#seeing all the people we are competing with at this one open house viewing we went to

[hotdogdynamitezzz]

Spicy Astro Observations 18+

This is really just a filler post for my december schedule because the content I've promised has taken so long to write on and off between my finals. I'd like to thank college for these notes, enjoy ig 💘

🌶 Libra Mars are actually quite dominant in bed, it’s so unexpected but I think they’re so good with dirty talk they just naturally know how to control a situation. Degrading others in bed oddly turns them on? for such a sweet sign I think they let their crazy and angry side loose in the bedroom as they always appear sweet and professional in every other space. Very much so lady in the streets freak in the sheets if you will.

💘 A Libra venus will want princess treatment in bed tho, they are the ones wanting to be taken care of and pleased 10000% they also wear the best lingerie hands down. You say one out of pocket thing and they are gone yall, although they like to be experimental! So switch it up.

🌶 Leo mars can sometimes be too controlling or demanding in bed, same with the moon in 8th house men I’ve noticed. In general, sex is lowkey overhyped with fixed-sign men because a lot of them just tell you what to do and order you around, which could be your vibe if you’re hella sub. But if you’re a dom the fixed sign men I’d go for are Scorpio venus & Aquarius moons. They like to be dominated from what I’ve noticed and are open to experimenting.

💘 Those who want to be treated like a princess and praised are libra + leo placements. Basically they have a praise kink lmao.

🌶 Uranus aspecting the ascendant or 7th house in any way usually is an indicator the individual is more open to polyamorous relationships or experimentation from what I’ve seen. it doesn’t always have to be uranus aspecting venus or mars but because the Ascendant - Descendant axis represents our perspective of the world and how others view us, I have noticed they are more open to the lgtbq+ community.

💘 Neptune in the 5th house people are definitely subs from what I’ve seen, they like to be taken care of and edged on until they cry LMFAO but they prefer some element of fantasy and a lot of foreplay to really engage them and turn them on or else it’s just not happening. You need to take them to another realm babes. Also highkey squirters

🌶 Venus/Moon aspecting Neptune in a 0 - 4° orb is also kinda known for squirting.

💘 Venus square Jupiter people and their sex drive is..scary 💀 Honestly they struggle to control their sex drive, these mf’s cannot go a week without sex it’s too hard for them. They find desire and indulge in it a lot, they also love sensual activities and games in bed. Usually there’s an element of power play involved and don’t forget to body worship them lmaoo. I actually see the individuals prefer being doms as well.

🌶 Aries venus men ARE NOT DOMS TBH it shocked me because Aries is the most masculine sign, but venus in a mans chart represents what they look for in women, what will turn them on and such. Therefore, they tend to favour bolder and more dominant women who make the first moves. I've heard a lot of them talking about how their DREAM is to get pushed against a locker by a hot girl and she makes out with them😭💀 - thanks college gossip.

💘 Scorpio & Capricorn mars is all about that BDSM sorry not sorry...same goes for Mars square Uranus which is funny, they like to fight their way to freedom ig lol? Also include Saturn - Mars as Saturn rules over chains & bondage.

^ most likely Capricorn mars likes to be tied up while Scorpio mars likes to be the one in control and tying the person up.

🌶 We know the mercurial signs are great at oral, but PISCES AND SCORPIOS compete for the oral queens and kings title too omg. Scorpio rules the genitals while pisces rules over liquids so...you can see how this plays out HAHA. Pisces can also just drive you over the edge easily? scorpio likes to drag it out while pisces prefers to deliver a fantasy.

💘 Virgo venus people are NOT as innocent as they seem. They LOVE degradation and being sub af, the sign that serves? yeah they gonna do whatever it takes to get you off bae and thoroughly enjoy the process. THEY PAY ATTENTION TO DETAILS TOO! if they find something that turns you on they will be sure to explore it more. Every virgo venus/mars person gives off hot librarian vibes and you just know a lot of them are kinky lol

🌶 Taurus venus is more vanilla but in a sensual and indulgent fashiom as they wanna be comfy and cute while fully embracing pleasure. Most likely they prefer to be taken care of in bed, sucking on their throat is their biggest turn on. They are extremely romantic, the type to get the mood going and prepare roses on the bed. They like things simple and hot because they know what they want.

💘 Leo & Scorpio placements shaking hands on their creampie and corruption kinks help omg LOL. Nothing turns a leo on more than stroking their ego with knowing they’re your first, they get on a power trip fr. As luminaries, they just like knowing they have the effect to influence you. It's always Leo Moon or Mars I've seen this with

🌶 As for Scorpios corruption & creampie kink I've noticed Scorpios are really into wholesome or innocent people? Just completely opposite of their darker personalities. Wanting to ruin someone turns thems on a lot because scorpio rules over power imbalance so Ig thats why. Scorpio also rules over regeneration, life & death so creampies kinda fits in the birth category yknow

💘 Cancer placements also have a weird tendency to be complete doms or subs and nothing in between, they like to give orders which I find funny because it is so not associated with their stereotypes. But in general the sweet zodiac signs ARE REALLY KINKY FOR SOME REASON. 

🌶 Aquarius mars and public sex is actually insane, and the rumours are true a lot of aqua moons I’ve met fantasize about threesomes and orgies. They’re just as much into voyeurism as Sagittarius mars is.

💘 Aquarius Mars also LOVES sex toys, especially vibrators. They literally act like they gonna perform a scientific experiment on your pussy help I can’t

🌶 Every pisces sun man I’ve met is straight up addicted to porn, idc if anyone thinks they’re innocent and cute. THEY HAVE PROBLEMS LMAOO.

💘 A lot of sagittarius mars women I’ve met are doms and love body worship, i think body worship is definitely connected to Jupiter as Zeus is associated with that planet. So y’know, treat them like a god and you will be rewarded lol.

🌶 Speaking of which, Sagittarius rising women are just the most fun people ever, in and out of the bedroom you will literally never get bored they are so funny and cool. I simp for them fr

💘 Neptune or Pisces in the 5th house could be into LSD or acid trips while they have sex, they prefer to use alcohol or some form of substance to lessen their anxiety, they could also highkey be sex addicts as the 5th house is our hobbies and entertainment.

🌶 Mars & Pluto in the 5th house LOVE angry sex, they are the people who have makeup and breakup sex the most I swear, they relieve their stress by having sex.

💘 Those with Gemini/Virgo/Mercury in the 8th house could like handcuffs a lot. I know a girl with this that has a kink for having her hands cuffed and not being able to see.

🌶 If you’re crushing on a Scorpio placement, just make them laugh and get them a little jealous. They will get obsessed, I feel like this is why they tend to have relationships with Geminis so often? because Geminis know how to rile people up, crack a joke or two, and seem unbothered in the process. I have never known a Scorpio venus to be into someone without getting jealous first oops-

💘 Mars in the 6th house is a secret man whore placement, they don’t seem like fuckboys but they use physical activity for their mental health and most often I’ve noticed their way of healing is through sex, and more sex PFFT. 

🌶 12th house stelliums and their fantasies of a person that doesn’t even know they exist lol. To get their attention just randomly pop up to help them once in a while but not too often so they feel special but are curious about you. Doing little things for them yet keeping the mystery and suspense of a crush alive is what keeps them fantasizing tbh.

💘 It’s why 12th house people love virgo placements so much, because virgos always randomly appear to help a pisces/12th house person. While on the other hand the pisces/12th house person devotes themselves and their personal time completely because they can’t see boundaries. It’s cute but I fear for y’all seriously 😀 get some boundaries plz

💘 Scorpio moons please avoid sagittarius & gemini moons at all costs until they’ve matured because a sag moon gets bored easily, moves on, will honestly ghost, and loves to not notify anyone. I know how anxious and paranoid scorpio moons can get and honestly a sag or gemini moon will only worsen your fears and trauma. Everytime I've seen this combination it's ALWAYS the gemini or sag moon leaving the scorpio moon heartbroken and ghosted 🥲

🌶 Sagittarius moons are free spirits, they cannot be tied down but they aren't always cheaters. I'd say their non-committal style differs from gemini in the sense that it will take A LOT to actually get into a relationship with a sag moon and once they're in its unlikely they cheat. While Gemini moons do get bored easily and jump into relationships so they seem to talk to other people and could perhaps cheat.

💘 Scorpio moons will say bs to get you in bed, they are sweet talkers and kinda act like fboys if they're not that into you so just beware. But so will many other moon signs like gemini, pisces & libra lol. It's not always but, these are the fuckboy moon signs from my experiences that will get you attached first.

But their game is good, worth it imo 👌

🌶 Pisces moons are SOO attentive in the bedroom, they will provide everything you want and make you feel so special it’s impossible to not become emotionally attached after you’ve done the deed tbh.

💘 I've noticed people with Saturn, Jupiter or Mars in their 8th House like it rough to the point of begging, they literally wanna see their partner crumble underneath them I’m not even joking...they also are really horny 24/7 because with mars in the 8th house they just have the desire for sex and release tension through it, same with Mars in 5th house. While Jupiter & Saturn can point to difficulties with controlling their sex drive, it’s either wayy too much or they’re celibate for a year. Very all or nothing type of people.

🌶 Leo placements literally wanna be caught fucking someone, again I’M NOT KIDDING they like to be shown off and know other people want them too, very similar to Aquarius mars and gets horny off of anything that feeds their ego tbh. 

💘 Mercury conjunct Venus/Mars people think about sex so much they get horny easily, they are actually the most under-rated horny placement. They don’t just sweet talk or dirty talk their way into your pants but they seem to have a lot of wet dreams and really be into having sex while performing another mental task like video games or smth. Yall secretly so freaky huh 😀

🌶 Venus/Moon in your 12th house makes you wet 24/7 it's like the ocean which is a very 12th house theme. For men it would be their Mars in 12th house. They're horny 24/7 I swear it's actually concerning.

💘 It's kinda hard to get a capricorn mars person turned on, it takes a lot of effort but they can last a while so it's worth it ig. But foreplay is gonna be a while okay, they like to take their time.

🌶 Mars & Mercury in 3rd/5th house people get bored easily during sex so make it competitive and include fun games. They also are the type to flirt with someone out of spite and play mind games. Not always again but- its never dull. They love the drama aspect in relationships tbh, it has to be passionate and fun or they don't fw you.

[hunnythebee]

Hi there, I like your one shots of Tech and Hunter. Would you mind writing something romantic Wrecker? Maybe he gets injured and reader takes care of him? Up to you! Thanks. : )

Oh you have no idea how badly I've been wanting to write something with him, and now you've given me the perfect excuse. This fic is pure fluff and romance. I hope you like it ♥️

Touches

After an encounter with Wrecker at the bath house in upper Pabu, you're realizing that the feelings you have for him may not be purely platonic, and he feels it too.

2.6k words - first person - gender neutral

Tags & Warnings; Wrecker x Reader, Wrecker x gn!Reader, fluff, mildly suggestive themes (nothing explicit), friends to lovers, massage, bathhouse, competitive Wrecker, competitive Reader, naps, cuddling, Wrecker is king of consent, one bed (bath in this case) trope, Pabu

Being on Pabu was like living in a dream. Even after the devastation left in the wake of the tidal wave, it was pure serenity after being on the run for so long. When Hunter had announced that we were staying, even if for a short time, I felt a weight fall from my shoulders. The next day we all started to help with cleaning up around the village. Hunter was working with the Mayor to find people places to shelter while rebuilding. Tech and Phee were helping to assess what materials would be needed to rebuild. Omega was somewhere on the island with Shep’s daughter, which made me feel so happy that she had a friend her own age. As for me, I was on clean up with my favorite person and best friend. Wrecker. He could make any situation fun. In this case, we were competing for largest pile of seaweed. The houses were covered in it, and filling cart after cart had gone from tedious to exhilarating. Announcing over the comms what number we each were at every hour, kept us going all the way till sunset. After the day was done, we were invited to utilize the bathhouses that were located in upper Pabu. Actually it was more like we were begged to use the bathhouses because in truth we stank so bad after handling seaweed and sweating all day.

As I poured water over my self and washed out all the grime from my hair, I tried to remember the last time I had bathed like this. It couldn’t have been less than a month since I had scrubbed clean with unlimited water. It was a revelation. Once my skin felt clean and the water from my hair ran clear I made my way to the baths. Well actually it was more like… bath. I slid the door open and locked eyes on a stark naked Wrecker stepping into the hot water. My eyes widened and I averted my gaze. “Oh! Oh my! I’m so sorry!” I shouted, pulling my towel tight around me and startling him. I heard a loud splash and chance a peek. Wrecker was fully submerged in the water except for his head. He looked ridiculous and I couldn’t help but laugh. His expression was just as bewildered as mine.

“I thought that they meant… private baths. I didn’t– I didn’t think we would be… erm… sharing,” his face was cherry red. I bit back another laugh.

“Well it would appear it’s just the one… I can always come back when you’re done if that would make you more comf-” my sentence was interrupted abruptly by Wrecker.

“No!” He stood up and his chest was in full view. I had never seen him so… bare. I had always imagined him being very visibly muscular, but I was mistaken. He had prominent pectorals and a soft belly. Across his chest and down his stomach were dark hairs, they tapered down towards… I averted my gaze again. This time I was the one turning cherry red. Wrecker noticed and immediately spun around.

“I have an idea…” I announced.

He cleared his throat, “I’m… uh… listening.”

“The only problem is that we don’t want to see the other, right?” I posed the question.

There was a long pause. “Right,” he finally said.

“Well, if you promise not to look. Then I promise not to look. Deal?” I offered.

“Deal.” I could hear the grin he was wearing. He waded in further as I approached the steps leading in. I dropped my towel and sank into the warm water. I sighed as my muscles relaxed. I dipped down into the water to my neck, copying him.

“Okay… it’s safe.” I announced. He turned around and faced me, but still avoiding looking at me. The first minutes were… uncomfortable. I decided to try to break the tension.

“I hope you know I’m going to beat you tomorrow.” I proclaimed, knowing that his competitive side was his weakness. He let out a hearty laugh.

“In your dreams!” He declared.

I glared at him playfully, despite him not meeting my gaze. “Hey! I almost beat you today!”

“Ha! You wish!” He laughed again, finally looking at me. Once we passed that hurdle the rest of the bath was actually really relaxing. I sighed as the warm water soothed my aching muscles. I brought a hand up and started rubbing at a stubborn knot in my neck. Wrecker took notice and nodded at me, “You okay?”

I hissed in pain, “Yeah… it’s just this stupid knot. It’s been killing me for weeks.” Nothing I was doing was relieving it. I had my eyes screwed shut as I was trying to work it out in the hot water and I had been so focused I hadn’t heard him move toward me. When I opened my eyes he was standing right in front of me. His chest in full view again.

“Turn around,” he ordered. 

“What for?” I asked.

He folded his arms across his chest, had he always been this large, and asked me in return “Do you trust me?”

“Well… yeah of course.” I responded.

“Then…” he made a circle gesture with his index finger. This time I didn’t protest.

“Can you stand up a little more please?” He requested. “I promise I won’t look.” I stood up out of the water until I felt a hand on my shoulder. “There’s good. Thanks.” Then the hand on my shoulder started to knead and my tense muscles.

“Oh… Oh that’s nice…” I let my eyes roll back and I melted into the action. “I didn’t know you knew how to do this.” I stated.

“I’m full of surprises,” teased Wrecker. He worked his hands along my aching shoulders and neck until he found the knot. The moment he pressed into it a moan escaped my lips and we both froze. I felt a heat cross my cheeks and felt embarrassment bloom in my chest. I buried my face in my hands and began apologizing profusely.

“N-no need. It’s a normal response. But just… do you want me to help you with this knot or would you like me to stop?” He was being so kind and sincere about all of this, and I felt such security with him.

“I want to keep going… please.” My voice was small but he still heard me.

He still didn’t move his hands quite yet, and he spoke, “You make whatever sounds you need to then.”

I nodded and breathed out deeply as he began to work the knot in my neck. Despite what he said I still tried to hold back the noises, but then he hit a particular tender spot and I whimpered. From that point all the noises were free, grunts, moans, whines, all of it. But not once did he laugh or say anything about it. Eventually the knot was completely gone, and I hadn’t felt this good in weeks.

Wrecker patted me on the shoulders and said tauntingly, “See? Aren’t you glad you trust me?”

Without thinking a tipped my head back against his chest and said “I’ll always trust you…” It took me a moment to realize what I had just done. Sheer embarrassment flood my veins and I rushed out of the bath, thanking him hurriedly and covering myself in the towel. I dressed quickly so he wouldn’t be able to catch up to me. What was going on? Why was I thinking like this? I never used to get like this with him… these thoughts kept me up all night.

Wrecker and I met as usual that morning, acting like nothing happened last night. But I still couldn’t get him out of my head. I lost to him again purely because I was distracted by watching him moved bundles of wood in the sun. He ended up finishing long before me.

“Come find me when you’re finally done.” He had teased before heading back to the peak. After such a long day it felt good to fall back into the shade of the tree at the summit. Wrecker leaned up against the trunk with his armor in a heap nearby. He had his arms comfortably tucked behind his head and his eyes shut. My eyes lingered on his biceps, tracing over the prominent veins and sculpted muscle. Had his arms always looked this good? His head tipped to the side slightly and he spoke softly.

“How was your day?” Wrecker asked. He had always taken a genuine curiosity in what I had going on in my life, but I was only now starting to recognize it. Talking with him always gave me a warm feeling, and he always left me smiling. More things I hadn’t noticed until recently.

“It was good,” I offered him a sweet smile. “Long and a bit exhausting but good.” 

Wrecker returned my smile with a large grin of his own. He patted the patch of grass beside him, inviting me to come sit beside him. I crawled toward him on all fours, which he seemed to watch with a mixture of amusement and… something else I couldn’t quite place. I took my place next to him against the tree.

“It’s much more comfortable against the tree, don’t you think?” He teased, putting his hands back behind his head. I took a deep breath and smelled something wonderful. A heavy scent of chopped wood, sunlight, and an indescribable sweet musk. I turned my head toward the man beside me and took another whiff. This time he heard and lowered his arms.

