#— book club : crush culture!

[suhnshinehaos]

hi i hope you're doing well :3 i'm just here to tell you that crush culture is one of the most supreme smaus i've ever read tysm. Also you did my poor yangyang dirty so im going to also waste a whole day reading treacherous ilysm you dont know please have a wonderfulx127 day

hi hi ! im so happy you enjoyed it !!! thank u sm for reading and i hope u have a wonderful day as well <3 i also read all of your rbs amd it genuinely made my day, ty for the feedback :)

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Cater, Ruggie: The Secret in a Smile

Caycay, bestie… I am so sorry that SSR Crowley stole your spotlight 😭 (Is that why Cater looks so Mean Girls in his groovy... He's seeking petty revenge against Crowley/j)

Some cute stuff from the vignettes that I wasn't able to include in this fic: Cater makes a reference to TsumTsums! He mentions being into this mobile game with cute round creatures. Cater also tells a story about a 5-year old girl giving him a flower after his club's performance at a cultural festival (omg, do they mean the one in book 5?!). Ruggie teases him and says Cater must have been that little girl's first crush 😂

A Tale as Old as Time.

“Ne, ne, Ruggie-kun! Check this one out~ It's all the way from the Queendom of Roses!"

Cater jabbed a thumb at a painting of a young blonde girl dressed in a modest sky blue frock and apron, a small black bow in her hair. She couldn’t have been older than 10 years of age, still petite enough to squish inside a glass bottle with a narrow neck. The bottled child was adrift in a sudsy sea, her face frozen in an expression of slight worry.

Ruggie took one look at the artwork, then wrinkled his nose. “Sure sucks to be in her shoes. What’s this even supposed to show us, anyway? Doesn’t make a whole lotta sense to me.”

"Not a lot from the Queendom does if you aren't already familiar with its topsy-turvy stories~" Cater placed a hand on his hip and leaned forward, grinning. "This one is pretty popular! It's about a girl that wants an audience with the Queen of Hearts. She gets lost on the journey there, meets strange people and experiences even stranger things on the way. This is just one leg of that trip!"

"Wouldn’t the castle be further inland? How'd she end up in the middle of the ocean?"

“It’s about the perspective of the shot.” Cater formed a frame with his hands, catching his underclassman in it. He pulled back, creating the illusion of sizing Ruggie down. “She drank this bottled liquid she found and that shrank her down—so really, the ocean isn’t that big.”

A grimace.

“Man, talk about no sense of self preservation. She just chugged an unlabeled bottle without a second thought. Must’ve been real desperate.” Ruggie paused. “Weeeell, not like I’m one to talk about being desperate. You really can’t afford to be picky sometimes. If it fills your stomach, it fills your stomach.”

“You’d drink it too, huh… I don’t think I could do that. I’d at least want to see how the menu describes it before I order—though I guess it also depends on how ‘cammable the drink is! And hey, think about all the cool pics I could grab from a worm's eye point of view!”

"Heh, you don't seem too pressed about living life as an ant."

"Cay-kun likes to look on the bright side of things!" he declared with a wink and a peace sign. "The lost girl... she worried so much about finding her destination, she forgets to stop and smell the roses. She overlooks a lot of the fun people she could have spent time with."

Hopping from place to place, missed people—familiar elements, resurfacing a childhood of being uprooted and dragged about. Never to fully settle.

A tea party here, a brief convo there. Just enough to keep him placated, but not enough to see beyond the surface of the looking glass.

His curiosity still left wanting.

She got into so much trouble, but didn't have any real friends to come and help her.

Sadness tugged at his heartstrings, but Cater's smile didn’t waver.

"... I can’t help but kinda pity the poor thing," he said quietly. Then, brightening in the next moment, "All her issues could've been avoided if she just looked before she leapt and made some connections."

“Yeah, she definitely should’ve played smarter, not harder. Maybe if she kissed up to the locals, they’d have come to her rescue." Ruggie shrugged. "It works for me and Leona-san."

“Right? A smile goes a long way to getting what you want!” Cater poked the corners of his mouth. “You totes get me.”

“Cuz it takes a trickster to know another one on sight.”

"Wow, it sounds so mean when you put it like that. We're not tricksters, we just know how to use our smiles to problem-solve~"

"Giving a word a fresh coat of paint doesn't make it any less shady. At least be honest with yourself," the hyena smirked.

“Eeeh, I’m always honest!”

They shared a laugh—Ruggie, a snicker. Cater, lighter, more bubbly, like a carbonated mystery drink. When the effervescence died down, he cast another glance at the painting.

Too big for her small world of the sea, too small for the big world that loomed beyond it. Trapped within glass walls. Curled into herself in her delicate chambers.

Her perspective and his, one and the same.

Poor thing, poor thing, poor thing.

Cater summoned his strength and bore the full brunt of his smile.

“I’m sure she’ll find what she’s looking for… one day.”

[iguessit-sgrace]

The Pantheon Headcanons: Regulus Edition

my best boy goes first

regulus arcturus black ii

oh how i love him

he's 5'9

he!! has freckles in the summer <333

his patronus/animagus is a hissy black cat

he has an academic rivals to lovers arc with lily i take no criticism

he writes sad boy poetry in exclusively black notebooks. when he starts pining after lily he presses the flowers she gives him and puts them in there

oh he also annotates his own copies of books (he wouldn't dare annotate ones from the black family library or the school library)

has a collection of fancy knives and daggers that evan finds extremely cool

barty was his first everything, basically. first best friend, crush, kiss, etc

he's 1/2 french and 1/4 korean (his grandmother irma was korean)

narcissa was his favorite cousin

his familiar is a black cat named phoebe (sirius and reg found her on the streets outside their house. walburga originally wanted to kill phoebe because she was "a mutt" but relented and let him keep her)

dorcas paints his nails black. that's it that's the bullet point

had a childhood dream of playing on a professional quidditch team with sirius. he knew it was impossible and childish though, so he played as a seeker for slytherin instead

listens to classical music and dark film scores. the second was introduced to him by dorcas, who grew up with more muggle culture than most in slytherin

read books on flowers and their meanings with narcissa as a child. she read them to him to help him sleep whenever sirius was being punished for something

exclusively wore long sleeves and black/gray clothing (or the white fancy victorian ruffle shirts, you know the ones)

super fluffy curly black hair that reaches slightly past his neck and only a select few people are allowed to touch it

knows how to dance ballet and ice skate, and play piano, violin, and bass guitar

only wears silver jewelry

barty pierced his ears in third year

excelled so well in some classes that he was moved up a year (potions, history of magic, etc (mostly because of his tutoring before hogwarts))

autistic recluse who hangs out by the black lake and writes his pathetic poetry

loves sunlight but hates sunny days

he gives stormy beach aesthetic vibes idk why

oh wait

loved water but could not for the life of him swim. this poor boy has tried so many times but he just can't get it. sirius, narcissa, andy, lily- they've all tried to help him but he always goes underwater and his legs stop working and he just. sinks. completely calm in the murky water. even though he's literally drowning and sirius is screaming bloody murder while trying to save him

he has a fancy pure silver jewelry box with his initials on it. i don't make the rules i just enforce them okay

when he starts watching films with lily he becomes a complete cinema nerd. he literally gets even more pretentious (if that's even possible). they watch dark sinewy films together and drink black tea in silence

oh this boy LOVES to paint. and he's GOOD at it. not insanely good, but his paintings make you feel. they're full of emotion and longing and agony; dark forests and stormy seas and faraway goddesses with hair like fiery sunlight. and in each painting, he incorporates a hidden star

barty may have been reg's first best friend, but pandora is his closest. they tell each other EVERYTHING

his amorentia smells like linen and sea water, whereas he smells calla lilies and broom polish

his favorite season is winter. he loves snow and cold weather, but he acts all grumbly about how annoying it is to keep up his Reputation

he is so freaking touch starved, but he won't seek out physical contact himself (unless he really REALLY wants it and trusts that person (aka lily or james, or sirius if he's in distress))

lily is the only person in the slug club that he actually respects because unlike a lot of slughorn's other prizes, she actually EARNED her spot there by her talent and determination (both of which are things reg values a lot)

okay so about the whole death eater thing- personally i think reg was kinda brainwashed by the need to please his parents so desperately that he actually chose to be a death eater of his own accord. an unpopular headcanon, i know, but hear me out. reg never truly bought the whole "muggle-borns are lower than pure-bloods" because reg just doesn't believe things at face value. he has to see them himself to believe it. so when he went to hogwarts and saw muggle-born students performing just as well, sometimes even better (cough cough lily) than pure-bloods, he literally just threw his family's ideals in the trash. now, in my timeline, reg joined voldemort not long after sirius went to live with the potters. suddenly, all the pressure and weight of being the perfect heir was on reg, possibly even more than what sirius had dealt with, because of what sirius had done. so in a moment of desperation to gain his parent's approval, (and slightly out of self-preservation; he could clearly see which side was winning so far) he joined voldemort. did he agree with voldemort's ideals? no. but he did join. it wasn't long after that evan joined, and then barty went too to spite his father, because where evan went, barty went. (dorcas joining the order was a shock to everyone in the patheon: they had all expected her to either stay neutral or join the death eaters). but after he took the mark, reg realized what he had done. so he went to lily and james and confessed everything. he agreed to be a spy for dumbledore, alongside snape, and eventually peter. when he discovered the horcrux, the first thing he did was tell pandora. they both agreed that the safest way to destroy it and the others was to go undercover. reg faked his death in the cave and left to hunt the rest of the horcruxes. he returned a year later to an order meeting and was reunited with james and lily and harry (yay the end)

sorry that was a really long bullet point (i am what i am: which is a yapper)

how have i not mentioned james yet??? he steals like all of james' jumpers, it's getting to be a problem. he and lily have matching potter quidditch kits though!!

he had a huge childhood crush on james his second year, but it fades until he starts dating lily, when it comes back after he and james start interacting more

literally no one can tell when reg is joking because he has such a bad rbf. however, his laugh and smile are literally like starlight and the rare times people get to see it are treasures

he spoils lily with expensive gifts, especially books. she gets upset about it at first because she grew up with not a lot of money, but then she realizes it's how reg tells her he loves her so eventually she just lets him shower her in gifts

sorry idk how this turned into half regulily headcanons. they're just so ingrained in my brain

reg is so moody and bratty it's hilarious to barty

his favorite colour is green; not green like slytherin, but green like a forest, a lake, or lily's eyes

ahh i love him <3

[lonelyroommp3]

honestly could you just straight up review every song on brat

deal

360 - functions perfectly as an album opener (and i appreciate the work it puts in to set up the far superior 365 at the end) but doesn't do much for me as a standalone song. i'm not sure if this is actually a problem with the song itself or if i just dislike the post-ironic nyc it girl culture featured in the music video so much that i now have beef with the song as a consequence

club classics - i have not heard this song while off my face in a grotty warehouse club in an east london industrial estate and as a result i don't feel i can truly give it the impartial ranking it deserves just yet. this is not a song that reaches its full potential in any other setting

sympathy is a knife - i don't find myself returning to this song often but i do objectively think it bangs hugely. i just have surprisingly little to say about it honestly

i might say something stupid - huge song, and yet so small at the same time. it is very rare that i call a sub-2 minute song perfect because i'm 5minutesongfucker420 but it comes in, says what it needs to, and rips your heart out in the process. i go back and forth comparing brat and melodrama quite often (SORRY CHARLI, I KNOW YOU HAVE A SONG ABOUT THIS COMING UP) because they're both Party Girl Concept Albums and to me this is brat's "liability" in terms of early album moment of complete braking-hard-and-hitting-the-wall vulnerability.

