#bookstack for a cause

[dragonbadgerbooks]

Stack for a Cause!!

Purple, yellow, and white*, for Little Princess Trust

*Please pretend there are white books in this stack, I had the colors wrong even though I read the post multiple times.

@that-bookworm-guy is doing an awesome thing, donating his hair and raising money for Little Princess Trust, a charity that makes wigs for people up to age 24!

I am on a super tight budget the next few months due to an issue with my car that I had to get fixed, but I can definitely donate a stack for a cause!

Books featured:

Bitter Greens

Shadow of the War Machine

John Dies at the End

Seraphina

Uprooted

Cinderella is Dead

The Gentleman's Guide to Getting Lucky

The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy

[imagine-docx]

library hideaway.

Summary: You find an old, quiet corner of the library to hide from Flash to study in peace. Turns out, that’s Peter's spot. [college!au]

Warnings: none that I can remember.

A/N: new work? again? who am i? - amanda 💛

There is no such thing as being popular on this university campus. The only way to be considered ‘well-known’ was to be in the student union. And that was how you became ‘popular’. 

You were the president of the university’s student union. You advocated for academic support, mental and personal support, social belonging, and so forth. 

You had to build yourself for that role. You were an introvert at heart. You would rather shy away from the spotlight and hangout by yourself. But you always believed in advocating for other people’s rights and would put aside your introverted-ness to help those who needed it.

Your social battery was on the brink of dying, you were surrounded by so many people and you just wanted to go home and study for your bioethics midterm. You were walking with them and were focused on your phone, Flash wrapped his arm around your shoulder, “You coming with us for burgers?”

You shrugged his arm off, “No, I’ll pass.”

“Oh come on,” he whined.

“Flash, I’m good. I’m not hungry.” You said.

“Wherever you go I’ll come.” He responded.

“I’m gonna go to the library and study,” you said.

“You’re the president of the student union, why should you even study? You can dispute it.” You shot him a glare.

“It’s true,” he shrugged.

The more Flash spoke, the more you felt the urge of bashing your head into a steel door on campus. “I’m just gonna go to the washroom, I’ll meet you there.” You said, excusing yourself.

You walked into the washroom and held onto the counter and put your head down. You just wanted to be left alone and to study but Flash just wanted to annoy your soul.

You walked out and walked into the library, you noticed him at the tables in the far left corner and decided to snake around the bookstacks to avoid him. You were walking through the stacks before you found the perfect corner. You could tell it was less frequented because dust caked the pulp western books.

You dropped your bag and sat on the floor. Your eyes were starting to burn so you switched out of your contacts into your glasses. You took out the printed sheet of the midterm guide and your iPad and started reading through the lecture notes you took throughout the semester. 

You were so immersed into the lecture on Selective Memory in Aging Populations, until the faint sound of ABBA broke your train of thought. You looked up, “Oh sorry, I didn’t know someone was here,” he shyly said.

“Oh no, I’m sorry, is this your study spot? I’ll move!” You said, grabbing your stuff.

“No you don’t have to move!” He said putting his arms out stopping you.

“It’s okay! This is your spot,” you said, “Wait, aren’t you in my bioethics class? You sit at the front,” you tried searching through your memory for his name, “Peter!”

“You know who I am? You’re the student union president and you know who I am?” He asked, a little shocked.

“Who doesn’t you’re like one of the smartest kids,” you said, “Take your spot, I can go get a table.”

“Wait, are you studying for the midterm, ‘cause if you’re studying for it, maybe we can study together, but you don’t have to if you want,” he babbled.

“I was studying for that midterm,” you smiled, “We can study together.”

You and Peter took a seat back on the floor, he took out his laptop and you two were slowly going through the lectures together.

He took his time explaining the things you were unsure of, which you were eternally grateful for because it saved you from going to office hours. 

You two went through all the lectures that were going to be on the midterm and were even quizzing each other.

The lights flickered in the library which signaled that the library is going to close in 15 minutes. You two stopped talking about school and started finding things you had in common while packing up your stuff. “I always thought I was ancient listening to ABBA,” you joked.

“I love my 70s and 80s music,” he said, zipping up his backpack. 

“You’re a man of taste,” you said, joking.

You and him were walking out of the library, “Are you going to the office?” He asked.

“I went in this morning,” you adjusted your bag strap, “I think I’m gonna go home.”

“Oh,” Peter said.

“Wait, are you hungry? Apparently there’s a hidden gem ramen restaurant near campus, if you would like, we can try it?” you asked.

“You want to go with me?” he asked, a little stunned.

“Yeah, why not?”

“You could choose anyone in the student union or any of your friends-” He started.

“You helped me study for my midterm, I owe you one,” you smiled at him.

“Sure,” he said coyly. 

˖  ݁𖥔.☁︎.𖥔 ݁ ˖

You learned a lot about Peter over ramen, he was really into STEM subjects and would rather be told to do chemical compounds than write an essay, he loves sci-fi and fantasy. On the other hand he learned that you were also into sci-fi and fantasy.

Peter was walking you home and you two were continuing the conversation you had earlier and learning more about each other. “How did you get into the student union?” He asked.

“Honestly I have no idea,” you shrugged, “I was in and somehow I got elected to be president.”

“Do you like it?” He asked, adjusting the backpack on his shoulder.

“Keeps me busy,” you joked.

The two of you stopped in front of your building, “Are you sure I’m not putting you out of your way?” 

“I owe you because you paid for ramen,” he said.

“But you taught me stuff I didn’t understand,” you countered.

“I’ll see you soon Peter?” You asked.

“Yeah!” He smiled at you.

˖  ݁𖥔.☁︎.𖥔 ݁ ˖

Since then, you and Peter always met in the pulp western stacks once a week and studied together. But you two also exchanged contact information so you guys were exchanging memes almost everyday. 

Today, you two finished doing your worksheets for bioethics early and were sitting and exchanging snacks and conversation.

“How did you find this?” You asked.

“I was actually into pulp western for a second and found no one came here, and now I just study here,” he popped a gummy bear into his mouth, “How did you find it?”

“I’m very passionate about pulp westerns,” you joked.

“You constantly surprise me,” he joked.

˖  ݁𖥔.☁︎.𖥔 ݁ ˖

You were walking to your afternoon bioethics lecture when you felt an arm wrapped around your shoulder. Unconsciously you rolled your eyes knowing it was Flash, “Where are you going today?”

“The same class that I have had for an entire semester,” you bluntly stated, shrugging his arm off you again. 

“Skip class, you’re already passing,” He said, “Let’s go do something.”

“Flash, I am not doing that,” you stated flatly.

Flash was in the middle of persuading you to try and leave class and wrapped his arm around you. That was until your eyes landed on Peter standing outside of the lecture hall. 

You immediately pushed Flash off of you and made a beeline to Peter. “Hi Peter!” You exclaimed enthusiastically. 

˖  ݁𖥔.☁︎.𖥔 ݁ ˖

You were leaving the student union office and were walking to the library to meet Peter for your usual meet up. You noticed Peter walking in front of you and was on the phone, and were going to call out but some words caught your attention.

“I don’t know what to do,” Peter said, “I really do like her, and I love these hangouts but Flash is always draping his arms around her and is hanging out with her. I feel like I don’t have a chance.”

You connected the dots, Peter was interested in you.

You felt so much relief hearing those words. You slowly started harbouring feelings for him. He was always so gentle with you, and you guys had so much in common, it was hard not to catch feelings.

But the absolute bane of your existence was somehow still screwing this up for you. Flash was like a speck of glitter you could not get rid of.

