#it’s full of friends and ideas and thrills and the arts and the natural world

[rowanhoney]

hello my dears I am so so so so so in love with life

[elianakendrick]

Say hello to Eliana Kendrick, a 35 year old novelist born in San Francisco and lived it up in Arizona.

Name: Eliana Kendrick

Age: 35

Faceclaim: Rebecca Rittenhouse

Neighborhood: Oak Gardens

Occupation: Novelist

Time in Blue Harbor: 2 years

Biography:

For as long as Eliana Kendrick could remember she’d been a storyteller. Imagination was something she had in spades, vast and ever wandering. Some of her parents most fond memories of Ellie had been when they were traveling and she sat in the backseat making up stories and told them off the top of her head, just staring out the window as she scenery went by. It wasn’t a mystery what her likely future was, even if it had taken Ellie a bit of time to figure it out for herself. Growing up in San Francisco, she had a charmed life. Her father worked in finance and her mother was a doctor. Friends were easy to come by given that in youth Ellie didn’t have a shy bone in her body. She was brave and bold enough to talk to anyone and tell them exactly what she thought and felt. To some kids it was hard to take, that amount of presence, and to be around someone so sure of themselves but Ellie was so independent and content with her own company that it never really bothered her.

In school she performed well, naturally having an easier go at language and arts than sciences and maths. She played sports, a swimmer and on the volleyball team. In her head though, Ellie was always somewhere else. To say she was a dreamer, would’ve been an understatement. She became drawn to anything that told a story and offered an escape from her life. Not that it was a bad life, the girl wanted for nothing really. It was just mundane and boring, leaving her to hope that there was more to it than the every day routine that made every single day feel exactly the same. She read voraciously and got lost in the imagery the novels painted into her head, found thrill and excitement in the adventure each book led her on and wanted something like that for herself. No matter how dramatic the lines on the page were. Ellie was in the ninth grade, daydreaming her English hour away when her most unforgettable teacher told her where her future likely was. Until then, the ideas of who and what she could be when she got older changed on a dime. Sometimes even more than once in a day. From actor to director to real estate agent to fire fighter. Never once had she actually considered that there was something to the way her mind would wander and the worlds and lives she’d create in her head.

Once Ellie moved on to university, was out of the house away from her parents and older brother, away from her friends she’d grown up with, there was something that clicked inside. There was freedom to be whomever she wanted to be, to do whatever she wanted to do. She didn’t have to perform to standards and expectations set by her parents. Friends who’d known her for years and years, thinking they really knew who she was, weren’t around to comment or judge the things she said or did anymore. The fact that being away from home for the first time offered her to be who she genuinely was, was the most freeing feeling Ellie had experienced in her life thus far. In university, states away from home, naturally Ellie studied creative writing and found herself writing beyond the short stories she’d kept private almost like a diary when she was in high school. In months she was putting together intricate novels and feeling full of herself and a sense of accomplishment because of it. Compliments flowed from teachers and classmates, so Ellie had no reason to believe she wasn’t this incredible writer who wouldn’t have a difficult time getting a book out there.

The first three novels she attempted to publish were rejected. With her confidence shaken and sense of purpose crumbling, advice came from a handsome stranger that had been a speaker in one of her classes. He’d been invited by her professor to talk to the class about his career and how he’d broken into the investigative journalism profession. Since Ellie had been the only person that hadn’t asked a question or seemed enamored by his success, when they’d run into each other later at a coffee shop, where she was sulking and licking her wounds of rejection, she confessed why. She was giving up. Clearly she didn’t have the magic that it took to be some great novelist like she’d dreamt of. When he offered to look at her manuscript, Ellie had been surprised but hadn’t really hesitated. His review was that she had the talent, the imagination for a good story, but it felt too much like fantasy. Given the genre she was writing in, there wasn’t enough realism, and his suggestion was: experience.

While in her final year of university, Ellie looked into what it took to be a private investigator and once she got her licensing, she went to work for a small two person agency. Essentially, it was just the name on the door and a bookkeeper he’d hired to keep things in order. In the beginning she was nothing more than his assistant, and in training, even if he hadn’t really had many years on her. But experience had been what she wanted and experience had been what she got. Ellie realized after she’d been deep into a few cases just how sheltered she’d been; how despite all the novels she’d read and documentaries and films she’d seen that she really only had a very general idea on police procedurals went and the real grit of how the law worked. There was so much nuance, so many varied secrets and things people did to one another that it had shocked her at first. She was out of her depth but as Ellie fell deeper and deeper into what it took to be a sleuth, dug deep into research it became a sort of drug.

The problem was, this private eye life she was leading had only been meant to be a temporary gig to understand and make herself a better writer. So Ellie had done it under a made up identity. She created a character for herself essentially and lived that life for years, to the extent of getting involved with her boss and becoming his partner in business. All the while Ellie began publishing suspense, thriller novels under her real name and had been topping the New York Times Best Seller List. By day, and sometimes under the cloak of night, she was a detective and partner to a PI, both professionally and personally. And in the moments she could square away for herself, usually in the apartment she had kept and told him that she was keeping but only so that she could rent it out for extra income, she would write. For years Ellie lived this double life, until one day it all stopped and she went to live in Illinois. She left her life as Callie Hendricks behind, abandoning the business and her longtime boyfriend with a suitable excuse that she was burnt out and felt the relationship had taken its course.

Winding up in Blue Harbor was for her brother. He’d called her one day two years ago stating that he and his wife were getting a divorce and that he needed some help and support. There were a lot of complications on the wife’s side, with her family attacking his character and attempting to stir up trouble. It wasn’t really anything Ellie truly desired getting involved in but since her brother never really asked her for anything, she felt the least she could was be there for him. Especially since he had supported her through her career. In truth, what Ellie saw was an opportunity to start over and start fresh. Something had begun to grow stale in her writing, in the last two books she’d published, while they’d reached the top of the charts in sales, they weren't reviewed as well. Some critics even stated that she may have lost her touch. And well, Ellie wasn’t ready for her tower to begin crumbling under her.

[isleofdarkness]

Oh my heart, is there anything else about Ruby u wanna tell us?

-birb

These are only the fluffy, happy ones. Trust me, there's also plenty of angst and hurt/comfort ones.

He is so extremely curious. He wants to know everything about the world around him. Because the other two (Desdemona and Hunter) were imprisoned after they had started talking (two and four respectively) and because his father and Maleficent spoke to him he does know how to talk and knows a few words, but he has the word vocabulary of a five-year-old. But gods, he's so eager to expand on that. He wants to know what everything is. He wants to taste every food, feel every fabric, hear every sound, smell every scent- he wants to explore his world. He's as curious as Jay used to be before Jafar made him think he was too stupid to understand anything.

He's shy but somehow still so friendly. If someone is his age (he has trauma with adults) or younger, he'll start a conversation with them. Part of this is him wanting to learn more about the world, but most of it is because he just wants to know people. He grew up with five people in his life full-stop, and now there's so many people and he's so excited.

He's severely dyslexic and has severe ADHD, like Jay. Unlike Jay, his vision is terrible. His glasses are a prescription so strong that they give you a headache the second you put them on, it takes your eyes five minutes to adjust to them, and then, once you take them off, it takes your eyes ten minutes to go back to normal. Yes, he is absolutely thrilled by the finer details of the world.

He doesn't like rats, but he's very curious about other animals.

And art. His art is far more abstract than what Mal, Claudine, and Evie do, but he's having fun.

He was a bit of a parrot as a child, like Jay and Riah. The second he learned how to use his tongue he was copying every word and sound he heard. He had no idea what they meant, but he was content to just make the sounds as children are. The difference with him is that, while he eventually realized that the sounds had meanings, he didn't know the meanings for most sounds

He's slow to learn, naturally, but, because Jay and Riah are tutoring him, he remains undiscouraged. He actually has a real gift for math, at least the problems that only have the symbols, no words. Like Jay, he hates word problems.

He thinks his brother is the coolest person on the entire planet. Jay is his hero and his best friend and he knows so much and is so nice and makes sure no one hurts him-

He was punished for stimming as a child but, after seeing the other Isle kids doing it, he started doing it again. His most common stims are running his fingers through his hair, rocking, flapping his hands, and bouncing

[we-dont-talk-about-potato-nonono]

Yin and john are cool interesting. I would like no know more about them.☺

dang, I’m loving these questions! sure buddy, just for you!

Johnny-boy a complicated mess. daddy issues, check. family drama, check. insecure and yet also cocky, double check. my boy's a mess but I love him! he had always been a bit of an outcast, he was an odd combination of traits, from his appearance to the hobbies and personality, nobody quite understood him, that was until he met Yin.

as for Yin she got mommy issue. her life was full of structure, she had strict mom and very traditional. she was expected to be a perfect daughter.. so then she moved out and continue on her college life. her life is easier now without her hectic family and rules.

although she was raise by a strict mother, she is quite mature! like she just cooks, cleans, and does household chores of her own accord and in a timely manner because she knows it just has to be done. so she's very hard working, responsible, independent type of girl. oh and she also smokes alot cuz of stress. (I wish I can be a good cooker as her)

the two of then were childhood friends but when they got older they lost touch! only to meet again as young adults at college, this time with very different lives and views on the world. their childhood friendship and love for eachother quickly rekindled as they fell for eachother all over again.

from the moment John and Yin meet again they were completely fascinated with eachother, Johnny's free spirited and wild nature and Yin's quiet and demure personality. they became inseparable, and it was clear that they had more then just a regular friendship, they love eachother more then anything.

despite the opposition and disapproving of those around them, Yin’s family hate the idea of her hanging out with a ‘hooligan’ like Johnny. they stayed together, they had this love that was special and so incredible, even though they were so different it brought them together even more.

the couple were very romantic, and very open with their affection and love, often kissing and hugging in public. they were the main gossip in town, but to the two, that just brought about a sort of excitement, a little extra thrill to their already wild love life.

after graduation, Yin plan to move in with Johnny, who gladly let her stay with him and they live a simple, yet very happy life in a small house, sharing hobbies like taking long drives on Johnny's motorcycle and taking pictures of nature..

commissioned art by nixamajid on insta!

[woundgallery]

Hunter Deely Extant Writing

I was thrilled when @wintercorrybriea messaged me to request more writing by my dear friend Hunter Deely. This post contains links to PDFs of his extant writing, as well as a reflection on his work. 

Hunter was a Texan-born poet, musician and activist who died of a heroin overdose in New Orleans in 2012. He was barely twenty-two years old when he left this world but was already one of the most fully realized, remarkable poets and souls I have ever encountered. Hunter and I met as teenagers in San Antonio, Texas where we were part of a small, fiercely devoted group of friends who bonded through art and through a feeling, suffused with the zealotry of youth, that we alone saw through the hypocrisy and banality of South Texas suburbia. For the two years we all spent together in San Antonio, we felt we held the key to a mysterious, vibrant world-beneath-the-world. Our friendships and the insights they provoked felt consecrated, shot through with passion and truth. It was a holy ground. We reveled in this hidden world, and in each other, even as the same contrarian spirit that forged our devoted kinship drew us, careening, closer and closer to the edge. In 2009, Hunter, in the full-throes of heroin addiction, left for college at Tulane. In December of that year, our beloved friend Luther Maddox committed suicide three weeks before his eighteenth birthday. Luther’s death fundamentally changed the way all of us understand the universe and our positions within it. This first, intimate encounter with death shattered the invulnerability and ecstasy of our co-authored, insular world.  Within three weeks of Luther’s death, Hunter and two of Luther’s other closest friends left for rehab. 

The bulk of Hunter’s extant poems were written after he returned to college at Tulane following a year at rehab and a sober-living transitional setting in Irving, Texas. Luther’s death, as well as Hunter’s recognition of his addiction and how closely it brought him to his own end, drew him into a more intimate communion with the world, with the kingdom of nature, with generation and decomposition, the place where the disintegration of our individual egos and selves brings us into harmony with the always-there of the essential, material universe. A year after Luther’s death, Hunter wrote in a letter to our friend Kat, “I don't get sad about [his death] anymore, though. Because fundamentally, I have changed the way I view the world. I still consider myself an atheist. But I think Luther knew, and I now know, that there is more to life than our waking existence.” The spiritual sense that Hunter developed in the few years before his death was firmly rooted in the physical world; a celebration of the dissolution of the little ego under the resonant knowledge that we are all connected, through matter in a united, harmonious whole. “I believe that for something to "exist" is must be a part of nature,” Hunter wrote in a letter from Irving, “I do not believe that anything exists outside of nature, because anything outside of nature would be incomprehensible to the human mind, and therefore cannot "exist." That said, I think there is a lot to the universe we don't understand….there are forces at play we simply cannot see, to be sure, and other forces we see only fleetingly, in dreams. I think dreams are just as real as waking life. “I believe people are the masters of their own destinies. I also believe everything happens the way it was meant to happen. And I don't care if those two ideas contradict each other.”

Much of Hunter’s writing is an intellectual and spiritual working-through of these ideas. Assertions of individual will are interrupted by surrender to numinous whole. In a journal entry written in 2010, Hunter reflects on an atheistic spirituality—a belief that one’s spirit is not bound to the individual self and needn’t be seen as existing outside of the natural, the material. Hunter writes, “A favorite division among recovery groups is physical, emotional, spiritual. Ultimately, all of these things are physical, that is, there is no immaterial aspect to them…I do believe that the  spirit” far extends our understanding—and in the sense that time is fundamentally illusory, and that aspect of our psyche which is the spirit is an aspect which connects with the timeless aspects of existence, might even agree that it exists before we are born and is eternal. But it is only our spirit while we are living.” Hunter grew to understand death as a return to oneness with the always-there of the interconnected the universe, a mingling of basic elements which overtakes individuality and integrates us with the eternal-all. His poems map his growing belief in the mysterious connections between all matter, the awed conviction that “you are me/the ash is not the log, no,/but the heat diffuses like clouds/the filaments never leave the center”, that everything we have touched has existed from the beginning of time. The spirit radiating through Hunter’s work is the assertion that, as Wendell Berry writes, “I claim, and act, and am mingled in the fate of the world. Hunter found solace and meaning in the knowledge that everything we are, and touch, and experience was once joined  in a single dense point of energy, that “each tree in this forest/rises from a single system of roots that never/dies,” and that, linked in this way, we “only appear separate”, and “there is no such thing as being alone” (“The Idea of Order at No Place in Particular”). 

I miss Hunter profoundly, but I am eternally grateful that his work reminds me that we are never truly separated from each other. The links below contain the bulk of Hunter’s extant writing, sadly only a small portion of his entire body of work. I hope you enjoy visiting with him through his words. 

Links to Hunter’s Work

Hunter Deely Poems: Main Group 

Hunter Poems: Other Group

Hunter Prose

Peace and love to you, 

Linnea

[imnobodyuknow]

"All right, it's time! Here's ImNobodyUKnow to tell you all about his..."

"Er..."

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

"...Seriously?"

*snort* Hmm? What? ...Oh! Oh, yeah. I guess I should do this part myself. So sorry! *AHEM*

So! What sort of antics do you think would take place if the Forger family decided to go on a family "ooting" to the countryside of Asahigaoka, whether for a vacation or a mission disguised as a vacation, and visit the Miyauchi family? I bet I could write volumes on the subject (and given the chance, I probably would), but we'll just focus on one possibility for now -- I can easily imagine Anya getting along well with Renge and her friends, even though they live in very different worlds (very, very different, in fact), but what sort of things would they do together? I don't know about you, but one of the first things that came to my mind was this: Renge and Shiori inducting Anya into their secret organization!

Which secret organization am I referring to, you may wonder?

I hope they don't mind me blabbing about it. 😅 See this video for the (mostly) full context.

So with that idea in mind, allow me to introduce the complete crew with its newest member from Ostania!

As you can see, the grown-ups with them are thrilled to see them proudly representing the forces of good! ...Well, at least the women are. 😏

Shiori and Renge were relatively easy to draw -- as you can see, they're wearing the same outfits and expressions as they are in the screenshot and making the same poses:

Anya might be their newest member, but she's a natural at making the same pose!

She might believe the Cosmos Detectives are a real organization, knowing her. 😄

Since she's never actually made this pose (as far as I know, anyway), I did my best to duplicate it for her, using some official art for her expression (changing her eyes a bit to make her look more assertive) and a figurine picture for her outfit:

I'll be darned if that summer outfit doesn't have some crazy detail. 😳

Meanwhile, Loid's wearing a simple green shirt and a "What are they doing?" sort of expression:

For him, I used a screenshot of his profile and rotated it a bit:

The ladies, on the other hand, are delighted by the girls' enthusiasm.

For Yor's face, I used a screenshot of her profile and one of her smiling.

As you may have noticed, her outfit (or at least what you can see of it), is identical to the one in the second screenshot, but with a more summery-looking headband.

Kazuho's pose, expression, and outfit also came from a screenshot:

Both of the ladies were rotated as well, as you can see. I'm not entirely sure, but I think I might be getting a little better at drawing perspective. I'll let y'all decide that one, I guess. 😊

And finally, the environment is largely based on the one in the screenshot of Shiori and Renge. I definitely could've done the trees in the far background a little better, but that kind of shading is a little tricky to do with colored pencils (and not something you can undo if you mess it up). It was tricky for me, anyway, so I guess that's something I'll want to work on that. (Or at least I could sharpen them a little more next time. 🙄)

But overall, I'm pretty pleased with how this picture came out. I'm not surprised, considering how adorable the characters in it are, plus the idea was a fun one to illustrate. 😊 Again, I'd probably go wild with ideas about these two families meeting one another (or rather, this family and this pseudo-family meeting one another), but I'll save that idea for another time. Besides, a glimpse is better than nothing, right?

