#happy almost 2021 fools

[the-offside-rule]

Charles Leclerc (Scuderia Ferrari) - Teammate in Law

Requested: on wattpad

Prompt: Y/n and Charles are secretly keeping their relationship from her older brother, Carlos. But, it is all for not whilst Charles drunkenly tells Carlos the truth

Warnings: Drunk Charles, angry Carlos

You never really had any trouble with complying with Carlos' rules. Don't distract any team members, don't cause any trouble, no dating other drivers. In McLaren, you didn't have a problem because Carlos' team-mate was Lando at the time and Lando wasn't exactly your type, so you just ended up being his friend. The trouble however, started when Carlos moved to Ferrari at the beginning of the 2021 season. "Don't go anywhere, Im just going in to check on Mattia." Carlos said, leaving you in the middle of a hallway in the ferrari factory. "I won't go anywhere, I'll get lost if I do." After some reassurance, Carlos walked into Mattia's office. Although Carlos insisted the meeting would be a few minutes, it had already passed twenty minutes. You let out a groan in boredom.

You focused on keeping yourself composed as Charles Leclerc was literally sitting right next to you. "Excuse me?" You turned as the monegasque began to speak. "Do you work here?" Charles asked. "Oh, erm, no. Just a visitor." You replied. He nodded and turned back facing the wall. "Are you a fan? I think there's some fans allowed in here from time to time." Charles said. You shook your head no. "Nope, I'm Carlos' sister." Charles looked over and smiled softly. "Ah, so is that why you're here? He's in with Mattia?" Charles asked, pointing towards the door. "Yeah, he's been taking forever though." Charles looked you up and down, smiling as he took in your features. "So, you're Y/n? Lando told me about you." Your eyes went wide. "Probably not good things." Charles laughed and looked down to the floor. "No, not at all. A lot of stories about you drunk." You groaned and leaned your head against the wall. Lando had ruined your chances of scoring the monegasque before you even met him. "No, no, I want to see this all in person." You looked over confused. "What?" you asked. "Let's go and see if you're actually like this. How about we go out for a drink sometime?" You nibbled on your lower lip, trying to hide the grin on your face but it was no use. Charles knew he'd just about won you over.

The door to Mattia's office opened before Carlos stepped out and saw you and Charles smiling at each other, before you both tried to hide the fact that you were. "So what is all this?" Carlos asked, vividly unimpressed. "Just introducing myself Carlos." Charles replied. Carlos laughed. "She won't be seeing you enough for you to introduce yourself." You squinted your eyes at your brother in disbelief. "I know what you're really trying to do, you can't fool me. I was your age once." It was getting tense between the two ferrari dircers and they hadn't even gotten on track together as team-mates yet. "You aren't that old mate." Charles joked but clearly at the wrong time. "Are you mocking me?" Carlos almost shouted. "Carlos, can you stop shouting at the man? You're making a scene!" You pulled at Carlos' sleeve but he wasn't listening. "I'll call Mama and she won't be happy at all!" You threatened. Carlos looked back as if he was being challenged. He scoffed at his little sister. "You wouldn't dare." You grabbed your phone from your pocket and clicked onto your mother's phone number, holding it up to your ear and waiting for her to answer and staring at Carlos all at once. "Mama? Carlos es estúpido!" You said walking away, undoubtedly going to town on how annoying he was being. The usual. "Ah, ah, ah, Mamá, no porque, tu hija también está siendo estúpida!" Carlos called following after his sister. Charles however, looked on amused at the Spanish bickering and couldn't help but have this magnetic like attraction to the young Sainz sister.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

After the hectic race that was Silverstone, you went back to your hotel room to change before you went to cleebbrate with the team. Thankfully, your room was in between Charles' and Carlos'. You had a connecting room with Charles which was helpful for whne Charles was sneaking in at night and for moments like this. Charles stared at you, taking in your beauty through the mirror on the dresser, but you could tell something else was wrong. "You okay?" you asked as you took off the ferrari jacket. "That stuff doesn't suit you." You squinted your eyes in disbelief of his words. "What? Last time I checked you still drove for ferrari." Y/n said. Charles let out a sigh. "Yes but I mean why can't you wear the number 16?" Y/n grinned and wrapped her arms around Charles' neck. "We both know why Charles, I have to wear the number 55 for the meantime." After a few more visits, the exchanging of phone numbers and of course social medias, Charles had managed to captivate the Spaniard enough to love him back. The relationship had still been pretty new, only a few months but you didn't really care. "I don't have a problem telling Carlos I'm dating you-"

"Yes but he'll kill me, he wouldn't dare hurt you mon cœur." You giggled and pulled him in for a kiss. "I wouldn't let him do that, my love. Now go back to your room before Carlos comes around." Charles smiled and walked over to the connecting door before locking it behind him.

After Carlos came around, you went down to meet up with the team. They all decided to go out and celebrate and of course, you decided to tag along as you had gone to the Grand Prix. Everything was going fine until Charles had a little too much to drink and completely forgot that you were keeping you relationship secret. He started to dance with you, tell you how much he loved you and in all honesty, you weren't used to it so you got yourself out of the situation by going over to the bar. Carlos was watching the whole thing unfold, he wasn't the slightest bit impressed. You spotted Carlos and decided to go and tell him you'd be going up to your room to go fecth something. "I'll be back in a minute! I forgot my phone!" you said loud enough for Carlos to hear. Charles, on the verge of being blackout drunk, followed you to the bar but got confused whem he couldn't find you. He turned and saw his team-mate, sipping on a beer by himself and he let out a huge, exaggerated gasp. "Carlos!" Carlos turned and saw Charles, stumbling towards him, making him let out a little laugh. "You cannot hold alcohol, mate." Carlos laughed before Charles said something Carlos couldn't even understand. "By the way mate, you need to back up. That's my sister you're dancing with." Carlos laughed as he downed another bottle of beer. Charles, his mind clouded with alcohol, scoffed and grabbed another bottle of Estrella Galicia. "I'm already seeing her, Carlos. You need to relax." He laughed. Carlos froze and set his drink down before turning to face Charles. "What did you say?" Carlos asked. "I'm already seeing your sister, about two months or something now." Carlos clenched his jaw and finished his beer before paying and leaving.

He stormed upstairs to where you were staying and just as Carlos was about to knock the door, you opened it, putting your card key into your purse. "Oh, Carlos. I was on my way down now-" Carlos backed you up and closed the door behind him once he got into your room. "What the hell is this I hear about you and Charles, eh?" Your heart stopped. What did Charles say? "What have you two been up to?!" He shouted. "Carlos, calm down-" Carlos cut you off. "Calm down? Are you seriously telling me to calm down?" he asked angrily. "Yes, are you deaf?" He threw his arms up in a fit of rage. "Y/n, you are seeing my team mate. Did I not have a rule for this?" Carlos asked. You folded your arms over your chest and looked away. "Maybe you did." you muttered. "Now Lando, I wouldn't mind Lando because I know for a fact he wouldn't dare do anything wrong but Charles? Do you know about his ex girlfriends? How quickly he moves on? He's a play boy in a ferrari car. Nothing special." He snarled. This hurt you. You didn't want to believe it but putting things into perspective, that's how it seemed. "Can we just not do this right now please? I just want to finally find someone."

Carlos continued on ranting for a good four or five minutes. You felt like a child being scolded with all these lectures. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Carlos asked. "I don't see a problem with it." You muttered. "Are you being serious?! I just told you what he is and you still don't have a problem?!" Carlos boomed, his loud voice echoing around the hotel room and undoubtedly around the entire floor too. "Carlos, again with the shouting, can you tone it down a bit?" You asked quietly. "Tell me why, why should I not shout when you aren't listening?" You stood up straight, and off the wall. "You think I'm gonna listen if you shout? If you're wrong, you're wrong! No matter how loud you say it!"

À knock cane from the door, making you groan. "See? Now I have to deal with the noise complaint!" You walked towards the door and turned the knob before you opened it, surprised to see who was there. "Charles?" You arched an eyebrow as Charles showed up to your doorway, Carlos still angry in the background. "Y/n! Mon cœur! I love you!" He slurred, almost tripping on the way in. "I want to marry you." He sang. Your expression softened at his drunken words. You looked over to Carlos who looked at Charles disapprovingly. "Charles, I don't think this is the right time." You told him sweetly. "It's always the right time with you my love." he said, kissing your cheek. Carlos tensed up and looked away, his hands moving to his hips. "I know, but Carlos is here right now." Charles sat up and looked over to the pissed off Spanish driver. He lifted his finger and pointed at him, causing confusion between both Spaniards in the room. "Ah, my team mate in law." Charles began walking towards Carlos, you tried to hold him back a bit but it wasn't going to happen. "Listen, mate, I don't like lying to you so I should be the one to tell you this-" Charles paused and Carlos stood in anticipation. "I'm in love with your sister."

You closed your eyes in annoyance and sucked your lips in. "Charles, let's get you to bed, huh?" Charles nodded and went to open his connecting door. You closed your eyes again as Carlos looked on. Everything made sense now. How you two were secretly hanging out, how you managed to end up dating, everything was falling into place. "This is the secret door, Y/n." Charles whispered to you as if Carlos wasn't right there. "Charles, please go to bed." He smiled, before going through and closing it behind him, leaving you alone with Carlos to explain everything. "Okay, I think I need to explain a lot, right?" Carlos nodded before grabbing his jacket and putting it on. "You do, but that can be done another time." You arched an eyebrow. "What? So you don't want to ask anything? You don't have a problem?" Carlos shrugged his shoulders. "I don't have as big a problem with him now." Carlos said. "He's my team-mate in law after all." He added, earning a smile of relief from you. "I'll be going but if I hear anything-" He paused. "Unusual, I'll be coming straight over." You felt embarrassed as Carlos made his joke. "Nothing will happen, he's drunk and I'm pretty much sober."

"Well make sure my team-mate in law doesn't die or something. He's kind of important to the team." you laughed a bit and nodded. "I wouldn't let anything happen to him Carlos, you don't have to worry about that."

[koridoru]

Can I request scenario? Plot is next: Muzan in love with his female S/O and at some point decides to confess to her that he is demon. But, instead of being shocked or scared, she is very happy about that, because she can share her food with him, and seeing his confused look, explain to him that she is cannibal.

(this is like the second cannibal ask I've gotten is op ok 😭)

(man i can see the dates on asks now and OOF this is from 2021 augh 😭)

You and Muzan were quite the couple, a power couple, should it be called.

You had been together for about eight months now, Muzan was considering tying the knot already.

But one thing stood in the way, he was a demon, you weren't.

God, he didn't want to even tell you, he couldn't imagine the look of betrayal on your face.

He was cruel and cold hearted, but for whatever reason, not with you.

It took a while, but he mustered up the courage to just tell you.

He opens the door to your room, where you sat on a coushin, brushing your hair.

You look back and smile at him.

"How are you doing, darling?"

Your voice is so sweet he can barely take it.

"My dear, I have to...talk to you about something. Something important."

The sincerity in his voice worries you.

You stand up, setting your comb down.

You walk over to him, taking his hands into yours.

"Is something wrong?"

"It..it should be nothing, dear. I don't want to trouble you."

He puts a finger under your chin, raising your head a bit to face him.

"Darling, I...well.."

You cock your head in confusion.

"Are you aware of...demons?"

Your eyes widen just a bit.

"Yes, I am. Why?"

"Well..." He sighs.

"I suppose I should have told you sooner, but, I am one."

You look shocked, initially, but that soon fades.

You smile at him, which confuses him.

"Well, that explains a lot, especially since I've never seen you eat, or go out in the day."

"You're... you're not upset?"

You shake your head.

"Of course not, now I know I can share my meals with you."

His brows furrow, his blood almost runs cold when you say that, if it wasn't cold already.

"Share your meals? What do you mean?" His voice is laced with confusion.

"I eat people too, silly."

His eyes widen, he hesitate to speak.

"You what? I...are you a demon as well?"

"No, I'm a human who also eats humans." Your tone is oddly cheery and unbothered.

It takes a moment, but he realizes.

He sighs a bit, feeling like a fool.

"I understand. What a lucky man I am to have found a lover who understands me like you do, while also sharing a diet. Well, I don't see any reason to hide anything else from you, dear."

He smiles handsomely, you giggle and hug him close, excited about your future meals together.

"Hmm...what would you say is the tastiest part of a person?"

"Well, that's hard...I suppose the more meaty parts, the thighs, stomach, and sometimes the biceps if they are stronger."

You nod in agreement.

[sweetcherryharry]

Begin Again — 03

Synopsis: Harry and Y/N had a secret relationship for almost two years, until they broke up. A year later, she shows up at one of his Love On Tour shows.

(masterlist)

“Your names, please.” Was the first thing the three girls —and a disguised Jeff— heard as soon as they crossed the ‘Staff Only’ door, where another two guards who were on the outside had opened the entrance towards them, recognizing Jeff and letting him in with his companions.

Jeff turned to look at Y/N, gesturing her to answer the guard requesting their names, “Y/N Y/L/N,” she replied, taking the lead from her group of friends. 

She knew the routine, she had seen it before. When she accompanied Harry to his first Love on Tour leg in 2021, she never had the need to complete this process since she had a special badge that Harry gave her, letting all the guards know she was his guest and she could come in and out of backstage with no problem.

Yet, she had seen from time to time how the process was; when one of Harry’s family or close friends would attend the shows and they’d meet him backstage, she had the opportunity to see how the protocol to let someone in was.

The guard nodded, writing down her information on his clipboard and what she assumed was the date and time, “You’re whose guest?” 

Before she could reply with Jeff’s name since he had been the one to retrieve her and bring her backstage —along with her friends—, someone beat her to it. “Harry Styles.”

Y/N faintly heard her friends’ quiet gasps leaving their lips right beside her, as they had registered Jeff saying that she was Harry’s guest. From the corner of her eye, she could see that both Maia and Natalie turned to look at each other with wide eyes, not really comprehending what was going on.

The guard simply scribbled down, and turned to look at her again, “Do you have any identification?”

Y/N quickly took her small bag in her hands and pulled out her wallet, where she had her ID. Without a word, she handed him the plastic card, feeling her palms getting sweaty. 

He examined it carefully, before nodding and scribbling down a few more pieces of information; probably her ID number and birthday. After a few seconds, Y/N was handed her ID back and was given now a backstage pass along with it.

“Next, please,” The guard motioned for one of the trio to continue on the security process, and it was Maia who took the step forward. As the guard asked the same questions (except for whose guests they were), Y/N simply remained silent, looking at the long hallway ahead of them. 

She couldn't help but think of the many memories with Harry; fooling and joking around in these backstage hallways.

Harry and Y/N couldn't help but feel giddy with excitement as they made their way down the dimly lit hallway backstage of the arena; Madison Square Garden. 

It was the first of the four concerts he had in the arena for this tour, and they had been waiting for it for months. Harry was extremely nervous, while Y/N was extremely excited and happy for him.

As they walked, Harry suddenly grabbed Y/N by the hand and spun her around, causing her to stumble into him. "Heeyy!" she laughed, pushing him away playfully.

Harry grinned at her, his green eyes sparkling mischievously. "I'm sorry, I couldn't resist. You just look absolutely amazing in your tee,"

Y/N couldn’t help but roll her eyes, yet a warm flush crept up her cheeks as her smile grew. "You know I had to!" she said, trying to suppress a smile. She had seen a very funny tee on Etsy, and honestly, she couldn’t help but buy it for herself. 

It was a black tee that said “Harry Styles’ GF (REAL)”, along with an edited picture of her boyfriend with pink hearts surrounding him.

It had been a surprise for him, and when it had finally arrived at their home and she showed it to him, he couldn’t help but find it amusing.

He said that she needed to wear it to one of his concerts, finding it would be quite funny that the fans had no idea that the tee was actually true. She was his secret girlfriend.

“Please tell me you’ll keep it all night.” Harry laughed, thinking about how amusing it will be to see his actual girlfriend in the crowd wearing that shirt.

Y/N decided to tease him, “All night?” She arched an eyebrow, and shrugged, feigning innocence. “Well, I guess I’ll wear it until tomorrow, no removing it all night, then.”

And as she was expecting, Harry was quick to catch on to what she was implying. She felt his warm hand push her against one of the white walls, quickly putting one of his hands behind her head (to protect it from the hard wall), and the other one on her hip bone, keeping her in place.

“Do you truly want to start this game?” His hand that rested on her hip bone started to trail up, bringing her tee up with it. He looked at her with a playful —yet lustful— look in his green eyes, enjoying himself quite much.

