#(side note though i've been wondering for years now why no one has done a found-audio podcast version of dracula.)

[lcrk]

@proditeur answered a meme for me once that made me decide that Dorothea has to do a vampire thing at some point (i also am nothing if not a vampire girlie at heart) so!

Dorothea was in an independent, unauthorized/unofficial retelling of Dracula (think like Nosferatu for unauthorized/unofficial, where it's not 'officially' Dracula, and the names and a bunch of other things were changed, but the inspiration was clearly Dracula; unlike the original Nosferatu, though, this film did have enough licensing that they weren't sued over it). the concept was a modern retelling utilizing a lot of 'found footage' techniques, unsent voice memos/failed-to-upload video messages, 'news' clips etc, to adapt the letters/journals/articles style of the original book. Brent Bradley's [x] sister wrote and directed the film, and most of the cast and crew were friends of hers or friends of her well-connected family. (Brent had scheduling conflicts and wasn't in it himself.) Dorothea played the Mina Murray character, and at one point at a film festival described filming the movie as 'cathartic.' (years later, after the video of her and Jason leaked [x], the clip of her referring to filming this project as cathartic recirculated on the internet, with many fans now assuming she was referring to Jason. she was.) the film got a fair amount of critical acclaim, didn't do particularly well at the box office, but became a cult classic.

[lace4forest]

The Chains Ages in Linked Universe.

I saw people talking about the Chains age in Linked Universe, and I have my thoughts on them.

I've done a LOT of research on the Links and how old they were, I even tried to figure out how long Legend was in Koholint for. (We go with old Canon because new Canon doesn't make since,(Footnote 1) but basically that's the last time we see Legend in normal Zelda Canon)

Anyways-

This is from Jojo's QnA doc on the Linked Universe Discord- ^^^

And this is my thoughts on their ages. Side note, I'm not going off of looking up their ages through google, I'm going off info you can find in game and cross referencing it with other games and the Hyrule Historia and Encyclopedia. Time was 9 in his game and that's about 20 years later so he would be 29. (Unless if we counting Majora's Mask, then he could be 30-32)

Twilight was a "Late Teen" (Also it does state hold old he is) so 17 making him 21 to 22.

Warriors is also "Late Teen" (He was a trainee at the beginning of the war) making him 22 to 26

Sky is also stated to be around 17 making him 18 to 19

Wild is 117 and this would make him either almost 118 or just turned 118.

Legend just became "Of age" in ALBW and that's 16 in his era making 17.

Hyrule we know is 16 making him 18.

Four is 15 or 16 in Four Sword, but he isn't "Of age" so probably 15. making him 17.

And we know Wind is 13 almost 14. (He said it himself)

I just find it very funny the Toons are the youngests. Age explanation and footnotes below cut.

Time - He is 9 at the beginning of his game and becomes an "Adult" 7 years later at 16. This is one of the times it proves that 16 is "Of age" in the Zelda series. We aren't sure how much time has passed between Oot and MM, so we can guess he's 29 to 32 (Making Link in MM 10 to 12 as a good guess.)

Twilight - It's stated in a guide that he is 17. His game also was originally supposed to be a continuation of Oot and MM in the Wind Waker style, with Time all grown up and living on his own. But they changed it to what it is now. So it's just 17+4 or 5 making him 21 to 22.

Warriors - There is no official age and you do NOT need to be 17 to wield the master sword. All we know is that he's "Late Teens" making him between 16 to 19. Making his age in LU between 22 to 26.

Sky - He is stated to be around 17. Making him 18 or 19 (Even if we say he's 16, then he would be 17 to 19.)

Wild - he is 117 years old. We know this. it's been "Less than a year" so he could be almost 118 or already be 118, he probably doesn't remember his Birthday, so there is no saying exactly. (His Zelda should know though. Maybe.)

Legend - SO. I feel like people are gonna fight me on this, but I got the math and hours of research to back it. At the beginning of ALTTP, some guards say that Link shouldn't be out here or that he's too young to wield a sword (Or even start learning to) In BOTW Wild got the Master Sword at 12-13. And people said he was still very young and a prodigy, which means he was already learning the sword by that time. and we also know that in BOTW they think of "Of Age" as 17 instead of 16, meaning they probably make them learn stuff when they are a little older. There's also the connection to Oot, In Wind Waker its stated that Wind is the same age as Time when he Defeated Ganon (Making Wind Canonically 16) And Twilight is the age of what Time should have been when he decided to settle down, making him 17, which leaves us with Legend's age. Most likely taking Times age from the beginning of his game. LONG STORY SHORT- In ALTTP Link is between 9 to 10. NOW. The Oracle games, Link is still a CHILD, so before "Of Age" (Aka less than 16) A LOT of people call him a CHILD and wonder why he has a sword! making him most likely around 11 or 12. Same things with Link's Awakening. (FOOTNOTE 1). Then we have ALBW. Link has a job now and is learning to become a smith. so most likely after his return home, as well as he needs to learn this stuff before becoming a full adult, but then again he lives alone, so we could accurately say 15 to 16. SO LONGER STORY SHORT. We can say 16 and be GENEROUS. Making Legend 17 in LU (but probably closer to 16).

Hyrule - It's literally a plot in his game he is 16, making him 18 in LU.

Four - He is a Child in Minish Cap (So less than 16) and same with Four Swords. He has to be older than 12 because he was given a sword willingly. So between 13 to 15, but we can be nice and say 15 in Four Swords, making him 17 in LU.

Wind -

I do want to say, it's literally stated in his game he is the same age as Time when he KILLED Ganon as an ADULT. It's just the art style of the game.... He JUST turned 16, so people are still calling him a child. (Like how people call 18 year olds children in rl) But also he does look 12 in game... ART STYLE WHYYYYYY (also thats what Twi was supposed to look like lmaoooo)

---

FOOTNOTE 1 - The Encylapedia has wrong information that's easy to disprove and I want to throw it out a window. It also switched the order of the Oracle games and Link's Awakening, even though Oracle of Ages LITERALLY ENDS With Link taking the boat out to sea to head home, and LITERALLY Transitions to Link's Awakenings Opening. ITS THE SAME BOAT. I'm Gonna Cry- NINTENDO WHYYYYY.

[lght-roastcoffee]

⋆ ˚｡⋆ Jealous ⋆ ˚｡⋆

prompt: "Are you jealous?"┆Tuna-Tober ⊹ Day 3

pairing: Benedict Bridgerton x fem!Reader

wordcount: 1.6K

warnings: slight language

author's note: So I've only watched the netflix show and have yet to read the books, so my knowledge of the series and universe is from that. I love Benedict though. He's the himbo rich boyfriend I've always wanted. ♡

˖ ᡣ𐭩 ⊹ 𝘯𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 ˖ ᡣ𐭩 ⊹ 𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘢-𝘵𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘴 ˖ ᡣ𐭩 ⊹

“Why do you insist I wear these silly gowns, Mama?”

My mother huffs as she swats at my fidgeting hands, trying to find a more comfortable angle in this ridiculous corset. She straightens the damned thing back to how it was, one of the bones digging its way into the side of my waist.

“Because, darling,” she begins, smoothing my hair to the side, “tonight is your first ball back into society. I know you enjoyed your time in the country with your aunt, but it is time you find yourself a husband.”

Taking my gloved hand in hers, she places a dance card on my wrist and leads me into the Danbury estate where tonight’s social event is in full swing. 

“Now, remember.” Mama turns to face me, cradling my face in her hand. “Tonight is for you to socialize and get to know those of the Ton. If you do not find someone who has caught your attention tonight, I will still love you.” 

Mama smiles at me before taking my hand again and guiding me inside the grand ballroom. It was filled with a vast assortment of fellow debutants, bachelors, and families mingling. In the middle of the room, couples were participating in the dancing, others talking near the lemonade tables, and others hovering around the dance floor conversing with their neighbors. Off to one side, I spot the one person I was hoping to see tonight dressed in the ever-recognizable blue color nearly all the Bridgertons wear. I quickly say goodbye to Mama, who was already conversing with Lady Danbury, and rush over to my friend.

“Eloise!” I greet, catching the girl’s attention. “It is so great to see you, my dear!” 

Eloise’s face lights up in recognition, turning to hug me. “Y/N! How was the country? You will have to recount your time to me! I’m sure your aunt taught you much in your time together.” 

My mother thought it best for me to get away after my failed engagement to Lord Pedleton, a filthy man double my age of twenty years. My father thought the union would bring fortune to our families, but all it brought was harm after Lord Pedleton was found bedding his maid. The scandal it brought to both our families caused my father to break the union and my mother convinced him it was best I spend some time with my aunt.

For the past year since, my aunt has taught me everything she knows and how to be in society as a woman while enjoying the more… improper joys in life. She took me to gallery openings of her friends, invited me to parties and gatherings with equal minded artists and intellectuals who did not look down at me for being a woman. She encouraged me to begin writing and worked with me to finish my first novel, publishing under a pseudonym and watching as others enjoyed my craft. To say I thoroughly enjoyed my time away was an understatement, and Eloise knows as I’ve written to her through the year and sent her an advanced copy. 

“It was wonderful, Eloise,” I sigh, a slight smirk forming on my lips. “The things I’ve done would make you blush.

She laughs, throwing her head back and grabbing my arm. “Oh, I’m certain! But I’m sure you missed me, or more accurately,” she leans in, mischief dancing in her eyes, “you missed my brother, did you not?”

My cheeks flare as I swat the girl away in playful annoyance. “Eloise!”

“What?” Eloise raises her hands in defense. “I only speak the truth! It is not like you haven’t been smitten with him since we were children!”

“Smitten with who, exactly?”

Speak of the devil and he shall appear. That’s how the saying goes, is it not?

Benedict Bridgerton struts over to the two of us from whatever corner he was hiding in, butterflies erupting in my chest at the sound of his voice. His face lit up in boyish excitement as he stepped to his sister’s side. 

“No one!” I quickly reply, glaring at my friend before she can speak any more. 

Benedict chuckles, looking between Eloise and myself. “Well, I do hope whoever has your eye is worth it.” 

I roll my eyes. “There is no one that has my eye, Ben. Eloise was just asking about my time in the country.”

“Ah, yes! How was it?” His blue eyes pierce mine as he engages in the conversation. The look he gives is filled with an emotion I haven’t seen before.

“Oh you know,” I shrug, trying to avoid the total truth, “my aunt introduced me to her friends and I learned how she lives. She is always lively company to keep.”

“Well, I’m glad you enjoyed yourself, and that you have now rejoined us!” Benedict slightly bowed in a playful manner, pulling a laugh from myself and an eye roll from Eloise. “You’ll have to join us sometime for a game of pall mall. It hasn’t been quite the same without you there to taunt Anthony.”

I smile widely, returning his bow with a curtsy. “Of course, Mr. Bridgerton. I wouldn’t miss it for the world!”

The three of us stand in our corner recounting the past year together and catching up. I didn’t quite realize just how much I had missed my friends, but I am glad to be back in their company. 

While in the middle of Benedict explaining his recent work of art, I feel a tap on my shoulder, pulling the attention to the young man behind me. 

“Excuse me, miss,” he says. The man is young, not that much older than myself, with dark hair and a scrawny frame. “I apologize for interrupting, but I was wondering if I could take your next dance.”

I blush slightly out of both embarrassment and disbelief. “Oh, uh, sure.”

He takes my hand in his, filling out a line on my dance card before leading me to the dance floor. The music begins and the familiar tune fills the room. The man bows and I curtsy before getting swept into the dance. My partner is nervous, I can tell. His dance moves are clumsy and rushed, palms growing clammy. He refuses to meet my eye and is silent the entire time. 

Not very far into the dance, I glance back to where I left my two friends, Eloise silently laughing at my misery after getting tripped over and Benedict watches with a hard look on his face. I continue moving, but I cannot take my eyes off Benedict. The look on his face, eyes hard, jaw clenched, is one I had only seen when he was frustrated or angry. Why would he be angry?

Soon, the music ends and I remove myself from my partner, excusing myself back to my friends quickly. 

“Well that was quite the show!” Eloise laughed. For what felt like the hundredth time tonight, I rolled my eyes at the girl, but joined in her laughter.

“He might not be the greatest dance partner, but he wasn’t hard on the eyes, was he?” 

At my jest, I hear Benedict scoff before crossing his arms across his chest. “Please, the boy could hardly keep up.”

“Are you jealous?” I tease, stepping closer to him. Up close, I see his eyes shift across my face, shock dancing over his eyes briefly.

“Well- I-” Benedict stutters.

“I believe mama is calling me,” Eloise announces, clearly trying to leave and nearly tripping over another girl as she backs away. “I shall catch up with you later, Y/N.”

I huff before the feeling of a hand on my forearm is dragging me outside to the gardens. I struggle to keep up with Benedict’s quick strides before I stop around a secluded corner.

“Ben, what-” He interrupts me.

“What if I am?” Benedict stares at me, eyes wide and darting between mine.

“I’m sorry?”

“What if I am jealous?” He steps closer, but I stand my ground. He slowly closes the distance, taking one of my gloved hands in his.

“I would say that I have been jealous as well.” 

He leans in closer, face mere inches from mine, allowing me to see the creases and lines on his gorgeous face. His blue eyes, with flecks of green scattered like stars, dilate at my words. His other hand comes to rest on my cheek, thumb rubbing against my cheekbone. 

“You are so beautiful,” he says shakily. “You have been since I first met you.”

The breath catches in my throat, my hand slightly squeezes his still in my grasp. My eyes dart from the intensity in his eyes to his lips just briefly, but just enough for him to notice. Suddenly, the feeling of his lips on mine is the only thing I feel, my head spinning as I return his kiss. My free hand trails along his arm to rest at his shoulder, the other letting go to do the same while his finds my waist.

“Wait-” He carefully pulls away slightly, searching my eyes. “Are you sure-”

I pull him back in, arms securing themselves around his neck as he melts into my embrace. We continue before the need to breathe takes over and we part, chests rising and falling with each inhale. The sight of him, hair disheveled, lips slightly swollen, is a sight I’d like to see everyday if he’d let me. He smiles, still catching his breath before laughing quietly. His infectious personality has me joining him, my head falling to rest on his chest with his arms wrapping around my frame.

