#[ere quoting mean girls for the WIN]

[michellemisfit]

Tag game Tuesday Wednesday

Thank you @celestialmickey for creating this <3

Tagged by @look-i-love-u @lingy910y @mikhailoisbaby @captainjowl @sleepyfacetoughguy @spaceofentropy @ardent-fox @deedala @gardenerian @creepkinginc @thepupperino @energievie

I’m super late to this, so not tagging anyone. Sorry. Love y’all. Have some flowers 💐

Name: Michelle

Age: 38

What country do you live in? Britain (the great feels very subjective right now…)

How many blogs do you have? 2. This one and the podcast account @f-f-podcast

How many blogs do you follow? 327

Are you a hugger? Hell yeah! I’m a hugger, and a snuggler, and a biter, and a poker, and a raspberry blower, and a whatever else you’ll let me-er… I do understand that not everyone’s into it though.

Summer or winter? Eh. Not a fan of extremes. Farming in 40 degrees heat is MISERABLE. Farming in deep winter when pipes are frozen and you spent your morning break 2 inches thick sheets off ice out of water troughs is also MISERABLE… however @look-i-love-u was spot on by saying “there's the point in summer when you just can't take off any more clothes without getting arrested” so I guess Winter 🤷🏽‍♂️

Coffee, tea, soda, or something else? Tap Water. Then tea. Then fuzzy water. Then ginger ale.

Something about you that might surprise people? Cameron Monaghan and I have more in common than you might think? We’ve both been in Star Wars!

And hey, his character might have a name, but Cal’s “only” in a game. The Tatooine farmer I played was in one of the movies! So I win! 😆

If you had to get a tattoo tomorrow, what would it be? It’s weird to me that I do not have a Buffy tattoo, so probably that? I’m a bleeding heart, so it would 100% be one of the BIG MOMENT quotes, like ‘You’re not special. You’re extraordinary’ or ‘Every girl who could have the power, will have the power, can stand up, will stand up’ or ‘The Good Guys Are Always Stalwart And True’ or ‘Are you ready to be strong?’

But in my more frivolous moments I think I’d be hilarious to get “Out for a Walk… Bitch” on the arch of my foot or something silly like that lol

Would you consider yourself a private person or an open book? I always thought I was an open book. Until a friend of mine of like years and years said that I’m funny and great to be around and supportive and sweet, but that she doesn’t feel like she knows me. That was a brutal thing to be told. Basically, if you ask me anything at all, I will tell you the answer. But I don’t just share of myself because I was raised to think that no one would care, so why bother them with my personal life story? I’m working on that now…

Do you believe in soulmates? If soulmates do exist, they're not found, they're made. People meet, they get a good feeling, and then they get to work building a relationship. (The Good Place)

Also, because @sleepyfacetoughguy casually dropped this in and made me WEEP: ‘Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same’

Introvert or extrovert? Extrovert, but I get very sleepy..

Tell me something good that happened to you recently: Went to see Patrick Wolf yesterday. It’s been 20 years. And he’s had a tough time. It was nice to see him, and to see him happy.

And finally, say something nice to yourself: You’re not well at the moment. Maybe you can’t put an exact name to it. Maybe there’s too many names you can put on it. It doesn’t matter. You’re not well, and that’s valid. You need a break, and that’s valid. You wanna have a nap when you get home from work, and that’s valid. You feel like crying half of the day, and you know what? That’s valid, too. Fuck what you feel you should be doing/being/feeling/achieving. Stop being mean to yourself. Shut the fuck up and listen when people who love you tell you you’re good enough.

Oh, also? No one wants to hunt you for sport.

[just-an-enby-lemon]

Silly DC Rogues + Scooby Doo incorrect quotes/concepts:

The Rogues adopting different members of the gang. It starts with Jonathan Crane meting Velma on a psychology seminar, than Riddler finds Fred in a trap convencion, Joker (or Harley pick your poison) goes buy a new lipstick and ends up bonding with Daphne, Scooby and Shaggy either became budies with Penguin after going to eat at the Iceberg or with Condiment King.

-/-

Batman: Scarecrow is too quiet lately I bet he is plotting some terrifying squeme.

*meanwhile at Jonathan Crane's hideout"

Scarecrow: Oh please, child, you can't do that to me. That's cruel.

Velma: You know the rules. No kidnnaping pleople or throwing fear toxin on places for a month or we will not let you study Shaggy and Scooby fear responses!

Scarecrow: Fine.

Velma: Now, Doctor Crane, I want the toxin canister I know you are hinding right now.

Scarecrow: You are lucky to be my favorite student, young lady. *gives her the vial*

Velma: All of them

Scarecrow: Fine. *gives her another ten hidden vials of fear toxin he had in his coat*

-/-

Velma: Er... I know this might be akward but I feel we bonded since last time we met and I wanted to ask you something.

Scarecrow: I didn't kill him, he died of fear naturaly.

Velma: Jinkies!!!!! I just wanted date advice.

Scarecrow: Oh?

Velma: You see I like this girl, a lot, abd I want to try to ask her on a date or something ... but... the problem is ... she is a villan and you are a vilan so I'm thinking maybe...

Scarecrow: Hm. Another villain. Maybe you should ask Harley. Unless she is really obnoxious, green and keeps asking annoying questions I have no idea how to help.

Velma: I think I'm the obnoxious one, asking all the questions? I mean I get really nervous when we are together so I end up talking a lot but not making much sense.

Scarecrow: Well if you are the obnoxious one, wich for what I know of you is highly doubtfull but I suppose not impossible, you can always build her a nice weapon, talk about how you are the best person ever to the point she may end kissing you so you shut up and look cute when scared.

Velma: I don't get scared. Nor talk about being the best.

Scarecrow: There is the weapon.

Velma: Wouldn't build a weapon to a villain be a bad thing?

Scarecrow: Since when do I care, Miss Dinkley?

Velma: Fair. But I do.

Scarecrow: In this case build something that can help her recover for potential injuries, crime is a very dangerous job.

Velma: That's actually really helpfull! Thanks, Doctor Crane!

Scarecrow: Only trying to help my best student, Miss Dinkley!

Velma: About that did you finish your studies on Shaggy and Scooby?

Scarecrow: Oh yes! They are fascinating!

*Velma and Jon start geeking out over chemistry and brain readings*

-/-

At Gotham's Annual Trap Convention

Announcer: This year the trap making competition will be done in duos! A special change to spice the ten years aniversary of the Traps Club of Professional Trapers and a way for us to make new trap themes.

Fred: Oh nice. Who wants to team up with me?

*no one says nothing*

Fred: Please? Gotham has the best trap convention I always wanted to win it's annual competion. Help a kid with their dreams!!

*is ignored*

Fred: : (

Riddler: *also didn't got a team mate because he is annnoying as heck* Riddle me this, ascot weirdo, the less you have the more they are worthy?

Fred: Uh... Scooby Snacks? Scooby normally recquires two or more to do really dangerous things but when it's for the last one he is super kean.

Riddler: What? *looks around* *everyone else already has a team* Fuck. Fiiine. You are stupid! Most people are but still you are impressivly dumb.

Fred: Thanks, my dad says the same thing.

Riddler: ...

Riddler: Dads! *rolls his eyes* As I was saying do wanna team up?

Fred: Sure!

Riddler: I never lost one of those so I want to make very clear to you beforehand that I expect a high perfomance.

Fred: Of course. All my traps are prefectly made! I'm a profissional, not like those two people over there using mapple to build an estructure that should totaly be made of oak.

Riddler: You are... actually right. And what the fuck are those knots? Do they want to fail? Honestly I bet they are Joker's men.

*They of course win the competition and become buddies*

-/-

*in a different universe*

Riddler: *shaking* PLEASE DON'T TAKE ME BACK BATMAN! *terrifield* I wasn't even comiting any crimes. I'm totaly clean! A new honest man. Please please Batman.

Batman: I'm sorry but you did escape from Arkham.

Riddler: Okay, okay, sure... I can go to Blackgate! Or Belle Reave. Or any other Asylum. Or solitary. I escaped. Yeah. I'm really evil Batman take me to solitary please.

Batman: I don't understand. What's going on with you? *concerned* Are you being abused? You can trust me.

Riddler: No. Not more than normal. It's fine. The problem isn't the guards or the doctors, I just can't come back to him.

Batman: *they are alredy on Arkham* Him?

Guard: Oh thank god you brought Nygma back his cellmate was really distressed.

Riddler: whimpers

Batman: Cellmate?

Riddler: *on his knees* Please please anything but him.

*they got to the cell*

Guard: *ignoring Ed* Yeah, the new guy, he is a transfer for center state, a total loony.

*Bruce looks to the cell to see a guy with a colorfull full of glitter hand puppet. He moves the puppet*

Professor Huh? (via puppet): Hi Eddie, I missed you! I can't banana drive to the mom alone.

Riddler: *hides behind Batman* This doesn't make any sense! *hyperventilating* Go away!!

Batman: Calm down, Nygma, what's the problem with your cellmate?

Professor Huh? (via puppet): Batman? My son likes you! Let's fly with a papper pane to show him a picture!

Batman: Of course! Just a second.*turns back to Riddler having a panic attack* Okay, Edward we are going to go to a different cell and you are going to tell me what is the problem.

Riddler: o-o-okay y-you pro-promisse I won't see *trembles* him?

Batman: Yes.

Riddler: He... He is weird! *Batman raises an eyebrown* You are just like the others!! You don't understand. You need to take me seriusly!!! He is... He is different from us... He scares me, Batman! He only speaks with the creepy puppet and he makes no sense! He never spoke a logical sentence in his life! His answeres to my riddles are soo abstract and it makes me question everything and he... he took my eyebrows with a croissant and put them on my shoulders once *shivers* that... that's insane? I'm not crazzy! It happened but it makes no sense! He makes no sense. He defies logic Batman. He sees order and he breaks it. I.. I need order, Batman!!!!

-/-

*back to our normal programing*

Riddler: Aha! We did it! We catched Batman.

Fred: Wait? Batman? I understood we were supposed to catch Mothman! Why would we catch Batman? He is a good guy.

Riddler: *who just stoled a museum in front of Fred hours ago and it's dressed on his full riddler costume* I'm a supervilan?

Fred: Hahaha. That was funny. Now let's catch Mothman.

Riddler: ????

Fred: *gives a lost puppie smile* You know I always wanted to catch Mothman with my dad... *blushes* Er... I meant with you! Yeah I always wanted to catch a cryptic with my good friend Mr. Nygma who I don't see as a dad at all haha.

Riddler: .... fine... *opens the trap* Sorry, Batman. We were trying to catch Mothman this time.

Batman (Dick, Bruce had a small emergency involving Alfred's niece Daphne) *confused* What?

Riddler: Don't ask me.

Batman (Dick): *sarcastically* Yeah, yeah, you are the one who asks questions. C'mmon Nygma let's go back to Arkham.

Riddler: *fake sweet smile* Okay *presents his hads to be handcuffed* Buuut you will have to be the one to the him we are not going to catch Mothman. *evil smile*

Batman (Dick): Er... Hi kid?

Fred: Batman! Me and my friends are huge fans. We also solve mysteries.

Batman: Nice? Look your monster hunter partner is actually a dangerous criminal.

Fred: Velma? I know she sometimes uses her evil scientist voice but she is a sweetheart.

Batman: No, the other one.

Fred: Daphne? She only breaks the bones of the people who deserve it! She also sometimes commits identity fraud but I wouldn't call that dangerous criminal behavior just kirky.

Batman: Uh, not her either...

Fred: SHAGGY AND SCOOBY? Are you insane Batman!! They are lovely people. The most they can do it's steal your sanduiche but they are really nice about it.

Batman: I was more by the lines of Riddler.

Fred: Who is Riddler?

*at this point even Edward is in shock. He never told Fred he was Riddler but it should be a given*

Batman: Nygma?

Fred: Oh! Uncle Eddie is not a dangerous criminal he is too weak and silly.

Riddler: Hey!

Fred: Sorry? But I saw you be bitten by an ant and cry over it.

Riddler: *blushing* I... It hurted.

Batman: *snickers*

Riddler: *whispers* you are not convincing no one Nightwing

Batman: *also whispering* fuck you, Nygma

Fred: See totaly not a dangerous criminal. Besides he isn't dressed as a monster.

Batman: I suppose.

Fred: *puppy eyes* So can you let us go back to hunting Mothman.

Batman:... Sure. Stay safe citzens *whispering* you better not doing anything bad, Nygma

Riddler: *whispering meancingly* or what?

Batman: *whispering* you gonna break the kids heart *throws him back at Fred wich results on him failing to floor*

Riddler: ouch. That was unecessary! *Batman has already disapeared*

Fred: *helping riddler up* I didn't know Batman was such a funny guy! You are dangerous criminal haha.

Riddler: *trying not to sound offended* Let's stop talking about it and go catch Mothman, alright.

-/-

In a more serious universe P.I Nygma actually meets the gang as he is hired to investigate a missing person case related to the "monster" Mystery Inc is investigating. (If in my college au he does warns them about Professor Crane before leaving saying something about nigthmares on Arkham)

-/-

Daphne: Oh dear, no! Don't buy this shade of lipstick.

Joker: Do you know who I am?

Daphne: Yes, you are the famous serial killer and supervilan Joker and you are going to look awfull with this.

[alternativally]

Daphne: Oh dear, no! Don't buy this shade of lipstick.

Harley: Wow, you're that monster hunter kid! I saw a video of you guys on youtube! Nice.

Daphne: I saw a video of you on YouTube as well! I've been crazy to ask your make up brand because I need to be able to do moves like that without messing mine up. Also can I ask how did you learn that cool half-flip head kick? I've been practicing a lot but I think is not quite right yet.

-/-

Alfred is the creator of the Scooby Snacks. He also has to hide the kitchem because Scooby and Shaggy eat all the food. That being said he does like how apreciative they are.

[audible--silence]

Sayu/GDL quotes / promises to self while drunk as shit

Que eres un baño?!

“Im so used to shit going wrong that it just doesnt phase me anymore”

“If i go into an office job id have to wake up in the morning, which i just don't wanna do”

A bar without a manager

Nothing feels better than going home but nothing feels better than leaving home too.

“Be a traveler not a tourist”

“I been keepin busy! No idea what with though. I just been smokin joints playing guitar and surfing”

One more bus

One more uber

One more hostel check in

One more round of storytelling how we got here

One more gig

A few more beers

Una mas cerveza

One more night

Una mas noche

No more waves

No more taco stands

No more in jokes

No more calling directions in spanish

No more setting up the tent in excitement

No more packing down the tent in a hurry

No more Duolingo sessions in a hammock

No more chess games

No more joints rolled at the last minute

No more joints smoked at all hours of the day

No more “you hungry?”

No more tracking down vegetables

No more long bus rides spent sharing snacks

No more movies on your shit tablet

No more pringles, principe and stoner snacks

No more reminding each other to get our shit together

No more jamming guitar

No dancing while doing simple tasks

No more of your tunes

No more guac n beer

No more two aussie dickheads

“Phone wallet shoes nothing on my head that im gonna lose”

“Adios Cabron”

“His drip dope, you gotta be 70% homeless, 20% gay to be fly”

“Whats the 10%?”

“Opium”

“Stoner! I choose you!!”

“Yeah well, fuck off” on cross cultural relatability

hope is a hell of a drug

The enemy was defeated, in a valiant battle with three little Mexican girls with long hair and cute gold glasses, not far from the stargazers, at midday, with ice cream. Or the youthful romantics, an archetype that seems to transcend every culture since society itself. Watched on in silence by the cute, erratic yet robotic, overly friendly squirrels. A picnic without snacks, soundtracked by Jeff Buckley in the shade of a well watered bush

Manifestation is gaslighting yourself

The heat of hell is ever so slightly warmer for you isnt it”

“You sound like a constitution”

“We need to rebrand politics but with much more sex”

“Dont smoke”

W dart in mouth

“A bar for a football team that never wins, for fans that never succeed”

“If you commit suicide you cant go to the pub”

a british guy

“Yeah but if you commit suicide, guess where we go? The fucking pub”

another british guy

A game of football can mean two very different things depending on who’s watching

A taco is only as a good as what you can put on it

Am i going to regret not going out? Enjoying it all? Being young n stupid in Mexico and everywhere else?

Will I regret not knowing what any of these drunk messages to self mean? Probably.

Booze is fuel for survival. I am a bartender who hates going out. A socialite who cannot stand socializing.

words from a drunk aus fuck in Mexico, solo, with a kiss on the cheek and a cuddle”

“Its fuxkin mexixo ya prick”- on uber eats, n walkin for street food

2.12 - the minute of the end of the phonecall w ya nan, the only pure soul left in ya life

Thanks for finding me phone - from a welsh cunt who likes flashing his dick

I love thinking while drunk because I don’t have to deal with the realizations

Chinga su madre but with a car horn

“We’ve literally sat down all day”

“Thats what traveling is about. Traveling halfway across the world just to sit down”

dive bars, tacos with drunks and adele on the roof till 4am

“I dont identify as American I identify as a marxist”

The more decrepit and dilapidated the restaurant looks, the better the food is.

Weathered hands make the food, not fresh paint on the walls

“Theres more to life than dating everyone you meet, i guess”

“I either need tequila or a sweater and im not sure which it is”

“The cartels comin” shoot ya drink

“You look good bro!”

“Are you drunk?”

“No, he’s just happy”

deja vu from a rooftop w some beautiful Mexicanos in GDL

“How dare you show so much grace so many time zones away”

feel like we gon spend the rest our lives searching for the thrill of skating to the ellenbrook hungry jacks at midnight for snacks while on a videogame bender

Lessons from seeing your favorite band in a new place: It’s better with your friends. In the place you came to love them, even if its less fun

“We have this saying in Mexico that says “Las bonitas tambien quiermbaila“ which means “the pretty woman also wants to dance”

[cescalr]

For the fandom ask, the mcu (also hiiiii cesca, it's been a minute I miss you 🫶)

Yo!!!!!!! ♡ it HAS been way too long. We need to chat way more often!!

Ftr it's been so long since I last did a marvel watch (discounting Deadpool and Wolverine, which I saw literally yesterday lol) so I have trouble remembering some of this stuff!

Give me a fandom and I'll tell you:

Favorite Male Character: Tony Stark!! Have a fanvid:

Favorite Female Character: Natalia Alianovna Romanova babeyyy. Have a fanvid:

Least Favorite Character: dude idk. Like obviously I hate characters like Stane. But if we're going with 'favourite still, but least', I guess... Steve???

Favorite Ship: hmmmm don't really have a marvel otp, though I like a lot of marvel ships! Moon Knight had a good one, for ex. If were talking about things i've read fic for, I think sambucky probably counts? Like I read more Tony fics with ships in them because My Guy!! And i dont really care all that much abt the ship other than Making My Guy Happy. But I do genuinely enjoy Sambucky for it's own merit (well, i mean. It also happens to make two of my guys happy... er, ignoring angst fics. So. Still.) Sambucky probably!

Favorite Friendship: hMmmm idk. Really enjoyed shang-chi when it came out especially for the focal platonic m&f friendship. Really enjoyed d&w the other day for it's titular dynamic. As an og though I can't stray from the path. My favourites are Tony & Nat, and I greatly enjoy how complicated their friendship was bc of all the shit that kept happening and all the decisions they kept making that weren't in-line with each other and it was just so messy, but they genuinely really cared. Are you alright? Always. Augh. Don't have any vids for them :( fic though. Fic.

Favorite Quote: .... I barely remeber any. I. Sieve brain!!! Brain of a sieve.

Worst Character Death (if any): Nat's :( was so :/ . But... you know, at least it fit yhe narrative; worst one(s) was probably What If repeatedly shoving Tony's corpse in my face in the least fun ways possible. Why the fuck did they do that. He just kept losing :( refused to give him a single win :(

This made me so happy you have no idea Moment

PEGGY CARTER CAPTAIN BRITIAN MY GIRL PEGGY CARTER THE CAPTAIN BRITAIN!!! Oh, captain, my captain ♡ (literally I am English. Baddass lady spy superhero? Collecting those like playing cards. My favourite thing. Close runner up is captain my captain Sam Wilson. Epic.)

Saddest Moment: burst into tears during My Guy's funeral, for obvious reasons (also I have been to... five? Funerals?? So I. Yk. Death is an acquaintance of mine. I dont like him very much... possibly why endgame hit me so hard in the solar plexus.)

Favorite Location: I suck at paying attention to these things. Probably Asgard's palace actually. It's just really pretty!!! Bonus least favourite (as in hated) location: Siberian bunker. Nothing good happens in hydra bunkers.

[competenceknowsnobounds]

“Being the ‘hot one’ on a starship is essentially a full-time gig, which is why I appreciate Halloween so much. I get to be disguised as someone else, who is not me... but is still hot.”

[hamliet]

RWBY and Alchemy: The Birds

So remember when I wrote about the seven metals of alchemy? Well... there are also five birds, and like with the metals, RWBY seems to be associating a specific character with a specific bird. 

Birds are important in alchemy because they were viewed as symbols of the spirit, as “mediat[ors] between the earthly realm and heaven world.” Adam MacLean states:

The alchemist in observing the flight of birds, recognised in them a picture of the human soul undergoing spiritual development. The soul, aspiring upwards, flying free of the restraints of the earth bound body seeking the heavenly light, only to have to return to the earthly consciousness again.

Black Stage: Raven/Crow (Raven and Qrow Branwen)

The raven/crow/jackdaw is a symbol of nigredo, the blackening. This stage corresponds to earth elementally and symbolize decay and death (obviously).

It’s no coincidence that Qrow and Raven are focused on in the first part of the story, and while they still are under their own arcs, Qrow has been largely separated from his nieces and others during the past few volumes. His nieces and the rest need to grow up rather than depend on Qrow. See Splendor Solis 20:

The children are portrayed as playing with a crow/raven among them, symbolizing their immaturity. However, the adults in the back of the image are in red, showing that they have grown up.

The theme of growing up and maturation is very present in Raven’s arc: namely, she never did. She fled from her adult responsibilities in abandoning her own daughter and ran back to her childhood home, her childhood promise. She also undergoes a putrefaction, a purification by fire in a sense, through her daughter. When Yang confronts her in the vault of the Spring Maiden, she shreds every excuse Raven has, pointing out that Raven is selfish, cowardly, and childish, happy to sacrifice others but never herself. The daughter, here, is the mature one, and thus Yang wins the lamp of knowledge: Yang gave Raven a dose of self-knowledge in the vault, and we see Raven making a small step afterwards via going to see Tai.

Qrow is better off than Raven in that he doesn’t entirely run from his responsibilities... except he does, just in a different way. He drinks to dull the pain, and as a result, Ruby ends up taking care of him on their journey instead of the other way around. Qrow himself acknowledges that he has childish beliefs; his semblance is a self-fulfilling prophecy rather than an actual power.

For the first time in a while I thought, maybe, maybe I could be around somebody -anybody- without my Semblance making it… complicated. And now, it just feels like a childish dream. Gone... like everybody else.

Just like his twin sister, he’s afraid of truly getting close to people, which RWBY seems to hold up as the pillar of maturity and development. I’m not saying Qrow is as negative a character as Raven (he isn’t at all), but he is still struggling to grow up aside his nieces and their companions. In fact, this will be A Thing for all the characters who relate to birds.

The crow is often depicted as dying inside a flask:

Which could be seen as alluded to by Qrow’s alcoholism. Through not facing the darker parts of himself and not growing up, Qrow is killing himself. Fortunately, he’s been making some steps in the right direction.

Rainbow Stage: Peacock (Cinder Fall)

Look the girl has feathers on her outfit that are very reminiscent of peacocks feathers... without the eyes. We’ll get there. The feathers are described by CRWBY as “iridescent” which is a term alchemists employed historically to refer to the rainbow stage. 

Post-Blackening, the products of the great work are scattered in a variety of colors, colors that are all at war with each other. To quote Carl Jung,

It is commonly said of the peacock that it has an angel‘s feathers, a devil’s voice, and a thief’s walk.

NB: arrows are often used as symbols in part of this stage, and bows and arrows are weapons Cinder is, er, known for using too. 

