: either way, hes totally nervous. Maybe he just shows it differently.

Magicarpdiem: suuuuuuure….why would i make him nervous though?

JK’s response was instantaneous.

jktheironGiant: you’re pretty 

You were pretty sure your heart stopped. You let out a faint gasp, as the words melted into your mind. But before you could ask how he knew that without ever seeing you, JK continued to battle your heart with his pure words

jktheironGiant: plus you’re super cool and funny- you told me how you two met remember? Funny people can be intimidating.

Magicarpediem: JK i was literally talking to myself over a crossword puzzle.

jktheironGiant: and that isn’t funny?

Magicarpediem:.....

jktheironGiant: c’mon just ask him something- maybeeee you could go take a walk. Get to know each other wink wink

Magicarpediem: just out of the blue like that?

jktheironGiant: you like him, don’t you?

Magicarpediem: …

Magicarpediem: fine.

And before you could back out, before you could process what you were doing, you turned to Jungkook.

“Would you like to take a walk with me?”

No ‘It’s a little loud in here’. No ‘if you can’. No ‘since the weather's nice’.

No excuse or reason- Just asking the boy you like if he’d like to walk with you.

Jungkook’s eyebrows raised in surprise. But it flickered away quickly, replaced by a look of pure joy.

“Y-yeah! I’d love to.”

And you smiled.

“Wait, really?? Well, that was pretty convenient for you.” You laughed, walking side by side with Jungkook. “Yup. The one day I forget my wallet and you gave me a free milk.” Jungkook lifted his hand behind his head, stretching. “Since then, I knew I owed you a life debt.” You giggled; Something about this boy, this man- He made you laugh the way only one other person had before.

“I’m glad we get to talk like this now.” He said, ruffling his soft locks. “At first I was worried that you were scared of me or something.”

“Scared of you?” You repeated in shock at the notion that you could ever be scared of Jungkook. “No way. Just… in awe, I suppose.” You looked anywhere but him, even as you felt those inquisitive eye on you. 

“Awe?” He repeated.

“Yeah.” You confirmed.

Oh well. Fuck it.

“You’re really pretty, Jungkook.” You looked him in the eyes when you said it, and continued your walk. You only got a few steps before you realised that Jungkook had stopped. “Jungkook?” You looked at him, puzzled. 

He was staring at you with wide eyes, full of an emotion you couldn’t place. “Come on, surely you know that.” You tried to play it off, thinking he was uncomfortable.

He shook his head. “It’s different coming from you.” There was a pleasant emotion, heavy lacing through his words. You just smiled at him. It was easier now- Like the shock of cold after jumping in the pool, only to never want to get out.

“Well it’s true.” You said. You walked closer to him, grabbing his hand- The first thing you had seen when you met him, the hand that wrote ‘Love’ and had your brain overload with emotion.

“Now c’mon, the stores are gonna close soon.” 

It felt right to lace your fingers with his own. Like you had been waiting a long time, only to finally, finally feel the warmth of his palm against your own.

.

“This is me.” You said as you and Jungkook stopped outside your apartment building. The impromptu walk turned into an impromptu shopping trip turned into impromptu dinner… 

An impromptu date, really.

And now he had insisted on walking you safely back home, bringing your spontaneous adventure for a close. You turned to him. “I uh…” You were struck again not only by his beauty, but his kindness. The way he’d made you laugh all night, asked for your opinions, talked about your lives. The way you felt comfortable to simply be with him. To not pretend.

“I’m really glad you talked to me Jungkook.” a look of surprise flickered across his face before settling into a look of sweetness. Like someone you love saying something silly, something they would only say, and it’s just so them that you can't help but smile.

“I’m really glad you talked to me, Y/N. I’ve been uh,” Jungkook cleared his throat, and you swore you saw red grace the tip of his ears and nose. “I’ve wanted to do that for a while now.”

You beamed up at him. God, you really were in it, huh?

Your expression turned sheepish once more. “Do you think I, um…could I have your number? So we could do this again?” You asked hopefully. 

You expected a yes or a no, but that wasn’t what you got.

Jungkook smiled, easy, but there was something more to it that you couldn’t place. Like he was worried.

“Don’t worry about that just yet. Now c’mon, it’s late and you’re freezing. Get to bed now, okay?”

Your hope wilted just a little. What kind of non-answer was that? Did he not have a fun time as well, despite what he said?  You shook the negative feelings away and tried to just focus on what was happening now.

“Oh. Yeah. Okay. Well…Goodnight Jungkook.” You said, beginning to step away. Jungkook smiled at you, soft and warm. “Goodnight Y/N.”

You turned away, walking to your door- You were afraid that if you turned around, whatever spell would be broken and you would jump to him telling him exactly how you feel.

Opening the door to your apartment, you felt a buzz through the pocket of your pants. Unlocking your phone as you discarded your things, you saw an unread message from jktheironGiant.

jktheironGiant: I had a really fun time tonight, Y/N.

jktheironGiant: thank you.

The world felt like it dropped beneath your feet.

At the same time, everything clicked into place.

Your legs carried you in a sprint out the door. 

JK. Jungkook.

You took the stairs two at a time.

His phone buzzed when I texted him at the cafe.

The door to the lobby flew open and you burst suddenly into the chilly winter night.

He loves banana milk. He comes in every day for one.

Your head whipped wildly around searching, seeing if he was still there. Off in the distance, a silhouette.

He told me to ask him on a walk.

Your muscles burned as you ran towards the silhouette, the dark hair of the man you loved slowly coming into sight.

They wanted him to tell me. 

“Jungkook!” You yelled. He whipped around, a surprised expression on his face. Seeing you run towards him, the surprise mixed with obvious guilt.

Finally, you stood in front of him, trying to catch your breath.

“You.” You whispered. “It’s you.” Jungkook’s eyes were wider than ever. Guilt, happiness, every emotion swirled in the unreachable depths of his iris.

“It’s me.” 

“JK,” You started, the name making his breath stutter. You took his hand. “Why? Why didn’t you tell me it was you?”

“I-”Jungkook started. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was you until after we had met. I thought it was sweet how flustered you got, and I…I wanted to show you it wouldn’t be so hard to talk to me. It was fun joking with you and teasing you. I wanted to see you smile like that with me in real life too. I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to-to manipulate you or, god, anything like that. I was having so much fun just being around you and I love you so much and-”

“Jungkook?”

“Yeah?” He responded breathlessly.

You flicked his arm. He yelped in surprise. “That’s for not telling me.”

But before either of you could wait another second, you stepped forward, forward, forward, close to Jungkook, to JK. Your hands came to rest on the sides of his face, and you looked into his deep brown eyes.