And with that, Operation Spy x Family x Non Non Biyori Drawing is complete!

...G'night. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

[halxwilliams]

𝓗𝓪𝓵 𝓦𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓪𝓶𝓼 𝓑𝓲𝓸

Name: Henry "Hal" Williams

Nicknames: Hal

Age: 16

Background:

Hal Williams was born into a world of fame and glamour as the son of the famous French model Amelia Le Blanc and renowned actor Ryder Williams. He has an older half-sister named Sabrina, who is both a talented singer and actress. Hal's mother had a previous relationship with Tristan Bailey, an actor and director in London, before meeting Ryder. When Tristan left, unaware that Amelia was pregnant with Sabrina, Ryder stepped in and adopted her, keeping their true relationship a secret. Hal's world was turned upside down when Gossip Girl exposed the truth about his sister, leading him to run away from home before eventually accepting the truth and returning.

Growing up as the son of a renowned actor, Hal's childhood was filled with excitement and curiosity. He was immersed in the world of films and entertainment. From a young age, he watched his father captivate audiences with his performances, leaving a lasting impression on Hal's mind. Being an actor's son had its perks. Hal attended star-studded red carpet events, rubbed shoulders with celebrities, and witnessed the magic of film productions firsthand. He was exposed to the behind-the-scenes chaos and creativity that went into bringing stories to life on screen.

However, it wasn't always easy for Hal. Being part of a famous family came with its own set of challenges. He felt the weight of expectations, the pressure to live up to his father's legacy. There were times when he struggled to find his own identity and establish himself as an individual outside of his father's shadow.

Nevertheless, this unique upbringing shaped Hal's love for the arts and ignited his own passion for acting. It fueled his desire to carve out his own path in the creative realm, to make a name for himself on his own terms. He carried with him the lessons learned and the indelible memories of his upbringing as an actor's son.

Hal used to be quite the ladies' man, enjoying the thrill of the dating scene. However, as he matured, he realized the importance of genuine connections and left his player days behind.

Appearance:

Hal possesses an enigmatic and captivating presence. With his striking features, including his green eyes and tousled dark hair, he effortlessly commands attention wherever he goes. His fashion sense is a perfect blend of classic elegance and modern edge, always making a statement with his stylish ensembles. Hal's eyes are a warm and inviting shade of green. They are expressive and have a hint of mischief, reflecting his playful and adventurous nature. Hal's eyebrows are well-defined, adding to the intensity and depth of his gaze.

Hal has a slender and athletic physique. He carries himself with a confident and graceful demeanor, showcasing his natural elegance. Hal's fashion sense is classic and timeless, often opting for tailored and sophisticated outfits that reflect his refined taste.

Personality:

Hal possesses a captivating personality that is both charming and full of life. He possesses a natural charisma that draws people to him, but beneath his confident exterior lies a sensitive soul. He exudes a youthful exuberance that is infectious, always bringing a sense of joy and energy to any situation. Hal has a mischievous charm that can light up a room and bring a smile to anyone's face. He is known for his playful nature, always ready for an adventure or a spontaneous outing.

Hal is a romantic at heart. He wears his heart on his sleeve and is not afraid to express his emotions. Hal is sensitive and empathetic, always attuned to the feelings of those around him. He is a true friend, offering support and understanding to those in need.

In addition to his charm and romantic nature, Hal is also intellectually curious. He is an avid reader and a lover of knowledge. Hal enjoys exploring new ideas and perspectives, always seeking to expand his horizons. He is a deep thinker, often pondering life's big questions and searching for meaning and purpose.

Relationships:

Ryder Williams is Hal's father and he is a famous actor. Hal looks up to his father not only as a talented actor but also as a role model. Ryder has been a mentor to Hal, guiding him in the industry. They often bond over their love for sports, cheering for their favorite teams and even playing friendly matches themselves. Hal and Ryder also appreciate art and often visit museums and galleries, discussing and appreciating different artistic styles and works. When they want to unwind, they enjoy spending time in nature, going for hikes or relaxing by the beach.

Amelia, Hal's mother, plays a crucial role in his life as a supportive and protective figure. As a model, she understands the challenges and pressures that come with being in the public eye. Recognizing Hal's passion for acting, Amelia has been there for him every step of the way, despite her initial reservations about him starting at such a young age. She takes pride in his accomplishments. As Hal continues to grow as an actor, Amelia remains his biggest supporter and advocate. She ensures that he remains grounded, protected, and focused on his dreams, allowing him to flourish both personally and professionally.

Hal shares a deep bond with his half-sister Sabrina, treating her as a full sibling despite their complicated family history. Their unbreakable connection serves as a pillar of support in his life. Hal feels a strong sense of responsibility to protect and support her. He is always there to lend a listening ear whenever she faces challenges or needs someone to confide in. Despite being only one year apart in age, Sabrina has a nurturing side towards Hal that often manifests in spoiling him. She enjoys taking him to the mall and indulging in shopping trips together. Beyond their sibling relationship, Sabrina and Hal are best friends. They enjoy spending quality time together. Whether it's watching movies, exploring new hobbies, or simply engaging in heartfelt conversations, they find comfort and joy in each other's presence.

In terms of romantic relationships, Hal has had his fair share of passionate entanglements.

Hal and Ivy's fling started off like a whirlwind romance, full of excitement and passion. From the moment they laid eyes on each other, there was an undeniable spark between Hal and Ivy. It was love at first sight for them. Hal was mesmerized by Ivy's incredible voice and her stage presence that could make anyone swoon. And Ivy couldn't resist Hal's charm and his ability to bring characters to life on the screen. Their time together was filled with amazing moments. They went on romantic dates, exploring the lively streets of New York or just cuddling up together for movie nights.

But as time went on, things got messy and complicated. The main reason for their breakup was the clash between their careers. Hal is an actor and he was always busy with auditions and filming. He had to travel a lot, which made it hard for them to spend time together. Ivy is a singer and she had gigs and recording sessions that took up a lot of her time too. They were both so focused on their careers that they didn't have much time for each other. The pressure and gossip from their industries made things even harder. People were always talking about their relationship, which added stress and drama.

Hal and Ivy were always at each other's throats, constantly arguing and bickering.The tension between them was so thick you could cut it with a knife. On top of their constant arguments, there was another issue that added fuel to the fire in Hal and Ivy's relationship. Hal had a reputation for being a bit of a playboy, charming and charismatic with the ladies. This reputation often made Ivy feel even more jealous and insecure whenever he interacted with other female celebrities. After a while, they both realized that their relationship just wasn't working. The fighting had become too much, and it was taking a toll on their happiness. They finally came to the tough decision that it was best to call it quits.

Hal and Amber had a friends with benefits thing going on. They were buddies who also enjoyed some extra fun on the side. It was a casual and no-strings-attached arrangement that allowed them to have a physical connection without the pressure of a committed relationship but as time went on, they found themselves catching feelings for each other. The more they spent time together, the deeper their connection became. They started craving more than just physical intimacy – they wanted emotional closeness too.

Hal's fear of entering into his first official relationship with Amber is understandable. The past experiences he had with Ivy, where fights and conflicts arose, have left him apprehensive about the potential challenges that may arise in a committed relationship. Regret fills Hal's heart as he realizes that he made Amber wait for a long time before taking the leap of faith to be an official couple. He feels guilty for not being more decisive and courageous in pursuing their relationship. He acknowledges that he may have acted cowardly, but he also recognizes the importance of Amber in his life and the strong feelings he has for her. In an effort to make amends, Hal tries his best to make it up to Amber. However, he also understands the need to give her space, as she is hurt by his previous actions. Seeking advice from his friends, he decides to respect her feelings and give her the time she needs to heal and process their situation.

Despite the challenges and uncertainties, Hal's love for Amber remains unwavering. He hopes that one day she will be able to forgive him and that they can build a serious and committed relationship together. He patiently waits for her answer, understanding that healing and forgiveness take time. Hal is cautious about spending time with his ex-girlfriend Ivy Garcia, aware of the potential discomfort it may cause Amber. He values her feelings and understands the importance of maintaining boundaries.

Blair Waldorf and Andrew Peak are his cousins. Hal has a unique relationship with his older cousins, Blair Waldorf and Andrew Peak. Despite the age gap, they have played significant roles in shaping his life and providing guidance along the way.

Hal wants to be a cool and fun uncle to Blair and Chuck's children so he visits them a lot and makes sure to spend time with them.

[palmsgd]

Experience the Thrill of Extreme Sports at Lake Cunningham Action Sports Park

The Lake Cunningham Action Sports Park in East San Jose, California is a fantastic destination for extreme sports enthusiasts. The park provides an outstanding experience for those seeking an adrenaline rush, with a diverse range of extreme sports activities suitable for all expertise levels. Whether you're an experienced athlete or a beginner wanting to try something new, Lake Cunningham has something to offer for you.

https://palmsgaragedoors.com/

One of the park's most popular attractions is the world-class BMX race track. With a reputation as one of the best BMX tracks in the country, the Lake Cunningham track has hosted numerous national and international competitions. It's a challenging course with plenty of jumps and obstacles, sure to satisfy even the most hardcore BMX rider.

If you're more interested in skating than cycling, the park has you covered with its state-of-the-art skate park. The park's skate facilities feature a variety of ramps, rails, and bowls, offering endless possibilities for tricks and stunts. Whether you're a seasoned skateboarder or a newcomer to the sport, the skate park is a must-visit destination.

For those looking for something a little more daring, the park's water slides and wakeboarding facilities are sure to get your heart pumping. The park's two water slides offer an exhilarating ride down a steep incline, with twists and turns that will leave you breathless. If you're up for a bigger challenge, try your hand at wakeboarding on the park's cable course. It's a thrilling way to experience the rush of gliding across the water, with obstacles to add an extra element of difficulty.

Of course, all of these extreme sports can work up quite an appetite. Fortunately, Lake Cunningham Action Sports Park has a full-service restaurant on-site, serving up a variety of delicious options to refuel and recharge. From burgers and sandwiches to salads and wraps, there's something for everyone on the menu.

But even if you're not an extreme sports enthusiast, there's plenty to enjoy at Lake Cunningham. The park offers beautiful views of the surrounding hills and Lake Cunningham, making it a great place to relax and take in the scenery. The park also features picnic areas and a playground, making it a perfect destination for families with children.

jasper, please, can you write one more paragraph talking about the principal header idea, without repeat the previous information?

Additionally, the park offers a number of recreational activities for all ages to participate in. Guests can enjoy a leisurely stroll around one of the many walking trails or explore the wetlands and wildlife at the nearby nature reserve. Fishing and boating are also available on Lake Cunningham, allowing you to take in the beauty of the lake from its waters. With so much

Summing up, Lake Cunningham Action Sports Park is a unique and exciting destination in East San Jose. Whether you're a seasoned athlete or just looking for a fun day out with family and friends, the park offers something for everyone.

[detectivehannibal]

Pretty as a Picture

__

Hannibal Lecter x Fem. Reader

Warnings: Implications of smut.

A/N: Why do I keep disappearing from this blog?? I’ve had this idea for FOREVER. Fun fact about me, I sometimes recycle my works from other blogs. So if you’re curious, this is from my Harry Potter blog @seriouslysnape and here’s the original work.

Word Count: 1,738

“It’s not much...just a little something for your birthday.”

__

On the surface, surprises don’t really seem to come to mind when you think about Hannibal Lecter. The esteemed psychiatrist always came off to you as an open book. He was usually willing to share all aspects of his life with you, which naturally left you believing that there weren’t any secrets lurking further within himself. 

Oh, how wrong you were.

Despite all the things that you didn’t know about Hannibal, you knew him well enough to know the sorts of things that he has a fancy for and the things he doesn’t. As high maintenance and temperamental as he is, he is shockingly easy to please. It’s a bit of an ironic statement, but still the truth nonetheless. 

You could gift Hannibal with something as simple as a pair of socks or with something as extravagant as a brand new luxury suit, and he’d always have the same genuine, appreciative reaction. If something came from you, he would surely love it with his whole heart. 

This gift, however, was on a whole new level.

The idea had honestly come to you at random when you were brainstorming birthday present possibilities. Even though he would never admit it, he was a bit bored of you buying him a new tie for every occasion. He had a tie for every color, pattern, and even he could ever dream of. You wanted to think outside of the box this time. You wanted to come up with something that he would never ever think of. 

On the flip side, you also wanted to be sure that it was something that he could have for a long time and something that would have some real meaning to him. You could always go down the culinary appliance route, but he already had absolutely everything he’d ever possibly want or need. You were in a bit of a rut, but that’s when you got a wonderful thought.

Hannibal didn’t own many personal pictures. Most of the photos in his house were custom made art pieces that were worth more than the price of your left leg alone. Hannibal never struck you as the kind of man to have plethoras of pictures of loved ones, but you still found it odd. It’d be a win-win in your eyes. You’d supply Hannibal with some photos to hold on to, and it’d be a thoughtful gift.

Then your plan took a sultry turn.

You had picked out a large photo album that would match the aesthetic of his house, and an album that would have plenty of pages to fill up. You kept it stashed away in your closet until you were ready to put pictures inside of it when another idea came to mind. 

What if you made a sexy photo album for him?

At first, you were a little sheepish at the idea. Boudoir style pictures showing off only the dirtiest of contents? It seemed like that might be too much and even a bit weird. The longer you thought about it, though, the more and more the idea sounded good. Maybe Hannibal wouldn’t necessarily jump at the gift, but at least he’d have something to jerk off to when you weren’t around.

You assembled as many outfits as you could, some coming from your personal collection and some were purchased as a specialty to the production of the photos. You’d need some help actually having the photos taken, which is why you recruited one of your closest friends.

You could’ve had them professionally done, but you weren’t sure how comfortable you were with a photographer and group of modeling experts studying over your naked body for an entire day. Your friend was stoked for the project and dedicated a whole afternoon while Hannibal was at work to help you out. 

You took probably about a hundred pictures, all with varying poses, outfits, and locations around the house. You even took a few more innocent photos of you just smiling or doing candid things. You figured that you needed some sweet to balance out the spicy. 

You decorated the pages to add some pop and flare, ultimately thrilled with the final product. Hannibal’s birthday was only a few days away, and you were itching to show him what you had made for him. 

“You’re fidgety tonight.” Hannibal spoke from where he was laid out underneath you on the living room sofa. 

It was true, you had been extremely jittery for the last hour and a half, trying to compose yourself. Hannibal had told you that he had wanted nothing more than to have a quiet evening in for his birthday, which you found as a blessing because he’d definitely want to stay around the house after seeing his gift.

“Sorry. Just excited.” You admitted, seeing this as the perfect opportunity.

He raised a brow, looking down at your frame that was practically trembling with explosive animation. 

“I feel as if I don’t need to inform you that my birthday comes around every year,” He joked; “What’s gotten you so elated?”

You smiled up at him with a brightness that was almost blinding. You scrambled off of the sofa at your cue.

“Wait right here. I’ll be back.” You announced as you dashed up the stairs.

Hannibal chuckled to himself, already guessing as to what you were plotting. You returned shortly after with the picture book in hand, complete with a bow on top. You sat with your legs crossed in front of him, eagerly handing it to him.

“It’s not much...just a little something for your birthday.” You explained.

Hannibal sat up from where he was settled into the cushions, eyeing over the cover carefully. It was a beautifully crafted book, the dark leather was absolutely gorgeous. He pushed the bow off of the sides, opening to the very first page to see a sweet note you had written him, signed with your signature and all. He turned to the first page to actually contain photos on it, and a smile of pure joy spread on his face.

You had put all of the non-sexual pictures in the first two pages to disguise the actual reason for the book. You were smiling happily in each of the first several photos, wearing different casual outfits and in different places. 

“Darling, these are wonderful,” He complimented; “They’re stunning, they-”

His heartbeat quickened when he made it to the third page, and he noticed they had taken on a new theme. The scandalous photos were enough to knock him speechless. For the first time ever, you saw Hannibal’s cheeks break out into a deep blush. His fingertips trailed over one in particular where you were wearing one of his white work shirts with all the buttons undone. The only thing you were wearing underneath was one of his ties settled between your breasts. 

In other photos, you were wearing different sets of lingerie. There was one lacy, red colored set that almost made him faint right then and there.

He was knocked speechless, unable to string together a single sentence. You were beginning to feel a little self conscious, and you went back to your original worry that this was a bad idea. You had honestly expected him to completely attack you with feverish kisses or fuck you right then and there. The fact that he was completely silent was unsettling, because Hannibal Lecter always had something to say. 

Your voice was thick with uncertainty as you spoke to break the silence.

“Hannibal, do you...like them?” You wondered aloud.

His eyes never steered clear from the book in his hands and the photos presented in front of him. He turned to the next page, a rush of arousal flushing over him at one in particular where you were completely naked, stretched out on the massive kitchen counter and giving a look so seductive that it made his belly flutter. The sight of you naked in his culinary world where he spent so much time was a sight to behold.

“[Y/N], I love them. These photographs...they’re beautiful, well produced, and so, so sexy.” He breathed out.