“Oh, sorry. I probably stink,” he laughed.

I shook my head and replied, “Not at all. Actually, you smell kinda… good.”

He raised an inquisitive eyebrow at me, as if what I said was something in a different language. “What?” I asked, feeling a little defensive.

He suppressed an amused smile and shook his head as he returned to his prior position, “Nothin’. Just… no one’s ever said I smelled good before.”

I bit my lip and felt a blush bloom across my cheeks. Why was I feeling this way around him now? I hadn’t recognized it till last night but Wrecker makes me feel a flutter in my stomach when he looks at me or touches me in any way. That didn’t used to happen before. Or… or maybe it has been happening all along and I just never had the chance to notice because there was always something else. Now I was relaxed, and he’s right there. I shifted and my thigh brushed against his and I felt my heart leap in my chest. I decided to just stay still and close my eyes. 

This is Wrecker, I reminded myself. I have nothing to be nervous about. This is still the same man who has given me lessons in explosives and shared mantell mix with. Nothing has changed. He’s still my closest friend and… and… my thoughts went blank as his arm fell onto my shoulders.

My head was spinning and my heart was racing. Wrecker must have noticed me tense up or my breathing quicken because he shifted next to me and spoke my name softly into my ear. Chills erupted all over my skin and I turned my head to look at him.

“Yeah?” My voice was trembling.

“Is this okay?” He asked, “Because if you don’t like it I can-” he had started to remove his arm, but I had moved without thinking and had grabbed his hand to keep him in place.

I chewed my lip nervously, my eyes still fixed on him. He took his free hand from behind his head and used his large thumb to pull my lower lip from between my teeth. I took a shaky breath as he did so.

“Relax… it’s just me. You don’t have to be nervous,” he ran his thumb across my lower lip once and removed his hand. I melted under the touch. With that reminder and a deep breath I was able to relax into him. My head fell against his chest and I was shocked to hear that, despite his composure, his heart was racing even faster than mine. I smiled to myself, happy with the fact that he was feeling the same way.

He’s feeling the. Same. Way.

“Wrecker,” I attempted to move, so I could ask him my burning question. However his large arm curled around me and held me tighter to his chest.

“Shhh… it’s okay. I want to enjoy this for now. We can talk later…” he soothed and assured me. I nodded against his chest in agreement, but I wasn’t going to just drop this. After sitting together like that a little longer it began to feel…normal. Natural even. His breathing had turned to snoring, and those snores lulled me to sleep.

I didn’t wake up until it was late into the night. Wrecker had shifted in his sleep, and in the process lifted me from my spot, as I was now curled up in his lap as he cradled me in his arms. I sat up slowly, not wanting to wake him up. However, he was already up. “Did you sleep well?” His voice was still gritty with sleep, and it was like music in my ears.

I sat up and blinked at him. I still had sleep in my eyes, but I could make out his face perfectly. His tan skin was illuminated by the light of the moon that was high in the sky. 

It took me a moment to wake up enough to form words, but it finally happened, “Y-yeah. I did actually.”

“Good,” he pulled me in to a warm hug and softly admitted, “Me too… best sleep ever.”

I buried my face in his neck and took a deep breath. 

I spoke without thinking, “I want to live in this hug. This is home.”

He held me tighter into him, “This is home.” He repeated back in agreement.

“Wrecker, I-” I pulled back from the hug to look into his eyes, but lost all words when I saw the way he was looking at me. He had the warmest smile and his eyes were flicking between mine and my lips. Both his hands came up to cup my face and we simultaneously leaned into each other Our lips crashed into each other in a soft but needy kiss. Like all of the years of compassion for each other was being expressed in this singular kiss. His tongue grazed against my bottom lip. A silent question, that I happily answered ‘yes’ to by allowing him entry. He tasted divine. I hummed happily into the kiss and sank into him. His hands glide down from my face to my waist. I wrapped my arms around the back of his neck and we remained in this embrace for an eternity, or at least till we ran out of breath. Finally we broke apart, breathlessly.

He chuckled contently, and brought his hand back up to brush through my hair, “I have been wanting to do that since our second night here…” he confessed.

“Why…didn’t you?” I breathed out with my nose tucked against his.

“I wasn’t sure you felt the same way… I needed to make sure you wouldn’t hate me if I did…” he sounded so sincere.

I pulled him into another kiss, softer and shorter than the last one. Then I responded, with my mouth still against his, “I could never hate you.”

He smiled against my mouth and kissed me again. This time he shifted me in his arms, and with breaking away, he stood up and set me down on the ground. The moment our lips parted he pulled me into a tight hug and lifted me off the ground, spinning me in circles.

“I’m so happy. You make me so happy," Wrecker stated. He pressed his lips to mine once more, and I was in pure bliss.

Masterlist

[thebreakfastgenie]

one 🔥 for mash, one 🔥 for tww

These won't be new because I post my unpopular opinions all the time lol but

MASH:

There is a very obvious "king of repression" in MASH. It's Margaret. Margaret struggles to admitting she's feeling anything or experiencing negative effects from the war to anyone. If there is anyone Sidney is dying to put under a microscope, it's her, although I don't think he sees any of them that way; they're his friends and he likes being able to help them, they're not lab rats. Margaret has an entire conversation with Sidney wherein she's denying feeling anything at all, while expressing sublimated rage, and basically projecting, as she's trying to offer him advice. In fact, rage is one of the few emotions she ever feels comfortable expressing. One of the only people who can get past her walls is Hawkeye, and in Comrades in Arms she even falls back on rage with him.

Margaret's second conversation with Sidney is mostly comic relief and unfortunately dominated by early installment weirdness Charles ship tease, but it goes very similarly. She makes claims about other people while seemingly unaware of her own feelings and behavior, and she yells a lot.

Margaret says she's not a very open person. We see her struggle to form relationships, including with the other nurses, because she is so closed off. She's lonely, but she pushes people away. It's hard for her to admit she wants or needs anything. She hates to show any kind of vulnerability.

And yet we can see Margaret be compassionate! With the other characters in the later seasons, and with the patients throughout. She does acknowledge emotions, just not her own, because that would be too dangerous.

These are all traits you rarely get to see in a female character and I for one owe Loretta Swit my life.

In the spirit of the game, I'll get a little spicy:

I think the reason the fandom devotes so much time to the repressed BJ headcanon--which is just that, a headcanon-when Margaret is right there doing it in canon and gets very little attention is that people struggle to see female characters as complex. Emotional repression in particular tends to be associated with men; we see this all the time in society. This is not a problem specific to this fandom; it's a reflection of how we are taught to view women that manifests in every fandom. I do think Margaret is a prime example of it.

TWW:

I don't like Donna's arc in season 6. I think it loses sight of the foundation of the character, which is my criticism of a lot of seasons 5 and 6. I hate the "shallow girlboss feminism" critique, but if the shoe fits... We're supposed to believe Donna is overqualified for her position and Josh has been unfairly holding her back. This is simply not the case. There wasn't really a ladder for Donna to move up. She was very good at her job, so Josh had every professional reason to keep her.

None of the other assistants are portrayed as being treated unfairly. Mrs. Landingham, Debbie, Bonnie, Ginger, and Carol are all career assistants. That's a real job! Donna also has no formal qualifications and no relevant experience prior to the Bartlet campaign. The whole point of Donna was that this silly, slightly flaky young college dropout is actually extremely smart and capable. Donna not wanting to remain an assistant makes sense, but she wasn't wronged. The job offer she gets in season 4 is lucrative, but it's for a start-up, where formal qualifications are less important than in, say, the White House, and they're more free to emphasize her on-the-job experience. Donna getting as high a position she as she does on the Russell campaign is frankly absurd and in my opinion a product of it being a convenient way to have two main characters handle those campaign scenes.

Once Donna does get successful, she jettisons most of her personality in favor of being Competent and occasionally the only moral one (2162 Votes; Donna is the moral compass of the show but the way that was presented bugged me). And Josh was right, if a bit dramatic, when he said he was the victim. Donna quit without giving notice! That's pretty unprofessional! Donna was so full of shit when she accused him of keeping her in grunt-level servitude, when we've seen the responsibilities she's been given. And like... knowing how he liked his food was part of her job. It's uncomfortable to admit but Josh did give her a career. That doesn't mean she's beholden to him forever, but it happened. In Impact Winter, she never told Josh what the meeting she wanted to have was about or that it was important until the last minute. She also knows better than literally anyone that his meetings get rescheduled all the time because that's the White House, and him not prioritizing her meeting over various urgent situations is not personal. Maybe if the show had done a better job of showing him dismissing her and taking her for granted as an ongoing pattern I would buy it, but they didn't.

Even in the Josh/Donna resolution in season 7, Donna has to be Cool and Right even at the expense of making sense. Josh is the first one who brings up talking (and even indicated he wanted to way back in Election Day, which she ignored), but we're supposed to believe it's a sign that he's panicking about commitment when he doesn't want to do it while badly jet-lagged? It's all the tables have turned, Josh is pining for Donna, until Donna's the one setting deadlines. All in all it made the character much less enjoyable for me and unintentionally sent the message that women can't have personality and success. Iirc, CJ gets a lot less fun material once she becomes chief of staff, too.

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

Missouri ranks last in the nation in starting salaries for teachers and 49th in state funding of schools, so low that a quarter of the districts have cut back to four-day weeks.

But the GOP legislators in the “Show Me” state have demonstrated their priority with at least 20 bills aimed at the LBGTQ community. Ten are aimed at restricting transgender athletes in the schools. That is in a state where just seven transgender students in K-12 are presently registered to compete.

"There’s more bills about trans kids playing sports than there are trans kids that want to play sports," Senate Democratic Minority Leader John Rizzo told reporters last week.

This legislative frenzy causes the father of one 9-year-old transgender boy—a soccer and basketball player as well as a computer wiz and all around happy kid—to feel his family is targeted.

“Our state government is at war with our family,” Daniel Bogard told The Daily Beast.

He says his son is otherwise fine, accepted and embraced and supported by his family, friends, and community.

“The only bullies in our lives work for the state legislature,” he said.

Bogard, who is 39, serves along with his wife, Karen, as rabbi at the Central Reform Congregation in St. Louis. Their residence has been his family’s home for four generations. He now wonders if they will have to move to another, more tolerant state.

“[My trans son] sleeps in the bedroom that was my bedroom in the house my kids’ great grandpa built and we’re afraid we’re going to have to flee,” Bogard said.

The bigotry is more intense these days, but it is nothing new. Bogard has been making the two-hour drive to the Capitol in Jefferson City for four years seeking to counter LGBTQ legislation. He often brings along his trans son, along with another son who is two years older.

“This is not lobbying,” Bogard said. “This is showing up and begging our legislators to stop torturing our kids and our families, to see us as human beings and have some empathy…Just to let us live our lives and raise our children as we and our faith and our doctors understand is best.”

Both boys go with him to legislators who seem at least open to supporting them. But Bogard keeps his trans son away from the hearings, where people too often prove themselves cruelly insensitive.

“We had a Senator in a hearing ask a kid about his genitals,” Bogard said.

He noted that this is a particular fixation among the bigots.

“How obsessed they are with children’s genitals,” he said. “What they’re really saying when they ask ‘what is he really?’ They’re really asking what his genitals look like.”

He added, “Then they look at us and tell us we’re sexualizing kids and grooming them. And we’re just trying to let kids be kids.”

Bogard says these bigots are more offended by a trans girl than by a trans boy.

“They live in a world that has a strict gender binary,” Bogard said. “It’s a world view that is deeply patriarchal and misogynistic. They get it in their minds why a girl would want to be a boy. The other direction, they treat those kids with disgust.”

On his part, Bogard is most repelled by the legislators who are not actually bigoted, but are only going along with it because it is expedient in an increasingly right-wing state where almost half the Republican candidates run uncontested in the general election and the primary is everything.

“How cynical and disgusting is that?” Bogard said. “They know they’re torturing us and they’re only doing it because it’s good for them politically.”

Bogard’s older son has testified four times on behalf of his brother and a trans friend, most recently on Tuesday.

“I'm here today because I have a trans brother and a trans friend, and I have to be here because you, the Missouri government keeps trying to take away what they have a passion for,” the older brother began. “Why do you keep trying to take things from these kids? Kids just wanna have fun playing sports and not wasting time being stressed and coming here to tell you to let them play. It’s been years that you have been trying to take things away from people that I love who are just little kids. They’re not competing for a scholarship or a job where most of the time they’re not even in a tournament. They’re just trying to have fun, which they can’t do since you’re trying to pass these bills. This has affected my brother because now he gets scared that he will not be able to do what he loves.”

He went on, “It’s affecting my dad because now he goes here every other week to sit for hours to say a small speech that might not even mean anything to you. It’s affecting me because I love living here in Missouri and I’m scared that I might have to move away… because of these bills. My family and my friends are just trying to live their lives in peace in Missouri and you are hurting us and scaring us. So please vote no on Senate Bill(s) 2, 29, 39, 48, 87, 165 and all other bills that are targeting trans kids. Thank you for your time.”

The 11 year-old was reading from a statement that he had composed on a desktop computer built by the 9-year-old.

“From scratch,” the father later told The Daily Beast. “With allowance and birthday money.”

After testifying, the 11-year-old stayed the night in Jefferson City with his trans friend’s family. His own family, including his 9-year-old brother and his grandmother, Denise Bogard, were at the Capitol the next day. The grandmother has Parkinson’s disease, which is a comorbidity with COVID. She had accordingly been very careful about venturing into public indoor spaces, but she risked it to join her son and grandson in doing what they could to counter the hate.

The family had surmised from the younger boy’s earliest years that he might be trans. He balked at wearing a dress and preferred his brother’s clothes. He was 4 when he asked a question that seemed to confirm it.

“He asked if God could make him over again in a boy’s body,” Daniel Bogard recalled.

Bogard cut the boy’s long, beautiful hair to his shoulder and then to his chin and then to his ears.

“He looked at it and said, ‘I’m a boy!” Bogard remembered.

At 9, he is what his father describes as “so well adjusted, such a normal kid.”

On Wednesday, the younger son was back among legislators who treat kids like him as handy targets.

“Trans kids are among the most vulnerable kids,” Bogard said. “They’re really easy punching bags.”

The 9-year-old then returns to the house where his family has lived for four generations and fears they will be forced to flee. Bogard feels certain that the elected officials he calls “these bigots and bullies who control our state” will be introducing additional anti-trans bills that are a greater concern to them than underfunded schools and underpaid teachers and fewer school days.

“There will be more [bills] next week and they’ll just keep coming because they all want their name tied to this cruelty,” he said.

[fwoopersongs]

八月十五日夜玩月 - Frolic ‘neath the moon on Mid-Autumn’s night

by 刘禹锡 (Liu Yuxi, 772 - 842)

天将今夜月 一遍洗寰瀛 tiān jiāng jīnyè yuè yī biàn xǐ huányíng Heaven takes tonight’s moon and gives the world, land and sea, a thorough cleansing.

暑退九霄净 秋澄万景清 shǔ tuì jiǔxiāo jìng, qiū chéng wàn jǐng qīng Summer retreats, leaving the ninth sphere pure and the Autumn crisp, every view refreshing.

星辰让光彩 风露发晶英 xīngchén ràng guāngcǎi, fēnglù fā jīngyīng The stars bow aside for that vibrant light; the breeze and the dew, they sparkle and shine.

能变人间世 翛然是玉京 néng biàn rénjiān shì, xiāo rán shì yù jīng In the world of man, change is only right, but beyond such bounds is the Celestial Capital divine.

............................................................................................................

No notes this week, just poetry appreciation!

An observation: This is probably going to look like gibberish to anyone who doesn’t use hanyu pinyin…

Level (-): The first and second hanyu pinyin tones Oblique (\): The third and fourth hanyu pinyin tones

An interesting pattern is that the first lines often close with words of oblique tones and ending lines have level ones. Corresponding to that is a slightly more active movement in the description and flow of the first line while the ending lines have a more sedate pace.

//

So the first thing to grab me by the shoulders to shake was how lively and ALIVE this whole poem feels! And I was like... but WHY? It wasn't until copying this poem out for the first time that I realized...

天将 heaven (Does Thing)

一遍洗 it also Washes

暑退 summer Retreats

星辰让 the stars Let

能变 the mortal world Can Change

They've all been anthropomorphized in my brain because they are Doing things. Heaven, Summer, the stars and the world are actively engaged in activity! It’s not just these actions - but also things like Summer yielding to Autumn, crisp and fresh Autumn who brings its characteristics into this world. And because of nature's cycles, the world suddenly feels like it's brimming with life.

How do you explain the brightness a moon? Liu Yuxi tells us that the stars have seen its brilliance and stepped aside to let moonlight take the center. Stars in poetry have a tendency to get described as brilliant and shining, see: 星汉灿烂, and the word 让 is of 谦让 (modestly decline), to let, to yield. With the way that it is used here, I have a mental image of someone delighted at another’s brilliance, bowing, and stepping aside. It's such a playful turn of phrasing.

And yet how bright is the moon? So bright that it generously lends some to the wind, the dew, so that they too sparkle with light - even seeming like the light comes from within themselves. After holding their breath whilst Autumn glides in in all its refreshing tranquility, everyone is partying hard under the Mid-Autumn moonlight - what fun!

Which then makes me think of 玩月, and the word frolic came so naturally I just had to use it. Baidu tells me that 玩月, which parses as Playing with the Moon (uncapitalized words are silent) is the same as 赏月 which is Admiring/Appreciation of the Moon. So, why use 玩 instead of 赏? Maybe because it lends the ambience a lively, natural and merry vibe. 赏月 activities as reported by a song dynasty writer are thus: 中秋节前，诸店皆卖新酒，贵家结饰台榭，民家争占酒楼玩月，笙歌远闻千里，嬉戏连坐至晓 (DeepL comes to the lazy translator’s rescue: Before the Mid-Autumn Festival, all the shops sell new wine, the noble families decorate their stalls and pavilions, and the people's families compete to occupy the restaurants to play with the moon; the music and songs are heard for thousands of miles, and the games are played until dawn.) so, frolic fits quite well.

