#enough of the 3/4 portraits time to get serious

[dotssu3]

i think i get it now...? makes sense to me

[owliellder]

The Finer Details

Post DI! Leon Kennedy x f! Painter Reader

MDNI 18+

(Session 1, Session 2, Session 3, Session 4, Session 5, The Reveal)

Description: Leon realizes that retirement is in his best interest now that he's getting older. All of his accomplishments as an agent mean he's truly earned a painting to commemorate..

Warnings: Not Proofread, Age gap! (reader is anywhere between mid-late 20's and Leon is 40), Porn w/ Plot, Use of she/her pronouns, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Alcoholism, mentions of trauma/PTSD/depression, P in V smut (wrap it NEOW), Leon cries during sex 💔

Tags: Older Leon Kennedy, Younger afab!Reader, Leon is SAD but he is your muse, Crying, mentions of Leon masturbating, starts off with Dom! Leon and Sub! Reader, falls into switch territory because that man needs some serious TLC, Praise kink, Hickeys, Handjob, Nipple play, Oral sex (m! and f! receiving), and a heavy dose of Aftercare

Final Word Count: 22.6k

Author's Note: Ta-da! I put a lot of work into this last chapter, like actually becoming the president for a couple hours, but I really wanted to make it worth everyone's time for sticking around and reading all the way through.

Thank you so much for following along! All the sweet comments from you guys never fails to make my day!

^//v//^

Cross posted on AO3

The Reveal

Almost three months.

It took almost three months for Leon's portrait to fully dry after it had been varnished. You'd checked it almost daily after the two month mark due to Leon's constant pestering. He was understandably antsy, and admittedly, you were too.

There was a lot of convincing involved, but you managed to keep the man at home while you transported the painting to the White House. He worried it would be damaged en-route. Such a little worry wart.

Setting up the painting's respective spot a column away from Chris and Claire's seemed very appropriate; tall, fake bushes sitting on either side of where it would be placed, a warm yellow bulb lighting up the inside of the decorative archway, and the patterned golden frame where the canvas would forever be now hung empty in that portrait hallway, waiting to be pieced together and completed.

The shiny gold placard had already been screwed onto the frame, words zapped on it via laser:

Leon S. Kennedy

USSTRATCOM Agent from 1998 - 2011

D.S.O. Agent from 2011 - 2017

You knew how long he'd been working as an agent, but it was still baffling nonetheless. Nearly 20 years of non-stop intense and usually very traumatizing work, what a feat.

Moving on, you'd worked out the plans for Leon's farewell party with the President and a few coordinators over the span of a few days, making sure to store the painting in a secure room for the time being. It was to stay covered with a violet piece of velvet cloth up until the reveal at the party, no one was allowed to see it besides you, the President, and the various security guards working the grounds.

After another two extra months of waiting, the farewell party was drawing near. There had to be enough time given for invitations to be sent out to people, wait for said people to RSVP, and allow travel time. And at this point, Leon was busting at the seams; extremely nervous, excited, and even a little scared at the prospect of it all.

Your words from that second painting session all those months ago never left his mind: "Seeing the portrait once it's finished is going to be an incredibly emotional ordeal. It's a reminder that this is truly the end of an era for you, Mr. Kennedy..."

The man clung to that, doing his best to internalize it and mentally prepare himself for what was to come. He was hoping you were exaggerating, but from what Chris, Claire, and even Jill have told him about their experience after the fact, he knew deep down that you'd seen it all too well before.

What Leon failed to realize was that he wasn't alone anymore. Sure he had his friends to help, but he'd never had someone to come home to everyday.

During the last few sessions, he had asked to stay with you at your apartment, citing the potential aftermath of the party as reasoning. However, you really didn't need him to explain his reasoning, you would've let him. Even if he just felt like it, you would've welcomed him with opened arms.

Besides, he'd already been staying at your place for longer periods of time over the months. You'd visited his house a few times, but he made sure to whine and complain about how bare and boring it was. If you remember correctly, Leon had said, word for word, that your apartment "felt like a warm hug". With that, he shelled up with you in only a couple weeks before the painting had dried. He made special effort to learn your routine, wanting to give you the space that you needed while also maximizing his time spent with you.

Leon was an actual angel, you were wholeheartedly convinced. Some days you would come home after working on another painting to the man cooking dinner, having bought an expensive wine to share with you. When your hands would start to ache and your back and shoulders were sore from the long hours spent holding a paintbrush in an awkward hunched position, he would set aside anything he had going on just to give you all the massages, kisses, and love that you could ever want.

Nothing was ignored when it came to you and your wants and needs. Leon admitted awhile back that he felt guilty for intruding on your space, though you were very quick to shut that down. He was far from a burden, actually lining up more with a dream come true.

And just like he did with you, you spared nothing while getting to know the in's and out's of the man that occupied your mind, heart, and home. You learned his favorite meals, watched his favorite shows and movies with him, returning the massages when he would return from the gym, and paid extra attention to how he liked to be held at night. Who would've guessed that the Leon Kennedy loved to be the little spoon?

What you spent the most time on was making sure to listen when he suddenly went on tangents about his past. They really did haunt him. You would wake up in the middle of the night to him huddled at the top of the bed, arms wrapped around his legs and head between his knees as he did his best to cry quietly. All you could do for him in those moments was pull him against your chest, gently rocking him back and forth while whispering sweet nothings, just until he felt either ready to talk or ready to fall back asleep. If he just wanted more comfort, then that's what he got, obviously.

He was only recently put on a couple medications to help him better manage his PTSD and anxiety since he really had to cut back on the alcohol in order to take them the way he needed. Definitely worth it to both you and him seeing as his nightmares lessened in intensity and frequency.

Now here you were, straightening out Leon's tie for him since his hands were failing him, nerves getting the better of him. He had taken his meds a few minutes ago, wanting to have the full effect during the party to combat any destructive behaviors during it, so it was no wonder his hands were still trembling.

"You're going to do so well, Leon." You smiled, giving him a gentle pat between his pecs after tucking his tie into his suit jacket. He was staring straight ahead, eyebrows furrowed with worry as he stared at himself in the mirror. "You've made so much progress and I couldn't be any prouder."

He licked his dry lips before slowly looking down at you, giving you the best smile he could, which was really just him pulling his lips back tight. If it weren't for you constantly being around to encourage him and push him to get better, he would not be able to attend his own farewell party.

How had he managed to get so far without this level of love and care? Where would he even be without you? Hopefully later when his mind isn't racing a million miles per minute, Leon will be able to tell you just how lucky he is to have you in his life.

Leon watched you in the mirror as you walked around to stand behind him, straightening out his suit jacket in random spots until deciding to just wrap your arms around his midriff, pressing the side of your face against his back with a content sigh. He brought his still-trembling hands up to hold onto your arms, rubbing his thumbs up and down across your soft skin.

His eyes settled back on his own face after staring at your arms linked around him, letting out a shaky sigh of his own as he attempted to just focus on this moment. You were perfect, ethereal, a true work of art. He wouldn't trade any of this for the world.

It took some time, about an hour, before Leon's medication was starting to kick in. You were definitely a big help, he couldn't give all the credit to his meds.

His relaxed demeanor wasn't easy to spot, the man was just naturally rigid, but you waited until he let you know that he was ready; ready to go to his farewell party, ready to see the portrait you painted for him, ready to put in the effort into accepting the next chapter in his life.

The drive to the White House was seamless, having been picked up in a blacked out SUV that held four personal guards, courtesy of the President. Leon wasn't going to complain, he actually kind of liked the pampering effect that came with being driven around by a dedicated entourage.

Almost all good feelings were drained from Leon when the car finally pulled up to the front of the White House where more guards stood waiting to escort the two of you inside. It was still early in the night, but the sun had set long ago, making for quite the beautiful atmosphere.

He could see numerous party attendees walking up the stairs, dressed up in their fanciest outfits for him. He held your hand the entire way up the stairs and into the entrance hall with a grip that was sure to leave your hand hurting. No matter, you could tell he needed you. That vice grip he had was well worth it for his comfort.

There were quite a few more people than either you or Leon expected. It seems as if all available agents, young, old, and retired, had been sent an invitation for tonight, along with quite a few high-ranking government workers. Luckily, this was a private event; no reporters, no news, only those who had been fortunate enough to be invited.

The first to spot you two was Chris who quickly made his way over to pull Leon into a bone-crushing hug, giving him a few solid pats on the back before letting go. Leon only reciprocated the hug with one hand, the other refusing to let go of yours, though his grip had loosened by now.

"Where's Claire?" Leon muttered, leaning to the side to scan over the sizeable crowd. "She's.." Chris turned around to also scan the crowd, squinting a bit as he looked. "She's somewhere. My wife is with her, her family, and Jill."

Leon pursed his lips with a curt nod, humming quietly in acknowledgement before standing straight again. He glanced down at where his hand held yours, squeezing it again for just a second as if to remind himself that you haven't gone anywhere.

Chris had turned back around to see the small gesture Leon gave to you, a coy smirk on his face. "What uhh... what's all this, huh?" He subtly pointed between you and the other man, voice lowered.

Leon cleared his throat and looked around to make sure no one was close enough to hear despite the volume in the hall. "... M'gonna save that for the-.. the speech." Chris just nodded, crossing his arms before slowly turning to look through the crowd again. "Alright, well, let me go find the family and bring them over before you're swarmed." And with that, Chris made his way back into the crowd.

Unfortunately, Leon had been spotted by the rest of the partygoers before Chris could return with everyone. Many pleasantries were repeated while also returning small talk with the people he recognized, which was a lot. You managed to avoid most of it, only being questioned a few times due to the rather obvious hold the man had on you. Despite having attended the last few parties like this, most people unable to recognize you as the artist. A blessing and a curse.

The next couple hours were spent eating finger foods, conversing with whoever, and enjoying the way Leon started to flow with the event. He soon found his way to Chris, Claire, their partners and kids, and Jill which really helped him loosen up. He needed the more familiar faces, having now let go of your hand fully to talk more animatedly with them. You made sure to stick by his side as long as you could, letting out a soft laugh every time you noticed his quick glances over to you to check if you're still there.

The time eventually did come for you to part with Leon, signaling a couple guards to follow you down a few hallways until reaching the room where the portrait sat, still covered with the violet cloth. The decision to keep it back here for so long was made by the President, wanting less of a sudden reveal and more of a build up.

Normally it would already be hanging in the entrance hall, covered and ready to be revealed, but not wanting to risk any potential damage, you were asked to hold off bringing it in until the President was ready to give the speech leading up to Leon's.

It'd been set in the golden frame rather quickly with the help from one of the guards that walked down with you. You had the guard to hold it up for you so you could give it one final good look before he was instructed to lead you back. After recovering, you took the portrait in both hands, holding it close as you were escorted back through the halls and into the main entrance hall.

By now everyone had directed their focus closer to the center of the back wall. Next to where the President stood, your own art easel was now set up. That was mostly as homage to you and it wasn't like anyone besides you would understand that it's yours, though Leon did pick up on that little feature. He'd been staring at the back of that thing for months, counted the various old streaks of paint on the pale wood over and over.

It made his farewell all the more personal, struggling to mask the feeling of the ever-growing pit in his stomach from the friends he was still standing next to.

The sound of a mic being tapped drew everyone's attention in to the President, the volume in the hall quieting to a whisper, soon completely silent as he began to speak into the mic;

"Ladies and gentlemen, I stand before you to honor and pay tribute to a true hero, a dedicated public servant, and a loyal friend who has served our nation with unwavering dedication for the past 19 years. It is with great respect and admiration that I address you on this occasion, as we bid farewell to a remarkable agent who has exemplified the very best qualities of service and sacrifice." As the President spoke, Leon held his breath, hands gripping onto his suit jacket to keep from trembling again.

At this point, you'd silently walked along the side with the guards from before, bringing the covered portrait up to the front before carefully placing it on your easel. "Throughout this nation's history, these agents have played an essential role in ensuring the safety and security of our nation's people and have consistently placed their lives on the line to protect the sanctity of our democracy. And today, we acknowledge one agent who has done so with unparalleled devotion."

"This retiring agent has been a silent sentinel, ensuring the continuity of our democratic ideals. Through countless hours of training, vigilance, and selflessness, they have demonstrated a level of commitment that is nothing short of extraordinary. But beyond their exceptional professional duties, this agent has been a friend and a confidant to those of us privileged to work alongside them. They have been a source of strength, a steady hand in turbulent times, and a symbol of the unbreakable bond that can form within the ranks of those who dedicate their lives to service."

You positioned yourself opposite of the President, placing your hands behind your back to keep your posture tall as you now smiled at the crowd, subtly scanning for Leon. His eyes were already on you when you found him, and your smile only widened further.

It prompted his own nervous smile, toying with the buttons on his jacket while turning his attention back to the President, wanting to remain respectful to his, honestly, very flattering speech so far. You followed Leon's eyes, seemingly having the same idea to just watch and listen.

"The sacrifices made by our agents often go unnoticed by the public, and that is by design. Their commitment to duty is matched only by their humility. But today, we pause to recognize and celebrate this retiring agent's dedication, valor, and sacrifice." The President continued to address the attendees in the room, giving you a quick nod before returning his focus to everyone in the entrance hall.

The President outstretched his hand towards Leon standing in the crowd, now staring at him with a prideful yet relaxed look. "To Mr. Leon S. Kennedy, our retiring agent and loyal friend, thank you for your 19 years of dedicated service to our nation. May your retirement be filled with the peace and contentment that you so richly deserve. You leave behind a legacy of honor and courage that will never be forgotten." The crowd of attendees clapped and cheered briefly, causing Leon to reach his hand up to wipe across his face. A poor way to hide his red face. He's done that before, hasn't he?

Once the crowd quieted back down, the President finished his speech with a classic, "May God bless you, your family, and may God continue to bless the United States of America. Thank you" before the crowd picked back up cheering and clapping. You clapped along with them, laughing at Leon's flustered expression. He could barely hold back his smile, not really have expecting to be so well recognized for his service.

Leon's queue to make his way to the front was when the President walked over to stand next to you, making sure not to block the covered portrait from anyone's view. He'd recited this speech to you countless times, even more to himself when he was alone, but all those eyes staring at him were causing him to fumble. He messed around with the mic once he was standing in front of it, and that was your queue to walk over and stand next to him, placing a loving hand on his forearm.

That's all he needed, just a little extra encouragement from the person he relied on the most. His speech was short and straight to the point, never having been a man of professional word, yet he still managed to slip in some words of praise for you and all the help you provided him during his rough patch earlier in the year.

Neither you or Leon had outright said it to each other, let alone to anyone else, but hearing him announce to the entire hall of people that you were his girlfriend made your heart soar. Speaking about you calmed his nerves, and he wanted everyone to know just how lucky he felt, like he'd hoped for earlier.

He bent over slightly to whisper in your ear, covering the mic with his hand to make sure it didn't pick up his voice. "Now, why don't you go ahead and show us all that masterpiece you spent months working on?" Oh, now you were the flustered one, giggling nervously as you gave his arm a gentle squeeze before walking over to where the painting sat on the easel.

"Ladies and gentleman," Leon's eyes followed you as he straightened his posture out, speaking into the mic once more with a wide smile gracing his features, "I'm honored to have the wonderful artist herself present my very own portrait to you." As he spoke, you carefully lifted the cloth from where it was draped over the painting, finally revealing the ever-awaited portrait to everyone.

Just like with Chris and Claire's, Leon was sat in that soft maroon chair, slightly off center, but his position was different with his right ankle rested atop his left knee, elbows on the arms of the chair while his hands rested in his lap, fingers interlaced. His smile was soft and partially crooked while he looked forward with relaxed eyes, a few strands of hair painted to sit in front of his brow. And to tie it all together, it had a lovely green background, a dark forest green as the base while a sage green was used to add texture. The vintage look had always been your favorite, and Leon fit it so perfectly. He was nearly timeless.

Many "ooo's" and "ahh's" were heard amongst the clapping from the crowd, along with a handshake from the President. Before you could turn to face Leon, you felt his arms slowly slink around you from underneath your arms, the weight of his head now pressing down on your shoulder. You could feel his grin when he tilted his head to kiss your jawline, beginning to gently rock you side to side. Getting to show off your work was always so rewarding, but just knowing Leon was handling everything so well was a feeling you'll truly never forget.

He was happy. That's all you ever wanted for him. The man has truly earned his portrait in that agent hall of fame.

The portrait was soon brought down to the aforementioned hall to be hung up and displayed for good, a few small groups trailing down to get a better look at it. Chris was the noisiest about it, telling Leon it looked like it belonged above a grand fireplace, to which said man agreed with.

Chris, Claire, Jill, and their respective families stared at it for quite some time alongside Leon and you. They all chatted while Leon stared quietly, taking in every little fine detail you'd added. You changed his position some, and did he really smile at you like that? He really did look lovestruck. Of course only he could tell that. Hopefully.

He surprised himself with how okay he felt after seeing the painting. You warned him multiple times that it would most likely be overwhelming and emotional, and while it was, it wasn't in a bad way. The most compelling thought he had right now was to just sweep you off your feet and smother you with love.

Leon asked one of the guards to take a picture of him with everyone, including you, in front of his portrait. Then, just a picture of you and him standing in front of it, easily becoming the background on his phone.

The party went on for only an hour or so more before people started to trickle out. You and Leon were some of the first to leave, saying all your thanks and goodbye's with hugs and handshakes.

The moment the two of you walked into your apartment he practically pounced on you before the door had shut, large hands gripping tight on your hips as he sloppily made out with you. He just had to show his gratitude for all your hard work.

Your lips tasted so sweet and your soft little moans were driving him wild, he couldn't help the groan that rumbled from his chest. Full blown sex had been held off by you, not wanting to rush him into anything while you helped him manage his problems. Honestly, he was glad you'd held off on him, because now that he was feeling like his own person again, it made waiting all the more fulfilling.

Leon hoisted you up into his arms after you'd kicked your heels off, holding onto the back of your thighs as he carried you to the bedroom. You wrapped your arms around his neck, giggling against his lips as he carefully navigated around the short hallway and into the bedroom.

You looked so good splayed out on the bed for him, that beautiful dress you chose was insanely flattering on you. It had to go though, so after yanking off his jacket he made quick work of your dress, fumbling with the zipper for a moment before pulling it up and over your head. Your bra and panties didn't last either. He'd only gotten to see you naked a couple times before, but god, he'll never get tired of seeing you this way, acting all shy like you weren't his favorite view.

Leon was so eager to get his hands on you that he neglected to take off his suit, opting instead to hover over you and bury his face into your neck. He wasn't a good artist, but he loved to cover your neck in shades of red and purple like you were his own little painting, akin to leaving his signature all over you.

He only pulled away once you tugged on his hair, listening to your begs and pleas for him to get his clothes off. As much as he wanted to prolong this night and tease you, he couldn't hold himself back. He needed to feel your soft skin against his.

"So perfect." Leon mumbled against your skin, licking and kissing his way up your stomach and to your breasts after practically ripping off his clothes. His hands found their way back to your hips, pressing them firm against the bed to keep you from squirming away as he nipped at one of your nipples, pulling it into his mouth.

He moaned as he sucked and circled his tongue around your nipple, his eyes falling closed. The other couldn't stay neglected, so he brought one hand up to pinch and tug at your other nipple, sighing when he felt your body press against his as you arched at the sensation. He loved when your moans would pitch, so cute.

His cock was pressed against the inside of your thigh, rutting against it when you would tug at his hair. Once he decided your nipples had enough attention, he sat up and grabbed the backs of your knees to place around his waist. The new position offered Leon the perfect opportunity to drag his leaking cock through your folds, pressing it down with his thumb so the tip would nudge your clit with every slow thrust forward.

You were so wet, so delicate. He could've fucked you right then, slid right into that juicy little pussy, but he needed to take care of you first. He would never forgive himself if he hurt you.

Reluctantly, the man pulled his dick away from you, letting out a poorly concealed whine at the loss. He ran his hands up your thighs before moving one hand so he could circle your clit with his thumb, the other hand back on your hip to keep you steady.

"L-eon~!" You brokenly moaned out, pleading to him with your watery eyes. You needed more; his fingers, his cock, anything. He couldn't say no to that, stopping his assault on your clit to drag his middle and ring finger through your drenched folds to wet them properly. He brought your right leg to sit over his shoulder, hand gripping the top of your thigh as he leaned forward, studying your face closely as he gently teased the outside of your slit with his middle finger.

He moaned with you as he slid his finger in, keeping his eyes trained on you as he started to tentatively thrust his finger in and out. "Yeah?" Leon whispered, licking his lips as you barely managed to nod. "Yeeeaah, there's my girl..." The rumble in his voice was music to your ears.

His ring finger was soon slid in next to his middle finger, switching between scissoring you and making a partial 'come here' motion with them. After only a couple minutes you were leaking all over his hand and the bed, the wet sounds of your pussy mixed with your moans making his cock jerk and drip with precum. Leon clenched his teeth as he slowly pulled his fingers from you, immediately bringing them to his mouth to suck off your juices. He let out an audible sigh after swallowing, repositioning his dick to slide through your folds a couple more times before nudging your hole with the tip.

"Look at me, baby..." Leon's hushed demand brought you to open your eyes, if only half way. He made eye contact with you before leaning forward further to kiss you, all the while finally pushing into you. He soaked in your gasp, his eyebrows furrowing as you tensed up. "Relax.. let me in~..."

