#and focusing specifically on the reactions

[yesihaveaobsession]

Enchanted Encounters

Alastor x female witch! reader

Summary: With Alastor knowing the effect he has on the pretty witch (you) he has to get a potion for Charlie, but you don't like giving your potions out willy nilly, so Alastor has to charm it out of you.

A/N- I love writing alastor x female witch reader stories 🫶✨️- enjoyyy!!

Your fingers danced over the tiny vials of ingredients for potions in your little nook. The scent of herbs and magical items filled the air, creating an inviting and slightly intoxicating atmosphere. As you began to arrange items for one of your latest creations, searching for a specific ingredient, you felt the familiar chill that signaled his presence—Alastor’s.

"Ah, my favorite witch!" His voice was warm, the ever-present static hum of his magic crackling faintly. He stood in the doorway of your little coven, a grin spreading across his face, his crimson eyes sparkling with mischief. "What delightful brews do we have today?" he asked, tilting his head slightly, his grin widening just enough to make your heart race.

You turned to see him, his tall form casually leaning against the doorframe, his posture relaxed yet commanding. Your pulse quickened as you met his gaze, those deep red eyes pinning you in place like always. You felt the familiar heat creeping up on your cheeks, and no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't keep the smile from pulling at your lips.

You liked him, and he knew it—oh, did he know it. He played his cards right, never putting in much effort yet managing to have you wrapped around his finger. But he still tried, still teased, and still enjoyed every second of the hold he had over you.

"Just some simple potions," you replied, trying to sound nonchalant as you busied yourself with your ingredients. "Nothing you'd find particularly interesting."

Alastor chuckled, the sound rich and melodic, as he stepped inside the coven, his movements smooth and deliberate. The room seemed smaller as he approached. "Oh, but I find everything you do interesting, my dear," he said, running a long finger along the edge of your counter before picking up a shimmering vial filled with vibrant blue liquid. He raised it to eye level, inspecting it with a curious glint. "What's this one? A love potion, perhaps?" His eyebrows lifted in mock intrigue, the corners of his mouth quirking up playfully.

You felt your breath hitch in your throat as you glanced up from your cauldron. He was close now—too close. His tall, slim frame loomed just inches from yours, the scent of something warm and familiar, like old vinyl and dark wood, filling the space between you. Your heart pounded, and though you tried to focus on the ingredients before you, your eyes kept drifting back to him.

"No, it’s just—" you started, but your voice faltered.

"Just what?" he interrupted, his grin widening as he leaned in, eyes gleaming with mischief. "A little something to make someone fall in love with you?" His voice dropped, the teasing lilt in his tone only making you more flustered. His crimson eyes danced with amusement as they roamed over your face, clearly enjoying your reaction.

You tried to regain control, focusing on the cauldron. "It’s nothing of the sort," you muttered, hoping your voice didn’t betray the fluttering in your chest.

Alastor’s smirk deepened as he straightened slightly, still holding the vial between his fingers, which tapped lightly against the glass. His gaze never left yours, as though he could see every thought flitting through your mind. "You know," he began, leaning casually against the edge of the counter, “it’s quite dangerous to wield such power alone. Perhaps you’d be better off with a... partner in crime?” His voice dripped with suggestion, the words rolling off his tongue as smooth as silk.

Your heart stuttered, and you barely managed to choke out a response. "Partner in crime?"

"Indeed," he purred, taking another slow, deliberate step forward. His face was inches from yours now, his eyes slightly hooded as his smile curled into something more intimate. "Imagine the chaos we could create together." His voice was a low murmur, a quiet promise of trouble.

The air between you crackled with unspoken tension. You could feel the warmth radiating from his body, the subtle static that accompanied him buzzing just under the surface of your skin. Every instinct in you screamed to look away, but you couldn’t. The way he looked at you, so intensely yet playfully, made your pulse race even faster.

A nervous laugh escaped your lips as you forced yourself to look down, attempting to regain your composure. "I can handle things on my own, thank you very much."

Alastor chuckled again, a deep, velvety sound that sent a shiver up your spine. "Oh, I do find that adorable," he said, stepping back with a dramatic flourish, his grin never faltering. "But I actually need a potion for Charlie. She likes you best, you know."

You raised an eyebrow, crossing your arms as you regarded him skeptically. “And why should I help you with that? I wasn’t planning on giving her anything today.”

“Ah, but that’s where you’re mistaken,” he replied smoothly, his voice light yet persuasive. "If you have something that could be useful, why not share it? Think of the... enchanting effects it could have—on both of us." His smile widened, his eyes flickering with amusement as he trailed his fingers lazily over the edge of your counter, letting them linger there.

With a huff, you brushed past him, feeling the brief warmth of his arm as yours grazed it. His smile grew even wider, clearly enjoying the effect he had on you. "Excuse me," you muttered, reaching for a jar of herbs on the nearby shelf. You could feel his eyes on you the whole time, watching your every movement with that predatory gaze.

He leaned in slightly, his voice a low murmur that made the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. "You know, your potions are far more effective when shared with someone you have... chemistry with." His words were teasing, but there was an edge of something deeper, something darker, in his tone.