You took a little bit of a detour to find Flash before going to meet with Peter.

˖  ݁𖥔.☁︎.𖥔 ݁ ˖

You rushed into the library, your conversation with Flash took a little longer than you anticipated. You did text Peter that you would be a little bit later than you thought, lying and blaming it on a meeting. You picked up his favourite gummy bears as an apology gift from the student centre. 

You made your way to the pulp western section and saw Peter scribbling in his STEM notebook. “I brought gummy bears as a peace offering.”

“I was wondering when you would arrive,” he said, putting down the notebook.

“Got lost on my way,” you joked, sitting down and handing him the gummy bears.

He cleared his throat and looked at you, more seriously this time. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course,” you said.

Peter glanced down at the gummy bears, then back up at you. His voice was a little shaky. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Why do you hang out with me?” he asked, eyes meeting yours. “You’re... you. You’ve got everything going on, and people are constantly pulling you in a million directions. But somehow, you still make time for this, for me.”

Your heart gave a small, nervous lurch. But instead of pulling away from it, you let yourself smile.

“It does,” you said softly. “It means a lot.”

Peter looked surprised but still unsure. “So… you feel the same?”

You nodded, your smile deepening. “I wouldn’t be hiding in a dusty corner of the library with anyone else, Peter. I like you. I’ve liked you for a while. I just… didn’t know if you felt the same.” 

Peter let out a breath that sounded like relief and laughed quietly. “Flash was around you so often, I was so convinced I didn’t have a chance because of him.”

“I literally duck behind shelves to avoid him,” you joked, “How do you think I ended up here?”

He grinned, and for a moment, the air between you shifted.

“Okay,” he said. “So what now?”

You looked down at the gummy bears between you. “Now we study. And maybe after that we go back to that ramen shop. Not gonna lie, I’ve been thinking about that miso ramen for weeks now.”

He smiled. “It’s a date.”

[hinge]

Hinge presents an anthology of love stories almost never told. Read more on https://no-ordinary-love.co

[alrightieaphroditie]

just checkin' in | j.m.

*:·ﾟ✧ series masterlist

pairing *:·ﾟ afab!reader x joel miller wc *:·ﾟ 2.4k an *:·ﾟ it's here! the first part in a series i am veeery excited about!! this installment is pretty much straight fluff, but i had a blast writing it and getting back into joel's character. i cannot wait to see where this series takes me, and i really hope everyone enjoys reading it! this is slightly edited, but if there's anything huge that jumps out at you, please let me know! check the series masterlist for the series tags!

synopsis *:·ﾟ even when joel is miles away, he never fails to check in on his girl.

after checking for what quite literally had to be the millionth time, the folded-up letter was still sitting right where joel had set it before he left; propped up against your bookstack on the end table in your living room. not that you were expecting it to suddenly grow legs and run away or anything. but today was finally the day that you could open it, as specified by the man who wrote it himself, and by god, you wanted to make sure you knew where it was when you finally sat down to read it. 

in the beginning, when you and joel first started up this little tradition of writing each other letters when he'd go off on the hunting trips, you would eagerly rip open his notes as soon as you were able to. joel always left very clear instructions to not open them until a certain date, and you always obliged, even though it wasn't like joel would really know when you actually opened them. you wouldn't be surprised if his senses started tingling if you even dared to go against his instructions, though. joel had a way of being so omnipresent with you; so attuned to your own being that even when he was gone, you swore you could still feel him with you.  

after a little while, though, you learned to tame that eagerness and make a dedicated time for reading his letters. the excitement never left you fully, and you found that opening the letter was still all you could think about on the day of, all these months later. you spent your morning helping in the greenhouses, thinking of what joel could have written. you cleaned up your house during the afternoon, eyes gazing to the paper with your name on it, written in his surprisingly nice handwriting, far too often. and when you had dinner with ellie that night, all you could do was smile as she mentioned opening her own letter that morning, your foot tapping against the floor as you impatiently anticipated getting to open your own. 

now, you were fresh out of the shower (ellie made one too many jokes about how much you had stunk after working all day, to the point where you couldn't really tell if she was joking or not), your hair done up in two braids, wearing one of joel's t-shirts and stirring some honey in your cup of tea. the window in your living room was cracked open, the crisp early spring winds causing your gauzy curtains to flutter across the hardwood floors. now, you finally tucked yourself into the corner of your couch, an ugly green thing that was shockingly comfortable, and tugged the blanket hanging on the back of it over your legs, getting comfortable. 

balancing your mug on the arm of the couch, you reached over and finally pulled the letter into your lap. just seeing your name on the front had those silly little butterflies float through your stomach; something you felt far too often with joel. you steadied yourself with a deep breath, and, after taking a small sip of your tea, settled back into the couch, unfolding the crisp paper. 

just checkin' in on you, sugar. 

the first line of his letter was always the same, and yet it never failed to make you smile. he'd say those same words in person, too, when he came by to visit while you were out working, or when he'd stop by your place early in the morning before he went out to do his duties. you'd never get sick of hearing - or reading - those words. 

hope you've been doin' alright. i can't believe they're makin' me go out again even though i just got back from another trip. swear these men can't do shit without me, especially tommy. i know he's the only reason why i'm out in the middle of nowhere, sleeping in a damn sack when i could be in your bed instead. 

you couldn't help but snort at joel's irritation with his brother. the sibling rivalry between the miller brothers was never ending, though the majority of it was in good fun. joel was right, though. tommy was, in fact, the sole reason why his brother left for another trip so close to returning home from one; maria had told you that tommy complained that the group he was going with couldn't aim for shit and needed at least one more man who knew how to handle a gun. 

the good thing, though, is that they're lettin' me get out of the next couple trips after this. i'll get at least a few good weeks with you, uninterrupted. as much as i like writin' these letters, and as much as i love reading what you've written me, i'd much rather be able to talk to ya in person. that way i could see your grin every time i say somethin' sweet to you, just like i bet you're doing now, huh?   

once again, joel was right. 

i gotta go pack up now, but i'll be back home to you any day now. take care of yourself for me, baby, just until i can get back to doin' it myself. i love you. 

a wave of emotions hit you at once when you finished reading the letter. happiness, for his approaching homecoming. excitement, for those few weeks he'd be getting off. love, for the way he knew you and how he loved taking care of you. and, however faint, loneliness, for how much your heart ached to see him. he had been gone for a week now, and before that, the two of you had only had one day together after he had been gone for two. only a few days remained in this trip, though it still felt like forever. 

you wouldn't let yourself dwell on that miniscule amount of pain, though. joel wouldn't want you to, so you knew better by now. instead, you reread his letter, hearing that slight drawl of his in your head, and grinning again just like he predicted. you held it to your chest as you sipped your lukewarm tea, as if your skin could absorb his words and cement his love into your bloodstream. 

later, after your tea had gone too cold and you dumped it out in the sink, you carried yourself to your room, the hem of joel's shirt brushing delicately against your thighs. kneeling to the ground, your knees hit the worn wood floor as you dug underneath your bed, pulling out an old shoebox. inside were joel's previous letters, the box almost stuffed to the brim with them. you couldn't even imagine tossing them out, these little symbols of his love for you, so this was where you stored them, safely tucked away. 

after placing the most recent one on top of the box and putting it back under your bed gently, you snagged the flannel joel had left from his side of the bed and put it on. now wrapped in his clothes, his scent, you felt closer to him. that silly thread of loneliness fluttered through your heart again, ever so briefly, but you brushed it off as you pulled back your quilt blanket and climbed into bed.  