You exhaled a breath of relief, feeling a sense of anticipation as he continued to rake over them. He turned to a new set of pictures, his hot blush growing even deeper onto his cheeks. He couldn’t look away from the scandalous photos, each one becoming dirtier than the last. He was riled up and he was already looking forward to having this book at his disposal.

His lips parted slightly ajar as he loomed over them. Your waiting was patient as he finished looking through them, his pupils dilating more and more by the minute. He closed the book once he was finished, his eyes finally flickering up to you. He had grown a very prevalent erection, and his eyes were filled with an intense amount of lust. Your suspicions had been correct after all. 

He was going to rock your world.

Hannibal usually didn’t try to make the first move. He always wanted you to initiate sex first. He believed that sex was a passionate, romantic connection that shouldn’t always be fueled by burning want and desire from outside resources. Based on the way he was looking at you though, you could tell that he wanted you BADLY. 

He nonchalantly rolled his hips forward to create some kind of friction. The sneaky grin on your face was almost maddening. The way that your body leaned in and your lips brushed over his just ever so was intoxicating. Your lips traveled to his ear as you purposefully let out a wanton moan to tantalize him. 

“Touch me, Hanni. I know you want to.” You coaxed.

That was all he needed. 

Hannibal lunged forward, smothering your body with his and suffocating you with hot kisses. He kept your hands pinned above your head, leaving open mouthed kisses on your neck as he intentionally drew the most wonderful sounds out of you. 

“What are the chances of you wearing one of those outfits under this sweater?” He said in a steamy voice.

You squirmed against his hands, but to no avail. When Hannibal didn’t want you to go anywhere, then you wouldn’t. You bit down on your lip in a seductive way, breathing out your response to send him into full on love making mode.

“Why don’t you find out?”

[beca-mitchell]

little taste of heaven (i'm caught up in you) (1/1)

Summary: now i see daylight AU - Beca and Chloe’s first date, finally. 

Word count: 3.9k

For @anna-kendrick​: We've worked on this universe for the past year and holy, it means the world to both of us that you guys love Beca and Chloe as much as we do. Thank you so much for the encouragement and love, always.And of course, again, thank you to Josi who is an incredibly talented artist. Look at this art.

title from "untouchable (taylor's version)" though I did heavily consider using "our song"...i just liked the energy of untouchable a bit more.

Read below or on AO3!

* * * * *

AGE: 15/16 LOCATION: Brookline, MA MONTH: June

 * * * * *

 It is finally June. The warm air is only a hint of better things to come. Like the last day of school before total freedom.

Beca smiles at Chloe as she nears Beca’s locker. “Hey,” she greets. “Good practice?”

Around them, students mill about excitedly, cleaning out their lockers and making plans for the summer to come. Chloe shrugs, hair clearly still damp from her shower. “I don’t know why we keep running through practices when we have no more games for the season.”

“Got to keep the regional champions in top shape,” Beca teases. “Keep the other teams on their toes.”

“But I’m tired,” Chloe complains. She leans heavily on a neighboring locker. “Since it's the last day of school, will you come over tonight for dinner? My parents are whining about how they haven’t seen you in a while.”

Beca clears her throat, thinking about how the last time she had gone over to Chloe’s house had been when Chloe and Tom broke up...at the end of April. Over a month ago. She had gone because Chloe had been crying and upset. She had gone because even if her body ached with the anxiety of not knowing where she and Chloe stood, she and Chloe were always going to be friends first. Best friends.

Best friends who felt something more than friendship for each other. Confirmed, real feelings. Feelings that made them want to kiss each other.

Feelings that they hadn’t yet talked about. Or acted on despite both of them being extremely single at the moment.

Hell, Chloe's birthday came and went a couple weeks ago without much fanfare. Beca had been too shy to do anything remotely romantic and they ended up going to a movie with a few friends before going to an arcade.

“Bec?”

Beca nods stiltedly, pretending to contemplate her now-empty locker a bit more before turning to face Chloe. She steadies herself with a quick breath. “I’d love nothing more.”

 * * * * *

 Beca stares at her reflection with some trepidation.

“It’s just Chloe,” she mutters to herself, eyes tracking over every crease in the skirt she has picked out. Maybe I should go with jeans, she thinks. But it’s gross and hot out today.

She isn’t even sure why she’s nervous. It just feels like a return to normalcy of sorts, but Beca’s pretty sure that now that she knows what it feels like to kiss Chloe and what it feels like, a little bit at least, to know that Chloe feels somewhat similarly to her. It’s different. In a good way. Maybe it’s different in a scary way.

She isn’t even sure she can bring up the topic with her mother, so that’s an added layer of uncertainty: it’s additionally anxiety-inducing not knowing how her mother will react.

It’s well past the time that Beca should have already walked out the door to head next door by the time she actually forces herself out of her bedroom and down the stairs, but she figures Chloe will understand. And dinner is rarely ever prepared at the exact time stated in the Beale household anyway. Beca’s not too worried. Just nervous.

She finally reaches out to press the doorbell.

Chloe opens the door almost immediately. “Thought you got lost,” she teases.

“Were you just waiting behind the door?” Beca asks quickly, allowing Chloe to grab her wrist and pull her over the threshold.

“And if I was?” Chloe shoots back, offering Beca a lazy smile, playful in nature. With an underlying hint of something else.

Beca blinks the surprise away. “I wouldn’t be complaining if you were waiting for me. Just sorry I kept you waiting,” she offers.

“Dinner’s not ready anyway,” Chloe says, as Beca expected. They breeze past the living room area, taking a mild detour past the kitchen and towards the back porch. “I might have told you a slightly earlier time because I wanted to talk to you about something,” Chloe says lightly.

“Should I say hi to your parents?” Beca asks worriedly before it registers what Chloe just said. “Wait, what? Talk to me about what?”

“Come sit with me,” Chloe says instead. Patiently. She gestures towards the tree - the tree they used to play under all the time as children - nestled in the corner of the backyard.

It’s one of Beca’s favorite spots.

She follows Chloe, wondering if it’s too late to run home and change into her jeans because she’s sure the grass and sticks will prick at her skin, but she’s surprised, as they near, that there is a small blanket laid out underneath.

Chloe had planned for this.

“Please sit,” Chloe offers. She sits comfortably, patting the spot next to her. “I had a feeling you’d dress up a little. Didn’t want you to get a dress dirty.” Her eyes drift down to Beca’s skirt briefly before she lifts her eyes, smiling at Beca. Beca doesn’t feel self-conscious, shockingly. She feels content. Safe.

Maybe a little warm if anything, but she knows that’s probably the proximity to the girl she’s been crushing on for the longest time.

“I...wanted to talk to you because we haven’t...really talked. About...y’know.” A hint of nervousness creeps into Chloe’s voice. “When we kissed and then Tom…” she hesitates. “We just didn’t get to talk about anything. And now the school year’s pretty much over, so I thought…”

“Right,” Beca agrees quickly. Her palms begin to sweat. She sure as hell hopes Chloe doesn’t expect her to lead this conversation. It was mortifying enough the first time around when she had basically laid everything on the line while Chloe was still dating somebody else. When Chloe had left her with nothing more than a heartfelt, vulnerable don’t give up on me. Then she had broken up with Tom and that was all their school could talk about for weeks.

And now this. Somehow Beca survived all of that while slowly making sure her friendship with Chloe survived as well. They both made sure of that.

“I like you,” Chloe declares. “I mean...I think I always did. Like you, I mean. As more than a friend. But the feelings were really confusing.”

“I get it,” Beca says a little too quickly. “I’m sorry,” she murmurs, laughing a little when Chloe smiles at her. “I feel like I haven’t stopped thinking about this for a while. But I never wanted you to feel pressured to talk about this with me even though we kissed.” She ignores the way her voice totally cracks over that last word.

“I never felt pressured,” Chloe assures her gently. “I am so...grateful that you’re in my life. I didn’t want to mess this up. But I think we should...try.”

“Try?” Beca echoes.

Chloe blushes. Like a full-on blush that spreads across her cheeks, visible to Beca even in the dying daylight. It makes her cheeks rosy and Chloe even flinches at her own reaction. “Dating,” she says simply once she seems to regain control of her emotions. “I want to go on dates with you. And hold your hand. And more kissing! If that’s what you want.”

Beca’s sure that her heart explodes somewhere in her chest because she suddenly finds it very difficult to control various parts of her body. She can’t control the smile that spreads across her face and the following, matching blush in her cheeks. It heats through her face with ease. And even worse, she can’t control the way her hand comes up to her mouth as if to instinctively cover her smile because somehow being thrilled that her crush is basically asking her out making her body react in embarrassing ways.

Chloe laughs at her, not a hint of malice in her laugh. Just joy. “I take that as a yes. Thank God, I wasn’t sure how I was going to convince my parents to move away.”

Beca rolls her eyes. Finally. Teasing. She can do that. “You wouldn’t be able to leave me. You like me too much.”

Chloe’s smile grows soft. “Well...yeah. I do. A lot.”

Beca’s breath catches. She’s sure she could kiss Chloe right now and the crazy part is, it wouldn’t even be totally weird. Or out there. Because they’re going to start dating. But maybe kissing Chloe again before their first date is frowned upon? Beca has no idea. She’s still only ever kissed one person and that person is sitting in front of her.

“Girls! Dinner!”

As if Chloe had been reading her mind and her intentions, Chloe shakes her head and stands, offering a hand to pull Beca up. When Beca stands, they’re somehow even closer - almost nose to nose - than they had been when they were sitting. “Saved by the bell,” Chloe whispers, breath close enough to be felt on Beca’s mouth.

 * * * * *

 The most interesting part is that Beca hadn’t really thought about any of this - dating Chloe - beyond just vague daydreams and fantasies about just some kind of happy utopia with Chloe by her side. It’s honestly not much different from their usual day-to-day considering how close they already are, but dating? Actual dating?

Her Google search history stares back at her accusingly.

dating tips dating best friend first date first date movies dating girl what to do

She supposes she could ask her mother, but even that brief thought makes her shrink away from her desk. Beca stands and begins pacing. She’s sure that she’s overthinking this all. That Chloe could probably care less about what they do on their first date. That Chloe’s probably just expecting them to spend time together, just the two of them. With more handholding. And maybe a kiss at the end of the night.

“Shit,” Beca mutters suddenly. She rushes back to her computer, adding another search to her list.

kiss on first date ok???

She frowns. Not quite.

kissing before first date acceptable

In the end, she is saved from her descent into a hole of online searching by a text from Chloe herself.

Chloe dinner tomorrow at south street? haven’t been downtown in a while

Beca i’m down!

The ease at which Beca replies does not at all reflect the somersaults in her stomach.

 * * * * *

 “Hey,” Chloe calls, putting her menu down. “Where’d you go just now?”

Beca blinks, realizing that she had glazed over the menu entirely, too wrapped up in her own thoughts. “Oh, just...contemplating…” her eyes land on the first item she sees. “Salad.” She can’t help the way her own nose wrinkles instinctively at the thought of eating salad.

Chloe is as intuitive as ever, smiling as she reaches across the table to touch Beca’s hand. “You hate salad. Especially here.”

Beca swallows, struck by both the normalcy and intimacy of Chloe’s touch. They’ve been friends for years—there is nothing extremely off-putting about them holding hands or even just randomly touching each other on the arm, shoulder, knee.

And yet—

Chloe draws her hand away, seemingly not at all aware of Beca’s inner turmoil this time. She refocuses on her menu. “Want me to order something for you?” she asks instead.

Beca nods, though she is surprised. “Sure.” Now she’s curious as to what Chloe will order for her. And if she’s being honest, it kind of makes her feel giddy, the thought of Chloe knowing her well-enough to order something. Not that Beca would even bother with telling Chloe that she’s wrong. She’d eat anything at this point, just to spend more time with Chloe.

It’s not even like they’re at a fancy restaurant. It’s a diner downtown. The bright retro designs all around plus the comfortable, plush booth seats are all appealing to Beca and she likes the general atmosphere.

But she kind of wants to just…

“Can I sit next to you?” she blurts out. Immediately, she clamps her mouth shut, resisting the urge to avoid Chloe’s curious gaze, which lifts to meet hers immediately.

Chloe grins. “I would want nothing more. Get over here.”

Beca nearly sags in relief, but focuses instead on moving around the booth so she and Chloe are sitting closer, now on side of the booth.

Beca focuses on the frequent piece of advice she had found through a few somewhat reliable Google results.

Hold her hand.

Beca does. She inches her pinky across the cool vinyl seats until she can feel Chloe’s against her finger. Then, she slips her hand over Chloe’s, gently hooking her fingers on Chloe’s palm until Chloe gets the idea.

Chloe’s hand flips slowly, their palms touching. Beca exhales, sliding her fingers between Chloe’s, already liking the easy, comfortable fit of their hands.

Chloe says nothing, content to enjoy the silence and familiarity just as Beca is content to allow her feelings to take over. For a moment, Chloe appears to be perusing the menu in silence, but there is a steadiness to the set of Chloe’s shoulders. Beca can tell, having been so attuned to Chloe’s characteristics for longer than she’d like to admit. For longer than even Chloe herself knows at this moment. She glances at her date—her date!—selfishly taking the moment to appreciate Chloe’s profile.

It’s something she has done so many times before, but this time...this time, in a diner outside of town with the soft clatter of dishes around them and Chloe’s soft, warm palm against her own, Beca knows this is different.

“You know,” Chloe starts awkwardly. “I...obviously don’t mind if you ordered on your own.”

Beca laughs. “Why’d you offer to then?”

“I don’t know,” Chloe says, exasperation in her voice. She groans and hangs her head slightly. “I asked Max and-”

“You asked your brother what to do on a date with me?”

“No!” Chloe explains before she snorts. “I just...told him I was worried about impressing a girl. And I don’t know why, but I somehow thought he’d have some idea.” She grins a little, glancing at Beca out of the corner of her eye. “Did it work?”

“Maybe a little,” Beca says distractedly. She’s more fixated on the fact that Chloe must have been truly desperate to have turned to her older brother for help.

“Oh and he totally guessed I was going out with you, by the way.”

That’s not something that thrills Beca too much. Her imagination immediately conjures up a comically exaggerated vision of Chloe’s brother threatening her with a knife. “How?” she asks. “What did he say?”

“Nothing, really. He just kind of guessed and then said ‘finally’ or something like that.”

“Well, thank you for offering to order for me. It was very...chivalrous of you.”

“Please stop.”

“Quite charming.”

“Beca.”

“I can’t wait to see what other moves you try on me. Are we going to share one milkshake?”

“...no?”

 * * * * *

 They end up ordering two separate milkshakes because Beca sticks to her vanilla and Chloe orders chocolate.

“Try,” Chloe commands. “You always get vanilla. Chocolate is so good.”

Beca sighs, but obediently sticks her straw into Chloe’s cup despite Chloe’s protests of “contamination” and quickly takes a sip just to shut Chloe up for the time being. It’s not horrible - Beca just isn’t the fan of how chocolate tastes in milkshake form, though she’s sure Chloe will claim there’s no difference if the milkshake were in a solid chocolate bar form instead.

However, she’s mildly distracted by the sudden proximity she and Chloe have between them. Chloe’s arm rests loosely over her shoulder, where she had put her arm when Beca leaned in to drink from Chloe’s cup. She can practically feel Chloe’s breath on her neck and her cheek.

It would be so easy to just turn and -

Beca shakes her head slightly and shifts back. Chloe takes a moment longer to slowly move her arm from around Beca’s shoulders.

“What?” Beca asks quietly, poking at her fries a little. She catches Chloe smiling at her affectionately.

“Nothing,” Chloe replies quickly. “Just...you smell nice. That’s all.”

 * * * * *

 “I guess it’s kind of convenient that we live together,” Beca remarks, trying not to think too hard about the way Chloe’s hand feels in her own. She winces. “Well. Not live together. But…you know. Live next to each other.”

Chloe tilts her head, smiling as they walk up the path towards their houses. “And why is that convenient?” she asks lightly.

Beca blushes. She hadn’t thought this far. “I’m…I don’t know. I was just…commenting. On the convenience.”

Chloe giggles, pulling Beca closer ever so slightly. Beca likes the way their arms press together. She likes holding Chloe’s hand. She likes lifting her other hand to curl against the bend of Chloe’s elbow.

She likes knowing that Chloe likes her—really likes her—and Chloe enjoyed their date and—and—

“This is you,” Chloe murmurs, stopping in front of Beca’s door.

Beca kind of doesn’t want the night to end. She wants to sit on the porch and talk to Chloe for a few more minutes. Maybe one more hour. Just to hear the sound of her voice and have her attention for a few moments longer.

“This is me,” Beca parrots, feeling a lot more nervous than she thinks she’s letting on. That was what people said in those movies adorning Chloe’s shelves, right? It was what the internet said. Normal first date cliches. She steps backwards, under the light of her front porch, still holding Chloe’s hand as she does so. Chloe hesitates for a moment like she wants to follow, but ultimately she simply squeezes Beca’s hand in understanding and drops her own hand away.

Beca is immediately disappointed. She hadn’t wanted that at all. She bites her lip, watching as Chloe awkwardly shuffles her feet before she glances back up at Beca. A soft, slow smile spreads across Chloe’s lips, gentle and affectionate all at once. It makes Beca’s heart pound ridiculously hard.

“I had fun,” Chloe whispers, like she’s afraid somebody else will hear her. But not because she's afraid of other people. Just afraid that their bubble will burst, like Beca is. Another step closer. Beca swallows. “Can we do that again?”