And as she was about to make her next move, a loud voice interrupted them, “Harry! Y/N! Before you continue whatever you think you are doing, let me remind you we have 20 minutes until Harry is on stage!” 

They both turned to look at Harry Lambert, who had an annoyed —yet amused— expression on his face. Y/N couldn’t help but feel like a deer in headlights, caught in her little mischief, as her cheeks turned pink.

On the other hand, Harry couldn’t help but laugh, letting his girlfriend free from his hold on her against the wall, and now opting to take her hand in his.

Without another word, the fashion stylist chuckled and shook his head, before turning on his heel and walking towards Harry’s backstage room, letting them know that he'll be waiting.

Harry turned to Y/N, a huge smile on his face. "I love you," 

She couldn’t help but smile widely at him, too, “I love you even more”

A hand on her shoulder brought Y/N back to reality, away from her daydream. She turned to look at both of her friends, who were now ready to continue on, their backstage badges hanging from their necks, just like Y/N had hers.

“Let’s go,” Jeff said, now directing the girls toward the hallway. He fell onto the front of the group, leaving the trio a few meters back from him to give them privacy, while also directing them towards Harry’s backstage room or wherever they were supposed to meet up.

It seemed that Maia and Natalie both took this opportunity to question their friend, extremely confused and uncertain of what the hell was going on. One minute they were enjoying Harry Styles’ concert, and the next, they were preparing to meet him backstage. All because apparently, their friend knows him.

“How?!” Maia whispered-yelled at her, her eyebrows shooting up.

Y/N could feel her heart beating rapidly in her chest for two reasons. One, because she was extremely nervous to admit the truth to them, and two, because with each step they took, it was a step closer to seeing Harry face-to-face for the first time since their breakup.

“Funny story,” she chuckled, letting out a sigh, “Remember I told you about an ex-boyfriend called Harry?”

Natalie lightly slapped her mouth in surprise, while Maia remained silent, her eyes wide. “So you’re telling me that your ex-boyfriend Harry… the one that you dated for almost two fucking years… is fucking Harry Styles?!” 

Without knowing what to say, Y/N simply nodded. 

“Oh my god… oh my god…” Natalie continued, shaking her head in disbelief. “So basically… when he stared at you during the concert while he sang ‘Love Of My Life’… it was because he saw his ex-girlfriend in the crowd?!”

And again, Y/N simply nodded.

“I can’t believe this, oh my god…” Natalie continued to ramble, “WAIT! So Harry’s House is about you?”

Y/N shrugged, not really knowing what to say. She was almost sure most of the album (or all of it) was about her, many things in the lyrics resonating with her and their relationship, yet she didn’t have 100% confirmation.

After a few seconds of silence and following Jeff around, Maia spoke up, quietly, “Have you talked to him since you broke up?”

“No, it’s the first time I’ll see him in almost a year.” Y/N shook her head, before letting out a deep breath, and quickly glanced at her two friends, “I’m so, so sorry I didn’t tell you before… I promise I’ll tell you everything later tonight, okay?”

Noticing the guilt Y/N was feeling, knowing that Y/N felt bad for not telling them the entire truth, both Maia and Natalie hugged her from each side. Natalie was the first to comfort her, “Y/N… you don’t owe us an explanation, it’s okay. We’re just surprised, it’s all. It’s not every day that one of your best friend’s ex turns out to be a huge pop star.”

That made Y/N chuckle, and before she could continue on, Maia spoke up, “We love you, and we’re here for you.”

“I love you guys so much,” Y/N smiled, and wrapped each of her arms around their friends, giving them a squeeze. “And please, enjoy meeting him, don’t be biased. Harry’s a lovely and sweet guy, and I know that you’re both extremely excited to meet him. He’s Harry Styles after all.”

Natalie laughed, “And this is why I love you!”

As the atmosphere between the girls lightened up, making Y/N feel much better knowing that her friends supported her, their steps became slower as they noticed Jeff slowed down, too. He paused at one of the doors and turned to look at the three girls.

“Ready?” Jeff said to the girls, but he only looked at Y/N, wanting her reassurance. The girl nodded, trying to give him a light-hearted smile.

The man turned towards the door and knocked a few times, before opening the door. “Please, come in.”

Maia was the first to walk in, Natalie following her, leaving Y/N at the back. Before she could cross the door’s threshold after her friends, Jeff quickly leaned against her, “Thank you for accepting, you have no idea how much he’s missed you.” he murmured in her ear, before letting her go through.

Y/N simply gave him another smile, appreciating the words, before walking through the entrance, holding her breath. 

The familiar music of Fleetwood Mac sounded through her ears as it was playing through the room, along with lots of voices engaged in conversation. She was quick to notice where she was; at the “Love Band’s Living Room” (as Sarah loved to call it). It was the room where the band always was in arenas, enjoying themselves before and after concerts, having a snack and a few laughs. 

No matter which part of the world they were in, the band always found a room backstage in every arena to make it their own. And no matter what, the room always consisted of a few couches, music playing loudly through the speakers, and a big table with snacks and drinks.

When Harry and Y/N were together during Love on Tour 2021, they would sometimes join them before or after some concerts, and honestly, she’d have the best time chatting with everyone there.

Some things never change.

“Y/N!” Before Y/N could look around, she was being squeezed into a pair of arms. “I can’t believe you’re here! I missed you!”

She was quick to recognize the feminine voice; Sarah.

Sarah was the drummer of the band, and was also one of Y/N’s closest friends, as they would hang out often in the past. They’d go on double dates, they’d enjoy girls' time together, and even Y/N would babysit Mitch and Sarah’s baby quite often.

They never lost contact, even when Harry and she broke up. They’d text from time to time, keeping up with each other’s lives, and always saying that they should meet up someday when the tour was over. 

“Sarah!” Y/N exclaimed happily, hugging the drummer back. With all of her nerves about seeing Harry again backstage, she had never considered that maybe she would see the band, too. “I missed you too!”

The two girls broke apart, a smile decorating both of their faces. “I saw you at the beginning of the show, and I couldn’t believe it was you,” Sarah said, making her chuckle.

“I still insist that you should be the leader of the band,” Y/N said playfully, remembering one of the inside jokes that they always had back then. 

But what she wasn’t expecting was for someone else to reply to her.

“I think I’m starting to agree with you,” A very, very familiar voice said to her right, and as Y/N turned her head, she felt her heart skip a beat as she looked into Harry’s green eyes.

Harry stood right in front of her, a smile on his lips as she looked at her. Y/N couldn't help but notice how handsome Harry looked, with his charming smile and brown curls decorating his face. He was no longer wearing his concert outfit, instead, he wore a simple white shirt and jeans, along with his vans.

For a moment, they just stood there, lost in their own thoughts as they admired each other. 

Finally, Y/N spoke up, a smile on her lips, too. "Hi, Harry."

sorry it took so long! my schedule is crazy but finally, here is pt3 to 'begin again' :)

*it's not edited, i'm sorry if it has any mistakes lol

taglist: @samanddeaninatrenchcoat @one-sweet-gubler @jjsgirlp4l @lovingmesstuff @gem1712 @tinyhrry @kipperthedog2004 @behindmygreyeyes @theekyliepage @winterrays @drunk-teens-doing-drugs @slutforcoffein @a-strange-familiar @grapejuice-rry @tranquility-moon @tpwksummer @awkwardbisexuall @ameerakane20 @harryspirate  @that-one-little-soybean @voniikg @lovergirl42442 @daydreamingwithaseaview @harrysdaydream22 @lonelyxhabit @obsessed-with-every-book-ever @silenthappyplace @ameerakane20 @hesdebility

[abyssruler]

to dream a dream

xiao x gn reader

sometimes, all it takes to push two people together is a stroke of luck, and sometimes, leaving is as easy as taking on the abyss. perhaps you were a fool for choosing misery, but people like you were never meant for a happy ending. or, xiao meets a star-borne traveler who captures his heart and leaves it fractured for the next 500 years.

angst, not a happy ending (can be read as ambiguous ending), non-linear narrative, long fic, reader is the abyss twin (gender neutral), i wrote most of this back in sept 2021 so might not be accurate on a few lore aspects but i tried my best

Here is how it starts: a shooting star and a lone Yaksha.

Perched atop one of the many mountain peaks in Jueyun Karst, Xiao watches the afternoon sky be split by a streak of gold.

A shooting star.

It’s only when it begins to descend that the lone Yaksha realizes the direness of the situation. He’s quick to summon his spear, disappearing in a swirl of anemo and his own tainted aura. He arrives just in time to see a golden figure fall from the sky and into the ground in the middle of Dihua Marsh.

What greets him when he approaches is the sight of a person laying in the middle of a meteor-sized crater, eyes closed and dressed in clothes that look as if they belonged to another world.

After the war that occurred only a few years ago, and with the looming threat of Celestia hanging above the Seven Nations’s heads, he decides it is best to eliminate the threat this sleeping stranger might pose to Liyue.

The tip of the spear was only a few inches away from its destination when a pair of too-bright eyes open. And for the first time in his long life, Xiao falters from the stare of a stranger.

(He doesn’t know yet that this stranger is the person who will shape his life for the next five hundred years and more.)

✧

You awake to a spear pointed at you.

Your eyes look up from the glinting jade spear and meet molten gold. Hues of amber, orange, and yellows swim in the eyes of this stranger, and despite the situation you’re in, you can’t help but be mesmerized by such a sight.

There is a gaping hole in your memory, but you aren’t in any rush to fill it, too entranced by the view in front of you.

(Later, you will remember. Later, you will despair.

But for now, you look upon the being haloed in fiery light and marvel at the sight.)

The sky behind the stranger is bathed in the hues of the dying sun. It makes him look surreal, ethereal. His suspicious eyes haven’t moved in the slightest, haven’t shown any indication of emotion beyond distrust, but when you look into them, you can almost see the light of your brethren echoed in the brilliance of his eyes.

Your mouth moves before you can control it. You haven’t felt so out of control in a thousand years. “Are you a god?”

You wonder what kind of world you have ended up in to be in the presence of a god—and a god is what this being before you must be. Only gods can mirror the resplendence of the stars within their eyes.

Your question seems to have caught him off-guard. The way his brows knit and the tightening of his hold on his spear don’t escape your dazed eyes.

Not a god?

“Who are you?” the not-quite-god asks, raising his spear closer to you. You pay it no mind, your body is more resilient than most would think at first glance.

As soon as the thought comes, though, you are reminded by the searing pain scorching through your body, the brief moment of wonder at the sight of this beautiful stranger, gone.

What comes out of your lips is a whimper, hands coming up to reach futilely at your back where the pain resides the most. He seems taken aback by the sudden change in your actions, but all your attention is diverted to the searing pain resonating from your back.

It spreads through you, rendering you useless and vulnerable on the ground, a not-quite-deity only a few feet in front if you, capable of ending your life in your current state.

Across your arms, through your legs—it reaches every part of your body. You have never felt so powerless in your life.

He kneels at your evident distress, spear gone as his hands hover over your prone form. You don’t see the expression he wears, and when darkness starts creeping through your vision, you don’t see anything at all.

You feel him pull your body to his chest, lifting you up with ease that belies his strength.

Somehow, despite the agony you’re in, you can’t help but think of how warm this stranger feels.

✧

(You close your eyes and place your hand above your heart, trying to recall that warmth you’ve longed for centuries.

“Your Highness.”

The mask returns. Your eyes snap open, hand falling to your side as you turn a cold stare to one of your mages. The voice that comes out of you is one you don’t recognize—you haven’t for the past five hundred years.

“Is it time?”

The cryo mage lowers its head in deference as it utters an affirmative.

You return your gaze to the scene in front of you before turning away and stepping into a portal. The landscape of Dihua Marsh is pushed away and locked in a box, never to be seen along with your heart.)

✧

When you next open your eyes, you’re struck by the sheer the emptiness within you. The warmth that once pulsed through your veins is now nothing but ice. What used to be ichor is now normal—mortal—blood. The power that once defeated gods and destroyed nations has become nothing. A raging fire reduced to ashes.

You are exceedingly aware of how powerless you now are.

Your hand reaches for your side, only to be met with nothing.

A rueful smile makes its way to your lips.

Was it not enough for that god to take away your powers? Now you’re not only empty, but also one half of a whole.

You wonder if your twin is suffering the same fate as you.

“You’re awake.”

The voice startles you. How lost must you have been in your thoughts to be startled by a stranger. You haven’t been caught off-guard since that fight against the god of thunder four hundred years ago.

Wide-eyed, you turn to the source of the sound. A young man stands near the entrance of the sparce room you found yourself in, clad in clothes and armor that spark a vague sense of recognition in you. Your first meeting is a hazy blur in your mind. Trying to wade through your jumbled thoughts is like trying to cradle sand with your fingers—futile.

Handsome, is what your first thought is. Then you see the way he stands so warily, sharp eyes trained on you and never once blinking—dangerous. In your current state, you don’t think you have the power to take him on in a fight and win.

“I’m a bit disoriented from everything I went through,” you start, eyeing him cautiously and beginning to loosen up when he shows no signs of hostility. You try for a disarming smile, “I’m sorry, but could you tell me where I am?”

He crosses his arms—a good sign or a bad sign? Probably the former. “You are in Liyue, the land of the Geo Archon.”

Liyue.

Geo Archon.

You are in Teyvat, right where Celestia rules.

All the blood drains from your face. You school your expression into one of indifference, but it’s too late. This stranger has already seen the way you paled at the mention of the Geo archon.

Your hands clench around the sheets pooled around your legs so tight they’re nearly numb. His eyes shift at the action before returning to your face, his countenance impassive and closed-off.

“I see.” You’re grateful for the steadiness of your voice.

You pretend to contemplate your situation, all while your mind is running a mile a minute. You muddle through the haze in your memory, trying to recall the snippets of conversation you’ve had and the barest of informations you’ve been given about Teyvat.

Liyue. There are seven nations in Teyvat, one of them is Liyue. Each ruled by a respective Archon.

The Geo Archon.

What did the King say about him—

The King.

Oh.

Now-mortal blood rushes through your ears and leaves a faint ringing sensation. Your fingers unclench, eyes glazing over as you remember one crucial detail that you had forgotten in your haste to escape this world.

The King is dead.

And so is the Queen.

The Lectors, the Royal Guards, the Nobles, the people.

Everyone is…

Your hand reaches for your side.

Your sibling, your only family, your other half is…

It closes around empty space.

…gone.

Oh.

You are the only one left.

“Could I be left alone, please?”

He doesn’t question you, staying for a moment longer before disappering in a whirl of dark smoke and the lingering aura of the weight of deceased gods.

Only after the last traces of the stranger disappears do you let yourself fall apart.

✧

Grief is a word that can be used to describe Xiao’s entire being.

How many people has he lost and mourned in the long years he’s lived and breathed? Too many to count.

Perhaps it is why Xiao so easily conceded to your wish to be left alone. He, who finds more comfort in his lonesome than in the presence of others, knows better than anyone how overwhelming the company of a person during grief can be.

Perhaps he is a fool for letting you go, for acquiesing to your request. You’re a suspicious individual, proven more by your reaction to the mere mention of his god. He should have you incapacitated and interrogated, deem whether you’re a threat to Liyue and its people or not.

But he didn’t, because when he met your eyes, he saw himself mirrored in the nothingness in them.

So he leaves and lets you confront your grief and resolves to be gentler when he questions you tomorrow.

✧

He doesn’t ask about what happened yesterday, doesn’t question why you asked him to leave. He simply sits on the wooden chair in the corner of the small, rectangular room and waits for you to speak first.

You shift from your perch at the end of the thin bed. “I’m sorry for asking you to leave yesterday.”

You don’t elaborate more than that. He seems perceptive enough to know that you’d needed that time to be alone, or at least, you hope he is. The deities of this world, you’ve found, are much more difficult to read than others.

“Don’t think much of it,” he says curtly. Nodding, you wait for him to start the conversation, let him take the lead.

Moments pass. He makes no move to say anything else, only staring at you with those sharp, appraising eyes of his—and they really do look like molten gold. You suspect they’d look resplendent beneath the light of the sun.

Your eyes rove over his form, deciding to break the silence with a question. “Are you a warrior of Liyue?”

He hums in affirmation, nodding his head whilst crossing his arms. You inwardly sigh at the lack of words, it seems you’ll have to be the one to carry this conversation.

Just when you’re about to open your mouth, he speaks, “I am an Adeptus of Liyue.”

He looks at you as if his words carry a great weight to it. Perhaps it does, but you have no way of knowing so. The word adeptus doesn’t spark anything within your memory. The people of Khaenri’ah never spoke in length about the world above, and you were much too occupied with the wonders Khaenri’ah offered to care much about Teyvat.