“I appreciate you wanting to see me smile. And I know jokes can get out of hand. You could’ve gone about it without not telling me who you were.” Guilt was evident in every line of Jungkook’s face but before he could utter another apology, you continued.

“That doesn’t stop me from loving you. All of you.” 

And you kissed him.

You kissed him because you’d wanted to since before you knew about Jungkook. You kissed him because he needed to know that he made a mistake but you forgave him. You kissed him because he tasted like cherries and chocolate. His strong hands, those hands came up to rest on your waist, holding you close in the chill. 

You parted for air, both panting. You could see your breath come out like smoke in the winter night. 

“I love you.” He whispered like it was holy.

“I know.” You smiled, teasing him because you had a lot to catch up on.

He gave you that bright grin, and you beamed, and everything was okay.

It looks like Eros had really been looking out for you after all.

. end

please do not repost or discredit my work! you can also find it at Ao3 under kaminaridamacy, but ONLY there.

#jungkook x reader #jungkook fluff #jungkook oneshot #x reader #fluff #fanfiction #writeblr #romance writing #bts #bts fanfiction #reader insert #bts reader #bts reader insert #jeon jungkook #jeon jeongguk #theyre gamers #writing community

[ichirukilover]

I closed the door to Bl/each after the tragedy of 6/86 and briefly opened a window to LA, because well that pair is my weakness and it made me laugh how treacherously I/R it was.

So when weeks ago I saw a beautiful I/R fanart on Tik Tok (The anime came back, so the algorithm decided it was a good idea to torture me), and the response to a comment that said "They should have ended up together "was "READ THE MANGA", I was baffled. I mean, what did that mean? had I read a fake manga all those years and the "real manga" appeared Da Vinci Code-style after 2016? Was it all a Jump conspiracy? Have we been duped all this time?

That piqued my curiosity, so I wandered around several sites, reading publications from the "correct/canon/real manga" point of view; and well, you'll see even worse things the bible says.

Here are my favorites:

"The I/H was evident from the beginning, just read chapter 0": yes, because a one-shot that is a sketch of the general idea of a manga, that goes through many revisions and rewrites is absolutely determinant in the development of the main manga, and seriously, what exactly is the evidence?

"HM arc is the ultimate proof of I/H, he went to rescue her and even came back from the dead for her": well, so did her other friends and even R/enji and R/ukia, maybe they were all in love with her too. And about the resurrection...just...never mind.

"I/H are perfect for each other" Here I could do a whole essay from a psychological point of view that proves that it is an absolute fallacy and was more than clear in the FB arc, in real life they wouldn't work and would be a toxic couple. And God knows at least that boy needs therapy.

"O***ime looks like Ma/saki" * Bombastic side eye. Criminal, offensive side eye *

"O***ime deserves I/chigo”: Oh, so he was some kind of trophy for being a good girl, so it wasn't enough to objectify her, they also do the same with the boy.

"Ru/kia was a shinigami and I/chigo was a human, and she's much older than him, their relationship was impossible." *Everything but the rain entered the chat*.

"I/H fought together against Y/wach": And we all know how well they (he) did, right?

"W/D/k/A/L/Y": *sigh* that's what it looks like when you try to fix a mess and fail miserably.

"W/D/k/A/L/Y's scribble": ...

"Anime invented IR": The studio simply pushed something that was already implicit in the original material and they knew it would sell more, it's basic marketing. Most of us knew what was filler and what wasn't (rolls eyes).

And there definitely wasn't a parallel manga that magically made sense of that ending. What a disappointment.

And I/R are the delusional and lacking in compressive reading? It's so much easier to say you just don't like people ship I/R, instead of sending them to read the manga or giving lazy arguments. Pathetic.

This was long, but I just needed to vent or something, because I honestly found the whole situation absolutely hilarious.

My English is broken, so I hope I have been understood.

PS: So in my delusional mind I/R is right now enjoying his honeymoon on the beach *wink**wink*.

Blessings.

As someone that didn't leave after the ending and has seen all these "amazing points" take form and basically became the classic "IH and pro ending dudebro agenda" list, let me tell you, I was and still am baffled too. No matter how many times I read them, I still get shocked at how some really believe that bunch of BS, or better they keep repeating it untill they'll believe it.

You adressed them in a simple but direct and straight to the point way, I don't even need to add anything to what you said, agree to all of it, wait lol well maybe I could add the the pilot chapter lit has In0ue de0d at the end of it but what do we know, that doesn't seem to matter to them lol it doesn't have to make sense smh

In our delusional mind that ichiruki honeymoon on the beach is so vivid and real... I wonder why lmao

[kxhbee]

I JUST READ YOUR ROWAN FIC AND I'M LITERALLY IN LOVE! I just binge read all three parts in one go lmao. I'm so excited for part 4! But don't work yourself up tho, take your sweet time. I just wanted to appreciate how good your fics are!

OMG THANK YOU YOU’RE SO SWEET!! 🫶🫶

Here’s the long awaited part 4!! I’m so sorry it took so long, I’ve started a new school and I’ve been settling in!!

Love From You

Part Four

~ Rowan Laslow x Reader

~ Friends to lovers

~ Fluff, light angst

~ 1,378 words

~ Not proof read!

Key:

~ Y/N: YOUR NAME

~ Y/L/N: YOUR LAST NAME

~ A/N: AUTHOR’S NOTE

Befriending Rowan Laslow was something you had always wanted to do. Of course, you were always preparing yourself for your friend’s reactions, but mostly Enid’s.

So now that you can actually start a conversation with Rowan instead of saying “never mind” and walking off before he sees you, Enid’s teasing has changed. In other words, you’ve grown more confident, and so has she.

“I bet he would be loud in bed.”

“Enid.” You laugh awkwardly, shocked at the sudden comment. You were sitting in complete silence, finishing your history essay on the origin of trolls, while Enid was scrolling through Instagram, having finished her essay a week before because she surprisingly has better time management than you. “You can’t say that.”

“Why? Everyone knows that nerdy men are louder in bed.” Her eyes widen like she’s just come to a sudden realisation. “AND HE HAS ASTHMA!”

You look around the library nervously. Rowan usually comes in here to hang out, and you mostly look forward to it. Except right now you’re praying he decides to do something else instead.

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“He has asthma, which means he’ll be extra noisy.” She says, like she was stating facts on a simple topic and not of her classmate in bed. “Probably breathless too. Maybe he’d have to use his asthma pump during it.”

“I still don’t understand why you’re speculating about how he is in bed.”

“Just getting you prepared, my good sire.” She pats you on the back. “Everyone’s noticed you two get closer.”