His hand tilts my head up to look at him. “I am glad you’ve returned, my love.”

[4rs0n1stt]

Talk To You //

Hopeless!Romantic!Donnie x Fem!Reader

author's note; kinda like a song fic (it's not) but yeah, super super late though!!  Donnie's POV btw!!

yes it's been a 3 months 😋

Synopsis; Donnie has been keeping an eye on someone, being a hopeless romantic and his ”bad boy image“ isn't particularly helping.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

I hate this, I really hate this. Einstein, fucking help me. I wasn't supposed to like her! I wasn't supposed to like anyone!! I do not have any romantic feelings to her. But every single thing that I researched said otherwise. Even my own brother says so!! Why does everytime I look at you I get so— vulnerable? Staring at your face always made me calm. Admiring? Ew. But— those little short eye contacts are indescribably astonishing to feel. Maybe just maybe?

I don't know. You're messing up my mind- you little—

"Gahh, what should I do?" I groaned and slammed my head onto my table, a pencil fell from the said table. I stayed silent, frustrated at this ungodly useless feelings I've been feeling. I couldn't take her off my mind. All day long, I daydream about her which takes most of my productivity a waste. I haven't done anything but think about that little twat.

Reflecting doesn't help at all, all I think was her and her! Thinking about now, I just don't know why you keep being calm even though I've been so mean to you. I shouldn't do anything stupid like that but I can't help it, I'm figuring this out.

Feelings are so complicated to feel and such an unfortunate thing for me to have something people call as “humane“.

"Hey Donnie! Someoneeee~ got pizza!! She has your favourite!" Leo yelled at the other side of my door. Disturbing me from my reminiscing of this said person. Leo always knew about what our relation—rivalryship (even if it's partially one-sided) is. And he uses it as an advantage to tease me, specifically—fucking with me up.

I wouldn't blame him entirely though, I liked and hated this feeling. He doesn't know anyway. I wouldn't blame him aswell, she's really...cool, I guess.

I stopped myself from thinking about her before it gets worse. I fixed myself, not just physically but mentally, it's an eager to make her impress. But she wouldn't be impressed as I have been mean to her.

As I went to the main room, I wasn't particularly sure where they were but as I, the genius, were right. They were all huddled up with each other. Apparently they missed her for being gone for 13 days, 56 minutes and 12 seconds-

Goddamnit it...

"Ughhh, finally!! Some break from that shithole." She complained, I wondered. She picked a sliced pizza on the placed pizza on the ground and sat at the bean bag. She sighed releasing the stress and pain from her back...I suppose.

"Girl. Spill everything."  Leo spoke excitedly like a girl's girl. Everyone gets their preferred pizza and/or pillows, blankets and sat with her. Curious on her new stories about her college.

I was really uninterested about school, but I find myself listening on her rantings about the latest drama, tea and struggles on her daily life of college. I somewhat don't understand her words, I don't care anyway. Her voice has always been nice to hear even if she stuttered sometimes.

But every flaws she had was attractive. It's...unfair. That she's so extraordinary and remarkable human that we happen to stumble upon. I looked at her longingly, eyeing her squinted smile, her pimples, her.

I wish I can talk to you.

To talk to you without any mean remarks towards her, to be able to hear her laugh and compliments towards my acts.

I want to be near her, to feel her presence all of the time. To spend time with her just like my brothers do. How I envy them, surprisingly.

It's so frustrating, it's been years. I've been struggling with my quote unquote "love" or "admiration" towards her. She must be a witch, no one can make me feel like a hopeless pathetic, lovesick dog!

Even if I wanted to confess, I wouldn't have the chance to, I'm way too vulnerable when we're alone. I get so shy and flustered to do it.

Let alone I'm horrible at confronting my feelings, I can even write a damn letter for Einstein's sake!

I just- can't do it now

I'm hopeless.

Yet I desire for you.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

author's note here; yes it's been months, i apologize deeply. literally fucking school is devouring my existence and motivation rn not to mention I have a deadline to finish (cough March 29 cough) and I haven't even started it.

credits to Rick Montgemery for his astonishing songsssssssssss

[beautifulterriblequeen]

hi and welcome, it's new theory time wunce agayne, with I, your host, BTQ, stitching things together that maybe fit perfectly or maybe have no business touching at all: you decide!

Today's post inspo began several days ago when I started playing the Xadia game and discovered some cool lore that I just could not stop thinking about, so here, below the cut for all the spoiler reasons, is a screenshot of what you can find in the game, and what I would love for it to mean!

Topic: How Aaravos was tricked into that mirror prison

Context: We all wonder what happened to Luna Tenebris, how she died, where she went, all that good stuff. This isn't about answering those questions. This is about what she did before she died, and why. If she died at all (yeah that's always the question with Moon beings innit)

If you've played the game you'll know the context for this screenshot:

Ethari says, "Someone with the power to influence the Blood Moon itself used blood magic to become... something else."

and, well,

Luna seems to have disappeared during a Blood Moon. But she might not have died, despite what everyone thinks- she might have just become something else.

Why would she do this?

I'm guessing it wasn't for fun. Something desperate must've been happening. Luna disappeared 300 years ago, hmm, what in the world could've been happening at that moment...?

No, we all know.

You remember the Jailer. She's a human. No arcanum at all. She may be a dark mage, or she may just be a trickster magician. Either way, her whole deal is that she thinks outside the Cosmic Order box - she thinks in ways even Aaravos can't. And human ideas in times of desperation can break a lot of conventions and even taboos - just look at the things Viren, Claudia, and Callum have done when they had to.

So if the Jailer is thinking about dark creative solutions as the only way to trick a godlike Star Touch elf, maybe one of those ways was to get the Archdragon of the Moon to turn into something else, with magic that worked outside the laws of the Moon Arcanum.

We've all seen what Kim'dael can do - her Moonshadow powers and her forbidden magics are available to her at any time, not just during a full moon. Now imagine that ability for a blood magic archdragon.

Yeah.

Why the Queen of the Dragons, though?

I think they needed that much power to combat Aaravos. No one else could've done it with the confidence to succeed. And then there's the whole Moon theme of sacrifice, which all the Moonshadow elves keep demonstrating so determinedly. Surely their dragon queen has the same sentiment, deep down.

This still doesn't tell us what she did. But if she could use her massive illusion/deception powers at any time, they could trap Aaravos in any instant of their choosing instead of luring him to the predictable full moon. And seeing what sort of shenanigans are possible in the game when Moon creatures step outside their boundaries, well, there is certainly a lot of room for surprise there. In several directions. And they'd only have to surprise Aaravos once.

(side note: I can see now why Amaya says Moonshadow elves are the worst kind lmfaooo PLAY THE GAME IT'S SO FUN)

This whole theory feels very Moonshadow because even though I have this central nugget that feels plausible, I still wonder about so much more. For instance, what happened to Luna after this? Where is she now? Did she willingly die to keep from turning into a monster? Is she stuck in the spinning water that bears her name on the map? Is she alive somewhere still, lurking? Is she- NO SPOIL ME I JUST STARTED THE GAME. Idk if she's in there or not, shh.

Anyway. I haven't been able to stop thinking about this lore since I saw it in the game. And there's so much more than this even in the small bits I've played so far! If you're into the lore of The Dragon Prince, you'll wanna get this game!

But, serious lore enjoyer face. This one's extremely fun to think about.

[imaginejamesandsirius]

I was hoping you can write one with tooth rotting fluff. Maybe about Sirius being insecure because of his messed up home life and James making it his mission to shower him with hugs and praises 🥰

"You're the best person in the world," James says, very seriously, drink in one hand and the other gripping Sirius's shoulder. "You're- blimey, you're the best. Like, out of the entire population on this planet, if one person had to be picked as the best, it would be you."

"I'm not sure you have all the information to properly make that claim," he laughs, causing James to frown.

"No, I'm right."

"Sure about that, are you?" 

"Yes, because I've met you! You're awesome. You're so smart, everything you say should be written down for posperi- postert- we should write it all down so we can remember it because it's all right. And you-"

Lily tunes him out as he extols Sirius's virtues and turns to Peter and Remus-- both of whom, she notes, don't look like they've been listening to this from the start. "Is James always like this when he's drunk? Going on and on about how wonderful he thinks Sirius is?"

"Yes," they both say.

"Though, hang on a second," Remus adds. He shifts in his chair to turn towards her. "'When he's drunk' makes it sound like Prongs only does this when he's drunk."

"Mm, yeah, not true. He does this a lot," Peter says.

"Any time he's tired."

"Any time he's in a really good mood."

"Any time Sirius frowns for more than two seconds."

"Okay," Lily interjects when it looks like they'll continue, "I get the picture." Bloody hell. Peter and Remus had to be exaggerating at least a little bit-- otherwise she would've noticed sooner-- but for them to so easily complain about James talking about it, it had to be a more regular occurrence than she originally thought. She wants to pay attention to the drinking game some sixth years are playing like she was doing before James caught her attention, but when she turns to the group, her eyes drift back towards the pair.

James has been talking the entire time-- topic unchanged-- and he's now got an arm around Sirius instead of facing him. The hand holding his drink is curled into Sirius's chest as well, like he needs the extra point of contact to drive his point home.

Sirius is listening with an indulgent smile on his face. This strikes Lily as egotistical, and she frowns.

Remus catches her expression and guesses (incorrectly) what it's over. "If you're waiting for James to be done so you can talk to him, you're going to be waiting a long time."

"Ha, yeah."

*

James rests his chin on Sirius's shoulder and slips his arms around him at the same time. "You want to talk about it?" he asks quietly, aware of their dormmates on the other side of the room.

"Nothing to talk about," Sirius mutters-- a blatant lie.

"Mhm."

He's still glaring at the wall like it's done him wrong.

"You have me, you know that?" James whispers. "No matter what happens or what you do, you're stuck with me." He turns his face into Sirius's hair and inhales deeply. "You couldn't get rid of me if you tried."

"I figured, what with you acting like a bloody barnacle." He doesn't look happy but the glare is gone. Mission accomplished.

*

"Sirius!" James calls, barreling into his friend. He's so happy to see him that he lifts him off his feet, making Sirius laugh. "I missed you so much."

"It's been two hours," Lily says, rolling her eyes.

"Two hours too long, don't you know that, Evans?" Sirius says as he's set back down. "These sodding meetings of yours are killing our friendship."

James gasps theatrically, turning to Lily with wide eyes. "Maybe we can take him with us next time."

"No."

"But I need him! He keeps my brain working."

Sirius nods in agreement, but Lily rolls her eyes. She knows by now that it's useless to argue or try to find any logical reason why that's a bad idea, so she just says, "No," again as she walks up the staircase to the girls' dormitories.

*

"I know I joke a lot, but you know that I think you're great, yeah?" James asks.

Sirius glances over at him, but James's eyes are trained at the sky stretching out above them. They're laying on the Quidditch Pitch, looking at the stars. Ostensibly they came out here to drink; there's a bottle of firewhiskey beside them, but neither have reached for it. They haven't said much of importance tonight, which makes the question feel sudden.

"Like, I make a big production of it and shout it to the world like I'm teasing you, but it's the truth." James rolls his head to the side and meets Sirius's eyes. His hazel eyes are warm, flecked with bits of brown, and Sirius could drown in them, he's sure. He moves his hand, sliding his palm against Sirius's and squeezing. "I'd rather be with you than anyone else."

It feels ridiculous, sometimes, when James talks like this. He means it. He means it in a way Sirius can't wrap his head around. Every good thing he says about Sirius, he believes like it's a fact of life.

This time, Sirius smiles at him and says, "I know." Then, grin widening, he adds, "And I mean it what I say about you, too. Best bloke the world has ever seen."

James laughs. It curls his body a little, and he rolls onto his side to move with it. His hand is still holding Sirius's, and he uses the other to cup his cheek. "Imagine what our wedding vows will sound like."

"Everyone will leave the room before you're done talking about why you want to marry me."

"They can try," James says, his eyes glinting. "I'll ward the doors. No one leaves without my say-so."

[jazlynriddle]

Welcome to your life - Pt 2:

Acting On Your Best Behaviour Ch 10:

Summary:

They'd seen it in their fellow orphans often enough to recognise the pattern and were now forced to admit, despite their hopes to the contrary, that Isidora had likely suffered similar side effects.

No… they'd always known she had. The Keeper had just wanted the power that Ranrok had, enough to convince themselves that they would be able to handle it better than that naive woman.

With the start of the Keeper’s sixth-year in Hogwarts, comes a whole slew of headache-inducing challenges from the most unexpected of places. Between insignificant pests throwing wrenches into their plans and tedious teenage drama, that the Keeper is entirely unprepared for, they wonder if they'll make it to their NEWTs without losing their sanity.

Or worse, Ominis or Sebastian.

Warnings: Sebastian x MC x Ominis! Drug Addiction! Spoilers! Slow-burn corruption! Dark content! Fucked up 1800s orphanages! MC has no love for Anne or Solomon! Dubious happy ending (it's happy for MC, Seb and Ominis at least).

You can also read on AO3! (chapter specific warnings below)

Notes:

Warning: Descriptions of faecal matter!

Now that the drug addiction arc and its accompanying character and relationship growths are mostly settled. I'm going to start laying more groundwork and preparations, and throw in some time skipping to get to the next arc I've got planned xD

Also, I actually started rereading from the start of the series to refresh my memory and wow, it's gotten long enough that it's taking me, myself, days to read up to the latest chapter! By the time I'm done with this series, I'm probably going to be able to read the entire thing as though someone else wrote it. HUZZAH! =D

"So, what'd you get from those diaries?" The Keeper asked as the group settled down around their usual table at the Three Broomsticks.

Garreth shrugged. "Not that much, still making my way through them. So far, it just seems like they're some truly sad souls. I almost feel bad for them.

The Keeper raised their eyebrows, the madman actually read them!? Honestly, they were impressed by the Gryffindor's dedication to what seemed like his life’s purpose of pranking. "Is that so? Now I'm curious."

"Well, first off, this is apparently their second time taking seventh year, explains why they can even afford to stalk you so much." Garreth rolled his eyes.

