#how to become a computer wizard

[sugaredrhubarb]

A QUICK GUIDE TO AO3 CUSTOMIZATION FROM SOMEONE WHO KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT CODING

ft adding pink to everything and my secret to writing long comments

note: I originally posted this to twt but if that place burns in a fiery pit I spent too long on this for it to disappear, so I'm putting it here too :)

so many people know way more about this than I do, but this is a step-by-step walkthrough of the changes *I've* made, and hopefully it works as an introduction people can build from for whatever they'd like to do

There are a lot of images in this post! (click to enlarge)

to start, AO3 skins

site skins change how the AO3 website appears when logged in (even on mobile), mine is pink and blue!

I'll have my skin turned off throughout the post so the guides appear as they will for you

to create, edit, and view skins, go to the "skins" tab from the left-hand menu. you can also view public site skins from there or from the button in the preferences.

public site skins are made by other users. i would really encourage previewing and exploring them to become familiar with the possibilities (maybe you just want to use one of them and now you're done!)

to create your own skin

on the skins page, click "create site skin"

if you don't know CSS (same), use the wizard! clicking on the "?" will give more information about each option

I only use the colours section you'll see a link right there for hex codes I use pink as a header colour and bue for accent but lots of people change the background colour and that looks really cool!

submit

The next step (optional!!!) is to add CSS from a public skin to your own. I use "ByLine" by Branch. this separates the tag categories and adds spacing to make them easier to read.

here is a before and after using the fic "Landslide" by @roosterbruiser as an example

to see the CSS of a skin, click the title

copy all the text below the CSS heading

in the skin creator/editor press the custom CSS option and paste all the text into the CSS box

you can have both wizard and custom CSS settings, in mine you can see the header and accent colours as well as the CSS

level up: USERSCRIPTS

userscripts are small pieces of code that modify a website. for AO3, this may involve adding shortcuts and buttons or even advanced tagging functions (computer people, I'm so sorry if this is wrong, I'm trying). I use Greasy Fork and Tampermonkey.

This is how I write long and formatted comments!

Greasy Fork is an archive of userscripts and Tampermonkey is a browser extension and userscript manager. You don't need to use these two in particular. please use your common sense when downloading anything or adding permissions to your browser.

Greasy Fork guide on installing scripts

Install Tampermonkey on Chrome

there are TONS of user scripts for AO3. This is another good opportunity to explore all the possibilities. there are lots of more complicated options I haven't explored.

scripts for AO3

i use this floaty review box

and this comment formatting

EDIT: if you use chrome you might need to turn on developer mode in your chrome extension manager - you can google "tampermonkey developer mode" and it should explain that :)

to install (once you have Tampermonkey installed):

open the script you want in Greasy Fork and press install

Tampermonkey will open, press install again

clicking the Tampermonkey extension will let you toggle scripts on and off, and opening the dashboard will let you view, edit, and delete scripts

i find i can only have a few turned on at a time before they cancel each other out, but that depends on which ones you're using and someone more savvy might be able to fix that

how to use the floaty review box - write more comments!

there will now be a "floaty review box" button at the top of the work, it will open a floating text box you can move anywhere on the page. highlighting any text and pressing the insert button will paste the text with italics into the box

anything you type in the review box will appear in your comment at the bottom of the page!

if you have also installed the comment formatting script, you'll be able to highlight any text in your comment and use the new buttons above the comment box to format it

thats all ive got! Hopefully this is a good starting point to get familiar with some of the terms and basics for skins and scripts <3

if you want some inspo for how to comment on fics i made a whole fic rec list on twitter based on comments I've left, it's here. i have a masterlist of recs there mostly for darklina/reylo and similar ships.

the tag #reading with ru has cod recs and me talking about books

:)

[madraynesims]

Rugs Converted From The Sims 2 Console for The Sims 2, Sims 3 and The Sims 4

A collection of rugs from The Sims 2 console! The ShagTime Pop Rug and "The Heffe" Raw Hide Rug are previous releases of mine that have now been updated with the Xbox assets. Those versions are now obsolete. I noticed the Snail Shell Shug Rug has an alpha channel that doesn't seem to work properly in the original game, but you can see it in the Buy Catalog that it's cutout. Because of this, I decided to make 2 swatches, 1 with and without the alpha cutout for accuracy. I also increased the polycount of the Beetle Yak Rug slightly to help round off the model. These rugs can be seen in The Sims 2 console locations; Beetle Yak Rug; Andromeda Arms "The Heffe" Raw Hide Rug; Sunset Canyon ShagTime Pop Rug; HMS Amore Snail Shell Shug Rug; Cliffside Retreat, Jugen House, The Orbit Room, Newbie Rug Wizard Computer Rug; Jugen House, Andromeda Arms, Newbie, Freeber Please let me know if there’s any issues! Info below the cut

The Sims 2 Console collection files: Sims 2 / Sims 3

Downloads:

The Sims 2 console - Rugs! For The Sims 2 - SFS For The Sims 3 - SFS For The Sims 4 - SFS

Alt Download - Patreon Enjoy my work? Consider becoming a Patreon or buying me a coffee!

Beetle Yak Rug Information: Mesh and textures were edited and converted by me. The Sims 3: Create-A-Style disabled. This is also from The Sims 2: Pets console! Price - §5,500 Category  - ‘Decorations > Rugs’ Polycount - 46 Texture Size - 64x128

"The Heffe" Raw Hide Rug Information: Mesh and textures were edited and converted by me. The Sims 3: Create-A-Style disabled. Price - §2,100 Category  - ‘Decorations > Rugs’ Polycount - 108 Texture Size - 256x256

ShagTime Pop Rug Information: Mesh and textures were converted by me. The Sims 3: Fully Create-A-Style enabled. 1 channel Has 13 swatches. Price - §500 Category  - ‘Decorations > Rugs’ Polycount - 4 Texture Size - 128x256

Snail Shell Shug RugInformation: Recreated and converted by me. The Sims 3: Create-A-Style disabled. Has 2 swatches, 1 with and without alpha enabled to represent how it looks in the original console game. Price - §350 Category  - ‘Decorations > Rugs’ Polycount - 2 Texture Size - 128x256

Rug Wizard Computer Rug Information: Mesh and textures were converted by me. The Sims 3: Create-A-Style disabled. Price - §2,900 Category  - ‘Decorations > Rugs’ Polycount - 8 Texture Size - 256x256

[anncanta]

‘The Rings of Power’ and what is adult cinema

I think I understand what the matter is. Why there is such a strange attitude towards The Rings of Power and constant reproaches from a number of viewers that the series is boring and that it lacks epicness and vivid characters.

This point of view (and it is the same point of view) has two reasons – age and an excess of content.

The thing is that modern viewers consume a huge amount of content. These are books, films, computer games, fan fiction, TV series. It is not that it is difficult to surprise such a viewer – it is actually possible to surprise them since they are quite naive – it is as if they have sensory fatigue. Or, rather, they have stopped perceiving shades and see only colors. And among the colors – only those that glow neon and fluoresce. What is below this threshold is not interesting to them, simply because their sensitivity is dulled, like (sorry for the comparison) for a user of psychoactive substances who needs to increase the dose to get the same sensations.

That's why the characters of The Rings of Power are dull for these viewers, the storylines are boring, and the whole story lacks epicness. And it doesn't matter that this story is not about epicness at all. It's about the price living beings pay for epicness. About what attempts to start a ‘great war’ or ‘correct big mistakes’ turn out to be. How good intentions and the desire to return to the ‘great past’ or start into a brilliant future end. What an attempt to cheat death leads to.

And here we come to the second reason. To adulthood. The series The Rings of Power is for adults. Not only because adult actors play in it. Young people play there too. But because it is written in an adult way, conceived in an adult way, and played in an adult way.

These heroes and this story do not have the problems of ‘who looked at whom in what way’, ‘who does not want to marry whom off to their beloved’, and ‘which armies clashed on this hill’. With all due respect to these problems. The Rings of Power is about something completely different.

In this film, one of the central scenes is the conversation between Galadriel and Elrond in Cirdan's workshop. The scene in which stubborn Elrond repeatedly brings Galadriel back to the question she doesn't really want to return to – has Sauron really left her consciousness? How did he get there? How far did he go?

And it's not about whether she's in love with Sauron or whether he has a chance to become her lover. I have the impression that the writers don't care about that at all. They care about Galadriel's relationship with Sauron inside. For them, evil is not a black blot that just wants to destroy the whole world (in this sense, the beginning of the second season and Sauron in his black form are also a parody of such decisions), but something that has crawled into your soul and become you. Where, at what point did it become you? How much has it become you? Can you resist it? These are very boring questions to answer – especially if you are uncomfortable with them.

The other pivotal scene is where Sauron tortures Celebrimbor. I know it's bland for viewers used to detailed violence and fan fiction. But it's monstrous. It's horrifying in its simplicity. You look at this beautiful creature who knows exactly where to shoot, so it hurts, but also so the victim stays alive. Then he comes over and moves one arrow slightly. You look at it and you want to scream.