“We’re friends.” You must’ve said this about a hundred times since the day you befriended Rowan. It’s getting kind of tiring, because Enid knows as well as you that you want to make it more than that.

”Whatever you say. You know, he’s definitely a bottom. That’s something to add to your night scenarios.”

“You’re insufferable.”

“Yet you continue to hang out with me.”

”What about Wednesday then, huh?”

Enid stops laughing and looks down awkwardly, fighting the pink off from her cheeks. “What about her?”

“Oh come on, E. I’m not blind. We’re not blind.”

“We?”

“Yes! Everyone! Just kiss her already, jesus.”

“I will when you kiss Rowan.” She says, elbowing you lightly.

You roll your eyes playfully, pulling your phone out when you hear a ding.

“Um no, finish your essay.” Enid really is staying true to her word about making you finish today.

“I will, I will. Just let me respond to Yoko first.”

After responding to a TikTok that Yoko sent to you, you exit out of the chat. Before you close the app, however, you notice a change in Rowan’s profile picture. You tap on his profile to see the picture better, and see that instead of the automatic icon that Instagram sets, it’s a photo of him smiling happily at the camera, someone’s arm around him holding the peace sign. Your heart warms with recognition at the photo you took with him.

“What’s made you so happy?” Enid looks over your shoulder at his profile.

“Nothing.” You turn your phone off and put it back into your pocket.

“‘We’re just friends.’” She says, putting on yet another impression of you and nudging your side again.

“Shhh. I have an essay to write.” You say, picking up your pen again.

“That’s convenient for you, isn’t it.”

———————————————————————

Rowan Laslow never ended up answering Xavier Thorpe’s question. He knows that refusing to answer won’t help him form a friendship with the boy, but how was he supposed to describe what happened? How is he meant to put into words the warm feeling he gets in his chest whenever he sees Y/N, and how the feeling grows and completely takes over his body whenever their face lights up with a smile? How is he meant to tell his roommate how confused he gets after he catches himself grinning at photos or messages from them? How does he confide in someone that he’s spoken to on only a few occasions, despite him being his roommate?

Rowan can tell that Xavier got frustrated at his lack of response. He simply gaped at Xavier, unable to describe what was on his mind. He stuttered a few false starts, not sure how to start the sentence, and then settled on “it was nothing” and grabbed his pyjamas from his bed, locking himself in the bathroom.

He assumed it was because he didn’t know how to react after making his first friend in years- he didn’t remember how having friends felt. After all, he was always cautious of his peers. He knew what they they saying he could hear them- with their whispering and muttering of words like “freak”, “outcast”, “weirdo” or something similar. What he never understood was why. Why are they calling him a freak when this is a school for freaks. Why are they calling him an outcast when they’re all outcasts?

It never made any sense to him, which is why he never let it get to him. Why should he be upset over something that simply doesn’t make sense? Despite this view on the bullies, he obviously let it get to him. Why else would he have a breakdown in the arms of someone he just met? Although its been a while, he’s pretty sure thats not how friends are made.

Yet it somehow worked. Rowan and Y/N had surprisingly become inseparable. Y/N, who, since they’re best friends with Enid, is by default, popular, and Rowan, the outcast. It’s an odd pair, and Rowan is always worried that Y/N is going to receive shit for befriending him. But if they have they haven’t let him know.

The door to the dorm opens and Xavier comes in, joined by Ajax Petropolus. The two boys stop laughing when they see Rowan sitting at his desk, staring at them. He turns his head back to his books and picks his pen up. Not the time.

“Listen, Rowan…” Ajax starts talking, taking a step towards Rowan. “I’m sorry about you being kicked out of the Nightshades. I really-“

Rowan didn’t hear the rest of what Ajax had to say. Instead, he put his headphones on, gathered his books, and left the dorm, remembering why he usually studies in the library.

The Nightshades’ voting system is a democracy with anonymous voting, so Rowan will never truely know if Ajax or Xavier voted him out or not. But people in the Nightshades voted him out and that’s all that matters to him. The one place where he felt as if he belonged. He was following in his mother’s footsteps in that stupid club. The one remaining tie he had to his mother’s legacy was severed by a bunch of cliché high school students who think they rule the place and didn’t want someone in the club just because he’s a little different.

It’s safe to say that Rowan Laslow doesn’t like any of the Nightshade members anymore.

__________________________________________

“Enid, shut up.”

“Why? Worried your boyfriend might hear?”

“I’m worried anyone is gonna hear. Normal people don’t make these kinds of jokes.”

“Normal? You don’t think I’m normal? It’s because I’m a lesbian isn’t it?”

“Kill yourself.” You say jokingly, nudging Enid’s side.

“Wow. I never thought you’d be homophobic. You’re cancelled on Twitter now.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

You zip your bag up and swing it onto your back, hanging off of your right shoulder. You finished your essay about an hour ago, so you and Enid spent the last hour sitting in silence while scrolling TikTok.

“Phones gonna die.” You say, putting it on low power mode. “It’s on 5 percent.”

“You would have more battery if you did your essay straight away instead of procrastinating on your phone.” Enid giggles like she’s the funniest person ever.

You pull the library door open and hold it open for Enid.

“Ladies first.” You say, gesturing her out.

“Rowan is trans?” Enid asks.

“Would it kill you to not bring him up in every breath? It’s getting old.” You look back up at her, but she’s staring through the doorway. You follow her gaze and your eyes land on Rowan Laslow, who’s standing in the doorway holding a pile of books awkwardly.

“Oh. Hey.”

“Hey.”

#rowan laslow #rowan laslow x reader #rowan x reader #calum ross #enid sinclair #love from you #rowan laslow fanfic #wednesday #potential wenclair #i’m finally stopping the procrastination. question is will i go back to procrastinating? find out next time on love from you

[ravensandherons]

My The Secret History fancast + thoughts on an adaptation (LONG)

Hey guys just screaming into the void here and brainrotting about The Secret History (a Tumblr rite of passage it seems)--but not exactly for the reasons you'd expect. Anyway, I was watching a video essay on why The Secret History shouldn't get made into a film and I found myself disagreeing with a lot of the points the author made (respectfully). A few of their points: 1. The Secret History couldn't get made today because it uses language that uses too many slurs.

I understand how the use of such offensive language (I believe in the book it was homophobic/racist, and mainly from Bunny Corcoran), even when employed with the relevant context and blatantly disapproved of, can still be harmful to hear. But I also know that there are definitely college students today who (unfortunately) regularly use that language, despite the more politically correct world we live in. I also think that responsible screenwriters would take care to add the appropriate weight to those scenes and ALSO point out the more "liberal" characters' own prejudices evidenced in their dialogue (they definitely have them in the book), as Get Out did. IMO those moments were more sinister than the cringe Bunny scenes.