Jung also comments this, which fits with Cinder being both a Maiden, associated with the seasons, and with her being an agent for change in the story as a whole:

Just as the Queen Mother or the mother of the gods grants renewal, so the peacock annually renews his plumage, and therefore has a relation to all the changes in nature.

The peacock is actually a flightless bird: post death in the Blackening, it cannot fly, but in order to proceed through the rest of the stages, it has to gather the disparate colors (ie parts of itself) in order to renew itself (yes, they’re linked to renewal and rebirth).

However, Cinder is not doing this. She received many call-outs, and has severed every bridge people have attempted to build with her. If anything, post volume 8, she seems more lost than ever. So what could be an impetus for her to do this? Well...

Why are her peacock-esque feathers missing their eyes?

The ancient Greek legend of Argus (which is a place in RWBY’s world; the place where Ruby hears Maria’s story of her silver eyes and asks Maria to train her in using her silver eyes) is that there is an immortal monstrous woman with snakes for legs named Echidna who they keep hidden in a cave, but she keeps finding ways to kill humans, until Argus finally kills her. After this, Hera has Argus guard a goddess with his hundred eyes, but then Mercury/Hermes/Thoth kills Argus, and Hera casts his eyes into peacocks’ tails to remember him. I wouldn’t read toooo much into this, but I do think it would be very, very fitting for Cinder to receive a call-out from her “kids”: Emerald and Mercury, the latter of whom is an allusion to Hermes/Mercury and the former of whom might be an allusion to Thoth. Until Cinder has been confronted by Mercury and Emerald, she won’t truly be able to see. 

I have said before that I think Ruby will use her silver eyes to save Cinder from being consumed by the worst parts of herself (as literally symbolized in the Grimm taking her over). The decay of the Blackening is washed away to reveal the color of the peacock’s iridescent tail, and so both a confrontation to get Cinder to face the worst of herself, and then pity shown to her by someone who has no reason to be kind to purify her (look, it’s a term in alchemy, and Ruby has been described as “the embodiment of purity”) of the Grimm will probably be the impetus for Cinder to change.

White Stage: Swan/Dove (Robyn Hill, maybe Winter Schnee?)

Robyn’s emblem is a white bird.

The swan symbolises the dissolving of impurity into ash. In Volume 8, when Robyn and Qrow are freed from prison, ash falls everywhere.

Like the peacock, a swan is a bird that does not fly. Robyn is grounded in Mantle, rather than Atlas. After the gathering of opposites in the Peacock’s Tail, the dove/swan “reconciles and unites opposite substances,” according to Lyndy Abraham. Swans swim along the surface of water, while the true colors are concealed beneath; swans dunk their heads underwater, which symbolizes a person diving deep into dissolution and purification. Robyn’s Semblance is also about this: it allows Robyn to sense their true colors and intentions, rather than what they attempt to protect at the surface.

I am also wondering if Winter is somehow connected to this as well, because of the appearance of white birds in her semblance. 

The focus on transformation that is part of the life cycle of a swan (ugly ducking to beautiful bird) is also perhaps symbolic of Winter’s internal development; this volume, she learned to fly on her own, growing up and shedding the need for father figures completely. She’s now able to fly (literally) freely and to save her people. But we will see; the connection is less strong here. 

Yellow Stage: Pelican (Hazel Rainart)

Due to the previous three all having links to a maiden, I wonder if the summer maiden will somehow be connected to pelican imagery, but for now, my inclination is to say that Hazel displays traits of the pelican as well, though there may be another person associated at some point. 

The pelican’s notable accomplishment is to stab its own breast and nourish its young with its own blood. It is a symbol of sacrifice. Hazel sacrifices himself to save the children: Emerald, Oscar, Jaune, Yang, and Ren. He does so by stabbing himself in the chest with numerous dust types, combining all sorts of elements (key to alchemy).

Red Stage: Phoenix (?)

This one remains to be determined. It could well could be Cinder (I mean, look at her name), plus the bird characters have thus far been adults like she is and possibly have a maiden association. 

But it could also be Mercury, because of his association with fire  and specifically with burning his “nest” as the phoenix does. When Cinder and Emerald find him, he’s burned his home. 

Plus, I think it’s pretty obvious Mercury will either get his semblance back or develop a new one, and it’s most likely going to be related to flying given his emblem and allusion. It would also fit with his having prosthetic legs: he doesn’t need them fixed, and his losses don’t make him any less human. It’s always been within his soul to fly. 

Ooooor the phoenix could be connected to Oscar, because of its association with the sun. It’s really too soon to say. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[drabbles-of-writing]

Of Fangs and Fright

AO3

Masterpost

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

Now, being dead came with a few more complications than one might expect.

Or, well, being half dead, if you wanted to be less morbid.

Now, it wasn’t all bad. There were the cool powers. Like invisibility, flying, possession, phasing through objects, being able to convincingly look sicker than a zombie…

Anyway.

Many of these powers ghosts shared in common. So long they weren’t ghosts flickering out of existence, they possessed (heh, ghost joke) these abilities. However, simple powers weren’t the only thing ghosts shared in common.

All ghosts had some green on them, it was their ectoplasm. They all had a core of their powers, and all sentient ghosts had at least one obsession. Plus a couple of smaller traits, mostly physical.

Also, they all had fangs.

Luz had to find that out the hard way.

,

A loud beeping noise woke Luz from her slumber, jerking her awake as she fell off her bed. The girl groaned, sitting up and rubbing the back of her head as she blindly reached for her clock on the bed stand and turned off the alarm.

“Ow,” She whined, feeling that she’d bitten her tongue in her fall. She felt around her mouth a bit, tasting blood until something made her pause.

She gently poked her tongue around the top of her mouth, and sure enough, two teeth felt...sharper.

It pricked the tip of her tongue again and Luz grumbled, pulling herself to her feet. She figured her teeth had just gotten a bit too sharp from some wear and tear. It’s not like she was averse to biting into some weird-tasting ghosts and objects. Don’t ask.

She stepped into the bathroom and paused, looking into her mirror. It always unnerved her to look into a mirror. The dark circles around her eyes, the way she slouched, the dullness to her skin, all of it. None of it was inherently creepy, but it somehow worked. To Luz, and everyone around her, something about her seemed off. Like she was floating through the motions and was not at all there and maybe never was.

Luz shook off the existential horror of wondering if she’d be unnerving for the rest of her life and stood in front of the sink, yawning.

She froze, her mouth still hanging open.

There, resting in her mouth, were two sharp teeth.

They weren’t remarkably noticeable, in fact if she wasn’t looking for little odd things about her every other day (learning ghostly things about yourself in the middle of a fight was not fun) she never would’ve realized. But she was sure her canines weren’t that pointy before. She leaned forward, curling her lip as she inspected her teeth.

Her tongue had ceased bleeding, it was only a small mark anyway. And she could see flecks of blood still on her left tooth. She shuttered and pulled back, closing her mouth.

This was fine. A bit of sharpness to her teeth was fine. It couldn’t be all that bad.

,

Three days later, hunched over in her bed with an ice pack pressed to her face, Luz realized, with much regret, that she had jinxed herself.

Her teeth ached. It felt like her gums were being pushed apart from the inside, which, come to think of it, they probably were.

“Show me again,” Willow said, sitting on the bed beside Luz.

Luz sighed and took the ice away and opened her mouth. Willow squinted at her teeth for a moment before stepping back onto the floor, where Gus had a bunch of papers spread about in a weird sort of discussion board.

Luz put ice back over her mouth and watched as Willow muttered under her breath and picked up a picture of one of the ghosts, Adegast, if Luz remembered correctly, and inspected it.

“I really think this is just a regular ghost thing,” Willow said after a moment, showing the picture to Luz. “Every other ghost you’ve fought has some kind of fangs, it's not that big of a stretch to say you’d get some, too.”

“And normally, I would agree,” Luz said, wincing and holding the pack tighter. “Fangs are cool. But not when I’m human!” She exclaimed. “Er, in my human form, I guess. Is that what it's called?” She hummed, staring off in thought.

“Well, you may get lucky,” Gus piped up, taking the picture of Adegast trying to attack the camera and bringing up smaller ghost pictures. “They may just look a little abnormally sharp and that would be the end of it. There are plenty of people who have sharper canines, not everyone's teeth are flat.”

Lux relaxed with a sigh, leaning forward as she crossed her legs.

“But there’s also a possibility you could end up with teeth as long as fingers,” He said, bringing up a picture of a ghost with teeth like a saber tooth tiger.

Luz stared at the picture for a moment before groaning and falling back onto her bed. She grabbed her pillow and covered her face with it, ice pack discarded at her side.

Willow lightly smacked the back of Gus’s head.

“I’m sure it won’t get that noticeable,” Willow assured her. “Aren’t Eda’s natural teeth normal looking?”

“They’re still a bit sharp,” Luz muffled around her pillow. “The gold tooth is, and I quote, a ‘misdirection.’ Like a magician's cute assistant, you know?”

“No idea how that works, but I think I get it.” Gus nodded.

“Well, it’s not like suddenly getting pointy teeth is an immediate correlation for being a ghost, or even Phantom.” Willow insisted. “Worst case scenario, everyone thinks you're becoming a vampire, which actually would be pretty normal at this point.”

“Please be aware there is a group of goths in this school,” Luz said, tossing the pillow aside and sitting up. “And Jerbo is convinced I’m a ghost. Even if nobody believes him, people are going to ask questions about the fangs, and I’m a terrible liar! You know this!”

“I mean, you managed to hide your Phantom,” Gus pointed out.

“That’s because everyone in this town is a moron.” Willow deadpanned.

“Okay, but you have to put this into perspective. Half-ghosts aren’t a commonly known or expected thing.” Gus reminded, pushing his pictures into a pile.

“Neither are regular ghosts! Or werewolves! Or talking bone dogs! And yet, people notice that! Or at least recognize it's not normal,” Willow exclaimed, exasperated. “And only Jerbo has noticed something is off with Luz.”

“I was already pretty weird,” Luz offered, flinching and rubbing at her cheek.

“I can’t win,” Willow sighed, her shoulders sagging.

“This was never a winning situation for anyone,” Luz said matter-of-factly. “Now somebody give me the nail filer on my desk.”

“Do not file down your teeth! Why am I even telling you that?”

,

“My tongue is going to be so scarred--ow,”

“Maybe refrain from talking?” Willow advised gently as Luz stuck on her tongue, revealing it was lightly bleeding after she had accidentally bitten it. Again.

It had barely been a week and Luz’s growing-in fangs were proving to be more trouble than they were worth. If they were worth anything at all.

They had gotten larger, not to a scary degree, but were certainly abnormal. And she’d even begun to get two small fangs on her lower jaw,

And maybe talking about this in the school hallways wasn’t the best idea. But the group wasn’t known for their intelligence, and Willow was fried.

“Well, either her tongue will get stronger or she’ll learn how to not bite her tongue,” Gus shrugged as Luz shut her locker. “Eda managed.”

“Eda is three decades older than--ow,” Luz whined, covering her hand with ther mouth.

“What did I just say?” Willow sighed.

“Hey, four eyes!”

The group recognized that voice, and you could physically see them deflate as Luz dropped her hand. Willow sighed and mentally prepared herself.

“Here we go again,”

The sound of snickering drew their attention, to where Boscha and her A-Listers, or whatever they called themselves, was passing right by them, smug smiles plastered to their faces. Well, aside from Amity, who looked a mix between bored and mildly concerned. She caught Luz’s eye and smiled ever so slightly.

“Heard a ghost wrecked your pretty little garden recently,” Boscha said, her eyes narrowing in that sadistically gleeful way. “Aren’t you lucky Phantom decided to grace you, huh?”

Luz visibly cringed at that, giving Willow a guilty look. She’d insisted she could help Willow replant that garden, but she had declined. Numerous times.

“Things happen,” Willow shrugged, turning away and checking over her books boredly. “At least I don’t lie about seeing Phantom every other week.”

Luz and Gus glanced at each other with shared concerned looks. They subtly backed off a bit, deciding they’d rather not get involved in the weekly brawl.

“You wanna speak up, fern girl?” Boscha growled, already beginning to take a step forward.

“Leave her, Boscha.” 

Amity broke from the group and put a hand on the girl's shoulder, lightly holding her back as she looked at her with a half-lidded expression.

“She’s not worth the energy. We have class soon.” She said calmly.

Boscha muttered and stepped back, shrugging off Amity. The rest of the group quickly stepped aside as Boscha stormed through, throwing a ‘you’ll be sorry!’ over her shoulder for good measure.

“I’m gonna bite her,” Luz muttered under her breath.

“You have no idea how much it pains me to tell you no,” Willow replied.

“Sorry about that,” Amity mumbled, suddenly appearing in front of the trio. Or maybe she was always there, Luz couldn’t remember. 

“We’re used to it,” Gus said simply. “Honestly, I was expecting a better insult than ‘fern girl.’”

“Yeah, she's off her game,” Amity agreed as Luz giggled. 

“One could say she’s…off her A game--” Luz winced, bringing her hand back up to her face.

“Boo, bad joke.” Gus shook his head distastefully.

“Are you alright?” Amity asked, frowning at Luz holding her hand up.

“Yeah! Yeah, just, uh,” Luz chose her words carefully and slowly as she quickly pulled her hand away and crossed her arms. “Bit my tongue is all,”

“We should head to class,” Willow cut in quickly, appearing next to Luz and grabbing her arm. “Like you said, it’s going to start soon and lord knows how bad our grades are already.”

“Oh, right!” Amity shook her head like she was clearing it. “I’ll see you later, guys.”

“Yeah, bye,” Luz echoed, giving a smile as Willow tugged her away.

Amity watched the three leave with a smile of her own for a moment before her eyes dipped for a moment on Luz. Her eyes widened and she did a double-take, a moment of concerned horror flashing on her features.

Luz, having a guess on what she noticed, suddenly picked up speed and darted around the hallway corner, accidentally yanking Willow with her.

“Whoa, whoa, what happened--”

“How do my teeth look?” Luz cut off Gus, opening her mouth wide. “Do they look worse?”

Willow and Gus recoiled slightly, minorly concerned as Luz worriedly shut her mouth again.

“You have...blood on your teeth,” Willow said carefully. “It, uh, kinda makes you look like…”

“A vampire,” Gus finished for her, unhelpfully.

Luz was about to poke at her teeth with her tongue, but thought better of it. She rubbed a finger instead at one of her fangs and drew it back, noticing that there was, indeed, blood on them.

“I’m going to die of blood loss at this point,” Luz groaned.

“Can you even die again--”

“Not in the mood for an existential crisis, Gus.”

,

“What, no witty comeback, Phantom?”

The halfa yelped as Roselle’s snarky remark was enunciated by Dottie slamming her against a building. She growled and curled her lips back, shaking the rubble off her as she rose into the air, her green eyes flashing.

Roselle’s smug look fell. Normally Phantom would be happy to see that, but typically that smug expression isn’t replaced by that of gleeful surprise.

“Phantom,” Roselle grinned, and even Dottie paused for a moment to see what her partner was pointing at.

“Don’t,”

“Phantom are you growing your baby fangs?”

“They sure don’t feel like baby--ow,” Phantom winced, sticking out her tongue as she bit it for the umpteenth time.

“Aw, wittle Phantom got her baby fangs.” Roselle cooed

“How cute!” Dottie agreed as Roselle placed her hand on her shoulder.

“I liked you better when you were trying to rip me apart,” Phantom huffed, her face glowing with blush as she crossed her arms and legs, hovering in the air.

“A word of advice,” Roselle said sweetly. “Mouthguards do wonders, if you can find one to steal. Pain medication still works on you, right?”

“Yes, yes, thank you for the words of wisdom, granny.” Phantom grumbled, giving the ghost a glare and a sneer. “Can I go back to--” Phantom flinched, fangs pricking her tongue again.

The teasing grins on both of the ghostly womens faces only widened and Phantom sharpened her glare, electricity sparking through her.

“Can we fight now?” Phantom drawled out slowly, as to avoid biting her tongue again.

“Right, yes, of course,” Dottie said, nodding as she waved her hand. “Where were we, dear?” She turned to Roselle.

“I believe you were trying to throw her into a stop sign?” Roselle hummed, tapping her chin and frowning. “Or was it a pipe? One of the two.”

Phantom rolled her eyes at the two conversing and uncrossed her arms, a ball of green lightning slowly forming above her open left palm.

“No, no, I think you were--”

Lightning crackled and shot right between the two ghosts, striking the wall of an old building behind them.

They slowly looked at the indent on the wall. Then, just as slowly, they looked back at Phantom, who had landed on the ground and was in a fighting stance, another ball of electricity already building up.

“I think I remember where,” Phantom paused and curled her lip again at the pain. She threw her hands in the air. “Or for the love of--”

The lightning flew from her hands, hitting the street a good ways behind her. It exploded and shook the ground, setting off a few car alarms.

Phantom visibly shrinked at the explosion, her shoulders tense.

Dottie opened her mouth, about to say something. Phantom raised her hand quickly and silenced her.

“Not a word,”

,

“Kid, I don’t know what to tell ya. This is pretty natural for ghosts,”

“It is ruining my life.”

“Your dead,”

“Eda,”

“Right, right,” Eda raised her hands, stepping away from the couch Luz was dramatically laying across on her back. “Existential crisis and whatnot, my bad.”

“I’m wearing a mouthguard,” Luz growled, though it came out like a lisp. “I look like a werewolf.”

“So do I,” Eda reminded her, sitting on the end of the couch where Luz’s feet were. “And I’m doing great.” She said, curling her upper lip and flashing her non-gold fang, which was nearly as long as her golden one. The only difference was that the gold fang was crooked and hooked out of her mouth.

“You live in a shed by an abandoned brewery,” Luz lifted her hands, gesturing to the Owl House, as Eda liked to call it. “With all due respect, I wouldn’t call this the lap of luxury.”

“Eh, who needs luxury?” Eda shrugged.

“Yeesh, you give the kid a taste of the other side and suddenly your scoundrels,” King muffled, poking his head out from under the couch.

“I have been to Amity’s house once.” Luz hissed, snapping her jaws shut when she realized it came out as an actual hiss.

“Aw, now that was adorable.”

“Shut up,”

“Wait, hang on, I was talking about that time you spent in the Guys in White’s fancy van you’ve been to Amity’s house?” King whirled around, staring up at Luz in surprise.

“...I’m suddenly deaf,” Luz lisped, her voice slurred as she lay her head back against the couch armrest. “Words? I don’t know them.”

“You got into a rich girls house and you didn’t steal anything?” Eda gasped, placing a hand on her chest. “I’ve never been more betrayed in my life.”

“That’s a lie and you know it,” King deadpanned.

“I’m not stealing from Amity!” Luz gasped, glaring across the couch. “She’s my friend! Go steal from her parents yourself,”

“I was given permission!” King pumped a fist in the air. Paw? Claw? Whatever you call the hands of a ghost dog with opposable thumbs.

“Now, now,” Eda grabbed King by the scruff before Luz could protest, pulling him up and holding him like that. “Be nice. Luz has to make a good impression on her crush. You don’t get a rich girl every day, you know.”

“Crush?” Luz yelped, jerking up so violently she shocked herself with her own stray lightning and fell off the couch with a thud.

“Oh right,” Eda snapped her fingers. “That’s another topic I’m not supposed to mention.” She grinned knowingly, dropping King on Luz.

Luz doubled over when King landed on her stomach, wheezing. King just looked up at her curiously before Luz lifted her head, her freckles beginning to glow green as electricity sparked around them.

“I do not have a crush on Amity! I tell you this all the time!” Luz exclaimed, feeling her face and grumbling when she was shocked again. “And now I lost my mouthguard,” She muttered, looking around for where it fell out.

Eda and King glanced at each other, mirroring the same disbelieving tired faces. But they didn’t say anything as Luz picked up King and set him aside, looking for where she spat out the mouthguard.

“Alright, we’ll drop that obvious lie for now,” Eda relented, walking up beside Luz and putting a hand on her shoulder. “But wearing a mouthguard is only gonna do so much. Sure, it’s nice to wear every now and again, but the more you get used to talking and eating with these ol’ pointers, the easier it’ll get for you.”

“But I’m a fast talker,” Luz protested. “Even if I get used to talking normally, I’m still not used to talking fast. And then I just keep on talking, and talking, and then I keep biting my tongue and then I start bleeding and--ow!” She yelped, recoiling mid-talk.

“Bit it again?”

Luz whined dramatically and turned, thunking her head against Eda’s chest. Eda stared at her for a moment before sighing and smiling as she rested a hand over Luz’s back and head.

“I know it's not fun, but that's just how life, er, this limbo we’re in is gonna be.” She said, patting her back.

“Pros and cons,” Luz muffled into her chest. “Pros, ghost things. Cons, ghost things.” She said, her words slow but enunciated.

“Welcome to my world, kiddo.” Eda chuckled.

“You don’t even fight--” Luz hissed, scrunching up her face before continuing. “--other ghosts,”

“No, but they’re still annoying.” Eda agreed.

“Oh, hey, I found the mouth thing!”

“King you better spit that out!”

,

In hindsight, sticking to the bottom of the Witch Hunter’s hoverboard, aka, a young ghost hunter known for not liking her, was probably not the smartest idea.

Then again, Phantom’s plans are pretty hit-or-miss.

Phantom crawled up the bottom of the hoverboard, peeking up. The dark purple coloring of the Witch Hunter’s suit nearly blended in with the night sky above her, and she clearly wasn’t paying attention.

With a mischievous grin, Phantom slowly gripped the front end of the board and leaned up, laying her chin on the end.

“Hey,”

The Witch Hunter yelped, whirling her head down as the hoverboard skidded to a stop. Phantom wasn’t prepared for that and went flying out from underneath the board, hitting the flat roof of a building and rolling right off the edge. 

But hey, at least the metal trash cans broke her fall.

Phantom groaned, attempting to peel herself out of the trash bags and pulling a banana peel off her head in disgust. She heard a snort and looked up.

The Witch Hunter was crouched on the edge of the roof, peering over. The black plastic screen over her face on the suit hid her expression, but Phantom just knew she was trying not to laugh.

“Alright, so maybe I deserved that,” Phantom relented, kicking away the last of the trash and floating up.

The Witch Hunter quickly leaned back as Phantom placed her hands on the edge of the roof, leaning on it slightly as the rest of her body was suspended by nothing in the air.

“But still, you gotta get better at noticing when I’m around.” Phantom chuckled with a grin, shaking her head.

In a flash, an ectogun was being pointed at her face, right between her eyes.

Phantom’s face dropped slightly, her eyes crossing as she looked down the barrel of the gun. Her eyes then went back to the Witch Hunter, who was still on her knees, but holding the ectogun in a way that said she wasn’t afraid to use it.

“I can never have a single moment of fun with you, can I?” Phantom sighed.

“And yet, you still succeed.” The Witch Hunter said, putting a finger on the trigger.

“I appreciate you trying to put a stop to that. You took the job everybody wanted but nobody was brave enough to try as diligently. Bravo,” Phantom nodded solemnly.

“I wish you luck,” She blinked, a smirk growing.

The Witch Hunter stared at her for a moment. Then another. She glanced around slowly before looking back to Phantom, who was still in the same position as before.

“Okay, two things,” The Witch Hunter said. “One, what am I waiting for?”

“What?” Phantom looked down at herself, inspecting her hand.

“Oh,” She deflated, looking back up to the Witch Hunter sheepishly. “I still haven’t mastered the whole ‘invisibility on command’ thing.”

“...I genuinely can’t tell if your stupid or bad at planning,” The Witch Hunter said, sounding like she was rolling her eyes.

“Fifty fifty on that,” Phantom raised a hand and tilted it.

“Secondly, what is with your teeth?” The Witch Hunter said, leaning her head forward slightly. “Is everyone getting weird teeth today?”

“Oh come on!” Phantom groaned, throwing her head back. “I just forgot about them!”

“What?” The Witch Hunter lowered her ectogun slightly.

“It’s been an issue all week,” Phantom complained, swinging her legs over the side of the roof and sitting on the edge, crossing her legs. “I forget about the fangs, I can talk easier. But when I think about them, I--” She flinched, hissing as she felt a prick.

“...that’s what you're worried about right now?” The Witch Hunter said disbelievingly.

“I’m bad at picking my battles,” Phantom shrugged. “Anyway, you’ve cursed me. You owe me compensation.”

