#ok this is the only draft I’m going to post………. I MUST get back on track I’m getting lost in the sauce again

[butchmammon]

remember the chat where mammon was caught having doodled himself n mc under an umbrella….. like he would so be a little artist…. imagine he has a million sketchbooks of a million doodles and drawings but like it’s not something he likes to acknowledge really bc it doesn’t fit his “cool guy” brand or whatever so if you find one of his sketchbooks he gets soooo embarrassed but he’s also looking at you like ……. do you like them though?

[gloriousdreamerland]

Wait for me?

Series masterlist

Pairing: George Weasley x Ravenclawn! Fem! Reader

Warning: Bullying (not by George ofc); Insecurities; Bad english and bad writing (really bad); Drunk reader (not during the whole chapter)

Words: 4.3K

Autor notes: i was sooooo anxious to post this chapter, since the first drafts of the fanfic, this is the chapter I've been most anxious to write. My girl is so messy and i love her for it.

Synopsis: Angelina and Fred are tying the knot and suddenly Y/N has to face unresolved feelings for George, which is even worse considering she never told him they are soulmates. 9 days of partying are more like 9 days of torture, hopefully she will survive, only if he stops giving her a heart attack every five minutes.

Lay all your love on me - 07

“In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.” -Pride and prejudice

   “Do you think we’ll have to stay up this long tomorrow? My feet are hurting and i’m in sneakers, imagine in high heels” Katie whispered behind Y/N on the line of couples of bridesmaids while leaning on her partner to fix her shoes.

   “Weddings tend to fo that” George whispered back and Y/N failed in trying to hide her laugh

   “Don’t be rude! Y/N, don’t let him be rude to me”

   “George, don’t be rude to Katie” she pretended to scold him.

   “Love, she needs to learn to take a joke”

   “Hm…i guess you’re right” Y/N pretended to think about it, receiving an eye roll from her friend, who looked annoyed but still smiled.

   “You’re ridiculous”

   “I know” Y/N smiled “But answering your question, i don’t think it will take this long, last i heard Angie was talking to the pianist with Fred and sorting out the timing”

   The big day is finally tomorrow and the house mess is shining in it’s glory. Semans like the project is finally taking shape and what once seemed like a dream is really turning into reality and her best friend is getting married tomorrow.

   Angelina always had good taste but for the wedding she took it to the next level. The ceremony will be held in the front yard, with roses, marigolds and daisies giving the off-white decorations color, literally the pride and joy of Gryffindor

   Today may not be the day but is also special, today they’re having the rehearsal dinner, exclusive to for the closest people and active participants in the wedding, all of the other guests are sorting last minute details, like dresses for tomorrow and gifts, some are even touristing, after all, most people will travel back home the morning after the wedding and the wedding day will be too busy to explore the town nearby. So, apart from the people who are decorating, the house is theirs today.

   A smiley Angelina approached the line. She looked radiant.

   “We’re starting at five. The rhythm is simple, wait 3 beats and the next pair comes in, ok?”

   “Sure, now go to the end of the line, the groom cannot see you in white!” She rushed her friend, who laughed

   “First: I'm not wearing white, and second: It's just the rehearsal”

   “By the way you’re smiling ear to ear it’s almost the same thing!” Angie laughed “Now shoo shoo, the pianist will start soon”

   Angie’s smile seemed to grow even more as she rushed to the end of the line, and, as soon as she got there the song started. Just like that, pair by pair walked to the altar where Fred and the ceremonialist waited and positioned themselves around the altar, resembling a Greek arena.

   “Do you like wedding superstitions? Like that thing about the groom not seeing the bride in white before the wedding?” George whispered to her while they got there. As best man and maid of honor, they were the ones who led the line

   “You don’t? I truly believe if the groom sees the bride in white their wedding will fall apart, this happened to one of my cousins, ya know? You can’t even spend the night before the wedding together”

   “Will you leave your poor husband lonely? How can he even survive the night without you?”

   “I'm cherishing our marriage, he will be fine”

   “I surely wouldn't be fine without you” She couldn’t see his face as they watched Angelina walk in Fred’s direction, but she could swear he was smiling.

   It’s strange seeing your best friend get married, like seeing the girl who shared cookies, blankets and games with you when you were 11 swear her forever to a lucky guy, it’s almost like nostalgia, but better, because you’re so damn happy for her that you also wish to see their happy future.

   It is indescribable this feeling of happiness to see the happiness of someone else, someone who has been by your side your whole life.

   As the ceremonialist started talking about the couple’s journey, Y/N remembered their Hogwarts days, the sneaky glances, Angie's "outbursts" every time he was forward, the way he was a goofball trying to make her laugh -he's still a goofball to her, and tomorrow will be forever-, their first date and how they were so nervous around each other even thought they were almost a couple. When she wasn’t busy surviving homework and Natasha or being all heart eyes with George, she liked noticing the development of their relationship, Fred really does make Angie happy.

   “I really love weddings. Look how happy they are!” Y/N whispered to George

   “I remember when he decided to propose. He was freaking out, like they weren’t acting like a married couple from day one.”

   “Right? But i’m glad it’s finally happening to them”

   “Me too, and who knows, maybe you’ll be the next bride…” she smiled and rolled her eyes

   “Well, maybe you’ll be the next broom”

   George was counting on it, that is, if she is the next bride.

   Soon the rehearsal was coming to an end and the master of ceremonies announced the vows

   “Fred Weasley, do you swear to love and cherish Angelina for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?” The ceremonialist turned his attention to Fred.

   “I do” He smiled at his bride-to-be, taking her hands in his.

   “And Angelina, do you swear to love and respect Fred Weasley for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?” He turned his attention to Angie

   “I do”

   “So I pronounce you husband and wife...well, tomorrow I’ll pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your not-wife and your not-husband”

   The group laughed and clapped as Fred pulled Angie into a passionate kiss. The ceremony may not have been real—for now—but their love definitely is. Angelina whispered something in Fred’s ear, making him smile and give her a kiss on the cheek, and headed to where her best friend and brother-in-law were.

   As soon as Angie got close, Y/N embraced her friend in a tight hug while smiling.

   “I can’t believe it is finally happening, I'm so damn happy for you!”

   “Right, I'm so anxious! Don’t forget tonight we’re going out, okay? The car will be waiting for us by 8pm”

   “Don’t worry, I have already chosen a dress!”

   “Great! I better be going then, i have to talk with my mom, Goodbye the, see you there! Bye, George!” She waved and headed back inside. 

   “Tonight is the bachelorette party, right? Where are you going?” George asked

   “There’s a club in the town that Angie really likes, the DJ usually plays her favorite singer. What about you, Fred’s bachelorette is tonight too, right? I’m kind of scared to ask” She joked

   “Nothing much, we plan to get wasted in every bar in town, i just hope Fred can make it to the wedding tomorrow” For a second Y/N though he was serious, but the smirk on his face gave it away. She bumped his shoulder while rolling her eyes.

   “C’mon!”

   “Okay okay, don’t be mad!” He laughed “We’re not doing much crazy, Fred wanted to actually be alive for his wedding, so we’re going to a friend’s bar, probably drink, play something, but nothing too crazy”

   “You better, woe betide you if you make me worry about your madness!”

   “You wound me, Love!” He faked being hurt “I guess I won't see you in a while, uh?”

   “Yeah, probably just at the ceremony”

   “Let’s make the most of our time then, right?” George smirked and offered his arm, which she gladly took.

   “So, where are we going now?”

   “Let’s just take a walk in the garden, probably not here though, the wedding people are getting things ready, let’s go…” he saw a small meadow further in the background “There!”

   “Sure, We just can't take too long, I need to go back soon to get ready for the bachelorette party”

   “Keeping you here with me…I don’t know, sounds tempting, Love” Y/N rolled her eyes while giggling

   “I know! But I do like to dance from time to time, and socialize a little. I’m sure you guys will have fun”

   “Not as much as I would have with you” With his other hand he held her hand that was on his arm, without taking her arm off his.

   “You’re such a charmer”

   “Only with you, Love”

   Her heart raced at his words and the closeness, but lately, she's realized that she really likes this. Well, she really likes him, so it's to be expected. walking through the field, with him close to her like that, she remembered a conversation she had with him a while ago, a conversation about soulmates. A conversation that had gone unanswered.

   After yesterday's revelations, the ones about George, but the one about Natasha too, Y/N is strangely calm, like she finally knows what to do. The problem is that what she needs to do isn’t an easy thing: She’s going to tell George that he is her soulmate. As usual, there’s a dilemma to this, and when there isn’t, right?

   Y/N has know for years that George is her soulmate, and she has been in love with him for even longer, she even made an effort to hide her soulmate mark and up until now she has always said to anyone who asked that she did not find her soulmate, so how does she came up with the truth now, like “Hey, George…or must i say, Babe? Haha, you’re kind of my soulmate, yeah i’ve known it for years…Yes, i know you've been searching for her and did nothing to end your suffering…Wait, don’t run away!” Yeah, it wouldn’t end well.

   Of course she had her reasons for staying away, in Hogwarts Natasha ended with any scrumbles of her self-esteem, then the war happened, leaving not only her life a mess but the whole word, and it takes time to fix something like that, then after that…well, after that she was a coward trying to find herself again, George didn’t deserve that.

   She’s still struggling to think that she can be good for him, but these last few days changed, and not only her self-esteem, but the idea that, if George by any miracle decided that she is the love of his life, she isn’t gonna let this opportunity go to waste.

   With all of that in mind, Y/N has a plan. Well, half of a plan, but she’ll eventually get there. She needs to prepare the ground. Approach him and say that she is his soulmate, even if that is the pure truth, it would be weird.

   “George, I was thinking about something…”

   “Dangerous”

   “Oh, shut up!” she giggled “ We were talking the other day about our soulmates, remember? But you never gave me an answer” She looked hopefully at him

   “You didn’t either”

   “But I asked you first!”

   “What? I asked you first!” He laughed at her nonsense while she got redder by minute. She cant me smooth to save her life

   “But that was yesterday!”

   “Okay, Love. You know about my soft spot for you, I'll let you win this one.” He gave her a flirty smile and kissed the hand he was holding. “I think i have found her”

   What?!

   Y/N tried her best to not look like a deer caught in headlights. Keyword: Trying.

   “W-what? Really?” 

   “Really, i have a good guess about her” 

   The way he was looking at her was strange, but not in a bad way. How can someone hold so much affection in just one look? It's a weird feeling, capable of calming her nerves and, at the same time, making her heart beat faster.

   “Have you told her? Does she know?” He smiled sweetly at her.

   “I haven’t told her but she definitely knows…She’s a slippery one, y’a know? I don’t want to scare her away, so i’m willing to wait for her, give her all the time that she needs”

   “I…is it worth it though? All this wasted time?”

   “I would wait forever for her. I have already given her all of my days, I'm just waiting for her to notice that” Then George kissed her cheek like it was common, like if she wasn't on the verge of a heart attack. Her poor heart. “Let’s go back inside? We’re gonna be late”

   Y/N definitely need to tell him the truth until the wedding is over.

   The bar was way more crowded than George expected. Like way more, how does this little corner bar handle so many people? When Fred said they were going to Bob’s bar he imagined something more calm -ofcourse not that calm, or they would do something to spice it up a little if you know what i mean-, but it’s so crowded that if they weren’t friends with Bob and warned him beforehand they wouldn’t be able to have a seat or play snooker.

   Not that any of this matters, he really tried to give the group and his brother his full attention, but his mind keeps wandering elsewhere.

   The love of his life is this close to really being the love of his life. Yesterday night Fred has been gossiping about how George likes Y/N since Hogwarts, after dinner they fought about this, but nothing really serious, all in the name of brotherhood, however, it seems like something changed with her, like she’s more carefree…maybe even closer to confessing to him, but he prefers not to get too hopeful yet.

   He is willing to wait for her, afterall

   “Haha, pay it up!” Lee jordan laughed as he placed a 3 of clubs on the table, the zap of this round of truco.

   “No shit!” Fred laughed in surprise and celebrated with his partner, earning complaints from George and Bob.

   “3 four times in a roll?! You’re cheating!” Bob “Keep up like this and I'm kicking you out of my bar”

   “C’mon, Bob, loosen up!” Lee gave Bob a side hug and laughed. “And, you, Loverboy,” He turned his attention to George “Pay attention to the game, you’re making your pair loose!”

   “Sod off! You’re not that good, cheating even me!”

   “Really? Now this I want to see!” Fred gathered the cards and passed them to Bob “It's Bob's turn to shuffle”

   “Now I'll make sure nobody will cheat now.”

   George sank into the bar chair, waiting for Bob to shuffle the cards when he saw a white figure through the window near them. The redhead ignored it, he must have seen things

   Thud

   George is definitely not seeing things, well, he saw something: an owl bumping into a closed window. He rushed to her rescue and took the letter that she carried and gave her a treat. The life of a wizard is like this: Carrying owl treats because at any moment one could appear -or crash- into your house. In this case: Bar.

   The word letter is an exaggeration, it's hardly a note, given the size and the scrawl on it. All he could think about was who on earth would have such bad handwriting as he tried to decipher what on earth the note said.

   Triiim Triiim

   Then the phone behind the counter rang. George was close to the phone, so it was easy to hear him. The surprise is Bob, who was further away with the others at the table, heard him with all the noise in the bar. 

   Bob gave the deck to Lee and went to answer the phone.

   “Hey, this is Bob's bar, how can I help you?....Oh hey!” he heard what the person on the other end of the line said and laughed out loud “Okay, i’ll send them to you girls. Good night, see you at the wedding!” 

   Bob returned to the table with the smile still on his face. George came closer to hear better.

   “So apparently half of the bridesmaids, including the bride, are feeling sick, they couldn't hold it together, huh," he laughed. "Angelina just called me asking for backup from the groomsmen."

   “I’ll let the others know, you can go first, Fred. See how Angie is.”

   “Thanks man, i better get going then” 

   “Wait, i’ll go too!” George rushed to Fred’s side before he could leave.

   “Loverboy is eager to see someone!” Fred smirked

   “C’mon!” George rushed Fred out of the bar and into the nearby alley, and then the two of them recited a teleportation spell.

   “Hey, thanks for coming!” Angelina hugged Fred as soon as they showed up at the club the girls were at.

   “I was worried about you, Lee stayed back to let the other know, soon the’ll be here”

   George stayed behind in an attempt to give the couple space, but mainly to look for Y/N at the club, which became an almost impossible task due to the loud music, absurd amount of people, and the confusion of lights. Angelina, noticing his wandering eyes, decided to help.

   If she is not the maid of honor at their wedding she's gonna lose it.