2. The Secret History as a movie would be romanticized instead of being viewed as the critique/satire that it is.

Sure. I fuck with the dark academia aesthetic as much as any other bitch, but... oh my god it was impossible for me to romanticize anything in this book because it was genuinely triggering to read. I grew up with the study of Greek philosophy and mythology being a big part of my life (don't ask), and I went to a small elite liberal arts college in New England. As a freshman, I remember feeling the way Richard did at the beginning of the novel, caught up in the small intellectual, rich friend groups, the rural New England lifestyle, the college debauchery. But I read this book with a lot more experience under my belt and, boy, you come to see through all these characters REAL quick. These rich kids are so puffed up on their intellectualism that they think they can escape the consequences of their actions--it sounds a lot like nearly every motherfucker I met at my college! And Professor Julian is just an older and more hypocritical version of these students, preaching on and on about morality and haphazardly applying theory to elevate themselves above the "common folk." Donna Tartt really captured the frustrating, out of touch, self-important attitude that runs rampant at these privileged institutions. I wouldn't say that's a difficult thing to translate to film as it's been done before (Succession being one of the most prominent examples). And yes, of course there may be a portion of the audience that may choose to ignore the critique/don't necessarily possess critical thinking skills and you'd end up with an American Psycho situation (re: the glorification of Patrick Bateman), but I believe that also had more to do with the fact that American Psycho's critique was in satire form--the humor gave way to memes that removed context from the story. Meanwhile, The Secret History's less likely to be memed because the satire is not absurdist--it's also really fucking obvious that it is a critique because it's written like a Greek tragedy where none of the characters are redeemable at the end of it. Will it be used for Pinterest boards and Tumblr graphics? Sure, but that doesn't necessarily strip away context--just popularizes an aesthetic. And such a thing serves the theme of the story (the obsession with aesthetics above all, especially during the rise of the 80s hyperconsumer culture) as meta-commentary/transmedia storytelling (that parallels our own generation's obsession with using consumption to form our aesthetics and identity).

3. The cast of The Secret History would be predominantly white because that's how it was in the book and that whiteness is an important aspect of depicting the characters' privilege and ability to navigate the situations they find themselves in.

I agree, yes, a good adaptation of this novel would likely be one that had the students/Julian be white, but that also doesn't necessarily exclude POC representation in yet another movie. I think stories that blatantly criticize rich white people, while trendy at the moment, are important when done correctly (Succession!)--AND there are definitely characters that do not have to be white that I think are plenty important (I think Judy and Cloke could be interesting here given Richard's uncharitable depiction of them as unintellectual drug users. Playing into stereotypes is NOT the goal, I think they are foils to the main group in some sense and also come out of this tragedy more or less untouched) (also, you know, the rich white main group do more illicit substances and crimes than they do which I think adequately reflects reality). Adding more POC characters that might not be inner circle but could also be main characters wouldn't be impossible in an adaptation and might help with the point below--I'm thinking detectives, other students and professors, etc. And depending on whether or not you're updating this for the modern day or keeping it in the 80s, I think there's a lot you can play with if Richard Papen was casted as an Asian American (as one myself, having watched the car crash that was the overturning of affirmative action this summer,,, it just feels like there's a lot you can do with that) (I agree with the essayist that making Richard Papen John Boyega might not do a whole lot for Black representation--it feels like there's a certain amount of setting him up with that fancast).

4. The Secret History wouldn't lend itself well to an adaptation because the novel relies mostly on Donna Tartt's prose than anything that could be translated to a filmic structure.

This point I just do not agree with at ALL. I mean, Tartt's prose is excellent of course, and it is told from Richard's perspective, yeah. But here, I just have to point you to Jean-Marc Valee's Sharp Objects or Big Little Lies, based on books. Both are murder mysteries, both are slow burn with plenty of introspective, quiet moments, both are masterful adaptations. What carried me through the novel wasn't the prose but the growing magnitude of dread that spoils the romance of the whole deal. There are so many layers of intrigue too--the enigmatic Julian, the exclusiveness of the group, what mysterious activities they're up to, why Bunny is acting out, whether he'll rat on them, and THEN--will they get away with the murders, will Charles or anyone else in the group confess, will Henry kill again, on and on. Richard's corruption arc was also super fascinating too me--you start out rooting for this guy and at the end he's just like the rest of them. It would be cool to explore the arcs of the rest of the characters as well, even before their murder anxieties. The point is, there is so much material that, if laid out meticulously enough, would make a film or a tv series a medium to enhance the original story's themes and characters.

And now, for the Tumblr tradition: fancast (extremely self-indulgent and incredibly unrealistic)

Richard Papen - Justin H Min

Bro I loved him in The Umbrella Academy I needed more

Henry Winter - Wilbur Soot

LOL alternatively Jacob Elordi but Wilbur Soot is just stubbornly what my mind visualized as I was reading

Bunny Corcoran - Dacre Montgomery

He has the charming smarmy bastard typecast DOWN

Francis Abernathy - Alex Wolff

I need to see him in more things!!!

Charles Macaulay - Drew Starkey

I think he plays psycho brothers pretty well

Camilla Macaulay - Elle Fanning

I mean Gwyneth Paltrow was 100% the right choice but unfortunately that did not materialize... however Elle Fanning slayed in The Great and she's so underrated as an actress

#the secret history #secret history #dark academia #donna tartt #fancast #film #movies #discussion

[nokingsonlyfooles]

Dear Academia, I guess you can die mad about the curtains, if it bothers you that much...?

Wow, I just watched... Wow.

(I didn't really just watch it. I saved this and sat on it to see if I cooled off and decided I was being too mean. Since then, I've tripped over another essay where someone ripped into a work because they didn't understand it well enough to see the curtains at all, and I didn't like that either. I've decided to post this, so later I can post my reaction to the other one like a matching bookend!)

I made you a graphic about it!

So, I just watched my High School AP English teacher transcend time and space, possess the body of an a YouTuber, and try to drag me for quitting my English major due to being sick of dissecting the work of other writers until it dies.

Also, they put text up on the screen that I was supposed to read, over a decorative text background, and if I could pull money out of their Patreon, much like Mark Twain with the collection plate, I would've taken a nickel. For spite.

So, I guess I'm gonna talk about the blue curtains?

First of all, don't go looking for the video to drag this person. At worst, they are a little self-important and over-emotional. At best, their brain got shredded by the same process mine rejected and they are recovering. Be kind. I don't wanna hurt them, I'm trying to fire over their head. And take this with a grain of silly.

This is the meme. I couldn't find the original, uncensored version, and I don't care all that much, so here ya go.

