#he's an amazing teacher and a brilliant researcher

[chaotic-mystery]

PROFESSOR’S PET

Pairing: Art Professor!Joel AU x Teacher Assistant!f!reader.

Summary: Professor Miller wants you to teach the class tomorrow morning & you need help being less nervous. What if he’s the reason you’re nervous, though?

Content Warnings: SMUT 18+ only! MDNI. Age gap but not specified, power imbalance (professor x TA, reader stutters when nervous, academic weapon, teasing, fingering, one (1) pair of panties ripped to shreds, oral (f receiving), spitting, pussy slaps, praise kink, name calling (good girl, sweetheart, baby, smart girl), dirty talk, talking you through it, spanking, condescending a little bit, cum eating, face riding, nasty freaky kisses to share your cum, no use of y/n.

Authors Note: Good morning, babies! This is for @studioghibelli & their fantastic writing challenge. This moodboard was absolutely brilliant. As someone who did not go to college & can’t retain information well, I tried to research as much as I could about art so I hope I did it justice! 🩵 || wc: 2.6k || beta’d by @wannab-urs <333 ily sm gin ||

“You want me to do what?”

It came out more as an exclamation rather than a question but you didn’t care at the moment.

He couldn’t have been serious.

“I want you to teach the class tomorrow about your two favorite artists. That’s all I’m askin’” Professor Miller says, stuffing his papers back into the desk drawer for the night.

“B-but you know I don’t talk well in front of them, I constantly stutter and they don’t respond well to me yet, I-”

“Do you need me to help you with the lesson plan for tomorrow? I can come over and help you write down some notes on what you want to talk about, but I need you to get more comfortable around them. We have a long school year ahead of us, and it’s not going to work if you’re afraid to speak up here.”

He was annoyed having to explain his reasoning, but he was right. Even if you didn’t want to hear you were doing a terrible job as a teacher's assistant. Scratching your head and turning so he can’t see the look of shame on your face, Joel shuffles towards you and hands you your coat off the coat rack.

“It’ll be fine. All you need is a push and you’ll do great. Hurry before we miss the train.”

You nod and take your coat to put it on, the tan fabric becoming darker as you step outside and rain starts to pelt off it. Mr. Miller sighs and hoists his briefcase above his head and takes his other hand to the side of him searching for yours until he finds it and grabs it, guiding you through the raindrops until you get under the stone archway to take a brief moment for the rain to calm down.

“Can’t believe I’ve had you as a TA for almost two years now and have never once seen where you live or even know about you outside of this place.” His finger wags slowly behind his head, indicating he was referring to the school.

“I don’t really like to talk about myself, but my parents made a really good name for themselves. I was put through all the good schools they could toss their money at. I was supposed to go to school to be a lawyer, but I wasn’t interested in the slightest. I told my mom I wanted to study visual arts and she wasn’t too surprised, said I always had an eye for that sort of thing. I want to become a professor here one day but for now I just want to learn everything I can, ya know?” You smile at the ground as you think about teaching here someday and hope it doesn’t come off as dorky.

He’s so much older than you and probably knows so much between art and life. You could only hope to have as much knowledge as him when you become a professor.

“I think that’s amazing honestly. I hope to one day see you as a professor here whenever you feel like you’re ready.”

His grin eases your nerves, and you hear the train coming, taking his hand once more to run to the train stop. Your shoes squeak against the vinyl flooring of the moving cabin until you get to a seat by the foggy window, plopping your bag right next to you with Joel sitting across the small white table that was tattered from all the use.

The train ride to your town wasn’t too long and Joel read almost the entire time, asking you every now and then if you were okay. Once you catch a taxi to take you home, it drops you off right at the black iron gates. He steps out of the sleek black car and is a little taken aback by the size of your house.

“What’s the matter? I told you they had money.” You giggle and push the buzzer on the stone post to the left of you, telling them to let you inside. Almost instantly, the gates push open and you walk along the pebble drive, flinging your book bag over your shoulder as he follows a few steps behind you, taking in the beauty that is your house.

Once you get inside and introduce him to the small group of staff working, they tell you your parents went out for the evening to some charity event and there’s food in the fridge if you were hungry.

The nerves about teaching tomorrow overrode the feeling of being hungry, but you still offered Joel anything he could’ve wanted. He settles with water, and you leave him in the study where he’s content with gazing at the walls covered in full bookshelves about any and everything.

You come back in and shut the rosewood pocket doors quietly, careful not to disturb him from the current book in his hand about astronomy. The way his fingers grazed over the corners of the pages made your stomach tingle just a little bit, the dim lighting from the chandelier glowing a soft yellow on his face as he was entranced by the contents.

Get it together, he’s off limits, you tell yourself.

There was no ring on his finger and he always talked about his lonely weekends, but still. You were his teacher's assistant.

You clear your throat and set his water down on the desk before you turn on the green bankers lamp sitting at the edge of the table. Joel closes the red leather book and looks up at you, noticing the water, and he puts the book back where he found it.

“Thank you.” He raises the glass to you before taking a sip, the muscles in his neck contracting as he swallows, and it brings that same feeling as before that you felt in your stomach.

So, give me two of your favorite art pieces and the artist with some facts about them. You don’t have to start from their birth or anything.”

He pinches his slacks right on the thighs to hike them up just a little before he sits down in the wooden chair at the head of the table, his hands on the back of his head as his fingers interlock against his skull.

Focus.

You pace back and forth at the other end of the table, Joel’s eyes on you intently as you fiddle with your fingers, running through the list of artists you tend to gravitate towards.

“I got it. Botticelli.”

“Nice choice. Why him?”

You continue to walk back and forth and sort out which facts about him and his artwork you love to tell people they wouldn’t normally know.

“I love the painting Birth of Venus but um- it’s not technically her birth story, it’s m-more like the story continued after her birth; when she steps off her shell and onto the island of Cyprus. S-she’s being blown onto…” you take a deep breath in and put your head in your hands.

“I’m sorry, Joel.”

You turn away from him and look out the window trying to compose yourself.

“Just take your time, I’ve got all night, kid.”

Turning to face him, he’s sitting straight up now and you can tell he’s listening to every word coming out of your mouth. His dark jacket is tight on his arms and it’s just enough to show the outline of his muscles.

“She’s being blown onto shore by the spring winds which is Zephyr, who is accompanied by his wife, Chloris, who’s also blowing Venus’ shell to shore. Her pose was most likely inspired by an ancient marble statue in the Medici’s collection, which we refer to as the Medici Venus, the first ever nude female sculpture in classical art.”

You manage to recite all of that without stuttering this time and he grins proudly.

“I knew you could do it. Good job. Now, what I want you to do is write down bullet points on this note card with a keyword that’ll spark your mind and draw the facts out of you fluently.”

Your cheeks warm at first and then your brows furrow at his instructions.

“What do you mean, professor?”

“Come here, I’ll show you.”

He scoots his chair back enough so you can stand to the side of him and watch as he scribbles down some words on the lined piece of paper. The red ink flows effortlessly and he pushes it to you, pointing at what he did.

“It’s just a keyword that’ll spark your brain to talk about it. If you write down everything you’re gonna say, it sounds like a robot trying to read it. This way, you won’t get overwhelmed by everything you wanna say and you can sound effortless.”

You nod as the gears in your head turn, the idea making perfect sense now. Reaching out to grab another note card, you bend over to write on it, starting at the top. You feel Joel’s hand on the small of your back very lightly as he watches you write, the pen in your hand moving faster than he’s ever seen.

“The next one is gonna be the technique he used for the painting.”

You write the word ‘technique’ shakily, trying to breathe manually.

“What about his technique?” Joel asks, his hand not moving from your back.

“H-he um, he used the tempera technique, it’s when you d-dilute a raw egg with water and mix watered down p-pigment with it and um-um paint with it.” Your words get breathy and all at once you stand straight up, clearing your throat once more.

“You’re still pretty nervous. Is it me? Am I making you nervous?” The condescending tone in Professor Miller's voice makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up, feeling like you’ve been called out.

“Partially, maybe.” You admit and turn away from him but you don’t move from next to him.

He runs his hand over his scruff and smirks slyly.

“Do you trust me?”

Without hesitation you nod yes.

“Turn around for me.” Joel’s hands grip your hips and spin you around in your spot.

“Now read your little note card for me. Come on, you’ve got this, smart girl.”

That was all you had to hear to make your stomach flip and arousal flood your body. Smart girl.

His hands never leave your hips as he holds you still, subconsciously rubbing the fabric of your skirt on the waistband while you read your notes. You manage to get through half of them before you stutter out and stop again.

“Again, from the top.” He says softly, still holding onto you. Just as you begin to speak, you feel yourself being guided backwards and you don’t stop talking, going with the flow of things.

For the purpose of learning, right?

Joel puts you right against his thighs, his head peeking over the side of your arm to see what bullet point you were on.

“Keep going, you’re doing such a good job.” He whispers as he rubs your back gently.

“Botticelli used the tempera technique, which is when you mix a r-raw egg with water a-and you dilute yo-our pigment with water and mix th-em together.”

His hand ever so slowly moves around the side of your thigh until he’s on the top of it, his thumb dangerously close to the point of no return. Your breaths were getting heavier and you were almost positive he could feel your heart rattling in your body like a caged animal.

“Joel, I-”

“Start it again, and if you stutter I’ll stop.”

His hand dips under your skirt and he nods to your index card, wanting you to restart.

“Well come on, be a good girl for me.” He grunts out and smirks before biting your arm playfully.

You didn’t know how you got here or why he wanted to touch you this way but you weren’t going to stop him. He was a good looking man and god forbid you do something out of your normal routine.

His fingertips dance over your overly excited clit and release some tension for you, and it’s like a key to a gate, your legs spreading more and more with every circle from his middle finger. You continue to talk through his efforts to make you stutter, even when he gets faster and kisses your back.

“Just like that, sweetheart. Next artist, let’s go.” He pushes you up on the desk and splits your legs apart, ripping your panties in two before he takes off his jacket and rolls his shirt sleeves up to his elbows.

“The Swing painted by Jean-Honore Fragonard. It’s said it’s a commission from a man on the court who requested Fragonard to paint him and his younger mistress being pushed on a swing while he watches and admires her-oh my god, Joel, right there, yes, yes.”

His tongue dances against your clit after he spits on it, licking every inch of you just to hear your pretty moans. His hands travel up your abdomen until he gets to your shirt, ripping the buttons apart to see your beautiful breasts. A deep groan against your overly sensitive clit makes your eyes almost roll back into your skull and he slaps your pussy firmly.

“That’s not being a good girl. Did I tell you to stop?”

“No, sir.” You whimper and try to get back on track about the painting you were talking about. His curls tickle against the soft insides of your thighs as he continues, licking feverishly at your clit.

“The brushwork is rapid and it exemplifies the Rococo style of playfulness and elegance” you whimper out and buck against his face, your hand dipping into his hair to tug firmly.

He spanks your ass as he feels your body squirm under him, tugging your legs to rest on his shoulders as he continues to lap up your arousal.

“You’re such a filthy girl, riding your professor's face in your house, naughty naughty girl. Oh, yes, cmon sweetheart, use my mouth.”

You moan his name louder and thank god your sounds are muffled from the rest of the house by all the literature covering the walls. Somehow you finish telling him about the painting and he looks at you as you cry out for more from him, your slick glossing over his mustache.

“Please make me come, Joel. Please, I need you so bad.” You kiss him roughly and try to grab his rock hard bulge but he pulls his hips away and groans loudly on your lips before grinning, going back down to your pussy and moaning against you.

“Come right on my face, right fuckin’ now. Let me taste how sweet you are. I know you can’t handle much more and you don’t wanna disappoint me, right baby?” Joel smirks and flattens his tongue against your clit once more, teasing you and enjoying this just as much as you were.

The burning sensation in your belly starts to spill over and before you can tell him, you grip both edges of the table and come against his face, crying and squirming to get away from him but it only makes Joel pin you down by your wrists and lick harder, tasting every bit you give him.

He licks you clean and kisses his way up your stomach, through the valley of your breasts to your lips, sharing the deliciousness with you. As you come down from your high, the grandfather clock in the corner of the room starts to chime, indicating it was midnight.

“That 7:30 A.M. class is gonna be here before you know it, professor.” You push the damp curls off his forehead and giggle as he stands up tiredly, holding a hand out for you. As you sit up on the table, his hand cups your cheek and kisses you deeply once more.

“You owe me sleep, so much sleep.”

[rowaelinsdaughter]

𝖄𝖊𝖘, 𝖘𝖎𝖗 (𝕽𝖔𝖜𝖆𝖓 𝖝 𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉𝖊𝖗)

First fic of my masterlist and im IN LOVE with gow this has turn out!!! Hope you enjoy this one and the others. WARNINGS: SUGGESTIVE, PRAISE? KINK, TEACHER X STUDENT, and i dont know more.

Orynth University. One of the best in all of Erilea, known for its brilliant teachers, its library with all the knowledge in the world... Its ancient architecture amazed anyone. Its long hallways were decorated with old paintings, chandeliers hung from the ceiling in most classes, and shelf after shelf occupied the walls of the different classrooms. Everything about that University was magical.

You came from a small town belonging to Perranth where libraries were scarce and there was only one school and one institute. But you wanted more. You needed to get out of that small town, you felt like it was getting too small for you. So, you endured 2 years working in a bar to save enough money to be able to get out of there. In the end, you had enough money to rent a small apartment and pay the tuition that would take you to the UO.

After a year of waiting you were finally going to take Ancient Language. Before you came, you found a single book in the library that was about the Old Language, and you instantly fell in love. You couldn't find much on the internet, but when you found out that in 2 year it was taught as a subject, you fell in love instantly.

The first weeks for you were exciting and a little disappointing at the same time, because the teacher didn't have much idea about the subject and only read what was in the book. In the afternoons, you went to the library and researched and studied what was going to be in the next class, only then did you manage to be the best in the class. One day, you were waiting for the teacher, who never arrived. Apparently your now former teacher had decided to retire early, leaving you without a teacher... Or so you thought.

It had been a week since your old teacher decided it was time to leave. Since there was no teacher, most people decided to leave and then return to another class, except for you and a few others.

 Your classmates were preparing to leave again when, without warning, without knocking on the door to see if they could enter, the door opened revealing the most beautiful person you had ever seen. People stopped talking, paying attention to the person who had entered. Whispers about who he was began to be heard throughout the class.

 Her short silver hair shines under the light of the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. His arms tense under hsi white shirt and his rolled-up sleeves reveal a tattoo that surely takes up his entire arm. And his face seemed sculpted by the gods themselves. You follow him with your eyes until he reaches the teacher's table. Young, but not your age. You estimate that he may be between 25 and 28 years old. Maybe 4 years older than you.

 His green eyes scan the entire class until they stop on you. Your eyes meet for what seems like an eternity, until he gives you a small lopsided smile and then turns his gaze back to the class.

“Hello everyone, I'm Rowan Whitethorn and I'm going to be your Ancient Language teacher throughout the course and the following years.” His deep, sensual and masculine voice remains engraved in the depths of your being. “If you think that I am going to be like your old teacher, you are very wrong. You have come to study and that is what you are going to do. I don't want cheap excuses as to why you were absent, I don't care if the cat died. One lack of attendance is one point less in the evaluation, two absences mean the privilege of taking the exam is taken away, and three absences mean expulsion from my class. “I want justified and rational causes.”

The authority of his voice makes thoughts that until then had never crossed your mind about a teacher cloud your mind. Rowan was going to be your downfall.

__________________________________________________

Not only was he handsome, he was also the smartest teacher you had ever had in your entire life. His voice when he spoke in the Old Language was the most beautiful sound you had ever heard and your notebook was immediately filled with notes. Your companions were leaving one by one, there were a few meters left to reach the door when a voice sounded behind you.

“Miss Y/n, can you wait a moment?”

You stand up and, taking a deep breath, you turn around and head towards the teacher's table where Rowan is standing leaning on the table with his arms crossed, making his biceps tense. Keeping a safe distance, you say: “Yes, professor?”

A low laugh leaves his lips. "Don't worry, you don't need to call me professor or sir, Rowan is enough."

“So, what do you need, Rowan?”

“I have seen your grades, also your exams and your assignments, let me tell you that you are well above the average for your class. Congratulations."

Hearing that “Congratulations” come from him makes something inside you activate and you could only think about what it would be like to hear him say “good girl”.

"Thank you. The truth is that I have always been interested in the Ancient Language, so I always try to investigate and study more”

“Well, I'm glad to see that there is someone in this class who is so interested in the subject. Keep it up, Y/n.”

