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guesst · 3 years

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some of the best fantasy au fics for bnha that i've read

i decided to make a fic rec list of one of my favourite aus/fusions. mostly midoriya-centric, there are some crossovers (with hp), and a lot of different ways in which the authors have taken them - so it could be Quirks, ghosts, outright fantasy aus, spirits, witches etc etc. there isn't a specific order and there aren't a tonne (these are the ones i could find buried in my bookmarks lol), but the ones on the list are all really well written i love them.

i've tried adding relevant information, the summary (shortened if it's pretty long) and just. adding some random tags that may be important. not all of them though. obviously this is not a complete list and there will most definitely be more fics out there, if there are some really good fics that you know that aren't on this list, feel free to tell me, i'd love to read them!!!

i hope someone enjoys these!

Faith Becomes You by SugaSuga

oneshot | gen dfo, quirkless midoriya summary 'There's a tiny shrine in Musutafu that's overgrown with kudzu vines between Izuku's apartment and his middle-school. There may very well still be a god inside it. There may be nothing but the myth of a man from when Quirks were first emerging. Izuku hides in its walls for a while and ends up tending to the forgotten shrine. All good deeds have their impact, don't they?'

Of Mythos and Men by Oceanbreeze7

oneshot | gen spirit animal au, kinda summary (shortened) 'When he was young, Midoriya always wondered what his mythos would be. The matching half to his quirk, the ancestry of its power. Mythos were strange things, not linked genetically like quirks seemed to be. [...] Midoriya hadn't met his mythos. Even in UA. (In his dreams, something called to him, 'Chase me!')'

what a lion cannot manage by LadyLiterature

multichapter | ongoing | f/m, m/m kitsune au, female izuku, future bakudeku summary (shortened) 'She wants to be a hero. Wants to save everyone she meets and even the people she hasn’t. [...] A smart fox avoids fights. A smart fox does not seek them out. A smart fox does not fight for everyone. A smart fox, when they absolutely must, only fights for themselves and what is theirs and nothing else. Izumi, for all that she tries to be, is not a good fox.'

My Magic Academia by Kiterou

series | oneshots and multichapter | ongoing | gen HP crossover, wizard midoriya, platonic bkdk, some ocs summary (shortened) ' [...] In which Midoriya Inko is a witch and Izuku a wizard and even after 150 years of quirks taking over the world, Izuku still couldn't tell Kacchan that he isn't worthless and that he still could become a hero all on his own.'

A Lonely Windchime Makes No Sound by Musecookie

multichapter | ongoing | multi reader/shinso, total fantasy au, very wholesome summary (shortened) ' [...] You enjoy visiting your slightly creepy local library. When you accidentally befriend the elusive owner's familiar, he begins to appear more and more when you visit. You don't really mind, and he doesn't seem to hate you, even when the two of you become tied up in each other's fate as you pursue the secret to reviving a magical species of flower. Soft Strangers to Friends to Lovers type beat with lots of fluff and naps! Sleepy cuddles included.'

The grapes of friendship by Gentrychild

oneshot | gen crack, dfo, vampire izuku summary 'Izuku, a dhampir hiding his real identity as he goes to UA, the best wizard school in the country, spends the day with his friends. None of them are aware of it.'

Yesterday Upon the Stair by PitViperofDoom

multichapter | complete | gen less supernatural, izu's quirk lets him see ghosts, he still has ofa summary (shortened) 'Midoriya Izuku has always been written off as weird. As if it's not bad enough to be the quirkless weakling, he has to be the weird quirkless weakling on top of it. But truthfully, the "weird" part is the only part that's accurate. He's determined not to be a weakling, and in spite of what it says on paper, he's not actually quirkless [...] Not that anyone would believe it if he told them.'

sum of all (and by them driven) by Elemental

series | multichapter | ongoing | gen dadzawa, spirits give quirks, izu sees these spirits series summary 'Quirks aren't what you think they are.' first part summary (shortened) 'Midoriya Izuku is medically quirkless, not technically homeless, perpetually exhausted and doing his damned best despite it all. He also sees spirits, which might be cool if not for the fact that a) no one else does, b) they really don't like him very much, and c) he's pretty sure the heroes now think he's a villain working for the League [...]'

The Struggles of a Modern-Day Vampire by miraculousemily47

oneshot | gen crack, 1-a shenanigans, vampire midoriya summary 'After Midoriya Izuku is turned into a vampire towards the end of his first year at U.A., he decides he wants to tell his classmates about his condition. The only problem is that he can't physically say the words, and his classmates are fucking idiots.'

Lights in the Dark by FrostKitten

series | oneshots | ongoing | gen supernatural au, izuku can see demons etc, quirkless/magic au summary (of first part) 'Midoriya Izuku, like most young kids, knows there are monsters. They live in closets, under beds, and occasionally in the park. As he grows older, his friends stop seeing them...but he still does.'

Hand in Unlovable Hand by jumbletea

series | oneshots | ongoing | gen vampire midoriya (and aizawa), dadzawa, toga n dabi n mido being siblings summary 'A collection of stories surrounding a not-quite-human Izuku and everyone he meets along the way.'

Simply Superstitious by CryCaladrius

multichapter | ongoing | gen lots of folklore and yokai and stuff, 'quirkless' magic user izuku, decent dad hisashi too summary (shortened) 'Izuku Midoriya’s father is a Hou-ou — a Japanese phoenix. For some reason, this means yokai have a standing invitation to pester Izuku with their existence. Birds assemble choirs for his birthday. If there’s no cedar leaf under the welcome mat, the amazake babaa that lives two apartments over will be knocking on their door by evening. His yokai-purifying excursions get mistaken for vigilantism far too often. [...]'

Cuckoo Bird (anonymous author)

multichapter | ongoing/maybe discontinued | gen it may be discontinued but theres lots of fae folklore, deku is a changeling, deals etc, plus some platonic shindeku building up?? summary 'There's something off about Midoriya Izuku. (change·ling /ˈCHānjliNG/ noun a child believed to have been secretly substituted by fairies for the parents' real child in infancy.)'

tread softly as you go by IceEckos12

oneshot | gen if you read any fae au please let it be this! has faeries but mido is not one summary 'Humans used to be good at the old ways. They used to know how to bait the trap, to spin a web of words and lies that would ensnare even the most wily. Humans used to be able to twist deceptions around knots of iron and turn them into weapons of power. They forgot a long, long time ago. A boy unwittingly makes a deal with one of the fae, severing his ties to humanity. However, he finds that the fae world is far more strange and complex than he ever could have imagined.'

Hell is just a shoujo manga by supercrunch

multichapter | complete | f/m fantasy au, bakudeku, fem!izuku, isekai, dekusquad stuff, also some iidachako summary (shortened) 'Izuku wakes up crushed under a statue, trapped in the body of a princess who doesn't exist. Turns out she's a demon, which is weird. What's even weirder is the déjà vu that surrounds Kamino palace, reminding her of the events of this one manga she used to love. [...] But that's probably just a coincidence. [...] The problem here, obviously, is that Izuku's the demon princess. Ergo, she's a villain. And that means she's going to die at the end of this manga. Again.'

hold your breath as you cross by cassiopeia721

oneshot | gen dadzawa, another 'quirks are from spirits au' (expect more of those actually), mido is sad :( summary 'As the bridge between the world of guardian spirits and the quirk users who are blessed by them, Izuku's duty is to clean up the mess his predecessor left. It's taken what feels like an eternity worth of work, but Izuku's finally finished, and he's ready to rest at last. Unfortunately, the pro heroes who just watched him take down the Scourge of Kamino have no intention of letting him just wander off, and he finds himself stuck in an interrogation room with a bunch of humans who he's sure will never believe a word he says.'

To See with Eyes Unclouded by CrazySatan

series | oneshots | ongoing | gen witch au, witch midoriya, quirkless mido, bkg is not a good friend series summary 'Midoriya Izuku is a witch. A powerful witch. And even though he doesn't have a quirk, and magic doesn't Work Like That, Izuku ends up a hero. Somehow.'

Demons and Darkness by wolfsrainrules

series | oneshots | ongoing | gen dadzawa, shinso and mido and bkg are becoming friends, they can see monsters/spirits/bad things summary of first part 'Izuku has believed in the things that go bump in the night since he was small. That means he can see them, and almost everyone he knows....can't. So he decides he's going to be the shield humanity needs, no matter what. Eventually, he finds others that See too.'

know what i've made by the marks on my hands by simkjrs

multichapter | ongoing/maybe discontinued | gen dadzawa, quirk spirit au (this inspired most of the others on this list), also eri summary (shortened) 'Midoriya Izuku just wants to lead a quiet, peaceful life. This is foiled by the fact that a) he can see spirits, b) his good nature demands that he help anyone he sees in trouble, and c) he, by all rights, should not exist. [...]'

Izuku haunts class 1-A by Artistic-Gamer

series or multichapter whichever floats your boat | incomplete (hiatus) | other there are some triggering themes! such as suicide, blood, body disfigurement! please take care of yourself and avoid reading if this will hurt you! in other news: so much dadzawa, so much friendship, hurt mido summary (of first part) 'Class 1-A is rumored to be haunted, only the residents are aware it’s more than just a rumor..'

U.A's Resident Ghost by BeyondTheClouds777

multichapter | ongoing/maybe discontinued | gen ghost midoriya, dadzawa, friendships!!!! summary 'There is a ghost at U.A. Not haunting U.A. Not even hanging out at U.A. There is a ghost. Enrolled. As a student of U.A. And it's just Shouta's luck that he has everything to do with it.'

and now, the weather by xylophones

oneshot | gen CRACK, paranormal/ghost hunters au, dekusquad stuff summary 'Izuku runs a fictional horror radio show. Because ghosts aren’t real. Right? (“Holy shit, ghosts are real,” Izuku whispers. Then, with the smugness of a sixteen-year-old who just won a decade long bet, “I knew it! Kacchan owes me five hundred yen!” “Midoriya,” Todoroki sighs, “this ghost is trying to kill us.”)'

U.A Unsolved by handcrusher(ameliafromafairytale)

oneshot | gen (it's a fic of a fic, so if you've read yesterday upon the stair then you'll understand better) izuku can see ghosts thats his quirk summary ' "Hey there, ghosts," Midoriya says, "it's me, ya boy." The dorms are haunted. Shenanigans ensue.'

The Haunting of Class 1-A by BritishRobutt

multichapter | ongoing/maybe discontinued | n/a ghost midoriya, vigilante au, crack, the ghost bit is izu's quirk summary 'Everyone always told Izuku he couldn't be a hero, so when he dies and discovers his quirk, he becomes a vigilante out of spite. Whoops. After becoming Spectre, Japan's most wanted vigilante, Izuku realizes he can just fulfill his dreams of going to the top heroic school- after all, who can physically stop him from attending UA when he's a literal ghost?'

Caged by SternStunde

oneshot | gen tododeku, fantasy au (todo is a dragon, mido is a princess), genderbent deku (fem deku) summary 'Then she held up one of the books and smiled. "Want to learn an ancient language with me?" She was kind of a nerd, and she really hoped the dragon was too.'

