#ireland is a lovely place. i think everyone should visit

[lanaevyssmoved]

ireland really is the last redeeming part of europe

[alotofpockets]

Christmas plans | Katie McCabe

Pairing: Katie McCabe x Arsenal!Reader

Prompts: "Is that a hickey?"

Warnings: Mention of reader not having a good relationship with their family, small mention of anxiety.

A/n: Despite the prompt and the warnings, this is overall just a very fluffy fic!

Masterlist | Woso masterlist | Words: 2.8k

All around you your teammates were sharing their Christmas plans. You were stretching before training, and the conversation about winter break came up, and everyone was excitedly sharing their plans to visit their families. You dreaded the moment you would be asked about your plans, because opposed to all their excited plans with family, you had no plans of your own. The reason you weren’t going to visit your family during the holidays is because you don’t have a good relationship with them. Since you were still rather new at Arsenal, not many of your teammates knew about this part of your life, though.

Inevitably the question was thrown your way by Lia. Your long time Ireland teammate, and best friend, noticed the panicked look in your eyes, and answered before you had the chance to. “Y/n, is joining me for Christmas. We’re going to stay with my family for a couple days.” You were grateful that the conversation continued after Katie’s response. You had known Katie for years, having met at the U17 team, she had been there for you almost every time that something surrounding your parents had happened.

After training you’re the last one in the dressing room with Katie, the perfect moment to thank Katie for her cover up. “Of course, anytime. You should actually come though.” With a furrowed brow you look back at her. “Oh no, it’s fine. I can just stay home. It’s a family holiday, I don’t want to intrude.” Katie packs the last of her stuff into her backpack, “I think you've spent enough time at the house to be considered family.” It's true, you had spent a lot of nights staying at the McCabe's when things got bad with your parents. “Mom loves you more than she loves me anyways, I know she would love for you to join us. Plus, I think it would be really nice.” So, like that it was settled, you were joining the McCabe’s for Christmas.

Gary was there to pick you up from Dublin Airport. You greeted him with a quick hug, before putting both your own and Katie’s suitcase in the trunk, letting Katie have a moment with her dad. The drive to their place wasn't long, so in no time you were hugged by the rest of the McCabe family that was currently home. “It's so good to see you, Y/n! I'm glad you could join us for Christmas.” Katie's mom excitedly shares, making you feel welcome instantly. “I wasn't sure where you preferred to sleep, I can make up the couch, Gary can set up an air mattress, or I can ask one of the kids that won't come home until Christmas eve if you can take their room for the time being? I'm afraid that the guest room is currently occupied by quite a mess, as we've been renovating a bit.” Katie goes in to hug her mom as well. “Don't be silly, mom, we can just share my room.” She looks your way to see if you're okay with that too. “Yeah, I'm fine sharing with Katie. What have you been renovating?” You knew that Gary loved showing off what he was working on. Like you expected he excitedly asked you to follow him, as he was pointing to everything he was planning on fixing. You listened full of interest, always having loved listening to people talk about what they are passionate about.

Meanwhile in the living room Katie gets questioned by her sisters. “So, does Y/n joining us for Christmas mean you guys are finally together?” Ella starts. “Y/n's here because she's my best friend. Also, what do you mean finally?” Her brow furrows slightly. “Come on, you can't tell me you don't like her more than that.” Lauryn continues, clearly sharing the same thoughts about the two of you as Ella. In response Katie just rolls her eyes and walks away, joining her mom in the kitchen. Leaving a smirking Ella and Lauryn behind, “She didn't deny it.” The two of them share a look, “So, we're definitely going to try to get them together before Christmas right?” 

“Already done with your sisters? You only just got here.” Sharon jokes with her daughter. “They're meddlers, I did not come here for that.” Katie jokes back, as she sits down with her mom. “Not to meddle but-” Sharon laughs at the warning look Katie sends her way, “I always thought the two of you would make a lovely couple. I want you to find your own way, though, and of course I just want to see you happy.” Not a minute later you walk back into the room, deep in conversation with Gary. Katie takes the moment to pull you away, bringing your suitcases up to her room, and settling in.

It was already late, so you and Katie decided to call it a night, getting some well deserved rest after a busy few months. The next day you planned to go shopping with Katie, insisting on getting her family members presents of your own and not just sharing the ones that she had ordered to her parent’s home over the past couple of weeks. 

You weren’t the biggest fan of shopping when a holiday as big as Christmas was coming up, with all the busyness that came with it but you wanted to get them something nice since they were opening up their home for you. Katie noticed the slightly panicked look in your eyes as you entered the mall, and reached for your hand. You squeeze it appreciatively, before intertwining your fingers with hers. She guides you around the mall, entering all the stores you want to check out. Having Katie close by helped a lot with your anxiety, Katie always knew how to be there for you in any situation. 

When you got all the presents you wanted to get, the two of you settled in a little cafe. You were sipping on your hot chocolates, and watching the Christmas decorations around the mall, when two young girls walked up to you, accompanied by their mother. “Hi, we’re so sorry to interrupt but we were wondering if maybe my daughter's could take a picture with the both of you, they're big fans.”  Katie stood up and greeted them, “Yeah, of course you can.” She beamed. You stood up as well, giving each of the little girls a hug. The mom got ready to take the picture, as the girls moved to stand in between the two of you. Their wide smiles didn't falter when they stepped away. You took a moment to talk with the girls, before they went on their way again. The mom thanked you for making her girl's Christmases. Both you and Katie love meeting fans, the young ones especially, as it showed you that what you were doing was inspiring young children. 

On the way back Katie told you about one of the Christmas traditions her family had. “So, each year mum buys everyone a pair of Christmas pajamas, and we spend the evening watching Christmas movies.” You thought it was an adorable tradition. So much so that when you got back you had to fight to keep in your tears when Sharon let you know that she had placed pajamas for both you and Katie on Katie’s bed. You thanked Sharon before Katie pulled you towards her room, knowing how much you hated crying in front of people. Once in her room, you fall down on the bed. Katie sits down next to you, and you instantly reach for her touch by laying your head down in her lap. You let your tears flow freely, while she gently strokes your hair. “Do you want to talk about it?” Katie asks softly. “Just that your family is so loving, and they’re including me in all of it. I’m not used to that, and the difference is a lot. It’s really nice though, they’re making me feel very loved.” You lift yourself up from Katie’s lap, “Anyways, we should head down.” Katie shakes her head, pulls you into her side, and falls down onto her back, pulling you along with her. “They can wait for a little bit.” You try to protest but when Katie doesn’t give in, you relax into her. Your head now on her chest, as she continues to play with your hair. 

Once you feel ready to head downstairs, your eyes finally land on the pajamas that Sharon picked out. A pair of matching red flannel pants, along with two simple black t-shirts. You both change into the outfits quickly, before joining the festivities downstairs. The family pilled down in the living room, the table filled with snacks, and the first Christmas movie started playing on the TV. It doesn’t take long for you to snuggle into Katie, who instantly wraps her arm around you. The moment not going unnoticed by Ella and Lauryn, who share a knowing look.

The next morning you head downstairs in your matching Christmas pajamas for family breakfast. Today the family had plans to go to a nearby Christmas market, play some board games, and in the evening you and Katie were planning on going on a Christmas light walk. You had seen an ad for the event in the mall, and were very excited to go.

Right as you walk through the door post, Lauryn says, “Katie, what's that above you?” Katie looks up and you follow her gaze. You didn't see the warning look that Katie sent her sister's way. “Why is there a mistletoe?” Both Lauryn and Ella try to hide their giggles, while Ella says, “It's a Christmas tradition to kiss someone under the mistletoe, so I assume it is to spread the holiday joy.” with a slightly teasing tone. Katie looks back over to you, searching your face for what she should do. “We don't have to, if you don't want to.” You lock your eyes on Katie's, “I mean it's bad luck if we don't, right?” You joke back, sending her a smile and a nod, letting Katie know you're okay with it. Katie leans in and pecks your lips. “So, breakfast?” Katie says as she quickly turns around again, hiding her flushed cheeks from you.

Your morning and afternoon were jam-packed with family activities, and while you loved every part of it, your mind kept going back to Katie’s lips on yours. How soft they were, and how badly you wanted to kiss her again. Though, you had convinced yourself that for Katie the kiss was probably just for the tradition of it. You couldn't have been more wrong though, Katie badly wanted to talk to you about the kiss, but she hadn't been able to get you alone for a single moment today. 

The first moment the two of you were alone that day, was on the way to the Christmas light event. The car ride itself was quiet besides the radio softly playing in the background, both of your minds running at full speed. Katie parks the car, and right from the parking lot you could already see lights all around you. While you were slowly turning to take in all of the beautiful lights, Katie’s eyes were fixed on you. “What?” You say while a blush rushes to your cheeks, when you notice Katie’s eyes on you. The usual confidence of the girl in front of you, replaced by nervousness. “Nothing, it’s stupid.” She says trying to turn away but you grab her arm and pull her back around. “If you’re thinking about it, it’s not stupid.” You seemingly convinced her as she took a deep breath. “Would you have kissed me if we weren’t standing under a mistletoe?” The question takes you by surprise, as you had convinced yourself that it was just you lingering on the moment you had shared this morning. “Nevermind, forget I said anything.” Katie turns on her heels again, thinking she had her answer by the lack of your response. The action makes you jump into action, once again reaching for her arm. This time you don’t just use the pull to turn her around, you also use it to bring her closer to you. You lean in and connect your lips, smiling into the kiss, as you feel Katie kiss back. The feeling of her soft lips moving in sync with yours sent shivers down your body, while simultaneously making you feel warm inside. 