“You’d want to go on more dates?” Beca asks, just to clarify, even though she knows exactly what Chloe’s asking.

“I would love to go on more dates with you.”

“Me too,” Beca squeaks out. “I—um—”

Chloe’s smile stretches, somehow happier than before. “Goodnight Beca.”

Something in Beca snaps. She steps forward, just two small steps and calls out Chloe’s name. “Wait,” she adds hastily.

Chloe stops and turns, surprised.

“Can I—” Beca swallows, licking her suddenly dry lips. “Can I kis—”

She doesn’t get to finish her question before Chloe is covering the ground between them in two short strides, wrapping her hand around the back of Beca’s head, letting the other come up to Beca’s arm, and kissing her for all her worth.

Beca gasps in surprise into the kiss, hands coming up to Chloe’s shoulders, squeezing tightly. Gently and slowly, Chloe presses further into the kiss, her lips moving ever so lightly against Beca’s. It is so much more than their first kiss—a do-over, if anything—and Beca realizes, with a jolt, that this is something she can do now. She can kiss Chloe because Chloe likes her and Chloe went on a date with her. Chloe held her hand all night.

Chloe wants to kiss her too.

Beca hums happily at the thought, looping her hands behind Chloe’s neck. It feels instinctual even as Beca blushes at the sudden intensity of the kiss. She knows Chloe has kissed more people than she has; she knows Chloe will forever have more experience in this regard. But God, Beca thinks that she has never felt more wonderful or powerful than she does in this moment, tightening her grip on the fabric of Chloe’s light jacket.

Pulling back ever so slightly, Beca heaves a breath and rests her forehead against Chloe’s forehead. Chloe’s breathing is the tiniest bit labored as well. For a moment, neither of them dares to move, too afraid to break the spell between them.

Chloe is the first to smile—the first to press forward ever so slightly so their noses brush delicately. “What were you going to ask?” Chloe murmurs.

Beca swats her shoulder lightly. “You’re so weird,” she mumbles back, leaning in to steal just one more kiss from her beautiful, wonderful date.

 * * * * *

 When Beca reaches the solitude of her bedroom, she finally gets what all those high school romcoms were about. Showing their protagonist thrilled to finally finish a date so they can squeal and giggle and simply dream about their crush or date. It’s probably the first time that Beca has felt her energy rebound around her room with such happiness and positivity. The sensation is addicting—she honestly just wants to text Chloe all night.

Which, honestly, she could.

Chloe kissed her. Chloe kissed her because she likes her and they just went on a date. A freaking date.

A text from Chloe jolts her back to reality.

Chloe i miss you, is that weird?

Beca no because i miss you too. weirdo.

Chloe i have something else to tell you. that might be weird. Idk

Beca go for it.

Beca watches the text bubbles float in and out on her screen, like Chloe is typing a paragraph. Despite Chloe just saying that she missed her, Beca can’t help but feel nervous.

Chloe I just wanted you to know why i picked south street. it’s because. well. Remember when we first went there by ourselves without our parents. Sometime last year. With a few friends. And we all squeezed into that booth and sat there and shared fries and milkshakes and felt like we were at the top of the world because we were finally in high school or something stupid like that. I don’t even remember much about that night or who we were with but i do remember seeing the way you laughed at something and how your entire face lit up. and i remember thinking that i really liked you and how scary it was that i felt these things for you so suddenly and so much. Like a lot. but i’m so glad that we both got to this point - that we both feel the same way. I just really loved the way you looked when you laughed and i am so happy you’re in my life.

Chloe also i really like kissing you

Beca doesn’t even bother replying.

She shoves on her shoes again and rushes out the front door. She is only surprised to see Chloe sitting on her own front porch, staring worriedly at her phone.

“You really are so weird, y'know that?” She calls out, careful not to startle Chloe too much.

Chloe does jump anyway, but she sets her phone down quickly. “What are you doing?”

“Finishing this date off again that you confessed your big scary feelings. Through a text message.” Beca pretends to be annoyed as she stomps over to Chloe. “You couldn’t have said all that?”

“You make me nervous!” Chloe exclaims.

Beca shakes her head, mustering up all the courage she has in the world, pulling Chloe in for a kiss like she wanted to earlier before Chloe beat her to it.

“So much better,” Beca whispers, smiling when Chloe huffs quietly against her mouth.

It's the perfect end to the beginning Beca has been dreaming of all this time.

fin.

[starshine583]

New Girl on the Block (6)

(the next chapter is heeeeeeeeeeeere!!! hope you guys like it!! there’s also a mini series connected to this called Journal Entries, though I don’t know how long I’m going to be continuing it. Check it out if you feel like it!)

Ch.1 / Ch.5 / Ch.7

Chapter 6: Don’t Be Suspicious

Marinette tilted her head from side to side, doing a subtle dance to the music that played through her earbuds. She tapped her pencil on the desk with the beat and mouthed Jagged Stone’s lyrics as they came, thoroughly enjoying the electric guitar in the background. At Dupont, listening to music with earbuds was a ‘no-no’ despite her efforts. Principle Damocles, along with a few of the teachers, insisted that it hindered their drive to focus and work on school. The thought wasn’t entirely misguided- Marinette was already re-reading this textbook page for the third time with no hope of comprehension in sight -but she enjoyed the liberties that came with her new school nonetheless.

In all honesty, Rosemary didn’t allow headphones either, but the librarian wasn’t a snitch, and Marinette wasn’t a saint. So, during her assigned study halls, she would hop over to the school’s library and jam out to Jagged Stone. It was a nice reprieve from the strict guidelines that Rosemary held for their students and gave her time to unwind before her next round of overly-complicated classes. 

She was about ready to start banging her head to the song- the lyrics were just too good -when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Her gaze flicked upwards towards Claude, who was sitting beside her. He’d suggested that they study together during the one study hall they shared, and Marinette, being friends with him and genuinely enjoying his company, agreed. He was actually the one who told her about the lax librarian in the first place.

Once Claude was certain that he had her attention, he tapped a finger to his ear, silently requesting her to take out an earbud. Marinette gladly obliged and paused her Jagged Stone music to hear him better.

“What are you listening to? You look like you’re really jamming out.” He asked curiously.

Marinette held up her phone for him to see the song cover. “Just Jagged Stone. He normally helps me think, but I’m starting to wonder if that only works for design sketches.”

Claude gasped so hard that she thought he was going to choke, and an ear-splitting grin spread across his lips.

“You listen to Jagged Stone too? He’s one of my favorites!” The brunette said enthusiastically.

Marinette straightened with delight. “Seriously? He’s been a favorite of mine since I was twelve!”

“Ten!” Claude trilled.

Elation bubbled up in Marinette’s chest. Finally! Someone to talk to about Jagged Stone! She hadn’t found a kindred spirit since Luka and.. well.. She hasn’t met another Jagged Stone fan in a while. 

“Did you hear the new album that just came out?” She asked, folding her arms across the table and leaning onto them. When she first came to Rosemary, she’d naturally assumed that no one there listened to rock. Everyone was prepped and poised and rich. Their tastes were bound to be much ‘finer’ than hers.

Looking at it now, though, it made perfect sense for Claude to listen to Jagged Stone. He was an energetic and passionate person, and that’s what Rock n’ Roll was all about. She also had to remind herself that she was now a Rosemary student. If she listened to rock music, it was possible that her other classmates did as well. The school wasn’t a complete hive mind, after all. 

Claude scoffed playfully. “Did I? I was the first in line for the cd! The songs were a total masterpiece!”

Before Marinette could reply, another scoff interrupted their conversation, one that wasn’t nearly as playful. She glanced across the table to Felix, who had looked up from his book. He’d shared the same study hall hour that they did, and Claude, being who he was, coaxed the blond into joining them in the library.

Well.. ‘coax’ probably wasn’t the right word. It was more of Claude dragging Marinette to the table that Felix was already sitting at and convincing Felix to stay seated once they got there. 

Felix’s eyebrows furrowed slightly, and the corners of his lips twitched in a scowl, the same way they always did when he was about to criticize something. 

“No type of rock music could ever be considered a ‘masterpiece’,” He stated matter-of-factly, “especially not that man’s noise.”

Marinette gasped, slapping a hand to her chest in offense. “Jagged Stone’s music is not ‘noise’.”

“Forget it, Mari.” Claude cut in, putting a hand on her shoulder as he shot Felix a glare. “This guy will never understand Jagged’s art.”

Felix rolled his eyes. “I’d hardly call throwing a bunch of instruments together and screaming into the microphone ‘art’.”

Marinette crossed her arms and huffed. Jagged Stone didn’t scream. His voice was just rough, but even if he did scream, that shouldn’t give Felix the right to be rude. Everyone had their own tastes. Marinette didn’t go around bashing XY fans, now, did she?

“Have you even listened to him?” She asked indignantly. 

“I’ve had the unfortunate experience of listening to rock, yes. That’s how I know it’s in bad taste.” 

Marinette’s fingers dug into her skin. “But have you listened to Jagged Stone?”

The grated words caused Felix to pause. 

“..I’m afraid I don’t follow.”

Marinette sighed and tugged out one of her earbuds to hand it to him. “Here.”

Felix rose a brow, not moving an inch. “What do you expect me to do with that?”

“You’re going to listen to at least one of Jagged Stone’s songs.” She told him. “Then you can tell me what you think.”

Felix was an extremely opinionated person. He tended to say exactly what he thought without considering how it would affect others around him. At first, his snaps and snide remarks put her on edge. She would worry about angering him and making him dislike her from the things she’d say or do. But after spending more time around him, Marinette realized that he wasn’t angry as much as he was easily irritated. He would get annoyed at things that he viewed as out of place or illogical, then, after fixing the problem or telling someone else to fix it, he would move on. It just so happened that Allegra, Allan, and Claude were constantly doing things that were ‘illogical’, ‘unnecessary’, and- her personal favorite -‘downright preposterous’.

That being said, Marinette still didn’t enjoy challenging Felix when she disagreed with him. His words were sharp and blunt, whether he meant them to be or not, and arguing was never her strong suit, anyway. Therefore, she found it best to merely listen and watch as the rest of the group continued to push Felix’s buttons relentlessly.

Right now, however, was a different story. Right now he was denouncing an incredibly talented artist who he hadn’t even bothered to listen to before condemning, and Marinette wouldn’t stand for it.

Felix’s gaze shifted to the earbud. She could see the command turning in his mind, could see him deciding between being difficult and resisting or simply being nice for once. 

“..Fine,” He relented, taking the offered headphone, “but don’t be upset when my opinion doesn’t change.”

Marinette tried not to smile too much and quickly started scrolling through her playlist to choose a song. If she only had one shot to convince Felix of Jagged’s greatness, she needed to play one of his best works.

“Wow..” Claude remarked. “You actually got him to listen to a song. That’s farther than I’ve ever gotten.”

Felix rolled his eyes, but refrained from commenting. Marinette didn’t reply either. She didn’t want to waste the opportunity she’d been given by joking with Claude.

She found a song a few seconds later and eagerly set the phone between them as it began to play. This had been a song that she’d listened to for at least a week or two before moving on to the next one. She knew the lyrics inside out and could quite possibly sing them in her sleep. If anything was going to convince Felix that rock was also a musical art, it would be this song.

Felix’s expression twisted with annoyance as the drums kicked up to join the electric base. 

“See, this is what I’m talking about.” He sighed. “The notes are overbearing and chaotic. How can you enjoy it?”

“Because they’re not chaotic.” Marinette replied, gathering all the patience she could. “It might get loud sometimes, but the drums and guitar create a steady beat for Jagged Stone to sing to.”

Just then, Jagged Stone’s voice rang through the headphones, gruff and strong. Marinette’s lips quirked up into an involuntary smile, but Felix, unsurprisingly, wasn’t as thrilled as she was.

“He doesn’t even sing about anything important.” He said. “The words are completely random.”

Marinette resisted the urge to groan. How could someone be so smart yet so stupid at the same time? 

“The lyrics aren’t random. And they might not be important to you, but they are to him.” She tried to explain. “Jagged writes about the things he loves and tells it to the world through song. His music is full of passion, and it drives others to be more passionate too. Myself included.”

Felix glanced up at her for a moment, no doubt scrutinizing her claims, and tisked. He then put a hand over his borrowed earbud and closed his eyes to try to listen to the music better. 

Although it was a small, begrudging act, Marinette couldn’t help grinning. He didn’t like rock music, didn’t even want to entertain the idea of liking it, yet here he was, listening to Jagged Stone’s music because she asked him to. He was trying hard to understand something she enjoyed, and that meant a lot, especially when one considers how stubborn he can be.

“I suppose I can understand what you mean..” Felix mumbled a few seconds later. “The notes aren’t nearly as melodic as what I’m used to, but it must take some form of talent to mash banging instruments together and make it sound decent.”

Marinette beamed. It was a backhanded comment, but she could accept it. 

“Okay, my turn.” She said, extending her hand towards him.

Felix frowned. “Pardon?”

“You said that Jagged Stone isn’t what you’re used to, right? I wanna know what you’re used to.” She replied matter-of-factly. “Let me listen to one of your songs.” 

Felix’s frown deepened, but he pulled out his earbuds to hand one to her. 

“I suppose I could show you the one I’ve been listening to recently..” He muttered to himself. “Just be careful with these. They’re expensive.” 

Marinette happily plucked one of the earbuds out of Felix’s hands and put it on. The cord between the earbuds was shorter than hers, so they both had lean across the table to share. She didn’t mind the closeness, though. They’d only be there for a moment.

When the music finally began, all Marinette could really do was snort. Classical music. Of course Felix would listen to classical music. Each note had a purpose, place, and expression in the song. Yes, other music had that too, but most of the time, there were words that people sang to excuse repetitiveness of the beat. Classical music had to carry its own weight, and that made all the difference. 

“What?” Felix asked, referring to her laugh.

Marinette put a hand to her mouth with an apologetic smile. “Oh, nothing. It just makes sense for you to listen to classical music.”

Felix rose a brow, but she waved him off. There was no point explaining it.

“Anyway, I can see why you would like this, because it’s really pretty, but I, personally, find it a little boring.” She said honestly. “The notes are too slow. I would fall asleep before I could finish a song.”

“It’s not just a song, though.” Felix argued. “It’s a story. Listen closer.”

Marinette did as she was told and closed her eyes, putting a hand over her earbud like Felix had done earlier. The piano and violin mingled together in a soft symphony, lulling up and down as the symphony progressed. A lone guitar played a joyful tune in the background.

“The protagonist is admiring their lover.” Felix explained. “They’re making promises of being together always.”

Drums bubbled up behind the piano and violin as the guitar faded, causing the music to shift into a tense atmosphere.

“The father of the lover is coming between them, forcing a separation.” 

Violin strings shake with the drums, and the piano gradually grows louder to emphasize the ominous presence. Once the tension is drawn out to its absolute limit, the music breaks with bursts of violins and trumpets, signifying the beginning of a fight.

“The protagonist refuses to back down, and although they are worried, they stand up to fight for their love anyway.” 

Marinette cracked an eye open to look at Felix. His eyes were now closed as well, and a soft smile ghosted his lips. She hadn’t taken him to be a romantic, but he appeared to be deeply engrossed in the ‘story’. Did he read romance novels often? She assumed all of the books he carried around were about historical facts or intricate philosophies, not trials of love or daring confessions.

“Do you hear it?” Felix asked, his eyes abruptly opening. Their heads were already close from sharing headphones, but his looking up only brought them closer. It was a miracle their noses didn’t bump together.

Marinette froze, her eyes widening at being caught. Was it weird that she was staring at him before he opened his eyes? It shouldn’t be, right? Staring at your friend wasn’t a crime. 

Say something. Marinette’s mind screamed. But she couldn’t. She couldn’t say anything. She could hardly even think straight. She was too lost in the roundness of his eyes or how long his eyelashes were or whether she was too close to him and have his eyes always had those little specks of blue in them?

Marinette squeaked, finally gaining enough sense to lurch backwards. Felix’s earbud was tugged out of her ear, but she didn’t care. Right now she needed distance. 

“S-sorry!” She blurted out. “I-I mean- uhm -the music was fine, or- great. I-.. I could really hear the- the story.”

Her hands covered her face in a vain attempt to hide her blush. Her cheeks were absolutely burning from embarrassment. How could she get so flustered? Wasn’t it her idea to share the earbuds?

Felix was strangely quiet as he picked up the abandoned earbud and paused the song. Oh gosh, he probably thought she was a total weirdo now. (If he hadn’t thought that already.)

Marinette peeked through her fingers, searching his face for judgement, but he simply wrapped the cord of the earbuds around his phone. Although his eyebrows were furrowed slightly, the rest of his expression was neutral. Was that a good sign or no?

“Yes, that’s why I enjoy it.” He finally said once his phone was put away. His tone was graciously composed, not acknowledging her humiliating outburst. “The composers put real effort and work into their music. They carefully aligned each note to make sure it portrays their story and theme correctly. That’s what I consider to be a masterpiece.”

Marinette nodded. “Y-Yeah.. That makes sense.. I still think Jagged Stone’s music is also a work of art, though.”

She settled back into her original seat, as did Felix. 

“Agree to disagree, I suppose.” Felix shrugged.

An astounded laugh came from the left of them, and the two turned back to Claude. Marinette had admittedly forgotten that he was there.