Magic Runs Deep by draconicschinx

multichapter | ongoing/probably discontinued | gen mido has a quirk and he can see mythical creatures. summary '"Midoriya Izuku has always been good at making friends. Not human ones, really, but they are good friends nonetheless. " Izuku can see and talk to and interact with mythical creatures. It's not exactly the quirk he was hoping for, but he's going to use it to help humans and his non-human friends all the same.'

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theyarebothgunshot · 3 years

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not to be a reply guy to your anons againnnnnnn but like. that religion ask rubbed me so the wrong way like you can be actively religious and be gay. and be poly. I understand the ingrained guilt that comes from being raised religious and taught otherwise and doing anything outside that norm but the idea that those two things are non conducive is so eh eh eh. not to mention that not all religious experiences are universal so commenting that someone's perceived queer relationship is unrealistic because of their religion is just a very bad reaction to have out loud

thank you for this letter to the editor (amazing term bles you for coming up with this sfhshfs) i have a few more responds that i will put under a cut.

Anoniem heeft gevraagd: I had a lil response to the religious cockles ask! You definitely don’t have to post this. Sorry if this is out of order! Wanted to start by saying I’m sorry that your religious trauma has resulted in hesitancy and I hope you find your peace! I think religion and sexuality is super tricky but worth remembering that J has a very openly out aunt in his family, (I AM HIS GAY AUNT), so it’s likely that his family are open and accepting of sexuality and it’s spectrum… I grew up in an intensely religious family who, whilst are strict, wholeheartedly believe that Jesus just loves everyone regardless of who they are / what they do. My aunt is gay and married and everyone accepts and loves her in the family and would likely fight anyone who said anything against her. Obviously religion is vastly more complex than this and I completely recognise and appreciate there is still a lot of hate towards LGBTQ+ communities as a result of religious teachings (esp in the south?) but just wanted to offer an alternative perspective that religion doesn’t have to be the stumbling block in finding who you are in terms of sexuality (though this is often the case!) and that lots of people can reconcile religion / religious teachings with their sexuality. So basically I think that J’s family seem like the family to just love regardless, and that they would likely accept whatever he did/whoever he was! But I am very possibly projecting here as I really know nothing about their belief systems! ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Anonymous 29 jun. · 10 hours ago Anoniem heeft gevraagd: I think it's also important to remember that while yes, jensen was raised in a conservative christian household, he still had a pretty normal and mainstream childhood from what I can tell. it's not like he was raised mormon or in one of these super-religious families that home-school their children, don't allow women to work/go to college, refuse to celebrate halloween/christmas/easter because they're too pagan etc. he went to normal public schools, presumably came into contact with a variety of different people and view points there (even though this apparently did seem to bother his parents a little - jensen talked in the mike rosenbaum podcast about how he was the troublesome, difficult child in his parents' eyes because he was so "socially promiscous" compared to his siblings, among other things) and by the time he was a teenager he apparently stood up for a kid who was getting bullied for being gay, according to someone who went to school with him. I mean, this is texas in the mid 90s we're talking about here, so for jensen to defend a bullied gay kid back then shows he was comparatively open-minded and free-spirited already by the time he was a teenager (which is quite remarkable imo considering the various circumstances). like not to downplay any issues jensen might have had because of his religious upbringing, but I just don't think he had as much "brainwashing" to overcome as other people when it comes to acceptance of LGBT people in general or even self-acceptance (though that does seem to have been a little harder). and he was already on his way to overcoming these things as a teenager/young man (being a theater kid even though he was called slurs for it, defending bullied gay kids... ty vaughn...) ---- I definitely remember seeing gifs of jared attacking misha after the hitch panel somewhere too, but I had totally forgotten about that. it was jensen, jared, misha and various other people walking backstage fron what I can recall. damn. many thoughts now. - 🔍

#i wanted to share the different views/opinions #reminder that these are not all necessarily opinions or thoughts that i agree with or feel the same way about!#they are letters to the editor! the editor is me! and i am publishing them accordingly #i don't want this to turn in any kind of discourse so i will only be posting these three #shehetheysam #og skeptical anon

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tundrainafrica · 4 years

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Title: A Tale of Two Slaves (4/17)

Summary: “Soulmates don’t exist. Fate doesn’t exist. Everything is a choice.” At that moment, Levi could only watch as she made the choice for him.“

Reincarnation AU. Levi remembers everything from their past life. Hange doesn’t.

Note: Feedback is very much appreciated!

Other Chapters: 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Link to cross-postings: AO3

As it turned out, Hange’s thesis wasn’t just about jumping.

But it would be nice to do it about flying. She had mentioned, echoing that same sentiment in those numerous interviews he had read.

A case study on the changes of an athletes body and muscle composition from preseason to postseason.

Levi only found out exactly what Hange and Moblit were doing for their final thesis as she ran through it with him over coffee the morning after they met in the lab. He had to admit, he had forgotten whether or not Moblit had explained that same thing to him which was probably just easily overshadowed by the pages and pages of waivers that had been laid out in front of him.

Hange had a different approach to the documentation. She had the same waivers that needed to be signed but had completely understood that no one would have that same drive to read the whole thing and consider the nuances and implications of every bullet point. She had just asked him to check everything and sign or she would not be able to work with him.

Compensation. Injury Insurance. Transportation Subsidy. Meal Subsidy

Levi quickly complied. In fact, he probably would have complied even without the benefits that came with participating in the study. He was already half way through mindlessly checking the boxes by the time Hange had mentioned those parts after all.

“Everything is funded.” Hange had explained. He knew their university was particularly well off. Being an athlete he had been a beneficiary multiple times of free branded shoes, gym bags jackets, meals and even gadgets with championship wins

The generous funding she had received to conduct the research was particularly seen in the well equipped sports facility where Hange was to conduct said research.

Cardiovascular endurance, strength power, speed, power etc. He listed the physical fitness components she wanted to study, the logistics of switching partners and starting anew completely forgotten.

It had been less than 24 hours since he visited her office and it was as if Hange wasn’t as deep into her research as Moblit had made it out to be.

She’s been cooped up in the lab lately, watching track and field videos.

She’s already been talking to Elijah, they did a few tests.

There was truth to what Moblit had told him. Hange did admit to having already the preliminary data needed for her case study but as Hange had shown him soon after they started talking, she had no problem just scrapping her data or giving it to Moblit and starting again from scratch.

As Levi soon found out, she was too passionate about her research to consider the preliminary data wasted work.

Levi had found that last part out after their talk in the lab after she had casually mentioned her lurker Instagram account on top of her blatant refusal to use Facebook and Twitter since too many social media sites were just too much to manage. He could not resist the urge to check the accounts she followed and just as he expected, they were all famous athletes from all different fields, the one thing common about all athletes being the almost inhuman height and airtime they achieved.

Nanaba Briete her friend and the subject of her high school thesis, was a volleyball player. Elijah Miller was a horizontal jumper. Moblit pointed out as well, her data for both players was too comprehensive beyond what was expected from someone of her level of study.

Levi soon realized with her YouTube and Instagram lurker activity, she probably was a stan and for some reason, he was one of the objects of her stanning activity. Levi had seen those types of people on Twitter and Instagram. They had weird voting conglomerations, used some sort of weird language and interacted incessantly with any post on the object of their stanning activity Hange was not vocal in particular, her Instagram profile and YouTube channels both empty. He only had to go through the profiles she followed to see that she left likes in most if not all pictures. Among those she had liked were profiles that reposted pictures of his jumps.

Liked by Wingsoffreedom132 and thousands of others.

Levi soon realized after hours going through most if not all the accounts she followed that just like the average stan, Hange spammed the like button like crazy

Looking deep into the comments of one of his jumps that year, he had found a comment from her. A pair of wings and a heart next to it.

How long has she been following him?

Did she have those dreams too?

“Why?”

“Why what?” Hange asked.

“Why me?” Levi continued.

“I told you before. You're amazing. Your forms are all perfect, your body composition is good and that crazy fast improvement from no name player to rookie of the year?" Hange seemed too sure of herself and glimmer of hope that somehow she had any inkling of their connection in Levi's dreams dissipated. She started to rattle off numbers relating to Levi’s height differentials and vertical leap every year since high school, Levi had to note that there was some truth to what she was saying.

High jumping events had suddenly become much easier for Levi when he moved to the city for college. He had attributed it to the more frequent training that came with the more competitive environment of collegiate sports. It was an ironic turn of events though since that was also around the same time he had started experiencing those painful mornings after dreaming things he could barely member. He chose not to mention that just yet. The connection was just too illogical to be a causation or even correlation issue. It might have even just been an irrelevant coincidence.

Levi continued to listen as she explained schedules and outlines for meet ups. There was preliminary data gathering, multiple tests to be done on weekends in a sports facility a little farther away from the school. There were a few more documents that needed to be answered and submitted similar to what Moblit had sent. It would be time consuming, inconvenient. The prospect of Hange being there made it somewhat bearable.

So bearable, that Levi had found himself arriving at the train station Saturday morning one hour earlier than they agreed upon. They were going to the sports facility for preliminary data gathering. To his pleasant surprise, Hange was already there waiting.

“I hope you don’t mind the shitty schedule,” Hange said in greeting. She was staring at the duffel bag Levi had slung over his shoulder.

Levi had to stay overnight. With the sports facilities being shared among multiple researchers and multiple athletes, Hange found the most she could secure for a last minute booking was an early morning slot, offering instead to provide lodging to Levi for a night so he wouldn’t have to take a taxi late night and early morning when the trains were already closed.

“As long as there’s a place to stay.” It’s still better than commuting at 3am.

“Let’s drop your stuff first.”

The sports facility was a 15 minute train ride and as Levi exited the station, he was greeted by a large building that stretched out a fair number of meters in both directions. Was that the sports facility?

That wasn’t their destination though. Hange guided him through a few alleys and out into a main street where a quaint mid rise condominium was located right to their left.

“My condo only has one bedroom so I hope you won’t mind staying on the couch. It has a pull out bed though so you wouldn’t be too uncomfortable.”

Somehow Levi had expected a hotel. “Wait, I’m staying in your place?”

The area Hange lived in turned out to be only 15 minutes away by train but oddly enough, it was Levi’s first time there. He found himself just gazing at nothing in particular but whatever was in front of him at that moment as they walked through the streets. They were going to have brunch in a nearby cafe, Hange had clarified. He found himself particularly entertained by the crowds, the grey pavement and the tall buildings that lined his view all making up the urban jungle of the center of town.

The university and the surrounding town where Levi spent a good chunk of his five years was located in a quieter part of the city which Levi had gotten accustomed to pretty fast when he moved there. He never left that area unless necessary for competitions or for schoolwork. Consequently, he was not completely used to the bustle at the center of the city,

They had settled into a diner in a small part or town with Hange offering to pay for the lunch. As soon as they had given their orders, Hange slid a document to him with the words “personal data sheet” written in bold on the top. “In the final output, you will remain anonymous, Erwin just requested we keep the basic data on everyone we study.” Hange explained.