talk talk - SOOOO fun. absolutely love the production on this one, right up my alley, i am also a huge sucker for a big fun song about having a crush. i would also like to shout out this song for ruining any international sporting event where france and spain face off because all i can ever think is TALK TO ME IN FRENCH TALK TO ME IN SPANISH TALK TO ME IN YOUR OWN MADE UP LANGUAGE

von dutch - absolutely gigantic and a perfect opening single to set the tone of the era. those massive revving synths encapsulate the sound of what i thought clubbing would be like when i was about 13 years old. also a perfect confidence boost song - i have strutted at olympic racewalker speed down the street with this blasting in my airpods more times than i would care to admit

BONUS: the various von dutch remixes - i don't always subscribe to the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" rule of remixes (for example, to go on a complete tangent, i adore both deadmau5's original raise your weapon and the madeon extended remix because they do entirely different things equally well) but nothing in the von dutch remixes make me think yeah, this is worthy of existing alongside the original and adds something cool and interesting and different to the track that i wasn't already getting from the og. the one exception i'd make is, of course, addison rae's extremely cunty scream in the a.g. cook remix but i'm not going to keep returning to an entire remix for just one fun moment that's already been oversaturated on tiktok

everything is romantic - i will confess, for all i claim to be an open minded enjoyer of music and a fan of Insane Tracks For The Club, initially the jagged production was a bit jarring to me and i thought yeah, i probably won't be coming back to this song. and now i'm obsessed with it. however it does make the children (me) yearn for the mediterranean and as a result i will be invoicing charli for the damage to my bank account when the day inevitably comes that i listen to this song too many times after half a bottle of wine and immediately book myself an italian weekend getaway

rewind - first time i heard this i was like oh okay we're getting into the slightly more fillery second third of the album, it's a fine song but not quite on the level of all that has come before it. and now it is one of my absolute favourites. i also LOVE how direct and specific the lyrics are on this track, which is something i normally beef with when it comes to a lot of contemporary pop music but the difference is 1) charli is good at it 2) her delivery is so direct that it sort of dares you to sit still and listen without criticising it. incredibly strong song

so i - a genuinely beautiful song that i rarely listen to because it makes me feel like i am intruding on something. i think the fact that it exists out in the world on this album is a wonderful thing and the most perfect tribute to sophie & full circle moment when it comes to charli's insecurities around working with her - "when i make songs i remember things you'd suggest... would you like this one? maybe just a little bit?" - but at the same time i'm always like. i kind of feel like i shouldn't be listening to this

girl, so confusing - the original is a lovely little paradox. i enjoyed it enough on my first listen and the lorde version quite simply would not exist, let alone be as impactful as it is, without it, but now that the lorde version exists i don't want to listen to any other version. the remix is almost certainly going to be my top brat track of the year

apple - initially a skip, then i had a moment of realisation that it is in fact the best marina and the diamonds song written in years (that froot looks familiar, i suppose), and then it rapidly became overplayed as the result of, to be fair, the very good and fun tiktok dance that i still do on instinct every time i hear the song. i think instead of riding the wave of its virality by releasing it to radio as a single etc charli should lock this one in a vault for about three months so nobody can listen to it and then when it comes back we'll all be like oh yeah wait this is a really good little song

b2b - love it, was my immediate fave out of the club classics/b2b double single release, but once again i feel like i've not yet heard it at its full potential (inside a cramped and small and extremely sweaty basement club when i'm 8 shots deep planning a terribly ill advised pulling mission)

mean girls - the thing is i think it's a fun enough song as a storytelling concept if you view it as Just A Little Fun Song, also i love the production, a little bit of house-y piano is always going to hit for me. the issue is i've already told you what i think about the post-ironic it girl subculture this song is about and i think if you actively listen to this song and go wowwwww she gets me then you need to have your internet access forcibly removed for at least six months until you calm down and develop a personality outside of the red scare podcast and pretentious "overrated vs underrated" columns hosted by wannabe substack celebrities. also the thing is this song is going to be dated within the year, which is a shame bc it does, musically, go

i think about it all the time - this song should NOT hit as hard as it does considering i staunchly plan on never having children. i cannot relate to the sentiment behind it at all but charli paints such a beautiful and vivid picture with her lyrics (all perfectly intertwined with that understated, quietly pulsating production) that you can't help but have an emotional connection to it. beautiful and vulnerable and a really perfect moment of quiet towards the end of the album

365 - first of all, a perfectly placed song when it comes to encapsulating those dizzy night out mood swings of "wait. should i settle down and have children.... nvm let's go back inside and do coke". second of all, as a musical theatre girlie to my core i love ANY song that reprises an earlier theme and this not only repurposes the 360 stems excellently but actively improves on the earlier track. thirdly, i think charli's "okay, OKAYYYY" at the beginning of the song is a flawless and fun way of rounding out the album - it really feels like she's bringing you back into it, going OKAY let's do this one last time, are you FUCKING READY, etc. fourthly, it's just FUN. definitely a standout track to me

hello goodbye - LOVEEEE, i do greatly enjoy and appreciate charli's more experimental music but i can't lie. sometimes she releases a fairly straightforward poppy banger and it just hits the spot. like this

guess - YOU WANNA GUESS THE COLOUR OF MY UNDERWEAR YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT I'VE GOT GOING ON DOWN THERE IS IT PRETTY IN PINK OR ALL SEE THROUGH IS IT SHOWING OFF MY BRAND NEW LOWER BACK TATTOO. btw the billie eilish verse on the remix slays, i know this is a charli review but i love that billie has devoted her first two explicitly gay singles to being just outrageously horny with it, you go girl, i think the discourse around the song is so unbelievably daft and we need to settle down and have fun

spring breakers - i know this is a fan fave that people were begging to put on the album but i just simply do not care about it. sorry

[augdawg888]

the office characters as teachers!

in honor of teacher appreciation week!

(and also my math teacher was flirting with some other teacher and my brain immediately went to jim and pam)

enjoy!

the staff:

michael scott: the principal

dwight schrute: gym teacher & vice principal

jim halpert: also a gym teacher

pam beesley: art teacher

holly flax: counselor

oscar martinez: personal finance teacher

angela martin: math teacher

phyllis lapin-vance: language teacher

kelly kapoor: fashion / interior design teacher

andy bernard: music teacher

& creed bratton: janitor

(other characters are mentioned, but i didn't have enough to say about them)

general headcanons:

michael scott: mr. scott

super laid back and chill

he never gets people in trouble

'yk, when i was your age, i did that all the time'

stops in classes just to distract people

assemblies all the time !!!

theyre always super fun though, lots of games !!

he's always recognizing the teachers for their hard work

he has a lil bulletin board (that pam designed) for spotlight moments

hangs out in the art room with pam a lot

'pamcasso' 'pamanardo dibeesley'

his office is littered with toys, pictures of holly, and pictures with his kids

he also brings his kids to work every so often

when he visits the gymnasium he always tries to impress the students

dwight schrute: mr. schrute

takes being vice principal way too seriously

also takes being a gym teacher way too seriously

he and jim participate in all the games and activities

but dwight is always trying to one up some high schooler

loves dodgeball.

he tries to 1v1 jim in basketball (and he fails miserably)

he instructs a health course once a year and jim always has to cut it short

he's the best hype man though

feeling insecure in gym class ? dwight is def hyping you up

not like a quiet, off to the side pep talk, like whooping and yelling

'let's go !! you guys are doing fantastic'

he also gets to do a karate course during the school year

has an agriculture club after school

jim halpert: coach jim

chillest gym teacher ever

unlike dwight, he does the quiet off to the side pep talks

its all very appreciated and sweet

he's looking out for all of the students

and they all have a crush on him too (who wouldnt????)

he's always goofing around and trying to have fun

he's the basketball coach too !!!

always going to the art room for any reason

he needs pam to design some flyers for friday's game, or his pen ran out of ink (he uses a laptop)

he's always pranking dwight

the pictures of the pranks always get put in the yearbook too (it's like a special section)

pam beesley: ms. beesley / ms. pam

shes so sweet.

all of her lessons are really well thought out and passionate

she loves teaching about claude monet and impressionism

shes doing art with the kids too

michael is always taking her finished pieces to hang up somewhere

shes also a volleyball coach !!! so shes constantly going to the gymnasium to make sure theres enough equipment or to check on the players in gym class

shes really there to see jim (but thats besides the point)

she's apart of phyllis' book club (yes phyllis has a book club)

all of her students ask if she and jim are going to date/are dating

'you guys are aware i'm engaged right?'

anytime roy visits shes always stressed afterwards

jim brings her lunch !!!

holly flax: holly / mrs. flax

shes so sweet and understanding omg

when a student needs something to fidget with she just steals a toy from michaels office

has a yoga club after school (michael is always there)

her office is so cozy and lighthearted

shes one of those teachers with memes printed out on her wall

has lots of knicknacks

knows every students name

loves loves loves helping kids pick out their schedules for the next year

shes super close with all the teachers too

very inclusive !!! she has an assembly every month for different cultures and information about different heritages

has a lot of stuffed animals in her office

and every single one of them have been named

shes also apart of phyllis' book club !

oscar martinez: mr. martinez

he takes his job super seriously and is a little strict

but everyone still loves him and respects him a lot

no matter how strict he is, he cannot stop gossiping with all the students

'okay, but did you hear about jim and pam?'

his classroom is so boring though, super bland

gets a lot of kids coming to him

super comforting teacher !

always plays music in the background

its like fucking classical music though

also in the book club !

he and pam always have a lot of gay kids in their classes

they're both just prepared for people coming out to them

angela martin: ms. martin

super strict and serious

but has her fun moments

everyone knows her cats names

she has the lil baby poster hanging up in her classroom

theres literally nothing else in there

she noticed how some teachers left out bowls of candy, so she did the same thing, but with mints

advocated for class pets, but kept getting shut down

when asked her opinion about other teachers it's usually negative, but when it comes to dwight it's always slightly positive

phyllis lapin-vance: mrs. vance

gets called mrs. vance refrigeration a lot

doesnt talk too much

always asking for help with her computer

her lessons are short and sweet

has a candle burning during class

but it's like a grandma smell

everyone loves watching her and bob

they're so sweet together !!!

she runs a small book club with teachers and students after school

loves when they all choose mystery books to read

she tries to teach different books every year

her classroom is right next to angela's and that can lead to some unpleasantness

funky sweaters !!!

kelly kapoor: kelly

hates hates hates being called ms. kapoor

it's just kelly

most of her lessons are just rants, but theyre educational !!!

loves working with everyone in her class

asks if ryan ever mentions her

wears the clothes that students make

designs merch for the school

desperately wants the schools colors to change

'theyre just so old looking !'