And then Celebrimbor defeats him. Not because Celebrimbor is physically stronger, or a greater wizard, or has a deadlier sword. Because Celebrimbor speaks the truth. Because all these mind games are worthless when you look at them with clear eyes. So Celebrimbor looks. And makes Sauron look. That is stronger than any battle. As is the silence Sauron remains in, which he has tried so hard to drown out with the sounds of thunderous battle. That is why he weeps, and not because Celebrimbor has humiliated or insulted him.

The central part of the story is strange, imperfect, doubting Galadriel. After centuries of pain and loss, fear and anger, rage and grief, she believed that there was someone in this world who could understand her – and he turned out to be the Dark Lord. This makes their misunderstanding all the more vivid and profound – Sauron thinks that Galadriel rejected him because he did not offer her enough, but she did it because he offered too much. The noble Halbrand was enough – not the divinely handsome (another jab at fans of epic films with grandiose perfect men), but a man who was wrong and willing to admit his mistakes. By showing her that Halbrand was a deception, Sauron betrayed not her love, but her belief that there was a way back. Including for herself, who, no matter how absurd it may be, still cannot forgive herself for putting the helmets of her brothers and sisters in the mound.

This faith will be restored to her later by Adar – for a moment, for a few minutes, he returned to his former elven appearance and showed her that it is possible to forgive others and forgive herself. Having missed the opportunity to escape with the ring of power and accepted her help and their alliance.

All these plot lines, all these stories, all the events and heroes do not look bright and spectacular. Even the battles do not look spectacular. Do you know why?

Because battles are not spectacular. They are dirty, stinking, disgusting, and full of pain and blood. Eregion during the siege does not look like grandiose fortresses – it looks like bloody besieged cities. Like cities on which bombs fall. Like cities into which, like cockroaches, aliens crawl. This is what the truth looks like. Do not believe the artificial mouse running across the floor. Better check if the candle is burning out.

The problem and, in fact, the essence is that all these things are impossible to see and understand if you are a young person. In youth, all the stories are about love (with a capital letter), about war (heroic and brilliant), and about refined characters who proudly walk back and forth. They talk little because the young are not interested in conversations. They are interested in kissing and figuring out who is better.

But I am interested in something else. And many people like me are too. And I am incredibly happy that the authors made this film for us. It is not even about Tolkien – I repeat, I am rather indifferent to him. The point is how, through Tolkien and his legendarium, the authors talk about what is important to me. And they do it masterfully. And the most beautiful thing is that those who are young will definitely grow up and become adults.

And then maybe they will love this story too.

[neverthatsirius-jo]

CONGRATS ON 200 FOLLOWERS MY TWINNIE 😋 had to jump on this fic fest and request something with my babygirl james potter <3 and i got these from the gifs !

randomized a song from a playlist and got about you by the 1975 :3 and mayhaps u could add a sprinkle of mutual pining?? 🥰 THANK U LOVE U 🫶🏼

| SOMETHING ABOUT YOU ⊹₊⟡⋆

“In which James is more oblivious to your drunken love confessions than you think and he eggs you on into an even more embarrassing one in a broken lift.”

pairing: james potter x fem!reader

genre: fluff <3

w/c: 1.6k

tags: muggle au, coworkers to lovers, kinda drunken confession, mentions of alcohol...

jo’s note: how could i NOT write my twin @foodiegoogie's request first? thank for requesting and i hope you enjoy reading this, even though i think i was bit stingy with the pining. LOVE YOU RESE <333

also i know i received all the event’s requests back in january, but school and my own perfectionism won't let me do things in a timely manner. i'll be posting all the other requests over the next few weeks <3 nerve-wracking to be posting after so long helpp.

“No, no, no, no, no. Shit! Shit!”

You smash the buttons of the lift as if that will magically make its doors open. You press floor after floor and buttons you’ve never even touched before and don’t know what they do.

You lean forward with your hands on the door; your back cracks after sitting for hours typing away on a computer. You’d had to stay late and so had James, it seems, who clears his throat behind you.

“Alright, spill.” 

You close your eyes and purse your lips but don’t turn around just yet. You can’t face him; not after what happened.

The same bubbles of the fizzy, sweet alcoholic drink one of your coworkers had given you were running through your blood and getting to your brain, getting in the way of your neurons and their synapsis. Quickly. 

Weirdly enough that hadn’t stopped you, accepting a few more drinks that would only deteriorate your capacity to make decisions further. It was New Year’s! Not yet really… and it was an office party but still…

“We’re doing—hip!—karaoke! Come!” A hiccuping woman, in a much more grave state than you, grabbed your arm. You were pretty sure it was one of the secretaries but you couldn’t tell, not even squinting your eyes.

The events that followed are one of the most mortifying experiences you have lived and you wish a wizard would come down from the skies and give you a magical object with which you could erase said events from everybody’s memories. Especially James’, who you have been ignoring since then.

“There was something ‘bout you! That made my heart surrender! It’s the same darn thing, something, something surrender,” you ended with an off-key mumble, forgetting the lyrics.

You had pointed! Pointed at James Potter.

James who definitely wasn’t in any need for you to stroke his ego. James Potter whose self-esteem definitely wasn’t a topic he needed to discuss in therapy. James Potter who would show no hesitation in using your little show against you.

To be frank, you had no idea why he hadn’t already started doing exactly just that.

As much a blur as that night had become, the only thing that you could still replay in your mind and in great detail, like under a magnifying glass, was the way he had looked at you. Smug smile, arms crossed, and the promise of future bullying in his eyes. 

If you now have to stare at the grey, metallic wall of the lift until someone comes to your rescue then so be it. 

Ironically, there’s a sign taped to the wall informing about the upcoming halt of all lifts next monday due to an inspection that you can use as a prop and pretend to read.

You make a sound, something in between a question and what you imagine an ant sounds like as they’re about to be stepped on, when he asks his question. You mean to articulate something, but it doesn’t quite come out. You certainly feel as small as an ant.

“You’ve been ignoring me,” he clarifies. “Is it some kind of new year’s resolution?”

You smile despite yourself. “Of course, James. All my new year’s resolutions revolve around you.”

You turn around, leaning back on the wall and swinging one leg about in an ‘I’m so bored, you see?’ way but still not looking up.

“Alright, then. What is it?” He asks.

“Don’t be patronising. It’s not a good look.”

“I’m not. Swear.”

When you look up at him, you’re surprised to see his expression matches yours. You roll your eyes when you look down and see him holding up his pinky finger in sign of a promise. 

Weirdly enough you know he’s being truthful, given he didn’t take the opportunity to respond that ‘every look of his is a good look’.

“Okay, then.” You shrug. “Then it doesn't matter.”

He nods, pursing his lips unconvinced. “Matters to me. Doesn’t make for a good work environment if you can’t even look at me.”

“I am looking at you.”

He scoffs. “Congratulations. First time in this whole week.”

“You’re so insufferable. Anyone ever told you that?”

“I would rather call it persistent.”

“Semantics.” You click your tongue on the roof of your mouth.

“Quite an important branch of—”

“Keep talking, and I’ll start jumping until the lift takes pity on me, gives in, and we both fall to our deaths. I mean it.”

He smiles in the way you only see when he knows he’s managed to get under your skin. The silence that follows bothers you greatly but he navigates it with ease, waiting for something, not concerned in the slightest.

“So…” He starts.

“Oh, bloody hell!”

He laughs, and if your face wasn’t burning in anger you’d have relished in the sound, as you usually do but never admit, not even to yourself. 

“I know it’s about the party.” He shakes his head to emphasise his statement as obvious.

“Great observation, Sherlock. How did you manage that?”

“Then I really don’t get what the big deal is.”

You look straight at him and blinking rigidly, like your eyelids weigh triple what they used to and opening them up again costs you greatly.

“You don’t get,” you grit your teeth, “what the big deal is that I serenaded you, drunk, in front of all our coworkers?” 

You don’t break eye contact even when it becomes almost physically painful.

“And all because I have the most embarrassing crush on you! Yeah.” You turn around mumbling petty insults at him. “You don’t see how that could be a big deal? Bloody hell.”

The chuckle he lets out from the deepest part of him makes your head turn at a neck-break pace. 

If looks could kill and what not.

“Now you’re laughing at me. Very mature.”

“I’m the immature one?” He pretends to be offended, bringing a hand to his chest.

“You always have been, I’m not sure why the surprise.” You try to act nonchalant but the wavering in your voice gives you away.

You begin pressing the lift buttons frantically again. Not because you believe it will actually do anything, but because you don’t think strangling James is the way to get the promotion you so desperately want and have been fighting him over. It’s not a good marketing strategy for yourself either, given he’s quite beloved within the company.

Unfortunately, you understand better than anyone why.

He brings both his hands, intertwined, right before his mouth, like he’s pondering about something; not unlike when you stare from across the office to catch him in between files of paperwork. “This is about to get a whole lot more funny for me.”

Most of the time you understand why all the love, anyway.

Not right now.