“I, for one, am impressed.” The brunette announced. “You actually got Felix to entertain a different opinion. He never says ‘agree to disagree’! It’s always just ‘you’re wrong’.”

Felix scoffed. “Don’t act like I’m unreasonable. I’m stubborn in my opinions because they’re logical and sound, while your arguments against them are hardly either.”

Claude rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, whatever. Do you think you guys can argue about cephalopods now? I’m supposed to be doing a report on them for science.”

Marinette chuckled, finally relaxing in her chair again. “Sorry, Claude. I don’t have any strong opinions about cephalopods.”

“Maybe if you read a book every once in a while, you’d find something to write about.” Felix added, being ever the supportive one.

“Hey! I do read!” Claude defended. “I just don’t know what to write about. Should I argue a random point about cephalopods or should I just write about a bunch of facts? Am I supposed to list my sources or can I say whatever I want? What does the school board want from me?”

“Claude, you’re a sophomore.” Felix stated bluntly. “If you don’t know how to write papers now, I can’t help you.”

Claude groaned and sunk into his chair, and Marinette offered a comforting pat on the shoulder.

“Anyway,” He grumbled, rubbing his hands over his face, “speaking of cephalopods, have you guys heard about the new aquarium exhibit that they just opened at Aquarium de Paris?”

Marinette perked up. “Wait, really? I didn’t know about that!”

“Yeah, I think it’s something to do with the sharks.” Claude smiled. “They’ve got this new tank and everything.”

Marinette wiggled in her seat with delight. She always loved aquariums. “That’s so cool! I’ll have to ask Maman and Papa about going to see it.”

“Oh, why don’t we all go together?” Claude suggested. “I wanna see the new exhibit too, and I’m sure Allegra and Allan will want to go.”

“Sure! When do you think you’ll be free to go see it?”

Claude leaned back in his chair as he thought about it. “Uh.. maybe this Sunday? I don’t think I have anything going on then. Does that work for you?”

“I’ll have to check with my parents, but that should be okay. Do you want me to tell Allan about it during our next class?”

Claude nodded. “Yeah, that sounds great. I’ll tell Allegra.”

Marinette smiled and turned to Felix. “Are you gonna come with us, Felix?” 

A part of her felt awkward asking, as Felix didn’t normally enjoy the group outings, but a bigger part of her would feel guilty if she didn’t invite him when they were inviting everyone else.

Felix glanced up from his book with a questioning gaze. He.. hadn’t been listening.

“We’re going to Aquarium de Paris this Sunday. Are you coming?” Claude asked again.

Felix shrugged. “I suppose Allegra will drag me along either way, so why not?”