always so energetic in the mornings

besties with the students ofc

wants to hear ALL THE TEA

also keeps everyone updated on jim and pam

her classroom is sooooo cool too

like pink everywhere, comfy seats, and hello kitty

she loves hello kitty and i will die on this hill

andy bernard: mr. bernard

he's like the perfect music teacher

he brings instruments into class that no one has even heard of

and plays them perfectly

all the music they sing are show tunes

they watch musicals in the class when it gets slow

talks about cornell a lot

the rants about here comes treble get so old after a while

'it's funny you guys mention that song, did you know when i was in college i performed that with my acapella group?'

yes he's really trying to get an acapella group started

when students are frustrated with something he uses the same techniques he learned in anger management to calm them down

when asked if he wanted to be the golf coach he turned it down immediately

he was too busy trying to make sailing club a thing

but, he is the theater club leader (idk what theyre called)

loves directing everyone

has to kick michael out a lot

he wears funny ties !!!

creed bratton: creed

omg hes so mysterious and cool and no one knows anything about him

but also we know everything ?

he knows all the kids names

celebrates their birthdays

know one knows how he knows their birthdays though

shows up simultaneously in every class

plays guitar in andys class

tries to crash a fashion show in kellys

he was just wearing sunglasses and a blazer

plays basketball in gym class

and then he tries to convince dwight he is in fact a student

and why does it almost work ?

everyone's pretty sure he lives in the school

the lunch ladies are always complaining about food going missing and then creed will talk about how much he likes that food

he sells fake weed to the students

and fake ids

pam is still looking for her laminating machine

has an mp3 player still (its 2024 creed, get a phone)

his music is BLARING

air guitar in the hallways

everyone loves how he dresses up during spirit week

i was thinking of doing more in depth ones about spirit weeks and assemblys, but that's a lot of work lol

lmk if you want those !!

also the timeline is really random. i wanted holly to be in here and her and michael to be married, but i didn't want jim and pam to be married yet, sorry about that !

[darlingillustrations]

How To Know If Someone Is In Love With You

Ever since I was a kid, I was notorious for being gullible. Context clues were often lost on me, and I’d launch forward into social interactions, taking people at their word.

When I was in 9th grade, I’d just returned to the states from living in Bulgaria. I’d spent the last 4 years away from American pop culture and was clueless about a lot of things. While riding the bus home from school, the other kids told me that Tommy Hilfinger had a crush on me. They were laughing at me. I did not know who that was.

In college, I went on a study abroad program to London and struck up an easy friendship with one of the guys there. We bought a literary tour guide to the city and spent our free time visiting obscure locales important to different authors. While we were busy walking through Virginia Wolfe’s park and standing outside Rudyard Kipling’s old house, the girls in the program were taking bets on whether or not we would end up dating. I didn’t even realize the guy was into me until I’d unwittingly rejected him. After that, we didn’t hang out as friends any more.

The summer after I graduated college, I worked at a coffee shop, and I fell for one of my co-workers, a wiry Italian who invited me to her feminist book club and would drive me home from work when our shift ended after my last bus. When she invited me to her birthday party downtown, I hitchhiked to make it there (even though I was two hours late). To me, she was brilliant, and her moments of raw honesty felt real in ways that many other relationships were lacking. I could never figure out if she liked me romantically or not.

Relationships are complicated, and people are confusing.

I used to play D&D with a family who hosted in their special D&D room at their home. Above the D&D room, there was a loft with a bed, and the couple talked about how they had guests stay over often. The husband used to go out of his way to touch my shoulder as he walked around the table, but I just thought that he was clumsy. The wife would needle me, teasing me about liking David Bowie. It didn’t occur to me until years later that this couple were swingers and that they had likely been trying to see if I would swing with them.

I don’t know how to read people. If you tell me you want to see the original manuscript of Samuel Johnson’s dictionary, I will pack snacks for the tube. If you say you want to watch the Labyrinth, I will grab a blanket and curl up on the couch. If you say you have a friend who wants to date me, I will ask you questions about their interests and values, even if their name is Calvin Klein. I don’t know the difference between interactions that are flirty, friendly or making fun of me, but if I’ve learned anything in life it’s this:

I will live brilliantly. I will live my life as in love with myself as possible. If someone is in love with me or not really isn’t my business, at the end of the day. Each person is entitled to their own feelings. But I treat each interaction as genuine, and I live like everyone loves me for who I am.

And, if I want a relationship with someone along the way, I will tell them, point blank, and let the chips fall where they may.

This writing originally appeared in my newsletter. If you want to read more of my creative writing and get updates on my art, you can sign up here.

[targaryenluvs]

So hello, I think I placed this request is someone else inbox and it’s so embarrassing. So I hope you're having a good day/night. I was wondering if you would consider the crows × teen! reader. Like the one you have done, because I love that. Maybe she has her first crush and everyone is reaching in their own way. I just really want to see kaz glaring and staring at the boy and is scared him so much. (Protective dad)

-🦢

this is shorter than most since i’m in a rush but enjoy!

Where'd All The Time Go?

kaz brekker x teen!reader, crows x teen!reader, oc x teen!reader

warnings: cursing, yelling, intimidation? (idk if that counts) kissing

You’d tried so hard to hide him.

Elias, or Eli as you called him was amazing. You’d meet him whilst shopping with Nina and you couldn’t keep your eyes off of him.

He was the son of a Pub Owner, but he wanted to be more. His ambition matched yours, so did his personality. The two of you got to talking and ended up conversing for hours. To the point where Jesper had to run around and try to find you which lead to you lecturing him on the fact that you were sixteen and able to handle yourself at night.

On the way home you begged Jesper not to mention it to anyone except Wylan. Wylan would never tell a soul and Wylan would make sure Jesper never let it slip. You had wanted to tell Nina but she would tell Matthias and you weren't sure if he fully understood the concept of a secret relationship and Nina had a particularly loud personality.

So you snuck around, Eli also worked as a Barkeep and would sometimes pick up on information left out in the open by inebriated customers which he'd relay to you.

You were able to sneak him books, his father wanted him focused on running the bar one day but you knew it wasn't what he wanted out of life.

You'd spend the time you usually set aside for leisure time to spend helping Eli study. It was too risky to bring him into the Slat or the Crow Club since you knew you'd run into someone you knew who'd question you for his presence.

Eli's mother knew about the two of you and loved you a lot, you were well-mannered and educated as well as gorgeous. What's not to like? And you loved her too. She always had something to give you, a trinket, a book etc. One of the things you adored?

Her cooking. Gosh it was like being transported to heaven. She herself was half Zemeni and it was always nice to have someone appreciate your culture.

Sometimes you showed up just to talk to her.

When his parents were out and two of you had the place to yourselves you loved to cook together. It helped you imagine a future life together, peaceful and sweet.

But when his dad was in you'd sneak him into your place.

And you'd always been so careful, until today.

You had a few drinks at a local tavern, perhaps a bit more than a few but who was counting?

Eli had gotten himself a secret job at the biggest Library around with the only problem being that it was so close to Pekka Rollins turf. You knew if he found out about Eli he would be used to lure you.

Instead of scaling the walls to your bedroom you thought that walking right inside would be more fitting. "I'm so hungry E." You whined as Eli laughed, "I'll bake you something. Make you some eat."

You giggled, "What in the Saints are you on about?" Eli pushed open the door as he frowned, "Don't mock me, that is a very rude thing to do my love." As you walked in you felt at home, quickly you lead him upstairs as fast as possible, along with a few trips on the stairs.

But your swift escape was foiled when you ran right into Kaz.

"Y/n." He spoke in an angry tone, although anger wasn't new in Kaz's case. "Kaz." You replied in a low, mocking tone. "See now that's mocking babe." You laughed, but Eli wasn't.

"What's wrong?" He laughed drily, "Nothing, just the fact that he's staring at me like he's gonna skin me and maybe shoot me in the head to finish it off." That brought out a smirk from Kaz, "Would you suggest another way to ward off unseemly boys from trying to get with a girl too high above them in every way.

"Aww how nice of you to say so Kazzle. Come along E." You smiled but as you walked Kaz grabbed your wrist before swiftly pulling back.

"You can go upstairs but he cannot. Leave. Now."

"That's not fair! He's my guest and my boyfriend he can do as he please."

"Boyfriend?"

"I mean a friend who just so happens to be a boy. Goodnight!"

"Y/n."

"Yes she's my girlfriend and there's nothing you can do about it. She's a grown woman and not a little kid with a crush, I know who she is. She's not stupid and you know that. Y/n wouldn't risk getting into a relationship if she didn't know the person and if they weren't a good guy. I love her with everything I have. She always pushes me to be my best and half the things I've been to scared of doing she held my hand and led me through it. She taught me so much and I'm forever grateful. She's absolutely gorgeous, intelligent, articulate, well-spoken and overall an incredible woman and I'm forever grateful she chose to be with me and I will always treat her with the upmost respect because she deserves nothing less."

"And E is a good guy. He's sweet, and genuine. He always knows when I'm in a bad mood and he always knows how to cheer me up. He cooks for me when I can't be bothered. He reminds me to clean up, he knows everything about me and I him. No I haven't met his father yet but that's because he's an ass. His mothers an amazing woman and incredibly sweet to me and treats me like I'm her own. And not only is Eli an amazing guy but he's super pretty!" You exhaled and inhaled quickly.

Eli stood with his jaw dropped and eyes bulging. "I- Y/n." You sat down on the stairs with him as he sat next to you with his hands clasped with yours.

Kaz was stunned, and he hadn't been speechless in forever, his fast thinking and wit was one of the main reasons he survived.

Inej and Nina were standing with Kaz, a bit behind him.

"I think I'm going to cry, I wish Matthias would say something like that to me."

Inej smiled, she'd always known you'd attract suitors, you were nothing short of stunning. But the Barrel had no shortage of annoying, immature boys and she was thanking all her Saints you had seemed to find the best.

Kaz looked back at her, Oh how he wished he could say that, express all of his millions of thoughts and praise. But it was too hard, so he looked back at you to see Eli smiling whilst resting your forehead on his.

And so he relented, "Leave the door open halfway and if you try anything I will drag you through the streets attached to a wagon and then let the Crows have a go. It's been a while since we delivered a proper beating."

"Yes sir." Eli nodded, you were surprised his head didn't fall off with how quickly he nodded.

Kaz sat back down at his desk and opened his locked drawer, grabbing one of the old notes you use to leave him, it had a drawing of a flower, your favourite, a Black Dahlia. And he couldn't help but sigh.

Where'd all the time go?

[blanketorghost]

NRC! Yuu AU

Hehehe I've been thinking about this lil bastard for a while :^)

I wanted to toy with the idea of an AU in which Yuu was born in Twisted Wonderland and how he would affect the story if he was part of the main cast, so I came up with this fella. Rn the 4th long hair option is winning in the poll so I chose it for this design, but it'll change accordingly depending on which option wins. Not much from his appearance changes aside from giving him pinker eyes!

Student Info:

Grade/Class: Junior/Class E (No. 7)

Age: 18

Height: 179 cm (6 cm taller than his human counterpart)

Dominant hand: Ambidextrous

Homeland: Akabayashi village (赤林)

Club: Pop Music Club

Best Subject: Astrology

Hobbies: Poetry, Horror Stories

Pet Peeves: Responsibility

Favorite Food: All seafood

Least Favorite Food: Nattō

Talent: Strategy

Unique Magic: Liar's Dance

ライアースダンス (本音の仮面)- (True Intention's Mask)

Yuu can transform into a person of choice at the cost of an accelerated blot production. So far he's able to maintain a stable transformation for about 72 minutes.