Ignoring him—at least, trying to—you focused on your work, your hands trembling slightly as you grabbed another vial from the shelf. Alastor’s presence loomed just behind you, his gaze practically burning holes into your back.

"You know," he mused, his voice soft yet insistent, "I can’t help but admire how fiercely you pretend not to be affected by me. It’s quite charming." His fingers danced over an old bookshelf, brushing away a layer of dust as he continued to observe you, his gaze never wavering.

“I’m not pretending,” you said, biting your lip to keep your voice steady. “I just have better things to focus on.”

“Oh? Like avoiding my gaze?” he teased, his voice filled with laughter. "It’s a challenge for you, isn’t it? I do love a good challenge."

You rolled your eyes, but your heart was racing as you moved around the room, purposefully keeping your back to him. Every time you tried to focus on your potions, you could feel his presence looming just behind you, like a shadow you couldn’t shake.

“I must say,” he continued, his voice light and teasing, “the way you avoid me only makes me want to tease you more. It’s like a delightful game.”

Finally, you turned to face him, meeting his gaze head-on. "You think you’re funny, don’t you?"

"Funny? No, darling," he said, taking a slow step closer, his eyes never leaving yours. "I’m absolutely captivating." His voice was like honey, smooth and irresistible, and for a moment, your resolve faltered.

“So, about that potion for Charlie…” His grin was unrelenting, as was the mischief in his eyes.

"Not happening," you shot back, standing your ground.

Alastor’s expression softened, but his playful demeanor remained. “Are you sure? Because I can be very persuasive.” He took another step, the faint hum of static in the air growing stronger as he closed the distance between you.

With a determined huff, you brushed past him again, your heart pounding as you moved across the room. You were convinced he could hear it. "I have no intention of being persuaded, Alastor."

“Oh, but the way you’re trying to ignore me is just too cute,” he called after you, his laughter filling the small room. "At this rate, I might just have to resort to begging."

As you gathered the final ingredients, you could feel his gaze still locked on you, his presence a constant reminder of the tension between you. It was maddening, but deep down, you couldn’t help but enjoy the chase. After all, you were a witch—and Alastor was certainly a spell all his own.

[fresitaskywalker]

Trials - A.S

Warnings: Language 

    Pairing: Slytherin!Anakin Skywalker x Reader (use of y/n)

    Summary: Padmé dragging Reader to trials for emotional support leads to a near death experience.

    Word count: 2.0k

    A/N: It’s here! It’s been awhile since I written so excuse if it’s not perfect, wanted something simple and I also decided not to give the reader a specific house, please enjoy. <3

“C’mon (Y/n), please? I need emotional support!” Padmé begged (Y/n), clasping her hands together, looking at (y/n) with puppy eyes which only earned her an eye roll and a sigh, both of them walking in the corridor, navigating through various students trying to get to their next class which they shared together, History of Magic. “Do you really think so? I think you’d do just fine without me there.” She responded, giving her a quick glance, tightly holding onto their textbook. Padmé had been constantly bringing up Quidditch trials throughout the summer through the letters they’ve sent one another, (Y/n) always encouraged her to try-out but Padmé was always preoccupied with other activities she was involved with until this year, finally being able to try out. There was only one downside though, Padmé was currently begging them to accompany them to trials, claiming she needed her there for support.

(Y/n) loved to encourage and be there for Padmé but they were never a huge fan of Quidditch, not for any reason in particular, they still attended games, supporting their house but that was it and all they were willing to do. They both arrived at their shared classroom, taking a seat beside each other, (Y/n) gently placing her book on her desk in front of her. “Please? I need you there.” Padmé spoke, desperation in her tone which now caused (Y/n) to have second thoughts. (Y/n) sighed, looking at Padmé, “Fine i’ll go.” She finally agreed, Padmé squealing in excitement, throwing herself to (Y/n), hugging her tightly. ‘Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!” Padmé thanked her over and over again, a faint smile on (Y/n)’s face, light laughter escaping her lips as she returned the hug. “Alright! Alright! You better make the team!” (Y/n) said, despite having full faith she would.

Quidditch trials were being held after school, Ravenclaw and Slytherin trials being held the same day, Ravenclaw scheduled first. (Y/n) was already sitting at the bleachers, looking down at Ravenclaw’s Captain gathering everyone who was trying out, Padmé being amongst them. Padmé scanned the bleachers quickly, eyes landing on (Y/n), quickly waving at her. (Y/n) waved back, giving Padmé a thumbs up before Padmé turned her attention to the Captain, commencing the trials. (Y/n) sat in silence, her leg bouncing up and down rapidly, feeling anxious for Padmé. Being too engrossed in the trials, she didn’t notice Slytherin’s Quidditch Captain entering the bleachers, his blue eyes landing on her, immediately making his way to her. 