outside your window, you could just barely make out the moon high in the pitch-black sky and you wondered if joel was awake still, looking up at that same fixture. it was the comfort you felt at that thought that allowed you to close your eyes and drift off, and joel's lingering scent on the flannel was the last thing you remembered thinking of. 

somewhere in the woods, miles away from the walls of jackson, joel sat on the damp ground, propped against a fallen tree log. his hand was in his jacket, his calloused thumb and forefinger brushing against the smooth paper folded into bits in the pocket. 

he had requested first watch tonight, hoping to have at least some time to himself so that he could read your words. unlike him, you never gave any instructions for when to read your letter. you said once that he should just read it whenever he missed you, and he didn’t have the heart to tell you that if he did that, he’d be reading the letter the moment he stepped out of the border around town. 

you had mentioned in passing, however, that you made a little ritual out of reading his letters, and so joel started putting off reading your letter, waiting until the date that he specified for you to open his. he knew it was silly, that the probability of you both reading the letters at the same time was slim, especially when he had to wait until the dead of night, when he had a small moment of free time. but it kept him going, so he continued to do it. 

the last man in the group had just walked back to his sleeping bag, and joel was finally out in the campsite alone. he gently pulled your letter from his pocket, the jagged edges along one side showing him that you wrote this in your journal before ripping it out. the paper was smooth under his skin, and for a moment he simply stared at his name plastered on the front in your handwriting; the way the 'l' at the end of his name sloped off into a small heart. 

a deep sigh parted his lips; somewhat from exhaustion, but mostly from the way his heartbeat kicked up just at the thought of you drawing that. 

he had to shift against the wood slightly, sparing a glance around the site to make sure no one was paying him too much attention, just so the moonlight could hit the letter just right. he still had to squint slightly to focus, but that was more because of his age than the lack of lighting (you kept teasing him about trying to find some reading glasses, and now he wondered if he did actually need them). 

with nimble fingers, he unfolded the letter and immediately his mouth quirked up in a small smirk. 

hey there, cowboy. i hope the camping life is treating you well and not wreaking havoc on that back of yours. i'm starting to wonder if you're getting too old to go on those trips. surely having a senior citizen like yourself tagging along slows y'all down, no? 

joel forced his sudden laugh into a cough, shaking his head at your attempt of a joke. it was no secret that joel was older than you, but that had never really brought up any strife in your relationship. everyone thought that you were both lucky to find something like what you had given the way the world was, that kind of storybook love people dreamed about. the kind he never imagined for himself.

you were the only one who continuously brought up the age difference, solely to crack jokes at his expense. ellie adored it, and your comments made him laugh, so he didn't really mind it. 

seriously though, i hope you're taking care of yourself out there. i know you do, but i can't help but worry a little. you're needed here, so i just want you to do whatever you need to do to come back home. i mean it.  

while you guys are gone, i think we're going to be setting up the patio area again in town since the weather is warming up. i heard maria talk about hosting another dance soon, so i'm putting it into writing that i want to dance with you at least once, miller.

 i'll beg if i have to. 

heat flamed his cheeks, his skin turning warm despite the cool breeze of spring floating through. his head tipped back, resting against the tree trunk as he closed his eyes for a moment. the two of you had only had one night together between his trips out of town, and ellie had spent the night at your house with joel that night, too. not that joel regretted that; he loved spending time together with his girls. 

but god, did he miss touching you, feeling your soft skin underneath his rough hands, your weight on top of him, underneath him, your hair between his fingers, your lips against his. all of it. the first thing he did when he got back into town was remedy that, he'd swear on it. 

i hear you coming down the stairs, so i have to wrap this up. geez, your footsteps are so loud. i love them, though. i love you, too, joel. stay safe, baby. i'll see you real soon! 

a small heart followed the last word, and his gaze lingered on it for a moment while he absorbed your letter. reading your words was like a breath of fresh air to him, letting him fill his lungs with your love even if you weren't physically there. these letters gave him the energy, the will, to continue on. to make a point to go back. 

for years, he never had anyone to return to, no one to really miss him if he were missing. he grew to accept that, felt comfortable being alone in this great, big world. he never imagined anything different, always felt he had no right wishing for something more. and now, somehow, he had two people who were eagerly anticipating his return. 

joel brushed his knuckle against the corner of his eye, collecting the small gathering of water that had collected there after finishing your letter. clearing his throat, he sat himself up against the tree, gathering his gun into his lap to be more prepared for the evening watch. he never let go of your letter, though. the feeling of rubbing it between the pads of his fingers brought him a great sense of calm. 

later, when tommy woke up to relieve joel from first watch, after he set up his sleeping bag and folded his jacket underneath him to act as a pillow, he reread your letter again and again, hearing your sweet voice in his head as he did. when he basically had it memorized, he let his hand fall to his chest. as the wind whistled through the trees, your note close to his heart, he finally allowed himself to fall asleep. 

taglist *:·ﾟ @hiroikegawa

[ravenclaws-stuff]

hiii I wanted to put in a request for Weasley Boys event you have! The prompt I landed on was “Date night”!! And I was wondering if you could do George X Ravenclaw Fem Reader if possible?

Thank you so much!! <3

Thank you so much. I love George so much. He's my favorite Weasley (don't tell the others). I really hope you like it.

Tags: date night, series of bad events but George makes it all better, fluff, brief self confidence issues

Tonight was supposed to be perfect.

After crushing on George Weasley for ages, your dream has finally come true. While working on your potions paper, he walked up to your table with a lopsided grin. Right there in the middle of the library, he asked you out in front of the bookstacks. The day you dreamed of ever since the first time you saw the Gryffindor play his first quidditch game. You could recall the cocky smile as he hit the Slytherin seeker right off their broom. So when he asked, you simply nodded.

Tonight was supposed to be perfect.

Your dress. Absolutely breathtaking on the hanger in Gladrags, now looks mediocre on your body. And to top it off, the bloody zipper broke. Bad Omen. I knew I should have read my tea leaves before saying yes to this bloody date. Quickly finally finding your wand, you fix the zipper. You look over the dress in the mirror, before shrugging. This will have to do for now.

Tonight was supposed to be perfect.

He was late. George Weasley was late to the date he asked you on. You stood in front of the Great Hall just like you agreed upon. Twenty seven minutes passed and there was still no sight of him. Three more minutes. Three more minutes and if he's not here, you’ll leave. You tell yourself, pushing down the fear that this was all an elaborate prank. The popular quidditch player from Gryffindor asking out the shy ravenclaw. Who wouldn’t get a kick out of it?

The thought gets cut off as footsteps thunder down down the hall. Your eyes stay glued to the floor, knowing you wouldn’t be able to handle the disappointment if it wasn’t him.

Purple converse stops in my line of sight. “I-i” George pants. “I am extremely sorry, dove. Fred and I were working on a thing, brilliant really but it trapped us in our dorm for almost three hours.” His hand cups your cheek, titling your head up. “I promise I would never stand you up.” George mumbles, as if he could see what you were thinking. Maybe you had it painted all over your face. “Its okay. Not like you knew that it would happen.” He shakes his head. “Suppose you could use it on the Slytherin common room. Or,” your face lights up. “Snape’s office.” George chuckles, wrapping an arm around your shoulder. “I knew there was a reason I liked you, dove.”

Tonight was supposed to be perfect.

Three Broomsticks, a very popular pub in Hogsmeade. Rarely closed on weekends for students, but as if the universe had something against you, it was closed. You sigh, trying to not let this get you down. “Oh well.” George say, shrugging as if this wasn’t a big deal. You nod, letting your eyes fall down to the ground.