"They failed their NEWTs? Considering their penmanship, I bet the professors simply couldn’t read their test papers." Amit snorted, before taking a drink from his mug.

"Probably would've been the case if they hadn't simply bailed on the week of the exams." Garreth sniggered as Amit sprayed his butterbeer across the table.

"They didn't show up!?" Natty exclaimed and it was unclear if the disgust on her face was from the now lubricated table or the idea of the bullies cowardly running away from their exams.

"Yup, apparently they weren't happy with the girls their parents had signed them marriage contracts with and did so as some form of protest." Garreth shook his head. "Honestly, I think it's kinda messed up that these purebloods don't get to pick who they marry. And somehow they're the superior ones."

"Can't say I have any sympathy for them, but it's rather understandable to not want to marry someone you don't love." Poppy glanced at the Keeper. "Especially if you already love someone else."

"I suppose their families don't approve of a pair of no name hillbilly twin girls." The Keeper hummed thoughtfully to themselves. "They aren't firstborn sons, right?"

"Yeah, they've both got older brothers, that's probably why they could get away with bargaining their Hogwarts career with their parents." Garreth rolled his eyes. "Pureblood politics are so weird."

"Politics…" Amit coughed to clear his throat and vanished away the butterbeer on the table before continuing. "I wonder if we can use any of this as blackmail."

The Keeper shook their head. "Probably not anything they'd dare to write."

"Oh!" Poppy's eyes lit up. "In that case, how about we make them share something they wouldn't write down?"

"What, like with a truth serum?" The Keeper raised an eyebrow sceptically. There was no way something like that existed, even in the-

"Veritaserum is a NEWT level potion though…" Amit frowned.

Seriously?

"Are you telling me that there's a potion that makes people tell the truth?" The Keeper asked incredulously.

"Ah, right, I suppose you wouldn't know since it's not very commonly spoken or written about." Poppy smiled wryly.

"If such a thing exists, why doesn't the ministry just use that on people like Rookwood and Harlow?" The Keeper's face scrunched up in bewilderment.

The table went silent.

"Well… there is an antidote and it's said that those with Occlumency can resist it…" Amit trailed off hesitantly.

The Keeper rolled their eyes. "It's the bloody Government, surely they can use a mixture of confounding spells, torture, and force feeding to convict anyone suspected of criminal activity and obviously not allow them to take an antidote. With enough evidence and compulsion, the truth would always surface. If the serum isn't enough, you could even forcibly extract their memories to back it up."

The group went silent again at the Keeper’s casual advocation of torture. Most of them weren't particularly surprised at the Keeper’s stance, considering the way they fought in battle. Garreth's eyes were the only ones wide with surprise, having never fought alongside the Keeper and seen their violent tendencies.

"I'm not sure that's very ethical…" Natty frowned in concern and disapproval.

The Keeper snorted. "I'd say it's more unethical to allow people to harm others over some vague concept of human rights. If the authorities had used Veritaserum on Harlow after we gave them that incriminating letter, Archie's father would still be alive."

Natty flinched and averted her eyes with a frown. The Keeper ignored it, this was a ridiculous point to be stuck on.

"Well, I certainly wouldn't mind trying to brew it." Garreth broke the awkward silence with a nervous smile and a shrug, clearly trying to move the conversation along. "But I don’t know the recipe and it's supposed to take a month to brew. Even if by some miracle, we get the ingredients, I can't be sure it'll work."

"I think it's worth a try." Poppy nodded. "I don’t think those boys deserve the right to keep secrets."

"We can help with gathering the needed materials and I'll help with the brewing." The Keeper nodded as well. A chance to learn how to brew a truth serum was certainly something they wouldn't pass up. Even if it failed, it was definitely worth the attempt.

"I'll see what books I can find on the subject." Amit offered. "Though with it being a controlled substance, chances are slim that we'll even find the recipe, so I'd keep my hopes low."

"I'll check the Restricted Section if you can't find anything." The Keeper waved a hand dismissively.

"You-" Amit's eyes widened, and he paused. "Why am I even surprised that you have a way to sneak into the Restricted Section."

The Keeper flashed him a small smirk, before turning to Natty, waiting for her response, prompting the rest to do the same.

Glancing around the table, Natty sighed. "Very well, but I have one condition, we'll plan the questions together and I'll do the interrogation. I don't want to violate them more than we need to. We mustn't sink to their level."

"Reasonable enough." The Keeper nodded amicably, it wasn’t like they intended to allow the bullies to be interrogated under Veritaserum anyway. Not while those idiots remained abreast of the Keeper’s own secrets.

"Wait, surely you can't be suggesting that we waste this opportunity!? We could have them tell us anything!" Garreth protested. "Think of the blackmail material or at the very least the pranks we could pull on them!"

Natty glared at her housemate while the Keeper snorted, they were amazed that that one hadn't ended up in Slytherin. Still, ethical conflicts aside, it was admittedly nice to have such a naïve group of friends.

"Hey, are you alright, Natty?"

"Huh? Oh, yes, Poppy."

"If what they said is still bothering you, don't worry too much about it. They mean well, they've just been through a lot. Can't have been easy having three villains after them the moment they entered the wizarding world."

"I know… that's the problem. I don’t agree with them, but I can’t say they were wrong…"

"Honestly, I've been thinking about it too."

"You have?"

"Yeah, and I think it's fine to disagree with them. It's having people like you, that prevents justice from becoming cruelty, and people like them judging evil, that protects everyone. That’s what I think at least."

"...I suppose."

"Chin up, we're definitely doing the right thing. They've been looking so much better since we started helping them last month!"

"...yeah, you're right. Hopefully we'll be able to finish this before the Yule holidays at the end of next month."

"Do you think they'll manage to make Veritaserum with Garreth?"

"They and Garreth are the two best potioneers in our year, and Amit is great at potion theory, so I'd say there's a good chance."

"I wonder how they managed to find the recipe in the Restricted Section…"

"Probably with Sallow's help. He's been caught in the Restricted Section so many times, I'm sure he literally just gave them the title and shelf."

"I'm still surprised he and Ominis didn't agree to work with us."

"..."

"When it turns yellow, stir nine times clockwise at medium heat." Amit read from the open tome laid out on the table, before adjusting the temperature of the fire.

The Keeper nodded, eyes narrowed in focus as they carefully moved the ladle at an even pace.

"Is the unicorn horn powder ready? I need at least a spoonful to add after the potion turns red." Amit asked as he returned to reading the next set of instructions on the tome carefully.

"Almost." Garreth replied as he carefully ground the last fragment of horn into a powder. "Bit surprised you knew where to get unicorn horn."

The Keeper shrugged as the potion began turning pink. "I explored the surrounding region a fair bit last year."

"I'm amazed you managed to pass your OWLs while adventuring and fighting Ranrok, Rookwood and Harlow." Amit shook his head as he carefully collected a spoonful of powder and began to add it to the red liquid. "Now, seven times anticlockwise. Garreth, you can start shredding the Dugbog tongue and I'll prepare the Stench of the Dead."

"Got it." Garreth nodded as he readied the chopping board. "Honestly, after your assistance acquiring Billywig Stings for my last endeavour, I was sure you'd join Sebastian and I, as a frequent guest of the illustrious Detention Chamber."

"Only if I were as sloppy as you two." The Keeper snorted, inwardly apologising to Sebastian as Garreth gasped in mock offence. After all, the last time Sebastian had gotten a detention, it had been to protect them.

The Keeper felt the corners of their lips attempt to curl upwards at the fond memory and quickly shook it off. This wasn't the time to be distracted by their feelings for Sebastian-

"Alright, we've got to add these at the same time when it turns blue." Amit moved to stand beside the cauldron with the disgusting smelling bottle and Garreth joined him with his own shredded tongue strips. "You'll need to wave your wand over the pot after they're in to finish the potion."

"Got it." The Keeper nodded, making the effort to keep their stirring constant as they monitored the potion.

"Aaaand…" Amit held his breath as the potion's bright purple gradually bled into a beautiful sky blue. "Now!"

The potion splashed slightly as the handfuls of ingredients plopped into the bubbling liquid. The moment they sank under the surface, the Keeper quickly waved their wand over the cauldron and the surface of the liquid glowed brightly before a cloud of steam burst from it.

The three jumped back in surprise and the Keeper irritably fanned the smoke away with a hand. When the air finally cleared, the contents of the cauldron were now a surprisingly clear and transparent fluid.

"...did we…" Amit murmured, staring at the pot. The disgusting odour of the Stench of the Dead was completely gone.

"We did it!" Garreth cheered, jumping with a fist in the air.

"Don't celebrate so soon, just because it looks correct doesn't mean its potency is desirable or that it actually performs the intended results." The Keeper chuckled at the Gryffindor's excitement.

"Heh heh, that just means we've got to test it!" Garreth grinned and Amit sighed.

"Indeed. The Yule break starts next week, so this weekend is our last chance." The Keeper took a set of vials out of their satchel. "How about you guys start putting the ingredients back while I pour the potion into these vials?"

"Sure, I remember where to put the remaining ingredients we lifted from Professor Sharp's store." Garreth grinned as he scooped the remaining items and dumped them into Amit's arms. "You can help keep a lookout."

"Why me-" Amit complained as Garreth dragged him out of the room by the sleeve.

The Keeper smirked as the two boys left, quickly ladling out the cauldron's contents into six vials which they placed into a blue box and shoved into their satchel. They then removed a brown box containing six identical vials of clear and odourless liquid, placing it on the counter.

With that settled, the Keeper went about cleaning the potion station until the two boys returned.

"Alright, so we're all in agreement on this list of questions?" Natty asked, holding up a parchment.

The Keeper nodded, not that it mattered. If everything went well, she wouldn't even get the chance to ask them.

"Then, let's get started." Garreth grinned widely as he held up the brown box for Natty and Poppy to take one vial each. "Good luck!"

The two girls quickly left the Three Broomsticks through the front door and the Keeper's eyes slid upwards towards the upper floors. Now, it was up to the girls and all they could do was wait for their signal.

Once outside, Natty and Poppy hurried up the snow covered stone steps and around to the other side of the Three Broomsticks. Reaching the side door that led back into the building, Natty lightly pushed the door open and stepped through it, finding themselves on the second floor.

Looking over the banister, Natty noted that the two bullies were on the first floor, leaning against the railings. The bullies' mugs sat on said railings beside their arms as they looked out over the table on the ground floor, where the group always sat with the Keeper, and all in all, doing a terrible job of appearing as though they weren't blatantly spying.

Quietly, she and Poppy made their way down the stairs, and around the bullies, to stand within view of the Keeper’s table behind the bullies. Once in position, Natty lifted her wand and whispered. "Lumos."

Spotting the light from the corner of their eye, the Keeper stood and began walking under the first-floor platform towards the fireplace. The bullies, predictably, left the front facing banister immediately to scamper to the other side of the first floor and looked downwards over those railings to keep the Keeper within their sight.

At the same time, Poppy and Natty quickly, and quietly, brisk walked over to the two abandoned mugs of butterbeer and dripped three drops of the contents of their vials into each, before quickly returning to their original spot. With their task done, Natty raised her lit wand again.

Spotting the second signal, the Keeper collected a handful of nuts from a bowl on the fireside counter and returned to their table casually.

The bullies again followed them, returning to their original spot, leaning on the railings overlooking the Keeper's table. Natty took a deep breath as she and Poppy watched the bullies pick up their mugs and take several gulps from them.

"Alright. Time to see if it worked." Natty breathed and Poppy gave her a supportive pat on the shoulder.

Mustering that Gryffindor courage that she was so proud of, Natty began to approach the bullies when one of them let out a loud groan of pain.

She stopped in surprise, when the other bully broke wind at an embarrassingly high volume, the sound lasting long enough to draw everyone’s attention to its uneven stutter.

One that sounded alarmingly wet, no less.

The nearby customers began to snigger as the two bullies faces paled and then began turning red.

Without a word, the two boys abruptly broke into a sprint, shuffling down the stairs as fast as their feet could carry them, with another loud and wet fart echoing in their wake. The sound came accompanied by the appearances of brown splotches and footprints left behind by the bullies’ shoes.

Garreth immediately burst into uproarious laughter, alongside several other customers, while Sirona shouted angrily at the two bullies as they rushed out of the establishment.

Giggling, Poppy began descending the stairs as well, taking care to avoid the reeking brown spatter on the wooden steps. Natty shook her head with a sigh before following, slipping around Sirona as the bar owner began to clean away the disgusting stains.

"Well, that went well." Poppy laughed lightly as she and Natty reseated themselves at the table.

"Well? I think that was fantastic! A perfect prank if I do say so myself, so worth the month-long brew!" Garreth shook with laughter.

The Keeper smirked. "I believe a wise man once said, he who hath smelt it hath dealt it."

"And if it was more than just gas, he will have felt it. In. His. Pants!" Garreth continued with an enormous grin, as he punctuated each of those last few words by jabbing a finger in the air.

Honestly, the Keeper was wondering if that grin stretching from ear to ear was hurting his face. It certainly looked like it should.

Natty sighed. "I won't deny that it ended up being a funny and unexpectedly suitable revenge, but I would have rathered it gone according to plan."

The Keeper shrugged. "At least it didn't kill them. In all honesty, if we had messed it up worse, it probably wouldn't have been funny."

Natty's face paled at the suggestion and Poppy shook her head. "Well, it would probably have been obvious if it had failed that badly, let's just be glad we got a good laugh for our troubles."

"Indeed, it was certainly worth the effort, and I am nonetheless glad to have learnt and attempted such a complex potion." Amit agreed with a smile.

Natty sighed but her eyes were less downtrodden this time, even managing a small smile. "You're right, we won't be defeated."

"Just because this plan didn't work out, doesn't mean we won't keep trying till we have a solution!" Garreth nodded, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

The Keeper snorted, they certainly were an optimistic bunch, but that wasn't a bad thing. Pessimistic mentalities were more deadly than most of their wizarding peers realised. If you'd already given up in your mind, no plan you concocted would succeed, and you would have lost the battle before it even began.

That was something they respected in Sebastian, his optimism, dedication, and determination to do the impossible regardless of how many people tried to stop him. Even Ominis, though withheld often by caution and anxiety, was not afraid to use whatever he had at his disposal to protect what he saw as his. A trait they too shared.