Levi scanned the document before looking up at Hange again. By the way she had looked at him, Levi was sure she could have answered some of it for him. “Why don’t you answer it for me.“ He challenged.

“It’s your data Levi so I---”

“I wanna see how much about me you know.” Levi answered with a no-nonsense tone.

Hange turned red as she pulled the form back towards herself. She scribbled a few things on the paper. “Where do you live?”

Levi gave his city and province.

“I knew that much.” Hange admitted. “Exact address?”

Levi answered it briefly, spelling it out when needed. “How many siblings do I have? What are their names?”

“Trick question. You’re an only child.” Hange said, looking up from the data sheet.

“The number question isn’t a trick question. You can answer with zero.” Levi continued. He did not need to make an effort to keep his tone playful. He was amused already. “And how do you know about my family?”

“Interviews.” Hange answered briefly.

Levi smiled. “I know you’re an only child too.”

“How did you know that?” Hange asked.

“Interviews.” Levi could see she had relaxed, a small smile creeping up her lips.

“So you’re researching me too.” She asked.

“You started it.”

“Which city am I actually from?” Hange challenged.

“You grew up here…” Levi answered. He sat up a little straighter. Seeing the amused smile on Hange's face, Levi felt it was a good time for other questions. His mind raced as he articulated one of his passing thoughts as he read through her articles. “Which brings up the question, if you live so near campus, why do you live in your own condo?” The public transport here isn’t shit either. Levi noted to himself. She had little excuse to live alone and from the looks of her place, she seemed to come from a well off family who could at least afford a place like that.

“I wanted freedom.”

A Tale of Two Slaves

The gym was huge. It was also so complete, the coverage so comprehensive that Levi was almost inspired to take up all the sports offered. They had indoor basketball courts, tennis courts and a complete track and field set.

The important part Hange pointed out as they entered though were the devices that could measure things like speed, weight, pulse, all necessary for her study. One of the more boring parts of the tour but surprising none the least.

Levi found himself particularly fixated on the fact that Hange was greeting everyone in the job like a regular.

"Hey, you weren't at the gym this morning."

"Had to pick up my friend here. He'll be helping me with my thesis."

Levi felt a tap on his back, brief and light. Maybe hesitant? Levi could not help but entertain the passing thought that if he were Moblit or maybe anyone else, she probably would have had her arm around his shoulders. He had seen her make that gesture towards Moblit and Elijah after all.

As Hange walked towards the desk and made conversation with what looked to be the receptionist, Levi watched her from behind. At first she had seemed too nerdy and too geeky that he had expected her to be lanky under the sweaters and the white coats she wore.

That day, she was in shorts and a blouse and Levi could not help but notice how her body curved underneath her clothes, and as he focused on her legs, he could make out the subtle muscle cuts on her legs. Hange's physique was definitely more toned than average and Levi pondered Hange's own physical fitness.

Her vertical. Her endurance. Her strength. The same things she had mentioned wanting to study about him.

As Hange gave him a tour though, Levi decided that it could wait until later.

A Tale of Two Slaves

That morning, with only less than a minute to drop his bag and could only afford a glance of her room.

As he arrived back there late in the afternoon after a long tour of the gym, he had to stop himself from making a face. The fastidious side of him was silently judging Hange.

It was obvious in the way Hange had prepared the bed and the way that most tables and furniture had space for a visitor to sit or rest that Hange had at least cleaned in anticipation.

But she's a horrible cleaner.

The sofa bed was prepared but the sheets were wrinkled. The trashcan was overflowing, a disturbing sign that Hange did not segregate her trash. The dining table was empty but a display table at the corner of the room took the brunt of what Levi guessed the dining table used to carry.

There were jackets messily folded on the display table and Levi recognized her schoolbag particularly by the keychain he had returned only a few days ago.

“Make yourself at home.” Hange dropped a few towels on the sofa bed before making her way to her own bedroom. “You can use the shower in the powder room. Also, what do you want for dinner?”

“Anything.” Levi answered. He was still bothered by the state of the room to demand much of anything. The food was free, the accommodation was free, he felt guilty just complaining internally.

Hange seemed unbothered by the shitty state of her “cleaned up room.” In fact she had seemed proud as she toured him around her house. As Levi watched Hange with her goofy smile as she played with her phone in between bites of the pizza they had ordered, he could not help but feel guilty for having harbored such negative thoughts when Hange seemed more relaxed than he had seen her in a while.

“What are you watching?” Levi asked, an attempt at conversation more than anything. There were things he had wanted to ask her, yet at that moment, he felt would seem too intrusive.

Hange turned her phone to him. The video Hange had been looking at was that figure skater glided to the rink and jumped into the air, rotating quickly.

“I didn’t know you liked figure skating.” Levi said, his eyes focused on the heart on the side, to see it filled over. Hange liked the video.

“I like a lot of sports. I definitely would have wanted to try skating as a kid. Maybe gymnastics or even track."

Levi tried to imagine Hange in a tutu or a leotard, having to hold back a snort as he did. “You never looked like the type to wear a dress.”

“I wouldn’t. But I’m pretty sure you know how fun it would be to be able to launch yourself up in the air like that. You’ve done it multiple times.”

Levi thought back to the interviews he had read, the answers she had made even since grade school. I want to see how people can fly . “Why didn’t you take a sport as a kid?”

The smile she had given him after was wry, a little sullen and Levi knew he must have hit something sensitive inside her. “Because my parents didn’t allow me. If I take gymnastics, I’d break my neck. If I take skating, I’d break my spine. If I take track and field, I’d break my knees." She explained in an almost mocking town." They never ran out of excuses when it came to sports. But when it came to academics, they were always shipping me off to some new competition.”

I wanted freedom. That afternoon in the cafe, Hange had answered it so casually, he had brushed it off as they continued to fill out the data sheets. As he listened to Hange explain her situation right there, Levi could not help but recall a twinge of sadness in Hange’s voice as she had said the word “freedom.”

“Don’t get me wrong, academics can be fun.” Hange said. “But I don’t think it’s ever going to beat the adrenaline rush of jumping or sprinting.”

“And that’s why you’re going to the gym a lot now.”

“I’m in college. My parents can’t stop me now. But yeah, my childhood is done. I don’t think I’ll ever get to your level, even when I train everyday.”

Levi had heard people say that before. The body of a child is flexible, the bones and muscles can still be easily molded. By the time people grow to be adults, their body is set and sure, they could probably jump or run along a track casually, collegiate competition and professional competitions were out of the question for most if not all people who start a sport as an adult.

"Maybe I can teach you?"

A Tale of Two Slaves

The Hange in Levi’s dreams was able to fly. She was the one who would be screaming as they glided through the air in those contraptions. She had the ability to launch herself up in the air, to flip, to spin, just like the athletes in the videos she constantly followed.

Hange wasn't at all out of shape either. In fact as he saw her in gym clothes and as he watched her do a few rounds around the empty track, he had to note that her form was good. Her physique and the cuts in her muscles were also well defined. He wouldn’t have been surprised if the Hange who was watching him do rounds of jumps as she took notes was the same Hange in his dreams.

The bar Hange had set for him was clearable with little to no effort. After clearing a few rounds, enough for Hange to be satisfied with the preliminary data, he took the stopwatch from her hands and guided her to the place he had positioned himself a while ago. He opted to adjust it a few centimeters lower, at a height he had seen less skilled jumpers back in high school clear with no problems.

He spent a few minutes going through the basics with her, particularly the method of softening a landing, having seen teammates from long ago get injured from that in particular.

“You’ve seen me jump countless times. I’m sure you can do it.” Levi assured. He knew that that last part was for himself more than anything. It pained him to see her nervous. Her face was a far cry from the Hange he knew.

She should know how to do it right?

Keeping the bar at its minimum and going through that landing with Hange a few times had turned out to be a good decision. It was in the way Hange had run to the bar, through the way her eyes went wild as she ran and as she landed right next to the bar that had fallen did Levi realize though, that Hange was terrified.

Terrified yet determined. Hange went back to her starting point and prepared herself for it a few more times.

“You don’t have that bounce in your step when you take off.” Levi bounced on the balls of his feet a few times for emphasis.

Hange gave him a quick nod before readying herself to run again. Levi could see she was tired. As Hange went through the motions pre jump, Levi could feel his heart beat faster. It took him a split second longer to realize why. Hange’s motions were wild and unsynchronized.

Levi did not say anything for fear of distracting her and possibly causing injury. He found himself running towards her instead. He was too late though. By the time he had arrived by the bars, she had fallen on it. One side of the bar flailed up in the air as Hange landed and she let out a loud gasp of surprise.

“Hey, you okay?” Levi asked, as he crouched next to her. He had kept his voice soft for fear of her hearing the panic in it.

Hange was lying face up on the mat, her light brown eyes looking longingly above her.

They had started training in the stadium at four in the morning, hours before the sun was scheduled to rise. It was only when Levi saw how unnaturally light Hange’s eyes were did he realized the ceiling above them was glass, and the sun had risen enough for the light to reflect on it.

“Must be nice to fly huh?” Hange voiced out before sitting back up again. “I’m fine but I think I bruised my shoulder.” She reached out for her right shoulder with her left hand and winced.

Having been jumping almost his whole life, Levi had forgotten for a while, how difficult the mechanics would be to pick up for the average adult. While gazing at Hange who had bent her head back and continued to watch the sunrise from the glass ceiling, Levi continued to reflect on it. If it were any other person, he probably would have even removed the bar as he thought them the mechanics.

The game changer in those particular circumstances was that it was Hange he was teaching, the subject of his dreams, the one who was flying with him from tree to tree in the forest. The one who was smiling and doing backflips, provoking him to chase her. For the life of him, Levi could not believe that she was not able to clear that jump.

A Tale of Two Slaves

The sullen mood of a while ago quickly dissipated to something a little more bearable when Levi suggested they play on the trampolines adjacent to the track.

It had felt ridiculous at first. As Hange continued to gaze upward, mumbling about wanting to fly and as Levi himself dealt with the disappointment of what just happened, it had seemed like a logical suggestion.

It was the most mindless way he could come up with to get both of them flying and jumping and maybe, get them both cheered up in the process. They only had to bounce a few times for it to be exciting. After a few bounces, Hange started to laugh, she started to scream in excitement.

The same excited scream he had heard so many times before in his dreams. Levi found himself staring at Hange as she jumped. The spark in her eye was brighter than it had ever been. Her cheeks were starting to flush from what could have been excitement or exhaustion. After what could have been a few more minutes of jumping, Hange landed on her ass and let out a loud laugh in between gasps.

“Something tells me you haven’t done this before.” Levi said as he settled on the floor of the trampoline next to her.

“Parents didn’t allow me.They said I’d break my ankle.” Hange answered, after she had gotten control of her ragged breathing. She was sweaty and flushed but she looked carefree.

That was the Hange Levi was familiar with. Before Levi even noticed it, he had brought out his hand and lightly touched her on the side of her arm. Oddly enough, she did not resist the light and quick squeeze he had given her. As Levi looked closely at her, he guessed she probably didn’t notice or didn’t care. He quickly let go of her arm, a few seconds after he had noticed the odd action. Before that, he had allowed himself a few seconds to process the warmth of her skin and the up and down movement that came with her heavy breathing. It was oddly calming and assuring.

