#Hopeless Time wiz

[ask-yandere-sci]

A New header I like to show off by @susartwork

Science sans by @ask-yandere-sci

Hopless Timeline Wiz by @susartwork

And fell sans by @another-underfellsans

They @susartwork is a amazing artistic person and you should ask when there ether free to do free art or free to do events

But anyway please read @susartwork pin post and be nice to my friend and cool artist

Also @another-underfellsans who liked to do edits wich is another form of art

[dnangelic]

' mm ? isn't that a celebrity style ? ' and wasn't this his very own impish opportunity ? he flashes sakura a similar heart all the same ; sets his fingers in a readied , practiced instant and charmingly winks , her better mirror . even if he ended up getting nothing else out of this incident , at least there would have been this --- a mutual exchange that sakura herself no doubt didn't even realize , and probably wouldn't until it was too late .

' it's only recently that sort of thing started getting popular , but making one out of both your hands goes much older than that , no ? if you're enthusiastic enough , you can even make one out of both your arms and your head . ' he simpers ; laughs lightly in a way that his voice seems to soften by it . ' there are all sorts of ways to show people love . '

( some larger , some smaller , some more shy , and some far more grander . )

' ... but , well , as for me being weird --- '

the door's finally shut behind sakura and he slips into silence . if he's bearing any sort of expression , then it stays hidden by lack of view --- yet it doesn't take long for his voice to lilt , the playful , chipper tilt of his head just as audible as sakura's thorough sarcasm .

' --- you've only just started thinking that ? '

most people began with the wings . and then , left with nothing but grim mystery and their own imaginations , they continued to spin up absurd rumor and distort him more and more , too often making something only remotely manlike into something truly grotesque . his reputation as a thief mingled with deeper suspicion and various horror stories : little by little , his consumption of hearts turned literal and bloody , and he became both the rotten idol and worshiped bogeyman that parents warned might deceive and turn stray good family's children , if not outright steal them away . his devilish attraction only seemed to be all for the worse , a touchless source of strife , envy , and endless fascination and wonder .

likewise , amidst the storm of this infinite chatter and chaos perpetually surrounding him ; the black-pupil stages of hundreds of thousands of eyes , there wasn't anywhere that he truly belonged .

( ... too slow . )

he doesn't say it , and only laughs again at sakura's various answers . ' --- my schemes , huh . ' what right did he have to sound so utterly resigned over arrogant as he usually did ? and yet , the guilt still pangs , the sorrow does too , each a bullet fired into the empty , dark hall of his heart's atrium . his voice has turned hollow : his greatest heist , that which even he was reluctant to take part in , might have been somehow fooling sakura into tolerating his continued company .

' ... it's a good indulgence , ' he has to say something beyond just repetition , he thinks , and so he does . ' nobody's getting hurt . if you wanted me to return the favor by dressing up or walking out with you be it as a beautiful man or woman , i wouldn't have any complaints , either . ' but he knew sakura and her personal preferences better , or at least he wanted to believe that he did . ' i doubt that you'd care for all the attention i'd end up attracting , though ... so there's nothing that i can do . '

conceited as the idea of himself might have seemed , wasn't it shameful too , to have to confess to how little he truly had ? thieves stole because everything that they wanted was out of their hands and perpetually in someone else's . beyond his foul , demanding presence , he had utterly nothing to give ; nothing that he could create , beyond what he could simply have taken then moved over in a way that would have surely only displeased sakura further . somewhere deep within him his heart beats out an apology , a dull , soft-thudding stammer of : i'm sorry , i'm sorry .

even desiring it , he had no controlling clutch on a thing like sakura's own happiness . he was helpless , and his one regret remained that his scheming , curse-like nature would surely only remain unchanged . unlike his face , whose flesh twitches and adjusts the instant he hears any door's unlocking click , evaporating itself in an instant of any grim cloud and evident loneliness .

' --- if anything's turned out wrong , then i'll help you fix it . though , as long as you didn't put the whole thing on backwards , i'm sure it's just fine . ' his hands loosely applaud as he fast glides away from any of his previous thoughts . he's playful once more ; eager , even . ' finally , it's about time ... let's see how cinder --- no , sakura-ella's cleaned up for the ball . '

...a heart with her hands...?

