#they were like 'what? where are all my friendship shenanigans' and stopped reading and i was like. 'that's fair'

[hua-fei-hua]

i know i have been very "holy fuck guys i'm going outside, touching grass, and making friends again" these past two weeks, but holy fuck guys, in the latest episode of going outside, touching grass, and making friends again, i ended up talking to this fellow queer person about how much it sucks when it feels like stories are just made up of two love interests and no people

[princess-of-the-corner]

MLP Rewrite AU - Forgotten Friendship (if you didn't do it already)

OKAY SO UH

I absolutely rewrote this as a whole Thing in the universe and a chunk of things got changed so let's go over those before I get deep into the actual rewrite

1.) I had a separate fic in the AU where Sunset went back to Equestria and talked to Celestia already. Though it /was/ unfinished I remember most of my plans for it? So I skipped that here.

2.) Clover and the Memory Stone..... Clover already had completely different Lore surrounding her, both in-canon and thanks to my 'Hearth's Warming Cover Up' conspiracy theory, and the Memory Stone gave me a plothole headache. So I scrapped both.

3.) I made Wallflower's motivations a touch more relatable and out of her control.

4.) Unfortunately no Trixie in this but I've had fun with her elsewhere and should probably write her into something else lmao

SO ANYWAY

When Sunset gets to the beach and realizes no one remembers her having become their friend, she does manage to out-logic them. Pointing out inconsistencies and where they /should/ remember her being there because, looking into their memory, she's just erased out but not replaced well.

The biggest one being asking how they contacted Twilight when the Sirens were causing problems. The group pauses for a moment, but realizes that there was a journal but they can't remember where they got it. Sunset pulls out said journal, which gets them to listen a bit more.

She asks what they remember about the friendship games, to which Sci-Twi mentions remembering Sunset yelling at her for disrupting the games with portals. She says that it was harsh, but considering the whole event could've hurt her since it knocked her off the motorbike she understands in hindsight.

The rest of the group are like 'wait, what?' because they don't remember Sunset being in the games and couldn't fathom 'mean bully Sunset' being part of the games with them. But when asked who was paired with Rainbow for the motocross portion of the games, no one remembers. Except Sci-Twi, who says it was Sunset.

Sunset tests this and prompts further with- okay so I had a Thing™ in my rewrites that in the previous school year Pinkie and Sunset had been in the school play together. So as an inside joke they casually quote their lines at one another. Sunset kicks the habit off, reciting one of her lines. Pinkie answers, but stops. Her mind trying to remember, but all she can see is herself alone on stage, reading lines to no one.

Pinkie is Not Handling This Well™ and has dropped into straight hair mode and is hugging the fuck out of Sunset at this point. She forgot a friend! How dare she forget a friend?!

She asks them about after the games, because I had a fic re: finding Sunset's Human counterpart. And they remember her, but why would they look for her without prompting from their Sunset?

Sunset tests how far this goes by calling Flash. Just to see if it's an 'everyone' or a 'just the main characters' thing. He also doesn't remember making up with her. But with a little prompting of 'who gave you a sword for Christmas'(long story lmao), she gets him to listen. And he thinks about it more and says he remembers everything from when they 'broke up' and were fighting, but nothing about their friendship before that. Even though they would've been friends and hanging out before the 'break up', right?

Okay I'm going on a tangent trying to set up how the memory thing works lmao but anyway

The Rainbooms decide that they need more help than this and decide to talk to Princess Twilight about it. This includes everyone going through the portal because they're freaked and paranoid they'll forget again! (will be using 'Twilight' for pony and Sci-Twi for Human for now)

After some shenanigans of most of them getting used to Horse Mode™, Twilight does some prodding and questioning and experimenting. She actually /does/ know a spell that might cause this, but it's one she's not an expert on. Thankfully she can just do a quick teleport across town and grab someone who knows the spell a lot more.

Rarity my darling it's time for you to shine!

After quickly updating her, Twilight suggests that it may be the spell she used on the chandelier. Which Rairty agrees.

She elaborates, saying she had found the spell in a book up in the Crystal Empire. Technically it's a Crystal Pony spell, but Unicorns can replicate other Magics.

Anyway: The spell is used to copy a memory into a gemstone. She used this to make the tree root chandelier that's in the Castle of Friendship. There was a chunk of trial and error as she got the spell right. She gives examples of what went wrong, like her initial trials on Rainbow volunteering 'erase my memory of the Daring Do books so I can read them for the first time again'. Sometimes it erased her memory of the books, sometimes it erased her memory of the pony. The spell is even specific enough to differentiate different 'versions' of someone, such as 'Twilight as a Unicorn' vs. 'Twilight as an Alicorn'.

Now, the spell isn't /supposed/ to erase memories, just make a copy. But it can fuck up and erase. And unfortunately, Rarity can't reverse the spell without having whatever gemstone holds the memories.

Ofc this means they have to figure out who did this! Clearly since more Humans are getting their Pony Magics, it should be a counterpart to a Unicorn or Crystal Pony. They just have to figure out who. Rarity muses that, as the spell is an incomplete version, it's likely they tested it out and had it backfire on them a lot. Backfired spells can cause low-energy and even some pain, but also it means the person may have accidentally erased memories of themselves.

They go back to the Human World, leaving Twilight and Rarity in Equestria and keeping them updated in case something goes wrong, and decide to flip through the previous year's yearbook to look for someone they don't remember. Pinkie eventually points out Wallflower, and everyone knows that Pinkie's memory for people is very good so if she doesn't remember....

They lure Wallflower to the school gardens, and Sunset does the memory dive to look into it. She sees that Wallflower had been accidentally activating the spell, erasing herself from people's memory. Had been getting more and more hurt from the unfinished spell. But since she didn't know how to fix it, why not use it?

This causes a bit of a fight because Sunset's like 'the FUCK do you have against me?!' and Wallflower yells back about how it's unfair that someone like Sunset can just 'be nice' after so much meanness and get super popular while people like Wallflower who were always nice get entirely forgotten.

Pinkie calls her out on this of like 'hey! I consider you a friend why not come to me!'. Wallflower is very cynical on this because Pinkie considers everyone a friend but there's no way in hell she knows /everyone/ as intimately as a friend should. Which, yeah, Pinkie can do some wild shit but there's people she's closer to than others. But she's always open to being closer to someone! Or to helping someone out, including helping them find someone they may find a true friendship in! Wallflower still could've come to her!

Wallflower is starting to see that she fucked up, but she can't return their memories of Sunset. She doesn't know how. So she does the one thing she thinks she can do, give them a fresh start!

Ofc Sunset tries to block this and gets hit and. well.

It erased memory of the 'Human-esque' Sunset. Which means, as far as Sunset's aware, she just ran through the portal after her fight with Celestia and is mid-breakdown.

Not a fun experience!

Sunset has no idea what's going on. All the others are mad at Wallflower. They try to fix it and explain that there should be a gemstone. Wallflower offers her necklace but.... there's nothing in it. No memories, no Magic whatsoever.

Sunset is VERY confused but trying to help. the others are getting more upset and worried because 'oh shit she doesn't remember jack shit of the last six years and we still don't know how to fix it!!

But since they tell Wallflower to stop zapping everyone goddamn it they drag the Pony!Twilight and Rarity over to try and fix this shit.

Wallflower: "Oh god I'm sorry I don't deserve friends after all I've done how could anyone ever forgive the awful things I did???"

The Rainbooms+2: "Well. You didn't try destroying the world so you're really not even in the top 10 of wildest people we've befriended. Also we may have a Problem™."

Anyway! Rarity manages to figure out what crystal the Memories are hiding in! They're hiding in Wallflower herself. Crystal Pony bodies mimic crystals/gems so they can do the same thing.

Now knowing where the Memories are, Rarity can channel the spell and return the memories to where they should be.

Sunset and Wallflower get to talk for a bit about Hey That Was Fucked™.

But also like. Sunset knows what it's like to be alone. She left her home when she was still a kid, and wound up in a whole other dimension. One where, even if she makes some friends, she could never fully befirend them because she couldn't tell them /what/ exactly she was. It's different now, but she'd faced that before. She knows lonliness.

And Wallflower feels guilty because she never really put together how alone Sunset was. Thought she'd just skated by so easily in the friends department.

And Sunset helps her realize that there's more to friendship than just kindness. Being nice helps, of course. But you need to reach out. You need to put in an effort.

But at the same time, everyone you meet holds the potential to become your best friend.

[smexyanimepotatosstuff]

Vampire shenanigans

A hogwarts legacy fanfiction which contains vampires and shenanigans in at least one chapter.

This will be the intro to the fic and the MC so it's shorter than regular chapters will be. I make no promise of consistency at all, but I will pour my heart and soul in finishing the whole which will consist of at least 10 chapters. Later in the fic there will be chapters that may be unsuited for minors, and I will mark it accordingly, but this intro is perfectly fine.

I'd like to thank @sebswebs and @choccy-milky for inspiring me with their writing and amazing personalities and give them credit for at least 70% of my new found bravery to post something.

TRIGGER WARNINGS WHOLE FIC:

Female MC, blood and gore, death, eventual smut (which will not be too important to the plot and can thus be skipped), mostly made up vampire lore, toxicity, Mentions of loneliness, SHENANIGANS.

TRIGGER WARNINGS INTRO:

Female MC, tiniest bit of blood, mentioned loneliness, Anne being a sassball, mention of death, sadly no vampires yet.

By clicking 'more' I will be under the assumption that you read the warnings :)

If you were to ask anyone at Hogwarts who knew MC to describe her in one word, the answer would be, with frightening consistency, kind. A trait many students admired her for. She was a nurturing type of witch who excelled at potions and herbology as well as healing charms. The first two being given in the regular curriculum and the latter being taught to her in the medical wing where she volunteered some of her free time in exchange for knowledge and experience. Anyone in need of anything could always count on her to offer her help when she felt she could provide it, causing her to get a small reputation as the mom of their year. Whether it was a snack, a quill or discreet healing of singed eyebrows, everyone who knew her didn't doubt to ask. 

Her amicable reputation however didn't necessarily translate into social prowess.    Even though everyone liked her well enough, there weren't too many people she considered her friends, never mind the seemingly unreachable position of what she imagined having a best friend would be like. This was fine by her seeing as she much rather tended to her plants and studies than chat most days. Still, she'd have the occasional longing stare to those bands of friends who seemed joined at the hip. She could walk up to most classmates and have a lovely conversation but she could never quite reach a level of friendship beyond the 'wave and smile when I pass you in the halls' and 'small talk should we happen to be sitting next to each other' stage of getting acquainted. She blamed this to her aspirations of becoming a skilled healer and just being too infatuated with her work and studying, but deep down she still felt a pang of loneliness books just couldn't rid her of. Still, MC remained kind and studious and mostly in solitude for the first of her Hogwarts years. That was until she, quite literally, ran into a certain group of slytherins during her 4th year. 

It had happened whilst she was a bit distracted walking towards the great hall. Her tendency to finish a chapter before doing anything else had caused her to be a bit late and less careful about where she was going. She rounded a corner right as a boy dramatically extended his arms causing her to stumble and immediately after trip over the legs of someone who was sitting on the floor. She let out a surprised yelp and hit the ground with a thud and a soft 'ow..'. "Merlin Sebastian, look where you're flailing your arms! Are you okay!?" She heard a girl say right beside her. MC nodded her head and gently rubbed her arm which had taken the brunt of her fall. "Don't worry, it was just a bump." MC said sheepishly as she let the girl and the 'arm flailing' boy help her up. 

Upon closer examination she recognised them as the Sallow twins and connected the trip-inducing pair of legs to Ominis Gaunt. "Nonsense, these dimwits should stop blocking the halls and mind their bloody surroundings… and go to dinner because I'm starving." Anne said, looking at boys with visible irritation. "Hey! I was the epitome of elegance, gesturing to make my point even more clear to Ominis. There just happened to be an unfortunate collision." Sebastian quickly retorted, clearly not one to take blame. "Yeah well if you had been the epitome of eloquence you wouldn't have been gesturing in the first place because I'm blind." Ominis shot back, standing up from his seated position. "Well if you hadn't-" Sebastian had started until he heard Anne gasp. The bickering boys turned to the source and quickly shut up as Anne examined the small scrape on  MC's elbow, surrounded by a slightly bigger bruise that produced a miniscule trickle of blood. "She's BLEEDING from her WOUND and you haven't even apologized." Anna chastised whilst MC stood frozen watching the chaos unfold around her. 

That was until she couldn't take it anymore and started laughing due to their antics. The three of them immediately shut up and had to laugh for a moment as well. "Don't worry it's an easy fix." MC said after a moment of collecting herself and nonverbally cast a charm to fully heal the minimal damage on her arm. Sebastian and Anne gawked at her for a moment whilst Ominis was left in the dark, until Anne yelled out. "You just cast a nonverbal and perfectly healed your bloody arm!" She gently took hold of MC's elbow and traced the scrape-free skin with fascination. "You did? That's quite impressive" Ominis said whilst Sebastian was eerily quiet. Anne was just about to comment on MC being the cause of another miracle when Sebastian closed the distance between them and looked at her with stars in his eyes as he burst out: "teach me. Please teach me how to do that." MC was a bit startled by his sudden enthusiasm and nearly stumbled backwards again but Sebastian firmly grabbed her shoulders and shook her slightly as he continued. "I've never seen anyone cast a nonverbal with such ease, let alone of our age. I have been trying to figure it out for ages an-" before he could shake her to nausea Anne smacked him up the head and pulled him off. "Back, you Neanderthal. Mind your manners you giddy geek. You haven't even asked her name and you're already harassing her with questions."

 Right as Sebastian tried to interject, Ominis added: "Worst of all, we still haven't apologized to…?" "MC" MC said with a small smile. Anne gestured to Sebastian and with the look of a guilty child he began: "I'm sorry for hitting and effectively pushing you.." " and I'm sorry for accidentally tripping you.." Ominis added "And I'm sorry for not catching you." Anne said to conclude the triple apology. MC couldn't help but feel a bit warm inside from their visibly close relationship and fun personalities. "Each of you is forgiven. How about we walk to the hall now and get Anne that dinner. I was on my way there as well. "A woman after my own heart, let's go!" Anne said, locking their arms and immediately dragging her along before the boys could react.

 MC chuckled at her spontaneity and looked at her side when she felt Sebastian who had caught up, slotting his arm with her free one as he said: "Seriously though, what you did back there was nothing short of incredible. I've heard about you helping out in the hospital wing but I didn't expect this. I'd beg on my knees for even some pointers." He said with a playful smile. A small blush creeped onto her cheeks and MC let herself be guided by the twins. "I could try to teach you. But it may not end up being a healing charm, would that still be okay? It would take some effort from both of us, but with some dedication we could pull it off." "I want to learn too! Please teach us both." Anne interjected, pulling MC a bit closer to show off her puppy eyes. Before she could answer Sebastian spoke up again: "yeah right. First making me beg for it and then reaping the rewards yourself you little sneak" Elle laughed and promised to at least try to  teach both the Twins and Ominis should he want it. (He did). Between the bickering and the hasty goodbye at the entrance of the hall MC caught herself wanting to speak to the slytherins again after today. 

If you were to ask anyone at Hogwarts who knew MC to describe her in one word, the answer would be, with frightening consistency, kind. A trait many students admired her for, but unbeknownst to anyone, would be the cause of her untimely death. 

[nextgensquad]

These Mortals

ensemble next gen fic | albus/oc | rated t | complete at 25 chapters

hogwarts shenanigans

head boy al suffering from stress

romantic entanglements all over the place

sinister reactionary pureblood societies

friendship, families, & fights

chaotic kids performing shakespeare

multiple pov

‘Probably. Talking of insane, how angry d’you think my mum and dad would be if I got a tattoo at Christmas?’

Al squinted at her. ‘Is that a serious question?’

‘Yeah, I might do it. If I can decide where to get it.’ She looked down her body, spreading her hands thoughtfully.

‘Well, remembering their reactions when you pierced your eyebrow, I’d say you’ll be lucky to survive.’

Aunt Hermione was the strict one, but Uncle Ron had a tendency to want Rose and Hugo to stay younger than they were. Al wasn’t sure what their specific opinions on tattoos were, but he couldn’t imagine them wanting Rose to get one.

‘Spoken like a true Head Boy.’ She raised the pierced eyebrow teasingly at him.

Al prodded her ankle with his quill.

‘Spoken like James.’

‘Oh, god.’ She groaned. ‘Nightmare. Better stop myself going down that slippery slope.’

Al laughed, letting his quill drop onto the table. He stretched cramped fingers and leaned back in his chair. He’d been getting no work done anyway. Maybe he could leave it until tomorrow too.

‘Did you come just to ask my advice about tattoos?’

‘I asked your opinion, not your advice. There’s a difference. Anyway, I came because Helena and Emmy are studying crystal balls for Divination, and Saffy’s gone to Quidditch practice.’

Al tried hard not to react to Saffy’s name, but knew he’d failed immediately, as Rose’s eyes sharpened.

‘So, is that, like, a forever thing?’ she asked conversationally. ‘You can’t be around Saffy anymore?’

He glared at her.

‘Of course I can be around her. I’m around her all the time. We’re friends.’

‘Are you? Because it seems like if Saff’s there, you make an excuse not to be. And she says you don’t even talk to her in Herbology, even though you guys have that together.’

The idea that Saffy and Rose talked about him behind his back made something inside him curl in embarrassment and resentment. Rose was his cousin. She was meant to be on his side.

The trouble was, she was also Saffy’s best friend. And he’d sworn to himself that he’d never make her choose between them.

‘Look, I don’t want to have this conversation with you,’ he muttered.

‘Okay,’ Rose said, her tone neutral. ‘Just—listen, Al, you know I don’t expect you to forgive anyone. What happened was shitty, and they were the ones who did the shitty thing. I mean, doing that right after you guys broke up. I'd hate them too. But just so you know, she feels fucking terrible about it. Like, she regrets it so much. And I’m not saying you have to be friends with her, or even stop hating her, but—’

‘God,’ Al broke in. ‘Rose, just stop.’ He leaned his head against the back of his chair and closed his eyes so he didn’t have to see her. ‘I don’t hate her,’ he added quietly.

He wished he could. That would be way easier.

read more on ao3

[moon-lv3r]

tutoring ~💎

🦋 category: fluff, one-shot, f!reader

🦋 characters: josuke

🦋 summary: your grades are slipping, exams are coming, and so you decided to ask someone as stupid as you to study together. makes sense since you aren’t the brightest tool in the shed

🦋 warnings: nil

🦋 notes: so how are we feeling about the ending of stone ocean? promise i will write something for stone ocean soon hehe. i got this idea to write a fic for josuke bc my mind started to drift into nowhere and a lot of idiotic stuff entered my brain and i suddenly felt inspired to write this fic with some elements of what happened to me. also i dyed my hair !!