“The hell I do!”

“If there is a hell, I’ll be sure to inform them of your grievances,” Phantom waved her hand casually. “But on the plus side, I’m getting better at not biting my to--ow,” 

“You’re a ghost,” The Witch Hunter deadpanned, getting to her feet with a sigh. “Shouldn’t it be normal to have fangs? Why didn’t you have them before?”

“Well I’m sorry but I’m a little new to all this,” Phantom huffed, floating up in the air, her legs still crossed, as well as her arms.

The Witch Hunter paused, looking over the ghost. It was only then Phantom realized that she, a ghost, had stated she was new to being one.

Phantom wished she could see her expression. Not being able to tell what she looked like at that exact moment felt like a nightmare.

“Phantom, are you--”

The halfa darted forward, flying around the Witch Hunter at blinding speeds and proceeding to kick the ectogun out of her grasp, sending it sliding to the other side of the roof.

“Little slow today, aren’t we?” Phantom quickly recovered, suddenly popping up right in front of the Witch Hunter’s face with a wide grin, fangs exposed.

The Witch Hunter grunted as she grabbed a small ectoblade (they really needed to get more original with these names) from her suits belt and swung it at Phantom.

Phantom flew a few feet away, cackling. She landed by the ectogun and kicked it up with her foot, trying to catch it midair but fumbling with it for a few moments instead.

“Somebody ought to put a muzzle on you,” The Witch Hunter muttered, taking a step back towards her hoverboard, which lay on the ground a little ways away.

“Why?” Phantom grinned, tossing the ectogun somewhere off the roof where the Witch couldn’t get to it. “Scared I’m gonna bite you?” She taunted, holding her hands behind her back and leaning forward, though she still remained a few feet away.

The Witch Hunter made a noise that sounded close between a yelp and a gargle. Almost strangled as she nearly dropped her blade.

“Oh wait, actually,” Phantom frowned, looking at the ground for a moment. “Could I bite people? Or would that give them ghost powers?” She mumbled, looking at her hands. “Am I a vampire ghost?”

The ectoblade flew right by Phantom’s head, ruffling her hair. She stiffened as the blade managed to somehow embed itself into the roof behind her, just before it hit the edge.

Phantom raised her head, spotting the Witch Hunter grabbing what appeared to be a regular silver ball from her belt. She pressed a button on the ball, transforming it into a portable ectogun.

“...okay, that’s kinda cool.” Phantom admitted.

“You have five seconds,”

Phantom took the hint and in mere seconds, shot off. She dropped out of sight beyond the roof without a word.

The Witch Hunter sighed, relaxing her arm and sagging. She watched the place where Phantom had vanished for a few more moments before turning around.

And almost crashed face-first into bright, sparking green eyes.

“I almost--ow,” Phantom whined, sticking out her tongue as the Witch Hunter jumped back.

Phantom had somehow managed to silently float behind her and was hovering in the air, upside down and at eye-level with the young ghost hunter.

“I almost forgot,” Phantom said, her voice lisp-y as she kept the tip of her tongue poking out of her mouth so as to avoid biting it again. As well as revealing its neon green color, and the fact it was beginning to become split like a snake.

Phantom probably didn’t realize that was happening yet.

Not that the Witch was looking.

“I will see you,” Phantom said, flipping over in the air so she was rightside up, slowly floating backwards. “On the fright side.” She said, winking and giving finger guns.

“Get out of here!” The Witch Hunter snapped, grabbing another silver ball from her belt and chucking it at the ghost.

Phantom yelped and got knocked in the head, complaining as she finally took off, down the streets of the town.

“I’m hilarious and you know it!” She called behind her.

“You are not!”

[authorjoydragon]

Mwahahahaha you mean we can combine prompts?!

16 for the quote "Just talk to me."

17 angst "You win, happy?"

And oh damn the kiss prompt. How dare there be a french kiss AND a lap option. Going with the one that makes the most sense.

29. Staring at each other’s lips for a moment before moving closer, as if drawn together by some unseen force.

I am assuming azulaang 😂 and all combined prompts let’s see what I can come up with... (it got kinda long so I made a cut)

Aang growled in annoyance as Azula flicked her hair and walked away from him. She was being so damn aggravating lately.

“Azula, I am losing my patience. What is your problem, exactly?”

She sniffed. “My problem? My problem is that I have to spend any time with you at all, Avatar.”

Aang sighed. He tried not to get huffy, he knew her well. He knew she was just trying to deflect him with pettiness.

“Just talk to me, Princess.”

Her shoulders stiffened. “Don’t call me that.”

“Oh I’m sorry, since you called me Avatar I just assumed we were using titles only now.”

Azula finally turned to face him and she sneered, “I just want to make sure you aren’t getting too friendly with me.”

Aang rolled his eyes. Getting friendly with Azula was basically impossible. She made sure of it. (He had thought he was making progress but maybe not.)

“Okay whatever, can you answer my question? What’s bothering you?”

She frowned as he directed the conversation back to the original topic. It was obvious she didn’t want to say what was bothering her.

Aang ran a hand down his face in exasperation. “Alright, can you just like, tell me if there’s something I’m doing in particular that’s making you bitch at me so I can avoid all of that in the future.”

Azula crossed her arms. “Every single thing you do.”

He wished he could throw himself off the cliff side. Why was she so purposefully aggravating? Nobody else could get under his skin like this- not even Toph! Which was her favorite thing to do!

“Would you just grow up and learn how to get along with other people already?” Aang grit his teeth together.

“Grow up? Ha!” She cackled before glaring at him. “I feel like a stupid girl with a debilitating crush, so no, I cannot grow up apparently.”

Aang blinked in surprise as his irritation disapated. Crush? What?

He stared at the Fire Princess as a bright blush covered her face.

Wait a second...

Azula spun away from him abruptly and started stomping over to her tent. He lunged and caught her wrist, pulling her back towards him.

They were almost nose-to-nose when she practically fell into him with the force of his pull. Er, chin-to-nose maybe. Aang had gotten rather tall.

He saw her eyes dart to his lips.

Oh wow. Azula had a crush on him? And that’s why she was tormenting him?

And he wasn’t imagining that they were connecting a little bit?

“Princess?” His eyes flickered to her red lips and back up to her golden eyes. He unintentionally leaned in a little closer... would she let him?

She closed her eyes and grimaced. “Yes, Avatar. I seem to have developed... romantic feelings for you. Despite my best efforts. You win, happy?”

“Yeah. I am.” He whispered before gripping her face and planting his lips over hers.

[theonetheycallhannah]

The Treatment of Captain Syverson- Chapter 7: Non-Productive Time

Pairing: Captain “Sy” Syverson x OFC (Shane Benton)

Summary: On a slow afternoon, Shane remembers a couple of fun evenings with Sy, and can’t help but start texting him…he turns out to be a bad influence.

Don’t want spoilers? Click me first to catch up!

Word Count: 2.3k

Warnings:  Language, mature themes, a steamy scene that bumps up against the line of smut/not smut…it looks like smuttish is, in fact, a thing, (see what I did there? Toss a high five to your fic writer for the paraphrased Witcher quote in these here notes! lol! Sorry, i’m tired...and in a weird mood tonight...) so, anyway, using that. I love it. 

Author’s Note: This chapter was about half done before I even started SI1 and SI2! So that’s why it’s come along so quickly in the wake of them. It could also mean that there are some continuity issues…I found a couple during the re-write of the first part, and more when I was proofing, so it should be good, but…fair warning, one or more could have escaped me! Also, let me know if the text convo is hard to follow. I’ll try to reconfigure it to be more clear. It seemed to me like context was enough, and they’d had text convos before, and no one said anything…this one’s longer by about 300%, though, so…feedback and constructive criticism is always welcome and appreciated!

Disclaimer: Unfortunately for me, Henry is not mine, le sigh, and all mention of him, his characters, any characters from his films, or his precious doggy, Kal, are strictly for transformative and recreational use. I neither ask for, nor accept payment for the work I post on Tumblr or AO3. Unbeta’d because this is for fun and escapism.

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Hope I’m not forgetting anyone! If you want to be notified when I post a new chapter or work, I’ll be happy to add you to my tag list! Stricken blogs are getting personal messages from me when a new chapter is uploaded because Tumblr’s faulty tagging system will not stand in the way of me delivering what the people want!(?) lol! (Although…their lackadaisical notification system might…sorry for that. I have no control. lol!)

Time seemed to pass slowly when Shane wasn’t with Sy. When they weren’t having dinner together, or doing their typical date thing. She thought about their second date. One of the bars in town, chosen for its above average bar food but mostly, it’s pool tables. The warning he’d given her via text had made her laugh:

We’re goin’ to Cade’s for apps and pool, if that's okay. As gorgeous as you looked in that blue dress you wore last night, I recommend jeans and a T-shirt for tonight, okay?

She took his suggestion. A simple black tee, because she was a food klutz from hell, layered over a red camisole, and her favorite jeans. It showed off her dainty arrow necklace well.

While they played, they drank beer and talked about life, getting deeper into things than they could at therapy sessions.

“Dad split when I was about ten, I guess. Mom did her best with her only son, but she sent me to my grandpa’s a lot when she was working or just…needing her own time. He’d been an army man. Fought in Korea. His dad was in World War II. It felt like…I don’t know, this pull, like I was meant to join up.”

“Destiny?” She asked. A dreamy tone overtook him when he talked about his family and his now former career.

“I guess. Never though too much of all that before.”

They smiled at one another. Knowing.

“What was he like? Your grandpa?”

“Oh, Pap was the best. He was a mechanic in the service and so he could get anything hummin, ya know? We fixed up and built motors for all kinds a’ shit. My first car was a ‘67 Shelby Mustang with the fast back all because when I was about 14, he found most of one at a salvage yard and basically rescued it from the crusher. Got it for about nothin’. For two years we collected parts and did body work on that thing. And by the time I turned sixteen, it was the most beautiful, show-ready Kerry green machine you ever seen.”

“One of my favorite cars! I’d love to see pictures!”

“I’ve still got ‘er.” He grinned. “When Pap died, it got…hard for me to drive her, ya know? So…special occasions only now. And he left me his truck, which he’d just bought brand new while I was on my first tour. That F150 crew cab we came here in, with all the bells 'n whistles. I couldn’t let such a fine automobile go to waste.” He grinned.

“You’re such a gear head.” She chuckled.

“Hey, you may be glad about that when you need somebody to get your own motor humming.” He teased back at her, bending over the table to take his shot and sinking it deftly. He said they would only play for fun, but he was still winning this round…which she didn’t think was that fun.

“Okay, I deserved that.”

“The shot, or the innuendo?” He asked to clarify.

“Yes.” They laughed. He eventually did miss, making it her turn.

"Ya know, I'm disappointed in this date, Shane." He baited.

"How come?" she asked, a bit hurt.

"A guy only asks a girl to play pool with him so he can show her how to shoot…and you already know."

It was true. She'd played a lot growing up and even a bit as she got older. She and her siblings loved billiards. Her whole family, really. And although she was no professional, she wasn't half bad for an amateur.

"What do you mean?" she asked innocently, sizing up the table for her next shot, but knowing with a fair amount of certainty what he was implying.

"You know. I wanted to get all close to ya. Show ya how to grip that cue in your hand. How to stand, bent at the hip, where to eyeball your shot from." he smiled. "All that shit ya see in movies that makes the girl all nervous and excited that the guy's touchin' on her. Pressed up against her."

Shane grinned, picked up the small, blue cube of chalk and rolled the concave side over the tip of her cue…she had no need to do so, most people didn't, really…but she made herself look really sexy doing it and asked Sy, "Is that right? Well, I guess you'll have to find another way to get your cheap thrills, because this girl has been known to run a table." She bent over the green felt seductively, the angle at which she did so displaying her décolletage in his direction just enough to tantalize him into licking his lips. She took her shot at the 10 ball, but sunk the 8 instead, losing her the game…damn. She shouldn't have gotten cocky.

"Run it where, sunshine? Into the ground? Off a cliff?" he laughed as she stomped over and began to poke him mercilessly in the ribs.

"Come on, Minnesota Fats. Let's pay the tab and find something a little cozier to do."

"Oka--wait, did you just call me fat?" he was incredulous. She laughed.

"Oh my God, you thought YOU were gonna teach ME about billiards…Minnesota Fats is like the most famous pool player of ever. I am not calling you fat."

"You messin' with me?" he squinted.

"Sy, google it. I promise. I would never call you fat. You're… my sexy man bear."

"Technically a bear is a fat animal." he sulked.

"Why don't you tell that to one when it's chasing you down to make a meal of ya!" Shane laughed. "Come on. Remember? I think I mentioned something about… finding another way for you to get cheap thrills. Lets explore that, shall we?" she whispered into his ear. He dropped some bills on their table nearby to more than cover their food and beer, and they hauled ass into the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They had definitely been exploring. In the two weeks since they'd been given the green light to see each other outside of therapy--the day Sy basically handed Shane's boss her own ass--they'd spent most evenings with each other, unless Shane had a particularly late evening at work or an early day the next day. A few nights, they had been together so late, that just staying over seemed the most reasonable option. But they had both agreed to take things slowly with the physical stuff. It had been a long time since either of them had been in a relationship, and given their patient/therapist situation, waiting a while for the sex had seemed like a good idea…on paper. On the sofa had been a different story.

One day last week, she'd had to make an early night of things, and stood up from his couch, but was pulled back down to straddle his lap.

"Hold on a minute, sunshine. Why don't you gimme a proper goodbye before ya go, hmm?" he held her so close to him at every curve of their bodies, like the pieces of a puzzle snapping flush together. His kisses were deep and agonizing, his beard gently brushing her mouth, teasing her with its uncommon softness. She returned the ardor, squeezing him in every way she could.

She couldn't contain the desire pooling at her center, especially when he clearly couldn't contain his, either, straining against his shorts, pressing against her so deliciously, right where she needed him. She didn't hold back. And he was nothing if not encouraging to her endeavor.

"That feels so good, baby. You're so warm. Mmm." he whispered as he nipped at her ear and bit at her neck. She hadn't intended to, but she felt herself slipping over the edge, into pure euphoria and gripped at his hair, still rather short, though growing out from the mandated buzz. The length made him even more sensitive and when she ran her hands up his neck and over the back of his head, the result was like an electric current straight to his manhood. His body tensed as his release followed hers seconds later.

"Fuck." he said. "I'm sorry."

"What for?" she was truly confused.

"For losin' it like a teenager." he sighed and laid his head against the back of his couch in surrender…an unfamiliar sight, Shane was certain.

"Don't worry about it. I mean…it's not quite how I pictured our first time, but--"

"Oh, hell no. This doesn't count as a TIME, sunshine. This is batting practice. A warm up.”

"Ooh, you and your baseball references again. I told you, I need to leave, Sy. You can't get me worked up with that kinda dirty talk." she kissed his cheek, and stood. "Walk me out?"

He did. And they stood holding one another in the dark, leaned up against her Explorer, Sy's back against the door, Shane's cheek on his bare, hairy chest, and the turning of the earth all but forgotten.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She had to stop thinking about him. About their dates and the time they'd spent together. But her schedule had fallen apart for the day due to a nasty storm that had blown in, she had no more education to work on for now, and she could only clean and organize her treatment room and desk so thoroughly.

She guessed…the secretaries knew she was available if need be…and she was salaried…what was the harm in texting Sy? She'd stayed late and came in early and overworked herself in general so much for this clinic. She could justify a bit of downtime.

Hey! Whatcha doin?

Just did some exercises that my super hot PT gave me! *winky face emoji*

Uh-Oh, should I be jealous?

Mmm, hard to say, sunshine. I guess it'll depend on which one of you sleeps with me first. *devil emoji*

Smart money is on the one who’s already let you get to second base…and basically third, even though…does it count if it’s basically because of a dare. Induced by Jack Daniels?

I think it counts if you came…*smirk emoji*

Damn those skilled fingers and Tennessee whiskey.

What can I say. I told ya I knew how to get a motor humming. *cool guy emoji*

You certainly do. No doubt about that.

So how's your day goin', sunshine?

Eh, everyone's cancelled on me. I have no one until 4:00, and I have nothing to do until then. I've decided to see it as a blessing and text my favorite fella.

And when he didn't respond, you resorted to me? *smirk emoji*

Hey you know that you have no competition for my affection other than like, my dad…and Chris Evans. Lol

Your dad, I'm sure I couldn't compete with if I tried, from what you've told me. Chris…well, I'm a REAL captain, not some guy jumpin' around in tights.

Mmmm, shame. I bet you'd look good in a getup like that. *heart eyes emoji*

You think so?

Yup! *American flag emoji*

You wanna be my Black Widow?

I mean…I've already basically got a costume…*embarrassed monkey emoji*

*several lines of big eye emojis*

Yeah, a few Halloweens ago…I was Romanoff. Now you know. I'm a total nerd.

I'm a nerd, too, sunshine. Serious nerd.

How am I just finding out about this? There's next to no merch at your place, and you never wear typical nerd shirts…*skeptical face emoji*

You haven't seen my whole place…*wink emoji*

What, are you telling me you have Batman bedsheets? *lol emoji*

Oh, it's much…much worse than that. The bedroom is pretty neutral, but…I have a…kind of rec room in the basement that is basically nerd central.

Oh. Em. Gee. I can't WAIT to see that, Sy!!! And how dare you hold out on me!!!

Well, I mean, I didn't wanna lay out all my cards right off the bat. I'm playing the long game.

Ah, so, when do I get to see this nerd trap?

Come on over, sunshine. *smiley face*

I said, I've got a patient at 4:00.

Everyone's cancelled on you. Can't you cancel on them for once?

Not unless I'm violently ill do I ever have any patients cancelled on my behalf.

So…say you're violently ill and come see me. *shrugging man emoji*

I dunno, Sy…

I got stuff to make that soup you like…

She had made it clear to him how much she loved soup, especially a good creamy potato soup, and on one of their dates, he'd had her over and there was a big pot of the stuff on his stove, made from scratch. She'd never had better, and he almost got lucky that night…and I mean…he still got a little lucky. He cooked for her AND cleaned up, AND let her pick the movie that night. She still picked an action movie, because she wasn't really a romance movie type, overall. Even so. Could she leave him hanging?

She opened her thread with Heather in her messenger app on her laptop.

Heather, is there anyone who could take my last patient, Mr. Lopez?

Looks like Cheri has a cancel around that time. Need me to move him?

If you could. I'm not feeling well.

Are you pregnant?

Omg, every fucking time. Why when anything is amiss in a woman's life must it be pregnancy?! And why is it okay to ask that question?! Ugh! She loved Heather like a sister, and it probably was just a joke, but uuuuuugh!

Yes…yes I am. *eye roll emoji* I've got a killer headache that's making me queasy. I'll email Susan. Thanks.

You bet. Tell Sy I said hi. *wink emoji*

Shut up.

After a quick and concise email to her boss, she picked her phone back up. One unread message.

You there, sunshine?

She simply replied,

Get that soup ready, Captain, I'm on my way.

Up Next: Chapter Eight: Heat/Ice

[papermoonloveslucy]

‘MY GOOD WIFE’ v ‘MY FAVORITE HUSBAND’

June 23, 1949

"My Good Wife," an added starter on KNBC, 6:30 p.m. PST Fridays, is another comedy about a young married couple, as if we needed another one. I must admit this one is a little different. This married couple, Steve and Kay Emerson, are not nearly so fast with a wisecrack as, say, Lucille Ball and her husband on "My Favorite Husband," 9:00 p.m. PST the same night on KCBS. Great night for matrimony, Fridays, and if those two programs don't provide enough for you, tune in Dorothy Dix at 1:45 pm. (not broadcast in west). She'll tell you how to win back an erring husband. 

I haven't yet made up my mind whether the Emerson's ineptness at repartee is deliberate - after all, not every young wife talks like Groucho Marx - or whether the script writer isn't very good at it either. Anyhow, whether by accident or design, the Emersons are a very restful young couple, possibly a little too restful to get anywhere in the entertainment world. In radio, they're a real novelty. 

As a wife Arlene Francis who plays Kay Emerson, wins out on points over Lucille Ball In other regards - talent and looks, for example - Miss Ball is way out front. But how long could you live with a girl who says: "Oh, we don't miss television. I climb in the Bendix and sing and George looks at me through the little window." Imagine having a girl around the house who said things like that before breakfast. It'd curdle the milk. 

STARTS OFF FAST 

“My Good Wife" started out at a gallop two weeks ago, NBC deciding to set the stage and get everything out of the way all at once. The first program resembled one at those synopses of previous in installments in the popular magazines. Steve met Kay, quarreled with her, married her, taught her how to drive, learned he was about to become a father, and became one - all in 15 minutes. One minute later, the dialogue went like this: 

"It doesn't seem like we've been married 12 years." 

"We've been married 10 years." 

"Well, that's why it doesn't seem like 12." 

That, incidentally, Is a little brighter than the conversation around the Emerson household generally gets. 

On the second show of the series, the pace settled down to a walk. During the first few minutes the Emersons and their neighbors lay lazily on the grass, not  even talking very much. This may be taking realism too far. I mean there ought to be some crickets chirping or something. Things quickened a bit later when Mrs. Emerson decided she was going to help her husband out with his law practice and, of course, messed things up. 

YALE, NO LESS 

The Emersons are quite upper middlebrow as radio's young married folk go. He went to Yale, for heaven's sake, and she not only went to Vassar but led the daisy chain or whatever they do with that daisy chain. What is this - counter revolution? Oh, yes, they live in Larchmont up to their ears in other upper middlebrows. I don't know what else to tell you about the Emersons except they sound like a nice young couple to have over for a drink some time but conceivably a little mild to entertain you much on the air. 

My favorite young married couple is still Ozzie and Harriet Nelson - I put Goodman and Jane Ace off in another category entirely - and while we're chatting about this sort of thing, I ought to point out Ricky and David Nelson, Ozzie and Harriet's children, are now playing themselves on that program which solves a lot of problems. I have a spy in the Nelson household, named - in case any congressional ears are pricking - Harriet Nelson, nee Harriet Hilliard, and she is not now and has never been a Communist nor worked on the atom bomb nor designed the B-36. 

Anyhow, my spy informed the Nelsons had a little trouble with the kids. The real Ricky and David I listened to the radio Ricky and David and discovered them doing things they weren't allowed to do or wouldn't do voluntarily if they were allowed. Being children, they got confused over their own identities. Well now the real Ricky and David are the radio Ricky and David and the split personalities in the kids has been averted. You run into a lot of funny problems in radio.

#  #  #  

FOOTNOTES FROM THE FUTURE

It seems pretty clear that NBC was counter-programming CBS’s “My Favorite Husband”.  Not only are the names very similar, they were scheduled on the same night, as critic Crosby points out.  

The episode of “My Favorite Husband” described above might apply to any domestic sitcom, but was actually titled “Budget - Mr. Atterbury” broadcast June 3, 1949.  However, this newspaper is still calling Lucille Ball’s character Liz Cugat, when her name had changed to Liz Cooper in January 1949, to avoid comparison with the well-known bandleader (no, not Desi Arnaz).  

Counter-programming by NBC would not stop on radio.  When “I Love Lucy” was a juggernaut hit for CBS TV, NBC created a similar show titled “I Married Joan” for star Joan Davis.  It was billed as “The adventures of the scatterbrained wife of a respected city judge.”  Substitute “bandleader” for “Judge” (played by Jim Backus) - and you’ve got “I Love Lucy.”  Like Ball, Davis was a film star of the ‘30s and ‘40s getting aboard the TV bandwagon.  Like Lucy, Joan wanted to be in showbusiness. Many of the same situations that Lucy got into, Joan did too. The series even featured a few “I Love Lucy” refugees:  Jerry Hausner, Elvia Allman, Bob Jellison, Margie Liszt, Shirley Mitchell, Ross Elliott, and many others. "Lucy” and “Joan” even employed the same director in each show's first season, Marc Daniels. "Joan” lasted three seasons, from 1952 to 1955 and is all but forgotten today. 

Kay Emerson was not the first domestic radio role for Arlene Francis. In 1940, she took over the role of Betty on “Betty and Bob”, which had been the first successful soap opera. She was one of the hosts of the quiz show “What’s My Name?” beginning in 1938. The show was seen as a model for TV’s “What’s My Line?” which premiered in 1950. Francis would stay with the show for its entire run, including six mystery guest appearances by Lucille Ball.  