With a slight nod of your head and a small goodbye, you left the class and the university. Once in your apartment, you decided to take a cold shower.

________________________________________________

After that day you tried even harder in hsi classes, getting A's in everything, always keeping everything up to date, and there were even days when you and Rowan spoke in the Old Language so that your classmates wouldn't find out.

You were putting your books in your backpack when you hear Rowan say. “Y/n, I would like to talk to you in my office for a moment.” You nod and follow him to his office.

When you enter, the first thing you notice is the bookshelf that takes up the entire left wall. Right in front is his desk and next to it, a large window that illuminates the entire office. It's perfect, neither too big nor too small. You hear the door close and then the latch. You swallow, trying to calm the nerves that have begun to grow inside you.

Rowan walks over to his desk to put down the books and then sit down at the desk. You see how he picks up a piece of paper from a pile and you realize that it is your last assignment, which you spent almost a month doing and perfecting. He hadn't given them yet, so you assumed you were the first.

“A perfect job” he turns the pages “More than perfect I would say, in fact, right now you would be at the level of the ancient scholars” He hands you your work “Congratulations.”

You look at the note. The maximum. Without being able to avoid it, a smile lights up your face. “Thank you very much Rowan.”

“There is nothing to be grateful for, Y/n. You are a very good student and you have a bright future ahead of you, this is thanks to your efforts.”

A blush grows on your cheeks. "Thanks, I do what I can."

Rowan moves away from his desk and approaches you. The scent of his cologne clouds your thoughts and your blush grows deeper when he lifts your chin with one hand so you can look into his eyes. You notice the lust in his eyes. “I know you do what you can, tell me Y/N, have you been trying harder just to have my approval?”

You open your eyes wide. You try to move away from him but the hand on your chin tightens a little more and his other hand grabs your waist, preventing you from moving away. You hear the sound of your backpack falling, but you don't pay attention to it, because all you can think about is the man in front of you.

“Nothing about that Y/n, now that I have you here, I'm not going to let you go… I want you to answer me.”

Rowan moves closer to your lips.

"What?"

“Are you my good girl?”

Without being able to avoid it, you run your hands along his arms, noticing his muscles under his shirt, until you reach his neck. You caress the base of his neck, marveling at the softness of his hair.

“Yes, sir”

An almost animalistic growl leaves his lips before he slams his lips onto yours.

Tags; @danikamariewrites @throneofsapphics @shadowdaddies

all rights reserved to ©rowaelinsdaughter. no tranlations allowed. no copy theme. don not copy my work.

[animeisforanimation]

Well. Mistakes were made.

Or: you wanted catharsis? Here you are.

I rewatched the first two episodes of Frieren.

And well. It was gorgeous, sad, beautiful, wistful and a million other adjectives the first time. The second? I started crying the moment the adventurers entered the city and couldn’t stop until the priest died. And those were not misty eyes or a single tears now and again. I literally had pools of water and snot all over my face for half an hour.

And it was…. Amazing.

I’m 30+, but I’m lucky: of all the people I deeply care about, I’ve only lost a grandpa who was in his 80s.

But there were two deaths - a teacher that conducted my research for years and a musician, whose art I admire, - that crushed me more than I anticipated, that felt kinda like Frieren expressed it: “I knew humans’ lives are short, why haven’t I spent more time to know him”.

I could have been a better student and learn more about the brilliant mind and a kind soul that helped me write a thesis - I keep remembering how sweetly he smiled to his tiny dog or how his voice changed when he talked to his wife “wi, ma cheri~”. I could have travelled to Japan to see the band that helped me learn the language that has become me job and strongly affected my views on music and art in general. I could at least listen to their music more while it wasn’t tainted by premature finality.

I have cried for both these people. But Frieren is “sousou”, she IS watching over those departing to another world. So it’s no surprise she transported me to all the funerals I have and haven’t attended.

[geducation]

The Corridor of Curiosity

I’ve been interested in developing the idea of a curiosity space ever since coming across the incredible Dr Matthew Mcfall.  His brilliant book: ‘The Little Book of Awe and Wonder: A Cabinet of Curiosities’ is packed full of exactly the kind of weird and wonderful stuff that belongs to an age where the answer to not knowing something was to think (and wonder) about it rather than reaching for Google.  

If you’ve ever had the opportunity to listen to him speak, his childlike enthusiasm for all things curious belies a monumental amount of knowledge and research into the development of curiosity and its effect on the brain.  He’s also got very deep pockets which seem to house no end of unusual and puzzling objects.

Listening to Matthew reminded me that some of the ‘wonders’ he describes used to be a feature of lots of primary schools.  When I was at primary school in the 80’s most classrooms had a nature table.  Sometimes they were a bit rubbish – a handful of leaves and the odd conker (now banned in some schools).  But sometimes they were amazing.  I can remember one classroom that had a skull.  Nobody really knew what creature the skull was from, and the teacher was deliberately evasive about it when questioned which definitely added to the mystery.  I suppose the point was we were taking about it – we had questions - we were curious.

Having taught for twenty-five years, I’ve experienced first-hand the prescriptiveness of the national curriculum.  There’s no doubt that as a result of this, the time and space for curiosity and wondering has been squeezed out.  If anything, the current version of the National Curriculum has made this worse rather than better.  If we’re so intent on delivering whatever it is the children should be taught, then it’s possible we’re ignoring the incredible things that they might learn along the way.

Now, I’m not advocating a return to the so-called ‘good-old-days’ where you could do a two-week topic on squirrels just because you happened to see one on the way to school, but I am interested in redressing the balance.  Just because something doesn’t get a mention in a curriculum document, doesn’t mean it’s not of value.

Our first decision around the reintroduction of wonder was to do with practicalities.  The first option was to go down the nature table route and introduce a small collection of curiosities in each classroom.  The second, was to aim for something bigger - perhaps using a shared space in school.  There’s no right or wrong to it, but ultimately, we decided to go for the latter and create a space in school that the children could visit.

We didn’t have any rooms going spare, so the space we finally settled on was a wide corridor in the centre of the school.  With the location sorted, this then gave us the opportunity to think carefully about exactly what we wanted it to look like.  Taking Matthew’s advice on the importance of a strong aesthetic, we settled on a Victorian study theme with dark wood panelling (wallpaper), some wingback chairs (IKEA), dark wood shelving (IKEA again) and then some careful thought about lighting.  The look was completed with a set of cheap velvet curtains at the entrance (ebay) along with what we hoped would be some enticing signage: ‘The Corridor of Curiosities’.

Already, without having anything in it, the corridor was receiving lots of attention.  The children got the sense that something exciting was happening – they just didn’t know what.  

In terms of filling the corridor with curios, it wasn’t our intention to completely fill it in one go.  We wanted enough in there so the children could get to handle stuff without having to do too much waiting for their turn, but with the expectation (or hope) that more and more interesting objects would appear over time as we came across them.

To get started, I had a brilliant morning on eBay.  It’s amazing what you can find, and it seems that no matter how bizarre the thing was that I searched for, there was someone out there happy to sell it to me.  In next to no time, I had a basket containing (among other things): a ram’s skull, three birds’ nests (abandoned), an ostrich egg, peacock feathers, crystal geodes, pyrite, mahogany fruit, a model of a human heart, a life-size replica of a human skull, a kaleidoscope and some magic fortune telling fish.  These classic curios were complemented by some brilliant puzzles and games recommended by Matthew: The Tower of Hanoi, a dovetail puzzle cube, a Soma cube, Pentominoes, a two-piece pyramid puzzle, a Mancala game, trick padlocks and a brilliant little card game called Dobble.

Along with the artefacts listed above, we also ordered some amazing books to sit alongside the curios and puzzles: ‘The Lost Words’ by Robert Macfarlane, ‘Animalium’ by Jenny Broom, ‘Botanicum’ by Kathy Willis, ‘Dragonology: The Complete Book of Dragons’ by Dugald Steer and a 1900’s illustrated copy of Blackie’s standard dictionary.  

With the corridor ready for opening (and children who were desperate to explore), we decided that a measured approach would be best rather than risking a stampede.  First of all, we spoke to the adults in school and decided upon a couple of simple rules that would help the children to enjoy the experience safely.  Rule one was that everything was there to be picked up, touched and held.  The corridor is a curated space, but it’s not a museum.  We wanted the children to feel how incredibly light the birds’ nests were or to notice how sharp the barb on the horseshoe crab was. Obviously, they’d need to be careful so that they didn’t hurt themselves or damage the things they were looking at, but it had to be hands-on.  Rule two was related to the first – leave things looking exactly as you found them.  This might sound a bit strict, but we wanted the children to understand that this was a special place – somewhere that deserved particular care and attention.  

Beyond that and it was really just organisational stuff.  The corridor space itself wasn’t quite big enough for a whole class, but with the use of a small group room just at the side of the corridor we could split the children to make it manageable.  Sketching materials were stored in the corridor along with sets of magnifying glasses so that along with attempting the puzzles and handling objects, the children could grab a clipboard, choose some art supplies and do some observational drawing.  

Some of the first visitors to the space were our complex needs children.  One young man in particular with high level ASD finds accessing the curriculum extremely difficult.  His needs are met by working on an individual bespoke curriculum with a highly personalised timetable that includes time spent away from his mainstream class.  His reaction to spending time in the corridor has been incredible and has allowed him to follow some very specific individual interests – many of which are represented among the artefacts displayed.  This has led to the corridor being built into his provision – along with that of other children with a wide range of differing needs.        

Along with individuals, larger groups and whole classes can visit to explore the artefacts that are displayed.  Listening to the questions that the children ask and hearing the language they use to talk about what they find is one of the best things about being in the space.  We work incredibly hard on developing vocabulary because we have to – the starting point for our children is often incredibly low, and along with everything else that we do, we’ve now got another means of introducing children to words that they are unlikely to have come across anywhere else.  

We’re a few years down the line now, and over time, my thinking about how the space is used has changed.  To begin with, I was really keen for groups or classes to book slots to use it.  Now, I’m much less interested in this and have instead embraced the idea of more unplanned interactions.  The corridor continues to be a corridor, and at lunchtime, lots of children have to walk through it to go between two dinner halls.   My favourite moments now are when they stop or pause for a moment because something has caught their eye, or maybe an object was just too irresistible not to pick up.  Nobody’s with them, no one told them to look, they just did – they were curious.      

Primary schools know better than anyone that curriculum is much more than just a set of subjects to be covered.  At our school, the Corridor of Curiosity is just one of the ways that we’ve tried to reinforce this idea with our children.  In the words of one of our Y5 children, the corridor is ‘like another world’, and for us, this is exactly what curriculum should be about.  

If you’d like to visit St Catherine’s to see the Corridor of Curiosity for yourself (along with having the chance to explore school and find out about the other interesting stuff we’re up to), please take a look at our open days on Eventbrite.  

To find out more about our approach to curriculum, then look no further than my book  ‘The Monkey-Proof Box: Curriculum design for building knowledge, developing creative thinking and promoting independence.’  It’s available from all good retailers and also some less good ones like Amazon.

[eruwaedhiel-in-an-impardis]

I bet Hob's Rate My Professor Hot meter is off the charts, nothing's more sexy than history

Also academia might be the safest profession for him yet, not bc it's not mercenary work, but bc if this one professor never seems to age and knows way too much about any given topic ain't nobody gonna give a fuck if his lectures are fire. He'll be a legend among the students, everyone will want to take his classes, and if you breathe a word about how weird it is he never ages three other students in the vicinity will go "oh yeah that's professor Gadling, isn't he cool? we've got a running list of weird shit about him" bc the weird professors give students life. And the board won't give a fuck either bc if the students are flocking to his lectures who cares about a tenured professor's shenanigans? Anything to make the school look good

[duckymcdoorknob]

Hello! I'm here for another order, if isn't too much!

I would like a dark chocolate in oval form, with ganache, oreo and raspberry creme fillings! With Gold Foil (Saiki himself). Have a great day! :)

HELLO MI AMORE, COMING RIGHT UP!

I WILL be having a great day now, I wish you one as well.

So you better have one (ง'̀-'́)ง

This one’s a specific scenario! Oopsie he’s a little OOC here, but oh well.

𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑏𝑜𝑥 𝑤𝑎𝑠 ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑐𝑟𝑎𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑙𝑦 ❤︎

Slamming your pencil down on your desk for the umpteenth time, you raked your head through your hands. While scanning the room, you noticed your peers easily scribbling away at the test paper in front of them. Curse these stupid standardized tests…

Eventually, you gave up and just decided to Christmas tree the rest of the exam. You finished with an hour to spare, excusing yourself to another room to “finish a project.”

When you reached your destination of an empty classroom, you shut the door behind you and sit against the opposing wall. Holding a hand over your mouth, you begin to feel tears brim at your eyes in frustration.

Why did it feel like you constantly failed at your studies? This test didn’t account for anything, yet you still felt like you’d disappointed your teacher above everything else.

You rested your forearms on your knees, hanging your head in between your legs.

You tried to fight back your tears, but they just continued to burn in your eyes.

“Damnit” you cursed in a low voice, “Why am I not good enough?”

A gentle rapping at the door of the classroom interrupted your thoughts. Covering your mouth with wide eyes, you curled more into the corner.

“(Y/N) I know you’re in here, I’m coming in.” An all-too-familiar voice noted.

Averting your gaze, you closed your puffy and teary eyes. The last thing you wanted was to tell him what was happening…

The door opened and you were met with Kusuo, who was clearly taken aback by your condition.

“Woah, hey are you crying?” Before his mind caught up, his feet had moved to your side and he was standing there patiently

“It’s the dumbest thing in the world, Saiki. No need to worry about it or me…” you grumbled in reply, shifting to turn away from him.

“If you say so…” he replied suspiciously, turning toward the door.

“Wait I-“ your voice broke, “I didn’t mean it. Please don’t leave me…”

“I wouldn’t dream of it. So please tell me… What’s going on?” Saiki asked gently, kneeling down and placing a hand on your shoulder.

You sniffled loudly and leaned into him, “I’m just so tired of not being good enough, Saiki. I’m so… I’m so jealous of you. Jealous of our peers. Jealous of those who are naturally adapted to school.”

“We’ve all got our strengths and weaknesses.” He replied in a hushed tone, gently running his hand along your back.

“I just can’t figure out what mine are… I’m failing everytime I try a new thing that I don’t remember what doing well is like anymore.” You mumbled, sniffling once more.

“Well I can tell you a few.” He began with a little tinge of amusement in his tone, “You’re a brilliant debater. You always present such amazing research to support our in class discussions, your projects are always really thorough and well thought out, you always know the answer to the questions in class…”

Saiki continued to list all of the things about you that he just adored: how you always were on top of your lessons, how you never were scared of challenging a wrong answer, how you would help him with questions that even he didn’t know sometimes.

He did this while casually holding you close to his chest and running his fingertips among the lengths of your arms.

Eventually, you had stopped crying, and were just shooting the breeze with your friend. Chatting about anything and everything would soon become your new normal.

You didn’t know how Saiki had knew where you were, it was almost like he was psychic…

Regardless of the reason, you sure were glad he did.

❣︎𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑒’𝑠 𝐶ℎ𝑜𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝐸𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡❣︎

—————♡︎✞♡︎✞♡︎✞♡︎✞♡︎✞♡︎✞♡︎✞♡︎✞♡︎✞♡︎—————

[subtlehysteria]

Do you have dinluke fic recs?