The amount of Ds flooding your report book was enough to send any parent into a state of shock. It was a nightmare coming straight out of a nightmare itself. Who would have known that you would be this stupid?

If only you could treat the warnings given to you by your teachers as a love letter. You’d have many admirers then.

“At least you’re not the lowest y/n,” said your best friend, a tall boy who went by the name Nakamura Naoki. “I heard that Okuyasu broke his own record once again. As if his grades weren’t already bad enough. But apparently that Josuke improved.”

A curved smile carved onto your face at the mention of Josuke. Would it be a surprise to know that you liked that idiot?

Naoki knew of it, and he was disappointed.

He took notice of your stupid little smile and sighed. “Seriously why do you like that idiot?” He asked.

“Naoki, you have a crush on Hirai Rei! She couldn’t do literature to save her life. Have you not read some of her poems she wrote for one of our projects last year?” You retorted back. Teasing each other about your crushes was a hobby, and a need, developed by the both of you. Partially because Naoki kept on liking funny kind of people while making fun of you for liking Josuke.

What was wrong with Josuke anyway?

“Rei is good at math and she can help me with it at least. What can Josuke help you with? Getting into trouble?” Naoki replied.

It was unfortunate that Rei just so happened to be the top student in the school for math while Josuke was known for getting into a bit of trouble. Resulting from too much games and a lack of homework being done. You had heard that his nephew was a well-accomplished young man with a wife and daughter.

“Josuke has a rich nephew,” you replied. But before you could say anymore, Naoki stopped you from producing words as stupid as Okuyasu.

“That man is married. I know you’re joking but seriously,” Naoki stared at you, straight into your eye. The seriousness of his eye contact filled with intensity froze you from the inside out. Never have you seen him so serious before.

You and Josuke were in the same class, he sat behind you. You could always feel his stupidity from where you sat but it was a trait that you had admired from him. You didn’t know how your crush on Josuke started out. it was out of the blue, you were just ranting to Naoki about how most of the guys in class were annoying pricks, a rant that even Naoki took part in. He was a boy in band and hated most of the boys. You were in the art club. Josuke just happened to be one of the more tolerable ones and you just started paying more and more attention to him then. It didn’t help that he always started conversations with you and most of it always went from school related to something stupid. But it was never enough to spark a friendship.

Until your weak little heart gave out and started to catch a kind of virus — feelings.

Naoki noticed it way before you did. You refused to believe that you had caught feelings for Josuke and denied it. But you knew it was as truthful as saying the Earth was flat.

Before you knew it, it had turned into something your mind was too weak to reverse. The worst part was that he sat behind you so you could always hear the stupid little shenanigans he was always up to. It got worse when Okuyasu joined the school. The level of stupid reached an all time high that made Naoki question your sanity for liking Josuke.

Months had passed by since then, you and him barely exchanged any words, only ever talking when he started it, but he had been talking to you less these days. Naoki ended up dating Rei and they were happy together. The stark contrast in achievements made you the laughing stock for him and Rei. But hey at least you befriended someone enough to tell her about your hopeless crush on that Josuke.

“Nao is right, Josuke is a stupid guy. Did love blind you to the point that even Josuke can catch your attention?” Rei commented after finding out about your crush on Josuke.

“I am not listening to anyone who’s dating Nakamura Naoki!” You replied.

What was worse was the fact that exams were arriving sooner than your love life finally having something interesting going on. Your grades standing at a failing rate was simply not allowed. Naoki and Rei were studying with each other and you did not want to interfere with their little date.

But you could really use a study buddy.

You even told your mother that you would be getting a tutor for your poor grades so there was nowhere out.

There were virtually nobody you could ask.

And so one day when you were in class glancing through your biology textbook, Josuke approached you.

The Josuke sitting right behind you.

The Josuke whose special talent was being an idiot.

The Josuke you liked.

“Biology is so hard to revise,” he mumbled as you looked up to see his face masked with a grin. He looked like a moron.

This was an opportunity in disguise.

You looked out of the class to see Rei winking and cheering you on with Naoki beside her, shaking his head in disapproval. Naoki must have been forced into it.

“We can study it together!” You replied with an innocent smile that you hoped would not expose your crazy heart going absolutely insane over the both of you finally having the opportunity to spend time together.

he seemed surprised. Your heart sank, heart beat gone. He was going to say no wasn't he?

At least you tried your best. It wasn’t like you never tried anything before. You could live with this.

“Sure!” Josuke surprisingly agreed, making you question if he was really the Josuke you know and love. “Just us or do you want me to invite Okuyasu?”

He was really an idiot.

“The choice is yours. But we will be studying at my house if that is alright with you. The library is really crowded these days,” you replied, trying to be as normal as you could possibly master.

Josuke went silent once again, deep in thoughts inside his empty brain. You really wanted to know what kind of things this boy thought of everyday. It seemed like it would be a never ending land of chaos, would you love it? Probably.

“I will not invite Okuyasu then,” he finally replied. “Today? I’ll see you after school.”

He left before you could even say anything.

What in tarnation had just happened.

You didn’t even have time to fully process everything because Rei barged into the classroom like a rabid creature and Naoki followed behind like he was a sick old man.

“Y/n is finally getting a boyfriend,” she grinned.

“I hate you,” you replied. “What just happened?”

“Ask Rei, she got me to ask Josuke to approach you because you apparently need friends,” Naoki replied.

“He couldn’t resist my charms,” Rei chimed in. “He is like a dog.”

Naoki froze in terror from the sentence and you laughed. Naoki being with Rei was the best thing ever.

You would never know the meaning of boring while hanging out with them.

It felt like eternity until the school bell finally rang, allowing you to run like there was a serial killer chasing you. Your final class for the day was different from Josuke’s so you would have to wait for him by the school gate and walk to your home. There Josuke was, standing by the metal gate like the dashing young teenager he was and oh you could not wait for the events to unfold.

The events would just be you and him talking.

He smiled when he saw you and waved. It made you feel like you were floating in heaven.

Maybe you should stop being so crazy.

Okuyasu went with Koichi to study. So you and Josuke were truly alone. Ain’t this fun?

“Your mum wouldn’t mind me around?” Josuke asked.

“She is used to me bringing guys over all the time,” you replied without thinking. Only realising how horrible your words meant after it escaped your mouth. “Wait no I only brought Naoki over and now he is always crashing at my place with Rei and making me sit on the floor of my own room like they are the ones living there!”

“So you only had Naoki and Rei over?” He asked, looking amused. “You got so flustered.”

You hated this.

“Sorry,” you apologised meekly as your doorstep finally greeted your face.

Quickly, you and Josuke entered and made the way to your room. It was filled with books and music, the sight of games were practically non-existent. Josuke was appalled by the different your room was compared to his. The thought of living without games was simply foreign to him, something impossible.

The both of you managed to find a comfortable spot on your room floor and sat down. He looked through his textbook like it was plotting his murder. “I don’t understand physics at all. What is the principal of energy conversion, whatever its called.”

“I think its that energy cannot be lost or destroyed, only converted from one form to another?” You replied, equally confused and began to look at your own textbook. “Oh I am right.”

Josuke was extremely weak when it came to his sciences so he spent most of his time on that. You couldn’t do math so that was your main area of focus.

“What is the difference between alkanes and alkenes again?” He asked.

“Hold on let me check…” You muttered, moving yourself so that you would be beside him. You took a glance at the textbook he was holding, unaware of the gap that would almost cease to exist between your cheeks. He was aware of that however, but remained frozen in his posture while your eyes scanned the words printed on his textbook.

“Oh alkanes have a single bond with carbon while alkenes have a double bond with… carbon as well,” you replied. “Why is chemistry so hard, the spelling of alkane and alkene is so similar!” You whined. “How would anyone tell it apart?”

Math got worse for you when you got to trigonometry and whatever the name was for the topic that needed you to find the volume of shapes. What the hell were your eyes registering into your brain?

“What is the hypotenuse of a triangle?” You asked in distress. Your mind in shambles from studying, too tired for anymore.

“The longest side?” Josuke shrugged. “I don’t know either.”

You glanced at your math notes once more, flipping through like a sane woman gone mad. He was… right?

“Why are you actually correct?” You answered in shock.

He looked just as surprised as you to learn the fact that he wasn’t that stupid. His grades only went from failing grades to barely passing. But an improvement was still an improvement.

Time ticked by as the both of you continued your mindless studying. The only dialogue exchanged were questions relating to subjects and the, sometimes insanely wrong, answers to them. Josuke once thought basic oxides were the same as acidic oxides. It was a funny one. It made a good laugh escape your lips.

The sun soon vanished from the sky, replaced by the moon and its’ dark shine over the Earth.

Your mother arrived home and cooked dinner for Josuke. She saw you bringing a guy that wasn’t Naoki back home and immediately started to do an interrogation. Swore it was for your future as well.

The aroma was sweet, filling every corner of your home. But the stare from your mother felt intense. Josuke could feel it too.

“So you’re the smart tutor y/n decided to bring home to save their grades?” She asked.

Josuke turned to look at you with a funny expression. You had no idea what it meant but he nodded his head with a smile before returning to face your mum. “Yup, top of our class.”

Oh he definitely was.

“What does your parents do for a living?”

“My dad is uh… overseas with my nephew, my mum is working at a bank,” Josuke asked. He seemed hesitant about his father but answered rather smoothly.

Dinner went by without anything weird coming from nowhere. The chicken your mother made was as amazing as usual and the curry she made tasted just as good, you loved the spice burning your tongue senseless. After all three of you finished your meal, your mother decided that it would be a good idea to have you walk Josuke home.

“So… what was that about me being smart?” Josuke asked, grinning in a smug manner.

“Nothing,” you tried to shrug it off.

“We both know the top of our class isn’t me. I am nowhere close,” Josuke explained. “So?”

You sighed, it wasn’t like any lie would make sense anyway.

“Told my mum that I would ask a smart one for help but I asked you instead,” you explained.

“Why though? Naoki only told me to talk to you…” his voice became softer, his mind turned heavier.

It could only mean one thing…

“Wait… do you like me?” He asked. Your mind stopped producing thoughts. Your heart kept making heart beats.

He looked at your reaction and that gave him all of the answers you needed. “So you do…”

“So?” You replied, trying to sound nonchalant as you could.

Josuke looked like a happy little idiot. “And I thought I was the only person who would like someone who barely talked to me. I thought you didn’t like me because you barely talked to me, only I started the conversations so I just stopped, until Naoki told me to approach you.”

Oh…

He mistook your shyness for a sign.

“I was just shy…” you explained. “But yeah I do like you…”

Josuke’s smile appeared brighter than the street lamps at that very moment when you admitted your feelings and you felt him suddenly holding your hand. “So can I be your boyfriend now?” He asked.

“After our exams,” you shot back.

For the rest of the walk, he would never stop complaining about how he has to wait.

The exams came and went. The results? Both you and Josuke had improved quite an amount, even Naoki was surprised.

What reward did you get for it?

Higashikata Josuke.

[safyresky]

Do you ever intend to write more about the eleven months of Jack community service (before the start of Crystal Springs)? While reading the new version of the chapters on Ao3, this line grabbed my attention: "Letter time with Santa was drool, but he found that those were the best times to mend bridges with Santa, and eventually, Carol." I'm intrigued about how their relationship evolved from hostility to friendship

Oh my god, I absolutely LOVE this question! I've never really thought about it tbh, but it would make a good smile shot or two, wouldn't it?

I've been rotating this question around my brain all evening, and figure this is as good a place as any to share some surface thoughts on how their relationship evolved in those 11 months leading up to Crystal Springs:

Scott did NOT warm up fast at ALL. He only agreed to give Jack another chance BECAUSE Mother Nature and Bernard were like no, this isn't a trick, it's legit, dude

January was HARD

Jack reported for duty right away, offered to help all over the place

First day in Jack gets them both cocoas. Santa does NOT drink his because who KNOWS what Jack did to it

(Nothing)

Anyway, January, bad, Jack is like doing as MUCH as he can to help where he can and Scott is just watching like a HAWK, man is NOT taking any chances with Jack this time around, no sir

But Jack doesn't do anything bad? He's a little silly, kind of an ass still, but the Workshop, surprisingly, doesn't implode

He is actually helping in some places. Scott's wildin. He's like there's no fucking way. He's being this earnest? Fr? He's not plotting or scheming or causing shenanigans?

Bernard's like look dude, I don't wanna say I told you so but...¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Carol I think warms up to Jack first! She eventually convinces Scott to lay off a bit, he's had AMPLE time to DO something but hasn't, has just been helping out like they sentenced him to do

And, y'know, it seems like he's really actually trying to make up for what happened!

She's seen plenty of students in her time who pull themselves up by their bootstraps like this, and I'm sure she makes a Charlie comparison to soften Scott up a bit

Scott relents a LITTLE bit. Only a bit.

I think in February he notices how Jack's literally going all over the place, and finally one day he's like HOW are you doling this all. WHERE is the energy coming from. WHAT the actual fuck

And Jack shrugs like it's the right thing to do! And I have energy for days, it's fine

And Scott's like okay. Okay maybe stop spreading yourself so thin? Let's narrow things down. Stuff you hate? You don't have to do it

Queue Jack being like thank GOD because let me tell you toy making? JUST NO. Splinters? Slivers? And these undersized tools? STRONG PASS

A bad joke is made and Santa actually laughs

Jack's like oh! That was a laugh! I got you to laugh!

And Scott's like it was low hanging fruit, it was bad and that's why I laughed, this means NOTHING

And Jack's like, sure, sure, I'll soften you up Claus, just you wait! Cocoacinno?

He does, actually, drink this bevvy. He is pleasantly surprised when Jack doesn't actually do anything to it, and even more surprised that he finds it quite tasty--the man can make a drink.

February turns into March, and by then Jack's kinda found his stride and Scott's let him do some things with him, a bit for him to keep a close watch on him, and a bit bc he finds himself appreciating the company

It's kind of nice to have an. ACQUAINTANCE. That isn't an elf.

That's how letter time starts; Santa sits and reads and responds to letters, and Jack joins him and just kinda. Yap yap yap yap YAPS. Dude can CHAT. And it's not completely annoying! He's got crazy good stories, knows a lot of dirt about the OTHER Legends, and is always very nice to Carol and Buddy

He also sometimes has some very good things to add to the letters when Santa's coming up empty

"See? He's helping," Carol says, for the umpteenth time, and Scott's like "Yeah, yeah, yeah."

He's been around for a hot minute, too, and Scott finds himself enthralled sometimes with Jack's stories of ancient cultures he was around for--especially Rome!

Again, surface thoughts! I imagine it was gradual, and took some time, and took a lot of other people warming up to him first before Scott was like okay. Okay cool. I can trust this guy now! There's some other things I think that helped, too. I think he was v good with Baby Buddy as he got more towards the toddler end of the spectrum! And I think he had some like, heart of gold kind of moments too!

It's very VAGUE tbh! I just know for sure it was gradual, and took time, and a whole lot of patience and I'm sure blowing off some steam via snowstorms every so often too, lol.

I think I answered the question! sorry for the word vomit, apparently I am incapable of being succinct and too the point 🙃🙃🙃🙃

Here's a funny little excerpt from the CS notes that I imagine happened some time during Letter Time, to illustrate how I think letter time helped (like 4 o'clock coffee with my aunts! They stop, have coffee with each other and just chat and shoot the shit and I always learn so many new things about them every time I'm at one!)

When I wrote this spur of the moment funny, it was a) because of this vine and B) post Crystal Springs, hence the Jacqueline mention (mother fucker just cannot STAY OUT OF A CONVO WHEN SHE IS NOT THERE. She plagues me), and C) deffs a DM to someone based on the slahses instead of actual italics lmao.

Word barf aside, this is how I imagine letter time went for the most part: Scott doing his thang, Jack chattering away! It's probably why buddy knows so many words at just under a year old :P

ANYWAY. SNIPPET:

[ID in ALT]

[pseudonymphomania]

IM HERE!! OOGA BOOGA.

Remember me? You better still have that promise tucked away in your pocket! Cuz I’m here to dump a Mammon-load-‘a-trouble! (Ideas)

Okay. But first, a little bit of back story.

At first when I played the first game, I was really just playing for self interest (and I was bored). I really started to get attached to Lucifer but then I saw the relationship between Luci and Dia and was like- “OH THESE BITCHES FUCKIN’!” (That’s literally why I’m only playing the game. To see these two love birds interact (and possibly uncover a little more of their backstory piece by piece.)

Anyway. Back to the main point ig.

So. The main idea that comes to my mind with these two is just… lingerie. Lucifer wearing lingerie to ‘impress’ or ‘seduce’ Dia is just SO gold. Also Dia trying to fit into lingerie but it just ends up tearing and is absolutely hilarious. I love home boy sm oml.

The second idea would probs be something like- “Stressful day? Leave it to Dia! He’ll make is somehow worse by trying to cheer you up!” Which is so cannon in my opinion- bc I’m still remembering the pillow fight scene from early in the game lmao.

The last idea is probably gonna go with Lucifer slander. The brothers teasing Luci about how Luci and Dia never leave each other’s side and are always near each other is golden in my opinion.

Anyway. That’s pretty much a more tame version of my thoughts (and so much less in numbers). I hope to read more of your AMAZINGLY CRAFTED fanworks in the very near future! Kudos to you, from the DiaLuci community 💙❤️

Ahoy there fellow shipper!

I'm so happy you found me here because I am also full of shenanigans and I loved reading yours!

While I did start playing to experience that chuunibyou part of my life again and be a nonbinary character in an otome (interesting concept), I ALSO play the game mainly to see these guys interact. This ship can fit into so many situations™ and I have no trouble writing or drawing them in any AUs with their silly dynamic. To this day, nothing beats The Glory Days Lucifer UR card. I based so much of my work off of it. I hope that the devs can keep feeding us in the future ❤️

Lingerie: ooh! Funny story, I have DiaLuci go to the sex shop in Chapter 16 in "Self Control" (Dia goes a lil nuts buying random stuff), and it becomes thematically relevant again in the sequel "The Sex Shop". I do a callback to Lucifer sarcastically noting how the panties cover nothing and "what's the point?" I characterise him as a pragmatic being so I wanted him to be the foil to Diavolo's silliness (Chapter 13 TSS). I started out writing these for smut purposes, but I just couldn't let the possibilities go to waste; that's why SC and TSS both go into very emotional territory and are very plotful because i wanted them to be together in all ways (from love, friendship, lust, not necessarily in that order). They were meant to be together the moment Dia rearranged Lucifers mind via their first meeting (Dia gets to rearrange more than that in the far future after their thousands of years of slowburn ohoho). I write these bitches as switches so ofc they both get to experience the fun things. I may draw the lingerie but I also have part 3 of The Self Control Saga where I can go into it because part 3 is my Kinktober offerings.