The husband to “My Good Wife” was played by John Conte.  From 1944 to 1946 he was married to Marilyn Maxwell (1944-46) who would later appear with Lucille Ball in the 1963 film Critic’s Choice.  He had also been seen with Ball (and Maxwell) in As Thousands Cheer (1943). In 1960 he would work for Desilu in an episode of “The Untouchables” (1960).

Unlike “My Favorite Husband’s” mythical mid-Western Sheridan Falls, the Emerson’s livid in the real New York suburb of Larchmont, an affluent village located within the Town of Mamaroneck in Westchester County, New York, approximately 18 miles northeast of Midtown Manhattan.  Nearby was the town of New Rochelle, whose most famous fictional resident was Rob Petrie on “The Dick Van Dyke Show” (filmed at Desilu Studios).  Danfield, New York, another fictional town in the area, was the residence of Lucy Carmichael and Vivian Bagley for the first three seasons of “The Lucy Show.” 

“My Good Wife” began airing in June 1949, and by April 1950 was nowhere to be found. In October 1949, Billboard reported on a new NBC Gallup Poll that placed the show dead last - with 32 stations voting it poor and only 8 saying it was excellent.  The future of “Wife” was bleak. The sitcom was cancelled after 18 weeks to make room for the new Jimmy Durante show. Meanwhile, Ball’s “Husband” (on CBS), thrived.  Coincidentally, the show was initially a replacement for Red Skelton’s show. Skelton and Durante had both worked with Ball on films.  

Crosby’s quote from “My Favorite Husband”  

"Oh, we don't miss television. I climb in the Bendix and sing and George looks at me through the little window."

was spoken by Lucille Ball in the episode titled “Television” on June 17, 1949.  A Bendix is a brand of front-loading washing machine. The porthole-like window was similar to the size screen of early television sets.  

Crosby’s observation that Liz talks like Groucho Marx is attributable to the show’s writers Bob Carroll, Jr., Madelyn Pugh, and Jess Oppenheimer.  And let’s not forget that Lucille Ball acted opposite Groucho Marx in Room Service (1938)!      

After making the obvious comparison to “My Favorite Husband,” Crosby lets readers know that neither “Husband” nor “Wife” will ever displace “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriett” in his domestic dome. The show launched October 8, 1944 and a total 402 radio episodes were produced. When it was optioned for television, it was upstart network ABC that made the sweetest deal to the Nelsons. 

As Crosby alludes to, their real-life sons, David and Ricky, did not join the cast until the radio show's fifth year. The two boys were played by professional actors prior to their joining because both were too young to perform. Crosby’s allegations of possible identity crisis due to watching their parents with other sons on television, might easily apply to “I Love Lucy”, where the real-life Desi Arnaz often lived in the shadow of the young actors playing Little Ricky on television. Mrs. Ricardo and Mrs. Arnaz giving birth to both boys on the same day only added to the confusion - one that still lingers today. 

Crosby declines to compare the aforementioned shows with the popular Goodman and Jane Ace. The real-life marrieds had a show titled “Easy Aces”  Goodman Ace cast himself as a harried real estate salesman and the exasperated but loving husband of the scatterbrained, malaprop-prone Jane ("Time wounds all heels"). “Easy Aces” became a long-running serial comedy (1930–1945) but did not make a graceful transition to television, lasting only a few months on the ill-fated DuMont Network. Coincidentally, Martin Gabel, who married Arlene Francis in 1946, had a recurring role on “Easy Aces” during the 1930s. 

In a more sarcastic shout-out, Crosby mentions capping off this slew of domestic dithering by listening to Dorothy Dix.  Author Elizabeth Meriwether Gilmer (1861-1951) was widely known by the pen name Dorothy Dix. As the forerunner of today’s popular advice columnists, Dix was America’s highest paid and most widely read female journalist at the time of her death. Her advice on marriage was syndicated in newspapers around the world with an estimated audience of 60 million readers.  Naturally, radio was not neglected, getting their Dix fix when her column took to the airwaves.  Due to Lucy’s insistence on interfering in the Mertz’s personal affairs, Ricky compares Lucy to Dorothy Dix in “Fred and Ethel Fight” (ILL S1;E22) on March 10, 1952. 

We haven’t yet mentioned this 1940 gem, but we’ll save that for another time!  

[themockingpoint]

A million minutes late but here is my Sansa Appreciation Week day 5 submission. Takes place during the feast of 8x4. Shout out to @chryswatchesgot because I could not do that stupid cannon quote and their post from that episode gave me the perfect response.

  “It’s alright to be enjoying yourself.” Jon said, to Sansa shaking her out of her somewhat drunken thoughts. “If only for a little bit.”

 “Tell that to your queen.” Sansa said, before she could help herself. She showed off a grimace as she practically felt her brother’s annoyance bleed off him with a sigh.

 Sansa knew that the conflict between her and her brother’s… paramour was causing him undue tension, but she could not help it. Jon told Sansa that she is just refusing to see the Targaryen queen as she truly is and is letting what her family did to the Starks get in the way of that. However, Sansa would argue that it was her brother that was not seeing clearly ever since the two monarchs slept together. She sighed and downed another cup of wine.

 The way that she legitimized Gendry “Rivers” without thinking or consulting her advisors showed Sansa exactly what she needed to know. Putting aside the fact that she barely knew him enough to even know his actual name or the fact that he was her second cousin -and according to the great council of 101 AC that would probably make him, as a male, a stronger contender for the throne- his father was Robert Baratheon and her father was the Mad King.

 As bad of a king that Robert was, the smallfolk did not see it. His era signified an era of peace. Meanwhile her father was Mad King Aerys. He… well he got the name for a reason. Jon may have bent the knee to her, but their lords will always remember their Uncle Brandon and their grandfather. Let alone what the smallfolk will think. Joffrey most publicly was the smallfolks woes, yet Tyrion was the one blamed since he happened to be there once they started. No way would they forget what the mad king put them through. They were slaves waiting to be freed, they were people who just wished to go on with their lives with Highborn war.

  Another thing that Jon was forgetting but Sansa never would, was the fact that she spent years in King’s Landing, years. Joffrey, Cersei, Baelish, Ramsay, all of them taught her how to see a mask of benevolence. The Dragon queen may be projecting the air of the Good Queen Alysanne but Sansa likened her to the Young Dragon, Daeron I. The Dragon Queen may win the throne, but she would never be done conquering. She took over rulership in Meereen but was now looking to rule the Seven Kingdoms. The woman would never be done conquering, and Sansa did not plan on allowing the North and her people to be one of those Kingdoms to conquer that she will eventually become bored with.

 “I’m sorry.” Sansa slightly slurred from drink. “I am a little on edge… Feasts… I do not have the greatest history with celebrations…”

 “Here, here!” Tyrion said, walking behind them causing Sansa to roll her eyes.

 Sansa looked at the man that she used to think was the smartest man alive. When she knew him, he was the sharpest man in the room, taking people’s number without much of a challenge. He, Jon, and Varys -although he seemed to flip-flop worse than the Tyrells- all trusted her, is her own prejudices not allowing her to see the woman truly?

 Jon told her a little bit about the woman. The parallels between Sansa and Daenerys herself were strong, very strong. Sansa would not, could not, deny it and to be perfectly honest? It scared Sansa just how similar the two of them were. Abusive husbands, they were both raped on their wedding nights, both were used and passed around as bargaining chips, and both would do anything to get their countries back. Sansa almost crossed a line she never could have come back from.

 As similar as they were, Sansa knew that the dragon queen was not her friend, and definitely not Jon’s friend. She would only ever see them as subjects, never allies. They would be expected to fight whatever wars she would want to fight at the drop of a hat; ironically not unlike how Robert Baratheon was like with Sansa’s own father. As Sansa said, she would never be done conquering and -like during the Baratheon regime- the North would be dragged into it. She could not let her people be killed by the petty southern wars. She would not fail them; not again.

 “Why don’t you walk around?” Jon said, giving her a sympathetic smile. He knew how the last few feasts that she had turned out.

 “I… don’t think that is a good idea… I think I may be a little drunk.” She said, with a slight giggle.

 “Well I believe in you!” He said, slamming his hand down on the table in an ironic echo of her earlier statement.

 She walked away and a few minutes later saw the queen walk off in a huff of jealousy. She must admit, she was no Joffrey. He never would have abided by someone singing praises that were not directed at him, especially if he thought it was at his expense. She was not her father either, who would have just burned someone alive had he gotten annoyed with them.

 But it does not matter. The North was the North. They were not like the other seven kingdoms, even Dorne had more similarities to the southern kingdoms than the North did. The North just did things differently, they had different traditions, hell even their gods were different from the rest of the kingdoms. They were too detached from the rest of the Kingdoms to be part of such a kingdom that was practically united against them.

 She needed to clear her head as she was depressing herself. As she walked amongst the lower tables she saw where Tormund got to. She froze as she saw who he was sitting next to. Sansa knew he was here. Jon and Arya both mentioned the fact, he apparently had saved Arya’s life during the siege. Sansa has not been avoiding him, but she had not been seeking him out either.

 “Af’er all that he just comes North and takes ‘er from me.” Tormund said, weepily leaning on Sandor. “Just takes ‘er. Like that!”

 “Her?” Sansa thought to herself before she remembered who Tormund had been obsessed with since she had met him. “He can’t… He can’t mean Brienne, can he?”

 Thinking back to how her sworn shield starred at Jaime Lannister with starry eyes as they continued speaking, Sansa quickly realized what had happened when a quick look told her that she was not there. She felt happy for the woman despite her feelings about Jaime Lannister. She was more devoted to her duty than any other person than Sansa knew. She deserved this, she deserved to relax.

 “I’m not ‘fraid of Wildlings.” The serving girl (whore? She know Tyrion hired many to spread into the waiting staff) said, raising an eyebrow as Sansa finished another glass of wine. She doubts that she has even been this drunk and she must say she thinks that she is handling it very well.

 “Maybe you should be.” Tormund said, suggestively wagging his eyebrows.

 As Sansa realized what was happening, she felt a tightening in her own belly. One she had not really ever felt before, except maybe with Loras Tyrell. She shook out of her distraction as Sandor growled at the woman, terrifying her so that she would make her escape. Thinking of the feeling in her belly she walked over.

 “She could have made you happy…” She said, as she sat down. She wondered if his rejection of her was due to lack of interest or because of self-hatred and cynicism. Gods know that he has enough of that. Enough that he tried passing it onto her. “For a little while.”

 He looked up in surprise, whether he was shocked she was there or that she decided to speak to him she did not know. When they finally broke eye contact, he said, “There’s only one thing that’ll make me happy.”

 “And what’s that?” She said humoring him, trying to get him to lighten the hell up.

 “That’s my business!” He growled trying to scare her away. Once, it might have worked. She drunkenly cocked an eyebrow to show that she was unamused. “Used to be you couldn’t look at me.”

 “That was a long time ago…” She said sadly remembering the kiss from the Blackwater. One of the only two people she has ever kissed and the only one she somewhat wanted it from. Is that why he was not looking at her, trying to scare her away. “I’ve seen much worse that you.”

 “Yes I’ve heard… Heard you were broken in… Heard you were broken in rough…” He said, almost smugly and she clenched her teeth. Why was he being so hostile? She was trying to extend an olive branch.

 “Yes.” She said, she had already lost Theon today and her patience was quickly wearing thin. “He got what he deserved. I gave it to him.”

 “How?” He asked, genuinely curious.

 “Hounds…” She said, causing a moment of laughter from him.

 “You’ve changed, Little-Bird.” Sandor said, taking a drink. Once she had a sickening liking to the demeaning nickname. Now it just angered her. “None of it would have happened had you come with me.”

 “And there it is.” Sansa thought to herself. Most of the men in her life tried taking credit for what she was or could have been. To be frank, she was sick of it. Sansa was the woman she was today because of two men and a woman, all of which were named Stark. She may not have gotten everything she has due to her own merits but the men who spit poison and abuses at her no longer could claim credit for it. She would not allow it. No longer.

 “That’s the thing Sandor.” She said, grabbing his hand to his surprise. “I was never a little bird. I was a puppy. And Gods help those who think they can tame a Direwolf.”

 She stood up and grabbed Tormund’s nearly full goblet. If he wanted to stew in his cynicism, hatred, and self-loathing than he was more than welcome to it. She was not going to allow him to infect her with it as well. That is all he tried to do even since they first met at the Crossroad Inn all those years ago. She was done trying to save someone who did not want to save themselves but drag her down to their level instead.

 She would always be grateful for what he did for her sister, but she was done trying to save him. It was not her job. She looked down at her former would be protector and walked off, forgetting the reason that she came over in the first place.

[accioromione]

Book Analysis.....Relationship development (Ron + Hermione)

We’ll start from book 1 of course 

“Oh, are you doing magic? Let’s see it, then.”

She sat down. Ron looked taken aback. “Er — all right.” He cleared his throat.

“Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow.”

He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed gray and fast asleep. “Are you sure that’s a real spell?” said the girl. “Well, it’s not very good, is it? I’ve tried a few simple spells just for practice and it’s all worked for me. I’ve learned all our course books by heart, of course.”

So this obviously isn’t a love at first sight type of thing (which it shouldn’t be...they’re only 11). And she’s a little arrogant ....

“All right – I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors,” said Hermione in a sniffly voice. “And you’ve got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?” - Chapter 6, U.S. 110

It’s interesting to see how this develops because this introduction serves to introduce a character who comes across as bratty and annoying 

Ron, at the next table, wasn’t having much more luck.

“Wingardium Leviosa!” he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill. “You’re saying it wrong.” Harry heard Hermione snap. “It’s Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, make the ‘gar’ nice and long.” - Chapter 10, U.S. 171

In a literary perspective I absolutely love how this starts off. Ron and Harry kind of immediately connect..they’re both likeable...But with Hermione it’s like so unexpected that they would even become friends...

“I hope you’re pleased with yourselves. We could have been all killed — or worse, expelled.” 

So yeah we get an idea as Hermione being this annoying character who’s basically getting in the way of Harry and Rons fun ..but then the troll part comes along... 

“If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived." Harry and Ron tried to look as though this story wasn't news to them. "Well- in that case..." said Professor McGonagall, staring at the three of them, "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?" Hermione hung her head. Harry was speechless. Hermione was the last person to do anything against the rules, and here she was, pretending she had, to get them out of trouble. It was as if Snape had started handing out sweets. "Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," said Professor McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses." Hermione left. Professor McGonagall turned to Harry and Ron. "Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win Gryffindor five points. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You may go." They hurried out of the chamber and didn't speak at all until they had climbed two floors up. It was a relief to be away from the smell of the troll, quite apart from anything else. "We should have gotten more than ten points," Ron grumbled. "Five, you mean, once she's taken off Hermione's." "Good of her to get us out of trouble like that," Ron admitted. "Mind you, we did save her." "She might not have needed saving if we hadn't locked the thing in with her," Harry reminded him. They had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Pig snout," they said and entered. The common room was packed and noisy. Everyone was eating the food that had been sent up. Hermione, however, stood alone by the door, waiting for them. There was a very embarrassed pause. Then, none of them looking at each other, they all said "Thanks," and hurried off to get plates. But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend. There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.” ― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

And then she nags them about the adventures but we see the growth when she goes with them to get the stone ... so yeah they become friends and that’s that...

and of course 

Hermione: "Devil’s Snare, Devil’s Snare … what did Professor Sprout say? — it likes the dark and the damp —"Harry: "So light a fire!"Hermione: "Yes — of course — but there’s no wood!"Ron: "HAVE YOU GONE MAD? ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"

Basically showing how all of them were necessary and played a part in saving the day, also a ditzy Hermione moment with Ron stepping up..I really like it... because it shows that on an intellectual level they can converse and debate well as well as take each-other seriously

Now onto chamber of secrets 

Harry knew at once that Malfoy had said something really bad because there was an instant uproar at his words. Flint had to dive in front of Malfoy to stop Fred and George jumping on him. Alicia shrieked, "How dare you!”, and Ron plunged his hand into his robes, pulling out his wand, yelling, “You’ll pay for that one, Malfoy!” and pointed it furiously under Flint’s arm at Malfoy’s face. A loud bang echoed around the stadium and a jet of green light shot out of the wrong end of Ron’s wand, hitting him in the stomach and sending him reeling backward onto the grass. “Ron! Ron! Are you all right?” squealed Hermione. Ron opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Instead he gave an almighty belch and several slugs dribbled out of his mouth onto his lap. -Chapter 7, U.S. 112-113

So they’re officially friends and Ron is obviously now protective of Hermione ...This is not out of character for him as we see just how quick Ron is to stand up for people close to him..He is Gryffindor after all 

I - don’t - like - spiders,” said Ron tensely. “I never knew that,” said Hermione, looking at Ron in surprise. “You’ve used spiders in Potions loads of times…” “I don’t mind them dead,” said Ron, who was carefully looking anywhere but at the window. “I just don’t like the way they move…” Hermione giggled. “It’s not funny,” said Ron, fiercely. “If you must know, when I was three, Fred turned my - my teddy bear into a great big filthy spider because I broke his toy broomstick…. You wouldn’t like them either if you’d been holding your bear and suddenly it had too many legs and…” He broke off, shuddering. Hermione was obviously still trying not to laugh. - Chapter 9, U.S. 154

More friendship...the audience now gets see a more relaxed side of Hermione now ...Philosophers stone we saw this very serious- and by the rules Hermione up until she meets Harry and Ron...their influence on her has already peaked its way...and has made her character develop..so now she can take part in light hearted conversations instead of just being someone who uses her wit to help advance in the plot 

And now we have Ron saying stuff like 

“That’s what Hermione does. When in doubt, go to the library.” 

I really like this quote because it shows just how close they’ve become as friends..like yep thats Hermione..I know her well so like this is her typical behaviour 

Now we see something taking a little turn.... 

Harry: "What’ve we got this afternoon?"Hermione: "Defense Against the Dark Arts."Ron: "Why have you outlined all Lockhart’s lessons in little hearts?"―Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley

So after this it's a good thing to note that it really is ALWAYS Ron to point out things with Hermione..never Harry ...and he mentions Lockhart a lot... 

“What’s that?” asked Harry, pointing to something gold sticking out from under Hermione’s pillow. “‘Just a Get Well card,” said Hermione hastily, trying to poke it out of sight, but Ron was too quick for her. He pulled it out, flicked it open and read aloud: ‘To Miss Granger, wishing you a speedy recovery, from your concerned teacher, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League and five times winner of Witch Weekly’s Most-Charming-Smile Award.’ Ron looked up at Hermione, disgusted. “You sleep with this under your pillow?”

So Ron is clearly paying more attention / cares more than Harry does and whatnot 

"Bet you five Galleons the next Mudblood dies. Pity it wasn't Granger-" The bell rang at that moment, which was lucky; at Malfoy's last words, Ron had leapt off his stool, and in the scramble to collect bags and books, his attempts to reach Malfoy went unnoticed. "Let me at him," Ron growled as Harry and Dean hung onto his arms. "I don't care, I don't need my wand, I'm going to kill him with my bare hands-"

So we see that Ron is VERY defensive over Hermione ....it was not Harry to leap up...or Dean..or anyone else..it was Ron 

Harry scrawled to Ron: Let's do it tonight. Ron read the message, swallowed hard, and looked sideways at the empty seat usually filled by Hermione. The sight seemed to stiffen his resolve, and he nodded. "Tonight, we will be able to revive those people who have been petrified.." There was an explosion of cheering... Ron was looking happier than he'd looked in days. "Wonder if she did see the attacker, though?" said Ron, looking sadly at Hermione's rigid face. "You will find that Madam Pomfrey is still awake. She's just giving out Mandrake juice - I daresay the basilisk's victims will be waking up at any moment." "So Hermione's okay!" said Ron brightly.

So all of these clearly show that Ron clearly has a soft spot for Hermione...you can argue that this is not romantic (some speculate it is) but no one can argue that he clearly deeply cares about Hermione

Now we have POA...(ENTERING TEENS UH-OH)

Mum and dad gave me some money to get myself an early birthday present." "How about a nice book?" said Ron innocently.

Playful banter...I think the teasing is cute and its moments like these that are crucial in their developing crushes .. I think Ron used to find Hermione’s know-it-allness annoying but then after meeting her and seeing that she’s basically a dork....finds it endearing...basically growing up with Percy he thought well Hermione is a freaking Percy know it all...but then after spending time with her he realized she really is just a loser who genuinely enjoys reading and isn’t doing it for status or to look down at other people....a

[incident with Malfoy insulting Hagrid followed by Hermione slapping him] "Hermione!" said Ron again, sounding both stunned and impressed. "We're due in charms," said Ron, still goggling at Hermione

I think this was a huge moment that made Ron start to like Hermione...he see  her brave, bad ass and passionate side...Someone like Ron...who is Gryffindor through and through really likes that side of her ....and it further shows the character development we see from Hermione

"Hermione, I don't know what's gotten into you lately!" said Ron, astounded. "First you hit Malfoy, then you walk out on Professor Trelawny-" Hermione looked rather flattered. So yeah here we have the developing crush... 

Seconds later, Hermione slithered down beside him. "Where's Ron?" she whispered in a terrified voice.

So it’s obvious that they care a lot about eachother.. originally we saw Ron care about Hermione (because she was the victim in COS, but now we see it’s not one sided) 

“Hermione,” said Ron, frowning as he looked over her shoulder, “they’ve messed up your schedule. Look - they’ve got you down for about ten subjects a day. There isn’t enough time.” “I’ll manage. I’ve fixed it all with Professor McGonagall.” “But look,” said Ron, laughing, “see this morning? Nine o'clock, Divination. And underneath, nine o'clock, Muggle Studies. And” - Ron leaned closer to her schedule, disbelieving - “look - underneath that, Arithmancy, nine o'clock. I mean, I know you’re good, Hermione, but no one’s that good. How’re you supposed to be in three classes at once?” “Don’t be silly,” said Hermione shortly. “Of course I won’t be in three classes at once.” “Well, then -” “Pass the marmalade,” said Hermione. “But -” “Oh, Ron, what’s it to you if my schedule’s a bit full?” Hermione snapped. “I told you, I’ve fixed it all with Professor McGonagall.”-Chapter 6, U.S. 98

This is nothing new, so as you see 

Ron’s always the one to notice Hermione’s things..be that Lockhart..her schedule...her writing to Viktor..her being in a mood...her going missing..he’s always the one who’s giving the dialogue about Hermione....so it shows they have a special kind of connection... 

"Honestly, am I the only person who's ever bothered to read Hogwarts, a History?" said Hermione crossly to Harry and Ron. "Probably," said Ron. "Why?"

Moments like these continuing to playful banter between them

"If Snape's teaching Defense against the Dark Arts again I'm skiving off," said Ron as they headed towards Lupin's classroom after lunch. "Check who's in there, Hermione." Hermione peered around the classroom door. "It's okay!" Professor Lupin was back at work.

Love this because it shows how Hermione was like going to skip with Ron lol...I think it’s because he got detention last time for defending him or else she would not have let it slide 

A shower of brilliantly colored sweets fell into Harry’s lap. It was dusk, and Ron and Hermione had just turned up in the common room, pink-faced from the cold wind and looking as though they’d had the time of their lives. -Chapter 8, U.S. 157

So now we witness that Harry is not a key in them being able to be together..and Ron and Hermione alone are able to have a good time as they are genuine friends 

and then of course we have when scammers goes missing..

"Well, look at it logically," said Hermione, turning to the rest of the group. "I mean, Binky didn't even die today, did he? Lavender just got the news today -" Lavender wailed loudly. "- and she can't have been dreading it, because it's come as a real shock -" "Don't mind Hermione, Lavender," said Ron loudly, "she doesn't think other people's pets matter very much."- Chapter 8, U.S. 149

this is important...Hermione ..although has had character growth..is still Hermione Granger..a very logical..by the book person...if you go on further in the books you notice that Hermione..although kind..and caring..and meaning well...tends to not offer much emotional support to people when she thinks of logical answers...not just to Ron but see in this case Lavender..she does it to Hagrid..and to Harry .. I think this is one of her character flaws because well imagine you’re upset about something and really just want someone to be like ‘hey yeah you’re right this sucks’ instead you get ‘well....’ and and logical explanation ..she admits this back in book 1- books and cleverness.....Ron is actually a lot better than her in this sense.