"It's only me.." He panted, tilting his head to kiss the corner of your mouth as your eyes shut again. "It's only me, baby..." he repeated this a few more times as he eased his cock inside of you, the stretch only stinging for a moment before it turned to pleasure. He filled you perfectly, you could feel every bit of him, especially with his right hand adding a bit of pressure to your stomach.

Leon sat still for a minute to give you time to adjust, taking the way you moved your hips as a sign to move. He pulled out, all the way to the tip, before slowly thrusting back in. He managed to choke out a quiet "Fuck-.." when you clenched around him. "Taking me so well.. such a big girl~.."

He always knew just how to talk to you, making sure to take his time buttering you up. You were putty in his hands, and between his words and the feeling of him reaching so deep inside of you, you could barely think.

It didn't take long for him to start to lose his composure, the sound of wet skin slapping together filling the room as his thrusts intensified. "All mine. All for me." The grip he had on your thigh was sure to leave a bruise, but that was the last thing on your mind.

The hand he had pressing on your stomach moved further down so he could circle your clit with his thumb again, jaw tight as he looked from your blissed out expression to where his hand was playing with you. "Oh fuck! That's it!" Leon growled, eyes glued to your cunt as he plunged in and out of it. "Cream this dick, mamas~... Cum on my cock so I can fill this pretty pussy up.."

The way you gasped and moaned when you came was enough to warrant a noise complaint, but screw your neighbors. You needed this just as much Leon did.

"Oohhh fuck yeah.. Milk me, baby~... shit-" Leon's thrusts stuttered to a stop while pressed flush against you, abs flexing as he pumped ropes of cum into you. Once you managed to open your eyes, all you could do was stare at the man, flushed pink and sweaty, sitting between your legs. Both of you moaned in tandem as he pulled out, Leon groaning to himself as he watched his cum drip from your pussy. Truly a work of art meant for his eyes only.

He leaned over you again to plant a quick kiss on your lips, chuckling when he felt you smile. "Let me go grab something to clean you up, okay?" You could only nod in response, reaching your hand up to caress the side of his face before he stood up from the bed. He walked across the hall into the bathroom, wetting a soft rag with warm water before making his way back over to you.

Leon made sure to be gentle when cleaning you, the warmth from the rag soothing your tender skin. You were able to sit up on your elbows and watch him, using his gentle touches as a way to calm your still racing heart.

After wiping himself off with the rag, he tossed it over in the general direction of your laundry basket. It was a problem for later. Right now, he wanted lay back on the bed and pull you up so you could lay on top of him. Along with just how nice it felt to hold you, he loved the weight of you on him. So that's what he did, pulling you onto him after laying on the bed, running his fingers though your hair on the back of your head.

"Leon." You muttered against his collarbone. His eyebrows raised, yet his eyes were closed. "Mm?" His right eye peaked open when he felt you giggle. "What?"

"I love you." His fingers paused their ministrations at your words. You lifted your head up to look at him, growing worried with his shocked expression. "Sorry, is that too-" you choked on your words, stopped mid-sentence by Leon's arms suddenly squeezing the breath out of you with a very tight hug. He pulled you up just a little further so he could smush his lips against yours.

"I love you too!" He breathed out excitedly. "You don't know how long I've been waiting to tell you!" You tapped his arm and he immediately relaxed his grip, mumbling a small, "Sorry, my bad.." when you took in a deep breath.

"You're adorable, Leon." You shook your head with a smile, brushing the hair from his face to give him a much gentler kiss before settling you head back against his chest with a quiet sigh.

Leon was still a tough man, but you made him soft. Only ever soft for you.

Side note: I totally forgot to add in the pussy eating i am so sorry. i thought i did but it was literally just a thought that never manifested 😭

tags!: @greywardensaywhat @xkittiecatx @httpsuguru @httpsuguru @k-fallingstar @lysa1201 @bobastayhigh @pocketstoriesstore @agent-dessis-posts @klee-iii @missjoenowhere @mi-zer-y @bigtiddiesimp @finsternisle @sweets3rial @sodacolablast (there's a few of you that tumblr wouldn't let me tag for some reason)

[earthflaxmachina]

The Metahistory of Paz

A user on instagram requested I talk about how Paz/Rumi were before modern tbod development, and since I actually made Paz around the time I made Derek (Dolan, at the time) in early 2019, there is enough content for a long post, so I want to tackle that first. Rumi was created in 2021, so she hasn't gone through as much change outside of personality.

Note that for the sake of saving space on this post (only 30 images allowed), I won't be including much of what is already public on derekdemetripoo or something.

Let's gooooooooooooo!

Note: around September/October 2019, my hard drive where I keep all of my art got corrupted so I had to get it fixed and they managed to recover a lot of my files but not all of them, because of this all the metadata (e.g date of creation) of the files was lost. All dates before 5th October 2019 are approximations based on what date it was saved on my phone/what date I posted it on toyhouse, etc.

Notex2: Also, when I mention Derek's old self, I will refer to him with his name at the time, Dolan, and also Paz by her old names.

CREATION: approx. ~26th January 2019

Figure 1. Paz's first design and appearance (Heller) | Figure 2. Heller's icon on toyhouse (~4/2019)

Around this time I started making demon ocs, one of which was Paz, or at the time she was Dolan's (Derek) half-brother, Heller Luq Urhis. No cultural inspirations for that name, I literally made up words. Heller was based off my friend's backpack (Figure 1). Dolan's full name was Dolan Sol Urhis. I think they both had a thing for Cerise (if you remember seeing me draw a pirate lady, she was from this era as well but less piratey). Not much I can say about Heller's personality because I don't remember and I never wrote things down. I think he was pretty serious to contrast w Dolan. This post is only about Paz so I won't go deep into other characters.

Something I remember about Heller is that, at some point he wasn't born a demon but was actually turned into one after he died, and that his starry poncho was handcrafted by him so he could remember what stars looked like (there are no stars in Hell). This contradicts the idea of him and Dolan being half-brothers, so I think this was canon before I made them brothers.

Fun fact: at this time, both this story - Devil's Adequate, though I named it in March 2020 - and Wence happened in the same world. I think. I know that Harlow had a connection to Luciano's brother.

DEVIL'S ADEQUATE V2: September 2020

Figure 3. Heller redesign portrait | Figure 4. Heller redesign reference, both from 7th November 2020

This was when I decided to make Devil's Adequate a more "serious" (it was corny) story about morality and heaven and hell, as you can see Heller has a bit of a priest/nun look. At this point he wasn't Dolan's brother anymore but an unrelated character. I think he was a fallen angel who was in denial about being Bad, so he kept up the priest thing in Hell. Quite an interesting concept, given the rest of the story was your average Maybe The Hell And Heaven System Is Flawed (sound familiar? lmao I was 15 by the way. This is a concept a 15 year old comes up with. cough)

I had quite a bit of worldbuilding for Devil's Adequate, like names for places and races of demons/angels. The comprehensive text on the worldbuilding is lost because it was a description for the toyhouse folder I later deleted. All I have left to work from is Dolan's toyhouse profile and maybe the draft script of Devil's Adequate however short. For example, Heaven was called Ecstasis instead.

According to Dolan's toyhouse profile,

'During [Dolan's] years as a secretary he met one of the Fallen Angeli, Heller - they became close friends, very close that Heller was enticed by him and developed feelings, of which are unrequited.'

Interesting! So now he was a love interest. This love interest thing would continue into early TBOD. I would get into the whole Devil's Adequate lore but I think that's more suited to an essay about Dolan/Derek's metahistory because he Was the protagonist.

NOT QUITE DEVIL'S ADEQUATE, NOT QUITE THE BOOK OF DEREK: July 2021

Figure 5. Pascal's new biography (23rd July 2021)

Figure 6. Pascal and Death (4th August 2021) | Figure 7. The 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse (6th August 2021)

At this time, Dolan was no longer Dolan, he was now Death. This story didn't really take place in Heaven or Hell but in some kind of Purgatory office where Death and the other 3 horsemen had to collect souls of people who died like reapers. Each horseman would have their "department" and would collect souls of people depending on how they died. For example, Pascal (no longer Heller), being the horseman of Pestilence, collected souls of people who died by disease. I named him (yes, still a man) Pascal because it was close to Pestilence and I was trying to get the names close to their role. The exception was Cerise (horseman of War) because she was trans and chose her name. P.S. his gloves weren't a fashion choice, he poisoned everything he touched, except for Death.

In Figure 5 it says:

“[His] first big debut was the Plague”

This means he started working when the Bubonic Plague started, because of the overwhelming mortality rate the higher ups (whoever they are) decided there needed to be a horseman of Pestilence to handle those. See image below for Death and Pascal’s first meeting when he made his debut.

Figure 5 also states he is the “3rd Horseman” meaning one of the other two horseman started working before him, since Death is the 1st. It was Fergie, aka Famine.

At this point, there was a tsundere quality about him and the implication of yaoi was latent. As you can see from Figures, he had a one-way rivalry with Death and was simultaneously jealous and in love with him.

Too lazy to date these individually just know they were from 23rd July 2021 - 18th October 2021, in order of creation.

EARLY TBOD: October 2021 onward

Figure 8. Paz first seen as a girl (23rd February 2022) | Figure 9. New Paz info and first instance of being called "Paz" (18th April 2022) | Figure 10. Paz and Aarum (also 18/4/22)

Around this time was when I ditched the office idea and came up with the idea of Derek (named on 12th September 2021) wanting to have a child with a human. Paz's crush was now a crazy obsession, and also she was in a relationship w Aarum for a while. Canonically, at some point, they broke up some time during Derek's human life. Overall this era in her development was really weird and I'm ashamed of it.

In Figure 9, Paz mentions Derek's "corpses", this is referring to the fact that when Derek first became human he died a lot because he wanted to try different ways of getting hurt and also dying so there were lots of his corpses after he kept dying and coming back. This idea does not carry onto current TBOD because, why, lmao.

There was a plot point where Derek BURIED HER ALIVE for a couple of years (she couldn't die bc she was already dead) because she convinced Aarum to kill Derek earlier than they planned. So weird. This also does not carry onto current TBOD because it's stupid.

Figure 11. The trio celebrating Derek's loss of virginity (18th May 2022)

Quickly all of that weird violence got retconned away and we forgot all about that. Until June 2022 she still had that weird crush that feels like she was cheating on Aarum emotionally. After June, she was a fujo but still dating Aarum, at least the crush wasn't there anymore. I think everything from October 2021 onward is public on derekdemetripoo if you scroll far enough, so I won't include many images.

MODERN TBOD: October 2022 onward

Figure 12. First instance of what would become Paz's new design (23rd October 2022) | Figure 13. Current Paz ref (2nd August 2024)

Figure 12 was never posted because I planned to draw Derek and Aarum there too but got lazy. It was an au where Paz had Derek's role, because at the time I also entertained with an au where Aarum had Derek's role - and from that came Aurele. This drawing was meant to have all 3 of them as gods sitting on chairs. Her chair says Patricia because like Aarum was called Aurele, she needed an au name too. Her dress was inspired by the Haitian Karabela traditional dress iirc because she's Haitian.

I think by now I had gotten rid of the idea of her and Aarum altogether, never dated, just friends. Because Aarum was gay now and Paz was now somewhat romantically/sexually apathetic. Also her and Derek were now more friendly, and she doesn't call him sir anymore. Maybe she did when they first met because he was this weird celestial being, but once they got to know each other she dropped the formalities. Happy ending!

It was always planned that in her past life she was a Haitian volunteer nurse who died by disease in the 1800s. But upon more research she would've had to be a mixed child between a slave and a white man (given the time it was most likely rape) if she had access and freedom to study medicine (albeit informally since women could not go to college). I don't really know how I feel about writing a story like that so I decided to push her death further ahead in time. But yknow if you're gonna write a historical black person there's gonna be slavery/segregation tied to it because the civil rights movement wasn't really that long ago.

At the time of writing this, I still don't know when she died. But I've been entertaining the idea of around the 70s-80s because of the way she dresses. It's probably her old clothes from when she was alive. Maybe it was AIDs. Maybe she accidentally got poked by a non-sterile syringe while volunteering. Who knows. She was 25 when she died and that has been a consistent fact since early TBOD.

Fun fact: I always intended for her to be neurotypical, but I guess things just have a way of happening, she doesn't really give neurotypical anymore. And that's okay. I think it's funny that Derek's only friends aren't normal people either.

I think that's about it for Paz's metahistory! This took a while. A lot of these facts I've just been storing in my head cuz I never made a habit out of writing oc stuff I just remembered it. Which is not a reliable way to store lore.

I've got a couple of requests for other ocs' histories, so I look forward to going down memory lane again. I might even do one on Derek's full metahistory. I tried that once but the max image limit was 10 and also it had stupid commentary. So I might remake it.

Hope you enjoyed reading if you actually read all of this! If you skimmed, this doesn't apply to you. TASER TASER TASER!!!!!!!!!!

[totaldrama-showdowns]

Submissions for the Non-Human Showdown! Including ones that are invalid!

Fang (x2)

“🦈🦈🦈”

“He's Fang ❤”

Cody Jr (x2)

“Cody Jr! No! Not Aunty Heather!”

Mr Coconut (x2)

“The og. Should have won every season /serious”

vince the alligator (x2)

“SWEEEEP”

“The lore… so immaculate”

the don box (x2)

“bzzz i have a stupid fucking clue for you. ah fuck the interns put me in a lame outfit again”

“what id don on about he's slaying in that shirt”

wt pineapple (x2)

“ALEPINEAPPLE FOREVER!!!”

“👅🐍🐍🐍🐍”

Irene the fish (x2)

“shes so beautiful i’d kiss her too”

“The final remaining member of Team Victory after DJs elimination, Irene went on to win the million and the hearts of many.”

the chrarry baby (x2)

“Goo goo gaa gaa”

“ive got my eye on u chris mclean”

Princess Beth Doll

“I WANT TO BUY ONE SO BAD IRL!!!!! Also, this too is yuri”

Old Jester from reboot S2ep9

“I love when Damien hugged him! That's scene is soooo cute. Also I love fluffy animal!”

Bobo :)

“SEASON 2 SPOILERS Bobo is the name of the bear that had the Raj mask in season 2 episode 12 :) idk I just think he’s silly”

DJ’s bunny

the Chris-shaped cake that Julia's group made

“I wanna eat that thang”

Dramarama Cody

“He's an alien”

Theodore (MK's stuffed unicorn)

(the arts and crafts) Shed (from season 1)

“shed sweep”

that evil little seal from wt

“sooo little and evil. who can hate him”

caleb rock

“possibly the best version of him out there”

the skull duncan carved for courtney

“you cant deny how iconic it was”

eva’s mp3 player

“the most important character in td history”

heather’s various hairstyles

“possibly the most diverse and versatile entity in td historu”

pahkitew island

“The best one”

Myself

“:^)”

ryan seacrests car

“very fast”

chef's car (total dramarama and gen 4)

“MY CAR!!!!!”

alien clone cody

“AAAAAAA*explodes into green goo*”

chris's wig

“wiggin”

heather's wig

“wiggin”

total drama yum yuk happy go time candy fish tails

“You ate it!”

trents five finger shirt

“5”

princess courtney CD

“all the greatest hits!”

owens butt

“fart”

anne maria’s hair style

“Ey im walkin here”

bridgettes surfboard

“BONK”

the fake antlers from the paintball ep

“Duncney”

manitobas fedora

“served!”

beary <3

“it’s LITERALLY beary”

ripper’s world record breaking fart

“he did it”

the portrait of cody as blue boy in wt

“funny looking”

sierra’s pizza box-cum-laptop*

“she uses the internet AND eats witj it. shes a genius”

*Mod Note: this refers to cum meaning: combined with; also used as (used to describe things with a dual nature or function).

waynes accent

“Eh we play hockey eh”

mal ventriloquist doll

“aaah im evil mal doll”

alejandro puppet

“we do a little trolling”

Chef 2.0

“He made him from a cashew”

Mt. Kīlauea

“She has the mercy to have her lava not hot enough to kill Alejandro, Ezekiel, and that random intern like... Everyone say "thank you" or somethin idk. Do you think she feels bad that Alejandro ended up in a robot suit because”

Immunity idol s4-5

“They ruined it's design in the reboot boooooooo”

MK's infernape

“Listen, she's a gamer and she's based. She would totally pick chimchar in bdsp. She probably hates people who tells her to "play platinum" because that was a game made for old people.

Try and exclude this submission, I dare you. There's nothing that says I can't submit theoretical non-humans. There's a non-zero chance that MK has an Infernape and I know it's been raised to have some awesome sneaky move. If you exclude this, I bet you'd allow "Mike's Torterra" because only a grass type fan would be a fire type and MK hater!!

Julia would keep her piplup unevolved and beat her console into tiny bits when she gets to Cynthia btw”

the drone of shame

“[picks up victim and flies away] wheeee”

that giant bowl of rice they fall into in japan

“mm giant bowl of rice”

noah’s dog

“his epic dog”

celine dion cardboard cutout

“love fucking wins #duncney”

the face huggers from Area 51

“rip tyler”

ezekiel MISSING milk carton

“Sad! He died.”

the eagle chris shot and killed

“someone arrest this man. again”

the confessional

“it’s always there for you”

geoff’s splinter

“OW”

the bread from codys pants

“man i need to rewatch island. i fucking love the pants bread”

That ice cream snowman from SMS

“LISTEN. JUST BECAUSE HE IS FROM THE EPISODE THAT SHALL NOT BE NAMED DOES NOT MEAN YOU CAN NOT GIVE HIM HIS RESPECT”

bear

“the one from raptear specifically. let's go lesbians”

that pizza chase threw the challenge for

“clearly he should be with it rather than emma. chemma? chipper? chazee? nope never fucking heard of them”

Momma's Spice

“*sprinkles it on op's head* mmmm tasty”

The Gilded Chris award

WT barf bags

“give a real f to those guys. never appeared after episode 7.”

the toxic marshmallow of loserdom

“killer of staci's hair”

The lavatory confessional

“bitch is iconic. 6/8 is a passing mark!!!”

Courtney's PDA

“why wouldnt they call it a phone idk but its so camp”

The Cassowaries

“Male cassowaries are responsible for raising the young. We love an involved father.”

Fire-breathing winged mountain goats

“You could make an Undertale reference with this (also they're really cool)”

Giant Beetle

“Dott shippers will like this one”

Mutated Maggots

“They're pretty cute!”

Six-Legged Rats

“ADORABLE EEEEEEEP!!!!”

scott bird

“what a beautiful bird”

Chef's car

“It may play a role in mkulia canon”

Gethin

that rainbow porridge in episode 8 of the reboot

“aw hell naw chris cookin up the gay porridge”

The cassowary that fell in love with Zee

“We love an iconic single mother looking for love”

The rat in the cargo hold that appears on screen for 0.5 seconds during Ezekiel's solo in "Come Fly With Us"

“That rat really carried the whole song. Iconic. Astounding. Never before seen talent. Lady Gaga is shaking in her Demonias.”

The Erymanthian Boar

“It wrecked Duncan's shit in Greece.”

The dock of shame

“So many teens walked on her, i think she deserves some recognizion”

gwen's blender necklace

Zoey's hamster (Miss Puffycheeks)

“It's cute and can punch a cat, need I say more?”

[otome-obsessions]

One Day and One Night - [Victor x Kate]

Prologue (🌞) | Chapter 1 (🌞) | Chapter 1.5 (🌞) | Chapter 2 (🌞) | Chapter 2.5 (🌞) | Chapter 3 (🌞) | Chapter 4 (🌚) | Chapter 5 (🌞)

Chapter 1 - Kate

WC:1759

As I get ready for the day ahead, I look into the mirror and give myself a nod of assurance. Today I’ll be accompanying Lord Elbert and Roger on a mission, but that wasn’t until later this afternoon. Before everyone departs on their own business today, I’ll track down Victor and give him my proposal. 

(This time, I’m not taking no for an answer!)

Dressed and ready to go, I hop out of my vanity chair and set out to find the Palace's Grim Reaper. 

As always, he started his day in his office, probably putting together his itinerary for the day. I didn’t want to accidentally walk into another one of his important discussions, so I was sure to knock on his door before entering. 

Knock knock

Victor: “Ah! Whose light little taps could that be so early in the morning?”

The door opens wide to show my lover standing as proud and beautiful as ever. His smile is bright and welcoming as he looks down at me. 

Victor: “Good morning, Kate! I was just thinking that I’d need to see your smile before I head out for the day.”

Kate: “I thought that’s why you had that mini portrait painted of me?”

Victor: “Ah, but art is a pale imitation of life when the subject is as beautiful and radiant as you.”

He leans down to grab a loc of my hair. When he brings it to his lips in a short kiss, I start to feel a slight heat rise in my cheeks. Victor is always extravagant with his language, especially his compliments, but he’d showered me with so many that it feels normal now. 

I give him the smile he was waiting for, and he returns it in kind as I walk into his office. We’ve made a habit of having tea together in the morning when there aren’t any duties getting in the way.

As I take my first sip of tea, Vic launches into an excited ramble about the day ahead. 

Victor: “-and of course I’ll have the fabrics from overseas sent to the tailors at Scala Theatre today. Our curious cat will love the costumes they create, don’t you think?”