After you pull away from the kiss, you look at Katie and see the Christmas lights reflect in her eyes. “In case that didn’t answer your question properly, that meant yes.” You joke, making her laugh. She playfully pushes you away, before stepping besides you again to intertwine your hands. You spend the evening walking around the lit up city center, enjoying every moment together. 

You arrive back at Katie’s childhood home way past midnight, so the house is already quiet. She pulls you into the warmth of the home by your hand, only feeling you resist when you walk through the doorway to the living room. She follows your eyes up to the mistletoe under which you shared your first kiss. Katie takes a step back to stand in front of you, and wastes no time to connect your lips. The kiss started out soft and sweet, but quickly turned more passionate. Katie pulls away from the kiss breathlessly, “To be continued.” She says as she takes your hand once more and guides you to her room.

The next morning you wake up in Katie’s arms, a feeling you would like to never forget. “Good morning, beautiful.” Katie whispers as she places a kiss on your forehead. A wide smile forms on your face, “Good morning.” After sharing a few soft kisses, you get ready for family breakfast. The food each morning had been amazing, you were so excited for what Christmas would bring. 

Lauryn asked if both of you wanted to join her on the pitch that afternoon, which of course you agreed to. It might be winter break, but football was a passion you would always take a moment for. You had been on the pitch for about an hour, when Katie decided to take her jacket off. "Is that a hickey?" Lauryn said loud enough for the whole town to hear. Katie sends a panicked look your way, you shrug your shoulders, knowing there isn’t anything you can do now besides mouthing a sorry her way. Lauryn followed the interaction, her smile growing wider. “Oh my god, it so is! I gotta tell Ella that her mistletoe idea worked.” Katie chases after her youngest sister, tackling her to the ground before she could reach her phone. “You and Ella are a pair of meddlers.” She said, shaking her head, as she helped Lauryn up. “It worked didn’t it? Mum’s gonna love this.” You watched the interaction with a smile on your face, realizing that her whole family was rooting for the two of you together. 

On Christmas Eve the rest of the McCabe siblings, along with their partners and children joined you at the McCabe’s, and it wasn’t long before they all knew about you and Katie. You were nervous at first, not wanting the dynamic to change, but quite the opposite happened. They were happy for the both of you, and continued to treat you as family, like they had done the past couple of days. 

All in all it was a wonderful Christmas with her whole family, lots of presents, amazing food, and company from the loving family. Katie was watching you interact with her cousins with adoration in her eyes, she couldn’t wait to continue creating memories together. The family got together for a series of group pictures. You took a couple of the McCabe siblings, and some of them all together with their parents, as well as Sharon taking individual ones of each of her children with their partners, and kids if they had them. 

Katie later posted a collection with her favorite ones, along with the caption ‘Family time❤️🎄’. She added the picture Sharon took of the two of you, where you have your arms around her waist, as she places a kiss on your cheek. You posted the ones you were on to your own Instagram with the caption, ‘Thank you for the best Christmas ever❤️’. 

It didn’t take long for the Arsenal group chat to explode upon seeing your posts. You were laying in bed with Katie, scrolling through the loving messages your teammates were sending your way after Katie confirmed that the pictures indeed meant that you were her girlfriend. That night you went to bed feeling happier than you had ever felt. Truly a high to end the year on.

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[gunnerfc]

🎄WOSO FICMAS: Dec. 13 - Katie McCabe🎄

Katie McCabe x Reader ( Lyon) | WC: 595

Dec. 13 prompt - surprise visit after thinking they’d be apart on Christmas

-> woso ficmas masterlist can be found here!

Playing in France for Lyon was fun. You’ve won championships with this team and have made a lot of friends here. The one downfall was being away from your girlfriend Katie, who was in London. Sure you got to see each other often but it was harder during the holidays, not knowing if you’d actually be able to see each other with your schedules.

Lyon had a game three days before Christmas this year due to the group stages of the Champions League and a large part of your focus was on the game. However, there was a part of you that was more concerned with getting on a flight right after the game ended.

The game came and went, Lyon winning the game by three goals. You celebrated your win with your teammates for as long as you could, but you were in a rush to get to London before Katie left for Ireland. You hadn’t told her about your plan to fly to London, you wanted to surprise her.

Through security and having finally boarded your flight after a thirty-minute delay, you took your last moment of having service to send Katie a quick ‘goodnight, I love you’ message before turning your phone off. 

You don’t normally go to sleep that quickly after a game but Katie didn’t think anything of it, instead replaying with a cheeky goodnight message. The Irishwoman was a bit upset about not getting the spend Christmas with you but she knew the two of you could celebrate together at a later date.

A quick flight later you were standing outside the airport in London, waiting for Leah to pick you up. You had reached out to the England captain, telling her your plan to surprise Katie and the blonde was more than willing to help you, offering you a place to stay for the night so you could surprise your girlfriend in the morning. 

The next day rolled around and you found yourself standing outside Katie’s door, ready to knock. As you knocked on the door and waited for your girlfriend to answer, you smiled hearing her familiar accent yell “I’m Comin’!” 

The door in front of you jerked open and before you could say “surprise!” Katie’s arms were wrapped around in a tight hug.

“What are you doing here?! I thought you said you couldn’t get a flight!” Katie all but yelled in your ear

“I wanted to surprise you!” you replied, arms wrapping around her neck to hold her closer to you.

After a few minutes of holding each other, Katie let go of you, ushering you inside her place. You left your suitcase by the door, more focused on your girlfriend. 

“I should have known something was up when you texted me goodnight earlier than normal, babe.” Katie joked as the two of you got comfortable on the couch.

“I was already on the plane when I sent that” you laughed, your laugh growing louder seeing your girlfriend's jaw drop slightly.

“Cheeky” the defender joked, pulling you closer to her side. You leaned in for a quick kiss before setting against her chest.

The two of you spent the remainder of the evening talking about your plans for when you arrived in Ireland and having a quick make-out before moving the activities to Katie’s bedroom. At one point during the evening, you had made the mistake of telling your girlfriend that you had help from Leah which left Katie shocked and ready to give the blonde defender some payback once everyone returned from the break.

[lupuslikethewolf]

marauders!au where the war never happened and they all got to go on and live happy lives :) its set years later, when Harry, Ron, Neville, Luna and Hermione are going into their first year.

I haven’t come up with an actual plot yet :/ but this is the setting, and they are all around their early-to-mid-thirties at this point. it's likely just domestic fluff and slice-of-life type shit, with Harry still getting into impossible amounts of fuckery whilst stressing at least 10 different adults (as he should tbh)

i can't decide whether this is set in the 90s or in the modern!era so i left it ambiguous

Barty Crouch Jr, now Professor Barty (just Barty, Crouch is my father), teaches DADA and his fiancé, Evan Rosier, is a Magizoologist who travels during the school year, comes back home for the holidays and weekends to spend with Barty, either on Hogwarts grounds or at their own home. Barty has a close friendship with McGonagall, who is Headmistress, and Poppy (who are married, but no one figured it out).

Dorcas and Marlene play International-Level Quidditch: Dorcas for England, and Marlene for Wales or Ireland (undecided). Everyone thinks they hate each other from the way they treat each other during games. They played for the Holyhead Harpies until they got recruited, and their wedding was basically the biggest, most dramatic and over-the-top graduation party Hogwarts had ever seen, hosted in the Potter Manor. everyone was hungover for days afterwards

Lily and Snape are best-friends-turned-rivals, who achieved a Mastery in Potions at the same time, and are both the youngest people to ever do so. Sev specialises in theoretical potions, and Lily specialises in experimental work, altering old potions and creating new ones. She commandeered the entire basement for her own potions lab, and Remus helps her research in his spare time.

Pandora started publishing with Xenophillius (the definition of gender-fuckery; no-one knows how they identify, not even Xeno), and they publish the most outlandish work they can, alongside Pandora’s books!! They also run Xeno's Quibbler and a couple other independent newspapers. They live out in the countryside w/ Luna. Barty & Evan are their only walking-distance neighbours, but they floo to their friends houses semi-regularly

MaryLily and StarChaser are co-parenting Harry, and being godparents/family friends of Draco, Blaise Zabini, Ron, Neville and Luna. When Harry is at pre-school, he makes friends with Hermione, and the four of them introduce Dr and Dr Granger to the magical world over the years, instead of the two month crash-course Hogwarts gives

Mary is an artist, and since she was raised half-blood, absolutely adores the technique and process of muggle painting, later enchanting it to move and learn and talk. She doesn't own anything that isn't stained with paint, bleach or hair dye. She is famous for her work, in Magical and Muggle circles, but is almost completely anonymous, and they only know what she looks like because of a group portrait she painted

Regulus is an independent researcher of old Pagan traditions and 'Muggle' magic, how different solstices and days (like All Hallows Eve) affect the Magical community, etc. He visits Barty at Hogwarts with Harry every few weeks, and later with Hermione as well, so they grew up learning about the secrets at Hogwarts, in the library, and with the teachers. Also friendly house rivalry, and the adults completely split on which houses they will go into at Hogwarts. Evan started a betting pool.