   “Last i seen in she was nearby the bathroom in the back, I told her to get some water while I waited for you guys up front”

   “Thanks, Angie!” 

   George runed, or tried to run, between the sea of people in search of Y/N when he saw her. Sitting in a booth all alone, looking sad while sipping her water. He took a seat beside her.

   “Hey pretty girl, why are you so sad?”

   “Babe!” her face suddenly lit up “I’m sooo happy you’re here. I asked Angie to call you but she said she couldn’t because you don’t have a phone” she pouted “I need to buy you a phone, what if i miss you and you are faaar faaar away”

   Oh she’s drunk drunk

   “I guess i’ll have to stick to your side then,” she giggled “How much did you drink, Love?”

   “Just a weeeee bit” He believed none of that.

   “Sure, wanna get out of here though? I’m tired, do you want to walk me back home?”

   Y/N’s smile grow

   “I do! Let’s go, Georgie” He stood up, gave her space to follow him, then when she tried to stay up, her legs gave up. Before she could fall, he helped her up.

   “Careful! Are you okay?”

   “Hm…I'm fine, you’re my hero!” He rolled his eyes with a smile

   “I hope so, Love. It seems like you’re falling for me” He joked. A really bad joke.

   “I can’t fall for you, Georgie. I already fell a long time ago”

   Georgie could feel his heart beating faster and the blush in his cheeks. 

   “You’re so forward when you’re drunk, stay still for a second,” he turned and lowered himself with his back to her "Climb on top of me, we'll take the long way home while you sober up".

   Without thinking twice, Y/N climbed on his back and he carried her on his piggyback to where Angie was, to let her know that they were leaving, but since he didn't see her, he described her to the bartender and asked him to give her the message.

   As soon as they stepped out, the cold air hit them, making Y/N hug him a little tighter. Maybe that would be enough to sober her up.

   “How did you know that I needed you?” She mumbled against his shoulder

   “I have a sixth sense to you”

   “Oh, shut up!” She laughed

   “Angie called to the bar, as soon as i heard what was happening i came running to you”

   “Own…you are really sweet, did you know that?”

   “You’re sweeter, you deserve all the care in the word”

   “I don’t need all the care in the word…just yours”

   Here it goes again, his stupid heart

   “You’re funny when you’re drunk”

   “I mean that!” She looked offended and he almost regretted his comment “I always loved how you took care of me, always looking out for me, not in a condescending way, but in the most loving and sweet way. One of the reasons I fell in love with you…”

   “What?” His heart raced and he lifted her off his back. He needed to look her in the eyes now, needed to be certain that this wasn't just drunk talk, and something in her told him it wasn't.

   “It’s one of the reasons I fell in love with you…” She put her arms around his neck, pulling them closer “Another is your handsome looks, not gonna lie,” He laughed “But how you’re so funny and sweet, yeah….these are the reasons, i can’t describe how much it made me happy knowing you liked me back in Hogwarts, my heart was threatening to jump out of my chest, have mercy on me!”

   George's smile was so wide it hurt his cheeks.

   “Now you know the effect you have on me, love!”

   “No no no…i’m pretty sure i like you waaay more. I wish you were in my shoes so you could feel it, how good it is to love you”

   “Love, I'm not gonna discuss this with you now, but I hope your drunk head knows that you’re absolutely wrong!” Y/N rolled her eyes and laughed

   “I know how to end this dilemma! Can I tell you a secret?” Her smile definitely ment trouble, but oh George really likes trouble “I’m your soulmate!” George was in complete shock, of all the things he expected her to say, that wasn't one of them. “I’ve know it for a while…i’m really sorry for not saying nothing before, back than i couldn’t say it…..but now, it seems like i wake up waiting for an opportunity to tell you, but i was afraid you’d be mad at me for not saying before”

   “And you’re not scared anymore?”

   “A little…but i figured that i could take you being mad at me for some days than losing a forever with you. You’re too special for that” Maybe his heart is indeed melting inside his chest, it shows in the blush of his cheeks”

   “I could never be mad at you, not at this atleast, so don’t worry” He gave her a kiss on her forehead “but maybe is best if we discuss this tomorrow, you’re too drunk now”

   “You missed”

   “What?”

   “The kiss, you missed the place. Let me try again” 

   Y/N brought her face closer to his, leaning in for a long-awaited kiss, but George turned his face away, making her kiss his cheek.

   “Not now, Love. I want you to be on your full senses when i kiss you” she pouted

   “Will you kiss me tomorrow?”

   “If you want me to” He smiled and caressed her cheek

   “I want you to want this too…”

   “I have wanted this since we were thirteen, but i can wait one more day” Y/N giggled

   “You know, of all the people in the world, I'm glad I fell in with you”

   “Mee too, Love. You have no idea how much” He took her arms from around his neck and offered his arm to her. “Ready to go home?”

   “Let’s go!” She hugged his arm and with a flick of his wand the two of them headed back to the Johnson’s household.

   Reality is so sweet now that George is actually afraid to go to sleep tonight. Waiting for Y/N is definitely worth it, he’s not afraid of her nervous bolting as long as he is the finish line, and considering all of what she said tonight, she’s definitely going to lose it tomorrow, but this time, George is ready for it.

   “Morning, sunshine!” Katie’s voice echoed from the other side of the room. She wasn’t yelling, but it was enough to make Y/N want to sink into the bed to make that noise stop, or maybe throw the clock in her dresser into said noise, whatever is easiest.

   She’s never drinking that much again

   Okay, that’s a lie, but she’s sure she isn’t gonna drink like that in the near future. That’s really true.

   Y/N can’t fully remember what she said yesterday, she only has flashes of memory, but this is not her first rodeo, soon all the embarrassing memories will come back, they have a habit of doing this. 

   “C’mon, Y/N, we need to dress up!”

   “just five more minutes!” Y/N’s voice sounded muffled from the pillow

   “We need to be in Angie’s room in fifteen minutes! don’t be lazy, also, you might want to see what your prince in charming armour left for you”

    What? 

    She stood up so fast that she felt dizzy, making Katie laugh from across the room. On the dresser next to the bed was a note and a strange liquid, which, from the smell, was probably a hangover cure.

   Y/N,

   I left a hangover cure potion for you next to the dresser. I remember how you were when we were at Hogwarts, I hope it takes effect by the ceremony, and if it doesn't, I can kiss it better for you.

   About yesterday, after you remember what you said to me i want to talk to you, but not in a bad way, so don’t worry your pretty head, i mean it in the best way of “talk”, okay? If it helps you remember yesterday, i still really want kiss you. I’ll probably will still want to kiss you tomorrow too, and the day after that.

   Love Kisses, George

   Her eyes widened in surprise at each word in the note, which made her poor heart race faster and faster.

   What the heck did she say to him?

[a-lanterninthenight]

Shrike - Part 1

Hi there! This story has been sitting in my Google Docs for quite a bit, and I had honestly forgotten about it until I found it in when I was going through them. I really hope you like it. I feel like there aren't enough Danny fics out there, so hopefully this one will be able to aid all my fellow Danny laners out there. The title was inspired by the gorgeous song Shrike by Hozier, which I'll link here: Hozier - Shrike (Official Audio) - YouTube I'd greatly appreciate any feedback you have, so don't be afraid to drop something in the comments or message me. My deepest thanks to @kaedepo for helping make the moodboard and reading the draft as I wrote it. Now, without further ado, let's get started...

Reader x Danny

TW: none

Word Count: ~2.7k

Sunlight streamed through your gauzy white curtains as you opened your eyes. As they adjusted to the bright summer sunshine, you sat up, taking in the view of your small but cozy bedroom. You had just moved to Nashville last week, and this small apartment was your first real place of your own. It had taken several years of waitressing, pet sitting, and other odd jobs to pay your way through school, but you had finally done it. Nashville was your dream home ever since you were little, and to your elation, a small bookstore in town had offered you a position as a marketing manager. Graduation was three weeks ago, and after a short but much needed vacation, you had packed your things and moved in. 

The soft meows of your cat Stevie greeted you as you walked down the hall from your room into the kitchen. Stevie rubbed up against your legs, purring loudly and leaving some of her ginger colored fur on the pant legs of your black sweatpants. “Good morning, Stevie girl, today’s a big day,” you said to her. Today you started working, and you were eagerly but also a little nervously looking forward to it. “Let’s hope that everything goes ok.” After feeding Stevie, you went back into your room to get dressed and ready for the day. Opting for a comfy but dressy enough pair of jeans and a flowy blouse, you applied a light dusting of makeup and curled your hair in loose waves. Right as you were putting away your curling iron, your phone buzzed. Looking at it, you saw a text from your best friend from school, Stella. “Hey! Big day today, but you’ve got this! Good luck and let me know how it goes.” 

You and Stella had been best friends since your freshman year of college, where you had been in the same freshman seminar. She was heading off to medical school to become a cardiologist in the fall, and despite the big difference in majors, you had been inseparable since you first met. “Thanks, I really appreciate it. I have to be in at 9, so I’m going to be leaving soon. I’ll keep you posted.” Once you clicked send, you slipped into your comfy white Vans, grabbed your keys and small purse, and walked to the front door. “Bye Stevie,” you said to the cat as you walked out the door and down the stairs to your car. The drive to work was only 15 minutes, and after a quick stop at a local Starbucks to buy your usual iced latte and a croissant, you were pulling into the parking lot behind the bookstore. 

The bells on the door rang as you stepped foot inside. You took in the rows of bookshelves and the comfy reading nook in the back corner. You could definitely get used to working in a place like this. 

“Hello! You must be y/n,” a cheery voice called from behind the cash register. A woman with beautiful auburn curls smiled at you, and you immediately recognized her as your new boss, Rosalind. “Hi, you’ve got that right,” you said as you walked and shook hands with her. “We’re so happy to have you here with us! I promise I’m not the only other person working here right now, the others are back in the breakroom.” She led you to a small door in the back that said employees only, which opened onto a tiny but nicely furnished room with three people in it. Rosalind introduced them as Emma, Owen, and Allie. Emma was the store’s resident children’s book expert, while Owen and Allie handled the other genres. Along with being a marketing manager in charge of publicity for the store, you had accepted a part time role as a salesperson, which you were more than happy to do. Sharing your love of books with others was a passion of yours, and you were excited to interact with the customers. Rosalind gave you a quick crash course in how to deal with certain situations, and soon you were out amongst the shelves in the store. Today was going to be entirely about selling books, and you were going to meet and discuss marketing tomorrow.

The store was fairly busy throughout the morning, and you patrolled the floors of the store, ready to be of assistance to any customer who needed it. Around noon, you had stopped to look at the back cover of a new book when you glanced up and saw a young woman with light brown hair staring at a bookshelf. Sensing that this was your cue to sweep in, you strolled over and asked if she needed any help. “Actually, I would love that. I came here for some new books to get while I’m here on vacation and I’ve read pretty much every book on my tbr list,” the young woman said to you. “Well, I can definitely help with that. What genres do you enjoy reading?” you prompted. She listed off several ones, and you immediately got a few ideas. Walking over to the fantasy section, you grabbed a few that you thought she might enjoy. “I think these should be perfect for you. They’re quite popular right now.” 

“These sound great! Thank you so much for the recommendations.” She smiled at you, and you walked over to the cash register to ring up her purchases. While you scanned barcodes and completed the transaction, you made small talk. “So, you’re here for vacation?” you asked. “Yes! I usually come here a few times a year, but mostly for weekend trips. I’m staying for two weeks this time though.” “Wow, you must really love Nashville.” The girl laughed, “You could say that. My brother lives here, so I’ve learned to love the city. How about you?”

“Oh, I’m brand new to this place. I just moved here last week. This is my first place post-grad,” you explained. “I’ve wanted to live here since I was very little though.” The girl smiled, and she explained that she had just graduated college too. She had come down from Michigan to stay with her brother as a vacation to celebrate her graduation, and after her visit she would be heading back home to work as a real estate agent outside of Detroit. The more you two chatted, the more you realized how much you had in common. You were both younger siblings, and reading had been one of your favorite hobbies since you were little. Your birthdays were only a week apart, and you both had pet cats that you loved dearly. You were amazed at how in a few short minutes, a complete stranger had become as close to you as a friend you’d had since grade school. 

“My name’s Josie by the way,” the girl smiled as she put her credit card back in her wallet and slung her purse over her shoulder. “Unfortunately, I should really let you get back to work, so how would you like to meet me for dinner tonight? I’d love to chat more with you.” You enthusiastically agreed, and she gave you the name of a bar within a short distance from the heart of the city and your apartment. She headed toward the door, and waved goodbye as she walked out. The bells jingled, and you smiled to yourself. It felt good to make a new friend. 

…

The bright lights of the neon signs on the wall and the familiar smell of alcohol greeted you as you walked into the bar that Josie had suggested. The place was the perfect mix of old and new, and the vibes matched yours to a T. Josie was sitting on a stool at the bar and she waved as you headed towards her. “Hey there! So glad to see you again.” She gave you a hug before you sat down next to her. The bartender turned to face you, asking for your order, to which you responded with your old faithful, Jack and coke. The drink was quickly placed in front of you, and you sipped it as Josie began to speak. “Since you’re new to Nashville, I had an idea. Why don’t I introduce you to my brother? You can never have too many friends in a new city.” “That does sound nice. To be honest I don’t really know anyone else here besides people from work, and you,” you replied. “Perfect, I’ll text him now,” Josie pulled out her phone and began typing. Shortly after she hit send and put the phone down, her lock screen lit up with a notification from a contact named Danny. “Ah, that was fast,” she exclaimed as she read the message. “I’ve got even better news. Danny said he’s actually in the neighborhood right now and he’d be more than happy to swing by and say hello. This is great!” You weren’t sure what to think about this news, as you could be a bit shy when meeting new people, but you happily responded with “Wonderful, I can’t wait!” 

About fifteen minutes had passed by, and suddenly you were broken out of your conversation by Josie calling someone’s name. You turned around, and realized someone was walking through the door of the bar. Not someone, it was a group of 4 men. The first one to walk in was short, with hair that could only be described as a cross between a mullet and a mohawk. He was wearing a brown linen jumpsuit and white sneakers, and he had a big grin on his mustached face. Following right behind him was another man who looked very similar, though he had wavy brown hair cut in a bob and no facial hair. His outfit reminded you of a rockstar, as he was wearing sunglasses and a shirt with only the bottom few buttons done. He oozed confidence, and you found yourself wondering just who he was. Next to walk in was a man who looked like he could be related to the first two, except for the fact that he had a few inches on them. This one was tall and lanky, with long brown hair and facial hair in a look that was very George Harrison-esque. He wore a button-down shirt in a blue paisley pattern, and he had navy pants with a shoestring belt. Finishing out the group was a man who you could only describe as looking like a Greek god. He was tall, taller than even the long haired one, with dark curly hair with a few faded blonde highlights. He had an angular face and tanned skin, and he was wearing a blue and white striped shirt with the top buttons undone. The tiniest bit of chest hair peeked out, and you had to quickly stop yourself from staring. Given that the other three men looked like they were siblings and Josie had only ever mentioned having one brother, you deduced that this man must be her brother. 