Fool Me Once (Fool Me Twice) by Purplesauris - Rating E, false identities with Luke pretending to be a prince and having to hide he's a Jedi while helping the Mandal'or rebuild his planet. I love how the writer describes Luke's connection to the Force and how they overall explore his character so poetically. It's as equally amusing as it is romantic and tragic

Naberrie Blooms by zombified419 - Rating E, the sitcom romance where Luke is both a florist and still a Jedi you didn't even know you needed. It's in an AU where Anakin didn't fall so everyone lives, no one dies, Ahsoka is an amazing aunt and the family dynamics are just so well written, I really love it

Beskar and Kyber Series by Insomniac_with_dreams - Rating mostly Gen, beautiful series that really delves into the characters and just approaches Luke and Din's relationship and their trust and love for one another in a way that's hard to fully describe. It's defs worth a read if you like soft DinLuke with lots of fluff, show of trust and dialogue-heavy scenes

Kyber, Light and Dark by chibiMuffin999 - Rating T, another one where Anakin doesn't fall. Padmé is struggling to strike a deal with the Manda'lor to help him provide aid for his planet being rebuilt. He wants a teacher for his kid and everyone is refusing to take the job because of their fear for Mandos. And Luke just so happens to be the only Jedi willing to go back with the insufferable Manda'lor to his planet of deadly warriors to teach his kid. Lovely slow build and my heart races at every intimate exchange between Luke and Din. It's all very sensual and emotionally driven which is always an A+ in my books

No Glory in the West by leorizanzel - Rating T, COWBOY AU COWBOY AU COWBOY AU! need I say more? Seriously though this is fic is very well-researched and really immerses the Mando characters so well into the old West setting. Din, the most feared bounty hunter in Texas, is hired to escort Luke, an engineer, to a town he's supposed to help to build and expand. The two pine for one another while discussing poetry I kid you not and it's brilliant so please just do yourself a favour and read it

F*** Quarantine by writerbot - Rating T, modern au set during lockdown. Luke somehow manages to become friends with his across the street neighbour's baby by pulling funny faces at him through his window. That baby is, you guessed it, Grogu who's dad is maybe more than just a little intrigued by this strange but cute man who's willing to keep his kid occupied just for fun. Luke makes TikToks while he and Din get to know one another and it's honestly just a super sweet romcom

The Stars Across the Sky Like the Scars Across Your Skin by elrhiarhodan - Rating E, modern au where Luke is a social worker who looks into Grogu's case when the primary school he used to go to complains about Din choosing to homeschool him. It's got a lot of heavy undertones in regards to Luke, Din and Grogu's complicated pasts but they are handled very well, at least in my opinion. Luke's struggling a lot with PTSD and other issues and I honestly just want to give him a huge hug but don't worry, Din is doing a pretty good job so far in that department ;)

I could honestly make this list a lot longer, there are so many amazing fics out there, but these are my top favs of the moment. Happy reading!

[tcm]

Doris Day Was Far More Than Virginal By Susan King

Oscar Levant once quipped: “I knew Doris Day before she was a virgin.”

The actor-composer-pianist-writer starred with Day in her first film, ROMANCE ON THE HIGH SEAS (‘48), in which she played a bubbly singer. And it is true that she played 30-something-year-old virgins beginning with PILLOW TALK (‘59), the first film she made with Rock Hudson. But Levant’s comment diminishes the former band singer’s accomplishments as an actress and ignores the fact that her characters were quite modern and progressive. In fact, you could call her an early feminist.

During her “Golden Age,” which I define as between LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME (‘55) and SEND ME NO FLOWERS (‘64), she played successful career women at a time when there weren’t that many being portrayed on screen. In the George Abbott-Stanley Donen cotton candy-colored musical THE PAJAMA GAME (‘57), she’s a worker in a pajama factory, a member of the union leadership who doesn’t take any guff from her bosses. In the delightful romantic comedy TEACHER’S PET (‘58), she’s a successful journalist and college professor; in PILLOW TALK, a flourishing interior decorator; and two years later in LOVER COME BACK (‘61), she goes toe to toe with Hudson as a rival Madison Avenue ad executive. And, in the often-neglected comedy IT HAPPENED TO JANE (‘59), she’s a widowed mother of two who takes on the meaner-than-mean head of a railroad (Ernie Kovacs) when the company causes the death of 300 lobsters she was shipping.

Day’s characters were also incredibly feisty. In PILLOW TALK, the only film for which she received a Best Actress Oscar nomination, she learns that the man she’s fallen for, the shy handsome Texas Rex Stetson, is actually the womanizing composer she shares her party phone line with, so she redesigns his apartment into a gaudy mess reflecting his lothario ways. Speaking of lothario, Day’s leading men often played long-term bachelors-serial daters, like Clark Gable in TEACHER’S PET and Cary Grant in THAT TOUCH OF MINK (‘62). Her characters fall in love with them but won’t become their latest conquests. It’s actually the men who succumb to her charms and give up their womanizing ways when they fall in love with her.

Still, the virgin quote harmed her legacy. “People don’t take her seriously,” said former L.A. Times film critic Kenneth Turan in 2012. “It was a lifetime battle for Marilyn Monroe to be taken seriously; that was a battle she won. Audrey Hepburn was taken seriously. People are reluctant to take Doris Day seriously. It’s too bad.” Cari Beauchamp, a film historian and writer who specializes in the history of women in film, told me in 2012 that when she talks to people about Day “they tend to say she played the girl next door. And you look at her movies, particularly at the time of those films and she wasn’t the girl next door. She always had a backbone.”

Day was a popular singer with Les Brown and His Band of Renown, scoring her first No. 1 in 1945 with “Sentimental Journey.” Hollywood soon came knocking on her door, and she answered in the Warner Bros.’ Technicolor musical ROMANCE ON THE HIGH SEAS, directed by Michael Curtiz, in which she introduced the Best Song Oscar nominee “It’s Magic.” Not only was she adorable and a breath of fresh air, Day seemed totally at ease in her big screen bow.

“I wanted to be in films,” she told me in 2012. “I wasn’t nervous. I just felt ‘I’m here. I am supposed to be doing this.’ I was so lucky to have such terrific actors and directors. Everything was different and everything to me was great.”

Her films at Warner Brothers were a mixed bag. She got to demonstrate her dramatic chops reuniting with Curtiz for YOUNG MAN WITH A HORN (‘50), starring Lauren Bacall and Kirk Douglas. And I also loved the Booth Tarkington-inspired musical comedies ON MOONLIGHT BAY (‘51) and BY THE LIGHT OF THE SILVERY MOON (‘53). Turan loves her musical-comedy CALAMITY JANE (‘53), in which she has a field day as the famed Wild West heroine, because “her energy is kind of irrepressible.” Day also introduced the Oscar-winning song, “Secret Love” in the freewheeling classic.

But she really came into her own when she went to MGM to do the musical drama LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME, in which she gave a tour de force performance as torch singer Ruth Etting, who has a particularly volatile marriage to a gangster (James Cagney). But she was totally ignored by the Academy and the Golden Globes. The film was nominated for six Oscars, winning for Best Motion Picture Story, with only Cagney, brilliant as Marty “the Gimp” Snyder, getting nominated for his performance.

Turan described LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME as a “provocative film. It almost defines a kind of thing that you would say: Doris Day would never do something like that. But when we say that we are thinking of the cliché Doris Day, not thinking of the actual actress who made interesting choices and interesting films.” Day also counted the hit, directed by Charles Vidor, as a career highlight. “I really loved working with Jim,” she said of Cagney, who had previously appeared with her in the disappointing THE WEST POINT STORY (‘50). “The wonderful thing is that when you have someone like him to play opposite, it’s very exciting. You just feel so much from a man like that.”

She didn’t do research into Etting’s life but went by the script and “just how I felt and what I listened to. You react. It was so well-written. It just comes out of you. I don’t know how to explain it.” But it probably wasn’t hard. Like Etting, who endured abuse at the hands of her husband, the four-time married Day was mercilessly beaten by her one husband, musician Al Jordan, the father of her only child, Terry Melcher.

Mastering drama and musicals, Day was also a fabulous comedian. Just look at her expression when Gable, as a seasoned newspaper editor, kisses her for the first time in TEACHER’S PET. She crosses her eyes and is literally weak in the knees. Or when she realizes in THAT TOUCH OF MINK that Grant wants her to share his bed when they go to a resort. It’s brilliant. And of course, she and Hudson had a chemistry few actors get to share on screen. Ironically, Day admitted she didn’t know who Hudson was when they were cast together in PILLOW TALK, even though he had been a major star for most of that decade and earned an Oscar nomination for GIANT (‘56). “Isn’t that amazing?,” she said laughing. “I thought he was just starting out. I didn’t know about the films he had made. I just loved working with him. We laughed and laughed.”

The quality of her films declined after SEND ME NO FLOWERS. Her third husband and manager, Marty Melcher, put her in poorly received comedies such as DO NOT DISTURB (‘65) and CAPRICE (‘67). He squandered her money and signed her up to do the CBS sitcom The Doris Day Show without her knowledge before his death in 1968. The series ran from 1968 to 1973.

After the series, Day went to Carmel, co-owned a pet friendly hotel there and concentrated on animal welfare. In 1985-86, she did the pet-forward TV talk show Doris Day and Friends, best remembered for guest Rock Hudson, who was suffering from AIDS. She admitted Hollywood never lured her out of retirement. “No one really said that – ‘Oh, come back.’ I was just here.’”

[aarcanechaoss]

1. Hope for All

Masterlist

In which Izuku never gets a quirk, in which Izuku follows another passion- analysis. In which Nedzu is intrigued and in which Izuku makes some interesting friends.

UA… Izuku Midoriya had made it into UA however the timetable he had was strange. He was in the same room all day? Tomorrow he would move to a room for English, math and Japanese study but otherwise all his other classes, analysis, history, business and arts are all in one room… and it is suspiciously close to the principals office.

To become the number one hero. That was his dream but being quirkless and having gone through so much… he just can’t see himself being a hero like that. So, with a bit of research he found that UA supplied classes for quirk analysis studies and that made him realise, his passion for quirks was stronger than his passion to be the number one hero.

“Midoriya!” A voice called out, the white and green haired Mizuko Takashi came rushing towards him.

“Takashi!” Midoriya said with wide eyes, not expecting to see his neighbour dressed in the UA uniform… or at UA in general.

Mizuko Takashi had a cool quirk, Midoriya loved it she could turn into an emerald snake with white stripes over the eyes. Her snake form is so pretty but the most unique part, and secretly Izuku’s favourite is her ability to secrete a hallucinogenic like venom from her fangs.

“I’m so glad to see you here.” She said pulling the short male into a tight hug. As per usual Izuku’s face flushes a bright red as he feels her chest squish into his own. “At least I have one person to talk to here.” She sighed.

“I- I didn’t expect to see you here Takashi?” The greenette stuttered.

“Really? Oh well I suppose I never really spoke about wanting to be a hero did I? Got so used to being told that my quirk was scary or too stupid for heroics so just stopped talking about it…. And you? Did you get into the hero course?”

Her silvery eyes seemed to shine in hope and it make Izuku’s heart squeeze. She always believed in his abilities. He shook his head and a pout formed on her pale lips.

“I chose t-to join UA’s analysis course.” He said with a small smile. Her eyes seemed to widen in excitement.

“Really! That’s amazing! Do we have the same lunch breaks? We should try to get lunch together… everyone in 1A seems to be loud…. Especially Bakugou, the asshole sits in front of me.” She seemed to gleam before huffing at the thought of the angry Pomeranian.

“Oh Ka-“ Mizuko gave him a look. “Bakugou got into heroics as expected.”

“Yeah I want to bash my face into the wall… anyway I think my first homeroom will be beginning soon I can feel a teacher coming. Head to your classroom yeah.”

“See you Takashi!”

“You can call me Mizuko dude. Anyway bye Izuku!” The snake quirked girl waved before rushing back into the noisy classroom.

Izuku continued to walk towards his classroom or what he assumed it would be… opening the door it seemed to be a small office. Maybe he had the wrong room?

“Ah hello Mr Midoriya.” The green haired boy jumped looking around the room… slowly he looked up to see- Principal Nedzu?

“Uh hello Principal Nedzu?”

“Please take a seat.” The chimera said as he climbed from the roof into his comfortable chair. Izuku took a seat. “Now you must be confused yes?”

“A little sir.”

“It’s been a while since I had a personal student. Now as much as I would like to get right into telling you about your studies I will need to ask you to leave your things here so I can take you to assembly and after that we can get started is that alright?”

“Personal student?” Izuku asked as he placed his bag under the desk.

“Oh yes- follow me and I shall explain.”

Izuku nodded, following behind the principal.

“When I saw your admittance into the analysis course I was excited. Then I saw your exams and was even more thrilled. You have a brilliant mind Mr Midoriya and I would like to help it to grow.”

“What about my quirklessness?”

“What about it? Miss Takashi doesn’t seemed bothered by it now why would I?”

That made Izuku pause… someone besides Mizuko, her parents and his mother didn’t care that he had no quirk. Biting his lip he holds back tears and continues behind his new teacher and principal.

The assembly was boring but Izuku noticed something, Mizuko wasn’t there neither was the rest of 1A. Nedzu explained once they reached his classroom that Aizawa always did quirk tests to see if they would be fit for heroics. This made Izuku a little nervous, Mizuko already was apprehensive of her quirks capabilities this would surely upset her but the gleam in Nedzu’s eyes told him that she was alright.

“You care for miss Takashi yes?”

“Uh… yeah she was probably my only friend growing up after getting diagnosed-“

“Diagnosed… I don’t like that word you aren’t sick, you aren’t dying. You are just a young man who needs to go the hard way to get where he wants to. I’m sure it’s the same for many students here.” Nedzu interrupted.

“After being told I was Quirkless?” Nedzu nodded, he liked that sentence better. “Mizuko was the one who would still come and play- we went to different schools but she’s been my neighbour as long as I can remember. I had lots of bullies sir but she will never be one of them.”

“Excellent this further expands my plans for this year. You and I, you will be participating, will be creating a small group project for hero and general students alike.”

“What will this project be?”

“Why thank you for asking. We will split students into fours, two general students and two hero students. We will give them a title, hero, vigilante or villain. You technically count as a general studies student but are just my personal one. I would like you and Miss Takashi to be in a group along with Shinsou Hitoshi from 1C and Neito Monoma from 1B as vigilantes.”

“You have my group picked already?”

“Yes Midoriya due to you being my students and helping me organise this.. think of it like an assessment so I picked your group first. Miss Takashi has a similar strategic mind to you going by her exams and you feel comfortable around her, she will also be able to keep any quirkest students away from you and hopefully there are none.” Nedzu gleamed evilly. “Mr Shinsou and Mr Monoma however were just luck of the draw sorry to say as the plan was to keep everyone’s groups random.”

“Oh okay I understand.” Izuku muttered as he began scribbling into his newest notebook. He’d sectioned the first page writing names and leaving room for the barest of information.

“This activity won’t happen for another two to three weeks however.”

“Understood… so what do I have to do?”

“First let’s organise heroes vigilantes and villains. It’s a team effort individually but no one can know who is who. So no one may know that your group are vigilantes but you may be seen as a group to plan- that would be unfair if you weren’t able to plan however you can use this room as you wish. Now let’s get started on what their tasks will be yes?”

“Okay Principal Nedzu.”

“Excellent.”

Aizawa felt a shiver go up his spine Nedzu was planning something he could just feel it.

In any case Aizawa was watching the class carefully, they seemed relatively potential worthy as heroes so far. The first task was running which would be simple enough.

One student was overly angry, one seemed to be staring intently at some of the girls- hopefully that won’t be a problem. Some students seemed too eager and some ready for sleep- a mood honestly. Aizawa was shaken from his thoughts as a pale student gently poked his arm.

Aizawa stared at the student, she wasn’t eager like the rest, she clearly understood this wouldn’t be fun or maybe she just had a good poker face like Todoroki does. She did seem a little nervous though which he supposed was fair.

“Yes problem child?” He asked the white haired girl with green streaks framing her face.

“What would you like us to do if our quirks are inapplicable for any of the tasks. For example I may be slightly stronger due to my quirk but it’s in my arms and legs less so my wrists or hands so throwing the ball will purely be at regular strength not with any other part of my quirk same with long jump I can’t make my movement bigger I however can constrict and tighten.”

Aizawa blinked. That was a relatively intelligent question.

“Good question. What is your quirk Takashi?”

“Ah yes Mizuko Takashi that’s me Mr Aizawa.” She said shakily before continuing before he could make a comment. “My quirk is Fear Factor, I have all attributes of a snake including being able to transform into one and I can create neurotoxins and hallucinogens in my fangs.”

He nodded slowly as she briefly flashed her what would be canines. (They are almost vampire like fangs instead)

“What do you mean by constrict and tighten.”

“Like how snakes tighten around their prey they constrict the airflow, break bones etc. I can do that as I am without being a snake but the strength is purely to tighten even with the muscle I do have the most I can do is squeeze someone till I break their ribs. I have a decent punch though?”

She seemed unsure in that last question, probably trying to prove that she isn’t weak, not that she needs to seemingly.

“If your quirk is not applicable either find a way to make it so or continue on though it is a quirk test it will affect your marks minimally if you do well in other areas.”

Mizuko nodded, understanding immediately what he means. Good.

It’s her turn for the race and Aizawa can’t help but be a little unnerved as she slips off her jumper and pants, though she is wearing tights underneath thankfully- he does not need an issue with any unnecessary bullshit today no thanks- his brows furrowed as he watched bones move and snap together till she was a large green snake, with white patches over the eyes. He suppressed a laugh, it’s like the opposite of how her hair sits. The emerald scales shimmering lightly as she moves waiting for the whistle to signal the races start.