So you blink at him cluelessly, but he doesn’t seem to get the hint, still watching you with a stare that would have been unsettling to anyone but you.

The words you’re about to say will probably give this stranger a hint of where you come from—rather, where you don’t come from—but you ask anyway, “May I ask what an adeptus is?”

You then realize that you’re probably not in the position to be asking him questions, but he answers anyway. From the looks of it, he doesn’t seem surprised by your ignorance.

“Adepti are guardians of Liyue. Mortals tend to worship Adepti like deity. Rex Lapis himself is an adeptus.”

Like gods then, but not quite. You suppose that explains why he isn’t so wary of you as opposed to what his reaction would have been if he was human.

You hum at the explanation before blinking at the unfamiliar name. You turn to him contemplatively, wondering if this Rex Lapis fellow is someone important enough that this stranger who claims to be an adeptus might get offended if you asked who he is. Perhaps he won’t, since you’ve already shown that you know little of Liyue’s culture and background.

“And who is Rex Lapis?”

His brows furrow at your response. You brace yourself for the worst, but his expression smoothens out.

“It’s no surprise that you are unfamiliar with the title. Only the people of Liyue call him by that name,” his voice remains calm. Somehow, it reminds you of the ever-composed captain of the Royal Guard (you push away the ache that comes with the reminder of an old friend). “Outside of Liyue, Rex Lapis is more known as Morax.”

Ah, the Geo Archon.

This time, you manage to mask your unease with a faux look of understanding. “I see, so Rex Lapis is the Geo Archon.”

He watches your reaction closely, but you don’t give him the opportunity to catch wind of your less than pleasant thoughts on Morax.

“So you serve him?” you say to divert his attention.

He nods, eyes still trained on you. You don’t think he knows what blinking means. If you’d been a normal person, perhaps you would have been intimidated by it, but after facing countless gods and monsters in battle, you merely find it amusing.

“And you?” he asks suddenly, somehow managing to look even more appraising.

“Me?”

“What nation do you hail from? Your clothes… they are not ones I am familiar with.” He tilts his head to the right in a manner eerily similar to that of a bird’s.

You send him a smile to lighten the weight of your next words. “Well, that’s because I’m from another world.”

✧

You decide to tag along the next time he leaves the little shack.

He still hasn’t deigned you trustworthy enough to know his name, so you refrain from asking him about it. Perhaps the Adepti of Liyue are simply that cautious. It’s a good call, you suppose, it’s always the carefree gods that tend to fall first.

(Five hundred years later, you watch the Dragon of the East ravage the city of Mondstadt with fierce winds. You feel the presence of Barbatos within the winds of Mondstadt, but you fear no god. The carefree Anemo Archon is not an exception.)

He stops by the shade of a tree before turning to you with a look that is distincly unamused. “Following me is unnecessary.”

Placing your hands in front of you innocently, you try for a disarming smile. “But I don’t have anything else to do.”

“There is food inside if you need sustenance.“

“Well, it’s kinda…” you trail off, trying to find the word that would least offend him, “Bland.”

He shakes his head. “The taste doesn’t matter. It’s for nourishment.”

“In some worlds, food is considered to be one of the most sacred things. A bland meal can be considered sacrilege, or simply disrespectful to your guest.” His brows furrow, before he can take offense to your words, you continue, “Have you ever tasted food that made you want to take another bite instead of simply eating it because it’s needed?”

“…What is your point?”

You clasp your hands in front of you. “My point is that we should go to the nearest market and shop for ingredients. I promise my cooking is top notch.”

He refutes you with a quick, “No.”

That won’t stop you though. “Fine. You can stay here and eat those tasteless food. I, on the other hand, am going to find the nearest town and buy myself good food.”

You begin to walk away, only to halt when a jade spear is held out in front of you.

“I cannot allow you to roam on your own.”

“Then come with me,” you argue.

There’s a stubborn set to his lips that fades into a quiet sigh. “I will watch you from afar.”

Later that night, when he takes a bite out of the curry you made with your feeble ingredients, you think you see his cold exterior melt a little.

✧

(There’s an emptiness in your stomach that mirrors the hollow shell that is your heart.

It’s been five hundred years since you slept, since you ate, since you last felt alive.)

✧

“Your name is Xiao? That’s a lovely name.”

He averts his gaze at your compliment, a strange feeling in his chest. He doesn’t know why he suddenly cannot look you in the eye, but perhaps it has something to do with the way you so easily said such words to him. It has been many years, but Xiao has never heard anyone call his given name lovely.

Or maybe it’s just you. You, who radiates a kind of brightness that warms and eases the burden of his debt. You, an outlander who claims to not be of this world, cycling through a range of grief and anger while still being open and luminous. He is not known to let people in easily, but throughout the course of a few days, you’ve somehow managed to creep close without his knowing.

Even the townspeople, who he knows have become wary of outsiders because of the war, have started to return your greetings with their own smiles.

“Does your name have a particular meaning?” you ask, laying on your back and uncaring of the grass stains that could potentially ruin your otherworldly clothes.

His mouth parts before he can stop it, and before he realizes it, two hours have passed by simply listening to you tell stories about the worlds you’ve traveled to and the people you met.

✧

On the third month of your stay, he discovers that you have a sibling.

“Will you allow me to leave, or am I still suspicious enough that you won’t let me out of your sights?” There’s a teasing tone to your voice that doesn’t entirely manage to hide the steel undertone to it.

Xiao shakes his head. “No. You are trustworthy.”

But the true reason he was displeased about this situation is—

“Don’t miss me too much, Xiao. I’ll only be gone for a few months at most!”

You’re heading off to Mondstadt to search for further clues on the whereabouts of your sibling.

✧

There’s something you would almost describe as electric in the way he stares at you after you return from your two month journey in Mondstadt, where all you found were questions and more riddles to add to the puzzle that happened in Khaenri’ah.

“Did you miss me?” you ask with a sly grin that turns into pleasant surprise at his response.

“I did.”

With a smile, you sidle up next to him on the bench and bump your shoulders together, acutely aware of the spot where your arms meet.

✧

“So I figured out a way to cook this new recipe I found at the Harbor. It’s called almond tofu.” You proudly present your latest masterpiece to him. “Think of it as a parting gift before I leave for Inazuma.”

His eyes widen at the first bite he takes.

You pester him whether the taste was good or if it was too sweet.

“It’s… good.” And that was about as close as you could get to attaining a five star rating from him.

You sit next to him, plucking up the courage to rest your head on his shoulder. “Don’t miss me too much, Xiao.”

(Oh, but he would.)

✧

“How was Inazuma?”

You laugh, still mourning your singed hair. “Pretty but dangerous. Did you know I got hit by lightning at least twenty times?”

“And what of your sibling?”

“Ah, still nothing.” You’re quick to mask the disappointment in your face. “But I’m sure Sumeru will have more answers for me. It’s the nation of wisdom after all.”

You slump on the grass, looking up at Xiao who stood beside you. There’s a hesitant look on his face as he takes something out of his pocket. He kneels on the grass next to you, something glinting on the palm of his hand.

“I realize that you will be encountering more dangers in your travels.” He eyes the bandages peeking from your sleeves. “This is an adepti amulet, meant to ward off evil, and…”

You sit up, closing your palm around his and taking the amulet. “And…?”

He breathes out at the brief contact between your hands. “And if you find yourself in danger, in a situation where you cannot bring yourself to kill, call out my name and I will be there.”

✧

“They called me a golden Nara.”

Xiao is quiet as he listens to you recount your brief journey to Sumeru, silently admiring the glow in your face and the smile that brightens your features.

“But they forgot about me,” you finish, something like grief, like the emotion that used to hang around your shoulders when he first met you, flashing through your face. You turn to him, reaching out to grab his hand. “You won’t forget about me, won’t you, Xiao?”

(In five hundred years, he will cling to these moments with you and despair his inability to forget.)

✧

“I don’t think I’ll leave for Fontaine soon.”

“Why?”

“I just… want to spend more time with you, is all.”

(In Sumeru, you discovered the abominations left behind by Gold and realized the depth of an old friend’s betrayal.)

✧

“Tell me more about the stars.” They are reflected in your eyes, glittering lights that remind him of the constellations of this world. If Xiao looks closely enough, he thinks he’ll see the beginning and the end of the universe itself.

You turn to him with a serene smile, and in that moment, Xiao cannot fathom why he had ever doubted your claims of being a star-borne traveller.

(“I’m… well, to put it simply, I’m a star.”

He looked at you as if you’d grown a second head within the span of a second. Brows furrowed, mouth set in disbelief, you’d only laughed at his expression then.

He thinks you might be used to these kinds of responses to your claims of being a star.)

“I’ll tell you a little secret,” you say, scooting closer to him until your noses are practically touching. He feels his ears warm at your proximity, but you don’t seem to mind the closeness. “Sometimes, if a person wants something enough, I can hear them if they wish in the presence of a star.”

You then lean away from him, and Xiao feels the loss of your presence keenly. He shakes the thought off his mind, preferring to watch as you sumon a small constellation from the palm of your hand.

“It’s why people wish upon shooting stars. Ah, but the shooting stars won’t hear them. They’re usually either asleep or in the middle of travelling, so if you need to wish to the stars, direct your wishes to the dormant stars in the sky. They’re usually the ones that hear your wishes.”

He watches, mesmerized as you animatedly talk of your people and the nature of stars. He isn’t so much taken with the words coming from your mouth, but with the way your eyes light up and the little gestures you make with your hands as you try to explain the concept of wishing to him.

“Xiao,” you call, and he snaps to attention at the sound of his given name. There’s a sheepish smile on your face, it’s not until he feels something warm wrap around his hand that he realizes why you’re wearing such an expression.

He looks down at your joined hands, heart thundering inside the confines of his chest. Your fingers close around his palm, while his own hand is laying limply, making no move to reciprocate the gesture.

Xiao doesn’t know what to do in this situation. He has never held anyone’s hands before, the closest he’s ever come to it was when he accepted the hand Rex Lapis offered to him. But this is different, Xiao is adept enough to know that. He doesn’t know what to do, the only thing he knows is that the warmth emitting from your palm to his feels nice.

He wants to stay like this forever.

It’s a strange feeling, one he doesn’t understand. But when you start to pull away from him, a hint of embarrassment painted in your features, he unconsciously grips your hand in a fierce hold to keep it in place.

“I thought you didn’t like being touched?”

Xiao has spent enough time with you to know when he is being teased. Still, he decides to answer your question.

“I don’t,” he says bluntly. He feels you begin to pull away at his response, so he adds, “But since it’s you…” he clasps your hand and holds it in place, not allowing you to retreat from him, “I will allow it.”

You look at him in surprise. He turns his head away to hide the rising heat in his cheeks, and in doing so, he fails to see when your surprised expression morphs into something more gentle, adoration hidden within the curve of your lips and the slight crinkle to your eyes.

“Xiao,” you call again. Reluctantly, he tilts his head to meet your eyes, and the sight of you leaves him breathless. With the soft glow of the moon’s reflected light and the reflection of the stars within your eyes, Xiao thinks you would outshine even the highest gods in Celestia.

He swallows, hiding the swirling emotions threatening to break out of his chest with a quiet, “Yes?”

You turn away from him, and he thinks it’s for the best. If you looked at him any longer than you had, he would have drowned in your light. Raising a finger, you point to one of the many stars in the sky. He follows your gaze to a set of stars in the inky sky, not recognizing which constellation it is.

“That’s my constellation.” As soon as the words leave your lips, his eyes sharpen on the smattering of stars, trying to discern what pattern they should form. The name of your constellation leaves your lips as you trace patterns in the air, and he does his best to memorize it, repeating the name in his head like a mantra, though he knows that he won’t forget it for as long as he lives, just as he knows he will never forget you.

You turn to him then, your hold on his hand tightening for a brief moment. “You told me to call your name if I need help, now it’s my turn to return the sentiment.”

You breathe in a heavy breath before releasing it just as quickly.

“Xiao, if you need me, whether it’s for something as mundane as wanting someone to make you almond tofu or if… if the voices become too much, wish for me.” Unexpectedly, you pull his hand from the ground and hold it with both hands in front of your chest, right where your heart is. “Wish for me beneath the light of my constellation, and I’ll be there.”

✧

“They call you the Golden-Winged King, why is that?”

“It’s an allusion to my true form, as Adepti are also known as illuminated beasts.”

You lean close, breath warm against his face with your proximity. “Can I see it?”

“See it?”

“Yes! Can I see your true form?”

Xiao’s initial recation is to say no immediately, but the excitement in your eyes brings him pause, mulling over his decision. “…Perhaps some other day.”

You nod, conceding to his wish. Then, you turn your head up to the sky, watching the birds soar over the clouds wistfully.

“Once I regain my powers, I’ll show you my wings. They’re gold like yours, so we’ll match.” You wink, and it sends something warm coursing through him.

Xiao imagines your body haloed in golden light and thinks no other sight could compare.

✧

(Your golden wings unfurl for the first time in a hundred years. There is no one but you and rotting corpses to witness it.)

✧

“When will you leave for Fontaine?”

“Are you that eager to get rid of me?”

His eyes widen at the accusation. “No, I was…” His eyes narrow when you start laughing into the palm of your hand. Sighing, he lets your teasing go. “I merely wished to be prepared.”

You lean your weight on him, resting your head on his shoulder. “Hm, I’m not sure. I… I don’t think I’m ready yet.”

King Irmin’s silhouette watches you from the corner, a finger pointed accusingly at you. You blink and it’s gone.

Why haven’t you sought justice for our nation?

You close your eyes. “It’s a good day for picking flowers, isn’t it?”

If Xiao is bothered by your sudden change of topic, he doesn’t let it show.

✧

You think you would have been content staying here in Teyvat, living a life of leisure in Liyue with Xiao, venturing to other nations to look for clues on the whereabouts of your sibling.

You have grown soft. If the souls of the enemies you’d slain in other worlds could see you now, they wouldn’t be able to reconcile the sight of the warrior who flew through the sky and fell gods with their blade to the sight of you now, a crown of qingxin flowers in your hair courtesy of Xiao and a basket of herbs in one hand.

Here in the forest of Wuwang Hill, despite the chill in the air and the abundance of ghost stories spread by elders, you feel content. A feeling you haven’t felt since you were separated from your twin.

You would have been at peace with staying here; bury the memories of a broken civilization and the cries of its people; ignore the castle in the sky that continues to taunt you with the constant reminder of your loss; brush off the fleeting desire to destroy each statue you come upon and turn it into dust. Xiao loves his god, and you respect his love even if you despise Morax.

You would have been happy with what you have.

But then you turn around, and you are greeted with the sight of a ghost.

He utters your name.

You whisper his in response.

“Dainsleif.”

✧

You thought you were content with this normal life, but when has normalcy ever suited a person like you?

The Twilight Sword looks at you like you’re his last salvation—and perhaps you are. Perhaps it is your destiny to be the salvation of what remains of his people.

“Travel with me, and I’ll show you the truth of this world.” He offers you his hand. It feels like the beginning of the end.

The sight of Khaenri’ah in ruins continues to haunt you to this very day.

You take his hand, the basket of herbs slipping from your fingers.

✧

(In the distant future, Dainsleif wishes he’d left you in peace.)

✧

“I’m going to be gone for longer this time.”

He blinks after you finish speaking, staring at you for a moment as if processing your words, before asking why.

“I’m going to start being more serious in looking for my twin. It might take me more than a month to return,” is your excuse.

Xiao, ever the soft, caring person he is despite his attempt to mask it, doesn’t voice a protest to your decision. Even when you see the slightest purse in his lips that tells you everything you need to know about how he feels about you leaving. You smile and reassure him that you’ll come back to him no matter what.

“Once I find my sibling, I’ll introduce you to each other. I bet you’ll get along!” Your hand finds his, the familiar warmth soothing you, casting away all your doubts and worries.

“Be safe, and remember to call my name should you encounter trouble,” he tells you, fingers interwining with yours.

Your eyes are bright. This world has not yet taken away the light in them, but as you lean forward and rest your head on his shoulder, they dim for an infinitesimal amount.

“Of course.”

The lie tastes like ash upon your tongue.

✧

(Surrounded by the kneeling remnants of Khaenri’ah’s people, you look back on that moment and hear the sound of the death knell.)

✧

“Do you trust him?”

Dainsleif doesn’t have to mention who ‘him’ is for you to know he’s referring to Xiao.

You decide to make sure anyway. “Who?”