“Padme’s trying out?” Anakin suddenly spoke, causing (Y/n) to gasp, jumping at the sound of his voice. “You scared me!” She spoke, having been too focused in watching the trials, completely clueless in knowing he had approached her. A chuckle escaped his lips, taking a seat beside them, “Relax, It’s just me” Anakin said, finding her reaction a bit hilarious. (Y/n) and Anakin weren’t best friends necessarily, maybe between acquaintances and friends but they’ve known each other since they first stepped foot inside Hogwarts Express, sitting together in the same compartment, sharing sweets and talking about one another. They would see each other around Hogwarts, Anakin always either nodding, smiling, or waving at her whenever they passed each other in the corridors, very rare for them to converse since people were always around Anakin, despite that, (Y/n) always held a soft spot for Anakin, he was the first friendship she formed within the wizarding world, being introduced to basically a whole new different world was scary and somehow, Anakin made it feel less terrifying. Anakin was very fond of (Y/n), always making sure to acknowledge her whenever they both passed each other, his eyes lingering on her even after she looked away, his mind clouded with thoughts of her. Meeting (Y/n) was probably the best thing that could’ve happened when he stepped foot in Hogwarts Express to him, they both instantly clicked, immediately getting to know each other, buying sweets from the Trolley, he felt comfortable with her, feeling a sense of relief whenever their eyes found each other.

“You caught me off guard!” (Y/n) said, taking a deep breath, looking at him for a couple seconds before looking back at the area, seeing everyone gather again, trials coming to an end. “She’ll get in, she’s got spirit” Anakin said, his gaze following (Y/n)’s, noticing she’s watching Padmé like a hawk. (Y/n) sighed, weight being lifted off her shoulders, although she believed in Padmé, hearing it from someone who’s Captain and has plenty experience with Quidditch was promising. “You aren’t trying out this year?” Anakin asked, shifting his gaze to her. (Y/n) laughed, nodding her head, “Absolutely not, not my thing whatsoever.” She replied, gathering her things, standing up the minute she saw Padmé leaving the arena along with the others. “I have to meet with Padmé, see you around, Anakin.” (Y/n) waved goodbye, in a hurry as she wanted to know if Padmé got in or not, hearing Anakin call after her but assumed it was just him saying goodbye.

(Y/n) walked quickly to where the Ravenclaw changing rooms were, hoping to hear good news. She made it, entering the girl’s changing room without a care, eyes scanning the room in search of Padmé, seeing her packing up her stuff, quickly making her way to her, “Did you get in?!” she asked, startling Padmé as she wasn’t expecting for (Y/n) to enter the changing room, gathering whatever was left of her belongings. A pout formed on Padmé’s lips, (Y/n) beginning to frown when Padmé’s expression suddenly changed, smiling. “You’re looking at Ravenclaw’s new chaser” Padmé announced, (Y/n) breaking into a smile, engulfing Padmé in a hug, being over the moon for her friend making the team. Once Padmé finished gathering her belongings, they both walked out of the changing rooms, Padmé talking about how she felt and her thoughts as (Y/n) only really knew the basics and even so, she didn’t remember them that well. As they continued walking, (Y/n) began to slowly feel as if she forgot something, sliding her bag off her shoulders quickly as she rummaged through her bag, a groan escaping her lips when it finally dawned on her, “Sorry, Padmé, I must’ve forgotten my textbook up at the bleachers” (Y/n) spoke, sighing as she put her backpack back on, “I’ll see you around, yeah?” she said, both of them quickly bid each other goodbye as (Y/n) scurried back, mentally cursing at herself along the way for being forgetful. 

Just as (Y/n) was about to head to the bleachers when she noticed Anakin by his lonesome, packing up as Slytherin trials were over. Perhaps when she thought he was saying goodbye, he was actually trying to let her know she forgot her textbook? Wouldn’t hurt to ask. “Anakin!” she called out, jogging over to him, immediately getting a reaction from him as he quickly turned, a smile on his face, his broom in hand. “Finally realized you forgot something?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. (Y/n) nodded, sighing, “My textbook, have you seen it?” she asked, Anakin nodding as he turned around, picking up her textbook from the ground, lifting it up for her to see. A sigh of relief escaped her lips, reaching out to grab it but Anakin quickly pulled his hand back, a puzzled look on (Y/n)’s face, standing there empty handed. “I will give it back to you if…” he paused for a second, a smirk on his face, “ You play a round of Quidditch with me.” he said, looking at her. (Y/n) laughed, immediately chopping it off as Anakin pulled some sort of joke, trying once more to grab her textbook only for Anakin to take a step back, groaning at his actions. “C’mon..” she mumbled, crossing her arms, “You know I don’t know how to play” she said, already annoyed at his tactics. “Let me teach you then.” he said, “Either that or I’ll throw it in the Black Lake, your choice.” he simply shrugged, a look of disbelief on her face as he basically gave her an ultimatum. She stared for him for a while, taking his threat seriously, she simply nodded, earning a satisfied smile from Anakin as he began by explaining how the game worked.