“Hey guys!” Josie exclaimed as the four men approached you. The lanky one wrapped Josie in a hug as the mustached man greeted her with a “Hello sunshine!” Hugs were shared all around as each of the other men gave Josie a hug. “Hello there!” the mustached man said to you. “Y/n, right? Danny said his sister would be introducing us to you. My name is Josh.” He flashed you a smile as you confirmed your name. Josie leaned in, saying “Y/n, meet the Kiszkas and my brother, Danny.” You quickly learned that the other short man was named Jake, while the taller brunette was Sam. Your hunch proved correct, and the curly haired one was identified as Josie’s brother, Danny. 

The six of you moved from the bar to a big table towards the back, and the boys ordered their drinks while you and Josie chit chatted. Once they returned, they took their seats and conversation resumed. “So, how are you liking Nashville so far?” Sam asked you as you finished your drink. “I love it! I’ve wanted to live here my whole life, and it’s everything I could have wanted it to be. Granted, I’ve only been here for a week, but I’m very happy with it.” 

“That’s great! It’s honestly kind of impossible to not fall in love with the city. I know it was love at first sight for me.” Sam confessed. “Well, anything beats Frankenmuth.” Jacob joked, and Sam shrugged in acknowledgement. “Frankenmuth? I’m assuming that’s your hometown?”

Josh nodded, and Danny quipped “It’s not exactly the most… cosmopolitan place. Don’t get me wrong, it was a wonderful place to grow up, but you can only live in a tiny town for so long before the walls close in on you.” Josie raised her glass in agreement. You pondered this, agreeing with their points. You had grown up in a small town in upstate New York, and you were all too familiar with the remote, rural life. Escape was necessary, and college had provided that for you. Like them, you loved your home, but you knew how stifling it was to be in a town where everyone knew everything about you. You had yearned for your independence, and Nashville was the place where you could finally strike out on your own. 

The rest of the evening was spent playing darts, pool, and taking shots with the boys and Josie. You learned that Danny was VERY good at darts, and Sam was a sore loser when it came to it. He complained that “Daniel’s hand-eye coordination is unfairly good because he’s a drummer,” to which Danny retorted that Sam should have just as good coordination from playing the keys. Sam was silenced by this remark, and he returned to the booth where Josh was sitting and sulked for a short while before Jake was able to drag him and Josh over to play pool. The dynamic between the four men was very entertaining, and you eventually learned that Josh and Jake were twins, while Sam was their younger brother. Danny and Josie were unrelated to them, but they were equally family, with Jake emphasizing that Danny was just as much a brother to him as Sam and Josh were. You smiled at this. You could clearly see the bond they had, and it warmed your heart. 

Once the clock struck 12:00, you all agreed that it was time to start going your separate ways. You hadn’t been able to figure out what the guys did for a living, though they did mention instruments, so you wondered if they were involved in Nashville’s vibrant music scene. You tucked that question away in your mind, hoping to ask Josie in the future. Without a doubt, you knew you’d be seeing her again before she returned to Michigan. The June air was warm as you stepped outside the bar to wait for the Uber you had called. Soon after a car pulled up, and you gave Josie a hug and waved goodbye to the boys before climbing in.  

As you got into your Uber, you couldn’t stop seeing Danny’s face in your mind. Though he hadn’t spoken much, you were drawn to him. It wasn’t just his good looks though. He had an energy that oozed comfort. You felt like you had known him forever, and you found yourself wondering how you might see him again. 

The front door creaked as you let yourself into your apartment, and you smiled as you heard the soft tinkle of Stevie’s bell. You went into your room and put on your pajamas, taking off your makeup shortly after. Once you were all ready for bed, you climbed under the blankets, and you decided to put on a playlist of quiet music to help you drift off to sleep. The last thing you heard before you succumbed to sleep was the gentle acoustic guitar and quiet tenor of Hozier singing “Remember me, love, when I’m reborn, as the shrike to your sharp and glorious thorn…”

[rgr-pop]

i gave the new islands another listen too. i feel like this is the first album in a long time where he has given us a lot of clues for how we should think about it. i’m unraveling it. he said it was the last islands album and then he took it back, said he just gave that blurb to the publicist for fun. it’s a more different album than he’s put out in a long time, which i expected. there’s something primally him about it (quite a lot of critter songs), which was supposed to be the case. he recorded it at his home (vancouver island, origin of the unicorns/islands cosmology). there’s a comedy here that’s been in his other work but not his music. and he says it’s a lot about canadian singer-songwriters.

he’s been so profoundly impacted by what is going on in gaza. this is an artist who put out an anti-war fantasy pop record when he was like, 22, and it was one of the most beloved indie records of its moment, but nobody took it seriously as a political record, and that made him mad so he broke up the band (ok other factors also broke up the unicorns lol) and he started a new project and put out an on-the-nose ecocrit (islands) epic album, which also was beloved til it was sort of forsaken. and then they put out many more albums about basically this same problem: the self absorption of crying the end of the world and nobody caring, making pop music as a death fetish, the joke of being a narrator at the end of the world, other sagittarius things. the first three were well liked. after that they’d only sometimes get reviewed. just a bunch of insane women catching them (in my humble opinion), sort of political music kind of adrift between two eras of political music. in there somewhere there’s this album where he is adrift in the sea and thinking about how we never loved him enough! til eventually a modest podcast left redemption. he’s always thinking about the same thing (islands: being a character in a caspar david friedrich painting reversed; death as a symbol of the end of the world and vice versa). and now there’s this happening again. so another album: he must have recorded most of this thing since october 7. i should try to nail the timeline down. he just goes online and talks about gaza. i’m always donating to enter his little giveaways lol

he made all this to do about “the end” as the last song on this “last” album, but i love how it starts best, and this really just his whole project repeated (again —i can’t possibly overstate how many songs he has made that are like “well this is what my music has been about”): left behind and they want you to believe, but what occurs was always meant to be, a taste of melancholy that brings you to your knees. (“everybody’s bracing for a real armageddon.”)

i don’t like it as much as the last album, (and that’s why dolphins lost their legs, which is a clowncore album about melodrama and my favorite song on it offers giving your body-car up to a forest car crash like a mix between the end of the haunting of hill house and that story where the lady drove her car into lake huron because her gps said to), but it’s helped me put the pieces together (the long slow process of ranking and explaining all the islands albums as one of the few people that listens to all of them.) i like it more than the album before that (islomania). before that album, in 2016, he put out two albums—well, two albums and a 10 year anniversary rerelease of the first album, return to the sea. one of these albums, taste, is, i think, the second best islands record (after return to the sea). the other album, should i remain here at sea? is a concept album about having put out this misunderstood ecocritic epic a decade earlier, and being adrift between two historical moments of political music. imo lol. (i still don’t totally know what to make of it).

i put taste on halfway through drafting this post. one of my favorite lines, in the first song: “like time, like one long line, folded into 8 or 9.” it’s one of the least climate apocalypse islands albums (it’s really low concept, about a breakup), but it does have a song whose chorus is “melt melt melt my body, melt melt melt my body / there’s gonna be a reckoning, it’s gonna cover everything.” and that’s basically it!

(my favorite line on taste: a turned off machine, it’s never been much use to me, i come to, i rose again, but it feels off, like the wheel’s off.)

[a-lil-perspective]

70 Encouragements/Tips For The Writer:

A/N: Rules don’t exist. These are real and personal and stem from a deteriorating, exhausted Writer who is here to tell you (and herself) that you are amazing and keep going. I hope you find some encouragement within.

Your mental health comes first and foremost.

Indulge and embrace your creative writing pieces when they come (and when they don’t). Especially when they don’t.

Suffering from Writer’s Block or fluctuating hyperfixation? Me too. So is your favorite author. Welcome to the Writer’s Block Party (all my uwus if you see the pun).

Did you spend five hours on this one segment, forget the last time you ate, develop chapped lips, dry eyes, and a stiff back (time to get up and move), bang your head on the wall, laugh, cry, fidget, take your ADHD meds, deviate to watch YouTube, have an epiphany, curse in frustration and wonder why the hell you do this to yourself? Congratulations, you’re a Writer.

Embrace all the not-so-glamorous sides of writing, and accept the fact they’re going to happen time over again.

When you say “just one more line” and it’s 2:00 AM, I’ll be here to remind you to “go to sleep” (because I’m also depriving myself lol).

Actually, sleeping helps your mind feel refreshed, and it’s good for your health. If you’re struggling with a particular segment, one of the best things you can do is just put a cap on it for the time being, put in a placeholder, and get some shut eye. I know you don’t want to. But you will feel so much better and have more clarity and energy to continue when you wake. Trust me.

More often than not, those words you “just didn’t write down fast enough and now forgot” end up revealing themselves to you later in a much more profound way. Give the words time to get ready. They’re just spiffing up before coming to visit. :)

Be proud of yourself and your prose. Writing is an amazing part of who you are.

That trope has been written 1000 times before? Make it 1001.

You’ve already written this scenario? Write it again.

You’ve just written a single sentence. Now sit back for moment and think: you just wrote something brand new, never before seen. Nobody out there will ever write that sentence or formulate those thoughts the exact same way. You are a unique, mind-blowing, awe-inspiring human being.

Bask in the excitement that comes with a completed piece. Reflect on what you learned throughout and celebrate the little victories.

Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback, but also understand that you might not always get it, and that is OK.

Please re-read your work. Be gentle with yourself. You had to write that very first piece to get to where you are now. Love the process.

Your personal writing success is not based off of kudos or likes or reblogs.

There is no right or wrong way to write.

There is no such thing as “good” writing.

Improvement is becoming of everyone so get comfy, strap in. The journey of a Writer is a lifelong one. Here’s to many more works ahead.

Don’t mourn the words you did or didn’t write. Celebrate the ones you will.

One day, you’ll read a piece that will blow you away—and it will be yours.

There is nothing “shameful” about reblogging your own writing works.

I promise you’ll find your “wow” piece—either in something you’ve already written, or something yet to come.

Baby. Please don’t write out of spite. You’re better than that.

You are just as valid/deserving as the next Writer. And you do belong.

If you feel sad/unworthy when sharing your works or interacting with others’, get to the root of why. Writing should be fun, rewarding, and relaxing. Not shameful, embarrassing, or a chore.

Writing (fanfiction, specifically) is labeled as “transformative works”. Self-explanatory, right? However, if you notice the transformative part begin to have a personal effect on you—a negative one—it’s time to take a step back.

Right now, I can name a single quality you possess: diligence. How do I know? Because you’re a Writer, and the two go hand-in-hand.

Got that single scene in your head but you haven’t completed or even began all the chapters preceding? Bruh. Jot that down right now. You don’t need 20k words beforehand.

Embrace your writing mood swings. The stray, sweet and condensed blurbie. The ideal, bridging drabble. The solid, substantial oneshot. The hefty, elaborate 10k word chapter. Appreciate everything in-between, and that you are capable of all of it.

Nobody remembers that extra word or typo or stray speech mark back all the way back in chapter 3. Tell the little monster in your head to go to hell.

You’re not a weirdo for making facial expressions and mulling through your dialogue aloud. You. Are. A. Writer.

It’s OK if the Readers can’t always see exactly what you envisioned in your head, or the full extent of the picture you painted. We all see colors differently.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with your writing.

In fact, challenge yourself to dabble into a new plot/trope/concept every day, even if only for a few minutes. You may discover you love writing it.

There’s no rush to finish/begin any written work. If you take your time, you will make your mark. You’re not falling behind or running late. Slow down and wait for it. :)

Three cheers for hiatus.

Listen to your body and mind, know your limits and when it’s time to take a break.

Actually take a break. :)

If you feel like you’re falling stagnant in creativity, looking to/revisiting other forms of creative media can help encourage the flow.

Ask for encouragement, and be at peace with asking.

Take shelter in fellow writers. Uplift each other always.

You are/will be someone’s favorite author. :)

You don’t have anything to prove. You have something to share.

Someone is thinking about your work right now.

Someone started a series because they drew inspiration from you.

Personal writing style can reflect a lot on the state of one’s mental health. Try to always be attentive to that of your own.

Self-validation must be cultivated early on or nothing will ever work.

Freestyle every once in a while. Write a snippet, timed, and go—without editing. Write the first thing that comes to mind and go from there. Do it all the way through the set time. When it stops, you’ll find yourself unable to. 3,800 words here we come. :)

Not everything needs an outline. :)

It is completely normal to write your story out of order.

Create guidelines for yourself. If they aren’t working, toss ‘em.

Word vomiting can help you feel better (it’s just how it sounds). By clearing all those jumbled thoughts and scattered concepts, you achieve a clearer objective. Try it sometime.

A rough draft is supposed to be rough.

Sometimes the words come to you quicker than others. Be patient. That is merely the construct of a Writer’s mind. You’re a beautiful enigma.

A sentence written is a story progressing.

Writing is an endurance sport. You must pace yourself and exercise it daily.

You are still a Writer even when the words aren’t on the actual page.

You’re not obligated to a writing/posting schedule.

As you progress in your journey and gain more awareness, don’t sacrifice your style. Those beginning works are what define you. Hold onto them and don’t ever let them go.

You’re the only one cringing—

Remember that sometimes words are elusive and you don’t always have control over them, and that is OK. Sometimes they write themselves. Sometimes your characters come to life and break out into dance across your page. Dance with them. You can wrangle them back when the music stops. :)

There is nothing condemning or embarrassing about asking for a beta. Allow someone to help carry the load.

Allow people to cheer you on—even if they don’t read your work.

It’s OK if your writing style isn’t someone else’s preference.

Be your biggest cheerleader. Sometimes you are all you have.

You don’t need anyone’s approval except your own.

You love that trope/concept/story you just wrote? That’s all that matters. The end.

You will never write good. You will write you. And that is good.

Above all else: remember to write for you.🤍

[shapeshiftinterest]

We Just Got A Letter, Wonder Who It’s From?: sun x moon x monty

yes the title is the letter song from blues clues. sequel to Slide Into Fun! but can be read by itself

a daycare kid passes a note to sun and moon

glittergolf week event

day 2: Arts and Crafts/ Gifts

story under the read more

We Just Got A Letter, Wonder Who It’s From? (also on ao3)

“Ok kids, it’s almost time to get ready for naptime!“ Sun called out, clapping his hands together to get their attention. “Put away your toys and get your sleepy time stuff from the cubbies. Inderpreet! Terrion! No pushing, please!“

“Hmm?“ Sun looked down to see Rolden tugging on his pants. Well this was a surprise. They were one of the shyer kids in the daycare since their older brother, Jamie, had hit the age limit.