Dia making everything better™ is the best thing ever. This absolute bafoon of a prince presses a mystery button just for the lulz and stops time. Canonically, he's too silly for his own good and i swear Lucifer gets more grey hairs dealing with all the shenanigans. (Dia finds his greys mad sexy though so maybe he's doing it on purpose)

Re: the brothers. I think you would enjoy reading chapter 2 of "Lucifer's Socks and Other Goofy Stories". I will get them to poke at the relationship somehow in one of my stories but I haven't found a thematically relevant place to put that yet :D

Thank you for enjoying my shenanigans. Feel free to throw more thoughts at me! NSFW is the name of the game but tell me you wouldn't enjoy the fluff just as much! :))

🖤❤

[nicoleiacross]

[Ghost(Band)] Defective [Links to AO3]

My internet has been out for three days but I will post a fucking fluffery damnit. ...I mean it’s sad but it’s fluffy sad? I’ve had a long three days.

♥

Fandom: Ghost (Band) Rating: General (some swearing, nothing serious) CW: nothing serious Lesser Warnings: headcanon galore, author uses sodo instead of dew, pre-Aether/Sodo? Can be read as fluffy friendship or ship-ship

Summary:  Sodo having an off day isn't rare; just a concern when they have to get Aether to handle it.

A/N: There was a post on tumblr about Sodo being self conscious about how quickly he replaced Ifrit. And I also found a Ritual recording of Devil's Church/Guitar Shenanigans/Cirice were people were boo'ing Sodo. Like I'm sure it was in good fun but it was still like bro is this necessary wtf... 

But anyways, so that happened lmao.

There are some mentions of various headcanon from Mountain regarding a much bigger thing I'm working on but if anyone has questions please never hesitate to ask ♥ Otherwise, as usual, I do not have an editor of any sort, so if you notice typos, please lemme know ♥ Enjoy and thank you for reading /)(\

Extras: Status: Complete! [< AO3 Link] Word Count: ~5.4k

It's a rare occurrence, for Sodo to be so terribly off kilter.

Aether isn't positive when it starts; but, at some point, Sodo starts sticking to the front of the stage, center and left, instead of running up to Swiss or Cirrus as much as he normally does. He's pretty sure they all just assume he's starting to run out of steam—tired, hungry, maybe a combination of both. … Probably tired, because he's not being nearly as cranky as he gets when he's hungry. It would also, for better or worse, account for why he just… freezes up in the middle of Dance Macabre.

There's a brief falter—Copia manages to catch himself before he looks back or stumbles over more than a few words. It keeps some of the attention off of Sodo, at least, and gives him a chance to recover. Rain's closer and goes over to check on him, no different than when he fell and they played it off. Aether's not close enough to join him and running across the stage would probably just make it more obvious. He still shoots a quick glance over his shoulder, just to see if Swiss or Mountain has an idea of what's going on. He can't be positive Mountain isn't trying to get Rain or Sodo's attention; and, Swiss spares them a quick glance before he offers Aether a shrug, never once losing his own beat.

Aether shakes it off and tries to keep his focus on the show before it escalates. Honestly, if it weren't the fact Copia had tripped over the lyrics, he'd assume that it was something staged, to combat the weird rumours that… kinda crop up every once in a while that the instruments aren't live.

He forgets about it fairly quickly, when Rain and Sodo come back down to the front stage and everything seems to be back on track.

He sticks around for the final bow, at least; but, that's also when Aether loses track of him. Odd, but not unusual. Sometimes he climbed up on Swiss or Mountain's back instead, tired and overstimulated already. Sometimes he and Rain snuck off to hoard snacks before Cirrus or Aether could stop them—particularly shows that ended later in the day and they had to stop Sodo from trying to go through the venue's entire stock of the little coffee pods. Sometimes he just wanted to run before they were all contained to the tour bus or hotel rooms again. He always came back in time for loading the buses, no matter what he was getting up to.

Regardless, he doesn't think anything of it until they're helping the road crew finish loading the bus. The Ghoulettes are already on the bus—claiming their corner and preparing everyone else's nightly routines. He's not sure where Papa went and it doesn't even occur to him that it might be odd Sodo isn't helping with the stage equipment, in that moment. Probably because he's focused on the way the road Ghouls fuss at him and Swiss, both, despite the fact they always offer the assurance they want to help. A lot of them are… particular about their instruments. Rain, for that matter, is still clinging to his bass, even as he nods off; he fusses—briefly—as Mountain tries to wrestle it free of his grip as gently as possible. Aether goes to help—gently prying Rain's fingers loose with soft words to distract him; reminding him his claws can pierce the guitar case, that it'll be more secure in storage. It ends in the bassist more or less melting against him and whining petulant curses about being tired and making sleepy, empty threats in Mountain's general direction about being careful with his bass.

A silly complaint, when they all know Mountain's been helping load and unload the buses since Papa II's days; but, one they never hold against Rain. They were all particular in their own ways and he, especially, got clingy with the bass every year, like clockwork. It's… a disturbingly good way to keep track of time and know when Copia needs extra comfort, as the anniversary of the brothers' deaths comes and goes.

He's only considered, in passing, as he's doing a final headcount, that maybe that's why Sodo had run out of steam so early in the show. Maybe the anniversary of death was finally starting to affect him, too.

Except, as he's turning to head into the bus—to count who's inside, just as much so he can get out of his uniform—Copia comes around the back of the bus—still in his blue jacket, more than a little frazzled—and catches his shoulder. He kind of hears Swiss mumble an under breathed exhale of, "Oh, boy…" behind him, but he doesn't get long to think on it.

"Aether, I—you know I would not ask this of you, were it not important—please get Sodo."

Aether just stares at his human and slowly turns to do another headcount, relying on feeling the others out that he can't see right away. Swiss is holding Rain up, now, one arm around his waist; Mountain… went back into the venue at some point; it takes him a few seconds to separate the Ghoulettes from each other, so he assumes they've all fallen asleep in a pile, already; the road Ghouls have all climbed into the second bus, but he still takes the time to count them out, individually, just to make sure Sodo didn't sneak into their bus for some reason… and, finally, turns his attention up, finally spotting Sodo huddled up on the roof of their bus. For a split second, he almost thinks he's seeing things; but, a nearby light catches the horns of his mask and confirms that… he is up there and Aether's not actually getting worse at keeping track of people.

Of course, now he has to actually process and acknowledge that… Sodo's on the roof of their bus and he shakes his head a few times.

"Wait—when did he—wait, why me?" His tail flickers down from his waist without him realising it, lashing about anxiously a few times before he notices and hastily pulls it back under his jacket, wrapped firmly around him like a belt. He knows humans have a hard time seeing their features, but he really doesn't want to deal with being the one that happens to get caught. "Rain's much better at handling Sodo—"

"We already tried, Aeth." Swiss sighs and, when Aether finally turns to look back at the pair, he's rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. "Well. Rain tried first…"

"He told me to piss off." Rain adds, his voice slurring a little as he yawns, wide enough his fangs are on display for a moment before he puts his head back against Swiss' shoulder, struggling to stay awake and probably just to stay standing. "Second time I tried, he climbed up the bus… and, when I tried to follow he threatened to eat my face. Helmet included."

Aether wants to point out that he can't… but, they also thought Sodo couldn't bite through an amp. They probably shouldn't make that mistake again.

Instead of focusing on that, he tries to point out that Swiss has better luck with Sodo, too, just to get cut off again.

"I tried giving him his vape, already." Swiss shrugs, shifting to where he can kneel and Rain lets out a relieved sigh as he slumps over the other Ghoul's back. Swiss adjusts his hold so he can stand and still carry Rain without too much issue. "Thought he went for a run after final bow, but he was just out here, so… made sense, yeah? He threw it in my face and told me to go back inside. So… we totally believe in you. Have fun."

Swiss is inside the bus before Aether can protest that that hardly constitutes trying! The only reason he doesn't try to yank on Swiss' tail is because he doesn't want to risk hurting Rain.

Copia doesn't… look like he's going to make Aether do it. Copia's still an option himself and Mountain was… well, he could handle the biting and thrashing when Sodo was in a bad mood. Arguably better than Aether could. But, Mountain finally comes out of the venue and up on his side with only a gentle tap on the shoulder as a warning.

"Sodo left his guitar inside." When Aether turns to him, sure enough, the case strap is over Mountain's shoulder and he holds out his free hand, dropping… a substantial number of guitar picks into Aether's hand. "He didn't throw any, except what was on stage from the early ammunition, so far as I can tell. Those are all from his pick guard and strap."

Aether looks down at the pile in his hand and lets out a slow breath through his nose to try mentally preparing himself. If Sodo's already chased everyone else off… and Copia did come from around the bus, which means he probably tried already… Aether's absolutely going to get mauled. But, of the lot, he can probably reduce the damages the easiest without hurting Sodo.

"I'll… try. Can you make sure his guitar gets put up properly?"

Mountain gives a dismissive salute with two fingers before he takes the picks back and heads onto the bus. Sodo's… less possessive of his guitar, but it's still nice seeing the others taking care of instruments that aren't theirs. Aether gives Copia a gentle push towards the bus, "Please, go inside, Papa. I'll take care of Sodo."

Copia still looks worried; but, he nods and—after looking up, one more time, like he's considering calling Sodo down—he heads inside. Mountain comes back out, briefly, to load the guitar into the storage compartment.

"Rain's out cold, so if he bites or starts a fire…" He shrugs one shoulder and gestures, vague and a bit uncertain, towards where Sodo's hiding. "I'll help how I can, if he does, but… there's security cameras everywhere. And we don't have anyone to cover for property damage, anymore…"

Special would definitely make things a lot easier. Not necessarily because he was good at dealing with other Ghouls—honestly, the few times Aether interacted with him, he was probably the most confrontational of the third era. But he was good at containing issues and sweet talking humans into being slightly less worried about any property damage they may have accidentally caused. Omega would've been ideal. Hell, even Alpha or Cowbell—literally any other Fire Ghoul or anyone not Aether. Hes still not sure where he stands with the Fire Ghoul.

Still, it does make him curious and he manages to stop Mountain before he heads back into the bus. "Mountain? How did… you deal with Special? Papa and his predecessor always… mentioned you two used to fight a lot. A lot worse than Sodo and… basically anybody."

He knows Mountain hates talking about it. His tail actually slides down from around his waist, going limp before it curls once around his leg for security. "We… didn't really fight. I mean—yeah, I guess it looked like fighting, but we… were just messing around. We were the youngest by a few decades, compared to everyone else; and, the first two, in a long time, that could actually talk. Earth had his hands full with his band mates and Papa Emeritus' health—the. Primo, I mean—Emeritus I." He flusters for a few seconds and, for the first time, Aether realises how weird everything probably is for Mountain. Having to constantly change how he addressed the humans around him.

He recovers and shrugs again, picking listlessly at his claws. "None of Emeritus I's other Ghouls wanted to deal with Special. That's why I was summoned—because Earth was busy and no one really knew what else they could do about him. My purpose was collateral control, not…" He tails off, attention fixed on the ground for those few seconds too long. Those few seconds it takes Aether to realise that… Mountain didn't really know what he was supposed to do. He wasn't summoned to be part of band, even if he did soak up what he could.

He tries to make a note to talk to him about it, later. Or get Copia involved… or would that be out of line? He's never sure how to handle the older Ghoul.

Mountain shaking his head gets Aether's attention back to the present, "My point was, what worked for our situation… isn't what you need for Sodo. … Also, that you're worrying way too much. You already know how to handle Sodo, Aeth. Just… y'know. Do that thing you do. I promise—despite how much Sodo bitches, it really does work."

He doesn't have a reason to doubt the words; but, he was still maybe hoping for something a little more concrete. How to deal with spontaneous fires or the aggressive biting that could end in one or both of them getting sick. It's not until Mountain closes the door into the bus that he really stops to think about the fact Sodo… probably could hear them. If he was paying attention, he could have, anyways. Which means there's a really good chance he's going to be in a worse mood than Aether was anticipating.

Still, he pulls one more deep breath to prepare himself and rounds to the back of the bus so he can scale the ladder. He knows Mountain mentioned security cameras, but he's really hoping they're closer to the venue and don't have a great view of the bus, because the first thing he notices—after the fact that Sodo hadn't bothered getting out of his uniform and the tight ball he's sitting in does not look comfortable—is that his tail is out and curled around his body, with the spade tucked over his shoulder and against his neck, like a small source of comfort.

Aether's careful as he moves across the bus—careful to keep his footing, just as much as he's keeping an eye on Sodo. Appropriately, because the moment he gets too close, he sees the tips of Sodo's horn starting to glow a faint orange and emit a warning of smoke. Even so, his voice is… quiet.

"I'm not in the mood, Aether. Go away."

"I just want to talk, Sodo—or… or not." He's really glad he's still far enough back that Sodo's tail doesn't reach him, even when it uncoils from his body in a single, sharp motion, like he's trying to lash out. A warning, more than a threat; but, one Aether takes to heart and carefully sits down just out of range of the tail. "I'm fine just sitting here, if you don't want to talk."

There's a small stretch of silence before his tail slowly coils back around his body, tighter if possible, and Aether almost hears him grumble out a dismissive whatever. His horns slowly cool off until they're the ashen white again and Aether ends up wandering, in passing, just how many times Sodo's set them on fire for them to be that colour. He has… some vague memory of the horns being grey at some point… or maybe that was just a temporary mask while they tried to figure out how to get his to fit properly on the broken horn.

He knows the thoughts are just a desperate distraction from how much potential danger he's in… and maybe to distract him from how… absolutely miserable Sodo feels. He really wishes he'd asked Omega more about how to differentiate between intiution for the others' state of being and his own perceptions, because he's… really not positive he isn't just projecting the emotion, based on how non-responsive Sodo's been most of the evening.

The silence—and, in some capacity, the patience and perseverence to not leave Sodo to his own devices, finally makes the smaller Ghoul raises his head from where it's been pushed against his knees. He's still quiet for a spell longer; but, he's at least turned so he can face Aether and scooted forward a little bit. Aether's still out of range of his tail—he thinks—but it's… progress. It's also making him realise that he's not projecting and, even if he is, Sodo actually does look as miserable as he feels.

Before Aether can try to bridge the silence, Sodo finally speaks up, his attention off to the side so he doesn't have to make direct eye contact.

"Papa needs to replace me."

Aether just stares at him, trying desperately to actually process the words. They… the words themselves make sense. He understands what Sodo's telling him. But he also has absolutely no idea what the Hell he's on about.

He must be quiet for too long because Sodo raises his head, briefly, before quickly ducking it once more, his tongue darting out in a nervous gesture to wet his lip. Something he picked up around the Ministry, no doubt, but still a sign he's a lot worse off than he's letting on. "He does. He should have when Al—" He freezes up before the name fully forms and a shudder makes it look like he's trying to shake off. "When… when my horn was damaged." His left hand goes up, finger tips hovering near the left horn, just shy of touching it. He never really recovered from the trauma of his horn being clipped, even when the masks give the illusion of a full horn. "I'm defective—he doesn't need a deffective Ghoul, especially as Papa, he—"

"--Sodo—wait, what the fuck, Sodo, slow down." Sodo's mouth snaps shut and his hands go back to his lap, fingers curled tight in his pants. His tail's wound around his neck, tight enough that Aether almost worries he's going to hurt himself before he remembers they don't… actually need to breathe. He takes a slow breath, trying to get back on track and figure out where the idea even came from. "Who the fuck called you defective?"

He's… different and erratic, sure; but, he's not defective. "Why would you think Papa needs to replace you? He doesn't and we both know he isn't going to."

"He needs to." Sodo insists and, for a long stretch of uncomfortable silence, that's the only argument he makes. One Aether can't—and doesn't try to—counter, if only because he's still… really confused.

He's pretty sure it wasn't Imperator. As harsh as she was with most Ghouls, she… tolerated them, specifically, more than she did any of the others. Because they were there to make Copia shine and she wanted him to succeed. So long as they helped with that, she… tolerated them, and that should have included Sodo. So he's fairly positive it wasn't her and, by extension, he's pretty sure it wasn't Nihil, either. He never interacted with the Ghouls, so long as he could avoid it.

He's certain the man—ghost? … Whatever he constituted as, now, Aether's positive he doesn't hate the Ghouls or even dislike them, really… they're just a reminder of what happened to his sons. The band, in general, is a glaring reminder of what he's lost.

None of the other Ghouls would've said anything that negative. Even when they bullied each other, they made sure to keep it light hearted and apologise when a line was crossed.

He can't think of anyone else that would've planted the idea—even Alpha, in the short time Sodo had warmed up to being around him, had ever spoken badly of him. Sodo may have annoyed him, it was just that. Eager and annoying, but always in an… endearing and weirdly affectionate way.

So, Aether finally bites the bullet and tries to get more information. "Sodo… you know Papa isn't going to replace you without a good reason. And there isn't one, so why do you think he needs to?"

"There's plenty of good reasons." For how vague he's being, he's still quick to argue. "I messed up—I keep messing up. Papa doesn't need that, he needs things to be perfect, it has to be perfect—"

Maybe it is Imperator. But that still doesn't feel right, despite the fact it sounds right.

"Nothing needs to be perfect. We all make mistakes and, frankly, you don't make that many."

Sodo's tail finally unwinds from his neck and for a split second, Aether's almost worried he's about to get struck by it; but, it just starts flickering about anxiously and he's again reminded to be extremely worried about the potential security cameras. Hopefully it just looks like a malfunction or trick of light and shadow. Unfortunately—or, maybe fortunately, because he immediately pulls his tail back to his body, wrapping it in his hands tight enough that it has to hurt—Sodo seems to realise he's made a mistake and makes a distressed noise in his throat.

"See."

"That was an accident and you know our void forms are… weird."

None of them really understand it. Mountain tried to explain what he'd learned from older Ghouls about how humans perceive them—about how it was really only the upper clergy or people with the Papal Eye that could see them properly. But none of them understand why or how. Regardless, Sodo specifically knows that there's always… some convenience that keeps them hidden, even if they are all waiting for the day that isn't true. Which is apparently what Sodo's focusing on.

"I missed my cue."

Okay, yes, that was still weird. But, not the weirdest thing that's ever happened.

"Ifrit's missed his cue, before."

For some reason that makes him go tense and Aether… might be figuring out where some of the need for perfection is coming from. Even as a temporary stand-in, he remembers Sodo fretting about the missed cue. Bothering Ifrit incessantly to make sure that wasn't why he was replaced, when they all knew Ifrit was temporary. He'd taken it in stride and tried to assure Sodo as much, Aether just… thought that was the end of it. He amends the statement, quickly.