Anyway..." She glanced over at Ron too. "He doesn't want me to join in." There was no arguing with this, as Ron chose that moment to say loudly, "If Scabbers hadn't been eaten, he could have had some of those Fudge Flies. He used to really like them -" Hermione burst into tears. Before Harry could say or doing anything, she tucked the enormous book under her arm, and, still sobbing, ran toward the staircase to the girls' dormitories and out of sight. "Can't you give her a break?" Harry asked Ron quietly. "No," said Ron flatly. ""If she just acted like she was sorry - but she'll never admit she's wrong, Hermione. She's still acting like Scabbers has gone on vacation or something."-Chapter 13, U.S. 264

I feel like Ron never got enough credit for being as patient and chill as he was. We know Ron can be hot tempered when it comes to defending his friends..but when it actually comes to his friends he is very forgiving and easy going. I just want to point out that in this same book, Harry refused to talk to Hermione the second he found out she got his broom confiscated. Ron on the other hand, was still talking to Hermione even when he thought scabbers was eaten only until she refused to apologize..at that moment I think Ron was frustrated with her lack of empathy..and in a way I think it was to teach her a lesson....here we even see him admitting to Harry that he just wanted her to admit she was wrong or just act sorry... Hermione...instead of thinking of a possibility that she might be wrong just begins to cry...so I also think moments like these are important because it contributes to Hermione’s character growth and shows how Ron.. as her friend..

Malfoy's dad frightened the Committee into it," said Hermione, wiping her eyes. "You know what he's like. They're a bunch of doddery old fools, and they were scared. There'll be an appeal, though, there always is. Only I can't see any hope... Nothing will have changed."

"Yeah, it will," said Ron fiercely. "You won't have to do all the work alone this time, Hermione. I'll help." "Oh, Ron!" Hermione flung her arms around Ron's neck and broke down completely. Ron, looking quite terrified, patted her very awkwardly on the top of the head. Finally, Hermione drew away. "Ron, I'm really, really sorry about Scabbers...," she sobbed. "Oh - well - he was old," said Ron, looking thoroughly relieved that she had let go of him. "And he was a bit useless. You never know, Mum and Dad might get me an owl now." -Chapter 15, U.S. 292

So now we have Ron..who has put his own feelings aside to help for the greater good. A lot of people tend to talk about Ron being ‘immature’ I actually argue that no one in the trio is immature. A character I would consider immature would be a character like Peeves ..when it comes to Harry Potter characters a lot of them are mature ...and the most mature in my opinion are the trio...we always see them knowing when to be serious/ or put other matter asides when they are put in situations ..I actually feel sorry for them in the sense that I don’t think they ever truly got to be kids..But anyways this greatly shows how mature Ron is capable of being...He realizes that Hagrid is much more important than his fight with Hermione..and when Hermione finally apologizes he’s not only quick to forgive...but he tries to console her in a way that says ‘oh its not a big deal’ when we know he did truly care for the Rat. At a maturity level I actually say that Ron and Hermione are equally as mature...

ok so lets move on... 

"Granger, they're after Muggles," said Malfoy, grinning maliciously. "If you think they can't spot a Mudblood, stay where you are." "You watch your mouth!" shouted Ron. Everybody present knew that "Mudblood" was a very offensive term for a witch or wizard of Muggle parentage. "Never mind, Ron," said Hermione quickly, seizing Ron's arm to restrain him as he took a step toward Malfoy.- Chapter 9, U.S. 122

So more proof that Ron’s care for Hermione is only growing with time 

“… Dad could’ve got a promotion any time… he just likes it where he is…” “Of course he does,” said Hermone quietly. “Don’t let Malfoy get to you, Ron-” -Chapter 11, U.S. 169

So we see some character development here..and Ron is a huge factor for this...seeing back in POA after the whole ordeal...Hermione did not have much of a sensitive side..but here we see a more emotionally mature Hermione 

"You're eating again, I notice," said Ron, watching Hermione adding liberal amounts of jam to her toast too. "I've decided there are better ways of making a stand about elf rights," said Hermione haughtily. "Yeah... and you were hungry," said Ron, grinning.- Chapter 13, U.S. 194

It is endearing that Ron was concerned about her not eating...and again he is always the one to pay attention to what Hermione is doing.this is playful and he’s grinning because we have an instant where Hermione is not going along with what she originally planned...admitting she was wrong in her attempts...and also because he’s relieved to see her eating...also character growth...Hermione admits (although hautingly) that her original attempt was wrong...and this is GOOD for her....I think it’s also a moment like this that Ron likes to see ...and contributes to his growing like for Hermione 

"That idiot, Hogwarts champion?" said Ron as they pushed their way through the chattering crowd toward the staircase. "He's not an idiot. You just don't like him because he beat Gryffindor at Quidditch," said Hermione. "I've heard he's a really good student - and he's a prefect." She spoke as though this settled the matter. "You only like him because he's handsome," said Ron scathingly. "Excuse me, I don't like people just because they're handsome!" said Hermione indignantly Ron gave a loud false cough, which sounded oddly like "Lockhart!" -Chapter 15, U.S. 236

So we start to see Ron become a bit jealous...I also think Ron is so surprised that Hermione can be stereotypically girly because it’s just not the Hermione he is used to seeing...but this makes him realize that well..she is in fact a girl.... and that he ..who already cares about her..and finds her endearing...realizes that she is not just another Harry to him 

Jets of light shot from both wands, hit each other in midair, and ricocheted off at angles - Harry's hit Goyle in the face, and Malfoy's hit Hermione. Goyle bellowed and put his hands to his nose, where great ugly boils were springing up - Hermione, whimpering in panic, was clutching her mouth.

"Hermione!" Ron had hurried forward to see what was wrong with her; Harry turned and saw Ron dragging Hermione's hand away from her face. It wasn't a pretty sight. Hermione's front teeth - already larger than average - were now growing at an alarming rate; she was looking more and more like a beaver as her teeth elongated, past her bottom lip, toward her chin - panic-stricken, she felt them and let out a terrified cry. -Chapter 18, U.S. 299

Ron is the one to go check on Hermione.. and this is always the case 

Hermione, however, leaned against the Owlery wall, folded her arms, and frowned at Ron. "Harry's got a long way to go before he finishes this tournament," she said seriously. "If that was the first task, I hate to think what's coming next." "Right little ray of sunshine, aren't you?" said Ron. -Chapter 21, U.S. 364

Very cute.....and we see just how playful their friendship can be 

"All the good-looking ones taken, Ron?" said Hermione, loftily. "Eloise Midgen starting to look quite pretty now, isn't she? Well, I'm sure you'll find someone somewhere who'll have you."

But Ron was staring at Hermione as though suddenly seeing her in a whole new light. "Hermione, Neville's right - you are a girl..." "Oh well spotted," she said acidly. "Well - can't you come with one of us?" "No, I can't," snapped Hermione. "Oh come on," he said impatiently, "we need partners, we're going to look really stupid if we haven't got any, everyone else has..." "I can't come with you," said Hermione, now blushing, "because I'm already going with someone." "No, you're not!" said Ron. "You just said that to get rid of Neville!" "Oh did I?" said Hermione, and her eyes flashed dangerously. "Just because it's taken you three years to notice, Ron, doesn't mean no one else spotted I'm a girl!" Ron stared at her. Then he grinned again. "Okay, okay, we know you're a girl," he said. "That do? Will you come now?" "I've already told you!" Hermione said very angrily. "I'm going with someone else!" And she stormed off toward the girls' dormitories again. "She's lying," said Ron flatly, watching her go. -Chapter 22, U.S. 400

Here we have something I think is skipped over a lot. Everyone thinks that this is basically Ron insulting Hermione...but pay attention because Ron is basically admitting he thinks Hermione is an attractive girl. This whole ordeal is because he wanted to take out a good looking girl..so when he realizes Hermione is right there. He’s okay with Hermione going with either Harry or him because she’s good looking in his eyes. (you can find people good looking and not be in love with them right away) ...when Ron says ‘you’re not actually going with someone’ of course Hermione takes offence - but I think he didn't mean it in a way thats like ‘youre not good looking enough’ but more a ‘you’re Hermione and you dont focus on these things’ but Hermione ...who is indeed a girl...takes it personal...

"Hermione - who are you going to the ball with?" said Ron. He kept springing this question on her, hoping to startle her into a response by asking it when she least expected it. However, Hermione merely frowned and said, "I'm not telling you, you'll just make fun of me."-Chapter 23, U.S. 404

So now we see Ron is very interested with who Hermione is going with..this is PERFECT 14 year old behaviour ...Ron realizing that Hermione is ATTRACTIVE to other guys..and isnt just their friend.. makes him see her in a whole new light ..this is basically the moment you can be confident that Harry and Ron see Hermione in different ways...at this moment Harry is already attracted to another girl who is going to the ball with someone else..and does not seem to mind that Hermione is going with someone else...this shows that Harry really just see’s Hermione in a platonic matter...for Harry..going with Hermione would have meant he just had someone...but it doesnt bother him that she’s going with someone else..Ron on the other hand is clearly bothered with this fact 

"Hermione," said Ron, looking sideways at her, suddenly frowning, "your teeth..." "What about them?" she said. "Well, they're different... I've just noticed..." "Of course they are - did you expect me to keep those fangs Malfoy gave me?" "No, I mean, they're different to how they were before he put that hex on you... They're all... straight and - and normal-sized." Hermione suddenly smiled very mischievously, and Harry noticed it too: It was a very different smile from the one he remembered. -Chapter 23, U.S. 405

Ron..again..the first to notice things about her...Hermione has now become even more attractive ..This + the fact that she is another guys interest is making Ron be well...attracted to her... 

Hermione chose to watch Harry and the Weasleys' snowball fight rather than join in, and at five o'clock said she was going back upstairs to get ready for the ball.

"What, you need three hours?" said Ron, looking at her incredulously and paying for his lapse in concentration when a large snowball, thrown by George, hit him hard on the side of the head. "Who're you going with?" he yelled after Hermione, but she just waved and disappeared up the stone steps into the castle. -Chapter 23, U.S. 411

He has not given up asking..

"Padma's going to meet you in the entrance hall," she added to Ron. "Right," said Ron, looking around. "Where's Hermione?" -Chapter 23, U.S. 412

So according to Dean..Padma and Parvarti are pretty girls..but Harry (who is fixated on Cho) does not focus on this..and Ron..well we see now the girl who’s caught his eye...and it’s so evidently Hermione ..if it weren't for that...I think Harry and Ron would have had no problem with Padma and Parvarti going with them..but them liking two other people makes them sulky that they’re not going with who they really would like to go with.. .

Where is Hermione?" he said again. -Chapter 23, U.S. 413

So we see where Ron’s focus is..this is where I can say that Ron..100% has a crush on Hermione 

Ron was watching Hermione pass with narrowed eyes. -Chapter 23, U.S. 415

"How's it going?" Harry asked Ron, sitting down and opening a bottle of butterbeer. Ron didn't answer. He was glaring at Hermione and Krum, who were dancing nearby. -Chapter 23, U.S. 420

The jealousy is evident here...here we have Hermione..looking the prettiest she’s ever looked...along with a Ron who clearly likes her now...and he’s mad..he’s mad that it’s not him dancing with her...not only is it not him...but its Viktor Krum..one of his favourite quidditch players. Now some character analysis..Ron is insecure in himself and his abilities ..all his brothers..Harry Potter as his best friend... and Hermione well...he was always close with her...always saw her as someone who well...didn’t compare him to others..Hermione was a friend he had that he didn’t feel like for once in his life he had to prove himself too..yet here she is...looking pretty...and going to a dance with a famous quidditch player...he has to COMPETE once again...his confidence is once again shattered.. 

Hermione came over and sat down in Parvati's empty chair. She was a bit pink in the face from dancing. "Hi," said Harry. Ron didn't say anything. "It's hot, isn't it?" said Hermione, fanning herself with her hand. Viktor's just gone to get some drinks." Ron gave her a withering look. "Viktor?" he said. "Hasn't he asked you to call him Vicky yet?" Hermione looked at him in surprise. "What's up with you?" she said. "If you don't know," said Ron scathingly, "I'm not going to tell you." Hermione stared at him, then at Harry, who shrugged. "Ron, what -?" "He's from Durmstrang!" spat Ron. "He's competing against Harry! Against Hogwarts! You - you're -" Ron was obviously casting around for words strong enough to describe Hermione's crime. "fraternizing with the enemy, that's what you're doing!" Hermione's mouth fell open. "Don't be so stupid!" she said after a moment. "The enemy! Honestly - who was the one who was all excited when they saw him arrive? Who was the one who wanted his autograph? Who's got the model of him up in their dormitory?" Ron chose to ignore this. "I s'pose he asked you to come with him while you were both in the library?" "Yes, he did," said Hermione, the pink patches on her cheeks glowing more brightly. "So what?" "What happened - trying to get him to join spew, were you?" "No, I wasn't! If you really want to know, he - he said he'd been coming up to the library every day to try and talk to me, but he hadn't been able to pluck up the courage!" Hermione said this very quickly, and blushed so deeply that she was the same color as Parvati's robes. "Yeah, well - that's his story," said Ron nastily. "And what's that supposed to mean?" "Obvious, isn't it? He's Karkaroff's student, isn't he? He knows who you hang around with... He's just trying to get closer to Harry - get inside information on him - or get near enough to jinx him -" Hermione looked as though Ron had slapped her. When she spoke, her voice quivered. "For your information, he hasn't asked me one single thing about Harry, not one -" Ron changed tack at the speed of light. "Then he's hoping you'll help him find out what his egg means! I suppose you've been putting your heads together during those cozy little library sessions -" "I'd never help him work out that egg!" said Hermione, looking outraged. "Never. How could you say something like that - I want Harry to win the tournament, Harry knows that, don't you, Harry?" "You've got a funny way of showing it," sneered Ron. "The whole tournament's supposed to be about getting to know foreign wizards and making friends with them!" said Hermione hotly. "No it isn't!" shouted Ron. "It's about winning!" People were starting to stare at them. "Ron," said Harry quietly, "I haven't got a problem with Hermione coming with Krum -" But Ron ignored Harry too. "Why don't you go and find Vicky, he'll be wondering where you are," said Ron. "Don't call him Vicky!" Hermione jumped to her feet and stormed off across the dance floor, disappearing into the crowd. Ron watched her go with a mixture of anger and satisfaction on his face. -Chapter 23, U.S. 421

So I think this is more so Ron trying to make himself feel better...stages of grief..denial..he’s trying to convince himself that the only reason Viktor is with her is to get through Harry...because accepting that he yet again is not good enough is beginning to damage him... 

"Vare is Herm-own-ninny?" said a voice. Krum had just arrived at their table clutching two butterbeers. "No idea," said Ron mulishly, looking up at him. "Lost her, have you?" -Chapter 23, U.S. 423

So we know that 100% Ron is jealous here. 

He climbed into the common room and found Ron and Hermione having a blazing row. Standing ten feet apart, they were bellowing at each other, each scarlet in the face. "Well, if you don't like it, you know what the solution is, don't you?" yelled Hermione; her hair was coming down out of its elegant bun now, and her face was screwed up in anger. "Oh yeah?" Ron yelled back. "What's what?" "Next time there's a ball, ask me before someone else does, and not as a last resort!" Ron mouthed soundlessly like a goldfish out of water as Hermione turned on her heel and stormed up the girls' staircase to bed. Ron turned to look at Harry. "Well," he sputtered, looking thunderstruck, "well - that just proves - completely missed the point -" Harry didn't say anything. He liked being back on speaking terms with Ron too much to speak his mind right now - but he somehow thought that Hermione had gotten the point much better than Ron had. -Chapter 23, U.S. 432

So here we have Hermione admitting that she does like Ron basically to the audience...and now she’s telling him..you take me for granted...yeah other guys find me interesting..other guys find me pretty... so you know what you could have she’s basically like ‘I am that bitch..so appreciate me’ I like this part of Hermione because I think it stemmed from her being offended that Ron thought she lied about being asked to the ball...which she obviously did not take as a ‘you’re Hermione you dont do these things’ and more as a ‘guys would not be interested in you’ and Ron is ..well...he doesnt know how to react because he has seen exactly that....he’s seen that she is not a last resort..and that guys actively seek her and that she is well..in fact..a catch for many guys..and she has basically just told him...you want me? you gotta work for me.. 

Ron and Hermione seemed to have reached an unspoken agreement not to discuss their argument. They were being quite friendly to each other, though oddly formal. -Chapter 24, U.S. 433

So Ron has realized he LIKE likes Hermione..and now he doesn't know what to do...Hermione basically let it slip out that she likes Ron too...and she also doesnt know what to do...so being friends...they decide to do what I think is very reflective of what two close friends would do if they realize they liked eachother.. they try to avoid it...but show tension in the process 

 "It's a lot colder where he comes from," said Hermione. "I supposed it feels quite warm to him." "Yeah, but there's still the giant squid," said Ron. He didn't sound anxious - if anything, he sounded hopeful. Hermione noticed his tone of voice and frowned. "He's really nice, you know," she said. "He's not at all like you'd think, coming from Durmstrang. He likes it much better here, he told me." Ron said nothing. He hadn't mentioned Viktor Krum since the ball, but Harry found a miniature arm under his bed on Boxing Day, which had looked very much as though it had been snapped off a small model figure wearing Bulgarian Quidditch robes. -Chapter 24, U.S. 444

So Hermione is revealing that she doesnt think Viktor is a bad guy..I think this is one of those things where she knows she doesnt truly like Viktor like that ..but he is the first guy to kind of just be romantically interested in her..and he IS a good guy...and Ron of course is furious..because now he knows he likes Hermione...and he’s known her first...and yet here she is..entertaining another guy...another guy who is ‘better’ than him 

Fleur bent down, kissed Harry twice on each cheek (he felt his face burn and wouldn't have been surprised if steam was coming out of his ears again), then said to Ron, "And you too - you 'elped -" "Yeah," said Ron, looking extremely hopeful, "yeah, a bit -" Fleur swooped down on him too and kissed him, Hermione looked simply furious [...] -Chapter 26, U.S. 506

This is so accurate..many people are like why is she mad when she's with Viktor..well because..in real life that’s what happens...jealousy is often the reason you realize you truly do like one person and that person only..have you ever been in the ‘talking stage’ with someone ..find out they're talking to other people and get mad? even though YOU are talking to other people...it’s strange right? well it’s very logical..you can talk to other people because deep down you know your feelings...you know you’re not attached to those other people..but when you see the person you like being with other people..it bothers you because..well you dont know how THEY feel about the other person..and to you it shows that they dont have interest in just you....I say this is 100% true to not only their age but human nature. And is one of the most realistic portrayals of how actual relationships in real life are and how they form.. 

"No, it's just... how did she know Viktor asked me to visit him over the summer?" Hermione blushed scarlet as she said this and determinedly avoided Ron's eyes. "What?" said Ron, dropping his pestle with a loud clunk. "He asked me right after he'd pulled me out of the lake," Hermione muttered. "After he'd got rid of his shark's head, Madam Pomfrey gave us both blankets and then he sort of pulled me away from the judges so they wouldn't hear, and he said, if I wasn't doing anything over the summer, would I like to -" "And what did you say?" said Ron, who had picked up his pestle and was grinding it on the desk, a good six inches from his bowl, because he was looking at Hermione. "And he did say he'd never felt the same way about anyone else," Hermione went on, going so red now that Harry could almost feel the heat coming from her, "but how could Rita Skeeter have heard him? She wasn't there... or was she? Maybe she has got an invisibility cloak; maybe she sneaked onto the grounds to watch the second task..." "And what did you say?" Ron repeated, pounding his pestle down so hard that it dented the desk. -Chapter 27, U.S. 514

Ron’s jealousy .....(also...Hermione looks like she is in part- trying to make Ron jealous..which again...is VERY true to how actual girls at this age act...) honestly really good writing...this is VERY 14 year old behaviour... 

We will see each uzzer again, I 'ope," said Fleur as she reached him, holding out her hand. "I am 'oping to get a job 'ere, to improve my Eenglish." "It's very good already," said Ron in a strangled sort of voice. Fleur smiled at him; Hermione scowled. -Chapter 37, U.S. 724

Again..we see that Ron and Hermione are equally interested in eachother.. 

Krum had come to say good-bye to Hermione. "Could I have a vord?" he asked her. "Oh... yes... all right," said Hermione, looking slightly flustered, and following Krum through the crowd and out of sight. "You'd better hurry up!" Ron called loudly after her. "The carriages'll be here in a minute!" He let Harry keep a watch for the carriages, however, and spent the next few minutes craning his neck over the crowd to try and see what Krum and Hermione might be up to. They returned quite soon. Ron stared at Hermione, but her face was quite impassive. -Chapter 37, U.S. 725

And this is the last glimpse we see in book 4.. okay onto book 5... 

 The door banged open. Hermione came tearing into the room, her cheeks flushed and her hair flying. There was an envelope in her hand. “Did you - did you get it?” She spotted the badge in Harry’s hand and let out a shriek. “I knew it!” she said excitedly, brandishing her letter. “Me too, Harry, me too!” “No,” said Harry quickly, pushing the badge back into Ron’s hand. “It’s Ron, not me.” “It - what?” “Ron’s prefect, no me,” Harry said. “Ron?” said Hermione, her jaw dropping. “But… are you sure? I mean -” She turned red as Ron looked around at her with a defiant expression on his face. “It’s my name on the letter,” he said. “I…” said Hermione, looking thoroughly bewildered. “I… well… wow! Well done, Ron! That’s really -” “Unexpected,” said George, nodding. “No,” said Hermione, blushing harder than ever, “no, it’s not… Ron’s done loads of… he’s really…” -Chapter 9, U.S. 162

So I already outlined how I feel about this..2 things... 1..in the beginning..very Hermione like character (book 1 Hermione would have been like this) Hermione = logic. In this moment she��isn't thinking about her own personal feelings for Ron..she’s thinking that it is more LOGICAL that Harry besoms prefect because Ron and Harry do the same in school..but Harry is one of Dumbledore’s favourites..is good at DADA and..has faced more than Ron has... with the triwizard tournament..the Patronus.. the basilisk... and the stone..although Ron did help in every one of those...Harry ..at the end of the day..did face more than both Ron or Hermione herself...so it is more logical that Harry is chosen.. but now realizing its Ron...she’s surprised..because she thought it would have been Harry..but now his brother is saying it in a sense like..Ron isn't prefect worthy..so her direction now points towards Ron..originally she wasn't thinking about what Ron lacked..she was simply thinking about what Harry had...in her mind she wasn't going ‘yes Harry is better than Ron that’s why’ she was just thinking.. ‘Harry is prefect worthy’ ...so now when her direction is pointed towards Ron she starts to think about her own personal feelings about Ron..and why she simply well..likes him...so we see her blushing...people taking it out of context when she can't complete her sentence make it seem like she couldn't think of any good things to say...it was more so she didn’t want to say these things out loud..because they were the reasons why she had a crush on him ...now to Ron...I think this is very important because Ron is usually the one to be like ‘meh yeah I’ll never amount to anything’ but seeing Hermione’s reaction makes him defensive (foreshadowing future events) I actually think him becoming prefect and Hermione’s reaction was a KEY in Ron’s character development..we see ..for the first time..Ron getting defensive about himself..like.. ‘I am not just a nobody’ ...we saw it last book with Hermione to Ron..when she is like ‘see I am a catch- other guys think I’m a catch...’ we see now a Ron who develops a thirst to well..prove himself..show that..just like Hermione did last book..he is a catch... 