“The adeptus.”

A fond smile crosses your face before you manage to hide it. It doesn’t escape Dainsleif’s sharp eyes.

You continue your trek through the stone path, not pausing for a second as you answer, “I trust him with my life.”

✧

(Years later, when you stand alone in the aftermath of Dainsleif’s betrayal, you decide that the only person you can trust is yourself.)

✧

You return after four years, the longest you’ve been away from him, and the first thing you do is collapse in his arms.

“Xiao,” you gasp, limbs shaking and eyes watery. “Xiao.”

You never tell him what happened, only looked at him with an empty smile.

A week after that, you were gone again.

✧

“Your hair is burnt.”

You laugh sheepishly, but it falls flat even to your own ears. “Natlan’s the nation of pyro for a reason. I may have gotten a little carried away.”

His touch feels nice against your scalp, a welcomed relief from the fighting and constant anxiety of whether you would awake to silence or another trumpet signaling the beginning of another war.

“Will you…” You swallow, gritting your teeth and forcing the words to come out. “Will you sleep beside me tonight?”

Xiao doesn’t say anything, merely pulls you to a thin bed that feels heavenly after sleeping on the ground for so long, and lies down with you.

It’s the most peaceful sleep you’ve had in years.

✧

“I think I’m starting to understand the true nature of this world,” you muse absently.

Xiao looks at you, and though his face remains impassive, you can see that he means to ask what you meant by that. You merely shake your head with a wry smile, heart heavy with emotions you choose not to dwell in right now.

Later, you tell yourself, but not now. Not with Xiao.

So instead, you change the subject to an interesting tid-bit you heard at the markets of Liyue that morning.

“I heard from some of the merchants that there will be a festival next month. One where the entire harbor lights up lanterns during the night.” You watch Xiao closely to gauge his reaction to this.

“Yes, it is the lantern rite festival, to honor the adeptus Sky Bracer who gave his life to defend Liyue during the war,” he replies evenly, looking at you curiously. “Is this the first you have heard of it?”

You nod. “You know I don’t venture much in the harbor when I’m in Liyue.”

He doesn’t say anything to that.

You sidle up closer to him until your shoulders bump. His eyes slide to you, but he makes no move to pull away. Your hand reaches out to hold his gloved one between your own, and the thin cloth separating your skin from each other does nothing to hide the warmth that seeps in you at the simple contact.

You lean your head against his shoulder, his hair softly tickling your forehead, but you don’t mind. The sound of your sigh echoes in the silence between you. It’s a comfortable one.

He shifts his hand, and you let him go for a moment to accomodate him, but instead of pulling away, he intertwines his fingers with yours. Your heart aches at the sight.

Briefly, you wonder how long this peace will last—

Not now, you remind yoursef.

“Xiao,” you start, eyes fixed on your joined hands. You can feel the low rumble from his chest as he hums for you to continue. “Let’s go to the festival someday. I’d like it if we watched the lanterns together.”

You hold your breath, scarcely making a sound as you wait for him to respond. A part of you already knows what he’s going to answer. Xiao is uncomfortable among crowds, he said so to you himself, and the festival is sure to be packed with people wanting to participate in it. You won’t mind if he says no, but a part of you hopes otherwise.

When the silence stretches on for too long, you’re ready to take back your suggestion.

Just as you open your mouth to tell him that you don’t need to go, he speaks.

“Okay.”

You pause, thinking you misheard. You raise your head from his shoulder to look at him properly, blinking at the soft gaze he directs at you.

“Did you just agree?” you question, still not trusting yourself to have heard him right.

“Yes.” Using his free hand, he tucks a stray strand of hair behind your ear, touch featherlight and impossibly gentle as his gloved fingers linger for a moment on your cheek. There’s a soft, barely there smile playing upon his lips; a rare sight that you soak up and lock deep in your memory like a dragon might hoard its gold. “Let us go to the festival. Together.”

You stare at the serene expression on his face for a second before breaking out into a smile. It is, perhaps, the only genuine smile you’ve had in a long while.

“And make lanterns too, and watch them be released during the night?” you add.

He nods, thumb stroking the back of your hand.

Then, a thought occurs to you. “I have to leave next week.”

His hand tightens its hold around yours for the briefest of moments before relaxing once more. His tone is hesitant when he suggests, “Then... when you return from your travels, if you are still amenable, we can go see the lanterns together.”

Your pathetic heart beats a familiar tune at his words, but for now, you let it be. For now, you let yourself fall into the familiar pattern love and being loved.

(You hope you return to him when you reach the end of your journey.)

You press your face against his shoulder to hide your pained expression.

Not now, not now, not now, you repeat in your head like a mantra.

His scent engulfs you, the smell of qingxin flowers and almonds; the flowers he picked for you and the sweet dessert that took you months to perfect to his liking—and perhaps a little bit of you in the faint smell of the stars. Home, your mind supplies. Your heart calms at the familiar scent.

You savor this moment, eyes closed as you memorize what it feels to be held like this.

“I’d like that,” you finally answer, and it takes everything in you to not let your inner turmoil creep into the tone of your voice as you spoke.

You feel him nod, his thumb resuming its gentle strokes at the back of your palm.

“I,” here, he pauses, and though he tries not to let it show, you can feel the hesitancy and awkwardness in his next words, so unused to voicing his affections even after all these years, “I look forward to it.”

Your smile is melancholic and strained. You’d like nothing more than to gaze at his beautiful face and immortalize each feature in your mind—the slant of his eyes, the arch of his brows, the slope of his nose, the curve of his lips—but right now, you are more grateful that he can’t see the look on your face.

Hope is a dying ember within the cage of your hollow heart, but you keep it burning, even when it only remains as a tiny spark. For Xiao, you keep it alive.

You know, at the end of this journey, that spark will be reduced to nothing but ashes, but for now, you’re content to let it warm you as you hold his hand and pretend that you and him are the only people in this cruel world.

(You wonder, in the end, if it was worth it.)

✧

Xiao watches you raise a hand in the air, waving it in a subdued manner as you walk backwards down the dirt road. The light of the setting sun casts a molten glow behind you, casting your face in darkness, such that he is unable to discern what sort of expression you have at this moment.

Are you grinning at him, like the first time you ventured out of Liyue to explore the rest of Teyvat? Or do you hold a worried frown, like the last time you left and didn’t return for years?

He doesn’t know, even when you turn around to face the road and the setting sun, the sight of your retreating back etched in his memory, he doesn’t know. (It haunts him, during the first few decades after you’ve gone, how much he doesn't know.)

He stays to watch until your silhouette disappears in the distance, the sun having long set and the sky bathed in inky darkness, and he stays long until you're gone.

(He wonders, for the next centuries to come, if he should have asked you to stay.)

✧

Dainsleif doesn’t question the redness of your eyes when you arrive at your agreed meeting place, merely nodding his head in greeting as he follows you down the path that will take you away from the harbor.

It’s the last time you ever feel grateful towards him.

✧

In the frozen wastelands of Snezhnaya, you meet an old friend.

His name slips from your frozen lips, eyes wide in shock and hope.

“I go by the name Pierro now. The Jester, if you will.”

It’s the last words you hear before his hand pierces your heart.

✧

Once, in one of his harshest nights, when the pain became too much and the voices too loud, Xiao contemplated letting the darkness take him.

Lying in an unknown field somewhere in Dihua Marsh, with his senses overcome with nothing but pain as he tried desperately to hold on, he wished you were there. His fingers dug into the soil beneath him, teeth gritted and small grunts of pain escaping his mouth that he futilely tried to smother.

In the haze between wakefulness and unconsciousness, when all he could register was the agony coursing through him, he dreamt of you.

Xiao remembers your cold touch as you placed his head on your lap. He wanted to reach up to trace the curve of your cheek to see if you were truly there, but his hands refused to move, stuck in a haze. With your hands cupping his face, the pain became more bearable, became a distant thing in his mind so that all he could focus on was on you—the way the moon set its pale light on your features, highlighting every part of you that he loved.

You had looked ethereal in that dream. Despite your hollow eyes and emotionless visage, to him, you were simply beautiful.

He thinks he told you so, in between holding on to his slipping consciousness and memorizing the contours of your face that he has longed to see for centuries—and that was when he’d seen the slightest crack in your façade. He watched your eyes soften for an infinitesimal moment, and he hoped, then, that you longed for him as he did you.

“You make me weak,” he remembers you whispering before pressing a lingering kiss to the mark on his forehead, your lips like ice against his feverish skin.

He doesn’t remember much of the dream beyond that.

✧

It’s only when he awakens beneath a sea of stars, free from the agony and voices that constantly plague him, that Xiao remembers that adepti do not dream.

✧

Only once did you call upon his name in the unnumbered years you spent in this world.

Lying in a pool of your own blood in some unnamed place in the depths of the Abyss, you choke out his name. During this moment, you don’t think of the grievances of this world, you don’t think of the cruelty of Celestia, you don’t even register the clawing shadows of the Abyss nearing your prone form. In this moment, the only thing on your mind is how much you want his visage to be the last thing you see.

“Xiao.”

A dark form looms over you, distinctly human in shape to your blurry eyes. Your heart blooms, beating weakly against your chest—yet still beating just for him.

You smile, blood on your lips. “You came.”

Finally, you let the thin string of consciousness slip through your fingers, and darkness overtakes your vision.

✧

When you open your eyes, it is to the sight of Dainsleif tending to your wounds.

“You were reckless,” he admonishes. “If I hadn’t found you—”

You don’t hear anything beyond that.

Found you.

Dainsleif found you.

Dainsleif found you.

You close your eyes and count one to ten, fighting back the sting of tears and the lump at the back of your throat. He promised to come should you ever call his name, and during that moment, teetering between life and death, you hoped he would. And yet…

How naive of you.

They are all the same, aren’t they?

You let your head fall back against the makeshift pillow and release a long, drawn-out sigh. (If Dainsleif notices the way your breath hitches, as if holding back a sob, he wisely does not mention it.)

For now, you let whatever remains of your hollow heart break. For now, you let yourself drown in your sorrow and longing.

✧

It’s only years later that you discover that no matter how much a person screams in the Abyss, their voice will never be heard beyond it.

✧

(“The Abyss is a chaotic place. There is nothing there but the remains of an old civilization cursed by the gods,” Dainsleif warns you, eyes watching you sharply, wearily. You’ve changed, and this journey you insist on embarking on might just be the catalyst that corrupts you to the point of no return.

You continue to stare ahead, the dark depths mirroring the nothingness in your eyes.

“I’ve fought gods and destroyed heavenly beings. If the Abyss is as chaotic as you say, then I will restore Order to it.”

Your tone held a finality to it, and so he inclines his head and follows you to the depths of the Abyss.

Only one of you would come out untouched.)

✧

To this day, Dainsleif regrets his decision.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

In the aftermath of Osial, the Traveler was hailed as the savior of Liyue. It felt like a hollow title, meaningless, just as their life has been in the past few months without you by their side.

Missing posters were put up, a smiling portait with a likeness to you, courtesy of the Chief Alchemist using the Traveler as a guide to sketch what you looked like.

Xiao finds one of these posters lying innocuously on the ground of the balcony of Wangshu Inn. His heart hammered within the confines of his chest when he caught sight of it, your smiling face looking back at him from the ground.

To this day, he keeps the poster—the only image he has of you—close to him, tucked in a hidden compartment by his sleeve, only taking it out when the burden of his karmic debt becomes too much.

He ignores how the artist couldn’t quite manage to capture the essence of your smile. It was too flat, a poor imitation of the real thing. Your smiles were always so bright, one side a little crooked, with just the barest crinkle in your eyes. But it was irrelevant, because the only thing that mattered to him was seeing you, even if it is only through a sketch.

(He remembers the first time he met the Traveler, eyes wide and heart racing as he appeared in the balcony and thought, you came back.

But then he had gotten a closer look, and his hope shattered when the Traveler turned their head and met his eyes. There was you, in the shade of their eyes and slant of their lips, but he knew you enough to know that the person in front of him was not you.

The Traveler introduced themself then, and Xiao understood.

This is your twin.

And it’s only when he finds himself staring, engraving the sight of your likeness to his mind, that he realizes that after hundreds of years, without his knowing, he had started to forget what you looked like.)

✧

When the Traveler comes knocking on Wangshu Inn, asking him to come watch the Lantern Rite, his answer is a firm no.

Xiao recalls one of the many conversation you had with him, a nostalgic look upon your face as you recalled how persistent your lost sibling could be. The most persistent person ever, you said.

He finds himself agreeing hundreds of years later as he’s greeted by the sight of the Traveler’s determined eyes.

“Won’t you come to the Lantern Rite?”

Once, Xiao was asked the same question by a person sharing the same face. Once, he agreed. Once, he found himself looking forward to something for the first time in his long life.

It has been nearly five hundred years, but within the recesses of his heart, he still longs to watch the sky light up with thousands of lanterns with you.

So instead of refusing, he says, “I once knew your sibling.”

The sight of a shocked look that morphs into one of desperation in the Traveler’s face—your face—nearly brings Xiao to rest his hand on your cheek. But the Traveler’s voice, so different from yours, brings him back to the present.

It takes him hours to recount the past. Words have never been his strongest suit, but he tries because the Traveler is your sibling, someone dear to you and, by extention, someone he should hold dear to himself as well.

They spend hours on that balcony talking about you, exchanging stories and memories. It’s truly an experience to have someone close to you describe how you were as a person, and Xiao finds himself clinging to the smallest snippets of information the Traveler hands him, no matter how innocuous it may be.

And when the sun begins to set and the remains of the old gods begin scouring the land, the Traveler asks him one more time.

“Will you come to the Lantern Rite? You can watch from afar, away from the crowds. My twin never liked crowded places either.”

This time, he says yes.

✧

Down by the harbor after the fireworks have set off, the Traveler releases their lantern with hope in their heart and a whisper of a wish at the end of their tongue.

I’ll find you someday.

✧

Perched on a nearby cliff overlooking the entirety of Liyue Harbor, Xiao watches the night fill with tiny spots of light and tries to recall the last time he gazed at such a sight.

In the deepest parts of his mind, he wishes you are beside him, watching the same sight as him.

He imagines the smile that would be dancing on your lips, your eyes filled with life as they reflected the light cast by the lanterns. He would hold your hand and you would rest your head on his shoulder, telling him of your travels and the enemies you faced. He would admonish you to be less reckless and remind you to utter his name if you need him, and you would laugh and promise him you’ll do as he says.

And when the lights start to fade and the sky darkens, you would suggest sleeping under the stars. Neither of you would end up sleeping anytime soon because you would be busy spending the rest of the night pointing out each star and constellation. He would listen, as he always did, and the two of you would spend the rest of the night basking in each other’s presence.

But then he blinks, and he’s alone once again.

Xiao looks up to the lantern-ridden sky with a faint smile, ignoring the ache in his heart and the coldness by his side.

✧

Hidden by the shadow of the trees, you watch the sky light up with hundreds of lanterns. Surrounded by Abyss mages, the weight of the object in your hands feels like lead. You wonder, in what feels like the hundredth time, what you are doing here.

Foolish.

Slowly, you relax your grip and let the unlit lantern fall to the ground.

This is the last time you will indulge in old sentiments.

You feign ignorance to the lone person sitting by the mountainside in the distance. You only came to Liyue to see your sibling. Nothing more.

“Gather the rest. We’re leaving,” you order as you turn your back to the sight of the city your sibling saved.

Your mages bow in deference and follow in silence as you walk away, leaving no trace of anyone ever being there.

In the morning, all that’s left is an abandoned lantern lying on the ground.

.

.

.

.

.

(We never did get to see the lanterns together.)

word count: 9k

note: after the events at the chasm archon quest, xiao slowly begins to journey with the traveler in their quest to find you and search for answers on how you ended up as the leader of the abyss order. i won’t make a part 2 because we really don’t know much abt the abyss twin and what really happened during the cataclysm. i made the ending open-ended and vague, but i imagine that your and xiao’s story don’t have a happy ending.

[alexbkrieger13]

Cute

https://www.sueddeutsche.de/sport/olympisches-fussballturnier-berger-fassungslos-nach-aufstieg-zur-nummer-1-von-dfb-team-dpa.urn-newsml-dpa-com-20090101-240726-930-184810

Number 1 after thyroid cancer: “Happy ending” for Berger

Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger was in Merle Frohms' shadow for a long time. At 33 and after difficult times, the Göppingen native has found her way between the posts in the DFB selection.