Can I also just say how the whole opening of 天将今夜月一遍洗寰瀛 is so so so epic but at the same time, is indescribably homely and filled with so much warmth that it drives me INSANE. Like you're cleaning house, EXCEPT this house is the entire world. Everything is awash with gentle light, a tender cleansing. IM AAAAAAAAAA T___T what I would give to be able to write like that. (What I would give to shake the writer and tell him this to his face.)

But, by the way, why are we dousing the world in moonlight-water and scrubbing it? HOW are we doing that? Is light and water the same thing???? How’s your physics grade, huh classmate @Liu Yuxi… does your mother know? Well our dude may not have passed physics - he never went for a single class - but he sure aced literature! 月光如水, he knows that the moonlight is smooth, bright and pure like slow running water.

What else stands out?

The last line! 

Oh, how it also drives me insane but in another direction...

So OK, the mutable mortal world versus the celestial capital - the world of the celestials (i.e. the moon) which is without inhibitions. So... where's the link???? Until i realised, my dear, you have just been SHOWN the beauty of this changing world. The seasons change, the weather does as well and the people play their games. Everything in this world CAN CHANGE. But up above the moon like a celestial palace of jade exists beyond. Transcendent. There are no rules that bind it. It exists beyond change.

So basically very awe-inspiring vibes. Though, doesn’t it also make you feel safe? In the midst of the chaos in this world, be it good or bad, look up at the moon and let its light-hearted serenity calm you. Always watch for and wonder at the beauty of this world, and remember to have fun in it!

Happy mooncake festival, friends!

[xsage-writingx]

Breaking the Rules Chapter 1

Author’s Note: So, this is my first post that I’m putting out there. This will be a slow burn so as of the first few chapters will be mild and once we get going this will become a series that DOES NOT invite Minors to interact. If I do not see at an age 18 or over in your bio I will block you. Also, I haven’t written for an audience in a few years so polite criticism is always welcome. Once again, MINORS DO NOT INTERACT.

Summary: Beck is new to Hawkins High for her senior year. She is no stranger to being the new kid but when she bumped into Eddie Munson all her rules are thrown out the window and she finds herself falling for the school freak. Everything about him draws her in. Though Hawkins has its own chaos Beck will find herself in danger with the new friends that she is making. But will her actions be enough to keep everyone that she has come to love safe?

** I do not condone the copying and reposting of my work. If I find that it is being done I will delete everything and cease writing.**

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No matter how hard I had tried consciousness pulled me from my dreams and had me kicking at my sweaty blankets that had tangled around my legs. The window air conditioner had not been able to compete with the late August heat from the night before. I groaned as I looked over to the alarm clock beside my bed. The red digits read off 5:55am. I switched off the alarm, knowing that it wasn’t worth the five more minutes of eyes closed awkwardly hoping that sleep would take me, just for the alarm to go off at 6:00am.

It had taken my dad and I two weeks to move, and with my dad having taken a job out in Indiana, the majority of the unpacking and setting up the house fell on me. My dad worked with the military and had likely already left for the day. I knew that I had to not only get myself ready for the day but make sure that I was at school on time for my first day.

As I walked out of the house, bag swung over my shoulder, I put sunglasses on to block the already blazing sun at 7am. While I could have walked to school, being only a mile and a half away, the white leather boots wouldn’t have been comfortable for the rest of the day. One year, I thought to myself, I just have to ride the bus for one year.

I flipped up my head phones and pressed play on my Walkman. The corner of my lips twitched at the thought of what this town would think if they heard what I was listening to. That morning, Black Sabbath was attempting to prepare me for the day. I closed my eyes and tilted my head up to the early morning sun as a loud backfire sounded before me.

Out of reflex I looked up in time to see a rusted van driving past and a guy with wild hair and jean vest staring at me with wide eyes. I twiddled my fingers in a wave before tilting my head back up to the sun.

No sooner did the van make its way down the road did the school bus come into view and stop before me. I refused to look at the other students on the bus. They all stared with mouths hung open and their eyes trailed behind me as I walked down the aisle until I found an almost empty seat.

I looked down to the younger auburn-haired girl that sat there. I noticed the headphones on her head, I didn’t want to interrupt her, and gently tapped the leather seat to get her attention. She looked over with eyebrows raised in question. I took my sunglasses off and motioned to the empty seat before I said, “May I?” She nodded and motioned to the empty space, then went back to staring out the window.

By the time that I sat down we were nearly pulling into the parking lot of the school. The bus pulled up to the curb of the school, and I made sure everything was together before I slung my bag back over my shoulder. The mass of students was milling[-- around, talking to each other animatedly and there were definite divisions of people. Even at a quick glance I saw who the royalty was, all wearing their sport letterman jackets and cheerleading cardigans.

As soon as I was able to, I filtered out of the bus and made my way to the main office. I felt eyes on me the entire walk, but refused to look at anyone back. For my first day, I wanted to observe. I didn’t want to make any alliances or connections before I saw how everyone treated everyone else. Of course, guys will peacock and girls will be overly friendly, but I was not going to spend my final year of high school pretending to be someone I wasn’t in fear of those people ridiculing me just because they were the first people that were nice to me on my first day, a kindness that once the novelty wore off disappeared just as quickly as it was showered upon me. Moving to Hawkins wasn’t my first move, after all.

I walked into the Main Office and just as the door closed there was a faint choking sound from outside my headphones. I turned off the music and slid the headphones around my neck and looked down. There sitting on the chairs was the guy from the van, with the wild hair, staring at me with wide eyes.

I grinned and decided that, I guess, I could break my own rule here. It wasn’t like he would actually want to be seen around me. I’m sure I don’t fit in with his vibe that he was going for. “Fancy seeing you here. That backfire earlier didn’t sound too healthy for your van.”

He didn’t speak and just kept opening and closing his mouth, like he was trying to grasp words in his mind.

I giggled and looked to see if the receptionist was here before motioning to the empty seat beside him. “May I?” He nodded furiously and scooted his bookbag closer to his leg. “My name is Beck. Obviously, short for Rebecca, but Rebecca makes me feel like I’m in trouble so Beck is good.”

“Holy shit,” he mumbled then shook his head, making his long curly hair fly every which way around his face. “I mean, Eddie. My name is Eddie.”

I smiled and extended a hand, “Lovely to meet you, Eddie.” He took my hand and the three-quarter sleeve shirt peaked out from underneath the jean vest. There was a wild demon face with medieval battle weapons around it, along with a D-20 die. “Hey, a D-20? I dig it. I used to-.”

The door to the office swung open and a very frazzled woman walked in. “Oh, Miss Harding. I am so sorry to have kept you waiting.” She moved to go behind the desk with hurried shuffles.

I leaned over to Eddie and whispered, “Well, that’s my queue. See you later.” I took my bag and stood on my side of the desk. “No need to apologize,” I said to the woman, “I can’t imagine. Honeymoon of a new school year is over already?”

She looked up with wide eyes, “How did you know?”

I laughed and clarified, “My mom was a teacher before she passed. I remember all of her horror stories.” I looked around and saw my manila folder with a schedule on top. “Honestly, this isn’t my first rodeo being in a new school. I’m sure your busy and I can just head to my first period. All I need it a point in the right direction.”

She sighed and picked up the schedule. “Are you sure, honey?”

“Mrs…” I searched for a name plate.

“Knapp,” came from behind me in the form of a whispered cough.

“Mrs. Knapp, I’m sure you’re extremely busy and I truly don’t mind,” I smiled as another thought trickled into my mind. “Like I said, all I need is a point in the right direction.” I half turned back to the door and motioned towards Eddie, “In fact, I have already met Eddie. If he has a moment before his first period, he can show me where I have to go.”

Mrs. Knapp stood from her seat, both hands braced on the table as she looked over to Eddie, his big brown eyes looking at her as she stared him down. “You and Mr. Munson are acquainted?”

“Well,” I said softly, “very briefly acquainted. I know his name is Eddie and that’s where the acquaintance ends.” I smiled to Mrs. Knapp and said, “Besides, being a military kid has helped me get used to moving a bit.”

She sighed and handed my schedule over to me. “Alright,” then she turned to Eddie and with a much sterner voice said, “and Mr. Munson, you better thank this young lady. She is your saving grace for not getting a detention two weeks into the school year.”

“As much as I would have loved to break my own record, I will be forever indebted to Miss Harding,” he said as he stood from the seats with his arms flourishing about. I turned fully to him and had to bite back my laughter. He seemed to notice and his grin grew into smirk.

“No, no,” she said exasperated, “you don’t need to break your own record.”

I did allow myself to giggle at that. “Mrs. Knapp,” she looked up from her cluttered desk, “I hope you have an easier rest of the day.” I turned back to Eddie and motioned for the door. “At your lead, sir.”

Something in him paused then the grin was back in place before he bowed dramatically to me as he opened the door for me to exit. I bit my lower lip to hold back the laughter. He followed close behind me, as if by following too slowly evil claws would reach out from the office and pull him back in to slap him with a detention.

Once we passed the windows of the Main Office Eddie began to jump and pump his fists into the air. I looked over to him with wide eyes and laughed. “How did you pull that off,” he said and took my hands in his, “Your charism if off the charts. Teach me your ways, Lady Beck.”

I laughed and said, “When you have had to move to four different schools, all in different states, you learn how to talk to people.”

“Well, I’m terribly sorry that your latest stop has plopped you here in Hawkins.”

“I’m not too terribly upset. I’ve met you, haven’t I?” I looked over to Eddie as we walked down the hall. “Unless I don’t really fit in with your look.” I motioned between myself and him. To my pristine white cotton shirt, grey washed jean shorts, and off-white boots compared to his torn black jeans, demon shirt, and jean vest with different band pins.

“You’re saying that but,” he started as he took my schedule from my hands and began looking it over. A little flashcard with my locker number and combination written on it and paper clipped in the top right corner of the full sheet of paper flopped the corner of the page over his grip. My eyes followed the movement and caught on the different rings that decorated his fingers.

“But…?” I pushed.

“But, by being seen with me you’re sealing your own social suicide,” he tapped his finger on the locker number. “Do you need to drop anything off in your locker?”

“Today, no. I only have notebooks for each class. Easy enough to carry.” He nodded and I paused us in the hall as I looked up to him, “And what do you mean by social suicide?”

“Well, you’re being shown around by Eddie-the freak- Munson,” the smile that crept across his face was laced with mockery but just below the surface was pain. “Seen around me too much and you can kiss any sort of popularity goodbye.”

I rolled my eyes and said, “If I wanted popularity, I had three other shots at it. Not my scene.” I looked over the top of the schedule and glimpsed that my first period was Chemistry. “So, since I don’t care if I’m popular or not, will you show me to the Chemistry Room?”

“You really don’t care,” he asked not having moved from his stop. I just looked at him with my eyebrows raised and mouth pressed into a thin line. Not even deigning the question with a response. “Why?”

I sighed and knew that if his worries were not put to rest, we would never get to my first period classroom. “I don’t care because why would I want to be friends with people who could just as easily turn on me if I don’t live up to their expectations of cool? I would be walking on eggshells all the time and that’s not friendship.” Something in his body loosened and I smiled gently. I stood beside him and linked my arm with his. “So, now can you show me where my first period is?”

“Your wish is my command, Lady Beck,” he said as we began down the hall again.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The first part of the day went by easy enough and Eddie met me at the end of each period so he could show me to my next class. The bell had rung to end fifth period, where I was in Math, I was cleaning up my notebook and tucking the syllabus into my folder when I felt someone come up behind me. I turned and saw three of the guys in the letterman jackets crowded behind me.

“Hey you’re new here,” the one in the middle stated. His blonde hair brushed in an effortless way to the side.

“Yeah, I am,” I said as I hung my hang over my shoulder. I tried to keep looking around, looking for Eddie, and buying time for him to get here from his last class. I knew these types of guys. Always to polite at first, their first way of getting what they want. Then, once that doesn’t work, there is the never delt with anger issues.

“Well, my name is Jason, this is Patrick and Chance,” he motioned to the guys on either side of him respectively. “We were wondering if you wanted to sit with us at lunch.”

I peaked behind them as I saw a mass of dark hair stop in the doorway of the classroom. I smiled to Eddie and held up a finger to have him wait for me. “You know, as much as I would like to,” I said tightly, “I am actually already meeting someone.” I moved to squeeze out from around them.

A hand shot out and blocked me escape. I looked up at the brunette named Chance and Jason leaned in closer, “You know, people have been talking,” Patrick made to cut off my only other line of escape but I quickly moved to get around them.

I put the desk between me and the three guys, “I’m sure what people have made up in the half a day is absolutely riveting, but like I said, I am already meeting someone.”

I turned to make my way towards the door when a hand closed around my elbow and I turned ready to get away by any means. “You really don’t want to isolate yourself to that freak, do you,” Jason spat.

I willed the fire in my eyes to simmer and a sweet smile to come to my features. “I think I can tell the freaks for myself, thanks. Now,” the smile dropped, “let go of me.”

His hold relaxed and I turned away. Normally, I would never turn my back towards something or someone if I truly believed there was a possibility of physical danger, but being in the school I had hoped the I won the odds that they wouldn’t try anything here. The whole ‘don’t shit where you eat’ idea. I walked out of the room with my head high, shoulders squared, and back straight.

As soon as I left the room, I took a deep breath before I began to look around for Eddie. It took only a moment before I saw his retreating form following the crowd to lunch. I rushed down the hall and called after him. It wasn’t until I grabbed his arm before he turned back to me. “Eddie, I was calling for you,” I said matter-of-factly.

“Listen, Beck, I get it. You can go sit with them,” he said as he tried to back up from me, hands raised.

“Hey, whoa,” I said moving to stand in front of his path. My five feet one-and-a-half-inch stature not posing much of a threat to get around. “I told them to screw off. I told you earlier that I don’t want to be friends with assholes.”

“You don’t need to lie to me, Beck,” he said already trying to force down those walls that I, myself, have constructed more times that I’d like to admit.

“Eddie, why would I lie to you when the first real thing I said to you was a compliment on your D-20 that’s on your shirt?” I paused under him and refused to look away from his eyes. “I doubt the football team plays D&D in their free time.”

“Basketball,” he mumbled.

“What was that?” I tilted my head a little for exaggeration.

“Balls in baskets. That was part of the basketball team,” he said a little louder.

I threw my head back and made an exaggerated gagging sound, “Even worse!” I laughed as I looked back at him.  “Are we ok?”

“Yeah, we’re good,” he said the grin that I made a mental note was the most brilliant thing I had ever seen, came back to his features.

I smiled gently up at him and said, “Can we please go get some lunch?”

Eddie rolled his head dramatically and motioned for me to take his arm again. “Did you bring lunch,” he asked as we began to walk with the crowd towards the cafeteria.

“No,” I said and looked up to him with wide eyes, “should I have?” He made a face and I groaned in dismay. “It’s always a 50/50 shot with smaller schools.”

Eddie laughed and said, “It’s ok. You can have some of mine.” We entered the cafeteria the divisions of cliques were even more glaringly obvious than at the beginning of the day. But I was pulled from my thoughts with Eddie’s voice, “Now, I do have to warn you. My friends,” he trailed off, “there is no nice way to say this, but they aren’t used to girls. Let alone pretty girls that would put Mia Sara to shame.”

I smacked his arm as I laughed, “Yeah right, if only I looked like her!”

We stopped at a table with five boys already seated, all wearing matching shirts to Eddie’s. All of which read ‘Hellfire Club.’ Eddie stood beside me; a casual arm draped over my shoulders. Immediately butterflies erupted in my stomach at the touch and I had to take a breath before I smiled at everyone. “Everyone, this is Beck. She is fresh meat for Hawkins High and has chosen to completely disregard social norms and wants to eat with us.” He looked at each boy in turn and said pointedly, “Behave.”

I looked around at everyone and raised a hand in a form of a wave, “Yup, like Eddie said, I’m Beck.” I paused as they all stared at me, “I love the shirts, and the reference.” They all remained silent and I trailed off in an attempt to make some kind of connection with them, “X-men…”

One of the younger boys leaned over his lunch towards Eddie and said, “Where did you find her?” He stood from his seat and forced the taller skinny boy to scoot down a seat. Eddie took up the end of the table and the boy that remained standing motioned for me to take the seat between him and Eddie. “I’m Dustin, Dustin Henderson.” He stuck out a hand for me to take and a sweet smile beamed on his face.

“Beck, though you kind of know that, already.” I sat down and Eddie held up two snack bags, one with trail mix and one with pretzels. I squinted at the trail mix and asked, “Is that chocolate chips or raisins?”

Eddie looked back into the bag, as if he didn’t pack it himself, then replied, “Uh, both.” I pointed to the trail mix and he slid it over.

“I’m only going to have, like, three chocolate chips, and the rest are yours.” I said quickly before I turned back to the group and continued to try and form some kind of a conversation with the painfully awkward guys, “So, based on the rest of your shirt, can I safely assume that you all play D&D together?”

Each boy began coughing around the table and I laughed. “I told you to take it easy on them, Beck,” Eddie spoke into my ear, his breath tickling the hair around my ear. He leaned back and continued, “But, yes. We are the Hellfire Club and we explore the fantastical D&D realm on a weekly basis. I, myself, am the Dungeon Master.”

I looked him over with a grin plastered to my lips as I said, “Oh, I could see that.” I tried to tame the butterflies that erupted from my stomach upon his smirk and wink in return. Cool it, Beck. No crushes on the first day.

The rest of lunch went by quickly, too quickly before the bell rang to signal for the rest of the day to continue. The next two periods after lunch went quickly with Eddie continuing to walk me to each class until it came to ninth period, English, where Eddie didn’t leave me at the door but followed me into the class and walked right to the back of the room. Then plopped down at the desk next to the window.