“Why on earth,” he starts, bringing his hands up with a big grin on his face, as if to cup your face except he’s a few feet back, “would I take your drunken karaoke show as a serenade specifically dedicated to me?”

A feverish chill makes its way across your whole body; your clothes all of a sudden feel too tight, as does the lift you’re standing on. 

“You’re—” you lick your lips; a nervous tick. “You’re saying you didn’t know.”

“That is exactly what I’m saying.” He snickers. “I must say, I’m extremely fla—”

You huff before he can squeeze another word in. “I don’t like you, James. Matter of fact, I find you quite insufferable; and just because I can’t handle my alcohol and it makes me lower my standards to a degrading point, doesn’t mean that you have me in the palm of your hand. Not by a long shot.”

Your feet have taken you only a few centimeters before him, and you can feel his breath, almost as ragged as yours, tickling you. 

You’re fuming but he finds the whole of it exhilarating, which you can see and it doesn’t help your emotional state at all.

“See, I don’t believe you anymore.” He goes to flick an imaginary something off your shoulder. “I reckon the exact words were—”

“Don’t.” You give him a warning look but he’s too busy examining all your face, except your eyes.

“An embarrassing crush?” He rearranges a strand of hair that falls in your eye and tucks it behind your ear. You wonder if he can tell its temperature it’s at boiling point. “On silly old me?”

“You never shut up,” you barely manage to breathe out but he makes out the words somehow.

“I can be persuaded into it. Definitely.”

Without you realizing it, he’s cornered you into the opposite side of the lift. It’s only when the back of your head hits cold metal that you notice you’ve been walking backwards trying to get away from him.

“Plus, my dilemma is far, far worse, y’know.” He tilts his head down to find your eyes that keep trying to evade him. “I happen to be mortifyingly in love with you.”

He inches his face closer to yours, and your stomach drops. You have to look at the side to make sure it’s not the lift falling down.

“It’s too mortifying to even call it a crush, really,” he whispers with a shrug of his shoulders, before he joins your lips and his.

You don’t have time to process much of anything. Not when he has you like this. 

Your initial reaction is to freeze and you can feel him starting to pull away, thinking maybe he’s misread the situation. 

You reassure him he hasn’t by latching onto his hair to pull him closer if that even is possible. 

“Does that make us even? He whispers into your lips once you pull back to get some air. “Or do I need to jump on my desk and sing you something first thing tomorrow?”

You bite your lip to stop from smiling.

He smiles back. “You know I’ll do it.”

You know he would. Which is why you press your lips to his once more before he can start thinking of his choice of song.

thank you for reading, reblogs and replies are appreciated <3

back to masterlist

[mirkwoodshewolf]

Sweetest treat; Fred Weasley x reader

*Author's note*

Now this was just a sweet little treat (haha see what I did there?) after viewing the James and Oliver Phelps tasting British candy video on youtube. Now as an American I can't describe the taste of the following candies I've done so to any Brit readers out there I apologize and if you want to reach out to me to tell me what these selected candies taste like to you, just give me a shoutout.

Not really any warnings here this is mostly a fluff piece but if I had to have some warnings it would only be mentions of Parental death and past mentionings of Umbridge. Other than that nothing else to be warned about, enjoy my darlings!

Taglist:

@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels

@waddles03

@queen-paladin

@plethora-of-things

@psychosupernatural

@remussl0vers

_____________________________________________________

While it’s always felt like a home at Hogwarts, there’s just no place like home.  Especially when your home is just above a sweetshop just outside of Birmingham but that’s the perks of being a muggle-born witch.  My dad owns the sweetshop, in fact it’s been passed down in his family for nearly a century.  And sure while the Wizarding world has it’s own sweets and treats to thoroughly enjoy, I guess the nostalgia in me just can’t allow any wizard sweets to top the candies I’ve grown up with.

Which is why I always sneak some ‘muggle candy’ with me to Hogwarts every year and when I come home, I pick and choose what I’ll want to take for the next term.  And during the summer, my dad’s shop truly becomes the go-to for kids during the summer holiday which is why I help him out with the shop, especially since mum died last year.

I was currently doing some inventory and writing down what candies we needed to restock when there was a loud thump at the window.  I jumped at the sudden crash since there had been nothing but pure silence since closing up shop.  My dad rushed out from his office frantic and exclaimed.

“What the bloody hell was that?!” I went over to the window and let out a sigh of relief.

“It’s alright dad, it’s just Errol. The Weasley’s owl. Poor old bugger.” I walked outside the shop and knelt down beside him.  He lay there on the cement floor on his back with a letter in his beak.  “I swear Errol you’re hopeless. Nearly gave my dad a heart attack thinking someone was vandalizing the store.” I took the letter out of his beak and he soon recovered squawking.

I held arm out and he perched himself on my forearm and I adjusted him to my shoulder, his wings flapping and ruffing my hair as I went back inside.  I opened up the letter and I smiled warmly.

“Can’t your wizard friends use the phone like everyone else? Or use the normal mailing system?” asked dad.

“I told you dad, this is how the wizarding community sends messages. They forbid muggle means of communication. Kinda old school they are, much like you are with your filing system. I’m surprised you’re not using a computer to keep all the records together.”

“Touche you bring up a good point, darling. So who is it from? That lover boy of yours?” I shushed him and read the letter.

My beloved (Y/n),

I know you said you wouldn’t be able to come over for the yearly Weasley summer getaway, but you never said anything about any of us coming there.  I talked with mum and dad and they’ve allowed me to come and visit you for the week.  Perhaps you could educate me on why you believe your muggle sweets surpass our own (which I’ll still fight you on till my last breath).

And don’t worry, I’ll come the ‘normal muggle way’ don’t want your dad freaking out now do we with the fireplace like last time? Hope to hear back from you soon, it’s been lonely not having you in my arms.

The handsome twin,

Fred W.

P.S. Ignore what he just said and don’t mention this to him but I’m the better looking one and you know it.

From the real handsome twin,

George W.

Oh those boys.  I shook my head and said.

“Hey dad, Fred got his parent’s approval to stay with us for the week, is it okay with you?” dad let out a deep sigh as he put on his thinking face.  “Please, please?”

“I don’t know. Though I approve of you dating I just don’t know how to feel about having your boyfriend stay over.”

“C’mon dad. I promise no hanky-panky. I’ll even get him to help around the shop. No magic I promise.” I crossed my heart swearing by it.  He pondered the idea for a while but he kept his stoic face and that usually meant he could go either way with this decision.

“He takes the guest bedroom. And you two are not allowed to have the door shut when either of you are in a room together.”

“Deal. Oh thank you daddy!” I set Errol down on the checkout desk and ran up to my dad and hugged and kissed him.

“You’re welcome. But I’m trusting you two.”

“We swear, no hanky-panky.” I quickly went upstairs and wrote my response to Fred before sending it off with Errol.  God I hope that bird doesn’t get lost and keep him waiting too long.

A few days went by and as I was ringing up a few customer’s the bell chime over the door signified another costumer.

“Welcome to Nikki’s Candy shop I’ll be right with you. There you are lads, now don’t overdo it less you let your teeth rot.” I told the young boys as I handed them their candy basket and they raced out.  When I turned to the customer who had just entered, I was greeted with a familiar red-haired boy.

“If I didn’t know any better I’d say this was Honeydukes.”

“Well when this shop first opened, my great-great grandfather wanted to make sure that when the customers entered inside it was like entering a magical wonderland of sweets.” I came around the counter before wrapped my arms over Fred’s neck while his hands rested at my waist.  “I missed you.”

“Not as much as I missed you. How is it that you’ve turned me into such a sap?”

“Oh didn’t I tell you that my gran was part bunny? Whoops guess I left that detail out.” We both chuckled before softly kissing each other.  But a throat cleared sounded off behind us and there stood my dad.  Fred and I quickly separated and Fred greeted my dad.

“Hello again Mr. (L/n).”

“Hello Fred. While I don’t mind the fact that you’re dating my daughter, I kindly ask that you both keep your snogging to a minimum especially during business hours. Folks sometimes don’t take kindly to seeing that type of affection be displayed in public, especially in a food shop.”

“Yes sir. (Y/n) mentioned in her letter that you could use some help reshelving some inventory in the back room.”

“Yes, but first have you gotten settled into your room?” one thing about my dad is even when he’s in business mode, he’ll take the time to check up on you to make sure you’re okay.

“Yes sir, trunks all there and everything. And I solemnly swear it is in the guest bedroom you said I could use for the week.”

“Alright. Grab an extra apron just down the hall and get to work. (Y/n), you too. The McCallister’s should be in to pick up their birthday basket any minute now.”

“Got it dad.” He gave us a firm nod and a stern look that told us to not fool around anymore before he left to go back to the office.

“Wow, you were not kidding about your dad.” He whispered lowly.

“He’s had a lot on his plate. Ever since…..” I looked down solemnly.  It hurt that I couldn’t even leave Hogwarts for a few days to go to my mum’s funeral all because of Umbitch.  Fred came over and embraced me as he rubbed my arm comfortingly.  “I’m okay, even though I couldn’t go to the funeral, I at least got to say my goodbyes to her once school let out.”