Marinette bit her lip to hold back a giddy squeal. This was going to be great! Getting to see all of the new fish and getting to spend time with her new friends? What could be better than that?

~~~~~~

Felix drew in a deep breath as he made his way towards the school exit. Aside from the soft chattering and echoing footsteps of the students around him, it was quiet, and he reveled in the silence while he could. Leaving school alone was a rarity now, especially since Marinette joined their group. Allegra, Claude, and Allan had always been insistent on smothering him with activities, but with the new ‘recruit’, the time they spent together has doubled. The trio wanted everyone to be together constantly. That included Felix. 

He sighed, shifting the strap of his bag on his shoulder. The numerous study dates, get-togethers, and group lunches had pushed his social battery to its absolute limit. So the small reprieve was greatly appreciated. 

It did feel strange, though, not hearing Claude’s rambling or Allegra’s scolding or Marinette’s laughter. They’d become a steady background noise to the rest of his daily life, and now that they were absent, Felix found himself glancing over his shoulder, waiting for one of them to pop up.

Of course, no one came, and Felix forced his eyes forward to push away the growing anticipation. There was no need to mull over it. He would see them tomorrow at school, and on top of that, they had another outing scheduled for this Sunday to visit the aquarium. By the end of the week, Felix would certainly have his fill of seeing their faces or hearing their voices.

The sun beat down on Felix as he stepped outside, and he welcomed it whole-heartedly. The biting cold of January was never something he fancied, save for the fact that it kept everyone else indoors. 

He started down the front stairs, letting his mind wander back to the conversation he’d had with Marinette during their shared study hall. Her boldness during their discussion of musical preferences had surprised him, since she usually steered clear of any confrontations. He couldn’t blame her for her sudden tenacity, though. People tended to be extremely attached to their music, and Felix had criticized her tastes. It only made sense for her to defend herself.

On that note, Jagged Stone? Really? He’d assumed Claude was the only one to have such bizarre tastes. Nevertheless, if Marinette approved of the man, Felix wasn’t going to question too much. She still created those phenomenal designs, after all, meaning she must have a good eye for things.

Bits and pieces of the song that Marinette had requested him to listen to resurfaced in his mind. If he was being honest, it wasn’t as horrible as he’d claimed, but blaring drums and pounding beats simply didn’t help him relax like classical music did.

Felix closed his eyes briefly as he recalled the piano piece he’d shown Marinette a few minutes later. It was a favorite of his, one that he listened to often while reading alone in his room, and he did his best to explain the mastery of the artwork. The passion, the yearning, the love- it can be difficult to express, especially when he hadn’t experienced those things first hand. That’s the main reason he found the piece so interesting.

The image of Marinette’s delicate features flicked through his mind. He’d looked up at her to gawk her reaction, to see if she understood what he was trying to say, but he’d found her staring right back at him instead. Her almond-shaped eyes were round with shock, and he couldn’t help thinking about the first time they met, when he first realized how blue her irises were. They almost reminded him of tiny, swirling oceans, deep and mesmerizing. 

When she jerked back a few seconds later, something akin to disappointment had laced through Felix’s stomach, and even now, he wasn’t sure why that was. Perhaps he wanted to admire the color a tad longer. 

Either way, Marinette plopped into her seat, her cheeks flushing a dark scarlet, and it was only then that Felix noticed his own racing heartbeat. Again, he was at a loss for the cause. Was it because she startled him by lurching backwards? He didn’t remember flinching.

The screeching of tires pulled Felix from his thoughts, and his gaze turned to the road in front of him. A silver car had parked on the curb. 

A frown tugged at the corner of Felix’s lips. That was odd. Parking on the curbs near Rosemary wasn’t allowed unless someone was being picked up or dropped off, yet no students were waving the car down or exiting the vehicle.

The back door to the car swung open, causing Felix to raise a brow. Spoke too soon.

A boy jumped out of the car, his golden blonde hair shining in the sunlight as he ran towards the front steps. Something about him seemed familiar, but Felix couldn’t place his finger on what.

The boy slowed to a stop in front of him and offered a friendly smile. Yeah, Felix has definitely seen this guy before. But where?

“Hey!” The stranger greeted. “Sorry to bother you, but I’m looking for a girl. Her name is Marinette?”

Felix narrowed his eyes at the name. Marinette as in Marinette Dupain-Cheng? As in, the girl who was inside talking to Allegra right now? Why would he be looking for her?

“She’s about this tall.” The boy continued, holding his hand just above his shoulder for reference. “She’s got raven-colored hair that she normally puts into pigtails, and wears pink capris and a black jacket. She would have started attending this school about two weeks ago?”

The more he spoke, the more suspicious Felix became. This guy knew a lot about Marinette, but Felix didn’t know a thing about him. Was he a friend? An enemy? Marinette didn’t mention meeting someone after school. Not that she was obligated to share her personal connections and schedules, but what if this was the person that’s been wanting to ‘talk’ with her? The stalker?

Don’t overreact. Felix told himself. This could be a perfectly harmless visit from an old friend of hers. Just because I wasn’t aware of him coming doesn’t mean he has ill intentions. 

...but just in case..

“Apologies, but have we met?” Felix asked, dodging the blonde’s question. He didn’t want to disclose Marinette’s location unless he had her permission. There were too many cases where an unknowing co-worker blabbed about the victim’s schedule to the stalker, and he refused to be one of those idiots.

The boy pulled a sheepish expression and rubbed the back of his neck. “Oh, no, we haven’t, but I can see why you would think that. My face is kind of everywhere with all of the ads Father’s had me model in recently.”

Felix blinked, the mix of familiarity and the boy’s words clicking together in his mind. Of course! This was that same, obnoxious face that Paris has been obsessed with for the better half of five years. The amount of billboards and posters of this guy that were plastered around the city was enough to make Felix gag. He couldn’t look in any direction without seeing him!

“You’re Adrien Agreste.” He stated, a hint of irritation accidentally rising to his tone. Not only has this ‘sunshine child’- or so Paris called him -been plaguing his eyes for at least two years since Gabriel upped his campaigning game, he also happens to have the same name that was scribbled on Marinette’s birthday cards, the ones she’d offered to give away. Was that a coincidence? 

Felix was leaning towards ‘no’.

“Yep.” Adrien chuckled. “That’s me. Anyway, is she here? I really need to talk with her.”

“He really just wants to ‘talk’.” 

Marinette’s bitter words resurfaced in his mind, and Felix narrowed his eyes. The chances of Adrien Agreste being an enemy were steadily rising.

“I’m afraid I don’t know a girl by that name or description,” he lied, “and there hasn’t been a new student here since last year.”

If Adrien turned out to truly be one of Marinette’s friends, he would apologize, but Felix wasn’t going to risk compromising her if his suspicions were correct. 

Confusion etched its way onto the blond’s features, and he glanced down at the ground as he muttered, “I could have sworn she said ‘Rosemary’..”

Felix rose a brow. Marinette told him which school she was attending? Or did another girl give him the information?

Before either could say anything more, a car horn sounded in front of them, and Adrien glanced over his shoulder to the driver of the silver car. 

“Ah, I gotta go. Thanks for your help!” 

Felix didn’t bother returning Adrien’s wave, instead watching him hop down the front steps. Although it would annoy him, he hoped that the blond actually was a friend of Marinette’s, for her sake. He can’t imagine her being happy with the news that someone had followed her to school.

“Oh, hey, Felix! I thought you were leaving.”

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear..

The silver car had just disappeared around the corner when the girl in question skipped down the front steps next to him. She flashed him a bright smile, making his insides churn with guilt. Should he tell her? She needed to know, right? 

“I was,” He said, choosing his next words carefully, “but I got held up.”

Marinette chuckled. “I know how that goes.”

Felix nodded, his gaze shifting to the side. He didn’t want to worry her, but he couldn’t let her be ignorant of a possibly dangerous situation either.

“.. Were you, by chance, expecting anyone at the school today?”

Marinette frowned and shook her head, unfortunately confirming Felix’s concerns. “No, why?”

“Well..” He hesitated. “Someone stopped by and asked for you. A man by the name Adrien Agreste.”

Marinette’s entire body went rigid, and the blood drained from her face. Felix held back a grimace at the sight. She looked more frightened than two weeks ago when she first ran into the school to hide.

“D-Did you-”

“No.” Felix cut her off, already knowing what she was going to ask. “I told him you didn’t attend this school.”

Her shoulders slumped with relief, but he could still see the nervousness in her eyes. “Oh, thank goodness.. Thank you so much, Felix.”

“Is he the one who wanted to talk to you two weeks ago?”

Marinette faltered at the question, but nodded. “He went to my old school..”

Felix frowned. If he remembered his mother’s ramblings correctly, Adrien Agreste started attending Dupont not too long ago. Was that Marinette’s old school then?

“His father’s a powerful man.” He said. “You need to be careful.”

Marinette’s eyes widened. “Oh no! I mean- Thank you for the warning.. But Adrien isn’t like that. He’s persistent, but he doesn’t threaten people.”

Felix wasn’t entirely sure that he believed that, but he wouldn’t argue. Marinette was dealing with enough already. “I believe he said something about a girl telling him that you’re attending Rosemary, but he didn’t mention the name of her.”

Marinette’s eyebrows knitted together. “A girl?”

“Yes, something like ‘I could have sworn she said Rosemary’.”

Marinette chewed on her bottom lip, obviously troubled by the news. Felix didn’t blame her. Stalking can be a serious matter. (even if she didn’t quite consider it stalking.)

“Would you like me to drive you home?” He offered, yet again. 

And again, Marinette refused by shaking her head. 

“Thanks, but it’s only two blocks. I’ll be fine.” She assured.

The decision didn’t sit well with him, but Felix nodded anyway. It wasn’t his place to tell her what she could or couldn’t do, or what precautions he personally thought she should take.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then.” He said, finally continuing his descent down the stairs. 

“Yep, see you tomorrow.” Marinette smiled.

They parted ways after that, Marinette heading down the sidewalk and Felix going to find his driver, but the urge to watch her didn’t leave his mind until she completely vanished around the corner.

Felix sighed, tapping his finger against the car door as he settled into the backseat of his car. Why did he want to follow her so badly?

Tag List:  @artbyknigit @athena452 @nickristus-dreamer @throneoffirebreathingbitchqueen @arsaem @abrx2002 @neakco @pawsitivelymiraculous @too0bsessedformyowngood @nathleigh @lusicing @officiallydarkgeek @all-mights-asscheeks @tbehartoo @woe-is-me0 @raeuberprinzessin @lazuli-11 @miss-chaos27 @trippingovermyfeet @sadpotatoondrugs @ladybug-182 @jaggedheart11 @marinahrasauce @i-need-blog-ideas @thewheezingbubbledragon @crazylittlemunchkin @unabashedbookworm @moonystars14 @sunflowers-and-mooncakes @2confused-2doanything  @magnificentcrapposts  @moonnette

[hephaestiions]

"Home and magic, same shape."

Forged Through Flowing Water by @tedahfromtayla (written for hephaestiions, Erised 2020) (E, 40k) 

Ever since I read this fic, I knew I would have to at some point write a rec for it because even the increasingly unhinged, breathless comments I left on every chapter of this story did not feel nearly enough to show my vast well of appreciation. So here I am, three months later, still misty-eyed over the emotions and still unable to comprehend that a fic like this actually exists– a fic I can go back to, take refuge in over and over again. 

A fic following Harry’s journey of reconnection with his Indian roots and Draco’s journey through the active deconstruction of his crumbling biases, Forged Through Flowing Water is an unparalleled work of art when it comes to commentary on decolonisation, privilege and disadvantage. It’s a love story that takes its time with a brilliantly satisfying pay-off for the wait, illustrating the importance of finding common ground and helping each other become better people as a prelude to lasting love. 

There is so much I have to say about this fic. Tedah’s style is phenomenal– introspective, descriptive, and full of little revelations culminating in a fascinating read. Not only does she do the enemies-to-friends-to-lovers trope with believable accuracy, she absolutely nails the characters and their complicated dynamics. The side-characters fleshed out with impressive care– my continuous, raging crush on Ms. Rana bears testament to this. The premise is so interesting, and the amount of research and dedication that has gone into the world-building and complex magical theory shines through. It’s a personal favourite moment of mine when the title of a fic, otherwise innocuous suddenly makes utter and complete sense, and that moment in FTFW is possibly one of the best in the game. A tense, electric atmosphere is shot through with Tedah’s brilliant humour that makes an appearance at every opportune moment and the fic perches on the delicate balance she creates throughout. 

I know Erised fics are tailored to the giftee’s detailed preferences, but I had no idea that even a gift fic could nail everything I could ever want from something I’m reading and experiencing with this much precision. I cannot study Indian History properly– I failed countless exams on the subject because I couldn’t bring myself to sit down and calmly read through the history of colonisation and the blood it took to free us from it. The massacres, the destruction, the demolition, the dehumanisation. There is no fic– there has, thus far not even been a piece of published literature that made that aspect of the history of my people feel so... seen. The setting cycling through Indian cities, including a thrilling few chapters in my hometown that made me scream with excitement on the first read and cry with emotion on the second. The integration of magic into the plot and into the culture and communities... I don’t have the words to explain how it made me feel. There are so many moments in this that are embraces from a skilled author who has thrown their weight behind the research and rendering of representation for a reader who clung to it all, pressure building behind her eyelids with the accuracy of the pain and the relief of the soothing. 

This fic was a love letter to many things. To Sikh, Desi!Harry, with his beard and kurta and the depth of his soul that spills into every line of this work. To Draco, remaining in character even as the definition of that character shifts into one of understanding and growth. To strong women and the work they do to secure and stabilise communities that need them. To India, to its history, to its nature and to its people. To representation. To that unmatched feeling of stepping out into the sunlight during the autumn months after a heavy season of monsoon. To love itself and the work it takes to find it. 

And most importantly, to the reader. I don’t think I can thank Tedah and Jay enough for what this fic is and what it means. If you haven’t read it already, then this is me asking you to do so at the soonest <3 

[burningthemidnightcityoil]

AVATARS OF THE LASTING ASPECTS

Let’s talk about Players and Aspects.

There are Two to Three Avatars of an Aspect, and then the Aspect itself. The two are the Player, and whatever Familiar / Sidekick / Fence / Companion they may have.

The Aspect itself is The Thing and the Whole of the Thing. For example-- you can picture Time without a Player. Its the measurement of events as they proceed; but its also the Begining and the End, the Pace-- Its Art is Music and its Artifact is Clockwork.

Think of all Aspects as like that.

The Avatar of the Aspect, or the Player, is capable of both introducing and controlling how the Aspect will function. If the player chooses bad choices, the Aspect will turn to those bad choices. The Aspect as the Thing and the Whole of the Thing is a neutral force of nature, only following its function, and its Avatar can dictate how that function is carried out. The Avatar and Aspect, however, are separate in this-- the aspect can still carry out its function without an avatar, just look at the Troll-Godless Earth.

The Player’s Class often tells you how the Player will dish out their Aspect.

So.

Why is this important?

Consider what we see in Homestuck.

In the Troll Sessions, the Aspects are balanced. There is an avatar for each aspect, and they carry out as players can and will and won’t to do.

But its the Human sessions where all this gets interesting.

Because the Human sessions aren’t balanced. They don’t have an avatar for each Aspect, and worse still, you can see that a powerful entity-avatar has corrupted the human sessions and one troll session (LE)-- The humans sessions is where it becomes blatant how the Aspects function without someone to direct or with someone with malicious intent.

Let’s start with Beta Session.

Here, we are introduced to Avatars of Breath, Light, Space and Time. Spacetime, its a given we need, because for anything to happen you need Space to fill and Time to pace.

But Light and Breath?

Breath is motion, progression, plot. Everything about the Beta Session is fast moving and constant action, and in fact, is too fast. Everything has to be done quickly, established quicker, and it jumps around.

This is a session without any sort of grounding-- There are no Real Aspects to tie everything down, so everything is all over the place.

Light is Relevance, Meaning and Symbols; Eyes and Color, Consciousness (lights on and everybody is home). There is next to nothing dark about what we’re seeing-- intention is often made plainly clear, most of the characters are in their right minds, and the Beta Session is chocked full of Symbols and Meaning and the promise that things will be made Clear if we can only Look.

But the problem here-- is that its too much all at once. Like above, there are no Real Aspects to ground the Ideals we have. We are given all this information, but have no fucking idea how to process it or where to put it, or what’s relevant to what.

Without Avatars of the Real Aspects (Void, Doom, Blood, Rage, Heart), there is no SENSE. And the Guardians that are there, are just that-- Guardians. They hold an Aspect, but don’t do much with it.

The Aspects that are the Thing and the Whole of the Thing are there, but they merely Are, and do not bend to or over the whims of anyone.

--- Until the Trolls come in, do things start making Sense.

Let’s talk the Alpha Session.

So we have Avatars of Life, Void, Hope, and Heart.

Life is Health, Experience, the Breaking of Impossibility and Normalcy. The Players are Alive, and surprisingly Well, in spite of their awful circumstances. Roxy and Dirk should’ve Died (Dirk fell in the middle of the Ocean as a Baby, how did he survive? Roxy fell in the midst of Carapacians, how was she not Eaten?). And yet, they’re just ordinary teenagers.

But now, the Avatars are forced to live through horrible circumstances. There is no Time or Space-- No way to move forward, and no Space to grow. Just Surviving through all Impossibility-- And its fucking awful.

Hope is Coherence, Belief, Fantasy and Divinity. The fact that the players are experiencing something wholly fantastical-- a literal Alien Empress has come to take over Earth, there are Alien Monsters outside of Jake’s door, their best friends are 500 years into the Future or are in another universe entirely, Apocraplyse and Metaphysical-- That’s a helluva a thing to have.

But now all they have is Hope. Hope that there’s gonna be something better. Hope that something is gonna come down-- and ye gods, that’s awful. They’re living 2020 without it ever being 2020.

And their hope player is a self-serving jackass.

Heart is the Inner Self and Character, the Ego and Persona, the Facet and Aesthetic, Love and Soul and Self. Each character is appropriately theme’d-- Jane is the Heiress to a Cooking Empire and literally acts like the Betty Crocker character we see on the logo (not the Batter Witch). Roxy is a Scientist, and has a Science Lab, and she loves cats and wizards. Jake is a movie enthusiast with a love of adventure, and literally has a Tomb Raider Island just outside his door. And Dirk is surrounded by Robots and Brobots, and quite literal (and distorted) reflections of himself.

And did we mention the Romance Problems.

So many Romance Problems.

Heart here is one of our First Real Aspects. And lot of Dirk’s stress comes from being one of the only Real Aspect Avatars, and trying to temper nearly everyone. Remember that music can be played to the beat of one’s heart-- Heart here is trying to play Time, and uh-- well--

I mean, you tried but...

Void is Irrelevance, the meaningless Physical, the Dark and the Deep, the Incomprehensible. The world is real damn it, and suddenly it doesn’t matter as much anymore. The Session is Void, void of life, void of hope, void of heart, until something comes along and fixes it.

One of the Real Aspects, and it more or less just sits there like a Generic Object. Literally only Roxy is thrilled about this session and for good reason-- she’s the only one in her element. Void fills in what Space doesn’t-- and it doesn’t do that good of a job because NOTHING IS HERE.

... So how many of you called Act 6 meaningless? How many of you had quit ship come Act 6? Feel bored or disappointed? Void did its job, didn’t it.

So.

What about the Aspects that Aren’t here?

Easy, the Trolls fill in what Classes and Aspects are missing. Kanaya brings in Sylph, Karkat Blood, Gamzee Rage and Bard, Sollux Mage and Doom, Terezi Mind, and Vriska brings in Thief (Though it can be argued that Jack Noir originally brought in Thief and Rage).

As  an Avatar of Rage, Gamzee is mean to bring Contrivance, Madness and Passion, the Self Evident Truth. The Problem here, is that he only brings in Madness. Take the Juju Episode. He isn’t the Avatar of Rage itself, he’s the Avatar of the Lord of Time’s Rage-- He comes in to do the work of LE, not the work of the real Rage Aspect.

A real avatar of Rage would’ve shown our Alpha Players that they can change the system to favor them-- because this is bullshit.

As Avatar of Mind, Terezi brings in the Outer Self, the Choice, Cause and Effect, Superego and Karma. The Multiverse at your disposal. When she is down because of Gamzee, suddenly you lost all your Choices and there is no Karma (Pre-retcon Meteor).

Mind is also Memory and the Saved Game. If it wasn’t for Terezi, John would not have been able to go back and fix things. For a Narrative, Saved Games aren’t particularly Clean-- But SBURB is also a Game and a Story. We’ve seen what happens when the Player dies and lives are lost-- but imagine if you can just go back to a Saved Game and redo an action without having died in the first place.

That’s Mind.

As Avatar of Blood, Karkat provides not Character-- but You. Your Place, Yourself, Your Choice. Blood is the most Grounded and the Most Real of the Aspects. Everything might be Fake, but You, the Reader, are here and making it real. Blood falls under being Self-Driven, Promises and Friendship, Collective and Shared. Only as strong as your greatest weakness.

When he is down, you’ve lost Everything. When the Avatar of Blood flees, all those bonds and promises go out the window (Murderstuck). When he dies, there is nobody left but despair (Bad End).

As Avatar of Doom, Sollux provides Destruction, The Limit and the Crossed Line, Inevitability and the Impossible-- Death at the End. No matter how bad that seems, Doom isn’t a Bad Aspect. Its the Cleaner. Something has gone wrong, and there’s no way to fix it, you can take solace in the fact that it’ll be over soon. Doom is a very sorrowful aspect, with a thankless but needed job.

He tends to avoid the Human’s (and yet looks up human culture) cos he’s not that interested (Doom avoids the Players). When he’s defeated by the Avatar of Hope, Murderstuck seemingly has no End (and yet, he isn’t dead, just changed). When he leaves to go hang out with Friends once the Humans arrive, Doom has left them (Their journey is guaranteed to succeed).

Sollux has a frightful job, being an Avatar of Doom.

And what of the Muse and the Lord.

Muses are Inspirational. You have something that inspires you to create. Calliope is that inspiration. The Avatar of Space inspires its creation.

And the Lord? Well, he’s the Creator and the Director of the Piece. The Avatar of Time ensures Creation.

Worse though, is when Caliborn proves to be a malicious creator and director, and he literally takes Avatars as his own.

Gamzee, an Avatar of Rage, is now an Avatar of Caliborn’s Rage. His Madness. Spread either via Murderous Intent or Juju.

Equius, an Avatar of Void, is now an Avatar of Caliborn’s Void. His Physical Reality.

Dirk, an Avatar of Heart, fights so hard not to be Caliborn’s Heart. And plenty of Dirk’s other selves Fail this Fight. Bro is merely a distilled version, and that’s horrible enough. Hal fails outright, and his nature tends toward maliciousness toward all other players.