James and Sirius are the wizarding private investigators. They work everywhere, for everyone (no matter what. they don't need to charge more than what people can afford), and love it. James absolutely adores the 'Sherlock Holmes' vibes, but they are both Sherlock Holmes b/c they are simply too baddass not to be!

Remus opened a bookstore-cafe, and him and Sirius live in the flat above it. It’s really popular and became the place for students and young queer people. The bookstore stocks everything from really popular and really unknown books and authors of every genre. The regulars also notice all these really famous but really mysterious friends of Remus who come-and-go (artist!mary, author!pandora, athletes!dorlene, etc). And then, of course, is the “private” investigator boyfriend, who couldn’t be less subtle at anything if he tried.

Alice is still an Auror, and the Best of the Best, but she is so fucking fed up of the politics, DMLE, and Ministry in general. She is starting a revolution/reformation from the inside- and if that doesn’t work, quit her job and do the same thing from the outside! Frank ended up in law and becoming a Lawyer, and is glad he did, because it might be the only thing that will keep his partner out of jail if she decides to commit treason. They love Neville to bits, and would do anything for him!! They built a whole-ass greenhouse when he discovered his talent.

Peter Pettigrew works part-time with Remus at his place, but is currently training with Gringotts/other cursebreakers to become a professional cursebreaker! it is taking a long ass time with a lot of testing and work to put in, but Peter finds it interesting and it meant that he always has more stories to tell the kids when he sees them, which is a bonus because children are hard to entertain.

[waitineedaname]

idk if you still want uk tips, but here they are if you do:

people will be weird and/or excited about your accent, especially people who live near you

brits love a budget german supermarket, lidl and aldi have a lot of fans in the cost of living crisis

gp visits are a nightmare, and if you're moving from another country there will be LOADS of paperwork, but you should get signed up with a surgery ASAP - also, you can go to the pharmacy for a lot of stuff

queue culture - we love standing in lines

if you don't like tea, don't bother (lots of us don't) but it's a pretty big cultural thing so give it a go (we're such a nation of tea drinkers that the national grid [electricity] has to compensate for the number of kettles we use daily

wear whatever you like - nobody really cares

if you drive, you'll need to retake the test for UK roads

greggs is the iconic lunchtime place for mid tier pastries (sweet and savoury) and lunches

also, pie in the UK is typically savoury, filled with meat and/or veg and gravy

meal deals - a sandwich, crisps/chocolate/another snack, and a drink - are absolutely everywhere and an incredibly common lunch

we love double carbs - chip butty anyone?

fish fingers are such a good food that i don't think americans have? baked beans are nice but you can add spices/flavourings to them

you don't have to like marmite - if you try it, ONLY HAVE A SMALL AMOUNT. any american who puts a full spoon of marmite in their mouth is basically unknowingly undertaking the british cinnamon challenge

basically everywhere has a chippy (fish and chip shop), at least one curry place (thanks, colonisation(!)), and a chinese. curry's almost always good, chippies can vary, and be VERY careful with the chinese, because they're iconic for food poisoning (although absolutely delicious as well)

all restaurants have a food hygiene rating on the front door - 3 or less is questionable

find out if you qualify for any travelcards and get familiar with your local public transport - buses are often late, coaches are typically on time, trains often don't come at all

seriously. don't take the train if you can POSSIBLY help it - it's BONKERS expensive and often cancelled and replaced with a coach

know a bit about uk geography, if poss - lots of usamericans don't seem to know what wales is, or how north and republic of ireland are different

main tv networks are channel 4, itv, sky, and the bbc. c4 & itv are free with ads, sky requires a subscription, and the bbc is free but can only be watched by households with a tv licence (if using iplayer, the bbc's website, you can just lie about this, but there's a whole debate about whether they can/will catch you - look up tv detector vans)

british people end their texts with 'x'. it is NOT FLIRTING, we literally do it to everyone and often you'll get two or three - it's basically a punctuation mark. don't look into it

york specifically is like the north ? with emphasis on the question mark. england has a lot of perceived cultural differences between the north and the south, with the south stereotypically richer, ruder, entitled, busy, unfriendly, and the north stereotypically more rural, insular, prejudiced, and working class. it's not always true, and afaik york's a pretty afluent area, but it's something to be aware of

ahhhhh you are so kind, thank you for sending me all this! unfortunately, I am no longer moving to the uk because I was tragically fucked over by the university, so I'm moving to canada now. but if I ever end up moving to the uk after getting my master's (which is not out of the question!) this advice is incredibly useful, thank you so much for going into such detail, I really appreciate :')

[holocene-sims]

next // previous

june 6, 2021 12:00 a.m. shannon's house

[colm] all things considered, i think that went very well. and it looks nice in here even though we have only furniture for two rooms!

[shannon] i agree! good job, lads. and thank you to my mom and uncle paddy who left for the hotel room before we could offer dinner. now onto fixing the white paint nightmare!

[grant] let me know when you're down to repaint or wallpaper stuff! i'd be happy to come help. this purple wallpaper is a dream and it'd be my honor to help restore this place.

[colm] that's the spirit, baby!

[shannon] we'll start soon surely! we already have some samples picked out to look through. maybe we'll look for wallpaper as well. and maybe we need a ladder.

[colm] not if grant is offering his services.

[grant] it's me, your favorite tall bitch!

[shannon] no, no, you're right! no ladder. not when my cousin is a giant. well, grant, if you're interested...we would really appreciate it.

[grant] no problem! i kind of love painting anyway. it's super relaxing.

[shannon] you mean you don't just like snorting the chemicals?

[grant] paint is nowhere near as good as coke and besides, i gave up that life!

[colm] is that why you have a bit of a tic where your nose twitches all the time?

[grant] oh shit, do i?

[shannon] it’s mild! no one would ever notice except for the people who knew you had a raging cocaine addiction!

[grant] so, like, everyone?

[colm] well, i had no idea you did coke!

[grant] buddy, i did everything in college except meth and the kitchen sink.

[shannon] thank you for never doing meth!

[grant] you’re welcome! i should congratulate myself, too.

[colm] and what do you mean by everything?

[grant] why? you need to know for your grocery list?

[colm] fuck off HAHA

[grant] let's just say if you can name it, i definitely used it. repeatedly.

[colm] you know, you are the most interesting man i've ever met.

[grant] thank you! i'm glad you married my cousin. your company is enjoyable.

[shannon] i'm glad your batshit crazy parents decided to produce a decent child, grant. colm, i'm glad we ended up on take me out at the same time. and for me, i'm glad i'm back from ireland again.

[shannon] by the way, grant, i think i should take my turn acting like you. i feel bad accepting or even thinking about accepting your help. i know, i know, i just said thanks for the painting offer but, like, you're being too kind. don't you have better things to do?

[grant] nah, not really. i don't have much of anything going on. not after i lost one job, manically quit another because i hated it, and broke up with päivi. i'd love to do anything that keeps me around people i like and stops me from thinking about, um, things.

[shannon] wait a minute. when the fuck did the break up happen?

[grant] like days before your grad party. technically. officially, it was afterwards, but really it was before.

[shannon] oh my god. i thought you were set for life with her! what happened? actually, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want. either way, i'm so sorry. are you okay?

[grant] she cheated on me. and yes, i think i'm okay. i've had time to process it and come to terms with it. i mean, okay, i'm not okay, but i will be. i'm too stubborn to fully lose my shit over her when worse has happened to me.

[colm] oh fuck her!

[shannon] she cheated on you?!

[grant] with one of her friends who came to visit back in march! her fucking mall santa friend! i'm sorry, by my standards that’s a shitty, low, childish thing to point out but like? hello? santa!?

[shannon] oh so now if i ever see the blonde bimbo again, i have to kill her.

[colm] i'd say the same exact thing except it’s not right for a large white man to use those words. so i'll just say “fuck her” again.

[shannon] i am going to kill her. you know i would kill for you, right?

[grant] oh, i know you would. and let it be known i would defend you with my life also. but anyway, i appreciate the concern but you don’t have to fight her or even hate her. it’s fine. i genuinely think i got enough closure to try and move on and heal.

[shannon] have you considered i want to hate her? i don’t care who it is, no one messes with my family members. she will feel every bit of the rage stored in all four feet and eleven inches of my body.

[grant] did you just use the inferior imperial system of measurement?

[shannon] unfortunately i slipped up and did...but hey! no changing topics!

[keikomiura]

i was tagged by the lovely lanie ( @aemondtragaryen ), thank you! 💖

your name: kim

sun sign: virgo

last thing you listened to: eye for an eye by rina sawayama

what are you wearing: black halter crop top and black linen shorts

how tall are you: 5'1" or 155 cm

piercings: only 2, both of my earlobes

tattoos: sadly none, but maybe one day

glasses or contacts: glasses

last drink: brown sugar boba milk tea

last thing you ate: poke bowl

any pets: sadly none right now

do you have a crush on someone: hahahaha nope... okay maybe one dashing pirate privateer and one gunslinging, wife loving hitman at the moment ( but in all seriousness, nobody in real life )

favorite fictional characters: just like the last response implied, nikolai lantsov, john wick, wednesday addams, mako mori, bruce wayne, logan/wolverine, and definitely more

a movie you think everyone should watch: everything everywhere all at once

a book you think everyone should read: the last lecture by randy pausch

the last place you traveled: cleveland, ohio with my friends to get dim sum lmao, but i'm hoping to visit madison, wisconsin once my friend moves there this summer. i almost planned a trip to dublin, ireland for this month to see said friend, but we decided we should visit together when she wasn't busy with school

no pressure to do this, i'm tagging @elliewillaims, @withoutarmour, @gracelcdomas, @oswinian, @yelena-belxva, and anyone who sees this and wants to participate!