I followed him back and stood beside the desk he sat at. “So, when were you going to tell me that we had a class together?”

He grinned up at me and said, “I thought it would be a fun surprise to end your first day,” he paused and lifted his hands shaking them like jazz hands, “Surprise!” I laughed and took up the seat next to him. “Besides, Mrs. O’Donnel doesn’t quite like me. I thought that you could experience this show without any spoilers.”

“And why on earth would she not like you?”

“Believe it or not, I’m not a model student. And English is just so awful,” he said flopping his head back over the seat.

“You’re saying that a DM doesn’t like reading?” I tilted my head and cocked an eyebrow for effect.

He perked up and leaned over to holding up a finger, “No, no, not reading but the course of 12th grade English tries to stifle the creativity out of souls.”

“Oh, Munson, if you think that’s true then you’re not doing it right.” I took hold of his finger and said, “You just signed up for my English study sessions without even realizing.” He groaned and leaned back in his seat again. “‘The counsel of Harding was not founded on foreknowledge of safety, for himself or for others… There are some things that it is better to begin than to refuse, even though the end may be dark.’”

Eddies eyes were once again blown wide, his mouth hanging open.

“It’s Lord of the Rings…” I looked down thinking I just over stepped and freaked out the freak. Wouldn’t have been my first time. After moving so much during my years it was easier to find comfort in books, because at least I could take those with me when we moved.

“I know what it is,” Eddie said. Just as Mrs. O’Donnell walked in, I heard a faint, “Is she even real?”

By the end of class I was able to count eight times that Mrs. O’Donnell look back to Eddie waiting for him to cause some kind of scene or mischief, when all he did was remain quiet and keep looking at me every few minutes. It wasn’t until the bell rang that Eddie sprang up and turned to me.

“Let me drive you home,” he blurted out then continued before I could even respond. “I drove past you this morning so I know you’re right on the way. Let me drive you home?”

I laughed and swung my bag onto my shoulder, then said, “I’d be forever in your debt to not have to ride that bus.”

We stopped by Eddie’s locker before going out to his van. Eddie went to the passenger side first and opened the door for me. “Milady,” he said quietly as he held a hand out to help me into the van.

The van had a musty smell to it, and a lingering smell of tobacco and a very particular earthy smell that I might bring up at a different time if we got closer. A thought that I found myself wishing would be the case. I knew that my dad’s job would keep us here for at least a year, and it would be nice to spend that last year with Eddie. I looked back to him and smiled as I took his hand to get into the passenger seat.

Tingles shot through my arm as our hands touched and I felt a blush creep up my cheeks. I tucked my head as my ashy brunette hair fell before my face to try and hide the blush that was burning my face. When the door didn’t close, I turned to get the door myself but saw Eddie still there. I looked between his eyes and he slowly reached up and tucked some of my hair behind my ear.

My breath caught in my throat as our eyes remained locked together. Too quickly did he cough and close the door for me, then rushed over to the other side to hop into the driver’s seat. The van roared to life and we peeled out of the parking lot.

With the speed in which Eddie was driving I knew we were closing in on the destination of my house. I didn’t want this day to end but knew that tomorrow was another day. That knowledge didn’t stop me from making a comment, “What’s going on Eddie? Got a hot date or something?”

“What?!” He croaked and whipped his head to face me.

I laughed, my head falling back as I gripped my stomach. “I was just kidding but that definitely sounded very defensive.”

He poked my side, I squirmed away from him and turned to face him as he said, “No, no hot dates. I wanted to drive you home even though I have band practice at Gareth’s place.”

I made an overexaggerated nod as I mouthed an ‘ah’ of understanding. “Well, one of these days I would love to hear you play.” I pointed to the split-level white house and said, “But that’s me.”

Even though we were slowing down, Eddie hadn’t gotten past the request to hear his band play and asked, “You want to listen to us?”

Eddie pulled over in front of the house. “Of course I do.” I flicked one of his pins and said, “Based on your pins I would think you guys have a pretty decent taste in music.”

Before I could even fully turn to the door Eddie had blurted out, “Then come with me.”

I swung back to him eye brows raised, “Not tonight! If I’m going to turn into a groupie for…”

“Corroded Coffin.”

I grinned and continued, while I tried to drown the butterflies that were threatening to consume me from the inside out, “If I’m going to turn into a groupie for Corroded Coffin then I will need to at least look hot when I show up for my first appearance.” I tucked my head again as the butterflies weren’t going away, if anything they were getting worse. “So alas, I will spend my evening getting my binders prepared for tomorrow.”

Eddie moved his face down into my line of sight and I couldn’t fight the blush that erupted over my cheeks. “Can I at least drive you to school in the morning then?”

“Yes,” I said breathlessly. “I would like that very much.”

The smile that shown over his face was nothing short of stunning. His dak eyes crinkled at the corners and I could have sworn my heart stopped completely. “Then I’ll see you tomorrow, princess.”

The ground could have opened up and swallowed me then and I would have died a happy woman. Not only was it guaranteed that I was going to see him tomorrow but that nickname just did something to me. I nodded, as I was unable to say anything else. Too flustered to form a thought until I was shaken from the daze as my feet hit the ground. I turned back to the van to see Eddie still grinning and said, “Thank you for today, Eddie.”

“It was my absolute pleasure.” He said, “I’ll see you in the morning.” I ‘uh-huh’ed in agreement and closed the door. Eddie sent a wink to me and my lips pulled up on their own. Eddie laughed to himself and began to pull away from the curb. “Oh,” he stopped the van and I quickly walked over to the window again, “Here’s my phone number. Might as well have it since I’ll be driving you to school.”

I reached in through the window and took the scrap of paper, then stepped back. “Thanks, Eds. See you tomorrow morning.”

“See you at 7:30.” Then he was driving away and I was rooted to my spot for a moment. I shook my head and began walking into my house. I tucked the paper with Eddie’s number safely into my pocket as I pulled the keys from my bag. The house was still empty; dad pulled long hours with his work with the military. He was working on some project that had him away for most of the time and had me unpacking the house alone. However, tonight’s packing would take a backseat as I definitely needed to actually organize my school life and I had to get myself under control so I didn’t make a fool of myself the next day with Eddie.

**Thank you all for reading! I hop you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing!**

[zealouscanonindeer]

Common Courtesy

Dr John Watson:

The Victoria station buzzed, the great cesspool of people flittering and hovering about like bees, their muffled goodbyes, tears, exclamations of joy all amalgamating into one incessant white noise to fill your ears until one threw his hat off in a mixture of irk and stimulating energy.

We waited by the stagnant train for the doors to open and reveal our compartment, which was to be our residing place for the next few hours. The train hooted and the steam rose in a majestic fashion, engulfing all and leaving them slightly bleary eyed. The doors were opened and Holmes and I made our way to our coach. Here we sat down opposite each other, Holmes pulled out a map of Denver and a pencil and began his detailed marking, outline of his pursuit and plan of attack. In time I would come to know it too.

"Watson, the primary task before us is to ensure Emily's safety. Once we have achieved that i suppose the rest shall follow. However, there is one thing I must ask of you, I warn you it is accompanied by a certain amount of danger... "

"You know better than anyone that I am willing share all that comes your way on these adventure. "

"A better accomplice a man never had.. "

"You flatter me, Holmes."

"I owe and Emily does too.. to your sense of humility in correcting my occasional pertinent ways."

"Now, what is this thing you want of me? "

"Ah. Yes. It is, you see my ardent request that you escort Emily back to Cartwright estate as soon as she is to be found. "

I must admit I was afraid. I was fairly certain that it would be a humongous task to get her to agree. A fine example of pushing her against her will, had on numerous occasions been put forth and it was enough to worry me for my own sake.

"You know better than anyone that she is not one to comply to such things. And she most certainly will heed to nothing against her own wills. "

"Indeed Watson. But it keeps things interesting, does it not? " Holmes smirked.

I suppose they both shared equal love for the sport,a constant defiance yet underlined by care. A passion quite foreign to me before my long acquaintance with Sherlock Holmes. The tingling anticipation in your bones, the fervid wait and dissolving mysteries appeal to even the most dull minds.

I had sadly been troubled by my war wound the past few months but the warm weather coupled with a new adventure had livened my spirits greatly. As the train rolled through the vast grassy countryside of London, I only hoped we were in time.

******

Denver, a quaint little port in the outskirts of North of England stood stark in contrast to the secrets it housed.

Holmes pulled me out of my reverie, absorbing the view himself in a quick glance before he transformed into Holmes the sleuthhound, on the scent of his targets and would relentlessly pursue his chase to a satisfactory end.

We walked about town for a few hours on the pretext on obtaining lodgings as per our liking and disqualifying any place having served it's purpose of rendering us with data. Making our way out of one such building, Holmes was quick to divert my attention.

"Watson, look the window frames! "

I turned curtly to view a massive church across the bank, on the other side of the water its looming windows hardly unnoticeable. We quickly hired a boat, our ferryman slightly amazed by our rush but in the end pleased as we preferred to leave our change in his competent hands.

Holmes made quick work of the lock, allowing us into the deserted building. In the center stood a singular chair, a rope grappled and savagely cut through. The room smelt burned and the darkened walls conveyed the similar expression.

"Watson, keep your revolver on hand." Holmes instructed. With his magnifying glass, he studied the ends of the rope. Subsequently , he made his way around the room, lying flat on his stomach inspecting every inch of the floor.

"The rope was used to bind someone to that chair, the ends are frayed excessively, the fibers stabbed considerably and repeatedly by a thin tool and shaky hand, indicative of a hurried escape. In all probability the weapon in question seems to be a hatpin. The fire I surmise, was the acute threat. "

"Good heavens! She has escaped then."

Holmes drew in a sharp breath and closing his eyes, exhaled, mildy shuddering.

" Where do you suppose they are now? "

"The far end of the water, getting into the vessel named, I believe The Regent."

"How could you possibly deduce that?"

"The floor is indented with scratches produced by dragging of wheels, trolleys carring heavy weights for the wheels have sunk into the wood ever so slightly at certain standpoints. The rest you see is common inference.The only vehicle carrying such heavy goods is a ship and the only ship leaving Denver today is the singular Regent. Denver hauls it's main vessels at the central port, a ship of such size could dock only there.

"It's impossibly commonplace! "

"Omne ignotum pro magnifico."

Holmes shrugged with mild asperity before we made our way into the sleepy streets of Denver. We walked through a small alley which would save us some time and allow us to reach our destination faster. A common street urchin with a wierd looking cap over her head collided with Holmes, in my view almost deliberately.

"Pardon me." Holmes quickly apologized, continuing ahead. To my utter surprise, the urchin slid her hand into his, pulling him to a stop.

"You follow me across the country and yet you have forsaken the common courtesy to greet me. I truly have given up hope of ever understanding you." She smiled.

[helpmeimblorboing]

祇園精舎の鐘の聲、 諸行無常の響き有り。 沙羅雙樹の花の色、 盛者必衰の理を顯す。 驕れる者も久しからず、 唯春の夜の夢の如し。 猛き者も遂には滅びぬ、 偏に風の前の塵に同じ。

Gionshōja no kane no koe,

Shogyōmujō no hibiki ari.

Sarasōju no hana no iro,

Jōshahissui no kotowari wo arawasu.

Ogoreru mono mo hisashikarazu,

tada haru no yo no yume no gotoshi.

Takeki mono mo tsui ni wa horobin(u),

hitoeni kaze no mae no chiri ni onaji.

The sound of the Gion Shōja bells echoes the impermanence of all things the color of the sāla flowers reveals the truth that the prosperous must decline The proud do not endure, they are like a dream on a spring night the mighty fall at last, they are as dust before the wind.

The bells at Buddhist temples in Japan are different than the bells found in cathedrals throughout the western world. The bells are housed in a bell “tower” that is essentially a sturdy, open sided building that the bell is suspended from in the middle. Not much of a tower really

The bell is protected from the elements simply by a a roof. Rather than a clapper that rings the bell from the inside like we would expect in the west, the bells are rung with a small log suspended by ropes alongside the bell. It requires a person to swing the log with enough

momentum to strike the bell with the end of the log. The bell echoes for a long period of time before the bell is rung again.Quite unlike the seemingly continuous and joyful ringing of western bells when rung by hand.The sound from the Japanese bell is more sobering and prolonged

The 4-character expression (yojijukugo) "the prosperous must decline" (盛者必衰, jōshahissui) is a phrase from the Humane King Sutra, in full "The prosperous inevitably decline, the full inevitably empty" (盛者必衰、実者必虚, jōsha hissui, jissha hikkyo).

Gion Shoja” refers to the Buddhist monastery in India and “sala flower” refers to the flower of the sala tree in Kushinagara where Shakyamuni passed away. It is said that when Shakyamuni passed away, the sala trees gave forth flowers in full bloom out of season.

Dōgen’s contemporary, Kamo no Chomei (1153 – 1216), wrote an essay entitled Hojoki (My Ten-Foot Hut) in 1212, one year before Dogen became a monk at Enryakuji in Mt. Hiei. Chomei wrote about the situation in the capital, Kyōto.

He recorded that they had many natural disasters such as great fires, whirlwinds, typhoons, earth quakes, etc. beside the destruction caused by the civil wars between Heike and Genji clans. In the beginning of Hojoki he wrote:

Though the river’s current never fails, the water passing, moment by moment, is never the same. Where the current pools, bubbles form on the surface, bursting and disappearing as others rise to replace them, none lasting long. In this world, people and their

dwelling places are like that, always changingNor is it clear to me, as people are born and die, where they are coming from and where they are going. Nor why, being so ephemeral in this world, they take such pains to make their houses pleasing to the eye. The master and the

dwelling are competing in their transience. Both will perish from this world like the morning glory that blooms in the morning dew. In some cases, the dew may evaporate first, while the flower remains—but only to be withered by the morning sun. In others, the flower may wither

even before the dew is gone, but no one expects the dew to last until evening. These are the well-known examples of people’s sense of transience and the vanity of life in the mundane world at the time of Dōgen. Dōgen’s insight into impermanence is very different from those

pessimistic views of fleeting world. As he expresses in this waka, although seeing impermanence is sad and painful, still, that is the way we can arouse bodhi-citta (way-seeking mind) and also see the eternity within impermanence.

[otnesse]

Reply to hafanforever

alantlm:

I didn’t realize until I was older that, despite their deep infatuation with him, the Bimbettes (sorry, Alan, but I am just used to calling them as such) NEVER once showed animosity, jealousy, or hatred towards Belle nor tried to compete with her for Gaston’s affections when he directed interest only in Belle. Heck, they never even make any moves themselves in order to attempt to get Gaston interested in one of them rather than Belle. If anything, yes, when Belle turns down Gaston’s offer of a date to the tavern, the girls weren’t upset at all that Belle accepting would mean they would be rejected. Rather, they expected her to accept his offer, and therefore, they were completely confused and surprised when Belle turned Gaston down, saying she was crazy and something was wrong with her for her to reject him. Of course, it shows that the girls are just as shallow as Gaston is, since their words indicate they think Belle should be infatuated with Gaston just like they are. Not only that, but to them, Belle should consider herself lucky that the most handsome man in town is interested in her, and ONLY her!

Now of course, the girls were crying at the prearranged wedding when Gaston said he had to “go in there and propose to the girl”, so they knew Gaston was planning to marrying Belle, not any one of them. It might have been they thought one of them still had a chance with him and didn’t think his interest in Belle was going to be so serious that he set his sights on Belle alone and his decision was final.

The last time they appear is during the “Gaston” musical number whey flank him, giving out their lovesick swoons, and then when he lifts the bench on which they are sitting. We don’t see them again at all, not even during the mob, but I wonder if, since Belle had rejected Gaston earlier, the girls thought at least one of them had a chance to be with him.

Thinking it over now, I realize that the Bimbettes are such airheaded bimbos that the film shows them as perfect epitomes of the “Dumb Blonde” trope, while Belle represents the “Brainy Brunette” trope, and Gaston is the “Jerk Jock”. And my friend @minervadeannabond have decided to add this trio to our list of dumb Doras, and from Disney, our list include Drizella and Anastasia Tremaine. 😉

Posting my reply here since hafanforever didn't have any way to do reblogs of their posts.

Anyways, as far as the post above goes, you've got some valid points, but I'm not entirely sure the triplets were even THAT shallow in the film, much less as shallow as Gaston (aside from the fact that unlike Gaston, they don't seem to even focus on their own beauty and act self-absorbed about it, the fact that they helped set up the wedding at Belle's house strongly implies that they viewed her as a friend (even moreso when based on their doe-in-the-headlights reaction upon Gaston emerging as the groom, they didn't even know Gaston was going to be the groom, meaning they were actually helping celebrate Belle's wedding, period. That's actually very kind of them really.), and given how Belle in the opening song was heavily implied to be something of an outcast in the story, the fact that they actually consider an outcast their friend would if anything suggest that they too can see beyond appearances, at least to some extent. I don't think truly shallow people would befriend a person who's widely deemed a pariah). Oh yeah, and here's another detail that I realized fairly recently while replaying the film in my head. In the scene where we effectively get our first introduction to Maurice, while LeFou and to a lesser extent Gaston were mocking Maurice as a crazy loon [Gaston himself never made any mocking comments, but he DID laugh derisively with LeFou, even moreso after the house exploded], the triplets were not heard laughing at all, not even when the house cellar blew up, which had no background music playing at all. And they were within earshot of the whole thing based on the panaway and our never actually seeing them leave despite getting a fairly good view if they were to depart. Combining that with their noticeable lack of presence in the mob late in the film, or for that matter their lack of involvement in Gaston throwing Maurice out into the snow, that would imply they are also probably one of the few characters who actually ARE respectful to Belle's father.