“She was a nice woman. Her and mum got along fairly well whenever you guys came to join us for Christmas. She knows it wasn’t your fault.”

“I know. But it still hurt that I couldn’t say goodbye to her in her final moments. Epilepsy is rubbish Freddie.”

“I agree love it’s total rubbish.” I felt him kiss the top of my head and it was at that moment the bell chimed signaling the arrival of a costumer.  Quickly I put on a smile and went to greet the woman and gave her the birthday basket and continued to keep myself busy to distract me from my grief.

The work day continued to be busy just as it is every summer’s day but at the stroke of 6 o’clock, we closed up the shop and could finally eat some supper.  Dad and I warmed up some left over chicken and steamed vegetables.  As we all ate around the dinner table my dad said to Fred.

“So Fred, how goes your new shop? (Y/n) told me you boys had recently gotten the deed to the building in that magic corner of yours.”

“Yes sir, all the paperwork was finalized a few weeks ago. Our stocks are currently being madly produced at a good pace. Hopefully we’ll be able to be open for business just before the next term starts.”

“Got all the inspections checked and approved of?”

“Yes and we just completed the design for the front of the shop. It has our faces on it and every other time when the top hat comes up, a rabbit will disappear and reappear.”

“Impressive. Good thing I don’t have to compete with you boys, you’d run me out of house and home.”

“Not a chance Mr. (L/n). Kids still need their sweets.”

“Guys, no business at the dinner table.” I gently reprimanded but it kinda hurt to say that since that’s what mum used to say whenever dad got too deep into the business outside working hours.  He could do whatever he wanted when it came to running the shop after work hours but whenever it was meal time, business needed to stay out of the dining table.

“Sorry poppet.” Dad apologized.

“Sorry love.” Fred replied before we continued eating and discussing things outside of work.  Once we were done with our meal, I gathered up all the dishes and got them cleaned up and set to dry.  As I came back toward the dining room, I saw my dad and Fred shaking hands before he left to head back downstairs to his office.

“What was all that for?” I asked.

“Nothing big. Said that if Georgie and I ever ran into any business trouble whether for contracts or faulty inspections to give him a call. Even though the wizarding community and muggle world is different there is a commonality between the two. And that’s when it comes to starting up a business.” I smiled softly and said.

“C’mon, I think now’s a good a time for your muggle education on candy.”

“Lead the way milady.” I headed lead him towards the guest room and we got him set up and ready for his education.

In the guest room, all of Fred’s stuff was now unpacked and the two of us were in our lounge clothes with sweets both wizard and muggle treats scattered across his bed.

“Now the first lesson of your muggle candy education is the best way to start a conversation when you go to the Underground, mention the price for this guy.” I held up a Freddo caramel bar.

“Freddo the frog?”

“Correct. And what’s cool is he’s like the mascot of Birmingham because this is where his candy originated from the company Cadbury.” I unwrapped the chocolate frog from his wrapper and commented, “Ohh it’s melting already. That makes the caramel inside taste even better. Try it.” I held the Freddo bar out to Fred and he took it.

“I’m kinda left disappointed that he’s not coming to life like our chocolate frogs can.”

“Well not everyone likes live frogs hopping around. And if you were asked to eat one even if it’s chocolate covered most wouldn’t. But I promise you Fred, it’s worth it.” He took a bite and chewed it up before I saw his eyes go wide.  “Didn’t I tell you?”

“That is actually really good. But still not as enjoyable as the classic chocolate frog.” He said holding up the case for it and handed it to me.

“First time you and George tricked me into eating it.”

“I swear never did I think I’d hear someone who could out scream my own mum.” I shoved him with my foot and I opened it up and the magical frog leapt out at me but I grabbed it before it could land on my face and bite it in half.  “But I will admit you are right. The caramel really does compliment the chocolate of this Freddo so that gives him some points for lack of being alive.”

“And I gotta admit, the cards inside really do make the frogs worth stuffing your face for.” After eating the second half of my frog I took out the card and said, “Another Professor Minnie. Best add her to the other 15 I’ve got of her.” Fred finished his Freddo bar and licked his fingers clean.

“As you’ve come to learn and love, there’s nothing better than gambling your friends into eating something revolting or sweet than the Bertie’s Botts every flavour beans.” He held up the box and took his gamble with a bean.  “Huh, earwax. Hadn’t had one of those in years.”

“I still can’t believe that you actually ate a boogey flavor one once.”

“I swear by it. Worse thing I’ve ever tasted.”

“Uh-uh, the worst flavor is vomit.” I disagreed with him.

“I’d take a vomit flavour over a boogey flavor. At least with vomit I’d know it’d taste like what I had just eaten.” I groaned in disgust.

“Why do you have to say stuff like that around me?”

“Because I know it disgusts you and you look cute when you scrunch your face like that.” He teased as he gave my knee a squeeze.  I let out a yelp and quickly covered my mouth.

“Fred Weasley don’t you dare.” I threatened.

“Or what love?” he challenged as he eyed me mischievously  with the smirk.

“I’m not alone this time around.”

“Clever girl.” He released his grip on my knee and I reached out and grabbed the bag of wine gums.

“Now these require a unique taste. My dad really loves them but I can tolerate them occasionally. Wine gums. Got different flavours and sorts and each color represents a different wine brand. But despite their name they don’t actually contain any alcohol. Yellow, orange and brown for rum, black for port, green and beige for cider, and red for claret.”

“Shame that they don’t actually taste like the muggle alcohol they name them after.”

“Yeah well can’t have underaged drinking for kids who eat these. London’s already filled with bad drivers already don’t need them to get any worse, especially if they’ve got the munchies.”

“The what?”

“Nothing, don’t worry about it.” I tore open the bag and took Fred’s hand and poured out a small handful of wine gums into his palm while I grabbed the Bertie’s bean box.  Together both he and I took a bite of a random sweet but I immediately spat it out.  “Ugh gross! Vomit flavour! Fred Weasley I swear if you jinked me to eat a vomit flavour sweet first you’re sleeping on the couch.”

“I am deeply offended that you’d think I’d do such a thing!” he gasped dramatically holding his hand to his chest.  I closed the box and tossed it aside as I grabbed a tea cake and unwrapped it before shoving the whole thing in my mouth.  The marshmallow and chocolate immediately over compassing the vomit taste in my mouth.  “You are an odd one.”

“Odd? You’re the one whose opening the joke shop.” I said through my chewing.

“I thought a lady doesn’t talk with their mouth full?” I wagged my finger at him in disagreement.

“Mmm. I maybe a girl but I am no lady, Umbitch saw to that.” I said after finally swallowing the tea cake.  Fred scooted closer to me taking my left hand and stroked the back of my left hand that once had I MUST ACT LIKE A LADY scarred into my skin.

“I would’ve done far worse to her if I could. George would too.”

“I know you boys would. But no sense in throwing yourselves in Azkaban for my sake.”

“We’d still do it.” I smiled softly and gave the tip of his nose a soft kiss.  “What was that you had just a second ago?”

“A tea cake. Don’t ask why they call it that cause it doesn’t really go with tea nor is it a cake. Best way I can compare it to is they’re like the chocoballs on the trolley. A marshmallow sitting on top of a crisp biscuit and covered in chocolate.” I handed him another tea cake while I grabbed another one.  We both unwrapped our tea cakes and this time I bit into it half way as did Fred.

“Mmm that is good.” He said through his chewing.

“My mum always made the best ones. She even knicked a recipe from my aunt in America where instead of a marshmallow my aunt uses blended oreos.”

“Now that is something I’d like to try. Think you’d be able to make some?”

“Don’t you remember the last time I got near a stove at your house?”

“Right yeah. At least mum didn’t blow her top off knowing it was you. Had it been either Georgie or I we’d be six feet under.”

“Now for this last sweet treat, I want you to do something for me first.”

“And what might that be?”

“Close your eyes.”

“The last time someone asked me to do that, I ended up being shoved into a closet with a dungbomb.”

“Yeah well I’m not Lee. Just trust me on this babe.” He looked at me but with one loving gaze up at him, I knew I had him at the palm of my hand.  He closed his eyes and I took the Cadbury dairy milk bar and unwrapped it.  “Open your mouth.” I told him and he opened his mouth letting out an ‘ahhh’ to which I rolled my eyes playfully and placed the bar in his mouth.

He then began chewing the chocolate bar the second he felt it on his tongue.  His eyes opened wide for a second as his facial expression turned to pure satisfaction and he let out a loud moan.

“Oh Godric…..”

“I told you. Cadbury is the best chocolate in the world. Eating these bars really make me feel like a kid again. Pre-Hogwarts days.” I took a bar for myself and unwrapped it and placed it between my teeth.  I then felt Fred’s fingers underneath my chin and he turned me to face him.  Keeping hold of my chin between his fingers, he leaned right into my face taking the other half of my bar between his teeth and snapped it in half before eating his half of my chocolate bar.