Kate: “Fufu, of course he will, Vic. Looks like you have another day set aside for your favorite hobby... Say, Victor?”

I set down my tea cup and stare straight into his eyes with a serious look. He seems a little surprised at the change when he answers.

Victor: “Yes, Kate?”

Kate: “This coming Tuesday, do you have any plans?”

Victor: “Hmm, well since it’s a national holiday I won’t be attending to the Queen’s orders. In fact, she demanded I take the day off from the official national agenda.”

(Perfect! Seems like the Queen thinks the same way I do. He really needs a break, even if he doesn’t see that himself.)

Victor: “So, I suppose I’ll fill the day with my favorite hobby while the boys are off playing throughout England. Of course, I can be sure to set aside some time for my lovely robin as well.”

Kate: “All of it.”

Victor: “Hm?”

I’m distracted for a moment as his silky hair cascades down his shoulders, head tilted in a quizzical way. 

(He’s so gorgeous it’s almost unfair. Is it any wonder I want him all to myself?)

Kate: “I don’t want some of your time that day, Vic. I want all of it.”

A delighted but ever-so-slightly wicked smirk spreads across Victor’s face. I wasn’t usually this forward… But something Will mentioned the other day really made me want to be a bit more selfish.

Victor: “Oho! Is that so? And what shall we do with our exclusive time together?”

I took a deep breath before saying the words I’d chosen so carefully. 

Kate: “Whatever you want, Vic.”

I know that Victor had warned me against promising to do “whatever you want” the day I helped around the castle, but things were different now. Victor isn’t just some man to me. He’s so much more special than that, and above all, I trust him. 

We haven’t spent all that much time together, in the grand scheme of things, but I've seen enough to know his character. I also know that he’s been holding himself back from something on more than a few occasions. I couldn’t help but want to see more of the things Victor kept hidden away from me.

I can see he’s about to protest, so I put a finger to his lips, causing his eyes to go wide in surprise.

Kate: “You’re always telling the boys to be loyal to the desires of their wicked hearts, aren’t you? Well, you’re a member of Crown too, Vic. As much as I’ve seen the sins of the other members, as a Fairytale Keeper I’ve been neglecting your story. So I want to spend the day with you, doing whatever it is you want us to do together.”

Victor gently grips my wrist and pulls my finger from his lips before lacing his fingers with mine. His jewel toned eyes are fixed on where our palms meet. 

Victor: “As a Cursed One and the Fairytale Keeper?”

His tone is teasing as he rubs a small circle on the back of my hand with his thumb. I smile and nod my head. That was just an excuse to convince him to let me dote on him for a bit, and it looks like he’s seen through it.

Kate: “And as lovers too. We’re both good at multitasking.” 

I can see Victor pondering my proposal as emotions I can’t name flicker in his eyes. He finally sets down his teacup and looks at me directly.

(!!!)

The moment our gazes meet a shiver runs down my spine, and the hairs on my arms stand on end. It’s like the room is gripped by a heavy, fog-like chill, but then Victor smiles at me, warm and inviting, and in an instant that supposed chill is gone.

(Was… Was that just my imagination? Surely it must have been…)

Victor: “How can I argue with my own words turned against me? Very well, Kate. I’ll heed the desires of my heart for the day on one condition.”

Kate: “And what would that be?”

Victor closes the distance between us to lightly grab a loc of my hair again. He twirls it around with his thumb and forefinger before answering, avoiding meeting my eyes.

Victor: “During daylight hours we’ll decide what to do together. Of course, I’ll suggest activities I want to do, but you’ll be free to deny my suggestions or come up with your own.”

(Well, that doesn’t sound any different from what we always do.)

Kate: “What’s the catch?”

Victor: “The catch, my fearsome beloved, is that at twilight, you’ll have a choice to make. We can end our time together once the sun dips below the horizon. You’ll go to your bed, and I to mine. Or… We continue into the darkness of night where you will do whatever I want you to.”

(Well that’s an easy decision! He’s just doing what I prefer again.)

But as that thought crosses my mind, our eyes meet again. 

Suddenly, my breath feels constricted, my muscles lock up, and that heavy fog-like chill has me shivering in place. Looking into his eyes, I feel something primal. Something similar to that moment when he’d trapped me in his arms on the dining table but far more intense. Like a rabbit staring into the open jaw of a wolf. 

I hadn’t imagined that sensation from mere moments ago. Victor was showing me that side of him I’d so greedily decided to uncover. Despite all the blood and death I had seen on Crown’s mission, there was something more dark, frightening, and feral in Victor’s eyes than anything I’d seen before. 

Victor: “Consider your choice carefully, beloved. Continue to throw yourself into the abyss, and you’ll find it quite unwilling to let you go…”

My heart beats loudly in my chest as I shiver, unable to move and sweat beginning to bead on my brow. The pressure I feel from Victor’s hungry stare is almost too much to bear.

He tucks my hair behind my ear, and I take a gasping breath as that ominous pressure is relieved. I quickly stand on my feet, more on instinct than by any rational decision. 

Kate: “I-I should go see Elbert and Roger. We… We have to, um...”

Victor: “Discuss the details of your mission?”

My voice had trailed off as my mind scrambled for an excuse, but Victor finished my thought for me, his tone sly and teasing.

I was still shaken from… Whatever that was, but in spite of that primal terror Victor had stoked in me, I began to feel my cheeks heat as fear and something unnamed mixed together within me. 

(I need to go clear my head. If anyone else sees me like this..)

Kate: “Well, I’ll be off then.”

I hurriedly turn to the door, every movement feeling stiff and mechanical.

Victor: “Of course! As always, be careful and have fun!”

His jovial tone and the little wave he gave me did little to calm my racing heart, and I turned to dash out the door. 

I got a taste of what I wanted and it left me a shivering, confused mess. I know that I’m in love with Victor, and I know that I want to learn more about him, but…

Continue to throw yourself into the abyss, and you’ll find it quite unwilling to let you go…

Is it safe to continue forward into the dark? When twilight comes, will I know which is the right choice?

Previous Chapter (🌞) | Next Chapter (🌞)

[isfjmel-phleg]

Who is Amarantha?

Today, October 4, is my OC Amarantha's birthday.

Bio

Amarantha Margeth Melbray is the daughter of Levico (L. D.) Melbray, author of the popular Morrick Hopeley detective stories, and his wife Edmara, nurse to King Talfrin's son, Elystan. The nature of Edmara's job makes it difficult for her to be at home consistently, so Amarantha has been raised primarily by her father. She developed an interest in art at an early age and has been encouraged to cultivate this talent. Her greatest aspiration is to become a famous artist, specializing in portraiture, and she is given a chance to work toward that future when her mother's employer, Queen Bethira, grants her a scholarship to a distinguished girls' school for the arts.

Upon arriving at this school, however, Amarantha learns that her scholarship has been suddenly and unexpectedly revoked. With nowhere else to go while her father is on a lecture tour, she joins her mother at the palace, where she reencounters her old nemesis Elystan. Amarantha has for a long time been deeply jealous of the boy who monopolizes her mother's attention and affection, and their meeting doesn't go well--she ends up slapping him and incurs the wrath of his mother. That night, Amarantha's mother wakes her up and hurries them onto a train, but she vanishes before she can explain, and Amarantha wakes up in a remote moated castle, lost, confused, and trapped. But she's not alone--Elystan's there too! Can she find answers about what happened and find a way out? Is Elystan worth joining forces with in this adventure? Is there any hope for her scholarship now that she's offended the royal family?

Why I Love Her

This child is intense. Everything is Serious Business, especially art. She has one plan for her life, it's her glorious purpose, and she has no backup plans. At age twelve, she's already got Opinions about what portraiture should and shouldn't be. She's constantly struggling with reality's failure to live up to her grandiose expectations. She's trying so hard to win her mother's attention back (maybe if I accomplish something impressive enough, maybe if I'm accommodating enough, maybe if I'm responsible and undemanding enough...) but she feels as if she can never get more than crumbs, and she's deeply resentful beneath the compliance. She's a judgmental, jealous, petty jerk who thinks she knows and understands other people far more than she actually does--but also a naïve child who hasn't lost her sense of wonder and tendency to get caught up in fancifulness. She needs friends. She's going to get friends. She needs growth. She's going to get that too.

Description

Visitors to the Melbray parlor who encountered Amarantha seated silently on the sofa, her hands folded, typically received the impression that she was a quiet, mannerly child. It usually took a while before they noticed her peering at them with prominent brown eyes like an insect who had weighed them in the balance and found them wanting. The bow at the base of the brown braid wrapped around her head sprung from the back of her neck like a pair of wings. Her round face and small nose and mouth gave her an otherwise doll-like countenance, but nothing could soften the intensity of that gaze.

Further Info

There are lists of random OC facts for her here and here. These are somewhat old lists, created when I was still trying to more fully develop the character, and I might need to revisit/rethink them, but you get the idea.

Appearances

Prequel scene for Book 2

Short dialogue between Amarantha and her father (before Book 2)

Revised Book 2 Chapter One

Early Morning Tea (set immediately after Book 2 Chapter One)

Revised Book 2 Chapter Two

Revised Book 2 Chapter Three

Revised Book 2 Chapter Four

Revised Book 2 Chapter Five

Revised Book 2 Chapter Six

Picnic in the Clock Tower (later in Book 2)

Tell Me Where You Live (sketch)

Speaking to a Housemaid (sometime in Book 3)

Portrait of the Monarch as a Young Woman (sometime in Book 4)

[servospawn]

✎┊Get to know me ⤫

Tagged by @thegloomiestwhim 🖤

1. What’s your favorite sims death? 

Blunt force trauma via vending machine. 

2. Alpha CC or Maxis Match?

Maxis Mix &proud of it. 

3. Do you cheat when your sims gain weight?

Nope. They’ve been known to fluctuate their weight often. 

4. Do you use move objects?

Is that a serious question? 

5. Favorite mod? 

I’m not even sure anymore so I’ll just say everything from Nraas. 

6. First expansion/game/stuff pack you got? 

Livin’ Large.

7. Do you pronounce “live mode” like aLIVE or LIVing?

Alive.. anything else is weird.

8. Who’s your favorite sim that you’ve made?

I haven’t shown his sim form in YEARS.. but this answer will always be the same: Granger 

9. Have you made a simself?

I have. I still have her too. One day I’ll throw her back in my game so she can embarrass me some more. 

10. What sim traits do you give yourself?

Foodie, Perfectionist, Hates Children, Loner.

11. Which is your favorite EA hair color?

Black.. not that nasty blue/black. BLACK.

12. Favorite EA hair?

Idk.. probably that one TS3 hair that looked like uncooked ramen because Granger wore it forever. 

13. Favorite life stage?

YA.. but I’m learning to actually have my sims age for once. 

14. Are you a builder or are you in it for the gameplay?

I only build unless I’m forced to, so.. gameplay.

15. Are you a CC creator?

A fake one.. sure. 

16. Do you have any simblr friends/a sim squad?

@x-virtualism-x, @fanaskher, & @touchmypixels have been with me from the beginning.. &a few others who are no longer here.

But really I’m including anyone who has witnessed this blog become complete &utter garbage. It’s been a ride.

17. What’s your favorite game?

Round of applause for The Sims 3.

18. Do you have any sims merch?

Lol.. chill.

19. Do you have a YouTube for sims?

Nah.

20. How has your “sim style” changed throughout your years of playing?

Sheesh.. a lot??? 

I guess I’ll say that my sim style has included more realism over time of being here. Seeing their portraits side by side (from left to right) as they’ve grown into how they look now is a little jarring for me because I’m not really sure if it’s consistent. If you look hard enough or you’ve followed me for a while you can tell that some of them are the same sim but others like Ben have gone through some serious overhauls. 

Mostly that reason is because in my eyes they’ll be forever wips. I’m always changing something about their background, story arcs or genetics &all that comes into play with their appearance. 

As far as my actual sim style is concerned.. IMO.. I’ve improved. When it comes to personal preference your own opinion is what should matter so please never let anyone else influence you on how your sims should look/behave. That goes for life in general too.

21. What’s your Origin ID?

Servospawn.

22. Who’s your favorite CC creator?

I can safely say that I have Sandy’s entire catalog &she’s the only one I’ve ever donated to, so.. AroundTheSims3/4.

23. How long have you had a simblr?

Est ‘13.

10 big ones.

24. How do you edit your pictures?

Photoshop. I’ve simplified my editing drastically over the years. I run my gameplay shots through a couple of actions &call it a day.

25. What expansion/game/stuff pack is your favorite so far?

For TS3.. University. TS4.. idk. I haven’t stuck with it consistently enough to form a well rounded thought on any of the recent packs. 

26. What expansion/game/stuff pack do you want next?

We not buying shit over here.

This was fun to do.. thank you. I tag @x-virtualism-x, @fanaskher, @touchmypixels, @wooldawn, @crsentfairy, @kazuaru, @pralinesims, @sims3melancholic, @vyxated, @birdietrait, @xldkx, @non-sims, @therichantsim​ &whoever else wants to do this. If you did already please disregard. 

[ramblings-of-a-mad-cat]

The Snake Who Lived and The Order of The Phoenix

What if Harry was sorted into Slytherin?

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Voldemort managed to return to power despite Harry not being a Champion, and he even retained the support of Crouch Junior! Let's see where this goes.

I didn’t really go into detail about Harry’s reaction to the House of Black, because for all we know, he may not have even seen it until this year. Or he may have. But either way, his reaction is the same. It’s alright, the severed elf heads and the screaming racist portrait notwithstanding. Having watched Dobby suffer for years and not having a muggle-born friend who Kreacher regularly insults, Harry might ask Sirius to consider being a bit nicer to him. Remus definitely would too, so they can gang up on him and pressure him into being a better person. Giving small gestures to Kreacher, like letting him keep some of the trinkets they would have otherwise thrown out. Like say, a big gold locket…? Perhaps. And perhaps Sirius won’t kick Kreacher out over the holidays. Hmmm. 

Remus initially hides the copies of the Daily Prophet that smear Harry, but Sirius finds them and it leads to a small argument before they show Harry. Everyone is mad, but regardless of what Dumbledore says, Sirius will never just keep Harry in the dark. For his own good or otherwise. 

I’m really not seeing how The Dementor attack can even happen here. Even during the time that Harry spends at Privet Drive, Sirius would be there as Padoot. The Dursleys are likely confunded or fed some kind of calming potion so that they accept the big doggo, but the point is that if Harry went out for a walk, Sirius is likely to be with him. Voldemort can’t do anything because of The Blood Wards, but Umbridge is going to have to get more creative. Or is she…? Okay, I have a solution. Harry is still training in Animagery, right? Suppose he successfully completes his training this summer? And when I say that, I mean he and his guardians manage to brew the potion and he takes it. As for his form, I mean…probably just a Stag. I see no reason to deviate from that. So yeah, he turns into a Stag. He has no plans to register, and that, my friends, will be his undoing. The Ministry conducts a bogus raid on the House of Black and likely finds (or plants) enough evidence for them to bring Harry in on suspicion of being an unregistered Animagus. Might seem like I’m reaching a bit, but honestly, they’re reaching too. Umbridge and Fudge were always going to find a way to put Harry on Trial/try to have him expelled, The Patronus was just how they did it in the original timeline. With that in mind, the “how” is secondary here. 

The problem then becomes everything else they have on him. So yeah, in this timeline, The Hearing… It doesn’t go well. I just can’t imagine the Wizengamot voting in majority to clear Harry of all charges, not with the record he’s accumulated. Even with Dumbledore there to stir the pot, I see Harry getting convicted, and expelled from Hogwarts. Well holy shit, talk about a Butterfly Effect, am I right? Now relax, because Dumbledore isn’t going to take this lying down, but for the time being, Harry is in serious trouble. One plus side is that he runs into Lucius Malfoy as in the original timeline (he was lurking outside the trial to begin with) and guess what? He’s able to pass Lucius a book that contains a sock, telling him the book belongs to Draco. Like the fool that he is, Lucius passes the book to Dobby, and even though Harry’s scar prickles in the passage, he seizes his chance, telling Dobby to check inside. This causes a scene at the Ministry, which is an added benefit as he made Lucius look like the fool that he is, though a lot of the Ministry officials who witnessed this feel that Harry was dirty and underhanded - again, they don’t see anything wrong with House Elf enslavement. 

So here’s a major problem: It seems to be tradition (or a rule, who knows) that students who get expelled from Hogwarts then have their wands destroyed as part of the process/punishment. It was done to Hagrid, and it was threatened to be done to Harry in the OG timeline. (Not sure if it was done to Newt.) I don’t know why the Ministry can just do this, as it’s not like the wands are school property or anything, and being expelled from school isn’t the same thing as losing your ‘license’ to practice magic…or I guess maybe it is? God, they live in a society. But see, that’s the problem: Harry’s not going to turn his wand over, especially if he’s not allowed to just get another one - and that seems to be the rule, otherwise why would Hagrid have to keep using the concealed, broken pieces of his first wand?

I can see this evolving into a whole altercation. Ministry officials show up to do it, and Harry refuses to relinquish his wand. Sirius and Remus step in between Harry and the Ministry goons, who drop some lines about asking Sirius if he’d like to go back to prison. Just then, a letter arrives from Dumbledore, revealing that The Ministry has agreed to allow Harry to return to Hogwarts on a trial basis, but he’ll have to have a Supervisor who determines if he’s behaving himself. He’ll be constantly monitored and one toe out of line will lead him right back to door number one. Hey guys. Guys. Guys. Guess who his Supervisor is. I bet you already know, and I bet you’re all groaning. That’s right, it’s the hopping, giggling toad herself, Dolores Umbridge. Oh, Harry is in for hell. And given how Draco is a Prefect as well, and therefore also in charge of him? Oh, by the end of this year, Harry’s going to wish he had just turned his wand over in the first place. 

But here’s a wrinkle. If she’s Harry’s Supervisor, she can’t exactly teach Defense Against The Dark Arts, can she? Hey, guess who has an idea! I have an idea. The new Educational Decree permits the Ministry to select a teacher for Dumbledore, but only if he fails to find one himself. But Sirius is not happy about the idea of Umbridge shadowing Harry everywhere he goes and making him miserable. Would Professor Black please stand up? Yep, that’s right, he’s going to volunteer to teach Defense Against The Dark Arts, (despite both Remus and Harry being wary of the jinx) and Umbridge and the Ministry will hate it. But what can they do? He’s been cleared of all charges, and Fudge is regretting the hell out of that. 

The Weasleys would, at some point, come to stay at Grimmauld Place like they did in the OG timeline, because Sirius still volunteers it as a base of operations for The Order. But I’d say that overall, he’s in a much healthier mental state in this version of OOTP, as a free man. Harry gets to see Ron and Ginny, and learn about Percy’s estrangement from the family, to say nothing of Fred and George’s depression. Ron is a Prefect and Harry can’t really be jealous given how he dodged expulsion by the skin of his teeth and isn’t exactly winning any Badges these days. (Man, can you imagine Harry trying to go out on dates with Ginny, with Umbridge lurking in the corner and hem-hemming all the time? God, he’s in for a rough year…) 

Let’s check in on Voldemort. Or at least on his plans, which we hear from Snape at Order meetings, once they start happening. No big blow-up argument between Molly and Sirius as there’s no real call for it in this timeline, but frankly Sirius just tells Harry everything anyway, once the others are gone. Voldemort has the Philosopher’s Stone. He’s trying to gather followers, but he’s also after the mysterious “weapon.” (To this day, I don’t know why they describe the Prophecy as a weapon but alright.) Snape has also been able to confirm the return of Crouch Junior, though nobody has any clue how that’s possible, and everyone is now really afraid of Voldemort’s seemingly literal death-defying powers. 

Harry has an idea, and he calls out to Dobby. Who is now a free Elf, and is overjoyed to see Harry again, feeling absolutely indebted to him. I think he asks to become Harry’s Elf at this point and Harry doesn’t really have any reason to say no. Rest assured, this isn’t going to last for long. I’m just thinking that Dobby only found work at Hogwarts when he was with Winkie, and that hasn’t happened so far. But it will. Because Harry’s going to ask Dobby to find Winkie, and question her about Crouch Junior. 

Luna Lovegood. Harry might actually already know her at this point, if she’s Ginny’s friend. Actually, no, I don’t think Ginny and Luna were as close as they got until the D.A. started, but either way, Harry meets her on the train. She shows him the Quibbler, and I want to say that it has some article about how Voldemort is secretly possessing Harry using an obscure magical fungus, and not even Harry himself knows it. Because the Quibbler is always right when you look past the silly, extraneous details. 

Return to Hogwarts, except no reaction to the Thestrals this time as Harry still can’t see them. The Sorting Hat sings a new song, and Harry endures jabs from Draco. Indeed, a lot of people are whispering and buzzing about him after the Hearing over the summer. When he gets up to leave as everyone is dismissed, Umbridge is right there, and in her sickeningly sweet girlish voice, suggests they take a walk. When they do, she outlines the new regime: He is going to behave himself. If he doesn’t, she’ll be forced to punish him, and make sure he learns his lesson. All with those high pitched giggles. She tells him that she’ll be watching closely and from now on, she will escort him everywhere. Hogsmeade weekends and other entertaining activities will be at her discretion. Harry feels as though he’s going to be sick, and doesn’t shake her off until he reaches the Slytherin Common Room.