One of YTer's friends referenced this meme, and it offended their intelligence and ability to critique art. Instead of having a more typical reaction, like thinking, "Ah, yes, you are only expressing your frustration with the school system's unreasonable expectations. As a fellow sufferer, I shall express my solidarity, and henceforth we shall share a sensible chuckle," and then chuckling sensibly, they telegraphed their offence to a slur on Art itself and wrote an essay. Of course, it is Capitalism's fault.

Now, Capitalism is most definitely tearing up the school system and inflicting lasting trauma on everyone involved and hurting Art. There is a lot of meat to be had on this bone. I would've left money in the collection plate for an engaging essay on that!

What I got was: "Art exists for you to tear it to pieces and squeeze every last instance of poetic meaning out of it, like you're hucking an orange into a juicer, and if you don't do that, you're dumb. Capitalism has made you dumb, because your dumbness is more profitable. I, on the other hand, huck Art into the juicer that is my brain, as one should, because I'm smart. The curtains are never blue. Fight the Power."

And right away, I thought: Oh, Mrs. Hillburn, I know this is how you enjoy Art. I know you really love it. You full-body crashed into a filing cabinet while explaining the Canterbury Tales to us, so I know you really do love "close reading" and want to share your joy. You're allowed to do that! God love you! But sometimes the curtains are blue.

And that wouldn't be a problem - except your job is to judge everyone on their ability, not only to interpret the curtains as something other than blue, but also to cough up a "valid" interpretation. And your judgment will affect whether they can get a job that pays them enough money to live. Now, you are free to do that. When I write things, I give them to the world! But, I'm not doing that to help you sort the children into an appropriate pay grade by demanding that they enjoy my work in the same way you do. Why would I do that? That makes no fucking sense.

I am saying this as someone writing a long-ass story that has a lot to do with objects being a certain colour and numbers adding up to a certain sum. That's there for you if you want it! Pink things are safe, orange things are hazardous, yellow means despair, and green-and-orange together is something unpleasant, because Erik doesn't like carrots and the whole world revolves around him. (Don't tell him, he'll be very upset. The world is terrible.) Do I need you to get that in order to understand my work and be "smart"? Fuck no. It's an Easter Egg. Also, it amuses me. Sometimes you need to know the number or the colour for your immersion, so I generate one in a way that has meaning for me.

There is shit in that story that I know you'll never get, because I based it off shit I wrote as a teenager that you'll never read. (It was terrible. I fixed it. I think.) This is my own personal "Glass Onion" (the song, not so much the movie). I am not obliged to imbue everything with a meaning for you to find. I'm not secretly trying to tell you Paul is dead! I'm just a human being with a sense of humour who gets bored - and sloppy and confused too.

So maybe the curtains are blue because I'm cribbing the setting off this motel room I stayed at one time and the curtains were blue. Maybe I'm saying "Hi" to my dog. Or the Blue's Clues dog. Maybe, god help us, there were actual blue curtains at the time and place I set my story and you'd see them if you found a photo. But I'm not gonna tell you if it doesn't matter. And it's not your job to make it matter if you don't get it. You can still pick up what I'm laying down. And, dammit, if you spend too much time wrapped up in the curtains, you might miss the rest of it.

There seems to be some idea that Art is hard and artists (at least #Real_Artists) must be something more than human to do it. Oh. My. God. Literally! You created this thing? Everything is there because you put it there? Everything that exists here is a thought-child you birthed from your brain like Athena? With intent? I enjoy it so much! It feels so real! How do you DO that? And, for fuck's sake, it's the same way you make a yummy sandwich or pick out a ripe melon or trim the cat's nails without getting a wound that needs stitches. You decide you want to, and you keep at it until you get good at it. You don't need to ask permission or pay a fee. The world is a classroom. Go learn. Keep trying until you figure out a way that works for you, or you decide you'd rather learn something else - and then go learn that instead.

The pedestal is very flattering, but nobody belongs up here. The very idea of a pedestal is preventing people from picking up a tool and making a thing. Can you, a mere mortal, really create a new reality from scratch, where everything is intentional and full of meaning? FUCK no! Nobody can do that! Sometimes I am lovingly imbuing every facet of my creation with meaning, and sometimes I go, "I need something there. Huh. That looks good." This is where platypuses come from! And I love them! If you don't love a platypus, WTF is wrong with you?

See??

Look, Creationism has no place in our schools. Natural selection is a thing. If I'm drawing on a real experience that involved blue or blue curtains, you may get some blue curtains. That is a real thing that happens all the time. It's not fair to torpedo someone's earning potential because, wherever you're coming from, blue makes you feel sad. You shouldn't be in a position to do that, that is not a job that needs doing.

*sigh* And, I will let you in on a dirty little secret. Sometimes I drop a stitch when I'm working, and I notice it later, and I realize I can hook that thing and make something look really cool and intentional. But it wasn't. It's there because I needed something there and it looked good. Ah, but as I've been writing, I've generated a reason for it to be there, and I now I have an opportunity to grab that sucker. I have picked up some amazing dropped stitches. I'm thinking of one in particular, a long series of dropped stitches, and when I was able to pick them all up in one swoop, I pretty much leapt up and screamed, "THE UNIVERSE IS A HOLOGRAM! I LIVE IN THE MATRIX! SOMEBODY PUT THIS HERE AND I KNOW IT WASN'T ME!" (I haven't published it yet, it's gonna be a while.) Be that as it may, you live in the Matrix with me, and the Architect might leave something like that for you too. It's not 'cos I'm doing it on purpose.

If everything must have a purpose and you're not allowed to enjoy the work unless you find every last one like it's Wally/Waldo, you may find that you've lost some of the gestalt, and the virtuosity, and the feeling. That's what started happening to me when I went to college to "learn about literature." There was value in that. Comp. Lit. was fantastic! But, they are trying to sort you into an appropriate pay grade (mine is "Institutionalized and/or Housewife") , and they must judge something. The amount of Waldos you've found is quantifiable! And so, the academic need to huck Art into a juicer also has a basis in Capitalism. Man, that shit gets everywhere.

If you love it, like Mrs. Hillburn, go for it. We see you, and we leave things for you to find, like the dev team hides gag gifts in Dracula's castle for the completionists. But if it sucks all the life out of the work and makes it a joyless slog, like it did for me - stop. Please. Or go rip up some other artist's work that's already been sacrificed for the purpose and analyzed to death. It's almost impossible to read The Great Gatsby for its own sake anymore. Even if you're out of school, you're still gonna remember finding the Waldos and tick all the boxes every time. I hope like hell going into the Public Domain can fix that.