The Keeper was proud to have gathered so many people with the right life attitudes, not just as friends but in their partners too. They wouldn't let any of this effort be for naught. Neither this group's nor their partners'.

While they knew that not everyone would agree, the Keeper believed that the way to make up for deceiving their friends, was to make sure that they'd done it for a worthwhile reason.

That's why they sought Sebastian and Ominis' aid in preparing a very specific brew for the replica vials, with the express purpose of letting the Keeper steal the actual Veritaserum while still creating an effect that their friends would appreciate. The liquid in these fake vials was incredibly potent, causing a sudden and urgent need to use the bathroom, with only two drops.

Perhaps it was a bit overkill, it had been almost as difficult to create such a fake, as it was to brew the actual Veritaserum. They were beyond grateful to have had Ominis' skill in potion theory, and Sebastian’s resourceful creativity, for this craft.

Fortunately, it had gone surprisingly well, and the Keeper felt that their efforts had been worthwhile. Allowing them to look forward to testing the actual Veritaserum without too much guilt. A full dose was three drops, so if it worked, they'd have at least ten doses per vial for a grand total of sixty uses. A coil of glee and excitement roiled in their chest.

Excellent.

This wouldn't go to waste. Their friends and partners' efforts would become a firm foundation for what the Keeper would soon build.

“Now. What do we do with the rest of these then?” Garreth grinned as he held up the brown box full of diarrhoea-inducing transparent and odourless liquid.

The rest of the group paled.

Notes:

While I do understand that Veritaserum is not 100% reliable and that memories can be doctored, that doesn't change how incompetent the Ministry is in the Wizarding World.

At the end of Natty's questline, Nurse Blainey says "What sort of world are we in where children solve our problems?" And this is indeed an entirely horrifying realisation to come to when it involves your local law enforcement.

The letter we submitted to Officer Singer should have been more than enough to at least begin an investigation, the fact that it was not, is ludicrous.

In a way the Keeper’s argument on Veritaserum is the age-old "guilty until proven innocent" vs "innocent until proven guilty". Their reasons for vouching for "guilty until proven innocent" are (hopefully) obvious enough, considering their childhood, and accordingly, the Keeper very much ascribes to the Machiavellian philosophy "the ends justify the means".

Also, I'll remind everyone that the Keeper is still a 15 year old kid, and maturity does not equal experience and knowledge xD

Plus, they're mostly uninterested in politics, which is where a majority of the Ministry's incompetence stems from, as such, they don't see how the nuances of ethics and responsibility can be utterly suppressed by wealth and privilege.

Like the way Lucius Malfoy weaselled his way out of Azkaban despite being a Death Eater and even manipulated the Minister in Harry Potter.

[telomeke]

TAG GAME – THIS OR THAT (BOOKS)

I was tagged by @colourme-feral (at this post here) and @neuroticbookworm (at this post here). Thank you sweeties! 🤗💖

I really should be doing something for work (deadlines are crashing all around me) so of course I'm going to do this tag game. 🤣 Helps that it's a short one.

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THIS OR THAT (BOOKS)

hardcover or paperback // PAPERBACK – they're just easier to handle. But I do try to get my cookbooks all in hardcover, because they last longer.

bookstore or library // BOTH. I love losing myself in a bookstore (one of my favorite memories is curling up in an armchair one chilly fall day in a secondhand bookstore in Ithaca, buried in an American-Chinese cookbook from the 60s that had very credible recipes). But libraries have great reference sections on all sorts of things (I found 100-year old Tamil-French and Tamil-English dictionaries in one, that were much better than the modern one Tamil-English one I’d bought).

bookmark or receipt // RECEIPT – I never seem to have bookmarks handy and I'm not going to make a special trip to buy one just because I'm reading a book. Especially not if a scrap of paper (envelopes, notepaper, receipts) conveniently at hand will do the job (and allow me to jot down notes too).

standalone or series // BOTH – I'll read anything and everything if it takes my fancy.

nonfiction or fiction // NONFICTION most of the time, but the odd work of fiction will also work its way in every now and then.

thriller or fantasy // FANTASY has the edge here, but I wouldn't turn down a good thriller if I was recommended one.

under 300 pages or over 300 pages // BOTH – I can do a long tome if the subject interests me. That said, Lord of the Rings was a trying read but I finished it anyway, if only to be able to say that I'd read it through.

children's or ya // Um, CHILDREN'S? This is an odd one for a grown-ass adult to answer. But as I said before I'll read anything if it piques my interest, so I wouldn't turn down a young adult novel if it was good. But I tend to think children's books are actually quite hard to craft and make interesting, and have a lot of respect for them. And a lot of my favorite works are children's books, so I'll lean toward the younger end on this one.

friends to lovers or enemies to lovers // I don't have a strong preference on this one. But I like enemies to lovers in BL, so maybe that…

read in bed or read on the couch // READ ON THE COUCH. Please. And I mean this as an injunction as well as a statement of my personal preference. The bed is only for sleep and… bed things. NOT reading for hours on end (a few pages at bedtime to wind down doesn't count; that's my second nightcap). Nor is the bed for food; crumbs and spillage, ugh. Any wonder I hate the idea of breakfast in bed? I repeat – for extended reading, go read on the couch.

read at night or read in the morning // BOTH – why restrict your reading time?

keep pristine or markup // KEEP PRISTINE – if I like a book I'll want to keep it enshrined and unbesmirched in the bookcase. I've bought new copies of favorite cookbooks that had started to look worse for wear, just because I wanted them looking unsullied on the shelf (but I didn't throw out the old working copies though; the stains and rips are evidence of how much they're loved and they have pride of place on my kitchen counter).

cracked spine or dog ear // NEITHER – I used to leave my books spine up and flat out, but stopped doing that years ago. And no to dog ears as well. Both go against the preceding guideline of keeping things pristine – if you liked the books, treat them well and you'll have the pleasure of their company for a long, long time.

Currently reading: Nothing in particular (unless you count a foreign language kid's book that I've been reading off and on, as part of language study with the English language counterpart by my side for reference). Most of my reading is done online nowadays, and it's focused on news articles and current affairs.

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I always tag too many people – it makes me feel so guilty leaving anyone out. I know only too well what it's like not to be invited to a party! And then I tag all and sundry even if it means making a nuisance of myself, if only to spare people that feeling of being on the outside looking in (that still haunts me way after my teen years). 😬

Anyway, sorry for unloading my teenage/young adult trauma on you! My last tag game post had dozens of tags, so I'm going to grit my teeth and tag only a few people in this one (whom I didn't tag the last time around). No pressure to play if you don't want to; and if you do want to play but I didn't tag you, please know that I would love to read your responses so do play along if you wish, and tag me so that I can read your post! 😍

Tagging:

@imminentinertia @he-is-lightning-in-a-bottle @wen-kexing-apologist @ranchthoughts @ranchtastic

@starryalpacasstuff @7nessasaryevils @relativelydimensional @blogiamgoingmad

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Here's a clean-slate version if you'd like to play:

hardcover or paperback // bookstore or library // bookmark or receipt // standalone or series // nonfiction or fiction // thriller or fantasy // under 300 pages or over 300 pages // children's or ya // friends to lovers or enemies to lovers // read in bed or read on the couch // read at night or read in the morning // keep pristine or markup // cracked spine or dog ear

Currently reading:

[short-circuit-the-great]

I was tagged by @magic-ace in this post where they wanted me to answer all of them, so here it is:

🎱 ⇢ post your AO3 total stats

🍓 ⇢ how did you get into writing fanfiction?

A classic tale of "my favorite character didn't get enough screen time" led to this.

🌵 ⇢ share the link to a playlist you love

🕯️ ⇢ on a scale from 1 to 10, how much do you enjoy editing? why is that?

Give it a 5. I don't mind it but it's difficult to focus on the proofreading side of it.

🛼 ⇢ describe your latest wip with five emojis

🔥🔥🌞🔥🔥

🥑 ⇢ you accidentally killed somebody, which mutual(s) do you text for help?

@magic-ace @mecha-milkers @i-am-an-omen

🥤 ⇢ recommend an author or fanfic you love

I haven't finished it, but Descent by Zakharie.

💌 ⇢ how many unread emails do you have right now?

Zero.

🌻 ⇢ tag someone you appreciate but don't talk to on a regular basis

@brockendrems

🐇 ⇢ do you prefer writing original characters, reader inserts, or a mix of both?

Original characters. Reader inserts aren't for me.

🧃 ⇢ share some personal lore you never posted about before

I will share one of my favorite taekwondo stories from many years ago because I think it is funny. Two different short dads I was sparring with managed to accidentally nail me in the face with the same kick on two different occasions, months apart. (You cannot hit the face in taekwondo but going for a headshot it happens a lot.) The first time miraculously didn't knock out any teeth but my upper lip got stuck in my braces and I had to rip it out while laughing maniacally. I looked like a corpse for weeks. The second time was straight in the nose, so my nose is still slightly crooked and makes a crunchy noise if I wiggle it to this day.

Both of the dads felt terrible but I was a teenage boy so I thought blood on my uniform was cool.

The "short dad curse" was real for a bit there and the only reason it hasn't continued is because I am now the short dad myself.

🎲 ⇢ what stops you from writing more in your free time?

I don't have this problem.

🍄 ⇢ share a head canon for one of your favourite ships or pairings

Knock Out and Breakdown roughhouse a lot.

🧸 ⇢ what's the fastest way to become your mutual?

Reblog my shit with silly tags.

🪐 ⇢ name three good things going on in your life right now

I'm learning to animate, which is cool.

I'm feeling a little more hopeful about finishing my degree.

My friends are wonderful.

📚 ⇢ what's the last thing you wrote down in your notes app?

I don't use the notes app.

🍬 ⇢ post an unpopular opinion about a popular fandom character

I know better than to share that on this hellsite.

🔪 ⇢ what's the weirdest topic you researched for a writing project?

Typical murder-related writing searches.

🦷 ⇢ share some personal wisdom or a life hack you swear on

I got a small notebook to write tasks in, things I've done, what and when I ate, etc. This has been very helpful for memory loss and blackouts.

❄️ ⇢ what's your dream theme/plot for a fic, and who would write it best?

Don't have one, but one of these days I want to write something more hopeful, something along the lines of a 2010s-era superhero cartoon but as a novel. Don't have a plot for that one yet. It's rotating in my head, though.

🌿 ⇢ give some advice on writer's block and low creativity

One of the best pieces of writing advice I ever heard was "give yourself permission to suck." When you sit down to write you can't be fixated on making it perfect the first time. All your first draft has to do is exist. Anything you write down you can change later, but you gotta get it down first.

🥐 ⇢ name one internet reference that will always make you laugh

My roommate and I keep saying "inch resting" and "ingredience" to each other.

🏜️ ⇢ what's your favourite type of comment to receive on your work?

Any.

🍦 ⇢ name three good things about a character you hate

He makes admittedly funny puns. That's it. That's all I'm giving Silas.

🥝 ⇢ do you lie a lot? what's the most recent lie you told?

I don't lie except for safety.

🦋 ⇢ share something that has been on your heart and mind lately

Grief.

🦴 ⇢ is there a piece of media that inspires your writing?

A few.

🍅 ⇢ give yourself some constructive criticism on your own writing

Don't give my characters enough time to "rest"--it's one crisis after the other. That's the way I like it but someone get em therapy what the hell

🐚 ⇢ do you like or dislike surprises?

It depends what kind.

🪲 ⇢ add 50 words to your current wip and share the paragraph here

She barely made it halfway down to the gallows before something slammed into her, knocking her into the side of the building and shattering a line of windows. The crowd gasped and looked up, and then all Suncatcher could see was shadows and broken glass and the gun someone shoved into her face.

“If you can’t sit back and watch nicely,” Crossfire said, “then you can’t watch at all.”

“Go to hell,” Suncatcher said, and the blades on her forearms snapped out and stabbed into Crossfire’s midsection.

☁️ ⇢ what made you choose your username?

Thought ShortCircuit would be a good pen name for Transformers fanfic. It eventually became a new pen name overall, though I still use NobleRunaway in other spaces.

🐝 ⇢ tag your biggest supporter(s) and say one nice thing about them

@magic-ace @mecha-milkers @i-am-an-omen I love you guys so much. May your pancakes always be fresh.

🌸 ⇢ do you have any pets? if you do, post some pictures of them

So remember when I answered one of these with "grief"

🎨 ⇢ link your favourite piece of fanart and explain why you like it

This doodle of Knock Out because it speaks to me.

🧩 ⇢ what will make you click away from a fanfiction immediately?

I wrote an entire rant and deleted it because the internet can't read. But there is something and it falls under mischaracterization.

[isca-rambles]

6x08 aka I'm just steamrolling my way through these episodes tonight so I can get to the tiniest semblance of Tim and Lucy being a little bit okay Ugh. Monica. Why do they keep trying to make Monica such a thing. Seriously.

Ugh. Blair. So many ughs this season. I do wonder why he has so many alarms set for her birthday. Maybe he is just bad at technology. Or maybe he had something planned and didn't want to mess up any steps. Have I read too many fics where he had an engagement ring ready and waiting? Maybe. But also I suck a remembering birthday, even my own, so I don't find it that weird. Boy was in love, is still in love, and wanted to make sure he didn't forget his wife's special day. Uuuugh my heaaaart. Tim definitely sus about Blair though. Maybe he's not sure why, but he senses something is up. TO Lucy yes. Look, I've said it a million times and I'll say it a million more, Lucy would make an amazing TO. I don't want her to not be a detective, she'd make a great detective too, but unless the show gives her a golden ticket or Primm gets investigated, she's not getting there in the next two years. So why can't she be a TO in the meantime? She can still do UC as a TO, and it helps her advancement to detective or sergeant or whatever she wants to do. I know people are annoyed it's a recycled plotline from Nolan, but Nolan never even got close to being detective. He chose TO with his bloody magic golden ticket (even though, hello, Lucy has done just as much as him if not more and deserves that ticket 100% more but she'd never use it because she'd probably feel like she hasn't earned it because she's fucking amazing). Ahem. What I'm saying is, yes it sucks that she's not detective and she hasn't got stripes and she's constantly being overlooked and underappreciated despite everything she's done, but her being TO doesn't mean she stops there. It's still an advancement from P2, and I just think she's an amazing teacher. Moving on. Grey is adorable, such a good dad to his daughter after a few rocky episodes of not giving her the support she needs. Grey, yes. I approve. Her face is so adorable when he does the hand thing. Ugh, my heart. And yes, Tim, you need to fix it. You need to sit down and let Lucy talk to you. Hell, just let her talk at you. Let the woman talk. You owe her that. You might be working on yourself but you haven't given her a chance to do the same for herself. And yeah, sorry Tim. Again, this is the best you could've gotten out of all of this. Losing a bit of command sucks but you could've lost a lot more, job-wise anyway. Grey picking his daughter. Yes. I know he's known Tim for longer and he's seen him go through a lot and he knows he's going through a lot, but he also knows that Lucy had no choice in any of this. Lucy shouldn't have to be the one to lose her station along with everything else. So thank you for that, Grey. Lucy is sorely lacking anyone in her corner right now. Side note, is it St Stephen or St Stephen's? Because St Stephen sounds weird. I love how Lucy checks in with Celina before they start. Making sure she's not uncomfortable before they go ahead. God, she's such a good teacher and leader.