I also can't say the term "Bimbettes" really matched up with them at all. I mean, sure, I'll use it to ensure people know who I'm talking about, but other than those instances, I'll just call them Triplets. I mean, they merely crushed on ONE GUY, just one guy. Most stereotypical bimboes tended to sleep around or flaunt their bodies to any guy they find. Think Maron from Dragon Ball Z for an example. They did neither (heck, they barely even noticed any other guys in the village either). If anything, that featherduster came far closer to actually BEING a bimbo than they ever did. I'm sorry, but why does she keep going for Lumiere when he made it clear he's a shameless womanizer who even beds women who were already married to someone else?

I will agree they were meant to represent the dumb blonde trope, which if you ask me was actually one of the film's biggest weaknesses ESPECIALLY regarding the moral (heck, they really didn't show themselves to be particularly dumb. "Dumb" would be them interpreting Belle's obvious refusal as her saying yes.), especially when, crushing on Gaston aside, they never showed any genuine indication of them being internally ugly (you know, the entire POINT behind being the foils to the protagonist of a true beauty from within fairy tale, essentially Belle's wicked sisters, Cinderella's stepsisters, or even Snow White's stepmom, to name a few). And personally, even though they framed Belle as a Brainy Brunette, she actually comes across as a bit stupid in the film herself, albeit unintentionally, like the whole West Wing incident or her squealing about the Beast to a congregated lynch mob, despite literally deducing that Gaston was going to blackmail her to force her hand in marriage. Besides, Marvel Comics' take on them showed them to be very intelligent and even conniving (heck, the beginning of one B-story involving the village even implied they were very good at mathematics, or at least counting).

EDIT: Okay, they DID show some of those traits in their Marvel Comics bits (the envy for Belle and some levels of vanity). However, going by the film itself, they don't show those traits, so I'm not really sure I should count Marvel Comics in this particular situation since it's too much of a breach, while at least the intellectual bits do pose a bit of a gray area. And personally, I kind of preferred Marvel Comic's take on them be used in the actual movie because at least there, they actually WOULD act like Belle's foils regarding the moral of the tale.

EDIT 2: Also, thanks in large part to the film, possibly unintentionally, implying that the triplets were genuinely friendly with Belle during the failed wedding (which would also indicate that even THEY saw inner worth their own way, since someone who was truly shallow would NOT interact with, much less befriend outcasts, period, and Belle going strictly by the story was meant to be an outcast in the village.), I'd even argue at this point that had the triplets been in Belle's position in the movie regarding Beast, they might have helped bring Beast's inner angels out MUCH easier than Belle did.

[toa-kirhan]

First time watching ToH S1E11 (Sense and Insensitivity). Thoughts below:

Detailed thoughts:

It’s nice to see King open up to Luz again about his dreams and insecurities, as well as apologizing for his actions, something we haven’t seen since E4 and under very different circumstances.

Back then, King apologized to Luz that his help on how to perform magic didn’t work. This time, King apologized to Luz for actually wronging her, but unlike last time, Luz has already started to make progress on her dream of becoming a witch, while King is in the same spot as before, clasping at any opportunity to feel special, to be special, no matter how small it is. Even proving that he’s better than the children that people treat him as is a win in his book.

It was also nice to see the two Clawthorne sisters interact with each other again. The last time Eda and Lilith were together (barring that time Luz body swapped with Eda) was back during the Covention, an event dedicated to one of the main ideological differences b/w them that unsurprisingly leads to conflict.

Here, we get a better view of what the dynamics between the two sisters is really like, or at least, what it used to be like. While Eda has plenty of reasons to beat Lilith to the Bloom of Eternal Youth, the reason she gives isn’t to stop the Emperor from gaining immortality or gaining it for herself, but to prove to her sister that she isn’t frail and weak, that her curse, as debilitating as it can be sometimes, is no reason to coddle or underestimate her.

Even though the two are on opposite sides from each other, the competing adventure between them to claim the Bloom of Eternal Youth was enough to reaffirm their sisterly bond, something that Lilith evidently had her doubts about.

Luz is still a good bean.

General thoughts:

Book fair!

“Where books come to life?” Wasn’t that 4 episodes ago?

I want to read My Boyfriend from Tartarus (or at least, I think I do).

A writing competition you say? Well, NaNoWriMo is right around the corner. Not exactly a competition (except against yourself and time).

Also, Luz’s relatability has increased dramatically for me over the course of this one episode.

John de Plume looks and sounds like an Ace Attorney villain.

Go get it nose girl!

Lilith? What’s she doing here in my book fair episode?

There sure are a lot of con artists in the Boiling Isles, Adegast, Tibbles, Map to the Bloom of Eternal Youth merchant...

Ain’t nothing wrong w/ writing a pair of self-inserts. A good story is a good story.

Demon typewriter is the type of friend we all want to have.

Luz is a natural shipwright.

Is this the first multi-day story? If the elixirs are starting to lose effect then how’s Eda going to manage w/o them? Or are we holding off on that idea for another episode?

I would make a joke about Piniet being an obviously evil book publisher, but I don’t know any.

Tour de Horse is an excellent pun.

Get it nose girl, get it!

Eda’s got a magic machete! Does that fall under illusion magic too or something else?

What happened to Steve? Was he just there to help Lilith buy a map?

Demon typewriter best character!

It’s neat to see Boscha here. I didn’t pin her as a big reader.

It’s hard to believe that Luz was able to put on a brave face and attend the party of someone who plagiarized her just because they’re her friend, but I’m really glad that Luz stood up for her work.

“Hemming... hawing...”

Shout out to the Owl House for standing up against crunch time.

WTF AUTHOR CUBES

Very sweet moment b/w Luz and King. The only thing I put in my notes for this scene was: ;v;

HE KILLED HIM

I’m sure there’s some symbolism here, but Lilith and Eda’s motifs seem to be eagles and owls.

Nose girl finally winning!

“Pachoo! Pachoo!”

[eandamj]

AMERICAN SAMOA - PAGO PAGO 5th April 2024

The sun was shining brightly as we arrived in American Samoa.

We docked in Pago Pago (pronounced Pahng oh Pahng oh). This was the view as we arrived:

We had arrived on the main island of American Samoa, Tutuila and we took a tour of part of the island. The tour took place in wooden island buses with bench style seats, open windows with no air conditioning and no seatbelts. This is what our bus looked like:

We were taken to places where islanders find great meaning in their lives. The first stop along the coast was the monolithic Fatu-ma-Futi or Flowerpot Rock. There are actually two!

The Flowerpot Rock - the further from the shore - rises straight out of the ocean as though it is guarding the entrance to Pago Pago bay. We continued to travel west. The scenery showed how lush and green the island is:

We stopped at a woody site which was of great historical significance to the islanders. Below is a star mound or Tia Seu Lupe. This marks the site where young men would come to hunt for pigeons competing with others. The man who could capture the most birds would then receive the chief ‘s or at least a father’s blessing to marry a young woman.

The Polynesian people of the island live in villages. It was very noticeable that there was an abundance of churches. Often as we were passing through villages, we noticed that many houses have ornate graves marked in the garden as shown here:

Apparently it is Polynesian tradition to bury family members at home. Houses and the land are passed from generation to generation. It was also very noticeable that the villages had a variety of covered pagodas.

Some of these are built by families for their private use, but we also saw many along a beach which are for public use. Apparently each tribal chief has one and each religious minister so that they are a very common sight.

We passed some fantastic scenery along the coastline:

This was near an area which people treat as a water park. Nearby to these jagged rocks were “slider rocks” which are smooth and people enjoy surfing over. Unfortunately not everyone confines themselves to the smooth rocks and it was sobering to see a beach side graveyard for those who have never been found!

We then visited the village of Leone to see an important memorial to those from that village (11) who died in a destructive tsunami in September 2009. Many others were killed in other villages too. The memorial is a sculpture of a “breadfruit” tree as this is a tree that over generations they climb to save themselves from tsunamis. It was very poignant as the memorial had all the photographs of those who died including little children. Here is the memorial:

The coastline at this point showed evidence of earthquake movement with rocks across the bay.

We then returned to Pago Pago and visited the marine conservation centre to learn of their conservation programme within the National Park of American Samoa. They are very proud of what they have achieved.

After a break for lunch we walked into the centre of Pago Pago which in many ways looked similar to the villages we had seen in the morning. It was very hot and humid and as we got back on the ship, there was torrential rain. Before we sailed away we saw several teams of men practicing rowing in the long traditional rowing boats associated with Polynesian culture.

[fantasyinvader]

So I originally wanted to do this as a huge-ass essay, going over the scenarios, explaining the players and the like. However, to properly do this I'd probably need to reread the series. Or watch the anime which is over a hundred episodes long. So, forgive me for this but I kinda wanted to talk about this and spoilers ahead for a great series.

I've read Legend of the Galactic Heroes. All ten books. They are currently sitting on my shelf, next to The Witcher. I'm a fan of the series, and would recommend people at least try out an episode or two of it for themselves. And the reason why I bring this up is that Legend of the Galactic Heroes was referenced by the developers with regards to Three Houses. Specifically, how Claude was inspired by Yang Wen-li, one of the main characters.

And wouldn't you know it, the series talks about meritocracy. Basically, it's not treated as some cure-all solution regardless of it being applied to a democratic state or an autocratic one.

First and foremost, who sets the definition of what is merit? The guy at the top, of course, and that's why it can be dangerous. If the head honcho has certain prejudices, they can be baked into the system. Case-in-point, the first Galactic Kaiser Rudolf von Goldenbaum. The guy had a good track record fighting pirates for the former Galactic Federation, and as a result was able to hold the offices of President and Prime Minister...at the same time, no one else doing so not being a rule more a formality Rudolf ignored. And from there, he crowned himself Kaiser.

Rudolf believed that there were certain vices that needed to be cracked down upon in order to better humanity as part of his “holy duty” to protect it. These were drinking, drug usage, gambling... and homosexuality. He believed that living in poverty was a symptom of them having unfit genetics, and as a result enacted the Inferior Genes Exclusion Act. A firm believer in the “Law of the Jungle,” he saw to it that those with physical or mental conditions were sterilized or killed. In addition, be was a racist who decreed that non-whites couldn't be part of his nobility, which he opened up to supporters of his with Germanic names who shared his ancestry (he viewed himself as the pinnacle of humanity, even trying to get his height used as the standard unit of measurement and was stopped only when an accountant told him, possibly lying, it would be super expensive to change everything. The fact he fathered a child with cognative disabilities and it might have come from HIM haunted him, even after he killed the Mistress, her family, everyone present at the birth as well as their families). As a result of all this, billions died and the human population plummeted due to the sterilizations carried out, and with his death the nobles he empowered kept the Empire going.

Another fun fact about him: One of his descendants was gay, abandoning the throne and fleeing with treasure alongside his lover.

Through Rudolf, we see the dangers of giving one individual the ability to solely decide what is “merit” among the rest of his power. The series has his legacy in the background, a warning to both Yang as well as his rival, Reinhard von Lohengramm.

On the other end of the spectrum, there's Fleet Admiral Lassella Lobos of the Free Planets Alliance. Lobos was said to have been competent enough to get such a position despite lacking imagination and track record, only for him to be in over his head in reality. He signed off on a plan, submitted by a Commodore who went above his superiors, to invade the Empire after they lost the previously unbeatable Iserlohn fortress to Yang. The plan was pretty vague, did not take into consideration things such as supply lines, and ultimately played into Reinhard's hands. Of the 30 million Alliance soldiers who went into the invasion, only 10 million survived and shifting the balance of the war into the Empire's favor. This is a factor in Lobos resigning, as well as crushing the Alliances's faith in the military, allowing Reinhard to sabotague them leading to an insurrection (of military commanders who believe the government is corrupt and only looking out for themselves, taking over in order to “protect democracy.”) while he's caught in a civil war with the Imperial nobility.

The Alliance is full of issues due to the long war. Since so many people are being funnelled into the military, there's not enough people to maintain the upkeep of the infrastructure. Yang originally tried to study in order to become a historian, only to have to study military history...and then for the program to be shut down, leading him to either being transferred to officer's training or have to pay back his tuition. Likewise, the families of soldiers are pushed to take in war orphans, but then the orphans are expected to pay back what the government paid those families to look after them usually through military service. Oh, and if you speak out against the war there's a militia going around terorrizing people even if they're in the military. The aforementioned invasion was carried out instead of suing for peace after taking Iserlohn in order to regain strength.

People like Yang might be able to rise up on merit, but the threat of another Rudolf can cause them to be viewed with suspicion by those at the top. Those people can use their power to try and control those they deem as threats, such as calling in Yang for questioning a speech he gave about how protecting individual rights and liberty are more important than protecting the nation (as the government believes war and self-sacrifice makes people better rather than them becoming decadent). Sadly though, Yang's flaw is his belief in democracy and his unwillingness to defile it. He didn't allow himself to take power even when urged to do so, or violate orders from his superiors (such as blasting the now-Kaiser Reinhard after the Alliance surrendered). He wouldn't violate the democracy he fought to protect, even if it's leaders were corrupt or to save it.

On the other hand though, there's a case where someone is sabotaged by those under him. Oskar von Reuenthal was one of Reinhard's Fleet Admirals, and a damned good one as well. Together with his friend Wolfgang Mittermeyer, a commoner who was promoted by Reinhard for his distinguished service, they were known as the Twin Stars/Pillars of the Empire. Reuenthal is dark haired while Mittermeyer is a ginger to boot for all you Ferdibert fans.

Reuenthal was put in charge of managing the former Alliance territories, but was framed as a traitor by one of his subordinates, Fleet Commander Alfred Grillparzer. Grillparzer could have been promoted in due time, even has this pointed out to him, but instead concealed evidence that would have absolved Reuenthal so that he could “betray” Reuenthal (he fatally shot him) to the Kaiser and be rewarded for it. All he wanted was to gain achievements in order to stand out and prove his merit. Instead, he's forced to commit suicide as a punishment after Reuenthal's pride wouldn't allow him to back down from the Imperial forces coming to stop him. Reuenthal, to the end, was loyal to Reinhard even when fighting against his forces commanded by his best friend Mittermeyer.

This is after Reinhard began his reforms to make the Empire a meritocracy, and Reinhard strives to be a benevolent dictator. But even this is not above criticism, as Reinhard loves fighting. Fleet Admiral Paul von Oberstein at one point calls him out on it to his subordinates, criticizing how Reinhard would fight a battle that would cost millions their lives rather than use hostages to pressure the other side into surrendering. Hell, the reason the Allinace surrendered was because Reinhard's secretary and later wife, Hildegard von Mariendorf, convinced Reuenthal and Mittermeyer to make a break for the Alliance capital to capture it while Reinhard was fighting because she realized he was going to not only lose but die.

Speaking of which, her sickly cousin, Baron Heinrich von Kummel, attempted to assassinate Reinhard due to the machinations of the Cult of Terra (think the Slithers of the setting). The man was powerless due to his illness, bed-ridden for most of his life. He would never do the great things that would prove his merit, and so during the assassination attempt savored the feeling of putting Reinhard, who had become Kaiser, in his power.

The people on top can hold the people below them down regardless of merit, as Yang's history showed us. Those at the bottom can sabotague those on top, as what happened to Reuenthal, and those who are powerless may lash out, as shown with Heinrich. Meritocracy does not make everyone play nice, nor is it fair.

But back to Oberstein. He has had artificial eyes since birth, noting that during Rudolf's era he would have been put to death for it. Hence, why he wants to tear down the old regime and, despite his willingness to do the dirty work for Reinhard no one else would, wants to prevent Reinhard from becoming another Rudolf. He also spells it out during the incident with the hostages, he was given his position by Reinhard himself. If the admirals under him have a problem with his decision, then they are disagreeing with their Kaiser. Likewise, their relative positions means that Oberstein does not have to answer to his admirals as he is above them in the hierarchy, he only answers to Reinhard himself. Naturally, this pisses off the admirals and it's especially poignant because the reason Yang got back into direct action was because someone appointed by Reinhard to oversee Yang screwed up and caused Yang to flee for his safety.

That is the nature of meritocracy, a hierarchy. And you have to play by the rules of the guys on top. This plays a part in the finale, as the remnants of Yang's forces (Yang dead at this point), have to make the case to Reinhard in order to preserve democracy. As such, in order to show him the value of it they have to prove it's worth. How? By fighting him, boarding his ship (which has never been damaged prior to this) and confronting him directly. Members of the Yang fleet, guys we've known since the first book such as Schonkopf or Merkatz, die during this. It's not that they can retake the entire galaxy, they don't have the forces to do that. This is all to make one last, desperate appeal to a man who believes democracy prevents the great from acting as it tangles things up in bureaucracy and red-tape.

Their case is that despite the meritocracy, it can still become corrupt. Just because all the power is consolidated at the top doesn't stop this, and when it happens there's no checks or balances to it. Reinhard might be (mostly) benevolent, but all it takes is one bad egg of an Kaiser to ruin everything Reinhard has done. For in a democracy, it's failing are the failings of the people as they voted those clowns into power, whereas in an autocracy there's no one to blame but the guy with all the power. Hell, the former leader of the Alliance Job Trunicht did everything he could to increase his own power, and after the surrender was trying to do the same thing with his new role in the Empire before he ticked off Reuenthal by badmouthing Reinhard and criticizing the democracy that empowered him.. because it put someone like him into power. Quote, “if autocracy will give me the power I want, then autocracy will become my next benefactor.” Meritocracy does not fix corruption.

Even Reinhard himself was given his first opportunities to distinguish himself not due to merit, but because his sister was the favored concubine of the Kaiser.

They push Reinhard to consider creating a constitution for the people. Reinhard, dying of a mysterious illness, allows the former capital of the Alliance to remain a democracy but under the condition they don't screw it up. Before dying, he instructs Hildegarde to begin implementing a shift to a constitutional monarchy if she believes it's worth it as well as saying if his newborn son isn't up to being Kaiser, than he shouldn't. In the end, all the power in the galaxy is left in Hilde's hands. And that's where Legend of the Galactic Heroes ends.