(Y/n) and Anakin stood in front of each other, brooms between their legs, (Y/n)’s hands gripping tightly onto her broom. One of Anakin’s hands gripped the stick of his broom while the other held onto the golden snitch, looking at (Y/n). “Are you ready?” he asked, anticipation bubbling inside him. “No but do I have a choice?” she asked, Anakin simply nodding his head ‘no’. Anakin opened his hand, the golden snitch on the palm of his hand, its wings beginning to spread, fluttering almost instantly as it flew away quickly from his palm and towards the arena, both (Y/n) and Anakin quickly flying towards the golden snitch, the goal being to catch it. Adrenaline pumped through her veins mixed in with fear, Anakin immediately gained more speed than her “You must really not want that textbook, (Y/n)!” he yelled out at her, turning his head to look at her briefly, a mischievous look on his face. (Y/n) couldn’t help but laugh, loosening up, the fear now being replaced with determination, quickling ganging up on Anakin. It was basically Ring Around The Rosy, both of them flying all over the arena trying to catch the snitch, pushing and shoving each other lightly as to not hurt one and other, both of them laughing, (Y/n) was surprisingly enjoying herself, heart swelling whenever she’d hear his laugh, not getting enough of it. (Y/n) was at arms length from the snitch, the taste of victory on her tongue, extending her arm, a loose grip on her broom as she was determined to catch it. Anakin saw just how close she was to catching the snitch, not wanting to admit defeat as he quickly gained up on her, both of them neck and neck, (Y/n) being too focused on trying to grab the snitch to notice Anakin.

Anakin shoved himself onto Amber, shoulders colliding but he had underestimated just how rough he was, (Y/n) losing balance immediately, no longer straddling her broom, beginning to fall. Her heart sank as fear consumed her once more, the feeling of falling absolutely terrifying her, trying her hardest to grab her broom but failing. “(Y/n)!” Anakin yelled, completely forgetting about the snitch, immediately acting fast and flying to her, the look of horror on her face making his heart heavy with guilt. Anakin reached out for her, (Y/n) being quick to grab his arm, straddling his broom behind him, her arms snaking around his torso and tightly holding onto him, face buried on his back, her eyes shut as she felt nauseous, feeling as if she saw how close she was to landing on the floor she might throw up. 

Anakin tried landing gently but due to his panicked state, he landed roughly, both of them being knocked off the broom, rolling onto the field. Anakin immediately stood up, clumsily making his way to her as she just laid on her back, breathing heavily. “(Y/n)! Are you okay? Fuck i’m so sorry I–” He was cut off by the sound of her laughter, a look of disbelief on his face before also breaking out into a laugh, a wave of relief hitting him, laying beside her, both of them staring up at the sky, she was okay. Their laughter died down after a while, a smile on both of their faces as they just stared up at the sky, the sound of birds chirping now filling the air, their shoulders touching. “I hope you know you owe me for almost killing me.” (Y/n) spoke, turning her head to face him, slightly admiring his side profile. Anakin turned to face her, “Wanna get butterbeer at Hogsmeade?” he asked, basically asking her out, hoping she’d accept.

“It’s a date.”

[districtsleepsalonetonight]

Was reading a headcanon post earlier about Dean and consent while rewatching the kiss scene in Caged Heat and something occurred to me about Dean’s awareness of Cas’s consent to things.

When he sees Meg kiss Cas, we see Dean’s reaction behind them.

He frowns, glances at Sam, looking annoyed, opens his mouth as though to say something, and then actually makes a move to step towards them-you can see he’s moving forward just after Meg breaks away from Cas.

Bear in mind the last time Dean saw Cas in any potential sexual/romantic situation, it was the brothel and it was blatantly obvious that Cas wasn’t comfortable.

Then when Cas takes hold of Meg and initiates a kiss himself, we see Dean’s reaction differs. He still looks flustered, mildly annoyed (pointing at the wall to remind them silently of the approaching dogs) and then shrugs. He doesn’t have the same irritated reaction and doesn’t make any move towards them.

Then when Cas breaks away, Dean looks at him questioningly. Could both be a “What the hell are you doing right now?” questioning look and also a “What did you think?” questioning look.

It’s only when Cas says “I learnt that from the Pizza Man” that Dean seems to fully stand down from the “ready to move in if anything’s wrong” stance.

On another note, when Dean realises that Cas is fine- it’s pretty interesting to see what his face does.

There’s a sort of bewildered expression as he looks away from Cas, as though he’s still trying to compute what he’s just seen and his eyes actually widen as he looks down at the end of the shot. In fact, the shot actually focuses on Dean specifically in that moment, not any of the others-it’s Dean’s reaction to the kiss that’s important.

It makes more sense when you remember Dean has never seen Cas acting consensually in any romantic situation before-in fact, I think Jensen mentioned later on (as to why Dean was so surprised by Cas’s love confession) that he wasn’t even sure angels could feel those things. Up until now, Dean’s teasing Cas with flirty remarks has mostly seemed to go over Cas’s head. Even earlier in the episode, when Cas is watching porn, he didn’t seem to properly understand what was going on.

Now, Dean’s suddenly having this realisation that-oh. Cas does get some stuff about sex. Cas does kiss. Oh. That’s a whole new side to Cas. (It actually looks quite similar to the expression he does in Changing Channels when Gabe calls Cas “pretty”. There’s an expression then that’s sort of “Wait-is he?” as though he’s always been somewhat aware of it but this is the first time it’s been acknowledged out loud.)

It allows him to acknowledge Cas in a whole new way he didn’t before. Because previously Cas seemed to totally lack interest in sex, so in many ways, it would have been safe to flirt with him and tease him, because it feels off-limits.