I let out a small squeak and actually dropped my half of the bar and even though my heart was racing at what he had just done and my cheeks were probably as red as the Gryffindor colors I snapped at him.

“Fredick Gideon Weasley, how dare you—” he cut me off with a kiss.  His hand that held my chin now moved to the back of my neck gently stroking or rubbing certain spots that made me weak in the knees.  With one pressure point he knew that would get me to open my mouth, his tongue soon slipped into my mouth and our tongues soon danced with each other.

After our intense snogging and the desperate need for air became too great, Fred separated from me, the two of us panting softly and he licked his lips.

“Now that was by far the sweetest treat I’ve had.” I snorted softly as I shook my head at him.

“I really have turned you into a softie.”

“If you tell anyone, I’ll deny it.”

“Everyone but George. He’s always going on how you’re whipped for me.”

“I swear he’s a liar. In fact did you know that it was actually him that switched your muggle marshmallows with that canary cream?”

“He didn’t.” I said exasperatedly.

“Oh yes, saw him do it with my own eyes.”

“And you didn’t think to try and warn me about it?” I asked backing out of his arms and crossed my arms over my chest.  Fred then began stammering out an excuse while I arched my brow at him.

“You’ve got to admit it, you did sound adorable making those canary sounds.” I didn’t flinch.  “I’m going to be sleeping on the couch as you once said, aren’t I?”

“I might be able to overlook this matter, if you help me come up with a revenge prank on him.”

“Did I tell you how much I love you?”

“Not nearly enough.” I said with a shrug.

“Then I’ve got a whole week to not only say it repetitively, but also might have some ideas you can pull on Georgie the next time you’re around.” He pulled me back into his lap and captured my lips in a softer, more loving kiss.  “We were truly made for each other.” He whispered against my lips.

“Like chocolate and caramel.” I whispered back before leaning back and deepening our kiss once again.

[communistkenobi]

ok my brother and I rewatched all the mission impossible movies and our new ranking is

1 > 4 > 7 > 2 > 5 > 6 > 3

2 is a lot more fun and good than I remember it being on first watch, and 5 was way more mid. Honestly 4 could take the top spot despite Jeremy Renner being in that one. There are a lot of fun physical props and gadgets and doohickeys in 4, and there’s a specific type of whimsy to the direction style that’s not in any of the other ones. You can tell the director had only worked on animated movies prior to MI4, there’s a specific type of fixation on small props and their specific trajectories and positions throughout each scene that is hard to describe but reminds me of how animated movies tend to be shot. Like there is a physical awareness of objects in space that makes sense for an animated director to have a preoccupation towards, and I think he pretty effectively translates those preoccupations to live action.

the first one has the Hollywood 90s charm, which is just firmly lodged in history now, like we are not getting that type of movie back probably because of 9/11. I kind of don’t really have anything to say about it other than it’s straightforwardly good and has some very funny horror-movie-style dutch angle shots in them. De Palma also uses split diopter shots a lot in that film, which I didn’t know much about but is basically when you split the lens of a camera to get two distinct focal lengths in a shot, but at the cost of essentially having a blurry line down the middle of the shot. It makes me wonder if that’s part of why they made the room Tom Cruise wires into all white, because they use a lot of split diopter shots in that scene and the white would conceal the middle blur well. Anywayyyy

MI2 is an undeniably John Woo movie, complete with motorcycle jousting and insane combat stunts, and also captures a bit of that same 90s charm. Also kinda don’t have a lot to say about this one. Nyah is definitely one of the best female leads in the series though, her actor is soooo good in this movie. Shame she never came back MI7 is also a pretty fun movie, you have now-geriatric Tom Cruise driving a motorbike off a cliff and fun car chase scenes. He is really hot in this movie also. And “evil AI that takes over the world” is such an awesome stupid action movie plot, especially because it’s not tied to the more rancid tendencies some of the other films have (eg with 6 explicitly being about an anarchist who wants to nuke the world after defecting from his country’s government, etc). Like it’s goofy enough to easily shut your brain off to and accept.

6 and 3 are arguably the worst, with 3 edging out the bottom spot because of the amount of heterosexuality in that one. It’s not at the level of the spn blurrywife, but it’s close enough that Julia (Ethan’s wife) can easily be categorised as a blurrywife, just a smear on the camera meant to move the hero along and then scream and cry when she gets captured (although Tom Cruise is very good at screaming and crying on camera). This is also the beginning of where they tank Luther’s character, he used to be this Gucci-wearing hacking wizard guy and by the end of the series he’s just like a guy who’s on the computer. Like after the third movie we don’t get a line from Luther anywhere as fun or charming as “that punk put a hole in my Versace!” Simon Pegg is fine. I have no thoughts about him at all, he’s the comic relief and that’s as deep as it goes.

6’s plot is hard to stomach, it has fairly poor pacing, and they basically waste the HALO dive too early in the film, so there’s not really any big tension/plot stakes associated with it. The final act is extremely good though, and upon rewatch I like Henry Cavill’s acting a lot more, which is why I think it should be ranked above 3. Also 3 has like no stunts basically ! It’s so generic.

what is funny is that MI tends to become more “interconnected” as time goes on wrt returning cast members, but it’s mostly only dudes with like one or two exceptions, so there’s the funny undercurrent of like misogynistic disposability of women leading to intense homosocial bonds between men because they’re the only constant in the story. Like it’s Ethan Benji and Luther and that’s mostly it, just three dudes having fun. Unfortunately the dialogue/banter writing between them tends to be quite mid-to-bad in these movies, so they essentially are just really long time coworkers who constantly almost die in front of one another.

I don’t think there’s a bad performance from Tom Cruise in these though. He says a lot of dumb lines and does stupid plot bullshit but he manages to make it work basically every time. He seems to have pretty good chemistry with most of the female leads as well, which is the only time where there’s interesting verbal sparring/flirting/characterological tension in scenes. And then obviously he does all those insane stunts, which is a significant part of how much we enjoyed these films. I quite like the way he portrays Ethan during them too, as like this dude who is perpetually pushed to the brink to do insane impossible shit and is basically always having a bad day because of it. it gives the character a really nice human grounding and makes the stunts feel more believable because the character doing them is having the worst day of his life the entire time. He also frequently fucks up, falls, misses ledges, gets hit and almost dies, smacked around, etc. very fun to watch, great balance of cool action hero and guy who gets the shit kicked out of him for a living

anyway these are really fun movies. I feel like if you needed to fill a weeks worth of movie nights with friends these would be really fun to watch. I had a great time yelling at the screen with my brother. A very fun drinking game also is taking a shot whenever Tom Cruise starts running in a scene. That dude is just fucking zipping around everywhere, it made me realise how rare it is to see actors run in films because he does it fucking constantly. And like not short shots either, there are takes where he’s running continually at full speed for like 45 unbroken seconds. I know also from watching some behind the scenes videos about how they did some of the stunts that he always does like 10 takes for action sequences so he’s running an absolute shitload. Anyway these movies are good

[genericpuff]

re: your tags on the rowling / musk post, specifically villains on saturday morning cartoons > wondering why we hate those who emulate it

idk if you ever played toontown, but i’ll always find it hilarious that disney released a game all about fighting big corporations from taking over small businesses, where the enemies (aka cogs (in the machine)) are all named after idioms / insults for types of corp employees (i.e. pencil pusher, ambulance chaser, big wig, loan shark, cold caller); esp considering disney is the Perfect example of the types of corporations that the game teaches you are evil and soulless. honestly, it’s a game i hold near and dear to my heart, and i recommend trying out toontown rewritten if you ever feel like it

i have NOT played toontown but i remember seeing the commercials for it all the time at like, the end of DVD's n junk and REALLY WANTING TO PLAY IT but ofc we didn't have a computer most of the time growing up and when we did it was hooked up with dial-up that my parents always got really clutchy over (idk if this was just a circumstance of the time period but like. did anyone else have a parent who acted like it was a life-or-death scenario if they missed even a single phone call ??? because my folks definitely did LOL) so something like toontown was just not in the cards LOL but I didn't know Toontown Rewritten was a thing so... maybe it's time for me to make another one of my childhood self's dreams come true (´｡• ᵕ •｡`) ♡

but that is really ironic, it's wild (and sad honestly) how so many accomplished writers and creators can become disconnected from what they originally represented and wrote about through... the disillusionment of fame and wealth i guess ??? or maybe it was just mold on the walls the whole time ?? 💀😆 i mean shit even rowling herself told a story about a boy literally living in the closet who finally escaped and went on to fight against an organization of literal fucking wizard nazi's, and yet now she seemingly missed the entire point of why kids resonated with her books so much and why they saw it as an inspiring message of hope and acceptance and love and persevering and standing up against literal fucking fascism ??? hello ???

actually there was a great video i watched a while ago about how despite the messages we took away from those books growing up, the HP books were also completely manufactured through the lens of capitalism, like not just as a franchise but on a narrative level. def give it a watch because it really kinda blew my mind and opened up a whole new perspective on the series for me LOL

[asegunda]

Waiting Room

Pairing: (Platonic but you can view how you like, but it's better platonic because there is a mention of Annabeth) Percy Jackson x Clearsighted! Mortal! GN! Reader.