Indeed, Umbridge is everywhere. She even sits in on Harry’s classes, causing a considerable amount of buzzing and invoking the ire of several teachers. Included but not limited to McGonagall, Snape, and of course Sirius. Indeed, he causes a scene when he holds Harry back after class to talk to him, and when Umbridge won’t leave, he says he’ll take this before Dumbledore. Umbridge responds that she answers to someone above Dumbledore. Sirius offers a tired smile and remarks that there is no such person. Is it commentary on his society, a spark of actual loyalty to the man, or is he just trying to frighten Umbridge and get under her skin? (Remember, Umbridge also helped pass Anti-Werewolf laws.) Either way, this is about to get very funny, as Sirius transforms into Padfoot and uses that as motivation to make Umbridge go away, at least for a little bit, though she says she’s going to write to the Minister. 

Sirius and Harry have a conversation similar to the “Have a biscuit, Potter” scene in the OG timeline, except it’s much more open as Sirius sympathizes with Harry and urges him to just play along for the time being, as he, Sirius, works on a way to try and get rid of The Toad. 

But The Toad will have her revenge. She doesn’t like that Sirius is teaching his students actual defensive magic, or that his class sometimes gets side-tracked as his students ask him what Azkaban was like. Furthermore, she makes good on her promise to “punish” Harry for wrongdoing, which apparently includes having a private conversation with a teacher, who is also his Godfather. Doesn’t matter. She takes Harry back to the Slytherin Dungeon and makes him write with the Blood Quill. In this case, he writes “I will not sneak about.” Or something to that effect. But Draco catches sight of what’s happening before Umbridge sends him away. I mean, he is a Prefect, and it’s just like him to spy on Harry, so I can see this happening. Ready for a surprise, though? Draco is appalled. 

I mean, I’m not saying he voices this opinion or does anything about it. I’m not sure he’d ever admit that his initial gut reaction was of disgust, but it was. Draco is an entitled, spoiled bully who doesn’t have a clue…but he’s not a sadist. He doesn’t like violence, he doesn’t like actually physically hurting others. Sure, he was excited about Hermione’s death, but it’s not like he saw her mangled body. If he had, I think he might have changed his tune. It’s so much easier to align yourself with bigotry if you don’t actually see all the blood that gets spilled. Draco hates Harry but seeing him be literally tortured is going to affect him and not in a good way. On some level, he knows that it’s wrong. He just can’t face it. At least not yet. 

Harry’s a stubborn stag, and if we assume that Dumbledore is still ghosting him in this timeline, (and he’d have even more reason to) then he’s not going to tell Dumbledore or anyone else. I’d say it’s even more likely that he takes Umbridge’s control of his life as a personal challenge. She won’t let him play Quidditch, she won’t let him see Ginny, and so on. Not until he “earns” it, and earning it is going to take a number of late nights of carving “I will not sneak about” on his hand. Never mind that it’s O.W.L. year and he has homework as well. Meanwhile, Ron becomes Keeper alongside Ginny as Chaser on the Gryffindor team. 

So, the D.A. is unlikely to be formed in this timeline. There’s just no need for it. They have an adept teacher for Defense Against The Dark Arts. But he’s about to be seriously crippled, as another Educational Decree passes, limiting the D.A.D.A. teacher to defensive magical theory and essentially rewriting the entire curriculum to be useless. This is a problem…or it would be, except this is Sirius we’re talking about, and he blatantly ignores this new Decree, which is a whole other problem by itself. To this end, he tries to ban Umbridge from shadowing his classes, and both McGonagall and Snape back him. Sirius and Snape on the same side? It’s more likely than you think. Finally, Dumbledore steps in, and informs Umbridge (and Fudge) that during class hours, it is the responsibility of the teacher to keep Harry in check, and that Umbridge is no longer welcome to sit in on his classes. She tries anyway, and various enchantments kick her out, to increasingly hilarious effects. 

So in essence, there is a “D.A.” of sorts, but not really as Sirius is the one running it, and it’s just his normal classes, (complete with Remus coming in for the occasional guest lecture) which he instructs his students not to talk about - though of course they do, but Umbridge can’t really prove anything. She questions Harry, who rebuffs her, and hey, guess what? “I must not tell lies.” is back. Or maybe just “I will tell the truth.” On his other hand. But by this point, it’s getting harder and harder for Harry to hide his hands. He’s been wearing gloves and just claiming his hands get cold, but it’s creating awkward situations. Theodore has already glimpsed his hands, but agreed to remain silent. In a dark moment, he “jokingly” suggests The Killing Curse, but drops it when Harry looks disturbed. 

You know who gets Harry to come forward, though? At long last? I think it’s Draco, actually. I think for the first time in five years, Harry and Draco have a real heart to heart. Well, that’s putting it a little bit strong. Here’s how I imagine it: Draco wants to talk to Harry about why he’s wearing the gloves, but cannot express that this is what he wants to talk about. So he makes a few attempts to initiate conversation in the ways he knows how. Gloating about how he is once again the Slytherin Seeker, picking on Dobby when Dobby comes to see Harry - which reminds me, Umbridge hates both him and Crookshanks and tries to have both of them sent away. She fails with Crookshanks, but it’s agreed that students shouldn’t have personal elves, so his news will have to wait. Either way, Harry snaps at Draco and tells him to “go tell Umbridge on him” if he wants to do some real damage. 

Harry sees the pain in Draco’s eyes, and for just a moment, the mask slips. Draco snaps back, asking why Harry hasn’t just said something, gone to his precious Godfather or to Dumbledore and told them what Umbridge is doing. That Harry is Dumbledore’s favorite and Umbridge is clearly in the wrong. Tempers are running high, and Harry fires back that it’s not about being right or wrong - he has to win. Running to Sirius or especially Dumbledore is, I think, akin to giving up - at least in Harry’s mind. Draco is stunned and actually a little impressed. Tells Harry “That’s the most Slytherin thing I’ve ever heard you say, Potter…” Draco parts Harry’s company by telling him that, if Umbridge is doing this to him, odds are she’s done it to other people in the past. 

Harry is so thick and I love him for it. I’m just now realizing how much effort and energy he is dedicating to this war with Umbridge when there are much bigger fish to fry, but you all know this is exactly what he’d do. Speaking of those bigger fish, Dobby comes out when the coast is clear and updates Harry on Winkie. He got her a job in the Kitchens, but she clamped up about her previous masters. Dobby freely offers to do some unkind things to Umbridge with his Elf magic, the next time she hurts him. But Harry again rejects the help, instead freeing Dobby by giving him a Slytherin scarf, and encouraging him to take a job in the Kitchens as well. If nothing else, he doesn’t want to get in more trouble. He’ll have to take Umbridge down another way. And Draco’s words have given him an idea of how to do it. 

I said he’d come forward before, and maybe he would, but…no. Here’s the thing. Guess who else is keeping tabs on Harry and then hears raised voices in the Slytherin Common Room? Why, the Head of Slytherin of course. Umbridge was careful. She deliberately waited till the dead of night to give Harry his “punishments.” She memorized Snape’s schedule. Harry has not done this. It doesn’t occur to him that he’ll be overheard. But once Draco and Dobby are gone, Snape emerges from the shadows to interrogate him ferociously about how long this has been going on. He’s mad. He’s very mad, and he’s taking it out on Harry, which is hilarious because the anger is on Harry’s behalf. However, Harry knows what to do now, and he speaks up, finally talking in Snape’s language. 

“My Dad. My Dad used to make your life hell, didn’t he? Him and Sirius, all the time. Remus told me. Professor, this is my hell. Umbridge is my James Potter. These are demons I have to face alone. If I can’t handle the likes of her, then I don’t stand a chance against Voldemort.” 

Snape, like Draco, is genuinely moved by Harry’s sentiments, even if he’d sooner die than admit it. Harry is learning to talk, and think, like a real Slytherin. 

I said Harry knows what to do, and he does. Asking for help would be a show of weakness in this fight. But there’s a valley between asking for help and exploiting a resource, and that valley comes down to how much a person means to Harry. He won’t ask Sirius or Dumbledore or Dobby to help him take down Umbridge…but a stranger, or even someone he dislikes? That’s another story, and it so happens that one of his enemies is in a perfect position to systematically destroy Umbridge. This enemy has no loyalty or integrity, they have no reason to help Harry, but they serve their own interests and making gold is one of those interests. I am talking, of course, about Rita Skeeter. 

But how is he going to meet with her? I think he enlists a little help from Fred and George, recruiting Ron into the plan during Charms class, who then passes the message onto them, and they use one of the secret passages to deliver a classic to Harry at the Slytherin Common Room. A package of the prototype “Fainting Fancies.” He then has Daphne offer one to Umbridge on the morning of a Hogsmeade visit. She’s down for the count, and Daphne and Tracey move her into a nearby broom cupboard, locking it so she won’t be discovered. 

So Harry makes his way to The Hog’s Head, let’s say, to meet with Rita. I’d assume they’ve been writing to each other through Ron and Hedwig. Harry doesn’t even need to blackmail her (not that he knows her secret anyway) he just needs to take a page from the Malfoy book and pay her off handsomely. He doesn’t know she’s an Animagus but he does know that she has some method of spying on people or otherwise learning their secrets that is as of yet, undetectable. It is an educated guess that Umbridge has skeletons in her closet, and if Rita can unearth them, she can put them out into the world. But she offers an alternative solution. Don’t publish, blackmail. (So long as she gets paid a small fortune, it’s all the same to her.) Harry agrees with this plan. 

Is it cheating to use Pottermore content? I mean, it’s all canon, right? Well, *casts a cursory glance at McGonagall* perhaps not all of it…but I don’t see a film series rewriting Umbridge’s backstory anytime soon. If you didn’t know, her mother was a muggle and her brother a squib. And boy oh boy, does she hate being reminded of that. She doesn’t want anyone to know. With Rita’s help, Harry discovers these treats, as well as learning that her “Blood Quills” are 100% illegal. (I mean..they’ve got to be, right? It’s only a head-canon but, come on.)  She also discovers that Umbridge was behind the bogus raid on Grimmauld Place. She relays all this, probably through a fireplace phone conversation in the Slytherin Dungeons after hours. This isn’t enough on its own though, Harry is going to need proof. The word of Harry Potter, especially against a Ministry official,  is all but worthless right now. 

Quidditch time. Harry isn’t in the game and he doesn’t even get to attend, but Ron’s stage fright acts up and the Weasley is Our King meme is born, though it will still be a while before he reclaims it. Hagrid returns and Ron and Ginny are the ones who visit him to learn about the Giants, as obviously, Harry’s got a shadow. After Umbridge woke up in the closet and was discovered, she raced back to the Common Room but Harry beat her there, innocently asking where she’d been. But Umbridge knew Harry was behind it and gave him more Blood Quill lessons. She’s been cracking down on him harder and he knows he’s going to need to think of something clever, as he likely can’t slip away a second time to collect the evidence. 

It’s during a Potions lesson that the idea falls into place. Polyjuice Potion. He needs to use Polyjuice Potion. A bait and switch. He can’t have his Slytherin friends brewing it, not with Umbridge popping in and out. Ron is rubbish at Potions and Ginny is probably decent, but do you know who I think Harry goes to for help, possibly at her advice? Luna. Or maybe just all three of them, why not? They brew Polyjuice in the Third Floor Corridor, which is now deserted. On the day of the next Hogsmeade visit, Harry and Ron swap places and take each other’s identities before Umbridge shows up. 

Ron waits for Umbridge. She never turns up. Harry ventures back to Hogsmeade, meeting with Rita in the agreed-upon place, where she’s supposed to have vials of Pensieve memories that confirm her stories. But something is wrong. She doesn’t seem to have anything on her person. Harry realizes too late that this is a set-up, as Umbridge appears from around the corner, having waited for Harry to say enough to damn himself. She binds him and takes him by side-along apparition to the Ministry. 

See, The Hog’s Head was a bad idea. We know people can listen in there. I also wouldn’t be surprised if The Ministry wasn’t looking into Rita after the whole Cedric Conspiracy last year. If Umbridge discovered Rita’s dirty little secret, she could use that to leverage her into stabbing Harry in the back, as it’s Harry that Umbridge actually wants. She brings him before Fudge who gloats that he’s done it now, and his time at Hogwarts is over. Furious, Harry throws off his gloves and tells him that they’ll have to try harder than that to silence him. Fudge is confused, then disturbed, as he realizes what Harry’s hand wounds are, but he blusters and quickly dismisses it as not the point. 

Meanwhile, Ron goes to Sirius, as neither Harry nor Umbridge have been seen all day and it just doesn’t smell right. Surprisingly, Draco does the same thing in approaching Snape. Ron admits Harry’s plan to Sirius, who is impressed in spite of himself. Snape and Draco discuss Umbridge and her “methods” speculating on just how far she might go. Sirius and Snape run into each other and their mutual dislike becomes a problem, before McGonagall happens upon them both and extracts an explanation. She sends them to inform Dumbledore as she ventures to Hogsmeade herself, but everyone is long gone. 

Right as Dumbledore is being informed, he gets an owl informing him that Harry is to be expelled and his wand destroyed. He, Sirius, and Snape immediately take a floo-powder journey right into Fudge’s office. A huge argument ensues, and Umbridge’s black quill usage comes out. Sirius is about ready to kill her on the spot, though he also wants to know why Harry didn’t tell him. That will cause some drama. Umbridge is, much to her fury and dismay, subsequently dismissed as Harry’s Supervisor. Sirius tries to argue the whole Supervisor concept away, or that he can just do it himself, but Fudge steamrolls over this and says he’ll be in touch soon to appoint the new Supervisor, and that Umbridge will be investigated. 

I think this is where she snaps and tries to attack Harry, but Dumbledore is there so she gets blasted into kingdom come. Well, more like the nearby office wall, but still. Well, that’s it for Umbridge. Least for now. Harry is taken back to Grimmauld Place for the winter holiday as Remus and Sirius obviously dote on him. Sirius still wants to know why Harry never said anything about the Blood Quill, and Harry doesn’t really have an answer. He tries to convey that he wanted to win, but Sirius and Remus don’t really get it. 

Harry has the Dream, of Nagini attacking Arthur. The Weasleys come over, and they basically stay for Christmas after the fact. Harry is able to call Dobby to help seek and locate Arthur, bringing him to St. Mungo’s. Like before, Sirius has to stop Fred and George from tearing off to the hospital to see him, but they do eventually all go. They see Arthur, and they also meet Neville’s parents. Harry and everyone else is sickened, naturally, and Harry once again pleads with Dobby to find out as much as he can about how Crouch Junior can be alive. Oh, and the adults all have a conversation about what Harry’s dream means, leading to them dropping the line about Voldemort possessing Harry. Except this time, it’s Sirius and Remus, most likely, who are talking about it. Well, that’s gonna shatter the hell out of him. 

See, Ginny’s able to pull him from his slump even sooner this time, but it will still linger in the back of his mind. They’ve both been Possessed by Voldemort so they share that trauma, and it helps them bond even further. But Harry is hurt that Remus and Sirius would have a conversation like this behind his back. What’s more, he’s wrestling with a greater fear that comes to a head when he faces that Boggart that’s been lingering upstairs. I can’t remember if I have this as being the first time Harry faces a Boggart, but if it’s not, I totally should have done that, because Harry’s Boggart is himself as a Dark Wizard. It’s a little like the OOTP movie, now that I think about it. I feel like Remus is the one to see it, but Harry refuses to talk about it short of asking Remus not to tell anyone. 

Hey, remember when Snape turned up to inform Harry he’d be getting Occlumency lessons? Well, those lessons are totally still happening, but I don’t think Snape is the one to inform Harry personally. I think that job would be relegated to Harry’s new Supervisor - Kingsley Shacklebolt. Well, Harry’s life just got a whole lot easier. My first instinct was Rufus Scrimgeour, and honestly that sounds like it would be far more interesting, but *deep sigh* I promised myself I would do this based on what is most likely to happen, and realistically, Scrimgeour is way too busy to take on an assignment like this. He’s the head of the Auror Office at this point, so no. While it’s true that Fudge wouldn’t want one of “Dumbledore’s people” watching Harry, he has no idea that Kingsley is a member of the Order, Kingsley hid that very well. Either way, he’s here to notify Harry of the arrangement, so he might as well also tell him about the Occlumency, right? If Snape doesn’t have to go, why would he?

The mass breakout happens. This doesn’t really affect our heroes directly beyond freeing the one, the only, Bellatrix Lestrange. But that will have a greater impact later. The Ministry, unable to blame Sirius in this timeline, chooses to use Umbridge as a scapegoat and claim she was probably involved. Oh, I’ve just thought of something else - Wormtail. He’s in Azkaban right now, isn’t he? Yeah, he’ll escape too, though whether or not he joins Voldemort or just goes right back into hiding as a rat is a different question. 

Here’s something else to think about. Harry should be getting his position on the Slytherin Quidditch team back, right? Well, I’d theorize that the Slytherin Captain offers to redo Tryouts (I mean, Harry’s got a damn Firebolt) but Harry, in a surprise move, turns the offer down and says that Draco should be Seeker. After all the stress of dealing with Umbridge, I think Harry has had enough of dealing with enemies. He and Draco may never be friends but they don’t have to be foes - and there was a glimmer of potential in their last conversation. Not sure if Draco would take the gesture well, though. He might think of it as charity. Unless Harry doubles back to say something to the effect of “now we’re even.” 

Moving forward, man, a lot of stuff from the original timeline just isn’t going to happen. The D.A. isn’t here, and neither is Umbridge, so that’s not getting busted. No conflict with Marietta. No High Inquisitor either, so Trelawney doesn’t get sacked and Firenze might just be stuck with nothing. There’s still the “The Beetle at Bay” but, nope, we covered that earlier in the story. I mean Harry can have a Valentine's Day date with Ginny but I assume it would go well. Ron likely isn’t going to wind up with anyone in this AU, just by the by. I can’t envision him with anyone other than Hermione, though Ron/Lavender could still happen, and there are clues that Luna might have fancied him…we’ll come back to that. In the meantime, we need to talk about Occlumency. 

Harry has taken his first steps toward trying to understand Snape and see him in a better light. Snape has always struggled to respect Harry as a member of his House, but his recent comparison between James and Umbridge (something a Gryffindor Harry would NEVER have done, not even for tactical advantage) has really messed with Snape’s head and now he doesn’t know what to think of the boy. But perhaps these lessons will help him figure it out. Snape is more disturbed than he lets on at Harry’s memories of the Dursleys, including the one where he hexed them - and then it’s immediately followed by the time he Crucio’d Sirius. Snape tries to ask him about this, but Harry clamps up and looks so distressed that Snape pushes forward and attacks again. He sees Harry’s Boggart. But before he can concentrate on that, he sees the Door from Harry’s dreams (Oh yeah, he’s still having those, did I mention that?) as Harry recognizes it at long last. 

Meanwhile, Harry doesn’t trust Kingsley at all. I mean, he likes him just fine, as Kingsley is a cool guy. But Harry doesn’t know him, and he’s not about to start trusting a stranger whose sole purpose at Hogwarts is to keep an eye on him. Though Kingsley isn’t nearly so “hands-on” and he doesn’t “punish” Harry. Like I said, I think Harry was able to have his romantic Valentine's Day with Ginny. I’m sure Kingsley is more than willing to clear off for stuff like that. But still, between him, Snape, and Sirius - Harry isn’t exactly going to be getting up to any mischief. 

Snape’s Worst Memory would normally happen here, and it’s a pretty damn crucial cornerstone of Harry and Snape’s rivalry as well as Snape’s character as a whole. But I just don’t know if I can see it happening here. See, what motivated Harry to look into the Pensieve in the original timeline was mistrust in Snape, and in this version…against all odds, Harry pretty much does trust Snape right now. Also, Remus and Sirius have already given him a somewhat sanitized version of events, and combined with Snape’s biased version, Harry has more or less put the pieces together on what sort of person James was. I think this means Harry just…continues getting Occlumency lessons? They’re not exactly pleasant but Snape is learning more about Harry’s inner turmoil and it’s making him falter ever so slightly. 

Career Advice time, oh yeah. I have…no idea what Harry would want to do with his life at this point. Because it was only Crouch Junior’s advice that planted the idea of becoming an Auror in Harry’s mind. He never really entertained the idea of being anything else. It’s pretty clear that he was meant to teach Defense Against The Dark Arts, but that hasn’t really been shown off in this timeline much. But what’s extra funny is that Harry has Career Advice with Snape. Imagine if he told Snape that he wanted to teach D.A.D.A. too, oh, that’s hilarious. On the other hand, if he was in any way influenced by Kingsley, he might still want to take the Auror’s path. He could always go pro for Quidditch, having been influenced by Victor Krum, but hell, he just turned down a Seeker Tryout. I don’t see that in the cards for him. I think Snape would likely steer him in the direction of becoming an Auror, probably out of some self-loathing and instinct for Harry, that Snape is thinking “Don’t be like me.” 

No fireworks, and no swamp. Fred and George are totally still inventing, but they’re doing so with no budget, and they have no tyrant to oppose. So it’s just casual stuff. The Quidditch Final arrives and with it, Ron officially reclaims the Weasley is Our King joke and is properly crowned. As with before, Harry’s not playing, but unlike before, I don’t think Hagrid ushers him away. He’d definitely still take him into the Forest to meet Grawp at some point, but with Umbridge gone and Hagrid’s job not on the line, he doesn’t really need to sneak as much. Harry is definitely stunned and slightly terrified of Hagrid’s brother, but Grawp is as adorable as ever. “GRAWP WANT HAGGER!” Bless his enormous heart. Either way, Harry celebrates the win over Ravenclaw with Ron and Ginny. 