“Dove,” George says, not letting me succumb to my thoughts. “Don’t let this get to you. We can go to Honeydukes and buy all the candy we can stuff ourselves with.” You giggle, reaching out to push the hair out of his eyes. “Only if we can go to Tomes and Scrolls afterward.” George hums, acting like he was thinking about it. “I guess we could manage that. Maybe we could stop in Zonkos after that too.” You nod, pulling him by the arm to follow. “Alright let’s go. I need more acid pops anyway.”

Tonight was supposed to be perfect.

You and George managed to walk out of Honeydukes with more candy than you could eat in a month. George being the gentleman he was, offered to carry your bag for you. So as you were crossing the cobblestone road, you on one arm, the candy bags on the other, a droplet fell onto your nose. “What?” You whisper,causing George to look at you weirdly. “Talking to yourself, dove? Am I not good enough company?” You start to shake your head when a loud thunder freezes you in your spot. “No, no, no.” You chant as the rain starts to pour, ultimately ruining your outfit. “What’s wrong?” You squint, looking up at George.

You decide at that moment, you hate him. His copper hair plastered to his forehead. Raindrops collect on his eyelashes like fresh dew in the early morning. It is not fair he looks like a god from the stories your mum used to tell you when you were younger. “What is ruined?” You sigh, pushing the hair out of your face. “Our date.”

The frown on his face looks so out of place. “H-how?” You point to the sky as if that was enough explanation. George chuckles before putting both the bags onto the ground. “Come ‘ere dove.” He takes your hand, pulling you flush against his body. Then without a word, he sways us to a beat only he could hear. “George?” You ask breathlessly. George simply shakes his head. “Just trust me.” You nod, letting the tension fall from your shoulders. George twirls you, trapping you in his arms, back pressed against his chest. “Not going to let a little rain ruin my date with the prettiest girl in the castle.” George mumbles, resting his head in the crook of your shoulder.

Tonight was absolutely perfect, as long as he was beside you.

[sakuraswifee]

Ranking the Seven Misteries by power

(Don't expect anything too accurate, lmao)

1) Hanako-san of the toilet

He's clearly the strongest given that he's the leader, plus his Yorishiro is fully capable of killing the other mysteries in their own boundaries, so if Tsukasa is this powerful imagine what Hanako's able to do, UNSEALED Hanako specifically.

2) The three Clock Keepers

Do I even need to elaborate?? They have power over TIME, I would've put them first if it wasn't that it's canon Hanako is the strongest.

3) Shinigami-sama

He has power over life and death, pretty self-explanatory, even tho I haven't fully understood his abilities, living beings become weaker with his touch and Natsuhiko said that he can resurrect the dead.

4) The 4pm Bookstacks

I was actually unsure of this position, but I think it's fair enough. Tsuchigomori has knowledge about EVERYONE, from the start of their life to their afterlife ecc... Plus we always forget how OP he actually is, he can change one thing about someone's life, which is cool, but would result in his death.

5) Hell of Mirrors (previous one)

I would've put Shijima here, but technically speaking I think his powers are cooler. It's like a cooler (but weaker) no. 5, where he can know about everyone and use it to make them go crazy, or just generally learn about someone's life through mirrors.

6) Shijima-san of the Art Room

She can create ANYTHING by drawing it, she literally made a whole ass fake world where she's a God, because she has full control over it. Though she doesn't seem THAT strong individually.

7) Hell of Mirrors (Current)

I'm putting Mitsuba above Yako because *theorically* he COULD do the cool shit previous no. 3 did, but he's not a proper mistery, not having a Yorishiro and all. We also saw that he can use previously stated abilities (he saw Sousuke's life through the mirrors), but he hasn't used what I think makes the Mistery cool in the first place, he can mess other's minds.

8) The Misaki Stairs

She can...turn people into dolls...

I AM SO SORRY but her powers are lowkey so ass and boring compared to the others, which makes me always so sad cause Yako is RLLYYY cool!

[nanabansama]

How to Become an Astronaut

Hey! So... with this all this alternate timeline business cropping up in the manga... I've been thinking.

...What exactly would it take for Amane to become an astronaut?

No, I don't mean what it takes to join the national space program. I mean, why did he become a teacher and not an astronaut?

The simple answer is that it's hard as hell. But that's boring, and this is a piece of fiction, so screw that! No, no, there has to be some deeper reason. And examining this new timeline we're in and the various theories surrounding it, I've been thinking...

Maybe he's missing something?

For some reason, in the new timeline, Amane is a teacher. Instead of killing his brother and himself, he lived on to become a teacher, just like his book in the Bookstacks said. That said, we still don't know what changed in this timeline for this to happen. But we have some ideas.

Tsukasa seems to have been eradicated from this timeline, for one. How that was done, we don't know. But the Clock Keepers saw him as a threat and did something to get rid of him. My current theory is they helped Amane fix the Big Clock and Amane did something to Tsukasa himself, but that's unconfirmed for now.

So Tsukasa is gone. That said, there exists a "Tsukasa-kun", who appears to be the entity that was inside of Tsukasa. It could also potentially be Tsukasa himself, or a part of Tsukasa is mixed in with the entity, but I digress...

Anyway.

Did you know? Amane is supposed to be DEAD!

Tsukasa gave up his life for Amane in the original timeline so that Amane could live and grow into an adult. Tsukasa was happy just making his brother happy, and was content to live the rest of his life in the Red House if it meant Amane could achieve his dreams.

But then Kou revealed that Amane killed his "fake" brother and himself at the age of 13, a rash attempt to convince Tsukasa that Amane wasn't actually happy without him. This caused Tsukasa to realize he didn't know Amane as well as he thought he did and, so overcome with the urge to learn more about him, he went back to his brother excited to be killed by him.

Now, the issue here...is not only that this leads to a murder suicide, but that Tsukasa and Amane were never supposed to grow up together at all. No, what should have happened was that Amane died and Tsukasa lived. This whole situation was doomed from the start. For them to live together at all is wholly unnatural.

Just like Nene and Amane.

My idea is that, if Tsukasa stuck to his plan to stay in the Red House, Amane would have lived to become a teacher. And in the case that Amane ever grew up with Tsukasa, without any supernatural elements at all, then he could have become an astronaut. And I believe this applies to Nene as well.

I think Amane needs either Nene or Tsukasa to become an astronaut, and he had neither.

On that note, I want to call attention to the fact that the Tsukasa-kun rumor in the new timeline spreads through Kamome Academy. Perhaps Tsukasa, properly sacrificed this time in order to give Amane a functioning heart, manifested in Kamome Academy somehow. Whether this is actually Tsukasa or just some hollow imitation is another question, but if Amane learned of the rumor, this easily could have lead him to start working there as a teacher.

Instead of, y'know, doing something else. Like becoming an astronaut, for example.

You can also apply this to Nene. He might've applied to Kamome Academy precisely so he could meet with Nene-oneesan again. I mean, who knows!!

Anyway, I'm aware this is a bit hard to agree with since Amane's book in the Bookstacks was from the original timeline--with Tsukasa!--and it said he became a teacher anyway, but considering the book was wrong and Amane ended up killing himself I think it's safe to disregard it. We have no idea how much of the book Tsuchigomori read, after all. It's possible Tsuchigomori only read segments and didn't have the full picture. We have no way to corrobate the events of the book with what actually happened in the series.

But to get to the heart of my point, I want to direct your attention to Nene and Tsukasa:

They are, by far, Amane's biggest supporters. They both care so much about him and want the best for him. They believe in him and his dreams when no one else does.

^ He didn't, but Tsukasa believed him!!