Summary: Percy goes to therapy (🥳🥳), in the waiting room he meets someone a bit...different from the normal mortals.

Warnings: Swearing. And that's just it I guess? Ohh I almost forgot it has a mention of Gabe. (🤢)

Notes: Okay I don't know how hospitals and medical services work really well in other countries. But in mine this is how private hospitals work in Portugal. So this is just how I know. 😭😭😭 And hope you all like it! (And my Clarisse work was on fire, really happy!)

1.

Percy gets out of the car with Paul driving and Sally sitting on his side.

"Do you need for us to enter with you honey?" Sally asks smiling.

"Nah, it's okay mom." He kisses her cheek and waves at Paul.

"See you at home." Paul nods and waves back, Sally looks at him until he passes the door of the hospital entrance.

She relaxes as he does so.

"You need to relax." Paul says as he starts driving, after he tells her that he turns on the radio.

Sally nods. "You're right." She says and holds his hand that isn't in the steering wheel.

2.

Percy enters and goes to the balcony.

He waits for the register to even look at him, she is making gum balls and looking at a magazine, after he coughs to get her attention she looks at him, her ball gum going to her red lipstick lips in suprise.

"Hello there." Percy says as she looks at him. "I have a session with Doctor Brenner." She looks at her computer, he hears the sound of the offline 'Dino Game', but he hopes he is becoming deaf instead of that.

He coughs again.

"Oh yeah, I'm sorry." She makes a forced smile with full teeth, wich has some of the red lipstick she is using. He makes a mental note to not say anything about it.

"So here it is." She talks to herself in the computer and points at the customer service password machine.

He goes and takes one: 'A458'.

'I hope that is good.' He thinks. She coughs at him to get his attention. He suddently feels the pressure to yell to all the people that she has lipstick in her teeth, but he doesn't.

"Yes?" He tries to make a smile.

"Doctor Brenner has a lot of people today, so the wait may be longer than the normal." She says now really playing the 'Dino Game' as he can see trough the reflection in her eyes.

"Thank you." He says, not very thankfull.

He goes sit in the waiting room, looking at the sides. The girl was right it is kind of full today, and isn't just because of the therapy sessions.

He goes sit at the place who has less people, a person reading a book, a mom who looks tired of life with two kids (he can tell that they are twins), and and emo kid in the corner who looks like could pull his phone out of his pocket and the people in there would think it is an AK-47. He sits beside the person reading the book. He waits for his time and looks at the TV who says the customers password. He sees that it is in the Q457 and W231. He has no idea if that is good, but it doesn't look like it, because he is A and it is in Q and W now?

"They are random." He hears the person next to him say. He looks at you as you look at him too.

"...What?" He asks suprised.

"The numbers...you were looking at them right?" You ask.

"Yeah I was." He makes a embarassed smile. "I was just suprised that you knew."

You shrugh your shoulders, now closing the book putting the marker in it.

"You were looking at the TV like an idiot." You smirk. "It was likely to knew." He smirks back.

"Very funny." Percy says mockingly.

"Thank you." You say and continue. "So what brings you here? I never seen you here before. Not that matter of course."

Percy thinks of it for a minute but he decides to tell. "Therapist." He says and looks at you.

"Doctor Brenner right?" You ask smiling.

"How did you know?" He asks again suprised.

"Wow, for you I must look like a wizard or something like that." You chuckle and tell him."I'm going to the therapist too."

"Oh." Percy says.

"Oh." You say mockingly but smiling.

"Soooo..is Doctor Brenner good or..?" Percy asks.

"He is." You say. "5 stars, I recommend." Percy chuckles with that.

"So sorry to ask. If you don't feel okay to answer I understand. Since we met now and whatever." You say. "But is there a specific reason you need a therapist?"

'Lots of them.' He thinks.

"Nope. Just a shitty ex-stepfather." He says and you nod.

'Hey, I'm not lying at least.' He thinks again.

"I see." You say and sigh.

"You seem disapointed." He says.

"It's not that." You pause for a moment. "It's just that...my reason to be here is kind of...rare."

Percy nods. "Can you tell me what it is?" You nod. "Yes, it's only fair...you answered my question." You pause again and sigh.

"I see things that other people can't." You tell.

Percy thinks for a moment. "So...you're schizophrenic?" He asks and as he sees you become tense he adds.

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean to be rude."

"I understand." You say and make a small smile to him. "And no I'm not schizophrenic...I don't know what I suffer with." You add and he can see your hand tremble. "They are there for me, and not for others, I don't know why." You say.

"Did you already made the tests to see what you have...?" Percy tells carefully.

"Yes...and nothing, it looks like it's rare, I don't hear voices, nothing! Just see strange things." You say looking at your lap as another man enters our section of the waiting room and sits besides the emo kid, the man looks at the kid and almost jumps in suprise as the kid takes a book from his bag, after that he goes sit across one of the twins.

Percy and you almost die in laughter but after some seconds it finishes and you say again.

"Doctor Brenner says that maybe it's because of stress. But I don't know." You sigh and Percy looks at you sadly.

"Well, what strange things you see?" He asks.

"Okay, it is really strange so don't alarmed." You sigh.

"I won't. Can't you see that we are at the hospital?" You two chuckle again.

"Okay.." You sigh again. "Flying horses, with wings... And giants with one eye and sometimes...I see people with swords and strange weapons." You look at him carefully.

"Wow." He says, he didn't expect to meet a clearsighted mortal right now, but here you are. He thought of his mom and Rachel and how they must have suffered when they didn't know of the godly world..like you.

"Wow." You repeat, this time not mocking. "I feel like I'm crazy, more than the emo kid." The emo kid looks at you and you wave nervous, and mutter a sorry.

'If Nico was here.' Percy thinks and chuckles to himself.

"Well, it might sound suprising but I know some people with the same condition as you..." He smiles.

"Really?!" You smile with full teeth. "OMG, I could kiss you right now!" You look at your hands still smiling.

"No thank you, I have a girlfriend." He smirks.

"Shut up and give me they're contact." You smile at him.

"Ouch, but okay." He gives you his mom and Rachel contact, writing on a paper. "Wow, one of your friend name is Red? Kind of cool."

He tries not to laugh. "Noo, it's Rachel Elizabeth Dare: R.E.D."

You nod. "That makes more sense."

And then Percy remembers something. "I don't know your name."

"Neither do I know yours." You smirk.

"Okay then. I'm Percy." He smiles at you.

"Hello, Percy. I'm Y/N." You shake his hand and smile aswell.

"Can I ask you something?" You tell.

Percy nods. "Well is Percy a nickname or your real name, because the only Percy I can think of is Percy Weasley form Harry Potter." You chuckle.

"It's a nickname, but it's what everyone calls me." He tells you.

"Why? Is your name that bad." You ask.

"I don't know, tell me you that." He pauses for a moment and tries not to laugh, he take your hand again and shakes it. "Hello Y/N. I'm Perseus."

You look at him suprised. "Percy it is then." You laugh at his face and then the TV makes a sound and shows 'A458: room 23.' Percy smirks and gets up.

"How the hell is yours first than mine." You hiss.

"No idea." Percy shrughs his shoulders. "But it's not like you are going to need it again." He points at the paper with the numbers and you smile.

"Right..." You get up and hug him. "Thanks again." You sit again and open your book.

He smiles to you one last time and goes to his designed room.

3.

After you're own session you go out of the hospital and wait for your parent at the entrance, while you are waiting you see a car pass by you. Percy is in there with an older woman and man, maybe his mom and another stepfather that isn't shitty? You shrugh and look at what he has in hand. A sword.

You look at him and he looks at you

trought the window, he looks at you with a smirk and you look back angry.

The car goes away and you yell at it.

"Fuck you." You sound angry but you have a smirk in your face.

[christinesficrecs]

I love ALL of these fics but if they are a bit "too classic" for you, definitely read Mating Habits and The Dating Game. 🩷

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In Which Stiles: is accosted by unhappy witches, becomes friends with fire demons, is rescued by darkly handsome wizards, discovers hidden inner depths, is introduced to princes, and finds true love. Though not necessarily in that order.

And Dwell Beneath My Shadow by  lielabell | 8.6K

Derek is not stupid. He gets why Stiles puts up with him. It’s clear every time Stiles looks at him, the spicy scent of lust and arousal Stiles’s body can’t help but put off. It doesn’t surprise him. Not at all. Derek knows what he looks like, knows that his face and his body are more than enough to compensate for his shitty personality. Stiles wants him more than he is annoyed by him. Nothing more, nothing less. It’s not anything to be amazed over, nothing to write home about. Stiles isn’t the first– and most likely won’t be the last– hormone soaked teen who has panted over Derek.