[madame-airlock]

Sun, Uranus, Mars, ascendant, Sagittarius, 5H (too many to pick from on that list but here some top ones my curious kind wants to know ☺️)

Hi!! No worries, happy to answer everything!

sun ⇢ name 5 things you like about yourself? LOL starting with the tough ones ahah. I'd say my voice when I sing, my sense of humour. I know it's only two but that's it :) uranus ⇢ what things do you think should change in society? Many many things. Here in Italy the situation is quite shitty, especially for lgbtq+, immigrants and women. My ideal world is much more open and accepting of everyone, and all people can get more opportunities, whether it's regarding their lives and livelihoods, their job, or anything else. mars ⇢ are you the type to approach others first or do you like others to do that instead? I'm generally an introvert, and I'm a liiiiiiittle shy with other people at first. I'm not someone who needs a massive friend group, so I don't go out of my way to meet new people. If it's with regards to a possible partner/relationships I never ever make the first move. This is mostly because my self esteem is below zero and I am always scared of getting rejected/hurt. So, I never do anything and wait for the others to act. ascendant ⇢ do you believe in love at first sight? In fics? Absolutely. In real life? Not really. Maybe attraction at first sight but I think it takes a while before actually defining something as love. sagittarius ⇢ what places would you like to travel in the future? SO. MANY. PLACES. At the top of my list there are Ireland and Scotland. I visited Edinburgh for 3 days about 10 years ago but I'd love to see the rest. Take a car, and go for a drive. I'd love to return to Honduras. I did my exchange year there back in '15-16 and I'd love to go back and see parts of the country that I didn't get to see. I'd like to visit New Zealand, it seems like a beautiful place, and maybe even Australia (my dream would be to go to Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo). I'd like to go to the US. I don't really have a city in mind, with the exception of NYC just to go to see a show on Broadway. Maybe see a national park or two. 5H ⇢ do you have a hobby? which one(s)? I love reading and writing! There was a period in my life where I wrote 150+ fics in less than a year. I don't write as much now, but I'd love to get back to it. I was thinking of a Lady Dimitrescu fic to write... I enjoy gaming, although I'm not much of a gamer. I don't know if it really counts as a hobby but: going to the zoo. There's this massive place in the middle of nowhere about an hour from here. They have really big enclosures for the animals, and it's not near any major roads or cities so it's very quiet. I occasionally go alone just so I can relax, clear my mind and take pictures of the animals

[somedayistoday]

day 3 : lost

Today I made sure to have a better breakfast of toast and hard boiled eggs. Then we walked to The British Museum where everyone’s allergies were acting up terribly. Something I had been noticing before but really noticed this morning was the amount of particles in the air. Some are just pollen but I always wonder if some has to do with all the smoking people do here.

While there was so much at the museum to see, we went right to the remains of the Parthenon and walked around for a bit. It was tragic that it’s all in pieces around the room and that it can’t be all together like it was meant to be but the team who took it from Athens experimented with how to take it down plus the Ottoman Empire had exploded the building because they stored gunpowder in there in years prior.

Then we went and saw Mayan works as well as stuff from the Benine Kingdom. They were cool but they don’t peek my interest nearly as much.

Something that has been a main topic of discussion is whether or not what the British did - stealing art and artifacts and keeping them - was right or wrong. Many objects in the collection of the British Museum were either stolen or the cheated away from people and cultures. There were some items that were on loan and then were given to the museum in exchange for money or an object in return which I thought was particularly interesting. Giving everything back to their original countries is not the right answer to me. If the Italians want their Parthenon back, that’s fine but wait until we recreate it in replicas. I think that each museum should have a Doryphoros. Knowledge should be shared and not hidden around the world where it is impossible to access. I wouldn’t ever travel to Africa to see the art but I will go intro the exhibitions on display and learn about what they have there while I am there to visit my Van Gogh. The artworks that are in the British Museum have changed the world because they were there. For better or worse but I’d like to think that art has helped us to see other cultures and to grow and think and as it stands, traveling all over the world is not possible for everyone to do but to go to a museum and to see what they value in others and in themselves is something we can’t just give up. I feel that returning the originals to countries is fair in the case that we can have a replica in its place. I’d love to be able to take a class of students to see The Starry Night as they learn about it.

After class, some friends and I wandered for a bit and came across a pink climbing glob where we took some photos then went inside a building and played Uno for a while before heading back. We stopped at a cool witch shop but it couldn’t have been real because there were no crystals. Then we had a big late lunch after a run to the market.

Then a friend and I joined another group to go to the Sky Garden. It was recommended as the best way to see the city and it was free. We tried to time it so we could be there right before sunset and get some awesome photos but the lady said we needed reservations so we quickly booked tickets for 10:15pm (an hour later). Then we hung out at a war memorial where we shared stories to kill the time.

Then we went back for our reservation and the lady rudely told us that what we booked was a consultation for a reservation at least 2 weeks out. So we left and tried to go home but ended up lost on the tube for an hour. Then we met Erik and his lovey girlfriend. Erik was drunk and asking everyone where they were from. Something about the trains is that no one talks and it’s really quiet so it was us and Erik talking and it turns out that he’s from Ireland, she’s from London, there was a man from South Africa, a family from Brazil then us from Florida, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota. Turns out we had the whole globe in one car and no idea until Erik had asked. Then his girlfriend helped us get to where we needed to be to get home.

[umichenginabroad]

Dublin Week 19: Coming Home and Reflecting

Hi there, it's me again, for the last time. I kinda sorta forgot to post last week, but all I really did was study and take a couple of exams, so you didn't miss out on much. The only bit of fun I really got up to was on my final night when me and my friends Colin, Cormac, Stavros, and I went out to the Poolbeg lighthouse and hung out.

Some pictures from our walk to the lighthouse (I kinda forgot to get a picture of the lighthouse because it was dark by the time we got there)

I also almost missed my flight because I slept through my alarm, but after a panicked taxi ride to the airport, I made it back to the states on time and in one piece.

So, in the absence of any interesting events to talk about, I'm going to leave some of my thoughts on studying abroad in Dublin.

My main takeaway has been that studying abroad was a great decision, and I'm incredibly glad I did this. Over this past semester, I've had the chance to meet with people I never would have interacted with otherwise, saw a beautiful new country, and got to have a completely different college experience for a semester. I also feel like I've become a lot more independent and have learned a lot about how and where I want to live going forward.

That said, there were definitely some less glamorous sides of studying abroad that I think I should touch on. The main one is that it can be a lonely and isolating experience at times. As you might imagine, leaving your friends back home and having to find a whole new group of friends for a semester can be a bit challenging at times. Of course at UCD there were a lot of other international students facing the same challenge as me, but it did take some time and work to find a group of people who I wanted to hang out with. Obviously everyone's mileage will vary with this depending on your roommates, and frankly a bit of luck, but it's something to keep in mind.

My best advice for avoiding this loneliness is to find a club or society that has regular events. For me that was the mountaineering club; 4 times a week they had climbing I could go to in the evenings, and then on top of that they had hikes every Sunday and some overnight trips. Mountaineering was where I found a group of people who shared my interests, and they were also just a group of sound people. Although UCD doesn't have nearly as many clubs as UMich does, there are still plenty of clubs for all kinds of interests, and I'd really recommend joining them, especially if you want to meet any Irish people.

This brings me to one of my gripes with UCD. UCD is primarily a commuter school. Although they have a reasonable amount of on campus housing, the vast majority of the students live off campus and commute to class, and many of them even live at home with their families. This means that it can be hard to meet and interact with locals. Although your classes will obviously be mostly Irish students, after class hours, a large chunk of the campus population is international students. While these international students are all lovely people, this does occasionally make it difficult to interact with locals in a social setting. However, as I mentioned above, joining a club is a great way to remedy this issue.

Onto Dublin, and Ireland as a whole I guess. Dublin and Ireland are lovely places that are definitely worth visiting, and I loved living there for a semester. The country is beautiful, there's always stuff happening in the city, and the people are very welcoming and friendly. That said, there are some drawbacks that I should mention.

The weather is kinda awful for most of the semester. Although it doesn't get as cold as Ann Arbor, it's not particularly warm either, and there's a lot more rain. Like a lot more. It doesn't always rain that hard, but a week will not go by without at least a drizzle happening as you walk between classes. And even when it's not raining, it normally looks like it's about to. The weather definitely got a lot nicer at the end of the semester, but if you're studying here, get ready for a lot of grey weather.

Dublin is not a super easy city to get around in. Transit in Dublin kind of sucks. Unlike a lot of other European cities, there is no metro, and the only commuter rail they have is very limited and not particularly close to campus. This means you'll be spending a lot of time on busses. The busses are good enough, but during rush hour they slow down a lot in traffic, and they don't always come when they say they will. Additionally, the busses aren't great at getting you places laterally in Dublin. If you want to go in and out of city center, it's great, but if you want to go east or west from campus, your options are a lot more limited. Biking is normally faster than the busses, but the bike lanes can be a bit scary at times, and you also have to have a bike in the first place.