His transformations are almost perfect, but he still cannot fully mimic people's eyes. Azul so far is the only one that can see through Yuu's UM.

Crowley never actually visited MC in Ramshackle for Ch3— it was Yuu using his unique magic.

Yuu has to syphon some of his magic towards the glamour charms, but he can change the strength of the glamour spells if he needs to use more magic. He numbers each level as a dance.

1st Dance: Ears + 1 Tail are revealed - all subsequent dances add a tail. The 7th and final dance adds markings to his skin resembling kumadori makeup.

Kitsune Lore:

Yuu is still the heir of his family, but backstories have been changed slightly and now he's much more willing on his role.

Floyd calls him "cuttlefishie" (イカちゃん/ika-chan) due to his many tails and his preference for seafood.

Kitsune only gain longevity after they gain their 9th tail. Before that, they age like a regular human.

Kitsune have 2 forms they can freely change into; their beastman and animal form. Culturally, kitsune are very overzealous about showing their natural ears and tails to other people in their beastman forms, so they use charms to maintain a glamour spell to make them look more human. Seeing a kitsune without glamours is only reserved to family, close friends or lovers.

A kitsune's animal form is like a 'hybernation' form for kitsune. They use this form to recharge after excerting a lot of their magic.

Kitsune used to be considered monsters until about half a millenia ago, so Yuu is extremely happy Grim got into NRC. He mistakenly thinks Grim is just a very very young Nekomata that has no control over his transformations yet.

Changes to Book 3-Onwards:

Yuu is Octavinelle's housewarden and is one of the very few students to have never entered a contract with Azul.

Azul challenged Yuu during the second half of his freshman year and lost. Yuu, though, saw his potential and appointed him vice-housewarden.

Has had a crush on Azul since the start of this schoolyear. Unlike Human! Yuu, he actually tries flirting from time to time. But due to Azul's low self-esteem, he thinks Yuu is actually making fun of him. Floyd and Jade are very aware of Yuu's crush, though.

As seen above, Yuu is actually the one who asks MC for help freeing the Anemones. Crowley is probably pro Azul since his deals actually increase the school's GPA let's be real.

Yuu helps the MC by using his UM to sneak into Atlantica's museum while the others distract the guards + tweels.

In a last ditch effort to appease Azul after Leona destroys the contracts, Yuu strikes a deal in which he gives his position as housewarden and UM. It all falls apart when the tweels eventually betray Azul and he overblots.

Confesses during the overblot battle like an idiot. Azul again thinks he's making fun of him (rip).

Yuu helps out in Book 4 by transforming into Kalim to figure out Jamil's plan.

Him and Azul officially start dating somewhere around ch 5.

[daifukumochiin]

Summary: Sasuke's orderly life at elite Sairiumu Academy is disrupted by the arrival of Hinata, a timid transfer student whose obvious crush on him, a young man dedicated to his craft and his current relationship, stirs unease. (Initial SasuSaku with SasuHina endgame, modern Norse myth AU, high school, angst, romance, photography, postmodern-ish fic). Rated T

LIGHTS,

BOWS, and

MISTLETOES

an entry for SasuHina Month 2024, Day 27 : Forget and Remember

(for peachy-hina, since December)

@sasuhinamonth

ffnet: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14369143/1/Lights-Bows-and-Mistletoes

ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/57030778

Part 1: Lights

go to Chapter List>

vi

He was sorely mistaken to think anything he said to Hinata would make a difference.

He’d been agonizing over Inuwashi’s theme: mood boards that lacked spark, books, and magazines strewn about in his office; he just couldn’t find inspiration. But it was high time he made up his mind. 

To go above and beyond, things have to be right at the onset. Neji entrusted him with that much. He shouldn't steer the club publication aimlessly, taking up whatever social issue seemed relevant, slapping random pretty photos into one collection, submitting it for the Kage Jinkoutekina Radiance Capture Merit Prize Competition, and calling it a day. 

Sairiumu's Photography Club's inception can be traced back to a small group of visionary students who, driven by a passion for documenting and preserving history, embarked on a journey to capture the essence of their era through the lens of a camera. Over time, this led to archives that date back 300 years, amassing a rich tapestry of visual history that chronicled the evolution of culture, society, and technology of former Konoha, now Metro Konoha.

Indeed, the archives are the Photography Club's pride and heritage, and Sasuke's predecessors didn't shy away from utilizing its treasures for older issues of Inuwashi. Even so, it didn't win them a Kage-Jin, as it is fondly called in the photography world. He studied previous winner publications and found two common traits: a stronger theme, and high aesthetic value. 

To clear his mind, he took a week off school—a privilege he has as club president—and went hiking along the mountain trails of the Konoha Natural Reserve. He ached for the serenity and the scenery by the lakes; animals are also easily his favorite subjects. Convincing an increasingly distrustful Sakura to let him go solo backpacking for a week had taken great pains so it came as a bitter disappointment when he found the trails packed with tourists. 

Though he managed to take pictures and enjoyed the view, he wasted his time when he returned that Monday, the day of the qualifying exhibition for aspiring new members, without a solid theme still. Adding to this stress was seeing Hinata Hyuuga’s name on the list of participants who made submissions. Had he not taken a week off, he could’ve rectified this mistake with the recruitment committee early on, not during the exhibition proper when he strode at noon where it could be unseemly.

“Are you sure you checked all of these names?” said Sasuke, his tone dripping with accusation. Already, he could feel stiffness returning to his muscles, the pressure steadily increasing at his nape. 

Tenten tilted her head curiously, taken aback. “What do you mean? We’ve checked everything twice. All these names have their entries inside with designated bead urns all accounted for.” There had been a case of hacking during online voting in the past, so the recruitment committee took to devising creative means year after year.

“Isn’t there a master file that shows the exhibit numbers with the names? Show it to me,” he demanded, his nostrils flaring as he kept his anger simmering at a level. If he were to ask directly which one is Hinata Hyuuga’s, he would seem more suspicious. All entries were identifiable only by their assigned number.

Tenten hesitated for a moment, her brows furrowing slightly at the unusual request. “I’m sorry, Sasuke, but that file is strictly confidential. Only I, as committee club head, have access to it.”

Sasuke raised a brow. “I’m the president…” He let the sound of the title hang in the air and when this didn’t seem to convince Tenten, he added: “Read the club rule book. There are exceptions given to the club president.”

“But that’s how I’ve been instructed by the upperclassmen before I assumed office. Only I can know the master list–”

“I do things differently,” he replied. “It’s crucial that I understand the quality of this year’s candidates. Besides, I’m not going to vote.”

“You can, though.” Tenten remained skeptical and avoided his eyes, much to Sasuke’s irritation.

He let out a frustrated sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. He ought not to make a scene, not in the open where teachers and other students could be out and about. Reminded of this, Sasuke regained his calm. 

“I’m not interested in who makes it,” he assured her, “I’m only interested in what they can do and how they think. Now, show me!” He held out his hand impatiently.

Tenten looked up, a hint of concern crossing her features. “Fine,” she replied cautiously, unlocking her tablet and handing it to Sasuke. “But please understand, the file contains sensitive information.”

Satisfied that he got what he wanted, he sent Tenten and the others to take a break. As he scrolled through the master file, he realized why Tenten was so protective of it. The document contained sensitive details like family background, home addresses, and contact information. And, truly, it hadn’t been an error on the recruitment committee's part— Hinata Hyuuga unabashedly made a submission, despite all that he said.

Exhibit #67: Hinata Hyuuga 

Father’s Name: Restricted Data

Mother’s Maiden Name: Restricted Data

Home Address: Restricted Data

Past her other personal information, equipment used, and post-processing details was the brief description of her entry:

Mourning doves are everywhere, so commonplace that they fade into the background. Does it make them unworthy subjects? Who truly notices them?

All Sasuke needed to remember was the number sixty-seven. He could easily make up a reason to disqualify her, but his curiosity got the better of him. Who is she really? Why is her family information classified? What made her different from the others? Maybe her photo would give him some clues into her psyche.

He slipped into the exhibition hall, his ears straining for any hint of approaching footsteps, and moved in with deliberate care, avoiding any noise that might draw attention. To his surprise, he found Neji Hyuuga standing by entry number sixty-seven, his hand deep into an unlocked bead urn which would then be weighed at the end of the day to determine which top fifty new members got the most votes via porcelain beads. 

How he got the key, Sasuke could only guess. Such a lowly crime that Neji Hyuuga is forced to commit. 

Whatever his reasons were for pocketing in some beads for Hinata Hyuuga’s urn to lose some weight, Sasuke carefully took another turn and pretended the second time that he had just arrived.

“Neji, what brings you here?” 

Sasuke adjusted his manner to be more casual, easier to play untarnished by the curse of knowledge of Neji’s crime. He couldn’t help chance a glance at exhibit number sixty-seven, of mourning doves bathing in a puddle on the side of the road, their wings as though ballerina arms outstretched, their faces of satisfied bliss while cast on the reflection of the murky water were the faces of preoccupied pedestrian impatient to get to their destination. 

Neji paused at the sight of Sasuke and smirked in that regal, smart-alecky way of his. “If I didn’t know you any better…” His smile then slipped into a pensive frown. “There’s no shame in doing what’s best for the club. Better believe me when I say this one getting the most votes is bad news.” 

Sasuke perused Hinata Hyuuga’s photo some more. “The most votes you say? Surely none in this row.” He then looked at Neji and half-smiled, assuring a mentor and friend that he’ll keep silent about it regardless of the underlying reasons.

Neji smiled back in mutual understanding. “Let’s go out to dinner sometime. After my exams.”

“I’d be delighted,” replied Sasuke. “But… would you mind if I ask why?” 

Neji went around the other entries to drop some voting beads on the ones he deemed somewhat palatable. “It’s best to avoid some people, Sasuke,” said Neji. “They might look normal… speak normal for the most part. But somewhere along bits and pieces here and there, you’ll realize it’s better not to get entangled with such certain people even if they’re family—maybe especially if they’re family. You’d be more careful not to be associated with such kinds of people.”

go to Chapter List>

[of-elitiism]

Some general changes / info updates i need to add to the muses on this blog.

warning, long post and rushed sketches

Adrianna is a rich lady, just not, Bill Gates/globally-rich (can't believe i'm making that parallel). She's more like mafia-rich, has enough money to live in luxury without bringing too much attention to herself. She's a household name only in certain, tighter circles, some less legal than others. Can walk down the street without necessarily being recognized. She's more lowkey, that's the point. No bodyguards, no chef, no secretary, no corporation. The nature of where her money comes from is unclear/left open to interpretation. She's def still doing merc work as a side hustle tho.

Marcus is a uni prof. There, i said it, he's out of the woods and unto higher education (again, wtf are the words i'm using). Still a werewolf, but like, he's got a job now. This tickles my funny bone because university professor/librarian is actually an AU version of him that lives rent free in my head so i wanna smush those two together. So Anthropology/language expert Marcus is a professor at a local university. Nothing flashy, nothing that draws too much attention. Once a month he takes a long drive out in nature (with either an old ass car or an even older, run down motorcycle, up to be decided), to "unwind and get some fresh air", lol. He's been at this job for a while, keeps it lowkey, has a somewhat okish reputation as the quiet, slightly awkward foreign teacher that doesn't understand the subtleties of this culture.