“Oh man that’s nasty.” Someone behind him said and that didn’t stop people from agreeing, you could immediately see her curl into herself- though it could be her ready to move.

“What kind of snake is she?” He found himself muttering.

“It’s an anaconda hybrid.” The angry one from before, Bakugou, huffed.

“How do you know?” The pink girl, Mina, asked.

“We live in the same neighbourhood she hung around an extra from my school.” Aizawa raised a brow at the nonchalant shrug Bakugou gave.

The whistle chimed finally and it took perhaps six seconds before Mizuko had crossed the line, she’d coiled and sprung as quickly as she could. Good chance she could use it for the long jump… it’ll have to do.

Aizawa seemed to sigh, finally the last test. They were doing well surprisingly. The ball throw would be interesting to say the least, anti gravity, explosions, tape etc Aizawa would see their potential easily.

Bakugou stepped forward first, an explosion popping loudly making some of the class jump. Next was Mineta who did.. eh. Tokoyami did well. Momo made a small canon, Todoroki used his ice but the ball almost got stuck and Mizuko had an above average throw for a teen her size and age but he could tell as a teacher he’d need to help bring up her morale.

God he wanted to groan extremely loud as he realised that the students actually had potential… Mineta was on this ice.

“It was a logical ruse.” Aizawa said.

“So you lied?” Mina and Uraraka pouted. Aizawa raised a brow.

“Would you have tried so hard if I hadn’t?”

“I thought it was quite obvious it was a ruse.” Momo said.

“It wasn’t.” Aizawa and the rest of 1A snapped their heads towards the snake quirked teen. “It wasn’t a logical ruse Aizawa is known to only teach students with a decent amount of potential… plus you shuffled each time up told us a lie- which was every time you said you’d not expel us.”

“He did?”

“Good eye Takashi.” Aizawa said, slightly unnerved that she’d noticed the shuffle but impressed nonetheless. Momo seemed a little miffed at Mizuko’s statement but nodded along while Bakugo seemed to sneer making her curl her shoulders in.

“Either way.” Aizawa began. “You all did… well welcome to being a hero student. It won’t be easy and there will be hardships but if you work hard you��ll make great heroes.”

He won’t admit it but the fanged grin from Mizuko made some cold dead part of his heart swell with pride, the same way he felt whenever his son (adoptive) would gleam about high marks in class or when Aizawa would ruffle his hair.

He can never tell another soul about this moment…. Never.

[whatifyoulivelikethat]

So, I had an idea but I'm not good at writing...

Then I remembered you're the best at that so, y'know. Obvious thing was to come here.

My idea was:

Kim Namjoon says he loves the reader but she strikes out saying "You don't love me. You just love the idea of being seen with me."

Yeah very brief idea but its not that descriptive which means you could write it -gets on knees and does puppy eyes-

I know you'd do an amazing job...okay soft time over, eugh. Anyway totally you're choice, thank u for ur time. Cya later! x

He furrowed his brow and planted a hand on the book you were holding, forcing you to close it.

“Explain.”

You narrowed your eyes. “What is there to explain?”

“’You don’t love me. You just love the idea of being seen with me’? How can these things be true?”

Silence. Underneath it, rage shimmered.

“There two truths in this world,” you said lowly, sliding the book down to the table and losing your place, but it didn’t matter, for you had memorized the page number. “One, people tend to choose partners more attractive than them. And two, if they’re not more attractive than them, they’re more brilliant than them. I just so happen to be both those things to you, Kim Namjoon.”

“I love you as a person.”

You laughed acidly. “No one likes me as a person. You know why? Because I don’t let them.” You tilted your head, scrutinizing the man before you, tall, dark-haired and neatly parted, glowing tanned skin, wearing a tailored black suit and a frown. “I’m a national chess champion and leading a research group in cutting-edge gene augmentation therapy. The press love to call me a class-A bitch. Why would an award-winning music producer have any interest in me at all?”

“You were a child once.”

“That was a long, long time ago, Namjoon, and I’m not that kid chasing after you asking you to read me the Odyssey anymore.”

“That doesn’t matter. You still have the same determination in life.”

You ticked your head. “And so?”

“To me, you are the one I have always admired and wanted.”

You sighed, rolling your eyes. “Popular kids simply don’t understand that nerds like us don’t need you.”

“I’m not saying you need me. I am saying I need you.”

“You are only saying that because your parents want you to get married,” you snapped, snatching your book from the table, but Namjoon slammed his hand down on it, startling you.

“Listen to me,” he demanded, deep voice deepening, fanning his fingers out over the cover. “I asked your parents to meet you. I asked for this date. My parents weren’t involved. I haven’t seen you in forever. You’ve been off conquering the world with your brilliance and your beauty and you never gave me a damn chance to say anything and, the second I do, you shut me down?”

“Look, you are stuck in the past–”

“No, you are stuck in the past. You are not giving me a chance because you think we’re back in high school and me becoming the valedictorian was some personal attack or vendetta against you, when the reality was the teachers just picked whoever the fuck they wanted. I didn’t have a say–”

“Then maybe you should have turned it down,” you interjected, but Namjoon cut you off, his large hand grabbing yours as you tried to rise, yanking you back down forcefully. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw the waiter attempt to walk into the private room but immediately back up as he sensed the tension.

“No one cares–”

“I care, obviously!”

His eyes widened at your tone and you flung his hand aside, your navy dress flourishing with the movement.

“Do you know how many years I spent afterward with my parents rattling off in my ears? That should have been you, maybe you aren’t that smart, holy shit, day in, day out, shit, I still get that damn speech! Imagine my fucking glee when I heard you wanted to go on a date so I could turn your ass down, spending all this time proving myself to live up to you, the ideal.”

“You’re pissed at me because of your parents?” Namjoon sputtered in disbelief. “You won’t give me a chance because of your parents?”

“No, I won’t, because if by some freak accident I actually like you, I will be doing nothing but satisfying their wish to have you as their son.”

“You are being immature, ridiculous, and childish.”

“Good, do you hate me yet?”

“No, I don’t.”

You scowled.

Namjoon pointed to your book. “I recommended this book to Yoongi-hyung recently.”

You glanced at The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. “It’s a book. They are meant to be read.”

“You’ve been using him to keep tabs on me.”

“I don’t use people,” you hissed. “And he does what he wants.”

“Such as being your spy and giving you information about my life when you could ask me directly.”

You scoffed. “Why would he do that?”

“Oh, I don’t know, because he thinks it’s hilarious that I ask him the same things about you, so he’s been playing cat-and-mouse with us all these years out of sheer amusement.”

A muscle in your eye twitched. “Why are you keeping tabs on me?”

Namjoon responded automatically. “Because I love you. Why are you keeping tabs on me?”

“Because you irritate me.”

Namjoon narrowed his eyes. “Insufficient logic.”

You were a chess player. You saw the checkmate coming and you couldn’t stop it.

“You asked Yoongi-hyung to sleep with the girl I liked before I could ask her on a date.”

God-fucking-damnnit, Min Yoongi, I told you not to tell anyone!

He cocked an eyebrow. “You don’t want me to be your parents’ son, but your problem could be easily solved if I married another woman. You choose to meddle in it.”

You would have some very choice words with a certain smirking, cat-eyed man later.

“Well, maybe your life should be miserable.”

“Over being high-school valedictorian? I think you’re taking your parents’ projections of success onto you a little too far.”

“It is incredibly annoying how often they remind me I need to seduce you and bear your babies,” you grumbled, feeling your resolve crumble a little.

“You never had to seduce me and there are many alternatives to childbearing, including surrogates and adoption, that I am happy to explore.”

“I want children. I just don’t want my parents to be right about you.”

Namjoon smirked. “What would they be right about?”

You huffed, looking away, somewhat disturbed how that dimpled smirk made your heart flutter a little. “I don’t want to my husband to be a goody-two-shoes. There’s no way I’m spending the rest of my life sampling vanilla ice cream.”

“Oh?”

He purred your name and you frowned at his tone, suddenly low, dangerous, and on the brink of causing heart arrhythmia.

“I wouldn’t worry about that.”

Your eye twitched, heat rising to your neck and cheeks. “Does Min Yoongi not know the meaning of in confidence–”

“I’m very persuasive,” Namjoon drawled, knowing glint in his eye. “And an avid researcher in my own way.”

--

drabbles masterpost | masterpost

[life-rewritten]

Gifts of BL! Aka Christmas Goodies For BL Fans Who Want Important Discussions About   Representation.

Oh wow, we're closer to Christmas. Where has the time gone?. So here's a gift for you all—another list of great BLS that will make you have a great time. If you find it fun rewatching and feeling all the emotions from these love stories, then I hope you enjoy these. Today I bring you guys a list of recommendations for our sometimes serious, sometimes heartfelt, sometimes innovative educators in BL that are very much needed.

Ah, The educators, the teachers, the serious topics, the displays, the emotional moments. Some of these shows decided to surprise me when I came in expecting something odd and not realistic; only for them to break my heart but also humble me and teach me and others some of the crucial conversations we need to have about LGBTQ+ representation in BL. We have couples discussing about their sexuality accepting they are gay or bi(Yes not just in love with only one person but they actually embrace their sexuality), we have essential coming out scenes and looks into the mindsets of people who struggle with coming out and being in the closet, we have supportive families that have to learn and show our characters warmth because of their own experiences, and we have metaphorical outlooks of what it feels to have to please society with the result of losing ourselves. These are the great BLs, they break our hearts, but they make it hopeful to see people who go through their issues and come out in love, strong and protected and supported. Their journey is worth it, so if you want to find some shows that give you these feelings, then join me and let's look at these great representations in the BL genre. 

BL has a bad rep. How could it not when the reason BLs were created was for straight girls who fangirled about two boys kissing. Not that I even hate fujoshi's, you're allowed to be whatever you want, like whatever you want as long as you don't cross the line and make people uncomfortable with outrageous demands or actions (like the fujoshi's in some BL shows). But BLS has become something more, though some people refuse to take them still seriously and doubt their authenticity, some people refuse to accept some shows as BL, they instead just call it a queer film or tv. But why? BL has become a place for people to run away into a fantasy of stories where there's drama, romance, comedy, mystery, passion and more. BL can be anything, and in 2020 BL showed it could be anything, it could be serious and well produced and not filled with its past problematic enquiries, it could be funny and still tug at the heartstrings, it could be deep and painful and full of lessons but still have a happy, hopeful ending, it could be any genre it wanted, from supernatural, action, thriller and more. BLs improved and also became a source for the representation of LGBTQ+. And I think that's beautiful. It might have a taken a while for people to learn, for own voices to find a way to write new shows, for risks to be made. But 2020 saw the influx of BLS that weren't just fan service but actually art or just good stories with a great message. Here are some of them. 

Thai 

Dark Blue Kiss

It's weird to say that Dark Blue Kiss is an excellent representation for the qualities needed in this list. But what can I say apart from the overbearing, jealous plotline and some irrational over reactiveness with some of our characters. Dark Blue Kiss and Kiss me again has always been a show that has been worth it. Dark Blue Kiss is one of the first Thai BLs, where we saw a supportive parent, and that's Pete's father. He's incredible; he's everything that's healthy, understanding and helpful. He makes jokes with Pete about his relationship but also supports and gives him advice. He's protective and sweet when it comes to Kao and Pete, and they are themselves when they're with him even daring to speak about things like intercourse etc. It's incredible; he was a breath of fresh air for parents we usually encountered in this genre. He had discussions with his son, and in doing so, we saw his son also have more conversations and discussions with his partner about what their sexuality was, why they should come out as a couple, why they were scared to do so, what was holding them back etc. Pete's dad isn't the only supportive parent with advice and warmth, we later also add Kao's mum to the list, she's always known about Pete and Kao and was waiting patiently for Kao to come on his own and tell her. It's incredible. Dark Blue Kiss brought out conversations that didn't seem meaningless, there was an actual exploration of the fears some people have with coming out, and it was brilliant and wonderful to see on screen. Honestly are we shocked? It's Backaof as the director; all his shows should be on this list, every single show of his explores these topics with care and heart. And it's incredible.

Why it's a gift

Deep conversations and moments where you see two people learn and wonder about their sexuality and how the world may react to it. Supportive parents that are understanding, helpful and sweet. A relationship that's incredible despite its flaw, shown wonderfully and thoughtfully. Even the hurtful moments like when Kao gets outed and also has to struggle with claims of being a predator is done well and leads to Kao finally accepting his fears and coming out to the people he loves. By the end of it, all Pete and Kao are back together, happy, finally healthy and mature. Dark blue kiss also explores these two ambitions, their dreams, their ideas for the future and more. And it also has a great friendship group worth stanning. Pete and Kao aren't the only couple in this show worth praising and noticing you also have Mork who goes through his own acceptance of his sexuality once he falls for Sun, they're also great and also have their own plot revolving around dreams, jobs and character and angst. A great side couple in BL.  It's amazing. 

Special mention:

My Dear loser: Another Backoaf directing, no words this is incredible, I think everyone knows how great this is despite the BL coupe being a side couple, that may have an ending that feels unfinished. You can watch both this and My sky for a full experience. This deals with everything so well and also has a great support system from friends. Chimon is such an amazing actor in this.

As always I leave a gift: 

LINK HERE FOR MY DEAR LOSER IN/SUN CUT

DARK BLUE KISS EDIT FOR PETE KAO THEIR STORY

I told Sunset about You

I mention this show on every list; it's like not even a surprise anymore to see it. There's a reason why this show is incredible why people prefer to see it as a queer film instead of BL. Why people think calling it a BL is an insult (which I think why? A BL should be allowed to be seen as a good form of representation). This show has it all. Honestly, a great production company behind it, acting that's phenomenal, and a story that will blow your minds each time you watch it and try to piece it together. What's even more respectful about ITSAY is that it's a coming of age done well, it showcases feelings of the youth and how feelings are seen as a storm that can't be stopped. 

Especially when you are struggling to understand your sexuality, we have two characters, Teh who learns as he grows that he has uncontrollable, addictive and crazy feelings for his best friend, they're drawn to each other, but Teh can't understand what he feels, he doesn't know what this means. He struggles to comprehend it as well with his struggles with ego, pride and selfishness because of his young age. Then we have his best friend Oh Aew he knows what he is, he also is torn apart by feelings when Teh reenters into his life, he also struggles through losing his self, individuality and his confidence because of his feelings for Teh. It's brutal, but one thing stands for sure, these two are meant to be together, these two love each other. Why is this so great? Because the directing and production of this show is serious, every single scene counts, every single action has a meaning, but also this show has incredible moments that show you the struggles of internalized homophobia. 

It's something that's always mentioned in BLS as a struggle. Still, this show used scenes to show it, like for example, OH wearing his mother bra because he wished he was born a girl to be with Teh. Still, then he breaks down in self-loathing only to later stand up and embrace who he is, and Teh who finally comes out to his brother in a heart-wrenching scene; another supportive and healthy relationship who understands him and tells him it's okay to be who he is, to be with Oh, to be brave and take a leap to what he wants. His brother's conversation is everything someone who struggles with the same issues wants to hear; it's a healing effect, a hopeful and painful realization that some people don't have someone like Oh and Teh's family who help them and let them accept who they are. 

It's a journey of discovering the truth about how so many people have to go through this fear because of what society put in our heads, it's a wake-up call, but the fact that ITSAY has a happy ending despite all the realistic representation and angst is a hopeful meaning for everyone who saw themselves in Oh and Teh. It's incredible. 

Why it's a gift:

It's unbelievable; it's not told to you but shown to you the amount of struggle some people can have when they're coming of age and realizing their sexuality. It's a beautiful representation of what it's like to fall in love: the angst, pain, healing but also sabotage, and the growth. It's produced with so much effort and hard-work and research on what would be an excellent story for LGTBQ to see. One of the best made BLs; this is not us being dramatic. 

.A Gift for You

GREAT OST PLAYLIST OF ITSAY

An Edit For Teh/OH 

He's coming to me

Another Backoaf, directing masterpiece. This show is incredible. Like words can't explain how good this show is. Words can't describe what a gift this show still is. How much a BL like this was needed. First, this show is already unique; it deals with supernatural world-building, with ghosts and mysteries of death/murder, it deals with also coming of age, and falling in love and accepting your sexuality. It has two confirmed gay characters who we see explore and finally reveal who they are, they've both known and as they fall in love, they have to go through the angst of what it means that they love each other. 