Tim, hey, some of us sweat. Deal with it. I would be a fucking puddle in that uniform in that van. I'd be deceased. I'm glad the whole Bailan pregnancy/baby storyline doesn't go on too long. At least from what I know it basically ends in 6x10 anyway. Unless they go adoption route? But it could've dragged on a lot longer, so at least we didn't get a whole season or two for it. What exactly is Luna's job? I'm not complaining but she's basically running the hospital now, right? And apparently the social care side of things? Patient admittance. I mean, she's good at it. Once again, Smitty. Outranks Lucy somehow. And Lucy looking after him because she's a literal angel. She's obviously been roughed up herself and she's just out there gently teaching Celina and protecting Smitty. No-one deserves her.

Tim's sad little smile when Aaron mentions the spa day he got her. He knows she'd love it. They probably would've gotten a couple's gift if they'd still been together. They could've been pampered. Had sexytimes at a fancy free hotel. Watched her be looked after and treated like the queen she is. Monica. UGH. Should we not be shutting down the hospital at this point to visitors? Because...well, this happens. Lucy and Celina, best team-up yes. Absolute queens. Everyone always says how good Nolan is at getting people to talk to him, but Lucy really does have such a way of getting through to people. Tim was right, her superpower is empathy. I get that it's sad for Tim to not be in control, especially when it comes to protecting men he used to lead, and is probably giving him all sorts of army flashbacks...but it just seems like they're putting all the focus on him losing Metro and missing that and literally nothing on him losing Lucy and missing her. Maybe they're mentioning it a little, and it's not something he'd be open with in front of most people so it's understandable he's not showing it much. I'd just like to see a few more moments. Show that it's hurting him as much as it's hurting her. Oh I would kill for some fics with Lucy seeing Tim all banged up and checking he's okay before leaving. Because she can't help herself. But also him seeing her all banged up and wanting to check on her but she brushes him off and leaves before he can. Blair, you're terrible at not being suspicious. Lucy instantly reaching to protect Bailey when they hear shots being fired. My absolute queen. Ugh. Monica. Sincerely fuck off. Does this hospital not have cameras in the hallways?! Ugh. Blair. Sorry Liz. Lucy Chen, literal sunshine. Oh god KOJO. BABY. Shouting at the screen for Lucy or Tim to go to each other but it's just way too soon. But oh my god the card and the pawprint. I do wonder if Tim might've been tempted to go see her if Mad Dog hadn't texted. Or god, can you imagine if Lucy gave in and went dow the hallway and he was already gone? Why does my mind crave angst so much? It can't handle it. My brain really is broken.

Oh Tim. Honey. God I just want Lucy to be there to help him. But it's not fair for her to be his only support system and she would be without question. But oh, Tim.

Can we please give these two just all the goodness in S7? Please? They've been through enough. Please.

[dashawfrostart]

This Week In "Time & Again" #8: Achievement (Almost) Unlocked! And A Pre-New Year's Mess

Does it ever happen to you that you're so energetic, and hyper, and full of determination and all - and then you take a deep breath, sit down happily on your comfy couch, and you're ready to start writing a new and lovely blog post!.. ... but then you realize you have absolutely nothing to write about. Or - perhaps, to be more precise - you feel like there's nothing worth mentioning that would make an interesting, succulent, and informative post.

That happens to me once in a while - which is odd, considering how much of a babbler I tend to be when it comes down to self-expression in written form (it must be, Lothar affects me in a certain way and alters my usual behaviour, because normally in my life outside any artistic activities I am fairly quiet).

The aforementioned little hiccup on my way of the "ultra-completionist of the Pre-2024 To-Do List", unfortunately, hindered my progress, and the final number of the blog posts ended up a tad smaller. I don't think there are any complaints from the readers though 😎 I'll try to keep up next year. On a side note, one of the goals on the list has been removed and deliberately postponed until January. I have reasons, trust me 😁

But most importantly, Christmas season of "Time & Again" turned out to be pretty good! Just as planned, at this point of time, just a couple days short of 2024 (because I started writing this post yesterday), The Lineart is 98% done - it only needs a sparkle of perfection and and a short session of filling up the gaps and missing spots here and there on different pages. AND DONE. Moving on to The Colouring Stage right after all of that has been properly handled. (oops, unintentionally, I lied: I already started to partially colour some peculiar things... too excited; can't hold back, LOL!) I would say, this is truly a great achievement. Well... almost got an achievement anyway. Working on your grand project every day, little by little, and watching it growing, evolving, and getting fleshed out a little more day by day is hard to describe in a verbal form. I wonder about this sometimes... Perhaps, those who have never been in a similar situation will not understand this emotion very easily. But I'm telling you with 100% honesty, as usual - this emotion is priceless and really makes you feel that you're doing something important in life.

So, in short, everything goes steadily and as planned. Plans change sometimes - but that is totally fine. Currently, everything is indeed as planned - and I can't help but rejoice 🥳

As a treat for reading yet another one of my excessively talky talky longreads, I'll tease you with some rather unpredictable snippets now ;)

Just who are those guys???.. And what's the situation??? They sure look feral! You will definitely find answers to all of these questions after Chapter 5 is released sometime in 2024 ;)

... In the meantime, as I've been working on a peculiar troublesome background, I have discovered a handy option in Krita's Assistant Tool that I believe has a possibility to make my life easier in the future. I used Assistant Tool before, and quite profusely. But thanks to a certain video I came across, I happened to find out that there's more to that incredible tool. I'm excited to cover this topic in the next blog post, so stay tuned!

I also made a horrible mess on one of the pages that currently looks this way:

How do you like the funny lettering???!!! 😁 Those are not stickers, by the way (although that's certainly a good idea to turn those into stickers!.. That'd be a story for another day tho). Why those are needed - that I'll keep a secret for now. But I wanted to show you what they look like - especially when cluttered altogether, hehe. Also, obviously, this is not the final version of each one of those sound effects bubbles. There's more work to do eventually 😉

For now... let there be silence. In a bit over 24 hours, the calendar will show 2024 on this side of the globe. So I'll stop typing right now and I'll save more stories for later. ... I'm also wrapping it up for today with my ridiculous habit to scatter vaguely related song references across the text, so, yup - time for a small break 😅 (And I should also take a break from listening to Ultravox on repeat, otherwise my non-existent vinyls are gonna get non-existent holes in them... wait... how does that work exactly, again?..)

So, for a bye-bye, I'll say show this:

Bah-bye, my friends! And see you next year! 👋🥳😁

[donnabroadway]

Random thoughts

I love Mo'nique and I am glad she's being vindicated and getting everything she's been fighting for over the past 10+ years but her special, My name is Mo'nique should have been anything but a stand up special. It was very informative and I learned a lot about her and her life but maybe she should have done a documentary about her life over the last 10+ years or so or a loosely based biopic about her entire life and career but comedy specials are supposed to be funny and an hour of hearing about someone's trauma, while informative and well delivered, was not exactly funny. I enjoyed it but it wasn't a comedy special. I would have preferred it to be something else because I missed the jokes.

Side note, I hope Mo'nique has healed and made peace with her trauma or she's going to be in the same position she was in for the past 10 years. I am happy to see that Lee Daniels was in the audience supporting her. Mo'nique is so funny and talented and I'm glad she's working again.

As much as I've been secretly loving the Xscape drama from the past month or so, I need them to wrap it up by close of business next week. The finale is Sunday, which means everyone has three days to get their reviews out and say their peace and clear the air because after next week, I don't want to hear about it anymore. Whatever they say Latocha and Rocky did, they did, Tamika was a doormat who burned bridges and lost out on bags due to wanting the approval of her sister and mother, Kandi got to the bag and everyone is jealous, I am sure she has more than enough dirt on her and if anyone has any true tea on Kandi, now is the time to put it out there but since it's not even being rumored, I am going to assume that Kandi is less messy but just as messy, Tiny goes along to get along and she made a video to capitalize on this mess but spent 15 minutes saying not much of anything. SWV is creating drama on the show about being the "opening act" because these ladies know they don't want to do what needs to be done to get headliner money, which is truly invest in their shows. SWV may have sold more records and may have more bops but Xscape, namely Kandi and Tiny, are about their business and know how to get it done. SWV should get out their feelings and take notes.

So, it looks like Ashley and Wendy were seen filming for season 8 of Rhop, I wonder if Robyn will be back. She's not going to tell the truth about Juan and he won't tell the truth or even talk about it because he's trying to protect his mistress, so call it a wash. Robyn can make money another way.

As much as I applaud Bobby being where he is today in his life after all he's been through, maybe Bobby needs to figure out another way to make money because he is struggling through those New Edition shows. I get it, age, years of drug and alcohol abuse, health issues and just life in general but how long are y'all going to delude yourself into being grateful for Bobby being alive but he can't even get through one show without being helped on and off the stage. Maybe it is time to retire but Bobby has three young kids, probably does have not access to his catalog or masters as he only wrote a few songs, royalties may not be a lot depending on the business decisions he has made over the last 40 or so years, so all he has is touring and his life story, which is why he is always retelling his life story with Whitney Houston even though they've been divorced 17 years and she's been dead 11.

I get that music and art doesn't always age well but singing a song "back stage, under aged, the girl is gonna do me" at 20 or 21, when "underaged" may only be a 4 year or so age difference, is different than singing that line as a 54, 55 year old man. Maybe omit it, change it up, or let the audience sing it but t's a bit creepy. All of New Edition are old enough to have grandchildren that are teenagers or young adults and dating girls young enough to be your grand child is a bit, ick.

Speaking of underaged, I need Marques Houston to stop talking and just let people speculate. The math is not mathing. So there is proof that Marques Houston and his wife Maya, knew of each other when she was 13, nothing illegal there but we're supposed to believe that they magically began dating the day she turned 18, okay. It is weird and creepy but whatever. We're not stupid, stop trying to convince us of this math.

The reason why B2K can't get it together is because something nefarious, and probably very close to what Raz B has been alleging all these years, and they don't know how to reconcile everything that comes with that, including the confusing feelings, questioning of sexuality, probable attraction to their group mate, the anger, how Omarion was placed on a pedestal and given a pass, which is why it is always three against 1. They need a therapist but I don't even think a therapist can fix this because the issue is very deep and complex and no one seems to want to talk about it.

[takenbyheartstrings]

BY YOUR SIDE

summary: tom taking care of the reader whilst she's sick.

pairing: tom holland x fem!reader.

warnings: MAJOR FREAKIN' FLUFF!!

authors note: i wrote this headcannon bc im sick rn :( im also lonely NSDFJKNSDF so this is what i imagine it would be like having someone taking care of you (specifically, thomas). i wanted to work on another tom/steven fic i'm writing atm, but this was stuck in my head so... enjoy :)

i listened to "by your side" by flatsound, somewhere in writing this, hence the name <3

right, so when you tell him you're sick, he is, of course, away shooting a film.

"Tommy, I promise you, I am fine."

but we all know you're actually fucking dying.

Tom's been with you for four years.

he can see right through you.

that's why Tom doesn't hesitate to take a week from set.

the producers weren't happy about it.

... but hey! can't film a movie without the actor, right?

when he comes home, not even a day later, he can't seem to find you or Tessa anywhere.

the house is oddly quiet.

but when he walks upstairs into your shared room, he finally sees you.

you're surrounded by an influx of tissues and Tessa's curled up next to you.

"Oh, baby," are the only words that come out of his mouth when he sees you.

you look up at him with pleading eyes, "Tommy?"

now, let me tell you,

this man spoils you.

absolute.

he's making you so much tea.

the mugs are equivalent to the amount of tissues surround the both of you now.

but Tom has also set a bin next to you so that you didn't have to get up.

he learns how to make soup with Sam over facetime.

"Fuck, I think I've done it wrong... Doesn't look like yours."

"Nah, it looks alright. If you're having that hard of a time, I can bring you some."

Tom takes a cautious sip with his own spoon, "Taste just fine."

it tastes really good.

like exceedingly good.

lets move on to the next wonderful thing he does for you.

baths.

so...

many...

baths...

you think you might as well be a fuckin' prune now.

but it's sweet and it actually makes you feel better.

one in the morning and one at night.

what's even better is that he carries you and washes you so that you don't have to do a single thing.

you'd die for this boy.

he washes your hair with your favourite shampoo and conditioner.

sometimes he takes them with you.

AND THE CUDDLES.

OHMYGOD THE CUDDLES.

he'll hold you close, even though, he risks getting sick.

the two of you sit around all day.

you're wearing his beanie and his sweatpants and his hoodie.

and he thinks you look absolutely dashing.

the two of you are definitely binging season two of Bridgerton.

it

is

a

must.

"IS EDWINA REALLY THAT BLIND?!" Thomas shouts.

"Darling, would you leave me for Anthony or Simon, had you been given the chance?"

.... silence.

"No. I wouldn't."

an absolute lie.

you both know it.

"It's okay, I would leave me too. They're two perfect men."