Now, though? He’s seeing Cas make out with someone right there, in front of him. It’s impossible to ignore this whole new side to Cas. So maybe Cas can get Dean’s references and jokes. Maybe Cas does get more of the personal space thing than he lets on. Cas can want at least kissing, and what does that mean?

It, in a way, gives Dean permission to let himself see Cas that way properly-as a being that can want sex-for the very first time. And that seems to simultaneously intrigue him and almost scare him. Because having permission to see Cas in that way lets him acknowledge things that he didn’t have to acknowledge before.

But digressing…

Dean’s annoyance in the scene didn’t just originate from Cas kissing someone-it originated from him not being sure if Cas was OK with what was going on. He’s seen Cas be deeply unsure/uncomfortable in the brothel (which, funny as it was, wasn’t Dean’s best moment overall), doesn’t know how he’s going to react and actually makes a move towards them as though he’s going to try to stop Meg kissing him or make sure Cas is OK.

Once he realises Cas is onboard, he stops moving forward-he actually moves back a little-and even slightly holds his hands up in a shrug. While he still looks uncomfortable and flustered, he��s no longer angry.

Dean wanted to be sure that Cas was all right with what was going on, was prepared to step in if Cas was uncomfortable, and backed off when he realised Cas was OK. Not only is this Dean showing a good awareness of consent, it’s also a nice bit of character development from the brothel episode the previous season, where Cas was pretty uncomfortable and Dean did-as well as he meant it-keep pushing him.

Then, Dean was keen on giving Cas more human experiences. Now, Dean’s more conscious of letting Cas go at his own pace and he’s prepared to step in if others aren’t letting that happen too. As well as Cas becoming more accepting of human behaviour, Dean is also making adjustments for Cas.

And Cas seems aware of this. Check out where he looks when he realises Meg has taken his angel blade:

He realises it’s gone and must know immediately who’s taken it-but he looks straight at Dean, almost in a way that’s a little annoyed. As though he almost wants to ask Dean why he didn’t intervene to stop Meg taking the blade (not necessarily the kiss).

And he looks at Dean instinctively. Instinctively, he’s come to know that Dean will step in to help him in (particularly human) situations where he’s out of his depth. It’s an instinctive glance before he turns back to glare at Meg.

So it’s not just that Dean’s adjusting for Cas-Cas is aware of that adjustment and it just deepens his attachment to Dean.

And yeah-for the first time in this scene, Dean has to acknowledge that he can think of Cas as not being some off-limits angel-but as someone who could actually want sex and intimacy. Which makes anything he himself may feel more possible and more terrifying.

[necrotic-nephilim]

For the ask game

What do think would happen in a brudick au where they go public by getting married

for the ask game!

public reactions to BruDick my beloved. i've done a couple of concept similar to this for the ask game but i will do a thousand more just because i think they're fun.

i think all of it hinges on *when* Bruce and Dick publically get married. and because they're both smart about it, they wouldn't rush it. even if their relationship has been going on since they were a teenager, there's a lot of angles to consider. not just how the League will react, but how Gotham will react. this is Bruce Wayne publically marrying his ward and that's a massive scandal. they would hold off as long as they possibly could, likely until Dick is in his mid-twenties. i think they would spin it as something they're not exactly hiding, but not super public about either. Bruce didn't turn the wedding into a press parade (Dick would've killed him if he tried) but he doesn't hide the wedding band and he's quite public with affection toward Dick, in a very "i dear you to say something" way. and the reaction is. baffled, at first. because how *do* you say something? this is *Bruce Wayne*. he has the cleanest image possible. sure, the League expected it, they've seen the uglier side of Bruce, but the public? no one knows how to report on the story because Bruce is a philanthropist. he's charming and beloved.

there are a lot of questions at first. and it doesn't help that Bruce "will tell anyone about his sexual escapades" Wayne is now suddenly shy about sharing his relationship details. he says Dick prefers the privacy and leaves it at that, always pivoting when he's asked to bring up something else, like one his charity programs. it's a very calculated move, and sharper reporters like Vicki Vale are noticing how Bruce always changes the topic to bring up his charity work, painting himself in a good light. so she focuses on trying to talk to Dick. cornering him when he's trying to work, pushing all these questions about things like grooming and Dick's status as Bruce's ward. i think Dick would be far less kind to the press just because he has less patience (and less of a reputation to maintain, if anything he's a bit amused by this whole thing affecting Bruce's rep as much as it is) so his rude responses are fuel to the fiire. long think pieces are posted about about grooming, and then in support of Bruce's marriage, long thing pieces are written about the history of adult adoption in gay spaces. it's all very messy and drawn out and Bruce's reputation certainly takes the hit. i'd love to see this happen specifically around Tim's Robin era and it affecting Jack Drake's trust in Bruce, in allowing his son around Bruce. if Bruce could groom his own ward, who's to say he won't do it to Jack. i'd love to see Jack updating his will that Bruce Wayne isn't allowed to adopt his son, should something happen to him and that affecting Tim after Bruce dies.