It's incredible, not just because of the fact that Thun's ability to see ghosts and his need to hide that also mirrors his need to hide his sexuality, the way he breaks down later after realizing that people won't let him just be him or the way people made him feel bad for being who he is. The way that Mes also went through the same thing before he died, and the person who connected them was Thun's mom. She's incredible, and I still believe the coming-out scene of Thun to his mum is one of the best as incredible as his confession on the rooftop to Mes as he breaks down in the rain because he's afraid he's been left. 

The amount of repressed feelings these two hides is insane, and when they later confront it,  it's like OMG really they knew about their feelings all along? It's incredible, with a show that already has an incredibly well thought out plot about ghosts and supernatural, but it also has two characters that are fleshed out, who both have discussions with everyone around them about what they are and the way they have a happy ending after all the angst and tears. It's worth it thousand times over and over again. This show is just great. And no one else can do it like Backaof he just has the most excellent formulas: supportive family members, supportive friend unit, serious conversations about sexuality and feelings, important relationships and no censorship, unique plotlines and risks. He's incredible. No words.

Why this is a gift?

The actors are also one of Thailand BLs veterans. Both of them are incredible and nuanced in their scenes; they make you cry, scream, sigh, and swoon. They make you learn, and it's fantastic, they're amazing people. They're worth it both Ohm Pawat and Singto, their performances are incredible. Every character in this show is fleshed out and necessary, the plot makes sense and isn't written haphazardly, and the directing is phenomenal. Watch it. 

A gift for You

He’s coming to me the whole show

PINOY

Gaya Sa Pelikula 

This time we have the Philippines if Thai isn't your cup of tea I guess. This show is just, so great? It was made with the intention for representation, a love story to the LGBTQ community, actors devoted to researching and learning about the topics presented in the show. This show is outstanding, no words, it's not preachy, but it's still educative. Not one episode goes back when you don't see the effort and brilliance of this show; each message of each episode is so important and needed. The story isn't afraid to explore topics which haven't been shown correctly in this genre, and it's so good they did. 

We have two characters, one a gay out guy (Vlad) who is very bitter about everyone and how they treated him, he's dying to be loved for who he is, and he's desperate to find a safe space where he can be himself loud and proud, he falls in love with another (Karl) who is more in the closet, with secrets that you discover later about his circumstance he's not sure of who he is and as the show progresses he and us get educated about everything. He learns to accept that he is gay. 

This show is about self-acceptance, love and healing. By falling in love; our characters are forced to question everything about who they are, what they've gone through and how that shaped them, and we realize that both perspectives is right in their own way. The show is for people who feel like the guy who's out, who wants to be proud and tell the world he's in love but also it's for people like his partner who feel guilty for struggling and having anxiety about accepting who they are, but this show doesn't force him out, it doesn't force them to be together, it just becomes a realistic story full of hope about the future of these two. It's a healing show; it makes you question your self, it makes you go through your own journey of how you feel you're perceived in the world, it takes you on a trip of your own self-learning, exploration and discovery. And it ends making you feel grateful for the experience of it all.

Why it's a gift:

 I think the best thing about this show is the other extra gifts it brings. It's music playlist, it's like your own gift bundle of new artists to explore and listen to every song is beautiful and needed, with different messages and feelings, you will find one music you love in this playlist, and you'll end up spending hours weeping about them. But it's beautiful, it's euphoric, and the show is worth it. The show has amazing actors and a great team of people behind the scenes. The writer is brilliant, poetic and serious; he knows how to make a plot. He knows how to teach you without you feeling patronized, he knows how to humble you if you didn't know anything before. He's just great. 

A gift for You

GSP OST PLAYLIST- THE BEST

Gameboys 

I haven't mentioned this show on here before, which is sad because it really should be praised. It's an outstanding show that showed up during a time where the world was on pause. Gameboys provided a gift for everyone who looked for something during the lockdown in the pandemic. The fact it revolves around events in the pandemic, it uses it as a great plot device and has important moments that touch your heart and make you reflect on the situation without being too heavy. 

Gameboys is incredible; it also has a unique storyline, a Gameboy and his fanboy who falls in love with him and is confident he can win over his heart. Except, our Gameboy Cairo has to go through some self-exploration first, some self-healing and acceptance, some coming to terms with guilt and self-hatred he feels for things that happened to his past. This show makes you cry, so bring the tissues, I mean every show on this list probably does, but this show has so many moments, we have supportive parents, but even in a more heartbreaking way, we have warnings of what happens when people selfishly out people, the consequences of that, how much anxiety and fear you can have as you deal with internalized homophobia and being in the closet, how it affects family members, and what it means to finally accept who you are and stand up for who you are. It's brilliant, painful, but it also makes you grin from so many heartfelt moments we needed during a dark time. The actors are also amazing, and they make you feel everything they feel so naturally, they're also three dimensional and have exciting character arcs. There's a great support system as well in this show, with the best friend, who makes you smile whenever you see her. This show is worth it. 

Why is it a gift? 

I feel like without knowing it Gameboys was an actual gift for everyone who was struggling during the pandemic, it showed the reality of what was going on, but it also showed healing and hope and happiness derived from being in quarantine and lockdown. It showed that even in lockdown nothing had to stop, we could still fall in love, grow and learn about our selves if we wanted to. It also had a great love story to follow that was both funny, romantic and heartfelt. The directing was genius also, and it touched many people. It was outstanding. 

A gift for You

ALT GAMEBOYS: A SIDE STORY FOR ONE OF THE CHARACTERS

JAPANESE

Cherry Magic 

Finally, we come to this gem of a show. What else can we say about Cherry Magic? Oh I know, no one expected this Japanese BL to be so full of heart, joy, magic but also depth. This show is just ridiculously good, it's not as painful as the other shows, it's slower and more softer than the other angst in the other shows, but this show still tugs at your heartstrings and makes you laugh and cry. It deals with everything that has already been mentioned: self-acceptance, questioning of sexuality, trying to please society that you lose your self, being brave and finding your self, loving your self, etc. 

It's just so great, it's also unique a story about magic and reading minds that our main character has. As he realizes his person (Kurosawa) loves him, we watch Adachi struggle through self-hate, self-deprecation and anxiety to finally come out of his shell and become who he wants to be. This show has an incredible love interest who's just wonderful, he's the ideal man, but that doesn't mean he's one dimensional or stale. 

He's also deep, and has his own flaws and hurts, and the way he loves Adachi is just breathtaking and frankly makes you so jealous. Why is this show for representation? Because it's a slice of life of an office romance, it deals with what people go through in life, the gruels and requirements from work whilst also watching both our characters choose to be brave and come out to each other and pick each other despite their fears about what their environment thinks. 

These two are each other's healing, comfort, support system and they both have incredible personalities. This show is also quite deep, you wouldn't think so, but when you listen to the dialogues and watch some of the scenes, you'll see how deep this show can be for its characters whilst still being fluffy. It perfectly represents the fear of coming out and coming to terms of having feelings for someone you weren't expecting. Its message is more hidden, but it's still great for conversations about representation, in my opinion. 

Why it's a gift?

It was made as one; the last episode is coming on Christmas haha. This show takes some tropes of BL and chooses a healthier option, it also just fleshes out its characters incredibly, you watch how Adachi and Kurosawa changed each other's life without knowing and how their love keeps being needed by each other in many ways. It also is called Cherry Magic, because this show is magical, it makes you grin, be happy and excited from seeing one episode, it tugs at your heartstrings whilst making you blush and squeal from happiness. Its softness is something to look forward to after a hard day of whatever real life looks like to you, it has a healing effect, a warm effect and it makes you smile and forget your troubles in those few minutes. It's wonderful. 

A gift for You

Adachi and Kurosawa EDIT

I hope you enjoy these shows they’re all incredible, they’ll surely make you smile and be happy. They’re all important in their own way, if you haven’t seen any have a go and see which you love. Let me know if I’ve missed some, to be honest I chose the ones that had scenes with important discussions that make you think or scenes that bring out emotions and feelings but also make you learn and realise something. Hope you enjoy the recommendations or if you’ve watched them before hope you enjoy the reviews and commentary. Merry Christmas guys :)

Other recommendations

GIFTS OF BL FOR FANS WHO LOVE ANGST, DRAMA AND PASSION

[newtonsheffield]

I think HotDad!Greg and everything that comes with it (especially a smug Lucy in front of the other moms) is probably my favourite thing in this universe (and I absolutely adore this entire universe!) but like, Greg not realizing how everyone's swooning over him, the annoyed brothers, a way too overenthusiastic Greg, etc.. it's all so *chef's kiss* 💖

Ahhh HotDad!Gregory Bridgerton I’m in love with the very notion of him. And I just feel like Lucy would be so unbothered, the complete opposite of jealous because she knows that 1) Gregory doesn’t even notice these other women 2) Gregory loves her and their family, to distraction.

Let’s see a little more Hot Dad Gregory and his adoring wife, hey? 

@aspoonfuloffiction your boy’s back

Lucy Abernathy-Bridgerton was ludicrously proud to be the woman Gregory Bridgerton chose to be his wife. Even when they’d first gotten together and he’d nudged her towards his mother in the Bridgerton and Sons office one day a brilliant smile on his face as he said Mum, you remember Lucy don’t you? Mum, Lucy’s my girlfriend. His chest puffing out proudly, his face radiating joy, her heart had fluttered. It had made her want to stand taller herself. The only problem was, Gregory didn’t see it. Didn’t see how handsome and sweet, and kind he was didn’t see that these were the things that made her love him, right to the very heart of her. When he smiled at her across the room, when he dropped her mug back on her desk before she’d even thought to refill it, when he left flowers on her desk after lunch because he’d seen them and thought the looked pretty She loved him. And still he couldn’t see how amazing he was. 

Gregory had always been a little oblivious to the attention of women. Even when they’d first started dating Lucy had laughed brightly when she’d seen the waitress’ phone number written across the top of the cheque, Gregory frowning bemusedly down at it. That’s funny, she must have thought she knew me and Lucy’s heart had stuttered for him. Honey, I think she probably just noticed that you’re a very handsome man who’s also very sweet and kind. Lucy had laughed thinking about the brilliant smile he’d given the waitress every time she’d come over. Gregory’s frown deepened. I don’t... think that’s it. I’m not... you know, like you I guess. He’d said smiling at her shrugging. What do you mean? Confusion had risen in her chest and she’d felt herself frown again. Lucy, you know how stunning you are right? He said so earnestly it made her chest ache a little And I’m just me I guess. Lucy had sighed, as she adjusted his glasses ever so slightly for him. Greg, you’re kind of really handsome, and you don’t even know it which is the best part. You can’t just be throwing out those charming smiles, girls are going to drop. She kissed his cheek as he looked a little dubious I should know, you did it to me. Let’s get out of here and I’ll show you just how handsome I think you are. And she’d tugged him from the restaurant leaving Stacey’s number behind them.

And then, they’d had Katie. And Gregory was so excited to be a Dad that it was all Lucy could do not to push him up against the nearest surface at all times. He was researching, schools, and prams, and cots, and breast pumps for christ’s sake all before she was even born. And when she was he was so beautiful with her that Lucy fell in love with hi three times over. Gregory Bridgerton was born to be a father, he was patient, and gentle, and soft and so ridiculously in love with their child that Lucy couldn’t take her eyes off him. And neither could other women it seemed. Everywhere they went women seemed to flock to him, with Katie strapped to his chest in her carrier, her little knitted yoda hat on, legs dangling happily. And Yes, Lucy was aware that her daughter was beautiful, with her dark hair and piercing eyes, but she was also aware that these women were mostly looking at the way Gregory held his daughter’s hand gently, even though she was strapped against him, the way he sung softly to her no matter where they were. It was so beautiful. And again, Gregory had no idea. People are so friendly when you have a baby!  Gregory said happily as they strolled through Marks and Spencer one day and Lucy snorted Honey, I don’t think the barista just now was so friendly because you had a baby. I think it was probably how you look with the baby. Gregory’s eyebrows had raised his head tilted like an adorably confused puppy Greg, honey, you’re very handsome and in love with your child and being a Dad, it’s very... distracting Gregory’s face had broken out into a broad cheeky grin La la la Lucy are you hitting on me here? in M&S?! In front of our child? Have you no shame woman? And she’d rolled her eyes because of course Gregory had no idea.

It became even more apparent when their children started school, The mother’s seemed to flock to Gregory who baked cakes for the class, and volunteered for class excursions and helped with the reading groups, and did their daughter’s hair standing in the school yard. He loved his children, and women loved that. Not to mention, he way the youngest dad by far, barely 30 when Katie started, school, looking so wholesome in his sweaters and sneakers. They couldn’t help themselves. And honestly, Lucy couldn’t help but feel a little smug when she stepped out of their range rover and the expectant smiles slid off their faces. When she showed up to do reading groups and the teacher sighed Oh. Hi Mrs Bridgerton. Lucy couldn’t help but laugh honestly. Doesn’t it bother you at all? Sophie had said once as they sat around drinking at Kate’s house I mean, I know Kate finds it a little hilarious when women hit on Anthony but- Kate had cut her off If someone wants to take Anthony off my hands at thins point I’d thank her. She’d laughed before continuing seriously. But honestly I know that Anthony’s version of flirting is being an absolute maniac for 12 months until he yells that he’s in love with you out of frustration. I’m not worried. Lucy had laughed as well and said Oh, Greg’s such a sweetheart, he has absolutely no idea how cute he is. As far as he’s concerned I’m the only woman who’s ever found him attractive. How do you think I ended up here in the first place?! 

[jiejie-eonni-onee-sama]

My mama is the best man in the universe...

For the lovely @marilynmonroefanfics​ 😍😍👄💕💕​

Hope you’ll like it!

TW: Mentions of murder

"I swear to God that this case is gonna make me crazy!"

"Please, Detective, don't call out my father!"

Chloe pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed: currently, she and Lucifer worked on a murder case. 

The victims, all members of a scientific research group, were burned to death, but it looked like the burning came from inside the bodies. An element that puzzles the detective, who sighed in defeat:

"Okay, so... What do you think about this case?"

"Mmmh... For sure, a mere human cannot do that. Unless he would be able to force his victims to swallow some combustible, strike a match, and... Burn baby, burn!"

"Very funny, Lucifer!"

"Pleasure's mine, dear Chloe!" retorted the demon with a seductive wink.

The detective rolled her eyes but can't help smiling at his antics: she knew he was only trying to light up her mood. 

She reported her attention to the investigation file and said:

"According to our dear Ella, not a single trace of fuel was found in the victims' bodies. But how the killer can burn his victims to death?"

"Do you know what it means?"

"I'm afraid that we are dealing with a new case of a supernatural arsonist creature!" sighed the woman.

"I'm sorry to tell you that, but you're right!" answered the Devil with a comforting pat on her shoulder.

"After what I've seen before, nothing could surprise me anymore!"

"Well, you got the point!"

"Do you have an idea which creature can do that?"

Lucifer frowned, puzzled.

"It might be surprising, but this time, I don't know who can be the potential guilty!"

"I wish I know someone who can help us because this case is getting on my nerves!"

The fallen angel cogitated a long time before he exclaimed:

"Eureka! I know someone who can help us!"

"Really? Thank you! But who is this person?"

"Of course, my Mama!"

When she heard those words, Chloe quivered:

"What? You want to call your mother? After all the mess she did with you? She badly hurt you, remember..."

Lucifer bit his lip:

"Well, I was not talking about my birth mother. I explain myself. You see, Chloe, after my parents get separated, our mother rejected us. My siblings and I were raised by another person. He made my old man happy, and he treated us as if we were his own children."

The demon fondly smiled.

"He is very dear to me..."

"I can see it... Wait a minute: you said "he" are you sure you did not make a mistake?"

"No, you heard well: I was raised by two men!"

"Wait for a second... Do you just say that God is gay?"

"Bisexual would be more appropriate!"

Chloe shrugged.

"Well, after all I've been through since we met, I think that's not a big deal. Besides, if you say that your dad can help us, it suits me!"

She noticed how Lucifer seemed more relaxed after her statement.

"I'm happy to see that you're always open-minded!"

"You're welcome. Now, call your dad! We have a case to solve!"

"At your orders!" smirked the demon as he dialed the man who raised him.

Later, at Lucifer's penthouse.

Sitting on the comfortable couch, Chloe and Trixie watched with amusement Lucifer running around his penthouse, checking every room. Mazikeen, desperate by her boss's behavior, shook her head.

"Right, I put the whiskey on the table, and his favorite meals are here too... Where do I put the cake?"

"In the fridge, Lucifer!" answered Trixie, who chuckled.

"Ah yes: it is there!"

"Come on, Lucifer: it's your dad, not the Pope!" gently joked Chloe.