"You're perfect, too, Thomas."

he just holds you close.

sometimes the two of you watch TikTok,

or scroll through his Reels on Instagram.

there's nowhere in the world you would rather be but here.

in his arms.

nuzzling into his chest.

him kissing your forehead.

and the tip of your nose.

he cares for you so much.

it doesn't matter if you feel better or worse.

him just being here makes you happier than ever.

but when it's time for him to leave.

there's a long hug.

you actually feel better.

and he texts you every single day asking you how you feel until you're 100% better.

-

hi tysm for reading! my requests are open! so, if you'd like to request something from me / if you'd like to be added to my taglist!!

REQUEST HERE | ADD YOURSELF TO MY TAGLIST OR YOU CAN SEND AN ASK <3

@wanniiieeee @itszulli @raajali3 @blankspaceblankday @nostalgiaminded @horrxr @rqmanoff @graciexmarvel @enilemes @hollandfanficlove @youlikethatdontyoucupke @itszulli

[littleoddwriter]

Hi, i just wanted to request a Qui-Gon Jinn x Male reader, where the reader is getting lost to the dark side and Qui-Gon is trying to help him and afraid of losing him he confesses his love? Something like their first kiss?

The Dangers of Grief | Qui-Gon Jinn x Male!Reader

Hi there! Thanks for the request, I really hope you like what I've done with it! :')

summary; See above, basically.

notes; Male!Reader; Very Minor Character Death; Loss; Grief; Probably Bad Descriptions of how the dark, light and (force) bonds work, but I don't care; Love Confessions; First Kiss.

For many years, you two have been friends. You had been younglings together, growing up and being taught at the same time. You had become incredibly close over time, which hasn’t changed once you were both adults and Jedi Masters with your own Padawans to teach. And you had a strong bond because of it. A bond that was both envied and looked down upon by other Jedi. After all, it made you vulnerable and easier for the dark to get a hold of either of you. 

Qui-Gon had always been very aware of that. You on the other hand have said that there was no need for worry. It was a conscious decision to join the dark side and that was one thing you would never do. That was what you had told him once it came up between you two that your bond may have been stronger than it was appropriate. 

Yet every day, he felt the dark simmering beneath your surface. Others couldn’t sense it, but he could, thanks to your bond. 

You had come back alone from a mission when it started. Your Padawan had fallen, dying at the hands of a group that called itself the Resistance on the planet you had been to. Qui-Gon would never understand what killing someone innocent did for them to achieve their goals. 

Day in and out, Qui-Gon has been there for you, though. He comforted you when you were crying. He held you in his arms and waited for you to fall asleep at night. He reminded you to eat. He did everything he could to be a good friend to you. You were the most important person in his life. He loved you dearly, going far beyond platonic love, which he’s never told you; but to him, it made no difference. He knew that you would have done the same thing for him if the situation had been reversed, no matter the nature of your feelings.

Understandably, it worried him to feel the dark among all the light that was in you. He wondered how he could help you. Were you even going to give in? After what you had told him all those years ago about it being a conscious decision, he hoped you stayed true to your word. But he also understood that this situation was different from anything either of you had ever imagined. Grief was the most dangerous state of them all. This one feeling that could make one fall easier than any other. 

Many believed that anger was what fuelled the dark, but even pure rage wasn’t nearly as dangerous as when it was born from grief. 

Every day, Qui-Gon could sense the dark in you grow stronger. Someone else was going to notice it soon enough, he was certain of it. He had to talk to you. He had to bring you back to your senses and away from the dark. He had to save you. 

Qui-Gon couldn’t bear the thought of losing you out of all the creatures in the galaxy.

Thus, he decided to speak with you right away. He told Obi-Wan to go and spar with one of his friends, as he went to find you.

Just like any other day now, he found you in your quarters. You barely ever left them at all. He understood why. The room was and contained all you had left of your dear Padawan. 

“What do you want, Qui?” you asked, not looking up at him from where you sat on the floor, wrapped in a blanket and with a necklace, which belonged to your Padawan, in your hands. Your face was stained with tears. It had become a common state to find you in.

Sometimes Qui-Gon wondered if the Council was just humouring you by not pressuring you into getting yourself a new Padawan or at least getting back to your duties. They had always thought of you as someone, who was too easily swept away by their own emotions after all. Qui-Gon argued that it was what made you a uniquely good Jedi.

Exhaling slowly, Qui-Gon sat down across from you on the floor. 

“I’ve been sensing the dark in you ever since you came back, Y/N,” he stated, “It’s getting stronger every day. I’m worried about you.”

Scoffing, your hands tightened their hold on the necklace. Your knuckles turned white with it. He felt a surge in the dark.

“I’m not going to give into it,” you said, not looking at him and with your voice wavering slightly.

He hated himself for it, but he couldn’t believe you. 

“That is what I’m hoping for, but I become more uncertain of it every day,” Qui-Gon told you sincerely. There was no use in lying to you.

A quick, dry, humourless laugh left your lips, “Wow. Even my best friend doesn’t believe in me anymore. That’s great.”

“Y/N, that is not what I said-”

“No, but that’s what you meant. Is it not?” you snapped, frowning at him. 

“I believe that you can fight it,” Qui-Gon said, gently laying his hands on yours, “What I’m afraid of is that you have lost faith in yourself.”

He could hear the way your breath caught in your throat.

“I don’t know,” you whispered brokenly.

Qui-Gon’s heart shattered into pieces.

“Then I’ll believe in you for the both of us now,” he said, nodding for emphasis and his own reassurance. He just had to save you. He had to.

“Why?” you asked softly, looking absolutely incredulous.

“Because I’m in love with you, Y/N,” Qui-Gon confessed. It wasn’t this big confession he had always imagined, nor had he done it under the circumstances he would have liked it to be; but perhaps it was exactly the right time and place anyway. 

For a split second the dark that has been surrounding you throughout the conversation let up a little, as a surge of light jolted you both.

“I’ve been in love with you for a long time and I’ll never stop loving you. That, I know. It also means that I will always have faith in you, dear one,” Qui-Gon continued, then.

A silent tear slipped out of your eye, as a small smile spread across your face. He couldn’t tell when he’s last seen you smile.

Shifting around and leaning into Qui-Gon, neither of you ever let go of each other’s hands, as your faces were now only a mere inch apart.

“I love you too,” you admitted softly before kissing him chastely.

Qui-Gon has never kissed anyone before. He had always dreamed of sharing his first kiss with you. He could barely believe that it was actually happening, but the surge of light that went through your bond convinced him that it was real.

“I told you I would never give into it. I’m certainly not going to now. For us,” you told Qui-Gon after parting from him.

In response, Qui-Gon let go of your hands at last to cradle your face in them, so he could bring you in for another kiss. This one was full of the passion and love he felt for you, which you reciprocated enthusiastically.

It was as though the dark fog that has been surrounding you lately was finally dissipating. 

If your shared love could save you from the dark, then Qui-Gon knew that you would be healing from the loss of your Padawan soon enough. He felt like the worst was about to have been overcome now.

[thatfuckingweirdo]

Up, Up and Away...

Bucky Barnes x Insecure!Female Reader

Summary: Bucky turns soft in the middle of sex, and you're left wondering if you were the cause.

Warnings: Angst, insecurities, erectile dysfunction, tears, self doubt, semi smut, implied smut, and uh, I think that's all?

Authors Notes: This was a fun one to write! It definitely got out of hand and I'm glad I ended it before it got any longer, no pun intended!

This is written for @the-ss-horniest-book-club thank you so much for the prompt! 💙

Word count: 1,298

Hours Earlier

"Oh Bucky… yes… right there…" you moaned, your nails scratching down his back as he fucked you hard, the mattress squeaking under you that only made the sex feel so much better and intimate.

Bucky was panting quietly, a permanent frown in between his eyes. He was so tired from the mission and the stress from the upcoming mission didn't help his mood, there were things on his mind but he wanted to please you before the two of you went to sleep.

The longer he was thrusting, the more tired he was feeling and fuck… he turned soft inside of you. Ashamed, he pulled out and sighed, rolling away from you and bouncing back on his side of the bed. "Sorry doll, good night." He mumbled under his breath, reaching over to turn off the lamp. He was already snoring before you had the chance to say goodnight.

Present time...

The coffee cup in front of you held your interest as you stared into the cup. Was it you? Was Bucky not sexually attracted to you anymore? Did he finally open his eyes and realize just what he could have with someone else? This has never happened before, not in the three years of your relationship. His stamina and sexual appetite has always been really good that sometimes you would need to turn him down because of how sore he made you.

You couldn't make sense of it. The more you thought about it, the more likely it felt like it was your fault. It was also the first time you slept away from each other, it was like two strangers in a bed where in normal circumstances, you would usually be cuddling up to each other in the night. It was strange and you didn't feel good about it.

Bucky soon joined you in the kitchen, pouring his own coffee and sitting down silently opposite you, flipping through the pages of the newspaper. He hasn't said good morning, you realize and it stings. What you weren't aware of was the embarrassment he was feeling from last night. He shouldn't have let the stress and tiredness get to him which caused his boner to deflate mid use. He didn't know how to apologize for such a thing.

The mission coming up was the worst one yet because it was an infiltration of a hydra base, the former bunker in which he was kept and that's why this mission weighed down heavy on his shoulders.

Bucky realized he forgot to say good morning and looked up from his newspaper to find you already starting at him with a sad look in your eyes. He smiled as kindly as he could before clearing his throat and scratching his head. "Mornin' doll."

A little bit of hope sends flutters to your stomach and you shift in your seat before clearing your own throat. "Morning, did you sleep okay?" The atmosphere feels awkward and you hate it. It's never been like this before.

"Yeah- yeah I slept good. Just waiting for this mission to be over and done with." He sighs, gulping down his coffee in one go and standing up to put the dirty cup in the sink.

The morning after the awkward encounter in the kitchen, Bucky left for his week-long mission with a quick kiss to your cheek. You spent most of that time alone and it was probably the most dangerous thing you could have done. All of your insecurities crept back one by one, making you feel like you were the most grossest person on earth. The nights were spent crying and sobbing into his pillow, you would wake up the next morning with headaches and sore eyes.

On the fourth night, there were no more tears left to cry. You did wake up in a bitter mood though, it only improved slightly because an agent had come running in to inform everyone the team was on their way back earlier than expected. Apparently, the mission had been a success. You're glad that nobody was hurt, but you couldn't help the anxious feeling of what would happen with you and Bucky. What would happen to your relationship?

You would soon learn things would remain the same, you still haven't talked about that night and your insecurities were still eating away in your mind. Bucky hasn't initiated sex since, and to be honest it only made you feel worse. You started to wear full pajamas to bed instead of just your sleep shirt and panties because you thought it would make him feel a bit more comfortable around you.

It hurt a lot more when you would notice his bulge in his sweatpants from watching a steamy sex scene in a movie, but not around you. Deciding you couldn't take this anymore, you figured the best thing to do would be to move out of his room and back into your old one. You had to negotiate a hug with Tony for your key back, but it was worth it.

Bucky walked in after his run with Steve to find you throwing your clothes into a duffel bag and tears streaming down your face. Panicked, he closed and locked the door behind him to stop you from walking out before he's had a chance to speak to you.

"Doll? What's going on?" His brows furrow even deeper when you ignore him, and he grabs the duffel bag and throws it over the other side of the room. Thank goodness the window wasn't open.

"I could ask you the same question. It's fine if you're not sexually attracted to me anymore but it's an insult if there's something more going on-"

"Something more? What are you talking about? And who said I wasn't sexually attracted to you? Did that Neil guy say something?" Bucky was feeling angrier by the second. Not at you of course, but he hated people on the outside of your relationship sticking their opinions in your business.

"I'm talking about that night, Bucky. You haven't initiated sex with me since and I know it's something to do with me because I've seen you adjusting yourself from watching a movie!"

"Doll, it's a misunderstanding please let me explain?" He pleads, taking your hands and kissing the back of them before capturing your tears with his thumbs. You nod, taking a seat on the bed and waiting for him to continue. He kneels down in front of you and rests his arms on your thighs. "That night had nothing to do with you baby, you felt as amazing as ever. It was my fault; I got myself worked up over the missions that it interfered with… things. And, I haven't initiated anything because I thought you were ashamed of me and I was embarrassed."

You let out a breath that you didn't realize you were holding. "So, you still want me?" You sniffled, wiping your wet cheeks with the sleeve of your sweater.

Bucky looks almost offended that you could ask such a question. "Of course I want you doll, I always want you. Can I show you how much?" His eyes drop to your lips and you subconsciously lick them out of the bad habit you have.

"How- do you wanna do that?" Bucky smirks at your question and reaches for your hand before dipping it under the elastic of his running shorts and boxers. You gasp audibly when you're met with something very hard, hot and pulsing against your fingertips with need.

"You see? It's not you, it was me. If it was you, I wouldn't be constantly horny for you." He winks, shoving his pants and boxers down his legs to let his erection spring free. "Now, let me show you how much I want and need you."

[jazlynriddle]

Welcome to your life - Pt 2:

Acting On Your Best Behaviour Ch 7:

Summary:

They'd seen it in their fellow orphans often enough to recognise the pattern and were now forced to admit, despite their hopes to the contrary, that Isidora had likely suffered similar side effects.

No… they'd always known she had. The Keeper had just wanted the power that Ranrok had, enough to convince themselves that they would be able to handle it better than that naive woman.

With the start of the Keeper’s sixth-year in Hogwarts, comes a whole slew of headache-inducing challenges from the most unexpected of places. Between insignificant pests throwing wrenches into their plans and tedious teenage drama, that the Keeper is entirely unprepared for, they wonder if they'll make it to their NEWTs without losing their sanity.

Or worse, Ominis or Sebastian.

Warnings: Sebastian x MC x Ominis! Drug Addiction! Spoilers! Slow-burn corruption! Dark content! Fucked up 1800s orphanages! MC has no love for Anne or Solomon! Dubious happy ending (it's happy for MC, Seb and Ominis at least).

You can also read on AO3! (chapter specific warnings below)

Notes:

Warnings: Drama!

Somehow this chapter ended up being very long, I deliberated for a very long time as to whether I wanted to crop it down to 2000+ words or put it up as a chapter with 5000+ words.