She's real. She's alive. She's warm and she's breathing.

Soon after that, they were kicked out of the gym. Actually, no one had kicked them out. The Sunday gym goers though had taken up their territory on the track as they started their warmups. Levi and Hange soon realized their time was up. The rude awakening to that reality had felt like they were being kicked out anyway.

It also turned out the giant trampoline Levi suggested they played on was only for the children's use. One reason, Hange had never bothered to touch it even when she did frequent the gym.

Hange had sleepily explained that part to him as she sprawled herself on the sofa of her condominium that afternoon. The early morning in the gym had left her exhausted. She fell asleep soon after and Levi could not help but notice the smile on her face as she slept. He wondered if she usually smiled in her sleep.

Levi settled himself on one of the chairs around the dining table in a good position to watch her, busying himself by going through all the Instagram profiles Hange had followed, following them using his own account. Some of the videos were in slow motion and Levi found himself in that same blackhole as Hange had been in many times before, begrudgingly agreeing that Hange was right.

The slow motion videos in particular showed the detail. The way the legs make a slight bounce before launching up, the slight movements the body made as it is suspended in the air. Levi knew there was a lot of body coordination involved in getting the highest vertical possible. Seeing the body work together, the miniscule movements all cooperating to get the jumper spinning, flipping or twisting was oddly satisfying. Levi was distracted, so distracted the only thing that could break it was the vibration of his phone accompanying the banner on top.

Coach Greg.

Levi was once again pulled out of his blackhole. Of course he’d have to train. He had missed multiple trainings the past week due to the wound in his knee. He had also missed yesterday morning’s training having to meet Hange. Their season was starting in a few weeks and he was their best chance at a championship that year. Levi wasn’t too surprised that their coach was more than ready to run through drills with him on a Sunday night.

After a few minutes of digging through Hange’s unit, Levi managed to unearth a pile of post-its and a pen. Thank you for letting me stay over. Gotta run. He wrote. He kept it short and simple, knowing he would probably end up chatting with her soon anyway. He stuck it on the dining table, slung his overnight bag over his shoulder and silently left the room.

As he took the train back to campus, Levi continued on his little blackhole. A video was just released, taken in a tournament in Russia just a few days back.

Quad Queen Alexandra Trusova.

Levi did not know his way around figure skating jumps but he found himself watching it in slow motion anyway. The sped up version was surprising but the slow motion version that followed was mesmerizing. Levi counted four spins in the air, noting both the slight bounce before the jump and the bounce that followed the landing.

As Levi refreshed the video on his phone, he could not help but notice that Hange’s name still wasn’t among those who had liked the photo. Was she still asleep?

He could only imagine the smile she makes as she watches videos. He clicked the paper airplane icon below the videos, scrolled through the users and clicked send on Wingsoffreedom132. He made sure to add a wings emoji and a heart emoji, the way Hange had done in a few of the videos.

Somehow, after doing that, it became easier to imagine that goofy smile a little more vividly.

#levihan #levi ackerman #hange zoe #levi x hange #levi x hanji #fanfic

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ooops-i-arted · 4 years

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Miscellaneous 101 Yoditos AU Things

Din now owns an insane amount of Galaxy’s Best Dad mugs. Anyone who knows him thinks it would be the perfect gift, and if one of the Babysitting Brigade takes the kids out Life Day or Father’s Day shopping, they really want their Dad to know he is the best, surely another mug saying so will confirm it. Din uses them as soup bowls for the 101 as well as to drink the massive amount of caf he uses to survive raising 101 small children.

The 101 call Din a whole variety of things. Dad, Papa, Buir, Daddy, etc. Each has their own preference. Din answers to any of these. (As an experiment, Cara once addressed him as Dad for an hour and he didn’t notice, even when they weren’t talking about the kids.)

The kids quickly learn which caretaker is best for getting treats, pushing boundaries, etc. Cara is the Fun Aunt who allows shenanigans. Hera and Kuiil are the Do Not Cross Ever ones who are called in when they’re being naughty.

Leia is very busy with work and not a regular caretaker, but she used her Senator Voice on the 101 once when they refused to take a nap and was instantly upgraded to Do Not Engage Under Any Circumstances status.

Cara "I don’t do the baby thing” Dune is the one who lets the kids do wild shit and they know it. She lets the kids yeet her and will yeet them in turn. “Why are you upset, Din? They always catch each other!” She is also the #1 Sweets Sneaker.

Cara and Leia hang out and reminiscence about Alderaan, and end up teaching the 101 Alderaanian songs and fairy tales and games. Both are really glad to pass on their culture and not let Alderaan be forgotten. The kids love it, and Din also likes it because according to the massive amount of Child Development Space Googling he does every day, a multicultural education is good.

Din has a veritable library of articles, Holotube tutorials, and various child development related media bookmarked on his Space Internet Browser. It is as neatly organized as his armory, sorted into categories labeled things like “Potty Training”, “Carnivore Biology”, and “Aurebesh Activities.” Especially when he first picked up the kids, you could tell how his day was going just from his search history. A lot of teacher/parenting blogs look forward to the weird anonymous questions he asks. There are a lot of debates over how the hell you would childproof a ship against telekinetic toddlers.

Because of their Force sensitivity + being brothers who know each other well, emotions spread like wildfire through the 101. One being scared by a spider means Din will be calming down not just him but another 30 who picked up on the fear. But the opposite is true too - cheer up one, and the others will quickly follow.

This also means that if Din feels crappy or grumpy, he will be swarmed by Yoditos aiming to make him feel better. It is very hard to maintain a bad mood when drowning in Yoditos, especially ones hell-bent on making you feel better.

In general if the 101 get a thought in their head, especially if it’s something they’re united on as a clan (i.e. seizing cookies) there is no dissuading them. They are stubborn as hell. Din can’t figure out why people keep telling him “Oh, they’re just like you.“

The kids think yeeting each other is hilarious. Din thinks it will give him a heart attack.

There was an Emergency Clan Djarin Meeting to discuss personal boundaries and safety after Ezra persuaded the 101 to yeet Zeb as a prank and it ended up turning into a free-for-all yeet-for-all.

The most important thing in Din’s life is his sons. The second most important thing in his life is sleep.

If he can’t get enough sleep he makes do. He’s been informed in multiple Space Starbucks that the amount of caffeine in his preferred order is illegal in that system.

Din keeps a running tally of Things My Clan Will Eat. Being carnivores he at least doesn’t have to worry about keeping fresh produce around, but he’s always searching for suitable and frugal food sources since feeding 101 children, even very small children, takes a fortune. (He drew the line at the time 15 of them got into a bag of loth-cat food and ate it all and liked it, though. He is not feeding his children pet food.)

Whatever the Star Wars equivalent of Frozen is, the kids have seen it five billion times and have all the songs memorized. Because of this Din also has all the songs memorized, very unwillingly. He would give a camtono of beskar to never have to hear one of those goddamn songs again, but he would sooner take off his helmet than let the kids know how he really feels, and enthusiastically praises all their performances. (Plus, putting on Space Frozen lets him take a shower and eat in peace and get some Introvert Recharge Time.)

It turns out that carbonized bounties are the perfect things to teach parts of the body with, and if you lay them flat they make great activity tables.

Once the kids accidentally hit the de-carbonite button. Luckily the poor bounty was so taken aback at being used as a road for dozens of toy speeders Din could just quickly recarbonize him.

In addition to learning Basic, the Yoditos have their own language of chirrs and coos they can communicate with. Din isn’t sure if it’s a native language or instinctual sounds or just a side effect of being lab rats and not getting a formal education, but a gathering of Yoditos purring and chirping at each other is not an unusual sight.

There’s a purr-rumble-like sound in particular that’s used to comfort. (Think the sound Baby Yoda makes at the end of Sanctuary, when WInta is hugging him.) Din has woken up from a flashback/nightmare involving the loss of his parents to several Yoditos curled on his chest and under his arms and draped over his legs, purring furiously.

OG Yodito has been around long enough that he's picked up on Din’s dislike of droids. If a droid approaches his Dad, he will stand by him or whine until he’s held, and simply stay with Din until the perceived threat is gone.

If anyone potential hostile approaches Din, even if they don’t outwardly react, they are all bristling with “If you even look at Din Djarin I will stomp you to death with my hooves” energy.

Din also suspects they “communicate” through the Force to some degree. In particular, the older ones will sometimes come tell him things on behalf younger ones who can’t talk, such as telling him they’re hungry or hurt, and they’re always right. Despite the Cain instinct/sibling culture the older Yoditos are frequently embroiled in, the older ones are very protective of the little ones.

The ten youngest Yoditos, who are basically babies, are so small they can fit in one of Din’s hands.

Any doctor visit is absolute hell, due to the whole Raised In A Lab thing. It’s like taking a loth-cat to the vet times ten. Din won’t take them except as a last resort, and always allots time after for extra cuddles and treats to help soothe them and tell them how brave they were.

One of the best rewards in the 101′s opinion are Jetpack Rides. Jetpack fuel ain’t cheap or easy to get a hold of on a regular basis, so Din only saves it for special occasions, but they love flying. Refusing “Again, Dad, again! Pleeeeeeeeeeeease?” + puppy eyes is really hard.

#101 yoditos au #the mandalorian #can't stop won't stop thinking about this au #the POTENTIAL

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writertd · 4 years

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The Writer - Chapter 2

Summary: Where a mystery writer, whose real identity is not known to the public, becomes a murder suspect for the BAU's current case and ends up helping solve the case.

Chapter 1 <- read ch 1 first!

Pairing: Spencer Reid x OC

Word Count: 1140

Chapter 2

In a room in the New York precinct, Emily, Tara, and JJ sat scattered. Evidence and casefiles littered the table and floor as the women worked to establish major pieces of evidence and waited for Skylar Daniels to be brought in by the rest of their team.

“So, the only connection that I can find still seems to be the mysterious women all of these people contacted. Other than that, they didn’t run in the same circles. They all had different jobs, lived in different neighborhoods, they didn’t even frequent the same stores.” Garcia explained through the slick black phone resting on the table. The three women in the rooms looked at each other knowing that they had to be missing something, and hoping that Skylar Daniels would be able to shed some light.

“ Keep searching Garcia, there has to be something we aren't thinking of.” Emily spoke continuing to flip through the stack of papers she currently held.

“ I will do my best!” The phone call ended with a click, sending the room into silence for a moment, until the door to the room was pushed open by an officer.

“ They’re through here”

“ Thank you.” came the steady voice of Luke, as he, Rossi, and Reid, entered the room followed by the young women they had been sent to retrieve. They all filed into the room, greeting the others, before the womens’ attention landed on the other women in the room.

“ I presume, you’re Skylar Daniels, is that right? And why isn’t she in an interrogation room?” Emily directed the first question to Skylar and the second to Luke, Rossi, and Reid. Skylar stood near the door fiddling with the end of her jacket sleeve and mumbled a small ‘yes ma’am”

“ The case has gotten more interesting since we last spoke,” Rossi began, “ Ms. Daniels here, actually happens to be an acquaintance of mine. Though until earlier, I didn’t know her as Ms. Daniels but rather as Annalee Graves.”