Traveling around Europe is a bit difficult from Dublin. Since Ireland isn't in mainland Europe, if you want to travel, you have to fly. Ryanair flights are typically pretty affordable, especially if you plan ahead, but nothing beats the ease and simplicity of hopping on a train. Also your Ryanair flight WILL be delayed by at least 30 mins, just get used to it. Besides being an hour a way from UCD, the Dublin airport is great and really easy to navigate since it's relatively small.

Despite all these drawbacks, there is nowhere else I would have rather studied this semester. Ireland is an incredible place, and all things considered, the gripes I had with Ireland really weren't that big of a deal. As I mentioned earlier, there is so much to do in Ireland, and the people are really great. Additionally, the fact that everyone speaks English is a huge upside because it means you can actually interact with the locals. Although Ireland isn't perfect, nowhere is going to be perfect (except for Ann Arbor of course), and part of the fun of moving to a new place is figuring out all of its quirks and learning how to deal with them.

TLDR: Ireland is a great place to study abroad, even though weather and transportation can be a bit crummy.

So those are my thoughts on studying abroad in Ireland. At least the ones I could think of now. If you're thinking of studying abroad in Ireland, I'd highly recommend it.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at samadler@umich.edu.

Peace out ✌️

Sam Adler

Materials Science and Engineering

University College Dublin

[treehouseadventures]

What Goes Up Has Got To Fall

*The full moon was still a few weeks away. And it was another night that I wondered if I would be able to survive. Full moons made you question everything about yourself. The fear, self doubt, the loathing? All of it came to a head when there was a full moon. It was something I wasn’t sure I wanted to go through again. And it wasn’t something I waited for. 

I knew there were wolves that counted down the days for full moons. Or they let their anger get the best of them. They wanted the change to come. They enjoyed it. They lived for that moment of an adrenaline rush. I dreaded those moments. I hated them. My anger was never an issue. Even if I wanted to shift with my anger, it was never going to happen. I had tried to force the shift for years. I didn’t want to be singled out. I was the Alpha’s daughter. I wanted to be just like everyone else in the pack. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t do it. I was different. 

I could have been killed. I should have been killed. I was supposed to be killed. Any one of the wolves that I was raised around would have enjoyed it. Packs didn’t deal with those that were different. But my father was different. He wasn’t ruthless. He showed love in a way most men couldn’t begin to understand. So when I opened up about not being able to stay, he set the law in his pack. I was free to leave. I was free to come back. No harm was to come of me either way. 

It was a rare circumstance. I was free. I didn’t have to run. I didn’t have to hide. I could stay. But I knew better. If I stayed, I was going to cause problems. People were going to resent me for being different. If I had been anyone else’s daughter, I would have been killed. It’s not something I have ever taken for granted. 

I never wanted to take the chance of being found. So I didn’t stick around in Ireland. I didn’t want to risk anyone figuring out why I was different. I needed to keep that to myself. I needed to figure out how to survive on my own. But it was never that easy. It was never as easy as just leaving. There were always people that wanted to get close. People that wanted to sleep with me. People that wanted to buy me drinks. I never gave anyone the chance. I couldn’t.

And then the full moon hit while I was visiting New Orleans. I couldn’t shake the fear I had when I realized what was going on. How could I begin to lose track of the dates? Why did I get so careless? How was it even possible that I was distracted? I had no one to blame but myself. Visiting a city that was drenched in supernatural was too enticing. The history and the lore was something I shouldn’t have been diving into. I should have been running from New Orleans. Or I should have found a safe haven. The woods were the only place I could think about hiding. And even then, I wasn’t safe from other wolves. I wasn’t safe from anything.

I had to survive until morning. And I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. It never was. There were a million and one stories out there about people doing incredible things to ensure their survival. People of dream of being able to take care of themselves in that sort of situation. The reality that you’re faced with is far from glorious. The one thing that goes through your mind is how. How are you supposed to do this? What is going to keep you safe? What if you make a wrong decision? What if you can’t? What if you fail? There is no room for failure in times of desperation. The only thing you can do is survive. 

But when you’re on your own, it’s not as easy as just surviving. It’s defending. It’s actively trying to be the person that can ensure your own survival. It’s taking matters into your own hands to make it to the next day. It’s not about fighting. If you try hard enough, you can get through each day without fighting with another person. It’s getting through the self doubt. It’s working through the depression. The feeling of not being worth anything. The questions of why you’re doing this. Surviving isn’t always easy. 

But as the sun rose on the next day, I knew it was another day gone. It was another day I was going to live. Another day I was going to have a secret to hold on to. But that sunrise brought something I wasn’t expecting. I felt eyes on me as I came tumbling out of the woods. I knew what was in front of me. But as I lifted my eyes to catch the brown ones in front of me, I felt myself start to tremble. My secret wasn’t going to be a secret for long.*

[photosbyjabo]

A trip to Northern Ireland

I remember arriving in Belfast and it was so cold and rainy. Well, it was March after all and still is winter. After dropping our bags in our hotel we then went on our way to finding a good café (Harlem Café). There we enjoyed some good brunch and coffee to fuel our start of the day. We then braved the rain again and off we went on a train ride to our first stop -- the Bangor Castle. There is an added charm to a place after the rain has stopped, I think. We ended up going to the town centre of Bangor and we did get a little bit soaked in the end but it turned out to be very memorable and we did enjoy ourselves anyway. Oh, and we had some gelato ‘cos why not?

Second day, a Sunday, we went on a bus tour. They call it the “Game of Thrones locations tour”. It’s quite amazing to know how the effect of social media and pop culture has its own positive impact sometimes. Because most of the outdoor locations they’ve used to film the series were in Northern Ireland so it has also helped the country increase their tourism. Rightly so, because everyone needs to see the stunning places here. The bus tour we went on was really informative and the tour guide was also funny. I wish I could still remember everything but it has already been years.

Our first stop was the town of Carnlough and its pretty, blue houses. The day was looking grim but stepping close to the waters just gives one a calming effect.

Our second stop: Cushend. Went on a walk all the way to a little cave.

Third stop, and my favorite: Carrick-a-rede. Absolutely stunning and no one should miss this place when they visit NI. Our visit here couldn’t have been better because the skies finally cleared up and we finally see some sun which we’re very grateful for. Oh, and if you’re like me who has fear of heights then you must brave yourself because there’s a literal bridge that you need to cross when you get there.

Next, we went to see some more of the towns along the Causeway. This is Ballycastle. Beautiful, blue waters. If only we could take a dip.

Second to the last stop: the Giant’s Causeway. I could give you some interesting facts about this but I’m sure Google could you give you more than from what I can recall. But these rock formations have been here many, many years. Amazing to see and feel them in person. There is a bit of a walk but it’s definitely worth it. (Not pictured: the big number of people who were like us trying to take a decent photo of the causeway.)

Too exhausted and too many people on our last stop so I didn’t really get to have a good picture. Most people will probably remember this as the road to King’s Landing in GoT.

On to our final day, finally got to roam around Belfast. Went to see the Titanic where we spent the good part of our morning. Our last stop was the Botanic Gardens.

You were quite memorable and lovely, Northern Ireland.

All photos were taken using an iPhone. Photos were taken on March 2018.

[queendorkula]

sun, Uranus, Sagittarius 💕💕

Sun — name 5 things you like about yourself

I love my eyes, I love how tall I am, I love that I’m kind and that I’m creative, and I love that I am a safe space.

Uranus — what things do you think should change in society?

just set it all on fire and embrace the chaos. Jk, I just think that the systems we have in place need to be reformed in a way that allows for more representativity for the minorities in positions of power so that everyone has a voice whenever the straight white men decide it’s a good day to steal human rights from humans who don’t look like they do.

Sagittarius — what places would you like to visit in the future?

I’m planning on going to Italy this summer and eventually I want to visit Germany, Scotland, Ireland and Iceland as well.

Thank you so much ☺️

[startanewdream]

I just wanted to say that I love all youe stories about jily being alive and harry being a teenager! The talk is one of muy favourites, I'd love to read more of jily learning to deal with Harry and ginny

Hi! I'm so glad you enjoy those stories! ❤

I wrote a moment of one of the milestones for Harry and Ginny, as innocent as Lily will swear it was. Hope you enjoy it :)

_____________

James is rubbing his eyes lazily, not yet quite awakened when he drops himself in the chair in the kitchen.

‘Morning,’ he says tiredly, looking down at the table; then he blinks and looks again. There are four places set at the table.

‘Morning,’ Lily says distractedly, kissing the top of his head before sitting down next to him, her eyes on the Daily Prophet.

‘Sirius is here today?’ he asks, surprised.

‘Hm, no. He said he was going to be in Ireland all week, remember?’

‘Yeah, but then… why four sets?’

Lily presses her lips for a second, glancing in his direction briefly before turning back to the Prophet, turning a page idly.

‘Ginny spent the night here.’

It shouldn’t be something new. Harry’s friends have slept there before; they have plenty of guest rooms for situations like that. But the way Lily says it leaves no room for what she’s suggesting and through the myriad of feelings going through James’ mind at the moment, he settles for a summarized ‘Oh.’

‘It’s no big deal,’ Lily tells him, and her voice tells him adamantly how she is going to handle this new situation. ‘They went out last night, you know.’

‘That date that wasn’t a date,’ James confirms, feeling more awake now.

His son’s love life is always a topic that he’ll gladly discuss, as sluggish as it is at the moment, with Harry and Ginny telling everyone they are taking things slow this second time.