I ended up deciding to put them into one chapter even though there’s a decent time gap between the 2nd and 3rd sections and it feels like a good point to split it into another chapter. Welp, I suppose too long beats too short, right? xD

And with a long chapter, comes an equally long set of notes at the end ha ha ha, I'm sorry-

"That's terrible… are you sure they're alright?" Poppy asked anxiously and Natty rushed to console her as they walked together towards their first class.

"Yes, they didn't look too worse for wear when we parted ways yesterday." Natty placed a hand on Poppy's shoulder supportively.

"I wonder why they didn't tell us…" Poppy sighed, shaking her head dejectedly.

Natty could understand why Poppy would be upset that her crush hadn't been honest with her. "They apologised for involving me when I found out, I'm sure they just didn't want to endanger you."

Poppy's face flushed slightly but she quickly shook her head. "That's the last thing they should be worried about, we've been through so much together… we have to help them."

Natty nodded thoughtfully. "Agreed, I'm thinking of recruiting some of their friends to help us too, like Amit, I know he’s been going out with them in the evenings to search for Astronomy tables."

Poppy hummed. "What about Ominis and Sebastian?"

Natty blinked. "Gaunt? I mean, I know our friend is quite close to Sallow but…"

"Well, they seem to be spending more time with Ominis too near the end of last term, I've noticed them helping him in class sometimes." Poppy shrugged.

"I thought they were just being nice since he's…" Natty trailed off awkwardly.

"Well, you haven't been here very long, so you probably don't know, but Ominis doesn't seem to really need much help despite not being able to see." Poppy explained.

"That's even worse, isn't it?" Natty shook her head. "I'm not sure it's a good idea, I think he's interested in Dark Magic."

"Where'd you hear that?" Poppy smiled wryly. "Besides, I don't think our friend is a stranger to dark arts, they are in Slytherin after all."

"I gathered as much, but I hope they don't dabble too much in such things." Natty grimaced but nodded concedingly. "I suppose it's worth seeing if they want to help, since he and Sallow are in the same house as our friend."

Natty paused. That’s right, Sallow and Gaunt were from Slytherin too.

Surely, there was no way the two boys hadn’t noticed the Keeper being stalked and attacked by their own housemates. If they knew about it, why had they done nothing to stop it? How could they stand by and do nothing as their friend was being hurt?

Her Gryffindor housemates had warned Natty about the dangers of being friends with Slytherins when she’d taken up a friendship with the Keeper, how most of the Slytherin students were cold, selfish, proud, and callous. She’d brushed off their warnings, even after Imelda Reyes had laughed when Natty fell off her broom the first time she’d tried flying.

After all, the Keeper was a great friend and one of the bravest people she’d ever known.

Yet what reason could there be for both the Keeper’s Slytherin friends to not go to their aid in their time of need? Why would both Sallow and Gaunt not tell their head of house about what was going on?

Her mother had warned her about the bigotry of the Noble families of Britian. With the Gaunts, Blacks and Malfoys being the most crucial names to avoid as much as possible. Powerful and dangerous, those ancient houses were known to meddle with dark magic.

Natty had previously felt that the Keeper’s other friends were none of her business unless they were hanging out together, but perhaps she should rescind that mentality for this battle. She needed to know who she could trust to be on the Keeper’s side. If those boys couldn’t be trusted with her friend’s safety, that was now something she needed to be sure of.

"I was thinking we could drop by the dorm to check on them after a quick bite." Sebastian suggested, as he and Ominis made their way to the great hall for lunch.

"Yes, that's a fine idea. I'm just glad they were amenable to the idea of taking today off." Ominis agreed, a soft smile on his face.

"Feels like they're really relying on us more." Sebastian grinned proudly.

"Indeed, we have to find a way to help them…" Ominis nodded resolutely. "This can't go on for much longer."

"Yeah." Sebastian sighed, as wonderful as it was to have more of the Keeper's trust than they'd ever had, the circumstances surrounding their newfound softness were not remotely ideal.

Sebastian hummed thoughtfully before suggesting. "Maybe we can try to disable those idiots long enough for them to get to the Undercroft."

"I feel like we would need too much coordination for something like that…" Ominis shook his head. "We'd need to make sure neither of them are found, nor can we afford to give them any evidence that we attacked them."

"Blast those buffoons, how do two simpletons with the IQ of a Troll manage to be such a pain in the arse?" Sebastian muttered in frustration, running a hand through his hair roughly.

He felt Ominis' steps slow beside him and Sebastian paused as his partner spoke. "Oh, hello. Onai, right? Can we help you?"

Natty shivered uncomfortably when Ominis stopped to address her without even turning to face her. She knew that looking at her would be entirely unnecessary and impossible for him, but it was still an unsettling experience. How did he recognise her?

"I was wondering if the two of you might be interested in working together with Poppy, Amit and I to help our mutual friend." Natty asked as calmly and evenly as she could, deciding to just take a direct approach instead of dancing around the subject.

To her surprise, the two boys seemed to regard her warily. Which made her even more suspicious of them, why would they react that way unless they had something to hide?

"Help? What with?" Ominis asked airily.

"I'm sure as housemates, the two of you must be aware that they haven't been very well lately." Natty replied, frowning.

"Of course, we have." Sebastian raised an eyebrow and folded his arms while Ominis leaned against the wall behind him, rolling his wand in his hands.

"And neither of you tried to figure out what was going on?" Natty's lips tightened, voicing the thought that had been bothering her ever since her chat with Poppy. "I thought you two were friends with them."

Sebastian immediately stiffened with indignation at the accusatory tone in her voice, but before he could speak, Ominis laughed coldly. "As opposed to what Onai? You who did the same and are now taking out your frustration at your own shortcomings on others?"

"I was being courteous towards them and respecting their silence, but I cannot see how either of you could have missed the fact that they were being bullied by upperclassmen from your house." Natty straightened defensively.

"Did you not consider that we already knew about what was going on?" Ominis tipped his head with a tight smile.

Natty bristled, glaring at the Slytherin, his unfocused gaze felt cold and uncaring. What kind of friend was he!?

"And neither of you did anything!?" Natty exclaimed, even more furious, was he stupid? Pointing that out wasn’t making himself or Sallow look any better. Weren't they friends with the Keeper? Did they not care? She'd never felt so appalled and frustrated, she was starting to see what her housemates had been warning her about.

"Like what? Get mad at anyone who isn't visibly doing something about it?" Sebastian scoffed.

"Like tell a professor about it before it got this bad." Natty shot back, before my mother got caught up in this too, her temper rising by the moment. To think, she'd thought Imelda Reyes bad, but these boys were breaking all her high scores.

"If you want to believe that you're the only one who doesn't have the option of tattling to an authority figure, so be it." Ominis huffed. "Frankly, I couldn't care less. We neither have the time nor interest in helping you assuage your own feelings of powerlessness."

Ominis pushed himself off the wall, straightening and smoothening out his robes. "Now, if that's all you wanted, I believe we are done here."

Natty stared at him for a moment, stunned by his blunt words and scathing tone. She glanced at Sebastian, taking in his equally hostile expression. Honestly, she'd thought better of Sallow, he was cocky and aloof, but he'd also had a reputation for being a brave mischief maker as well. Guess he was in Slytherin too for a reason.

"Fine, I knew I couldn't trust a Gaunt." Natty spat before turning to storm off towards the great hall.

Sebastian bristled as she quickly faded from sight. "The nerve of that-"

He cut himself off, clenching his teeth to reign in his anger, his partner came first. After taking a steadying breath, Sebastian turned back to Ominis, brushing the back of his knuckles against his pale cheek. "Hey, you alright?"

"Of course, I am. If I had a knut every time someone judged me for my lineage, I'd be able to afford a new set of robes every day." Ominis huffed sardonically.

"You know we don't though, right?" Sebastian asked softly, taking a step closer. "I've never cared about that and neither have they."

Ominis' ears turned red as he felt Sebastian's lips against his cheek. "Yes, I do know."

"Good." Sebastian grinned, enjoying the rare sight of the blind boy flustered.

Hearing the smile in Sebastian's voice, Ominis rolled his eyes. "Alright, let's go, if we don't hurry, we won't have time to visit the dorm."

"Yeah, we need to come up with a solution for them." Sebastian agreed, sobering quickly and Ominis' brow creased, his thoughts returning to their resting partner as the two began making their way to the great hall as well.

"You're supposed to be resting." Ominis sighed as he and Sebastian entered the common room.

"I am resting." The Keeper chuckled, lifting their eyes from the tome in their lap, shifting slightly so that Sebastian could sit down on the couch beside them while Ominis sat on the opposite side.

"And here I thought we'd get to play out the idyllic troupe of feeding you in bed." Sebastian sighed dramatically as he placed a small package of food on the table.

"Why either of you consider reading as resting is beyond me." Ominis shook his head.

“It’s really not as hard as it sounds.” Sebastian chuckled as Ominis raised an eyebrow sceptically.

“Really. I believe our classmates beg to differ.” Ominis rolled his eyes, before his eyes narrowed with concern. "How are you feeling?"

"Perfectly well, not a bruise in sight." The Keeper replied, trying to inject some liveliness into their voice.

From both their expressions, it didn't seem to have worked very well. The Keeper sighed. "I am improved but besides my injuries, my condition remains unchanged."

"I see… try not to worry too much and focus on conserving your strength. Sebastian and I will think of a solution." Ominis smiled reassuringly.

"Thank you, both of you." The Keeper smiled, their chest filled with warmth, before they flashed a smirk. "But don't expect me to sit back and let the two of you deal with them alone. I'm not out of the game yet."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Sebastian grinned, while Ominis shook his head helplessly with a resigned smile. "Speaking of plans, Natsai Onai approached us just a while ago."

The Keeper blinked. "She did? Whatever for?"

"Apparently she wanted to know why we weren't helping you with the bullies since we're housemates." Ominis rolled his eyes, looking annoyed. "Practically accused us of being friends of poor taste."

"And it sounds like Onai told Amit and Poppy what you told her as well." Sebastian grimaced.

"Right blabbermouth that one, rude too." Ominis muttered irritably. "Does she not know the meaning of respecting others' privacy?"

The Keeper winced, well, they should probably have seen that coming. Natty was a very direct, brash, and open person, with strong opinions and a stronger sense of justice. Completely in conflict with the more careful and calculative way that Slytherins approached problems.

She must have misunderstood Sebastian and Ominis' cautious behaviour, as well as the Slytherin tendency to hide their emotions until trust has been earned, mistaking it as a lack of compassion.

"Don't pay her any mind, Natty's just really passionate and devoted to any cause she takes up. I suppose this has become one of her causes." The Keeper sighed. "I'll talk to her. At the very least, I know Amit and Poppy can keep secrets."

Sebastian and Ominis didn't look very assuaged but nodded in acceptance. The Keeper rubbed a hand over their forehead tiredly.

Exactly what they needed, more complications.

"Hey, Natty, are you alright?" Poppy asked, looking concerned as she snapped Natty out of her thoughts.

"Huh? Ah, yes, I am, you needn't worry Poppy." Natty gave her a strained smile. From Poppy's expression, it hadn't been very convincing, she sighed.

Natty was trying hard not to show it, but she couldn't forget what Gaunt had said. Was she doing the same thing? Choosing to let her friend remain at the mercy of those bullies rather than endanger herself and her loved ones.

Was her anger at Gaunt and Sallow just a misdirect of her own frustration at essentially being disarmed and out of the fight because those bullies had found out her secret? Was she more angry at them for their inaction because that inaction made them bad friends or because she wouldn’t be in this situation if they had resolved it before it reached her?

Was she just feeling guilty that she wasn't as fearless and brave as she'd always believed? That she couldn't be as courageous as her father anymore? She knew that he was a man who would fight for people who couldn't protect themselves, but would he have risked his own family for it?

More than ever, Natty wished he were still alive, that she could ask him these questions. She even wished she could ask her mother for advice, but she knew that her mother might decide to move to another country rather than face this danger. To her mother, family was a righteous cause.

What was the right thing to do? Stay to fight, risk her loved ones, or flee? The only option that didn't feel like running away was the one that risked her and her mother's freedom. Every choice came with guilt, how was she to choose?

This spiral of thoughts had cost Natty a restful night and she'd woken up feeling no surer than before. She sighed, with answers eluding her, all she could do was focus on doing her best to help her friend.

Natty took a deep breath to brace herself as she and Poppy stepped into the Three Broomsticks. The familiar hum of groups of students and Hogsmeade residents chatting casually, over a delicious mug of butterbeer and snacks, filled the pub.

She glanced around, before spotting the Keeper sitting in the corner where the portrait of Ferdinand once hung. She wasn't sure what exactly happened to the snooty prick but if the rumours were to be believed, it was the Keeper who was to thank for the students' reprieve.

"How are you feeling?" Poppy immediately asked, her expression deeply concerned. The Keeper was looking more exhausted than even Natty had expected.

"Don't look so worried, Poppy. I'm not going to keel over anytime soon." The Keeper chuckled wryly.

"She wouldn't be worried if you didn't look like you were actually about to keel over." Natty shook her head. "What have those bullies been doing?"

"Let's just say they've been making it hard for me to sleep." The Keeper replied evasively, and Natty felt a spike of concern.

What could the bullies be doing that could keep their friend up at night, to the extent that they would look this drained? The fact that it was something the Keeper didn't want to share was extremely concerning, but Natty felt like it would be worse of her to try and force the Keeper to talk about something so clearly distressing.

A glance at Poppy confirmed that she felt the same and they silently agreed to refrain from pressing the Keeper on the subject. She and Poppy instead took a seat, while Sirona sat down a towel she was holding and strolled over.

"Hello there, what can I get you?" Sirona smiled warmly as she stopped by the table.

"Four butterbeers, please." Natty replied with an answering smile, and Sirona flicked her wand to send four mugs to the barrel to begin filling.

"Are you alright there, my friend?" Sirona asked, her brows furrowed in concern as she gazed at the Keeper. "You look like you need a good night's sleep."

"I do, but I'll be fine, thank you for your concern, Sirona." The Keeper nodded politely.

Sirona sighed. "Do take care of yourself, I know you've been running around solving everyone's problems since the day you got here, but you shouldn't neglect your own health."