“ The writer?” Tara, Emily, and JJ asked in unison.

“ Exactly. We’ve met a few times at book releases and similar events over the last few years.” Rossi sat across from JJ as he spoke. The three women looking between the two writers. Everyone shared a look making sure they were on the same page.

“ Ms. Daniels, please, if you wouldn’t do you think you could have a seat so we could ask you some questions?” Emily gestured to a seat at the table, bringing her hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose. Skylar did as she was asked, being extremely aware of the papers around her and moving in a way so that she wouldn’t disturb them.

“ Yes, of course, anything I can do to help.” She spoke as she took her seat. The room of profilers looked at her, assessing her tone, body language, and searching for anything that could help.

“ Ms. Daniels, over the last few months, you’ve been in contact with all four of our victims, John Fords, Harry Bradstone, Ross Thornton, and Paisley Main. Exchanging emails and phone calls with all of them multiple times. In fact, the only connection the victims have to one another, that we can find, seems to be you. Would you explain how you knew all of these people?” Tara explained to Skylar why she was here. At the mention of their names, Skylar sat up straight, obviously in shock by finding out that these people were dead.

“ Wha- wha-what do you mean? They’re all.. All of them are… they’re all dead?” at this point Skylar had paled a bit, hands raking through her hair as she tried to form coherent thoughts. JJ shared a look with Emily and Luke.

“ We’re sorry that you had to find out this way, Ms. Daniels, but we really need to know why you were contacting these people.” JJ gave you a soft look, one like a mother would offer a child in comfort.

“ Yeah, I’m sorry, I didn’t…” She ran her fingers through her hair again. “ They were helping me, um, I’m researching for my new book and they were giving me information on an event that they all went through.”

“ An event?” questioned Reid from his place next to Rossi and Emily. “ What event could they be giving you information on, the only connection they have is you?” He flipped through his file as if he had forgotten something he had read, which was not likely.

“Um yeah, they never contacted each other but they all had gifts left anonymously at their houses around the same time, a single dahlia in fake blood. I have a deal worked out with the mayor and a few different police precincts. They let me come in and look through the petty crime calls and reports, minor things, the police reports claimed it was all just a sick prank that some kids had done.” Skylar explained to the group, talking quickly, trying to wrap her mind around everything. The team sat quietly waiting for a few moments to give the women to to process.

“ Skylar,” Rossi said calmly, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder “, why were you looking for this information?”

She gave a kind smile to the italian man before continuing. “ I write true crime fiction, Rossi, I have to research things to get accurate information.” she sighed, looking down.

“ True crime fiction?” A confused Luke asked. Just as Skylar opened her mouth to speak she was cut off by the young doctor.

“ True crime fiction is a relatively small genre of writing. Just recently it has started to become more popular for young adults. They are books or stories that use a crime that was actually committed as a base for the story, but the other elements in the story are made up, characters, settings, events, etc. They are quite entertaining as a light read but usually the changes are done well enough that you can’t even find the original case that is being used.” The room stared at the doctor as he gave his explanation with an awkward tight-lipped smile once he finished. He glanced at the younger writer in the room to see that she was giving him a grateful smile, relieved that she didn’t have to give the explanation herself. He sent a small smile back.

“ Exactly, I find something interesting in case reports, and create a story from it, but never anything other than small or interesting petty crimes at best. I just thought that the flower in fake blood would make for a really cool mystery novel.” Skylar sighed again putting her face in her hands and breathing deeply.

“Skylar, we are going to need every piece of research you have regarding these people and anything else that’s relevant that you can think of.” Rossi explained gently.

Note: This will slightly follow the storyline of S1: Ep18- Somebody's Watching of criminal minds, but like very minimally and the team dynamics match more to season 12 after Hotch has left but before Walker joins the team. There will also be similar plot points to episodes of Castle and NCIS.

Taglist:

@thatstupidgirll

@notebookgirl30

#dr spencer reid fanfiction #spencer reid x oc #spencer reid fanfiction #spencer reid fanfic #dr spencer reid #spencer reid #criminal minds fanfic #criminal minds #criminal minds fanfiction

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hugorafferty · 4 years

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(PAUL MESCAL, CIS MALE) - Have you seen HUGO RAFFERTY? HUGHIE is in HIS JUNIOR year. The BIOLOGY (PRE-MED) MAJOR is 21 years old & is a LIBRA. People say HE is HARD WORKING, COOPERATIVE, INSECURE and UPTIGHT. Rumors say they’re a member of HASTINGS. I heard from the gossip blog that HE PLANTED DRUGS ON HIS BROTHER, SO HE WOULD GET IN TROUBLE WITH THE POLICE AND LOSE THEIR FATHER’S RESPECT.

tw: drug mention, death mention

hugo was a born and bred texas boy. he was the youngest child of lucy and lawrence rafferty. he had two older brothers (lawson and lucas). he looked up to them growing up until it became evident his father favored lawson.

his father had created an oil empire. the other oil companies bowed down to his might. he needed the perfect son to take over the business when he passed, so lawson became his prodigy. he accompanied him to business meetings and on every business trip. they ate lunch together and watched movies together.

lucas took after their mother. he was sweet-tempered, but spineless. neither of them would dare defy the patriarch. lucas was coddled and given everything he ever wished for.

that left hugo with nothing. he wasn’t the favorite. he was barely a blip on his parents rader. lawrence and lucy agreed it would be best if they had three bouncing baby boys – the picture of the perfect american family. the boys were well-groomed with their hair combed as they wore their little suits to family dinners. they played instrutments and sports and talked to their parents in a language other than english. his parents wanted hugo to be up to their standards, but after that, he was forgotten.

hugo wanted nothing more in his life than to win his father’s approval. he thought if he worked long enough or tried hard enough, he would earn his father’s love. instead of reading bedtime stories, he read business textbooks. instead of having an imaginary friend, he hosted pretend board meetings. he was a businessman in the making.

one day, he overheard lawrence tell lucas that he would love to see a surgeon or lawyer in the family. lawson was going to be a businessman, so he wanted his son to take a job as another well-respected professional. from that moment forward, hugo moved on to studying the sciences.

he hated them. thought they were boring and overly confusing, but he stuck with it. he would pull all-nighters or do whatever it took to pull out the high a in his class. he’d come home, a proud smile on his face, ready to brag to his parents, but they barely spared him a glance, distracted by the older rafferty children. this spurred him to keep working, to achieve something they would be proud of.

he cracked. he reached his breaking point because nothing he ever did was enough. he had this yearning to be the star child, the one his parents loved and doted on, but it felt like he was grasping for air. he talked to his friend, who talked to his friend, who talked to his friend who knew a drug dealer. like everything, he had to go big or go home. he bought black tar heroin, and planted it on his brother. he dropped an anonymous tip to the police and lucas was arrested. lawson was untouchable, but at least hugo could make it so he was next in line.

of course, lucas was bailed out, but he shamed the family, was a disgrace to their father, a disgrace to the rafferty name. now, hugo got more attention but not as much as he craved.

as he graduated high school, hugo walked across the stage and his smile faltered. for a moment, he lost all sense of purpose. he didn’t know what he was doing or why he was doing it. it was all pointless. but in a flash, he smiled as he accepted his diploma and he smiled through his valedictorian speech, but his heart was racing the entire time.

hugo is a nice guy. he is always trying to do the right thing and (usually) be morally upstanding. all he wants is to make his parents proud so he works as hard as humanly possible. he tries to see everyone as his equals, but he gets annoyed when he feels people are prioritizing partying over schoolwork, or generally have different priorities than him. he keeps working to cover up the fact that he has no real ambition in life. he has always made choices according to what he thinks his family will like, so he doesn’t know what he likes

HEADCANNONS

surprise, surprise his dad went to yates so he went to yates

literally hates biology. really struggled in school at first because he was so used to being the best, and now everyone is good and he’s not even passionate about what he’s learning. the thought of him getting anything below a 90 doesn’t sit well with him, so he takes advantage of every resource he can

can count the number of parties he’s been to on one hand. has always seen them as distractions and thinks his father would disapprove

feels guilty about what he did to his brother, but not so guilty because honestly no real consequences came from it. no one found out it was him though, and he’d like to keep it that way

struggling more and more as he is away from his family and feels less pressure to impress them. this makes him worried because he’s so directionless, so he throws himself into his work even more

HATES to be called hughie!! his brothers would say it in a condscending manner (emphazing he is the odd one out with an h name)

never been in a real relationship. he would go out with girls with well-known families in an attempt to impress his father and then break it off when that didn’t work. has never been on more than three dates with anyone

(tw: homophobia mention) bisexual but doesn’t really know. his father has very traditional values of dating and what it means to be a family, so he’s only ever thought about dating girls

WANTED CONNECTIONS

dissolve: someone who hugo really liked, maybe even loved. someone hugo didn’t think his father would approval of. it was a ‘will they, won’t they’ situation, but he was too scared to make a move. he ended the friendship for some petty reason, but he still aches for this person in his life.

being so normal: someone he used to be close with. they understood each other and brought out the best in each other. but your muse changed, and hugo feels like he doesn’t recognize them anymore.

the dark of the matinee: someone who is very different from him – wild, doesn’t care about expectations, etc. someone who he has managed to click with despite these differences. they try to get him to become more relaxed, though he is resistant to this.

we have to move on: a one night stand – hugo’s first and only. it was a moment of weakness, when he was feeling down and like he’d never be good enough. now he can’t stop seeing this muse. it’s awkward because he wants to pretend it never happened, but that seems to be impossible.

i’m down for brainstorming as well as things like friends, exs, enemies, someone his family is fond of, etc!!

#yatesintro #// i was inspired for this #// i'll probably edit miriam's intro soon now

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veliseraptor · 5 years

Text

fic rec meme: 2019 edition

Rules: Post links (Ao3, ff.net, etc.); specify fandom/pairing/etc; don’t answer the same fic twice - spread the appreciation; tag other people; you don’t have to answer all the questions, but leave them in the list so the next person can answer if they want.

I was tagged by I think a couple people - @aphrodaisyacs and @aninfinitenumberofmonkeys. I’m going to try to keep this pretty short because I have a tendency to go on and then not finish these kinds of things because I overwhelm myself.

I also cheated a bit on a few (a lot) of these because I read a lot of really good fic this year. And tried to include some recs I haven’t seen from others in my circle/fics I don’t see recced that often (though that’s not true of all of them).

I also shuffled things around so I didn’t repeat them, though a lot of these could be included in more than one category.

1. Favourite complete fic you’ve read this month (multiple chapters/parts): I did not read a single complete multichapter fic this month. Meant to, but didn’t do it.

2. Favourite complete fic you’ve read this month (one-shot): The mirror has a mirror in its teeth by deadendtracks. Peaky Blinders, Tommy/Lizzie, messy as hell in the way that I love.