I will finish with a tortured metaphor, because that's what I do. That's fun for me. Let's say I'm God. (Because I am. Did I say "simile"? Right. I'm God and your prayers are keeping Me up at night. Cut that out.) I've made this frog*!

I made him because I love making things - and because I love making things, I made a lot of things, and I think I'm pretty good at that. But it's no fun for Me if I don't get to share him with someone who can love him just as much as I do - for whatever reasons of their own. Adam! Look! Look at the frog I made!

Yes, Adam, you can play with him however you like! Isn't it neat how everything about him fits together? See his little toesies? If you rub his tummy, his little legs kick. Ha. Uh, you might be stressing him out a little, there, Adam. But that's okay! I made him for you to LOVE and...

Adam, what are you doing with the scissors?

Ah. Well, yes. Yes. The insides of things are very interesting. Yes, everything about him fits together. Yes, if you hook him up to a battery, his little legs kick. Ah, but he's dead. You do know that you've killed him, right? OK. Well, look, if you really want to understand how frogs work that badly, I don't mind if you cut one up...

Or two...

ADAM, THAT IS NOT WHAT FROGS ARE FOR! I want them to LIVE, I...

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. No, if that's how you want to play with the frogs, I guess...

ADAM. WHY ARE YOU CREATING AN INSTITUTION THAT TEACHES ALL YOUR CHILDREN THAT'S WHAT FROGS ARE FOR?

What? No! Don't... Don't PUNISH them for refusing to cut up the frogs, WTF is WRONG with you? No, no, of course they must engage with the frogs to understand them - I DO want all of you to understand them! Please don't ever think I don't! - but there's a LIMIT to... No, of course I still love you, but you don't have to...

If you do that to every frog you see, there will not be any more frogs, are you hearing me? I WILL STOP MAKING THEM OUT OF SPITE.

*sigh* No. Of course I won't actually stop making frogs, but... Can we at least come to an understanding that sometimes the curtains are blue?

*I know it's a toad. I needed a Public Domain image of a frog cupped lovingly in human hands, and the best image on the first page happened to involve a toad. Paul lives (as of this writing), and the platypus exists because I thought it looked cool. Now put down the onion and go analyze something else.

#art #art criticism #the curtains are blue #long post #cw: metaphorical frog dissection i dunno what you wanna do with that #academia #capitalism #writing #frogs #platypuses #tortured metaphors involving frogs and platypuses #i'm beginning to realize many of my reactions would get more traction as video essays but i don't know how to make those #and i don't want to participate in petty drama anyway #i just wanna contribute to the conversation #hi mrs. hillburn i know you meant well #the system is so rotten tho

[official-zerg-fangirl]

how do you feel about kerrigan going super Saiyan in Legacy of the Void? what about the Amon plot in general?

(idk if you get notifications when a question is answered publicly, so @fall-warning hi, also THANKS FOR SENDING THIS. I LOVE ATTENTION I LOVE TALKING ABOUT MY GIRL)

Oh, That Jean Grey ass Kerrigan transformation is half the reason my bio says "Starcraft 2 never happened, Metzen can suck my dick." *

*the other half is the Kerrinor Kiss, because on Official-zerg-fangirl, the running gag is I have an irrational hate for Raynor bcs I was one of Those middle school girls who would legit be jealous of a fictional character (I just didn't realize what i felt was jealousy bcs i didnt know i was gay)

I hate it! I HATE IT. IT SUCKS.

I am normally an extremely big fan of fire, and red, and phoenixes, and literal deities, and women being any or all of the above. But none of that should have been Kerrigan, and definitely not in the way it was handled. Fuck you, Blizzard. Fuck you for the insane bullshit happening behind the scenes, but also fuck you for what LotV did to my girl!

I refuse to play any part of LotV to this day! I don't fucking care! Sorry to the protoss stans, it's great that you got so much extra lore with Alarak or whatever, but absolutely FUCK what they did to my girl!

oh but I loved the amon plotline tho.

"m'am, why the fuck" it was validating it was powerful it is everything the character arc of the entire Zerg species was building up to and it turned Kerrigan into the antihero she was always meant to be, and LotV is probably great but that epilogue ruined it with a pointless second transformation.

[more deranged rambling below]

Look, Kerrigan's character arc in Brood War was top notch it was S tier it was great I wrote a literal essay about how I do sincerely believe Kerrigan in SC1 + Brood War had a heroic character arc, and I am of course correct, and the canon agrees, BUT WE WILL GET TO THAT,

now initially ofc i was like naw SC2 never happened. Obviously I've softened on that opinion (but saying it never happened is funny. so is acting like everyone is missing the point of Kerrigan except for me. this blog is the space where i get to play up an extremely cocky persona ok)

SC2's general insistence (at least that's my first impression) on treating her zergness like a boring corruption and "ooh Kerrigan was good before but she's evil now" bothers me. like they do this to her instead of, oh I don't know, she was abused and exploited as a child fucking soldier, she latched onto the guy who 'saved' her and was too wrapped up in the exhilaration of having someone who 'cared' about her that she couldn't recognize she was being used as literal fucking bait, and then he LEFT HER TO FUCKING GET EATEN BY ALIENS, and by the grace of fucking god, those aliens saw her value and potential in a way no one else ever could, they elevated her, made her stronger, gave her the means to break off the shackles implanted in her skull (remember the Amerigo mission???), and from that point on, all the anger she'd been harboring from all those years of abuse could run freely, so of fucking course she became impatient and vengeful!

Yes, Kerrigan was extremely destructive, spiteful, cruel,even! But you think someone who's only ever known violence and death and cruelty could ever be anything else? are we so naiive as to imagine a perfectly human Sarah Kerrigan would not become the Queen of Blades Her fatal flaw is wrath, you see how quick she is to anger when she fights Tassadar. To quote the man himself,

"So long as you continue to be so predictable, O Queen, I need not face you at all. You are your own worst enemy."

she is predictable because of her wrath. In her beginning as the Queen of Blades, she's too consumed by all her fury, by her newfound power that she can and will use to demolish everyone who's wronged her, and she hasn't yet learned the wisdom required to use said power. this is a flaw she overcomes in Brood War, wherein she delays her fury and rage to arrange a temporary alliance, to wait for just the right moment to have her vengeance and crush her enemies.

aaaaaand here's the Wings of Liberty campaign going like "Zerg turned her evil. yeah she's killing and infecting terrans bcs that's what zerg do. we need to redeem her by removing her zergyness."

like - no acknowledgement to the fact that the terrans are currently being commanded by the dude who used her and then fucking left her to die???? bro like of all people you'd think Raynor would understand why she's waging war on the Dominion HE'S LITERALLY DOING THE SAME THING, but Blizzard gonna Blizzard and the final boss is Kerrigan bcs Raynor's gotta work with the Dominion to neutralize the greater threat - which is somehow Kerrigan. Okay.