"We all missed our cue for Hunter's Moon a while ago. Papa wasn't mad at us." Exasperated, maybe, and the audience had seemed amused. He relaxes. A little. … Enough he's stopped pulling his tail tighter than it already is wrapped around his hands.

"I fell on stage."

That was… years ago. But, he doesn't bring attention to that.

"Rain has. So has Swiss. Emeritus III did. A lot. According to Papa and Omega."

That actually gives Sodo pause, before he grumbles out an agreement. "Okay, yeah, that's a good point…"

Aether actually smiles a little and carefully scoots forward until he's close enough he can reach over and start to gently unwind Sodo's tail from the death grip he has on it. Sodo doesn't bother resisting or even hissing and Aether is remotely worried about his tail suddenly lashing out, anymore. Once he's succeeded in freeing it from Sodo, he keeps the spade in his hand, gently rubbing his thumb over the curved bit to try calming him down a little more.

He knows there's more and being patient has worked so far.

"... I—" He finally seems to have run out of other excuses to hide behind and Aether gives an encouraging hum for him to continue. "I'm… … it's really stupid, just—why can't I just be replaced with someone better?"

Aether releases his tail before it pulls too hard. It writhes about before finding its way back into Sodo's grip, his hands gripping the length and pulling and twisting it again.

"Sodo… no one wants to replace you, why would you want that? Do you think we do?" He shakes his head, sharply. There's no hesitation, so it's… no one in the immediate grouping. Which he was pretty certain of before, but it's nice to have confirmation. "Do… you want to be replaced? Ignoring whoever you think wants you replaced… do you want to be replaced?"

The pause is concerning, but Sodo still shakes his head, again, after a stretch of contemplation. "No—I… I don't, but… defective equipment should be replaced. Shouldn’t it?"

"Equipment, yes. You are not equipment, though." It still doesn't sound like Imperator. Maybe someone else around the Ministry? But not… necessarily her.

"But, they—I don't… care if they like you more, but I—but if they don't like me, then… then what if that's stopping people from coming to Rituals, I don't want to be responsible for that, people are supposed to enjoy what we do, if they don't—if I'm why they don't, I—"

Aether doesn't stop him. The circles are making less and less sense, the more he frets and his horns are starting to glow again as he works himself up. All Aether can do is grab his hands to get him to stop for a minute. It works, thankfully; Sodo freezes up immediately and his mouth snaps shut. It gives Aether a chance to try processing.

Someone… didn't like him… and that was enough to be considered a defect? If "they" like Aether more and it's in regards to the Rituals, he… has to be talking about the attendees. But that's never stopped him before. Not like this.

"Sodo, I—what even are you talking about? They love you. I mean—yeah, things get chaotic sometimes, but it works for you. For us—th-the band! Us as in the band!" He shakes his head, sharply, to get back on track. "My point was, people love that energy and you—"

It's probably pretty damn obvious when it finally hits him. He thinks Sodo whines and is trying to get his hands free of Aether's grip; but, Aether's mind is an hour in the past as it finally hits him why the Ritual was so… odd in the second half.

It started during the guitar battle. It always starts during the guitar battle—what began as Sodo tuning his guitar for Cirice to give Papa a chance to change his outfit, it's… them, now. It let Sodo get some of the overstimulated energy out when things were otherwise slow; it let Aether be that little bit more aggressive, even if they did blow it out of proportions sometimes; and, most importantly, it was just… fun. A small bit they got to share, instead of sharing the whole stage.

Getting the audience involved was a fun bonus. Dragging Rain in on occasions was a fun bonus. Dragging anyone else in was a fun bonus, but it was mostly for them.

There were… instances, of course. One of the unfortunate parts of being Ghouls, was they were… very attuned to things around them. For their own safety. For their summoner's safety. Even with the foam ear plugs and specially designed pieces to feed them their cues and protect their hearing weren't… always as efficient as they could be. They could still hear things from the outside. Useful to listen for threats.

Less useful when the crowds were… negative. He's heard stories from older Rituals. When Primo had been Papa. He remembers Earth telling them about it, at Mountain's insistance. He's heard it a few times at their own Rituals, but usually in… good fun. At least, he interpreted it as good fun and… Sodo usually did.

But, with the anniversary of the deaths coming up, it… makes sense he wouldn't have today. Not if he was already anxious about being replaced.

Aether… might feel a little bad that Sodo immediately flinches and backs up when he stands. But, he waits for him to still again and makes sure Sodo can see his hands when he moves this time. As much as Aether—and most of them, really—have filled out in the new uniforms, it just makes Sodo look even smaller than before. Especially when he tries to curl in on himself; but, it also just makes it easier for Aether to pick him up, sit back down without hurting either of them, and situate Sodo in his lap so his back is flush to Aether's chest. The comfort of a full body hug without the anxiety that came with people seeing him vulnerable.

As expected, Sodo goes rigid immediately and Aether's full expecting to get elbowed or headbutted. But, he also isn't surprised when Sodo just curls tighter into himself, wrapping around Aether's arms. He still doesn't have a full grasp on how hugs work, but it's his version and that's what matters. Aether doesn't bring attention to the stuttered attempts to regulate his breathing and just nuzzles gently at the back of his neck.

"There's always going to be someone who doesn't like us. But that does not make you defective and you do not need to be replaced. The only thing you need to do is the best you can. And when you can't just let us—… let… me know. Let me help. I don't want you replaced. No one wants you replaced."

It takes a while longer for them to move. It's mostly just getting Sodo calm enough that he won't be anxious going into the bus if anyone's still awake. Most of it, admittedly, is Aether being extra snuggly; nuzzling at his neck and mumbling affirmations and praise for all of the things he's amazing at. At least five for every perceived flaw, even when Sodo flusters and mumbles that he's being ridiculous, his tail is still betraying how pleased he is. Things that can be revisited and reaffirmed when he's in a better headspace, when they can… maybe have a full conversation about them, that isn't just Aether trying to figure out where they stand.

All things for later.

Everyone's asleep when they do get down into the bus. He gives Sodo a gentle push and quiet direction to go change out of his uniform, he'll take care of setting up a nest. Copia's passed out at one of the tables, with Swiss draped over him. Aether shuffles over, hoping that putting a blanket over them won't actually wake either—especially Copia—and nearly swears when Swiss sits up.

"Mmm… Aeth? Oh… cool, you survived. Great job. … He okay?"

Okay seems like a stretch. Still, Aether offers a smile and tips his head towards the closed off portion fo the bus they keep clothes in. "Maybe not right now, but… he will be. Just needs some rest."

"Knew you could do it. Told Papa not to worry…" He cuts off with a wide yawn and just snuggles back up to the human. It is really impressive Copia doesn't wake up once… and maybe a little concerning. But, something to focus on later. "You get some sleep, too. You're gonna have your hands full later."

Swiss is out cold again before Aether can ask for any sort of explanation. He just goes back to dropping a bunch of blankets and pillows in a corner that's out of the way from everyone and starts pulling his own uniform off with the intent to just change into something quick once Sodo comes back out… except when he does shuffle out—in a sweater he probably stole out of Aether's stash, given his inability to keep the shirt on both shoulders—he holds out Aether's normal sleep wear on tour and disappears back with his uniform. Aether's… not sure when Sodo learned what he sleeps in. But, he doesn't question it and just pulls the shirt and shorts on and lays out on the edge of the pile of blankets and pillows.

When Sodo finally joins him, he spends probably five minutes wriggling around to find a comfortable spot to sleep and figure out how many blankets he wants to be wrapped up in. Once he finally stills, facing Aether, he just stares, quietly, until Aether finally moves close enough he doesn't have to move Sodo too much to be flush against him.

Sodo immediately relaxes and buries himself further in the coccoon he's made himself, until only his right horn is peeking out. The left one does, a little bit, and Aether gives the jagged edge a gentle kiss before he settles. It gets a small wriggle, but nothing more.

They can deal with the rest in the morning or… whenever it comes.

[fabrowrites]

Birds of a Feather

Summary:

Summer had officially reached that temperature where birds started dropping out of the sky.

Or at least that's what Red Son figured, having just watched a small figure plummet from the sky to the sand below.

        🐦 1937 words         🐦 Red Son & MK & Mei         🐦 shapeshifting, mistaken/unknown identity, silly         🐦 gen/no ship, friendship         🐦 for @starlightaxolotl

ayyy starlight it’s traffic light trio time!!!!! ​I hope you enjoy these shenanigans friend :D  hap borth and obligatory we should definitely catch up soon XD hope your birthday is great and you have a good time with friends or family :D

read on ao3, or check it out below the cut!

Summer had officially reached that temperature where birds started dropping out of the sky.  

Or at least that's what Red Son figured,  having just watched a small figure plummet from the sky to the sand below.

Red Son made a tch-ing noise as he went to investigate the sorry creature.  The bird was one he hadn't seen before, dark on the back but with a yellow breast and colorful underwings.  It twitched feebly as his shadow fell over it.  Still alive then.  He frowned in disapproval.

"What are you doing all the way out here?" he asked aloud.  "Don't you know that better creatures than you have perished in the heat of this desert?"

The bird, of course, gave no answer.  It remained in the sand, steam starting to rise from its feathers under the unforgiving rays of the sun.  Red Son sighed.  Well.  That was the cycle of life for you.  Now the carrion birds would tear it apart, limb from limb, and the cycle would continue.  

As villainous as he was, that was still a sight he didn't want to see right before dinner.  He adjusted his glasses and turned to go.

A pitiful cheep froze him in his tracks.

Red Son turned around.  The bird's visible eye was open now, and it was looking directly at him with a pathetic expression.  He glared at it.  "No.  No, don't give me that look.  You were idiotic enough to come into the desert, now you reap the rewards of that stupidity."

The bird's eyes were big.  One shiny tear slipped free and fell sizzling to the sand like oil in a frying pan.  Red Son pinched the bridge of his nose and groaned.  

"Oh, fine!"  He tugged down his sleeves so they covered his hands.  Cautiously, he approached the animal.  "Don't even think about attacking me," he warned.  "One wrong move and I'll burn you to a crisp much faster than the sun will."

But on closer inspection as he stooped beside it, it seemed the bird had lost consciousness again.  Red Son cursed to himself.  He picked the bird up.  Its tiny chest fluttered against his fingertips and its body was warm to the touch.  If he actually was going to do something about the sorry creature, he needed to get it out of the heat.

He climbed into his car and set the bird in the passenger seat.  The first lurch forward almost had it tumbling off the edge, so Red Son stopped and put it on the floor mat instead.  He wasn't that far out from the fortress, and soon enough, he was pulling up the bridge that led to the garage.

Red Son parked his car.  He picked up the bird again and held it close to his front.  Now to get to his room.  He could teleport there, of course, but he didn't know what the flames might do to the creature.  So the long way it was.  

He snuck from the garage towards the living quarters of the fortress, eyes alert for anyone around.  He hadn't run into anyone and was just thinking he was in the clear when he stepped into the sitting room and someone cleared their throat.

Red Son jumped back.  "Oh!  Mother!"

His mother sat in a chair by the fire, a book in her lap.  "You were gone for a long time," she said, putting in a bookmark and closing the pages.  "I was about to become concerned."

"I was on my way back," Red Son started, and then remembered he couldn't say what took up his time.  He shoved the bird behind his back.  It made a squeaking sound not unlike an inflatable chicken.

His mother looked up sharply.  "What was that?"

Red Son smiled innocently.  "Nothing!  Ha ha, I heard nothing.  And in completely unrelated news, I've got to run up to my bedroom really quickly, so if you'd excuse me..."

His mother looked suspiciously at him, but to Red Son's relief, she didn't push the topic.  "Well, just be back down in time for Monopoly night," she said, opening her book again.  "Your father promised not to break the board this time, and I do look forward to crushing him again."

"Right," Red Son said.  "Well.  I will return shortly."

He walked with a dignified air until he was out of her sight, and then broke into a dash.  He didn't stop until he was in his room, breathing slightly harder, bird braced against his chest.  He didn't think his mother would actually do anything to the creature if she saw it, but the risk of her quiet disapproval was more than enough to have him shutting and locking the door behind him.  

Transportation successful, he set the bird on his bed.  But what next?  He pulled out his phone and searched Baidu.  Several minutes later, and armed with his new knowledge, he set about making a temporary holder for the animal.

He rooted around in his closet until he found an old cardboard box and used one of his screwdrivers to drill some holes into its sides.  Then he found a grease rag- unused, he wasn't a moron- and set it in the bottom of the box.  He frowned.  Food and water.  It would probably need those.  He took the back way down to the kitchen and stole some fruit and bowls from the kitchen clones and returned to his room.  

The bird still lay motionless on his bed, but when he lifted it to move it into the box he felt for and found its pulse.  Still alive.  It would have been a waste of effort if after all of this, it had died before he put it in the box.  He arranged the bird in the dip of the rag and placed the dishes beside it.  Then, at at loss of anything else to do, he closed the lid and sat back.

He was sitting alone in his bedroom, torn apart in his search to find the items he needed to make the temporary birdcage, and now that there was nothing distracting him since the bird was safe, Red Son came to a sudden, horrifying realization.  

He'd just rescued a dying bird like some kind of pathetic do-gooder.  Oh, Celestial Realm above.  What kind of a - of a hero were those noodle-brains corrupting him into?

Red Son had his mini-crisis for five minutes.  Then he turned the timer off his phone and went downstairs to join his family for dinner and games.  There was no better way to remind oneself of their villainy than by playing Monopoly, after all, and even if his mother was guaranteed to win, he could still best his father.

---

Red Son awoke to the feeling of someone watching him.  

His eyes flew open.  Dark human eyes stared back at his from mere inches away.

Red Son screamed.  Flames burst around him, incinerating his blanket and bedspread in one explosive blast of heat.  Dang it.  And he'd been so close to going a month without burning another blanket, too.  The newcomer jumped back with an excited shout.  Eyes widening, Red Son realized just who was in his room.  

"Wha- Noodle Boy?"

MK beamed back at him.  "Hey, you're finally awake!"

Red Son spluttered.  "What do you mean, "finally?"  What are you doing in my house?  Where did you even come from?"

"Oh boy, that's a long story."  MK rubbed the back of his neck.  "You see, I was flying around as a bird, you know, just for funsies, and then I passed out and you brought me here to your house."  He paused.  "Actually, I guess it wasn't that long of a story.  Huh."

"You left out the part where Red Boy tended to your wounds and gave you little bowls of fruit slices," a new voice piped up.

Red Son screamed again.  Thank goodness the fortress was so huge.  Mother and Father probably couldn't hear him; that, or they'd just grown used to his random outbursts at all hours of the day.  "Dragon Girl?"

"Mei," MK complained, glaring at the girl Red Son just noticed sitting at his desk biting into another orange, skin and all.  "I didn't even have any wounds to tend to.  What are you talking about?"

"How did you even get here?" Red Son demanded, pointing a shaking finger at her.  

Mei popped the last bite of orange in her mouth.  "A girl has her ways," she said ominously, face shadowed in sudden darkness.  

Red Son blinked.  She grinned back, all sunny again.  "Nah, MK opened the window and I just climbed up."

"This bedroom is on the third floor of the fortress," he said slowly.  "The bricks that make up the outer wall reach a temperature hot enough to melt the skin off of one's hand."

"Yep!"

 Red Son scrubbed a hand down his face.  "Alright.  Clearly, I have been staying up too late in the forge again and I've started hallucinating the menace duo in my room." 

He could hear the pout in MK's voice without even looking up.  "Aww, c'mon, Red Son.  We're not menaces."

"Speak for yourself," said Mei.  "I live my life to be as menacing as possible."  

Red Son glared at her.  She smiled innocently back.  "Anyway," she said, swiping her hands on her shorts and standing.  "We probably should get going before Piggy dies of worry.  Thanks for taking care of him, Red Boy!"

"I did not-!"

"No, you definitely did!" MK said cheerily.  "Red Son's just a big ol' mama bird."

"Mama bird!" Mei crowed, and began an obnoxious routine of chirping and peeping and making kissy lips that were probably supposed to resemble a beak. 

Red Son growled.  He lunged for them- either of them, it didn't matter, they both could can it, but Mei laughed and slipped under his arm and MK jumped back, a strange, golden light building up around his edges.  A flash of light flooded the room, and when Red Son opened his eyes again, MK was gone and the bird was in his place.  Looking at it now that he knew it was the noodle boy, he begrudgingly saw the resemblance.  It even had a tuft of bright red feathers around its forehead like the dumb headband that he wore.  

"See you around, Red Son!" the bird chirped.  

With impossible strength it held onto Mei with its tiny feet and lifted her into the air, wobbling all the way like a drunken pigeon.  

"Open the window-!" Red Son started, but was too late as they crashed through the glass, shattering it and sending shards of glass across his floor and presumably into the lava moat below.

"Whoops, sorry!" shouted Mei, her voice already moving into the distance.  

"-you morons," he finished with a defeated sigh, lowering his hand and slapping it against his forehead instead.

Intentionally or not, he couldn't help but listen to the sound of her giggles and MK's chirpier laughter fading away until he could no longer hear them.  Then, rolling his eyes, he got up and prepared himself for the day.  

(When he sat down for breakfast, he caught sight of his mother watching him from the corner of his eye.  "What?" he asked defensively, pausing in cutting up his toast.

"Nothing," his mother said.  Her expression was soft, softer than he'd seen it in some time.  "It's just good to see you smiling again."

Red Son shoved a piece of toast in his mouth and chewed furiously, staunchly ignoring the way the tips of his ears heated at her words.)

[cherrybomb618]

Some CoT shenanigans (?)

I know it's been only a day since I read the book but I need to do this so badlyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.

Here are some thoughts about CoT that I need to get out in the open before they eat me alive. I’m just a fan of this series since 2014 and I’ve been waiting for this book to come since that year.

(Note: English is not my native language so sorry for the mistakes)

-------------------------SPOILER ALERT!!!-----------------------------

In general I can say I really enjoy the book, I liked it a lot. I mean, I did feel it a bit rushed since the Intermission chapter, and at the same time I felt it a bit slowed before the same chapter. I felt as things that were relevant (for example, the bracelet thing or finding Lucie) could be written or summarized in two or three chapters but took so long to resolve. Anyways, I’ll be breaking down some of the stuff that I can’t stop thinking about

1. The love triangle. I mean, WHY? There was already a third person in that relationship (aka Gracelet). I won’t lie, at the beginning I wanted to know what would happen or how would it be if Matthew and Cordelia kissed. But just a kiss, not the whole bridge and hotel scene. While I was reading half of it, I wanted the kissing to stop lol. I mean, you can see how much she drowns in love for James in the past books, but there are just tiny glimpses of her POV when she acknowledges Matthew’s smile, eyes, etc., but not in such a romantic way as when she talks about James, it was more friendly if anything when she talks about Math. That difference made me feel that maybe the scene was kinda out of place. Idk, I just felt as if there wasn’t enough romantic history between these two to make such a scene like that (not the way as in TID where you could see Tessa and Jem having those moments as well as Will and Tessa). Their friendship was really special, and it should have remained that way. This love triangle felt as another way to wound Matthew bc I think everyone knew how it would end.