Funny though how people think the series endorses autocracy. I mean, it wins in the end and the democracy is corrupt, but people still believe in the latter. Enough so that they're willing to fight to keep it from being wiped out, and ultimately succeed in doing so with the potential for it to spread out across the galaxy again. Someone like Rudolf is to be prevented, whereas Reinhards only come along once and a while. Do you really want to take such a gamble giving absolute power to one individual?

[cacoetheswriting]

a promise of forever

pairing: spencer reid x fem!reader warnings: really just a big ball of fluff, a very brief mention of spencer's time in prison word count: 1.8k prompt: "i'm not very good with words..." summary: a rather unusual and a slightly delayed exchange of vows.

a/n: this is a my one shot submission for @ellesgreenaway 1k milestone celebration! india, a huge huge congratulations to you again 🎉 you're so incredibly talented and you deserve every single one of those follower, if not a million more! 🥳🧡 now, this is my first fic in a couple of weeks, and i think it's quite fitting that i wrote this instead of working on my own vows oops

-

A faint shine coming from the side lamp hit against the gold band on your finger, the glimmer instantly catching your eye. The book you were reading, was now closed in your lap and your gaze travelled to the ring, a smile creeping up on your features.

The item, however simple and dainty, carried with it so much meaning. Not only was it a symbol of undying everlasting love, showcasing to the world you were married to the person of your dreams. It was also a constant reminder of what you and Spencer overcame to get here. How far the two of you have come.

To say the last year was tough would be an understatement.

Spencer wasn’t the same after his release from prison. Often distant and quite reserved. His true self hidden from the rest of the world, afraid of getting so deeply hurt again. You of course didn’t put any blame on him for acting differently or resent him for it. What he went through was challenging enough, and you loved him more with each day regardless because he was still Spencer. Your Spencer.

And he adored your patience and your understanding. He adored the kindness you showed him while he regained control over his life. Simply, he adored you and he counted his blessings every day he spent with you.

One faithfull Saturday morning, Spencer asked you to marry him.

Completely out of the blue, while you were tangled together in the cotton bedsheets with morning breath and ruffled hair. He said he didn’t want to wait any longer because if his time in prison taught him anything, it would be not to waste moments with the people you cared about the most.

You cried. Tears of happiness, pure unfiltered joy.

Later, the very same day, the two of you stopped by a jeweler to invest in simple yellow-gold wedding bands before heading hand in hand to the court house. No muss, no fuss. No guests, no flowers, no cake, no vows. Nothing but unconditional love and a large order of chocolate chip pancakes afterwards, to celebrate.

It was the perfect day and you wouldn’t do it any differently.

You didn’t need anything else, neither did he. The memory along with the wedding ring was a promise in itself. A lifetime together. A lifetime of happiness. However, as you watched the band glisten on your finger, you couldn’t help but wonder what else Spencer would have promised you in his vows if he ever got a chance to say them.

And that’s how the brunette doctor found you - lost too deep in thought, attention solely focused on your wedding ring.

You, of course, didn’t hear him come in.

Spencer smiled to himself, quietly closing the door behind him so as not to startle you. He placed his bag down before ambling towards the back of the couch. His hands landed on your shoulders, giving them a gentle squeeze to grab your attention, and you tilted your head up to look at him.

“Hi, my love.”

“Hello, beautiful.” Spencer bent over slightly, his lips catching yours in a tender welcoming kiss. “Let me go wash up quickly and you can tell me all about your day,” he added and you nodded, following him with your eyes until he disappeared into the bedroom.

While he cleaned himself up after an undeniably hectic workday, you sprung up on your feet and headed to the kitchen to cook up a late dinner for the two of you.

Spencer rejoined you shortly and immediately began playing sous chef, assisting you with preparing the meal. While the two of you worked over the various pots and pans, you exchanged with one another stories of how your days went. Listening attentively, joking together. Then you ate together before reconvening back to the couch.

A typical, and honestly, an ideal evening together when he wasn’t travelling.

“What were you thinking about earlier, when I got home?” Spencer asked, making himself comfortable next to you. You draped your legs over his lap with ease and his hands instantly made home on your thigh.

“Do you ever wonder what I would say to you in my vows if our wedding day looked any different?” you asked straight out, because there was no secrets between the two of you.

Spencer pondered the question for a moment before shaking his head. “No,” he answered honestly, “Do you?”

You briefly chewed on the inside of your cheek. “Sometimes,” you confessed, a hint of guilt and hesitance detectable in the tone of your voice.

He hummed softly at your response and proceeded to place a tender kiss on your temple. “I could tell you,” he murmured into your hair before pulling away, “If you’d like that is.”

His eyes found yours and a timid smile circled your lips at his offer.

“You don’t have to, Spence, I’m honestly happy not knowing and letting my imagination run free. Plus, I wouldn’t want to put you on the spot—”

“Y/N,” he politely cut in, “I’ve known what I would say to you in my vows ever since our first date.”

The sentence caused you to playfully roll your eyes, as the butterflies in your stomach fluttered free. “Hmm…” you smacked your lips together, “I don’t think I believe you,” you teased him with a chuckle.

Spencer pressed his tongue to his lips as he smirked at your comment. He took your innocent joke as a sort of challenge however, because in one swift motion, before you got a chance to react or say anything else, he pulled you in closer by your legs before taking your hands in his and giving them a gentle squeeze.

“I can recite the entirety of the English dictionary off by heart, but ironically I'm not very good with words—” Spencer began, his hazel gaze locking with yours, “—because when I think how to express how I truly feel about you, and how incredibly lucky I am to have you by my side, my mind goes completely blank and my eidetic memory is no longer of use.”

You couldn’t help but chuckle lightly, and you could just imagine the whole crowd laughing because whether Spencer liked to admit it or not, he was incredibly funny without even trying.

“However, as I sit here before you tonight, I will give my all to make the most sincere promise one heart can make to another. Y/N, I have waited a long time for you, and I promise from this day on until forever to be your constant love, your shoulder to cry on, your partner for life. I vow to give you the best of myself and not ask for anything in return. I vow to respect you. Respect your desires, your interests and needs.”

You could feel your eyes gloss over, as Spencer inhaled before continuing, "I promise to keep myself open to you and share with you my deepest feelings, thoughts, and dreams. I promise to continuously surprise you in hopes of bringing you joy and seeing you smile, because you have the most beautiful smile.”

Spencer gently rubbed circles into your hand with his thumb as he spoke, and the amiable loving look in his eyes made you think he didn’t really have these vows prepared beforehand, like he said he did.

He was speaking purely from the heart.

“I promise to love you through thick and thin. The good times and the bad. In sickness and in health. I promise to love you with every fibre of my being, until the end of time.” He paused, by that point salty wet droplets were slowly trailing down your jawline.

Spencer continued, “Now, I have been called many things in my life and gone by many different titles. From this day on however, the most important title I’ll hold is husband. Your husband.”

Silence filled the room once he concluded. A benevolent and earnest silence.

Nothing could have prepared you for what he said, and how his words would make you feel. How you thought it wasn’t possible to love him anymore than you already did, yet here the two of you sat and your heart swelled inside of your chest.

Spencer’s hand travelled to your cheek. He cupped it gently, wiping away any lone tears that escaped.

“You know—” you murmured, leaning into his touch and placing a kiss on the palm of his hand, “— for someone who claims they’re not good with words, you just strummed all the right heartstrings. I therefore dumb thee— a liar...”

The brunette doctor let out a soft chuckle at your comment and then proceeded to scoop you into his lap, completely effortlessly. He held you close by the waist while your fingers played with his brunette curls.

“And it’s a good thing you have an eidetic memory, my love, because I will ask you to recite those promises to me over and over and oveerrr again,” you added and Spencer threw his head back in a smooth laugh.

“How about I type them up and we can frame them instead?” he suggested, arching a brow. You licked your lips, considering the question for a moment, however before you got a chance to reply, Spencer added, “It would however, be nice to have both of our vows up...”

It was your turn to laugh, “I have nothing prepared, Spence. Not to mention, yours were so heartfelt and honest, I don’t think I can compete.”

The smile on Spencer’s face grew a little wider and he leaned in to peck your lips, “Say whatever that comes to mind, beautiful.”

“You’re not going to let this go now, are you?” you enquired and Spencer shook his head in response, a goofy grin plastered across his features.

“I really have my mind set on those frames now. Maybe we can hang them over our bed, or maybe we can dedicate a shelf to them in the bookcase.”

You raised a brow, “You’d give those frames a whole shelf?”

He nodded, “A whole shelf.”

The thought of your promises to one another typed up and on view for everyone that came to visit the apartment made you smile.

Glancing briefly at your wedding ring, looped among Spencer’s brunette curls, you nervously chewed on the inside of your cheek before glancing back into his hazel eyes. “I’m not very good with words—” you began with a modest tese, “—Therefore, I hope you don’t mind that I’m going to borrow someone else's.”

You paused, letting out a delicate shaky breath. “Atticus wrote, ‘I lost my way all the way to you and in you I found my way’. You are my everything, Dr. Spencer Reid. Thank you for choosing me, for loving me, for making me feel safe, for making me laugh, and for making my life a million times richer.”

Spencer’s lips found yours the second you finished, wrapping them in a gentle yet passionate kiss. A desirable sensation instantly spread through you, because when he kissed you like this, it was as if he was kissing you for the very first time.

“I love you,” Spencer whispered after slowly pulling away, pressing his forehead against yours.

“I love you too,” you expressed with a genuine smile.

-

masterlist

[wellpresseddaisy]

Letters from Petunia

Pt. 4

Dear Harry,

Dudley and I will see you at the trial. We'll have both a barrister and a solicitor with us, just in case. Don't wear yourself out fretting; they've agreed with me that the Ministry doesn't have a case at all. We're looking at possibly suing for harassment, given that they grossly overreacted and overstepped the bounds of the law. We shall see.

We may also have to name your Headmaster in the suit as he keeps making statements in your name. I have written to tell him he's no longer your magical guardian, but it doesn't seem to have sunk in yet. I do hope this won't cause you trouble this year. We're trying to avoid antagonizing him.

As Dudley said, wear the robes we sent. You won't be facing this alone.

Aunt Petunia

P.S. Your estate's investments are coming along nicely. We're investing some of the capital in restoring The Pottery for you. It's a lovely building—Tudor, I think, or possibly Elizabethan. I'll have to ask. The House Elves are anxious to meet you.

Harry still wasn't sure what to think by the time his hearing day rolled around. Aunt Petunia and Dudley seemed a lot more human, but he didn't know how he felt about it. More positive about Dudley than Aunt Petunia, perhaps? It felt easier to forgive someone your own age, he supposed.

At least he could eat something that morning, even if it was just some toast and tea. He regretted even having that much with the mad dash to get to the correct courtroom in time and Mr. Weasley practically shoving him through the door.

His stomach settled when he caught sight of Aunt Petunia, garbed like a pureblood witch, and Dudley, also wearing robes, sitting with two older gentlemen he'd never met before. They sat at a table to one side of the high platform at the front of the courtroom. A chair wreathed in chains sat between the table and the other side of the platform. Two people sat over there, but he couldn't see who it was.

He never thought he'd feel relieved to see Aunt Petunia, ever. One of the older men gestured to him before anyone could speak. Harry hurried up the stairs and mutely handed him the notice he'd received before sitting in the empty chair between him and the other man. Aunt Petunia looked over to nod at him.

"He's late." A cold voice rang through the silent chamber. Minister Fudge. Where was Dumbledore? Why was Fudge running a trial?

"Heir Potter has given me a notice he received only ten minutes ago, informing him of the change of time and venue. It is, as is Ministry practice, dated and time stamped to today, ten minutes ago. Curious, Minister, wouldn't you say?" One of the older gentlemen spoke, his clear voice heard in every corner of the chamber.

"Yes, well, Solicitor Burke, er, these things happen." That sounded more like the Fudge Harry remembered. "He'll take his seat as the accused."

"Ah, yes, Minister, before we get to that I have a few concerns as Heir Potter's solicitor. First, do you now consider Heir Potter an adult? While he has been accused of underage magic, he was forced to compete in a tournament open only to those of age. With that, ordered by Ministry officials, and now the convention of the full Wizengamot, it would seem you view Heir Potter as having achieved his majority?"

Suddenly, Harry realized that the man wanted to keep him out of that chair. He had no objections to it...that memory from Dumbledore...

"He's fourteen! Don't be ridiculous! Make him take his seat!" Fudge ordered.

"So you have decided that Wizarding law and a minor Heir's rights may be trampled on if you object to him?" Burke continued. "For I see no other reason to convene this august body for a small offense other than to satisfy a grudge. There has already been an illegal attempt to expel Heir Potter."

Murmuring started in the gallery. So they hadn't known that. Plum-robed Wizengamot members whispered fiercely with one another.

"Silence! Illegal?!" Fudge sputtered. "The Ministry—"

"Has no jurisdiction over Hogwarts." Solicitor Burke interrupted. "So yes, the notice Mr. Potter received was illegally sent. One does not have one's

wand snapped for self defense."

"The boy is lying. Has been all summer. You've seen the Prophet." Fudge blustered.

"Minister Fudge, are you making a public declaration that my client, Heir Potter of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter, is a liar?" Burke smiled in a way that reminded Harry of sharks and other predators with a lot of teeth.

"Of course I am! Everyone knows he is!"

"Heir Potter, have you spoken to any reporters this Summer?" Burke turned to him. "Stand and speak clearly, please."

"No, sir." Harry stood and answered as clearly as he could. "I was away from the Wizarding World with my family this Summer. I haven't even seen the Prophet since we only got Muggle papers there. No one has asked me anything, either."

The murmuring began again. Harry caught a few mutters of 'What is Fudge thinking?' and 'Could the boy be speaking the truth?' and 'This is an outrage! He is an heir!'

"Thank you, Heir Potter. How could Heir Potter be lying, Minister, when he hasn't issued any kind of statement? Would you wish to amend your previous statement?" Burke seemed to be enjoying himself.

"No. The boy has proved himself a liar." Fudge drew himself up as much as he was able. "He has been accused and will answer the court."

"Yes, Minister. The charge is underage magic before a Muggle? Yes?"

"Of course it is. You received a copy of the notice."

"Unfortunately, Minister, the 'Muggle' in question is actually a squib. I believe the file for this trial contains this updated status. And, Minister, even if he were still a Muggle, he was previously listed as a Knowing Muggle. Young Mr. Evans knows about magic and always has."

Harry slanted a look at Dudley...Evans? Dudley shrugged back. He'd have to ask later.

"Hem hem." A witch in pink robes, seated next to the Minister, interrupted. "Then it was in front of other Muggles. He used magic underage in the Muggle world. Muggles have to have seen."

"Mr. Evans, would you like to explain where you were when you were attacked?" Burke turned to him. "Please stand and address the Wizengamot."

"My cousin and I were in an alley. We'd, er, we'd had an argument and I chased him there. We were alone in the alley. We were still arguing when the ground frosted over and Harry tried to get me to run. I couldn't move and I couldn't think about anything but everything awful that ever happened. He pulled his wand out and yelled, er, I may get this wrong, but I think it was something like 'expecto patronum'? It was after that that I started feeling warmer. He got me home after that and then he got a letter while he was trying to get my parents to get me chocolate." Dudley explained the evening clearly and concisely. "He only used the one spell and it was to protect us."

More murmuring came from the rows of the Wizengamot.

"I demand a vote on even continuing this farce of a trial. Heir Potter should only have had a hearing with the Department of Education, not a full trial for self defense." A witch demanded from the higher rows before Burke could speak. "This is a ridiculous waste of the Wizengamot's time!"

The rest of the members took up the cry of 'A vote! A vote!' and Harry thought of the Prime Minister's Question Time.

"We must…" Fudge began.

"I second the Dowager Longbottom's demand." A wizard interrupted. "I move for the following vote: ayes will end this and clear Heir Potter's record; nays will have the trial continue."

"Seconded!" and "Thirded!" sounded from the rows.

Harry looked over toward Fudge. He looked as if he wanted to eat his own bowler. The pink-clad witch next to him looked as if she'd bitten into a lemon.

"By the magic that governs this chamber, I call a vote!" An older wizard stood and called.

Harry felt something shift in the magic of the room. A golden tally appeared between the platform and the rows of members.

"All in favor of ending this and clearing Heir Potter?"

Harry watched as lit wands raised all over the chamber. He tried not to crumple his robes in his hands. How many sat on the Wizengamot? Why didn't he know? Did any Muggleborn

know?

"All in favor of continuing?"

Many fewer wands lit. Harry stared hard at the tally. Sixty-five ayes and five nays. Apparently common sense and a solicitor who wouldn't give up could derail everything.

"The ayes have it. This Wizengamot trial is concluded and Heir Potter's record is cleared. Heir Potter, you're free to go with a sincere apology from this chamber."

"Stand and bow to the assembly." Burke hissed.

Harry did as he'd been told. As soon as he straightened up, Aunt Petunia swept them out of the courtroom, trailing lawyers and him and Dudley like somewhat untidy tugboats after a yacht. She went straight up to the atrium, cutting through the crowds like a battle cruiser.

Harry followed in a haze of shock. She'd done it. She'd really done it. For the first time in ages, he thought perhaps things would turn out right. Dimly, he heard 'Mrs. Dursley! Ms. Evans! Damn it all, Steward Potter!' in Fudge's obsequious tones.

Aunt Petunia stopped short. Dudley hauled him around so they didn't crash into the lawyers. Minister Fudge, out of his official robes, struggled through the crowd after them. Madam Pink struggled after him. Percy Weasley, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else than there, followed her, although people got out of his way.

He shot Harry an apologetic sort of look.

"Steward Potter, I, uh, I do hope this little misunderstanding won't damage relations between House Potter and the Ministry." Fudge twisted his hands.

"Considering, Minister, that when I reached out to your office to clear all this up weeks ago I was told that you would never have time in your schedule for a jumped up embarrassment to the world of Magic and if I wrote or Flooed again I would be prosecuted, I don't think we have anything else to say. Any further communication from the Ministry to House Potter shall be routed through my solicitor's office." Aunt Petunia used that peculiarly penetrating tone she'd developed for passing information to prying ears on other doorsteps. Harry had a feeling the exchange would be all over the Ministry in minutes. "Good day. Come boys, or we shall be late."