Marseille (dpa) - Deeply moved, Ann-Katrin Berger stood in the catacombs of the Stade Vélodrome and described her feelings in a halting voice. Two years after her second cancer diagnosis, the 33-year-old is suddenly the number 1 goalkeeper for the German women's soccer team at the Olympics . "The Olympic Games mean everything. That all the hard times that are behind me have simply been worth it," said Berger after the DFB selection's convincing 3-0 opening victory against Australia in Marseille.

Back to Thyroid Cancer 

Berger was first diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2017 and then during the 2022 European Championships, when she was a substitute for regular goalkeeper Merle Frohms in England. The goalkeeper from the US club NJ/NY Gotham FC quickly fought her way back into competitive sport. After her eleventh and most important international match to date, however, she had to struggle to keep her composure. "It's nice that there is still a happy ending. Playing at the Olympic Games is my happy ending," said Berger. 

In the second preliminary round match on Sunday (9 p.m.), also in the French port city, Berger and the DFB women will face the team of her adopted homeland. The Americans also won their opening match against Zambia 3-0. But the goalkeeper can't give national coach Horst Hrubesch much advice on their next opponent, even though she of course knows some of the players: "I have no idea. I don't watch that much women's football, to be honest." 

Berger thought she was being “fooled” by Hrubesch 

After a long wait, Berger has reached the top of the national team, even though she still wears the number 12. The fact that she finished third in the FIFA World Goalkeeper of the Year vote as Chelsea FC's goalkeeper in 2021 and 2022 did not change her reserve status in the German team at the time. 

Hrubesch had left the duel between Berger and Frohms open to the outside world until the very end. "I really thought he was trying to fool me. To be honest. I really couldn't believe it," Berger said a few days ago about the national coach's announcement that she would be between the posts. "Even when I was on the pitch, I had to pinch myself and say: It's really true." 

Captain Popp is happy for Berger 

Like the entire national team, Berger showed a very confident performance and almost set up a goal by Jule Brand with a long kick in the early stages. When asked how she managed to stay so cool, she said with a smile: "Years of work. Years of work, guys." She couldn't let her nervousness show. "I always think of my team. Because when I screw up, it's usually a goal." 

Captain Alexandra Popp was also happy "for Anne that she finally made it after a long, long time." Berger exudes extreme calm when she has the ball at her feet. Hrubesch, for whom Berger is the "new old woman," praised "her clearances, her control of the penalty area. She's good up in the air, and her footballing skills are also a plus." But it's the same with Frohms, he added: "Lucky for those who have two goalkeepers like her."

The praise is only a small consolation for the previous number 1 at VfL Wolfsburg, who has hardly done anything wrong in recent years. Hrubesch had spoken to her first before making his decision: "Of course she must have swallowed it one day, I'm quite sure of that." For Berger, the relationship with her teammate has therefore not changed much: "At the end of the day, we are sportswomen. Horst was simply clear and straightforward."

[aftgficrec]

Can you post fics where Andrew and Neil argue but make up in the end?

Enjoy this walk through andreil feels, anon. The previous asks mentioned lead to a bunch more asks and fics. -A

also see:

andreil arguing here

new andreil breakup/make-up here

fave break up and make up here

andreil or jerejean kiss & make-up here

miscommunication leading to near-breakups here

angst w/happy ending: miscommunication or pining here

andreil enemies to lovers 2 here

Andrew makes Neil cry here

Neil snaps ‘not nothing’ here

‘quicksand’ here

‘low quay, no pressure’ here

‘transience’ here

‘transmission’ here

‘Tumblr Headcanons - Andreil’ Ch 11 & 12 here

‘Neil worried that Andrew cheated’ here

‘Home for Christmas’ here

‘Wake Up to Your Sunset’ here (completed)

‘All I Wanted’ here

‘Some Kind of Disaster’ here

‘I’m Not Dead Yet’ here

‘Can Nobody Hear Me (I cannot breathe)’ here (completed)

‘nice to see your face again’ and ‘Dawn Won't End the Night’ (updated) here

‘please come back, save me from myself,’ ‘ghostin',’ and ‘I ran out of every reason’ here

‘but i don't think i can ever learn how to love just right’ here 

‘Shared Custody’ and ‘Shared Custody (The Blame the Cat Remix)’ here

if you really love nothing by seasy33 [Rated M, 39713 Words, Complete, 2022]

Andrew finds an interesting piece of paper. He's not quite sure how he feels about it.

tw: graphic depictions of violence, tw: rape/noncon, tw: flashbacks, tw: alcohol 

Undefined Roommates Code by Helpisneeded [Rated E, 56760 Words, Incomplete, Updated Oct 2022]

Punching your roommate is not a very smart idea. Starting a friends with benefits relationship with said roommate is an even worse one. Setting up a string of rules to keep it purely physical and make sure you don’t catch feeling but catching them anyways is certainly the stupidest thing you could do in that situation. Luckily for Neil, he never claimed to be smart.

tw: explicit sexual content, tw: implied/referenced child abuse, tw: implied/referenced suicidal tendencies

Regrowth by Mystrana [Rated E, 4836 Words, Complete, 2021]

It goes like this: Neil's giving therapy a chance. He's dealing with every emotion he's ever pushed down trying to leak back up. When he gets hurt during a game, Andrew gets upset and they get into an argument. And then Andrew apologizes. A fic in which Andrew and Neil work on healing together and cry and have the softest sex in the world.

tw: explicit sexual content

An intimate moment with someone you hate by krasmataz [Rated E, 7414 Words, Complete, 2023]

Neil and Andrew have their first fight after trying something new in the bedroom. Hope they figure it out before they destroy too much school property!

tw: implied/referenced self-harm, tw: blood, tw: implied/referenced suicidal tendencies

over/under by likearecord [Rated E, 9506 Words, Complete, 2023]

He’d thought Neil, with his smart mouth and his wild eyes, would be satisfied with what Andrew was offering. He guesses he’d thought Neil was used to living on scraps—and Andrew has never had anything meatier to give. He’d been wrong.

tw: explicit sexual content

Only Fools Fall. by Random2002 [Rated T, 19789 Words, Incomplete, Updated Feb 2023]

Neil tests how faithful his clients partners are. Roland is a client; he's worried about his boyfriend. It isn't long until Neil notices some serious rifts in the relationship he is meant to test.

tw: child abuse

Cold Cookies by Preludeno3 [Rated M, 11583 Words, Incomplete, Updated Jan 2023, Locked]

It starts off as an abstract, incomplete thought. Andrew’s on his knees on the rug in his Columbia bedroom, going to town on Neil’s dick. Or Andrew wants to try face fucking, trauma is a bitch and Neil is almost too understanding

tw: explicit sexual content, tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon

First fight by Olympyas [Not Rated, 3265 Words, Complete, 2023]

"There is no this, you are nothing and nothing doesn't exist." It hurt. A lot. Especially when you spent the whole day feeling like nothing. So he wanted to hurt Andrew in return. He wanted to get, even the slightest, reaction from him. "Well, at least you can't hurt 'nothing' like you destroy everything around you." —hurt him— "You'll still run away like the rabbit you are. Tell me, Nathaniel, why are you staying?" Neil hated this name in Adrew's mouth "For nothing. I shouldn't have stayed in the first place." And he left.

tw: panic attacks, tw: violence, tw: assault, tw: attempted rape/noncon

A Substitute For Please by cadkitten [Rated E, 1911 Words, Complete, 2018]

Please is a word built to make things easy and life has never been easy for either of them. Please is meant to smooth things over, but they're all rough edges. Please is a final ditch effort when hope is lost and, Neil, he knows there's still hope here.

tw: ptsd, tw: depression, tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: alcohol

NB: find more about Nicky’s state of mind here

To Be Close With You Is To Be Close With Myself by jostenskeys [Rated E, 20359 Words, Complete, 2022]

Andrew has always been a protector at heart despite how often he bullies Neil for his martyr complex. The summer before Neil's second year, however, he begins to feel the impacts of his life finally crash down on him just as they were finally safe from harm. Andrew fights with himself and doesn't know how he can help. But he soon realises, in order for him to help Neil, he needs to help himself too. Or The Convincing-Neil-To-Get-Therapy Chronicles. Written by Andrew Minyard and edited by Betsy Dobson.

tw: graphic depictions of violence, tw: rape/noncon, tw: self harm, tw: urge to self harm, tw: blood, tw: suicidal ideation, tw: nightmares, tw: panic attacks, tw: depression

Stay series by jaydreamz [Rated M/T, Collection with 2 complete works, Updated Nov 2021]

Part 1: Was Sorta Hopin' That You'd Stay [M, 25740 Words] Neil and Andrew have HATED each other since an incident in college. They really, really do. The Minyard-Josten rivalry is not a sham. But now Andrew's transferring to Neil's team and all hell is about to break loose.

tw: alcohol, tw: implied/referenced self harm, tw: explicit sexual content

Part 2: Before I Hated You [T, 5974 Words] Before the Minyard-Josten rivalry was on, there was something else entirely. *** Andrew and Neil's first meeting in college that ended up starting the feud between them.

Bittersweet by Mercey [Rated M, 8370 Words, Complete, AFTG Mixtape Exchange 2021]

‘Why would Neil want to be with someone who can’t even care for him the right way? Why would he want that life for himself? He’s not a runaway anymore, he’s not so desperate for affection that he’ll settle for my meagre offerings, and good for him. It’s better that way.’ Andrew's spiralling with graduation coming up, and beginning to question the very foundations upon which he and Neil are built.

tw: depression

Hold Each Other by exactly13percent_OLD (hymbeaux) [Collection Rated T/E, Complete, 2018]

Chapter 12: Stranger [T, 2854 Words] Sometimes, love comes easily. That's the problem.

I took a breath and took the knife by eeveepkmnfan [Rated M, 2271 Words, Complete, 2022]

Andrew and Neil argue. Or, Neil is still struggling through the aftereffects of being drugged. Andrew is forced to confront the consequences of that decision.

tw: transphobia, tw: implied/referenced sexual assault, tw: implied/referenced self harm, tw: implied/referenced involuntary drug use, tw: ptsd

Spring Cleaning with a Man on the Lam by SugarLime [Rated G, 2240 Words, Complete, 2019]

Neil glared at the wrapper Andrew had tossed on the floor next to his chair. He stalked over with a nasty frown and leveled a glare at Andrew. Andrew met his glare with an empty expression. “What?” He asked, following Neil’s gaze as it tuned to the discarded wrapper, “it’s a wrapper,” he said wisely. His gut did a small flip as he tried to figure out why his boyfriend was mad.

I Won't Be Home For The Rest Of The Night by CasTheButler [Not Rated, 1039 Words, Complete, 2017]

Neil and Andrew have a fight, Neil learns to let someone new in.

Stars and Moons by sonyathefairy [Rated G, 1111 Words, Complete, 2017]

Neil ponders about the stars and his fight with Andrew. Or in which they both realise that they can't live without the other anymore.

Where We Belong by conniptionns [Rated T, 1374 Words, Complete, 2017]

prompt: andrew and neil get into this huge fight while andrew is driving so he tells neil to get out the car and walk the rest of the way.

Still here by theresnothis [Rated T, 2779​​ Words, Complete, AFTG Summer Exchange 2022]

After a fight with Andrew, Neil ran off into the night (but he would go back). Andrew found him and of course with Neil’s luck a robbery would occur.

flashes of intimacy by mostly_maudlin [Rated T, Collection, Complete, 2023]

Chapter 3: conflict resolution [385 Words] Chapter 4: space [507 Words]

tw: mild self harm

Chapter 16: picking fights [554 Words]

tw: mild self harm

“I don’t want your pity, I want your absence.” by markonasurface (idwir) [Not Rated, 1627 Words, Complete, 2018]

After the freshmen find out about Neil and Andrew, a terrible practice leads to Neil saying things he shouldn’t.

tw: involuntary outing, tw: homophobia, tw: scars, tw: anxiety attack, tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: implied/referenced csa, tw: victim shaming, tw: self harm

“So much for not getting involved.” by markonasurface (idwir) [Not Rated, 769 Words, Complete, 2020]

“I don’t want your pity, I want your absence.” pt 2

tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: implied/referenced csa

“don’t call me that”-andreil prompt fill by @markonasurface [Tumblr, 2017]

Neil heard the door to the roof open and knew it was Andrew. Annoyance flooded his chest and he had the overwhelming urge to hit him. Instead he lit another cigarette and let Andrew pluck it from his fingers even though he hadn’t offered it to him.

[foxes-that-run]

Only Angel

Only Angel has similarities to Meet me in the Hallway, they 2 of the 10 Haylor songs with Hallways. To me, it is related to So it Goes... which refers to when Taylor performed in the 2014 Victoria's Secret show. Harry performed Only Angel at the 2017 VS show. I have always heard this song to be an assurance to Taylor that she is his 'only angel', like in As it was, she cannot be replaced with girls that 'look just like her' in MMIH Possibly because he was seen with Nadine Leopold soon after the 2014 VS show. It also references Van Morrison's Tupelo Honey which Harry included on his mix tape.

At 2 minutes into this Nashville performance Harry sings "Told her Little Brother" (2.09), further confirmation it is Haylor, with Austin Swift being younger than Taylor unlike Kendall's brother.

Only Angel was last played live in November 2021. It wasn’t at Coachella or after Harry’s House.

Original Lyrics

On 7 December 2023 the demo was leaked with different lyrics. Studio version is like a simplified, shortened and cleaned up radio edit. In the original, the muse has more agency (they knock), Harry has considered proposing 1000 times but it hasn't worked out and it's more explicit. The song also ends, then comes back like their relationship.

Close your eyes, shut your mouth and see That I'm still the only one who's been in love with me I'm just happy getting you stuck in between my teeth And hoping you don't shout about it Now I know a bunch of people who would waste your time But I wouldn't let it happen to a friend of mine We can write ourselves a story without doing lines 'Cause believe me, we can live without it, She's an angel[...] Broke a finger knocking on my bedroom door I got splinters in my knuckles crawling on the floor Could never take you home because your skirt's too short And my mother would be mad about it I must admit I married you a thousand times Had to change my tune when I found out what it’d be like But I meet you in the hallway almost anytime And we won't have to talk about it, yeah, She's an angel[...] She wants to be an angel just you wait and see. But it turns out she’s a devil in between the sheets and believe me I am all about it. Huh. Painted on you on your back, I knew we’d get along. But I caught you staring in the mirror way too long. I could love her if I didn’t think I’d do it wrong. I’m gonna have to take you home, She's an angel[...]

Lyrics

I saw this angel I really saw an angel Open up your eyes, shut your mouth and see That I'm still the only one who's been in love with me I'm just happy getting you stuck in between my teeth And there's nothing I can do about it

The first verse, Harry is so drawn to his muse he can’t help winding up with her. They liken their connection to an addiction in MMIH, Clean and Grapejuice.

The “only one in love with me” is Harry calling himself a narcissist and I think refers to Fool’s Gold where he said “Yeah I know your love's not real / That's not the way it feels /That's not the way you feel”

But, like in Fools Gold and Stockholm Syndrome he can’t help himself, he desperately wants to be with this muse

Broke a finger knocking on your bedroom door I got splinters in my knuckles crawling across the floor Couldn't you take home to mother in a skirt that short But I think that's what I like about it

This verse starts with 2 references that are in other quite sad songs, but set to a dance beat. Something Harry later did so well in As it was:

Taylor also referred to Harry knocking on her door in Suburban Legends but very sadly “You don't knock anymore and my whole life's ruined”

Harry also referred again to being on the floor in Fine Line “And I don't wanna sleep in the dirt”

The short skirt is a reference to Style “And I got that good girl faith and a tight little skirt”

She's an angel Only angel She's an angel My only angel

This line to me is a response to Is it over now? “Your new girl is my clone”. To me, Harry was saying he only has one angel, as in Victoria’s Secret model, Taylor having performed in 2 VS shows in 2013 and 2014.

After 1989 was released and they broke up they both spent a lot of time with a lot of models. Read into that what you will, to me the role the VS after party plays in So it goes and IDWLF, and the clone line has me noodling on if they were both seeking each other rather than the models.

I must admit I thought I'd like to make you mine As I went about my business through the warning signs End up meeting in the hallway every single time And there's nothing we can do about it

I love ‘went about my business and want to make you mine’ to me it encapsulates what I imagine wasted Harry’s chill attitude at that time.

Ending up in hallways links this to MMIH and the 10 other mentions of hallways in their respective songs.

Told it to her brother and she told it to me That she's gonna be an angel, just you wait and see When it turns out she's a devil in between the sheets And there's nothing she can do about it Hey, hey

This line about her brother is thought to narrow the muse to KJ and TS, in the above live performance in Nashville Harry said little brother which would be Austin Swift. Harry also got on with Austin.