^ She's doodling him as an astronaut in her notebook!!

It's not hard to imagine one or both of them are the missing key, is it?

Now all he needs to do is get those grades up and bulk up some. We believe in you, Amane!!

[2n2n]

Can you explain more or less what the mysteries of time did exactly in this chapter? I honestly got confused

That's fair! Happy to talk about my interpretation of anything. Be aware anyone you ask a question to has their own bias-- it might be helpful to reread the manga from start to finish, to better understand an arc, or look for things that foreshadowed it. I think Iro-sensei is actually remarkably good at regularly summarizing & connecting events!!!!

To start though, I'll try to go pretty chronologically in 'things we know'....

we already know the timeline we've been in isn't 'right'. It does not match up with Tsuchigomori's bookstacks, meaning, events have been tampered with in a way that betrays fate. The Clockkeepers are likely aware of this, too, given their power also deals with chronology.

The Clockkeepers have been-- likely this whole time-- waiting for the inevitable opportunity to understand what is going on. By their nature, they are patient.

Since the Broadcast Club is procedurally going through every Mystery & their Yorishiro, eventually the conflict would come to their door. All they needed to do was wait.

As Kako says, "I am never late". For all of the chaos caused in the school, he's rarely in a rush to fix it, and seems to often allow unpleasant things to commence, without concern for the impact on individuals in that little timeline.

(aside, I wonder what he was thinking when Amane said this, in a previous Trial to concern the chaos before the Severance? Another situation wherein Kako was patient, biding his time, & disinterested in rushing to fix the chaos. This is typical for Kako, it would seem. Akane calls him twisted for a reason...)

So, the time finally comes for the Broadcast Club to target the Clockkeepers. Kako holds a trial in order to study the likely culprits, & narrow it down to a sensible explanation. Between Mystery no. 7, his kannagi, and his yorishiro, and I guess Minamoto Teru, whose family legacy is tied to the God, something is 'amiss', and can explain all of this disarray.

Kako has a pragmatic mind. He is indifferent to how many people suffer, apparently including his own body! He is not angry, he does not lash out at Tsukasa for ripping him or Mirai apart. He's waiting patiently to understand.

In a way, this 'trial' is only a staged event, for Kako to wait for a meaningful piece of information to 'click' everything into place. As Amane and Tsukasa quarrel, he finally has the reasonable explanation for EVERYTHING in this timeline going off the rails...

What is that reasonable explanation?

The timeline has been tampered with by a God-- someone who can apparently act outside of the typical boundaries of human & kaii.

The God appears to be .... a body of water, perhaps? Whatever the case, it is connected to a body of water at the pit of a cavern. Sacrifices were thrown down a pit to this God in Sumire & Hakubo's time.

The Minamoto clan personally governed the raising & managing of these sacrifices in ancient times, so it makes sense Kako had suspected Teru of involvement, hence his inclusion in the trial.

Nene-chan met the withered souls of the past Kannagi beneath the Red House, the Yugi twin's family home.

The Well God beneath the Yugi family home is the same God Sumire & Hakubo's village relied on for safety & protection. If you tuned out of Sumire & Hakubo's story (many did, finding it irrelevant...), go back & reread it all!!!!

which Tsukasa had bonded with & given voice to,

and became merged with Tsukasa, somehow, during his stay in the Red House-- a space outside of time. Something about Tsukasa is different, from all of the other kannagi thrown to the cavernous pit... despite that he intended to sacrifice himself for Amane.

Tsukasa became entangled with it...

Humans historically prayed to this God & made offerings to it. This God granted wishes for a price, just like Amane & Tsukasa do. Aida-sensei recently depicted people praying to Tsukasa in the house, mirroring how people prayed to the God.

Sumire explains the Well God thoroughly in her arc:

Nene-chan also outlines how the Mysteries are some sort of new, alternate solution to relying upon sending sacrifices to the Well God in the Severance:

(the Mysteries themselves meanwhile, are described as being Pillars of God,

and seem to channel their powers from a central God... destruction of the Yorishiro is described by Sakura as "returning the power (to their) original form".

It's possible the Mysteries borrow THE Well God's power using the Yorishiro system, so as the Mysteries are peeled, Tsukasa's God-self sucks it in. This means destroying EVERY Yorishiro, returns 100% of the power to the God-- eventually even unspooling Tsukasa [for some reason, it will also kill Nene-chan, which might mean she also contains a portion of the God, keeping her alive?]. But that's getting into theorizing... so I won't dwell But I kinda say this so you are less confused later?).

Kako, having identified the God's presence within Tsukasa, is now going to go back in time to 'correct' the irregularities.

We see Kako go back in time to the year before the Yugi twin's murder-suicide or as it's often referred to as, shinjuu (lover's suicide). He goes to 1968-- the Yugi died together in 1969.

The Clockkeepers are going to create a new, 'fixed' timeline. They know Tsukasa is housing a God in his body, & has since he was young. They will stop Tsukasa, somehow, from being able to skew events.

We don't know what the new world will be like, and neither does Akane.

Meanwhile... Akane does not actually trust the Clockkeepers:

It would appear as if Akane has instructed Teru to perform some kind of ritual on Nene-chan, perhaps as a failsafe?

Akane has placed his trust in Nene-chan in the past, so maybe he wants to have assets to pull on, in the event the new timeline is in some way, bad for himself or Aoi.

Akane hopes the 'new present' is a good one. He is waiting to see for himself what the Clockkeepers are doing, and if it is actually good for any of them, or only good for themselves.

We know that, typically, when the Clockkeepers tamper with time, they take the memories of those involved in the affairs:

However, at the end of this recent chapter, we see Nene-chan register time has changed, confused & startled by the sudden reset.

which likely means that someone has ENSURED she will retain her memories of the previous timeline. Probably Akane & Teru! Aoi meanwhile, is likely ignorant.

(HOWEVER, it's also possible Nene-chan's high spiritual power alone could enable her memory retention...? Kako mentions high spiritual power could effect such a thing in the first Clockkeeper's arc. Kou's spiritual power is weak, so he's likely to lose his memories, but we don't really have a grasp of Nene-chan's... other than, Teru himself is quite surprised by her ability to bless away the mass cursing in the 'Kegare' chapter)

So in summation:

Tsukasa is confirmed to contain the Well God. The Well God is confirmed to be the ancient God from Sumire & Hakubo's time. Tsukasa is seen by the Clockkeepers as responsible for the timeline we have spent this entire manga in. The entire circumstances of the timeline have NOW been altered by doing something to Tsukasa or Amane in 1968. We are possibly now inside the 'corrected' timeline. Akane is observing this new timeline for irregularities. Nene-chan is also now observing it.

Everything that just happened with the Big Clock, Mitsuba, the chaos in the school, has been undone.

What does that entail? It's my blog so now I can extrapolate for fun-- for FUN!!--

Tsukasa is the reason Mitsuba could even be a simple ghost, and meet Kou as one at all. Does he even exist in this timeline? Will Kou have his old memories? Or would Teru prefer him mindwiped? (Kou was more agreeable & loyal to him before meeting Hanako & Mitsuba, after all)...

If the shinjuu was stopped & Tsukasa alone was plucked somehow, is Amane even no. 7? Is he even dead?

Are we in the bookstacks-recorded timeline? Or is this another timeline? Will we see multiple different timelines as the Clockkeepers try different solutions, or just the one?

is it a good thing, to make it so the shinjuu never happened?

will we, the readers, LIKE IT? or will we be scared & upset, as everything we had observed up until this point is utterly erased?

will Nene-chan recognize this as BETTER? is it what she WANTS?

will we want our original timeline BACK?