‘Yeah, and Harry mentioned that they might crash here afterwards, because as you always say—’

‘Don’t drink and apparate, yeah.’ He frowns. ‘Why didn’t he tell me anything?’

She looks at him over the paper and James has a sudden vision of Professor McGonagall doing the same over her glasses, watching him with something that borders on disbelief.

‘What would you have done if Harry told you his not-a-date would come home with him?’

‘The conga, probably’, he admits. ‘I can’t help if I cheer for them!’

‘You would make a fuss, and we are not making a fuss about it. It’s just a normal Sunday.’

‘It’s Thursday.’

‘Oh, you know what I meant,’ she replies, though she is smiling now. ‘They need time, they are still working things out.’

‘They’ve seemed to have worked a lot of things if they are sleeping together.’

‘Sleeping—what? No, I set the guest room for her.’

James can’t help his smirk now.

‘Same as my parents set you the guest room the first time you came to visit me?’

Lily shakes her head, crossed, though James won’t be fooled: her cheeks are red, and he knows exactly what memories she is recording right now.

‘They aren’t even together—oh, stop it. You know your son, too noble to do anything improper, unlike his father.’

‘Really? We are playing the innocent card now? It took two to do what we—’

‘Hey!’ Lily cries suddenly, rising to her feet and beaming at Harry and Ginny, who are just now entering the kitchen. ‘Good morning!’

‘Morning, Mum, no need to scream,’ Harry complains, and James won’t be fooled by his son’s apparent nonchalant expression either. His neck is red.

Ginny takes a look at him, then at Lily, and she fights back a laugh. ‘Morning, Mr. and Mrs. Potter,’ she says, taking a seat next to Lily.

Harry looks at the place next to Ginny, where there is nothing set, and after a moment’s hesitation, he sits next to his father.

‘So how was last night?’ Lily asks brightly. ‘You kids had fun?’

‘Kids?’ Harry replies, lifting his eyebrows. ‘You sound as if we are seven.’

‘Well, I’m underage still,’ Ginny remembers, winking at Harry, and something on her face makes him visibly relax, sitting more at ease in the chair. ‘We had a great time, Mrs. Potter.’

‘It’s Lily, dear. So the concert was good?’

‘Yeah, I can’t believe Harry had never seen The Weird Sisters.’

‘I used to have a good musical taste before you,’ he replies, smirking. Ginny rolls her eyes, grinning as much as him.

‘You mean you heard anything Sirius hears. Maybe it’s time to develop your own tastes, Harry.’

‘Oh, I have,’ he answers immediately, and then they’re looking at each other and something is definitely going on between them, something that as much happy James is for them, he doesn’t want to see.

‘Hem, hem,’ he coughs loudly, pretending to choke with his tea, but he doubts anyone was fooled. In any case, it’s enough to break that eye… kissing. ‘You came back late,’ he says, then he winces. It sounds accusing, very fatherly.

‘We lost a little track of time,’ Ginny admits, unconcerned. ‘The show lasted longer than we thought, they kept coming back for another song—’

‘And I said I didn’t know when I was going to be back,’ Harry stresses, frowning. ‘So I can’t be late.’

‘I just meant the hour. I was up all night finishing an article, that’s why I know.’

‘We tried not to make any sound, to not disturb you,’ Ginny says. ‘We thought you would be sleeping.’

‘We came home. Went to bed. The usual,’ Harry says, and very much like Lily, James knows that’s the tone he is hoping to settle for the conversation.

James bits back his comment about going to bed.

Instead, he keeps silent, finishing his breakfast and watching the glances that Harry and Ginny exchange when they don’t think anyone is looking. Whatever they say, they were on a date last night, most definitely, and things were good.

Ginny thanks them for the breakfast after a few minutes and she rises, telling them she needs to go home now. Harry makes a scene of offering to walk with her to the fireplace—James bits the inside of his cheek very hard to not chuckle at this—and when they are gone, Lily turns to him with a smile.

‘Very good. Not a single double-meaning comment about them.’

‘I can behave. When I want.’

‘And I’m proud of you.’ Lily winks at him. ‘If you must know, they did sleep in separate rooms. I heard them coming home last night.’

‘Snooping around, Lily?’

‘Well, I was curious. I may not be as loud as you, but I do support them, you know.’

James laughs. ‘Fair enough. And here I was thinking you had cast Chastity Spells around the house.’

‘Chastity Spells? Is that real?’

‘My mother assured me so, but if they exist, then they are not very effective.’

‘How do you—oh.’ The fire is back at her cheeks, a colour that James enjoys very much. ‘I can’t believe they thought we would need one!’

‘Well, they weren’t wrong,’ he says, smirking, placing his hand over the top of hers and caressing it lightly. ‘Anyway, if they didn’t want me visiting you in the middle of the night, they shouldn’t have made a rule out of it, should they? I was a rule-breaker.’

[fruitcoops]

Could you maybe write a “73 questions with Sirius Black” Vogue one? Or something like that.

Yes! I had never seen these videos before and it was a fun challenge to write. Hope you enjoy! Sweater Weather credit goes to @lumosinlove!

The house is large, two stories tall and painted a soft gray with white trim around the windows. Holiday lights have yet to be taken down and shine in all colors of the rainbow from the eaves as the camera crew walks up the front steps. The curtains in the window tremble for a moment, then a dog pokes her head through—she is all-black and curious, and looks quite large.

Dorcas Meadowes knocks on the front door; a moment later, it swings open and reveals Sirius Black. “Hey, guys, come on in! You can leave your shoes by the door inside.”

“Thanks, Sirius.” Dorcas kicks off her flats and follows him inside as he sets a dish towel on the end table and leans against it. “How are you today?”

“I’m doing pretty well. Morning practice was productive and I’m feeling good about our upcoming game.”

“We’re here today to ask you 73 rapid-fire questions while you lead us around. Sound good?”

“Sounds good. You can all come inside instead of freezing on the porch,” he laughs, waving them closer. The door shuts with a gentle click.

“First question: on a scale of 1-10, how excited are you about life right now?”

“Hmmm. A solid seven.”

“Do you have any pets?”

“I do!” Sirius leads them into the other room, where the dog is curled up on the couch below the window; he picks her up and gives her a kiss on the head. “This is Hattie and I love her very much.”

“Cute! If you could do a dramatic love scene in a movie with anyone, who would it be?”

Sirius sets the dog down and thinks for a second. “Aside from my fiancé, I’m going to say James Potter. We would kill it and I don’t think it would be that awkward.”

“What’s the origin of your name?”

“Pretty much my whole family has star-themed names. Sirius is the dog star from Canis Major.”

“Brightest star in the sky, too. What’s one thing people don’t know about you?”

“I’m an introvert. Lots of people assume that I’m super social because of my job, but I’m very quiet in real life.” He walks back out to the entrance and takes the towel off the table, then moves into the kitchen. It’s well-lit and painted a deep, warm red. The countertop is scattered with knickknacks and picture frames—clearly, this is a place people spend a lot of time. Hattie, who followed them in, lays down by the oven with a heavy sigh.

“What’s your wakeup ritual?”

Sirius reaches up and pulls two mugs out of the cupboard. “I wake up around seven am and make coffee while Re is in the shower, then rinse off and get dressed while he makes breakfast. It’s a good system. Want some tea?”

“Sure. What’s your bedtime ritual?”

“I don’t think I have one,” he says as he puts the kettle on and ignites a burner on the stove. “Usually we read or watch a movie, then go up to bed and talk for a while. There’s not a big routine or anything.”

“Sounds nice. What’s your favorite time of day?” Dorcas sits on the other side of the kitchen island while he takes a box of peppermint tea down.

“That’s a tough one. I like the in-between spots, like just after sunrise or dusk. Three in the afternoon is usually pretty chill as well. Does anyone else want a cup?”

There are a few murmurs behind the camera and he takes two more down. “What is one thing no one knows about you?” Dorcas asks.

He raises an eyebrow. “If I told you, everyone would know, and it wouldn’t count.”

“Fair enough. Dream country to visit?”

“Anywhere. I think I want to go to Ireland first, though.” Small wisps of steam begin curling out of the kettle, but it doesn’t whistle.

“Do you ever feel pressure to post things on social media?”

Sirius makes a face. “I used to. Eventually I just got tired of it, you know? The whole point of social media is sharing bits of your life with people and it makes me happy to show off my dog, or Re, or my friends. I post things just for fun now.”

The kettle begins to hiss and he reaches back to turn it off. “Sneakers or skates?”

“Skates.”

“Vintage or new?

“Vintage, especially for t-shirts and sweaters.”

“Who is your biggest role model?”

“Pascal Dumais.” Sirius stops pouring for a moment to look up at the camera. “If you ever get a chance to meet him, listen to what he has to say. You’ll be better for it.”

“Wise words. How do you deal with negativity? Oh, thank you.” Dorcas wraps her hands around the mug and takes a small sip while Sirius passes the other ones to the crew.

“Honestly? I don’t give a shit. It used to really bother me, but I’m happy, I have a job I love, and my family cares about me. Why should I care what people I’ve never met think of me?” He sits on the counter and rests his elbows on his knees, blowing on the hot water.

“What are three things you can’t live without?”

“My dog, Remus, and my family.” There is no hesitation in his voice.

“Not hockey?”