"I don't appreciate the mockery, Detective Decker!" growled Lucifer as he checked himself in the mirror.

"Don't take it personally, Chloe: he always gets stressed when it comes to his other father! He wants to be a good son with him," reassured Mazikeen.

"You know his other father?" asked the blonde woman.

"Indeed, yes. Lucifer's father number two is Petraeus, or Peter if you want, and he is a powerful being!"

"He is God's companion, so I think he might be as powerful as Him!"

"You're right. But I'm sure you're going to appreciate Petraeus. He is a brilliant man, you know. He is also smart and absolutely charming!"

"Well, I trust you."

"You can: he is more approachable than God!"

Suddenly, they heard a knock on the door. Lucifer stopped walking and muttered:

"Oh, hell! It's him!"

"Stop being alarmed: it's just your father! You know what? I'll open the door before you freak out in front of your dad!" smirked Mazi, who got up and walked at the door.

She opened the door and saw a dark-haired man with black eyes and fair skin. Dressed in an elegant white suit, the man smiled:

"Good evening, Mazikeen. It's been a long time."

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Master Petraeus."

"Don't be so formal! You can call me Peter, you know?"

"Sorry, a force of habit. But please, come in!"

Petraeus stepped in and said:

"Good evening, everyone!"

Lucifer rushed towards his father with open arms:

"Good evening, Papa!"

"My sweet demon!" beamed Petraeus as he held his son close to him.

Chloe smiled at the sight of her lover: she never saw Lucifer acting like that with other members of his holy family. He appeared to be close to his father.

Meanwhile, Petraeus stepped aside and looked at his son:

"Look at you, boy: handsome as always!"

"I had a good teacher!" 

"Don't be so flattering!"

He glanced at Chloe and Trixie with a charming smile.

"Are these beautiful ladies the famous Chloe and Trixie you told me about?"

"Yes, of course: Papa, this is Detective Chloe Decker and her daughter, Beatriz Espinoza, aka Trixie!"

"Please to meet you, Sir Petraeus!" smiled Chloe as she shook hands with the guest.

"The pleasure is mine, dear Chloe. And don't worry: you can call me Peter!"

"If you allow me..." smirked Chloe.

Trixie jumped on her feet and held out her hand with a wide grin on her face.

"Hello, Peter! I'm Trixie! Please to meet you!"

"What a lively young lady! Nice to meet you too!" laughed Peter.

After he finished his greetings, he looked at the place with impressed eyes.

"You find yourself a comfortable place to live, my dear son. I see you accommodate it at your image!"

"Listen, if the Old Man made Earth at his image, why can't I do the same with my house?"

"Cheeky as always, aren't you?" grinned Peter.

"You know Papa: I've always been the rebellious one among your children!"

"I have noticed..."

The celestial spirit stopped himself as he remarked the table set with chic crockery and delicious courses.

"Oh, Lucifer: you should not have! It was not necessary to turn your dining room into Versailles' Hall of Mirrors!"

"Only the best for you, Papa: come on, sit down! Dinner's ready!"

The evening went smooth, and Chloe admitted that Mazikeen was utterly right about Peter. He was not only good-looking and kind but also intellectual - without being conceited. He had so many stories about historical figures to tell, which amazed Trixie.

"So you met all those people? That's soooo cool!" happily squealed the young girl.

"I'm glad that you liked my anecdotes, Trixie. You know that some of them were Lucifer's bedtime stories when he was your age?"

"Oh no, Dad!" groaned Lucifer, flustered.

"What? There is nothing to be ashamed of, sweets!"

Chloe grinned as she saw her boyfriend confused by some childhood memories. But she discerned in his eyes all the adoration and filial love he had for Petraeus, and she could swear he never looked at God like this... 

Time went by, and it was past midnight when Trixie had to go to bed after she nearly fell asleep on the table. Once the young girl settled in a bedroom, the adults talked about the case:

"So, my dear son, you need my help if I understand well?"

"Yes. Chloe and I are working on a difficult case, and we think your knowledge would be valuable!"

"Alright, tell me more about this problem!"

"Everything we've found so far is in this folder!" explained Chloe as she handed a file to Peter.

Petraeus opened it and was taken aback by the horrendous pictures of burned bodies.

"Oh, dear! What a frightful view!"

"Yes, I agree. All the victims belonged to a scientific research group, and they were burnt to death."

"I see it. But what makes you think that you need my help?"

"Well, Papa, this is where the mystery begins. The coroner confirmed that the burn comes from the inside of the bodies. But there is not a trace of fuel! So, we come to the conclusion that a creature killed those people!"

Peter nodded.

"I understand now... Well, from what I can see, it looks like an igniting spell, which implies that the unsub is a fire-element being. However, I cannot determine if it belongs to Biblical, Coranic, Jewish, Buddhist, or pagan mythology."

"If you want, you can accompany us to the Police Department tomorrow. I'm sure Ella, our dear coroner, would accept to show us the three last victims!"

"Thank you for your kind invitation, Chloe. It's a good idea!"

The young woman thanked him before yawning:

"Sorry if I seem impolite, but I have to leave you. This day was a complete mess, and I need to sleep... And I'm sure you had a lot of time to catch up!"

"Go ahead, I'll join you later!" smiled Lucifer.

"Okay. Good night, Peter!"

"Have a nice night!" answered the celestial spirit.

As the detective left the dining room, Peter turned to his son and said:

"She is really exquisite, Lucifer! You rightly choose your soulmate!"

"Well, I must admit it: I'm lucky that she accepted me in her life. Chloe is the most amazing woman I ever met!"

Peter tenderly smiled at Lucifer:

"Seeing you so happy is a blessing for me! I was so worried that your banishment would put you down..."

The fallen angel saw a spark of sadness clouding his Papa's eyes.

"Papa, are you alright?"

"Sorry, it's just that... I feel so terrible not being able to visit you on Earth. But your father did not allow me to do so..."

He sadly sighed

"You had no idea how many times we argued about it. I told him that his punishment was above cruelty, and he did not even try to understand why you stood up against his authority!"

"I figure that he told you that you were too kind with me!"

"You know him well... Of course, I cannot disobey him, so I did not come visiting you either in Hell or Earth. But I send you some signs from me... just to tell you that you're not alone, and I'll always love you, no matter what happens!"

Touched by his father's sadness, the demon reached his father's hand and gently held it.

"Papa, I already knew it. You don't have to feel guilty: nothing is your fault. I knew about your messages: I kept them in a small box, and when I feel distressed, I read them, and it cheers me up. You always cared about my siblings and me more than our mother. I'll always be grateful to have you as my Papa."

Relief spread through Peter as he smiled:

"Thank you, son."

Lucifer glanced at the clock and stated:

"Well, time runs fast, and you maybe want to get some rest..."

"Good idea: all those emotions dried me out."

The King of Hell led his dad to the guest room.

"Here's your bed for the night! You have your own bathroom on the right with all the comfort!"

"I'll manage for tonight... Thank you, Lucifer!"

"You're welcome, dad. Good night!"

Peter leaned close to his son and kissed his forehead:

"Good night, my little demon!"

As he came back to his bedroom, Lucifer felt his heart happily swelling. He ached for the love of his parents for a long time, and he was more than happy to meet his Papa again.

Lucifer and his siblings were forever grateful to Petraeus for bringing joy back in their Holy Father's heart and loving them as his own offspring.

When he laid down next to Chloe, who was already asleep, the demon felt like his life on Earth was kind of complete... 

The following day.

After bringing Trixie back to her home, Chloe drove to the L.A.P.D with Lucifer and Petraeus.

"Los Angeles is a quite unusual place. Even if it had a lot of lovely surroundings, I'm not fond of its nightlife. But I can understand why you choose to live here, my Lightbringer!" stated the celestial spirit.

"What can I say? I love the atmosphere of Los Angeles at night, and my nightclub is among the most popular of the city!" smirked Lucifer.

"How boastful you are!" gently mocked Chloe.

"Oh, honey, why do you have to hurt me?" pouted Lucifer while making puppy eyes.

"Because she knows you well, darling!" chuckled Peter.

A few minutes later, they arrived at the Police Department and headed to the forensic lab. When they entered the lab, Ella was already there, checking the last victim's remains.

"Good morning, Ella!"

The coroner rose her head and greeted her colleagues with a warm smile.

"Hiya, guys! How are you?"

"We're fine, thanks. Still working on the last victim?"

"Unfortunately: I scanned every ash, every piece of flesh, but I can't find any bloody clue! The only thing I found so far are traces of bindings on their wrists and ankles!"

She noticed Peter's presence.

"May I know the name of our dashing visitor?"

"Where are my manners? My name is Petraeus, but you can call me Peter."

"Nice to meet you, Peter. And you are...?"

"Ah yes: I'm Lucifer's dad."

Ella frowned, puzzled.

"But I thought Lucifer's father is God!"

"Well, I'm his other dad..."

When she put all the pieces together, she jumped back and yelped.

"HOLY COW! DOES IT MEAN THAT GOD IS GAY?" 

"Bisexual, precisely. And don't worry, I had quite the same reaction as you when Lucifer told me!" explained Chloe.

Ella ran her hand through her black hair.

"Sorry if I appear rude, but it's a lot to handle in one day, and this is not what I was taught!" 

"Don't worry, I understand!" reassured Peter.

"Auntie Rosalia won't ever believe it if I told her... Well, I'm pleased to meet another member of your family, Lucifer, but can you tell why your number 2 father is doing here?"

"My dear Miss Lopez, my Papa came to helping us in this murder case!"

"Really?"

"Indeed, my son told me that you were struggling with those killings!"

"Struggling is an understatement. Would you like to check on the body I'm currently working on?"

"Well, if you allow me, I accept with pleasure!"

Ella gestured for him to come closer to inspect the remains. 

He inclined and carefully looked at the corpse. After his observation, he muttered:

"I can confirm that your murderer is a supernatural creature!"

"Oh no! That's what I feared!" sighed Chloe as she facepalmed.

"And what else can you tell us about it?" asked Ella.

"That it is from another mythology: so, it's not a Biblical demon who is causing this tragedy. I hesitate between a European creature and a Middle Eastern spirit."

At the same time, Dan Espinoza made his entrance into the lab:

"Hello, Ella! Anything new about..."

He stopped in his tracks when he noticed the presence of Lucifer and Chloe:

"Chloe, Lucifer..."

"Detective Douchebag..." gritted the demon.

Dan turned his head and remarked Peter near the body:

"Ella, are you mad? Why are you letting a civilian looking at the body?"

"Because, sir, I offered my help to your department." calmly explained the celestial being.

Espinoza asked his ex wife:

"Who's this lad?"

"You better show respect to my..." growled Lucifer, but his father stopped him.

"It's okay, Lucifer: I'll handle it!"

He stepped towards Dan and asked:

"Can I know your name, detective?"

"I'm Detective-Sergeant Daniel Espinoza."

"Espinoza? Oh, you must be Trixie's father: she is a wonderful child, you know. You are lucky to have her!" genuinely said Peter.

"Er, thanks... But how do you know her?"

"Because she and I met him last night at Lucifer's place!" explained Chloe.

"Chlo, you can't let someone you don't know near to our daughter!"

"But I'm not some creepy stranger, you know. Let me introduce myself: I'm Petraeus, or Peter if you prefer my human name. I am Lucifer's father... And by the way, I am God's husband!"

A silence followed this announcement before Dan yelled:

"WHAT THE FUCK? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? God cannot be gay: it's impossible! It's not written in the Bible!"

"But humankind does not know all about God, right? And I reassure you: it's not a witticism, but the truth!"

"But still: God cannot be with a man!"

"Are you just confessing your homophobia, Detective Douchebag?" sneered Lucifer.

"You, go to Hell!"

"Been there already. King of Hell, remember?"

"Well, just get back and don't piss me off!"

"Stop insulting my son! As for my marriage with God, I can assure you that it's true: we had a beautiful and sincere relationship for billions of years!"

"But I never heard about you!"

"I trust you: I prefer being discreet. But I'm sure you know my other name..."

"Your other name?" asked Dan, bewildered.

"Does your dad had another name?" demanded Chloe to Lucifer.

"I don't remember it..." answered Lucifer, confused.

At the same time, Espinoza urged Peter to tell him:

"And what is your other name?"

"Oh, I am sure you know it... You may also know me as Virgin Mary!"

All stood astounded by the statement... until Dan fainted, unable to handle it anymore.

"Woah! That was a shock, for sure!" muttered Chloe.

"Is he still alive?" inquired Ella.

"I don't know, and I don't really care!" scoffed Lucifer.

As for Peter, he cannot help but giggle.

"That's what I expected! This joke works every time!"

"I wonder where does Lucifer takes his mocking personality..." smirked Detective Decker.

"I had a good teacher!" answered the fallen angel.

"See, Chloe: this is how I handle rude people! And I must add that my dearest husband loves my sense of humor!"

"What can I say? You're the best man in the universe, Papa!"

"Thank you, my little flame! Now, let's go back to work, shall we?"

The quatuor worked all day to find answers to this tricky case. Thanks to their teamwork, they discovered that the scientific team went to Saudi Arabia three months ago and were in the middle of a controversial story.

Indeed, they were blamed for the accidental destruction of an old temple dedicated to the jinni. And to add more fuel to the fire, the wreck caused severe injuries to a native teenage boy named Yassin. They excused themselves for the damages and never paid for their responsibilities. Moreover, they fled back to the United States before any juridical process started.

When they learned that story, Chloe was appalled, to say the least:

"How could they act like cowards?"

"Well, they were more concerned about their careers than a human life! But it does not mean that I approve their behaviors!" stated Lucifer.

"Moreover, the young boy's family was too poor to sue the team! They gave up in exchange for some money! Some people are so heartless..." grunted Ella.

"And so, we cannot suspect them to carry out their revenge against those who wronged them: first of all, because Yassin is in a comatose state. Secondly, his family does not have enough financial resources to travel from their country to Los Angeles. And thirdly, we know that it's a supernatural creature who murdered some members of the scientific team!" itemized Peter.

"Do you think a jinn could be responsible?" asked Ella.

"There is a huge probability that a jinn can be responsible for all the murders. Furthermore, they perfectly control natural elements, and they are extremely ferocious towards those who offend them!"

Chloe looked at her watch and suggested:

"Okay, guys: what if we continue our work at my place? You are my guests!"

"With great pleasure, Chloe! I wonder where do you live?"

"Somewhere less luxurious than Lucifer's penthouse!"

"Don't belittle yourself, love. Your home is a nice place, too."

Later in the evening, at Chloe's home.

Once settled at Chloe's place, the four investigators were brainstorming with the help of Mazikeen, who came empty-handed from her research.

"But how a Saudi jinn can go to Los Angeles? I mean, there are two continents and an ocean between the two!" grumbled Ella, who scratched her head, frustrated.

"That's an excellent question... I'm not familiar with the Arabic magical world, much to my chagrin!" sighed Lucifer.

Trixie, who laid on the sofa, looked at the ceiling, a slight frown on her face. She really wanted to help her mum, but she did not know how... until an idea popped into her mind.

"Mum..."

"What, Trixie?"

"I wonder... What if the boy's family appealed to a jinn to avenge him? It can explain how the jinn arrives here..."

The five adults looked at each other with amazement: they obviously did not think about this possibility!

"Of course! How can I forget this?" exclaimed Lucifer.

"By answering to their prayers, he would not only avenge the boy but also make the scientists pay for the destruction of his temple!" concluded Ella.

"That's right, but I have to mention something: jinn need a human vessel to travel such a long distance. Like this, those spirits can save their energy and powers!" described Peter.

"It can be everyone else! How can we unmask him?" asked Trixie.

"Don't worry about it: I would recognize him without a doubt!"

"Okay, but now we had to find him before he exterminates the remaining members of the scientific team!" said Mazikeen.

Suddenly, Chloe's phone rang.

"Hello?"

**"Chloe? It's Dan!"**

"I'm listening..."

**"It's about the case you work on... I have some news for you!"**

"Go ahead!"

**"First of all, we had a janitor from the lab who said that he remembered seeing someone roaming near the building many times. He cannot give us a name, but the description matches with Terry Bradford, an ex-convict. He was often arrested for acts of violence and was among the suspects of a drug dealer's murder case."**

"Uh, interesting. What else?"

**"I don't think you're ready for this one, but do you remember the boy who was injured by the scientists in Saudi Arabia?"**

"Of course, why?"

**"Well, my contact in the Saudi embassy told me that Yassin was declared missing for one and a half weeks."**

"MISSING?" exclaimed Peter, Lucifer, Trixie, Ella, and Mazikeen.