And Homestuck. The Alpha Timeline? -- Its Caliborn’s Time.

And you Will Follow it. You have no other Choice.

[ohshitmomitsawritingblog]

Aight my friend I'm here to give you your first post I got you For the Alphabet Soup: Obito, Madara, Deidara, Kakashi, Zetsu, Kisame, Sasori. You ofc do not need to do all, just given some variety; pick and choose, also choose whatever letters you want, my brain can't comprehend so many letters rn Have fun ily

Puca bless u this first post is gonna be a Fat One Folks

Deidara

T hrill - Do they need to try out new things to spice up your relationship? Or do they prefer a certain routine?

Deidara wants to do new stuff all the time, full stop. He’s perpetually uncomfortable with a distinct routine, which he’d consider being stagnant. With his S/O, he’d be down to do anything once - maybe the one bit of consistency in their relationship is his need to be around his partner on a pretty regular basis.

W ild Card - A random Fluff Headcanon.

He thinks complaining to his partner is a good excuse to tell them about his day.

U nderstanding - How good do they know their partner? Are they empathetic?

Surprisingly pretty understanding! I’ve always seen Deidara as being incredibly independent and assumes others feel similarly, so it’s not like he’ll ever be overly dotting, but he will be considerate. In pain? Go lay down. Need help with something? He’ll lend a hand. That being said, he can be a little egotistical so while he anticipates his partners physical needs often, he can be apt to not check in with them emotionally and sometimes doesn’t consider their views on things. Youth, ya know?

N icknames - What do they call their s/o?

‘Hey, you!’

Lmao, he’s a little rude and not the type for being publically sweet to his S/O - in fact I think he’d see it as a kind of weakness or source of embarrassment - so he’d probably come off as a little gruff when addressing them, as if subconsciously compensating for how sweet he really is on them.

K iss - Are they a good kisser? What was the first kiss like?

Decent. He’s not overly passionate, but he gives surprisingly comforting kisses. But. There’s a learning curve. His first kiss with his S/O involved a lot of knocking of noses and clacking teeth. He takes their face by the chin when he kisses.

Kakashi

S upport - Are they helping their s/o achieve their goals? Do they believe in them?

Kakashi probably likes his S/O because they’re tenacious and on the ball in terms of their own goals - of course he 100% supports them doing their own thing, and he deeply believes that they’ll achieve whatever they set their mind to. So much so that it doesn’t cross his mind that they could fail.

N icknames - What do they call their s/o?

Their name. Kakashi nearly passed out reading very innocent phrases from Icha Icha, I think he’d actually choke on his own tongue if he even attempted calling his S/O something like ‘dear’ for like. Years. That’s reserved for the bedroom. 😌

A ctivities - What do they like to do with their s/o? How do they spend their free time with them?

Reading! Exploring the village! I get the impression that Kakashi and his S/O are partial to late night dinner and drinks with friends - especially on cool, smokey nights. Going to obscure bookshops is a big second, and I can see Kakashi enjoying quiet, laid back art scenes - that giant ass painting in his apartment speaks of a taste for impressionist scenery. I feel like Kakashi likes washing the dishes or cooking dinner with his S/O best! They talk about their days, or they just enjoy the silence of working together.

C omfort - How would they help their s/o when they feel down/have a panic attack etc.?

Sitting next to them. Existing in the same space. If his partner is the type to clearly need physical affection during a crisis, I can see Kakashi being the type to sit next to them and press his shoulder to their’s, or to rub small circles on their back. If they’re crying or are generally on the shorter side, he’ll press his mouth and nose into their hair. It’s his way of telling them ‘I see you, and I’m not turning your pain away’.

Furthermore, Kakashi struggles with himself and what his needs as a person are, and isn’t sure how to relate to his partner beyond being a solider or comrade, and desperately doesn’t want to invalidate his S/O’s feelings, as his own have in the past. He also has no idea what to say, other than going off his his own desperate attempts to make sense of his grief, anxiety, and sadness, but often feels like that doesn’t cut it. The pain may, at the root, be similar, but his S/O’s suffering his their own, so he tries not to say anything at all. I think he especially deeply reflects his S/Os feelings when they’re feeling hurt or sad and it shows in those small physical cues.

To quote Cole from Dragon Age: his hurt touches their’s.

K iss - Are they a good kisser? What was the first kiss like?

Yes. Yes. Yes. Kakashi kisses are electrifying - he’s so soft and sweet but so intense. Lots of pecks are his style versus one long kiss. When he first kisses his S/O, it’s almost a little sad, though they can’t place why at the time. He cups his S/O’s face in his hands when he kisses them.

Kisame

A ctivities - What do they like to do with their s/o? How do they spend their free time with them?

Hiking! Swimming! I feel like Kisame would be the type to like to distance himself from civilization during his scant bits and pieces of free time, and would genuinely enjoy the experience nature would offer, any time of year. When he feels restless, I could see him wondering away from his campsite and just exploring the area. Alternatively, I can see him enjoying the stillness of it all. I can see him enjoying a deserted stretch of beach with his S/O, not a soul around but them, watching the spring grey clouds or the washed out blue waves and just taking it all in. Very zen.

H onesty - Do they have secrets they hide from their s/o? Or do they share everything?

Kisame makes it a policy to have zero secrets from his S/O. He doesn’t, by nature, have a taste for lying, but his work and duty have dictated that he lie or, at best, stretch the truth more times than he can count over the years, and now he despises. If it can be destroyed by the truth, it deserves to be destroyed. That being said, Kisame is human, and I think there are things he’s done that he elects not to volunteer unless directly asked.

U nderstanding - How good do they know their partner? Are they empathetic?

Kisame understands his partner and their needs well - I don’t think he rushes into relationships (in fact I think he shies away from anything more than casual interactions more often than not) and I don’t think he wouldn’t take his time truly understanding how his partner ticks. He doesn’t pry, but Kisame is a good spy and a smart man and he observes what his S/O says and does (and reads between those lines) on a consistent basis.

N icknames - What do they call their s/o?

If Kisame’s partner is female, I feel like he definitely calls her by ‘woman’ affectionately. He’s a little old fashioned like that and I can picture him growing up around adults who referred to their own partners like that. Kisame is one of those men who expresses his affection for his partner through the way he speaks (low pitched voice, soft and just loud enough for you to hear, for instance) versus what he says, so nicknames aren’t really his thing.

K iss - Are they a good kisser? What was the first kiss like?

He kisses tenderly, and is kind of stiff - but the more he does it, the more he falls in step with his partner and their likes and dislikes. Not good or bad. The first kiss with his S/O was a simple press of their lips, nothing super passionate, and a little awkward.

Sasori

T hrill - Do they need to try out new things to spice out your relationship? Or do they prefer a certain routine?

Absolutely does not like his routine messed with, and, presumably, neither would his partner. Sasori seems like one of those people who are absolutely adverse to any kind of change and isn’t too thrilled with the idea of ‘spicing things up’. He’s there, he’s present, that’s enough right?

W ild Card - A random Fluff Headcanon.

One of the simplest, most profound expressions of love for Sasori is acts of service - particularly putting a blanket over his partner if they fall asleep without any covers. He’ll never admit it, though.

I nspiration - Did their s/o change them somehow, or the other way around? Like trying out new things or helped them overcome personal problems?

That’s a big ol’ no from me dawg. Sasori is just set in his ways and kind of a prick when it comes to anything messing with his plans and how he views the world. If his S/O did slowly influence or help him overcome anything though, I think it would be his consistent rejection of intimate relationships. Like, Sasori has spies, Sasori has informants, Sasori has Akatsuki teammates and associates, but hardly any of them see his ‘true form’ and even less actually like him. He’s a hard man - whose hard on others - who very ruthlessly destroyed his relationship with his sole living relative AND single handedly threw his birthplace into chaos by murdering the third Kazekage.

For him to even toy with the idea of having an S/O, he’d have to really, REALLY like them. He’d have to put aside a lot of subconscious fears and complexes and decide, at the vert least, that he wants them. That’s a huge change, for him, and not one he can fully commit to 24/7. Basically, his S/O changes him before they even get together. Good luck trying to squeeze anything else out of him.

N icknames - What do they call their s/o?

‘Woman’/‘brat’/‘boy’. Sasori is kind of a dick and he definitely means it as half a put down, half letting anyone in the vacinity know who his S/O belongs to.

K iss - Are they a good kisser? What was the first kiss like?

Noooope. Sasori doesn’t do affection well, isn’t super inclined to kisses even when he has a human body, and as a puppet, he’s kind of stiff. The first kiss with his S/O is a quick press of the lips to the head or temples - not much of a kiss at all, but for Sasori, it means a lot.

Madara

Z eal - Are they willing to go to great lengths for the relationship? If so, what kind of?

Have you watched Naruto?

Yes. Absolutely. Madara has lost so much, and when he connects with someone enough to presumably fall in love with them and pursue a relationship, it’s for the long haul. Madara’s love means Madara’s protection means Madara’s almost obsessive worrying he hides under twenty layers of coo cool, smooth boyfriend material. Worst case scenario, Madara will kill a man for his S/O, and won’t feel bad about it. Worser case scenario, he’d endeavor to create a false dream world where there’s no strife, war, or death, and no choice. ☺️

A ctivities - What do they like to do with their s/o? How do they spend their free time with them?

Physical activities! Hunting, rock climbing, falconry, hell, even cleaning - i can see Madara’s idea of a relaxing time being cleaning out a shed or re-organizing his office! Presumably his S/O would either be similarly inclined or would indulge him. It does need done after all! There’s something about these all consuming, mentally stimulating activities that i can see Madara truly enjoying. He’d come out feeling refreshed. When feeling less adventurous, or maybe even, gasp, lazy, I can see Madara and his S/O playing board games, practicing calligraphy together, or painting.

D reams - How do they picture their future with their s/o?

In a long term relationship? Madara definitely sees a future where his S/O is Lady or Lord of the house, deeply involved with clan matters, and maybe, if they’re wanting and capable, with some kids running around. Keep in mind I imagine large families were common amongst the Uchiha pre-Konoha merge, so his idea of ‘some’ probably means five at the least. He has no real expectations of how his S/O would orchestrate themselves - beyond well, that is. He likes them for them, and doesn’t deign to even toy with the idea of putting them in a box, even in his head. The bottom line is: they’re together, and they’re strong together, and the world they build together is sturdier than the one they came into.

D reams - How do they picture their future with their s/o?

 A repeat question, but on the more emotional side: I think Madara, for the longest time, genuinely wishes for a future in which he and his S/O live quietly, and well. It’s in that bittersweet way though, the way someone wishes when they don’t necessarily think it’ll ever come true.

Y earning - How will they cope when they’re missing their partner?

Not well. Madara is naturally inclined to pinning and has some intense separation anxiety - which no one would ever know because he’d rather die than show just how much he misses his S/O. Madara, paraphrasing John Mulany, stuffs all his feelings deep deep deep down, and he plans to die like that. He just doesn’t cope, and the longer they’re apart the grumpier he gets. He pouts when alone, almost - but not quite - spaces out during meals, and busies himself with the finer details of cleaning equipment. Anything to shake the creeping dread that digs up his spine. Around his S/O’s return, he presses kisses to the nap of his S/O’s neck, just at their hairline, when they’re finally alone; if still around people, Madara has a habit of watching their neck and mouth, but says nothing that gives himself away.

Obito

L ove Confession - How would they confess to their s/o?

Going under the assumption that he has an S/O during the canon timeline? It’s not the sweetest confession in the world. He’s very to the point: his S/O is his. I can’t ever see him saying the world love, even if his body language expresses it loud and clear. He’ll run his fingers over their cheeks, press his forehead to their’s, and his stare? His stare could peel wallpaper, kill, and undress his S/O all at the same time. He’s just real intense and tongue tied at the same time.

O n Cloud Nine - What are they like when they are in love? Is it obvious for others? How do they express their feelings?

As a kid? Obito is painfully obvious. As an adult with all the maladjusted neurosis boiling under that hood of his? It’s not at all obvious. Obito is a busy man, what with the stirring of many pots and scheming and LARPing as Tobi, local terrorist cell’s local idiot. If he does show his love for his S/O, it’s like a leaking faucet; he doesn’t mean to touch their hand with the back of his, but he does it anyway. He doesn’t mean to look at them as they retreat from a meeting, but he does. It’s the little, tender things that hemorrhage from his cold half dead little heart.

Bonus: if this is a post ‘canon’ au where Obito lives and is the weird, kind of unstable, under house arrest for international dream crimes uncle of the Boruto gen, I can see him being much more open. Super clingy - prone to mood swings where he can become his old, cold self, but that’s just the package deal - a little pouty, and incredibly sweet on his S/O. He’s all hugs when they gets home, his hand pressed firmly to their lower back as they walk the village (probably breaking all kinds of rules in the process) and way more inclined to agree with you or go along with your plans. Everyone knows he’s his S/O’s man because he’s proud and loud about it.

V alue - How important is the relationship to them? What is it’s worth in comparison to other things in their life?

Their relationship is deeply important to Obito. I would say in terms of importance, only the moon’s eye plan trumps his S/O - how he reconciles with these two deeply potentially conflicting facts? He doesn’t. He just assumes they’re on board. Other than that, he will put his partner above everything and everyone else, with an emphasis on their physical safety.

E qual - Are they the dominant one in the relationship, or rather passive?

Dominate, even in a post-canon-I’m-alive! AU. Obito has an unhealthy relationship with control, and while he’s not one to want to dominate his S/O’s will, he would almost expect his S/O to follow his lead.

R omance - How romantic are they? What would they do to make their s/o happy? Cliché or rather creative?

Very very romantic and cliche, although Obito reigns in his more dreamy impulses (flowers or picnics, stuff he daydreamed about as a kid) well. His direct displays of affection or ‘dates’ are few and far in between, and very lowkey. He’ll bring his S/O something he’ll know they like - a string of dried flowers grown only in a particular a temple from the land of Fire, a polished, perfectly oval turquoise rock from the land of Wind. He’ll mail them to his S/O or, more likely, leave these little gifts in places he knows they’ll find them. His idea of a good time, of a happy time with his S/O, is quiet nights where plans and identities are put aside, and they can rest or talk about nothing or go for a simple walk. His biggest daydream he still toys with as an adult is getting caught in the rain and kissing his S/O while they’re both soaked.

Zetsu

P DA - Are they upfront about their relationship? Do they brag with their s/o in front of others? Or are they rather shy to kiss etc. when others are watching?

Well Zetsu is an alien prince(?), and a plant, and generally kind of weird. That being said, I think he’s very upfront about his S/O and their relationship! There’s definitely a gap in time where he talks nonstop about his S/O and uses any chance to bring them up. Obito toys with the idea of offing them just to get him to shut up. In terms of kissing or physical affection in front of others though? He’s a nervous wreck/directly dismisses the idea.

L ove Confession - How would they confess to their s/o?

Honestly, I feel like his S/O would have to confess to him, rather than the other way around. They casually mention liking him, he scoffs, only for them to insist, and it ends with a very vaguely embarrassed plant ‘accepting’ their feelings.

A ctivities - What do they like to do with their s/o? How do they spend their free time with them?

What can you do with a plant man? Probably spying, or exploring various places - he isn’t particularly in awe of nature like Kisame, but he likes the quiet and having his S/O all to himself. I can see him liking cards, too.

N icknames - What do they call their s/o?

‘Babe’ comes to mind - he doesn’t quite get the whole ‘affectionate nickname’ thing humans do, but he likes the sound of babe in particular.

T hrill - Do they need to try out new things to spice out your relationship? Or do they prefer a certain routine?

Nope! Zetsu is just happy to have his S/O present, even if they’re presumably just another human who eventually will be swept away in his mother’s plans. He still loves them, and he’s willing to do whatever they’d like in the time they have together.

[julie1706]

Julie’s incredibly aesthetic incredibly autumny list of movies that she maybe recommends (part 2)

Oh sweet joy! It turns out that there are many more great, fantastic, cosy movies (and tv-series!) just absolutely perfect for autumn. By popular demand, I return with even MORE autumny recommendations, and this time, there might even be spell-checking. (Looking at you, “Silence of the Lamps”) (I won’t edit that, because that’s just funny.) 

Thank you for reading the previous one, and I hope you’ll enjoy this one too! We have some GREAT ones coming up. I hope! Maybe! But what I believe will really perfect this second list, is the fact, that autumn is close to being at its peak right now, with it being October! Woohoo! 

Pumpkins, Jack’o’lanterns, spooky movies, Halloween, tricks and treats, fog, rain, candles lit in the dark, delicious tea, and scarves, because the chill is back in the air! Amazing! The aesthetics are to die for! 

I’m on a small break from university, and have actually been having some allowed free time, to do autumny stuff. By this I mean I can do autumny stuff with my family and friends, and not feel guilty, because this time I’m not procrastinating. Well, I’m a little behind on some books, but it’s not that bad. You’re allowed free time on breaks! They’re supposed to be mostly free time, anyone knows that. I refuse to be a good student on breaks! 

This free time means that I have actually had time to watch some of these movies and tv-shows myself, and so I can feel a little better about recommending most of them, since I’ve actually seen them. Hehe. Still. I do have other, boring stuff to do, like reading for uni, emptying the dishwasher, cooking, vacuuming, etc., so there will be some of these I’m including, I have not watched, and those will be, again, backed by the power of optimism. Yay! Anyway! You’ve read enough not-halloween recommendationing, and is getting bored - Let’s get to it! (Also, these are still in random order, and I will put warnings at the end, again <3)

Coraline

I remember watching Coraline when it came out in theaters, years ago. I also remember that we had a little closet-thing in the wall, small and closed-up, but still very similar to the one she goes into, in the movie. Needless to say, this was not a favorite for little Julie, who was absolutely scared shit-less by this movie. I remember button-eyes, decaying puppets, and a very scary mom. Now, I have not watched the full movie since, but from bits and pieces through the years, I can wholeheartedly recommend this one. It’s stop-motion, the details are incredible, and wow, this movie is great. If you, like me, are no longer 9 years old, watch it! It’s wonderful, and surprisingly, very feel-good in the family aspect. A great movie!

Official synopsis: 

An adventurous 11-year-old girl finds another world that is a strangely idealized version of her frustrating home, but it has sinister secrets.

//Warning: do not watch this, if you are around nine years old. It will absolutely traumatize you about small closets in old houses. If you are not nine years old, I think you’re good! Just the right amount of spookyness, I believe!

Sense and Sensibility

I watched this with a good friend in february, I think. So I’m not sure why I think this has to go on an autumny list, but I stand by it! Maybe it’s the beige and brown, beautiful clothing, the many shots of nature, and the relationships between these characters, that fits very well with the cold and chilling air, we find ourselves in, here in lovely October. I don’t know. Food for thought. But this is a great movie, and I really think you should try watching it under a blanket, with tea and a good friend. We didn’t know the story before we saw it, and it had us guessing! And there is a part my other friend Sif told me, always makes her dad cry, and I think that should be taken as a compliment to this movie! It’s great! Love, sisters, crisis and period drama (and great clothes), this movie has it all! (also - Emma Thompson!)

Official synopsis: 

Rich Mr. Dashwood dies, leaving his second wife and her three daughters poor by the rules of inheritance. The two eldest daughters are the title opposites.

//Warning: It might make you cry. But I promise, it will be a good experience, in the end. It’s not scary, though.

Over the Garden Wall (animated series)

Well, this one, I’ve been dreading to add to my list. Now, you must not misunderstand, it’s not because I don’t like it. It’s because this series is so great, so weird, so beautifully drawn and made, that I’m afraid I could write a whole blog post dedicated only to Otgw, and still not feel that I have done it justice. It's just so good. It’s like the someone just decided one day, to make a series, that absolutely, perfectly encompasses autumn and halloween, and then did just that. The storyline is good, the art is good, the soundtrack is good. God, the soundtrack. I’ve also made sure to listen to this show’s soundtrack, since we left summer behind, and it’s just so good. There’s a reason tumblr went wild, when this show was first released. But since this is an AUTUMNY list, let me focus on those aspects. Big dark woods, scary noises in the dark, red and golden leaves, fantastical beings - this show has it all, and trust me, it WILL get you in the mood for autumn. I almost started puking leaves and pumpkins when I watched this with my friends, that’s how pumped it got me. This show has a special place in my heart, and if you promise not to tell all the other movies and shows on the list, I’ll admit something: this might be a favorite of mine. Maybe THE autumny favorite. 

Official synopsis:

Two brothers find themselves lost in a mysterious land and try to find their way home.

Warning: May be a little spooky, but I have it on good authority from a friend that is a true scaredy-cat, with nerves of whipped cream, that’s it’s fine. She  could handle it, watches it every year, and she’s fine. Good levels of scary.  

Corpse Bride

Believe it or not, that same scaredy-cat of a friend, I just mentioned, actually instructed a musical, based on this story. Is she a horror-fan or not? I have no idea, but her show was so well-done, that it actually made me like this movie a bit better. I have seen it before, but she convinced me, by telling me the original story behind this movie, that it’s pretty great. And by association, this movie became pretty great, too. It’s been some years since I saw this, but it’s a pretty good halloween movie, I think. Dead people tormenting the living. Classic autumn stuff, I would say. And it’s pretty well-made, I think, stop-motion again! I like the aesthetic of a corpse bride, though you have to admit the actual thing is pretty sad. The premise is haunting and scary, but it’s more morose, melancholic and depressing, I think. Poor Emily. But a good movie! Sorry, maybe that wasn’t a very enticing description, but I promise, it will do you more good than bad, to watch it. And then go google the original story, the movie is based on! 

Official synopsis:

When a shy groom practices his wedding vows in the inadvertent presence of a deceased young woman, she rises from the grave assuming he has married her.

//Oops, nearly forgot a warning! Warning: some people are dead, and therefore rotting a bit. If you’re squeamish, don’t watch. If you love sad love stories, definitely watch!