It just really rubbed me the wrong way. Can you tell that it rubbed me the wrong way?

but then it redeemed itself. Bcs the Amon plotline.

NO I AM NOT JOKING. FUCK YOU THE AMON PLOTLINE WAS GOOD.

"oh but it derails everything and now my simple slapfight between humans and two aliens has transformed into some sort of cosmic battle between good and evil" fuck no it doesn't it was foreshadowed back in Brood War did you forget Duran? the fuck you think that man was doing if NOT foreshadowing that some fucking hidden power beyond every race's leaders was controlling the situation specifically through the Zerg? Even BEFORE Brood War, the lore that the Zerg and Protoss were both created by the xel'naga and that the Zerg were specifically created with a mandate to assimilate the Protoss was right the fuck there. you know who said that shit? THE OVERMIND. Pay attention bro, Amon was there all along!

Could he have maybe been introduced in a less jarring way okay sure but he didn't derail shit, this WAS the rails, you just got too caught up in the surface level fighting to recognize what was happening!

also, the Amon plotline was (before that FUCKING EPILOGUE) so extremely validating to me, let me tell you a story about when i was playing HotS - no, even before HotS, whcih did a lot of good stuff, in fucking Wings of Liberty, a campaign I just spent a few paragraphs shitting on, it did one super good thing. it did the Zeratul missions. It did this shit:

oh I imagine a lot of Starcraft fans hated this cutscene bcs it was an out of nowhere messiah plotline delivered via literal exposition ghost, but, see, I'm smarter than your average Starcraft fan, I am a genius and I'm sexy, and I know my wife Kerrigan better than anyone, even the fucking Starcraft writers (suck my dick Metzen) and I see this cutscene at 7:33PM, April 29, 2021, and I ran into my friend's DMs and said "I FUCKING CALLED IT"

BECAUSE I WROTE A FANFIC (unfinished, novel-length, self-indulgent, OCxKerrigan, highly nsfw, no I haven't posted it anywhere I wanna finish it first I wanna perfect it).

AND IN THAT FANFIC I WROTE SOMETHING SO ABSOLUTELY DERANGED I FIGURED IT WAS JUST SELF INDULGENT ABSOLUTE SKEWERING OF THE CANON JUST TO RUN SHAMELESS ZERG APOLOGIA:

I wrote that the Overmind, before capturing Kerrigan at New Gettysburg, telepathically communicated with her, and very specifically said that her human psionic mind would resist control until the bitter end, that it would kill itself rather than accept forced subjugation into the zerg, and THUS he had to ask Kerrigan PERMISSION, that he couldn't and didn't want to strip her of her free will, and he specifically promised to her power, and purpose, and the potential to usurp his place as the leader of the Zerg, and he specifically welcomed that possibility-

and like that's stupid that's so fucking stupid, why would the zerg ever value free will why would the Overmind pursue to the ends of the earth a servant that he couldn't control, that he knew could and would one day usurp him? there's no way this is canon-compliant-

IT IS

AND NOT JUST CANON-COMPLIANT, IT'S FUCKING CANON. ACTUALLY LITERALLY CANON.

STRAIGHT FROM TASSADAR'S MOUTH, THE OVERMIND DID THAT SHIT. THE GODDAMN EYEMONSTER HAD PLANNED ALL ALONG FOR KERRIGAN TO HAVE FREE WILL AND THAT HE SPECIFICALLY VALUED HER FREEDOM.

The only reason I can't say I predicted the future is because I started writing this fic after WoL released, but I clearly had some sort of precognition I fucking knew I was on the wavelength my deranged apologia was canon I was right.

OH AND THIS AMON SHIT GIVES ME FULL JUSTIFICATION TO BE A GREATER APOLOGIST THAN I EVER COULD BEFORE. BEFORE IT WAS LIKE "c'mon the zerg aren't people, they're mindless demons of destruction" OHHH NO YOU DON'T MOTHERFUCKER! THEY ARE PEOPLE, THEY HAVE MINDS AND FEELINGS AND WILL AND THEY'RE BEING CONTROLLED BY THEIR CREATOR - NO, THEIR CORRUPTER, AGAINST THEIR BEST INTERESTS,

AND THE PRIMAL ZERG, THE PRIMAL ZERG! THEIR GLORIOUS PAST! ZERUS, THE GARDEN OF EDEN BEFORE AMON'S MEDDLING, WHERE THERE IS NO CONTROL AND NO DESOLATION, ONLY THE RULE OF THE HUNT! HERE, WE SHALL FORGE A VISION OF THE LIBERATED SWARM, REUNITE WITH OUR PAST TO FORGE A BETTER FUTURE, AND OH LET'S NOT EVEN TALK ABOUT THE PARALLELS BETWEEN WHAT AMON DID TO THE ZERG AND WHAT THE GHOST PROGRAM DID TO KERRIGAN,

BECAUSE THAT'S JUST IT, KERRIGAN IS THE SWARM, WHICH IS WHY SHE BELONGS IN THE SWARM.

SHE AND THE ZERG BOTH EXIST AS BEINGS OF INCREDIBLE POTENTIAL WHOSE FUTURES WERE STOLEN AND CORRUPTED FOR THE SAKE OF A HIGHER POWER'S TWISTED WAR GAME, TURNED INTO A LIVING WEAPON AND SET TOWARDS A CAUSE THEY DON'T BELIEVE IN, THEY ARE CHAINED AND THEY WILL ONLY ACHIEVE THEIR GREATEST SELVES ONCE THOSE CHAINS ARE BROKEN,

and this entire fucking theme of subjugation and of being transformed into a living weapon was in Brood War, too! That was what the UED did to the Zerg! This is why Kerrigan is the hero of Brood War, an entire species was enslaved and her, with her human mind, was the only hope anyone had of not submitting to Earth's slave army! Amon is simply the greater master who enslaves the zerg more subtly, with chains that are harder to break because they permeate across the hive mind link itself,

And by the fucking WAY, the revelations of that xel'naga relic, Zeratul's visions, the insight given by Zurvan of the primal Zerg, all bring such a delicious context to the entire wings of liberty campaign, and they make that campaign good and make everything I complained about earlier just an extra spicy flavoring and a dash of gray to our terran heroes, THEY MADE ME ACTUALLY LIKE RAYNOR???

bcs you know what, fine, perhaps Raynor does see the Queen of Blades as nothing but pure evil, perhaps he does choose to ally with the Dominion to destroy her, that is his human perspective, as someone who loved Kerrigan but knew her so briefly, all he can truly see is the Zerg as he understands them, the mindless living weapon, the infested terrans that beg for death as they seek to tear you limb from limb. We are imperfect, we aren't omniscient, perhaps I should forgive Raynor for his short-sightedness. He cannot concieve of harmony with the zerg because of what he has seen, so of course his dear friend is corrupted, infested, controlled, and he has to free her, and maybe he can make this deal with the devil. From his eyes, this is the best route he can take. He even knows he should not kill her, he knows what she's meant to be, and he has no idea how she'll go from the monster he sees now to the savior of Zeratul's prophecy, so he does what he thinks is best.

and as we see in HotS (and i think also LotV a bit?), Raynor's choice to use the relic was a mistake, it robs the zerg of their salvation and feeds so much energy into Amon's greedy maw... but also, it wasn't a mistake.