Achim is older and in his underground-fighting era. A bit of a celebrity, a bit of a heart throb with the ladies (and some lads too), a bit of an asshole, if he hasn't had his meal yet. When he's not getting punched for people's entertainment he's a club bouncer, but he does a bunch of other stuff too, like moving boxes, bringing in supplies, fixing that loose cabinet door, etc. He's more street smart than book smart. A bit abrasive with people he doesn't know, but super chill and nice within his small circle of friends. Secretly takes reading and writing classes.

Terry is basically the same, with the added feature that she is well aware that she cannot die and is a lil shit about it. Slightly deranged in the head, but like in a very cutesy, very demure way. Fashion Icon. Knows everybody (as in, she knows my other muses and a lot of other ppl too, whatever the plot calls for). Easily the best girl in this shit show.

Isaac is forever. Eternal. Ever-lasting. My boy is perfect, no need to switch him up. Maybe just explore his unhinged self a lil bit more.

Bonus:

Viktor and Emily, vampire cousins. Viktor is Achim's frenemy/foil type of character. Likes poetry unironically, doesn't understand modern frivolities, hates himself but thinks he's better than you. So basically an elder emo. Emily is the younger one of the two, Belle Delphine-coded, bdsm ballerina, fan-favorite goth girl with smol tiddies. Says "nya" unironically and has a major crush on Achim, truly believes they will get married one day. Viktor and Emily don't like eachother, but it's more him not liking her while she's just iffed out.

[secretsappyabode]

ISAT S/I REF LETS GOOOO

name: toinette/tiphanie bio: dormont's resident horticulturalist and sweet tooth. hails from a southern hemisphere country fighting type: rock weak to: paper resistant to: scissors/rock

relationships:

mirabelle - besties!! -struggle with similar anxieties, they try to support each other :') -they're both absolute sweethearts, ask anyone in town -monster bonding club!! -they have book club with odile, discussing stories and theories -mira, isabeau and toinette are all part of the Beauty Alliance club

isabeau - rock buds!! -gets mistaken for siblings a lot. i mean, have you seen them? -they spar together! practise rock type moves with each other -tease each other about their respective crushes (they even deal with their crushes the same way, they're both so helpless) -"noooooo let me protect YOU dangit!!"

bonnie - apprentices!! -bonnie teaches every recipe they know -toinette shows proper fruit and veggie gardening -snack swaps!! bake swaps!! all the food swaps!! -before they had to fight the king, bonnie would hang out in toinette's garden to get a sense of comfort, poor kid :(((

siffrin - safe place -at first thought siffrin was very cool and mysterious, later finds out how much of a shy dork he can be -introvert/extrovert duo!! -they both swap puns, much to the chagrin of the party -siff enjoys her singing voice -share a love for theatre -"flower for you :>"

odile - slow burn -toinette fell first, odile took a while to develop feelings -immense respect for each other at the beginning! -being a traveller herself, toinette tells odile her experiences with vauguarde and their culture, while also talking about her own culture from her birth country. toinette likes to share and odile likes to learn :> -when odile wished for a coin flip, she banked it on whether to ask toinette to come with her to ka bue or not

taglist!! @tex-treasures @nerdstreak

[suhnshinehaos]

i never noticed but i was rereading ur renjun smau and in the last chapter there was a yy smau spoiler HWAT HOW COME I DIDNT SEE IT 😭😭

SURPRISEEEE?? hehehe i did write that part with treacherous already in mind so it makes me giggle a little when ppl notice it ;)

[lavendershowcase]

Pink Pony Club: LGBT books with pink covers (that was the whole criteria this month, starting chill)

Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl by Andrea Lawlor

It’s 1993 and Paul Polydoris tends bar at the only gay club in a university town thrumming with politics and partying. He studies queer theory, has a dyke best friend, makes zines, and is a flaneur with a rich dating life. But Paul’s also got a secret: he’s a shapeshifter. Oscillating wildly from Riot Grrrl to leather cub, Paul transforms his body and his gender at will as he crossed the country––a journey and adventure through the deep queer archives of struggle and pleasure.

Of note: 90s queer culture, debut novel, Lawlor received the Whiting award for this novel

Your Driver is Waiting by Priya Guns

Damani is tired. Her father just died on the job at a fast-food joint, and now she lives paycheck to paycheck in a basement, caring for her mom and driving for an app that is constantly cutting her take. The city is roiling in protests–everybody’s in solidarity with somebody–but while she keeps hearing that they’re fighting for change on behalf of people like her, she literally can’t afford to pay attention.     Then she gives a ride to Jolene (five stars, obviously). Jolene seems like she could be the perfect girlfriend–attentive, attractive, an ally–and their chemistry is off the charts. Jolene’s done the reading, she goes to every protest, and she says all the right things. So maybe Damani can look past the one thing that’s holding her back: she’s never dated anyone with money before, not to mention a white girl with money. But just as their romance intensifies and Damani finally lets her guard down, Jolene does something unforgivable, setting off an explosive chain of events.

Of note: satire, "gender-flipped Taxi Driver"

Gwen and Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher*

It’s been hundreds of years since King Arthur’s reign. His descendant, Arthur, a future Lord and general gadabout, has been betrothed to Gwendoline, the quick-witted, short-tempered princess of England, since birth. The only thing they can agree on is that they despise each other. They’re forced to spend the summer together at Camelot in the run up to their nuptials, and within 24 hours, Gwen has discovered Arthur kissing a boy and Arthur has gone digging for Gwen's childhood diary and found confessions about her crush on the kingdom's only lady knight, Bridget Leclair. Realizing they might make better allies than enemies, they make a reluctant pact to cover for each other, and as things heat up at the annual royal tournament, Gwen is swept off her feet by her knight and Arthur takes an interest in Gwen's royal brother.

Of note: YA, historical

*I personally recommend this book! There's interesting world building, playing with Arthurian legends. It's fun and tropey but not without genuinely emotional moments. And it's just such a good read. Bonus points for a character having an unnamed medical condition that shares symptoms with endometriosis.

Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuinston

When his mother became President, Alex Claremont-Diaz was promptly cast as the American equivalent of a young royal. Handsome, charismatic, genius―his image is pure millennial-marketing gold for the White House. There's only one problem: Alex has a beef with the actual prince, Henry, across the pond. And when the tabloids get hold of a photo involving an Alex-Henry altercation, U.S./British relations take a turn for the worse. Heads of family, state, and other handlers devise a plan for damage control: staging a truce between the two rivals. What at first begins as a fake, Instragramable friendship grows deeper, and more dangerous, than either Alex or Henry could have imagined. Soon Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret romance with a surprisingly unstuffy Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations and begs the question: Can love save the world after all? Where do we find the courage, and the power, to be the people we are meant to be? And how can we learn to let our true colors shine through?

Of note: adapted into a movie in 2023

We Were the Universe by Kimberly King Parsons

The trip was supposed to be fun. When Kit’s best friend gets dumped by his boyfriend, he begs her to ditch her family responsibilities for an idyllic weekend in the Montana mountains. They’ll soak in hot springs, then sneak a vape into a dive bar and drink too much, like old times. Instead, their getaway only reminds Kit of everything she’s lost lately: her wildness, her independence, and—most heartbreaking of all—her sister, Julie, who died a few years ago. When she returns home to the Dallas suburbs, Kit tries to settle in to her routine—long afternoons spent caring for her irrepressible daughter, going on therapist-advised dates with her concerned husband, and reluctantly taking her mother’s phone calls. But in the secret recesses of Kit’s mind, she’s reminiscing about the band she used to be in—and how they’d go out to the desert after shows and drop acid. She’s imagining an impossible threesome with her kid’s pretty gymnastics teacher and the cool playground mom. Keyed into everything that might distract from her surfacing pain, Kit spirals. As her already thin boundaries between reality and fantasy blur, she begins to wonder: Is Julie really gone?

Of note: considered "a most anticipated novel," released July 2024

[digo3d]

Just sending to say first HI AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR ADORABLE HCs and if you have another cute HC on Spook or Choochoo that would be lovely!

And I’m happy to share that Chap 13 has 13 finished pages so far, and still rising ✨ but I sure hope people read it after such a long hiatus

You're very welcome once more and I will be happy to oblige 🙏

Also HELL YEAH and I'll definitely be reading Chapter 13 whenever it comes out cos I'm gunna be bedridden for 6 weeks due to hip surgery and I'm gunna need literally ANYTHING to do so 💅

Anyways

Relating back to Polydactyly Chooch I'm saying he has two pinkies on each paw and he does 'double pinkie promises' with the rest of the boys where they have to use both their pinkies to promise

And because he has five fingers he's the only one who can actually give Dibble a true hi-five

Chooch really loves painting and especially loves painting portraits of other people. He's painted the entire gang, random people he's crushed over, and even Dibble because he believes there's a beauty in every face, even in an ugly mug such as Dib's

Chooch is the opposite of claustrophobic he loves fitting into tiny spaces such as boxes, holes, gaps in walls, and the small space in between Fancy and the fence when the big guy is sleeping

Spook is actually a lot clumsier than you would think, he's always tripping over things or hitting his shoulders on walls or knocking stuff over in the shops

Spook absolutely loves learning about musical instruments from other cultures and it's a dream of his to learn how to play an instrument from each country

Since I also HC that Brain's hard of hearing (he just like me fr) Spook has started learning ASL so that Brain can understand him a little better

Spook has a little book that he writes poems in that he tries to hide away from most people because he's scared they'll think it's corny and there's also some personal stuff in there, but he's read out a few of his poems to a few members of the gang

He's also a member of a beat poetry club (because he's a beatnik) and reads some of his poems there

That's probably more than you wanted but the more the merrier :3 thanks again for asking ^^

[snippychicke]

For the Sake of a Smile (V.2) Chapter Ten

Title: For the Sake of a Smile (Revised)

Overall Rating: Mature (18+)

Chapter Rating: M for Mature. We've begun the 18+ content

Trigger warnings: Nothing beyond the child abuse hinted in the series, though we do explore the consequences a bit more.

Main Pairing: Balam Shichiro/Reader

Summary: Hell on earth was your motto for your job. Granted, you were pretty sure earth really was hell, considering the shit you had seen in your life. And the fact your coworker was a child. 

A child named Suzuki Iruma, in fact. A kid who’s life was decidedly worse than yours, but yet he smiled despite everything. It wasn’t long after meeting him that you decided you’d do a lot for his smile. Including summoning a literal demon and signing your soul away.

But as it turns out, hell (The Netherworld, actually) was a lot better than living on earth. Demons were more humane than a lot of humans you knew.

And Iruma’s smile wasn’t the only one that would change your life.

Masterlist | Ao3| Mairimashitai! Simps Discord

After the harvest festival, Babyls returned to its usual chaos. Students were once again focused on their classes and clubs; or, you supposed they called them battlers here. To you, they seemed just like the Netherworld version of highschool clubs.