“Hello friend! Didja need something from me, Starshine? If you have a question for Moonie, I promise he’ll be out in a jiffy so-“ Rolden shook their head.

“No?” They started digging through their satchel, not letting go of his leg. “What’re you- Oh!“ Rolden thrust a green envelope into his faceplate. Sun gasped. “What’s this? A letter? For us??“

Rays spinning excitedly, Sun tilted his head. “Oooohhh, I wonder what it says!“

“Ah.“ Wowie! Contact and verbal communication? Today must be their lucky day if Rolden was being so open! “Jamjam.“

“Jamie gave you this letter?“ Rolden nodded. “Aaww, that’s so sweet of him to write us a letter.“

Rolden shook their head.

“He didn’t write the letter?“ They nodded again and made a few motions. “Someone gave the letter to Jamie to give to you to give to us?“ Rolden smiled and ducked their head, nodding.

Sun was confused, he could feel Moon pressing in the back of their subconscious, curious about the contents of the letter.

“Thank you for delivering it to us, friend!” The animatronic took a sticker from their chest plate and handed it to them. “You did a great job, go ahead and get ready for naptime and Moonie’ll give you a Moondrop before you sleep.“

Sun looked at the letter in his hands. “This is so interesting, huh, Moonie? We never ever get letters! At least none that come in envelopes.“

‘Hmmm. Looks sus.‘ Moon joked, squinting at the letter through Sun’s eyes. Sun laughed, walking over to the light switch once he saw everyone had settled down. “Let’s read it once everyone’s asleep, I don’t think I can wait until closing!“

“Agreed.“

Sun flipped the switch and let Moon out. “Hello, little comets. What story would you like today?“

Once everyone had fallen asleep, Moon called his cable and flew up to their balcony. Digging out a flashlight under one of the staffbot torsos, he took out the envelope and opened it with a pair of safety scissors.

Unfolding the letter revealed a stack of Monty themed stickers that fluttered to the floor. Moon’s face plate rotated once, twice, before he picked them up. “Monty?“

‘Read the letter! Read the letter!!‘ Sun urged, practically vibrating in their headspace.

“Shoosh, I’m getting to it.“ Moon stuffed the merch into their chestplate and looked at the letter. Inside was a poorly drawn picture of his and Sun’s faces on golf themed stationary, and another picture under that one but of Sun, Moon, and Monty playing golf. Moon squinted, tilting his head.

“Thx for the candy, got u parmesan (does he mean permission?) to leave daycare if u gays- wait no, that says ‘guys’, wanna learn how to golf. -Monty“

‘YEEEEE!! HE GOT US PERMISSION TO LEAVE THE DAYCARE!!! ACCEPT! ACCEPT! HOW DO WE SAY YES, MOONIE?!?!‘

“Wow, his spelling is terrible.“ Moon scoffed playfully. “And he called us the dorks.“

‘We’ll think about his spelling later! How do we tell him yes?!?!‘

“Calm down, Sunny. We can just ask Rolden to pass a message back. Or just message Monty ourselves, but this would be more fun, don’t you think?“ Moon ‘smirked‘, one hand on their elbow, the other holding their cheek in a thinking pose.

“Oooohhh!! Yes yes yes yes!! We should write him back, it’s only polite.“

And with that, Moon returned to his post, the two of them sharing ideas for their rough draft to Monty.

____________________________________________________________

Extra Context:

if you weren’t sure what happened, Monty made a note, stuffed it in a letter, and gave it to Jamie (he/him), who gave it to Rolden (he/they), who gave it to Sun and Moon

Jamie grew up and is too old to be registered in the daycare, they are Rolden’s older sibling

Rolden is a shy and quiet kid, they are the younger sibling of Jamie and used to be afraid of other people including Sun and Moon unless Jamie was there with them

Monty got the higher ups to somehow get Sun and Moon ungrounded, they can now leave the daycare without needing a reason (eg: emergency, patrol, field trips etc.)

[hareharrison]

hold me

pairing: george harrison x reader

summary: george is in the process of finishing abbey road, and has been repeatedly coming home frustrated. instead of talking to you about it, he distances himself completely, and only speaks to you in annoyance or anger, and lashes out on you. he doesn’t know how much it affects you and one day comes home to the effects firsthand.

warnings: hurt/comfort, angst, angy geo, neurodivergent reader, invasive thoughts, mental breakdown/panic attack, but it works out in the end

a/n: hayyyy ok so i wrote this as a comfort fic for myself, and i decided to post it cause why not. i struggle with intense fear of abandonment cause of bpd haha fun 😐and wanted to make it from the POV of a neurodivergent reader?? so this is like a comfort fic for ND readers?? idk if i need to put any other potential trigger warnings for this but if i do please lmk and i will fix it

year: 1969

the flat was quiet without him. to be honest, it was quiet with or without him, lately. as much as you didn’t want to admit it, george had been distant. he was always a quiet person, but he has never dismissed you this much. you knew that his job could be tiring and you tried not to overthink it, but you couldn’t help but feel bad. a voice in your head was planting horrible ideas, saying things like, “you fucked up, he doesn’t like you anymore, you’re annoying.” but still, you pushed on and tried your best to ignore the noise in your brain.

you sigh heavily and slide back into the couch. you had the next two days off of work, and nothing to do. george of course had to work on your days off, which left you alone at home. with your thoughts. it was hard getting through today, your intrusive thoughts were particularly loud... but he would be home any minute now, which brought on a bit of hope; seeing him should rid you of your own jailhoused mind.

the tv played some sitcom in front of you, which you had no interest in. all you could think about was if you ruined things. what if he was thinking of leaving you? it would be your fault... and yet you couldn’t think of a single thing you’ve ever done that might have hurt him.

the door opened gently and let in a cool draft that brushed against your warm skin. you look toward the entrance, seeing your george sigh heavily with exhaustion as he took his shoes and coat off. he looked up to you, his boldly furrowed brows softening.

“hi, love,” he says, walking toward you. you stand and approach him to greet him with a quick kiss. he holds you for a little longer than usual, and you take the opportunity to melt into his arms and breathe in his smell, something you’d been deprived of recently. he rests his chin on top of your head, which laid comfortably on his rising chest. it was moments like this that made all your worries slip away, moments like this that you wished you could cling onto forever and ever.

“how was your day?” you ask, finally leaning back to look up at him. he lets go of you and runs a hand through his long hair.

“not good,” he says, a frown on his perfectly sculpted face. you return his expression at the sight of him being sad. quickly, you remember your dinner ideas. maybe that would cheer him up.

“hey, maybe we can go get something to eat? maybe get your mind off of things?” you suggest, looking up at his brown eyes. he looks down at you, eyes full of regret.

“i’m sorry love, but i’d rather just head to bed already,” he says remorsefully. you smile softly and reassure him that it’s okay and he should get some rest. but part of you breaks inside, knowing he doesn’t want to spend time with you.

he headed upstairs and you followed, the painful ideas returning at full speed.

“you’re so annoying, of course he doesn’t want to spend any time with you. you’re so annoying and clingy,” your brain says and you flinch at the harsh thoughts. through your entire bedtime routine, thoughts flooded your mind and filled your entire being up, and you felt like you were being drowned from the inside out. george stood next to you as you both brushed your teeth, not speaking a single word to you or giving you a single glance. you changed into one of george’s t-shirts and watched as he slid out of his clothes and into his pajamas in seconds. he muttered a monotone, “good night,” before turning on his side, his back facting you.

as much as you didn’t want to, you believed the mean voices and hung your head as you got into bed next to george.

you slept back to back that night.

————————————————————

the sun seeped into your room through your windows, and invaded your bed, waking you rather unpleasantly. you groan lightly as you reached over your bed for george, but only found empty space. his side of the bed was cold, indicating that he’d been up for a while now.

you sit up slowly, rubbing your eyes as the aromas of freshly brewed coffee and morning dew hit your senses. you hear the song of the early birds chirping as your feet hit the cool floor. as you head downstairs, you can hear george on the phone, and you soon see him muttering softly before taking a long drag from his cigarette. you don’t bother him, seeing that there was paperwork on the table and his call must be business related. naturally, you decide to head for the coffee, the smell luring you in like a fish.

you poured the hot, dark liquid into your favorite mug and add in your preferred amounts of cream and sugar. looking out the window, you see water drip gently from the leaves of a tree that george and you had planted a year ago. you sip your coffee and reminisce about the times you used to actually spend time with george. how nice it was, seeing him smile so often.

you suddenly hear george raise his voice at the phone, something unlike him entirely. you jump at the unpleasant sound before peeking through the hallway to see what on earth was happening.

“no, i don’t care! i want the bloody bastard fired, in fact, tell him not to bother showing up today,” he shouts into the phone before slamming it down, placing his head between his knees and groaning in frustration. seeing george this upset and acting out on it was truly a rare sighting, and you thought carefully about what to next.

after careful consideration, you tiptoe into the room and gently rest a hand on his shoulder, the sudden contact making him flinch.

“christ, (y/n) are you trying to give me a bloody heart attack?” he grumbles before lighting another cigarette.

“sorry,” you say softly, “would you like some tea?” you figure it could calm his anger and soothe some of his abnormal irritability.

“what? tea? there’s already coffee made,” he says rudely. you take a step back, saying nothing. you know that you didn’t do anything and that this behavior would pass. george was never like this. your eyes find the time and see that george should have left ten minutes ago.

“george, you’re gonna be late to work,” you say, thinking you could at least do something helpful. his head snaps back at you and his once soft face turned hard with anger.

“what are you implying? you want me gone?” he stands up and angrily grabs all of the papers scattered on the table, shoving them into a folder and the folder into his bag, “fine, i’ll leave. im out the door.”

you look at him in confusion, you’d barely woken up and were just trying to help, “what’s the matter with you?”

“what’s the matter with me,” he repeats, looking away and scoffing. he runs his hand through his hair in frustration, “im sick of this, (y/n)! im sick of life. i come home exhausted and you have half a mind to ask me if i want to talk about it!”

“you always want to go straight to bed,” you defend yourself, hurt that he would even suggest that you don’t care about him. his dark eyes glare into your own for a moment that feels like hours, trying to think of somethig clever to say in response, but he just wasn’t ever much of a fighter. he finally chooses to put his cigarette out on the table’s ashtray and grab his coat. if you wanted him out of the house, he was more than happy to comply.

“george-“ you start.

“no,” he cuts you off, “don’t say anything right now, i can’t even look at you.” and he doesn’t, he ignores your presence entirely as he picks up his bag and walks out the door.

you’re left in the cold house, alone, hurt, and dumbfounded. you couldn’t believe what had just happened. you couldn’t believe that george, your george, had taken his anger out on you, simply for trying to help his morning be less shitty. worse than that, he thought you wanted him gone, when all you wanted was to be with him. is this how it was going to be now? a bitter, loveless relationship? your eyes sting with fresh tears at the thought, and a huge lump in your throat grows painfully. you take a deep breath before heading upstairs. you wanted anything but to cry this early in the morning, and the only reason you got up somewhat early was to see george before he left to work. now that your morning was ruined, you figured heading back to bed was the next best thing.

you climb back into your shared bed, suppressing your emotions with the warmth of your fluffy blankets and soft pillows. the comfort of a bed felt almost like a hug, and you sighed, letting the pain drift away as you fell asleep.

————————————————————

when you opened your eyes, the realization hit you. you’d slept until the sun began to set, completely ignoring your emotions, stuffing them down inside of you like an overflowing trash can. being awake made them fling right back at you; sleeping didn’t change a thing, and was only a temporary pause in your pain.

all of your feelings came back to you at once, and it once again felt like you were drowning internally. only this time, the thoughts weren’t the invasive factor. your emotions were overwhelmingly intense on top of your brain practically screaming horrible things to you. your breathing quickens as you feel tears slide down your face. this time you werent able to swallow the thick lump in your throat, and you began to weep softly.

this was it, george was leaving you. he hates you, he wants nothing to do with you. there was nothing you could do but hug your knees and cry. you choked on a sob and started rocking back and forth in attempts to try to soothe yourself. but you couldn’t stop, it felt like your entire world was falling apart. you soon began to have shortness of breath and struggled with your breathing, feeling your heart beat at an intense rate that you couldn’t control.

your bedroom door opens, revealing george’s early arrival. he immediately rushes to your side, afraid to touch you but wanting so bad to comfort you.

“(y/n)? (y/n), breathe. breathe, baby,” he takes your hand and you look at him. you aren’t sure if him being here is making the situation better or worse. seeing him try to help you stirred all kinds of feelings in your mind. you felt like you weren’t good enough for him, like you didn’t deserve his help.

george begins breathing in through his nose and out of his mouth, gently guiding you and hoping you will try to do the same. he sits in front of you on the bed and holds your face in his gentle hands. you look up into his eyes, the chocolate features of his face soothing you as your breath began to steady.

“that’s it,” he encourages.

“do you hate me?” you cry softly.

“what? no, (y/n), i’d give my life for yours, do you know that? you’re so, very special to me,” he slides over to sit beside you on the bed and wraps his long arms around you.

“why are you so distant?” you look up at him, and tears continue to roll down your flushed cheeks, “you acted so mean to me this morning, i feel like you want nothing to do with me.”

george is hurt by your words. he truly didn’t mean to be distant, and he never wanted to hurt you.

“i’m sorry,” he says, “ive been so overwhelmed i haven’t stopped to think of how you must feel. im really sorry my love i never meant to hurt you like this.” he embraces you tightly and you give into his comforting touch, wrapping your arms around his torso and digging your face into his chest. 

you take a deep breath, “i understand,” you say before looking up to him to whisper, “i miss you. i miss us.”

“i miss you too darling,” he pauses for a moment, “how about i take tomorrow off? we can do whatever you’d like.”

you sniffle, “what about the album? the deadline?” 

“i can fake sick. nothing is more important to me than you,” he says, “i want nothing more than to be with you. i love you so much.”

you smile when he presses a soft kiss to your aching head, “now how about we go have something to eat? i’m starved.”

[anthrofreshtodeath]

P FKN R Snippet

I've been playing with P FKN R again, while I work on Cafuddàri 18. Slowly. I only have three chapters written, so it won't be posted any time soon, but I often like to share drafts of what I'm working on because conversation always drives the process forward.

See it below the cut.