Good Intent by lielabell | 4.4K | Mature

It’s dark out, no moon tonight. Just clouds and a bitter, cold wind that rips right through you as you move from shadow to shadow. You’re hunting, because you are always hunting, and tonight’s prey is the best kind: not too smart, not too old, and worth enough to keep you in the black for the better part of a year.

Nine Times Out Of Ten by lielabell | 4.6K | Explicit

Nine times out of ten, Stiles is the one being pushed back on the bed with his head tilted back to expose his neck. Nine times out of ten, Stiles's legs are the ones that are spread, his hands are the ones that grip the sheets. Nine times out of ten, Stiles gasps and moans and arches up into Derek's touch, Stiles's thighs grip at Derek's hips; Stiles’s feet lock together behind Derek's back. Nine times out of ten, Stiles takes and takes and takes and loves every single second of it.

But the tenth time . . .

The tenth time is different.

Mating Habits of the Domesticated North American Werewolf by lielabell | 35.4K | Mature

Derek doesn’t do pining. He doesn’t. So when it becomes clear that Stiles is much more interested in having Derek as a new best friend than a boyfriend, he puts on his big boy pants and makes it fucking work. He becomes the best goddamn friend a spastic teenager could ever hope to have.

The Dating Game by lielabell | 4.5K | Mature

Derek doesn't exactly understand how he ended up as a contestant on a dating show. He knows that it started with a lot of whiskey and a late night phone call to his sister and mockery. Lots and lots of mockery, because Laura never lets anything go, no matter how old she gets.

In Word and in Deed by lielabell | 7.7K | Explicit

Stiles has stopped saying "I love you." Derek wants to know why.

I Like My Coffee Like I Like My Men by lielabell | 2K

Seriously, sometimes Stiles thinks that the man is a plant by the owner, who is a hippie, through and through, but just business savvy enough to pay someone hot to sit on the premises and brood up a storm like a modern day James Dean, clicking away at his computer in his leather jacket with that pensive look on his face.

Upon My Skin by lielabell | 6.2K | Mature

"I smell blood." Derek draws in a breath through his nose, frowning like it's going out of style. "And ink and--" his voice trails off and his eyes widen slightly. "Let me see it," he demands, crossing the space between them and tugging at the hem of Stiles's shirt.

[natequarter]

for blorbos: sarah and nat!

somewhere along the way, i have become obsessed. and horny. she's The Worst and i love her sooo much. manic pixie nightmare boyfriend who breaks into any locked place and cannot stop herself from driving people to the point of breakdown

man, i feel so bad for nat. she reminds me a lot of leela in gallifrey: literally constantly having the worst time ever at the hands of a former companion. unlike leela, however, i really enjoy hurting her more. she deserves better, but she's stuck with me </3. also, she's a really good character? it was hard to express that nuance with the options i have here but like, she's incredibly clever, she's a wizard with computers, her disability actually has an impact on her narrative, her friendship with josh is so sweet and i'm in awe of how she's played. wasn't quite able to get how i picture her, but i think it comes off more or less as i intended it to: "looks suspiciously like sarah"

(link)

[strawberrybyers]

okay so after that video was posted of the screams at the radio station, i remembered i wanted to look up info on what these episode titles mean and i think it gives some insight as to what the hell is going on at that radio station. so yeah let’s get into it 👇

first things first: the episode titles of the first 6 episodes has been released via jeff sneider. apparently sneider is an award-winning film critic so idk i imagine this would be legit considering he wouldn’t want to lose his credibility considering his status?? but who knows

episode 1: the crawl ( i wrote about this episode when they first announced the title)

episode 2: the vanishing of ***** wheeler (personally i think it’s karen going missing. it just makes so much sense to me. she had her own poster for s4. she has had contact with the mindflayer when she tried to have an affair with billy when he was a host. there’s interesting parallels between karen and the creel family. like karen is going missing i just know it. and nancy also said in s4 that something happened to her mom in one of the visions vecna showed her!)

episode 3: the turbow trap (ok so apparently a turbo trap is an acoustic tool?? so my assumption after reading up on it, is that a turbo trap basically absorbs the bass through the tube of it because there is a hole on the top of it and depending on the size of hole, dictates the air flow which then puts out a certain frequency. basically, the more air a turbo trap can “trap”, the lower the frequency it can reach. i imagine they are going to be creating a big turbo trap involving music and/or sound since that is a deterrent for vecna and it also attracts the demo bats?? and they’re also filming at the radio station a lot and radio stations are frequencies (think FM and AM radio stations you go to to listen to music or the news or whatever))

episode 4: the sorcerer (i mean my immediate thoughts went to el, but then after reading some D&D lore about the connection a sorcerer has with dragons (imagery/mentions of dragons throughout the seasons and the painting was of the party up against a dragon), a possible touch of a demon (vecna/mindflayer), and the mention of how they’re competitive to the usefulness of wizards (will the wise) in a party… i’m like holy shit is the sorcerer potentially WILL????? like will finally evolves to becoming a sorcerer in s5?? or the sorcerer is el and will remains the wizard and we get the super duo willel???)

episode 5: shock jock (this is the definition of a shock jock. i’m thinking which character would fit this description and i say it’s murray. that would also make sense as to why he’s filmed there at the radio station. remember murray’s character was introduced as someone who was investigating the russians and the lab and all that, so for him to start a radio station being the “humorous, controversial guy” in all this mess makes 100% of sense to me lmao)

episode 6: escape from camazotz (i feel like this title gives some insight as to what the hell was going on in the new footage of screaming at the radio station. a camazotz is basically a death bat. i assume it’s the demo bats making a comeback from s4. but here’s the thing: a camazotz is described in one description from some computer game to have a very specific screech. if this screech, hits an enemy god then the sound wave will echo. just think back to the explanation of the turbo trap and what that does. so yeah, i think camazotz are at the radio station and the screeching was THEM. the screams sounded so chilling thinking it was steve or someone else, but i don’t think it was human screams! i think they were demo bat screeches 😎 also, steve was attacked by one of these things so idk does he have some connection with them now and that’s why they’re after him???)

[memento-morri-writes]

story base idea tag

Jumping on an open tag by @tc-doherty to share the original base ideas for my WIPs!! (I'll get back to you someday, I promise.)

All the Queen's Horses: Started with me coming up with Fallon's character, and then deciding that I wanted to write a romance-focused story that would actually appeal to me.

Call of Shadows: Came to me one weekend while at my family's cottage. I don't remember the exact point of inspiration, but I've had a long-standing love of thief characters and also of "dark" or shadow magic, so that probably was the starting point.

High Fantasy WIP: Really just me thinking "I want to write the dnd-inspired fantasy novel of my dreams". I introduced its vibes as "Six of Crows meets D&D", and that is the eventual goal, even though the story doesn't even really have much of a plot or characters yet. The Narrator specifically was inspired by the Bartimaeus Trilogy and the Nevernight Chronicles.

Runaway Prince WIP: No idea where it came from, but the base idea was just "prince runs away, followed by his incredibly devoted bodyguard and accidentally ends up on a pirate ship". Looking back on it, the vibes for the Prince/Bodyguard relationship was probably indirectly inspired by Locke and Jean from The Lies of Locke Lamora.

Political Fantasy WIP: Also don't know where this one came from, tbh. But political scheming with a side of romance is the goal! (I think I just really wanted to write scheming, hahaha.)

Supernatural Roadtrip WIP: I was going back through the mess of my computer's hard drive and came across these picrews, and things spiraled from there.

Warforged WIP: A dnd character concept that I will probably never get to write. Weirdly has pretty strong Murderbot Diaries vibes for having originated before I even knew what Murderbot was.

Divinity WIP: Me finishing Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous and thinking about how fucked it is that my character is basically an immortal angel now, when all her (extremely short-lived, even for a mortal) partner wanted was to live a normal life. (Also the game's secret ending where your character can essentially become a god.)

Tagging @space-writes @akindofmagictoo and @transmasc-wizard bc I'm curious about your starting points, but also making this an open tag!

[aviculor]

Design Notes: Faecilian and Sorcilian

I wanted to make caecilian fakemon for a long time because they are among my favorite animals. Technically I already have one, but it evolves into a different animal and that's like saying Mudbray is adequate representation for donkey lovers. I had to do it right for my own sake.

Fairy/Ground is an unused type combination, and the last one that I personally did not use. The typing was where the concept sprang forth from.

I struggled with doing these since *checks notes* July of 2023. I've had a lot going on, especially in terms of gout compromising the hand motions I've been using to sprite for well over a decade. Maybe my new medication is working, maybe I bought a computer mouse so I can avoid using my left hand entirely.

I've also been fighting concerns it wasn't original enough, especially since this isn't even my only serpentine fakemon holding a magic scepter. I almost scrapped the idea when I realized one of my friends made an olm wizard, but the two ended up being very different. I'm glad I went through with this, even if it took a long time to get done. My biggest motivation was getting another idea that got more traction than usual when I floated it on here. To do that, I had to get these done first.

The idea is a magical girl that grows up to become a sorceress. It's the same sort of narrative-focused evolution that you see with Crabrawler -> Crabominable.