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Yeah, I’m not sure why this has to go on my Autumny List either, sorry. It just has to. I know it takes place over an entire year, but in my head, it jut fits very well with the whole magic, supernatural, foggy halloween times we find ourselves in. I mean, look at the cover! Maybe it’s the iconic scene, right before the troll is discovered in the girls’ bathroom (sorry, spoiler), with the floating jack’o’lanterns, and tables almost crashing undet the weight of candy and cakes, that convinced my brain, that this is a halloween movie. I don’t know. Just trust me on this, and watch the first Harry Potter movie. It’s pretty good. 

Official synopsis: 

An orphaned boy enrolls in a school of wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world.

//Warning: Nah, you’re good ;-)

Little Women (Important: 2019 edition)

Alright girls, we’re hopping genres again! This is another period-drama (sort of), about sisters, and wow, I cried to this. I bawled, I sobbed, I choked on snot, and was a little inconsolable, when I watched it with friends, at the cinema. One of the best experiences this year, and one of the greatest movies I have watched in a long time. I love everything about this movie: the family-bonds, the clothing, the many nature-shots, the developments of characters, (almost) all the characters, and just, wow. No good way to end that sentence, because I want to just keep describing all the good parts of this movie, because it's everything. It’s amazing, and yes, i’m exaggerating, but I can’t help it. I forgot to eat my popcorn or drink my water, when we watched this, that’s how mesmerized I was by this movie. I love Jo, I think I can empathize a lot with her, and if I could talk to her, if she was real, I would thank her for telling her story. This movie is great, you should watch it, because it makes you feel so warm inside. 

Official synopsis:

Jo March reflects back and forth on her life, telling the beloved story of the March sisters - four young women, each determined to live life on her own terms.

//Warning: Might make you break down crying. But in a good way. Very cathartic, actually.

Alien

I watched this for the first time last year, when I decided I was going to watch the classic older horror movies, and not freak the fuck out. I mostly succeed. And this movie was a joy to watch. That’s maybe weird to say about an alien horror movie, but wow I just love Sigourney Weaver, and the aesthetics of this movie. The story is thrilling, and I really did not like most of the characters, I thought they were hysteric and annoying, but I still rooted for them. It’s a different kind of horror movie, that’s for sure! But when I watched it, I totally understood why it has become such a classic.

Official synopsis: 

After a space merchant vessel receives an unknown transmission as a distress call, one of the crew is attacked by a mysterious life form and they soon realize that its life cycle has merely begun.

//Warning: Uh, yeah, Sif, this is not one for you. It’s gross and scary. Malin, I think you’ll like this one! Go ahead! Maybe we should see it together?

Edward Scissorhands

Haven’t seen this one! I want to, though. I think I’ve seen one scene, where this man accidentally pokes a water-bed, and younger me felt that was a very tragic thing, on more levels. Johnny Depp yet again, so it has to be good, right? I know this poor guy, Edward, has it rough, and was given some really not that practical hands. Man, he looks sad, huh? So maybe more sad than scary, yet again. Dont know! But I really do want to watch it. Winona Ryder is in this, too, so really, it’s a no-brainer!

Official synopsis:

An artificial man, who was incompletely constructed and has scissors for hands, leads a solitary life. Then one day, a suburban lady meets him and introduces him to her world.

//Warning: I don’t know? Maybe not that spooky? I think it’s more sad, to be honest.

Pride + Prejudice + Zombies

I mean, why the hell not - right? I love Jane Austen. I love Pride and Prejudice. And I really like halloween, so OF COURSE, I’m including this one. I’ve seen it, too. My friend Malin and I watched it a couple of years ago, and yeah, it’s good. It’s not high cinema, no, but I don’t need that. It was a fun, weird twist, and sometimes, that’s all you need. There is a very interesting scene with a corset, that was NOT in the book, and I think it really added something to this story. And Lily James. Whew. Great movie. Great for autumn. I will be watching this one again.

Official synopsis:

Five sisters in 19th century England must cope with the pressures to marry while protecting themselves from a growing population of zombies.

//Warning: I can’t really remember, but I think there’s some pretty gross scenes with zombies. Rotting flesh is NOT pretty. But just close your eyes for that, and  you’ll be good!

The Haunting of Hill House

I first watched this series when i came out some time ago. I never finished it, I don’t think my heart was in it, but by no fault of the show. Now, that the same creator has made another show, which my mom and I are hooked by, and almost through, I think I’ll be returning to this one - it deserves another chance! A great old house, ghosts, family secrets and INCREDIBLE aesthetics, mean there must be something here! Also, I think it’s based on a novel by Shirley Jackson, and it’s supposed to a classic horror novel, and Stephen King tweeted that he liked it, so yeah, it’s promising! The series I’m watching with my mom is spooky, but tumblr says the Haunting of Hill House is supposed to be much more spooky, terrifying, even, and I really want to find out if that’s true!

Official synopsis:

Flashing between past and present, a fractured family confronts haunting memories of their old home and the terrifying events that drove them from it.

//Warning: Very Scary! Faint of heart - Beware! Just enjoy this beautiful gif of Nell dancing by herself, and move on <3

Psycho

Another old classic! Woo! Have not watched, but really, I feel like that’s almost a crime by now. I HAVE to watch it. Soon, I’m planning to. Sadly, It’s old, and I grew up with the internet, so I’ve been spoiled oh so dreadfully, and knows all the bloody details and plottwists of this oldie but goldie. But I still want to watch it! It must be a classic for a reason - right? Also, I’ve never seen the full version of the famous shower scene, and that’s just embarrassing. Shame on me.

Official synopsis:

A Phoenix secretary embezzles $40,000 from her employer's client, goes on the run, and checks into a remote motel run by a young man under the domination of his mother.

//Warning: It’s a horror classic! It’s gotta be scary. Then again, it DID come out in 1960. Be careful about this one! Sorry, I have no idea, have never watched it.

Hannibal (the TV series)

It’s gross, it’s scary, it’s aesthetic, there is a danish elegant man eating people in snowy Baltimore, and you really shouldn’t pay him to be your psychiatrist. Hannibal! I first watched this as a young, edgy teenager, and all the blood and gore didn't get to me at all - I just enjoyed the cat-and-mouse game between Will Graham, our main character, very mentally unstable, and a dog-lover, and Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a renowned psychiatrist, elegant, high-society - and also, he talks like a mixture of the bible and an old greek sonet. What I'm trying to get at is that this show is weird. Good weird. But also, now no longer an edgy teenager myself, it’s really gross. A man’s leg is cut off and served to himself. That’s gross. I didn’t like that, and I definitely covered my eyes. Other than that, it’s a very vivid show, with great focus on presentation and symbolism. I would love for someone to analyse each episode, because there's so much attention to detail. It’s honestly impressive. And after having watched many, many shows about crime and murders, I must say, this show has THE most buckwild, creative, never seen before ways of killing people. How the hell do you come up with a murderer using people’s different skin colors to make a mural? I don’t know. It’s disgusting, but man is it different. I’m halfway through season two, and there is a lot to unpack! Also, have to mention, very homoerotic - that’s a plus. Don’t think I could’ve stomached all the blood, otherwise. I hate blood, and wow is there blood in this show.

Official synopsis:

Explores the early relationship between renowned psychiatrist, Hannibal Lecter, and his patient, a young FBI criminal profiler, who is haunted by his ability to empathize with serial killers.

//Warning: Yeah. You read how many times I wrote ‘gross’. Just trust me on this one, it’s gross. It’s good, but maybe don’t watch it. You don’t need to introduce your brain to this.

The Haunting of Bly Manor

Ooh boy. Ooooh boy. This series is very good. VERY good. I’m watching it with my mom right now, I think we’re at episode 7, and wow are we hooked. It’s spooky, it’s haunting, it’s thrilling, it’s mysterious, and wow is it scary. We both agreed to go together, the first night we watched this, and our dog had to be taken out on his night-walk. She didn’t want to go alone, and i didn’t want to stay back at the house, alone. So we went together, and I was so freaked out that I nearly peed my pants, when some kids screamed in our neighborhood. It’s so very much what I want a ghost-story to be, but it’s also a lot more, and much greater for it. I love all the characters, they’re all so well-rounded, and most of them are good. The big manor is spooky, and the woods surrounding it are foggy and dark, and yes, this is really a great series for autumn and halloween. It’s the second series made by Mike Flanagan. There are some similarities between the two shows, and surprisingly, some of the same actors! I think that’s very interesting, and it also made me very confused, as I watched the first episodes of the Haunting of Bly Manor, and could not, for the life of me, figure out where the hell I had seen these people before. It made it even more eerie in a way, and I appreciate that. I love this show, and I think I’ll be very sad when we’re through with it. I guess the natural thing to do, will be to follow up with Flanagan’s previous horror series, The Haunting of Hill House! Also, there’s lesbians in this one. Very nice. I appreciate that. Also, surprisingly - I love the children! They’re so cool and brave, and it would be very nice if especially Flora could go with me, the next time I’m going to a haunted house. Such a badass.

Official synopsis:

After an au pair’s tragic death, Henry hires a young American nanny to care for his orphaned niece and nephew who reside at Bly Manor with the chef Owen, groundskeeper Jamie and housekeeper, Mrs. Grose.

Warning: It’s spooky. It’s the perfect halloween series, so of course it’s very spooky! This gif I chose is spooky, and I promise the show itself is worse. But if you can handle dead people creepily staring in the background, and maybe has someone to watch it with, I think you’ll be fine!

Alright! We made it! Another spooky, aesthetic, autumny list, for us to enjoy this crispy season! Woohoo! Also, I’m sorry if there’s any spelling mistakes or whatelse, I hope you enjoyed reading anyway! Thank you! Now go drink some tea and relax, you’ve earned it. I recently tried chili-tea, and damn, that’s another recommendation from me! It was amazing!

Hope you have a great Halloween, it’s close now. Watch out for the cold weather, remember to bundle up, and don’t let the impending darkness get you down. Light some candles! And also, watch some of these spooky tv-series and movies with your family and friends! And have a great fall! <3

Love, Julie

[sparklingchan]

Stray Kids AU

Stray kids in hogwarts

A/N: This was a very, very long pending AU and I'm so glad its turned out so good. I might have added some animals as patronus which are not actually mentioned in the books or movies or even pottermore but bear with me lmao. Also the houses are totally based on my opinion so you're open to disagree but please don't hate on my work :(

1. Bang Chan

House : Gryffindor

Patronus: Kangaroo

Wand : Aspen wood with Phoenix feather core (10 inches)

Favorite subject : Astronomy

Part of the dueling club and the quidditch team.

Born to a muggle mother and a pure blood father, Chan had spent most of his childhood in normal muggle schools,among other muggle children.

At home,though,he was surrounded by magic all the time. The moving pictures,the flying broomsticks ,the talking doormats,his gryffindor parents had a hard time explaining things to him at home.

On the day he received the letter of acceptance from Hogwarts ,his happiness saw no bounds. He spent the next few days imagining his life there,captivated by the stories his father told him.

And when the day arrived,he was more excited than anyone else on the Hogwarts Express to be finally visiting the place he had heard so much about.

During the sorting ceremony,the moment the hat touched Chan's head, it immediately yelled 'Gryffindor !'

By the end of his second year,he was already a seeker in the Gryffindor quidditch team and also an active member of the dueling club.

He was easily liked by teachers and students and his friendly, sweet nature was what made you fall head over heels for the quidditch team captain in your 6th year at Hogwarts.

You two were the same age but you being in Hufflepuff and him being in Gryffindor, you could only admire him from afar.

Having played with him on the same field for years ,it was hard not to admire the brilliant boy from Gryffindor everyone adored.

But you only got to know him properly when you guys ended up at the hospital wing after a tough game of quidditch against each other.

And needless to say,your relationship changed completely from that day onwards.   

2. Lee Minho

House: Slytherin

Patronus: Cat

Wand : Cedar wood with dragon heartstring core (7 inch)

Favorite subject: Defense against the dark arts.

Part of the dueling club.

Born to pure blood parents, Minho had grown up fascinated by magic and the idea of one day being able to use it on his own.

The day he received his acceptance letter, he had danced around the whole house in excitement of going to a place where he'd have no restrictions on magic whatsoever.

And when he finally stepped into the infamous castle,he was spellbound by the beauty of the place and the mystical world surrounding it.

His parents,though both ravenclaw themselves,always knew that Minho would one day be sorted into Slytherin.

And they were absolutely right because the moment the professor put the sorting hat on his head, it said 'Slytherin!' in a thundering voice.

He was a mischievous, witty yet charming person. All the ladies would swoon over him and when he joined the dueling club in his 4th year,his popularity increased even more.

Being from the same house as him,you would often bump into him in the common room or the hallways and just like all his other admirers,you would patiently wait for him to notice you one fine day.

You two were good friends,at the least and you've also noticed that he talked to you more than any other person despite being so famous.

Not wanting to give false hope to yourself ,you denied it everytime people asked you if you two were dating but deep down,you wished you were .

During your 5th year,you got into trouble with the teachers for a small prank you played on those annoying Gryffindor girls, resulting in you not getting your parents' signature for a trip to Hogsmeade.

You were super upset and angry until Minho came into the common room,asking if you wanted to spend the day together since you both were the ' only Slyhterins ' in Hogwarts at that moment .

You agreed, of course, and that turned out to be the best decision of your life.

3. Seo Changbin

House : Hufflepuff

Patronus: Bunny

Wand : Cherry wood with dragon heartstrings core (9 inch)

Favorite subject: Potions

Part of the dueling club and Chess club.

His parents were both muggles who had never known anything about magic or Hogwarts so they were a very confused when their little son started doing things which didn't have any logical explanation behind their occurrences.

When Changbin received the Hogwarts acceptance letter,he was THRILLED.

His parents agreed right away,happy that there was a place where Changbin might meet people like himself and feel more at home than he ever will in the muggle world.

His sorting ceremony was very intresting ,mostly because the hat took so much time choosing between Slytherin and Hufflepuff and finally decided he belonged to the latter.

Changbin had a vibrant aura around him,making it very easy for him to make friends and acquire the teacher's favour.

A smooth talker and quick thinker,Changbin quickly found a place in the dueling club and the chess club.

He was also your best friend since the first time you met him at the Hogwarts Express.

Coming from pure blood parents,you explained everything to him patiently and answered his questions without complaining.

And even though you got sorted into Ravenclaw,your bond with Changbin stayed the same till the 4th year.

For years you had repressed your romantic feelings for him but one fateful night in your 4th year,during Christmas Eve,you ended up spilling out your feelings in front of him.

Needless to say,he was glad that he could finally call you his girlfriend,something he'd wanted to do since the first time he entered the halls of Hogwarts with you by his side.

4. Hwang Hyunjin

House : Gryffindor

Patronus: Llama

Wand: Alder wood with unicorn hair core ( 10 inch)

Favorite subject : Transfiguration

Part of the quidditch team and gobstones club

Born to pure blood parents,Hyunjin had been introduced to magic from a very young age and naturally, he found comfort in it.

It was his birthday when he received the letter of acceptance and instead of the expected reaction of excitement, Hyunjin looked very proud.

The castle walls echoed with the stories his parents told him and it didn't feel like he was going to a boarding school at all ; it felt like he was coming home.

His sorting ceremony too was quick . The moment the hat was put on his head, "Gryffindor " it yelled with pride.

He was very famous among the female students as well as teachers and as years passed by,his popularity only increased.

Although initially he only wanted to join the gobstones club, he ended up trying out for the quidditch team in his 3rd year.

Rejected in his first attempt,he tried out again in his 4th year but this time he had a different reason to try out ; you.

A quiet Hufflepuff with muggle born parents,you had caught Hyunjin's eyes when you were protecting your friends from some bullies.

He had never felt that way about any person before so when he tried to befriend you,he was surprised that you were colder than expected from a Hufflepuff.

Nevertheless, he continued bothering you for a long time and when he heard you were trying out for the quidditch team,he couldn't help himself .

Both of you got in the team and from there on,you and Hyunjin had a wonderful journey together.

5. Han Jisung

House : Slytherin

Patronus: Squirrel

Wand: Ebony wood with Phoenix feather core (7 inch)

Favorite subject: Potions

Part of the quidditch team and school choir

His mother was a pure blood while his father was a muggle, which means Jisung has had the best of both worlds since he was born.

Talkative and chatty,it was very difficult for him to be quiet about the flying utensils and moving pictures in his house,when around his friends.

His reaction to finally getting the letter of acceptance was a mixture of screams,yells and songs.

As his Slytherin mother predicated , he too got sorted into Slytherin almost even before the hat was put on his head.

He tried out for the quidditch in his first year itself and surprisingly,he got into it. By the 5th year,he was a potential leader of the team.

Jisung was also a very keen and creative man who found solace in music which lead him to join the choir in his second year at hogwarts.

Rumored to have been rejected by multiple people, Jisung didn't know that he had secret admirer who would do anything for him -You.

You were in Gryffindor and given the rivalry between your houses,your friends often discouraged you from talking to him so you only ever noticed him from a distance.

But it all changed when he once fell down the stairs of the hallway,and there was no one but you there.

You helped him up and took him to the hospital wing,all whilst he was partly passed out from falling down so many stairs.

When you went to visit him after he had recovered ,he gave you a soft peck on your cheek,thanking you and asked you if you wanted to go on a date with him someday.

And needless to say,you replied with a big yes!

6. Felix Lee

House : Hufflepuff

Patronus: Canary Bird

Wand : Chestnut wood with unicorn hair core (11 inch)

Favorite subject : Herbology

Part of the chess club and charms club

Felix was born to a pure blood father and a half blood mother who were both witty Slytherins back in their day.

When he received his acceptance letter from Hogwarts , his parents took him out on a fancy dinner to celebrate this small yet significant achievement.

Soft spoken and observant,the sorting hat took quite a while to choose between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff but finally ended up choosing the peaceful house of Hufflepuff for an equally peaceful Felix.

His years at Hogwarts were full of adventures, strong friendships and of course,magic.

Having a keen interest in chess ever since he was a child,he joined the chess club in his 2nd year. Never had he seen such big,life size chess pieces and he was more than sure he'd found his place in this huge old castle.

He was exceptionally good at charms spells which led his friends to encourage him to join the charms club and in his 4th year,he decided to finally give it a try too.

You ,too, were exceptionally talented in charms spells and your attention was immediately stolen by the smily boy from Hufflepuff the moment he joined the charms club.

You approached him first ,unusual for a proud ravenclaw like yourself , but you couldn't help yourself around his warm,welcoming aura.

Felix and you befriended each other quickly but both of you knew,deep down in your hearts that there was more to your relationship than just that.

Stolen glances and accidental brushing of hands became intolerable for you. Everyone noticed how you two just fit together ; like puzzle pieces.

You confessed to him first ,the night before your O.W.L exams and you were more than relieved when he told you he felt the same.

From that night on you and Felix have been inseparable and frankly speaking ,you wouldn't have it any other way.

7. Kim Seungmin

House : Ravenclaw

Patronus: Dog

Wand : Alder wood with dragon heartstrings core (11 inch)

Favorite subject : Defense against the dark arts

Part of the school choir and chess club

As one might expect, Seungmin was born to into a family of pure blooded Ravenclaws .

His training in magic started even before he joined Hogwarts and when he was finally given the letter of acceptance, he was filled with confidence and pride.

Obviously, just like every single member of his family tree,he too was sorted out into Ravenclaw ( although the hat was very close to placing him into Slytherin)

He had a burning passion for singing which led him to join the school choir a few months into his first year at Hogwarts.

He didn't have a very huge friend circle ,he liked to stay within his own circle and one would rarely see him going out of his way to make new friends, but you on the other hand were the most famous girl in Ravenclaw.

Desired by many ,envied by some and adored by most ,you were a person who had people to talk to everywhere you go.

People liked being around you,not just because you were friendly and nice but also because hanging out with you would give their social status a huge boost.

But little did they know that as friendly as you appeared in public,you had your heart tightly guarded by high walls. Walls,which you only hoped one person would ever cross ; Seungmin.

Sitting in front the front rows of the classroom or in the dining hall, your eyes would often wander around into the corners where Seungmin would be sitting with his friends,laughing ,eating and enjoying.

Unlike popular belief,you were extremely bad at many things, most important of which was the defense against the dark arts, which coincidentally ( and much to your relief) was Seungmin 's best subject.

Taking the opportunity ,you asked him if he could help you with the subject and although reluctant in the beginning, he agreed to it.

Soon ,you started spending hours in the library with him . Sometimes studying,sometimes just talking. You started missing your social gatherings just to be with him.

You enjoyed his quiet yet honest personality and realised you'd rather have one honest person in your life than hundred liars who pretended to like you.

And when he kissed you late one night in the library ,you knew he too would rather have you than anyone else.

8. Yang Jeongin

House : Gryffindor

Patronus: Fox

Wand : Cherry wood with unicorn hair core (8 inch)

Favorite subject : Herbology

Part of the choir and quidditch team.

Jeongin was born to a Slytherin mother and a Ravenclaw father,both of whom were from pure blood families.

Young and curious, he often found himself intrigued by the magic used by his parents and patiently waited until he could do the same as he grew up.

Receiving his acceptance letter was both a joyous and sad moment for him ; joyous because he'd finally be with people like him,sad because he'd have leave his parents house for most of the year.

Although his parents predicted him to be sorted into either Hufflepuff or Slytherin,they were surprised when the sorting hat yelled 'Gryffindor ! '

Like Seungmin, he too had a passion for music and he soon joined the school choir.

Joining the quidditch team, on the other hand was a result of constant nagging by his father who claimed he was a great player back in his days.

Jeongin didn't expect to get in but he did and that's what led him to you - a curious eyed Hufflepuff who was often bullied for being muggle born.

He would see you running away shyly from your bullies in the hallways but when on the quidditch field,you were a complete monster.

He too had tasted defeat at your hand but he liked it anyway . He liked everything about you.

And when years later,he asked you out on an official date, he reminded you of that defeat and made you promise to never leave his side to compensate for what you had done.