Jane sat on the couch right after tossing Maura a glance that asked for permission. Maura granted it, so Jane lowered herself - slowly, as if that were supposed to show some grand contrition. She didn’t know; she’d never been in this kind of delicate situation before. “Listen, Maura, me and Tatiana… we’re a thing,” she said, putting her hand on Maura’s knee. Maura jerked away, but Jane followed. She winced. “That, shit. That came out wrong. What I mean is, me and Tatiana are a thing, unless one, or both, of us, has a thing. Does that make sense?”

It must have, just a little, because even though Maura still sniffled, she turned more towards Jane. “To be honest, no,” she replied, rolling up her eyes to prevent even more tears from falling and embarrassing her. 

“It means that she and I have an agreement,” started Jane. She watched Maura’s body for signs she should stop, or alter course. When Maura only listened with that emotion-weary look, her downturned lips, Jane continued. “When we’re not seeing people, if we’re in each others’ neck of the woods, we… we have fun. If we both want it.”

Maura twitched her nose. Then her cheeks reddened when she looked Jane full in the face since she yelled at her in the foyer. “That’s - that’s all?”

Jane actually laughed a little. “Yeah,” she confirmed, and Maura tracked the handsome little bob of her voice box. “We’re not… serious. We uh, I don’t think we ever will be. We figured out a long time ago that we’d always be on different life paths. Her dream was always New York; mine was, is, Boston. Home.”

“So you pick up your relationship when she’s here?” Maura asked, voice shaky and quiet, “Or when you’re in New York?”

“We have sex, Maura,” Jane deadpanned. “We have sex when she’s here.”

Uncharacteristically, Maura blushed. She chalked it up to the fact that they are talking about the sex life of her very-catholic best friend, and not any personal investment in the matter. “The… that conference. In New York City,” she said, unable to help the words tumbling out of her mouth. “That cybercrimes and homicide investigations conference. Last May.”

“No,” Jane anticipated the unasked question. “She was upstate. Had some business with one of the ADAs out there. I didn’t see her. Thought about it, though.”

“Ugh,” Maura groaned, her head thrown back. She dabbed at her eyes with each index finger and closed them while she shook. “I’m sorry, for crying. For overreacting before I had all the facts.”

Jane pursed her lips. She scanned Maura from head to toe, in her usual semi-casual Saturday shopping attire and having fully expected an evening out with her friend and instead finding that friend in bed with someone Maura barely knew. “You, uh, you don’t gotta be sorry,” said Jane. She looked down at her own hands, folded over her lap. She wore running shorts and an old, faded Red Sox t-shirt, and possibly mismatched socks. She imagined that if she lifted those hands up to her face, they would probably still smell like Tatiana Martinez Vazquez. Jane reddened again. “You don’t ever gotta apologize for feelin’ your feelings. And I fucked up today. We had plans and I forgot because I was thinkin’ with… well I wasn’t usin’ my brain. But we can still go, ok? I got a couple changes of clothes upstairs. Lemme just shower and get dressed and we can do everything we planned to.”

Maura perked up. “Are you sure you don’t need to… Should you at least call her? You must have left seconds after I did to get here so fast,” she replied. She couldn’t deny the hammering in her chest, explicit possession, a thrill that Jane had abandoned her tryst with a very attractive young woman to come be at Maura’s side.

[oh-boy-me]

I found your speculation of Satan having a crush on mc from the get go verry interesting. I was wondering if you have any speculations around the other boys? Like in what order do you think the boys fell for mc? Any specific points in the story that you think are the "fall for mc" moments for them?

(HFSDHFSD LISTEN I’ve had this in my drafts for AGES and I’m so sorry I’m just now getting to actually posting it ;w; )

I’m MORE than happy to speculate on this!  For the brothers, at least, because I haven’t read up to the parts where the other characters show notable interest in you

Putting most of this under a cut for long post and spoilers, but the tl;dr (with some mysterious elements to catch your interest heheheh) is that I believe the brothers “fall for MC” in this order:

1. Satan 2. Mammon 3. (Lucifer) 4. (Levi) 3. Belphie 4. Beel 4. Levi 4. Lucifer 7. Asmo

That must look a little weird; I hope I’ve piqued your interest!

Now, what am I defining as falling for MC?  For consistency, we’re going to consider a brother falling for MC being the moment when they themself realize that they might have feelings for them.

#1 Demon: Satan Moment: As early as day 4

First up is Satan, who I’ve already explained here.  An argument can be made that Mammon catches feelings first, but assuming a real-time progression, Satan’s first text reaches MC on their fourth day in the Devildom.

#2 Demon: Mammon Moment: Lesson 4-1

Mammon is interesting, because with this analysis he’s one of only two brothers for which you can actually get a calendar date for their falling for MC.�� You can do this because the first few lessons cover a very short span of time.

According to the fact that Lucifer says you don’t want to be late on your first day of school after giving you a hint about Goldie, MC makes a pact with Mammon on their second day in the Devildom. (You don’t go to school on day 1.)

Lucifer blocks MC from the attic on the night of day 3, and after that things get shaky again until you hit the TSL movie night with Beel and Mammon.

The reason the movie night is interesting is because Beel specifically states that midterms are coming up soon.  Based on the game’s Japanese origin, we’re going to assume that RAD also follows the same three-term system that Japanese schools do.  This places the TSL marathon at about a month into MC’s stay.

Anyway, we’re basing Mammon’s interest in you on pretty obvious factors:

We basically don’t see any of Mammon’s trademark tsundere nature until after these lessons.  Before this it’s not him being tsundere, he’s genuinely annoyed with you.

He left a toothbrush and charger in your room sometime between Lesson 3-10 and 4-4.

This famous line: 

He probably developed feelings sometime during the TSL marathon, but I think it was when you were in danger, and even though he kept saying he’d let you die his first instinct was to save you, that he understood what those feelings were.

#3.  Demon: (Lucifer) Moment: Lesson 12-19

Crossed out and in parentheses Lucifer is the first one where we start to go off of assumptions and headcanon rather than concrete in game evidence, but.  I’m sure your bigger question is “why is he crossed out AND in parentheses AND why does he show up again later.”

The moment I listed is the lesson where you and Lucifer have to fall in love to escape the “horror game” that Levi “trapped” you in.  He spends most of the time seeming like he isn’t interested and doing it out of necessity, but then he turns around and says these lines.

Assuming that was almost a confession, I wouldn’t be surprised if he decided right there, in that moment, that he was developing feelings.  Lucifer is very self aware, and very sure of himself, and it’s also not like him to suddenly change his mind about how he’s treating things.  If he was hiding his feelings the whole time, I don’t think he would have almost slipped at all.

Of course, right after this, you announce that you’ve met Belphegor, and his developing feelings are overshadowed by rage.

And of course, Lesson 12-19 never happened.

What?

Let me remind you of the timeline.  Barbatos explains in Lesson 16-19 that he has the power to choose any timeline as the sole reality, and he chose the timeline you traveled to.

When you jump back in time, you end up in the moment right after making a pact with Satan (Lesson 12-10).  This means that everything that happened between Lessons 12-10 and 15-17 was erased from history.

The timeline in Season One looks a little something like this, to simplify.

Admittedly, we don’t know how far into their conversation MC and Lucifer make it in the second timeline, but on Lucifer’s part I don’t think it changes much.

This timeline stuff is important because

#4 Demon: (Leviathan) Moment: Lesson 14-4

Ok, first, I have to say that I really hate the way MC and Levi make up in Lesson 14.  imo it has the potential to be really manipulative on both sides.  But that’s not the point of this post.

Levi does NOT have a crush on you before Belphie shows up out of nowhere.  In Lesson 14-4, he’s talking to himself, and distinctly complains about losing a friend, and how Henry is his only friend.

He’s also refusing to acknowledge your existence, and he’s talking to a fish, so there’s no reason for him to hide how he really feels in the moment.

Then, later on in the same chapter, this is Levi’s response to seeing MC hug Lucifer.

I’m assuming MC isn’t the one he’s jealous of.  But what’s interesting here is that, as far as I can remember, this is the first time Levi ever expresses jealousy about you in any sense, platonic or romantic.  You don’t really interact with Levi one on one between Lesson 14-4 and this moment, so 14-4 is the most likely catalyst for this change.

Levi does say “you’re my true friend” at the end of 14-4, but you are not a fish, and that doesn’t change the fact that he could have been like “oh wow MC didn’t abandon me they really like me oh no I really like them”

Also, by 16-A he canonically likes you.

But just like with the last one, this exchange never happened and Levi never fell for you.

#3 Demon: Belphie Moment: Between Lessons 18-15 and 18-19

Now Belphie is interesting, because I would argue that he was trying to fall in love with you for a while.  All that “making up for lost time” and seeming to spend every waking hour with you in lessons 17 and 18 to me point pretty heavily to the idea that he wants to feel the same way about you that his brothers do.  Whether it’s to feel more connected with them or from a genuine interest in you is unclear though.

But then he decides to give you a pact as a present, which is a pretty big deal.  Most pacts in the game are made before the demon has feelings for you, but aside from Belphie, Satan is the only one who brings it up himself.  And since like I said Satan pretty clearly liked you before making a pact, the same can probably be said of Belphie.

I should also mention that Belphie muses over giving you a pact in Lesson 18-A, which takes place before Lesson 17-7 at the latest.  But we have to remember that this is before you’ve helped him mend his relationships with his brothers, and therefore he barely knows you.  Satan also barely knew you, but Belphie has the added problem of mixing up you and Lilith.  You can make arguments for the others when they were uber nice to you in Lesson 16-19, but for Belphie there’s really no other possible reason than Lilith.

However, Lesson 18-15 is the one where Belphie says he’s going to move forward with his life and stop putting things on hold for Lilith.

So, chances are his attachment to you is pretty unhealthy at first, but I’m choosing the timeframe I did as the moment because in 18-19 he explicitly states that he isn’t confusing you with Lilith.

This would be the moment of confirmation that he likes you, not the idea of what you might represent.

#4 Demon: Leviathan, Beelzebub, Lucifer Moment: Sometime during the time skip

I don’t think we see these three fall for you on camera.  The time skip covers literal months, and I think they fall for you in somewhere in that long period of time.

I don’t think I need to tell you that Levi and Beel like you by the time Lesson 20 comes along, since they both confess to you.

Lucifer doesn’t explicitly confess, but if you choose to hug him, he says this

Which heavily implies that he wants to be the one most important to you.  Also, I don’t think he’d have made a pact at all otherwise.

#7 Demon: Asmodeus Moment: Lesson 19-17

For Asmo, I think we see the EXACT moment he realizes he’s in love with you.

First off, in Lesson 16-A he noticeably isn’t openly interested in you in any way other than superficially.  Granted, 16-A never happened, but it does confirm that he didn’t like you before then.

Then, in his part of Lesson 19, you go drinking with him.  Early in the night, he says this.

His answer to your prompt of romance suggests that he doesn’t understand the fact that he does like you like that, or at least that he’s in denial.

However, then you beat him at a drinking game, and the reality of you leaving him behind comes crashing down on him.

The drastic change makes me think that this is the very moment he understands his feelings.

--

And that’s it!  I hope this was an interesting read, and sorry again it took SO long.

[cinnamonest]

I’m pushing out another one of my long-since-drafted things to the queue bc I’m trying to start keeping the queue active 24/7 and fill more asks but have this in the meantime

//dark shit, like the blood gore violence kind of yandere not the hot kind, brief animal death, gruesome slow npc death, gore, violence, blood, decaying/putrefaction mention

I'm really bad at judging what's mild versus severe when it comes to gore/blood bc I tend to underestimate, I think this is kinda severe? Let me know which it is actually pls so I have a better idea for the future ---------------------------------------- I mentioned a while back in the corpse disposal post and murder methods post that Razor can be... Brutal to say the least, but to expand more on the concept I feel like there's a big potential for a sort of gap moe with him, a duality that seems to contradict itself. Because in many ways he's a sweetheart, always trying to find things to make you happy, often smiling with those wide, excited eyes, physically affectionate with nuzzles and the like. But the other side of that, he's not actually aware of how... desensitized he is. You notice it early on and it catches you off guard a bit the first time it happens. Some poor little animal you two see struggling, like a bird stuck in a tree, and you urge him to go get it and he nods and says ok. Grabs it, and just as you're about to thank him and let it go you hear its little bones snap under the crush of his grip with a final pained chirp. There, he got it, see? Now you two can eat it together. That was why you wanted him to grab it right? To kill it? Why else? He looks down and realizes oh, it's still twitching, so he reached a hand up and twists its neck. There, now it's dead, he says with a beaming smile. But it falls and he tilts his head when he sees the shocked look on your face. What's wrong? Why are you so upset? You soon learn a lot of the animals don't... die immediately. The little things the wolves drag back are still kicking and struggling, still making noises as they tear into them to devour. It makes you sick to your stomach when you witness it, tears come to your eyes. He knows you don't like it and warns you, but... he doesn't understand why? Why does it upset you like that? He doesn't get it. It's a gnawing awareness in the back of your mind. You start to pick up on his... lack of reactions to certain things. You were once in the church getting healing for a minor wound of his when another group of adventurers came rushing through the doors, desperately begging for help for their friend they were carrying... some guy seriously injured, gored by a boar. The sight is burned in your mind forever, the organs spilling out of his split gut, the shivering and wide, bloodshot eyes, the blood bubbling out of his mouth with choked horrific groans and the way his body convulsed involuntarily. The most horrid thing you'd ever seen. And you were pretty certain it was that way for everyone. Everyone in the church was gasping, some people were retching and trying to hold back sickness, people ran out of the room as they were unable to handle the scene, tears were in everyone's eyes, and as the man wailed in agony from them setting his dislocated bones, you watched the bystanders cringe and wince. Every person in the vicinity was visibly horrified.... except for one. Razor's face was neutral. Curious. He leaned in closer to get a better look, eyebrows raised. He doesn't flinch at the sight of organs spilling onto the ground and the man starting to convulse and foam at the mouth as his eyes roll back into his head. And then, after a moment, he asks if you're ready to leave, says he feels better now and that man is really loud, he doesn't like it. His voice doesn't even have the slightest hint of a wavering or discomfort. When you come across a man in the woods caught in a bear trap, you can barely stand to look at it. Just hearing the cries for help had you shivering, and the sight of the pooling blood and utter agony on the man's face had you gasping, hand over your mouth as you tried to look away. ...Razor didn't seem to mind, though. He just undoes the trap and, without giving the man any warning, yanks it apart, pulling the spikes from his legs. As he does, blood shoots out and splatters on his face. He doesn't flinch, nor when the man screams. He does finally seem to react to the pained groans the man makes. But... It's not like your reactions. He's not flinching and grimacing, drawing in sharp breaths and tensing up, eyes watering in pity and shock like you. Instead, his eyes narrow and he puts his hands over his ears as you stoop down to help the poor man. His eyebrows furrow. He almost looks... Annoyed. He draws his foot back as if he's about to kick him, but freezes with realization when he looks at you, as if he forgot you were standing there, and puts his foot back down. You're certain he wasn't actually going to do that, of course. You're not sure why he did that, but... He wouldn't do something like that, even in a moment of dissociation from his human awareness. He does volunteer to be the one to go get help, though, getting away fast, but for some reason you sense it was more out of irritation at the noise rather than horror at the whole thing. Perhaps the worst was the decomposing body, that day you took a walk in the woods together. He smelled it first, nose wrinkling up in disgust at the putrid smell. But it was strong enough that you smelled it soon after. He says having dead animals this close to the residence of the pack is not good, they all hate the smell, so he can try to move the carcass of whatever animal it is... but it's not an animal, it turns out, once you finally find the source, collapsed at the bottom of a cliff from where they most likely fell to their death. Well, it's kind of a stretch to say it still resembles a human either, but you can tell from the general shape. It's more just like a glob, putrefied and rotting flesh falling off the bones. It shocks you so much you fall backwards, but he just moves closer. Ugh, too far rotted to move, he can't do anything about it, he realizes as he gives the decaying mass a kick and watches the blackened flesh slide off the bones. Oh well. ...In your shock, it takes you a moment to realize how... unbothered he seems. Mildly annoyed by the smell, but his expression is neutral as he looks at one of the most horrifying sights you've ever seen, he just yawns as he walks away from it and says you two should get away from the smell, it makes his head hurt.