Nene-chan once wanted this...

.... but can she confess to 'Hanako', or be with him at all, in this world? Hanako-kun was a mononoke from the 1960s. We don't even know what bizarre events transpired to turn a normal tragic boy into a mononoke, and a School Mystery at that. It's likely never been 'correct' that he be with Nene-chan. That they know each other as teens at all feels like not only a huge fluke, but perhaps an elaborate orchestration (perhaps by someone who wants them to be together, perhaps by someone who can see many timelines and wants Amane's happiness, yet doesn't believe they can personally be loved by Amane directly... perhaps someone who met Nene-chan long ago, 'before' all of this, & knew she could love him, in some sort of space outside of time... hmm... ).

Nene-chan and Hanako-kun bonded as Mystery & his Kannagi, tasked with correcting the rumors flung into chaos by the Broadcast Club. Those are the circumstances they fell in love under.

Isn't it so exciting? We're going to learn so many lessons!!!!!! It's time to be grateful for what we had, MAYBE!!!!

[amrv-5]

so many good prompts, very difficult to choose…8 or 9? if u are so moved!

HELLO AL! Thank you so much for this prompt--such a delight to write, and a really nice warm soft note to end this little prompt series on!! You asked for 8 or 9, but I combined them 'cause they worked so nice together! Thanks again for the prompt :)

(8. lifting the other while hugging + 9. slow-dancing turning into a tight embrace from this prompt list)

Hawkeye laughed into BJ’s neck. His face was warm with wine. The record player crackled—you leave me breathless, Ella Fitzgerald sang softly—as BJ held him closer, a hand at his lower back, the other cupping Hawkeye’s right hand to his chest. They stepped together in time, moving in a slow circle. 

The lights were low. The lamp in the corner cast a muted gold glow over the living room, their shared bookstacks, the coffee table pushed against the wall, the worn couch and rolled-up rug. 

“What’s funny?” BJ asked quietly, lips moving against the crown of his head. 

Hawkeye shook his head. He draped an arm around BJ’s shoulders. He was warm all over. BJ felt good against him, chest to chest, stomach to stomach, hand rubbing gentle circles into his lower back. 

BJ slowed until their dance was reduced to a barely-perceptible shifting of weight. He tightened his hold on Hawkeye, and exhaled, breath tickling Hawkeye’s ear. 

Hawkeye hummed, relaxed, drunk on a solitary glass of wine and BJ. Everywhere they touched radiated warmth. The abundance of contact—BJ slipping his hand under the hem of his sweater to cup his hip—melted through him. He felt pliable, pleasantly liquid, and very loved. He always felt loved. BJ was good at that. But there were moments where it rose from a comfortable certainty to keen awareness.

He closed his eyes and tucked his face more firmly into BJ’s neck. The pretense of dancing had disappeared. They were just holding each other, unmoving, as the record played. BJ’s hand wandered warmly under the hem of his shirt. Hawkeye cupped the back of BJ’s head, and focused on breathing in time, so his chest pressed into BJ’s as BJ’s pressed into him. Liquid heat moved through him. He sighed shakily, trusting BJ to support his weight. 

“I’ve got you,” BJ whispered, fond, and lifted him bodily, leaning back. Hawkeye let it happen, laughing again, rubbing the back of BJ’s head to communicate his happiness, and to muss his hair. He was feeling possessive. 

BJ grinned at him up close. It was one of his shaky, emotional ones, closed mouth upturned under his mustache, a damp shine to his eyes. “Love you,” he said, earnest, eyebrows coming together like he wanted to make sure Hawkeye knew he really meant it. 

“I know,” Hawkeye reassured him, and kissed him, holding him in place by the jaw. BJ kept him off the ground, elevated a few inches, arms tight around his back. “I love you, too,” he added, and went in for another kiss. 

BJ slipped a hand down Hawkeye’s body, and tilted Hawkeye abruptly into a bridal carry. It was a very deft maneuver. Impressive. Seductive, too. 

“You’re a real gentleman,” Hawkeye said, settling comfortably into his arms. 

BJ kissed him—hard, and a little messy. “I’ll try my best to change your mind,” he said, already laughing at the line. 

Hawkeye laughed, too. “That’s bad,” he observed, glad, and let himself be carried to bed.

[allofthelights11]

Stalker!Draco one-shot

She bent low over her paper, her ankles crossed and tucked to the side near the left chair leg. Her wildly wavy brown hair fell over her shoulder, obscuring her cheek from his view. He didn’t like that. Not that he minded the view of her hair; not at all. But he didn’t like when her face was hidden from him. Her wrist skated across the paper, writing furiously, and he just knew she was biting her lip. She always did when deep in thought. He couldn’t see it, though. He moved silently to his right, deeper down the rows of bookstacks that crowded in on every side. This caused him to lose sight of her entirely for a few moments, but sometimes that couldn’t be avoided. It was normal for him to be forced to fall back and watch from a greater distance. Every time made him uneasy - fearful that this would be the time she’d slip away. Times like today, when it was too cold for her to walk to the library, she took public transit instead. It was too confined a space for him to stay unnoticed every time. But he always knew where she was heading and he didn’t mind a little extra snow or sleeting rain. He could meet her there. He always did.

Written for @trulymadlydeeplyfest. Read more on AO3. Art by MidwestMajik!

[mokkemusic]

Have some thoughts about my feelings toward the latest TBHK chapter what emotions and questions and responses it’s now stirred in me with this altered time line. Also a note no I didn’t waste time editing I just wanted to jot my thoughts down so yea.

There is just so much I want to unpack with this. But I guess I just lost a lot of confidence with my thoughts and feeling for a while in every regard so I don’t know if I have the right words or I make sense but man MAN

I was just talking to Erin today about what if we do see Amane in his 60’s with the life he was supposed to live the dreams he was supposed to have! And ok maybe he really can’t make it all the way to the moon but he can think about the moon everyday and look at the stars and share his passion for that to kids who’s he’s teaching astrology to. He can live a life!

And not to be too depressing about this but really the story of Amane at his core is that if you die there is nothing for you. And I know that sounds horrible but that’s the point. We see this silly ghost boy through Nene and everyone’s perspective but then we have these moments that are like no … he’s dead. There is no future there’s nothing.

But imagine we really see a flesh and blood Amane who got to grow up. Now I know that some people have expressed how well they don’t want to see that cause that would mean Hananene wasn’t together and thats ok trust me I somehow want something where things could work out too so much but I’m not Aidairo and I can’t predict any direction. But I don’t think that .. I think we’re seeing this because just like the picture perfect arc and just like even bookstacks even though this is a “real” yet altered timeline and not a picture world it’s gonna show the gravity of the situation when we don’t see that school hat and the seal on his cheek or Hakojoudai. But a lab coat and graying hair and wrinkles and a character filled with memories and accomplishments no matter how small. How his presence and him being alive affects people. What relationships he’s never had a chance to form, what students he’s touched, who he’s maybe gotten to love (before throw daggers at me yes that’s the bittersweet of this like I said don’t think this is the final timeline but if it is I can’t control that) I just know I am gonna have so many mixed emotions for feeling Nenes conflicted emotions, for feeling the pride and peace of that non existent guilt Tsuchigomori harbors, and for myself who got into Hanako and deeply as she did because of bookstacks. I loved and it was great fun. But when they showed the glimpse of “oh that’s.. oh” no matter what I will cry so much when I think about bookstacks when I think about how Amane sat on that ledge and said “he didn’t want to go anywhere ever again” and then he didn’t. It wasn’t uplifting it was just something that Tsuchigomori held onto for years and years, with his most precious possession being the moon rock his student left in his care cause he couldn’t take it with him where he was going.