To me, she’s an Angel/devil is here is similar to Style, where Taylor had “good girl faith and a tight little skirt” both play on the idea of someone seeming good but being wild. Kiwi is also similar “hard liquor mixed with a bit of intellect”

She's an angel Only angel x3 Wanna die, wanna die, wanna die tonight x3 My only angel She's an angel x3 My-my-my only angel

The refrain is repeating that she’s the only angel for him, and he wants to go to heaven.

Harry included Van Morrison's Tupelo Honey on his Another Man Mix Tape from an article while he was making this album. The outtro "She's an angel", which is also how Tupelo Honey ends. As Harry said to Rolling Stone:

“I don’t know much about Van Morrison’s life, but I know how he felt about this girl, because he put it in a song. So I like working the same way.”

[mcgnagallsarmy]

Spuffy style Reading Challenge - #20: A Fic A Week

So this is gonna be a looong list, be prepared!

A Fic With More Than 200k Words

West of the Moon, East of the Sun by KnifeEdge [NC-17]

I keep having the strangest dream. Every night it's the same thing: a dark room, a big bed, and a silent vampire that I can feel, but not see. I'd be wigged, except it's just a dream, right? It'll be a cold day in hell before I ever willingly sleep with a vampire again...

Fic You Haven’t Read by Author You Love

Seven by Holly [NC-17]

It's been months since Willow almost ended the world, and a tense summer has turned into an ominous fall in Sunnydale. Spike is back from wherever and acting weirder than usual, a new threat is rising that—for once—doesn't seem to stem from the hellmouth, and Buffy has no idea who to trust or what to believe. She also doesn’t have the luxury of time to figure it out. Some things never change.

Popular Fic in 2021:

You Learn by bramcrackers [Adult Only]

When Buffy learns about Angel’s history with Drusilla, she can’t ignore how he seems to keep everything about his past to himself unless forced. How can she love someone she doesn’t even know? A trip to a local mage later, she’s plunged headfirst into Angel’s entire sordid history in a series of visions. And dealing with all of that would have been a hell of a lot easier if Spike hadn’t somehow been pulled into it, happy to add the color commentary.

You Can Read in a Day

Fool me Once by Miss Marisol [NC-17]

Some weeks after Something Blue: When Tara helps Buffy find out the horrible truth - that Willow (with Xander's approval) has been dosing her with love potions, so that she thinks she loves Riley- she is furious. She is going to get her revenge on Willow and Xander in the most hurtful way she can think of – by dating someone they desperately wanted her to stay away from...

Fic About a Difficult Topic

Blip by Holly [R]

She lives a life where everything is chosen for her. But not this.

Recommended by a Friend

Hung Up by kats_meow [NC-17]

What if instead of fast food Buffy got a job as a phone sex worker at a new establishment in Sunnydale?

Fic That Will Make You Cry

Future Perfect by Sigyn [R]

“I only show the truth,” the creature said. “The truth of the future. How you feel about it is all your own.” “What future?” Buffy demanded. “What are you talking about?” The demon smiled. “You’ll see soon enough.”

Fic Published in 2012

Who We Used To Be by sweetprincipale [Adult Only]

A short Spuffy, just a small scene from a life that should have been given a second chance. Set after Angel S. five, acting as if no comic series or novels occurred. Consider this an alternate universe, it'll be easier.

Fic Published in 2022

Something Blue's Clues by cawthraven [PG-13]

Willow is just fed up with the way Buffy and Spike act around each other. What are they, five?

A Genre You Don’t Usually Read - POV

A Small Boat on the Ocean by sandy_s [PG-13]

Buffy and Spike are settled in New Orleans and decide to start a family in a realistic way (as realistic as you can get in Buffyverse). Post-NFA, Buffy POV.

Based on a Children’s Classic

Little Red Riding Hood & The Big Bad Wolf by Twinkles [R]

A fairy-tale, of sorts. Response to a challenge by hcconn: Buffy gets her little red riding hood costume at Ethan's instead of the Victorian dress.

Banner With Your Favorite Color

Dreamscape by Holly [NC-17]

While her nights are occupied fighting evil, her dreams are haunted by a devastatingly sexy if not totally evil vampire. But how thin is the line between dreams and reality? More importantly: how thin does she want it to be?

Young Adult Fiction

Golden Hour by kennedynoelle [R]

Spike never came to Sunnydale during the first few seasons. The first time Buffy sees him is during The Harsh Light of Day, sunbathing on campus adorned with the Gem of Amara. Oh no, she thinks, the pit of her stomach dropping and sending tinglies all over, he's hot. They start dating, Buffy unaware that her new boyfriend is a member of the undead. Of course, she has to find out eventually...

First Story in a Trilogy

Wrong Place, Perfect Time by MaggieLaFey [NC-17]

Buffy, a successful lawyer, and William, an excellent detective, are sneaking into the LA Archives and Records Center at the last minute on Halloween day. They’re also both on the phone, and don’t notice that the elevator they’re stepping into might have a few problems. Will they get to know each other once they get stuck inside, or will they be at each other’s throats sooner than William can say “pet” and Buffy can say “sexist jerk”?

Second Story in a Trilogy

Nemesis by Holly [NC-17]

Book II of the Yellow Brick Road series. While trying to cope with mixed feelings and brewing resentment over the fact that Spike screwed her and vanished, Buffy finds herself increasingly suspicious about Faith's close relationship with Angel. Just as things can't get any more confusing, a blond vampire she was sure she would never see again decides that it's time.

Third Story in a Trilogy

Intimate by Holly [R]

He was mesmerized by her heartbeat.

Dystopian Fic

The Footprints Left Behind by Willow91 [NC-17]

In the wake of an unknown attack on the American Frontier and the subsequent loss of contact with the friends they still had stateside, Buffy and Xander sneak into the country and begin a long, dangerous journey to find old friends and the source of the near apocalypse before it spreads throughout the rest of the world.

Award-Winning Fic

Not Dead by Herself [NC-17]

Soon after her resurrection, Buffy gets turned. Spike tries to help her adjust.

Set in the Decade Before You Were Born

A Different Kind of Hell by OffYourBird [NC-17]

Jumping through Glory's tower portal, Buffy and Spike find themselves in a hell dimension they never expected. One that looks suspiciously like 1880's London. Will they find a way back home? Will the truth behind William the Bloody at last make itself known? Will Buffy ever stop butchering the Queen's English? Join them and find out. Starts off at the end of "The Gift."

Historical Fiction From A Favorite Time Period

The Darkling by OffYourBird [NC-17]

When Buffy’s quest to get Spike returned to her is fulfilled in an unexpected way, she finds herself in a complicated relationship with an intrigued master vampire who isn’t the man she loves, but who might be someday… if she can convince him to step out of the dark.

Classic You’ve Never Read

Charms of the Clarion by Eurydice [NC-17]

When the Council approaches Buffy with an offer she can't refuse, she finds herself in another world, with Spike as her necessary partner. Set early Season 5.

A Fic That Will Keep You Up All Night

Almost Paradise by Holly [NC-17]

When presented with the opportunity to magically alter the world she lives in, Buffy knows there are a lot of very good reasons why she shouldn't seize it, but figures things can't get worse. She's wrong.

Most read in 2021

Grace by Soulburnt [NC-17]

In the aftermath of 'Dead Things,' Buffy fears that Spike has dusted.  She doesn't think she can survive the world she's been pulled back into without him.  When she finds he's alive, Buffy takes a chance at reclaiming her own life by sharing her time, words... and even her blood.

Set in Your Home State - I’ll amend this to Europe

Just to Reach You by Sunalso [R]

Post-Series. Spike and Buffy have been a couple for almost two years. The honeymoon is over and together they're discovering they still have a lot to learn about themselves, each other, and how this whole "normal" relationship thing works.

You Once Started But Never Finished

These Violent Delights by Touchstoneaf [Adult Only]

Part 2 of the Something Wicked series  (S5, beginning with "Buffy vs Dracula") Spuffy have been together for a while now. Things have been great. The Scoobies have more or less accepted the reality of their couplehood, Spike finally has his own place, so there’s plenty of thoroughly excellent shag-time, and college is kind of fun when you have a worldly, undead tutor to poke fun at your instructors and help you remember your lessons with fascinating anecdotes or, when that fails, incredibly memorable sexy-times. Life is actually, like, bordering on good. But then Mr. Eurovamp 2000 blows into town and causes a bunch of jealousy. And then Buffy starts having a bunch of crappy Slayer dreams about glowy purply stuff. And Dawn is going off the hook even more than usual, and Mom is acting weird… And, as if there’s not enough to deal with, Buffy’s pretty sure that idiot Riley Finn is still lurking around town trying to come up with a reason to shoot her boyfriend… Buffy should have known things couldn’t stay yummy for long. She probably would have started to worry if it had.

With a One Word Title

Called by Dusty [PG-13]

A slayer, a vampire and how they called through the years.

A Fairy Tale Retelling

Ever Just As Sure by lafillesauvage [R]

Because there can never be enough Spuffy retellings of ‘Beauty and the Beast’.

A Fic Set in High School or Durig the High School Years

Beneath the Surface by The Danish Bird [NC-17]

Spike returns a little earlier to find his gem. The mayor decides that shooting Angel with a poison, which only Slayer blood can cure, is simply too risky for his Faith. And suddenly, Buffy finds herself locked up in a strange underground room in the company of her mortal enemy and the vampire who just broke her heart. But maybe it isn’t all bad. Maybe, this way, Angel will see that this idea about leaving for her own good is bad. Right? Spike, he just wants to get out, but if that’s out of the question, well then at least he’s going to try to have some fun! Starts out right after The Prom and before Graduation Day pt.I.

Fic Set in Another Country

Encapsulated by BillieLiar [NC-17]

“Hotel. I was supposed to have a hotel. This is so not a hotel.” “They’re called capsule hotels, luv, they’re getting common lately.”

Reread a Favorite Fic

Right Next (Door) to You by talesofstories [PG] - this is an all human story

“Why don’t you and Spike just move in together?” “Because that would be really weird? We’re neighbors and friends, Dawn; it’s not like we’re dating.” Buffy firmly ignored Dawn’s muttered, “You could have fooled me.” (Buffy and Spike are neighbors, best friends, confidants. What they aren't is dating. Which is the one thing that everyone assumes they are doing.)

On Your To-Read List the Longest

You Don't Know What You've Got by lex_hex [NC-17]

The Rwasundi demon summoned by the Trio sends Buffy back in time to the moment that Anya's power center is destroyed. Navigating the implications of time travel, Buffy gets to revisit some past events with a new perspective and lots of foresight.

A Fic About Travel

A Matter Of Taste by Twinkles [Adult Only]

A potentially horrifying story of lust, blood and hunger when the world turns inside out. Set shortly before Buffy vs Dracula; Riley left town at the end of S4.

Popular Fic You’ve Never Read

Pet by Sigyn [Adult Only]

Spike and Buffy have been living happily together for what seems like forever, but fate has a sick sense of humor. Buffy finds herself caught in the wrong body, in the wrong time, needing the assistance of a purely evil Spike. Now she must attempt to forge their trust anew, when the dynamic isn’t that of slayer and redeemed, but only that of vampire... and victim.

Crime or Mystery

Liebestod by Iamblichus [NC-17]

They really should have known the First Evil wasn't done with them after Sunnydale... Enter: Time-travel, mysterious prophesies, and lots of poetry. BtVS Post-Season 7; Angel AU Season 5. All's well that ends well.

Science Fiction - I count time travel stories as sci-fi

Someday by Sunalso [NC-17]

AU. The world is broken, but Buffy is given seven days to make it better. Does saving humanity mean letting go of the one thing she wants, or grabbing on to it with both hands?

2022 New Release

One Step Away by violettathepiratequeen [PG]

Spike knows the way she dances. Not even Faith in Buffy's body can fool him.

The First Fic in a Series

Tutor by Holly [NC-17]

Buffy has a certain set of skills: staking vampires, slaying demons, preventing the apocalypse, and chasing off men after a single night. That last thing could stand being crossed off her list. Fortunately, she knows just the man—err, vamp—to help.

Prettiest banner

Holding On to You by MaggieLaFey [NC-17]

Spike is a non-ghost in Angel’s not-so-shiny new law firm, haunted by a terrifying hell. But in his pocket, he has the note Buffy left him in the stranger’s house in Sunnydale, the one from the best night of his life. Will her words be too little, or will they help him hold on to what they’d had those last nights?

An Inspirational Story

The Girl Who Courted Death by OffYourBird [NC-17]

Due to a misfortune of genetics, Buffy is never Called as a Slayer. Instead, she grows up in L.A. with a different set of challenges and trials, unaware of the supernatural world. That is, until a chance encounter with the Slayer of Slayers changes her life—and everything afterward—forever.

[japhan2024]

Ian throws Anthony a surprise birthday party

Such a timely prompt :D

I decided to combine this fic with this promt:

The Best Day Ever

November thirtieth, 1987

June seventeenth, 1984

September sixteenth, 1987

Ian never had to think about these dates. He just knew, from around a month before they were due, to buy a gift and send a card. Of course he would also just call his sister and he'd see Anthony every week anyway. It had been like that for years and years. But the last few of them had been painful.

September sixteenth, 2017. Ian had sent a card and a text. No reply.

September sixteenth, 2018. Ian had sent nothing.

September sixteenth, 2019. Ian had sent a text. Just a 'thanx' in return.

September sixteenth, 2020. Ian had sent a birthday meme. 'lol thanks'.

September sixteenth, 2021. Ian sent nothing.

And September sixteenth, 2022. Nothing.

But now it was August 16th 2023 and Ian was determined to make Anthony's upcoming birthday count for seven. He was pacing up and down his Los Angeles appartement, suddenly stopped and shouted: "that's it!" into the dullness of the evening.

"What's up with Ian the last few days?" Shayne asked Keith at the Smosh headquarters.

They'd barely seen Ian, which had been common but not lately, now Anthony was there too. They peaked into Ian's office.

"He's still on the phone?"

Shayne stroked an imaginary goatee. "He's up to something…!"

Then the invitations started to arrive at people's doorsteps. They were impeccably hand written in gold letters that made you feel guilty of even considering not going. "The Declaration of Anthony Day" was written proudly at the top of each invitation. People would ask each other if they'd gotten one in hushed tones, and soon it was apparent that everyone at Smosh - the cast, the crew, the supporting staff - they were all invited. This was going to be some hell of a party.

And then the day arrived. A dull Saturday morning, Anthony had invited Ian, Mykie and a couple of his close friends for a vegan brunch at his home. Nothing fancy. Turning thirty-seven wasn't a particularly remarkable feat and Anthony didn't want to remind everyone of how hot he was while being the oldest person at Smosh.

The brunch was nice and uneventful, and Anthony was ready to spent the rest of the day quietly but all of a sudden the doorbell rang.

"Did we order pizza?" Mykie asked.

"I don't think so?" Anthony said, confused.

He opened the door and his jaw might as well have hit the floor. Shane Told from Silverstein was at his doorstep, dressed in all black but casual garments, and said matter-of-factly: "Happy birthday Anthony! Are ya comin'?"

"Wh.. whaaaat?" Anthony laughed and looked around, and immediately found the culprit. Ian stood there cheesing like a fool.

"Are you behind this, bestie?" Anthony asked. Ian winked.

Everyone followed Shane down the stairs and then they saw it: a sparkling monstrosity of a party bus. It was already packed with people!

"Oh my god, Jenna? Justine? Ryan! Natalie?!"

It was like the bus was filled with the year 2005. Anthony loved it. All these OG youtubers he'd not seen for ages. All of them greeted him with hugs and kisses and giggles and there was wine and champagne, and Anthony's party entered the bus as well and they drove off into downtown LA. When they arrived, Anthony saw they were at Rahel Ethiopian Vegan Cuisine, one of the best vegan restaurants in the city.

The owner of the restaurant greeted the party at the door and said "In honor of Anthony Day I have prepared you the most delicious foods! Please come inside."

"Anthony Day?" Anthony wondered aloud, and Ian laughed.

The evening was simply wonderful and Anthony saw so many people he almost got dizzy. But the night wasn't over: Ian's phone rang and he said "Hey Anthony, it's for you!"

Anthony picked up the phone, and he saw his mom in her home, together with Ian's mom who was apparently visiting.

"Hello dear," they said in near unison. Anthony was on the verge of tears.

"Hi moms."

They exchanged some sweet words and congratulations and when they hung up, Anthony dived in to hug Ian.