The events all linger in the back of your head. A growing sense of wrongness, a dark, cold dread that settles in your stomach as the occurrences slowly grow in number, one after the other, each time you notice the complete lack of any sign of disturbance on his face, in his voice or body language. You ask him once, one time when you get the courage to ask such a... potentially offensive question. Don't you... feel anything when you see things dying? When they're in pain? He nods. He gets what you mean. The feeling when you watch something die. Hungry, right? Oh, no? Maybe you mean the irritation, a kind of angry feeling, what's the word... impatient...? Because the thing is taking too long to die and he wants it to go ahead and die already. Or maybe you mean like when that man was injured? When something is dying but it's not something you wanna eat? Yeah, he has a feeling then too. Um... kind of like anger... you taught him the word once... annoyed? They make so much noise, and he doesn't like loud things. When that man came into the church... he didn't like how loud it was. Why didn't they just kill him, since he was making so much noise...? He doesn't get it. When things annoy him, he kills them, like loud birds and biting bugs. He kinda had an urge to just... reach out and make the man stop screaming, just twist his neck like he does small animals when they make too much noise. But he's smart, he says, he knows the other people might get mad. Yes, he uses the word "might," not "would," as if it was a mere possibility. So it doesn't really come as a surprise when the same attitude applies to the people at his own mercy, the people that get too close to you and end up dragged out to the woods. It's that same knowing dread in your gut, and while it horrifies you as much as it always has, you wouldn't have expected anything else. Maybe some people would feel bad about what they're doing, they would want to go ahead and get it over with, they couldn't take the begging and agony the other party is in... but not only is he totally unbothered, but if he kills him now, he says, the blood will go all over the ground, and that's bad, his lupical like eating the blood in things. So he just snaps the man's bones, that way he won't run away. It's hard to describe the excruciated noises that come out of the other's throat when he does. It's unlike any noise you've ever heard a human make, that kind of pain. The sweat that pours from the other's skin from the agony, the way his mouth hangs open even when he can't scream anymore, the trembling and muffled begging as he moves to the next limb. You tremble and cry. You shiver uncontrollably, you whimper for him to stop. Your eyes widen when he grabs each limb and you close your eyes and sob and grimace and cringe with the snapping sound. Razor, on the other hand, stays just as neutral as before. Face blank and empty, as if performing any other mundane task. He doesn't flinch at the snapping. His expression is unchanging at the sound of screams and the groans as he drags the still-living figure behind him by his shattered ankle all the way back home. When he finally goes to look back at you, he tilts his head at the look on your face. Why do you still look upset? There's no blood yet... isn't it blood that makes you upset? Maybe not? Maybe it's the sound that bothers you? Yeah, you flinch whenever the man groans in pain, so it must be the sounds of the dying things that you don't like, it annoys him too really. Ok, that can be fixed... sound comes from the throat right? Well, he left his claymore a ways away so, it'll just take a second, the guy is thrashing a bit but eventually he holds him still enough to get his teeth latched around his throat and just... bites down. The sound is a squelching, crunching sound, one that you'll never forget, it makes every hair on your body stand on end and your skin crawl. He pulls back with the mass of bleeding flesh and tracheal tissue in his jaws and spits it out on the ground. There, see...? You can see the blood on his teeth reflecting the light as he smiles. He's not making noises anymore, so... why do you still have that look on your face? Is it because the body on the ground is all... spasming and convulsing like that? Well, uh... that'll stop soon, probably. At least it's nice and quiet now. He gets it, really, he doesn't like loud noises either.

[lumoshyperion]

I hope this is ok, but do you have any recs for canon compliant post cc scorbus? I like long but one shots are ok too. Thank you very much.

Ahhh, I must admit I'm a bit behind in terms of Cursed Child fics - particularly canon compliant ones, as my favourites have always been AUs. I've also been reading mostly fics from other fandoms lately, and before that I just didn't have the time? And I had a long fic rec list saved to my drafts, but it was a rookie mistake not having a backup because now it's been lost along with my old blog 😭

But I've put together just a couple of fics and anyone who has their own recs is more than welcome to suggest them! Either on this post or through my ask box, and I'll share whatever you rec! ❤

The Quietly Series by starlightpeddler Albus and Scorpius aren't sure what they're doing when their relationship starts to change, and they discover the complexities of balancing a relationship and keeping secrets while immersed in Hogwarts where nothing stays quiet for long. As they find their footing in uncharted territory, Scorpius finds out he bears a heavier burden than just the Malfoy name, and Albus realizes some things are more important than his life.

It's Tea Time Series by ellizablue Ginny Potter estimates it will only take three days into the Weasley-Potter family holiday for Albus to act on his feelings for his best friend. Albus estimates it will only take three days for him to die of embarrassment. And Scorpius, well. Scorpius is just glad to be there with Albus in the first place.

We Had Found the Stars by gobstoneswithhector Albus is just trying to get through Fifth and Sixth Year without imploding from the growing feelings he has toward his best friend. A post-Cursed Child, episodic slow burn about mending relationships and finding happiness.

a perfect heart's length away by trolleybitch Once the dust has settled after their fateful trip back in time to Godric's Hollow, Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy return to their fourth year at Hogwarts, but not everything falls neatly back into place. Memories of the suffering they witnessed won't be easily forgotten, their relationships with their parents are tricky to navigate, and their friendship is under more strain than ever. They find that sometimes, writing letters is the best way to express the things that are too difficult to say out loud.

sun sinks down, no curfew by dustyspines Albus and Scorpius never actually thought they would make it to the end of their seventh year in one piece. Except now they have and the entire wizarding world is waiting to see what the two of them do next. Nobody really expects them to take a month-long trip around Europe to escape from their impending future. But, Albus thinks, they've never had the simplest of lives, so why would they start now? A month away from the hustle and bustle of life at home is exactly what the two of them need after their recent escapades and perhaps, Albus thinks, it'll give him time to try and work out when Scorpius started to look so pretty in his eyes.

Christmas Isn't Cancelled by starlightpeddler Albus Potter isn't doing well after the events of Godric's Hollow. In fact, he's doing very poorly, and it's up to those who love him the most to help him through it. Even Scorpius can't seem to cheer him up, and it will take a Christmas miracle to break him out of this rut.

Magical Months by hogwartsahoy September is always the start of a new, fresh year for Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy. Told through the point of view of others close to them over the entire seven years at Hogwarts, each September brings a chance to start anew and grow for the two Slytherin boys, who grow closer and closer to each other as the years go by.

Conversations for a Rainy Day by SunshineScorpius A collection of ficlets following the conversations between Scorpius and Albus that take part on rainy days. A.k.a. SUPER soft boyfriend snippets.

petal-pink by the almostrhetoricalquestion In the middle of the night, some of the Slytherin Sixth Years swap Albus Potter’s shampoo out for hair dye. Pink hair dye. The consequences of this prank knock very politely on the window into Scorpius’s whirring brain, and, when he refuses to lift the latch, they proceed to batter it down and force him to face the truth. Albus Potter is extremely pretty, and Scorpius is a fool for not paying more attention to this fact.

[tloujm]

Part XXVI: Giving Grief

Author’s Notes: This is the first chapter I’ve posted in months (literally since April). I don’t know if this is a full comeback. I have a few chapters in the drafts that need to be edited and formatted for posting but after that, I still plan on continuing the series bc my plan was always have a long fic. With no new content after part II of the game was released, my interest in the fandom waned but was always there. Now with HBO creating a show based off the game, as well as me being apart of the Pedro Pascal fandom, I think I will soon become more consistent in posting as new content gets released. I will say that at least half of what appeals to me for Joel is Troy Baker’s voice and while I love Pedro’s voice too, I know it won’t be the same. I still think Pedro will do the voice justice bc he can do a damn fine country accent as seen in the movie Prospect on Netflix. If you’re a fan of his and have Netflix, please go watch it!

Genre: Angst and Fluff

Summary: You and Joel reconcile and bond over Ellie and Sarah. 

Ship: Joel Miller x Fem!Reader

Joel waited for you to come home. He paced back and forth in the kitchen switching from holding the card and setting it down on the counter. He was eager to talk to you about this new revelation partly because he was nervous to have the other conversation with you. After a while of calming his nerves down, you still hadn’t come home. The sun had set an hour ago and Joel was ready to throw on his boots and go looking for you. 

Just as he laced them up, the front door opened. You walked in and immediately stopped because his body blocked you from walking in the house further. 

“Going somewhere?” You asked as you slid past him. He was a grown man and could do what he wanted, but the thought of him leaving to go do other things before the issue between you was resolved upset you. 

He reached back down to unlace his boots. “Not anymore. I was ‘bout to head out and find you.”

“Why?” You asked dryly.

“I’d been waiting on you to come home for a couple of hours. We gotta talk.”

“You’re right, we do. I was helping Wendy walk the kids home from the daycare; that’s what held me up. I’m here now, though.” You leaned against the back of the couch and crossed your arms. The stance you took reminded you of what Joel would do.

He walked into the kitchen and came back. “Kiddo made this for us.”

You took it in your hands. “When did she have time to make this?” He shrugged. Your fingers brushed across the drawing of the hat before finally opening it. “Oh my God.” She looked at you for a split second before looking back down at her signature. “Her name has been ‘Ellie’ the whole time.”

“I know.” He commented. 

“She never said anything. All of us have asked her.”

“Technically, she still hasn’t spoken her name, but I guess she wasn’t ready for that.”

“She wasn’t ready to let anybody in.” You said. He nodded in agreement.

“Until now.” He walked up to you and pointed to her name on the card. “She’s doing so good, this Ellie. I can only try to imagine the horrors that she’s seen out in the world before she came to Jackson, but whatever happened out there, it led her to us. I’m...It’s just nice to see her opening up to this place.”

You understood what he was trying to say. “Yeah, I’m proud of her too.” You walked past him and into the kitchen to hang the card on the refrigerator. Joel followed. This time, his arms were crossed.

“(Y/N), I meant it when I said I was sorry back there. I shouldn’t have said what I did.”

“If you didn’t mean it, you wouldn’t have said it.” You rebutted.

“I was upset with you because I expected you to react the same as me when Ellie climbed up that T-Rex, but I don’t want a carbon copy of myself. I love you and want to have a family with you because you are wise beyond your years, confident even if you don’t always think so, responsible even for things that aren’t your responsibility and most importantly, you’re level headedness. Where I have a tendency to lose my cool in certain situations, you are guided by this calm...patient sense of will that I envy.” He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, giving you the opportunity to say something. Seeing that you were still soaking in his words, he continued. “You’ll be a great mother. I saw it in the gentle way you juggled all those kids at the daycare. I saw it in the way you took care of Ellie the first day she came here. You’ll see though, if it’s meant for us to have a baby, how difficult it is to stop worrying. It didn’t stop when Sarah....even when I tried to push those feelings away. It doesn’t stop. I know she’s not her, but it’s hard for me to just stand by and watch her do something that could hurt her.”

“I wasn’t standing by, or at least that wasn’t my intention. I wanted to give her space. She’s so delicate, or maybe that’s my problem. I shouldn’t treat her like she’s some glass figurine. I just wanted her to grow comfortable with us by trusting her. Believe me, it wasn’t easy for me to do when there was nothing personally for me to go off of, but then I thought, she’s lived out there for God knows how long by herself. She’s not only seen things but has been able to survive things. It’s hard to see how clever someone is when they won’t let you in, but I knew she had to be to have made it this far. I get it though. I’ve never been a parent. I can only sympathize with your worries. I can not empathize with you until I’ve been where you have. I’m sorry too. I could have found a way to give her space without allowing her to be in such a dangerous spot. You must be disappointed in me.”

He moved up to you and placed his hands on your shoulder. “I’m not. Look at me. I’m not disappointed in you. She was both of our responsibilities earlier.” He brought you into a tight hug. “You’re right, she is smart. She felt comfortable enough to show a side of herself that no one else has seen. You know why? ‘Cause she felt safe around us. Despite the grief she put me through, it was nice to see her so happy.”

“I know it was, wasn’t it? I can’t believe she jumped though! I didn’t think she’d go that far.”

“At the end of the day, kids will be kids. It’s not an excuse to slack off on raising ‘em, but there's just a certain wild and carefree nature that every kid has. It’s instilled in their DNA or somethin’ and then it fades away as they get older, about the time their back starts to ache.” Joel chuckled as he explained. He kissed the top of your head before pulling away to get a good look at you. He made a face as if to ask if you were ok. You nodded. He took your hand and pulled you into the living room. You sat down next to him. “She reminds me of Sarah sometimes. Ellie’s about the same age as her. She ran me through the ringer, raising that one.” He chuckled at the memories. “I wouldn’t trade it in for the world, being her dad, but you shoulda seen the amount of grief she put me through. Especially being a single parent.” He wiped his hand across his face, letting it linger along the length of his neck. “One time, she snuck off to some skate park when I told her no. She was in this skateboarding phase. I bought her a customized skateboard for her birthday and she would practice using it up and down the driveway. She had barely learned that little flippy trick when she asked me to take her to the skate park. I told her no because it looked like it was for experienced skaters. I wanted her to practice more first. To say the least, she was mad at me. She told me she was staying after school for the science club, but she really went to the skate park with some friends. By the time I figured out where she was, I found her lying in the grass, holding her arm in pain. Turned out she had a hairline fracture in her...radius?” He pointed to the bone on his arm. You nodded that it was in fact called radius. “I grounded her for lying to me, but sometimes I wonder if I should have taken her to the park. I mean I’m no expert on skateboarding, but at least I could have been there to supervise; make sure she wasn’t on one of those tough looking ramps.”