"Who're you writing the novel to anyway?" Ron asked Hermione, trying to read the bit of parchment now trailing on the floor. Hermione hitched it up out of sight. "Viktor." "Krum?" "How many other Viktors do we know?" Ron said nothing, but looked disgruntled. -Chapter 21, U.S. 460

We get a bit of GOF seething into OOTP...to highlight that this jealousy is still indeed their and his feelings have not diminished with time 

Harry and Ron both looked at her blankly, and Hermione sighed again. “About You-Know-Who. He said, 'His gift for spreading discord and enmity is very great. We can fight it only by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust -’” “How do you remember stuff like that?” asked Ron, looking at her in admiration. “I listen, Ron,” Hermione said with a touch of asperity. -Chapter 12, U.S. 223

So we have book one Hermione..she ..having had her intelligence her whole life...doesn’t realize that other people are not like her.. yes she studies a lot but Hermione is a naturally smart person..and Ron is attracted to it..I think this is AMAZING because a lot of people think that Ron’s insecurities make it so that he wants other people to be lower...but it’s not like that a lot ..he LOVES that Hermione is smart..it’s admirable ...but he himself doesn't like feeling stupid..Hermione’s response is typical book one Hermione..she thinks oh I remember how can’t anyone else? In a way that comes off of rude...instead of blushing and accepting the compliment...but it’s just her character...like even with Krum..instead of finding his accent cute and endearing she lectures him on how he’s not pronouncing her name correctly...but we see a twist here when Ron defends himself...he’s like ‘I listen Hermione...you just have above average intelligence’ ...and now we go forth ..to when Ron becomes keeper...

“Have a butterbeer.” Ron pressed a bottle onto him. “I can’t believe it - where’s Hermione gone?” “She’s there,” said Fred, who was also swigging a butterbeet, and pointed to an armchair by the fire. Hermione was dozing in it, her drink tipping precariously in her hand. “Well, she was pleased when I told her,” said Ron, looking slightly put out. -Chapter 13, U.S. 275

I think him wanting to try out was due to a factor of things...1. him becoming prefect = confidence boost (no he isn’t a nobody he IS capable of doing things..) Hermione's reaction ..wanting to prove that yes IT WAS him who can be a prefect...him getting a new broom...and so forth...there is clearly a thirst to show Hermione that he IS a catch... just like she showed him in book 4. 

“How was practice?” asked Hermione rather coolly half an hour later, as Harry and Ron climbed through the portrait hole into the Gryffindor common room. “It was -” Harry began. “Completely lousy,” said Ron in a hollow voice, sinking into a chair beside Hermione. She looked up at Ron and her frostiness seemed to melt. -Chapter 14, U.S. 294

So we see that Hermione has developed an emotional type of maturity...and it is directed at none other than Ron Weasley ...Ron has yet to see this side of her...and he isn't even paying attention..so unfortunately this goes missed by Ron 

“Good luck, Ron,” said Hermione, standing on tiptoe and kissing him on the cheek. “And you, Harry -” Ron seemed to come to himself slightly as they walked back across the Great Hall. He touched the spot on his face where Hermione had kissed him, looking puzzled, as though he was not quite sure what had just happened. -Chapter 19, U.S. 404

Ron is not used to Hermione showing him affection...however his own nerves has kind of masked his true reaction to this show of affection from Hermione..although they like eachother..we don't really see too much signs of love affection until later on...now this is where their character differences lie..to Hermione ..that must of been a lot..her kissing him on the cheek is like..obviously I am showing you so much affection..But Ron is an insecure being...+ she is still writing to an international quidditch player..Ron likes Hermione and Hermione likes Ron... it is evident here... however Ron does NOT know that Hermione likes him and Hermione has thought that she told Ron she does..

Ron made a noise that might have indicated jubilation or disgust, it was hard to tell. “Because she was crying,” Harry continued heavily. “Oh,” said Ron, his smile fading slightly. “Are you that bad at kissing?” “Dunno,” said Harry, who hadn’t considered this, and immediately felt rather worried. “Maybe I am.” “Of course you’re not,” said Hermione absently, still scribbling away at her letter. “How do you know?” said Ron in a sharp voice. -Chapter 21, U.S. 458

Here we see for the first time..Ron jealous over Hermione and Harry’s relationship....he ..who is friends with her KNOWS he likes her..he is not aware that she likes him.. he WANTS her to like him..hence the thirst to prove himself...but what she’s shown him in terms of love interest so far is Viktor Krum..an international quidditch player..Harry..who is more famous than him...could it be? that she develops feelings for him? he knows that being friends doesnt eliminate developing feelings...because he likes her and she's supposed to be his friend..and could she possibly..have a type? he’s no Harry Potter or Viktor Krum in his eyes .... 

“Thanks for the book, Harry!” she said happily. “I’ve been wanting that New Theory of Numerology for ages! And that perfume is really unusual, Ron.” “No problem,” said Ron. -Chapter 23, U.S. 503

So this is Ron’s way of trying to rue Hermione Granger in his eyes...he’s trying to MAKE him like her...like I said he is completely unaware that she does

“Harry, you’re worse than Ron… Well, no, you’re not,” she sighed, as Ron himself came stumping into the Hall splattered with mud and looking grumpy. -Chapter 26, U.S. 572

This is basically Hermione telling the audience that in her mind..she has shown Ron she likes him..tbh even if I was Ron I would be confused..because she is Hermione Granger and her affectionate level is not up to par... 

Oh, you’re so naive sometimes, Harry. You really think Umbridge will wait for proof?’ said Hermione, who seemed determined to be in a towering temper, and she swept off towards the girls’ dormitories, banging the door behind her. ‘Such a lovely, sweet-tempered girl,’ said Ron, very quietly, prodding his queen forward to beat up one of Harry’s knights.-Chapter 31, U.S. 716

This is beautiful. Why? Ron knows he likes Hermione...and he knows all her qualities..including Hermione WRATH.So for him to say this in his sarcasm shows how knows how Hermione is and why he basically finds it endearing. 

“What do you think about this?” Hermione demanded of Ron, and Harry was reminded irresistibly of Mrs. Weasley appealing to her husband during Harry’s first dinner at Grimmauld Place. -Chapter 29, U.S. 658

And now we see how their relationship is kind of developing into more than a friendship...even Harry notices it... 

Okay onto half blood prince ... 

Don’t you get used to her if she’s staying in the same house?” Harry asked. “Well, you do,” said Ron, “but if she jumps out at you unexpectedly, like then…” “It’s pathetic,” said Hermione furiously, striding away from Ron as far as she could go and turning to face him her arms folded once she had reached the wall.-Chapter 5, U.S. 93

So we see more Hermione jealousy... her interest for Ron has not left over time.. 

It’s Amortentia!” “It is indeed. It seems almost foolish to ask,” said Slughorn, who was looking mightily impressed, “but I assume you know what it does?” “It’s the most powerful love potion in the world!” said Hermione. “Quite right! You recognized it, I suppose, by its distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen?” “And the steam rising in characteristic spirals,” said Hermione enthusiastically, “and it’s supposed to smell differently to each of us, according to what attracts us, and I can smell freshly mown grass and new parchment and -” But she turned slightly pink and did not complete the sentence. -Chapter 9, U.S. 185

Revealed to be Ron’s hair..but all the readers have known since book 4..That Hermione does indeed like Ron..and that of course she would smell him.. 

‘I dunno why the team’s this popular all of a sudden.’ ‘Oh, come on, Harry,’ said Hermione, suddenly impatient. ‘It’s not Quidditch that’s popular, it’s you! You’ve never been more interesting and, frankly, never more fanciable.’ Ron gagged on a large piece of kipper. Hermione spared him one look of disdainbefore turning back to Harry.

[…]

‘And you’ve been through all the persecution from the Ministry when they were trying to make out you were unstable and a liar. You can still see the marks where that evil woman made you write with your own blood, but you stuck to your story anyway…’ ‘You can still see where those brains got hold of me in the Ministry, look,’ said Ron, shaking back his sleeves. ‘And it doesn’t hurt that you’ve grown about a foot over the summer, either,’ Hermione finished, ignoring Ron. ‘I’m tall,’ said Ron inconsequentially.

This is the first time we’ve heard Hermione call either one of the boys fancible..and it's targeted at Harry..remember last book when Ron is conflicted..does Hermione have a type? Is it like what Rita says? Famous people and what not...But we have a slightly different Ron..one that wants to prove himself..the reasons she points to Harry being fancible are traits Ron realizes he has... And guess what? I bet you 100 dollars that Lavender was not the only one who had a crush on Ron...I definitely think Harry had ‘admirers’ but I am willing to bet that so did Ron.. Harry would have more..by default..with the triwizard tournament ..now Hermione just ignoring Ron because in her mind she knows she likes Ron so she’s just educating Harry as to why people are trying out..not telling Harry that she is personally attracted to him..which of course Ron doesnt see this way 

What did surprise [Harry] was that when Ron drew level with them, Parvati suddenly nudged Lavender, who looked round and gave Ron a wide smile. Ron blinked at her, then returned the smile uncertainly. His walk instantly became something more like a strut. Harry resisted the temptation to laugh, remembering that Ron had refrained from doing so after Malfoy had broken Harry’s nose. Hermione, however, looked cold and distant all the way down to the stadium through the cool, misty drizzle, and departed to find a place in the stands without wishing Ron luck.

Like I said..a lot of girls probably crushed on Ron..but Ron..who still has no idea Hermione likes him..is surprised by one OUTWARDLY showing interest..and of course Hermione is jealous 

“You did brilliantly, Ron!” This time it really was Hermione running toward them from the stands; Harry saw Lavender walking off the pitch, arm in arm with Parvati, a rather grumpy expression on her face. Ron looked extremely pleased with himself and even taller than usual as he grinned at the team and at Hermione. -Chapter 11, U.S. 226

First time Hermione has complemented Ron...and his grin says everything.. 

“’Slug Club,’” repeated Ron with a sneer worthy of Malfoy. “It’s pathetic. Well, I hope you enjoy your party. Why don’t you try hooking up with McLaggen, then Slughorn can make you King and Queen slug-” “We’re allowed to bring guests,” said Hermione, who from some reason had turned a bright, boiling scarlet, “and I was going to ask you to come, but if you think it’s that stupid then I won’t bother.” Harry suddenly wished the pod had flown a little farther, so that he need not have been sitting here with the pair of them. Unnoticed by either, he seized the bowl that contained the pod and began to try and open it by the noisiest and most energetic means he could think of; unfortunately, he could still hear every word of their conversation. “You were going to ask me?” asked Ron, in a completely different voice. “Yes,” said Hermione angrily. “But obviously if you’d rather I hooked up with McLaggen…” There was a pause while Harry continued to pound the resilient pod with a trowl. “No, I wouldn’t,” said Ron, in a very quiet voice. -Chapter 14, U.S. 282

So...Ron is confused...the different voice says it all..Ron as of now has NO IDEA that Hermione likes him....Ron was upset in the beginning because this is just another thing trying to bring him down..it’s like the universe is trying to be like ‘Ron you’re not good enough’ when Hermione...goes out of her way to say she was going to ask him... he’s surprised..and now he’s thinking ..does Hermione ...do I have a chance with her after all? Keep in mind that she doesn’t actually ask him...So then they act nicer to eachother and it looks like this might just be the book they get together..as Hermione has now revealed that she does indeed like him

Ron and Harry were the last two in the changing room. They were just about to leave when Hermione entered. She was twisting her Gryffindor scarf in her hands and looked upset but determined. ‘I want a word with you, Harry.’ She took a deep breath. ‘You shouldn’t have done it. You heard Slughorn, it’s illegal.’ ‘What are you going to do, turn us in?’ demanded Ron. ‘What are you two talking about?’ asked Harry, turning away to hang up his robes so that neither of them would see him grinning. ‘You know perfectly well what we’re talking about!’ said Hermione shrilly. ‘You spiked Ron’s juice with lucky potion at breakfast! Felix Felicis!’ ‘No I didn’t,’ said Harry, turning back to face them both. ‘Yes you did, Harry, and that’s why everything went right, there were Slytherin players missing and Ron saved everything!

This is, I think, more damaging than Ginny doing what she did ...Ron has a thirst to prove himself with Hermione....and then they find out that he didn't have Felix Felicis... But Hermione yet again..is being book one Hermione..by logic..all the Slytherin players were missing..but that was just luck..hermione doesnt like luck... or horoscopes..or predictions..she doesnt think this way..she uses logic..so although she doesnt mean to in my opinion..she is taking a dig at Ron..it is harsh...and it is her character flaw..and of course Ron (and anyone else) is hurt by it..because it comes off more as a lack of faith in Ron’s abilities opposed to her just trying to logic the situation out.. 

Harry's snogged Cho Chang! And Hermione snogged Viktor Krum, it's only you who acts like it's something disgusting, Ron, and that's because you've got about as much experience as a twelve-year-old!"

Ron’s basically had it at this point. Hermione couldn't believe he was prefect...he makes the quidditch team..she can't believe he’s good... she’s called Harry this whole catch...he isn't in the slug club.. now he’s thinking..she doesnt even like me because, like I thought, she thinks im not good enough.originally it was like she might be shy..but no she isnt..she kissed Viktor...so .she was going to ask me to the dinner for what? for pity?and we have basically a Hermione yule ball reaction..Ron has had ENOUGH. he’s tired of it..he isnt trash..he has good traits..if she doesnt recognize them thats her loss..he’s not going to fight for her approval... so he kisses Lavender...because SHE has a crush on him..and she hasn't made it so bloody difficult and she likes him for being..well..Ron.. 

There was a horrible, swelling, billowing silence. Hermione was staring at Ron, who refused to look at her, but said with an odd mixture of bravado and awkwardness, "Hi, Harry! Wondered where you'd got to!" Hermione slid off the desk. The little flock of golden birds continued to twitter in circles around her head so that she looked like a strange, feathery model of the solar system. "You shouldn't keep Lavender waiting outside," she said quietly. "She'll wonder where you've gone." She walked very slowly and erectly toward the door. Harry glanced at Ron, who was looking relieved that nothing worse had happened. "Oppungo!" came a shriek from the doorway. Harry turned around to see Hermione pointing her wand at Ron, her expression wild: The little flock of birds was speeding like a hail of fat golden bullets toward Ron, who yelped and covered his face with his hands, but the birds attacked, pecking and clawing at every bit of flesh they could reach. "Gerremoffme!" he yelled, but with one last look of vindictive fury, Hermione wrenched open the door and disappeared through it. Harry thought he heard a sob before it slammed. -Chapter 14, U.S. 302

So now Ron feels awkward..because Hermione does not hide how she feels about this...but this isn’t just jealousy anymore...Hermione is UPSET. So now he’s thinking...she....she does like me? she did want to ask me because she likes me? but why is she like this then....and overall confusion..because now he has lavender..the first girl who has shown him outward interest...but he cannot hide that he DOES have feelings for Hermione..

Ron, whose hands and forearms still bore scratches and cuts from Hermione's bird attack, was taking a defensive and resentful tone. "She can't complain," he told Harry. "She snogged Krum. So she's found out someone wants to snog me too. Well, it's a free country. I haven't done anything wrong."-Chapter 15, U.S. 304

This is perfect... he’s basically saying...yeah I’m a catch too..whats the problem? 

“He’s at perfect liberty to kiss whomever he likes,” said Hermione, while the librarian, Madam Pince, prowled the shelves behind them. “I really couldn’t care less.” She raised her quill and dotted an i so ferociously that she punctured a hole in her parchment.-Chapter 15, U.S. 305

so she’s clearly upset..but you know Hermione, she doesnt admit these things. 

"Hi, Parvati!" said Hermione, ignoring Ron and Lavender completely. "Are you going to Slughorn's party tonight?" "No invite," said Parvati gloomily. "I'd love to go, though, it sounds like it's going to be really good... You're going, aren't you?" "Yes, I'm meeting Cormac at eight, and we're -" There was a noise like a plunger being withdrawn from a blocked sink and Ron surfaced. Hermione acted as though she had not seen or heard anything. "- we're going up to the party together." "Cormac?" said Parvati. "Cormac McLaggen, you mean?" "That's right," said Hermione sweetly. "The one who almost" - she put a great deal of emphasis on the word - "became Gryffindor Keeper." "Are you going out with him, then?" asked Parvati, wide-eyed. "Oh - yes - didn't you know?" said Hermione, with a most un-Hermione-ish giggle. "No!" said Parvati, looking positively agog at this piece of gossip. "Wow, you like your Quidditch players, don't you? First Krum, then McLaggen..." "I like really good Quidditch players," Hermione corrected her, still smiling. "Well, see you... Got to go and get ready for the party..." -Chapter 15, U.S. 313

Here we see a different side of Hermione..a mean Hermione...now...this is HONESTLY typical 16 year old behaviour...and although its mean..its pretty SPOT ON to how a 16 year old girl would react to a guy she likes..a guy she thought she told she likes..a guy who revealed that he likes her ... getting it on with another girl right after (unaware of Ginny)...and well not seeing what was wrong with her whole Felix nonsense... 

“Did you have a good Christmas?” “Yeah,” said Ron at once, “pretty eventful, Rufus Scrim -” “I’ve got something for you, Harry,” said Hermione, neither looking at Ron nor giving any sign that she had heard him. -Chapter 17, U.S. 351

This is interesting...Hermione is being really mean to Ron during this time..giving him shit..now a couple of chapters ago Ron would have been really hurt by her words..to a point to where he wouldn't talk to her..but now Ron is realizing just how mad she is at the lavender ordeal..and he’s realizing..she’s this mad..it means well..she likes me... so he’s taking all the shit she’s giving him because he now KNOWS she’s trying to piss him off. 

Hermione gave an almost inaudible sniff. She had been exceptionally quiet all day. Having hurtled, white-faced, up to Harry outside the hospital wing and demanded to know what had happened, she had taken almost no part in Harry and Ginny's obsessive discussion about how Ron had been poisoned, but merely stood behind them, clench-jawed and frightened-looking, until at last they had been allowed in to see him. -Chapter 19, U.S. 400

So now Ron has been poisoned..and Hermione has been a bitch to him for the past 2 months...and now she feels guilty..because the reason she's been a bitch to him is because he hurt her..because she likes him..because he decided to be with another girl when she thought they were going to finally become a thing...and now she puts her own personal anger aside because above all else Ron is her friend and she does love him.... and she does care for him and she always will.. 

"Er-my-nee," croaked Ron unexpectedly from between them. -Chapter 19, U.S. 402

Well now Hermione is well...Ron just exposed himself..so she knows him being with Lavender doesnt mean he doesnt like her... 

He stopped talking very suddenly. Lavender Brown was standing at the foot of the marble staircase looking thunderous. "Hi," said Ron nervously. "C'mon," Harry muttered to Hermione, and they sped past, though not before they heard Lavender say, "Why didn't you tell me you were getting out today? And why was she with you?" Ron looked both sulky and annoyed when he appeared at breakfast half an hour later, and though he sat with Lavender, Harry did not see them exchange a word all the time they were together. Hermione was acting as though she was quite oblivious to all of this, but once or twice Harry saw an inexplicable smirk cross her face. -Chapter 20, U.S. 425

Now..Lavender doesnt deserve this but it so so sparingly typical 16 year old girl behaviour...that its like ..refreshing..Hermione..although smart..and responsible..is still a teen girl...the guy she likes is fighting with his girlfriend about her..and his girlfriend is jealous of her... and he said her name in his sleep...she’s like yess f you lavender..stay away from MY MAN..thats right be jealous..and her seeing Ron unhappy with it..it’s like yep he wants me dont forget it. 

"How d'you spell 'belligerent'?" said Ron, shaking his quill very hard while staring at his parchment. "It can't be B - U - M -" "No, it isn't," said Hermione, pulling Ron's essay toward her. "And 'augury' doesn't being O - R -G either. What kind of quill are you using?" "It's one of Fred and George's spell-check ones... but I think the charm must be wearing off..." "Yes, it must," said Hermione, pointing at the title of his essay, "because we were asked how we'd deal with dementors, not 'Dugbogs,' and I don't remember you changing your name to 'Roonil Wazlib' either." "Ah no!" said Ron, staring horror-struck at the parchment. "Don't say I'll have to write the whole thing out again!" "It's okay, we can fix it," said Hermione, pulling the essay toward her and taking out her wand. "I love you, Hermione," said Ron, sinking back in his chair, rubbing his eyes wearily. Hermione turned faintly pink, but merely said, "Don't let Lavender hear you saying that." -Chapter 21, U.S. 449

Yep... he likes me ... she's thinking.. and of course she brings up lavender because she wants him to end it with her 

"No joy," said Harry, as Ron joined them. "Bad luck, mate, but you'll pass next time - we can take it together."

"Yeah, I s'pose," said Ron grumpily. "But half an eyebrow! Like that matters!" "I know," said Hermione soothingly, "it does seem really harsh..." -Chapter 22, U.S. 476

Hermione showing affection now because she knows Ron likes her.. 

"Ron, you're making it snow," said Hermione patiently, grabbing his wrist and redirecting his wand away from the ceiling from which, sure enough, large white flakes had started to fall. Lavender Brown, Harry noticed, glared at Hermione from a neighboring table through very red eyes, and Hermione immediately let go of Ron's arm. "Oh yeah," said Ron, looking down at his shoulders in vague surprise. "Sorry... looks like we've all got horrible dandruff now..." He brushed some of the fake snow off Hermione's shoulder. Lavender burst into tears. -Chapter 24, U.S. 514

I feel sorry for lavender here and I think Ron and Hermione also feel guilty...but now they’re over...and they both kind of know what’s up.. 

Ron, he saw, was now holding Hermione and stroking her hair while she sobbed into his shoulder, tears dripping from the end of his own long nose. -Chapter 30, U.S. 647

And now we see more relationship-y affection... 

Ron tripped dazedly toward Harry and Hermione. "You're okay," he mumbled, before Hermione flew at him and hugged him tightly. "I thought - I thought -" "'M all right," said Ron, patting her on the back. "'M fine." "Ron was great," said Tonks warmly, reliquishing her hold on Lupin. "Wonderful. Stunned one of the Death Eaters, straight to the head, and when you're aiming at a moving target from a flying broom -" "You did?" said Hermione, gazing up at Ron with her arms still around his neck. "Always the tone of surprise," he said a little grumpily, breaking free. -Chapter 5, U.S. 76

So now we have different setting..there is a war approaching..seriousness..but they’re physically showing more affection then we have seen... their exchanges are no longer friend exchanges... but people who have a clear interest in eachother 

Don't!" squealed Hermione. Startled, Harry looked over just in time to see her burst into tears over her copy of Spellman's Syllabary. "Oh no," said Harry, struggling to get up from the old camp bed. "Hermione, I wasn't trying to upset -" But with a great creaking of rusty bedsprings, Ron bounded off the bed and got there first. One arm around Hermione, he fished in his jeans pocket and withdrew a revolting-looking handkerchief that he had used to clean out the oven earlier. Hastily pulling out his wand, he pointed it at the rag and said, "Tergeo." The wand siphoned off most of the grease. Looking rather pleased with himself, Ron handed the slightly smoking handkerchief to Hermione. "Oh... thanks, Ron... I'm sorry..." She blew her nose and hiccuped. "It's just so awful, isn't it? R-right after Dumbledore... I j-just never imagined Mad-Eye dying, somehow, he seemed so tough!" "Yeah, I know," said Ron, giving her a squeeze. "But you know what he'd say to us if he was here?" "'C-constant vigilance,'" said Hermione, mopping her eyes. "That's right," said Ron, nodding. "He'd tell us to learn from what happened to him. And what I've learned is not to trust that cowardly little squit, Mundungus." Hermione gave a shaky laugh and leaned forward to pick up two more books. - Chapter 6, U.S. 94

And now we see...sensitive Ron..it’s so strange to see after all these books..but it makes sense.. this is a more serious time..and they’re older..and then of course..the book he read... I think his experience with Lavender was basically the kick that told him..you know what..I’m going to show this girl how much I like her..because I know she feels something for me..so I’m going to woo her over.. 

"This isn't your average book," said Ron. "It's pure gold: Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches. Explains everything you need to know about girls. If only I'd had this last year I'd have known exactly how to get rid of Lavender and I would've known how to get going with... Well, Fred and George gave me a copy, and I've learned a lot. You'd be surprised, it's not all about wandwork, either."- Chapter 7, U.S. 113

Hermione is confusing you can't blame him honestly. 