2. Cristopher’s death. IDK HOW TO FEEL ABOUT IT (Of course I’m sad but you know). Because I really wish we could’ve been able to see more of him in the past books. I had a really strong feeling that all his potential was only shown in a few pages of CoT, in the way he helped Matthew with his abstinence and Kit’s reaction and wisdom about all the bracelet thing.  I know he’s similar to Henry’s character (in the way he’s too wrap up in scientistic stuff) but Kit is WAY CLOSER to the Merry Thieves (damn, he was one of the 4 members – and as far as I’m concerned James, Matthew and Thomas characters had similar relevance) and way more INVOLVED in the plot than Henry was on TID. I do think Kit deserved more relevance.

3. The coronation. I had hope it would have some deeper meaning to the plot, as if the coronation would allow Belial’s to take control all over the world, not only London (I can’t recall if it was mentioned, if that’s the case, I would’ve liked more elaboration as to the consequences)  – or for instance, it would had some other frikin’ dark and evil reason as to why he’s been planning all this stuff up since so long ago.

4.  There were too many characters for only three books. I mean, we followed so many storylines and that’s why I felt it was a little rushed in the end. And even in the Epilogue, it didn’t give me a sense of closure (tbh, Idk if that’s for the better) – still, I don’t know why I have this feeling as if there were things left unspoken. Like I was expecting for a conversation between James and Cordelia after everything that they went through. Same for Lucie and Cordelia (this is another thing that had me losing my mind, see next point). I was hoping that we’ll get to see Matthew’s story confession and the whole gang reaction. I thought we would see all and more scenes I wanted to read but there were only sentences that made look as if everything was so unseeingly settle.

As well, there were situations that I thought would be a little bit hard to work out (Anna and Ariadne relationship or Alastair’s confession for reference (Idk if I’m missing something but I don’t recall Sona knowing that Alastair liked men, pls forgive my bad memory if that’s the case ☹)) but at the end it was so simple. I mean, despite everything Anna and Ariadne had said in the past, I was expecting they’re relationship to develop a little more strongly. Idk if that makes sense but I felt such an absence of Anna’s usual character, Idk why (For instance, this is regarding her behavior before Kit’s death). I mean, they never really talked, there were only kisses scenes - but I wanted them to actually sit and settle things down, not in the rush of the moment, like the battle.

5. Cordelia and Lucie relationship. OMG I wanted so bad for them to be parabatai. This was one of the reasons I wanted to read TLH, but tbh I felt as if their relationship was push aside (for most of the series). I know each one of them had a secret but I’d loved to see them bonding more than for a few scenes. And in the end, IDFK when did they worked out their problems. I mean, there were pretty awful words and hurt feelings between them but I don’t know if I missed the part where they apologize – or at least talk about it. Still, I’m happy to see they did get to do the ceremony and all.

6. Grace. For most of my reading of TLH I only thought of her just as a tiny not-so-evil lovely bug that was manipulated by her mother. I didn’t exactly hate her – I felt a strange sympathy for her. It was such a complex character and I liked the way she was developing throughout the book – until the epilogue. Idk what it was but somehow, I felt her ending incomplete.

7. Tatiana’s death. I didn’t want Cordelia to kill anyone. I mean, I know they’re shadowhunters but they kill demons, no humans or someone like them. It was weird at the beginning BUT honestly Idk what other ending I can imagine for all the horrible things Tatiana had done.

Now, things I actually LOOOOOOOOOOVED.

1. The way Matthew’s problem with alcohol was handled. I was so f****** afraid he was going to die bc of it, but he didn’t so I’m happy.

2. One thing that I really loved was the fact the it was the love that James felt for Cordelia what break the bracelet and free him from its power and also overpower his grandfathers will (considering that man was a Prince of Hell). I found it rather poetic.

3. LOVED WILL SENDING FIRE MESSAGES AND THE THELEPHONE THING. THAT WAS SO FRIKIN FUNNY.

4. I didn’t know how much I needed the scene between Tessa and Lucie until I read it. (And the little fraction of sentence were Tessa and Will were fighting the Watchers).

5. This may be controversial, but I feel so conflicted about the ending. I already established that I didn’t get the closure that I’m used to regarding other CC’s books. Still, I can’t help but be happy that the couples (except for Kit and Grace) ended up being together and happy.

[racingliners]

Life In The Fast Lane Chapter 21 - 2023 Race 16: Japan

Rating: Teen & Up

Warnings: None apply

Pairings: Original Female Character(s)/Original Male Character(s); OFCs & OMCs

Work Tags: Re-write of a previous work; not beta read; dual/multiple pov; mentions of IRL current and past F1 figures; Eventual romance; friends to lovers; found family/work family; actual family; occasional swearing; racing drivers and their various shenanigans; how to handle pressure (and how not to); with a sprinkling of the power of friendship; tags will be updated as work progresses

Chapter 21/57 Word count: 4.3k Summary: Feelings come to the surface in Suzuka

Thursday 5th October – Suzuka Circuit

The previous night’s rain had finally cleared around mid-morning, leaving an overcast sky and cool air over the circuit. But none of that had done anything to dampen the spirits of the thousands of fands that had descended on the track – by far making it one of the best attended media days of the season. As well as having a reputation for being one of the best circuits on the calendar, Suzuka was also known for having the most enthusiastic spectators. Sophie had already lost count of the amount of hand painted flags and replica race suits helmets she’d seen people wear between the entrance gates and the fan zones.

“You know,” Richard stuffed his hands in his coat pockets as they left the press pen, the first part of Sophie’s packed schedule ticked off the list. “I had a really nice time showing you and Vanessa round Singapore.”

“So did we.” Sophie replied with a bright smile.

“Well, now that your contract’s signed, I wondered if you wanted to make it a regular thing? Sightseeing, food at the hawker centre afterwards…” Richard trailed off, scratching behind his ear and looking down at the drying ground. Sophie linked her right arm through Richard’s left which immediately caught his attention.

“I absolutely would. Vanessa too.” She said with a definitive nod. A wide, relieved smile made its way across Richard’s face.

“Does this mean we’re like a packaged set now, the three of us?”

Sophie had to admit that the more the season went on the less Richard felt like her press officer, and more like an older brother. At the very least, she thought of him as an incredibly dear friend.

“I’m afraid so, yes.”

Richard threw his head back and grinned before patting Sophie’s hand as they approached McLaren’s assigned hospitality unit that stood directly opposite the entrance to the garage.

“This is the part where you’re supposed to say that you’ve always wanted sisters.” Sophie half-joked.

Richard instead chose to pull a mock grimace before saying that he was just messing with her with a small laugh. Sophie just screwed her face up at her press officer and lightly hit him on the arm before going to check her watch. She stopped walking so abruptly that Richard stumbled over his feet.

“How long do I have before the engineers meeting?” She quickly glanced up from her watch.

“Ten minutes,” Richard said cautiously, and he realised what Sophie was up to right as she went to speak.

“Can I go through and see if the pitlane walk is still going on? Just to say hello to people since they’ve had to spend all morning in the rain.” Because of the earlier bad weather the pitlane walk, which people paid an arm and a leg to get tickets for, had been delayed by a couple of hours. Sophie just wanted to do what she could to make it up to people.

Richard fixed Sophie with a firm stare, and let out a long sigh.

“I will absolutely pull my weight around if it looks like you’re going to be late.”

“Well I wouldn’t expect anything less from you.” Sophie playfully elbowed him in the side as they walked into the garage, and could just about make out the slow-moving crowd of people looking around and taking pictures as they reached the end of the passageway.

As Sophie greeted her mechanics a few excited murmurs started to bubble from the spectators, who were kept on the other side of the pit boxes by temporary barriers and a scattering of security guards. “Oh no I don’t have a-” Sophie was cut off by Richard silently pulling a sharpie out of his coat pocket. “Pen.”

“I know, I’m good at my job.” Richard smirked and followed Sophie out into the pitlane.

The excited murmurs had turned into moderate cheers and some people even calling out Sophie’s name. She looked into as many faces as she could, thanking them all for coming down, apologising for the weather, and saying that she hoped they would all still have a great weekend. As Sophie moved along the barrier she signed caps and flags, smiled for selfies and was given an armful of small gifts.

“Did you make these? They’re beautiful.” Sophie remarked at a set of three beaded bracelets she’d been given, one each for herself, Richard and Vanessa. The beads on Sophie’s bracelet were in her helmet colours while Richard and Vanessa’s were in McLaren orange and blue, all of them featuring their initials and on Sophie’s bracelet the number 16. She slipped the bracelet on above her watch and the macrame bracelet Luke’s daughter had made. Richard, who looked quite stunned by the gesture, put his bracelet on quite gently. “We’ll make sure Vanessa gets her one, I promise.”

With her arms full of gifts, Sophie dutifully followed Richard out of the pitlane and back towards the team hospitality unit after five minutes. So long as she went straight from her driver room to the engineer’s office – she would be on time for the engineers briefing.

“Sophie!” Both her and Richard whipped their heads round in the direction of a friendly voice, and they both sighed in relief when they saw Benedikt instead of a journalist walk towards them.

“Hey Ben.” Sophie couldn’t help it when she greeted him with a bright smile that was instantly returned.

“You’re popular.” He gestured to the bundle of small plush toys, parcels and envelopes in her arms.

“A chunk of them are for James actually. But I need to go, I have a meeting.”

“Ah sure, I’ll see you later?” He asked it as a question, as opposed to a general statement. Sophie nodded in reply and walked with Richard into the large marquee that McLaren were calling home for the week.

Friday 6th October

“I know I shouldn’t say it but I’m really starting to hate that bloody car.” Chris pinched the bridge of his nose with a small groan as the hotel lift ascended to the eighth floor. Free practice had been a mixed bag for McLaren, the MCL23 was being its usual temperamental self and not doing what the drivers or engineers wanted. Sophie was starting to wonder how on Earth she’d managed to do so well in China and Hungary.

“As they say, tomorrow’s another day,” Leena huffed from the corner with her arms folded across her chest. “And it could still somehow be worse.” No one was really sure how, but Sophie, Chris and Vanessa all nodded in agreement anyway.

Chris and Leena said goodnight when they got off on the eighth floor with weak smiles and bleary eyes. Almost everyone that needed to had stayed late at the track to look over the data from practice so they could tackle things head on tomorrow. Even though everyone knew deep down that there was only so much time they could find.

“Get some rest, I’ll come get you for breakfast in the morning.” Vanessa patted Sophie’s shoulder as she said goodnight before going into her room. Sophie’s room was a long walk down the hallway and she let out a small yawn on the way, suddenly feeling just how heavy her backpack was on her shoulders. She barely noticed Benedikt almost walking into her as he came out a stairwell. Red Bull clearly hadn’t felt the need to put in as late a shift at the track, given how Ben was dressed in a casual t-shirt and jeans.

“Sophie, hi.” He looked Sophie up and down and put two and two together. “You just got back?”

Sophie hummed in reply. “My room’s this way so…” She pointed down the hallway and took half a step in that direction. “Unless there was something else?”

Ben bounced up and down on his toes and stuffed his hands in his pockets as his cheeks flushed a soft shade of pink.

“I was just wondering if we could have that talk, about how I owe you dinner.”

“Oh,” Sophie’s look of surprise quickly turned into a lazy smile. “Alright then.”

They walked side by side down the hallway and didn’t say much past asking how the other person was. When they reached Sophie’s room she hovered her hand over the door handle.

“I can’t do dinner tonight though, I ate at the track before I left.”

“That’s alright.” Ben’s hands were still stuffed in his pockets. “I’d just came from the dining room, I pressed the wrong button on the lift and just decided to take the stairs.”

Sophie half-snorted as he pulled her keycard out of her pocket and opened the door to her room, quickly stepping inside to allow Ben to follow. She flicked on the light switch and hung the do not disturb sign outside before quietly shutting the door behind her.

“Although, I probably owe you a coffee.” Sophie said tentatively as she took off her backpack and set it down by her feet. Benedikt let out an amused hum, having not forgotten the real reason why Sophie had invited him to her room back in Yeongam.

“Will I get to drink it this time?” He asked with a cheeky grin.

Sophie’s cheeks flushed a bright red as she glanced down at the floor.

“Help yourself I need to get changed.”

Sophie’s hotel room for the week was much smaller compared to the suites of various sizes she’d found herself in so far during the year. As such the only private place to get changed in was the bathroom, where she shed her team gear and pulled on an old Northampton Saints rugby shirt before stepping back out.

“You still take one sugar right?” Benedikt asked, his back to the bathroom door.

“Yeah, thanks.” Sophie hung her team jacket up in the small wardrobe and folded up her t-shirt to deal with later.

As Sophie looked around the room she quickly realised there wasn’t anywhere to sit and still have a comfortable gap between someone. The end of the double bed was just too far away from the small two-seater sofa that while was very comfortable could only fit two people if they were joined at the hip. Maybe that was why it was called a love seat.

Sophie sat down on the left side of the sofa, and a steaming cup of tea was placed in front of her seconds later.

A sudden but surprisingly comfortable silence fell between them as Benedikt contemplated where to sit. Eventually he came to the same conclusion as Sophie and took the remaining spot on the sofa. If Sophie had to guess she would say there was a maximum of five centimetres between them. She got another whiff of his cologne again as he sat down.

Eventually Benedikt took a long sip of what looked like coffee, and gently set his cup down on the tiny coffee table so he could properly turn to look at Sophie. One hand rested on his crossed over shin while his other elbow was propped on the back of the sofa.

“You’re still wearing your bracelets.” He said with a small smile, gesturing to Sophie’s right wrist.

As she had promised to Luke’s daughter at Silverstone, Sophie had worn her orange and blue knotted bracelet at every single race weekend since then. And she had no idea how much time had gone into the beaded bracelet she’d been given yesterday, but she appreciated it all the same. Even Richard was still wearing his. Truthfully Sophie counted herself lucky to have as many fans as she did, and she didn’t want to disappoint them.

“That’s why I like you. You care so much about everything.” His voice was soft but almost dripping with sincerity. “I never wanted you to be just a one night stand-”

“Part of that’s my fault.” Sophie cut him off and nervously tugged at her ear as she glanced down at the ground. Benedikt let out a small sigh.

“What’s the saying… it takes two to tango?”

Sophie half snorted another laugh and chewed on her bottom lip.

“Well,” Benedikt drew in a long breath, and for a brief moment it felt like everything slowed down to a near stop as for better or worse Sophie found herself glued to Ben’s eyes. “If we just have one dinner, at your place maybe, and you want to stay friends after then that’s fine.” He paused to gulp, said the word but, and the rest of the sentence remained unspoken but lingered in the air all around them.

Sophie had just assumed that the way Ben felt about her was surface level, she’d ever considered the possibility of it being any deeper than that. And it being mutual.

In an ideal word she wouldn’t have been dealing with this the night before qualifying, but she had to glance down at her hands as Benedikt didn’t look like he was taking everything in his stride either.

Sophie always wondered if it would she would ever be so lucky as to find the kind of love her parents had. Mark and Mary were devoted to each other in every sense of the word, and utterly steadfast in dealing with whatever challenges they or the family faced together. They had their disagreements and the occasional argument like most couples, but every time they chose to work through it and come out the other side that little bit stronger. And they would always be there to make the other person a strong cup of tea after a rough day. Sophie thought she had that with Tom, but the fact she ran away suggested otherwise.

No, it wasn’t running away, she told herself. Sophie hadn’t been the one to turn down the proposal.

“My last-” Sophie cut herself off as her voice cracked ever so slightly. Factually, Tom had been her only proper relationship, as well as her most recent one. “Things didn’t end very well with my ex and-”

“If this is too much… if you want me to go, then I’ll leave.” Ben said quickly, looking Sophie up and down with a worried look on his face.

“That’s just it,” Sophie sighed, and some part of her brain shot out her free hand and rested it on Benedikt’s knee. “I don’t. I’d really like it if you stayed.”

A small, soft smile made its way onto Benedikt’s face as he rested a hand on top of Sophie’s and gave it a gentle squeeze. And another surprisingly comfortable silence fell over the small room again.

“Why don’t we do things properly and watch a movie or something?” Benedikt said eventually, lazily knotting their fingers together as he spoke. Sophie set her undrunk tea down on the coffee table and squeezed Ben’s hand back, briefly wondering how they had jumped from friends to this so quickly. Even though she wanted to have nights like in Yeongam, but also days like Silverstone too.

She let out a small, wistful sigh. “I’d like to do things properly.”

Despite choosing the film Sophie almost fell asleep in the latter minutes of GoldenEye, to the point where she almost didn’t catch Benedikt saying he was going to quickly grab some things from his room and come back. He returned about ten minutes later with a full rucksack containing pyjamas, a fresh change of clothes plus a Red Bull team shirt and toiletries. She pondered, as she climbed into bed after brushing her teeth, if this was his way of continuing to make things up to her.

As they kissed each other goodnight, Sophie also started to think about what on Earth she was getting herself into. But those thoughts were quickly dismayed when Ben gently brushed a thumb across her cheek and wrapped his arms around her as they drifted off to sleep.

Because maybe, things between them would end up turning out alright.

Sunday 8th October

Through all his years in F1 James could still count on one hand the number of times he’d physically felt nervous before a race. For some reason, as he let out a long exhale and still felt some mild tension in his shoulders, he reluctantly added Japan 2023 to the list.

Maybe it was because he and Sophie had barely scraped into the top 10 in qualifying yesterday, maybe it was because there was always a risk of cars coming together at turn 1 and the middle of the pack was the worst place to be, maybe it was because he could already hear the questions he was going to be asked after the race about how shit his car supposedly was.

“You okay?” Mike opened his umbrella to act as a parasol, as forecast the weather was bright sunny skies with temperatures in the high 20s. The race was probably going at least be a two stop as a result.

James closed his eyes and allowed himself two slow, deep breaths.

“Yeah, I’m okay.” He fixed his sunglasses over his eyes, accepted the cool vest from Mike when it was offered, and strode up the grid to take his place for the pre-race anthem. “Hey.” Either by fate or pure coincidence, his place card was next to Sophie’s

“Hey James.” They’d both done Richard and Katie proud and were stood in place about half a minute early.