3. Favourite WIP you’ve read this month: But I’ve read so many good WIPs this month. I’ll go with Contraction by NamelessDragon, MCU, Loki/Bucky, sequel to Compression (also amazing), which I’m finally catching up on after being stuck on reading almost everything for months.

4. One fic/series you’ve read which you keep coming back to again and again: (those yesterdays bleeding through by wnnbdarklord (MCU, time loop set during The Dark World) comes to mind, as, of course, does Bargaining by proantagonist (alas! for its vanishing), but to pick one that kept coming up this year I’m going to have to go with the nine in the tree by bereft_of_frogs, MCU, Thor & Loki-centric, post-Ragnarok AU.

5. Most underrated fic you’ve read this year: It feels like cheating to do this for a small book fandom, but you know what? My small book fandoms deserve more love. Based on lowest kudos I’m going to go with that he on dry land loveliest liveth by skyvehicle, Lymond Chronicles, post-Pawn in Frankincense.

6. Most underrated fic you’ve read EVER: God, I don’t know. Again, it would be a small book fandom. You know? Because it deserves it and I love it and it probably is the most underrated fic, if only because it’s in a tiny fandom - In Memoriam by Tedronai, Malazan: Book of the Fallen, I love grief/mourning fic.

7. Favourite whump/angst fic of the year: This was tough since this is the genre I read most of in general, but because I managed to get a lot of fics on here via other categories, I’m choosing Into the earth I trampled it down by deadendtracks, Peaky Blinders, grief/mourning featuring Polly and Tommy. This fic was ouch all around, and beautifully written, and excellently characterized, and just...well, I’m clearly going to be reading everything that deadendtracks writes from here on out.

But I’m also going to slide In Cold Blood by NamelessDragon (MCU, Loki & Bucky, canon divergence AU) on here too, because it just updated and it really is fantastic, and I am so excited for more. It has all my favorite tropes written all over it, and promises some truly excellent whump based on the writer’s history.

8. Favourite hurt/comfort fic of the year: Again, a category with a lot of faves, but I settled on Walked In These Quiet Hazes by ratsats, MCU, AU where Loki comes back from the dead and is majorly fucked up, as is most everyone else. It’s rough, and it’s beautiful. And calling it “hurt/comfort” is probably...well, it takes a while to get to the comfort, I can say that, but it’s worth it.

9. Favourite fluff fic of the year: Did I. Did I read any fluff this year? I suppose some of the Good Omens fic I read probably qualifies, though it doesn’t feel like fluff to me so much as...comedy? Wait, I’ve got one: Love Wounds Me With Soft Pillows by verbaepuchellae, Lymond Chronicles, Francis/Philippa, post-Checkmate.

Oh yes, after I wrote this I found another one: such surpassing brightness by Handful_of_Silence, Good Omens, Crowley/Aziraphale. Beautifully inventive, and fits into a very specific genre I can’t get enough of.

11. Favourite smut fic of the year: Shockingly, I didn’t read a lot of smut this year. I’m going to go with The Beast That Chose It’s Own Bridle by thespectaclesofthor, Doctrine of Labyrinths, Felix/Murtagh, post-series, (less than) kink negotiation, WIP.

Oh, and also Chains of Gold by Anonymous, Lymond Chronicles, Lymond/Gabriel, hoo boy. My glorious Lymond/Gabriel fic I received for Yuletide. I can’t wait to find out who wrote it so I can lie down on their doorstep and beg for them to write more like this.

10. Favourite gen fic of the year: The Thanos Problem by Ranowa, MCU, post-Ragnarok AU. Okay, this is technically a series, so sue me. I especially liked When the Hammer Falls.

12. Favourite fix-it fic of the year/ever: This might be the hardest one. I read a lot of fix-it fic this year. I wonder why. I’m going with “the year” because otherwise it is just far too overwhelming and I couldn’t choose.

After a lot of debate with myself, and by eliminating other fic by virtue of sliding it into other categories, I settled on two: the only soul I’ve ever saved by valkyrisms, MCU, Loki survives Infinity War fix-it. I overall got pretty quickly annoyed with the genre of Loki-and-Peter Parker fics, but this one was just...so good. The Peter voice was amazing, the working with Loki’s Jotun biology as part of the whump was inspired, it was well written as all of valkyrisms work is, and just...so good.

The other (I told you I was cheating!) is Keep It In Your Sights Now by LuckyDiceKirby, Shades of Magic, Lila/Kell/Holland, fix-it fic. I needed this fic in two ways - the threesome it involves, and the fix-it it involves. Delivered on both.

13. Favourite crack-fic fic of the year: I really don’t read crack-fic anymore.

14. Favourite sick-fic this year: Castaway by ariaadagio, Lucifer, Chloe/Lucifer, is me cheating again because “sick-fic” it is only loosely, but I want to include it because it was very good. Though I think technically I reread it this year. Apparently I didn’t read much sick-fic? Weird.

15. Favourite kid-fic this year: Another thing I don’t read very often, and apparently this year (at least based on my bookmarks) don’t have a rec for.

15. Fic this year which you didn’t expect to love as much as you do: Demonology and the Tri-Phasic Model of Trauma: An Integrative Approach by Nnm, Good Omens, therapy fic. Okay, so, in premise and everything this did have “me” written all over it. But I certainly didn’t expect to find it, and I definitely didn’t expect it to be as good as it was, right down to making me love an OC (which is rare).

16. Fic which convinced you to ship a pairing: This is cheating because technically it was another fic on this list, but since I wouldn’t ship it without it I’m going to rec As much what it is as what it’s not by deadendtracks, Peaky Blinders, Tommy/Lizzie.

17. Favourite AU you’ve read this year: I slid some of my fix-it fics over here, because canon divergence AUs are my jam and maybe that wasn’t the intent of this question but I don’t care.

After some debate with myself, and rereading several favorites, I’m settling on my fearful trip is done by valkyrisms, MCU, the one where Steve runs into an unexpected child of Thanos in Wakanda. It’s real good, you guys. And yes, this does mean that I’ve put two valkyrisms fics on this list and I’m not sorry.

18. Longest fic/series you’ve read this year: This one’s easy! Eden!verse by ImprobableDreams900, Good Omens, Crowley/Aziraphale, the first fic in the series made me cry more than anything I’ve read in years.

19. The last fic you’ve read: The last new fic I read, since I reread a bunch of new things on this list while I was sorting through what I was going to choose, was to prove they are not dead by alreadybroken.

20. Wildcard fic you haven’t mentioned but deserves a shout-out + why: I waffled back and forth between two fics and what the hell, you know what, I’m going with both. The first is Miles to Go by josiepug, Peaky Blinders, which satisfied my desperate Tommy whump itch (for a time, it’s back now); the second is Where Is the Power That Made Your Pride? by Drag0nst0rm, The Silmarillion, aka the one where Celegorm lives and things are still bad. Not an AU I knew I wanted, but I guess I’m not surprised.

Bonus Category:

Best horror fic: dark underground//violent sky by bereft_of_frogs, MCU, I can’t tell you more than that because it would spoil it. I love horror fic and I have missed it since leaving Supernatural fandom. This one scratched that itch and I’m still thinking about it. Maybe it’s time for a reread.

As usual, I’m sure I’ve missed/forgotten some faves. I always do.

I...lord, I feel like most of the people I’d usually tag have already been tagged for this? If you’re a mutual of mine and you haven’t been, go for it! I’m always excited to see more recs.

#long post for ts #fic rec #meme

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lovemesomesurveys · 5 years

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Well, how’s your view of things today? It’s only 2 in the morning. Too soon to tell. Robert Downey Jr. — Bet you have a crush on him. No, but I love him as Tony Stark/Iron Man. How do you like your jeans? Dark wash skinny jeans. Do you watch Skins? No, I’ve never seen it. Know any Gleeks? (yourself included) A what?