"But that's impossible! He is in a coma!"

**"He is supposed to, but the nurses found his bed empty. Since then, they searched him everywhere but in vain!"**

"Oh, I feel that I'm going crazy. Do you have anything else?"

**"No, except that I'm searching for Bradford: his probation agent did not see him for several days!**"

"Okay, I got it: be careful!"

**"Don't worry: I'll manage, as always! Good luck!"**

After she hung up, Chloe asked:

"Have you heard the news?"

"Yes, and it turns this investigation into a brain-teaser! Now, we had another suspect!" sighed Ella.

Peter turned to his son and asked:

"Do you have any idea about it, son?"

"I'm trying to put the pieces together, but it's more complicated than I thought..."

Suddenly, the King of Hell had an eye-opener.

"Of course! How I did not think about it before?"

"What do you mean?"

"Tell me if I'm wrong, Papa, but jinns can manipulate people too, right?"

"Of course."

"So, he must have taken possession of Yassin's body, traveled from Saudi Arabia, and hypnotized Bradford, forcing him to kidnap the scientists!"

"This is a good analysis, son! You'll never cease to impress me!" fondly smiled Peter.

"Okay, so we must find the jinn and Bradford before they kill another victim. But, where can we find them?"

"They need an isolated place to accomplish their crimes..."

"I know! The former industrial site near the docks! It's abandoned for years!" shrieked Ella.

"Alright, let's check there! We'll probably have answers!" declared Lucifer, who got from his seat.

"I'm coming with you!" shouted Trixie, but her mother stopped her.

"Not so fast, young lady! You stay here: it's too dangerous!"

"Mommy, we live with Satan himself: there is no danger!" stated the young girl.

"She can come with me: I promise to look after her as if she was the apple of my eyes !" assured Peter.

"Trust my Papa, Chloe: the last one who dared scared his children is still traumatized by his anger!" affirmed the fallen angel.

"I confirm: he is as scary as God!" nodded Mazikeen.

"If you say so... Okay, let's go: we don't have time to lose!"

Soon after, the team drove to the former industrial site, hoping to prevent another murder.

"I never handle a jinn, so I don' know what to do!" admitted Chloe.

"Me neither, and I don't know Koran!" added Ella.

"Don't worry about the jinn, and focus on Bradford! Lucifer, Mazikeen, and I will take care of the jinn!"

"Are you going to hurt him? What if you hurt the boy instead?" asked Trixie, worried.

"You don't have to worry, Trixie: we'll handle it!" smiled Mazikeen.

A few minutes later, they arrived at their destination. Then, they wandered through the buildings, searching for the jinn.

"Do you see anything?" asked Ella.

"Not yet, but I'm sure we're not far from them!" mumbled Lucifer.

As they progressed, they bumped into Dan.

"Dan? What are you doing here?" whispered Chloe.

"I can ask you the same... And why Trixie is here?"

"Because my dad wanted so, and now, shut up and be useful for once in your stupid life!" snarled Lucifer.

Peter gently patted his shoulder.

"Calm down, son: it's okay! Now, let's go! I feel that they are not far from here!"

The group silently walked until they heard a painful scream.

"Oh, I hope we're not too late!" 

"The scream comes from this building! Let's go!" said Chloe.

They came closer to the building and watched through a hole in the wall the remaining scientists, hanged by the arms at a butcher's hook. Circling near them, a tall blonde muscular man held a baseball bat in his hand, while an Arab teenage boy stood in front of them, a stern look on his face.

"We found them! It looks like the jinn wants to play with them before the fatal blow!" uttered Ella.

"We need to intervene before he burns someone else!" rustled Dan as he pulled his gun out of its holder.

"Who do you think you are? John Wayne? Can't you just think before you act, idiot?" snapped Lucifer.

"Shh, low your voice! If they heard us, we're doomed!" whined Trixie.

Meanwhile, the scientists begged for their lives.

"Please, don't kill us! We'll do anything you want!" pleaded a dark-haired man.

"SILENCE! All of you don't deserve my mercy, filthy humans!" growled Yassin with an unusual booming voice.

For sure, this voice did not belong to a fourteen years old young man.

"The power of his voice... It's not a common jinn we deal with: I'm sure it's a jinn-king!" muttered Peter.

"A jinn-king?" asked Dan.

"Yes, I'm afraid so... What is the plan?"

"We'll follow your idea: Dan, Ella, and I, we deal with Bradford. As for you, Mazikeen, and Lucifer, you focus on the jinn!" declared Chloe.

"It's good for me!"

The team split into two groups and prepared to intervene as the jinn was about to slay another victim.

"How could you be so stupid? Didn't you think you could run away from your crimes without facing the consequences?"

"Please, have mercy!" cried his soon-to-be victim.

"You begged me to have mercy? Did you show any compassion for the boy you harmed? None of you ever show commiseration for him!"

Suddenly, he was interrupted by the entrance of the team.

"Nobody move! Time to stop the fire!" ordered Dan as he aimed his gun at Yassin.

The possessed boy gave him an arrogant smile:

"Look who we got here! You must be stupid or too proud to dare to threaten a jinn, Daniel Espinoza!"

"How do you know my name?" asked the latter, confused.

"He is a spiritual being, Dan: it explains how he knows you!" told Mazikeen.

"Indeed, Mazikeen of the Lilim. I see that you don't lose your strength!"

"Do you want a demonstration?"

"No, I'd rather not."

He turned to Lucifer and smirked:

"What a surprise! I do not expect the King of Hell among us tonight! Nice to meet you, Lucifer Morningstar! Or should I say, Samael the Lightbringer? The fallen one?"

"Thank you for revealing my CV, mister King-Jinn! But the manners command to tell us your name!" snickered Lucifer.

"Try to guess!" mocked the jinn.

Peter stepped between his son and the jinn and said:

"I think I know who you are, King-Jinn Murrah Al-Abyad! Or should I say King-Jinn Al-Abyad, the White Demon?"

"Oh, interesting! I certainly did not foresee such prestigious guests!"

"What if you show your true form? I am not comfortable speaking with a possessed child!"

"As you wish!"

In front of the humans' bewildered eyes appeared a handsome brown-haired man. His ivory skin contrasted with his ebony eyes. 

He was dressed in a sumptuous Oriental outfit: a dark red sleeveless vest that revealed a toned chest and a pair of crimson pants with embroidered flames. He wore golden bracelets around his wrists and ankles, plus a golden circlet with a shining ruby on his head.

"Undoubtedly, he is a King-Jinn!" muttered Trixie, who was hiding behind Lucifer.

"Indeed, urchin. And he loves to show off!" scoffed the demon.

Meantime, Peter and Al-Abyad talked:

"So, I finally meet God's beloved spouse, Petraeus the Benevolent! I've heard a lot about you, but I admit that I never saw your face until tonight!"

"Do I disappoint your expectations?"

"Not even the slightest. If truth be told, I expect Goddess's successor to be as powerful as she was! That said, no creature anticipates the Almighty falling in love with a man, as it is supposed to be a sin!"

Peter rolled his eyes:

"Thank you, I have noticed! But only humans said that, not my husband! But, you might guess that we're not here to talk about my marriage!"

"I figured it out: you're here to obstruct my punishment against those maggots!"

The celestial spirit nodded.

"I appreciate your concern about them, but you better mind your own business: I am offended, so they have to pay the price!"

"I got it: it was your temple which gets destroyed!" said Chloe.

"You're right, Miss Chloe Decker. But I assure you that I would have done little more than tormenting them if they did not act like cowards!"

The jinn furiously glanced at the scientists who were shivering with fear.

"But no... They wounded a child and made a family suffering because of their greed! You would understand that I cannot let this misdemeanor pass!"

"I understand what you mean, and I agree that they deserve a sentence for their misdeed. But I can't let you kill those humans like that: it's not fair!"

The jinn roared.

"You think THIS is not fair? But I'm doing what your so-called almighty husband should have done earlier instead of being passive. Self-judgment? Ah! What a pathetic excuse he hides behind!"

Trixie walked near the jinn and tried to calm him:

"Mister King-Jinn, I think Peter tries to tell you that there is no need to burn people alive!"

"NO TRIXIE, STAY AWAY FROM HIM!" yelled Dan, but Bradford stood in his way and tried to hit him.

"Back off, you jerk!" yelled Chloe, who kicked the thug in the head, knocking him out.

As for the jinn, his expression softened when he saw the young girl talking to him.

"What do you mean, Beatrix?"

"I mean... You did not need to kill people to punish them. There are different ways. I know you only did that for helping a young boy, and I'm sure your people are grateful to have you as a protector. But please, stop! I promise that my mama would punish them for what they did... And you can count on her for that!"

"My little monkey!" smiled Chloe.

Peter stepped near Trixie and added:

"You know children: they cannot lie."

Al-Abyad sighed.

"I know, but... No one would dare lay their hands on a child without suffering my wrath!"

"I know what you mean. I would be enraged to the core if anyone ever threatens my children. I know we are not linked by blood, but I love them like my own, and I would do anything to punish the culprit who made them miserable! You can ask Astaroth: now, he will think twice before considering attacking Azrael again."

He put his hand on the jinn's shoulder.

"End your crusade of anger, and let us handle this case. I swear they will face justice!"

Al-Abyad stayed silent for a long time, lost in his thoughts: he craved so much making those criminals enduring torments for their negligence. Nevertheless, he knew Petraeus's reputation as a dutiful man, and the jinn knew that if he said anything, he would keep his word.

Sighing, he conceded:

"Fine, you won! I'll let you deal with those pathetic creatures. But you better keep your promise, or I'll come back to finish my work!"

"Don't worry, I save a special spot for them in my kingdom!" sadistically smirked Lucifer, his eyes glowing red.

Satisfied by the answer, the jinn declared:

"Then, I shall go!"

"Wait, mister Al-Abyad!" exclaimed Trixie.

"What is it, Beatrix?"

"What about Yassin? Will he be alright?"

A small smile appeared on the jinn's face.

"Have no fear for him, little one. Yassin would be fine... and that's why I leave him to you: I want him to see that you will help him!"

"Understood."

"Very well. Goodbye, and may fate be kind to you!"

And he disappeared in a cloud of smoke. 

"Well, that was an unusual encounter!" sighed Ella.

"Unusual? You mean unbelievable? Damn it, Ella: we met a jinn! A creature that only exists in fairytales!" squealed Dan.

"I'm sure Al-Abyad would be delighted to hear that!" sneered Lucifer.

At the same time, Yassin slowly opened his eyes. Looking at his surroundings, he realized that he was no longer at home and started panicking:

"'ayn 'anaa? limadha 'iinaa huna? 'ayn waliday?" (Where am I? Why am I here? Where are my parents?)

Peter hurried and held the young boy in his arms, one of his hands gently cradling Yassin's head.

"Everything is okay, Yassin. Nobody is going to hurt you, I promise."

The teenager sobbed:

"'amiy ... 'urid 'an 'araa 'ami!" (Mum... I want to see my mother!)

Gently wiping away the tears that rolled down Yassin's cheeks, the celestial spirit soothed the young boy:

"Shh, don't cry. You will see your mother soon. I'll stay here with you, I promise!"

"I am here, too!" added Trixie, who sat near Yassin and held his hand in comfort.

When he saw this scene, it reminded Lucifer of painful memories: he saw himself as a young child, weeping after his mother rejected him for the umptieth time. 

He also remembered the warm embrace of Peter, who tried to comfort him. He heard his voice, calm and loving, who repeated that he will always be there for him and he'll always love him.

Coming close to her boyfriend, Chloe asked:

"Are you okay?"

The demon put himself together and said:

"Yes, absolutely."

"You seemed... touched."

Lucifer sighed:

"Maybe because... I remembered why my dad made the right choice, billions of years ago!"

Puzzled, Chloe turned and saw her daughter and Peter, comforting Yassin as paramedics checked on him.

She smiled:

"I see what you mean... Your father is a great person."

"Yes, indeed. My mama is the best man in the universe, and I won't tell otherwise!"

A few days later.

The group was gathered at Chloe's home to celebrate their success. Bradford was put in jail for his collusion in the murders. The remaining teammates of the research group were complied to pay damages to Yassin.

Speaking of the young boy, he flew back to Saudi Arabia, where he was warmly welcomed by his family and many people. He was even received by the royal family!

"It ended well, at least! I'm so happy to get some rest!" smiled Ella, sipping her glass of soda.

"So am I! But I'm sure we would never find out without Peter's help!" added Chloe.

"Don't depreciate your work! You did an amazing job, and I only contributed to help you!" humbly answered Peter.

"You are too cool! And charismatic!" beamed Trixie.

"Thank you, my dear!"

Suddenly, a small ball of light appeared in the room. It flew through the room before stopping in front of Peter. Then, it puts a piece of paper in his hand before disappearing.

"What was that?" asked Dan, utterly amazed.

"Let's see..." muttered Peter, who unfolded the note and read the following message:

Come back to me, my love. I need your presence by my side as huge as your absence makes my heart ache for you. Eternally yours. Your devoted husband.

"It looks like someone misses you!" smirked Mazikeen.

"What can I say? He is lost without me!" laughed Peter.

"Does it mean you have to leave?" pouted Trixie.

"Unfortunately, yes. But I promise to come here as soon as I can!"

He greeted the others goodbye before holding his son:

"Take care of you, my little demon!"

"Don't worry, Papa: I'll be careful!"

As he waved goodbye, the celestial spirit disappeared in a flash of light.

Even if he wished to spend more time with his father, Lucifer knew that Petraeus would come back one day or another. And this day, he would welcome him with open arms, like a good son... 

Thank you for the reading!

I hope you liked it!

Can’t wait to see your requests and don’t hesitate to give your opinion (respectfully, please!)

See you later! 😘🥰💝

[seoafin]

Sooo i may or may not have become obsessed with the rip!verse (each of your posts make my day and white lighters what a delightful read, holy shit) and i have so many questions! (Pls ma'am... feed us... we need the high quality content you provide...)

1. What is reader's cursed technique? I remember toji saying she had potential upon (brutally) trying to kill her and her examining yuji to... idk, try to seal sukuna, but you've never explicitly said anyting and i am dying to know more (pls help)

2. We all know poor, poor Megumi suffers from the incessant pining between reader and gojo. But what about Yuji and Nobara? And the second years? Do they try to set them together, crossing out the ideas/plans they've already tried, becoming more and more desperate each time it inevitabely fails in the most improbable way? Or does gojo asks for their help?

3. And how could i not talk about the Shibuya Arc? (also known as "gege please for the love of god stop" arc) Where is reader? Did she manage to follow gojo abd watch the... incident unfold? Did she stay behind with Shoko? Did she go with the students? Did she join the kyoto school? How did she react upon learning that gojo was chillin' in his lil cube while the whole world was going to hell? (And did she see Getwo??? What was her reaction??? I have whole scene in mind and am now itching to write it down although i must sleep?? Why??)

(Yep, the rip!verse leaves rent free in my mind. Not that i complain though. It never ceases to amaze me no matter how many times i read it. Plus it inspires me for my own writing so *bows* thank you so much for creating such a bloody brilliant masterpiece! Have a lovely night/day!)

THIS ASK??? Hxhsbndnd i’m so glad you like the ripverse!!

prepare for an info dump + general information on rip!mc which I probably should have typed out/ elaborated on earlier LOL

1)

honestly i'm still working out the details but it's probably going to be something along the lines of the ability to suspend time for a person/object with certain conditions that must be met. but once they're met you can hold it for as long as you wish. It’s not exactly an offensive cursed technique, but deadly if utilized properly! it also comes in handy when trying to study curses!

rip!mc is a historian/researcher who classifies curses which is a fascination which was born after geto left. weirdly, it helps you feel closer to him. your research takes you around the country, and even abroad some times (which gojo despises), but you’re more than well equipped to defend yourself. you trained maki with the polearm!!

I also like the idea of them occasionally teaching as an adjunct professor at Tokyo University (grad student MC ftw), so they know what it’s like to be a teacher, although it’s not exactly the same! the semesters you do teach—you occasionally stay with gojo

the reason why toji said that is bc rip!mc caught toji's eye a split second before he stabbed gojo. since you’re very very sensitive to cursed energy and by default, other people, the pure absence of cursed energy made you instinctively turn. toji was referring to the fact that if you honed your skill a little more, you maybe would have even sensed him!

also the reason why rip!mc is more sensitive to cursed energy than gojo is because he probably automatically filters out the sheer number different cursed energies (since the sensory overload would be crazy while rip!mc never really learned to do that and as a result became more attuned to cursed energies in general)

Also more about the cursed seals! Rip!mc is exceptionally good at making seals because of how sensitive they are to cursed energy. In harmonious, you had to gauge sukuna’s overall (at the time) power in order feel out whether or not you could make a good enough seal (the higher ups requested it) to contain sukuna.