“Did you ever take her skateboarding after she healed up?”

“After the cast came off, she switched interests to soccer. I installed a shelf on one of her walls to hang the skateboard on. Better that than being stuffed under her bed. Soccer was her life though. She made new friends from the team, won titles, learned tricks with the ball. Me and Tommy were regulars at her games. I was...am proud of her.”

You smiled as you envisioned his memories. “Did she give you grief with that as well?”

He nodded in an exaggerated way. “Oh yeah, but I’m sure I used to give her grief too.” You lifted your eyebrows with desire for him to elaborate. “I may or may not have argued with the coach and ref on a few occasions regarding plays.”

“You never dated any of the soccer moms?” You teased.

He scoffed. “Most of them were married and the ones who weren’t, I sent Tommy’s way instead. He wasn’t mad at it.” The two of you chuckled. “I did flirt with a few, married or not, so I could get my hands on some of their homemade baked goods.”

“I was under the assumption that soccer moms made food for everyone.”

“They did, but I still wanted a few more cupcakes for the ride home.” He admitted as you laughed. “Listen, I had a busy life. I didn’t have much time to hone my baking skills, so it was nice to be able to have homemade cakes and cookies for a change.

“Well, if you wanted cookies, that’s all you had to say! I can show you how to bake right now.”

“It’s late.” He reasoned.

“It’s never too late to feed your sweet tooth.” You rebutted as you pulled him back into the kitchen.

[galindathrop]

Warning: Image heavy

By popular demand, aka 2 people, here is a gif tutorial. This will include how I do screenshots and actually make the gif. 

You will need: 

Photoshop. I use the Photoshop CC 2021 version but that’s only because I’m paying for it. There are sites you can download Photoshop on but I prefer the legal way. 

MPV player or any screencapping program that takes continuous screencaps. 

IMPORTANT: As I have learned, the video file you use must be 1080p or else they will look like absolute crap. Always try to get a 1080p copy no matter how long it takes. 

THE PROGRAM

As stated before, I use MVP player. That can be downloaded here. If you have a mac, I would move the app off of your desktop after downloading and to the applications folder. That way it is out of your iCloud and saves so much pain and frustration. 

Try to download the 0.29.0 version because later versions on macs have a glitch where there are duplicate screenshots (according to @/kylos). I had to download the 0.29.1 version because the other version won’t open at all for me after the last apple update (fuck bug sur). Anyway, I’ll probably mess up explaining this part so you can find out how to get it working here and here. 

To actually screencap, press option + s. The left and right arrow keys will help you move through the video. For more shortcuts, click here. 

Once that is all downloaded, now you can begin the giffing process.

THE PROCESS

Load the film you want to gif into the program, which is just a simple drag and drop. Then go through and find the scene you want to screencap. 

Once I find the scene, I pause and then press option + s as mentioned above and screencap the scene. Press  option + s again to stop capturing.

Now you go open photoshop and go to File --> script --> load files into stack

Then this will pop up. Hit browse... 

Then open your folder with the screenshots, select the screenshots by dragging down, and then click open.

This is what it should look like. Now go through and delete the extra images you don’t need. 

Now we need to crop the future gif. Click the cropping tool and at the top left there is a way to set the crop dimensions. 

The ones I have saved are Tumblr’s dimension sizes. The height doesn’t matter as much as the width does. For Tumblr; 540px is for one post across, 268px is 2 posts across, and 178px is 3 across. When doing 3 across make the last one 177px or else the last one will be blurry. Click here for more info on sizing. 

Today I’m going to make this 540:280. When you’re satisfied with the crop, click enter. 

Here is where the fun begins! I downloaded @kylos​ gif action here. To activate it double click on it. To view your actions go to window --> actions. A window should pop up with your action. 

There will be a folder in there called GIF ACTION. Open the folder and select the SELECT HERE!. With that selected click on the play button to activate the action. 

Just like magic, you now have a gif! Your layers panel should now look like this. Next we just need to resize the gif. 

Go to Image --> Image size and this box will pop up. 

Resize the image to your crop size and hit ok. Your image will now be a lot smaller. 

Next I go to Filter --> Blur --> Gaussian Blur. Set the blur to 1.0. 

Now this will take away the sharpness when I just want it to be a bit softer. To fix this double-click on the lines next to the smart filter. 

This will bring up another box to change the opacity of the blur. I change it to 20% or less. This one I’ll make 15%. Hit ok when done. 

One last thing is I fix the radius of the sharpening. Click on the bottom sharpening layer. A box should open.

Change the radius to 0.4 and hit ok. 

Before closing, open the timeline window by window --> timeline. If you want to cut down on the frames, grab either one of the grey bars on the beginning and end of the gif and drag to where you want it to start and end. 

It’s now time to save. Go to File --> Export --> Save for Web (Legacy)...

This will pop up. Here you can see how many frames you have and how big the file is. I usually start off as close to 10mb as I can get. There are multiple ways you can save it but here are my settings. 

Then save your gif to wherever you want it. But we aren’t done yet. 

Close the gif. You don’t have to save the psd but you can if you want to. Then reopen the gif in Photoshop. Everything you used before should still be open, aka the windows for actions and timeline. 

Your screen will look like this. As you may notice, the gif speed is all over the place. The best speed for gifs is 0.5. This guide is very helpful. 

To get the gif to that speed, I dowloaded another action here. Add it to your actions as instructed above. 

Open the Change to .05 folder and select the SELECT HERE!. With that selected click on the play button to activate the action, same as above. 

And viola it is now the correct speed! But our gif doesn't look too great. It’s time to fix that up with some coloring. 

COLORING

These are my coloring layers.  Make sure they are on top of all of the layers. 

Here is what it looks like now after the coloring. You may notice the effect has only been added to one layer of the X amount of frames you have.

To fix this select the coloring layers and then go to the 3 lines at the top right of the box. 

Click on this to open a dropdown box and click match layer across frames. 

Make sure all the checks are marked and hit ok. 

Now all the layers have the coloring layers applied. 

Remember when we were saving the gif and it was over 10mb. Well now it’s time to fix that. 

I like to go in and check the size after coloring because sometimes that can lower the gif size. 

It did in this case so that creates less work. Close out of that and go back to your timeline. It’s time to delete some frames. 

You can select multiple frames at once by holding down shift as you select. I typically click around 5 to 10 at a time and make sure you don’t miss a single frame. I’m going to select more towards to the end. 

Then click delete (the trashcan icon). 

Go back to export. If it is still too big delete some frames. In my case it was still too big so I have to delete more frames. 

I now have it to around where I want it. It is less than 10 mb and sometimes that is better. So save your gif. I usually save it as [filename]final. 

QUALITY

To check the quality of the gif I go to Tumblr and go to make a photo post. 

DO NOT post. Instead save it as a draft. Go to your drafts and see how it looks from your dash. If it looks pixelated then go back into photoshop and delete fames. Repeat the following steps until it is to your liking. 

And then you have your final product! 

I hope this was helpful to you and I can’t wait to see what you create with this. 

[mcheang]

The girl squad overhear Adrien and Marinette talking/arguing about Lila; they learn that Adrien knew Lila was lying and told Marinette to take the high road. When Adrien again says that the lies aren't hurting anyone, the girls confront him and explain just how the lies could hurt them. They also learn about Lila harassing Adrien and threatening Marinette. Bonus: Chloe redemption and having her care about Adrien as a friend.

Friends stand up for each other

Post Ikari Gozen. This is a draft.

While bonding with each other, Kagami and Marinette relate about their familial akumatizations. Marinette told about Weredad, Befana and Bakerix. Kagami talked about her mother and her own experiences.

Marinette: did I mention I’m sorry.

Kagami: do not be upset. You were nervous. Besides, you didn’t mean to, unlike that Lila girl.

Marinette: you know Lila?

Kagami: not exactly. I was busy practising one afternoon, then all of a sudden a random number sends me a picture of a stranger kissing Adrien.

Marinette startled. “Wait, if you never met Lila, how did she get your number?”

Kagami: Adrien thinks she must have copied off his contacts list.

Marinette: that is so wrong

Kagami: indeed

Marinette: lying is one thing, but this is downright harassment and invasion of privacy.

Kagami: lying?

Marinette: Lila likes to make herself sound grander than she really is. Apparently she’s Ladybug’s best friend.

Having met Ladybug, Kagami raised her brows skeptically. “With how Ladybug values her privacy, I’m surprised anyone believes that claim.”

Marinette sighed. “My friend Alya runs the Ladyblog. She gets very excited over any rumor about Ladybug.”

Kagami: like thinking Chloé was Ladybug despite being saved by her from Stoneheart?

Marinette: it is so nice to finally meet someone who does their research.

Kagami: I developed an interest after my own akumatization. But back to this liar, why haven’t you exposed her?

Marinette: I tried to. But she puts on this sweet front and people think I’m just jealous about Adrien.

Kagami: if they could see us now, they might change their minds.

Marinette: I doubt it. Things have gone too far. And the only other witness who believes me is Adrien, and he wants to take the high road and let Lila’s lies crumble on their own.

Kagami frowned. “He told me as much when I asked him what he was going to do about her.”

Marinette: be honest with me, do you wish we didn’t have to take the high road.

Kagami: the question is, would we be taking it if it didn’t involve Adrien.

Marinette snorted. “Alya would scramble to bring the truth to light asap. Rose would want to warn everyone so nobody gets their hopes crushed. And Alix already has her brother coming up with fantastical ideas, she doesn’t need someone else to do it in school too.”

Kagami: then we have our answer.

Marinette stopped. Kagami followed suit.

Marinette: we do, don’t we.

Kagami: It’s a shame that, based on what you’ve said, people would say we’re jealous.

Marinette: so how do we prove we’re not?

Kagami: I need a chance to improve my planning skills (especially since she ruined Ladybug’s first plan) and this is an excellent way to bond.

Marinette grinned.

The next day, the girls in class were astonished to see Marinette and Adrien arguing in the distance.

Lila hasn’t arrived yet. (Tikki may have locked her in her bedroom.)

Curious, Alya led the group to spy on their endgame. They were just around the corner, out of sight, but able to hear everything.

“...too long and her influence is only growing stronger.”

“She’s done nothing serious yet.”

“Are we supposed to wait until something bad really happens before Lila’s exposed?“ This again? The girls barely hid their groans. On a side note, how did Marinette convince Adrien to join her team?

“We’ll stop her before she goes too far,” Adrien assured Marinette.

“Really? Like how you stopped her from taking Kagami’s phone number? Lila’s already convinced Mylene to let her join in on her fundraiser. What if she steals the funds?”

“Relax. Lila’s not going to do anything that daring. She’ll probably just flake as usual.” Wow. Adrien really thinks bad of Lila now. What did Marinette say to him?

“Adrien, we’re talking about a girl who loves to get what she wants. Do you honestly think Lila will be satisfied with a simple no show. She’ll insist she handle the funds to make up for her absence.”

“We don’t have any proof she’s a thief. Ok, she’s a liar. But who doesn’t lie?”

“Adrien…I saw her steal your dad’s book.”

“What?!” Adrien’s outcry expressed what the girls were thinking.

“How do you think I know she’s a liar. I saw Ladybug confront her right after I saw her dump a book in the bin.“

Pause.

“Do you honestly think she won’t stoop so low as to steal Mylene’s funds if she didn’t even care that you were under house arrest?”

Silence before Adrien struggled to say, “She didn’t mean for me to get pulled out of school.”

“Oh come on!” This time the outburst came from Alix, one of the first to recover.

Adrien and Marinette turned around. Adrien paled. “Were you girls eavesdropping?”

Alya glared at him, “Why so upset? It’s not like we’re hurting anybody.”

Adrien cringed from the mocking tone.

Rose looked tearfully at Marinette. “All this time, you were trying to protect us, weren’t you? And we only accused you of being jealous.”

“You’ve finally seen the light. Hallelujah!”

Adrien: you girls aren’t going to tell anybody else, right?

They stared at him in disbelief. “Of course we are. Duh.”

“But then Lila won’t have any friends in our class!”

Alya scoffed. “Like I’m letting Nino listen to anymore of her garbage.”

Mylene nodded furiously. “Ivan and I trusted her!”

Alix: I have to tell Nathaniel. It’s what friends do. Oh, and Kim, too I suppose.

Rose: And Kim will tell Max, who will tell Markov.

Juleka: That leaves Chloe and Sabrina…but they don’t like anyone else but you, Adrien.

Adrien stammered. “It’s mean of you to do that.”

Alix laughed. “Oh, we’re mean? How about you? Did you care to tell Alya her blog credibility is being ruined?”

Mylene: Did you think to warn us that Lila might always be absent at our volunteer parties.

Marinette: Did you consider Kagami’s feelings when you told her you would do nothing to scold Lila for upsetting her.

Adrien looked down, unable to find an answer.

A sharp voice barked out. “Get back, you peasants!”

Chloe had arrived. “Need I remind you Adrikins is still new to having more than one friend. His only real teachers are cartoons with their happily ever afters. While I don’t really care if Lila steals and brags about falsehoods, I care if she does that to you, Adrikins. Dupain-Cheng told me about the photo and asked me to talk sense into you!”

Chloe was plan B. Marinette had asked Kagami to share the photo. Chloe was outraged. She saw that it was a forced kiss, and learned from Kagami how Lila was basically a snoop.

Adrien: Chloe, what do you mean exactly?

Chloe: I don’t care about exposing that liar…much…let’s wait for a slow day before we bring out the popcorn. What I care is that she’s sexually harassing you. i see her constantly moving into your personal space as you lean back. i saw her force that kiss on you so can have a souvenir you never agreed to. Now I hear she’s been snooping around your room, instead of actually studying. Adrikins, I love you, I know what our parents can be like, but that doesn’t mean you should let everybody walk all over you like that.

The girls pause as they take in what Chloe has been saying. Lila has been sexually harassing Adrien.

Adrien croaked out, “What should I do?” He wasn’t asking Chloe. He was asking everybody.

Marinette softened. “If you can’t say no yet, then ask for help. Tell Nino and the guys how Lila’s been bothering you. They’re your friends. If you can’t tell any of us your troubles, then who? Friends are here for each other, no matter what.”

Adrien nodded slowly. While he didn’t like being a tattletale, he also admitted he wanted Lila as far from him as possible. And if Lila was wrong, then he should tattle then? Right?