“Go well today.” He spoke with his hands clasped behind his back, looking straight down the track towards the first corner.

“Thanks, same to you.” Her puzzled tone was likely because they’d already said that to each other after the strategy briefing. “I promise to take it easy round the last corner this time.”

Sophie had unintentionally put it in the wall right at the start of third practice yesterday thanks to a nasty kick of oversteer. And while she had been fine and the car was not as damaged as it could have been, it had put everyone a little bit on edge regardless.

Their conversation was cut off when the rest of the drivers came in to take their places, and when the anthem ended they barely had time to clap each other on the shoulder before making the mad dash back down to their grid slots. Barely ten minutes later James found himself at the end of the formation lap, waiting for the start lights to go out.

He, and Sophie, crucially made it through the first few corners cleanly – unlike Watkins who had his right rear tyre punctured by one of the Alpines coming out of turn 7. But James wasn’t sure if he would of preferred that or the huge amount of understeer he had going through Degners 1 and 2.

The car wasn’t completely undriveable, but it wasn’t that far off it.

James pitted early for his first stop on lap twelve thank to some hideous graining on his front tyres, and he had to jam on the breaks coming down the pitlane to avoid driving into the back of one of the Mercs when they exited their pitbox.

“Who was that?!” James grumbled down the radio as he rejoined the track in P13.

“That was Pavard, we’re speaking to the FIA about it.” Paul quickly added that James’ outlap was critical to end discussion on the matter and get his driver to focus.

James did as he was told and got his head down, and had moved up to P8 once the first round of stops were done with. While it was a grand total of one place up on his qualifying result, it was still better than dropping to outside the points. Though his fresh hard tires were only marginally better in terms of grip.

“This is going to be a long race.” James couldn’t help it as he allowed himself one small vent on the radio.

“We know James,” Paul quickly replied. “You’re doing a good job so far let’s keep up this pace.”

Normally Suzuka was a beautiful circuit to drive round, one of James’ favourites even, but it was hard to enjoy each passing lap when the car’s handling was so all over the place. Dropping down to P9 after his second stop added a small insult to injury, as was the radio from Paul about ten laps later telling him Sophie had to make a third stop for a slow puncture, and that he needed to avoid driving on the kerbs wherever possible. James knew then and there he would be kissing 8th place goodbye.

He was almost relieved to cross the finish line, a full three seconds behind Pavard despite the fact he’d served a drive through penalty earlier for the pitlane incident.

As James shifted the car into fuel saving mode and went off line to pick up as many tyre marbles as possible he could already picture the scene in the garage. The dejected looks and hands being ran down faces to the fact that all of everyone’s hard work had only amounted to two meagre points.

(Sophie had finished in 11th, having lost a drag race to the line against Sato).

James just couldn’t understand how things had gone so wrong from last year to now.

“I know that this weekend had been incredibly difficult for everyone,” Martin said, kicking off the debrief to a deafening silence. “But I’m not going to stand here and yell at everyone to do better because we all know that we’re better than this. We’re going to get our heads down, and learn exactly where we failed this weekend, and put it towards next year’s car.”

If the MCL24 car wasn’t at least capable of doing what it was told, James wasn’t sure what he was going to do with himself.

On the flight home James was already planning the bike ride he was going to make as soon as he was able. Normally he went for a run round the Monaco harbour to work off the jetlag, but after today he knew he needed something stronger to shake off his frustrations. He hadn’t ridden through the mountains near the French border for a while, and Mike agreed that it would be a good idea.

Out of the small windows in the private jet James got a look at the gorgeous bright orange sunset over the clouds, and he took a picture for memory sake before slowly pulling down the blind.

He deliberately pushed all thoughts of whether or not it was a good idea to see through his McLaren contract out of his mind. James knew he wasn’t in the right frame of mind, and the best thing for him would be to copy Mike and pass out snuggled into one of the plush seats instead. The blanket loosely lying on his knees being optional.

James smiled at the text message from Chloe saying how much she loved the cherry blossom detailing he had on his helmet for the weekend, when he messaged back that he was thinking of running something cowboy inspired for the next race in Austin she replied with a frantic set of messages saying she’d disown him instantly.

Tell Sophie sorry about her puncture, Mum and El said have a safe trip back to Monte Carlo. Love you xxx

Right after James had boarded the jet, Paul had texted to say that the team’s flight out of Tokyo was delayed, and almost an hour into his flight James still hadn’t heard anything from his engineer. He closed the conversation with Chloe since the Hewitts were probably about to tuck into their Sunday lunch, and he tapped his index finger against the side of his phone before going into WhatsApp and scrolled to find Sophie in his chat history.

He typed out and backspaced three different messages before eventually hitting send.

Hope you’re all on the plane by now, Chloe and Elouise wanted to say sorry about your race. Safe travels.

James set his phone down on the small table in front of him and busied himself with getting his phone charger out of his backpack while he waited for a reply. By the time he’d sat back down again, Sophie had sent back a picture of some half-drank teas and coffees from some corner of the airport terminal and what looked like Steve fast asleep on Tommy’s shoulder a couple of chairs down.

Sadly not.

Was the accompanying reply.

But at least Ben bought us all drinks.

Appeared on the screen a second later. James huffed and shook his head, that really was Benedikt Schmitz all over. Apparently, after he’d won his first title in 2020, he’d given out handwritten thank you cards and small boxes of Swiss chocolates for everyone at the factory. It was borderline annoying how he was in the form of his life and not being a total arsehole about it.

James messaged back encouraging Sophie should milk Ben’s generosity as much as possible, and hoped that everyone would be on their way home sooner rather than later. He slid his phone into aeroplane mode and plugged it in to charge before he got himself comfortable in his seat, and tried to put the past three days behind him, counting the hours until he was back home.

* * *

2023 Japanese Grand Prix Classification

1st - Benedikt Schmitz (SUI, Red Bull) - 25pts 2nd - Alistair Mitchell (GBR, Red Bull) - 18pts 3rd - Teo Martinez (ARG, Ferrari) - 15pts 4th - Giovanni Carotti (ITA, Ferrari) - 12pts 5th - Cristóbal Vasquez (ESP, Alpine) - 10pts 6th - Daniel Jakobsson (SWE, Alpine) - 8pts 7th - Nico Dumont (FRA, Alpha Tauri) - 6pts 8th - Marc Pavard (MON, Mercedes) - 4pts 9th - James Hewitt (GBR, McLaren) - 2pts 10th - Tadashi Sato (JPN, Haas) - 1pt 11th - Sophie Knightsbridge (GBR, McLaren) 12th - Antonio Lima (BRA, Alpha Tauri) 13th - Owen Nichols (NZL, Aston Martin) 14th - Evan McKinley (AUS, Williams) 15th - Aaron Jones (GBR, Aston Martin) 16th - Aidan Glover (GBR, Williams) 17th - Erik Braun (GER, Audi) RET - Leon Bauer (AUT, Haas) RET - Jan Martens (NED, Audi) RET - Nathan Watkins (CAN, Mercedes) Fastest Lap - Alistair Mitchell - 1pt

2023 Championship Standings after Round 16

Drivers Standings

1st - Benedikt Schmitz - 303pts 2nd - Giovanni Carotti - 227pts 3rd - Nathan Watkins - 186pts 4th - Cristóbal Vasquez - 171pts 5th - Alistair Mitchell - 163pts (9th - Sophie Knightsbridge - 66pts 10th - James Hewitt - 57pts)

Constructors Standings

1st - Red Bull - 466pts 2nd - Ferrari - 358pts 3rd - Mercedes - 318pts 4th - Alpine-Renault - 253pts 5th - McLaren-Mercedes - 123pts

[oswednesday]

Where would you like to draw power from if you were in a kingdom hearts? Like, a disney world? Being a keyholder? Darkness? One of the enemy types? Final Fantasy shenanigans? Being pure of heart and having light?

Personally I'd like to be a heartless since i think they're v aesthetic. But like, friendship being a power source would also be funny to use but like, drawing on acquaintances I've only seen and not talked with from a coffee shop I frequent.

oh that sounds very sweet! there's no reason to limit yourself to one or the other, like your heart had to be there in the first place before you lost it right? and you'd make a nobody in that way too perhaps! though im sure there are many cases there just the heartless remains, i think you'd still make a dusk or a grade above even if you weren't fully a formed person? theres something really nice i think about the lingering connections of people who are familiar but strangers to you, you occupy that space mutually! you decorate their time as much as they do for you! but omg thank you for wanting to play in this space, i ended up writing a lot ';';';!! hopefully this read more cut thingy will work!

if i was in like a fated trio id play along and be a keyblade welder, but im way more into the way nobodies have their weapons, from my understanding these two things are not mutually exclusive

i feel like if i was some kinda Light being id be like a princess running away from that like gender i hardly knew her! but i dont want to blow up the lore or anything, maybe running away forfeits it! maybe i give it up like asap when i learn there are other worlds can i can run even farther away! im forming something okay in my mind's eye imagining something around the ballpark of like a re-telling thats like half a norse mythos world and half the donkey's skin (rabbit's skin,,,) where its canon complacent to the fairytale that the monarch does a runner so maybe the universe even made adjustments around it? like some kind of failsafe duplicate hearts in case a princess beefs it hm hm well! never mind the metaphysics, my rabbit skin would leave my heart behind in my world and allow me to leave, but once im in the road between worlds my heartless would be left in the darkness and my nobody would be frail and drifting in the nowhere

the heartless would be dya, prince of the new moon (this is a watership down situation) and it would be like a challenge dungeon situation where dark dungeons connect to the worlds and youd have to clear them and lock em down, once you beat me the dungeon is done for, it would stop right in front of my world which would still be completely blocked off with the light, after you beat me you would get a keyblade named like ephemeral hope; a keyblade forged in the dark for a specific purpose, its a key item you use it to unlock the door my nobody was hidden behind

and then the door opens to a bedroom where id be asleep, next to my bed a nightstand with a book that has entries to unlock, each passage is like The Plot So Far from like various xehanort point of views, once you get them all you get the item its called book of the darkest dream, after you take it i wake up and we do battle!!!!!!

all this to say, my weapon "theme" would be chainsaw and my "element" would be dreams, my little nobody name would be like xday, the crepusculum wanderer and my weapons would have that kinda colorscheme like morning/evening pinks and purples and yellow, very simplified shape but you know what youre looking at, its name is deluded lullaby 

the battle would be like, i have three core attacks one thats a bunch of short slapbacks that drain mp or whatever spells happen to be cast off in the game, another combo attack that casts sleep and if i land the full combo you're "knocked out" into a dream world where previous mini bosses (like low level nobodies and non-npc heartless) fight you in like a nightmare form and probs an assembly of dream eaters that are just there cause its where they live (im learning about them Now), here i can heal myself as well you exit this space by giving me a good bop to me you have to reach me while im having a nap like float sitting on the top of my weapon like blade in the ground style; the two attacks are like telegraphed identical until they change midcombo but my final core loop is a very different telegraphed attack a high, slow, heavy swing that does DEVASTATING hp damage every time, it would probs be like based on % of hp where it does huge damage but cant outright kill you, so id lit have to rely on my nightmare manifestations to do it.

my limit breaker would be like bringing the dreaming world while you're still awake so summoning a nightmare version of a main ally to the player character to fight (plus a handful of dream eaters scurrying about), the final limit would collect this power back up and explode it into a shower of different colored stars (some which heal so you'd have to scramble around and get that, you can also bat damaging ones back at me) but they do damage, cast sleep on You, heal respectively

of course npc/pc style id have a set of weapons that all do things a little differently here and there

My complete set would be something like this:

(Gearless Weapon) Nod/ (Skill Gear) Lay Down/(Technical Gear) Hush-a-bye/(Duel Gear) Actias/(Loaded Gear) Fever Dream/(Chrono Gear) Plasticine Porter/(Phantom Gear) False Awakening/(Lift Gear) Jacob's Ladder/(Nimble Gear) Yunalesca/(Wild Gear) Cooling Plumule/(Ominous Gear) Black Sheep/(Valor Gear) Kyffhäuser/(Fearless Gear) Endymion/(Legendary Gear) Bower of Bliss/(Prestige Gear) Vertical Eternity/(Crisis Gear)  Immortal Hour/(Omega Gear) Axis Mundi/(Hazard Gear) Comatose/(Rage Gear) Sad Sunday/(Champion Gear) Nightcap/(Ultimate Gear) Metamorphic Question/(Pandora Gear) Ragnarök/(Zero Gear) Deluded Lullaby/(Casual Gear) Date Night <-it's purple lipstick/(Mystery Gear) Do Not Disturb <-in the shape approximation of the broadest chainsaw it is an ornate door, unlike the simplicity of the abstract and often children's toy like chainsaws, it is in much deeper jewel tones, the frame of the door is bound by spiked chains which crisscross to form an X in front of the door, this is complete with a padlock, the door has inlaid stained glass window of a heart in pinks, the window can be looked through of course in tinted distorted rose color)

(if i drop a keyblade as loot or have a keyblade, its called sweet dream maker; dull attacks put opponents to sleep, only when critical hits land does it reveal its extraordinary strength-it would be like very ornate in the sense theres a noxious purple rod metal like outer shape of spikes and the spikes have short chains with stars hanging off them and the internal key part is like a butter moon yellow)

What happens then! maybe all the parts of me would be too painful to rejoin? maybe because of the metaphysics in place it just cannot happen, leaving my heart all fractured and broken and then my world exposed! yes that feels right, i would still need to rest a lot

[icharchivist]

surprisingly i come to your askbox bearing a3-related thoughts instead of gbf. crazy i know. anyways i finished going thru conquering misoshiosa island!! my thoughts abt it are quite scattershot but i had a lot of fun. as i mentioned previously i almost went thru this event before starting autumn loll. was fun going thru the first bit again with autumn knowledge in my pocket now. the more i hear muku talk the more i want to sit and discuss manga recs with him. like in my heart i just KNOW he read basara. i've read a pretty large amount of shoujo so i think we'd get along.

it was pretty obvious muku and omi were gonna be the pair for this cg and like. i'm pleased about it. they're just such a good pair conceptually when u consider, like, definitions of masculinity and how it might apply to both of them.

azami regarding kazunaris flyers: damn. this is, like, needlessly impressive. what’s that quote about middle schoolers having the most accurate insults. this wasn’t really an insult but it really. Strikes Deep in a way only a middle schooler is capable of.

in any other situation i would gently tell muku that he doesn't need to panic about every eventuality BUT in this case i knew sakyo was planning on leaving them to fend for themselves so i was very glad for muku and omi's preparation. i think its really fun they watched that movie together.

kazu making an itinerary for literally just the trip to the island is sooo funny to me. like he must've known something was a little messed up. do u think sakyo gave him the info and kazunari looked at it, a little miffed that izumi's first instablam post was about spring and winter having a great time without them (and masumi liked the post first) and went. eh. sakyo can have his chaos.

juza bringing chocolate is very juza but him calling the chocolate "rations" is how u know muku and juza are related. love natsugumi teasing tenma abt being sleepless for this trip but like genuinely. its nice that he gets to like. Go On Trips now. like thats a thing he and misumi can do and its not rly something they got to do when they were younger!

i'm going to gloss over the bit with the monkeys where misumi can talk to them bc. i really.... they even acted to the guests in part 11 i do not think this had to happen. normally im all for a3 magic shenanigans so i dont know why this one didnt gel for me lol. anyways PSA wild monkeys can fuck u up so do be careful. don't get aggressive with them. i'm not an expert or anything tho.

the fact that running on the beach is part of their training makes me think sakyo has read knb. doesnt muku give sakyo manga recs? was that not a thing? anyways i think sakyo would read knb. he seems like the type of person to read it and be like. i dont think real high schoolers can go invisible or shoot sparks out of their eyes when they're focused. but i hope he enjoyed it. speaking og knb and a3 a hurrah for team friendship. i saw ur post abt it and like. i want a sticker thats like. I Survived That One Poll Where People Were Really Mean To Muku And Yuki For No Reason. muku and momoi was such a wonderful win to see with the art and propaganda and everything. and i was really rooting for momoi since her name literally comes from momoiro. i didnt actually know there was a knb a3 alliance until this poll but im very glad for its existence bc i love both things very much and theyre both very very dear to me.

was never worried for muku and izumi in the cave bc i Knew muku was doing a hansel & gretel with the way he was acting and i was glad to see it was buttons and not food so omi found them. i think its really cute that not only did omi rush off while people tried to stop him, a bunch of other people were ALSO trying to rush off and were probably stopped. makes sense it was omi who was able to actually do it tho. hes omi after all. look at how he handled banri and juza from day one. him showing muku the flower was so nice and the cg was SO CUTE like. look at those sparkling eyes!!! i also love queen of the night flowers... and im glad they got to go to a resort on the last day.

now some misc notes:

theres this part where taichi lies down in the sand and kumons like oh thats so nice! and lies down with him and i winced so hard like noooo dont u know... sand is just like glitter (Gets Everywhere)

i also just really like that muku is. for all that he berates himself for being weak and he wants to get like more stronger and prince-like and heroic etc. he very much doesn’t seem to correlate that with how he Looks Physically? (see: how he treats yuki) and like. that means so much to me.

finally i saw tenma being annoyed on the ship and island and stuff and. i just Know he complained during the trip and also to everyone when they got back but a year later he'll do an interview for some character that's very woodsy or like he acts as a castaway or something. and i just know he'll talk about how he was able to play the character well due to his own experience of staying on a deserted island… he'll say something abt how it was enriching and taught him a lot about coexisting with nature and some bs like that etc. and after watching that interview everyone in a3 will lovingly make fun of him for it.

YOO HEY THERE! always a pleasure, always no worries <333 a touch of cutesy a3 in the curse that is my inbox.

True i remember you almost read this one by accident ahah, at least now it's all in order again. You're SO right about Muku, he'd be a delightful conversation partner about manga and especially about shoujo. I'm sure you too would get along.

Also very good point for the CG yeah, they're conceptually a very good duo on that regard, they had such a sweet dynamic this whole time, and it's soft to see them with especially just this soft over a flower.

AKJDFMLDKMFLFD Azami and Yuki fit that description so well and now there's two of them. rip Kazunari.

Ah yeah, Paranoia is Paranoia until the day you're actually right. That's Muku right here. And honestly at this point, is it overthinking or is it a correct assessment of the type of person Sakyo is. Food for thoughts. But yess it's so nice they spent some time together to prepare it all.

FOR KAZU IT'S SO FUNNY. i have to believe that, yes, indeed. Especially also with like, how close Kazunari and Azuma can be as the two travellers type, and he knows perfectly what Azuma pulled last training camp. I trust Kazunari in putting two and two together while preparing his traveler log. Like he must have known. I believe in him.