I think at around this point, Rita Skeeter would release an article discussing Harry’s childhood memories and - for a real stunner - his Boggart. If she’s still at large, it only makes sense that she’d keep pulling the same crap until she gets caught. Harry shows Snape the article and Snape is momentarily blind with rage at Harry for “taking this interview” but Harry, well and truly familiar with Snape’s bullshit by now, just cuts him off to say that he didn’t give Rita any interviews about his Occlumency lessons. That she must have been spying somehow. They resolve to catch her in the act, and stage another Occlumency lesson where they discuss false memories. (Just for giggles, let’s say they consist of Harry having a midnight duel in first year, brewing polyjuice potion in his second year, and eating some gillyweed just last year.) If all goes to plan, they’ll have proven Rita is spying, and will be able to turn the tables on her. 

Now it’s time for O.W.L.s. The pace has really slowed down, huh? But fortunately, it’s about to pick right back up. At least. I think. I dunno, I’ve got to figure this out. Because it’s time to discuss Voldemort’s plan, and how he would go about things. In the original universe, he uses the mental connection to stage Sirius getting abducted and tortured. He needs to motivate Harry to venture to the Hall of Prophecy in the Department of Mysteries and pick up Trelawney’s Prophecy as he and Voldemort are the only ones who can. That’s not going to work this time. Sirius is at Hogwarts. Voldemort needs someone Harry loves and cares about, who isn’t in an immediate vicinity where Harry can just check that they’re okay. But part of the reason this plan worked so well in the OG timeline is that Hogwarts had been drained of all the adults Harry trusted. McGonagall was gone, Dumbledore was gone. Harry legit just forgot about Snape, which says a lot. But in this timeline, they’re all here, and Harry trusts them - especially Sirius, who is also involved. Harry can ask any of them for help, especially since Umbridge is gone. 

Voldemort’s plan only worked because Umbridge had chipped away at Harry’s life piece by piece over the previous ten months. But speaking of Umbridge, she’s going to be the key. I don’t think she took defeat very well, I don’t think she had any intention of just letting the matter go. She would definitely want revenge on Harry, and who’s making the best offer? Well, there’s a rich and esteemed pureblood man with a lot of connections and ties to the Ministry. Yes, I can see Lucius reaching out at Voldemort’s behest to the disgraced Umbridge, and leading her into a trap rather like Wormtail did for Bertha Jorkins in the original universe. Voldemort is going to torture the hell out of Umbridge and break her mind - she spent a great deal of time with Harry and Voldemort wants that intel. Now, why not just possess Umbridge and use her to access the Ministry? Simple. They turned her into a scapegoat. She doesn’t have a job anymore. So she’s useless apart from information, and by the time Voldemort is done with her, Umbridge is little more than a husk. I’d feel bad, but then again, it is Umbridge. Either way, Voldemort now knows all of Harry’s pressure points. Ron. Ginny. Sirius. Hagrid. 

Of course, the alternative solution here is for him to try and Possess Harry again, but for whatever reason, this is the one time in the books where Voldemort just can’t do that. Apparently he’s unable to Possess Harry without feeling excruciating pain because Harry can love. Which um. I’m pretty sure Voldemort’s Possessed other people who can also feel love (like Ginny for instance) but okay. I guess that’s out. Again, it’s #NotMyPlothole, but I’ll respect the canon. 

Actually, wait. There’s a precedent here that works. Voldemort can Possess Ginny. He’s done it before. That’s a way to get Harry to the Department of Mysteries. Even if he’s out of range to do it, he can always send Lucius onto the grounds to do a little Imperius work. So while Harry is undergoing O.W.L.s, Ginny gets possessed and later tries to convince Harry to go investigate the Black Door himself. However, Harry’s scar suddenly erupts with pain and Voldemort realizes his mistake. He warns Harry that he must come to the Department of Mysteries, alone, or he will never see Ginny again. By the time Harry can rise from the floor, by the time the pain stops, Ginny-mort is gone. 

Harry must now find a way to outwit all of the adults in the castle who’d have the means to stop him from rescuing Ginny. But he believes he has to do this alone, just as he felt the same about Umbridge. Voldemort is not one to make idle threats. Like a true Slytherin, he lies to get Kingsley off his tail, warning him that Sirius is acting shady and Harry thinks he might be Possessed. Course, Dumbledore still has The Marauder’s Map, but that shouldn’t be too significant an issue. Assuming he’s even watching, it will be too late by the time he realizes Harry is gone, unless he can guess where Harry’s going. 

No Thestral ride this time, and no Firebolt ride either. Harry likely wouldn’t know how to get to the Ministry by flight, and he doesn’t need to. He has the Slytherin Common Room’s fireplace - as the fires at Hogwarts aren’t being watched in this timeline. But first he needs to get everyone out. Fred and George will need to help him here, possibly with an earlier version of some of those fireworks. No way to be sure who all would be in The Common Room but as it’s studying time for the Fifth Years, at least one of Harry’s House-mates would likely be there, figure out that he’s up to something, and go warn Snape. Either to hinder Harry’s efforts or because they’re genuinely concerned for him.

Harry arrives at The Ministry, and at this point he’s likely expecting to finally be expelled for good this time, when this is all over. He ditched his Supervisor to skip school and all. But he doesn’t care. He has to save Ginny. He stumbles his way through the various rooms in the Department of Mysteries as before. No way to be certain that he’d check the same ones, but I don’t see any of them tripping him up, really. Except maybe the Death Chamber, but he could snap out of that for Ginny’s sake. Then again, this time, does he know what he’s looking for? Actually he could. The Door in his dreams did eventually open. Alternatively, he could use his Scar to navigate, and follow the increasing pain. Or maybe Voldemort just has Lucius stationed at the entrance to escort Harry at wand-point. Either way, he makes it to the Hall of Prophecy. Ginny is there, already bound, and so are The Death Eaters - including but not limited to Lucius, Bellatrix, and Crouch Junior. 

One point of note. I don’t think Ginny’s Possession is going to be fatal or even really harm her much at all, since it was so brief. Compared to Quirrell, Moody, and Crouch Senior who Voldemort Possessed for months on end. Another point of note, and this will be important later. I suspect Rita Skeeter’s next article would come out at around this time. Where, sure enough, she talks all about the fake memories that Harry and Snape discussed during their staged Legilimency lesson. So now Harry and associates know that Rita is spying on him. Now they’re sure. They’ve just got bigger problems to deal with first. We’ll be coming back to this. 

Back at the Ministry, Harry is kind of screwed. It’s rather like the movie where he’s got little choice but to retrieve the Prophecy and hand it over, despite Ginny telling him “don’t you dare-” etc. So what’s going to save him? Actually, I think Crouch and Bellatrix get into a spat over who will accept the Prophecy from Harry and bring it back to Voldemort. That’s something to think about - they both consider themselves Voldemort’s favorite, and in this timeline, they’re both here. They’ve both endured hardships and likely think that makes them superior to each other. They’re going to be competing nonstop, much to the chagrin of the other Death Eaters. Course, neither of them will let Lucius be the one to take the Prophecy. He’s not important enough. Harry waits for an opening, but this time he doesn’t have a crew of six to back him up, at least not yet. 

Back at the castle, Kingsley and Sirius are arguing as Sirius tries to figure out what’s going on. Snape, meanwhile, has been informed of the commotion in the Slytherin Common Room and now Harry has turned up missing. Again. Kingsley realizes he’s been had. The staff all meet to figure out what’s going on, as Dumbledore pours over the Map. This is when Sirius realizes he has it, and he’s not exactly happy about that. However, they eventually realize that Ginny is missing too. Secret unauthorized Hogsmeade date perhaps? Well, they check in with Rosmerta and Aberforth, but Dumbledore already knew that idea was too good to be true. 

Snape is the one to figure it out, having seen inside Harry’s mind and seen his dreams. He realizes Harry has gone to investigate the Department of Mysteries and curses the boy for his stupidity, leading to a fight with Sirius, before McGonagall and Dumbledore have to calm everyone down. Kingsley leaves to find Harry before other Ministry officials do, but Sirius insists on coming along. Dumbledore, following his instincts, requests that they bring more members of The Order. 

In the Hall of Prophecy, Harry has figured out what to do. With his best baseball arm, he flings the Prophecy into the darkness, and as the Death Eaters chase after it, he frees Ginny from her binds and the two of them make a break for it. It’s safe to say the Prophecy breaks when Harry throws it, though. I guess that thread of fate just cannot be severed. What follows is a game of cat and mouse where the Death Eaters chase Harry and Ginny through the various rooms. This would be around the point where The Order shows up. Some of them, anyway. 

We’ve got Sirius and Kingsley, and presumably Remus as well as maybe Tonks. (oh yeah, she’s still in the series, Harry just hasn’t met her before) but that’s about it. Moody’s dead. Dumbledore and Snape are still at Hogwarts. Keep in mind, they aren’t going to realize this is a Death Eater trap until it’s too late. The Order thinks they’re just picking up Harry from another day of his causing trouble. The numbers are not in their favor and they’re about to walk into an ambush, basically. 

What’s also curious is that one of the Death Eaters here is Theodore’s father. Along with Lucius, and Crabbe and Goyle’s dads too. That’s a series of gut punches for Harry. He didn’t actually know until now that Lucius was a Death Eater (though he likely suspected it) as the Graveyard scene never happened this time. Then there’s Dolohov, who cast some horrid curse with violet fire that nearly killed Hermione. But it failed because she had already Silencio’d him. Easy enough to just translate that onto Ginny but it feels almost too easy. Whatever, it’s a minor detail. We all know what happens next. 

Sorry, but it just has to happen. I can see no reason why it wouldn’t still go down the same way, and given how Sirius took up the Defense Against The Dark Arts position…yeah, something was going to have to remove him from this equation anyway. 

So, yeah. Bellatrix gets into a duel with Sirius and ultimately kills him, knocking him through the Veil. Remus has to stop Harry from jumping in after him, and has to break down that Sirius is gone. Poor Remus, man, he just cannot catch a break, can he? Either way, the duel continues and as before, Harry breaks free from Remus’ hold and pursues Bellatrix into the room with all the statues. Now for the million galleon question. Does Harry kill her? Or try, anyway? He…might. He wanted to kill her in the original timeline, and in this one he’s a hell of a lot closer to Sirius, what with seeing him every day and living with him since the end of POA. Not to mention the guilt he always felt about Crucio-ing Sirius before he knew the truth. So I dunno if I see him actually using Crucio again, not after that incident. But he could at least attempt Avada Kedavra. Perhaps he misses? The statues aren’t exactly going to protect Bellatrix though, and she certainly wouldn’t see it coming. 

It feels like Harry is just going darker and darker and I don’t think that would happen just because he’s in Slytherin, but I do think that given who Harry is, and the destiny the world forces on him, getting sorted into Slytherin has created a massive contradiction in his own heart and in the eyes of everyone who sees him, and he doesn’t know how to deal with that. He’s in Voldemort’s House, and all of his loved ones are in that House’s rival, as were his parents. How is he supposed to handle that? 

I think I know what happens. I think Harry does kill Bellatrix. Because like I said, she’s not going to see it coming. She didn’t see Crucio coming in the original timeline and while Harry might not “mean” it with true malice, I think that only really applies to the Cruciatus Curse. There’s no spectrum like that for killing someone with Avada Kedavra. They either die or they don’t, and no one apart from Harry has ever survived that curse. Again, I don’t see him using Crucio on someone after the Shrieking Shack incident, and with how much closer he is to Sirius…yep, Bellatrix is dead as a doornail. 

Voldemort arrives, and Harry initially doesn’t even know who he is. He’s never seen him before. But his scar is exploding with pain and there’s this strange man, eerie and haunted-looking, yet with the ghost of features that were likely once handsome and perhaps still are from certain lights. I’m picturing first-war era Voldemort, know what I’m saying? Voldemort is consumed with rage upon seeing that Harry has slain one of his most devoted followers, and he attacks, attempting to kill Harry. The statutes…probably? Still protect him? I’m not sure why they wouldn’t. 

More importantly, this is the first time Harry has dueled Voldemort. Yew versus Holly, and we all know what that means. The Death Eaters and the Order members plus Ginny likely all stumble on the effects of Priori Incantatem. I’m assuming Harry still “wins” this duel by sending the gold beads back into Voldemort’s wand and conjuring images of his parents. Like I don’t see why any of that would change. Remus is choked up to see them, especially since Sirius just died (and I bet both he and Harry were hoping to see him too and wondering why they didn’t.) But the echoes help Harry retreat, grab Ginny and Remus, and tell him to get them out of here. He disapparates them back to Grimmauld Place. 

Interesting point of note. Had Harry lost the Priori Incantatem battle of wills, an echo of Bellatrix would have appeared and likely assisted Voldemort instead. And hey, that could still happen, and it would be extremely interesting, especially if she reveals to everyone who killed her. But, Harry won the bout in the original timeline. And I don’t see a reason why he wouldn’t this time. Either way, I think it’s safe to say Remus splinches the ever loving crap out of himself because imagine trying to apparate in a warzone after watching your oldest friend die, and seeing ghosts of two of your other close friends? Yeah, Remus is not gonna be able to concentrate in those conditions, and he’s gonna be laid up for a while as Healers fix him up. 

Voldemort has work to do. He gathers his followers and they disapparate, bringing Bellatrix’s body with them. They want to leave no evidence of their return, and this time, the heroes did not win. They only escaped, and they didn’t have Dumbledore or anything. So this battle being what definitely proves Voldemort’s return is…kind of not really going to stick this time. Sirius is dead as well, but there’s no body, and no way to prove Bellatrix killed him in the first place. There is evidence that someone broke into the Department of Mysteries and destroyed Ministry property, but that’s it. Voldemort also does not tell The Death Eaters how Bellatrix died. He wants them to think of Harry’s survival at Godric’s Hollow as a fluke. 

The question of casualties is a tricky one, because it would be so easy to just say that certain characters died in this battle, but the truth is I just can’t be sure. The Order didn’t know they were heading into a fight, and Harry also didn’t have The D.A. with him. How can I know for sure that other people would die or choose who that might be? On the other hand, is it unrealistic to say that Sirius and Bellatrix are the only casualties? Or is that enough? Tonks was injured in the battle, should I just say she was killed off instead? Or is that not fair? Hm, as a compromise, I just won’t feature her much at all going forward, and I’m totally not just doing that because I dislike Remadora. Nah, let’s just say Tonks was also killed in the battle. That she was struck by that curse that hit Hermione in the original timeline. It’s harsh, but it's also realistic. Man, The Black family really took a hit, huh? 

Harry likely doesn’t even return to school at this point, since exams were already pretty much over anyway. But he is brought in, possibly to Dumbledore’s office, to be questioned by Kingsley about what happened before they got there. Kingsley is gentle as obviously, Harry is still in mourning. Harry falters and Dumbledore fills in the blanks with a story about how Voldemort killed Bellatrix for failing to procure the Prophecy and for taking out Sirius, who could have otherwise been valuable leverage against Harry. This is also the story Voldemort would tell his Death Eaters. Harry gratefully goes along with this story, and while Kingsley isn’t really buying it, he accepts it and leaves. Snape is also in the corner and he attempts to use Legilimency on Harry, but Harry has been trained better this time and he brings up the Occlumency barriers. Snape is both frustrated and ever so slightly proud, but that’s a small part of his soul that he will never acknowledge. 

Dumbledore dismisses everyone else to talk to Harry alone, and this talk includes many subjects. It covers everything from the original chat they had in the OOTP book. Though Dumbledore also makes it clear that he knows what Harry did and such behavior is unacceptable. That he is letting it pass because he has to, because there are more important matters to deal with. But, if Harry carries on like he is now, he could wind up in Azkaban or worse. He could turn out to be just as bad as Voldemort. As of this point, the Ministry agrees to lift the whole “Supervisor” requirement, but I think this may also be where Harry begins to question if Aurorship is really for him. I mean, he hasn’t exactly made friends with The Ministry. 

Let’s talk about Ginny for a second. She was taken into The Department of Mysteries and could have died in a dangerous battle, all because of Harry. Now, it wasn’t really his fault, and he also did everything in his power to save her, but the point stands nonetheless. I’m not sure how Arthur and Molly feel about Harry at this point, my guess is that their feelings are not positive, but even if they do like him…I think this is going to be their breaking point. Though Harry did save Arthur’s life and he can point that out. Actually, maybe they do like Harry, but are just very concerned for their children. They’d try to forbid Ron and Ginny from associating with him for their own safety. Well, Molly would. It’s not actually gonna happen, though. Seriously, have they met Ginny? She and Ron will be at Hogwarts and basically outside of Molly’s jurisdiction. She could ask the teachers to keep Harry away from her kids if she really wanted to, but dealing with Harry Potter is already such a headache for most of them, and they can see that he doesn’t really mean any harm, so I don’t think they’d really take to that assignment. 

For her part, I think Ginny is freshly traumatized from having been Possessed again, and she and Harry can talk about that. Might cause distance between them or it might bring them even closer, who knows. I guess we’ll have to see in subsequent installments. 

That about sums everything up. There are loose ends, like Harry’s potentially growing relationships with Snape and Draco, but those will also have to be tackled in future installments. Same goes for Rita Skeeter. Oh! Here’s an interesting thought. Lucius did not get arrested this time, and altogether the fiasco was not his fault. It was Crouch and Bellatrix who got distracted, and with Bellatrix dead, there’s only one person for Voldemort to blame. He’s not going to kill Crouch but this may have consequences in the future. One of which being that Draco probably doesn’t get inducted into The Death Eaters. That was only done to punish Lucius…oh, this is going to be fun. 

Things are darkening more and more, though I s'pose OOTP was always a gloomy installment in the first place. Let's see how things play out in Year 6!

[thatpunkmaximoff]

Story: 4 out of 5 Smut: 3 out of 5

This was everything I hoped for. I loved everything about Beck Sinclair and was rooting for him from the beginning. That man did everything just to get a face-to-face with his little brother’s ex and I’m not even mad about those little white lies.

And Margo! I loved that she didn’t immediately trust Beck straight away and got on his nerves early on. I mean she caved pretty fast to his advances and she tried to keep her wits about her, but a girl can only handle so much when it comes to a man like Beckham Sinclair lol.

The only thing I was let down by was that I think his little brother Carter deserved more punishment than what Beck delivered. A single punch wasn’t enough. He deserved a hospital stay for being a creep.

Now enjoy my rambling thoughts…

* Ex-boyfriend’s VERY attractive older brother has entered the picture. Game on.

* “Are you done?” // “Done with what?” // “Eye fucking me.” — God, I already love how blunt he is.

* Dude, wtf 😂 You seriously bought the company she works at because she was ignoring your calls 🤦🏻‍♀️

* What happened that “one night that weekend” 🤔

* “Say his name again, and I’ll bend you right over this table and fuck you until the only name you can say is mine. You’ll be so full of me you won’t even remember who you were thinking about before.” — woah, where tf did that come from 🥵

* And here I was worried about nothing interesting happening for a bit. I’m not even 30 pages in 😂

* God, Beck is so… bossy. It’s hot and annoying at the same time.

* He’s gonna give himself a serious case of blue balls with all this tension lol.

* The shopping spree. I love it. And Beck being a little shit in the dressing room.

* Aw fuck. Carter still loves Margo? Wtf. Dude cheated on her for the duration of their relationship! She better not even THINK about getting back with him.

* “Smack my ass again, Margo, and I’ll bend you over my knee and return the favor.”

* Oh my god. The email he sent her! 😂

* Of course they’d finally fuck after a snow storm hits. Also… how many chapters has it been already?! Nothing but smut lol.

* Goddamn. So Beck’s been pining for a while, huh. Margo too, but she won’t admit it so freely.

* “I’ve made a home out of Margo, even at risk of knowing she may never find a home in me.” — oh my god 🥺

* Awww. He slipped the engagement ring on her finger while she was sleeping. And then fucked her silly while the whole plane crew could hear 😂

* Lmao. She really likes teasing him, huh. She likes the punishments.

* Goddamn, Margo. I applaud you. Blowing Beck while his brother/your ex was in the room is *chef’s kiss* 💋

* I knew Carter was going to show up to the dinner. Fuck! And then to call Margo a whore.. fuck that dude. Beck should have decked him.

* They both want the relationship to be real! And it is!!!!

* Beck!!! What lies are you scared of Margo finding out?! Everything was going so well and now I’m scared 😒

* Carter needs to get his hands off of Margo right fucking now! Knowing he only sought a relationship with her to “take something from his brother” just pissed me off. He knew beck was interested and he swooped in before his brother could. Fuck this dude. Beck needs to beat the shit out of him.

* I don’t care that Beck paid Ruby to run that article on him. He liked Margo long ago and he told a little white lie to get her in a relationship. That’s fine! Carter is the true creep here.

* Oh my god… my babies just need to kiss and make up 😭

* Ugh. He deserved more than a punch. Oh well. At least Beck has him scared now.

* The portrait she drew 😭 oh my god. I love my babies so much.

* She got her dream job AND he proposed for real! I’m so happy.