“I’d be devastated if I couldn’t play, sure, but it’s not the central focus of my life anymore.”

“What’s one ingredient you put in everything?”

“Does salt count?” He winces as he takes a drink. “Ugh, burned my tongue. I put salt on a lot of things because I drink so much water that it throws my balance off.”

“What is something you’re completely bored of right now?”

Sirius rolls his eyes. “Gossip columns and tabloids in general.”

Dorcas hums in agreement. “What’s your biggest fear in life?”

“Losing my loved ones.”

“Window or aisle seat?”

“Window. Anyone walking by always steps on my foot or hits my elbow if I’m in the aisle. Plus, I get a good view and an easy nap spot.”

“What’s your current TV obsession?”

“Avatar: The Last Airbender, which I’m watching for the third time already.” He shakes his head. “It’s just so good.”

“Favorite app?”

He takes a second to think. “Spotify.”

“Secret talent?”

Sirius looks at her over the rim over his cup. “This is going to shock you. Ready?”

“Ready.”

“Hockey.”

“You’re the worst.” Despite her words, Dorcas smiles. “What the most adventurous thing you’ve done in your life?”

“Uh, probably going to Europe with some of the guys last year. We had a lot of fun, but it was crazy.”

“I can imagine it was. How would you define yourself in three words?”

“Tall, dark, and handsome.”

“And apparently not humble,” Dorcas teases. “Favorite piece of clothing?”

“Hoodies.”

“Clothing item everyone should have?”

“Hoodies.”

A door opens behind them and the camera turns; Remus walks out of the basement, covered in sweat as he wipes his forehead with the hem of his shirt and holds his skates in his other hand. “Baby, have you seen…” he trails off when he sees the group of people in the kitchen. Hattie’s tail thumps on the floor. “Um. Hello.”

“Hey, Remus, how are you doing?” Dorcas asks mildly.

The camera pans out to catch both Sirius, who is laughing quietly, and Remus, who flushes pink. “I’m good. I thought you were coming at ten?”

“It’s ten-thirty, sweetheart,” Sirius says, hiding his smile in his tea.

Remus glances at the clock before giving an awkward nod and walking toward the stairs. “I guess I’ll take a shower, then. Sorry about that. Uh, carry on.”

“What’s a superpower you would want?” Dorcas asks as soon as he disappears.

Sirius shakes his head with a grin. “Uh, teleportation. That would be really cool.”

“What’s inspiring you in life right now?”

“Ah, une grande question.” He thinks, then tilts his head toward the staircase. “Moments like that. And the Stanley Cup, of course.” He reaches back and knocks on the wooden cupboard.

“What cause is closest to your heart?”

“LGBT+ rights, especially trans rights. I’m privileged enough to have a platform and I intend to be loud as hell about that.”

“Good.” Dorcas sets her almost-empty mug on the table. “What’s one thing you’d say to your teenage self?”

Sirius lets out a long breath and drums his hands on the light blue ceramic of his cup. “I would say…it gets better. It really, really does. You’re going to feel super shitty for just a little bit longer, but then I promise you will be so incredibly happy that you wake up every morning and it hits you all over again.”

Dorcas nods, and the kitchen is quiet for a moment. “What’s a book that everyone should read?”

“The Hobbit, by J.R.R Tolkien.”

“What would you like to be remembered for?”

“This is going to sound so corny, but I want to be remembered for just being a good person.”

“That’s not corny. How do you define beauty?”

“Remus Lupin.”

“That’s corny,” she laughs, making him smile. “What do you love most about your body?”

“I’m a big guy, which can be a little bit intimidating, but it means I give really great hugs. I’m sure everyone saw the video that went around a while ago.”

“Cap Cuddles?”

He snorts. “Right. You’ve got Finn O’Hara to thank for that.”

“In your opinion, what’s the best way to take a rest or decompress?”

“Being alone,” Sirius says. “There is literally nothing better than getting home and sitting down with a book or something while I can hear Re doing his own thing and Hattie’s napping. It’s one of my favorite parts of the afternoon.”

“That’s the most introverted thing you’ve ever said.” Dorcas grins and finishes her tea just as a faint beeping noise begins in another room. “What’s your favorite way to experience art?”

“Through music, for sure.” He slides off the counter and walks down the hall, leading them toward the laundry room. He gives the camera crew a look as he pulls dry clothes out of the machine and heads back to the living room. “What? Did you think I didn’t do my own laundry?”

“You lost a sock,” Dorcas informs him, picking it off the ground and laying it on top of his head.

“Thanks, D.”

“What question do people ask that you wish they wouldn’t?”

“Lots of people have asked me when I decided to be gay, which is wrong on so many levels.”

“If you could master one instrument, what would it be?”

“Guitar or piano.” He dumps the load of laundry on the couch and opens the back door, holding it for the crew as they walk out into the sunshine. Hattie weaves through their legs and disappears into the bushes along the back.

“I might have to take your dog home with me. If you had a tattoo, where would it be?”

Sirius mock-glares at her. “Let me have my girl! Um, I would love to have a tattoo somewhere on my arm.”

“This might be a hard one. Dolphins or koalas?”

“Oh, that is hard. Probably dolphins. The ocean is terrifying but those little guys are just having a blast.”

“What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?” Dorcas asks as he picks up a tennis ball and throws it across the yard. Hattie emerges from the bushes and races after it in a blur of black fur.

“An engagement ring.”

“Yeah, it was.” Remus walks into the backyard and kisses Sirius’ cheek before bending down to catch Hattie in his arms. His hair is still damp from the shower. “Hello, sweet girl!”

“Who’s your favorite musician?”

“Queen.” Sirius laughs at her surprised look. “I’m gay, what did you expect?”

“True. What’s your favorite board game?”

“Monopoly.” Remus and Hattie disappear from the frame, but the bouncing sound of the tennis ball creates some background noise and Sirius watches them for a moment with pure affection.

“Favorite color?”

“Blue.”

“Least favorite color?”

“Orange.”

“Bowties or knot ties?”

He frowns. “Don’t they all have knots?”

“Smartass.”

“Yep! Uh, regular ties.”

“Bowties are superior!” Remus calls.

“Get your own questions!” Sirius laughs.

“Going off your music answers: records or CDs?”

“I don’t own a lot of records, so I’m going to have to go with CDs. I love the way vinyl sounds, though.” His eyes widen as he looks to the side. “Are you okay?”

“Fine,” Remus wheezes. “I didn’t need those ribs anyway.”

“For the viewers, the dog just football-tackled him into the grass,” Sirius says, and Dorcas snorts.

“Your hair is famously luscious. Blow-dry or air-dry?”

“Air dry.”

“Coffee or tea?”

“Coffee, but tea is nice in the evenings.”

“What’s the weirdest word in the English language?”

Sirius laughs. “There are so many. Uh, ‘jeez’ is the one that comes to mind first.”

“What about the French language?”

“Oiseaux,” he says in a crisp accent. “It means ‘birds’, and you pronounce about three of the actual letters.”

“Good to know. Do you prefer dark chocolate or milk chocolate?”

“Dark chocolate.”

“Stairs or elevators?”

“Elevators. I don’t want to walk up three floors after playing hockey for two and a half hours.”

“Summer or winter?”

Sirius bites his lip in thought as they walk around the yard, where small flowers line the fence in beds and colorful pots. “I love summer because I have actual free time to be with my friends, but winter is hockey season. I don’t know, next question.”

“What’s a dessert you don’t like?”

“I’m not a huge fan of caramel. It’s too sticky.”

“A skill you’re working on mastering?”

“Will you ban me from more interviews if I say hockey?”

“Yes.”

“In that case, I’m working on keeping plants alive, as you can probably see.” He taps the nearest flowerpot gently with his foot; it has ‘Harry’ painted across it in sloppy blue letters. “My godson made that for my birthday.”

“What’s the best thing to happen to you today?”

“This, for sure,” he says with a smile. “I haven’t seen you and Marley in ages.”

“We missed you, too. What’s the worst thing that happened to you today?”

He pouts slightly. “Burning my tongue on tea.”

“Hugs or kisses?”

“Hugs! Though I’ll accept kisses from a few very specific people.”

“Do you have a favorite smell?”

He pauses and cranes his neck to look behind the cameras. “Re?”

“Yeah?”

“What shampoo do you use?”

“Uhhh…” There’s a moment of quiet. “It’s something with lavender, I think.”

Sirius turns back to Dorcas. “Something with lavender.”

“How specific,” she laughs. “What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?”

He smiles to himself. “There was a young woman, maybe sixteen or seventeen, that came to one of the games earlier this season. I saw her standing with a puck and went over, and while I was signing it she looks at me and says, ‘you are exactly what I wish my older brother was like’. Turns out, she was bisexual and her brother wasn’t super accepting of her. That was…” He shakes his head. “That meant the world to me. I’ll never forget it.”

“You’ve definitely made a big impact on the community,” Dorcas agrees. “What’s the last piece of content you consumed that made you cry?”

“I watched ‘Soul’ the other night and almost had to pause it at one point to pull myself together.”

“Do you prefer animated movies or live-action?”

“Animated, mostly because I wasn’t allowed to watch Disney movies as a kid, so I’ve been catching up as an adult and they rock.”

“What’s your nerdiest quality?

“I love watching documentaries.”

“Sweet or savory?” The back door creaks a bit as they walk back inside and the camera catches a few frames of Hattie and Remus running around the yard together.