"juza bringing chocolate is very juza but him calling the chocolate "rations" is how u know muku and juza are related." that's such a cute way to put it. YEAH IT'S SO SWEET FROM NATSUGUMI. and yeah i'm also team "always crying when Tenma and Misumi do anything that qualifies as a normal experience" considering their specific bagage about how little they could experience of the world bc of their families.

That's a fair point for the monkeys. It was totally buckwild but yeah this might have been a little too much in term of suspension of disbelief. taking notes for how to behave with monkeys in real life, we never know.

Oh my god a3xknb alliance real and it was thanks to Sakyo all along. And yeah Muku does give Sakyo manga rec. Also Kumon is really big on sports manga and him and Muku talks about this common interest a lot, so if it's not Muku, it's Kumon's fault, but also, i want to say it's Muku because it goes with OUR alliance type. Sakyo would indulge because oh well!

And god right. Team friendship…. and right :sob: remember when people were so mean for no reason. for the sake of cartoon's dogs. :(. but the alliance this competition around was so wholesome. i'm glad you've learnt of the alliance thanks to it now! it's honestly such a sweet phenomena i love it so much. I'm so glad you like those two so much that it makes it more worthwhile <3

Muku is such a clever survivalist on that regard. and Omimi finding them was so nice. the fact so many people wanted to rush to them really is amazing. And agreed, the CG and them being able to rest up really made it worthwhile <3

wow speaking about sand like a true Anakin Skywalker type… gotta give it to him. But yeah Sand does get everywhere. also speaking of sands, remember in the beachside event where Muku and Juza have to talk out a misunderstanding on the beach a way back? Muku then mentions "next time we should bring Kumon on the beach with us". It made me so emotional that the Summer/Autumn training camp was on the beach like that because i was just thinking about how much Muku and Juza wanted to have Kumon with them there….

agreed on Muku. And he's so cool this way :( that's a reason i really love Muku a lot.

and i lOVE what you say about Tenma. He'd complain so much on the spot, but give it a bit and he'll brag about how cool of an experience it was (especially since he was with his buddies) and everyone at Mankai would tease him for it. It fits them so perfectly.

as always, thank you very much for sharing your thoughts on the event <3333 next is Guy's chapter!!! be hyped ;D

Take care and it's always a pleasure <333

[cactusspatz]

October recs

I apparently had two reading settings in October: gen family fic and (mostly polyamorous) porn. Triads were in the air? So today I have 7 Batman/Batfamily fics, 1 Batman/Leverage crossover, 1 for The Untamed, and then three miscellaneous polyamory fics for Singin' in the Rain, comics Spider-Man/Fantastic Four, and Love & Friendship (in addition to the one DCU poly fic). Mostly gen except for the ones that are VERY not, I've marked pairings where needed.

DCU (in order from shortest to longest)

Clockwork by @heartslogos

“Do you even hear yourself when you talk?” Tim wrinkles his nose. “Also stop trying to hide the coffee. I’ll always find it. You just put it out of reach or opposite the peanut butter. I am on to you.”

Charming and detail-driven fic about Bruce and Tim, that really drives home how well and closely they know each other. (Also that they’re a couple of weirdos.)

sweet child o' mine by Nokomis/ @nokomiss

Steph said cheerfully, “Bruce, from now on, consider yourself in possession of one Steph-mom.”

“Absolutely not,” Bruce said.

Steph took a bite of her cake, undeterred.

I was howling with laughter reading this. Nokomis always writes Steph and pranking and comedy so well, and this one lands perfectly. Mom notes! Playdates! Snacks! So adorable and funny.

World’s Saddest Breakfast Club by @motleyfam

Following a couple of Very Bad Weeks™ (which may or may not have involved being kidnapped and mildly tortured), Jason decides the best way to cheer himself up is to break into the Manor for a 3 a.m. snack.

Turns out he isn’t the only one awake.

Chaotic and sweet, highly recommended to anyone who has feelings about food and family.

The Rule of Three by Zoeleo (Jason/Tim/Stephanie)

“Yeah. Um. Thanks, but I don’t wanna interrupt you guys or third-wheel you or anything so I’m just going to—” Jason tries to shrug on his jacket but one of the sleeves is turned inside out and his arm gets stuck.

“Well, technically you would be a third wheel. But like a structurally integral third wheel, one that’s an intentional part of the design. Like on a Polaris Slingshot or a—” Tim rambles until Stephanie smacks him again.

Jason loses the battle with the jacket. It drops to the floor with a heavy thump from too many gadgets hidden in secret pockets. Is Tim really proposing what he thinks he’s proposing?

Jason came for the pizza and MST3K, he may just stay for the face-sitting and multiple orgasms.

Pure threesome porn on the way to a relationship, plus great banter. Fittingly in a trilogy format.

The Last Someone by FabulaRasa/ @fabula-unica (Hal Jordan/Bruce Wayne)

I decided that what the fandom really needed was yet another object of Pussygate 2021 discourse, so here is my contribution, in which Bruce gets humiliated, Hal gets curious, and they both get what they're looking for.

In case you were (blessedly) living under a rock the last few weeks and don't know what any of this is about, here is your starter kit.

The first chapter of this is hysterical - Batman is ranked last on an internet article rating superheroes by how good they are at oral, and Green Lantern first, and then MORE shenanigans ensue - and then it takes a sharp swerve into feelings and some moderate angst. So ideal, really!

best laid plans by Valkirin

Tim Drake knows that Batman needs a Robin. When Bruce and Dick aren't interested in what he has to say, Tim makes his way to the cemetery to say a few words to the boy he's trying to replace.

Tim has the chance to say far more than he expected when Jason digs himself out of his grave that night. Tim does his best to get Jason home to Bruce. The League of Assassins finds them first.

Lovely hurt/comfort-y AU where Tim gets kidnapped along with Jason, and all the complications of that.

Recollect, re-collect by Ptelea

A spell gone wrong leads to Jason hashing some things out--with himself, with Dick, and with the rest of the Batfam. Featuring: rather a lot of thoughts and conversations about memory, change, damage, love and trust, accountability, family, hurt, lies, death, Spyral, pedestals, cases, memorials, stories, and Robin.

I am a sucker for amnesia fic, and this one is a terrifying variant where a spell makes people start to forget Jason. The resolution involves a truckload of feelings about Robin and Jason's place in his family, especially his relationship with Dick.

MISCELLANEOUS

The Gotham Job by Hinn_Raven/ @secretlystephaniebrown (Batman/Leverage, gen)

Generally, thieves of their caliber avoid Gotham. There are always exceptions that prove the rule, however.

(Or: five times that a member of Leverage met a member of the Batfamily, and one time that they teamed up.)

Fantastic read, with a creative set of character intersections and friendships between the two fandoms.

Knight Hunt! Phoenix Mountain by travelingneuritis (The Untamed, Wangxian)

 "Contestants get paid by the week. The longer you stay in the running and the more you charm the fans, the bigger your paycheck after the season wraps. People compete on Knight Hunt for fame, fortune and love. In that order."

I know, getting Lan Wangji onto a reality show convincingly is a big buy, but this one manages it, AND has peak Wei Wuxian gremlin action, modern cultivation, and a lovely romance. The author tagged it ‘low stakes pining’ and it’s just that - an engaging and emotional but easy read.

The Lockwoods & Mr Brown by @onlythegeste (Singin' in the Rain, Kathy/Don/Cosmo)

The continuing adventures of Kathy, Don and Cosmo in their house on Sunset and Camden.

Involving a camera, several pianos, scheming, dancing, and a magic trick.

Adorable look at their queer household and growing family across the decades. Well-written and perfectly satisfying.

A House in the Hills by @traincat (Spider-Man comics, Peter/Mary Jane/Johnny Storm)

   “Anyway, did you ever think I might want to sleep with him?”

   Peter sat straight up in bed and turned on the bedside light. Mary Jane was still sitting up, her arms crossed defiantly over her chest, staring straight ahead at a spot on the wall, twin angry spots of color in her cheeks.

   “You want to sleep with another man?” he demanded.

   “Well, ideally you’d be there, too,” she said, scowling.

Johnny is getting married. Peter is having a problem. Mary Jane has the solution. (Or, the Watson-Parkers homewreck their way to Johnny's happiness.)

I'm normally not a fan of any form of infidelity, but I'll make an exception for this situation (read the a/n for a brief overview), absolutely. Funny, sexy, and actually terribly romantic.

A Divinely Attractive Arrangement by @fahye (Love & Friendship, Lady Susan/Sir James/Manwaring)

A selection from the Private Diary of Sir James Martin of Martindale. Concerning Peas, Friendship, the state of Blessed Matrimony, and several wonders of Modern Medicine.

I’d argue that you don't even need to have seen the movie to enjoy this fic about the absolute dumbest golden retriever of a himbo to ever marry a manipulative woman so she might have cover to carry on with her lover, except since it's Fahye so of course things go poly instead in the FUNNIEST way possible. Bless his heart, I'd say Sir James has a pea brain but he doesn't even understand how peas work.

[lauras-collection]

✮ electric love | part 2 ✮

Harrison Osterfield x fem!reader | fwb!roommates au

|| Masterlist || Series Masterlist ||

Summary: Living with your best friends Tom and Harrison is all fun and games until one drunken night alone with Harrison, you give in to your attraction to him. You tell yourself you should leave it at that, forget about the night you spent with him and move on to not ruin your friendship, but neither of you can stay away from each other. So without considering the possible consequences, you make a deal. But how are you supposed to keep your shenanigans from Tom? And how are you supposed to not break the number one rule of an arrangement like this: do not fall in love.

Words: 3.8k

Warnings: SMUT 18+ [fingering, protected sex, riding], a smidge of angst, reader and Haz being horny idiots again, but this time sober. 

A/N: For the record, I know pubs aren’t usually open that long, but my favourite Irish pub in Brighton is open until 4am on the weekends. so I imagine Tom working there :D 

Hope you like it!! 

Feedback is always appreciated ❤️

It’s still dark out when you wake up, and it takes you a few seconds to realise where you are. You blink a couple of times and when the coffee table still littered with cans and empty bags of crisps comes into view, the evening before comes back to you, and you realise that Harrison is still laying behind you, his arm wrapped around your waist. 

Panic starts to creep up your spine, and suddenly you feel like you’re trapped. You sit up quickly, not even bothering if it wakes Harrison up. The blanket falls from your frame, and you realise you’re still naked. 

This can’t be happening. 

You pull the blanket back up to cover yourself as Harrison starts mumbling incoherently. Patting the coffee table, you try to find a phone, you don’t care if it’s yours or Harrison’s, you just need to know what time it is. 

“What’s going on?” Harrison asks, rubbing his eyes as you finally feel the sleek surface of a phone display underneath your fingertips. You lift it up to see the time, it’s just after four in the morning, and if you were slightly panicked before, it’s kicking into high gear now. Tom will be back any moment, and there’s no way you’ll let him walk in on this if you can prevent it.

“We fell asleep.” You stand up, dragging the blanket off of Harrison’s body, but he doesn’t seem to mind. For a moment, you’re distracted by the sight of him in his boxers. His pecs and abs illuminated by the moon shining into the window. With a small shake of your head, you turn around and start to scramble your clothes together. “Tom will be back soon, we need to get out of here.”

Harrison finally gets moving and, for a while, all you’re able to hear is the two of you shuffling around and your heartbeat drumming in your ears. You rack your brain as to how to handle this situation, what to say to him. 

You’re still standing there, the blanket wrapped around you, as Harrison pulls on his sweatpants, his shirt hanging over his shoulder.

And then you just stare at each other for a long moment.

“I’ll just—“

“So do we—“

You both start talking at the same time, the air around you filled with awkward tension. And you hate it. You can already feel a headache coming on, and you want to just fall asleep and forget what happened. 

Not that it was bad, that’s not it at all. It was amazing. But you don’t want this to change anything between you and Harrison. You love your friendship the way it is, you won’t risk ruining it with sex. Except… maybe you’ve already done that.

“I’ll see you in the morning.” You mumble, and without waiting for a reply, you dash towards your room and quickly close the door behind you. 

You let out a deep breath before getting rid of the blanket and finally putting your clothes back on. You know that you need to get some sleep to counteract this hangover, but there’s no way you’ll be able to. 

You feel disgusting, you’re covered in dried sweat, Harrison’s scent is all over you, and it does nothing to ease your anxiety. You contemplate taking a shower, but when you hear the front door close softly, followed by Tom’s footsteps moving around the flat, you know that will have to wait until the morning. 

It’s been a week since you slept with Harrison and you can’t stop thinking about him. While you caught yourself fantasising about him every now and then before you crossed the line, now you know what it feels like to be touched by him. To be completely consumed by him. And with every day that passes you crave his touch even more.

Getting a taste of him did nothing to soothe your longing for him. On the contrary, it made it worse. So now whenever he’s close, whether that be him waiting for his toast to pop out of the toaster while you’re making a tea, or him sitting next to you on the sofa, your mind goes places it shouldn’t while thinking about one of your best friends. 

It’s frustrating. You don’t have the time or the energy to find someone to hook up with to fuck Harrison out of your system. That’s probably what got you into this predicament in the first place, to be honest.

And the fact you still hadn’t really talked about what happened was eating away at you. There just hadn’t been the right time to bring it up. It’s been a stressful week for both of you with work and uni assignments, and if you had a few hours of spare time Tom was always around. You couldn’t just say ‘Hey Harrison can we talk about that thing that happened?’ Without Tom getting suspicious. And the last thing you wanted was him finding out that you and Harrison had sex on the sofa while he was at work.

It isn’t really awkward between you two. You still act normal around each other, it’s almost like nothing changed if it wasn’t for that underlying tension that always fills the air when you’re alone with him. 

You delete the last paragraph you’d written for your essay with a groan. It didn’t make any sense anyway. Taking an English Lit class for extra credit sounded good when you first started the semester because with Harrison being an English Lit major you had someone you could ask for help right here living with you. 

The irony of your situation makes you laugh. You contemplate quitting the class altogether, but there are only a few weeks left in the semester and all of your work so far would’ve been for nothing. 

So you push all your confusing feelings to the side, close your laptop and pick it up. You don’t have to look far to find Harrison. He’s sitting in the living room, feet on the coffee table while scrolling through his phone. 

He looks up when you let yourself fall next to him on the couch. The corners of his mouth lift into a smile and he locks his phone as he turns his body to you.

“What’s up?” 

This is the first time you actively search out Harrison’s company since that night and you feel a little guilty that you’re doing it because you need his help.

“Can you help me with my essay?” You give him your best puppy dog eyes. “It’s for English Lit and everything I write seems dumb.” 

The look in Harrison’s eyes gets a little softer as he nods his head.

“I’m sure it’s not dumb” He reassures you “Let’s see what you’ve got” He reaches his hand out for your laptop and you give it to him after unlocking it. His eyes flit over the screen as he reads over the measly excuse of an essay you’ve written. You can’t help but think how pretty his profile is. 

“When’s it due?” He asks casually and you have a feeling he won’t like your answer.

You glance at the time on your laptop display, almost ten at night. “In two hours?” you press your lips together as Harrison’s head whirls over to you.

“Y/N! Why didn’t you ask for help sooner?” 

You obviously can’t answer that question honestly, so you shrug your shoulders and say, “I wanted to do it on my own, but I’m incompetent so it didn’t work” 

“You’re not incompetent!” He insists. “Look, what you’ve got so far is pretty solid, we just need to build on it.” His fingers fly over the keyboard as he starts to work on your essay. 

As he types, he explains what he’s doing and occasionally asks a question. And an hour later your essay is ready to be handed in. 

“Thank you so much for your help,” You say after you successfully sent the essay to your professor. 

“Don’t mention it” He places his hand on your knee, giving it a squeeze and your breath catches in your throat. Images of the night you spent with Harrison start flashing through your mind as your eyes lock with his. He looks as taken aback as you feel, but neither of you dares to move. 

The warmth of his hand is burning into your skin and you hate that just one touch from Harrison is enough to get you so worked up. 

You clench your thighs together subconsciously and when Harrison's eyes leave yours for a second you know he noticed. The air around you is tense, thick with anticipation as his hand slowly moves up your leg. His eyes are boring into yours and you try your best to keep calm but your breathing is already heavy. 

You don’t dare to say anything. As unsure as you are about what Harrison is thinking right now, you don’t want to ruin this moment.

His hand slowly moves further up your leg until his fingertips reach the hem of your shorts, then he pauses. Your heart is beating out of your chest and you know he’s giving you the time to say something. To tell him to stop. But you don’t want him to stop. 

Biting your lip you give him an almost imperceptible nod and then his fingers slip under the fabric. You spread your legs a little allowing him to move closer to your heat and when his fingertips brush against your panties both of you take in a sharp breath.

“You’re soaking,” Harrison whispers, almost in awe.

“Been thinking about the other night a lot.” You say and lift your leg that’s closer to him until it’s laying on top of his, giving him more access. 

“Yeah?” he asks, his thumb gingerly pressing against your covered clit. “Me too”  

A moan falls from your lips and you reach out your hand to grab his forearm. Harrison stops his movements for a moment until you squeeze his arm.

“Keep going” Your voice is already hoarse, the pulsing between your legs almost unbearable. Harrison licks his lips, then gently moves your underwear to the side. And then his fingers are moving through your slick folds.

You throw your head back with a groan. You’ve been dreaming about his touch for the past week and there was nothing you could do to satisfy that craving. Nothing but being touched by Harrison again. 

“That feel good?” Harrison murmurs and places a kiss on your shoulder.

“So good” you breathe, you’re hot, your blood rushing through your veins and you can already feel beads of sweat starting to build on your forehead. “More” You mewl, tightening your grip on his arm.

Harrison hums and then you feel him entering you with his fingers, the heel of his palm pressing against your clit and it’s almost enough to make you cum right then and there. 

Harrison starts slowly moving in and out of you, his fingers slightly crooked, looking for that one spot. When you let out a moan and dig your fingers deeper into his forearm he knows he found it and continues to rub against it. 

Your whole body is covered in goosebumps, your muscles tense as you throw your head back and lift your hips in an attempt to get closer to him. Harrison starts trailing kisses up your shoulder and neck and when he starts sucking on your sweet spot there, you’re a goner. Your pussy starts clenching around his fingers as your orgasm washes over you. You barely make out Harrison humming against your skin. 

When you come down from your high, Harrison’s fingers are still inside you, moving ever so slowly as to not overstimulate you. You’re a long way from overstimulation though.   

“Need you” You press out between groans, while you enjoy Harrison’s kisses and his fingers pleasuring you, it’s not nearly enough. 

Harrison removes his hand and you find yourself pouting, but then he lifts his hand, your arousal shining on his fingers along with his ring. And then he puts them in his mouth, licking them clean with a hum, his eyes fixed on you and it might be the hottest thing you’ve ever seen.