Can you name all the contents of your purse/bag? Currently, just my wallet, some straws (I use a straw with every drink, so I like to keep some on me), hand sanitizer, and a travel size hair brush. When I go somewhere, I throw in my phone and medicine. Do you know what Bosco Sticks are? Not familiar with those, not even after Googling them. How do you feel about Jesse Eisenberg? I don’t feel any way about him. Do you like your hoodies tight, or a lil’ oversized? I used to like form fitting hoodies, but now I like them a size bigger. That’s how I wear all my shirts, sweatshirts, and jackets. Have you ever been sailing? Nope. Do you have any jewelry/accessories with owls (an owl..?) on it? Or is that a hipster thing? Nope. If you went on American Idol, do you think you’d go through to Hollywood? I'd never try out in the first place. I can’t sing and I know that. What’s the closest thing to you that’s red? My hair. Have you ever been fishing? Once. I found it very boring. What’s in the background of your default pic? I’m at a restaurant in Disneyland. Have you ever heard of the movie ‘Frozen’? Of course. Kind of hard not to after that “Let it Go” song blew up. I never got into that movie, though. What would you do if you were to get stuck on a ski lift overnight? Omg. That would be horrible. What’s your favorite Bath & Body Works scent? Currently, I have Into the Night. It has patchouli in it, which I love. Have you ever received an anonymous gift? No. What kind of laugh do you have? An ugly one. I don’t think I have a cute or contagious kind of laugh. Will you have a Valentine this year? I didn’t. I’ve never had one, actually. *shrug* Do you plan on seeing The Black Swan? I saw it in theaters a couple times and several times after. I like that movie, it’s so trippy. There’s a couple scenes that always get me. Do you keep a scrapbook? Nope. Do you hoard anything? I have a really hard time getting rid of things like clothes and other things for sentimental reasons. Like because of the memory attached to it. I have a lot of stuff stored away that I haven’t used in years and likely never will ever again, but I just can’t get rid of them. I’ve gotten better in terms of like I don’t have a bunch of old school stuff anymore. I used to keep everything--notebooks, tests, homework assignments, and essays. I also don’t keep receipts like I used to. Are you afraid of flying? So, I flew for the first time in over 10 years a couple weeks ago and I was really nervous about it beforehand but it wasn’t bad at all, honestly. I was fine, which totally shocked me. Do you know any Star Wars freaks? My mom, brother, and I LOVE Star Wars. We totally geeked out at the Star Wars land in Disneyland. The rides were awesome, especially the new one. So, what about all them birds just dropping out of the sky? I remember one year where that was happening a LOT in some other state. It was so creepy. At what age do you become ‘old’? I feel old now and have for the past few years. Most recent Facebook ‘like’? I don’t feel like checking. Would you rather go to Disney World, or Pleasure Island? I’d loveee to go to Disney World. I’ve never heard of Pleasure Island. What song would you like to hear on the radio? I haven’t listened to the radio in years. We play Spotify in the car. Macaroon or a cupcake? Mmm, I like both. Have you ever camped out somewhere for an event the next day? No. What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? Lol my life isn’t “wild” that’s for sure. I’m a homebody who’s doing nothing with with their life. Love that for me... Do you do anything regularly that could damage your body? Yes. What do you love most in the world? My family. Who will you be with Saturday night? My family. What woke you up this morning? I have my alarm set for 830AM cause I have a doctor appointment. D: Did you kiss or hug anyone today? No. Not so far, anyway. Who was the last person you rode in a car with? My mom. How many myspace accounts do you have? I never deleted my account, so I assume it still exists out there. What was your first thought this morning? I haven’t gone to bed, yet, but I know I’m not going to be happy when that alarm clock goes off. Where would you like to live? I’m not sure. Do long distance relationships work? They can. It happens. What do you want to be when you grow up? I’m 30 and still have no idea. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? I gotta take it day by day. Who do you wish you were with right now? No one right now. If you had one whole day to yourself, what would you do? I have a lot of days like that. I just watch TV, YouTube, Tumblr, check social media, and chill. Is anything bothering you? Yes. Do you miss someone? Always. What do you want to do right now? I’m doing what I want to do right now--surveys and listening to ASMR. Are you listening to music right now? Nope. I’m watching/listening to an ASMR video. Are you in a good mood? Blah. What are you doing this weekend? I don’t have any plans. When were you the saddest in your life? These past few years have definitely been my lowest point. And I thought other times were bad, but this has been ongoing for the past 5 years. Do you own more than one cell phone? No. Have you ever had a song written about you? Nope. Have you ever sang in public? Not solo, but when I was in chorus. What songs make you happy? Upbeat, catchy songs me wanna dance. What do you like to listen to before you go to bed? ASMR. Do you have a job? Nope. What does your ipod have in it right now? I haven’t used my iPod since 2012. Have you ever loved someone and were too scared to tell them? Yes. It took every ounce of courage I could muster up to tell them exactly how I felt and laid everything out on the table. Being rejected after that reallyyy hurt. Next concert? I don’t have any plans to attend one as of now. It’s been 11 years since my last concert! When is the next time you will take a shower/bath? Which one will you take? I’ll have a shower tonight. Are you currently waiting on someone to do something for you/to you? No. As a child, did you ever get the chance to go to Disney World/Disneyland? Disneyland a few times. Are you someone who is really committed to politics in your area/country? No. I used to pay more attention to that and be more involved, but these past few years... yikes. It’s just been very overwhelming and stressful. My brain can’t handle it. When was the last time you fought with your significant other, if any? I’m single. Do you know anyone, personally, who is in an abusive relationship? Are you? No. When was the last time you were on a boat? Where did you travel on it? Several years ago. We had to take it to get across to the island where we were touring an old prison. Are you planning on going anywhere with someone, some time today? Yeah, my brother is taking me to my doctor appointment in the morning. Does your family ever have any kind of weird traditions in your house? I don’t think we have any “weird” ones. When is the next time you will attend a family reunion? Where will it be? I have no idea. We haven’t had one in years. Do you ever take bubble baths only to relax yourself in some way? Nope. I haven’t taken a bath since I was a kid. I’m a shower gal. Do you have any friends who act like they don’t know you in public? Uh, wow, no. They wouldn’t be friends. Do you like cereal? What would you consider your favorite kind of cereal? Yeah, the sugary ones like Fruity Pebbles, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Life, Cap’N Crunch Berries, Frosted Cheerios, Frosted Flakes, Lucky Charms, etc. It’s been a few years since I’ve had any cereal actually, but omg there’s SO many new ones now that I haven’t tried. Do you find your school to be loaded with hot guys or not so much? I’ve been out of school for 5 years. What kind of cell phone do you have? (ex. flip, slider, or traditional.) I have an iPhone. Do you like riding roller coasters when you go to any amusement park? I went on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and the Car’s roller coaster at Disneyland, which was a pretty big deal for me. May not seem like anything to real roller coaster lovers, but for me it was something. Gave me just enough speed and thrill. I loved ‘em. Are you waiting for someone to get online on an IM program right now? No. Are there any people you don’t like for your significant other/crush to talk to? I’m single and not crushing. Have you ever forgotten your birthday? Did you soon figure it out? No. Would you beat up anyone at the moment, if you absolutely had the chance? No. What color are the curtains in your room if you have any at the moment? Black. What would you consider the best kind of food you, yourself could make? The only thing I cook is ramen, but I love it. Is there anyone you are currently trying to get out of trouble? Why? No. Are you one of those people who don't like children of any kind at all? It’s not that I don’t like them, I just can’t handle them in large doses haha. It gets overwhelming and stressful. And they have way too many damn questions. AND ENERGY omg. I don’t plan on having any of my own. I’m 30, almost 31 one, and the desire just isn’t there. I don’t see that changing. Are you planning on going anywhere today? Where are you going exactly? I just have a doctor appointment. I may get food afterwards, but that’s all I got goin’ on. When was the last time you rode a horse, if you’ve ever ridden one? Never. Are you plotting anything at the moment? No. Do you hate it when people show public displays of affection in your face? I don’t mind a little PDA. I don’t need to see like full on makeout sessions or feeling each other up, though ha. Have you ever wanted your significant other to get rid of a friend? If you have siblings, have they moved out or do they still live with you? He still lives here. Do you ever actually like going to Wal-Mart or is it regularly boring? I like it. Do you know anyone who has or has had any kind of mental illness/disorder? Yes, including myself. Do you ever go to Blockbuster? How frequently would you say you go? Blockbuster, wow. Those don’t exist anymore. No video rental store does anymore to my knowledge. I miss the days when I was a kid and couldn’t wait to rent the latest video game. My family and I rented movies a lot, too. Do you ever listen to music so you can actually change your emotion? Yeah, like if I’m getting ready or cleaning I like upbeat, catchy songs. I often listen to music that just fuels my mood, though. Like sad stuff.

#personal #text #survey #surveys

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monster-mum · 5 years

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The Stories we keep

One thing I would say I am good at is remembering stories and anecdotes from throughout my life. All types of stories from my past are easily called upon when needed, I am always amazed at the details I can recall. A friend once told me that I have a story for everything. That doesn’t mean I am wiser, it means I have done more stupid stuff in my life, something which seems a consistent theme, even today.

Recalling stories from my life is enjoyable and it gives me a sense of nostalgia. This love for reliving past times has made me someone who is very interested in other people and their stories. People are incredibly interesting and have wonderful stories to tell. I often tell my friends and family about my “plane” friends, “boat” friends or “train” friends. Whichever mode of public transport I take I end up chatting to whoever is unlucky enough to be sat next me. I have heard lovely, funny stories, and I have heard sad and tragic stories. All are stories that deserve to be heard. Sometimes I think people just need to talk, to share something about their lives to a stranger, someone who doesn’t know them and probably won’t see them again. Anonymity holds a certain type of freedom for many, without someone to judge you from your life, who is unlikely to repeat the story to someone you know, it can be an incredible lifeline to many who are bursting and needing to speak to someone.

I have always asked a lot of questions. Maybe that is why I felt Journalism was to play a part in my future. I have never been very good at judging which questions are appropriate and inappropriate though. My Dad used to tell me I was tactless, but he was forgetting I am a mix of my Mum’s interest and intrigue in others and their wellbeing, and my Dad’s Glaswegian abruptness.

I can remember one time on a flight to San Francisco I was sat in the window seat, on a row of three, with two men. I was very excitable as I was heading over to see my best friend, so was naturally a bit hyper. The two men and I began the small talk that most British people will do when they are placed in a situation with those they don’t know. It is like a weird impulse for us Brits. “Right, I don’t know you so I have to say something to prove this isn’t an awkward situation.” It usually starts with something like “can you believe the weather?” British people are always surprised by the weather and can rarely believe what it is doing. It doesn’t matter if it is raining, sunny or snowing we can never believe it, and we are never 100% happy with it. We would then ask if they’re heading away for a holiday? Etc etc. The conversation takes off from there. This time though I had a bit of a shock when I asked what I though was a simple question, only to be told it was a personal question. Then followed a conversation where I was educated by both men on what all women are like.

Me: “So, you heading to the states for a holiday?”

Man 1 (sat by the aisle): “No for business. I am heading to the gaming convention there to represent the company I work for. It was a last-minute thing, they didn’t book my ticket until last night. Do mind me asking how much you paid for your ticket? I’m just interested in the price difference on the tickets.”

This surprised me as I thought that question would be considered a personal one. I responded with how much I had paid. We discovered that his ticket was around £1,000 more expensive than what I had paid. Can you believe that!

Anyway…

Me: “How about yourself?” referring to the man in the middle seat.

Man 2: “I am also heading to the convention. I am a game designer.”

The two men then discussed some stuff to do with the companies they worked for, and what games were in the pipeline etc. Then the conversation moved on to where in England we all lived and our lives etc. I mentioned I was married with two children and that led on to me asking:

Me: “Are you married?”

Man 1: “That’s a very personal question.”

Me, very confused: “Is it? Sorry, I didn’t realise.”

Everything then goes quiet for a bit, then:

Man 1: “I’m not married, but I have a girlfriend who I have been with for about three years. We don’t live together. I think she is wanting me to propose at some point.”

Me: “Oh, okay. That’s nice. So, you guys are happy, that’s good.”

Man 1: “Happy? I don’t know about that. I think I am going to break up with her when I get back. She’s in her thirties now and you know what that means…”

At this point he nudges the guy next to us and they both share a knowing smile.

I have absolutely no idea what this means. I, also a woman in her thirties, had no clue as to what they were talking about.

Me: “What does that mean?”

Man 1 smiles in a patronising manner at me. I pretended not to notice.

Man 1: “Well, when a woman gets to thirty she wants to settle down and get married and have children. In fact, (Here he looks at Man 2 and they, again, share the same look as before) when any woman gets into a relationship for three years or longer they put pressure on their partner to get married. All they can see is marriage and babies. All women are like it. I’m not ready for that kind of thing yet. It would’ve been the same for you and your husband. I bet you were the one talking about marriage and children. I bet from a young age you were dreaming of your perfect wedding day.”

Again, he looks at Man 2 who nods in agreement.

Meanwhile I am sat completely surprised at this man’s ability to bunch all women into a group of being one track minded individual’s wanting marriage and babies, but also that this “philosophy” of his was something random Man 2 also seemed to be aware of. I had heard of these kinds of “understanding the opposite sex” assumptions before but only on sitcoms like Friends and Frasier etc. I was very surprised to find not one, but two men who seemed to be aware of this.

Putting aside the blatant sexism I was shocked that he had made some pretty incorrect assumptions about me and the kind of woman I am. Anyone who knows me, and knew me growing up, knows that I have never been the kind of girl to dream of her wedding day, or Prince Charming, or even children. It wasn’t until my Goddaughter was born that I even entertained the idea that at some point, maybe, I might have a child. I was never very keen on children, I found them loud and dirty and annoying. I certainly did not push Chris into proposing. It actually took me about fifteen minutes to process what he was asking me and then say yes. Chris is a very patient man, I am sure I have mentioned this several times in other posts. Anyway, I am not a future planning type of person, I am very much a day to day kind of girl.

Me: “Oh okay. Well, no I didn’t push my husband into proposing. It was something we had discussed, like making sure we were wanting the same things in the future. No point either of us wasting time on a relationship that wasn’t heading in the same direction. It was a mutual discussion with no pressure applied. I wasn’t looking for marriage and children any time soon but I knew one day I would and he was the same. If anything, he was keener on the marriage thing than I was.”