Alya: as for exposing Lila…

Chloe: we are not doing any exposing until we get a slow day.

Alix: When is a school day not a slow day?

Sabrina: When we learn to expect an akuma at least once a week.

Alya: There was an akuma 4 days ago.

Juleka: There should be one soon, then.

Mylene: How about 2 days after the next akuma attack? That gives us enough time to research, time for the akuma excitement to die down, and time before the next akuma shows up.

Chloe scowled: fine.

Alya: I’ll get right on it!

After that, Lila was irritated that whenever she tried to approach Adrien, someone would block her path, asking for help or stories or whatever. And Mylene had kicked her out of her charity after deciding that Lila was so busy, she didn’t want to interfere with her work with Ali. Ugh. Maybe Lila could convince Mylene to let her handle the cheques later. And the girls didn’t seem to want to hang out with her anymore. Before they always invited her out, but now they claim they’ve accepted her busy schedule. When Lila claimed to be free, someone asked her to help them with some chore.

After the debut of Monsieur Rat, Lila was called to the Principal’s Office. When she came back, she was accompanied by Mrs Rossi and Damocles.

Damocles: Class, I believe Miss Rossi here has something she would like to say.

Lila gritted her teeth as she forced out the words: “Ladybug is not my Best Friend. I don’t know Prince Ali. Jagged never had a kitten….”

The list went on, so many were her lies. While Ms Bustier gasped in betrayal, the girls were secretly munching on candy. Except for Chloe who was openly savouring her honeyed popcorn. Lila glared at her, suspicious of her involvement. Damocles coughed but said nothing. The boys were shocked and angry. It was one thing to unknowingly sexually harass Adrien, it was another to take advantage of their trust.

Mrs Rossi: As of now, my daughter will be heading to a convent school. The nuns there are known for being alert to their students’ activities, and are used to liars. It will also be far enough away that Hawkmoth can’t akumatize my daughter, who apparently thinks I would not be interested to know she has been akumatized who knows how many times!”

Lila: I told you it was only 2 times!

Mrs Rossi: akumas are newsworthy information! (Ok, how she missed out on the heroes defeating the villains is beyond me. For a diplomat, she is ridiculously oblivious about Paris.)

Alya: then who cast that illusion of Ladybug on Heroes Day? Lila was certainly around to be akumatized.

Lila gaped at Alya, who showed no surprise at her exposure. was she behind this?

Chloe gave a wave. “Bye bye, Lie-la”

After this, the girls were insistent Adrien learn to expose any wrongdoings or he is only enabling the bully. Chloé was more of the opinion he should learn to stand up to his father. Nino was on Chloé’s side for once.

[skellebonez]

He's Been Hurt Enough (Monkie Kid Cursed AU Fanfic)

And here it is, the follow up to Stop Lying To Me! This went through an overall minor rewrite after @winterpower98 posted some more Cursed AU art and I think it turned out much better for it.

Quick note: once again this is my interpretation of a possible way the revelation could go. I decided to go with a “Mac told Sun everything while MK was transformed last time and that’s part of why he got the stuffing beat out of him and was out of commission last fic” angle. (also no I definitely did not accidently post a draft of the summary by itself when I meant to queue this, that totally did not happen(that happened))

Summary: Wukong has questions, Macaque surprisingly has answers, and MK... well, MK is going to be just fine if Macaque has anything to say about it.

Warnings: mild descriptions of healing inuries from the last fic, hint of child neglect if you are familiar with the AU, Macaque is sightly (incredibly) out of it due to medicine

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The first thing Macaque noticed when he came to was that his head felt... wobbly, despite the fact he was clearly laying down and not moving. The second thing he noticed was a disgustingly bitter sweet taste sticking to his tongue. The third thing he noticed was that he laying chest down on a (very small and familiar smelling) pile of clothes. The fourth thing, oh it was a lot of things coming very slowly right after the other which was odd, was that he was completely shirtless and that the only reason he noticed this so slowly was half of his body was almost fascinatingly numb, outside of the warmth of the fire that seemed to be burning in front of him. The last thing he noticed was a very close, also very familiar, and very angry (worried?) looking face of a monkey right in front of his (coincidentally blocking most of that fire light).

"Congratulations," Wukong said flatly. "You are officially not dead."

Macaque stared at the other monkey for a moment before attempting to speak, coughing as the dryness of his throat hit him full force. Before he could move himself, Wukong grabbed his face (gently, more gently than he remembered being touched by the other in so long) and held something to his lips. When he tilted the object and water began to hit his lips he opened his mouth and drank, Wukong never allowing the water to flow from the canteen fast enough to risk him choking on it. It must have been emptied after a short while because the Monkey King took it away faster than Macaque would have liked, but it had been more than enough to quench his thirst and allow him to clear his throat and begin talking. "What... happened?"

The angry (worryied?) look on the other's face deepened. "Should I start when I woke up to you bleeding out over my sucessor? Or should I start when I tried to give you medicine the first time you woke up and you shoved the entire thing in your mouth?"

Well. That second bit explained part of the numbness. And the taste. And possibly why his head felt like it was swimming in that iced cream stuff MK liked so much. He was almost certainly, no definitely, very out of it from whatever Wukong had intended to use to dull his pain. Fantastic.

Instead of voicing all of this he simply said "The... first part?" His voice was rough, but firmer than it had been the first time. He had not realized how almost slurred his words has originally sounded. Wukong' expression softened and. Oh... OH, it was a worried look after all. Huh. Macaque did not expect that. That was... well, not new. But he hadn't seen that in a long time. He... missed that. He didn't realize he had missed that.

"I woke up and I smelled... blood," Wukong started softly. "I was confused, I thought that maybe I hadn't been out for very long after we calmed down MK and you hadn't treated my wounds yet but," his hand went to his side where the bandages Macaque and the kid had carefully applied still held tight. "When I looked around I saw you. Laying face down with one arm over him. And you were just. Just COVERED in blood Macaque. I thought you two had been attacked, I didn't know what kind of demon could do that to you and thought that both of you were hurt." He ran a hand down his face, taking a deep breath, reaching over to prepare something behind him. "It wasn't until I rushed over that I realized that MK was passed out and aside from scratches on his arms you were the only one that was badly hurt."

There it was, the memory of what happened finally came back to him. Telling the kid the truth. The kid losing it. Holding him until he was able to fight back the transformation. The claws. The bite. His arm throbbed, the first not numb thing about his body he felt (though not fully painful), and he was surprised that he hadn't noticed his injured arm laying out in front of him until that moment, fully bandaged and (thankfully) not looking like he was missing a chunk of himself after all.

"MK's been out since I got up. You were completely unresponsive until early sundown, and when you did wake up you were in too much pain to tell me anything. I tried to get you to take some medicine but you grabbed my arm and shoved the entire bundle in our mouth. You passed back out before you could try to eat the salve I put on your wounds too. I'm amazed y-"

"I told him," Macaque interupted without prompting, and when Wuking spun around (too fast you idiot you're going to hurt yourself) with a wet cloth in hand he just let the words fall from his mouth. Why stop them? He had already told Wukong as much as he had told the kid, and the evidence of what had transpired was litterally all over him. Not much he could hide now. It was the exact opposite of what happened then, no more tar and honey returning. Bittersweet and if he were to give it flavor it would be buttercups. "After he passed out the first time I treated your wounds and when he woke up he helped me and then started asking questions..."

Without saying a word Wukong sat and listened, face tightening as he gingerly removed something from his back (gauze perhaps, he had no bandages on) and ran the cloth over numb cuts. He looked only between the wounds and Macaque's face, letting him retell every detail. "Kid tried to fight it but I just. I didn't know what to do when he started to change again so I... I..." He coughed, throat growing dry again.

This time Wukong stopped him, holding the canteen (not empty after all) to his lips again. They sat in silence for a moment, him drinking and Wukong turning to grab a container and fresh gauze and bandages when he stopped. He nodded, going back to the other monkey's back and Macaque realized the container was healing salve for his wounds. He didn't need it or the medicine, not really, but even with his fast healing and sturdyness it never hurt to have extra help to speed up the healing process. "You what, Macaque?"

"I... think I... hugged him into submission?" Macaque scowled, not sure if he even believed what he was saying and not missing the shocked look on the other's face. "And he bit me." He added quickly.

"He BIT you!?" The Monkey King leaned sideways, looking at Macaque increduously before his gaze veered over to his bandaged arm. "Well. That explains... the everything. Your back and arms looked like you were nearly gored from behind, but with how long his claws get when... yeah, that adds up."

"Is he ok?" The question came out without him even thinking about it. Damn medicine... But this only seemed to make Wukong shake his head with a surprised chuckle.

"Yeah, MK is fine. Exhausted, but fine. I treated his arms after I got your back to stop bleeding." He went back to applying the salve, touch a bit more firm as he rubbed it through his now less matted fur. The pressure would have normally made Macaque tense but now it just made him relax further into the clothes he was resting on (which he now noticed were Wukong's top layers and a blanket the kid insisted they each got at one of the many villages they passed through).

For a while the two remained silent, the Monkey King dressing the wounds on the Six Eared Macaque's back. Maybe it was the exhaustion kicking back in or something else, but Macaque just allowed himself to lay there and not think of anything. His mind tried to wander a bit, somewhat toward the kid and somewhat toward the odd reactions of the king, but nothing really stuck with his head swimming as it was. He only opened his eyes (when had he let them close?) when he felt a gentle touch on his arm. He watched as the bandages were unwrapped slowly and the same treatment given to his back was repeated.

"You're lucky he didn't bite your dominant arm," Wukong said softly, finally breaking the silence with a shakiness in his voice that was almost missed. "Or break your arm completely. You'll heal fine, but if you were anyone else you wouldn't even have an arm to treat right now...." He shook his head and under his breath he heard the king mutter "What were you thinking?"

Macaque looked away, gaze catching the still sleeping form of MK on the other side of the low fire. The kid would be exhausted from his second (almost) transformation in 24 hours for a while yet and that made his chest hurt just like before. He remembered the betrayal on his face, so much like and yet so much worse than when he betrayed him by stealing his powers. He remembered how the kid seemed to need the hug he had offered him so long ago at the start of all this as much as he did. He remembered how scared he looked at the prospect of seeing his parents again when he asked about them. And he remembered how much he kid laughed on this journey, how happy he seemed every time he was praised for even the smallest things, how he offered Macaque so much without asking for anything in return even before he put that stupid headband on the kid. He remembered how, despite everything... MK wasn't giving up on him...

He looked back at Wukong, grabbing his leg with as much strength as he could muster in his hurt arm until the other returned his gaze. "He's been hurt enough."

There was an understanding in Sun Wukong's eyes. For the first time in more years than Six Eared Macaque would admit... they understood each other completely without needing more words. MK had been hurt enough. They would take as much hurt away from him as they could.

The moment was broken when his grip weakened he closed his eyes, unable to stay open for as long as he would like, and when he opened them back up Wukong had already finished bandaging up his arm. He noticed a soft pressure around his tail but said nothing, not right now, and he only moved when there was a gentle tapping on his side. "Can you sit up a bit? I need to put on bandages, then you should get some more rest."

Macaque complied, using his good arm to raise himself up just enough for the other's arms to go under and around him to pass the bandages between hands (no, it was not a "almost hug" no matter what his tired brain told him). It was done sooner than expected and a gentle hand on his shoulder pushed him down into the soft fabric beneath him, his gaze fixed firmly on the soundly sleeping form of the kid as he watched to make sure he was really just sleeping.

If he noticed that there were soft claws running through his hair he said nothing. And if Wukong noticed the squeeze of a tail against his own he said nothing either. Eventually he let his eyes slip closed once more, feelin his chest rumble in a soft purr. The claws against his scalp stopped and there was a warmth after a while, a weight around him. Wukong must have laid a blanet over him, but the claws returned and their tails remained intertwined even as he moved to his other side. It wasn't until he felt a rumble beside him that wasn't his own that he realized the blanket was over both of them. He said nothing, not caring about the implications as he allowed himself to drift off into sleep.

And if he, maybe, dreamed of watching the two people he had reluctantly grown to care most about happy... well, he wouldn't say anything about that either.

[brassandblue]

sticky; rules

(Updated as of January 29th, 2024.)

**THIS IS AN ANTI-F*SCIST BLOG.** Homophobia, antisemitism, Islamophobia, transphobia, and other hateful ideologies will NOT BE TOLERATED. I reserve the right not to engage with entities who believe I should either be a second-class citizen or worse, or dead. Support of the free and civil exchange of ideas does not, by nature, include those whose ideas would subjugate everyone else at the table. Play nice and get along or get out.

If you have a problem with the above, block me now.**

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This blog is mutuals only and selective.

This blog is also private. Anyone who reblogs threads that they’re not involved with will be hard blocked.

You must be 21+.

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Do not use me as a meme resource. At least reblog from the source if you can’t think of anything you want to throw in my direction.

I am visually impaired. I was born with glaucoma and I’m not getting any younger. Please put the actual prompt when sending memes/prompts because those emotes are hard to see!

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People who can’t take “no” for an answer on ANY issue will be hard blocked.

You must at least glance at my character page(s). 

Before chatting to me about plotting, at least glance at the AU pages too. They’re basically open-ended writing prompts.

I’ve tried being casual about this and since this isn’t a job any of us are getting paid for, I’ve tried not to take it seriously. But unfortunately, too many people don’t want to put any effort at all in what is absolutely a cooperative hobby.

If I get the feeling from speaking with you that you’ve made no effort to even look at my muselist and BASIC character info, let alone the AU posts, I am going to softblock you.

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Bad faith vitriol and harassment will get you hard blocked and IP blocked.

Take your time with drafts! Life is wild and while I’m excited to get a reply, it’s nothing I want you to stress over. If you want to come back to a thread months/a year later, that’s fine by me. If you want to drop some threads, all I ask is that you just let me know so you don’t leave me hanging.

I will not write smut. It’s fine if you do! Sexually explicit themes don’t bother me, I just don’t want to write fukken here on Tumblr. Character makeouts and suggestive convo and the like are OK though!

There are/will continue to be mature, complex themes/subjects on this blog. I do my best to portray, discuss, and handle a wide variety of sensitive subjects with research and respect. If you cannot handle tagged mature content, this blog is not for you. 

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Consider the “yes, and...” principle and apply it to cooperative writing.

I enjoy negative/antagonistic interactions with my characters! However, there is a difference between those, and your character ragging on mine with no reason for mine to stick around and no effort for chemistry. There needs to be a mutual emotional narrative, a back and forth-- if your character throws tomatoes at mine, don’t be shocked if my character wants to do something about it. Whether that’s punching them in the nose or outright leaving.