“Let’s take this somewhere else.” He whispers against your skin before scooping you up. You let out a small squeal and wrap yourself around him tighter. “Your place or mine?” His hot breath hits your ear and while waiting for your answer he trails some more kisses on your neck.

“I don’t care.” you manage to say and moments later Harrison kicks a door shut with his foot and lays you down. You’re surrounded by dark blue bedsheets and Harrison’s scent. Without any hesitation, Harrison gets back to covering your neck with kisses. His hands moving under your shirt pushing the fabric up your body. With one swift movement, you get rid of the shirt, now laying in front of him in your bra and shorts.

The way Harrison is looking at you makes shivers run down your spine. 

“You’re so fucking sexy, Y/N,” Harrison mumbles, his fingertips trailing over your newly exposed skin. Arching your back, you push yourself closer to him, your need to feel him reaching a new high. 

As soon as Harrison’s taken off his shirt, you run your hands over his toned torso until you reach the waistband of his grey sweatpants. He tenses for a second and lets out a shuddering breath when you tease your fingers under the fabric. You need to bite your lip to keep in the giggle that’s threatening to fall from your lips at his reaction. You never thought he’d be this responsive to your touch. 

While Harrison leans down to nip at the soft skin of your neck and collarbones you reach into his boxers and wrap your hand around his cock. Harrison lets out a low groan, his hot breath hitting your skin.

He’s hard and heavy in your hand, and the thought of him inside of you again makes warmth pool between your legs. Harrison curses when you slowly start to stroke him. He rests his forehead against your shoulder as if to collect himself, his soft curls tickling your skin. 

And then he lifts himself up enough so he can look at you, his eyes dark. 

“You sure about this?” A tiny voice in your head is aware that sleeping with Harrison again, this time sober, is crossing a line that can’t be uncrossed. But haven’t you already crossed that line last week when you told him to fuck you? Right now, you don’t want to think about that, though. All you want is him.

Your mind is quickly distracted from all of these thoughts when you take in the sight of Harrison on top of you, and you nod eagerly.

“Yes. I need you.” As if to emphasise your words you tighten your hand around him a bit, making Harrison groan.

“Fuck” 

You let go of his cock and place your hands on his chest “Are you sure about this?” As much as you want this right now, you won’t do anything he isn’t willing to do. You don’t want him to feel pressured just because you need a release, and you need it from him.

“Yes. Fuck yes. Just… gimme a second or I’ll cum way too soon” He lets out a strained laugh and you can’t help but chuckle as well. While Harrison hovers above you, you bury your hands in his hair, slightly scratching his skull with your fingertips, causing him to let out a low moan. It’s not the first time you’re doing this. Whenever you feel like he’s stressed or upset about something it’s a sure way to make him feel better.

“I love it when you do that.” He hums before leaning down to bury his face in the crook of your neck. 

He starts placing kisses on your neck, his hands moving back between your legs. Your hips buck up the moment his fingers touch your clit. 

“I think a second is over” You pant out while he draws lazy circles on your sensitive bud. You can already feel the coil in your stomach tightening again. 

Harrison lets out a laugh before pulling his hands away to take off your shorts.

It doesn’t take long for both of you to completely undress and him to put on a condom and then he’s positioned between your legs.

You run your hands over his arms, his biceps bulging as he hovers over you. Has he always been this muscular? 

You have no time to further think about that because in the next moment he’s placing his hand on the back of your knee, spreading your legs wider before lining up his cock and pushing into you. 

You throw your head back at the feeling of finally being filled again, digging your fingertips into his back as he bottoms out. 

“You feel so good.” He murmurs and then starts rolling his hips into you. One of his hands is holding your hip as he picks up his pace. 

“Fuck, I love your cock.” You mewl out, causing Harrison to chuckle darkly.

“I know you do. The way your pussy was dripping just at the thought of it spoke for itself” 

Your walls tighten around him at his words and you arch your back, spreading your legs further. 

“I wanna ride you.” You say, and it only takes Harrison a few seconds to react. He pulls out of you and easily rolls over so you’re on top of him.

Harrison’s hands are on your hips, helping you balance as you sink down onto him, before moving to your waist as you try to find the best angle for yourself.  

You gasp when the head of his cock strokes a particularly sensitive spot and, just like last time, your reaction doesn’t go unnoticed by Harrison. His face breaks out into a smile and his hands cup your breasts, playing with your nipples. Your eyes roll to the back of your head as you groan.

You feel the tingling sensation start to spread through your body, getting more intense with each of your thrusts.

“I’m close” 

“Yeah? Need me to make you cum?” He has the nerve to smirk up at you, his curls falling into his flushed face. You can’t help but notice how beautiful he is like this. He would be even more beautiful if he wasn’t being such a tease right now, though. 

“Yeah, I’d appreciate it” You grind out. It’s not like you couldn’t take matters into your own hands (literally) but you know Harrison is able to take you there. If he can do it drunk he shouldn’t have a problem sober. Hell, he did it earlier on the couch. And you’re going to take advantage of someone else making you cum for a change. Who knows when you’re going to get the chance again? 

“I’d love to watch you make yourself cum while riding my dick, though.” He grins. When you glare at him he bites his lip and returns his hands to your hips. “Maybe another time.” 

And then he tightens his grip on you, holding you in place as he starts thrusting up into you, still at the perfect angle. You have to place your hands on his chest to support yourself as he pumps into you, your tits bouncing with every movement and then suddenly he wraps his lips around one of your nipples.

Your mouth falls open in a silent cry, you’re only seconds from finally being pushed over the edge. And then his finger finds your clit and you’re done for. 

Words that don’t even make sense fall from your lips and you just barely notice Harrison’s words.

“Fuck, you’re so fucking sexy like that. Coming around my cock.” His words are strained as he keeps fucking into you, chasing his own release “Look at you. So good. Fuck.” 

And then you feel him twitch inside you before he releases into the condom with a guttural moan. 

Spent, you fall onto his chest. Both of you breathing heavily. After a few moments of catching your breath, you pull off him and let yourself fall next to him. 

“So, that happened again.” You say, staring at the ceiling while Harrison disposes of the condom. Now that the fog of desire has lifted and you can think, more or less, clearly again, you realise that this was probably not the smartest thing to do. 

Harrison lets out a chuckle as he joins you back on the bed. He’s laying on his side, his head propped up on his hand. 

“It did. How are you feeling about it?” 

You turn on your side as well to face him. 

“Not to blow up your ego or anything but I don’t remember the last time I’ve had sex that amazing.” 

“You don’t remember last week?” There’s a smirk on his face, so, with a roll of your eyes, you throw a pillow at him. 

“I remember.” You narrow your eyes at him. “But I mean before that. It’s been so long.”

“Yeah, same.” 

You never thought you’d find yourself in bed with Harrison. Have you thought about it? Yes. But you never thought it would actually happen. Let alone twice. And you never in your wildest dreams would’ve thought you’d be so… compatible? Even in long-term relationships you had in the past, it took a while for you and your partner to get to know each other's bodies. 

But with Harrison, it seems like everything just comes naturally. Your bodies so in tune that it just works. 

An idea starts forming in your head. 

“What are you thinking so hard about?” Harrison is your best friend for a reason. Sometimes, he can read you like a book.

You bite your lip. “I don’t know. You might think it’s stupid.” 

“I won’t think it’s stupid.” He pauses for a moment. “OK, maybe I will, but I promise not to laugh.” 

“That’s not really reassuring.”

“I’m sorry.” He smiles. “Please tell me.” 

You play with your fingers, plucking up the courage to tell him. 

“So we both agree that the sex is good, right?" Harrison nods. "And we both don’t really have the time or want to, like, hook up with random people, right?" Another nod from Harrison. "So wouldn’t it be… convenient if we—“ You wave your hand between the two of you.

“If we—?” He raises his eyebrows. He’s gonna make you say it, isn’t he?

“Sleep with each other. A friends with benefits agreement if you will. No strings attached. No obligations.”

“Just sex?”

“Just sex.” 

You hold your breath waiting for Harrison's answer.

A/N: Oooh, what will Harrison’s response be? I think we all know lmao. I hope you liked it! I’d love to hear your thoughts! 

electric love taglist: @blueraindrops​ // @spideyssunshine​ // @defensive_sarcasm17 // @captainbucky13​ // @frenchfrostpudding // @the-fan-18​ // @hotforharrison​ // @osterfieldvol6​ // @castawayclaires // @littlebookbengal​ // @bigbootyjudys-blog​ // @abcxrandomx // @74limelight​ // @lolooo22​ // @justsayk​ // @mountainsforwords​ // @t-hollanderr​

everything taglist: @spidermanlondon​ // @duskholland​ // @tutuabby28​ // @missevrythingg​ // @in-a-lot-of-fandoms-tbh​ // @thenoddingbunny-blog​ // @emilykjh​ // @clara-licht​ // @hollandfanficlove​ // @calltothewild​ // @crybabyalexxx​ // @hazardosterfield​ // @calsthomas​ // @quaksonhehe​ // @sinisterspidey​ // @thirzaholland // @tombrina​ // @outshineallthestars​ // @serendipitous-amor​ // @soincredible​ // @trustfundparker​ // @writertoo18​ // @viagracex​ // @skamlover200​ // @wonderlandfandomkingdom​ // @wehavetomakeourheartssitstill​ // @thearchersupremacy​ // @itstaskeen​ // @camimndess​ // @allyz​ // @technosoot​ // @fanficscuziranout​ // @parker-hollandx // @givebuckyhisplumsnow​ // @dangerouslovefanfic​ // @ertherealrose​ // @i-married-a-pineapple // @miraclesoflove​ // @bi-girlwrites-2000​ // @seasidetom​ // @katcontrreras​ // * * // @fallingforfics​ // @destinedbooklover // @parkerpeter24​ // @selfcarecap​ // @moonphoric // @just-a-littlebit-of-everything​ // @emistrash​ // @badreputationlove​ // @turtoix​ // @haloxmendes​ // @anjalika03​ // @iamsherloki-wholocked​ // @the-fan-18​ // @white-wolf1940​ // @aidinniram​  // @heyhihellowhatsup0​ // @blackbat2020​ // @keithseabrook27​ // @annathesillyfriend​ // @hoodpankow​ // @practicallylivesonline​ // @keithseabrook27​ // @millennial-teenybopper​ // @beautifulrose0809​ // @parachutepanties​ // @jamiealenaa​ // @hallecarey1​

harrison osterfield taglist: @hjoficrecs​ // @lolychu​ // @hazardosterfield​ // @hollandbroz-n-haz​ // @emilyg453​

series taglist: @softholand​ // @svturtles​ // @cloverrover​ // @goodgirlgonetom // @justafangirlduh​ // @thegirlwiththediary​ // @beyond-the-ashes​ // @parkerbunny​ // @bearsbeetsbarnes​ // @keithseabrook27​

[profoundtyrantharmony]

Title : A Touch of Affection

Bonus #02 A Week in Oslo

General Plot : Y/n a young journalist decide to quit to pursue her ambitions of travel vlogger/blogger. Ivar works for the familly business and wants to leave the familly house. They’ll have to share an appartment and maybe more than friendship will arise.

Notes : In this bonus I choose to show you what she visits but I’m not gonna elaborate more about those spots as I never went to Oslo. Ivar will be mentionned.

Words : 1585 (Bonus so it’s shorter than the actual chapter)

Tags : @youbloodymadgenius // @draculasbride-blog // @ivarhoegh​ // @black-repunzel99​

Masterlist // Request       Serie Masterlist

Monday, day of the departure :

“Bye Bunny, I’ll text you as soon as I’m in the train.” I tell him looking at him in the eyes. I can see some unshed tears threatening to run out of his magnificent blue eyes.

“I’ll miss you a lot...” Head down he forces himself to not cry in front of me -the men in his family always said that a true man shall never show any kind of emotion- he doesn’t want me to see him as weak or less of a man, he already is a cripple no need to add weak, that’s what he think but he’s wrong.

It’s time to leave, I have all my stuff packed in a duffle bag. All that’s left is to say goodbye to Ivar, Ivar who didn’t put any more clothes since yesterday evening.

I could see the distress he’s in and couldn’t leave him without having put his mind at ease.

“Cute little Bunny of mine, don’t be sad, I’ll come back I promise, never doubt me or my word I only have one and I’m giving it to you.” He smiles, a teary smile but a smile nonetheless.

I’m now in my car, driving toward the gare station where I’m gonna join people for the Tour of Oslo. I'm the first one arrive so I decide to re-read what are the specific demands from the tourism agency. They want me to provide my blog with a new article about the different touristic spots we’ll see during this week as well as pictures. This seems correct, plus I’ll have to pay for nothing. People are starting to arrive, it’s time for our first stop of the week.

For this first day we visit the Citadel of Akershus and then the Vigeland park. What a beautiful architecture, simply amazing. I wish Ivar was here with me, I’m sure he would have made better picture than me. It hasn’t been a day but I already miss him a lot, what happened to me ?!

The night comes faster and we go to sleep in a cozy hostel. Before going to bed I decide to text Ivar as I told him.

Text

Bunny !! How was your day ?”

“Awful without you !”

“Don’t say that, we’ll see each other soon, promise.”

“My brothers are coming tomorrow, maybe I won’t be there when you come back Min Skatt.”

“Such a Drama King ! How come you don’t wan’t to see them ?”

“They’ll ask about you...”

“And...is there a problem ?”

“Once they learn your not a guy they’ll freak out !! They’ll maybe try to hook up with you too.”

“All of them ?! 😳

“They like to share on a regular basis...”

“Too bad for them I already have someone !”

“...Who ?”

“You silly, remember You’re Mine !”

“And You’re Mine !!”

“Exactly ! I don’t have time for them and their shenanigans.”

“Glad to here it Min Skatt ! It’s getting late, I'm going to sleep. I miss you, talk to you soon 😚”

“Kiss kiss Bunny, have a good dream. 😘”

****

Tuesday

Today we’re going to visit two actual vikings museums on the Bygdøy peninsula, once again Ivar should have been here with me as his ancester were well know vikings in their era of time. I take note to tell him to come back with me one day. It would be great... Hope he’d say yes.

During the morning I called him cause I wanted to hear his voice so much. He seemed kind of off I don’t know why, maybe it’s nothing and I'm just being paranoid. Or maybe I miss him too much for my sanity...

During the day we continu texting each other about various thing, mostly about us missing one another. 

We dine...typical vikings era food like pig stomach, frog, squid and brain...Interesting but clearly disgusting especially the brain.

Wednesday :

Today is probably one of my favorite cause we are in the ski museum and then we’re gonna visit the Oslo opera house, and tonight we’re going to watch an entire peformance in there I’m so excited. I wanted to call Ivar as soon as I got the news but I remember that he had a busy day with important clients so I didn’t want to intrude.

The show was absolutely wonderful ! I would have love it more if Ivar was there next to me cuddling the shit out of my soul. I’m getting really attached to him, maybe I should refrain myself...or not. He’s never done anything to reject me or making me understand that I was bothering him. I’m confuse now !

Thursday :

I love art, whether it’s photograhy, painting or anything I have this huge amount of respect for the artists and what they try (and succeed) to show us, something other than words. Munch might not be my favorite painter -I’d rather prefer Van Gogh- I’m excited at the idea of seeing his pieces of art.

In the afternoon we go to the Nobel Peace Center of Oslo, I consider it an honor personally. All this time my mind goes to flashes of Ivar. Ivar talking, Ivar smiling, Ivar, hugging, cuddling, kissing... What ? Where the hell is this coming from ?!

Friday :

I dreamed about Ivar last night, the kind of X-rated dream where I wake up wet, hot and bothered with what the men would call “having blue balls.” The worse is I don’t even remember any of it, just that he was there...Thank you very useful...!

Let’s get back to our tour. Today we visit the National Museum of art, design and architecture followed  by the Novegian folk museum. We even have the occasion of spending the night in it.

I talked to Ivar before going to bed, it’s getting harder and harder to stay away from him. That’s the first time I’m feeling this pull toward someone else. I don’t want to tell him, afraid to seem a bit too clingy...

Saturday :

I’m not a Christian, so visiting a cathedrale is not really what interest me the more. But...I have to admit that the Christians’s place of worship are impressive and in a way, beautiful.

After it we go the the Mathallen market where I met Harbard a strange man. He’s kind of a mysterious poet with a philosophical speech. We talk, well I talk and he vaguely answers... It’s all in good fun !

I buy traditionnals items as well as foods cause I was hungry as hell.

Sunday, last visit and return to Home :

It’s the last day of the trip, I’m a bit sad cause it was very enriching, but I’m also glad cause I’ll be back to Ivar.

It’s the calmest day of the trip, two different locations : Grünerlookka and Akker Brygge. During all of our free time, I stay with Harbard whose been talking about a thought he had while taking his shower this morning. He told me that most men will receive their first bouquet of flowers at their funeral. This thought made me cry a little. I thought about Ivar, cute Ivar... I wander in the street of Akker Brygge, still crying, I enter a small shop and I get out of it with a golden shit key ring. Don’t ask me why I don’t know. Despair probably.

It’s time to bid goodbye to everyone, we’re all in the gare station ready to come back to our home. I decided to make a quick stop to a florist. I ask him a bouquet symbolizing friendship, an important one. He makes one with white roses, sunflowers, pink tulips, glaïeul, zinnia and ivy. When I pay for it I feel an immense sensation at the bottom of my stomach, like a bunch of butterflies trying to get out of me threw my belly button. 

I get back on the car, direction, home !

“Bunny !! I’m home !” I happily say while holding the bouquet of flower.

“Min Skatt !! He runs to take me in his arms, his head hidden in the crook of my neck. I can’t believe you’re finally here. The bouquet renders it difficult for me to reciprocates his hug. Who did you buy this bouquet for ?”

“During the trip I talked to someone about the lack of affection given to men. Did you know that most of the men will receive their first bouquet of flowers during their own funeral ? How sad !! I don’t wan’t this to happen to you Bunny. I thought about you dead and it broke my heart, I started to cry...then I bought a golden poop key ring. Don’t ask me why, despair and cutter sadness made me buy it !”

Tears welling in his eyes I take the bouquet to put it in a vase then go back to me, leads me to the couch where he lets us both fall on it. he snuggles me tightly, his hands rubbing my bum and my back while slopilly kissing spots on myy face. I grab his hair, sighing in contentment near the shell of his ear.

“You have no idea how much I miss you Min Skatt !” I lazily kiss the corner of his mouth and fall asleep smiling at him with utter tenderness.

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This is the end of the bonus #02, hope you enjoyed reading it, if you want to be tagged just say it in the comment.

Like, Comment and Reblog are highy appreciated.

English is not my mother tongue.

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