“Don’t you only use your thumb an’ pointer finger to make a heart?” She’s genuinely asking here, genuinely confused; she’s seen some of her classmates make’em before for selfies, but that’s the extent of it. She’s never really been one to do it, but for the sake of just checking, she pauses on her way to the bathroom to pull her hand out from under the dress—this stupid dress that, for whatever reason, is soooo tied up into his happiness—to try and copy the move, brows furrowed together at the easy join-and-slide of the two fingers.

She really doesn’t get him sometimes.

“Man, you’re weird.” A long-suffering sigh, a spared glance as she nudges her bathroom door open with a foot; “But, dammit, how long are you gonna go on about that? Are the words really such a big deal to you? I said I’d wear this so I didn’t have to say nothin’...”

Interesting as it would be to hear some Magic spells come outta his mouth if she did agree (if only because he keeps denying to show her any of the real ones he sometimes talks about and this is the next best thing), she does want to point that fact out, too. That deal is what even started this, after all.

(Not that it really was a deal, more-so just her tryin’ to get him off her back for somethin’ stupid, but whatever.)

What’s still a little concerning is the matter of Wiz—or not Wiz?? Two Wiz’s?? Wiz squared??? Why would both of the guys from Azumano have some kinda animal named Wiz in the first place?? As much as she’s fond of Wiz-rabbit, the idea’s just ridiculous.

The longer she tries to reason out a, well, reason, though, the harder it gets for her to think about it—because they are two different creatures, that’s clear a damn day, and it wouldn’t make sense if Dark just magically (irony not intended) knew Dai’s rabbit, either. The similarity is prickly, though, settling somewhere in her mind as something that bothers her but that she can’t really figure out, but...ugh, it makes her head hurt to try and make sense of. Too many weird things surround the two of them, but, at the end of the day, she’s got no real reason to be questioning anything.

(To his credit, it is the first time she’s seen this other one. And, unfortunate for her, she does trust him—to a degree only, she’ll insist, just to a degree).

She’ll just keep an eye on Wiz-rabbit, next time he and Dai’re over. Not as quick of a decision as the one to ignore his scold for her to be careful is, but still a decision.

Just as she’s made that decision, though, is she looking back over to him—only half-listening to his words, that entire time, as she considered the two animals—and comes back to full awareness. She’s halfway to making some sorta comment about the length (Who in the hell thought to make’em like that?) when she catches sight of his flush.

Honestly, if it’d been kept at that, maybe she would’ve been fine. Could’a teased him, even, for getting all heart-eyed. But the sight of his swoon and that word together makes her pause all over again.

‘Beautiful legs’, huh?

(Yeah, right, like that’s somethin’ to apply to mine.)

Whether he really has her in mind about it is up for grabs, but Haruka’s too focused on the knowledge of her own self, of her own body, to think about it. It’s not even that she, herself, thinks of them in any negative way (most of the time), but she’s also not stupid. The zig-zag of gashes old and newer; scars gone white and scars still dark; some raised, some indented into her skin, and some only noticeable under direct light after positioning herself this way and that—none of that’s beautiful. She doesn’t even want it to be, really, but she especially just doesn’t think so. They’re just...they’re there, and the truth is that they make her no looker (though, really, she didn’t need to go tearing into her own flesh to do that; her hair and eyes did that enough, for the average person), so she thinks—no, she knows that if Dark were to see her legs, he’d take his words right back.

The thought really doesn’t hurt, it just...doesn’t make her feel great, either.

It isn’t his fault, though, and she knows better than to make it that way, so she just shoves the feeling down.

“Like I said a minute ago—weird.” And with that, she disappears behind the bathroom door, closing it up as she lays the dress out over her sink—Nowhere else to put it besides the bath or the toilet, but I’ll be damned if he starts bitchin’ about that—and brings the thing from the storage room out from under her arm. A plastic-wrapped package, mostly see-through save for the label, and encasing a white, non-see-through material; to put it plainly, a pair of tights. They’d been given to her a few weeks back, maybe even a month, by now, but she hadn’t really had any opportunity or drive to open them up--and, sure, they probably hadn’t been intended to have their first use go like this, but, hey. Everything starts somewhere.

“Gee, though, wonder why you’re askin’ me that now.” Sardonic, she rolls her eyes, despite knowing he won’t be able to see’em (but screw it, maybe he’ll hear’em); fine, maybe she is talkin’ back this time just for the sake of it, but she’s pretty sure he would not have done it if she hadn’t brought it up! And still does she hesitate to answer—if only because she’s gotta undress and read the instructions on how to put the tights on, but that’s not her fault.