[dewdropsonpluto]

This is not a poem, but I feel the need to share.

I just got home from my family reunion, specifically the 35th Clyde and Louise Williams Family Reunion held every year. It's one of my favorite times during the year. Three days camping in Grandma's two and a half acres of backyard (they've owned the land since the 1960s) Three days hanging out with family, extended, close, sassy trash talkers, loving each other, helpful, competitive, and most of all just being family. We all do different things, have made mistakes and have made different choices, have different personalities and interests, but we love each other.

Anyway, during our reunion we do plenty of crafts, bingo, a talent show, Grandma rents the town pool for two hours on Saturday, a fishing pond for kids under 18, and the two most exciting activities are the cribbage tournament (winner gets a custom made cribbage board by my uncle, who funnily enough won the board he made this year) and the raffle. Tickets are $0.25 apiece and proceeds go to paying for the reunion, mainly the food and the outhouses we rent. I spend about $40, I have some family who spend about $100. 95% of the items in the raffle are handmade. My uncle Leon does woodworking things, mainly board games or stuff with my Grandpa's brand on them, my aunt Carol makes coin purses and hand bags. Aunt Pam makes things with her cricket. Cousin Trisha prints on shirts. My Aunt Sandra and my mom usually make a quilt each (those are usually the bigger items), and many other things are put in the raffle. This is the first year I've put something in though.

I painted a horse portrait, which is out of my comfort zone. Portraits are not easy for me and I haven't painted seriously in about 3 years. I'm pretty proud of myself for actually putting my painting out there to my family, even though it's not perfect, I've made progress.

My Grandma won it. It was the only item she one that she didn't ask a redraw for (sometimes adults will put tickets in and ask for a redraw or pick a kid who hasn't won anything yet). Later, she told my mom she's going to hang it up in Grandpa's room at the memory care facility.

You see, my Grandpa has had serious dementia for about 5 years now, and has been in the memory care facility for about 2 years. He doesn't remember much. He does recognize my Grandma a bit. He's excited when she's there, will hold her hand, she's the only one he'll kiss on the lips, and always wants to put his shoes on when she starts to leave (which always heartbreaking), (my uncle Tim visits him about 3-4 times a week, make sure he's doing good. Aunt Sam every few weeks. Grandma visits every other week since she can't drive anymore and everyone else goes when we're there). The staff are incredibly friendly there and it's a good place, which is lucky. But my Grandpa loves animals, particularly horses and dogs. He lights up a bit when someone gives him a picture or a card with one of those animals on it. I had talked to my mom about printing off a copy of the picture and giving it to him.

So it means the world to me, that one of the people who always encouraged my artwork, always told me to keep trying and would give me old calendars or horses or of artwork for me to practice with, who know has no idea who I am when I kiss him on the cheek, is getting a painting of a horse from me even those he has no recollection of Rachel A. Haney.

I just wanted to say that... I consider myself lucky to have the family that I do. And, for those of you who don't have the family that you deserve, that's okay. Family isn't perfect or an important thing for everyone. Sometimes you have to choose your family, and that's okay. Surrounding yourself with people who love and support you is important. My family is anything but perfect. But I know they love me, and I hope they know how much I love them.

[madigemme]

Virtual Sketchbook #1

Pictures are in order of list*

1. WRITING AND RESEARCH – 

Discussion: Introductions/First Artworks 

Hello, my name is Madilyn Gemme. One fact about me is that I am always taking pictures. I own two photography businesses: one of my own, in which I take individual portraits (Film by Madilyn), and another, in which I take photos for my school (Mustangs on Film). After graduating with my AA, I hope to minor in photography and expand my business.  

Roy Lichtenstein 1963 Whaam! Oil on canvas; 5’7” x 13’4”.  

1. “Whaam!” and “Drowning Girl” are generally regarded as Lichtenstein's most famous works.  

2. “Whaam!” does not feature a protective layer over the painting, meaning attracting dirt to the work’s surface was expected. Damage is even noticeable in some areas of the work. However, Lichtenstein made it clear he was aware of his painting’s vulnerability, and from these encounters, it is assumed he did not care for the risks posed by dirt deposition.   

3. Dorothy Lichtenstein shocked the world following the death of her husband, Roy Lichtenstein, stating that he "was not a fan of comics and cartoons."  

4. Roy Lichtenstein was an artist known for portraying adaptations or impressions of other artists' creations.   

5. Roy Lichtenstein served in the army both during and after World War II.  

The first time I saw this artwork, I thought of the movie Top Gun. Words like dramatic, action, and explosions popped into my mind. After realizing it was more of a hysterical or exaggerated way of portraying an army scene, I took the work relatively the same, but I was able to recognize the hidden serious tones. Based on my research, Roy Lichtenstein created this piece based on another comic, All American Men of War, which represents similar scenes of battle; however, Lichtenstein uses his personal style to exaggerate his portrayal. Glancing at this a second time following my research made me think of how battle scenes tend to be portrayed in pop culture, but gave me a chance to think of the military in terms of reality and the sacrifices our force makes that do not tend to reflect the comic books.  

2. ART AND WRITING –   

I created this popsicle piece in 2017 as a gift for my mom's birthday. It’s hung on my fridge since then and is very special to me as it demonstrates how close my family and I have always been. Looking at it every day serves as a reminder of who has always been by my side throughout life. To create it, I glued together popsicle sticks and utilized paint and detailed brushes to get those specific shapes and curves. In my opinion, I have improved artistically, but this piece is one of my most beautiful works. The fact I was able to create something for my mom, and for myself, that serves as a reminder of the love our family has for each other, is something that can’t be compared to any of my other creations.  

3. WRITING A SELF-PORTRAIT –  

I am a 17-year-old white woman from Florida and primarily align with the female gender or she/her pronouns. For fun, I absolutely love to express myself through photography. I even own multiple accounts to post my visions. In the beginning, it started off casual, but now I have progressed enough to charge for professional photoshoots. I’ve published through my workplace, The Copper Closet, and with my high school, where I also own a photography business called Mustangs on Film. Both are my greatest achievements. I also love going to the theater and watching new movies. One of my dreams is to pursue acting, although I’ve had little experience outside of my school’s theater program. I have worked in retail at The Copper Closet in UTC Mall for over a year now and love the environment there. I was previously in an unhealthy workspace, so the change was needed. Through it, I have met some of my greatest friends and discovered my love for fashion. I am a big supporter of cultural change and strive to donate and support movements such as the Black Lives Matter movement and the pro-choice movement. I consider myself very passionate about my views, and I hope to become more involved when I move to a bigger university. Another one of my passions is journalism. After I graduate from SCF, I hope to move into the media production aspect of journalism and fulfill roles in news production and reporting. I joined this class to look at art in an influential way. I love how pieces can make people feel different things and the idea of "no purpose" art. Sometimes people try to explain art while they are really just explaining their feelings. I love that art makes us do this, though. When I approach a piece, I always like to focus on how it makes me feel and the emotion or vulnerability that can pull something so unique and ambitious together to make me feel this certain way. My favorite form of art has to be photography. I obsess over the different visions and creations people can share, the way photos are a unique process, and how much work goes on behind the scenes. To me, art is creation, emotion, and collaboration. 

4. ART PROJECT (SELF-PORTRAIT) –  

For my project, I expressed my passion for photography by hand sketching my own photographed self-portrait that I took through my camera and placing it within the first camera I ever got. I also placed the pencil I used to sketch the portrait on the side, as sketching was the first form of art I found myself attached to as a kid. I distinctly remember sketching drawings for my friends and even random kids on the playground who wanted a weird monster or cartoon to take home. It was the first time I realized I had some artistic skills. Sketching guided me to where my artistic expression is now, which is why I have placed it in the back of my portrait to symbolize how my love for photography has built on the foundation of my old sketches. 

[sergeanthopeless]

female Byleth S-supports ranked best to worst

(keeping my personal feelings about the pairings themselves to a minimum)

(Gilbert and Alois omitted, since those are platonic S-supports)

(warning: long post)

1. Seteth 

This S-support is about as romantic as it can get. This thing just makes my heart flutter every. dang. time. and it’s easily the best S-support in the whole game for female Byleth. There’s a REASON why a lot of people hop aboard the Setleth train after witnessing this masterpiece.

Sure, Seteth lectures his way in and out of the proposal, but let’s be real, if it was any different it would be out of character, and acting the responsible advisor is just part of his charm. Plus, he pledges utter devotion to Byleth for the rest of his existence, and we essentially get wedding vows out of this one. It doesn’t get better than that!

He’s so self-assured during this S-support, and that’s sexy. But he is patient and affectionate with her, and takes the time to make sure there’s no room for confusion. He clarifies that his feelings are not those of duty (which is a problem with some other S-supports), or an interest in perpetuating a Nabatean or Crest-rich bloodline. It’s very clear that he just wants her, and that’s it. But where others put Byleth on a pedestal, this S-support feels like an exchange between equals.

Byleth’s reaction to this one is particularly noteworthy — there’s an unusual amount of emotional expression from Byleth during this S-support, INCLUDING A FRIGGIN BLUSH! Byleth does NOT blush often during these supports. Plus, Byleth asks Seteth to promise that he’ll follow wherever she goes. Unlike some of the other S-supports, it’s very clear that she’s invested in him and wants him.

Favorite quotes:

“I cannot conceive of a world without you in it.”

“I love you, deeply. Will you marry me?”

“From this day forward, I will always be at your side. Through good or ill fortune. Through the greatest of joys and the worst of woes. No matter how daunting the task, I will be there.”

“Courage, my love. Let us go forth and face the world - together.”

2. Hubert 

I was genuinely caught off-guard with Hubert, especially since I haven’t played Crimson Flower yet and have gotten all of my impressions of Hubert from the fandom. A pleasant surprise, though, and pleasant enough to snag the #2 best S-support!

He starts with advisor nagging, which is no surprise since that’s his character. However, he doesn’t take too long to get to the point of the conversation, and everything is straightforward yet sweet. It’s very cute how he flustered he gets in the beginning, and his self-consciousness about his suitability as a husband is really sweet. But what really clinched this for me was the privilege of seeing a BLUSHY HUBERT! This surprisingly lovable psychopath gets so dang worked up and excited over Byleth giving him a ring and proposing to him right back.

Favorite quotes:

“[I’d] rather you be with me rather than some dubious individual.” (Yes, I altered the quote, but let’s be real, he wasn’t talking about Edelgard there.)

“I once thought killing you would be a great challenge, but the real difficulty was declaring my love.”

3. Ignatz 

This S-support starts with an angry Ignatz, which had me worried. Ignatz is one of those characters where I expected his apparent youthfulness to cause a problem in his S-support (it definitely causes problems in other S-supports), even though he’s actually 17 at the start of game like Felix, Dimitri, Claude, Raphael, Ferdinand, and Edelgard. So I was pleasantly surprised by the sheer maturity of his proposal!

While he’s definitely self-conscious and doesn’t even expect Byleth to accept his proposal, it says a lot that Ignatz still had the guts to do the proposing. While he expresses surpassing admiration toward Byleth as someone who supported him through troubled times, he’s not dependent or subservient. Yes, there is a prominent fixation on Byleth’s beauty, but he’s an artist, so I think that adds more meaning to what would otherwise be an extremely shallow point to make during an S-support.

Favorite quotes:

“You are my goddess.”

 “You soothed my troubled soul.”

“My beloved goddess.”

“I want to love you for all eternity.”

“I love you with all my soul.”

Hoo boy, this boy’s got a serious SILVER TONGUE on him! *fans self*

4. Lorenz 

Regardless of how you feel about Lorenz, you’ve gotta admit this is a pretty flawless proposal. He reminisces about and apologizes for the trouble he used to cause as a youth, has a smooth transition into the presentation of the ring, and then his composure falls apart when Byleth reveals she’s been wise to him all along. He’s such a perfectionist, and his determination to propose perfectly is very consistent with his character. But I also appreciate that he made sure of Byleth’s feelings before actually asking her to marry him (ring presentation aside).

This S-support makes it very clear just how much Lorenz admires Byleth, which I feel is extremely important in context of his character. He can be incredibly self-centered to the point of being downright irritating, so the fact that he’s now talking about her and is focused entirely on her shows the sincerity of his feelings and how much Lorenz has grown as a person.

The bit at the end where he gets overexcited and uses his full name is hilarious, but I’m glad the S-support doesn’t end there, which would have taken away from it. Instead, it ends with Lorenz swearing to make Byleth happy and work with her in making the world a better place. Equal partners!

The last thing that really made this S-support for me was the voice acting. The broken voice, trembling, and stammering really added emotional depth to Lorenz’s character in this critical moment, and really brought everything to the next level in terms of overall impact.

Favorite quote: “Pedigree and status are no longer priorities for me. I now know that what matters most is the worth of an individual’s soul.”

5. Felix

The moment I noticed that this S-support was taking place at the training grounds, I knew it was going to be good. And it goes exactly as you would expect with our favorite tsundere, flustered and deflecting and all, but the sheer effort that he ends up putting into it is so endearing. And I adore how Byleth messes with him the whole time.

It starts rough, let’s be real. He just hands the ring to Byleth and tells her to “take this.” Oh, Felix. This poor boy is so. friggin. hopeless. You can practically hear his thought process leading up to this point. “How do I make sure Byleth never leaves?... Ah, marriage — yes, that’ll lock her in!” *facepalm*

But Felix’s body language is what really makes this S-support, starting with the finger point and then ending with the kabedon. Plus, we get a glimpse of something very rare: blushy Felix!

Favorite quotes:

“Fight me for the rest of my life.”

“I want you to be my wife. Please say yes. Let’s get married and stay together until we die. I love you.”

6. Balthus

I really didn’t know what to expect with this one, although to be honest, what expectations I did have were fairly low. Yet despite his faults, Balthus managed to scrape together a rather charming S-support! His nervousness and stuttering is adorable for such a big, tough-talking guy, and I love that we actually get an impatient “Just say it already,” from Byleth.

It was nice to see Byleth’s good influence on Balthus, although I’m not a fan of the woman-redeems-man trope. And considering that Balthus asks for up to 5 years to get his act together…that wasn’t exactly a point in his favor.

What made this S-support for me was all of the classic lines. Balthus isn’t necessarily a smooth talker, but it would be wrong to say that he doesn’t know how to talk to a woman. The proposal itself had me ROLLING: “Marry me, pal!” The voice acting was flawless, particularly when he said, “my love.” Balthus, I’ll say this on Byleth’s behalf: please stop trying so hard. And never say that again.

Favorite quotes:

“It’s time to take the biggest gamble of my life.”

“Comfort be damned! I need you by my side. Always.”

“Let’s get hitched right away! I know a guy.”

“To look after you...and be brave enough to let you look after me. that’s what marriage is all about, right?”

S-support portraits shouldn’t really matter here, but I’m going out on a limb here and saying that Balthus’ portrait is the best one of all Byleth’s S-supports.

7. Dorothea

I have a lot of Dorothea feels, okay? She’s my baby girl. And by this point in the game, she’s so jaded and used to disappointment that it just breaks my heart. So when Byleth proposes to her, you can hear the genuine emotion in her voice. She’s so in love with Byleth, but clearly talked herself out of it long before this moment. “You won the war. You could pick anyone in the world. Why would you…?”

And then she’s so happy. It’s not fancy, but her pure happiness really makes this for me. The hopeless romantic finally getting her happy ending is just really lovely.

Favorite quote: “I starred in so many operas where I captured the heart of my beloved. But I never dreamed that it would feel this wonderful when it actually happened.”

8. Ferdinand

Oh boy, Ferdie. There wasn’t much of a preamble, and the presentation of the ring wasn’t anything special. He’s still full of himself: “You hear noble Ferdinand von Aegir declare his love for you, and all you say is, ‘I understand’?” and this S-support is more focused on him than it is on Byleth, which is exactly the opposite of what happened with Lorenz’s S-support, even though they’re similar characters.

That being said, this S-support has its moments. We get a good reaction out of him (even though it’s over the top), and we get a sign of his personal growth when he reins himself in. The trembling and feeling faint is very cute (10/10), and considering his ambitious nature, him saying that he considers winning Byleth’s heart to be one of his greatest accomplishments is sweet, as is the way he dreams about their future.

In other words, this one starts rough, but ends sweet.

Favorite quote: “I need you as much as I need my next breath — more, even.”

9. Dedue

Can we just appreciate that Dedue chose to leave Dimitri for Byleth? That is so meaningful. Dedue spends the entire game unhealthily attached to Dimitri, and finally he finds something that he chooses for himself. Of course, there is the concern that he will become unhealthily attached to Byleth, but I don’t get that impression from his S-support.

There are so many wonderful little details in this S-support. The tiny, modest ring. The straightforward proposal. Both of them gazing at each other in loving, comfortable silence afterward. Byleth’s blush. And DEDUE’S LAUGH. Just. the laugh. It’s important.

Finally, Dedue invites Byleth to come with him to visit Duscur. TAKE NOTES, CLAUDE!! Anyway…

10. Edelgard

*takes a deep breath and sets aside my feelings about Edelgard’s stance on the Children of the Goddess*

Alright, so this S-support is significant because it’s one of the few where you can tell that there is genuine affection on Byleth’s end. She really takes charge of the proposal, going so far as to use Edelgard’s nickname, “El,” to convey affection and intimacy.

At first I was concerned when I heard Edelgard say, “This ring…thank you, my dearest friend,” and I was like HOLD UP – did Byleth just get friendzoned?? But Edelgard clarifies by expressing that she has romantic feelings too, which saves the scene. But while sweet, the rest of the S-support focuses on Edelgard’s ambitions and generally lacks romance. Fitting for her character? Yes. A satisfying S-support? Not really.

11. Dimitri 

It’s clear from the beginning of this S-support that Dimitri and Byleth have become close friends. I appreciate the way they talk about their wounds, and although talking about Dimitri’s nightmares is far darker than I expected from an S-support, it shows just how much Dimitri has improved.

What disappointed me about this S-support is the lack of emotion on both sides. Sure, the “my beloved” pet name is wonderful. And sure, Byleth isn’t very emotional as a rule. But Byleth shows more emotional in other S-supports. And there is not nearly enough of a reaction on Dimitri’s side. Come on, dude. You’ve been aggressively simping over Byleth since Day 1, and you’re just taking this proposal in stride?? You should be unconscious right now.

12. Mercedes

I’m so proud of how far Mercedes has come at this point. She’s determined to live in a way that makes her happy, outside of her Crest or anyone else’s expectations. That being said, a lot of this S-support feels more like it could have been an A+ support.

Major points to Mercedes to being the one to do the proposing. A lot of people mistake her kind nature for being demure, which is not the case. She is bold, speaks her mind, and knows what she wants. And in this case, that’s Byleth. Her proposal is gentle and respectful, if a bit bland, and her reaction to Byleth’s acceptance is absolutely adorable. She’s so happy yet insecure, and I wish there was more communication from Byleth to reassure her.

13. Hanneman

Hanneman is an academic through and through, and his nature as a scholar comes through strongly in his S-support. He tries to approach things pragmatically, almost ruins things by talking about Byleth’s role in his research, but fortunately realizes that’s the wrong way to do it and takes a new approach with more feeling. It’s very similar to Linhardt’s S-support, but less self-centered and overall better. Hanneman treats Byleth as an equal, and shows enthusiasm in his own way.

Overall, this is an extremely pragmatic S-support, but it’s not without its charms. That being said, it definitely requires an interpretation of Byleth’s character where she has developed a taste for academia.

Favorite quotes:

“I suppose there’s no reason to hold ourselves back any longer.”

“I don’t want the power of your Crest - I want you.”

“I can’t wait to see the results of this undertaking.”

14. Yuri

This S-support is very consistent with Yuri’s character. The scene opens with Yuri trying to repay his “debt” to Byleth, which definitely lacks in romantic vibes, but works in context. It’s nice to see Yuri nervous and out of composure, but I admit I had been expecting…more…from him with how charming he’s supposed to be. Then again, like Sylvain, maybe the fact that he’s dropped the façade is supposed to make it meaningful. At least he blushes! Blushy Yuri is something I didn’t know I needed. The bit at the end where he whispers his true name in her ear is very nice, too.

But yikes…Yuri talks about his death. And considering that in most of the routes, Byleth ends up being most likely essentially immortal, this hits HARD. She is definitely facing the death of her lover in a few decades at most, and that is not something she wants to think about during a proposal.

Favorite quote: “In return for this ring, I ask for you.”

15. Raphael 

Raphael is a pretty clueless, non-romantic kind of guy. But the sudden proposal is very cute. Considering how awful he is at expressing himself, it works really well with his character to simply have him jump right in and get it over with.

That being said, I couldn’t help but feel that his reasoning for getting married was just a little loose. He always wants to be with Byleth and expresses that he wants to serve as her knight. Uh, you realize you can do that without marrying her right, bud? Byleth didn’t seem to be very into this proposal either, although she does have a wonderful little smile in the S-support portrait, which makes up for that. I love how the portrait emphasizes Raph’s size and strength by having him lift her up bridal style. It’s an actually flattering portrayal of him, too.

Favorite quote: “And…I’ll love you. Forever and ever. And ever!”

16. Sylvain 

Ah yes, Sylvain. Our favorite train wreck. The good news is that he’s finally taking charge of his life, and I like that he’s straightforward in this S-support rather than flirtatious, which means that you know he’s being sincere. It’s cute to see him genuinely happy, and his statement that “I’m going to spend the rest of our lives together trying to make you happy,” is very good.