2)

Everyone is tired of gojo’s pining. And suspicious at how oddly ignorant you are. When gojo makes himself at home on your lap in the middle of a meeting for the umpteenth time, and you’re completely unfazed, everyone’s like?????

It kinda goes back to how rip!mc refuses relationships because she knows she’s going to die (hazards of the job), and she’s afraid of leaving a lover behind more than anything (childhood trauma. involves parents), and in her head, friends and lovers are two distinctly different things (they really aren’t). Getting over a friend's death is different from getting over a lover’s death (once again, not really, who’s going to tell her???)

And gojo, for as much as he lacks boundaries (ie; has none) tries to accommodate it the best he can although you’ve always been his. shoko always tells gojo that (like always when it comes to rip!mc) he’s jumping the gun, but he shoots her with finger guns and says that he has no idea what she’s talking about :)

Maybe the reason why you’re never home is because you doesn’t want to confront your feelings haha

When it comes to the nosy students. Nobara likes you but can’t fathom gojo in a relationship. Yuji automatically assumes you and gojo are dating. Maki thinks that you can do so much better than that idiot. Panda thinks it’s cute. Inumaki: Salmon. Yuta sees the way gojo “looks” at you but thinks he’s overthinking it, and doesn’t want to say anything.

Megumi, on the other hand, tells everyone to leave it since he’s a bit protective over rip!mc.

3

You’re not the only one!! I’ve gotten messages on ao3 asking about the shibuya arc LOL 😭

the reader was called back from Okinawa as backup and reached tokyo as soon as gojo entered the curtain. he texted her saying not to worry (haha). They entered with shoko and yaga to protect her and the patients. And when she hears that gojo’s been sealed, she’s completely bewildered. Gojo can take care of himself wherever he is, she’s more worried about the students than him tbh LOL (gojo is definitely going to whine about that later)

When megumi’s dropped off by yuji (ugh!!!) this is where it could go either way.

1) Shoko sees how worried you are about yuji, whose cursed energy you picked up before he ran away, and tells you to go. You find him but he runs away from you. If this happened I could see a getwo reunion (I’m hurt, did you already forget my face?) where getwo reaches out to touch your hair and gets stopped by surprise, surprise, original geto deep inside. Cue some more body vs soul philosophical talking points before you eventually meet up with the kyoto gang AND utahime!!!

2) Stay with shoko. Eventually get called to the Kyoto group.

Meanwhile inside the prison realm gojo is playing with a ring the size of your ring finger (how he got the measurement nobody knows)

[mamabearcatfanfics]

OH MY GOSH.

I read the little snippet of Run. Can you tell me more about it? Can you give a release date? Is it gonna be a one shot or more of like a few chapters or a whole goddamn story because I haven’t been so excited for a good angst InuKag story in a minute and you’re so talented and I love reading your stuff. How did you come up with this idea? You are brilliant and amazing and I’m gonna stop rambling now, but just know I’m so excited.

💕

Thank you so much Nonny for your lovely words, you are too kind.

Um hmm. I am still working this one out myself.

It’s inspired by a beautiful piece of art by @kirrtash called Laundry Night, and in the notes she mentioned ‘zombies’ and my brain just ran with it. You can read that part here and see the beautiful art.

It was only meant to be a one off response to the art, but then my brain is not leaving it alone. And I have so many other things to be working on too, so this is not helpful! But I can give you a few bullet points of what I’ve hashed out so far.

It’s set in a fictional universe where humans and animal youkai had lived alongside each other peacefully, until the virus broke out. A few friends on the IYBC Discord have said it gave them a Zootopia feel, so maybe that will help.

Any youkai who gets the virus turns into a mindless feral animalistic version of themselves, with destruction of other life their only purpose until they are brought down. The main human response to this has been violence - a kill or be killed mentality. There are humans who want to maintain the peace of before, who support the vaccine research, but there are others who have decided that all youkai need to be wiped out.

Many resources are scarce, the stockmarket has crashed, and there is a thriving black market for goods and services. The government is in turmoil, with different factions supporting either vaccine, youkai eradication, or a combination of both. There is very little police presence, and most people either protect themselves or hire someone else to do it with food/accommodation. Virtually all schools had closed - the school Kagome had worked at was one of the last operating, and only because many of the teachers lived on campus with boarding students, and it had an extensive kitchen garden, similar to this program.

Kaede’s little laundrette and apartment block was in one of the worst hit areas for riots and violence, but it’s pretty peaceful around them now because most people have deserted the area.

Kaede was an ER nurse until she was injured in a car accident, losing some of her mobility and the sight in one eye. The laundromat and apartment block belonged to her husband, and she kept it going after he died because she enjoyed talking to her customers. She was like a local grandma to everyone in the surrounding block, even though she’d never been able to have children of her own. She refused to move out when everyone else left.

Miroku was previously a concierge, Inuyasha a mechanic, Sango still works at her family dojo. I guess it’s kind of a found family story.

I’m not sure when I’ll write more. I might let the muse take over and see what happens if I give it free reign. We’ll see.

[star-trekkin-across-theuniverse]

Worthy, pt 3

The air rushing in my ears was the first thing I heard when I came to. Angela was kneeling beside me, her hand smacking my face lightly. Her mouth moved as she said something, but I couldn’t hear her over the white noise in my head. I put my hand to my head and sat up. The world was spinning. Angela looked over my shoulder and spoke again. A moment later strong arms lifted me under the legs and back. I looked up into Thor’s concerned blue eyes. Gone was the big smile and jovial demeanor. He didn’t look angry though. Just concerned. He carried me over to the deck chair and sat me down. Dr. Banner was headed toward us with a bag of ice, and Pepper and Tony were rushing along behind him. Some noise finally started to break through the ringing in my ears.

“Ella Carmichael, how do you fare?” Thor’s voice was a low rumble. I looked at him as he squatted beside me.

“What just happened?” I asked.

“That is the question, indeed. It would seem you lifted Mjolnir,” he picked up the hammer and held it so the light from inside illuminated the writing on the face of it. Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor. I could feel my brow furrowing. I possessed the power of Thor? It certainly didn’t feel that way when the bolt of lightning shot through my body.

“Oh god, did I steal your power from you?” I gasped. He shook his head.

“My father enchanted Mjolnir, so that only those worthy to wield her could lift her. You have not taken my power, but should you continue to be able to heft Mjolnir, you may be able to access the powers that she has given me. I did not think it possible, from a Midgardian,” he explained.

“What do you mean, not possible?” I eyed the hammer where it sat on the deck beside me.

“What he means is that he has yet to meet anyone capable of lifting it. I can’t. No one on the Avengers Initiative can. We’ve all tried.” As if to prove his point, Tony wrapped his hand around the handle of the hammer and tugged. It didn’t budge.

“Even Dr. Banner can’t?” I was surprised. Dr. Banner came to stand beside Tony.

“Even the Other Guy can’t,” he corrected, his voice full of gentle reproach. I blinked and looked away, embarrassed I’d made him uncomfortable.

“Then why was I able to?” I looked back at Thor. He shook his head.

“I cannot fathom why. It bears more investigation. But perhaps not tonight,” he suggested. I nodded blankly. Tony stepped closer and held out his hand to me.

“Are you feeling like you could stand? We’re gathering a bit of an audience. It would probably be good to show everyone that you’re okay,” he suggested. I took the offered hand and pulled myself to my feet. “I will understand completely if you would like to make it an early night, Ella.”

“I think I will. Thanks Tony. I had a chance to meet with Markus and that was the most important goal for the night.” I leaned over to pick up my shoes, and lost my balance. Thor caught me, his large hand stabilizing me, and steadying me on my feet.

“Perhaps I should escort you to your suite, Ella Carmichael,” he offered. I smirked at the weird way he said my name and shook my head.

“That’s not necessary, but thanks.” I opted to leave my heels off and padded across the deck in my bare feet, Angela close beside me. She stayed nearby, but quiet until we got to my suite. When I tried to swipe my passcard for access to my room, it didn’t work. She pressed a few buttons on the keypad beside the passcard reader and nodded.

“When I saw the sparks coming off you, I figured your passcard would be fried. I’ll bring up a new card before I go home, but in the meantime, the keycode is your birthday,” she followed me into my suite. I pulled a bottle of water from the fridge and leaned against the counter, holding it to my forehead.

“Do you suppose I’m in a lot of trouble?” I groaned.

“From the look on Thor’s face, I think probably. You certainly aren’t a boring science geek, that’s for sure,” she laughed. I hung my head in defeat. “Question? Where are your glasses?” My hand flew up to my face, and sure enough, my glasses were gone. I looked at Angela, and back to my hand, and was surprised to see that my vision was almost in focus. It wasn’t perfect, but it certainly was better than it usually was.

“They must have flown off,” I guessed. There was a knock at my door. I walked over and opened it, letting Dr. Banner in. He held out my glasses to me. “Wow, that was perfect timing.”

“You lost these,” he offered. I took them and put them back on and blinked against the strength. I pulled them back off.

“Yeah, Angela had just noticed. Thank you, Dr. Banner,” I murmured, holding my hand back up in front of my face.

“Bruce,” he corrected. I smiled.

“Thank you, Bruce.” I suddenly felt shy, concerned about what this remarkable, brilliant man, must be thinking about me. He probably thought I was a mess and was grateful he wouldn’t be working with me.

“How do you feel?” His eyes focused on me, almost like he was assessing me. But he wasn’t a medical doctor.

“Weird. Tingly. My ears are still ringing. My heart is kind of tight. Jumpy maybe?” I wasn’t sure. He took my wrist and placed his fingers across the pulse point, looking over my shoulder at the clock on the wall. He flipped my hand over and pressed down on the nail bed of my thumb.

“Your pulse is pretty erratic. There’s probably some sleepytime tea in your cupboard, it’s part of the first grocery order when you move into the tower. Brew a pot and have a mug. The chamomile will help settle you,” he suggested. I nodded, but made no move to go into the kitchen and find my kettle. Angela started opening cupboards to find the tea.

“Thanks again, Bruce.” I felt a bit like a star-struck school girl, tongue-tied and so incredibly awkward.

“I have some experience with the out of the ordinary.” His smile was sad. “I should get back to the reception. I’m sure I’ll see you around the labs.” He excused himself and crossed back to the door, pulling it shut behind him. Angela handed me a slice of cheese and some crackers.

“Eat while the tea steeps,” she ordered. “I didn’t realize you had a thing for Bruce Banner.” Her tone was light and teasing.

“Shut up!” I came back to myself, flushing. “I respect his intellect and –“

“And his artfully messy hair and deep, brooding eyes have nothing to do with it, right?” She laughed. I resisted the urge to throw my cheese at her.

“It certainly complicates things,” I admitted. “When I was doing my undergrad, I used to have this fantasy where I would meet him because of my research and we would happily science together for the rest of our lives. I wasn’t thinking about him being cute, I just really loved his approach to research and you know how sometimes when you have an awesome teacher you just kind of crush on them? His research was incredible.”

“You seriously have a crush on Bruce Banner?” Angela handed me a steaming mug.

“I don’t think, I don’t know. Maybe? He’s really nice. I wasn’t expecting him to be really nice. Sometimes the really brilliant guys are a little,” I trailed off.

“Too much like Tony?” Angela filled in. 

“Yeah. Brilliant and amazing, but they know it.” I hadn’t dated much in university because the guys who appealed to me the most had generally been like Tony. Brilliant, but arrogant. Not that I thought Tony Stark was a bad person. Not that I knew him well enough to make a generalization either way, actually. But Tony Stark had earned the right to be arrogant in a way that most of the guys I was in university with had not. And Tony Stark was unabashedly enthusiastic about the research and work of others. And that had also been missing from the men I’d known in university. As a result, I’d avoided dating, and instead developed a rockstar crush on Bruce Banner. “Anyhow. I had a crush on Bruce Banner. During my undergrad. He seems very nice. But I’m not a freshman anymore.”

“Okay. Are you okay if I leave you, or do you need some help getting settled for the night?” Angela asked, her brow furrowed.

“I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about bringing me another passcard tonight; we can do it in the morning. I’m going to draw a bath and have a soak. I’ll see you for breakfast?” I wasn’t sure I would find much on my own. The day had been such a whirlwind.

“Yes. I will pick you up and we’ll hit the commissary. It’s build your own waffle morning.” She grabbed her purse from the counter and waved good night. I turned to the bathroom and started the water running in the ridiculously large bathtub and added an equally ridiculous amount of bubble bath. I stripped down out of my dress, and tied my hair back in a loose bun. I padded across the apartment and hung up my dress and realized things were getting blurrier. I stopped in the kitchen to grab my glasses and I was pleased to notice my crappy vision was considerably improved by putting my glasses back on. Our world was so different since the Battle of New York that I still had lingering concerns that I’d somehow stolen Thor’s powers and become some sort of Super Science Nerd. While I was in the kitchen, I decided a glass of wine was in order. Whatever had shocked me when I picked up Thor’s hammer had also sobered me right up. The tea had finished the job.

When I got back to the bathroom, the tub was ready. I finished stripping and slid under the bubbles, tension melting out of my shoulders as they hit the water.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. The day wasn’t a failure just because I’d picked up some magic hammer. I’d had a successful orientation with Angela and felt like there was the beginning of a real friendship there. Tony and Pepper seemed genuinely excited to have me at Stark Industries. Markus Reid was obscenely excited to have me on his team. I’d met Bruce Banner, which, although awkward, fulfilled a high school dream of mine. I’d been able to look into the eyes of the most beautiful man I’d ever laid eyes on. The grainy photos and lousy media coverage since the Battle of New York did not do Thor justice. I took a sip of wine. And added that to the list of awesome from the day. Stark Industries stocked their employee quarters with good wine. 

There was a knock at the door. I sighed and pulled myself out of the tub. It was probably Angela dropping off a new passcard before she left for the night or headed back to the party. I wrapped myself in a towel and found the one thing Stark Industries wasn’t doing really well for employees. The towel was just a touch too small. It just barely met at my hip and if I wanted my boobs covered, my butt cheeks hung out of the bottom. I checked the towel rack for a bigger one, but they were all the same. 

The knock sounded at the door again. I sighed and hurried across the apartment. Angela would understand the huge amounts of skin I was showing. And would either know where I could find bigger towels or how to order some. I swung open the door without checking the peephole.

“I told you this could wait till the mor –“ It wasn’t Angela. I squeaked and jumped behind the door. To his credit, Thor didn’t respond at all. He didn’t leer, but he also didn’t blush and turn away. Almost like he didn’t even notice how little I had on. “I was not expecting you.”

“I have lingering concerns about your well-being, Ella Carmichael. You should not have been able to wield Mjolnir. I would be assured that you are not ill affected.” He stepped inside, and stopped, facing me. I pulled the door open a little wider, trying to cover myself.

“Uh, I appreciate your concern,” I started, trying to tug the towel to cover more of me. “But really, I’m fine.”

“You are quite pale.” He stepped closer to me. I backed up and eyed the distance between me, him and the bathroom. He was completely obstructing my path. I clenched my teeth, and bit my lip.

“You seem quite determined to check on me. And I appreciate it. But I am wearing a really skimpy towel right now. Could you maybe turn your back for a minute so I can go put some clothes on?” I felt ridiculous, trying to hide behind my door. But there was just way too much of me showing. His gaze dropped to my shoulders and his eyes widened just a bit.

“I apologize. I forget how overmodest Midgardians can be about nudity.” Again, he didn’t look away. I could feel the flush spreading across my skin. I wasn’t going to be pale for long if he kept staring at me. I cleared my throat and pointed to the couch when his eyes met mine. He smiled, and I think he rolled his eyes, but he acquiesced and walked over to the couch and dropped down on it. I flung the door shut and scampered across the room. I slipped in a puddle of water on my way into the bathroom, shrieked and landed on my ass, the towel trapped up me in a pile. To my eternal mortification, Thor was beside me in an instant. I tried to swat his hands away, but he scooped me from the floor and stood me back up, then bent down to hand me my towel. I was trying to cover my nudity as best as I could with my hands, and couldn’t figure out how to grab the towel without somehow sprouting another arm.

“Uh, just –“ I stammered. Thor’s eyes met mine and he raised an eyebrow. Without breaking eye contact, he tucked the towel under the fingers covering my breasts and walked back out of the bathroom.