The amount of fics we’ve all written about how we wanted to see Amane as a teacher and happy or an Astronaut… I can’t explain why it affects me the way that it does but that’s MY thing. The part that got me the most a boy that wanted to go to the moon and (even though we don’t have all the details and background as to how much control he had over it) then essentially let go of all that and life.

So at the same time I would be feeling the angst and the pain if Aidairo is gracious enough to let us see him (and not just a photo that doesn’t have have his full face on Tsuchigomoris desk) I will also be conflicted-ly sobbing tears of joy. Just getting to see this.

Who knows what if the reason he’s Tsuchigomoris former co worker is because he really did then go on to become an astronaut or some position closer to reaching and studying the moon then just being an astrology teacher with the support of his colleagues and students.

I don’t think so but it’s a nice dream you know? 🥹

What if not only we get to see as readers but what if Nene herself somehow gets to see that. The conflicted emotions and sadness and happiness inside me will just truly break me and make me think and yea…

It would have impact. I just hope in whatever capacity this arc really can show that the harsh reality.

[jac-is-procrastinating-again]

Chapter 6:

Aziraphale goes to the Great Library to look at the Book of Life to see what Crowley was supposed to have done to merit Falling. It makes him very uneasy indeed...

Heaven, Now

“Ah, Saraqael.” Aziraphlale hadn’t realised she was there so he jumped like a rabbit when she came out from behind one of the bookstacks. Hopefully she hadn’t noticed. “I just want to get this Crowley business out of the way before we really get stuck into the war preparations.”

“The Crowley business?” Saraqael stopped her wheelchair.

“Yes. The Metatron was saying that it might be sensible to reinstate him as an angel so we can get him in on the business at hand. Bit irregular working with a demon on the end of the world, but he’s the only one who knows humans as well as I do, of course, so he’d be invaluable…”

“To the war? Crowley?” Saraqael raised an eyebrow. “Six thousand years must have changed him. Still, he’s very capable, there’s no denying that.”

What did that mean? But Aziraphale was too conscious that the clock was ticking down, fast. He could ask questions later. “So how do we go about it?”

“Well, it’s not something that’s really been done before, reinstating an angel. There were a few compromises we made after the Great War, I think… Follow me.” Saraqael set off between the rows of shelves, through the datafiles glimmering in stacks, back to the big old hardbacks and beyond, to the scrolls and the stone tablets. She paused at one of the very early ones. “There.” She pointed her reader at the shelf and the datafile shimmered down into it. She flicked forward and back; faces flickered and jumped in the air. Lucifer, Gabriel and Beelzebub spitting imprecations at each other, Metatron looking troubled, Uriel, Michael and Crowley arguing between themselves. Why was Crowley with the Archangels? Had he been an Archangel? Aziraphale supposed he must have been though he couldn’t immediately remember the details.

“Here.” Saraqael flicked up a document. It scrolled on and on and on. “It’s not an easy thing to do but….” She scrolled to the end. “It’s not impossible. Looks like we need to start by assembling all known records of the entity involved and then going through them. If we can put together enough evidence that whatever wrongdoing has been redeemed or repented, we can assemble a panel to hear the evidence, and ultimately take it to the Metatron for approval.”

Aziraphale didn’t like the sound of that. It sounded… lengthy. “And then?”

“If it all gets approved we make the amendments in the Book of Life, and once that’s set, it all goes very easily.”

“Okay, the Book of Life. And that’s where the records are too?”

“Indeed. You prefer the actual book format to datafile, I believe?” Saraqael asked, setting off again. “I can subsection according to Crowley’s immediate contacts and impacts if you like.”

“Please.” He followed her to a wide table with an array of chairs around it.

She gestured and a large pile of books came down to rest on it. “I’m afraid you can’t take them away, but they’ll be here whenever you need them. They’ll autoplay as needed too.” A set of notebooks stacked themselves neatly in a corner along with a blue fountain pen. “Please be careful not to blot the books; it can cause a lot of trouble if it’s not authorised. Any problems, come straight to me, or if there’s anything you need. I’ll be at my desk by the door.” She started to leave.

“Saraqael?” Aziraphale hesitated.

“Yes?”

“You knew him, didn’t you? Crowley?”

She paused. “Not by that name, of course. But we worked together on the Horsehead Nebula before the Fall. Some of his best work, I truly believe. The song of the stars is quite something, and that was all him. He always did have a way with music.”

Aziraphale looked at the pile of books and found himself afraid to open them. “Were you surprised? When he Fell, I mean?”

Her face grew sad. “Yes. And no. I’d hoped it wouldn’t happen, of course, but…it was inevitable. Being who he was, it couldn’t have happened any other way.” She opened her mouth as if to say something, but visibly changed her mind, putting on a neutral expression. “I suppose that’s not something you remember? So many of us were traumatised after the Fall, we had to wipe a good few memories.” She looked away. “It was a terrible time.”

“But you remember it?”

“We’re scribes, Aziraphale. We are the ones – sometimes the only ones – who do.”

“I’m sorry.” He looked down at the notebooks in front of him. “That sounds hard. And… lonely.”

She nodded. “And yet sometimes it is all we can do, for the Greater Good. To remember what came before and do our best to make sure we learn from our mistakes.” She turned her chair. “But time is short. Feel free to call if you need anything.”

“I will,” he called after her. “Thank you.”

He sat down at the table and opened a notebook, running his finger down the join so that it lay flat. Then he opened the first book and caught his breath; a line drawing of Crowley as he had been right back at the beginning, his face open and shining with joy. He’d looked like this the first time Aziraphale had ever met him, when they fired up the Nebula together. “This is how you should look.” Not that saddened, pain-worn expression that haunted his face when his guard was down. “How did you get there from here?”

= = =

Link to the rest of the chapter:

[hinge]

Hinge presents an anthology of love stories almost never told. Read more on https://no-ordinary-love.co

[tessatalksbooksblog]

Let's Discuss “Happily Ever After” Endings, plus my weekly updates

🦋 HEA Book Stack🦋 Today, I’m celebrating the happily ever after ending. I believe “happily ever after” endings can bring many readers a sense of closure and satisfaction. I know that’s what they do for me! They offer a sense of hope and fulfillment, allowing me to escape into a world where everything turns out for the best. They cause an almost cathartic experience, leaving me feeling good inside, believing that eventually, everything will turn out okay in real life as in fiction. However, I also know that it’s important to recognize that life is not always as perfect as these endings make it seem. Endings that embrace life’s challenges and uncertainties can also be compelling and thought-provoking, and who doesn’t enjoy a book that makes you think or want to have a discussion with others. Overall, I believe the choice between a “happily ever after” ending and a more authentic one depends on the story being told and the impact the author wants to achieve. But I do love a happily ever after ending! 🦋🌼🦋🌼🦋🌼🦋🌼🦋🌼🦋🌼🦋🌼🦋 (ℚ𝕆𝕋𝔻) What are your thoughts on "happily ever after" endings? 🦋🌼🦋🌼🦋🌼🦋🌼🦋🌼🦋🌼🦋🌼🦋 . . . . #bookrecommendations #reader #readersofinstagram #readers #bookstagram #bookblogger #bookblog #bookstagrammer #bookworm #booklover #bookaddict #booknerd #happilyeverafter #bookstack #bookstacks #romcom #romancereader #romancebookstagram #romancebooks #romanticcomedy

Book Blogger Hop What are your thoughts on “happily ever after” endings? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer) My Answer: I believe “happily ever after” endings can bring many readers a sense of closure and satisfaction. I know that’s what they do for me! They offer a sense of hope and fulfillment, allowing me to escape into a world where everything turns out for the best. They cause…

[boffeeceans]

I may or may not have gone book shopping...