However, the “If you told me you never wanted me to look at another woman, I’d go blind for you” is going too far. I know it addresses his skirt-chasing character, but I just don’t know if they could have a healthy relationship. I know this is rating the support scene, not the ship itself, but I don’t think that’s a positive indicator for the future.

17. Claude 

This S-support gives me so many bad vibes. Yes, he expresses his love for Byleth as well as his utmost confidence in her, but dude, actions matter more than words, and your actions speak VOLUMES. He’s the only one to just run off at the end of the S-support, and while I understand his reasoning — I really do — it’s clear that his own agenda and ambitions will always come before Byleth.

This is what I heard: “Right now, Fodlan is like a newborn... so that’s why I’m leaving, so you have to do all the hard stuff yourself. See ya, sucker!!” Ah yes. Prime husband and father material there. Obviously.

“I’m sorry that I won’t be by your side at such an important event...” Uh huh, yeah right. You’re obviously itching to get out of there.

I’m sorry, Claude stans, but giving Byleth an engagement ring and then running away for who knows how long is LAME.

18. Jeritza

The first thing that struck me about this S-support is the fact that it takes place in the Agarthan HQ, Shambhala. This is super meaningful because it means that Byleth and Jeritza go there together to use their killing prowess to take out Those Who Slither in the Dark post-Crimson Flower. It’s a nice way to tie up the route. The portrait is super dynamic and unique, too. That being said…

He’s still fixated on killing Byleth. If that’s your thing, then hey, I can’t judge. At least we all know that if he hasn’t killed her by now, it’s never going to happen. It’s such an empty threat it’s probably an inside joke by now. But Jeritza’s clearly still figuring out his feelings, which means I’m not sure it really counts as an S-support (it would have made a better A+ support imho). There are also things about this pairing and S-support that have some serious implications for who Byleth has become by this point and what the future is likely to look like. Good storytelling, yes, but as an S-support…not my favorite.

Favorite quotes:

“It is you alone who can slay the demon inside me.”

“To the very depths of hell, I will tumble down with you.”

19. Linhardt

This S-support falls flat for me. It’s like Hanneman’s, but worse because it’s super self-centered. I feel like it’s a really bad summary of Linhardt’s character because so much more could have been done with it. Linhardt has lots of good traits, and this S-support ignores all of them. Instead, we have a one-dimensional S-support that focuses on Linhardt’s laziness and penchant for napping. He’s so self-centered and consumed by his own interests, so saying that he wants to study Byleth for the rest of his life makes her more like an accessory to his life plans rather than a central component. At least when Hanneman says he wants to study Byleth, he makes it very clear that he loves her and wants her as a person.

And the line where he says "I didn’t honestly think you’d reject me” is just…wow. Much disappoint. If I were Byleth I would turn him down on the spot just for saying that.

20. Ashe 

Ashe’s S-support comes off to me like he’s pledging himself to her as a vassal more than actually proposing. Yes, he does take initiative and does the proposing, which is consistent with the fact that Ashe is a gutsy little guy. But he’s so stuck on being helpful that the S-support ends up feeling immature. Plus, Byleth doesn’t seem very enthusiastic about the proposal compared to other S-supports, and overall Ashe’s worship of Byleth comes off as more dependent than romantic.

21. Caspar

We’ve reached the bottom four S-supports, starting with this disaster. Caspar is juvenile, reckless, and oblivious. (Don’t get me wrong — I adore his character and see him like a little brother.) Byleth has to take charge of the proposal, which is not a problem in itself, but then Caspar confesses that he hasn’t even thought about marrying Byleth — or anyone at all! asaslkjasdflk FAIL

At least the victory shout is kind of cute…if painfully cheesy.

And they get worse from here…

22. Rhea

I don’t have a lot to say here. I know I said that I would keep my personal feelings about the pairings themselves out of this, but I feel like there are certain things about this particular pairing that need to be addressed along with this S support.

Age gap aside (because frankly with immortals, age doesn’t really matter anymore), Rhea CREATED Byleth’s mother, essentially making herself Byleth’s grandmother. Incest vibes, yo. Plus, she fully intended to sacrifice Byleth’s life in order to bring back Sothis — which, granted, is a sentiment that wears off, and Jeritza is just as bad in terms of original intent to kill Byleth. This makes any kind of romantic revelation on Rhea’s side just…weird.

There are some good quotes in this S-support, and we get a ton of reveals about Rhea’s character development in a short amount of time. She’s self-conscious of her other form as a dragon, she acknowledges the wrongs she did in the past, and she expresses a desire to repent. She acknowledges the pivotal role that Byleth has played through her choices and accomplishments, rather than attributing them to fate and the “flow of time.” But honestly this would be more appropriate as a final scene at the end of the game, not a romantic S-support.

23. Cyril

Oh boy. Where do I start with this one? It’s so bad...

This boy is BABY. 19 years old after the war? Sure. Attractive design? Yes. But still, he. is. BABY. And the S-support portrait makes it so much worse by making him look freaking TEN.

And he’s so, so oblivious. Even worse than Caspar. He barely has a personality as a character outside of being committed to the servant mentality, and he has had no opportunity to discover himself as a freaking person outside of his obsession with Rhea. It should be illegal to even consider this kid for S-support. One thing would be if it was platonic, like Alois or Gilbert, but Byleth gives him the ring, and that means it’s supposed to be romantic.

Plus, Cyril says that he loves Byleth, but it’s super casual and comes off more like familial or friendship love rather than romantic love. Unless I missed something, I don’t think Byleth ever says that she loves Cyril in their S-support. And the end is just the worst: “Love ya, see ya in the morning.” That’s IT???? There is absolutely no indication of a mature relationship, and that’s just scary and gross.

I just…really hate this S-support. There’s only one S-support that’s worse…

24. Sothis

Forget everything that I said about keeping my feelings about particular pairings out of this ranking. This is a TRULY CURSED S-SUPPORT.

I don’t care that Sothis is technically a goddess whose age is beyond counting or mortal comprehension. All that matters is she looks like a child. She is lolibait. And to top it all off, she doesn’t even have physical form (thank goodness) — she’s just an apparition in Byleth’s head!

And this quote? “I love you deeply! Overwhelmingly! passionately! Ours is a love without an end!” I only have two words: PEAK CRINGE.

It would be one thing if Sothis came back in her adult form. Or better yet, if she had always been in her adult form as portrayed in the fresco in the reception hall. You can do something with that. But that’s not the case, Sothis is portrayed as a pre-pubescent child in both appearance and personality, and that’s just pedophilia vibes, y’all. I can’t believe this is a sincere S-support option.

[fiveisnumber1]

The Vortex That Takes Me To You - "Me, Lu, and Five Times Two" Side Story

Main story parts:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32

_________________________

"Wait!" Five called out as he tried to hand you the briefcase

It was too late though as Luther pushed him into the vortex to 2019. As Five held the now-defunct half of the briefcase he fell through time for what felt like a matter of seconds before hitting the ground of the courtyard behind the academy. With a giant flash, the spot in the sky where the blue used to be was now gone. From afar the five known living Hargreeves siblings slowly approached the person who dropped from the sky.  Slowly, Five got up from the ground throwing the broken briefcase away as he dusted the dirt and leaves off his clothing. Approaching closer the group looks on in confusion as Klaus asks,

"Does anyone else see a slightly older version of little number Five or is that just me?"

Five took a look down at himself. His suit was too loose now and when he looked at his hands he saw no more wrinkles or signs of old age. There was a leftover puddle nearby from rain that must've occurred early and as he bent over it he saw the version of himself that he had left only moments ago. Bringing a hand up to his face, he stared at his newly youthful reflection.

"I'm young again." He whispered to himself

At the same time that this was happening you were making your way to the florist to pick up flowers that Pogo had ordered. As you walked to the shop you felt that something was wrong. No, not wrong, but different. From behind you, you felt a molecular disturbance and a giant one at that. As you continued to walk to the shop the physical pain grew so much that you had to stop and bend over. It felt like your insides were being torn apart bit by bit. Somehow managing to turn around you felt the direction it was coming from. It was coming from back towards the house. The pain of the disturbance went on for a few more seconds but then abruptly it stopped. Catching your breath, you stood back up but something felt familiar in a way. It was like an odd chill of deja vu but you had never experienced this before. But if the disturbance was coming from the house then the flowers could wait. Reginald didn't deserve flowers anyway. Quickly, you started sprinting back towards the Academy trying to get there as quickly as you could.

Back at the house, the five Hargreeves siblings sat around the kitchen table as they watched the newly returned Five make a sandwich. It had been years since they had last seen him and a lot had changed in that time. Everyone had their own thoughts and feelings on the matter and some were more upset than others. Five wasn't exactly sure what to say to them after all this time. It was quite a complicated situation to be in. Trying to not let his uncertainty show, Five stoically questioned,

"What is the date? The exact date."

The group stays quiet for a second before Vanya states,

"The 24th."

"Of?" Five pressed

"March," Vanya replies

"Good." Five comments

This was exactly the time that he was planning to be here, on the day of his father's funeral. Thank god that man was dead. If he was alive he would never hear the end of it.

"So are we gonna talk about what just happened?" Luther asks

It was no surprise to Five that Luther would speak up. Even after all this time, he was trying to take the lead on things. Instead of responding to his brother, Five puts two slices of bread down on a cutting board and focuses on his desired food item. He hadn't eaten all day and apparently paradox psychosis was a real energy drainer. He needed a second before he was going to explain anything. Standing up, Luther looks down to Five and states firmly,

"It's been 17 years." 

"It's been a lot longer than that." Five replies immediately jumping behind Luther to find marshmallows

"I didn't miss that." Luther comments

While Five looks around the kitchen for the marshmallows, Diego asks accusingly,

"So where'd you go?"

Of course, an accusatory tone. How could Diego not have one? Five could just tell that Diego was upset not because he had disappeared for years but because he was the one that made you disappear for years. If only the siblings cared for each other as much as Diego cared for you, maybe things would be different. Five didn't have time for Diego's older brother shtick though. Jumping back to the table with the marshmallows, Five bluntly replied,

"The future. It's shit by the way."

"Called it!" Klaus exclaims

Five turned towards the refrigerator to get peanut butter for his sandwich, his mind wandering as he thought back to his time in the apocalypse. 45 years. He was so arrogant to think he could time travel. Grabbing the peanut butter jar, Five talks aloud,

"I should've listened to the old man. You know jumping through space is one thing, jumping through time is a toss of the dice."

Unscrewing the lid of the peanut butter jar Five looks up from the sandwich he was making and at his siblings before him. The last time he had seen them all together was as corpses. And before that, they were all still children. It was a lot to take in but he was focused on his task of stopping the apocalypse. He had the information he needed on what caused it, but he needed to find the right time to discuss it with everyone. Keeping a stoic look he tries to deflect his mind to something else by commenting to Klaus,

"Nice dress."

"Oh, Danke," Klaus responds playing with some of the loose straps

As he starts to assemble the sandwich he was making Vanya questions him,

"So how did you get back?"

"In the end, I had to project my consciousness forward into a suspended quantum state version of myself that exists across every possible instance of time." Five responds

"That makes no sense," Diego says confused

"Well, it would if you were smarter." Five remarks

Diego angrily stands up and stares down Five attempting to get towards him to attack him. Instead, Luther stands up puts out an arm to hold him back. Honestly, it didn't matter if Luther was there to stop Diego or not. He was all bark and no bite.

"How long were you there?" Luther asks

"45 years." Five states bluntly "Give or take."

Luther and Diego both sit back down in unison. All the siblings stare at their brother with wide eyes in shock at his statement. 45 years?

"So what are you saying? You're 58?" Luther asks

"No. My consciousness is 58. My body is 18 again." Five retorts

With his sandwich put together, Five walks off to the side of the table they all sat around and faces away from his siblings.

"How does that even work?" Vanya inquires

"I used the improper equation when I was forced through time." Five replies

"Improper equation?" Vanya questions

Electing to ignore Vanya's question, Five turns back towards his siblings at the table. There was no reason to explain all that had happened before he came here. It was unnecessary and would probably worry his siblings more than they needed to be, or perhaps even enrage them and there was no way he was going to stop the apocalypse if his siblings weren't willing to work together. Picking up a newspaper detailing the death of his father, Five takes a look at it before commenting unamused,

"Guessed I missed the funeral."

"How did you know about that?" Luther asks

"What part of the future do you not understand." Five remarks to him, his eyes not leaving the paper "Heart failure, huh?"

"Yeah," Diego says

"No," Luther adds

Ah, yes. One and Two still fighting to be the leader of the family as if it hadn't been years since the dissolution of the Umbrella Academy.

"Hmm. Nice to see nothing's changed." Five comments

The Hargreeves looked at their newly returned brother and as he stood there quietly, holding his sandwich he stared back awkwardly at his siblings. The prior self that he left in the '60s said that you would show up when the conversation with his siblings felt over. It felt pretty over right now and there was no sign of you. Five's heart started to race, everything had been laid out for him, and now nothing was going according to plan. Panicked, Five decided it was best to leave. Keeping a serious look on his face he started to walk out of the kitchen.

"Uh, that's it? That's all you have to say?" Allison questioned

"What else is there to say?" Five responded

When he was out of sight of his siblings he once again noticed how his suit didn't fit him properly anymore. He needed to change. Flashing upstairs he looked in the closets of his siblings but was met with academy uniform after academy uniform. Reluctantly, he took an academy uniform from Klaus' closet since it looked like it would fit best and put it on. He stared at himself in the mirror for a bit before deciding to head back downstairs.

Making it back to the house, you looked around, and only felt faint traces of a disturbance. Maybe you were going crazy? Heading through the front door you looked around the foyer and some other rooms on the main floor and upper floors but found no one. Maybe they all got in an argument and left, it's not like they enjoyed being here anyway. Letting out a small sigh you made your way back downstairs to the parlor. Someone would probably show up soon enough. You stood in the doorway for a second and stared at the portrait above the fireplace. You had hated the painting at first, but you tolerated its presence after years of coexisting with it. Carefully, you made your way over to the fireplace and looked up at the portrait that loomed over you. It was nothing like him. No light in his eyes, no cocky smile on his face, no personality. Just an emotionless and unrealistic replication of who he was. You wanted him to come back.

As you stared at his portrait, Five had made his way downstairs and took in what had become of his home. As he approached the parlor he saw a giant portrait of him on the wall and below it stood a familiar figure. Five stopped in his tracks and his heart began to race. This was his (Y/N). Five readjusted his jacket and tie and took in a breath before slowly starting to walk over to you. Hearing footsteps behind you, you stopped looking at the painting and turned to look where they came from. Seeing the figure before you, your eyes went wide with shock as the world around felt like it was slowing down. Carefully, you moved forward towards him almost as if in a trance, worried that if you moved too fast he would vanish. You extended your hand out and Five moved to meet you in the middle. When the two of you were close enough your fingertips lightly brushed his cheek, but you quickly pulled back, shocked by the feeling of something there.

"I think I'm hallucinating again," you whisper

Five reaches out and gently grabs the hand you had retracted. Bringing it closer to him he places it on top of his heart, holding your hand there. You can feel his heart beating rapidly beneath your hand as your own started to catch up to match his. You looked up at his face and gazed into his eyes. Tears prick your own as you softly ask,

"Five?"

Five smiled at you as he looked upon your face. You were so beautiful. Not that you weren't in the 60s but the way you looked at him now was different. It was soft and welcoming and felt like it was only for him. Leaning in just a little closer Five whispered to you,

"I'm here."

You let out a small gasp. He was here. This was real. Flinging your arms around him you held him tightly as Five wrapped his arms around to hold you back. No wonder his other self was so protective, who would ever want to let this go? You looked up at Five. A question had loomed on your mind ever since the day he vanished and you had to know the answer.

"Are you still mad at me?" You questioned nervously

Five saw the nervous look on your face. He knew that you had wondered if he was mad at you for a while. It was one of the last things you had said to him before you...died. Five took your face into his hands. Looking gently into your eyes he answered,

"I was never mad at you, to begin with. I was mad at my dad and one of my biggest regrets will always be taking that out on you and then leaving you all alone."

With his response, a weight fell off your shoulders. For so long you had thought you were the one that drove him away. You thought he was mad at you all this time, but to know that wasn't the case made you feel so much better.

"So you didn't purposely stay away?" You asked

"No, how could I ever choose to be away from my best friend?" Five added

You looked off to the side as best as you could, given that your face was held between his hands, and hoped that he didn't notice the blush rising to your cheeks.

"I don't know, but I missed you." You mumbled

Five took his hands from your face and hugged you once more responding,

"I missed you too. Not a day went by when I didn't."

You smiled knowing that Five had missed you as much as you missed him. Day after day, month after month, year after year, you thought of him as you waited for him to come back. And now here he was before you telling you he felt the same way. It was all that you needed to hear. Well...there were other things you wanted to hear but those were more so desires than necessities. You were just happy to have him back.

"Pull that shit again and I'll kill you." You joke as you give him a small shove away

"I promise I won't." Five replies with a smirk "Although I don't think you would kill me anyway."

"Perhaps." You respond

Five threw his hands into the pockets of his academy shorts and looked at you.

"Care to walk and talk around the house?" Five offered

"Of course. Would you like me to turn invisible so you look insane for old times sake?"

"I already look insane in this uniform." Five joked

"You always did. C'mon, let's go." You say extending your hand towards him

Five looks at your hand, almost hesitant to take it because none of this felt real. Even though he had been around you not too long ago back in the 60s, this truly was different. This version of you hadn't seen him since the day he left. Unlike prior you who had experienced being around him, you had waited every day for his return. There was an excitement and awe that he got from you this time around that made him nervous. As Five thought more about the situation before him he froze up. As much as he trusted you when you said that you loved him the way he loved you Five still couldn't help but wonder if his other self just had better circumstances. He still worried that maybe that version really was just lucky. Five didn't want to get this wrong, but nevertheless, he took your hand. Fingers intertwining, there was electricity you both felt but would not tell the other.

With a smile, you started to walk around the house as you had done many times before, both of you trying your best to catch the other up. The conversation came easy as if the two of you were never separated. Five took in the sights of his old home. Nothing had really changed since he left, minus the small presence you had created. There was a newer piano in the parlor and you had shown off your wonderful room to him. He remembered your description of it from your diary and how you changed it from being Diego's to yours but it was even better in person. As you two exited your room Five looked down the hall at a shut door. It was his room. Five made his way there and you followed behind. Carefully, he opened the door to it and stepped inside. Once more you followed behind and thinking that the sight of his childhood room might be tough for him, you shut the door.

As you shut the door though Allison who had been heading to her room happened to pass by and noticed the two of you in there. Something about you two being together again reignited the feelings of her youth. She remembered the times when you and she had traded secrets about your crushes. The gossip in her immediately needed to tell someone else. Turning back around she went downstairs and noticed the rest of her siblings in the parlor again. Approaching them all she said,

"I don't want to alert anyone but Five and (Y/N) went into Five's room and shut the door."

"WHAT?!" Diego shouted as he angrily turned to face her

"Oooh, juicy," Klaus commented "I remember being 18 and hormonal. Horniness levels are through the roof, I mean-"

"NOT ON MY WATCH!" Diego yelled cutting Klaus off

There was no way his baby sister was going to be in a room with a boy alone. Especially not with the boy who had left her alone and broke her heart. What was he going to do? Break it again? Not if he had anything to say about it. With his fists clenched tight Diego started to march his way out of the parlor. He was going to protect his little tiny princess, but as he attempted to go, Luther, with his superior strength, held him back.

"Let me go, Luther!" Diego yelled

"We shouldn't just barge in there Diego." Luther criticizes

"That's MY  little sister!" Diego retorts

"There are better ways of approaching this," Luther replies

"I want to know what's going on though..." Vanya comments

"Me too," Allison adds

As the group stands around debating Ben leans over to Klaus and says,

"Klaus."

"What do you want?" Klaus replies annoyed

"Is that camera we bought as kids still in Five's room?" Ben asks

"Yeah, we never took it out. Why?"

"The tablet to watch the video feed on is in my closet." Ben states

Klaus looks at him confused for a second before realizing what Ben meant. Getting excited Klaus exclaims,

"Guys! Guys!"

The rest of the group looks over to him confused and with all of their attention grabbed Klaus continues,

"The video camera we got as kids is still in Five's room and the tablet is in Ben's closet!"

"Do you think it still even works?" Allison questions

"It's worth a try," Luther says

The group looks at each other before silently nodding in agreement. Together they head up to Ben's room and search for the tablet in his closet. Finding it they turn on the switch and to their surprise, it works. The picture quality was not as great as they remember but clear enough that they all can see what is going on. As they all stand over the tablet Diego says annoyed,

"Alright Five, what are you hiding from me."

"From us." Luther corrects

The two brothers glare at each other before turning their attention back to the tablet and the two of you in Five's room. Five stepped into his room quietly taking in the surroundings. Nothing had changed, it was as if his room was frozen in time. As he looks around you slowly approach his side. Standing next to him you looked around the room as well and comment,

"It's an odd feeling. Knowing that time has passed but everything looks the same."

Five looks towards you. Of course, you knew the feeling he was going through.