At this point Man 1 and Man 2 laugh.

Man 1: “Okay, but check with your husband. Ask him when you get back home and see what he says. I bet he felt he had to, to keep you happy. Women are all the same that way. Marriage and babies.”

The conversation then drifted on to other subjects. All I could think was how sorry I felt for this poor woman back in England. Part of me hoped that they would break up and then she could meet someone who didn’t talk about her that way.

I know many of you readers will be wondering why I didn’t argue my point, or try and reason with these men. You just have to choose your battles. Male, female, whichever you identify as, there are always those people who are so in tuned with their own thoughts and beliefs, no matter how ignorant they are, sometimes there is just no point arguing and trying to correct them. He had come to this conclusion based on what had happened in his life, we are all products of our environment. Right or wrong isn’t so black and white when you become an adult. I try very hard to see both sides of the story and even though I certainly did not agree with his surmising and was offended and hurt by the patronising tone, I continued to talk to him for much of the flight. He was actually a nice guy, maybe a bit misguided in some of his understandings of “all” females but nevertheless he was alright. Just as the plane landed he asked how I was getting to my friend’s house, I said that they were picking me up at the airport. I think it suddenly hit him that I was a female travelling alone. He offered to help me with my suitcase and asked me if I wanted him to escort me to arrivals to meet my friends. I didn’t find this patronising or an affront to my feminist rights. I found it comforting and kind. Yes, he was likely doing it because I was a female and there are many traditional beliefs and values that lead many to think we are safer with a man to protect us, but I have offered the same to other women and men. How does his kindness differ from that of me offering?

What is the point of me telling you this story? Well, to be honest I could take it in many different directions. This interaction I had to many would’ve seemed like nothing special, just another awkward stranger conversation. To me though it is a story that I can retell in many situations to others which may make them laugh, be outraged, be comforted or even inspired by. It is so important to hold on to the stories of how you have become you. It is the happy, the sad, the angry, the shocked, surprised, tragic and embarrassing moments that add to building of who we are. They shouldn’t be devalued and certainly not forgotten. I believe everything happens for a reason. Whether you believe in a God or Karma, or even just hope, knowing that these interactions and experiences amount to me makes me want to remember them more because one day, one of these stories of mine may well be the very thing that helps someone. Everything for a reason, a type of hope.

#blogging #parentblog #travel #stories

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hpdrizzle · 6 years

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HP Drizzle Fest 2019: Rules & Guidelines

Welcome to the 2019 hp_drizzle / hpdrizzle FEST RULES POST!

We are excited to have you here. Please read through this whole post and feel free to ask any questions about whatever we might have forgotten to include.

What is HP Drizzle?

It's an anonymous prompt-based fest. Authors and artists will create a Harry Potter piece that involves weather in any kind; for example, it could be Character A and Character B kissing in the rain or Character C building a snowman in their garden. The possibilities are endless. We accept Het, Femslash, Slash, Gen, Three/more-somes, along with angst, dark, fluff, hurt/comfort, humour, etc, etc…

Continue reading for the rules/guidelines!

Prompting

Prompting begins on 1st of April and will remain open until the 15th of April (6 pm New York Time).

A link will be provided on April 1st and all members can leave up to 10 prompts per person. The link will be a "Google Form," and we're requesting all members to limit their prompts up to 10.

You will be able to view what prompts are being posted during these 15 days.

Your prompts can be from Fantastic Beasts and the Cursed Child.

Claiming will begin on the 20th of April.

Sometime between the 16th and the 19th, the mods will organize the prompts in different categories: Het, Slash, Femslash, Multi/threesomes, Any/Other.

We will give you the link to ALL categorized prompts by the 19th of April, so you can be ready for your claim. Claiming will also be done with Google Form.

During your claim, you'll be asked for the following: Your username / fandom base (Like, LJ, DW, Tumblr, etc…) What prompt you want. We will ask you to pick at least 2 prompts just to be sure you have a backup if your first choice is taken.

Prompts are simply guidelines, and the creators can choose to do whatever they want with the prompt. This is not a gift exchange so you have the freedom.

♥ Anyone can make a claim. You do not have to prompt to claim. You do not have to claim to prompt. ♥ All stories submitted must be unique to this fest.

If your first choice is taken you will get your second choice. You do not have to pick from the list of prompts to create for the fest. You can simply write/create art for your own idea. If you are doing something for your own prompt, you still have to fill out the Claim Form and let us know what you're doing. This is so planning can be easy for the mods when it's time to post for the fest.

♥ Please let us know if you have to drop out of the fest. We will not be upset, you will not be banned from future fests; we just need to know ASAP!

Claiming is anonymous. Posting is anonymous.

When all submissions are posted, we will create a masterlist and REVEAL who wrote what (or created what art).

The keyword is ANONYMOUS. GUYS, I cannot stress this enough. It's ANONYMOUS. We had some serious issues last year with new members who started to post their story/art on other platforms (like Facebook or Tumblr) BEFORE reveals.

The HP Drizzle fest is ANONYMOUS. Please, please, please respect this rule. If you simply cannot wait and are not a patient person to wait until mid-October for reveals, then we'd like to request that you do not sign up.

Being anonymous is half the fun. The other half is reading the anonymous entry. It's heartbreaking to have people sign up and then not respect the rules. It's heartbreaking for the mods, and it's downright disrespectful for other participants.

Fest begins on 1st of September. If your anon entry goes up on the 15th, it does not mean you can now post wherever you want. You have to wait until every single post is made, an anonymous masterlist is posted, and a REVEALS post is made.

Okay, so anonymous.

Phew.

Submissions are due on the 15th of August.

You can do a couple of things. For art, please email us your entry. We will host the art on our server - do not SIGN your art b/c (guess what?) it's ANONYMOUS. After reveals, we will replace your art with a signed version if you wish that.

Every single entry will be posted on AO3. Headers and links will be posted on DW and Tumblr and Livejournal. No art will be posted anywhere but on AO3. Art can be any medium and any style. It must be at least 600x600 pixels. Please wait until reveals to post your art on your tumblr. PLEASE. WAIT.

Fics must be at least 1000 words. There's no maximum. If you are aware of how to HTMLIZE your fic, please email us your fic with the header - in HTML CODE.

Basic HTML guides are: + phoenixacid’s Basic HTML Guide + megyal's: tutorial for placing HTML tags around similarly formatted text in Word

FINALLY please utilize potterwords for all the correct spellings that you might need for creatures, characters, or anything else for your creations.

We will have an AO3 collection. For members who are comfortable with posting their fic on the COLLECTION, will be welcomed to do so. This is very important, because if you do not know how to do it, don't worry, we can do it for you. You can email us your fic or we can do a step by step tutorial on how to do it.

Please make sure you POST TO COLLECTION on the link provided and do not simply post your fic on AO3 - then it will be revealed too soon.

Every single person has to email us a header with your fic or art. If you are posting your fic yourself on the AO3 collection, then you still have to email us a header.

What's a header?

It's something that goes on top of the link for the fic, telling the audience, what the fic/art is about. Everyone needs to use the same header.

Title: Author/Artist: (write your user name and/or link to your profile page) - we will remove this during posting and add it back when the fest is finished. Prompt: # (this will be the prompt you selected) Pairing(s): Word Count/Art Medium: Rating: (G to NC-17) Warning(s): Disclaimer: A basic line about how this is for fun, etc, etc… Notes: Summary:

Do not remove the coding. Write after the "". For example:

Title: A Story about Rain Author/Artist: authorname.dreamwidth.org. Prompt: # 72 Pairing(s): Parvati/Hermione Word Count/Art Medium: 4000 words (or Digital Art) Rating: PG Warning(s): This story takes place in an AU. Disclaimer: This story/art is created for fun. No profit is being made.Notes: Thanks to my beta, Q! Summary: Hermione and Parvati get caught in the rain.

+ It's very important that you do not remove the coding. + Your header does not go in your AO3 page. The header is only for LJ/DW/and Tumblr. + If you copy and paste your header in AO3, then your name is there, and then it's not anonymous. + If you have any confusion about this, please ask.

If you submit your fic to AO3 directly, then you will be asked to add the mod account as a co-creator. Please add: drizzle_mod. This is important because when your story is posted for the fest, the mod will know when it'll be posted and we can update the date of posting so it shows up on top.

Extensions will be judged on an individual basis. Try to give us as much notice as possible, we mods don't love last minute panics, it messes with our pretty schedules! (The subject of your email should read: EXTENSION- YOUR USERNAME). If you need to drop out for any reason, please send us an email letting us know before the deadline for submissions.

All fic submissions need to have been beta-read. We will skim through your story and if it's evident you did not have a beta, we will return your fic and ask you to fix it. The content is yours, we require it to have a proper SPaG (Spelling and Grammar) proofread.

PODFICS are also allowed for the Drizzle fest. A separate post will be made about podfic sign ups. Podfic sign up will be anonymous. When Podfics are posted, their creator will be revealed at the same time as the Podfic. Basically, Podfic posting is not anonymous.

If you have questions, you can ask us anytime. Either on this post or via email: [email protected]. Please do not send us PMs.

A few things that might help us all if we remember…

Mods are people. Human beings make mistakes. They require time offline, time to sleep and eat and take a break from mod duties from time to time. On top of it all, Mods also have full time jobs.

So, if you send us an email/ask, please give us a little bit of time to respond. During claiming, give us 24-48 hours to get back to you with confirmations. Fandom is across the globe and across different time zones hence all we ask is for you to be patient with us.

Be gentle and always remember this fest is here to have fun. Don't stress yourself out. If you have to drop out, let us know. If you need to express disagreement, please do it with respect.

Your hp_drizzle / hpdrizzle mods,

@digtheshipper (digthewriter) & @ohlookagaydraco (fangqueen)

#hp drizzle fest 2019 #2019 rules & guidelines #harry potter #hp #fanfiction #harry potter fanfiction #hp fanfiction

85 notes · View notes

forgxtemall · 5 years

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@obliviouskind has sent: -What do you think has made you gravitate towards the kind of muses that you write? Elderly, a bit prudish and at times with little compassion for certain things (think Lance/Morty dynamic, Kahili and Juan’s attitude towards love/attachment and so forth) and then on the other side of the spectrum – sunshine darlings ;v pfft. Is there a reason you’re interested in these themes for characters?-

For Munday, anonymously ask the mun something you want to know about them, their portrayal, or what they will/won’t write. [Accepting]

// Oh god plat u killing me here bb Honestly? It’s hard to say what exactly I see on these characters.

I imagine it strongly goes with the fact, that the community doesn’t even tend to bat an eye to them. And IMO, they are the most interesting, and richest characters that the franchise has to offer. Because listen: Everything that we experience in the games? They are the products, from these characters who likely had a hand or two in it. I always have the biggest blast, discussing Worldbuilding & whatnot with them, because they are witnessing the transformations that will get to what we get to explore. It gives a reason, why things are - the way they present themselves in the current time. The elderly/older characters have always stood to me from the others, in this way.