"This means so much to me, Ian."

Ian smiled mischievously.

"What are you planning now?" Anthony said mock-accusingly.

"Well, Anthony, you've just eaten the best meal of your life, but not everything can be five stars on your birthday. I've made you something that you must eat, or I will be offended! But I can't promise you that it's any good, or edible at all…"

The chef appeared again and rolled up a cake with thirty-seven candles on it.

"You made the cake?!" Anthony asked Ian, with a quiver in his voice.

"I sure did buddy. You know the last six years I haven't gotten you a proper gift or anything. I want to make good on that."

"Oh Ian!" Anthony hugged him again.

"Alright, alright," Ian patted Anthony on the back but he smiled widely while he did it.

To be honest, the cake did taste mediocre, but Anthony didn't mind at all. It was all the more proof that Ian had actually made it himself. He ate a whole chunk of it, and it wouldn't have mattered, all the other things. Just this cake alone, and Ian, those were the best gifts he could have ever gotten. Anthony was blissfully happy. When he went to sleep that night, he croaked to Mykie:

"I love Ian so much, he's the best friend in the entire world."

"I know you do honey," Mykie replied sweetly. "I'm so glad you're finally back together. You've been so much happier, and that in turn makes me happier."

Anthony hugged her under the blankets.

"You're such a hugger, I love it."

"Come here, daddy wants his cuddles," Anthony joked. But he was so tired that he fell asleep almost immediately after that.

[hsfan94]

Y/n had been waiting for so long to tell Harry how she felt. They had been friends for a few years and she had been in love with him almost the whole time. But Harry leads a busy life and she’s had a bad history with telling guys how she feels. The timing was always off. But when Covid hit, they got so much closer. Being shacked up with Harry, Jeff and then she got to spend more time with him then she ever had. When he went off to shoot the movie, she missed him so much every day. She finally decided to tell him one night and snuck down to find him talking to Jeff.

“I’m serious mate, I’m falling for her.”

“And I’m telling you, Harry, it’s a bad idea.”

Y/n’s interest in their conversation piqued. She hoped they were talking about her but she was upset Jeff thought it was a bad idea.

“She makes me feel different, Jeff. She’s different.”

“Harry, she’s married. With kids.”

Her heart fell. They were not talking about her. Not only that. Her Harry was thinking about being a homewrecker.

She ran upstairs quietly. She couldn’t listen to more.

For some reason, Harry never confided in her about Olivia. She didn’t know anything else about it until Jeff’s wedding, when they showed up together without warning.

“Olivia, this is my good friend, Y/n. Y/n, this is Olivia, my girlfriend.” A shit eating grin spread on his face and how could she ruin that by showing her true feelings.

“Nice to meet you, Olivia. I’ve heard so many good things.” She gave her a hug and spent the rest of the wedding away from Harry and drinking.

What y/n didn’t see coming was how truly awful Olivia was. She had Harry so fooled. She was never outright mean to y/n but she was very fake and y/n was the only one who could see her for what she was, a bad person. Not that it was her biggest concern, but his new relationship also made less time for her. They went from seeing each other everyday in 2020 to once a month in 2021 and 2022 and he hardly ever texted or called. She missed her friend, her Harry she met in 2017, who would make it a priority to text her once a day and call once a week. Not only did they rarely speak but when he was with Camille he called her for advice constantly which hurt like hell but she loved having his trust. He’s told her nothing about his relationship with Olivia. She’s in the dark and that feels worse than anything because it’s like he doesn’t trust her anymore.

Since she’s been in the dark, she’s been tuned into the gossip sections on social media. Her heart did somersaults when she heard they had broken up around the time of the premiere in Venice. She was even more excited when he had asked her to dinner nearly three weeks after the breakup rumors started. She knew it was time to tell him how she felt.

“I’m so happy to see you, H.” She approached the table he was already seated at.

“It’s been too long,” he said as he hugged her.

“Yeah all because of you, you busy bee! Have you even had time to feed yourself?”

They sat down and chattered on and on while looking over the menu and having drinks. Y/n couldn’t take it anymore. She had to tell him.

“H. I really need to tell you something and I don’t know if my timing is perfect but I think it’ll be a little less embarrassing than any other time I could have told you the last two years.”

He sat up straight.

“Ok yeah. What’s going on?”

“I’m in love with you. I have been for like five years and I don’t know you know us we keep busy and you’ve had girlfriends and I don’t know I heard you and Olivia broke up and-“

“Sorry I’m late!” She’s cut off by Olivia’s voice.

When she looks up she sees her place a hand on Harry’s shoulder before leaning down to kiss him. This has to be the worst thing that has ever happened to her.

“Oh. Oh Um. No worries. I actually didn’t know you were coming, H didn’t say anything. Anyway, I have to go you two enjoy.”

She rushed out of her seat, messily grabbing her stuff and briskly heading to the door.

She was halfway down the block when she heard Harry call after her.

“Y/n!”

She turned on her heel and met his face with her tear stained one.

“It’s okay, Harry. I just need to go.”

“You don’t have to. You can eat with us. I won’t say anything.”

“My feelings for you are not the only problem. I don’t know you anymore. Why wouldn’t you tell me she was coming? Why don’t you tell me about her period? I don’t know anything that goes on behind closed doors anymore, I feel like a fan having to tune into Instagram to find out about your life. That was so embarrassing.”

“It wasn’t embarrassing and I’m sorry I’ve shut you out. But please just come eat with us. Get to know her, I’ll talk about it all with you.”

“I can’t Harry. I miss my friend so much but I can’t pretend everything is fine anymore. I love you so much, I don’t want to hear about your relationship and I don’t want to third wheel you. I just need to go.”

“Okay. Can I call you later? To make sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah. Just give me a few days.”

They both start to walk away but she remembers something she hasn’t said.

“Hey, Harry.”

He turns around to face her again.

“Yeah?”

“Thank you. For still wanting to be my friend.”

“Always. I do love you y/n.”

“I know.” She smiles sadly.

They wave goodbye again and go their separate ways.

AN: thinking about doing a part two

[ghenry]

No More Heroes 3, and my Summer of 2021

I was recently playing through the PC port of No More Heroes 3 again to help a friend get some footage. And I found myself lost in a lot of nostalgic feelings while playing through the game again. The visuals, the sound effects, the cutscenes, everything was hitting me again almost like the first time I got to play the game back in August 2021.

I know it sounds weird to have nostalgia for a game that's only 2 years old, but I have my reasons. Not only was I really hype to finally play this game (I even managed to snag an early review code from one of GHM's PR reps), but a lot of 2021 was also a period where my life would change significantly in a lot of ways. In fact, I received my review code just two days before me and a very special someone made a life-changing decision.

I've been talking to someone for a while, and she expressed that she was looking to move somewhere new in order to get out of this cycle she was stuck in. I initially offered moving to my neck of the woods in Jersey. I was adamant about it being a platonic offer, but perhaps I was fooling myself trying to deny developing strong feelings for her, unaware that this would blossom into an amazing relationship.

We did admit feelings towards one-another after months of talking online daily, but were finally marking August for her to come here! It was a big risk we were both taking, frankly, but I couldn't be more excited! On my way to see her, I made a few stops as plans kept getting delayed for the day, but I couldn't be more content at the moment because I was playing my most anticipated game right on my Switch! Being able to play the new No More Heroes so conveniently added so much to my enjoyment. Especially with its summer vibes in the middle of August!

I was a nervous wreck the second we finally met face-to-face, but she didn't hesitate for even a moment to embrace me, ready to turn a new chapter of her life. I shared the sentiment, as we spent hours driving back to Jersey with an SUV full of her stuff, and the cutest cat in the world!

As we were getting accustomed to sharing this living space, we got to share the experience of playing No More Heroes III for the first time ever, and it was enthralling. What I'm trying to say is No More Heroes III houses my sweetest summer memories of 2021, finally meeting this girl whom I'd end up loving more than I could have possibly imagined before.

So with that all said, happy 2-year anniversary to No More Heroes III! It's almost as special to me as the anniversary I just got to celebrate and share with my true love. She's helped me get through some of the toughest times I've ever had to face these past two years, and all I want to do is love and support her in any way I could!

[heavenboy09]

Happy Birthday 🎂 To A Beloved Canadian 🇨🇦 & American🇺🇸 Actor 👨Who Was Part Of 1 Of The Biggest & Greatest Comedy Sitcom TV 📺 Series In NBC Television 📺 History. Who Is Now No Longer with with us today😔😢😭☁️.

Matthew Langford Perry was born in Williamstown, Massachusetts, on August 19, 1969. His mother, Suzanne Marie Morrison (née Langford, born 1948), is a Canadian journalist who was press secretary to Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau. His father, John Bennett Perry (born 1941), is an American actor and former model.

He was an American and Canadian actor. He gained international fame for starring as Chandler Bing on the NBC television sitcom FRIENDS (1994–2004).

Perry also appeared on Ally McBeal (2002) and received Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his performances in The West Wing (2003) and The Ron Clark Story (2006). He played a leading role in the NBC series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006–2007), and also became known for his leading film roles in Fools Rush In (1997), Almost Heroes (1998), Three to Tango (1999), The Whole Nine Yards (2000), Serving Sara (2002), The Whole Ten Yards (2004), and 17 Again (2009).

Perry was co-creator, co-writer, executive producer, and star of the ABC sitcom Mr. Sunshine, which ran from February to April 2011. In August 2012, he starred as sportscaster Ryan King on the NBC sitcom Go On. He co-developed and starred in a revival of the CBS sitcom The Odd Couple portraying Oscar Madison from 2015 to 2017. He had recurring roles in the legal dramas The Good Wife (2012–2013), and The Good Fight (2017). Perry portrayed Ted Kennedy in The Kennedys: After Camelot (2017) and appeared as himself in his final television appearance, Friends: The Reunion (2021). He voiced Benny in the video game Fallout: New Vegas (2010).

For most of his life, Perry suffered from severe addictions to drugs and alcohol. Through his recovery, he became an advocate for rehabilitation and a spokesperson for the National Association of Drug Court Professionals. In 2013, Perry received the Champion of Recovery Award from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. In 2022, he released his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.

On October 28, 2023. The Unexpected Happened. He Passed Away From A Lethal Drug Overdose 💉 😪 😕 😔 😢 😭 Of Ketamine. 5 People Are Charged in Connection To His Death

HE WAS 54 YEARS OLD

TODAY WOULD HAVE BEEN HIS 55TH BIRTHDAY 🎂 😪 😔 😕 😢 😩

PLEASE WISH THIS ICONIC & BELOVED GREAT ACTOR & STAR 🌟 OF NBC'S BEST COMEDY SITCOM 😆 OF THE 90'S

A HAPPY BIRTHDAY 🎂 IN HEAVEN 😇☁️😔😢😭✨

YOU KNOW HIM

YOU LOVED HIS CHARACTER IN NBC'S FRIENDS , HOW HE MADE US LAUGH 🤣 & MADE US FEEL GOOD INSIDE

& HIS PRESENCE WILL TRULY BE MISSED ON THE EARTH 🌎 😢 😔 😪 💔

THE 1 & FOREVER ALWAYS

MR. MATTHEW LANGFORD PERRY 👨🇨🇦🇺🇸 AKA CHANDLER BING OF NBC'S FRIENDS ❤

HAPPY HEAVENLY 55TH BIRTHDAY 🎂 TO YOU MR. PERRY 👨🇨🇦🇺🇸😇☁️😔😢😭❤ & MAY YOUR MEMORY & YOUR LEGACY LIVE ON.

& ALWAYS REMEMBER, 🎶YOU'LL BE THERE FOR US. 🎶 YOU'LL BE THERE FOR US. 🎶YOU'LL BE THERE FOR US & WE'LL BE THERE FOR YOU TOO😔 ❤ ☁️

#MatthewPerry #FriendsNBC #AllyMcBeal #TheWestWing #TheRonClarkStory #FoolsRushIn #TheWholeNineYards #ServingSara #TheWholeTenYards #17Again #GoOn #TheOddCouple #FriendsTheReunion #ChandlerBing #IllBeThereForYou

[stormblessed95]

Memories 2021 Disc 4

So I asked again when I said I was going to watch memories in full if you would be interested in commentary from me as I did so. There were a lot of people who said yes, so here we are! I have officially watched BTS Memories of 2021. Here are my thoughts as I went. There were 7 DVDs in this one. Reminder that these aren't going to be smoothly written out thoughts. You get these like I'm live reacting, texting my bestie or live tweeting. Lol it'll be in like bullet point format sort of, just... a commentary post as I go. Lol Part 1 Here covers Discs 1 - 3. Part 2 here will cover Disc 4. Hope you enjoy anyway! Let's go!

Disc 4

Butter Jacket Making Film:

I love that they all picked the 6 digits for the mug shot signs that meant something to them. Namjoons was his childhood home units. JKs was the date he moved to Seoul. Tae's meant that he was one of seven. Jin and JK giving Jimin cute heart eyes as Jin measures Jimins height (as he makes himself smaller) on the wall and calling him cute 😍 Jimin jokingly putting his hand in front of JKs face and Jungkook licking his hand 🤣 Jikook meeting eyes at the end so sweetly too.

Jikooks unit shoot was so cute! As was Jimin redirecting his hand from the automatic way it almost went to go pet the back of Jungkooks head instead of just simply putting his arm around him. Lol that muscle memory gets ya everytime! And the way they were fooling around and smiling so much 🥺 Tae looks like he is trying to seduce Yoongi in every photo! He needs to STOP MY HEART CANT TAKE IT! His eyesssss! Lol they were so cute all curled up on the floor though for their Taegi unit shoot! The tension nam2seok tried to keep for their unit shoot but they couldn't stop giggling and having fun during 🤣🤣 vmin bickering over their poses in the ot7 shoot while JK just held Jimin by the waist sneaking his hand underneath his crop top and gently caressing the skin under his shirt on his waist and smiling so much lol OKAY. Post over that here. Everyone giving end of shoot ending mentions and Jimin just continuing to slap at and low key feel up JKs chest. Man though. Everyone looked so good for this shoot! These outfits were top tier! And JK staring so sweetly at Jimin as he gave their ending "see you on day 2!" Ending comment. Lol the LOVE on this day, oh boy!

Day 2 had them at the car wash!! And Jhopes blond and pink hair 😍😍😍 IN LOVE. The editors will NEVER let the Yoongi cat agenda die "Lil meow meow doesn't like the water" and I live for it honestly! Namjoon saying he's never washed a car before because he can't drive 😅😂 Jimin accidentally breaking props at the set because he was goofing off too much 🤣🤣 everyone giving a video camera to record each other and the chaos and unruly dizzy footage we are given 🤣 like toddlers hadn't a camera honestly lmfao. Yoongi filming Hobi and Jimin and Himself. Hobi filming Jin while JK sticks his hand down a flexing Jimins shirt in the background because OF COURSE THEY ARE lol. And all the cute dancing! First Vhope, then Jihope, then taekook. Then all the giggles of the 7 of them playing in the hose. And my heart is so happy! I love seeing them have fun!

Day 3 has them at the beach! And it's fun but it's freezing! Lol Hobi dancing and singing about sandcastles as a staff member tries desperately to keep up with him and keep him covered up and warm in a jacket 🤣 Jimin acting so baby trying to pretend he isn't freezing his ass off 😍😂 Tae (and Yoongi too) in headbands will always be my FAVORITE concept. Give it to me more please. JK ignoring every staff member calling for him as he was engrossed in filming himself write ARMY in the sand like the absolute cutie he is. Lol lol their group shots have them all looking one way together and Jimin being cheeky and looking the opposite direction to grin at Yoongi instead 😂🤣 cuties! And adding on here my post about more jikookery in the jacket making film.

Butter MV Making Film:

Everyone is watching back some of their shooting and Jikook just complimenting Tae on his flirty demeanor lol. "Not everyone can do that!" The praise! I love seeing it. Lol Tae accidentally kicking Jimin during their duo part of the dance and Jimin saying that since Tae noticed and said sorry, it was all okay. If he hadn't noticed he would've had to be dramatic about it. Lmfaoo all the other members being completely unable to leave Jin alone or stop giving him weird compliments while he was trying to shoot his solo scene. Lol their loving hyung!