And now that they were more or less done with their intensive training, it seemed like the Misfit Class spent the extra time in the library; filling the space with their rambunctiousness. 

On top of that; to your shock, embarrassment, and yet also slight joy, more than a few had followed Clara's lead and started to call you 'mom' instead of Miss Suzuki.

It had started with Lied, but quickly followed by Jazz - and then most of the rest followed suit as well. Except for Asmodus, who continually insisted on using your proper title. Sabnock also, who refused to call his rival's mother his own.

So yet another rumor began to spread, this one claiming that you were the 'Mother of the Misfits' - which seemed to overtake the 'courting Balam' rumor. Granted, part of the reason that rumor was dying down was due to the fact you were self-restricting how often you spent time with him - as much as you personally hated it. 

Instead you had holed yourself up in the library, doing your own studying of Netherworld culture; between helping students find books, or aiding the battlers research new ideas and theories - and of course, restocking books and keeping the place tidy.

As it turned out, there were no true guides on the different aspects of demon society with the sole purpose of explaining the multitude of intricacies. You supposed mostly because demons learned them from birth, so no one saw the need to write them down. Each family was different, holding their own customs as closely guarded secrets. You had gleaned that the first few years of a demon's life was devoted to teaching them the rules of society, all the proper mannerisms and such long before they were allowed out of their family's home.

Your mind often repeated Opera and Sullivan's idea that Balam would happily explain those things to you - considering he knew your true situation. And the thing was, you could easily imagine him becoming excited and probably making a whole series of picture books on the subject. They'd be so cute too; because his art skills were exquisite, as well as easy to read and understand despite the heavy subject.

Given the chance, your mind would drift away for extended periods of time to imagine how the situation would go.

Which came back around to why you were avoiding him. Because absence absolutely did make the heart go fonder, and you weren't quite ready to face that.

If you thought you had a crush on the demon before, it was worse now as you realized what all you liked about him. You missed the easy physical contact, and your heart would still thump every time you remembered what it was like being in his arms. You missed his deep baritone voice, and the way he would excitedly lecture you about some aspect of the Netherworld. Or the way he was overwhelmed when asking questions about the human realm, and his face would pinch together as he tried to focus.

Hell, you even missed sipping tea quietly together as you reviewed notes in his office while he was training Asmodeus and Sabnock. You saw the intellectual side of him often enough, but watching him train those two had given you a chance to see the more - ehem - physical side; reminding you that the kind and gentle professor was just as strong as he looked.

Then there were your dreams, borne from the confusion and frustration you were experiencing. Many nights a week you were waking up gasping, body aching for release as your heart's fantasies played over and over in your mind's eye. 

Which of course, was another reason to strictly avoid him. How could you face him when you remembered your mind trying to supply what it would be like to be pinned down to a table beneath him, husky voice praising as you screamed his name.

You couldn't. You just… couldn't.

Of course, fate had other ideas.

--+--

"Hey, mom!"

You looked up from your book at Lied's words to half the Misfits in front of the counter, with varying expressions from guilty to pleading.

Something was up - which meant your peaceful afternoon was about to go haywire.

"Yes?" You answered slowly, eyeing the blond-haired demon who was leaning on the counter with a grin on his face, trying to act completely nonchalant - and failing. Mainly because you felt like you knew him - all of them - too well.

He didn't give up the charade and continued persistently. "You're friends with Professor Balam, right?"

Instantly your face felt flush, and you scratched at your burning cheek out of nerves. "I mean, sorta?" You answered, looking towards Iruma for an answer, but the boy shrugged his shoulders helplessly, looking a bit awkward himself. "Why, what's going on?"

And here you thought he was the unofficial leader of the class.

"Professor Balam has been…" Asmodeus started after no one else spoke, then trailed off as he debated his words. That alone filled you with dread. 

It had to be horrible if the refined demon was at a loss for words.

"Moody?" Jazz offered after a moment. "I mean, he's always been weird but…"

"He's been crabby," Elizabetta stated bluntly with a soft sigh. "Not at all like his usual self. But we don't think it's an evil-cycle, either."

"Er, I'm afraid I haven't been around him much lately," You admitted, though you had been texting him rather frequently despite avoiding him, and he seemed his usual self. Asking questions, patiently explaining the answers to your own. 

Though you had deftly avoided any questions related to relationships or reproduction, despite the growing curiosity beginning to burn in your mind. 

"A demon denied his lady's affections?" Kamui gasped, placing a wing against his chest. "No wonder the professor has been out of sorts!"

"It's not like that!" You, Iruma, as well as Asmodus answered at once, and you felt a brief flash of relief that at least someone was understanding.

That relief died quickly as the students talked amongst each other.

"Wait, they're not courting? Does Professor Balam know that?"

"You know, I wonder if that isn't the problem…"

"Exactly! Miss Suzuki is a sublime example of a mature woman. I would mourn being denied her lavish bosom if I was the professor!" Several fists found themselves planted on Kamui's head as you groaned.

"Balam is well aware of this," You insisted. Except you had to wonder… did he miss you?

No - surely he would have said something. Or asked why you hadn't dropped by. Or he could have dropped by; his mood probably wasn't tied to you at all.

Right?

"Could you… maybe see what's going on?" Goeman asked carefully after a moment. "We don't know how else to tackle the problem."

"Him and Kalego are close," You answered and then quickly chided yourself. 'As if they weren't already aware of that.' After all, everyone knew the two were close as brothers just by the fact the dark-haired demon was always referring to him as Shichiro instead of his title.

(You had to remind yourself frequently that you were not on such casual terms - though part of you all but ached to say his name aloud, to allow your tongue to play with the easy name. He was Balam, or Professor Balam. Nothing else. Not even in your head.)

Their dark expressions were all the answer you needed to your implied question. None of them were going to volunteer to talk to Kalego about the situation.

Maybe you should? Then again, Kalego had glared daggers at you last time you had visited him, making you think twice about traveling to his office again.

"Please, mom?" Iruma asked, giving you those soft blue puppy eyes. "He really is acting odd."

You groaned, your resolve crumbling like soft sand against the ocean waves. Damn your boy and those eyes of his. "Okay, I'll… I'll pay him a visit."

You prayed to whatever deity you could to stay focused while you were with him. No thoughts about the crush that was holding your heart for ransom. Or about Opera's words from the other morning that continued to replay in your head. 

Just focus on Balam; what was bothering him and what he needed to feel better. 

And keep your mind out of the gutter.

--+--

Usually as soon as you approached the biology prep room's open door, Balam somehow knew it was you and would greet you before you could knock on the doorframe. Yet you were able to reach the open door - and even linger in the doorway without a hint he had even noticed. 

Instead, you could see him hunched over his desk, obviously lost in thought. The general atmosphere of the room seemed… tense - or maybe it was just your imagination. 

It was hard for you to tell at the moment, considering how anxious you were. Your heart was thumping rapidly in your chest, your hands felt shaky and clammy as you clutched a tray you had grabbed from the kitchens, loaded with a pot of Devil Grey Tea and some treats.

"Heya," You announced your presence after a moment of awkwardly trying to reign in your worry and also selfishly admiring his form. The thick muscles of his neck and back, how his wide chest narrowed at his waist and hips. And then his clawed feet that were curled beneath the chair that was almost too small for him, able to study the underside of his feet and wonder briefly if they were ticklish. "Um, I brought some tea and cookies." 

He finally looked up, causing you to pause. He looked… haggard; his dark eyes had darker circles, his skin paler than normal, and - had his hair grown that much without you realizing it? What was once a buzz cut, now was in that awkward stage between short and long around his ears. 

Yes, it had been several days since you last saw him - but surely that wasn't enough time for his hair to floof out like this.

"Tea sounds nice, actually," He grumbled distractedly as he scratched at his messy hair. "Thank you."

Well, so far so good. You entered and set the tea down on his desk before going ahead and pouring two cups. 

You took a deep breath as you picked one up and offered it to him. Best way was to be direct and to the point, right? "If I'm prying, let me know," You started softly, "But the students are saying you've been a little rough around the edges lately. Is everything okay?"

"Fall is the molting season for many avian demons, such as myself," He explained with a sigh. "And constantly itching tends to shorten one's temper." Your heart fluttered as his fingers briefly grazed yours as he accepted the cup from your hands, reminding you how much larger his hands were, and how warm they were, even through his gloves. "You… don't mind if I remove my mask, do you?"

It took you a hot moment for your mind to catch up with his question; causing your flushed face to heat up even more, both from embarrassment for being distracted by such a trivial thing as well as forgetting to bring a straw for him.

You really were out of sorts today. 

But, it was just the two of you, and you certainly didn't mind. "I don't mind at all," You replied, giving a reassuring smile despite your nerves. "But, if you'd prefer that I leave…"

"Never," He answered instantly with a slight smile; one you could actually see once he removed the metal plate of his mask. 

However, the smile was short lived and was quickly replaced by a grimace as he itched at his hair once more. "Though, I admit I'm not the best company right now."

You didn't even think, your body moved of its own accord as you set down your cup and moved to stand behind him. Sitting down, his head was at chest level - which was perfect for you to run your fingers through his hair to scratch lightly at his scalp.

Devi, his hair was soft as downy fur - or maybe feathers in this case. Your ministrations elicited a soft sigh as he leaned into your touch, which reassured any worry about overstepping. His head fell back, resting against your chest and silently all but begging for more. 

And how could you resist?

"I take it that feels good?" You asked, your heart once again racing. Maybe you were just reading into it, but it felt like a tender show of trust with him relaxing against you, his eyes closed peacefully and throat bared to you.  

"You have no idea," He mumbled distractedly, making you smile.

Who knew demons really liked head scritches?

You gathered your courage and continued running your nails along his scalp, noticing the bases of some of the silvery-white hair had the stiff coverings that reminded you of pin feathers, making you grin. You remembered the few pet birds you had seen in your early years, and how they loved it when you helped work the waxy bits from their feathers during…

During molt. He really is a giant bird. 

You worked a bit, alternating between scratching his scalp and rubbing the waxy coverings off between your thumb and forefinger. 

Then, in a moment of impishness, you ran your fingers from the back of his head towards his face, floofing his hair even more. It gave you a rather brief moment of amusement before a sensual moan escaped from his parted lips. 

You froze, feeling warmth flare in both your face and lower abdomen at the noise. Devi, your baser-self wanted to hear that again - putting it with the faded memories of your more… spicer dreams. 

Part of you - most of you - wanted to continue, secretly more than a bit thrilled at his reaction; while your rational sense was screaming at you that there was a strict boundary you were threatening to break - if you hadn't already. Friends did not cause friends to moan wantonly like that - or feel a sudden burst of arousal because of it. That was definitely not appropriate.

One of Balam's dark eyes cracked open, looking straight up at you with a soft, pleading, expression. "Please, don't stop."

That - that just made things worse. Your heart hammered in your chest as you frantically tried to make a decision. Do you step away with some lame excuse, making things even more awkward? Or should you give in and continue despite the new realization that this was possibly more than helping a friend with an itch.

Or rather, with a different kind of itch. 

You bit your lip, so many parts of yourself at war with each other. 

He did ask you to continue. (With his own version of puppy-eyes that made your resolve crumble even more.)

Yet that was a rather lewd noise.

Was this really okay?