Surprisingly, though, they’re the easiest things to put on so far—they’re waist-high, which is a bonus because nothin’ can peek out from under the dress’ skirt with’em that high, and just had to be stepped into and rolled over herself once her pajama pants were off—and it has them climbing her clothes-rankings in an instant. And they’re even pretty soft, the material having a surprising amount of give and stretch to’em! Man, if she’d known that, she’d have at least tried them on way sooner than now!

...but then she’s straightening up, though, and the thing she’s really meant to be puttin’ on comes back into her field of vision, and her enthusiasm gets a little curbed. Well, whatever—as much as she’s a little miffed to have been pushed and teased and joked with to get to this point, this probably won’t be so bad. It is just a dress; it’s just somethin’ to wear.

“The day was fine, though, if ya really wanna know—or, at least, it was before I agreed to some idiot bird’s schemes.”

(As much as she’s bitching, though, Haruka knows, deep-down, that things wouldn’t have come so far without her allowing them to at all; there wasn’t anyone alive who could make her do some shit she didn’t wanna do. As annoying as Dark can get, too, he isn’t truly very pushy when she really refuses somethin’. It’s a good quality about him, one she appreciates more than she doesn’t.)

She snorts a disbelieving little chuckle, then, and adds, “But if me doin’ this makes ya happy or whatever, I guess it isn’t a total waste of time, either.”

The happiness of her friends is, after all, more important to her than anything else on the planet. Not that she’d ever say it out loud like that, and not that it doesn’t feel silly to say somethin’ so serious over her putting on a maid dress, but still.

“I, uh...think I have everything on right, though?” At the very least, the dress itself is now, also, on. “So I’ll come out.”

[pianokantzart]

Broken Warp Pipe AU

Based off of a concept by @multicolour-ink and @wiz-witch​ where the warp pipe in Brooklyn breaks down, leaving Mario and Luigi stranded separate dimensions: X.

From there I just went off the rails.

Mario (Brooklyn Side)

Mario has not stopped working toward finding a way to The Mushroom Kingdom since he and Luigi were separated, and has run himself ragged in the process.

He started off trying to discover if there is a working warp pipe somewhere else in the world. After all, if there was one just under their noses in Brooklyn, surely there’s another somewhere! He just needs to search, and search hard.

He’s always on the move, working some side-gigs to stay afloat while spending every second of free time pursuing and studying warp pipes. He eats bad, sleeps bad, and even smokes sometimes when he’s sleep deprived and can’t focus (though he always feels guilty about it afterward. Luigi would NOT approve.)

Mario hates being alone, but spends most of his time alone, because he feels that’s what he deserves at this point. He’s reached so many dead ends he feels like he’s already failed his brother, but refuses to slow down all the same.

When he’s feeling particularly hopeless or lonely, sometimes he talks to nobody as though he’s talking to Luigi. This helps a little. 

He calls his family every couple of months to let them know he’s okay, and to see if there’s any sign that the Brooklyn warp pipe is working again. These phone calls are brief, and he never properly explains where he is or what he’s doing.

 Mario has stolen (and usually returned) many ancient artifacts and documents, and broken into many a location trying to uncover a warp pipe. He hasn’t hurt anyone, but his impatience and determination has earned him a bit of a criminal record in the human world. 

In his travels, Mario found one or two working warp pipes, but they led to weird alternative dimensions not even close to The Mushroom Kingdom. He has done some heroism in these places whenever the situation presents itself (he’s still a good guy), and has been rewarded with helpful information about warp pipes and how they work.

Through knowledge he gleaned from his travels, combined his own advanced skills with traditional plumbing, Mario eventually pieces together how to repair warp pipes, which he uses to fix his own pipe back in Brooklyn.

Luigi (Mushroom Kingdom Side)

When Mario first got trapped in Brooklyn, Luigi desperately tried to fill his brother’s shoes until he returned. When Bowser inevitably reattempted to destroy The Mushroom Kingdom, Luigi tried to channel his brother by taking the tyrant on alone. He was very nearly killed as a result. DK, Toad, and Peach successfully fended off Bowser in the end, but Luigi was left physically and emotionally scarred in a way he has not quite recovered from.

Luigi still does his best to be a hero despite everything, but is only barely functional unless he has someone backing him up. Princess Peach sticks close to him whenever possible, and Toad is ecstatic to have him as a friend and adventuring buddy.