“Sweet.”

“In ten years, you have a daughter. What age do you let her date?”

Sirius gives Dorcas a look. “Whenever she wants to. I’m going to impose curfews and stuff, but I’m the last person on the planet to police her love life.”

“Good answer. What’s a song you can listen to on repeat?”

“Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen. Absolute banger.”

“If you could switch lives with someone for a day, who would it be?”

“Arthur Weasley,” he says after a moment. “I would love to know what it feels like to get up in the morning and know you’re about to spend another day wrangling our team. It’s a miracle he hasn’t killed us all with his clipboard.”

“How do you know you’re in love?”

“Oh.” Sirius blinks at her in surprise at the sudden topic change. “Well, for me, I think it’s just…being comfortable around someone. Being able to spend time with them without saying anything and knowing you’re safe, no matter what. It’s the best feeling in the world.”

“What are you most excited about at this time in your life?”

A slight smile crinkles his eyes. “Getting married. That’s going to be awesome.”

“Who is your go-to for having a good laugh?”

“James Potter. He’s the best, and I love him.”

“Last question,” Dorcas says, sliding her list into her pocket. “Many LGBT+ people, especially teenagers, have spoken about how you’re an inspiration. Any words for them?”

Sirius hums in thought. “First of all, thank you for being so open and welcoming. I would never have expected the sheer force of people’s love to come through like that when so many people were saying horrible things. Second, to any kids out there who need to hear it: I’m proud of you. It takes a lot to be true to yourself and even if you’re still in the closet, you’re just as valid as the rest of us. Stay proud.”

“That’s a wrap.” Dorcas gives him a quick hug that he happily returns. “Thanks for letting us crash your morning, Cap.”

“Any time. Thanks for tuning in to Lion Pride, everyone!”

[alatismeni-theitsa]

I have no idea when you posted asking about the experiences of Greek diaspora / Greek heritage but I just saw it so I thought I’d send in my stuff.

I am so disconnected from it because my grandma didn’t want to pass the language into her children so she could have adult conversations they wouldn’t understand. And she didn’t pass on the culture because her husband was Jehovah’s Witness. And so I just feel an intense feeling of grief over a culture that I’m apart of but know very little about. I have some recipes my Yiayia made, a cookbook by women from the Greek Orthodox Church in NYC, and two lullaby’s. (We lived in the US with my great grandma so we had more interaction with Greek culture than our cousins who’s lived with my grandma in Ireland)

And there’s not much out that I’ve found where I’ve been able to learn about my culture and not felt like I’m intruding. Especially because I don’t “look Greek” like some of the other greek kids at my school. I look Irish. I don’t have a Greek name and I don’t speak any of the language. The only way I’ve found to connect is through food but I’m limited to the cookbook because if you look online it’s hard to find recipes that aren’t just trendy mediterranen inspired health food. My mum is starting to reluctantly tell me a little about my family from Greece. And my grandmas cousin and her family is very very greek. So if I fly down to see her she’ll teach me stuff (though she’s the matriarch of the family so she’s pretty intimidating). Anyway. That’s my experience with my my greek heritage.

I just sent the long-ass ask about Greek heritage but I forgot the bit where I was Greek enough to get bullied over Greek food. Yay. Dolmades are good though I don’t care if they “look little poop”

___________________[END OF ASK] __________________________

Hey and sorry for the delay 💙 I asked some time ago but that doesn't mean newer answers aren't welcome anytime!

Dear, I am grieving with you for the loss 😔 I can't say the reasons the language wasn't passed on seem very logical to me. There are things that didn't get passed on to me because my grandparents thought I would automatically know, or they didn't bother teaching, so I can relate to that feeling 😔

You are definitely NOT intruding! I can understand why it feels this way after what you told me, but it seems to me you have every right to know! Greek culture welcomes anyone from Cameroon to Japan, so, realistically, nothing should stop you from having access to it. Plus, it's your own family!

Oh damn, the "I don't look Greek" plague 😩 As everyone knows there's no specific qualifier of appearance for being part of Hellenismos. On this particular occasion, I'll go one step further and say that, unless you have raid hair, you probably look like a lot of Greeks.

There are Greeks whose appearance is rare for this ethnicity, but "looking Irish" is a thing that 1/4 (at least?) of Greek people relate to. One thing Greeks of diaspora often hear is that "they don't look Greek enough", aka they look "too white". Your surrounding Greeks might not look like you but if you go through my tag #Greek people, which has hundreds of videos, portraits, and photos of Greeks from all eras, you might realize you look like many Greeks.

There are Greeks whose appearance is rare for this ethnicity, but "looking Irish" is a thing that 1/4 (at least?) of Greek people relate to. One thing Greeks of diaspora often hear is that "they don't look Greek enough", aka they look "too white". Your surrounding Greeks might not look like you but if you go through my tag #Greek people, which has hundreds of videos, portraits, and photos of Greeks from all eras, you might realize you look like many Greeks.

Again, appearance doesn't matter in the slightest when it comes to culture, but I sensed your appearance issue was the flavor of "too white looking" and it's the most infuriating thing to me because many, many Greeks look "too white looking" for the standards foreigners have made for them!

Anyways, on to the food! I am so happy you are trying some of the recipes :D (And that you are doing everything to connect to your heritage if it brings you joy!) How dare they speak badly about dolmades??? 😭 Many countries close to Greece also have that dish and we must find them so we can have a dolmades alliaaaaanceee!

I'd also like to add, don't feel pressured to get too much into the culture if you don't want to. Many Greeks in Greece keep different types of distance from their tradition and that should also be your right. Again, do and learn whatever pleases you! Just keep in mind that you are valid in your current state without going the extra mile to learn every Greek thing possible.

People across the globe can have various degrees of Greek heritage and if that "amount" of heritage is "less" then it's okay and natural because it's what happens when people immigrate. The more generations pass, the more this old part is left behind. For example, many Greeks in Greece can also come from other backgrounds (Austrian, Egyptian, Slavic (various countries), etc) and they, too have many parts of their older heritages lost. They practice Greek customs almost exclusively now.

There's a cultural plane that shifts all the time in countries around the world and families assimilate to a new culture as they adapt to a new place. At this moment you are also part of a US regional culture and there is no shame in *also* identifying as part of it. That won't erase any Greek part of you.

The above doesn't aim to discourage you in any way on searching more about Greek culture! It's only a general disclaimer. People from inside a culture (usually in diaspora) tend to judge those who participate less, as if any person with X heritage is in a place to keep the same amount of touch with it 🙄

Sure, tradition is very important but nobody should be forced to practice it if they don't want to - or if they just can't. Tradition is people, and some traditions change or die naturally because many individuals from the inside wanted it to.

It's hard being caught in between - not "American enough" and not "Greek enough". The paradox is that you must first feel secure in this position. Granted, it's easier said than done but mentally it will save you the mindset of needing to be "more American" or "more Greek". As you understand, you don't need to feel apologetic to Americans for who you are, and you don't need to feel apologetic to Greeks in America or anywhere else for the exact same reason.

Some Greeks of diaspora feel distressed about their accents in Greek (or they don't want to admit they have an accent) or for not being perceived as Greeks automatically by other Greeks when they visit the country. But that's unavoidable because these differences exist and people raised in Greece can spot them. Therefore, people in the US whom you are afraid might feel superior to you for knowing more things about Greece, may come to Greece and feel like foreigners.

So they shouldn't make this a race beacuse it's not one they would normally "win" by their own standards. Chances are, after you learn anything you can, you will also have distance from what is considered the "default" Greek culture. It's part of the organic process of time + distance from the country, and Greeks with half a brain won't look down on you for that.

What I mean to say is that there is no certain bar an ordinary person can ever pass to be given any prize of the "ultimate Έλληνας". Not even Greeks in Greece know where that bar is when it comes to their own touch with tradition. There is no golden standard, no finishing line!

I encourage you to continue your journey on learning Greek things and while you are at it, know that objectively you have nothing to prove to anyone, even though you might feel otherwise. I say, fly to your grandma's cousin and let her teach you stuff!

You know that the intimidating demeanor Greek aunties and grandmas have doesn't necessarily reflect their love for you. You might also know that older Greeks are more reserved in showing appreciation. And in the hypothetical scenario where they don't really like you that much, they are still bound to you because you are family, so feel free to use their expertise 👀 If they don't give their knowledge to their family, whom are they going to give it to?? The neighbor??

If they throw any shade at you for now knowing enough take a deeeeeep breath, remember this isn't a race, and continue learning from them. (And you will feel the Greek experience of not deemed worthy enough by your relatives 😂 It's a win win!) If you haven't, check the poem Ithaca by K.P. Kavafy! I think it applies to this situation in a way!

You can always come here and browse thousands of posts about Greece! (In the Desktop version the most important show up on the left of the main page). I have #modern Greece #Greek custom #Greek tradition #Greek dance #Greek cuisine #Greek literature and whatever else your heart desires!

If you want to slowly learn Greek, Greekpod 101 and Easy Greek channels on YouTube have great content! I also have my tag #learn Greek on this blog with sources and explanations. (#Greek language and #Greek word can also be useful!) They are all accessible to English speakers!

You now have a distant Greek auntie who is at your disposal for any type of question (even the "stupid" questions)! Literally, ask me anything and I will try to answer it or find more info for you! You can DM me if you don't want to leave an ask. You are not intruding and it's my pleasure to help!