But… if it wasn't okay he surely would have stopped you, right? If it was inappropriate, he would have told you. He - he knew of your ignorance, he wouldn't allow you to make a faux pas like that.

And, if he did… like you as Opera and others seemed to believe… he wouldn't take advantage of you, right?

Actually, you knew the answer to that with certainty. He was always so careful and polite during anything remotely awkward that it left you confident you could trust him in that regard. 

You bit your lip as you slowly continued, though you were cautious not to repeat the earlier motion. 

Still - soft, pleased noises rumbled from the back of his throat, making you feel a bit awkward (if only because you were rather… aroused by the noise).

But you also realized how much he had relaxed, virtually melting into his chair. 'It was just a good massage,' you told yourself. 'Nothing sensual about it.' 

You repeated the revelation to calm yourself down with little success. You wished desperately your body would stop reacting as if it was a risqué situation.

"Are you going to let your hair grow out?" You asked after a moment, mostly to fill the silence and switch subjects - but also because you were rather curious. You didn't really have the chance to appreciate his long hair before he had rather brutally cut it himself. 

And now that you felt the soft silky strands, it seemed like an absolute shame for him to cut it so short.

"I'm not sure," He answered, still sounding rather dazed. "It seems either way I'm still terrifying towards others. Of course, if I cut it now it would just grow back, so I would have to wait for a few weeks if I decide to."

"Maybe put your hair up?" You offered. "Or keep it pinned back? I know I only saw you a few times before you cut it, but I think part of the reason it was so intimidating was the fact it was so wild and unrestrained."

His eyes cracked open again, a faint frown on his face. "Were you intimidated?"

You paused, remembering that first meeting. Looking up to see him ducked behind a bookcase, trying to hide his massive frame as he watched you intently, his hair looking wild and giving the impression of a mad man. "A little," You answered honestly, remembering his bloodline ability. "But more because you were just… staring."

"Of course," He replied simply, surprising you as his eyes fell shut again. "Discovering not one, but two humans? And then you were nothing like I was expecting. You still manage to surprise me nearly every day."

"Me?" You paused briefly, though your fingers were still tangled in his hair.

"Before you and Iruma, I thought humans were meek, peaceful, and weak. You have proven quite the opposite." There was a hint of both exasperation and fondness in his voice.

You worried your lip. "Is that a bad thing?"

His eyes opened once again as he reached up to brush your cheek softly. "No, far, far, from it. You are far more than I could have ever dreamt of. I have learned so much from you and Iruma…. I am forever in your debt."

You felt your face flush as you slowly resumed finger-combing his hair, avoiding his gaze as his fingers fell away from your cheek. A hundred different thoughts sifted through your mind, your heart torn on how to interpret his words and the possible meanings behind them.

Was this an opportunity to ask him about if humans and demons could… intermix? Or should you open with how different demon and human societies were - even though that was a subject you had touched on many a time - but maybe see if you could steer the conversation towards the more romantic aspect?

Test the waters to see if he… if he really could be interested in you. 

"I have to admit I've missed your company," He continued as you wavered internally. "Though I've heard you've been assisting many of the students, so I can understand you'd be quite exhausted by the end of the day."

"They can be quite overwhelming," You agreed weakly, guilt bubbling in your stomach. Had he simply assumed you were too busy, and kept to himself out of consideration? (The realization did not help your infatuation any). "Plus, I, uh, have been doing some studying of my own, which has kept me rather busy."

"Oh?"

You bit your lip, gathering your courage. You couldn't ask for a better opportunity. You had to ask it. 

Right here. Right now.

Devi, you were going to be ill. 

"Well, you know there's a lot of differences between our cultures, and some are more… subtle than others." You started, hoping your voice didn't sound as shaky as you felt. "But there's no real materials that cover some things like - say - molting, or - uh - courting?" You trailed off, forced casual tone turning into a squeak.

His eyes opened once more, and you swore he could read your thoughts as he stared up at you. "You…want to learn more about courting?" He asked, a faded pink dusting his nose and cheeks.

"Well, I mean," You looked away, focusing on his hair but sure your flushed expression was giving your intentions away. "It's bound to pop up eventually, maybe, possibly? And I don't want to look completely clueless…"

In a flash of movement, Balam virtually jumped out of his chair, startling you. You instinctively jumped back, primal mind screaming to run as he towered over you.

Yet before your body could act on the instinct to run, he gripped your shoulders firmly as he crouched slightly to look you in the eye.

"Has someone asked for your permission?" He asked urgently, almost strangled by the thought. No, he was worried - the expression on his face made that very evident. "Did someone approach you already?"

"N-no!" You stammered out. Instantly, he slumped with relief, making your heart flutter as it jumped at the implications. He cared. He really did care for you. Your heart soared at the thought, but your logical side, still filled with doubt, demanded a straight answer. "Why?"

Balam paled slightly, his grip tightening before he suddenly released you and stood to his full height. "Well, it's just… with you being human, it would be a rather precarious situation, I think," He explained awkwardly after a moment. "I mean, I'm not saying that you shouldn't be able to court, or Iruma for that matter. I-I just worry about your safety. I worry for both of you."

His words crushed you more than you could have ever anticipated, making you feel ill. Of course. He… he really didn't like you in that way. You had just been misreading the mixed signals, your own emotions coloring the truth. 

He was looking out for you as a friend - he was just being protective of you out of concern, and not jealousy or anything.

It was fine. Completely fine.

"So, what about molting," You quickly changed the subject, hoping he hadn't noticed any hint of dejection on your face. Or the roughness to your voice as you spoke past the lump that had formed in your throat. "Anything I should know about that?"

His face turned a darker pink and it was his turn to avoid your gaze. "A remnant from our ancient ancestors. Our hair and feathers are replaced or grow out for the upcoming seasons. And, um, it's generally a time spent with…families, since grooming builds stronger bonds."

Family. Maybe a significant other, but maybe he also meant just family in general too. So nothing inherently romantic or anything else in the action. 

But you would take it. You were such a lovesick dope you would take any kind of relationship with him. "Well, um, I know we aren't related, but I'm willing to fill in if needed. That's what friends are for, right?"

His gaze met yours again, studying you for a moment before nodding. "R-right. I appreciate your assistance, I really do. But…I suppose we both have duties to return to."

Oh. Right. You had been gone long enough, and he probably had classes to prepare for. "Yeah, I promised one of the battlers to help with a project. So I, uh, should go. Text me if you need anything!"

You hadn't even finished your sentence before turning and bolting. 

Devi, gods - whatever. You were such an idiot. Obviously Opera and Sullivan didn't know Balam that well. You had, though. Why did you allow yourself to hope - to dream - of so much? 

Ambition - desire - were for demons; but you were completely human. You needed to learn to be content with what you had. 

--+--

Why? Why had he said that?

Balam groaned after you left, furiously rubbing his face. When you had asked about courting - it was like all rational thought fled his mind, and he was terrified someone had asked you before he did.

Thank Devi you had said no. But when you asked why…

He couldn't admit that he wanted the honor. That he had been thinking - planning - on asking you; and given the opportunity, he… couldn't. His words failed him and he gave another, more basic answer. And then, the same when you asked about molting. Yes, families did help each other, but parents and children. Siblings.

Or mates.

Had he unwittingly taken advantage of your naivety? You hadn't asked - or even hesitated before your fingers worked through his hair - and as soon as you touched him… all the stress and frustration had simply melted away. Between your touch, your scent - you just being there - he had a short sweet moment of peace.

How did other demons do this? He knew the basics, yes. But in actual practice, how did one go about asking another to court?

He groaned as his head thumped against one of the bookcases. He felt like a teenager all over again - and he hated it. He thought he had finally gotten over his awkwardness around other people.

Nigyul chirped from his nest among the vines that covered the ceiling, his golden eyes staring down at the demon. Balam sighed, knowing Nigyul could sense the tension just from the changes in his mana, and was likely concerned in his own way. "Yes, I know. I horribly messed that up."

The small dragon jumped from his perch, landing heavily on his shoulder where he settled. A deep rumble echoed from the wood dragon's chest as he tried to soothe Balam, making the demon sigh once more. Animals were so much easier than people, it was easy to tell how they felt just by their actions alone. But people--demons and now humans alike-- weren't so straight forward, even with his bloodline ability detecting lies and deceit.

Despite countless hours and thinking, dreaming, rationalizing, he was still unsure of how you truly felt. Sometimes he was sure you were as interested as Kalego said, but other times he was sure that you weren't.

Would a human even be interested in a demon such as himself? You may not be bothered by his scar or the problems it caused when eating, but that didn't mean you could be attracted to the rest of him; considering how different he was.

Granted, you were different from him, but he… he couldn't deny his attraction to you; some of which was because of how exotic you were, but little things like your smile - your caring nature.

How easy you were around him despite everyone else's natural fear.

Devi, he was sure he loved you. He just didn't know what to do about it.

--+--

Balam set the stack of picture books on the table, happy to see Iruma smile excitedly. "These should go over the subjects you're having difficulty with. Bahamut's reign over the southern waste, and some of the magic fundamentals you may be missing.”

"Thanks so much, Professor!" The boy grinned, flipping through some of the pages carefully, examining the artwork inside. "I know mom will love to read the ones on magic to help her with those Runes."

"Er, speaking of your mother…" Balam started, rubbing his neck, and then itching at the prickly hair growing there. You probably hadn't been able to reach it since his head had been resting against your chest.

He could easily recall the softness of your breasts, providing a perfect type of pillow to rest against. He could feel every breath, the subtle movements of your muscles as you worked. The hint of your human scent beneath Sullivan's cologne. 

"Oh, yeah! Did she go see you earlier?"

He blinked at the boy's question, blushing at the realization of where his thoughts had taken him. Here he had been meaning to ask Iruma a question and he had been so easily side tracked. 

Maybe he should take a few days off like Dali had recommended, but he hated the thought of not being there for you or Iruma should you need him. (Nevermind Lord Sullivan and Opera were both available too…)

Iruma naively assumed the expression on Balam's face was from confusion, and chuckled nervously. "My class and I…. Well, we noticed you've been rather distracted and on edge the last few days. And - well - one thing led to another and we ended up asking mom if she knew what was going on. She agreed but… she's avoided us ever since, so I was worried about what happened."

"It's… complicated," Balam admitted after a moment of contemplation. Maybe he should write a book on molt and other such cycles of other types of demons. Not just for you and Iruma, but maybe for future students as well to help foster understanding.

Though so far only a few from the misfit class seemed interested in them. Clara in particular, from what Iruma had said in the past.

"She did help," Balam continued, pushing those thoughts away until later. "Hopefully things will be a bit more normal." At least, for a day or two. Then he secretly worried he'd go hunting for you, tempted by your earlier offer. To be able to indulge in such bliss once more. "But, something she said made me wonder… how exactly do humans… court?"

It was awkward asking Iruma such a thing, but his alternative was asking you - and he feared that would be even more awkward. 

"Court?" Iruma repeated thoughtfully. "Well, from what I understand that's pretty much what we call 'dating'. And it's kinda complicated, and really depends. But usually people will spend time together, and maybe bring each other gifts, like chocolates or other sweets, and flowers. Plus, you know, hold hands and stuff like that."