The absolute CHAOS of the members during Sugas rap verse. Lmfao pure insanity. The way Hobi was like "what is happening?" And Jimin who was in the process of being lifted and tossed around was like "I literally do not know" 🤣🤣🤣 their giggles though too! So cute. And then Jimin just SHOUTING like mad imitated Tae's sneeze. They can't leave each other alone for a second 😅😂 and the random little chin tap cut we got from jikook. So much fun

Day 2 starts with JK just staring at Jimin as he dances his little heart out lol. I'm glad they always can have fun on set! Jin saying they had to do sexy poses for the opening but that he isn't sexy so he hopes it turns out well. Man, I know you own mirrors!! Everyone packed into the elevator and Yoongi ticking Jimins chin 😭 the captions saying the Miniz find each other adorable! *crying*

3J all Watching Jins freestyle dance with the biggest hype smiles and filming him too. They LOVE Jin! Hopekook both staying to watch Jimin dance too, and Jihope cheered on JK. Hobi saying he stayed to watch and cheer for all the members through their dance 😭🥺 lmfao Tae doing quick arm exercises to show off his muscles in his sleeveless shirt and Sope both keep petting his arms and complimenting his big muscles now 😏🤣 Jin pulling a finger heart out of JKs vest pocket was adorable too. And jinkook always pretending to fight each other non stop! It's how they open up day 3 too!

Legit just having a dance party on the stage set they had and having such a good time. Lol Tae literally dancing up to and for everyone and being so cute. It's absolutely giving "I will marry bts members" vibes. JinMin bickering and playing during the breaks and giggling so much. Jin refusing to leave Jimin alone and let him sit down. Lmfao and of course you know JK has to join in on all the teasing too. My JinJiKook. And all the bickering and fighting for camera time during ending mentions is as always, the most adorable. Their smiles! More Jikookery Clips

Butter Practice Making Film:

I love that Yoongi got there first and started lowkey warming up on his own but how happy he got when Jin showed up, immediately going over to hang out together 🥺 it's also fascinating to watch Kookie show up to practice half asleep, literally FALLING ASLEEP sitting up to getting more and more chaotic as practice goes on. Until he is full on going crazy, sliding around floors on his back and full chaos potential is unlocked 🤣

Vmin are so precious. Working together for their duo dance part in the middle. Jimin said it was hard to see where his spot was that he was spinning into since he was going into it backwards, so Tae said he would hold out his hand so that Jimin could just see easier where he had to go, aka, spin into Taes arms 🥺😂 cuties! Dance leader Hoseok is ALWAYS a pleasure to watch work too!! Seriously though, the break is when chaos reigned. JK had vmin on his shoulders, boxing with Jin, helping (?) Namjoon with his push-ups and just in general acting silly to make his hyungs laugh. Lol he is amazing.

The next jump to dance practices for Butter is after they've all gotten their new hair done for the MV too! Purple hair Koo Supreme 😍 everyone warming up and Jimin helping Tae with his footwork! The encouragement given!! I really truly do love watching Dance Leader Hoseok and Main Dancer Jimin take their craft seriously and be so helpful to the whole group too. And always giving their advice with lots of praise too. It's awesome. Taekook making faces at each other in the back of formation and then in the front at the mirror to make everyone laugh 😂 Jimin teasing JK watching their practice moves back over too 🤣 they work SO HARD but always have so much fun too! And another day of practice starting off just with jikook having fun together playing a game of tag/catch. Their smiles! More Jikookery too.

The Late Late Show with Stephan Colbert Making Film:

The Actual performance should be here too

Their first promotional activity they've filmed for Butter, which was filmed the stage for even before the song released! Opening with 2seok and Vmin reviewing their choreos together! All the little mistakes made during their first run through in the new place and the shy smiles and giggles coming from those who messed up 🤣 Yoonmin reminiscing over their last time on the show where they did their BWL stage. Vmin having an impromptu chair workout during one break. Jinkook having an impromptu boxing match during another. Besties always having fun! Jimin talking to the cameras, talking about their set and when asked about his hair, sharing it was his idea. JK hovering around the whole time waiting for a good time to jump in and get to tease his hyung. Lol which results in playful smacks and chasing. 😂😂 Staff: "that was an eye catching opening you filmed" Jin: "I was just walking so if that was eye catching, the only explanation is that my face is eye catching" YES JIN know your worth!! Lol Tae watching Jin talking to the camera from the side and whispering into his in ears with his mic and telling him instructions of what to say 🤣🤣 their smiles while having fun together are so cute! The editors throwing Namjoon under the bus for the last filming scene! Lol "we could be done after this one take. Except spot what's wrong in this frame.... namjoon going the wrong direction" 😅🤣🤣 Jin turning to scold Joon right after the director yells cut too 🤣🤣🤣 they were all a little tired and ready to be done! Lol perfect second take though! The members laughter as the whole set has to be reset up, including all the confetti they had fired off 😅😂

Good Morning America Making Film:

The actual performances should be here too!

Hobi being so excited to perform the tropical remix of Dynamite! The editors calling Yoongi a cat for the millionth time. 3J being silly together in the way background. Jimin climbing the tower after Yoongi to hang off it with him and the editors calling Jimin a cat too. Jikopo smiling at each other as soon as they finish singing Dynamite. Some of my favorite things 😍 Jimin telling Hobi to aim for JKs head with the beach ball while they were singing and Hobi actually doing it 🤣 JinMin starting a game of foot volleyball, with the 94z joining right in too and JK just watching the 4 play with the cutest smile.

I'll never get over Taes ponytail for this performance either honestly! Lol I love it. Vmin trying to decide what to do for their pair choreo and pulling Hobi in to help them decide. Their dance leader! They ended up deciding to do a high five and exchange glances as they walked. Which did look so sweet. Ending mentions at the end of filming were cute. They were all TIRED. Lol Tae leaning all his weight on Jin. Lol and Jikook couldn't have been standing closer together if they tried. 😂 AND THEN WE ALSO GET TANNIES WITH A PUPPY CONTENT! Which was clearly incredibly distracting for the members during shooting lmfao

Sirius XM Making Film:

Adding the performance here again too! Plus my post over more Jikookery from this making film too.

Everyone finding their spots and warming up for the Dynamite performance. JK just sitting there over and over trying to do the bottle flip game. Jimin joining him, getting it in 2 goes and proudly trying to show it off to Jungkook. And then JK warming up with a shout, Jimin = copy/paste. Lol they have tons of fun together always. Staff setting everything up... members goofing off with a playing with the set. Lol Jihope tossing a ball back and forth. JK playing darts and decorating his mic with darts while the poor makeup noona tries to do his makeup around all that 🤣 Jikook randomly holding hands and on/off doing a "grip contest." And their break time turning into a heated Rubix cube solving technique debate. Lol tannies doing a dance party to Butter at the end of the transitions and JK dancing with minimoni! Arms around Joons shoulders and Jimins waist 😍 and Tae riding a bike across the set 🤣 JinMin doing a perfectly in sync ending pose together too!

For the butter set, Jikook keep joking about the set being the inside of Hobis stomach since he ate the butter in the MV. He humors all their BS so nicely 🤣🤣 I always love how much they compliment each other and are so humble about it. Tae telling Jin how good he is at the "know that I got some heat" part and Jin going "its because Jhope taught it to me." 🥺🥺 and during JKs dance Hobi shouting "OH JK! What's with those hips!!" And JK just being so proud and Saying "I really worked hard for that" lol Poor Jimin had his mic break and didn't have any extras so he was trying on everyone else's extra mics before asking for Hobis because Hobi "also has a small head." Lol and Tae taking great "offense" at Jimin saying his head was big. 🤣 basically just saying "we (pointing to JK) have normal human sizes and you just have an extra small head" 🤣🤣 Jimin going "I'm getting to learn more about the members heads today."

Butter (ft. Meg Thee Stallion) Special Performance Video Making Film:

Jhope saying that Megan did such a great job as a featuring artist that it really inspired him 🥺 I really love their friendship yall. And the fact that it inspired him enough to pull 3J back together for this is AMAZING. I love that he did this! Jimin warming up by playing basketball as soon as he arrives is so wholesome too. When Hobi said they installed the hoop for Yoonmin, he REALLY wasn't kidding!! JK calling Nick, the choreographer, over for help with the dance as SOON as he arrived was really cute. They work so HARD. Whatever you do, don't make a drinking game out of hearing them say "last time" lol you won't survive it!

The comfort they give each other is so sweet. Hobi cheering for them and giving encouragement. Tips shared for a better performance so easily between the 3 of them. Jimin leaning on JK during a break where they watched their performance and massaging his neck and shoulders for him so comfortably. Jungkook also comforting Jimin with some really sweet back rubs too. "Just have fun. Our fans will like it." It's honestly our favorite thing to see! Back for another day of filming because they are PERCECTIONISTS lol. And they take the cutest 3J photos we all still treasure before starting. Jikook goofing off shooting hearts at each other and doing their little meme dance before getting serious. Hobi smiling so cutely at Jimin practicing his facial expressions for the hand choreo and praising JK for his outfit when he comes back wearing white for the 3 of them to match better. Jikook smiling so cutely as they hold hands for encouragement before starting another take, Jimin grabbing Hobi to join all 3 of their hands together 😍 and Hopekook teasing Jimin for those last few "one last take" requests. Lol I really really love our 3J and I feel so blessed they worked this hard to bring us another dance collab!

And this wraps up Disc 4 for memories! My next post will cover the next Discs as well too! Thank you for letting me share! 💜

[adultswim2021]

Space Ghost Coast to Coast #75: “Fire Ant” | December 10, 1999 | S06E07

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Even though I’m currently visiting another state and sleeping in a different house, I still do all I can to make sure Space Ghost Week trucks along without interruption. It sure beats speaking to my family. 

Fire Ant! Another “special” “experimental” “episode” of “Space Ghost” “Coast to Coast”. This one features Conan O’Brien and, more famously, a special little fire ant that becomes Space Ghost’s friend. This is a pretty normal episode, as a matter of fact; just Space Ghost talking to Conan O’Brien while weird jokes and cutaways happen. Suddenly, Space Ghost gets distracted by a little ant on the floor and decides to follow it. Then, he does, for roughly half of the episode’s running time. This is a double-length episode, by the way, so he wordlessly follows this ant for the length of a normal episode. 

Wordlessly? Well, he does hum and he sorta starts singing to himself and he sorta says words there a little bit. He not only follows the ant across the studio floor, but also outside, and against various backdrops. At one point, Space Ghost even follows the ant in front of Sealab, making Sealab 2021 an actual canonical Space Ghost spin-off. Eventually Space Ghost follows the ant all the way home. He complains to the ant’s oversized parent or guardian that the ant bit him. Space Ghost is attacked and chased off while he yells “YOUR SON IS A MORON”. End of episode. 

I never did see the premiere of this, even though I was a fairly regular viewer this season. I don’t think I saw the full-length Fire Ant until the DVD came out. I almost didn’t believe that the 30 minute version actually existed. Despite this episode’s reputation as a conceptual episode, my familiarity with it was with the 15-minute version, which cuts out Space Ghost’s quiet and patience-trying trek across the universe. It doesn’t necessarily feel like it was missing anything to those of us blissfully unaware of the full version. I always thought this was an exceptional episode even when watching the condensed cut. The ant-following stretch of the show only makes me fonder of it. Now that I own the full episode you’ll never catch me fast-forwarding or subbing it for the short version. This is art, goddamnit.

I fucking love the bit where Space Ghost complains that he was rejected for his pitch about a TV show where Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny were teenagers, and he was a teenager too, and they solve mysteries, and also they were pirates. The idea of pitching a teenage Daffy and Bugs is already very funny, but the joke peaks when Space Ghost casually mentions including himself hanging out with them, also as a teenager. It goes a little too far with the pirate thing. Piracy is no laughing matter. You wouldn’t steal a car...

This episode features an illuminating DVD extra: the Conan Raw Interview. Conan has to be one of the least-flappable Space Ghost guests ever. The problem with that is, you get so few moments that feel spontaneous; Conan answers every question very calmly and goes with the flow so much that he almost feels completely scripted. The show wants odd, awkward moments to play with more than anything else. There is so much stuff in here that went unused. I literally felt myself get frustrated on the show’s behalf; sensing certain questions that would have disarmed other guests and watching as Conan level-headedly answer them made me groan in places.

Conan seems like a fun guy to talk to and joke with, but if I were filming our conversation for use in my retro-scripted, post-modern superhero-themed talk show spoof I would be tearing my hair out. Just furrow your goddamn brow once, motherfucker. That said, the very few moments where Conan comes off human must’ve formed the entire basis for the interview. It’s on Youtube if you look for it. Search “Conan Raw Interview Space Ghost”, probably!

I heard they showed the full episode as part of the 2023 April Fools programming stunt. I didn't know that. Neat!

MAIL BAG

KON writes:

I don't remember if it was Table Read or Curling Flower Spaces, but one of those episodes had the first instance of "damn" in a Space Ghost episode... hugely scandalous at the time. Oh, and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!

Hey! Happy Thanksgiving to all of my pals and homers. I did not realize this! Curling Flower Space has "damned lie", but Table Read has them repeating "damn" a few times because it's contained in a contentious line of dialogue they are discussing.

A moment similar to this was I remember an episode of Ren & Stimpy where they repeat the word "crappy" over and over, which for some reason is a word I deemed exactly one notch worse than "damn" and "hell" in my own understanding of the hierarchy of swears. It's nice seeing standards and practices like this thaw. I wish I knew to appreciate it at the time.

[thehoneybeet]

three things self-rec

Thank you to @moonflower-rose (3 things here) for the tag, and I thought this might be fun even though I'm terribly late and I actually only have three things posted (lol)!

My most popular fic is Euphoria (2021, 35k), a fic that I wrote for last year's Erised. It's mostly a murder mystery, but also involves Draco and Harry as exes fake-dating, and unraveling the reasons why their prior relationship fell apart. I'm proud of my take on the Department of Mysteries in this one. I loved writing Unspeakable Draco, the pining, inventing my own potion and a villain with a cause :)

If you give it a go please take care and mind the tags, because there are some rough themes in this one. There is a happy ending, though!

Hidden gems:

My hidden gems aren't very hidden. I guess the main one would be plant me in your garden (and watch me grow) (2021, 5.5 k), which is the first completed fic I wrote and posted on ao3. I wrote it in almost a dreamlike state, in present tense. It's set in eighth year, has a limited cast of characters (exactly three), and explores magical theory, plant magic, and gender in a way I'd love to return to someday. I was lucky enough for this one to be recced by the incredible @phoebe-delia here.

The other one is a WIP that I haven't updated since 2021, so I hesitate to rec it. But if you're willing to be patient with me, I haven't forgotten it, and the rest of the story is in here, somewhere. It's Hey Moon (currently around 20k), in which Harry is a newly turned werewolf seeking solace by listening to Draco's incognito nightly radio show.

I also have an anon work (literally hidden) that I can't wait to reveal in due time, which will increase my published fic count to a total of four 😂

I'm just going to assume most people have been tagged already or done this, but if you haven't, this is your sign and pls let me know so I can check them out! but since rules are rules, tagging @amywaterwings @violenttulips @phoebe-delia @the-fools-errand @corvuscrowned @etalice just in case :)

[historicallysam]

HELLO SAM happy nice ask day!

What's the story of how you got your dog? How old is he, and how long have you had him? (Also feel free to share doggo photos in this reply lol)

In March 2021 we unexpectedly lost my precious pup, Rudi. He was sick for almost all of his short life but we still didn’t expect to start a Saturday morning with him and no longer have him by the afternoon.

I’m historically terrible at not having a pet. College and living in my apartment right after college were the longest I’ve ever gone without one in my home.

So we started looking the next day. Almost adopted a beautiful girl - until they told me she’d had heartworm. It was complications from that which took Rudi from us. So we passed and I cried the whole way home.

The next week, one of the SPCAs in the state was having a “dollar dog” deal where any dog over one was only $1.

So obviously I kept looking and looking and I made the “mistake” of showing my mother photos. She fell in love with one face in particular.

The day before Good Friday, which also happened to be April Fools Day, we went to the kennel. We looked at every single dog and didn’t see the one my mother fell for. Until we got to the last kennel.

She fell in love with him instantly.

We had a super long time to wait while they got his final vet check, etc, so we went through dozens of names (Teddy, Fred, Captain, others I can’t remember but were shot down by my mother at every turn) before we finally settled on Charlie.

Of course, he was 5 months old and not part of the “dollar dog” deal but the look on her face said he was coming home with us.

So we’ve had him since 4/1/21 and he’ll turn 3 on 10/30/23. It hasn’t been easy - he’s definitely been a handful - but I’ve grown to love him so, so much that I can’t imagine my life without him. He’s wild and crazy and sweet and irritating and without a doubt one of the few loves of my life.

Thank you for asking!! I’d add more photos but tumblr said no.