See, Kerrigan's temporary severance from the swarm frees her of the influence of Amon on her mind (though I am adamant that her actions have been PRIMARILY motivated by rage and vengeance and spite!), and when she sheds her humanity once more and properly returns to the Swarm, it is in the sacred birthplace of all Zerg, on the planet that obeys the law of nature, where hardship and violence are tools to produce an ever-greater self, and all that she has suffered will become her strength,

AND KERRIGAN ASCENDS - NO, EVOLVES - INTO HER PRIMAL SELF IN ORDER TO FULLY REALIZE THE OVERMIND'S PLOT OF LIBERATION. I WAS RIGHT ALL ALONG AND SHE WAS A HERO, THANK YOU HEART OF THE FUCKING SWARM YOU REDEEMED SC2.

which just makes the fucking fire lady 'oh shes not zerg anymore she's xel'naga heehee' feel all the more bullshit???? Like, i thought it was bullshit before I knew anything abt HotS but now its SUPER bullshit, bcs primal kerrigan WAS her perfected self. She didn't NEED to become xel'naga. SHE IS ZERG! SHE IS THE QUEEN OF BLADES!

It's just so pointless. Nothing you could do to Kerrigan in this literal final hour of the entire Starcraft franchise could possibly be as thematically powerful as the Zerus arc, and you should've just continued those themes. leave Kerrigan's character arc concluded. Stop fucking with it. You had something amazing and you fumbled the bag at the literal last second. seriously, what the fuck? THAT'S how you end the series? What happened in the writers' room- other than the creepy misogynist bullshit we already know was happening, of course?

anyways yeah I hope that satisfied your curiosity. :D i don't wanna know how many words this was, I just know it took me like 2h to write. maybe more. I don't have a good sense of time. it's the autism.

#starcraft #zerg #kerrigan #sc2 analysis #warning deranged rambles here #HI CAN YOU TELL I LOVE KERRIGAN

[blush-and-books]

Top 5 all-time favorite ships?

TEA!!!

Warning - this list is literally just the same m/f couple in different fonts. A lot of these were more formative and influential in my childhood or were from series that are from a couple years ago. I am naming these as my top five because of how insane I went over them/how hard I hyperfixated on them.

When I made this list I was disappointed to realize that there hasn't been a wlw couple from a series or movie that has influenced me this powerfully, but I hope to find it soon and if you have any recs lmk! :) Will also include honorable mentions!

1. Kirsten Clark and Cameron Goodkin, Stitchers (2015-2017)

This is tied with Julie and the Phantoms for one of my biggest hyperfixations ever. Kirsten and Cameron were a slowburn that was done really beautifully and nobody was doing it like them. I watched this show at a very pivotal developmental point in my life, and I think these two taught me a lot about the work that a relationship takes and the fact you have to be willing to put it in - they were a healthy relationship example for me at a time that it was necessary for me to see it. They have a lot of character development over 3 seasons but grow together in healthy ways, and the writers kind of bake it into the plot that they're meant to be lmao. They also are just a great example of loving someone for everything that they are. They definitely made me a little mentally ill but also inspired me to be a writer, so...

2. Julie Molina and Luke Patterson, Julie and the Phantoms (2020)

I don't know how long you have been following me anon, but if I've been on your dash at all in the past couple years, it was most definitely related to Julie and the Phantoms, and probably related to Julie and Luke. In one season, they had insane development and beautiful chemistry. The way their characters were written made them naturally fit together, and made me cry "soulmates!" quite often. I will forever mourn what they could have been, and be grateful for some of the most stellar works of fanfiction I've ever read that were produced in their name.

3. Anne Shirley Cuthbert and Gilbert Blythe, Anne With An E (2018-2020)

Technically they're from the whole Anne of Green Gables Universe but AWAE is one of my Shows Of All Time ™ lol so I'm crediting them to the show!!! Just everything about them..amazing. Definitely gave me unrealistic expectations for love tho bc who tf assaults a man and still bags him in the end!??? Anne. She's that bitch and I haven't reached that yet but I'm working towards it.

4. Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy, Pride & Prejudice (2005, dir. Joe Wright)

This is another one of those ships where I'm like if you've followed me long enough you could have seen this coming lol. These two are from the general Pride & Prejudice Universe, first created by the lovely Jane Austen, but P&P 2005 is by far my favorite movie of all time, and it is still breathtaking every time I watch it. Keira Knightley and Emmy Award Winner Matthew Macfadyen are really a perfect pair and their adaptations of the characters are so genuine and whole. Everything I do, I do for them.

5. Nina Martin and Fabian Rutter, House of Anubis (2011-2013)

My original Ship of All Time. Was very mentally ill over them. I rewatched this show last year and I expected to be like "oh god this is cringe how did young me like this so much" but instead I was like "oh god this is so well written how could anybody hate this show." Yes it has its silly moments but I could write essays on how well it was written. The foundation of trust between Nina and Fabian was more powerful than any "do you trust me?" YA teen fantasy movie moment of the 2000s. Fabian was the blueprint for every fictional crush I have had since.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Kaz Brekker and Inej Ghafa, Six of Crows Duology and Shadow & Bone TV series

Aziraphale and Crowley, Good Omens

Su-hyeok and Nam-Ra, All Of Us Are Dead

Joyce Byers and Jim Hopper, Stranger Things

Zoya Nazyalensky and Alina Starkov, Shadow & Bone Trilogy and TV series (yes I am a Zoyalina truther sorry)

Dan Humphrey and Blair Waldorf, Gossip Girl (will I receive hate for this one? to be determined)

Steve Harrington and Eddie Munson, Stranger Things

John B and Sarah Cameron, Outer Banks

Ethan and Sarah, My Babysitter's a Vampire

#chloes answers #stitchers #jatp #juke #awae #shirbert #pride and prejudice 2005 #pride and prejudice #house of anubis