That's really all it took to court in the human realm? It seemed so… tame. Granted, he had always theoriezed their world was simpler and kinder than the Netherworld.

Wait - spending time together? Bringing gifts like sweets, holding hands and being affectionate?

Those… were things you had been doing. You would often come to visit and spend time with him when you could. And ever since Opera exposed his secret sweet tooth, you often brought something from the kitchens to share while you talked.

While you never really initiated anything, you never complained about his skin-ship habit. If anything, you embraced his touch - often happily leaning into him.

You hadn't argued when Kalego teased about flirting as he had expected. Instead, you had looked at him silently - obviously flustered, but he had been too flustered himself to really think.

Actually… that's when things had seemed to change, and you had more or less withdrawn from him.

Had he missed some kind of basic human cue? Had you already been courting him? And he had been completely oblivious as Kalego claimed.

Both panic and excitement gripped his heart as his thoughts became a disjointed mess. Could you really have been trying to court, was that why you asked about it today? Had he unknowingly messed things up?

"Uh, professor?" Iruma spoke, shocking him out of his thoughts. "Are you okay?"

"Oh yes," He answered, forcing a smile. "Just… distracted for a moment there. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, I just agreed to meet Ameri in five minutes…"

Balam's smile became more natural, though equally hidden by his mask as he reached over to ruffle the boy's hair affectionately. "Best not keep the council president waiting. Just let me know what you think of the books later."

"Of course!" The boy carefully placed the books in his bag before holstering it over his shoulder. "Oh, and Professor Balam?" He paused halfway towards the door. "I really do hope you and Mom figure things out, and I know Grandpa and Opera are cheering you guys on too."

With that, Iruma left while Balam was struggling to process his words, and the implications behind them.

--+-- Su-Ki-Ma--+--

You sat on Balam's desk, his head resting once more against your chest as you teased the hair at the nape of his neck. His hands rested on your thighs, lightly kneading the supple flesh. 

This was bliss; having your arms wrapped around him, being close enough he could smell your true scent, your fingers working deftly to help ease that frustrating itch. 

He groaned as your fingers combed through his hair, and felt your breath hitch in response. You froze, and for a moment he distantly wondered if he somehow upset you when he noticed it. A change to your already appetizing scent, becoming sweeter, muskier. 

Balam gripped your thighs in realization, which only made it stronger. Your human pheromones were actually quite similar to demons and…

And you were aroused right now. 

"Like that, did you?" You teased, trying to pretend as if nothing happened. 

He should act like he hadn't noticed anything. It could just be an instinctual response and nothing else. Yet he looked up from your chest, and saw the deep flush of your cheeks, how you worried your lip as you avoided his gaze. 

Devi, you were so beautiful. 

You finally looked at him after a moment, and somehow became even more flush. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to tease you like that." 

Tease him? "I don't understand." 

"If I made you feel uncomfortable…" You explained as you pulled your hands away. 

And no, that was the last thing he wanted. He grabbed your wrists without thinking, making you pause. "Uncomfortable is the last thing you make me feel."

You moved to cup his cheeks, your hands so small and delicate compared to him. His eyes fluttered shut as you caressed his face, absolutely uncaring about his disfigurement. 

To be touched so gently, so lovingly. It was more than he could ever hope for. And for it to be you. His dear little human. 

"My handsome demon," You sighed, making his heart clench in his chest.  

He couldn't resist anymore. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against yours. Any fears that you would be disgusted were quickly quieted as you eagerly reciprocated the kiss, arms wrapping around his shoulders as you clutched to him.  That delicious smell of yours became stronger. 

He wanted you. 

He needed you.

He had to have you. All those pretty sounds you made as he allowed himself to touch you. Your supple breasts, so soft in his hands that made you whine. Your inner thigh, his thumb brushing against the junction of thigh and groin, making you gasp and arch into him. 

"Please, Shichiro," You all but begged, clutching him tightly. Your legs wrapped around his waist, his hand moving to cup the swell of your backside. Devi, why were you so soft and perfect and…

Balam groaned as he woke to morning light seeping into his room, far too familiar with the throbbing need between his legs. He relaxed into the edge of his nest, his hand reaching for his cock, struggling with the thoughts of you. 

He could admit he was attracted to you, there was no denying that. Everything about you was so… beautiful. Enchanting. 

But thinking of you while he touched himself left him torn. Because dear hell did he want you, but to use his memories of you in such an obscene way, recalling how it felt to have you in his arms, your smile, your smell left him feeling as if he was somehow taking advantage of you. Your trust, your companionship. 

Yet it was always you he ended up thinking about, calling and pleading your name as he came.

[streets-in-paradise]

Tinuviel - Eddie Munson x (Fem)Henderson!Reader

Word Count 1.4 K

Warnings: Tolkien References, specially regarding The Silmarillion. 

Summary: Your Tolkien nerd discussion with Eddie leads him to discover a new weakness of yours and he can’t stop testing it. 

Notes: If you have been arround my blog for a while you will notice that this is self indulgent, but I am doing it anyways. 

Glossary (simplified): Ainulindale and Valaquenta: the first and second books of The Silmarillion

 Silmarils: The most precious jewels that ever existed in Tolkien lore. Created by Feanor, one of the princes of the Noldor elves. Morgoth ( who Sauron used to serve before being a powerfull evil lord himself) stole them and that unleashed the war that is central for the argument on most of The Silmarillion. 

 Mellon: elvish word for friend. 

Tags: @losersclubisms​ @dark-angel-is-back​​

It wouldn't be the first time you would end up confessing an embarrassing secret to Eddie. He was the keeper of some of your greatest sins in and out of your nerd experience. Details about yourself that no one else in Hellfire would get to know were easier to tell when you were all alone with him.  

He was always more curious that judgemental, even when things wouldn't make sense to him at first hearing. 

" Let me understand this: you have read The Iliad as a kid, but you got lost in your first reading of The Silmarillion ?" 

He didn't mean to offend you, but you felt ashamed. 

" Are you disappointed? Am I going to lose my fantasy nerd club membership card?" 

Just the mention of that was plausible to him. 

" Of course not... How would I ever let you go?" Was his teasing reply. " Homer is only one of Tolkien's sources, but the Catalogue of Ships is a nightmare! The Silmarillion has richer catalogues with interesting descriptions of the people, their land, bits of their culture and their leaders. The second book of The Iliad is just a bunch of names and numbers being thrown at you. I would take ' Of Beleriand and its Kingdoms' over Book 2 anytime." 

" That's exactly the point, it's way more complex!" You defended yourself. " The Silmarillion has the history, cosmogony, religion and philosophy of a completely fictional world all in one while being a chronicle of the entire First and Second ages. The Iliad doesn't even cover the full ten years of war and you can support your reading with history books on mycenaean greece. My first reading of The Silmarillion was four years ago and I had to come back later for a deeper understanding... I guess I am not that smart." 

The worshiping instincts that his secret crush on you had created kicked in, triggered by your ramble followed by self bashing. He could have continued the normal flow of the conversation, but chose not to because he would never help himself when it came to you. 

" You are brilliant, the most brilliant girl I know. I love to hear you talk, you could read to me the Catalogue of Ships and I wouldn't get bored." 

You giggled and to him that was mission accomplished. 

" Well, i bet The Silmarillion is even more epic and beautiful in your voice..." 

"... What is saying a lot, my lady. " He sweetly added, thanking your compliment humbly. " I accept it only because I like flattery and it has an extra taste when it comes from you. Anything sounds sweeter; every praise more magnificent and every victory greater when it is told from your lips, Tinuviel. " 

Eddie had you used to all sorts of lovely compliments, but nothing he had said before affected you in the same way. He was surprised at how helplessly weak for it you seemed to be, wondering what hitted you so deep to end up like that. 

Only after you stopped hiding your face with your hands and your eyes were back on him he got a glimpse of explanation.

" Don't use that name in vain, it's too powerful. " 

The lovely nickname that the mortal heroe Beren gave to elven princess Luthien, the most beautiful of all tales. Their sad love story was the most legendary, serving as inspiration for Aragorn and Arwen in the Lord of the Rings books. 

How could you have done anything but melting with love? 

" It fits you perfectly. " He insisted, refusing to let it go because he knew you loved it. " To the rest of the world you may be a simple mortal lass, human for most. Populars may have confused you for a hobbit because of the taste and skill for hiding you kept for years, but they were all deceived. You are Tinuviel, more precious to me than the Silmarils of Feanor. " 

It was the most beautiful thing he had said of you, so romantic that you almost thought you were just dreaming it. 

" Eddie, don't play with me." You complained, a real clamor from your heart that you tried to hush afterwards. " I wouldn't have been an elven lady, not even in the Third Age. Besides, Dustin has already helped me pick a Tolkien character as kids: I have always been the White Lady of Rohan. " 

" Can't you be both? Just for me? " He sweetly asked, totally convincing you with his puppy eyes. " It can stay between us." 

" It MUST stay between us. " You corrected, just the idea of being called like that in public was getting you even more flustered. " I don't want the guys to make fun of us because you are the only one who can possibly think of using that word on me. It's a sacred nickname: something you say to a top level beautifull girl or someone you love. They will think it is a joke and I wouldn't blame them. " 

Despite being aware you would understand his sayings, Eddie was just realizing he practically dropped a love confession clothed in Tolkien metaphors. Perhaps it happened because most people wouldn't have catched the full meaning with such precision and he previously thought you were going to associate it only with praise on beauty. 

" You are the prettiest girl who speaks to them on a regular basis. Trust me, mellon. If I wouldn't be a firm leader our table at the cafeteria would have become the trojan war."

You chuckled with amused skepticism and he cursed himself for not admitting that both of your assumptions were right. 

“ Helen of Troy? That is way too much, Munson. What is wrong with you? Are you practicing pick up lines to tell Chrissy Cunningham in literature class? Remember you will need someone to distract the king in order to steal the queen.” 

Eddie didn't act called out in the slightest, but he did return the callout. 

" If someone here shall be Paris, it has to be Harrington. That pretty boy who says he is your friend seems to love stealing you from us." 

" ... and you love to confuse him with things you know he doesn't understand. Don't add this one to the list, alright?" 

 If he had to be honest, he would admit he was dying for doing the exact opposite and force him to watch your adorable reaction. 

However, he was then too focused in practicing his new trick. 

" If you ban the nickname in his presence I still have the elvish name. I can call you Luthien, although I prefer Tinuviel because I feel it hits differently, don't you think?" 

Your face was speaking for you, his teasing was just self reaffirmation. 

" It has more love, makes me feel loved somehow. " You forced an answer out of yourself. " I'm sure that hearing you read the book must be incredible because when you say that it sounds so good ... Would you read it to me someday? Even If it is just a few pages of Ainulindale or Valaquenta, I would love that. " 

Seeking to actively romance you in the finest way he had, he accepted your request and made it bigger. 

" Tell you what? That sounds fantastic, but we can still make it better. What if we cuddle in bed and I read you some of 'Of Beren and Luthien' ? " 

The surprise in your eyes was priceless, happiness filling you despite how unsure you were about your chances of survival to such a tender moment. 

" That would be so wonderful! Would you really do that for me, Eds?" 

It was his moment to make it even sweeter and he wasn't going to waste it. 

" Anything for you, my Tinuviel. "