 Luigi has an official place on the Toad Brigade, and is happiest when he’s doing missions with them.

He eventually develops into one of the most formidable heroes in the dimension, especially after he gains the powers of the thunder hand. He rarely gets recognition for this though, because he very much does not behave like the traditional hero, and far prefers the sidekick position. He wouldn’t have it any other way.  

Luigi does not spend a lot of time in his and Mario’s house, save to keep it clean and tidy. He has not moved any of his brothers things, except to keep them dusted. A part of him still holds out hope that he’ll be back one day.

Princess Peach hooked Luigi up with an apprenticeship with Professor E. Gadd during one of his slumps, and he spends most of his nights sleeping over at the lab. The professor is happy to have him around; Luigi keeps the place so neat and organized, and makes the best cup of coffee!

Though they have some wardrobe changes, both Mario and Luigi have their original hats, and are extremely protective of them. 

[stewiesclark]

Second Nature: Chapter Five

Full Series

Breanna sat at her desk, staring at the textbook in front of her, the lines of numbers and symbols blurring into one incomprehensible mess. She’d been working on the same calculus problem for over an hour, and no matter how many times she looked at it, it refused to make sense. Frustration bubbled up inside her, and she rubbed her temples, groaning in defeat.

Her phone buzzed with a notification, but it wasn’t anything that would rescue her from the abyss of numbers. Sighing, she picked it up and without overthinking, fired off a message to the one person she trusted with math and who’d probably have a sarcastic comment ready.

Breanna 🦅: I’m drowning in numbers. Help?

She hit send and leaned back, staring at the problem again, willing it to make sense just by glaring at it. A few moments later, her phone buzzed with a reply. She opened it and found the exact response she’d expected.

Harriet 📖: You’re in luck, math wiz at your service. Meet me in my dorm?

A smile tugged at the corners of Breanna’s lips. Of course, Harriet would know how to tease her just enough without rubbing salt in the wound. Feeling a bit lighter, Breanna stood up, grabbed her notebook and calculator, and threw on her jacket. The walk to Harriet’s dorm wasn’t far, and she knew that even if she couldn’t solve the calculus problem, at least she could count on some much-needed company.

As she left her dorm room and headed down the hallway, Breanna couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief. Harriet always had a way of making things feel less overwhelming, and right now, that was exactly what she needed.

Breanna stepped into Harriet's dorm room, instantly comforted by the familiar clutter that greeted her. The space was chaotic in a cozy, lived-in way—papers scattered across the small desk, a few empty coffee mugs stacked precariously on the windowsill, and the scent of a vanilla candle lingering in the air. Harriet was already seated cross-legged on her bed, a soft grin playing on her lips as she typed something on her laptop.

"Welcome to the math wizard’s den," Harriet teased, glancing up. She waved her hand toward the desk, motioning for Breanna to set up shop. "I promise, we’ll conquer calculus tonight."

Breanna let out a long, dramatic sigh as she dropped her notebook and textbook onto the desk. "Honestly, I don’t know if 'conquer' is even in the cards. I’m ready to settle for 'survive'."

Harriet smirked, her eyes bright with amusement as she closed her laptop and pushed it aside. "That’s what I’m here for. We’re going to crush this."

The desk was cluttered but functional, with textbooks stacked in leaning towers and sticky notes stuck to nearly every surface. It felt like Harriet’s mind spilled over into her space, a blend of organization and chaos. Breanna slid into the chair beside the desk, flipping open her calculus notebook to the page that had been tormenting her for hours.

"Okay, so where did you lose me?" Harriet asked, standing up to lean over Breanna’s shoulder, scanning the equations.

Breanna gave her a sheepish look. "Uh… about five minutes into the lecture? I’ve been pretending I understand ever since."

Harriet chuckled, gently nudging her shoulder. "You’re hopeless, you know that?"

Breanna grinned, watching as Harriet pulled up a chair beside her. She appreciated how Harriet didn’t make her feel dumb for struggling. Instead, she calmly started explaining, breaking down the calculus problem into manageable steps. Harriet’s voice was steady and sure, her fingers tracing the path of the equations as if guiding Breanna through a maze.

As Harriet worked through the problem, her face lit up with concentration, the occasional flash of a dimple when she made a point she was particularly proud of. Breanna, meanwhile, found herself watching Harriet more than the numbers on the page. There was something magnetic about the way Harriet approached the problem—confident, at ease, like math was simply a puzzle she was destined to solve.