Imagery of a snake(-like creature) wrapped around a staff evokes the Rod of Asclepius, a symbol of healing. Which I've mentioned before with my Guinea worm fakemon Sourpent.

The pigtails are not just a piece of visual flair since Faecilian is a magical girl, but also a subtle nod to the retractable sensory tentacles that caecilians have. My original plan was to make Sorcilian's pigtails be in the same spot as the tentacles like a mustache, but that clashed with how feminine Faecilian presents. There's already a distinct aesthetic departure as-is.

The brim of Sorcilian's hat is meant to evoke a stereotypical fortune teller's turban and a blindfold. Caecilians range from blind to nearly-blind (the name literally means "blind ones"), so Sorcilian is a blind seer.

A last-minute addition to Sorcilian's design was a heart-shaped pendant on the staff as a small visual link to Faecilian's wand.

The wavy wings on Faecilians's wand and the cloth wrapping on Sorcilian's staff evoke the shed skin a Typhlonectes will leave on a piece of wood. This is something you'd only get if you had pet ones like I do.

Spriting 5-pointed stars on that scale is a pain in the ass. The moons aren't a prize either. I wanted to fit a sun in there but that proved outright impossible. But I guess the patterns evoking a night sky specifically does fit with the nocturnal, secretive nature of caecilians.

[mananabuffins]

One time I was out on a walk, smoking weed & listening to an audiobook, and it was about this guy who discovered life was a simulation that can be hacked with computers, and he ends up going back in time to become a wizard because Plot Reasons, and meets other wizards who discovered the same thing. And so he gets Wizard Training which is honestly just like, a crash course on making macros in the command line console to make flashy shit happen. And he shows him a few basic 'spells', like copy/pasting objects, flight, teleportation.

Yeah but so then he showed him how to delete objects and the main character is like, "haha what if i used this on you?" and his mentor looks him dead in the eyes and is like

I have just given you the power to delete anything and anyone who stands in your way, with no trace. No one knows you're here. No one knows you can do this. No one can track you down. You could wipe me off the face of the earth and there would be no evidence; All that stands between you and supreme cosmic power is a literal button press away.

anyway i went inside and hugged my parents dog and cried because I kept imagining if someone had hit delete on her

[gabessquishytum]

Dream's a software developer (I could see either as an architect for that large-scale view mentality or as the Senior level dev that keeps getting asked to move into management type positions and just straight up refuses because he's been doing code happily for the past fifteen years and doesn't plan on changing that now).

He enjoys his job enough. He likes computers and code. It functions exactly as told (for better or worse) and appreciates the straightforwardness of it all. He's a bit insufferable to work with, but if you have an issue, he'll readily help (just be prepares for critiques on your code in the process).

Hob works at the same company as Dream, but as a front-end dev. The work he does for his day job is kinda boring. All standard corporate style web design. No fancy scripts or fun colors. But in his spare time, he weaves Javascript and CSS like a wizard and creates magical, animated scenes across the page. Would it be easier to just make a video and play it on the page instead? Sure, but where's the fun in that?

Dream and Hob get paired together on a small side project for work. Hob does the front-end work, Dream does the back-end. They get on each other's nerves at first, until Dream spots Hob tinkering with his personal code on their lunch break and is honestly a bit in awe. He's found code beautiful in its own right (the way one appreciates a well-oiled machine) but he's never seen it wielded in such a fashion before. This is the moment he falls just a little bit (read: a lotta bit) in love with Hob. He was already starting to fall for that endless charm and wit of his anyways.

The company hits the first quarter of the New Year and with it come layoffs. Hob gets fired along with some other devs from Dream's same team (a younger pair of devs: Matthew and Jessamy). A fellow named Will comes along to help Dream finish the project in Hob's stead and Dream hates every moment of it. He misses Hob, more than he ever thought he would.

So, in an impulsive rush of anger and longing, he quits the company because how dare it toss someone as good as Hob Gadling out the door without a thought? He's halfway to the café he and Hob had started frequenting together when he realizes that he's just thrown away a career fifteen years in the making. But when he finally gets to the café and sees Hob tapping away on his laptop, he knows he's made the right choice.

Dream slides into the seat across from him and proposes that they build something wonderful together. So they create a small business of their own. They become a freelance web dev team (and steal Jessamy and Matthew as well) and with their skills combined, they take off. It's not huge, but for their size, they're incredibly popular. And Dream's certain he's never enjoyed his work more than when he's working beside Hob.

Later on, Hob proposes to Dream via a custom website with the most beautiful web animations he's ever seen before. And of course, he says yes.

(If you're curious about what inspired this, here's the website: http://www.species-in-pieces.com)

This is such a good concept for a story!!! I really really love aus where Dream and Hob are coworkers. Dream being the grumpy, awkward guy who hides behind his coffee mug while Hob is the popular, chatty one who tries to get Dream involved in fun office activities or socialising after work - it makes so much sense to me.

And Dream quitting his long-term dream job because he's mad that genuinely talented people have been laid off? I love it. Dream just has this inate appreciation for hard work and good art, and that's exactly what Hob (and Jessamy and Matthew) do. How dare the stupid company not understand that they're firing people who deserve to thrive and grow in an environment which actually appreciates them? Everyone is shocked that Dream has quit (not only that, he sends around an email to everyone in the company from the ceo all the way down to the work experience guy, outlining exactly why he quit) because he seemed to be the type to play by the rules and never leave his comfort zone. Apparently, Hob has really helped him bloom into a much more confident person, able to express his principles and strive for better.

And Hob isn't surprised, because he always knew that Dream had the courage, talent and ambition to strike out on his own. Maybe he just needed a bit of love and understanding. Which Hob is only too happy to provide.

Their work together sometimes involves long hours and stress, but Dream wouldn't ever want to go back to the slightly soulless corporation where he used to be. Even if he's tired and a little frustrated by Hob’s disorganised workspace, Dream is perfectly content. There's nothing better than curling up in Hob’s lap while he taps away on a line of code. Plus, he has a great time building their wedding website. Hob got to propose, so Dream gets to celebrate their upcoming marriage with his own expression of love through code. The theme colours are, of course, black and red <3

[rowansender]

Man, writing general intro stuff is poison to my brain. I feel like I have this one chance to sell the vibe of the game, and I can’t quite get it to feel right in about four paragraphs. I don’t really like either of them. The first is too conversational and I accidentally wrote it in second person. The other one is clinical and has no flavor.

Idk man this is really the worst parts of projects for me.

——

You are a wizard with a day job. The world is mostly mundane. You go to work, you eat, you sleep. And that’s how most people around you live as well. But every so often, when the stars align, some odd shit happens and someone needs 2-4 wizards to come fix it.

Your wizard is a normal person. They have about as much magic skill as the average office worker has tech skill. It’s enough to get by and do their job, and if they were ambitious they should probably learn more, but they���re not experts.

You work along side orcs and dragonlings who are in about the same boat as you. They come in, sit at their desk for a few hours, use the company issued wand-o-sorting to file some documents so they look busy, and then they go home.

On your walk home, you pass by food carts wheeled by hulking stone constructs, willed to life by the mana stone in their chest. The cobblestone streets and old stone fortress walls around your neighborhood are looking rough these days, covered in graffiti. You swear you voted on some ordinance or another that was supposed to clean that up.

You get to your tower. Your apartment is on the fifth floor. If you got a unit in one of the new mage-bound buildings it would be cheaper, but you’d have to walk up 30 stories. Not worth it.

But it’s the weekend. Your crew is probably already waiting. The adventure boards have been busy lately. You decided on the old count with the vampire bat problem last night, hopefully the port stones will be loaded already so you can leave right away.

——————

In Weekend Wizards you play as career wizards who have taken up adventuring on the weekends as a hobby. The world is a semi-modern fantasy where people commonly learn magic as a part of their careers. These work wizards might be trained in magic as it relates to their job, but few people ever pursue the practice far enough to be considered an Arch mage: a person who has a wholistic mastery of magic. They act as the bulk of the workforce; from doctors down to laborers, almost everyone is trained in at least some magic for their job. Jobs that use magic more in their day-to-day have greater mana reserves, but no job is innately better at magic. Waiters, truck drivers, office workers, ecologists are all wizards with their own expertise and abilities.

The world is a medieval fantasy that has progressed to the level of technology of early analogue computing. Through magic, tech wizards construct Ley networks and rudimentary logic systems out of enchantments. Orbs are user interfaces and runestones are payphones. Bustling towns are built inside of stone walled keeps and enchanted forests may be just a day trip for city-goers. All varieties of fantasy races coexist in these packed cities, each culture morphing with the advancing society. The first skyscrapers are being constructed, a new age wizard towers full of trained arcane workers.

On these magical networks, Adventure Boards have popped up: services that connect clients with adventuring mercenaries. Adventuring has become a growing hobby for bored work wizards. The Ley networks let them connect with clients quickly and the ABs supply waygates that get adventurers to and from their destinations quickly. Each play session is one weekend of adventuring and the next session has a week between where your character goes to work and lives their normal life.