i also love the thought of this whole thing causing Bruce to be approved by the "wrong" crowd. there are other celebrities and famous people who take part in questionable activities that border on illegal and trafficking, and now, those people would see Bruce as one of their own. they embrace Bruce socially, and i think it'd be the repercussion Bruce would despise the most. if good people see him as a creep, he'll live with it. but other creeps thinking he's the same as them is a step too far. but, he can spin that to his advantage. he testifies against them, recording conversations of admitting to crimes instead of going after them as Batman. because it helps clean up the image of Bruce Wayne if Bruce is the one taking down rich pedophiles. but it still raises suspicion that Bruce is doing this just for that reason- to look better. he's alienated from most of his Brucie Wayne social circles- even Oliver, who used to be willing to play nice with him in front of the cameras has *no* interest in associating with Bruce after this. the League is. tolerating the marriage and accepting that Dick is an adult they can't tell what to do (even though many of them have pulled him aside to ask if he's okay and gotten brushed off) but that doesn't mean they have to be nice about it. it causes small tanks in Bruce's reputation, even affecting his company enough that he momentarily steps down from CEO, probably giving the position to Lucius for the time being, just to redeem himself.

anytime Bruce takes in a new ward, it's questioned by the public. Cass, Duke, even Damian raises eyebrows as everyone's wondering the unspoken question, if Bruce is going to get with *this* one too. but as the years go on, Bruce remains perfectly loyal to Dick. and Dick seems content as an equal partner to Bruce. if anything, Bruce's loyalty to Dick helps rebuild his reputation more than anything. everyone expects him to ditch Dick for the newest young ward, but he doesn't. which seems to prove that Bruce and Dick were telling the truth about their relationship just happening out of the blue. some people are diehard defending Bruce, pointing out how long Dick lived in Bludhaven before Bruce and Dick got married and if Bruce was grooming Dick, why would he have let that happen, and so on. Dick's autonomy is heavily questioned in all of this, no matter what Dick insists. i think Dick would start posting romantic pictures on his social media just to be spiteful, no matter how much it gives Bruce a heart attack. he dares people to say to his face what they'll say online, making galas particularly tense and interesting, because while Bruce is trying to damage control, Dick is staring down anyone attempting to imply things by making them admit it directly. it forces most of the gossiping to settle down, just because how Dick refuses to beat around the bush. i love the idea of Bruce having a publicist who is Perpetually Stressed Out by Dick's shit.

eventually, everyone accepts it. Bruce still doesn't get back into the social circles he's been exiled from and some creeps try to rub elbows with him, but the hype around it dies down. it becomes one of those things talked about on social media, like a "top ten things you didn't know about Bruce Wayne", with number one being that Bruce married his ward. i think Bruce and Dick would work hard to scrub the internet of proof that Dick was Bruce's ward in the first place. since Dick was never adopted, they just delete a lot of pictures, get articles taken down, and largely let the public forget the idea it happened. they can't completely scrub it, but there's definitely an effort put forth to remove it from recent memory and make it something you'd have to dig to find out about. Dick Grayson is just seen as Bruce Wayne's questionably young husband who helps in take care of all the kids he takes in. they get more affectionate in public because of it, as Bruce gets bolder kissing Dick at galas, always having an arm around him, bringing him to meetings. Dick becomes Bruce's arm candy and well, Dick is a pretty man, so can anyone blame Bruce? they're a photogenic couple and Bruce likes to highlight that. he likes to make people stare, now that the whispers of morality have died down. it's proof that Bruce had his cake and is eating it too, getting to publically marry Dick and still be loved at the end of the day, even if it took a couple rough years to get there.

[astralleywright]

a lot of posts right now seem to rely on the idea that what happened in Aeor is common knowledge throughout Exandria, but based on what we know I don't necessarily think that's the case? back in Bassuras, an 18 history check (which would be a very high roll for an "average" person) only got Imogen the names of Age of Arcanum cities and the vaguest of context. in the most recent Cooldown, Matt talked about how most people have a similarly broad understanding of the calamity, and didn't know the reason the gods were warring in the first place.

There are of course specificalists and experts, like Imahara Joe or the professor they met in Yios or many of the high-level clergy of Vasselheim, that likely already know what happened in some amount of detail. And of course, many people's opinions on the gods would not change one way or another upon learning the details. But I think there are a lot more people who don't know the gods decimated an entire city than people realize.

[naturesbunny]

Oshi no Ko Season 2 Opening

[twentyfivemiceinatrenchcoat]

forever thinking about them <33

[wereh0gz]

I don't think I've seen anyone go into what physical symptoms Sonic experienced as a werehog. Have I posted abt that before I feel like I might've done that

Anyway here's a list of the symptoms of Sonic's werehog form, since I don't see many hcs abt that

Faster fur, quill, and nail growth

Increased body temperature

Increased appetite and intense cravings (not specifically for meat, but for foods he enjoys)

Sensitivity to light, sounds, and smells (easily overstimulated)

Chronic headaches

Joint and back pain due to changed bone structure

Toothaches, also due to changed bone structure

Muscle tears from transforming

Sore throat from vocal chords changing

Blood turned green (like Dark Gaia's blood)

Most of these don't fully go away when he turns back. During Unleashed, the pains lingered post-transformation and made it hard to get up in the morning a lot