Hermione made purple and gold streamers erupt from the end of her wand and drape themselves artistically over the trees and bushes. "Nice," said Ron, as with one final flourish of her wand, Hermione turned the leaves on the crabapple tree to gold. "You've really got an eye for that sort of thing." "Thank you, Ron!" said Hermione, looking both pleased and a little confused.- Chapter 7, U.S. 118

Definitely taken from the book..but its great..it shows Ron taking initiative with Hermione..he’s trying to figure out how to get his friend to become his girlfriend...so this whole starting to be more romantic slowly thing..it’s perfect... 

Hermione looked pleasurably flustered, but this time Krum had not come to compliment her. With a scowl on his face he said, "Who is that man in the yellow?" "That's Xenophilius Lovegood, he's the father of a friend of ours," said Ron. His pugnacious tone indicated that they were not about to laugh at Xenophilius, despite the clear provocation. "Come and dance," he added abruptly to Hermione. She looked taken aback, but pleased too, and got up. They vanished together into the growing throng on the dance floor. "Ah, they are together now?" asked Krum, momentarily distracted. "Er - sort of," said Harry. -Chapter 8, U.S. 147

I like that he doesn’t even ask her... this is what we see for the first time...a less teenager like Ron and a more adult like Ron.. 

"You're amazing, you are," said Ron, handing her his bundled up robes. "Thank you," said Hermione, managing a small smile as she pushed the robes into the bags.- Chapter 9, U.S. 162

We see that Ron is indeed a gentleman when he wants to be..and that he is capable of being emotionally mature 

"Family safe, do not reply, we are being watched." The Patronus dissolved into nothingness. Ron let out a noise between a whimper and a groan and dropped onto the sofa: Hermione joined him, gripping his arm. "They're all right, they're all right!" she whispered, and Ron half laughed and hugged her. - Chapter 9, U.S. 173

More outward physical affection.. 

Harry glanced over at the dark shapes they made on the floor beside him. Ron had a fit of gallantry and insisted that Hermione sleep on the cushions from the sofa, so that her silhouette was raised above his. Her arm curved to the floor, her finger's inches from Ron's. Harry wondered whether they had fallen asleep holding hands. - Chaper 10, U.S. 176

Yes they did...and it was 100% Ron who instigated it... 

Ron glanced at Hermione, then said, "What if purebloods and half-bloods swear a Muggle-born's part of their family? I'll tell everyone Hermione's my cousin -" Hermione covered Ron's hand with hers and squeezed it. "Thank you, Ron, but I couldn't let you -" "You won't have a choice," said Ron fiercely, gripping her hand back. "I'll teach you my family tree so you can answer questions on it." - Chapter 11, U.S. 209

Outward physical affection between them...as we see Ron is not shy to grip her hand right back. 

"Don't look at me like that!" he snapped at Hermione. "Don't you start on her!" snarled Ron.- Chapter 11, U.S. 215

Ron making it clear that although they are all friends..Hermione is his love interest and he won’t let guys disrespect her..even if it’s Harry.. 

"Snape could send Phineas Nigellus to look inside this house for him," Hermione explained to Ron as she resumed her seat. "But let him try it now, all Phineas Nigellus will be able to see is the inside of my handbag." "Good thinking!" said Ron, looking impressed. "Thank you," smiled Hermione, pulling her soup toward her.- Chapter 12, U.S. 228

Some more 12 fail safe action..Ron...even in the midst of all of this..remembers to pay Hermione compliments because well..he wants to be a gentleman to her.. 

Respect?" Harry repeated, but Hermione shot him a warning look; apparently he was not to argue with Ron while the latter was in such a weakened condition.- Chapter 14, U.S. 273

Same as Ron..Hermione makes it clear that even though they’re all friends... Ron is not to be mistreated because that is well..her man.. 

Hermione was watching Ron fret over the fate of the Cameroles, and there was such tenderness in her expression that Harry felt as if he had surprised her in the act of kissing him.- Chapter 14, U.S. 274

So like has now turned into love... Ron..who has been paying her compliments..shown his maturity..and now his amazing character..has indeed one over the love of Hermione Granger 

Ron wrenched the chain from over his head and cast the locket into a nearby chair. He turned to Hermione. "What are you doing?" "What do you mean? "Are you staying, or what?" "I..." She looked anguished. "Yes - yes, I'm staying. Ron, we said we'd go with Harry, we said we'd help -" "I get it. You choose him." "Ron, no - please - come back, come back!" She was impeded by her own Shield Charm; by the time she had removed it, he had already stormed into the night. Harry stood quite still and silent, listening to her sobbing and calling Ron's name amongst the trees. After a few minutes she returned, her sopping hair plastered to her face. "He's g-g-gone! Disapparated!" She threw herself into a chair, curled up, and started to cry.- Chapter 15, U.S. 309

Ron..even with the influence of the locket.. did not forget about Hermione..he asked her..even with the locket telling him that Hermione didn't care about him..and her staying just validating the locket. Hermione is now devastated at this point..because he was JUST gentleman Ron..just making jokes...just showing her that he cared..how could he switch so quickly? Of course...the locket..she knows its the locket.. she feels down with it as well..it keeps telling her about her parents..how she will never fit in the wizarding world as a muggle born..but she never had any doubts about Ron...Ron only gave her doubts when Lavender.. and that ended...this locket picks up on INSECURITIES... Hermione is a confident young woman when it comes to her relationships..her fears are in not doing well...not in how others perceive her..and we know how Harry was.. his insecurity was that people doubted him..the boy who lied...now we have Ron..his insecurities is that he is not good enough..not for Harry..not for Hermione...and that he was useless..why take part of a war you dont contribute to? He’s holding them BACK. With his injury...He is RUINING their chances of defeating voldemort..they would be better without him... its SHOULD be the two of them..everyone else thinks so.....so he leaves...and she doesnt reach Ron in time...the moment the lockets off he realizes...what he’d done..his love for them has always ALWAYS conquered his insecurities..but its too late. 

"Why return? We were better without you, happier without you, glad of your absence... We laughed at your stupidity, your cowardice, your presumption -" "Presumption!" echoed the Riddle-Hermione, who was more beautiful and yet more terrible than the real Hermione: She swayed, cackling, before Ron, who looked horrified yet transfixed, the sword hanging pointlessly at his side. "Who could look at you, who would ever look at you, beside Harry Potter? What have you ever done, compared with the Chosen One? What are you, compared with the Boy Who Lived?" "Ron, stab it, STAB IT!" Harry yelled, but Ron did not move: His eyes were wide, and the Riddle-Harry and Riddle-Hermione were reflected in them, their hair swirling like flames, their eyes shining red, their voices lifted in an evil duet. "Your mother confessed," sneered Riddle-Harry, while Riddle-Hermione jeered, "that she would have preferred me as a son, would be glad to exchange..." "Who wouldn't prefer him, what woman would take you, you are nothing, nothing, nothing to him," crooned Riddle-Hermione, and she stretched like a snake and entwined herself around Riddle-Harry, wrapping him in a close embrace: Their lips met. On the ground in front of them, Ron's face filled with anguish. He raised the sword high, his arms shaking. "Do it, Ron!" Harry yelled. Ron looked toward him, and Harry thought he saw a trace of scarlet in his eyes. "Ron -?" The sword flashed, plunged: Harry threw himself out of the way, there was a clang of metal and a long, drawn-out scream. Harry whirled around, slipping in the snow, wand held ready to defend himself: but there was nothing to fight. The monstrous versions of himself and Hermione were gone: There was only Ron, standing there with the sword held slackly in his hand, looking down at the shattered remains of the locket on the flat rock. Slowly, Harry walked back to him, hardly knowing what to say or do. Ron was breathing heavily: His eyes were no longer red at all, but their normal blue; they were also wet. Harry stooped, pretending he had not seen, and picked up the broken Horcrux. Ron had pierced the glass in both windows: Riddle's eyes were gone, and the stained silk lining of the locket was smoking slightly. The thing that had lived in the Horcrux had vanished; torturing Ron had been its final act. The sword clanged as Ron dropped it. He had sunk to his knees, his head in his arms. He was shaking, but not, Harry realized, from cold. Harry crammed the broken locket into his pocket, knelt down beside Ron, and placed a hand cautiously on his shoulder. He took it as a good sign that Ron did not throw it off. "After you left," he said in a low voice, grateful for the fact that Ron's face was hidden, "she cried for a week. Probably longer, only she didn't want me to see. There were loads of nights when we never even spoke to each other. With you gone..." He could not finish it; it was only now that Ron was here again that Harry fully realized how much his absence had cost them. "She's like my sister," he went on. "I love her like a sister and I reckon she feels the same way about me. It's always been like that. I thought you knew."- Chapter 19, U.S. 375

Like I said... 

She saw Ron, who stood there holding the sword and dripping onto the threadbare carpet. Harry backed into a shadowy corner, slipped off Ron's rucksack, and attempted to blend in with the canvas. Hermione slid out of her bunk and moved like a sleepwalker toward Ron, her eyes upon his pale face. She stopped right in front of him, her lips slightly parted, her eyes wide. Ron gave a weak, hopeful smile and half raised his arms. Hermione launched herself forward and started punching every inch of him that she could reach. "Ouch - ow - gerroff! What the -? Hermione - OW!" "You - complete - arse - Ronald - Weasley!" She punctuated every word with a blow: Ron backed away, shielding his head as Hermione advanced. "You - crawl - back - here - after - weeks - and - weeks - oh, where's my wand?" She looked as though ready to wrestle it out of Harry's hands and he reacted instictively. "Protego!" The invisible shield erupted between Ron and Hermione: The force of it knocked her backward onto the floor. Spitting hair out of her mouth, she leapt up again. "Hermione!" Harry said. "Calm -" "I will not calm down!" she screamed. Never before had he seen her lose control like this; she looked quite demented. "Give me back my wand! Give it to me!" "Hermione, will you please -" "Don't you tell me what to do, Harry Potter!" she screeched. "Don't you dare! Give it back now! And YOU!" She was pointing at Ron in dire accusation: It was like a malediction, and Harry could not blame Ron for retreating several steps. "I came running after you! I called you! I begged you to come back!" "I know," Ron said, "Hermione, I'm sorry, I'm really -" "Oh, you're sorry!" She laughed, a high pitched, out-of-control sound; Ron looked at Harry for help, but Harry merely grimaced his helplessness. "You come back after weeks - weeks - and you think it's all going to be all right if you say sorry?" "Well, what else can I say?" Ron shouted, and Harry was glad that Ron was fighting back. "Oh, I don't know!" yelled Hermione with awful sarcasm. "Rack your brains, Ron, that should only take a couple of seconds -" "Hermione," interjected Harry, who considered this a lot blow, "he just saved my -" "I don't care!" she screamed. "I don't care what he's done! Weeks and weeks, we could have been dead for all he knew -" "I knew you weren't dead!" bellowed Ron, drowning her voice for the first time, and approaching as close as he could with the Shield Charm between them. "Harry's all over the Prophet, all over the radio, they're looking for you everywhere, all these rumors and mental stories, I knew I'd hear straight off if you were dead, you don't know what it's been like -" "What it's been like for you?" Her voice was now so shrill only bats would be able to hear it soon, but she had reached a level of indignation that rendered her temporarily speechless, and Ron seized his opportunity. "I wanted to come back the minute I'd Disapparated, but I walked straight into a gang of Snatchers, Hermione, and I couldn't go anywhere!"- Chapter 19, U.S. 379

So Hermione is obviously being cruel..but its justified..he hurt her..she loves him and he left her...but he explains... and of course she hasn't witnessed what we and Harry all have

When Hermione returned to her bunk, Harry lowered his voice. "You only agreed to try and get back in her good books." "All's fair in love and war," said Ron brightly, "and this is a bit of both."- Chapter 20, U.S. 396

Ron has revealed he loves her.. 

"Get - off - her!" Ron shouted. There was the unmistakable sound of knuckles hitting flesh: Ron grunted in pain and Hermione screamed, "No! Leave him alone, leave him alone!" "Your boyfriend's going to have worse than that done to him if he's on my list," said the horribly familiar, rasping voice.- Chapter 23, U.S. 447

Take these prisoners down to the cellar, Greyback." "Wait," said Bellatrix sharply. "All except... except for the Mudblood." Greyback gave a grunt of pleasure. "No!" shouted Ron. "You can have me, keep me!" Bellatrix hit him across the face; the blow echoed around the room. "If she dies under questioning, I'll take you next," she said.- Chapter 23, U.S. 463

"Reckon she'll let me have a bit of the girl when she's finished with her?" Greyback crooned as he forced them along the corridor. "I'd say I'll get a bite or two, wouldn't you, ginger?" Harry could feel Ron shaking.- Chapter 23, U.S. 463

The echoing bang of the slammed cellar door had not died away before there was a terrible, drawn-out scream from directly above them. "HERMIONE!" Ron bellowed, and he started to writhe and struggle against the ropes tying them together, so that Harry staggered. "HERMIONE!" "Be quiet!" Harry said. "Shut up, Ron, we need to work out a way -" "HERMIONE! HERMIONE!"

- Chapter 23, U.S. 464

I'm going to ask you again! Where did you get this sword? Where?" "We found it - we found it - PLEASE!" Hermione screamed again: Ron struggled harder than ever, and the rusty nail slipped onto Harry's wrist.

- Chapter 23, U.S. 465

From above came Bellatrix's voice. "You are lying, filthy Mudblood, and I know it! You have been inside my vault at Gringotts! Tell the truth, tell the truth!" Another terrible scream - "HERMIONE!" "What else did you take? What else have you got? Tell me the truth or, I swear, I shall run you through with this knife!" "There!" Harry felt the ropes fall away and turned, rubbing his wrists, to see Ron running around the cellar, looking up at the low ceiling, searching for a trapdoor.

- Chapter 23, U.S. 465

"What else did you take, what else? ANSWER ME! CRUCIO!" Hermione's screams echoed off the walls upstairs, Ron was half sobbing as he pounded the walls with his fists [...]

- Chapter 23, U.S. 466

He tilted the shard of mirror this way and that, and saw nothing reflected there but the walls and ceiling of their prison, and upstairs Hermione was screaming worse than ever, and next to him Ron was bellowing, "HERMIONE! HERMIONE!"

"And I think," said Bellatrix's voice, "we can dispose of the Mudblood. Greyback, take her if you want her." "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Ron had burst into the drawing room; Bellatrix looked around, shocked; she turned her wand to face Ron instead -- Chapter 23, U.S. 472

Ron doesn't care about anything else here..not the greater good..not the war..not Voldemort..just Hermione..and now we SEE that Ron truly loves this woman...he disarms Bellatrix..in this moment he doesnt CARE who it is..and all he is focused on is Hermione ..this shows the readers that Ron...does not view as Hermione as just a crush..or a girl he likes..or a friend...he loves Hermione to a point no one else in that room does.. 

Hermione was wrapped in a borrowed dressing gown, pale and unsteady on her feet; Ron put an arm around her when she reached him.- Chapter 24, U.S. 480

He is her comfort...and we now know that its Ron and Hermione... 

And then he skidded around a final corner and with a yell of mingled relief and fury he saw them: Ron and Hermione, both with their arms full of large, curved, dirty yellow objects, Ron with a broomstick under his arm. "Where the hell have you been?" Harry shouted. "Chamber of Secrets," said Ron. "Chamber - what?" said Harry, coming to an unsteady halt before them. "It was Ron, all Ron's idea!" said Hermione breathlessly. "Wasn't it absolutely brilliant? There we were, after you left, and I said to Ron, even if we find the other one, how are we going to get rid of it? We still hadn't got rid of the cup! And then he thought of it! The basilisk!" "What the -?" "Something to get rid of Horcruxes," said Ron simply. Harry's eyes dropped to the objects clutched in Ron and Hermione's arms; great curved fangs, torn, he now realized, from the skull of a dead basilisk. "But how did you get in there?" he asked, staring from the fangs to Ron. "You need to speak Parseltongue!" "He did!" whispered Hermione. "Show him, Ron!" Ron made a horrible strangled hissing noise. "It's what you did to open the locket," he told Harry apologetically. "I had to have a few goes to get it right, but," he shrugged modestly, "we got there in the end." "He was amazing!" said Hermione. "Amazing!"- Chapter 31, U.S. 623

A twist...Hermione complimenting Ron... and we see huge character growth in Ron..instead of basking in it..he is being nonchalant ...because its bigger than his insecurities now..and he knows it’s about just keeping Hermione safe and ending this war 

Hang on a moment!" said Ron sharply. "We've forgotten someone!" "Who?" asked Hermione. "The house-elves, they'll all be down in the kitchen, won't they?" "You mean we ought to get them fighting?" asked Harry. "No," said Ron seriously, "I mean we should tell them to get out. We don't want any more Dobbies, do we? We can't order them to die for us -" There was a clatter as the basilisk fangs cascaded out of Hermione's arms. Running at Ron, she flung them around his neck and kissed him full on the mouth. Ron threw away the fangs and broomstick he was holding and responded with such enthusiasm that he lifted Hermione off her feet. "Is this the moment?" Harry asked weakly, and when nothing happened except Ron and Hermione gripped each other still more firmly and swayed on the spot, he raised his voice. "OI! There's a war going on here!" Ron and Hermione broke apart, their arms still around each other. "I know, mate," said Ron, who looked as though he had recently been hit on the back of the head with a Bludger, "so it's now or never, isn't it?" "Never mind that, what about the Horcrux?" Harry shouted. "D'you think you could just - just hold it in until we've got the diadem?" "Yeah - right - sorry," said Ron, and he and Hermione set about gathering up fangs, both pink in the face.- Chapter 31, U.S. 625

And its official...they might die..they know they love eachother...and Hermione..overridden by passion has done the most un-Hermione-ish thing...she has kissed Ron...in the middle of a war..and Ron is eager..and this is it..they know it's them..he knows he likes her..she knows he likes him...and they might lose eachother..and so they kiss..and it’s with passion..because they love eachother... 

Rose, who was already wearing her brand-new Hogwarts robes, beamed at him. "Parked all right, then?" Ron asked Harry. "I did. Hermione didn't believe I could pass a Muggle driving test, did you? She though I'd have to Confund the examiner." "No, I didn't," said Hermione, "I had complete faith in you." "As a matter of fact, I did Confund him," Ron whispered to Harry, as together they lifted Albus's trunk and owl onto the train. "I only forgot to look in the wing mirror, and let's face it, I can use a Supersensory Charm for that." Back on the platform, they found Lily and Hugo, Rose's younger brother, having an animated discussion about which House they would be sorted into when they finally went to Hogwarts. "If you're not in Gryffindor, we'll disinherit you," said Ron, "but no pressure." "Ron!" - Epilogue, U.S. 755

Ron although talking about Hermione's lack of faith in him...does it in a much different way than we’ve seen in the books..he’s teasing..and now the audience sees a more confident Ron...he admits yeah she’s right I had confund him..but he doesnt care..because he knows himself now..and hes an adult and he has children with the love of his life, Hermione Granger 

"So that's little Scorpius," said Ron under his breath. "Make sure you beat him at every test, Rosie. Thank God you inherited your mother's brains."

"Ron, for heaven's sake," said Hermione, half stern, half amused. "Don't try to turn them against each other before they've even started school!" "You're right," said Ron, but unable to help himself, he added, "Don't get too friendly with him, though, Rosie. Granddad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pureblood."- Epilogue, U.S. 756

Adorable. We get an extended version of the Ron that complimented Hermione in deathly Hallows...and it just shows that they now have a very healthy relationship 

In conclusion, there is serious growth that happens in the both of the, ...and their development is one of the best relationship developments I have ever read... we are reading about teenagers here...how many 14 year old relationships do you take seriously? I think them getting together at the last book was perfect...and their characters are so obviously made well for eachother.. Thanks for reading!

[iam-kenough]

Will  you ever notice me? Arthur Morgan x Original Female Character

Summary:  During they wandering in deep snowstorm, man from van  der Linde gang found odd looking girl and Dutch decides to take her to  camp to see if she can be any use, leading life of outlaw with them.  Quickly, new girl develops feelings towards Arthur, but he sees her just  as a kid...and she won't take that! It's an original character story  that starts in the place where Arthur, Dutch and Micah were supposed to  first meet with Sadie. Instead she's already with them.  

Authors notes: In this chapter I placed big/small (it’s you to decide) crossover, it doesn’t change the plot but I felt like it would be a good wink to others from Witcher’s fandom. If I could give my OC voice it would be this one from quoted song. It’s another chapter and you can find the rest of chapter on my blog if you want to read more of my fanfiction. I decided to post all parts I have at once so the fic could catch more attention. Words count: 2238 Chapter 7 At first he thought Iris is really gonna wait for him. He was telling himself that she just wanted some space and she moved to let himself think. But then, once, when he was lying in his bed it hit him. She told you that just to make it dumping her easier for you, you old fool. She won't wait for you and you let her go. And this realisation made him cry for brief moment. He just hurt another woman in his life. You stole her first kiss, Arthur Morgan. No, he couldn't sleep now. He was the worst. He walked down the stairs and went to the garden to smoke a cigarette and clean his head. And then he noticed that  under his favourite tree Iris is drawing something in her journal. She was singing too, something that sounded like a lullaby. He decided to listen to her before walking at her like that.