...And I may or may not have gone a little overboard.

[lonebooks]

This is my January TBR pile! I’m planning on reading around ten books a month this year as my reading goal is to exceed 100. The books I’m aiming to get through this month are:

Circe by Madeline Miller: This is a fantasy book heavily inspired by Greek mythology that follows the titular heroine; Circe as she discovers her powers of witchcraft and is banished to a remote island by the gods. I’m really excited to read this book as I’m deeply interested by Greek mythology and I just recently finished Norse mythology by Neil Gaiman (which I gave five stars, it’s a brilliant read for those wanting to an introduction to Norse myths) so I’m in a bit of a mythology mood right now! Everyone who has read this book seems to love it and it won a goodreads award in 2018 so I have high hopes for this book!

The Raven King by Maggie Steifvater: This is the final book in the Raven Cycle series and having sped through the first three over the past couple of weeks I am hyped to read the last one! Blue, Lily, Lily, Blue introduced some exciting new elements into this story so I’m looking forward to seeing how everything turns out for Blue and the Raven boys.

Heartstream by Tom Pollock: I picked up this book in a charity shop because the premise seemed cool and it was only a couple of pounds. I haven’t seen anyone else talking about it but it seems like the kind of quick, YA thriller that I really enjoy reading in between heavy fantasy books or large series. This book is set in a black mirror like world where a streaming service now allows the general public to feel the emotions of those who choose to broadcast their life on there. Amy is one such streamer and after returning from her mother’s funeral she finds a girl in her kitchen who has rigged the house and herself with explosives.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy; The Trilogy of Four by Douglas Adams: (Technically this is four books but I’m going to count it as one) Science fiction is a genre I’ve been planning on exploring more and this classic series seems like a great way to kick off what I hope to be a more sci-fi filled year! In this series we follow Arthur Dent as he is rescued from Earth just as it is about to be destroyed to make way for an intergalactic freeway. I’ve heard amazing things about this series from family members so I’m looking forward to reading it! (There is also a fifth book that I’m hoping to get to at some point this month)

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman: I rarely read YA contemporary books but I really enjoyed Alice Oseman’s debut novel Solitaire so I wanted to pick this one up. In this book we follow Frances who has a secret about a disappearance connected to her past. This is another book that I’m really excited to read!

Call down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater: I know basically nothing about this book apart from the fact that it has Ronan Lynch from the Raven Cycle featuring as one of the main characters and that’s about it. I picked it up in one of my local bookshops and saw his name on the back and instantly decided to buy it. It’ll be really interesting to see how this book connects with the Raven Cycle, particularly as it’s going to be a trilogy!

Killer T by Robert Muchamore: This is another impulse buy, I’ve read a few of Robert Muchamore’s other books and I’ve had a couple of issues with them before so we’ll see how this one goes. It seems very different from his other books though so I’m still optimistic that I’ll like it. This book follows two teenagers, Harry and Charlie over a ten year period during a time when gene editing technology is now publicly available for anyone to use with unpredictable consequences.

Breathe by Sarah Crossan: This book was another charity shop buy. It’s signed by the author which is pretty cool! I was initially drawn to it because I have vague memories of reading the first five chapters or so at my school library and enjoying them but then not being able to find the book again. Even though I’m a few years older now, I’m hoping to still get some enjoyment out of it! This dystopian series follows three teenagers in a world where oxygen is limited.

Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly: This is a retelling of Cinderella from one of the stepsisters point of view. Even though it seems like retelling are oversaturating the YA market at the moment, I still think this one has a lot of potential to be unique as it isn’t told from Cinderella’s point of view. I also really enjoyed the Lunar Chronicles and To Kill a Kingdom so I’m looking forward to this retelling!

Resist by Sarah Crossan: This is the sequel to breathe so I don’t really have a lot to say about it at the moment. I’m hoping to enjoy it though!

So yeah, this is my tbr for the month! It took me longer than I though it would to type out all these summaries though. In conclusion, I’m hyped for these books and I think I’m going to have a productive reading month!

[thecasualbookreviewer]

🖤BLACK 📚 BOOKSTACK 📚 CHALLENGE 🖤

The lovely @therefugeofbooks tagged me yesterday and here’s my stack!

It took some tries to get it to stay stable enough for a pic 😂 and once I was done putting the books back on their place I realized I forgot one book 😬

I’m not gonna list every book cause it’ll make this a super long post but here are almost all of my black books!

Tagging if they wanna give this a go: @dracereads @yourneighborhoodbibliophile @profiterole-reads @livinginsideabookshelf @kristee-reads

[hinge]

Hinge presents an anthology of love stories almost never told. Read more on https://no-ordinary-love.co

[nanabansama]

I saw in your other post "Tsukasa looking at Amane in chapter 109" and I was curious, do you happen to have any theory about why Tsukasa was interested in breaking the clock? Or do you have any theory as to why Hanako-kun messed with it so diligently.P. S: I hope you had a good Christmas 🎅

Hi! Firstly, the post you're speaking about was made by the lovely @ tsutsumi-kurose! I highly recommend checking their blog out for more keen analysis on Hanako-kun.

Anyway, to answer your question...let's gather what we know about the Big Clock.

The Big Clock is the school's time itself. Destroying it caused time to stop completely. When Nene encountered Tsukasa via a time rift during the festival, he told her that you could use the clock to travel through time.

This time manipulation stuff appears to be directly correlated to the school. It doesn't seem to affect stuff outside of it, similar to how the Bookstacks only records a person's life during the time they will spend/have spent at Kamome Academy.

That said, we can't know for sure if Amane knew that, so maybe he tried to harness the clock's time powers for something he could never use them for anyway? Not like it matters, since Tsukasa confirmed Amane never managed to manipulate the clock...but I don't know. To have him work so diligently for something that would have never worked? It feels somewhat silly. So I prefer to believe he had a clear, concrete, and most importantly achievable goal in mind.

Basically, what I'm getting at is I don't think Amane was either trying to time travel to get back to the Tanabata festival he spent with Nene-oneesan or to the time Tsukasa sacrificed himself during their 4th birthday. I also have trouble believing he would go through so much trouble on the off chance that his Nene-oneesan happened to attend Kamome Academy at some point, and it also just seems terribly... corny to me? I really hope it isn't the case, it's just kind of sad and embarrassing of him to skip out on his school play in favor of chasing after some girl he met 4 years ago. I'm clearly too jaded for a romance manga why am I even here

But I do have trouble imagining any other reason for Amane to attempt to time travel that is privy to us! It's either Nene or something we don't know yet. Or something concerning Nene that we don't know yet. Either way, Hanako has clearly remembered whatever it was and wants to keep it a secret--which could mean basically anything because he loves keeping things to himself.

(pictured above: the face of a liar)

To answer your other question, I genuinely think that Tsukasa just wanted to destroy the clock because of his innate sense of curiosity. Remember, this is the guy that dissected a fish for no reason other than a desire to learn how it talked. He is a man of science, and sometimes science is blowing things up and looking at their insides. (I think he would enjoy Mythbusters in a modern AU.)

Tsukasa only went through with destroying the clock now because it was the only way to enter the Clock Keepers' boundary. This is the long and short of it and I will remain firm in this opinion until AidaIro confirm otherwise. *clacks gavel*

Anyway, thank you for the ask! I hope you had a nice Christmas too. :]