And she swept off for the bank of lifts. Harry followed, still a bit dazed. Aunt Petunia apparently had a set of brass ones. He followed her into the lift, not wanting to ask questions just yet. She seemed a bit tetchy. They snagged a lift to themselves and Harry couldn't hold back.

"Thank you, Aunt Petunia."

"I only did what any competent adult ought to have done for you." Her tone put paid to any further appreciation.

"Where are we going?"

Dudley booted him in the ankle.

"We have an appointment with the head of the DMLE. I wrote a few weeks ago regarding your godfather's trial transcript. Director Bones wished to see us." Aunt Petunia explained. "And here's our stop."

Everyone trailed Aunt Petunia out of the lift. Harry looked around. He'd never been on the DMLE floor before. It looked, despite the memos zipping about (Aunt Petunia rolled her eyes and muttered something), like any other office building he'd seen. Plain plaster walls held notices (although these said things like 'Absolutely no automated inkpots beyond this point') and the occasional crooked print.

They passed by what looked like a warren of desks, red-robes figures wandering between them with stacks of parchment. One exasperated young person was trying to catch a small dragon circling overhead, setting fire to paperwork with small jets of flame. A group of clockwork penguins waddled by, one swallowing a memo like a fish, and Harry heard 'Damnit, Hawley! Go round up the penguins! They've only got loose again!'

Aunt Petunia sniffed and turned down a corridor. Soon, they came to a door with DMLE Director's Office in gilt on the window. The door opened to admit them without anyone touching the handle. Aunt Petunia forged ahead, bringing the whole lot of them into the waiting area. Once in, the door shut behind them. Silence reigned.

"Oh, hullo! You must be Steward Potter and...goodness, quite a party." A tall woman with a monocle in one eye stepped out

of the office. She wore a shirt (with stiff collar and Hufflepuff house tie), tweedy waistcoat, and matching trousers. Harry thought he'd last seen her clothes in one of those 1930s things Aunt Petunia liked so much. Poirot, maybe. She had the shortest hair he'd ever seen on a witch.

He liked her immediately.

"I'm Director Bones. I so appreciate you writing, Steward Potter. Would you all step through? The silencing runes sometimes fail and, well, you came past the pen." She opened the door wider and moved out of the way, stopping only to shake hands with Aunt Petunia, who de-iced fractionally at the warm smile.

"The penguins had got out again," Harry told her as he passed.

"Oh...blast it." Bones looked as if she wanted to say something else. "I told Horsfrithers they needed to be secured six times yesterday. Don't even know why we're the ones holding them. Right, everyone in?"

They managed to find seats across from the massive desk covered in stacks of parchment. Bones sifted through stacks before coming up with one.

"Now, Steward Potter, you've upended a fine kettle of fish all over the department. My assistant actually quit when we realized what had happened."

"And what, precisely, happened?" Aunt Petunia asked.

"Sirius Black was never tried. We have an intake form and a transfer form and nothing else. I'll be briefing the Minister this afternoon and having the Kiss on Sight order revoked. After that, the DMLE will ask his lordship to attend a special Meet of the Wizengamot." Bones explained. "He'll be tried then."

Harry stared, his heart beating in his ears. They'd left the absence of a paper trail. They had some small bit of proof. Sirius...Sirius could be free.

Aunt Petunia opened her mouth to speak but the other lawyer beat her to it.

"And if he is found innocent? If that's the case, Director Bones, then there will be a great deal of trouble." He looked like he might not mind it.

"I know, Hadwell. We're preparing for that and for the mother of all recompense. The DMLE, is, of course. I'm on my fourth attempt to get this through to Fudge."

"And for everyone with a relative in Azkaban to challenge their sentencing?" Hadwell asked.

"Oh. Yes, that." She looked tired. "We pulled all court records for all prisoners. It was just his lordship who was...slipped through. Now, do you have any questions?"

"Will you send notice of the trial date?" Aunt Petunia asked, her hands clasped tight in her lap.

"We'll send it through Burke and Hadwell, madam. And don't worry. I'll ensure Fudge complies with the law."

Harry had no doubt she would.

"Thank you, Director Bones, for your time today, and for searching court records. I had hoped to provide some closure for Harry, but I suppose we'll have to wait." Aunt Petunia looked almost demure.

"I'll have someone keep you apprised of what's happening, madam. Please don't hesitate to write or Floo if you have further questions for me."

Harry watched as they shook hands again and slipped out the door with Dudley. Director Bones seemed to want a moment to reassure Aunt Petunia again.

"That the mental godfather you threatened us with?" Dudley knocked their shoulders together.

"Yeah." Harry managed, still stunned. "I didn't think...your mum…"

"Ugh. Mum's flirting with Bones. First Snape and now this." Dudley complained.

"Wait, what?" Harry squeaked. "They...what?!"

"Oh yes," Dudley smirked at him. "He came over so he and mum could shout at each other about you and how they treated you and I think they were flirting at the end. Anyway, I went back upstairs. But ever since...well...Mum and Dad aren't getting back together. Ever. Mum's been...I dunno."

Harry tried not to make a face, but the thought...disgusting. "Is she…"

"She'll be fine, especially if she gets to shout at a few more magicals. That bint in pink was the one who was so rude to her. Senior Undersecretary she calls herself."

That sparked something. Harry ducked back into the inner office and ignored Bones kissing Aunt Petunia's knuckles.

"Er, if you need an assistant you should poach Percy

Weasley. I don't think he's happy and he's brilliant at organizing things." It came out in a rush and he ducked back out.

Dudley just looked at him and shook his head. "There's a whole book series about you being a heroic little berk, did you know? Suppose they aren't that far off."

Harry choked.

[jungkxook]

—amortentia.

⟶ pairing: jungkook x reader

⟶ genre: hogwarts/harry potter au / enemies-to-lovers + fluff

⟶ words: 5,486

⟶ rating: pg-13

⟶ summary: jungkook loves everything strawberry but the simple pleasure is always kept hidden, stowed away as if some hideous secret to protect the rumours that had built up around him — until a love potion outs him.

⟶ disclaimer: this is a repost of an old fic from my old blog since i know some of you were asking about it! i hope you enjoy!!

Jungkook loves strawberries.

He remembers fondly the warm summers as a child when he would go strawberry picking with his grandmother, and revels in the taste and the memory each time he bites into a fresh berry, the juices coating his tongue in sickly sweetness; he likes the smell of all the lotions and lip balms, candles and fragrances, that carried notes of the red fruit in comforting wafts, remembering distantly a time when his mother’s fruity perfume would breathe warm life into his cold house in the middle of a dull winter; he remembers sentimental times spent at the local cafe near his home, loving and basking in the way the homely and warm aroma of a freshly baked pie and the sugary tartness of strawberry lemonade would fill his nostrils and consume his senses, leaving his mouth watering. 

Jungkook loves everything strawberry but the simple pleasure is always kept hidden, stowed away as if some hideous secret to protect the rumours that had built up around him.

Ask any girl that thought Jeon Jungkook is handsome or any boy that thought Jungkook is a god and they would say he smells like the purest form of any man with a harmonious scent of musk, cedar wood, and oak; like fresh rain that soaked in the middle of a mossy forest, spices, and black coffee — but they couldn’t have been more wrong. Maybe he did smell of musk or wood or rain when he was continuously outside, practicing every moment he had with his Quidditch team, but Jungkook was more than just that. Really, though, it made sense as to why people thought that way about him when he had left such a lingering impression on the school.

You can still remember the very first day you saw him; the very moment you had, from your spot in line in front of the Sorting Hat on the first day as a first year, saw the stoic boy step forward. Made up of a nervous face and obsidian locks that fell into his equally dark eyes, the Hat had instantly deemed the boy a Ravenclaw — and perhaps the house’s reputation was what added to his mystique and strange charm. Even then, from what you observed, he had been a silent boy, making his way to and from classes usually alone, and somehow ignoring the gaggle of girls (from all years and from all houses) that trailed along behind him, giggling and clamouring over how cute he is.

As the months went on, you never witnessed much change in Jungkook safe for the friends he suddenly made in the first half of second year (a surprising mix of Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, Gryffindors, and Slytherins) and the smug attitude he began to develop. A rebel, they said, a bad boy at heart, the very antithesis of Ravenclaws. Someone all the girls craved for and all the boys yearned to be. And while you tried to assume that perhaps there was more to the boy than meets the eye — that maybe he was built on different layers you could one day explore — when he begins to become too conceited with the way he is praised, you grow disenchanted by him and his cocky smirks. Yet, for some reason, he finds it necessary to go out of his way to talk to you no matter what — and you were quick to learn to despise him and his constant mocking, all possibilities of trying to get to know him diffused. 

In first year, you had to endure a whole semester worth of Jungkook tugging at your hair when he sat behind you in Charms class. In second year, an unspoken rivalry began in which the two of you would compete to see who could earn the better grades. You can’t quite pinpoint when or where the hatred for one another began, but the irritation that comes as a result of it only grows more adamant with each passing day.  

In third year, you distinctly remember being confined to the many dusty oak shelves and rows of leather bound books in the library, your eyes constantly flickering to the ornate grandfather clock nearby you as you wait alone. An agreed time of 6 pm to meet in the library after dinner to work on a partnered assignment had otherwise vanished from the boy’s memory. Had it been up to you to decide what partner you wanted, you would have much rather preferred to pick one of your friends and not the Ravenclaw who was fifteen minutes late. With the project due in two days, and with the nearly three weeks you had to finish it, you had constantly asked to meet with Jungkook to work on it and each time he had made a different excuse. 

As time crept on and the waning hours of the daylight dwindled to a dull darkness, twenty minutes would pass and it was then that you would grudgingly begin packing your belongings. The wait was not worth the trouble. Yet just as you are standing from your seat, the boy waltzes into view, coming to a nonchalant halt in front of you and placing his bag on the table, as if he didn’t know how late he is. He has abandoned his robe to wear only a grey fleece pullover on top of his white button up, his torn up Converse shoes ruining the uniform outfit with his casual flare. Your stare flickers up to meet his smug face and a frown forms on yours as you spot the other third year Slytherin girl giggling a flirtatious goodbye to the boy who winks in response. Finally, he turns to look at you.

“You’re leaving already?” Jungkook asks. “I just got here.”

“Twenty minutes later, Jeon,” You snap.

The boy quirks a brow, twisting around in his spot to look at the clock. “I could have sworn you said we should meet at six-thirty. I’m ten minutes early.”

“I remember saying six o’clock,” You say. “As well as you telling me that six was perfectly fine. Look, History of Magic isn’t my favourite either but I would appreciate it if you at least put some effort into the class and this project.”

“Shh!”

The hiss that comes from the student studying near you only makes you scowl. You turn around hotly to continue shoving your books and papers into your backpack.

“I was busy,” Jungkook says.

“Busy flirting with every living thing?” You asks.

“What?” Confusion paints his face, and then he is shaking his head furiously. “No!”

Your eyes narrow into a scrutinizing glare. You point over your shoulder at the same Slytherin girl who is still within the library, standing just a few feet away from the pair of you. She has an opened book in her hands in an attempt to look distracted but her eyes are fixated solely on Jungkook. When she catches Jungkook staring, his gaze lifting over your shoulder, she hurriedly looks away and blushes.

“So I assume she’s just a friend?” You retaliate. “You know what your problem is, Jeon? You never take anything seriously.”

Immediately, Jungkook tenses. His arms snake around to cross in front of his chest.

“Well, you take everything too seriously,” he says. “When was the last time you had some fun? Any time I talk to you, you’re always fussing about the work or about how much you hate me—  it’s like you’re a walking, talking, breathing dementor! You suck the life out of everyone.”

“Shh!”

The snarl this time is much harsher, coming from yet another student who has been devoting his time to writing an essay. But now you can’t be bothered to worry about silence. You slam shut the book in your hand with a very loud thump that seems to echo around the eerily silent room and fling a strap of your bag over your shoulder.

“Well, I’m sorry that I, and this assignment, are such inconveniences to you,” You say, “but from now on I give up on making sure we both don’t fail this class. If you need me, which I assume you won’t, I’ll be in my room, far from you.”

“Excuse me!” The familiar bark of the librarian’s voice hardly makes you jump even as she comes marching down to the two of you. “This is a library, a quiet place to study. It would be greatly appreciated if you could bring your conversation out into the halls.”

Had she not interrupted your conversation with Jungkook, you would have never realized just how loud your voice had risen. Clearing your throat and tightening your grip on your bag and the book, you tear your eyes from Jungkook and stomp defiantly out into the corridors to retreat to your common room, leaving Jungkook alone. He would find you the day after in a sluggish state, his hair dishevelled and his clothes askew as if he had slept in them — or, rather, had not slept at all — showing you all the work he had finished for the assignment the night before.

In fourth year, you are leaving the stands of the Quidditch pitch on a surprisingly warm November evening. Following the slew of students back to the school after a heated game between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor — where the latter team won after a fiery race between the two Seekers for the golden snitch — the eager chatter buzzes in the air. Beside you are your two friends who are, just as many others are doing, whispering excitedly about Jungkook’s role as Seeker and his “amazing performance.” 

“Did you see the way Jungkook played?” Hana asks from the right side of you. “How can someone be so attractive?”

To your left, Nayeon is practically standing on the tip of her toes, desperately craning her neck to search the crowd for the boy and his friends. “Oooh, look! There he is! He’s so sweaty! Imagine his muscles—”

“You’re ridiculous,” You sigh with a disapproving shake of your head.

Despite your condescending tone, you can’t help but glance over your shoulder to follow your friends’ gaze. Laughing in triumph with his team and friends, Jungkook stands adorned in the usual Ravenclaw royal blue Quidditch uniform, the robes somehow accentuating his tanned skin and dark hair that clings to his sweat-covered forehead. Since when had he grown so tall? And maybe Nayeon was right — since when did Jungkook start looking so muscular? 

“Your staring is obvious, Y/N,” Hana says. 

“And so is your crush on him,” Nayeon murmurs. 

“Crush?” You burst out into laughter. “Now that’s funny. I could never have a crush on him!”

“Have a crush on who?”

The familiar voice makes you groan inwardly and the arm that is tossed around your neck almost makes you gag. Your body grows rigid under Jungkook’s touch, though he doesn’t seem to notice that or the way you carefully try to peel his arm off of you but to no avail. Joining him is his typical duo of friends. The other Slytherin boy next to Jungkook is the shy and soft Park Jimin, accompanied by their inseparable Hufflepuff friend, Kim Taehyung. The two boys smirk wolfishly down at your friends, both of whom are so suddenly at a loss for words.

“Evenin’, ladies!” Jimin says. “Enjoy the show?”

“We hate to brag but we taught him everything he knows,” Taehyung says, ruffling Jungkook’s hair.

Jungkook rolls his eyes and swats Taehyung’s hand away. “Maybe the three of you can come down to watch us practice one day.” 

Your friends exchange glances and giggle nervously. 

“We’d love to,” Nayeon smiles.

Your lack of response clearly doesn’t go unnoticed by your friends, nor Jungkook and his friends. As you turn your head to look away from the group, you briefly catch the sudden scent that is Jungkook and your face scrunches. It isn’t so much as gross as it is overpowering. Passed salt and sweat, you can smell something clean like freshly cut grass or some sort of lemongrass shampoo. But instead of telling him out loud what you thought, you pushed him away.

“You smell terrible,” You said. “Go take a shower, Jeon.”

“Always playing hard to get,” Jungkook sighs. “Sorry we can’t all smell like your floraly essence after playing an intense Quidditch game.”

You only hum in response, turning your head to look away from him and his friends. The act seems to earn a smirk from Jungkook and then he and his friends are parting from you, walking back to the locker rooms. After that day, your friends’ profuse pleads and begs for you to come with them one day when the Quidditch teams are practicing would eventually make you cave in. When Jungkook sees you sitting in the stands burrowed in a wool scarf and heavy robes, albeit with a frown on your face and your eyes scanning the pages of a book in your lap, he catches your attention by shouting your name and then winking at you. Seconds later, a Quaffle is thrown his way by a fellow teammate and nearly knocks him off his broom.

In fifth year, you are seated in your Transfiguration class at the back and nearly dozing off as your Professor drones on and on in the early morning about some boring lecture. Jungkook sits in the row opposite you and a seat behind but that doesn’t stop him from constantly trying to catch your attention, whispering your name. It is only when you hear a few classmates near you break out into wondrous awes that you lift your head from its resting place wedged between your folded arms on top of your desk and turn. Soaring above the students’ heads is an enchanted paper bird, its thin wings fluttering its way to you.

You gaze at it for a moment, a small smile tugging at the corners of your lips, before noticing that it is Jungkook who had magicked it, wand in hand as he waves it towards you. As soon as it reaches your table, it floats around your head and lingers in front of your face, beckoning you to take it. Instead, your hands try swatting it away though it doesn’t seem to budge. When you relent and succumb to taking the bird, it is not before you shoot an annoyed glance back at Jungkook. Then, you unwrap the bird in your hand. With thin black ink sprawled out in perfect cursive writing, a single dreadful question is poised in pretty script: Meet me tomorrow at noon at the Three Broomsticks? It’ll be my treat.

“Is that from Jungkook?” Hana asks. She peers over your shoulder from beside you to look down at the paper, her voice incredibly louder than you would have liked. “It is! Is he asking you out? You know, I always knew you liked him. You’re a terrible liar— ”

You gasp. Your hand quickly covers the paper, yanking it out of Hana’s view. “I do not like him!”

“Do too!” Hana laughs. “So, what are you going to say? Huh, who knew Jungkook was so soft and cute? Have I told you how cute the two of you would be together?”