Wolves asleep amidst the trees Bats all a swaying in the breeze But one soul lies anxious wide awake Fearing no manner of ghouls, hags and wraiths For your dolly Polly sleep has flown Don't dare let her tremble alone For the witcher, heartless, cold Paid in coin of gold He comes he'll go leave naught behind But heartache and woe Deep, deep woe

- Nice song - he cleared his throat - but who is  a witcher? Iris's heart jumped right to her throat and so did her arms. She looked at him with the coldest manner she had. - It's a bad guy from a tale about himself. He lives in kings and queens times and he slaughters monsters, like...Ghosts and things like that. No one likes witcher's though. They are scary. - Never heard of it. Sounds interesting. - I can borrow you a book. He's in love with a witch with violet eyes and black hair. Really pretty one. - I am not much of a person who likes books - he laughed and then dragged from cigarette - too stupid for that. - If you say so, Mr Morgan - she closed her journal and got up, cleaning her dress from any grass and sand - Anyway, it's you seat. Sorry for taking it, it's free now. - Wait - he grabbed her wrist. He just didn't know what to do next - you have something in your hair - was all he said, using the most awkward manner to pick ''something'' from her hair and throw it away. - Thank you? - she looked at him rather startled. - I-I actually wanted to talk to you? If you have time. - There isn't much to talk about these days. Only Dutch has a lot to say to me, he keeps talking about Tahiti and mangoes. He's crazy, he doesn't even know where freakin' Tahiti is. - Neither do I, sweetheart. - You don't wanna go there without even bare skills of finding it on world's map, Mr Morgan. - I feel like you change the subject and I really need to talk to you, Iris. She sighed and nodded her head. It was just normal courtesy but he couldn't read thru it and started talking. -  I feel like you avoiding me. - Really now? I'm sorry. - You said you are gonna wait to let me think but then ya don't talk much to me. It's not like I am thinking about it constantly and I'm gonna overheat talking to you at the same time - he rambled. That was bad choice of words. - I am not thinking about you, I-I mean I think about you a lot, b-but not this way...- was all he babbled. It was even worse! - I see you could use some sleep, Mr Morgan. You don't make much sense - Iris patted his arm with the friendlier manner she could force herself to and  she left Arthur faster than the light. He was a fool meant to die alone. Arthur started to write a lot in his journal. Whole pages were covered  with words. If he could only speak so swiftly he would win Iris back already but all he could do was watching her from afar. She stopped taking any jobs that meant being with him, she hunted alone and when she needed help with anything she was asking Dutch straight away, even when Arthur was next to her and Dutch sat in his tent. Iris and Arthur were good friends but now they wasn't even strangers. She actually talked more to Micah than to him. And it hurt but he didn't know what to do when he could speak with Iris. It was his lack of communication. All he could think about was Iris's birthday happening today and he decided to go to the city to buy her a gift. But what would she liked? He had actually this much money that if she liked a boat, he could buy one. But boat didn't seem right. She was strong, yet femine. And smart, she knew a lot. Maybe perfumes? Nah, she smelled good enough for him. Then maybe a book? Arthur gulped while thinking how hard it's gonna be to buy a book for Iris. - Good morning, my birthday girl! - Mary- Beth chirped, trying to wake Iris up - I have something what you gonna like! - More hours of sleep and something to eat? - Yes! Kind of. I bought you cookies. But it's not what I really have. She handed Iris small tissue and girl unfolded it. There was silver pendant inside, with small emerald blinking in sunlight. - It's beautiful! You totally stole it, Mary - Beth! - I totally diid - she sang and cuddled her friend - Isn't that romantic? I steal for you, I mend your heart, soon and we gonna be married. - It actually is quite romantic. And to be honest we are free people. I would marry you. - I know you would, I am sweetest one. Ain't I? Tell me I am! - You are dearest to me, Mary-Beth. And this is absolutely the greatest thing I ever got for birthday. - It matches your eyes~!Arthur was gone for the whole day. He was running from shop to shop. After few hours he choosed one dress, but he also saw a beautiful haircomb, with carved elements and subtle. He wasn't sure for what he should settle and decided it's not gonna be a dress when lady in shop looked at him weirdly because when she asked Arthur for size, he told that he could embrace Iris's waist with his arm. He decided to be braver than usually and decided to enter book shop. - Er, g'day sir -Arthur scratched his chin - Do you have some books for person who likes to study...biology? - Biology, sir? - Well, my wife - he quickly noticed how sweet if would sound if was reall - she enrolled to university and she's gonna be a doctor, she's really smart you know and I wanted buy something...proper. - I think I have something just right for you, sir. It was indeed right.-Mary-Beth! - Iris jumped quickly in her direction and dragged her to nearest bush she saw. Her breath was heavy. - What, what? - Look what I had found - she spoken in with deadly serious manner. And the case was serious. She just noticed Arthur's journal left in his room. - Is it...? - Yes and I know we shouldn't but I don't have any decency - she straightened up proudly - so we gonna read it. And so they opened journal and was searching thru it for any appearance of Iri's name. At first it wasn't anything harmful and Arthur wrote about her as ''kid'' or ''new kid'' but right after what happened between them few days ago they could read something very disturbing. It was almost the worst Iris could imagine. In this note Arthur more or less compared her to Eliza and Marry. - ''She seems so similar to Eliza. She is just more nervous and frivolous. I think that maybe there isn't any more woman with Eliza's calm temper. I keep telling myself it's Eliza's ghost'' - quoted Iris and Mary-Beth squeaked with shock. - Look there ''I kissed her today and it was weird feeling. She doesn't seem to know what to do and with Mary it was easier'' son of a bitch, that's harsh. - He's right, you know. I can't kiss. I've got another one - Iris seemed not to be bothered. Yet. She just was in this adrenaline rush that made her laugh at it - ''She moved away from our room. I thought about it a lot, she's just a liar and she won't be back''. - Aren't you sad, Iris? - Mary-Beth looked at her with worry. She didn't know what she would do if she would read her lovers journal and found things like that. -Sad? Never. I expected him to say things like that. More mad...I feel used. Kind of like he tried me but didn't likt the taste after all. In early evening Arthur got back to camp with a gift covered in some fancy paper and heavy heart pounding in chest like bird in cage. He noticed that everyone is gathered. - Ladies and gentelman - Mary-Beth was standing on the log like she was giving a speech, with beer in her hand and Iris under her arm - Can I talk to all of you for a minute? - I guess you can - Micah said grumpily. - Thank you. As you all probably know it's my girlfriend's birtday today - she cuddled Iris to herself. Girl had big flower crown on her head. It was another gift to cheer her up after what they discovered and Arthur had to say he looked like a pixie or like elve from fairy tale - and thank's to Dutch we have a lot of beer... - Thanks, Dutch - Iris chimed in and sent man a kiss. -...and Mr Pearson cooked today something that doesn't taste awful, I think it was a gift for our birthday girl... Everyone bursted into laugh. Except Pearson. - Ya will starve, missy - he snarled. - ...and I totally stole this necklace for her and don't you think it's romantic? Laughs again. - ...and since I think he can, Dutch will gave us marriage today and we gonna be first married couple here... - I don't think I can - Dutch said humorously and dragged from his cigarette. - I think you will have to, she really wants that - Iris said pretending she's whispering. Mary-Beth cuddled her closer. - And I hope everyone is gonna have fun, thank you very much, woohoo! - She said as she kissed Iris in front of everybody, then their bottles clicked and the fun begin. At first it was mainly girls but later almost everyone joined the party. Beer was cold, night was warm and Iris danced a lot, around the campfire, making pirouettes and laughing sweetely. Beer and fun made her forget. And she couldn't care less.But after few hours man 'round there were too drunk, their hands becoming jazzy and she dissapeared under her favourite tree with journal and pencil. - I was thinking you gonna be there - Arthur appeared from god knows where. He seemed in weirdly good mood and she was drunk enough to handle this conversation with class. - And I am. Not many people are loosers enough to sit and watch how other people party. What's wrong? - I-I have something for you. Really broke my back to find something good enough for you. Happy birthday - he said. She unpacked this heavy something from the paper and she was speechless. It was a botanic atlas with drawings drawed by hand. It was mainly about herbs and how to heal with them. It was piece of art to her. But she had her pride. - Thank you, Mr Morgan - she said and he smiled. But only for a second. - I can't accept this gift - she said briefly, placing the book back in Arthur's hands. - Jesus, what? What is that about? I bought if for you to have it. -It's nothing, really. I just...can't have it. Lost interests in all that - she lied quickly. - You lie - it was first time he actually saw thru her fasade - You love things like that, I heard you speaking to Mary-Beth about it few days ago - his voice was harsh. - I am big fat liar, Mr Morgan and you are more than right! - Why you lie to me, then? You were telling all those things but now I think you didn't mean them- - Oh, did you? I know you didn't either. - Y-ya kidding me, kid? There is no day without me thinking about you. - I don't want you to think about me! Know what you really think about me and I am surprised with myself I was stupid enough to think you are normal. You are a weirdo who baths with dogs 'cause they are the only creatures that want to be around you! It was  the worst anybody said to him. Probably because no one was closer to him than her so far, but he didn't saw it that way. He couldn't think straight now, normally he was cold-headed and he would tell himself it's just anger talking through her. But now he decided to believe she hated him. He was glad that at least Iris took a book. 

[shikadainara]

discussing the sad naruto deaths because why not:

zabuza and haku: OF COURSE this still makes me bawl my eyes out, “if possible, i wish... to go to the same place as you” is such an iconic naruto quote for a good reason. 10/10. (and the way haku finds out post-mortem how, really, zabuza didn’t see him as a mere tool all this time after all....!!! i hope they rest easy in the afterlife.)

hayate: does this even count. even on “sad naruto death” collages i don’t think i’ve seen a single person acknowledge that he was killed LOL

hiruzen: i cannot believe i actually cried over this bitch as a kid LOOOOL like??? it does make me the tiny smidgest sad how he was still trying to believe in the good in orochimaru until the very end but that’s all i’ll say. when you find out later how he was complacent in the uchiha clan massacre and also i realize now that i’m older that he could’ve VERY EASILY done something about how naruto was neglected but chose to do jackshit, that and reread the konoha crush it feels like this fight gets dragged on for so long and i’m just waiting for him to die faster bye bitch!!! 👋👋

dan and nawaki: eh i do like tsunade and all but also they’re kinda just. there. dead.

chiyo: NOOO MILF YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE TOO SEXY TO DIE!! 😭😭💔 ok but seriously, chiyo’s death it doesn’t have the “nooooo!!!” factor because she did willingly give up her life, not going out torn up and bloody, just peacefully transferring her life force away, but... wow. her death speaks so much about how she was willing to past things onto gaara, and his generation. it’s such a fitting death. and you know what i honestly want to say that chiyo is the best written female character in the whole damn manga...

asuma: HHHHHH???? i mean OF COURSE i love team 10 the most OF COURSE this tears my heart into pieces but!!! i wish it was better written!!! like of course his death cuts into shikamaru deep and by proxy it makes me so emotional because of it but... asuma you do have two other students Hello... the first half what he says to ino about how caring she is great, the second half about not losing to sakura in ninjutsu or in love is... kinda Uh but. the first half of what he says to chouji about how big his heart is is great, the second half about asuma spouting fatphobia is just??? WHAT!?!? THIS IS BOTH A HORRIBLE THING TO SAY, LET ALONE AS YOUR DYING WORDS TO YOUR STUDENT, AND DOESN’T EVEN MAKE SENSE!?!? hhh like i do think that!! asuma loves his students if not he wouldn’t treat them to barbecue all the time but!!! for fuck’s sake i reallllly wish we got to see what he actively did to teach both ino and chouji before he died... at least. at least i think the manga’s self aware because when his edo tensei is brought back, no one brings up the second halves of what he told to both ino and chouji, and his new final words of “your inoshikachou formation is complete.” is WAY better...

itachi: i don’t fucking know. itachi’s character is all over the place what am i Supposed to feel

shisui: ok honestly i remember like nothing about him sorry pass

jiraiya: hhhh?? like his whole death scene was great, it does make me sad with the build up of tsunade betting on his life since she never wins her bets, the way he’s fighting to the bitter end, him putting his pen down with “the tale of naruto uzumaki”, seeing both tsunade and naruto break down over the news of his death... BUT. yeah idk i wish he was a better person while he lived that would’ve been cool.

minato and kushina: well the impact of this one is lessened imo since well they were dead long before the series started their deaths was uhhh kinda what put the whole series in motion. it still is sad tho thinking about the AU where what their family could’ve been if they lived :( 

nagato: i do like the rain kids and all but the rinne rebirth shit was pretty dumb like it felt like kishi just wanted to backtrack on actually killing off some characters lol

konan: uhhhh honestly i don’t remember what happened in her fight against tobi at all sorry. i’m sure her death was sad tho

neji: neji’s not even anywhere near my list of top favorite characters and his death was an absolute shitshow. you know why but the whole angel thing for NH shit is awful, the way tenten isn’t allowed to mourn for him she just says “lee...” ??? (idc about the ship i just mean as being his teammate), the fact that he goes down so easily, THE UH. THE DISTURBING IMPLICATIONS OF HIS CHARACTER ARC AND HOW HE DIED TO PROTECT THE MAIN FAMILY UHHHH. er. now that’s what i call Yikes!!!!

shikaku: NOOO DILF YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE TOO SEXY TO DIE!! 😭😭💔 i’ve expressed before but i do think the whole “i grew up watching your back” thing is kinda weird since it makes it feel like shikaku wasn’t that actively in shikamaru’s life but. we know that’s a lie??? we know that he’s konoha’s best father and is also sexy as hell??? the whole “live and guide them yourself, shikamaru.” MAKES ME BAWLLLL AAAAAAAAAAA (i do think that the whole “make sure to hide that from your mother” thing is also kinda weird but whatever i don’t think it detracts from the impact of his death lol)  i hope you keep thotting it up in heaven king

inoichi: NOOO DILF YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE TOO SEXY TO DIE!! 😭😭💔 we know less about his relationship with ino but it’s abundantly clear from this scene alone how much ino absolutely loved her father... and again as someone who loves team 10 so SO much!! yeah. i do absolutely fucking hate the “POSITIVE LOVE *PICTURE OF SASUKE*” fuck off with that shit but. the “WHAT I’M MOST PROUD OF AS YOUR FATHER... IS YOUR FEELINGS TOWARDS YOUR FRIENDS” AWWWWWWWW and the way they both die by welcoming oblivion by saying that they’ll always still be in their children’s hearts.... AAAAAA

rin: idk i’ve seen both “you let rin die.” and the whole “haha you sure know how to steal a girl’s heart!!! *picture of chidori going through her chest*” memed on to death it’s so hard to take it seriously anymore i am sorry

obito (not the rock but for realsies): “YOU WERE THE COOLEST GUY!!!!!” that’s all i have to say

[morlock-holmes]

@flakmaniak

Timmy Turner and Finn aren’t from ensemble casts though, right? I mean, there are recurring other characters, but they’re The Main Character, with one or two nonhuman sidekicks along for the ride.

Well, yes, but that’s kind of my point, actually.

Maybe I’ll just try writing out that essay...

Early on in the run of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, series creator Lauren Faust wrote out a short article for Ms. Magazine laying out her goals and intentions for the show. I think it’s a very interesting article, so much that I kind of want to quote the whole thing, but one thing Faust said that really stuck with me was,

There are lots of different ways to be a girl. You can be sweet and shy, or bold and physical. You can be silly and friendly, or reserved and studious. You can be strong and hard working, or artistic and beautiful.

I think the show is quite successful at that, depicting many different kinds of people, er, pastel ponies, with different strengths, weaknesses, and interests without denigrating any of them.

Faust also talks about being mostly completely alienated by the girls shows of her youth, which is interesting to me because I was extremely into at least a couple of girls shows. As a little boy, I was obsessed with the My Little Pony cartoon, and then, later, Sailor Moon.

Around the late 70s and early 80s, kids shows in the US kind of bifurcated, with shows becoming very explicitly “for girls” and “for boys”. This was especially true during the 80s, and this division wasn’t just about whether you had angular, primary color robots or soft pastel horses, the characters and story structures were very different as well.

I liked the boys shows, but I also liked some of the girls shows, because they addressed feelings and ideas I had that just weren’t going to be addressed in the boys shows. I especially liked the original My Little Pony series.

Now, the 80s version of My Little Pony has a lot of flaws. Particularly, the animation is terrible even by the standards of the 80s and the voice acting can be grating. But rewatching it, I still see what I liked as a kid, which was that it paid a lot of attention to motives and feelings. Like, here are some of the motivations for villains in the show:

I remember when my villainous boss used to be nice, so maybe if I stay with her I can keep her from causing too much trouble and help her go back to how she was.

I was kidnapped by a weird monster and he’s threatened to hurt my loved ones if I don’t do his evil bidding.

I made a deal for fame and fortune with a genie and now I know he eats souls but I’m afraid if I reject him I’ll go back to being poor.\

Our Queen stole a magic rock to revitalize our frozen country, and even though she’s overbearing I have to do right by my country.

These are fairly complex motivations for a kids show, especially when you compare them to, say, Transformers or Ninja Turtles. Shredder or Megatron are just bad because they’re bad, and so are most of their minions. Even if you have somebody like, I don’t know, Jetfire, the story there is that he discovers that his old friend Starscream is bad, at which point neither character has any further compunctions about blasting his old friend with laser guns.

Meanwhile, villains in My Little Pony would be conflicted, have divided loyalties, and be genuinely unsure what the right thing to do was. Even as a very small child, I thought that was more interesting and more honest then other shows were being.

Later, I had many of the same feelings about Sailor Moon. Hell, I still do. Even in the bowdlerized American version, I could still relate to Ami wondering if being a nerd meant she wasn’t properly into the things girls are “supposed” to be into and Usagi’s complete loathing of schoolwork and studies.

Even though these shows weren’t “for” me I really loved them, because the shows that were “for” me, the boys shows, never really expressed the kinds of ideas I’m talking about here. Like, especially during the early nineties, the answer to the question, “Does being a quiet, studious nerd make me less of a boy?” was, “Yes.”

I actually remember, as a child, constantly wishing I had been born a girl, not because I had some inner girl nature, but because girls (or so it seemed from outside) were allowed to be quiet, to be studious, to talk about feelings and to like predictability and calm. The idea of a boy wanting those things was largely foreign.

So... put a pin in that.

Okay, I want to describe a young boy to you. 

He’s energetic, but a bit scatterbrained. He isn’t bookish at all; trying to sit still for long periods of time makes him antsy, and he’d rather be out in the world doing physical things than reading or thinking. In fact, he tends to act without thinking things through, and this gets him in trouble. 

Despite being energetic and physical, he isn’t really into sports; he chafes under authority so teamwork isn’t always his strong suit, even though he cares deeply about his friends. 

I would argue that I’ve just described pretty much every adolsecent male protagonist of every cartoon released over the last 15 years or so. Aang. Danny Phantom. Timmy Turner. Ben 10. Finn from Adventure Time. I’m  sure more will come to mind later. 

This character shows up again and again in boys cartoons, and he’s almost always depicted as the default, with other characters understood through their relationship to this default boy.

Okay, I’m going to get into representation politics, and specifically I’m about to criticize Adventure Time, so I think a disclaimer is in order. One of the problems with talking about representation is that you end up criticizing broad patterns, but the same people aren’t in charge of the whole media landscape, and any single instance of the pattern is probably actually extremely defensible.

So. Okay. I haven’t seen all of Adventure Time, but I’ve seen the first couple of seasons, and they are very well written, and I think Finn in particular is a very well observed character who is very true to life, and in order to change what I’m going to complain about you’d have to rework the show from the ground up. So it’s not that this is a terrible decision, but...

Okay, something that bothers me about early Adventure Time is that Princess Bubblegum is a science nerd only because Finn isn’t. Princess Bubblegum kind of represents, to Finn, the mysteries of adulthood and sexuality. She’s part of this mysterious world of women and adulthood that Finn longs for but hasn’t grown up enough, or had enough experience with, to really understand.

And so to hammer that home her personality and life are also full of things that Finn can’t understand... Like sitting still, and doing meticulous, complex experiments and researching in books.

It’s not that the show denigrates this, not at all, it’s just that it’s positioned as incomprehensible and distant from the audience stand-in character. The Boy doesn’t like to sit still and study, he likes to go on dangerous, physical adventures! And he certainly couldn’t ever prefer to sit still and study over going out and having a physical adventure. Doing that would be incomprehensible.

She’s well-written and I’m sure lots of kids relate to her, but fundamentally her nerdiness is portrayed as foreignness.

A lot of the shows I mentioned above aren’t even really ensembles, but those that kind of are, e.g. Avatar: The Last Airbender, or Ben 10 give The Boy special powers that differentiate him from the rest of the cast.

Go back to the early episodes of My Little Pony and Twilight Sparkle is kind of the viewpoint character; the framing device of the early episodes is letters she writes, but she doesn’t really have, like, one special power that the others don’t, and structurally she’s a tertiary character in a lot of episodes. 

Contrast that to Aang, who is central to the story of Avatar, the Last Airbender. Like... you can have episodes that aren’t really about him but he has a special, important power that no other character does or can have, and the fate of the whole plot rests on his shoulders. Like, if the Avatar dies the natural order is upended and the Fire Nation almost certainly wins; you could kill off any other supporting cast member and then replace them without completely upending the world.

This is not to say that any of the shows I have called out are bad or harmful, but, to go way back, I remember being genuinely upset as a child not to see boy characters who had the feelings and struggles I did, and if anything, I think the situation might be slightly worse than when I was a kid. Go back to that Lauren Faust quote up there. How many cartoons feature a boy who is “Reserved and Studious”? Dexter’s Lab... Maybe Invader Zim... How many with a boy that is “Sweet and Shy”? Have you ever seen one about a boy who is “Artistic and beautiful?”

What about a show with all those boys portrayed as friends and equals, rather than one for you to relate to and a bunch of sidekicks and side characters?

Like, one of the only male, American cartoon characters who has ever made me go, “Yeah, that’s what it was like for me as a kid” is fucking Butters from South Park.

[hitsuhinalover]

Hitsuhina day 2019

Prompt: a quote from Bleach

A/N: This fic is based on Aizen’s horrible words in the chapter 170 (the End of Hypnosis 2, I think?): "How unfortunate! You found her? Pardon me...it wasn't my intention to traumatize you. Before you could have noticed, I should have chopped her into unrecognizable pieces.” And yes, this is part one. I’ve the second part already planned (because this was supposed to be one fic), so the chances are that I’ll write it sometime next year. Well, not to be too optimistic, perhaps after two, three years?

Disclaimer: I’m saying it again...Bleach isn’t mine.

Part One: Are you still there?

When he rushes into the room, he doesn’t know what to think, what to feel. In front of him, lips stretched into a smile and glasses glimmering in the dim light, stands Sosuke Aizen. The Captain of the Fifth Division, the man who he had last seen pinned onto a wall, eyes staring into nothing. That all he had briefly noted before throwing himself between the Lieutenant of the Third Division and Hinamori, whose distressed scream had fetched him. Then he quickly commanded the quarrelers taken away; ensuring the fox-faced captain wouldn’t reach for his sword and kill her, like the minuscule movement, noticed only by the teal eyes, had indicated. Besides, he didn’t want her to be around the cruel sight any more than necessarily. Her captain, the man she had looked up to, ruthlessly murdered.

Now the source of her grief, almost the reason for her death, smiles to him as if they’ve merely crossed paths on a spring day, when a hint of summer in the air lightens the mood – although even on those days, he had never found it in him to greet happily the older man. Seeing the immaculate white haori, without drops of blood dotting the clothing, he begins to understand that his doubts may have been fueled by something more solid than just petty jealousy. In the situation he is now, relief would be too strong a word, but a flash of an emotion not too different rushes through him. Why is he always glaring at Captain Aizen, who is never anything but polite and friendly? Why does he always try to question Captain Aizen’s actions, who is so intelligent and has others’ best interests at his heart? Ha! All of those people, telling him that he’s mistaken, that he should change his opinions and thoughts...they’ve been ones who had mistaken. However, the feeling of victory doesn’t last long, not when it occurs to him it would have been easier for Hinamori if her captain had been what the man had been pretending, or even when she would have been forced to keep grieving for her deceased captain.

What most worries him, though, isn’t seeing the dead man alive, together with the imposter's right-hand man, who has lately been up to no good. No, it’s Hinamori who worries him. More precisely, her weak spiritual pressure is what makes him hurry past the men, until his feet stick to the floor and eyes to a person lying on the floor.

Stillness. It’s a word that he has always found difficult to associate with her. She’s that kind of person who always keeps going, intense emotions coursing through her and pushing her into action. When Captain Kuchiki told to throw the wounded Lieutenant Abarai to a cell, she didn’t stay silent. Seeing her captain slain, she had first cried and shouted, but little later she had tried to attack the man she thought a murderer. Even though he doesn’t want to dwell on the fact that he was a murderer in his eyes for some time, he can’t help admiring the courage Hinamori possesses. Some people wouldn’t attempt going against a captain by themselves, let alone their friend, instead opting for staying silent or talking about their doubts to someone else.

However, while staring at the girl laying on the floor and not seeing whether her chest still raised and lowered, he hoped she would be more of a coward. Had she relied on others instead of attempting to solve everything by herself, or sat and done nothing, she might not have wandered in the path of schemers. The blood drops he had earlier looked for in Aizen wouldn’t be coloring Hinamori, nor would she wear an empty gaze he had seen on Aizen.

“How unfortunate! You found her?” Aizen’s voice cut through his shock, mocking. “Pardon me...it wasn’t my intention to traumatize you.” Now the man’s words are spoken in a gentle, familiar tone, as if the psychopath really cared about others’ pain. It’s worse than false sympathy, since it reminds him of how well the older captain hid behind the lies. All those years.

But the worst of all are the imposter’s next words.

“Before you could have noticed, I should have chopped her into unrecognizable pieces.”

Chopped her into unrecognizable pieces...her into unrecognizable pieces….into unrecognizable pieces...unrecognizable pieces...pieces.

Gasping, Hitsugaya lunged to sit up, in a weak attempt to force oxygen into his suddenly useless lungs. It was as if his heart had finally given up and burst, shattering the rib cage and pressing his lungs until they collapsed. One. He knew to expect this. He should no longer feel like he was dying, not when this happened every night. Two. The darkness didn’t let him to see anything, not even the shapes, but he knew he was alone in the room. However, even though you expected someone to be walking next to you but didn’t see them when you turned, it didn’t mean your friend had disappeared, or died. They might only be lost. Three. Hinamori was alive. She was in her room, sleeping, like he should be.

After the fourth deep inhale, Hitsugaya ended up acting the same way like every night – no matter how hard his rationality struggled to win his broken, bruised, barely beating heart, the mind of a genius always lost. Every night. He peeled the sheet from his skin, grimacing at a quiet crunch of frost breaking, and slipped a robe on before stumbling through the darkness to the door. It was getting easier and easier, he thought grimly as he stepped into a hallway. The lighting was dim, but it was better than in his room, and he quickly found himself in front of a familiar door. Sensing her spirital pressure inside, his shoulders hunched a bit, tension that shouldn’t have been there in the first place leaving his body almost completely. Despite the fact his fist was closer to knock than at previous nights, the result was the same as before: his fingers uncurled themselves in mid-air like a flower in the morning, fingertips touching the door like petals falling to the ground, without causing any noise that could bother the sleeping girl.