"No worries though, we'll get you everything you need to make this place feel like home again." You mention

"I already have everything I need to feel at home." Five replies, his hand holding yours just a little tighter

Five gazes in your direction but as he does so he notices something behind you. Letting go of your hand he steps around you curious and makes his way over to his desk. Looking down at the object placed there he realized that it's the radio he had taken from Allison all those years ago. Confused as to what he was looking at you followed him towards the desk and saw the radio.

"I can't believe it's still here after all this time."  Five comments

"Well we never gave it back and I'm guessing nobody wanted to come take it after..." You mention trailing off

"Yeah..." Five replies before questioning "I wonder if it still works?"

You shrugged your shoulders and gestured to the old electronic encouraging him to see if it worked. Leaning down Five plugs in the old radio before pressing the on button. The sound of static blasts loudly through the speakers causing both of you to flinch back a little in shock. After a moment Five started to turn the knob to tune the radio, searching through for a station that was clear. Soon the static started to fade and in its place music could be heard. 

As the camera continues to spy on the two of you, the rest of the Hargreeves siblings watch what goes on from Ben's room. Seeing the working radio Allison exclaims,

"Hey, it's my radio! I never got it back!" 

"Allison, it's been years and still no one cares about your radio." Klaus comments "We want to know what's up with Five and (Y/N)."

Allison lets out a huff and crosses her arms. Just because it was old and she hadn't been in possession of it or thought about it for years didn't mean it wasn't hers. Even with her pouting, the siblings continued to observe. As they did so Diego aggressively says,

"Alright Five what shit are you going to pull now?"

"I don't think he's going to do anything." Vanya comments "I mean there's nothing wrong with them being happy."

Back in Five's room, music flowed through the air as Five leaned against the edge of his desk, watching you look around the place. He was absolutely enthralled by you. The most mundane of things seemed extravagant just because you were there with him. A wide smile appeared on his face as he remembered a similar time he had spent with you. You took in the room silently as the upbeat music played. It had been a bit since you'd last been in Five's room, but for the first time in a while it felt warm and bright again. Looking over your shoulder you looked back towards Five and noticed the smile on his face.

"What?" You questioned 

"Nothing." Five replied with a shake of his head

"Nothing? The mind of Five Hargreeves is completely empty?" You joke sarcastically "This is something I'd expect from your brothers, not you."

Five rolled his eyes at you but he missed your quick wit. No one at the commission could keep up with him like you could. As you walked back over to him, Five could see the look on your face waiting for him to elaborate. 

"I was just thinking-" Five starts to explain before being cut off

"Ah, so you were thinking!" You comment back

"Yes." Five replies letting out a small laugh "I was thinking about how this reminds me of our friendiversary a bit."

"Yeah, kind of, minus the food and flowers." You reply 

You were right, there was no food and flowers. How could he even think to compare the two times when this time wasn't as perfect? Quickly standing up from the desk, Five starts to make his way over to the door as he states worried,

"Do you want food and flowers?" 

Reaching out, you grab his hand preventing him from going any further. Stopping in his tracks he looks back towards you confused at your action. Gently, you pull his hand back towards you, causing him to come back close to you. With his hand still in yours, Five asks confused,

"Do you not want food and flowers?"

"No, Five."  You replied with a smile "I just want you."

For a moment, Five could feel his heart stop. Although his expression seemed calm and collected, internally he had no clue what to do. He was so preoccupied trying to figure out how to get back to 2019 so he could stop the apocalypse that he never stopped to think fully about what would happen when he actually did so. And it wasn't until he met himself that he even found out being a teenager again was a possibility. This was the most unprepared he had ever been and the nerves he felt on your friendiversary were nothing compared to the nerves he felt now. If you didn't want food or flowers then what could he do? And then from the radio, he heard the voice of the announcer,

"This is Arlo Vegas with 103.5 WKTU. I hope that even with all the doom and gloom outside today everyone can stay high and dry. Up next, a throwback to 2017 this is Adore by Dean Lewis."

I'm just gonna stand with my bag hanging off my left arm I'm just gonna walk home kicking stones at parked cars But I had a great night, 'cause you kept rubbing against my arm So I'm just gonna stand with my bag hanging off my left arm

Five looked towards the radio as the sound of a soft guitar slowly playing and the lyrics of the song enveloped the room. As the music played he remembered the part of your friendiversary that he could never forget. He remembered how the two of you danced that night and the joy he felt in that moment. Looking back towards you he nervously asked,

"Would you like to dance...with me?"

"I'd love to." You replied longingly

Five guided you the few steps towards the center of his room taking a quiet breath as he tried to calm his nerves. How did he do this so easily as a child? Oh right, he didn't realize he was in love with you then. Turning back to face you he saw as your eyes lit up and your smile widened. So much for breathing when you took his breath away so easily. Gently, he took one of your hands in his as he wrapped his other arm around your waist. You wrapped your free arm around his neck as the two of you slowly started to dance to the music.

Get me a drink, I get drunk off one sip, just so I can adore you I want the entire street out of town just so I can be alone with you Now go when you're ready My head's getting heavy, pressed against your arm I adore you

"So is this what your prom was like last week?" Five asked 

You looked up towards him slightly confused. How did he know about your prom? It took you a second to remember but you then recalled that he had come from the future so he had to have found out about it somehow. You recalled your prom only a week ago, it was fun to be with your friends but it was definitely not the same experience as dancing with Five. With a slight chuckle, you answer.

"No, it was not like this."

"Oh, why not?" Five questions

"Well dancing with you is quite different than dancing with Dean, because neither of us had dates and we pitied each other." You explained

"I wish I could've come a week earlier then. I would've saved you the pity by dancing with your brother." Five joked

"Wow, okay." You laughed

"I'm joking." Five explained, his expression softening as he added "I'd never pass up a chance to dance with you."

"Neither would I." you replied quietly

All of my money is spent on these nights, just so we can hang out Spacing in and out of your dresses, I wanna be found by you Found by you

As the two of you swayed you couldn't help but rest your head against his chest. A small smile appeared on your face as you closed your eyes and comfortably melted into the moment. Unconsciously, you started to stroke the hair at the back of his head casing Five to lean into your touch. It was so gentle and soft. Five could feel his heart start to pick up its pace. He hoped that you couldn't hear so because he had no clue how he would explain it to you. Granted, he knew all the words he wanted to say to you but he didn't know if he'd even be able to get them out. 

Get me a drink, I get drunk off one sip, just so I can adore you I want the entire street out of town just so I can be alone with you Now go when you're ready My head's getting heavy, pressed against your arm I adore you, I adore you

As your head rested on top of him a thought came to your mind. It was something that you hadn't done in a while and something you had desired to do. Lifting your head up, you look towards Five who looks back down towards you. Had he done something wrong? Did you hear how fast his heart was beating? Quietly you ask,

"Will you spin me?"

Relief washes over Five's system as he gives you a soft smile.

"Of course I will," He replies

Slightly breaking away from you he helps to twirl you around, the smile on your face filling his heart to the point he felt it was going to burst. Your laughter filled the room as you enjoyed your time with your best friend. You couldn't think of anything to make the moment better. Five spins you back in towards him before spinning you out once more. As you spin out quickly your grip on his hand slips and you start to fall back. Quickly, Five flashes over and catches you. His arms wrapped tightly around your waist as yours find their way around his neck. 

She kicks the gutter in tight shorts, basketball courts Watch me, watch her talk to boys I'm known as a right-hand slugger Anybody else wanna touch my lover?

The two of you look at each other both trying to catch your slight breaths from the burst of adrenaline that just occurred. 

"I told you I wasn't going to let you fall." Five comments

It was too late for that though. You had fallen for him years ago in a situation exactly like this one. There was something different about it this time, an energy you had never felt before. Your eyes were still locked on each other he slowly brought you back up. The soft bridge of the song played in the back but all either of you could hear was the beating of your own hearts. Wrapped up tightly in each other's arms there was no space between the two of you. Each of you wanted to say so many things, wanted to shout the thoughts that raced in your mind, the ones you always had, but no words came out. As Five stood there with you in his arms he finally started to understand what you meant back in the 60s when you said the pieces would fall into place. Everything about this moment felt right like it was meant to be. Like he was meant to be here with you. As you continued to look into each other's eyes there was a magnetism that pulled you closer. Your faces inched closer as the space between you lessened more and more. For a moment you both wondered if you were dreaming but no, this was real. You were here with each other. And as the climax of the final verse hit, your eyes closed as your lips gently pressed against each other.

Get me a drink, I get drunk off one sip, just so I can adore you I want the entire street out of town just so I can be alone with you Now go when you're ready My head's getting heavy, pressed against your arm Just to adore you

Tenderly, you both expressed everything you wanted to tell the other without saying any words at all. The years of pining and longing to be reunited had finally culminated into something beautiful. Something you both had desired for a very long time. The world around you faded away leaving only the two of you and your newly acknowledged love for each other. Removing his arms from your waist he took your face in his hands, pulling you closer and deepening the kiss. He never wanted to leave this moment. This was all he ever wanted, this is what he survived and fought for and now to have it? It felt unreal to him. But it was real. He had you, and you had him, and nothing would ever take that away now.

I adore you

Neither of you wanted to be the first to part from the kiss but as the final lyric of the song ended the two of you slowly separated. With eyes still closed, you rested your foreheads against each other, relishing in the beautiful moment. As Five held you close, he knew he needed to tell you something. Even if he had expressed it in his kiss to you, he wanted to verbalize it, to make it know and make it real. Moving one of his hands from your cheek to your chin, he tilted your face up to look at him. As he gazed into your eyes, with adoration in his voice, he whispered,

"I love you, (Y/N)."

You could feel your stomach flutter with butterflies as you processed his words. There was nothing you wanted to hear more than those words. Finally getting to express how you felt, you replied breathlessly,

"I love you too, Five. You know what this means now though."

"What?" Five questioned

"You can never leave me again." You answer

"I promise nothing will ever tear us apart again. Not people, not distance, not time, nothing." 

The two of you looked at each other lovingly before leaning in for another kiss. As you did so the siblings in the other room saw everything. 

"Awww," Vanya said as she placed a hand over her heart

"They're so cute!" Allison exclaimed

"They are not!" Diego remarks angrily as he tries to make his way to the door "I'm going to go in there and stop him."

"Luther, stop him." Allison requests

Doing as she says, Luther wraps his arms around Diego from behind and picks him off the ground. Kicking his legs and wriggling around, Diego fights like a child trying to escape Luther's grasp.

"That is my little princess! I need to put a stop to this!" Diego complains

"She is 18, you need to let her live her life," Allison replies

"Not with him! The one who ruined it." Diego retorts

"I don't think she sees it that way," Vanya interjects

As the other siblings argue with Diego, Ben leans over to Klaus and states,

"If I was alive you would owe me $20 bucks right now. I told you they'd come back and get together before Allison and Luther would."

"Oh, shut up," Klaus replies

The rest of the group looks over to Klaus before looking back at the still flailing Diego.

"Klaus makes a good point. You need to drop this and shut up Diego." Allison states

"I will not!" Diego replies back

"If you don't calm down, drop the issue, and let them be happy I will rumor you into doing so." Allison threatens

It takes a moment but Diego soon stops his fighting. He was not going to be rumored into ignoring the situation but for now, he would put it off. Letting out a huff, Diego relents,

"Fine."

"Good, now let's shut down this camera and just leave them be. We can talk to them later." Luther commands as he puts Diego back down

And so as the siblings tried to quietly file out of Ben's room and go off to do other things, this version of Five and you stayed happily together ready to take on whatever the future threw at them.

____________________________________

Taglist: @xplrreylo @joebob15274 @insatiable-ivy @fruitsaladtree @angelpeachamber @academy-umbrella @lizziel1410 @ir3neeee @faith-quake @aliens-with-colas @sunsetcurve-1995 @lady-celeste25 @im-dead-and-hurting @nerdypinupcrystal @cherry-ki-d @anapocalypseinmymind @vicassa @2cuteforyourlies @taylorsmakingfuckingmacandcheese @n1ghtsh4d3-67 @cheshire-salvatore-mikaelson @shadowycreationcupcake @emily-hargreeves @metor-showers1994 @fivehargreevesforthewin @rinko-san @supernovavision @cicilisthebest @flickbix @hi-v-juice @magykal-777 @zosiaduda @thethirdwheelfriend @mysticracoon @isnt-it-loverly @officiallydarkgeek @lady1505 @always-the-very-worst @tinypandagirl @libidinexx @lemongrabbuns @itwasallred @deadandoverit @shlokage @keksi249 @theoriginalkat @we-stan-fiction @bi-idiot-fanfics @annnagennnie @izzyjojo4 @megasimpleplan4ever @flowertoty @grabthemoneyandletsgo @itsametaphorbriansblog @vanillacaramelhoney @satvaldiva @disaster-magician @margotsfandoms @emily-b-m @bluechildrenlickmytoes @soft-slytherin-sweetie @oceanspray5 @im-here-for-fanfics @thebloodrobin @freestarlight @starcurrent @lilacs-lavender @moatsnow @give-the-boy-a-hug @narikyuwu @whenyouregrungeaff @gabriella-aesthetic @xxtwizztedxx

[princess-of-the-corner]

The funniest thing about the crossover to me is how Equestria Girls is far enough in the timeline that it's just the specials, while other shows are midway through their own plots with the villains still active. And EQGs corrupted villain of the week formula is perfect to completely wreck their more serious plots. 

Take Miraculous Ladybug for example: We're into season 4, and Gabe's still Hawkmoth. He's heading to some nowhere town called Canterlot in the US for a fashion conference; he'll judge some teen designers and be back to harass Paris by Monday. Then some sparkly fog gets into his ipad and the next thing he knows he's grown a second set of arms and started calling himself 'Masterpiece Agreste' and turning people into portraits. And then one of the contestants and her weird friends turn into horse furries and zap him back to normal.

And at that point there are 3 options: there's no effect on continuity, he goes home and tries not to think about it, and a few years later Sunset checks the news and Frenemy Of The Week 5 was a supervillain the whole time; Mothman now starts going after Equestrian magic and we get a Crossover Big Damn Movie; or it derails canon completely and ML just kinda stops because a bunch of teens and their horse supervision befriended an emotionally crippled single father so hard he stopped being a terrorist.

-

Honestly I'm gonna go with option 3 because that's literally the plot of about half of MLP. "We'll kick your ass with the power of friendship and also give you some therapy bitch!'

[kunkutarpulla]

You all know the shooting of Andrew Tekle Sundberg? Yeah, he got lots of attention and guess what's disturbing part about this case? There are people seriously ignoring his potential victim, Arabella Foss-Yarbrough.

Before we continue, DO NOT GO HARASS THE FAMILY OF TEKLE'S NOR ARABELLA HERSELF. The case is already difficult enough. Well, what's the case shortly?

In July 13, in Minneapolis (Minnesota) a young man was seen standing outside his flat looking inside the window of his neighbor's, like he's focused and following someone in there. And that someone was Arabella herself. Two police officers, Aaron Pearson and Zachary Seraphine, were patroling and trying to talk him down. But everything took a turn when he started to shoot the mom and her kids through the window. And even started to attack the police officers which gave no other choice but shoot. At Saturday, after the shooting, there was a rally outside the apartment complex where it happened. Then Arabella showed up and started to tell what actually happened there at that night. She was very frustated but it's understandable. Who wouldn't be after that experience? And as a result, SHE AND HER TODDLER-AGED KIDS GOT VICTIM BLAMED BY BLACK LIVES MATTER ACTIVISTS! Yes, that's a real thing.

The case is now shortly recapped. Am I saying Tekle was 100 % evil or his family shouldn't cry for him? ABSOLUTELY NOT. And neither was she. He had his issues and I don't know what he was like in weekdays, but at least he wasn't like Albert Fish or any other serial killer from history. And the family has a right to feel grief for their loss.

Was the rally necessary? NO. There would've been other ways to show solidarity for them, like paying the funeral expenses. Or at least majority of them. Funerals take lots of money. That would've been more effective and subtle. And also it would've given a positive publicity to Black Lives Matter movement. That makes me ask: Where was it when Tekle still was among the living? Why it didn't give him and his family any help back then?

As downhearted as the case is, there was NO signs of police brutality in it. George Floyd situation was police brutality, because

1) He was unarmed;

2) He was either drunk or high. At least it's assumed he was; and

3) Derek Chauvin and the three others, abused their position as police officers and used their tactics wrongfully.

Tekle, on the other hand, had a gun. He knew exactly what he was doing. (I don't know what his motive was and I don't care.) Police officers in question, obeyed their protocol and tried to solve this peacefully first. They tried to talk to him, they let his father talk to him, they even gave him SIX HOURS time to surrender. It didn't work. I wish it would've gone differently and also did Pearson and Seraphine, but it was very critical and serious circumstance.

It's so disgusting how a hysterical young woman, who tells protesters how the events really went and how they should go home, is treated: Not only they filmed the event, posted it on Twitter and portraited Arabella like she's in the wrong but they also told her to shut up like she's some racist white Karen being triggered over black kids selling lemonade across the street she lives. She's not like that. She was a victim of an attemped murder. They were literally victim blaming her! The cops' bodycams captured the situation which they used as proves in front of Tekle's family and the court:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJxNEDdkIUk&t=488s (Well, this video is seeing one of my journals, though.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6Pksj4TASs (There you can see her and her kids flee. Older being only 4 years old, younger being 2 years old.)

My journals related to the topic:

https://www.deviantart.com/tultsi93/journal/That-man-is-a-real-white-alley-923100302

https://www.deviantart.com/tultsi93/journal/Arabella-gets-victim-blamed-more-924310618

This is the video I was refering to: 

https://twitter.com/RebsBrannon/status/1548498745704124418

I'm happy about how his parents and siblings were sorry for Arabella and her children for what they're going through. They didn't practice victim blaming despite the fact the whole situation was and still is burdensome for them. I sincerely wish them all the best and that their pain will ease. It's dissapointing I'm not physically there, I would give all of them a hug. Hopefully I manage in this grey-area thinking now. This is the most strenuous cases in our history.

[shatteredcrimsondreams]

Mochizuki Shima Walkthrough

~The Drifting Twilight~

As always for new characters, I’m more than willing to spend my love passes & hearts to fly through the stories and even though I felt Shima’s story to be a tad too short (or maybe just not developed enough for my liking), it was a straightforward teenage love story for me (in the sense it tugged my heartstrings at all the right places🥺).

So here’s my take on his route! May have missed out some details here and there but this is for anyone who needs it 🥰

Episode 1: Setting Off

Part 1 (4/5) I. Trust the man II. Doubt him (Chemistry +5)

Part 2 (3/5) I. I wasn’t trying to (Chemistry +5) II. Kind of you to care

Story Mission: 100 Skill Points

Get Letter

Episode 2: Man of Koka

Part 1 (3/5) I. What choice is there II. I’m concerned (Chemistry +5)

Part 2 (2/5) I. Leave him be II.Talk to him (Chemistry +5)

Avatar Mission: Love: Fruits of Labor Kimono (8 pearls)  + portrait Fate: Slice of Life Clutch (5 pearls/2500 coins)

Get Letter

Episode 3: Kindness

Part 1 (1/5) I. Sorry (Chemistry +5) II. You’re sweet

Part 2 (2/5) I. Follow (Chemistry +5) II. Don’t follow

Get Letter

Story Mission: 8000 Skill Points

Get Letter

Episode 4: Koka and Iga

Part 1 (1/5) I. I need some time II. I’ll ask the others (Chemistry +5)

Part 2 (2/5) I.  Ask what he means (Chemistry +5) II. Stay quiet

Get Letter

Episode 5: Partings and Reunion

Part 1 (3/5) I. Don’t tease (Chemistry +5) II. Are you serious

Part 2 (4/5) I.  I don’t know (Chemistry +5) II. I owe him

Get Letter

Episode 6: Secrets of the Past

Part 1 (2/5) I. Admit it (Chemistry +5) II. Stay silent

Part 2 (1/5) I. That’s unexpected II. So you were close (Chemistry +5)

Story Mission: 25,000 Skill Points

Get Letter

Episode 7: Redeparture

Part 1 (3/5) I. Don’t you want to? II. I have high hopes (Chemistry +5)

Part 2 (3/5) I.  That’s sweet (Chemistry +5) II. I owe you too

Episode 8: Shadows Loom

Part 1 (2/5) I. Leave this to me (Chemistry +5) II. Yeah, well

Part 2 (1/5) I. So you trust him (Chemistry +5) II. Think we can trust him?

Get Letter

Avatar Mission: Love: Bursting Blooms Hakama (12pearls) Fate: Twisted Blossom Hairpin (8pearls / 4000 coins)

Get Letter

Crossroads: Silent Kiss

Episode 9: The Truth

Part 1 (1/5) I. Wait Silently (Chemistry +5) II. Say Something

Part 2 (1/5) I. Thank you (Chemistry +5) II. I can do it myself

Get Letter

Story Mission: 38,000 Skill Points

Get Letter

Episode 10: Final Destination

Part 1 (2/5) I. Say nothing (Chemistry +5) II. What do you want with him

Part 2 (2/5) I. Talk to Shima II. Say nothing (Chemistry +5)

Get Letter

Light Ending: 55,000 Skill Points

Chemistry Needed: 65

Get Wind Dancer Ninja Gear, Portrait & Epilogue Light Ending: One of Our Own

Shadow Ending: 55,000 Skill Points

Get Wordly Twists & His POV Story