Post-Unleashed, Sonic still deals with his fur, quills, and nails growing much faster than average. His bone structure in normal form is slightly different now too. His joints still hurt a bit because of it, especially his knees. Also his teeth are a lot sharper (not just fangs, all of his teeth)

[basslinegrave]

h

im thinking about divorced sam and max and imagining how its just because theyre at a low because theyre getting old and its all too much and all too sudden and its not really a going distant thing and losing feelings but rather the worry of tying the other one down for so many years practically their whole lives so making a decision to split and stay just friends so to not take all freedom from the other but it doesnt work it just turns them very cranky and they eventually find their way back to one another cause they just cannot be apart nor with anyone else ans they cant have this work/friends only relationship they just have to talk it out and realize they both just want the best for one another but the best thing that happened to both of them Is the other and having one another and they simply cannot split. and thats where the another marriage happens.. i wonder how long they would be apart and if it would be abrupt or starting from stupid misunderstanding arguments

[mokutone]

Yamato from One Piece is canonically a trans man therefore Yamato from Naruto is also canonically a trans man

kjghskjgdhs i know u are being silly but there's actually plenty of canon material to support a trans reading of Tenzō, and its a reading of the text which is near + dear to my heart

[hungergameshyperfixation]

“Those photos go hard”

No they don’t??? I’ve already ranted to the people in my life about this but all I’m gonna say is that they literally remind me of this:

That’s all I’m going to say right now, though I do have a lot of thoughts about not only real world politics but also comparing them to The Hunger Games (which is what I literally, hypocritically just did…which is why I mentioned it)

[spearxwind]

,, and I REALLY dont want people to be weird about him if hes 'weak' " I'm a little hesitant to ask, but what does this mean...? I'm unsure if I'm dense/oblivious/missed something but genuinely can't imagine what it could mean. People trying to (again) romance him? (Even though even if he's 'weak' it wouldn't work since he can't feel anything + they'd get murdered somehow anyway)

Please feel free to ignore and delete this ask if you don't want to discuss this topic.

Oh no worries, I can explain! The romance isnt so much an issue in this case fortunately

The thing is that strangers online love to be funny, and they love to not take characters seriously for the most part. I've gotten a lot of jokes directed at my ocs over the years

All in good spirits, I do like to joke around with people and i love humor! but if I am too lenient with it then people start latching onto that constantly and it gets to a point where its the only thing they will see. It's very easy to see an artist or a writer make a joke at their ocs, or make a joke with their friends, and as a stranger think "I can do this too and one-up them"

With "weak" versions of adri I made in the past, I experienced two things: one was people thinking he should be hurt in that state (as retribution), and the other was them using it as an excuse to amp the memeing up to 1000. I guess what I would describe it as would be "disrespect". Basically turned into a character to punch down to

I can disrespect my own ocs, theyre mine, but I don't really enjoy it when other people who I legitimately dont know come in randomly to drop either a really violent or a really goofy take directed at them 😅

I feel like currently with how I behave on here this will be less likely to happen again because I will cut that shit out immediately if i see it, but I would prefer if it doesnt happen in the first place and I don't want to be mean at people who are just goofin around

[fideidefenswhore]

Hi curious if you've read this: https://thecreationofanneboleyn.wordpress.com/tag/the-white-queen/

It's an article Susan Bordo wrote in 2013 comparing Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth Woodville to each other when the The White Queen came out in June of that year. Or more precisely how PG imagined both of them to be. Basically, Bordo thinks Gregory wrote her Elizabeth Woodville as an apology to Anne Boleyn. Thoughts?

Hi!

Yeah, this raises some interesting points, but, no, I don't really think PGreg wrote TWQ's heroine as means of apology to how she wrote TOBG's...anti-heroine, whether subconsciously or otherwise.

In the PGregverse, it does seem like the Woodvilles (and it is interesting, I suppose, that she wrote TOBG first) are, actually, much like the Boleyn(-Howard, as she makes clear) 'family firm'; or rather, that the Boleyns are like the Woodvilles, with the soul extracted:

'It is a battle to the death,' she says simply. 'That is what it means to be Queen of England. You are not Melusina, rising from a fountain to easy happiness. You will not be a beautiful woman at court with nothing to do but make magic. The road you have chosen will mean that you have to spend your life scheming and fighting. Our task, as your family, is to make sure you win.”

As an author, the Boleyns are possibly the most straightforward vehicle to craft narrative scandal, drama, and danger. It's not that the Woodvilles' path, forged during the fraught time of the WoTR (particularly, Elizabeth taking sanctuary with her family, several times, harkens to the dire predictions of Chapuys for AB, that there would be an uprising against her specifically that would push her into hiding, himself pushing for her excommunication, hoping that the people of England would make the hoped-for interdict follow her 'wherever she went'); was absent of these things (the several executions of members of their family, the bastardization of Elizabeth's children with Edward IV), but, simply put, there is not as direct of a foil to them as there is COA and Princess Mary, to the Boleyns. Nothing...is really, truly analagous, although similarities can be found (Warwick as advisor versus Wolsey or Cromwell-- JamesFrainification-- I suppose, Margaret of Anjou as 'rightful queen', although she does not seem to have had the immense public sympathy that COA did, nor was she, obviously, Edward IV's wife; on that note, Eleanor Talbot would be...a sensationalistic reach to quantify as a 'parallel', obviously she did not live with Edward as his wife for so many years, nor have his children, nor a coronation, although it is funny that there's that interlink in the Boleyn drama- her being a relation of Mary Talbot, Henry Percy's wife).