"I'll do my best." The Keeper flashed a wry smile as Sirona began to engage in pleasant conversation with Natty and even Poppy.

Honestly, the Keeper liked Sirona, a lot. The barkeeper had incredible charisma and an enviable ability to put people at ease.

Well, most people. The Keeper was honestly just unaccustomed to the type of goodness that Sirona carried around with her. She wasn't naïve like Natty, and she hadn't been cowed by her struggles and become reclusive like Poppy.

In a way, Sirona was exactly what everyone wanted to become as adults. Someone confident in the path they had chosen, proud and strong but not cruel or arrogant. Someone who was well loved and could stand up for people they barely knew.

Someone… unlike the person the Keeper knew they were likely to become. They already knew that the path they’d been set upon did not conform to societal norms, and they were content with that knowledge. The way the Keeper "helped" others was similar in appearance yet in stark contrast to Sirona's selfless generosity. A parallel of actions stemming from differing motivations.

The Keeper had never really understood why they felt uncomfortable around Sirona, but now, they could see why they felt stiff around her despite their fondness for her. It was the fact that the Keeper should want to emulate Sirona like their peers, but they didn't. As the mugs of butterbeer sailed over to their table, the Keeper shook these thoughts from their mind.

"Thank you, Sirona." The Keeper nodded as they accepted a mug.

"My pleasure, do let me know if you need anything else." Sirona gave them another warm smile before leaving the table.

A few moments later, the doors opened for Amit and Garreth to enter.

"Ah, sorry for being a bit late!" Amit apologised, as he shuffled over, looking slightly dishevelled and frazzled.

"Yeah, sorry, I just needed to grab something on the way." Garreth chimed in, as the two of them took a seat as well. He leaned back slightly and called out. “Hey, Sirona! Could I have a butterbeer?”

By the bar counter, Sirona glanced over at their table and gave Garreth a nod, flicking her wand and sending another butterbeer floating over to him with a relaxed. “Enjoy!”

With a grin, Garreth plucked the mug from the air and turned back to the group. "Alright, how are we gonna nail those bullies?"

Poppy blinked at Garreth in confusion while Natty raised an eyebrow at Amit. "You told Garreth?"

"What? No, I didn't, I thought you two told him." Amit now looked twice as confused as Poppy.

"Well, I didn't…" Poppy glanced at Natty, who also shook her head.

"Ah yes, now here's the thing." Garreth grinned impishly, propping an elbow on the table with a flourish. "Unbeknownst to the three of you, I happened to be disillusioned under a nearby table whilst my housemate explained the situation to dear Amit here and inadvertently heard the whole tale."

Garreth brushed his wavy locks aside dramatically. "Which is most certainly a stroke of good fortune for the lot of you, as I doubt there is a mischief maker quite as prolific as I."

He paused for a moment, before reluctantly adding. "Save perhaps Sebastian Sallow."

The long moment of silence was broken by the Keeper's snort of amusement. "Well, I can't say he's wrong, at least not about the mischief making."

"Why were you hiding under the table?" Poppy asked in bemusement.

“Well-” Garreth opened his mouth eagerly but was interrupted by Natty. "Please don't, trust me Poppy, it's not worth it and we don’t have all day."

"Oh, come on-" Garreth grumbled as Natty continued.

"I think we should confront them. We outnumber them and if we present a united front, maybe those bullies will think twice about attacking one of us." Natty suggested, her fist tightening with resolve.

"Maybe we can-" Garreth began, when he was abruptly cut off.

"I'm not so sure that's a good idea…" Amit shifted nervously. "The element of surprise is with us right now, maybe we could just escort our friend around till the bullies graduate?"

"Or we could-" Garreth tried again.

Poppy shook her head vehemently. "We can't always be with them, especially at night, the bullies have even been disrupting their sleep. This can't continue!"

The group glanced at the Keeper in unison and the Keeper had to make a concerted effort to avoid scowling at the blatant pity in the group's eyes.

"Well-" Garreth opened his mouth.

"I say we fight back and give them a taste of what it's like to be hunted. Make those bullies understand that we aren't afraid of hurting them either." Poppy's eyes were dark as she said this, making Natty, Amit and Garreth stare at her in shock.

"While I agree that we should do something, let's try not to sink to their level." Natty laughed awkwardly, patting Poppy on the shoulder. If there was anyone she'd expected such a vicious suggestion from, it was the Keeper, not Poppy!

"I already gave them a good beating, all that did was ensure that they try to catch me off guard from a safe distance." The Keeper shrugged.

"Somehow I'm not surprised." Poppy smiled and Natty wondered what it said about herself, that her two close friends were perfectly capable of ruthless violence.

"Maybe we can frame the bullies for a serious crime? Or just bait them into committing one?" Amit suggested thoughtfully.

"How about-" Garreth made another attempt but was cut off again by Natty.

"I'd rather not frame them, but we could try to get evidence about what they've done…" Natty nodded.

"Maybe they have recorded some of their actions?" Poppy tapped her chin in thought. "Like in a diary?"

"Guys-"

"They do keep diaries, I believe." The Keeper nodded, thinking of a way to explain their knowledge without revealing that Sebastian had stolen them once. "I've seen one of them scribble in what looked like a journal once."

"Hey-"

"That might work, we'd just need a way to keep the bullies distracted while our friend here masterfully sneaks into the seventh-year dorm and steals the diaries!" Amit agreed, slapping the Keeper on the back.

"Sure." The Keeper chuckled, mildly amused by the way everyone had universally decided to ignore Garreth.

"Let me just-"

Poppy frowned. "How would we keep the bullies' attention though? I doubt we can get them to stop following-"

"Guys!" Garreth finally lost it and stood, slamming two vials down in the centre of the table.

The pub went silent as everyone, including other students and customers, turned to stare at Garreth who was now frozen like a mooncalf.

Grimacing at the amount of attention Garreth had just drawn, the Keeper raised their voice, injecting a casual boredom into it. "No Garreth, for the last time, we're not going to let you test your potions on us. I heard that Sebastian almost lost all his hair after taking one of your potions."

The rest of the pub laughed as Garreth sat back down looking sheepish and the attention gradually drifted away from their table once more.

"Well done, Garreth." The Keeper chuckled.

Garreth rolled his eyes, cleared his throat, and gestured at the two vials. "Anyway, we can use these to distract the bullies."

"Is that-" Amit gasped, looking at the thick brown liquid inside the vials.

"Polyjuice potion!" Garreth grinned triumphantly, shaking his head while clicking his tongue. "I told you, you guys are lucky I'm here, and you wouldn't even listen to a word I had to say."

The Keeper shrugged. "It was funny."

"How rude." Garreth scoffed in mock offence.

Natty stared at the vials dubiously. "Did you make these yourself?"

"Of course!" Garreth tipped his chin up proudly.

"Why do you even have Polyjuice potion on you?" Poppy asked, sounding bewildered.

"Why, you never know when you might need to transform into a teacher or prefect to escape a sticky situation or acquire something." Garreth replied, as though it were perfectly normal to carry around vials of potions.

The Keeper grinned, admittedly, they had twenty-five wiggenweld potions on them at all times, so who were they to judge. "To be fair, Garreth is one of the best potioneers in our class when he's not experimenting."

"Wow, an unambiguous compliment from our resident genius, I'm flattered." Garreth winked, prompting the Keeper to roll their eyes at him.

"How long do you think they'll last?" Poppy asked, curiously picking up a vial and rolling it between her fingers.

"About an hour each." Garreth gave a bow. "I'm willing to donate these potions to the cause, should be enough for the Keeper to steal some diaries before those bullies realise that they've been foiled."

"How generous." The Keeper eyed him suspiciously.

"Don't look at me like that, I'm still a Gryffindor and a Weasley. I ain't going to watch a friend suffer without trying to help." Garreth sighed, as though hurt by the implication of the Keeper’s words.

The Keeper was still sceptical but tipped their head concedingly while Natty smiled proudly.

"That and I think it'd be hilarious to look at those diaries. Wonder if there's anything silly in there that we can paste up all over and by the great hall." Garreth smirked mischievously.

Natty sighed while the Keeper chuckled. That was more in character.

"Alright, we have a plan. So, who wants to do the honours?" Natty asked, her expression clearly hopeful that someone else would volunteer to take the potions.

Amit looked equally reluctant and Garreth rolled his eyes. "I'll take one, it's my own month-long work. So, we just need another volunteer."

"I'll do it." Poppy wrapped her fingers around the vial that she was still holding, her expression determined.

"You sure?" The Keeper asked with some amusement, glancing over at Garreth teasingly. "I wouldn't want to visit you in the hospital wing."

"Hey!" Garreth protested indignantly.

Poppy giggled shyly. "Thanks, but I'm sure I'll be fine."

The Keeper accepted her statement with a shrug. "Guess all that's left is to decide when to enact the plan."

"I think we should do it over the weekend, less people inside Hogwarts." Amit suggested.

Natty nodded. "Saturday, after noon would probably be best."

The Keeper nodded, feeling the endeavours of the day wearing down on their already low energy levels and found themselves quickly tuning out the group's banter, mostly focusing just enough to pick out key words from the discussion.

The group spent several more minutes determining the details of the operation over some butterbeer.

Thus, the sun was already setting by the time Amit and Garreth left to return to Hogwarts, while Poppy rushed off to Brood and Peck to pick up some snacks for her creature friends before the shops closed.

As Poppy left the Keeper alone with Natty, they wondered how they might bring up Natty's interaction with Sebastian and Ominis. Fortunately for them however, Natty initiated that conversation herself.

Natty began hesitantly. "Hey, I know it isn't any of my business, but I think you should probably keep your distance from Gaunt and Sallow."

The Keeper bristled inwardly, but kept their expression level, and their voice calm as they replied. "You're right."

Natty smiled with relief, right until the Keeper continued. "It isn't any of your business, and while I appreciate you going to all this trouble to help me, it would have been better for you to ask me or at least inform me of your plans before you told other people about my problems."

She flinched at the Keeper’s words, while their tone wasn't angry, she could tell they weren't very pleased with her. Natty searched desperately for a way to defend her actions but the Keeper continued.

"In all fairness, I did say you could do what you want, I just didn't think you'd tell five different people about my personal problems." The Keeper sighed, pinching the bridge of their nose. "That was my miscalculation."

"I- I'm sorry, I suppose I didn't think of it that way." Natty grimaced, before frowning at a concerning thought that just occurred to her. "I guess I didn't think you'd mind that, you do know that there's no shame in being bullied, right? Those bullies are the ones who should be ashamed."

The Keeper snorted lightly, if they didn't know that Natty was being genuine, they'd probably be insulted by her concerned tone.

"I do understand that, and that's beside the point. Regardless of how you thought I'd feel about it or why you assumed I wasn't telling others about this, you revealed information that I was keeping secret for months now, without consulting me." The Keeper explained as clearly as they could.

They understood that Natty meant well, but she had to understand this, and learn to respect the Keeper's reasons, decisions, and privacy if they were to continue their friendship.

Natty looked away guiltily, she hadn't considered this, hadn't thought of it that way. Hadn't realised that she'd basically acted without the Keeper’s consent.

"I'm sorry, my friend…" Natty sighed. "I just wanted to help, and I guess I didn't understand what I was inadvertently doing."

"I know. That's why I'm not angry." The Keeper stood, understanding that she probably needed time to think about what they'd said. The Keeper hadn’t really forgiven her for upsetting their partners, but they also did genuinely appreciate Natty's efforts to aid them against the bullies and didn't want to jeopardise the Polyjuice plan.

As they passed by her on their way to the door, the Keeper patted her on the shoulder and added. "And don't concern yourself with Ominis and Sebastian, just because I get on with them well, doesn't mean you have to. Just steer clear of them if you don't like them."

Natty watched quietly as the Keeper gave a casual wave and disappeared through the door.

As the doors closed, she sighed, slumping onto the table. Natty had a feeling that she was going to have a hard time sleeping tonight too.

Notes:

I found some voice lines from the game files of NPCs making comments on other NPCs and one of them was Natty saying “I would be careful of Ominis Gaunt if I were you - I think he is interested in Dark Magic.”

Which is absolutely the most bizarre thing I ever thought I’d hear her say, like, WUT!? I think you’re confusing Ominis with Sebastian. I know Ominis’ cheeks look rather sallow but that’s Sebastian’s surname not his-

The only reason I could think of, for Natty to think such a thing, is Ominis’ family’s reputation. So, I wondered who she’d trust enough to blindly believe (when it comes to anything besides her own safety) and my best guess is that would be her mother. If it was a housemate who told her, she'd probably have said "I heard that he's interested etc" rather than "I think he's interested etc"

I also feel that Ominis would react pretty bitingly towards anyone he sees as slighting those he loves. I mean, just look at how he treats us when he catches us outside the Undercroft! “I don’t need you to tell me about my oldest friend.” And “He doesn’t need your help.” And if you are honest, “Why should I trust you? You just betrayed Sebastian.”

Ominis is the type of guy who wouldn’t hesitate to hurt anyone who endangers or insults those he cares about. Whether they mean to or not. While Sebastian is easily angered when his protective love is questioned or challenged. Plus, they’re both busy worrying about the Keeper, so Natty’s really just coming at them with the worst timing, and all three of them being stressed means boooom!

Hope that made sense x’D

Also, I actually drew from my own personal experiences for Natty at the last portion of this chapter. I have, myself in the past as an inexperienced and naive young early-teen, inadvertently shared information without permission in my pursuit of justice and received condemnation from the party I was defending.

Of course, I understood afterwards that what I did was wrong, but I erred because no one taught me about the importance of consent even when your actions are taken with good intent. My childhood was… well, let’s just say I didn’t have a great dad, he's very religious, so instead I'd been taught to do "the right thing" whether others agreed or not.

"For your own good" is a dangerous mentality. Something Sebastian learnt the hard way when he hurt Ominis while keeping secrets from him "for his own good".

Thus, while I don’t think anyone too young should be reading this series, if there is indeed a young’un like my past self here, I’m hoping that this will help prevent someone from experiencing the same guilt and self-loathing I experienced when I realised that I’d done something that I couldn’t take back.