Maybe it’s the way she so suddenly begins to gush over you dating Jungkook, or the way her voice garners the attention of those sitting around you, letting other girls fawn over how cute his simple gesture is, that makes you curdle with embarrassment. But what are you so shy of? You are insistent that you don’t like Jungkook but you were certain that if word spread that you did have feelings for him, your whole life would be drastically ruined. Or maybe you were more fearful of the idea of possibly liking Jungkook in return, even if you had so profusely been lying to everyone and yourself.  

“Stop it!” You hiss. “I would rather kiss the squid in the Black Lake than date him!”

Then, as if to emphasize this apparent hatred, you grab your quill and furiously write in big scratchy letters “NO” before crumpling it in your hand and twisting in your seat. Set on chucking the balled up piece of paper right at Jungkook’s smug face, you are startled when you feel the paper being plucked from your grasp by none other than your Professor. She stands before you with a sour look on her face, a willowy old lady with gray wisps of hair pulled back into a tight bun. 

“Ah, Miss Y/N,” she hums, “if you have more important matters that you seem to want to discuss with Mr. Jeon, surely you can divulge with the rest of the class too.”

Your mouth clamps shut. You watch, stricken with horror, as she unravels the paper in her hands, her glossy eyes skimming its contents from beneath her half-moon spectacles. She purses her lips, and then shifts her gaze to you and then to Jungkook sitting behind you. The silence that follows as she moves towards him is near unbearable, making you shift uncomfortably in your seat.

“If you would have much rather preferred to flirt with Miss Y/N than listen to my lecture, feel free to leave my class, Jeon,” Your Professor says. She drops the paper onto his desk with a flourish. “Though, it’d be in your best interest to stop your daydreaming and pay attention to my class because I’m afraid her answer was no.”

Your eyes widen as you twist in your seat to look at your Professor and a startled Jungkook. And, maybe, if you looked hard enough and passed the smug smirk, you could see his conceited stare falter as a look of hurt flashes across his eyes. A few murmurs and giggles break out amongst the students, making your cheeks burn hot and forces you to turn back around and away from Jungkook.

“And I suppose that now neither of you are busy tomorrow, you wouldn’t mind spending it in detention with me,” Your Professor says. Then she was rounding on her heel, marching back to the front of the classroom and restarting her lecture.

After the torturous detention where Jungkook suddenly refuses to look or talk to you after what had happened, and a week after the missed Hogsmeade trip, you would find Jungkook walking the halls, hand-in-hand, with another Ravenclaw girl. As they pass you, seemingly unaware of your lingering presence, you see the girl stop Jungkook and lean forward to kiss him, his own hands resting on her waist and tugging her closer to him. Though you tell yourself you’re free from his constant flirting and mocking, you can’t help but feel somewhat let down as you walk away that day.

In the beginning of sixth year, when all the students had found a moment to themselves and a much needed break from all the sudden stress of homework, you would wind up at a party being held in the Room of Requirements. Though you weren’t quite sure how the students were able to smuggle alcohol into the school, you remember drinking until you are blissfully numb and without a care in the world. Most of the evening had been spent chatting to Nayeon and Hana but when they become distracted with flirting with their crushes, you are left alone. It isn’t much long after that you stumble into Jungkook. Drunkenly dancing to the upbeat thump of music that reverberated around the room, you had, somehow, lost your footing. As you fall into the thick crowd, a pair of strong hands reach out to swiftly catch onto yours arms and hold you up. Jungkook’s surprised when you don’t bother pushing him away and let him help straighten you up. Clearly, you’re much too drunk to function, and he makes sure to hold you at a comfortable distance away from him. Then, there, under the dim lights of the room, you are met with his typical smirk tugging at his luscious pink lips (which you find yourself gazing at for longer than necessary). 

“Ah, if it isn’t Jeon Jungkook,” You rasp. You sway dangerously in his hold and nearly fall to the floor again. He tightens his grip on you and catches you once more before you can slip away. “What do you want from me tonight?”

“Hey, you bumped into me. I’m just being nice and making sure you don’t face-plant the floor.” 

“Yeah, but of course you had to be right beside me. I think I’d rather have face-planted the floor.”

He quirks a brow. He feigns dropping you, momentarily loosening his grip just enough for you to come flailing forward with a yelp of surprise. He doesn’t let you fall too far, though, and catches onto you swiftly once more, hooking his arm around your waist. When you meet his stare with a scowl, he grins. “You were saying?”

“Do you remember that one time you told me I never have fun?” 

“Not really.”

“Ah, well, you say a lot of shit to me,” You say. “But that stuck out the most. You called me a dementor. A dementor. My thirteen year old self never forgot that.”

Jungkook winces at how carefree you seemed to say it, at how you still remembered it three years later. His hands drop from you once you’re steady and he runs his fingers through his locks, softly pushing them up and out of his eyes before they ultimately fall flat against his forehead once more. 

“I didn’t mean it,” he says. “I mean, look at you now. You seem to be having a lot of fun. How drunk are you anyway?”

“It’s not fun when it feels like I’m trying to prove a point to you,” You sigh. “But I already know you don’t care about me.”

“That’s not true,” Jungkook says. “You’re the one who doesn’t care about me.”

You burst out into a fit of mocking laughter and shake your head at him. Swaying forward, almost precariously close to him, you tap the tip of his nose with your finger. “Jeon Jungkook, you can be real oblivious.”

And then you are kissing him, pressing your soft lips to his. He doesn’t push you away, albeit however incredibly surprised he may be. Instead, as he feels your lips move against his, he finds himself basking in everything that is you. All he can smell is your floral perfume and, passed the liquor that stained your lips, could taste your peach lip balm and the bubble gum you had been chewing earlier in the night. He hates how much he loves it. His hands lift to rest on either side of your face and he gently brings you closer to him, his tongue laving at your peach flavoured lower lip. He hears you moan softly in content as you melt against his chest, your fingers suddenly tugging desperately at the hair at the nape of his neck. It’s then that you realize that all you can smell is the scent of freshly cut grass and his lemony shampoo, but all you can taste is something warm and sugary that feels all too comforting.

You come to the conclusion in your drunken mind that you would have loved to keep kissing him. That, maybe, kissing Jeon Jungkook wasn’t so bad. But then just as suddenly as you had kissed him, he is pulling away from you, sending you crashing and burning down from your reverie. With swollen pink lips, wide eyes, and dishevelled hair, Jungkook shakes his head abruptly and mumbles a quiet, “I’m sorry.” 

He flees from your grasp and from the party before you can stop him — and it is in that moment that you began to hate Jungkook, but not more than you hate yourself for actually enjoying the way it felt to kiss someone like him. You would never learn why he had left so soon until much later when he tells you that he didn’t want you to regret anything you did drunk — didn’t want you to regret kissing someone like him when you had seemed to hate him for years prior.

In the second half of sixth year, when you begin to fail Potions, your Professor does what he thinks is best and pairs you with Jungkook, the smartest student in his class. Hearing that Jungkook, of all people, is remarkable at Potions doesn’t come as a surprise. You are quick to learn just why he had been placed into Ravenclaw, carrying their impressive ambition and intelligence. If anything, you are almost jealous of how easily he seems to pick up on things and can reproduce them at top notch quality.

Your friendship with him is still strained and is perhaps even worse than it had once been ever since the night of the party. Neither of you talk about the moment and, from what either of you were concerned, both of you had long since forgotten the night had ever happened. Unbeknownst to you is that when Jungkook sees how cold and distant you become in the days after, he refuses to tell you the truth that the kiss is always on his mind. So, when you are forced to work with him for any assignments or in-class work, most of your conversations end in constant bickering. Miraculously, somehow, your grades do gradually begin to pick up. 

One day, when you both walk into class, you are greeted to the sight of a smoldering cauldron placed neatly on top of your Professor’s desk, a beautiful scent filling the room that seems to be coming specifically from whatever has been brewing. The liquid contents within contains a mother-of-pearl sheen and clear smoke spirals from it in wisps. As soon as everyone is seated at their desks, your Professor steps forward and begins his lecture.

“Good evening, class!” he chirps. “Today we have a very exciting lecture that has to do with what is currently sitting on my desk. Now, can anyone tell me what exactly it is?”

A few shouts of guesses are tossed into the air but all are wrong as your Professor simply shakes his head. Jungkook raises his hand casually and your Professor points enthusiastically at him. 

“Yes, Jungkook?”

“It’s Amortentia,” he says.

“Right you are, my boy!” Your Professor beams. “Five points to Ravenclaw! This is, in fact, Amortentia. Now, for those of you who do not know what it is, that is perhaps all the best. But as it is, it’s important to educate you on the various effects each potion can have on a being and why someone should, or should not, administer it. Amortentia, simply put, is a love potion.”

Gasps of awe and murmurs from certain students circulate the room as your Professor carries on.

“And not just any love potion — the most powerful love potion in the world,” he says. “If anyone were to receive such a potion, it would cause an intense infatuation and obsession on the drinker. However, the potion must be continuously administered to the drinker or else the effects will wear off and the drinker will regain his or her conscience and free will. Now, if you ever wanted to know how to identify Amortentia, you can rely on its very distinct smell. Differing on the person who smells it, it will always morph into the scent of whomever you desire most. For instance, I smell lemon drops, toothpaste, and parchment paper. You may all smell something different.”

A handful of students lean forward in their seat, desperately moving closer to the cauldron and the potion that carried such charming scents. Despite not wanting to show your immediate interest in something as strange as a love potion, you sit back in your seat but inhale a slow, deep breath of air and the scent that makes your heart skip a beat. It would pose as an obstacle to focusing on the lecture as your Professor carried on, though you find you’re not the only one so easily distracted by it. Halfway through the class, he stops his lecture and informs the students of their task for the evening: replicating Amortentia perfectly with the help of the partner sitting next to them.

So, you and Jungkook immediately head to work, beginning the tedious process of preparing ingredients and brewing the potion. Naturally, your own potion brewing goes faster than others as Jungkook seems to know what to do with everything. For the most part, you sit back and watch, as Jungkook refuses your help any time you offer, claiming you would only just slow him down. When it’s done, and the entire class is still halfway through theirs, you fold your arms over your chest and look up at Jungkook, noting the way his eyebrows scrunch together as he peers down at the glistening potion.

“I can’t smell anything,” You say. “Did you even do this right?”

Jungkook grimaces, though his stare falters. He doesn’t admit it aloud, but he worries for a moment that maybe he isn’t as good at Potions as he thought he was. In the next second, he scowls and shoots you a look.

“What kind of question is that?” he asks. “Of course I did it right! I followed everything properly. It even looks perfect.”

“Well, obviously it isn’t perfect if neither of us can smell anything,” You say.

“Well,” Jungkook says, irritated, “maybe if you didn’t bathe yourself in your ridiculous floral perfume, I could smell something.”

“Me?” Your mouth drops open in an appalled gap. “Now it’s my fault? You’re one to talk. Did you have practice this morning? All I can smell is grass and your stupid lemon shampoo or whatever it is. It’s disgusting.”

The bickering continues on between the two of you until you’ve seemingly grabbed the attention of the entire class. Near the very end of the period, it’s Taehyung who finally says something, leaning back in his chair to look at the two of you. 

“Jungkook didn’t have practice this morning,” he says. “He also didn’t shower because he slept in late. Or did you forget that, Jungkook?”

“And Y/N?” Nayeon chimes in from beside you. “Didn’t you run out of your perfume last week?”

Jungkook clamps his mouth shut. Your own heart stops. Suddenly, your face is burning intensely and Jungkook’s own cheeks are pinched a bright red as, slowly, the realization seems to dawn on the both of you. Chuckles emit from your friends as your Professor signals that the time is up. You don’t dare look at Jungkook as your Professor grades each potion, and then anxiously await the chance to dash out the door when your Professor claims yours and Jungkook’s potion was done just perfect. As soon as he moves on to the next pair, you have gathered your belongings and have darted out the room. You are nearly halfway down the corridor when you hear Jungkook calling after you, begging you to stop.

“Y/N! Hey, Y/N! Wait up, please!”

Your feet quicken in pace as you round the corner. Just when you think you’re free, you feel a hand clasp around your wrist and pull you back into a hardened figure. Jungkook. He’s standing so incredibly close to you now, his gaze softening as he looks you once over. You can only avoid his stare, though your eyes fall to the distraction that is his hand clamped around your wrist. 

“I really am not in the mood to talk right now, Jungkook,” You mumble. “Just leave me alone.”

“What else did you smell?” Jungkook asks.

His question makes you stop. It’s what causes you to carefully lift your stare to look at him.

“What?” You stammer. “What does it matter?”

“Just tell me, please,” he says, his grip tightening around your wrist. “I need to know.”

You could have shaken your head at him, pushed him away and walked off, but the longer you stare at him, the faster you begin to cave. Your mind is instantly brought back to just moments ago and the love potion that had filled your senses. As you think about all the lovely things you could smell, you whisper the answer in a sheepish voice:

“Strawberries.”

There is a split moment where all you can see is Jungkook’s beaming grin before he is pulling you toward him for a kiss that nearly sweeps you off your feet. You collapse against his broad chest, your hands flying up to bundle in his shirt and pull at him tightly as he kisses you and kisses you. You wonder why he had done so spontaneously but then it seems to hit you.

All you can smell on Jungkook, all you can taste, is lemon, grass, and strawberries. 

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[trothplighted]

You bring up a fascinating point. There's scant canon detail about Ariana's personality. We know she had outbursts, had to be coaxed to eat, etc, and that made fandom assume she was childlike and not mentally competent (in the legal sense) due to intense trauma. But it could could also have been severe depression? If she knew she had an incurable condition that kept her from school, helped put her father in prison, made outcasts of her family, and caused her mother's death? That's a heavy load

it is!! and I have a lot to say about that! but before we dig into it, I do want to talk about why I never assumed she was childlike or mentally incompetent, which means (sigh) I have to talk about Aberforth again

there's a conception I've seen floating around that criticism of Aberforth (people assuming he's a homophobe, mostly) is due to shipping, and wanting him to be the bad guy in the Grindeldore story, and I've never felt that way at all, so I want to set that out from the start. Aberforth has always made me profoundly uncomfortable basically since 2007 when I read the book, and it's always been because of how he treated Ariana.

see, I view him as a somewhat unreliable narrator. I think that he accurately recounts the facts of what happened, but his emotional state colors his opinions, and the conclusions he draws don't textually add up. I think that's true of his account of Albus and Gellert's relationship, and I think it's true of his version of events surrounding Ariana.

why?

because JKR plays with unreliable narration in exactly this kind of way, multiple times per book. It's one of the core elements of the series. Harry will always witness something, or overhear a conversation, or come across evidence, and he draws incorrect conclusions from it. the facts get conveyed accurately to the audience, but the assumptions and feelings of the person witnessing those facts are almost always incorrect and stay that way until the end of the story when they're all explained correctly and the truth is revealed. it's not just Harry, either - the whole of wizarding society does this with regard to Sirius Black. this is something she does many times on purpose. I don't think it's unfair to say that Aberforth's version of the story is factually accurate but missing or omitting several important contextual pieces.

okay, so why do I feel he's that way about Ariana? well, the short answer is "because I'm disabled, and the way he talks about her skeeves me out majorly and has for years."

we the readers see absolutely no external proof that she was feeble-minded, or childlike, or that she couldn't take care of herself on a very basic level. Albus never says it in the King's Cross conversation, Bathilda and Muriel and Elphias never mention it, Rita's book never mentions it. the only person who insists this is true is Aberforth. we're supposed to take his word as gospel here... except for the fact that Albus doesn't think she's too sick to travel? Albus never admits in the books that he pushed his sister too far, that he overtaxed her, that he ignored her. And he's very open about his flaws - if he'd failed in this way, he'd own up to it! Plus, disabled people can travel internationally! we can go on vacations! we can have exciting lives! why should Aberforth be the one deciding for his sister what she can or can't do when he's only a year older than her, and Albus is the adult in the house?

plus, if we're meant to assume she's an Obscurial, if we take into account the FB movies? Credence is walking around Europe, and talking to people, and can live safely in a house with strangers, and can go on missions! they can speak in full sentences and feed themself and survive on their own! why is Ariana doomed to be quiet and childlike forever while Credence puts the lie to that assumption?

and the FB movies paint Aberforth in a kinder light than the books do - he's much less resentful and much less bitter - and Albus talks about the duel again, but despite the good guys being more good and the bad guys being more bad? this time there's no mention of Ariana being too sick to be moved. the fight happens because Albus and Gellert want to go away, and Ariana dies because she tries to stop it from happening.

as a result, I have to say that I think the assumption that she was traumatized into helplessness is 100% fanon. yes, I'm aware I'm loud and angry about this, I'm really sorry lmao I get heated when there's ableism on the table.

basically, I'll trust what Aberforth says when I get objective proof that didn't come from his testimony that Ariana actually was as much of an invalid as he insists. and because of that, I think it is much more likely that she had chronic depression and a serious anxiety disorder and cognitive impairments more in line with traditional neurodivergence than anything else. before the attack she seems to be a bright, inquisitive, magically talented little girl - she's doing noticeable wandless magic at six years old! holy shit, that's genuinely prodigious! and unless Ariana had, like, severe lasting brain damage from the attack? that's not someone who was born with the kind of severe intellectual disabilities that a perpetually childlike demeanor and intelligence would suggest. she isn't developmentally delayed in terms of her brainpower, she's ahead of the curve.

but after the attack? everything changed for the worse. she had to fight to control herself at six years old, barely understanding what had happened to her. she had to live for eight years knowing that she was the reason her father went to jail, she was the reason they had to move to a new house, she was the reason her family was sad and broken and depressed, she was the reason her brothers didn't get along, and if she ever let herself feel anything about her attack, or her circumstances? she could kill someone! that's so much for a little girl to have to live with! she can't go to school, she can't make friends, she has to live her life like one of the secret children from Margaret Peterson Haddix's Shadow Children books, forever indoors and unable to show her face. and then she's the reason her mother dies, and she can't even cry at Kendra's funeral, because if she does she might blow the place up.

put simply, I would kill for Ariana Dumbledore. she deserved so much better.