I do take her point on paralleling portrayals overall of Anne&Henry vs Edward&Elizabeth, though, not just merely TOBG, but more as a criticism of the sort of...static mold of this genre, I suppose? If the audience were to watch a HVIII that either soon recovered from, or cloaked, his disappointment in his first child by Anne being a daughter (rather than how it's usually written, as she summarizes in Par5, which contradicts, I would argue, evidence that suggests it was otherwise); then there would be suspense in what happens later. There is very minimal effort to subvert audience expectations in this way, however, it is almost like scriptwriters have given up on the element of suspense in storytelling here because the story is so well-known.

[get-more-bald]

can I PLEASE just get some X6-88 focused fanfiction........

EDIT: more in the tags and the reblog

[penultimate-step]

i keep thinking the new chapters will come out thursdays and get blindsided when people start talking about them on wednesday. time zones, why do you make me suffer so?

[whentherewerebicycles]

doing all this reading on cross-cultural parenting styles is so so fascinating. the practical differences are super interesting (ie learning about different cultural approaches to food, sleep, toilet training, safety, respect for others, etc). but i think the most thought-provoking part is just like... thinking about what each culture’s dominant parenting approach reveals about the traits that culture values & the way people in that culture perceive the world and their interpersonal relationships with others. like here are some of the themes that are emerging about american parenting:

americans are obsessed with individual success and individual excellence. much of american parenting focuses on discovering and actively cultivating each individual child’s “gifts,” which are assumed to be unique to that child, relatively fixed, and innate. we also seem to have this idea that if a child demonstrates interest in something or an early knack for something, we have a responsibility to accommodate that interest and make investments (of time, energy, money) to ensure that this gift is being cultivated appropriately, with an eye towards producing a child who excels in that particular field.

a major tradeoff is: that focus on individual achievement often crowds out a focus on interpersonal connection & on helping kids feel meaningfully enmeshed in and connected to a community that cares for them & that they in turn have obligations to.

americans are incredibly focused on and concerned with meeting developmental milestones (and with pathologizing children as deficient or “slow” or medically abnormal if they don’t meet those milestones). conversely, we see it as highly desirable for kids to hit developmental milestones early, so we invest a ton of time and resources into trying to hurry our kids along. we want our kids to walk, talk, read, sleep through the night, play instruments, speak multiple languages, excel at sports, etc etc etc as early as possible and feel very proud when our kids are labeled “more advanced” than other kids their age.

americans talk to their kids constantly, from infancy to young adulthood, and most of this talk stems from a belief that more talk = more learning. we learn that “good” parenting is hyper-involved, hyper-attuned parenting where the parent is always asking the child questions about the world around them, introducing new information, explicitly teaching or instructing, narrating our own actions so that the kid will learn from what we’re modeling, etc etc. we seem to do this because we feel that pressure for the child to be learning faster, learning more, learning all the time, so that they can grow up faster, reach milestones sooner, and demonstrate a capacity for excellence in their chosen field earlier.

american parents worry a lot more about their kids (we are preoccupied with safety and risk in ways that seem one million times more stressful than many other approaches to parenting... though this is partly because we live in such child-unfriendly environments that weren’t designed with children’s needs in mind). but we also worry a lot about (and spend lots of time focusing on) making our kids “independent” of us. we simultaneously try to protect our kids from any kind of risk or setback that could discourage them or delay their growth, but we also try to push kids away from us faster, wanting them to achieve an independent, self-reliant, self-regulating maturity as quickly as possible.

americans are obsessed with “self-esteem” and often try to boost self-esteem by praising children for anything and everything (even if the praise is superficial or not really deserved). we are often afraid to give honest or hard feedback out of fear that it will damage the child’s self-image or make them feel negative feelings about themselves. the result, though, is that we seem to end up producing generations of kids who are much less resilient, prone to melting down over negative feedback or obstacles, self-absorbed/self-focused, and preoccupied with the idea that they have a sort of innate “right” to feel good all the time. this one is SUPER interesting to me because it feels connected to some thoughts i’ve been working through lately about the therapy-industrial complex and our culture’s obsession with mental health, which idk... my feelings here are complicated and require more unpacking than i want to do in this post lol. but i think a lot about how hollow praise can feel and how intensely addictive it can become, and just like... how truly enduring forms of self-worth seem to come from going through painful phases of life and grappling with difficult personal or interpersonal problems and emerging from those periods with a stronger, clearer understanding of yourself and your values. idk much to unpack here... much to think about...

idk there is probably more stuff i’m forgetting... i’m not really going anywhere with this post lol i just want to start synthesizing some of the things i’m reading. they’re like, simmering on low on the back burner of my brain right now... will be interesting to see if/how they end up getting internalized.