Breanna leaned back in her chair, a grin spreading across her face. "Look at you, Harrie. Making this look like a piece of cake."

Harriet glanced at her, an amused twinkle in her eyes. "It’s just math," she replied, brushing off the compliment with a modest shrug. "You’re the one out there dunking on people. I’ll take algebra over running suicides any day."

Breanna laughed, shaking her head. "You act like basketball’s that hard. I’d trade a three-pointer for this any day."

Harriet just laughed a little. "Yeah? Well, you can take my next exam then," Harriet shot back with a smirk, scribbling the last step of the equation on a scrap of paper.

Breanna leaned forward, her eyes following the numbers but her mind wandering. It wasn’t just Harriet’s help with the math she appreciated—it was how easy it was to be around her, how she made even studying feel like a good time. And the way Harriet had started calling her "Bre" made her smile.

As they continued working through the problem, their conversation drifted between academics and teasing banter, each lighthearted exchange bringing them closer. Harriet explained a particularly tricky concept, her hands moving animatedly as she demonstrated the steps.

"You see, this part here is where you lost the thread," Harriet said, pointing at a scribbled note Breanna had made earlier. "You were on the right track, but you took a wrong turn with that negative sign."

Breanna squinted at her own notes, trying to make sense of them. "It’s like my brain just shut down halfway through."

"That’s because you’ve been staring at it for too long. Trust me, I’ve been there," Harriet reassured her, her voice softening with understanding. "You just need a fresh perspective. And some snacks."

Breanna laughed, reaching for the open bag of chips Harriet had left beside her bed. "Now that’s a study tip I can get behind."

The room filled with a comfortable rhythm as they worked through the rest of the problem. Harriet’s explanations were punctuated by Breanna’s occasional groans of frustration, but with Harriet’s help, each hurdle seemed a little less daunting. Breanna couldn’t help but admire how patient Harriet was, never once making her feel like she was in over her head.

After a while, the study session evolved into something more relaxed. Breanna leaned back in her chair, tossing her pencil onto the desk. "Okay, you’ve officially saved my life with this calculus stuff. How do you keep all this straight in your head?"

Harriet shrugged, modest as ever. "I guess it just clicks for me. But if it makes you feel any better, I would not survive one of your workouts. You’d probably leave me in the dust."

Breanna smirked. "You should come to practice sometime. We’ll see how well you hold up."

Harriet chuckled, shaking her head. "I’d rather keep my limbs intact, thanks."

Harriet tapped her pencil against her chin, staring intently at the problem in front of her. "Alright, I think I’ve figured it out," she declared, her voice filled with mock grandeur. "We just have to solve for X, then magically save the world from imploding."

Breanna glanced up, raising an eyebrow. "Is that what calculus is? Saving the world? I thought it was just cruel and unusual punishment."

Harriet grinned, scribbling out the equation with ease. "Same thing, honestly. But if you squint hard enough, it’s like a puzzle." She glanced at Breanna. "Don’t worry. We’ve almost cracked it."

Breanna groaned dramatically, sinking back into her chair. "If we’re saving the world, I better get a cape or something."

"Capeless heroes are all the rage these days," Harriet quipped, tapping her notebook. "You just need a little brain power."

Breanna let out an exaggerated sigh, pushing her textbook aside. "At this point, I’ll take superpowers over math skills."

"Hey!" Harriet said, pretending to be offended. "Math can be fun."

Breanna shot her a skeptical look. "Fun? You’ve gotta be kidding me. I’m not convinced."

With a mischievous glint in her eyes, Harriet suddenly leaned over the desk and tapped Breanna's notebook with her pencil. "You see, you just need the right motivation… or a really good distraction."

Before Breanna could respond, Harriet threw in a snide comment about the next impossible problem they had to face. "This one’s so tough, I think it might be sentient. Look at it. It’s mocking us."

Breanna smirked, grabbing a pillow from the bed and lightly tossing it at Harriet. "If math involved this much fun, I’d be an expert by now."

Harriet caught the pillow and grinned mischievously. "Oh, so that’s how it’s gonna be?"

Breanna chuckled, throwing another pillow Harriet’s way. "Consider it payback for all the math trauma."

Harriet ducked, her laughter filling the room as she grabbed the pillow and returned fire. What started as a casual toss soon escalated into an all-out pillow scuffle. Pillows flew across the small dorm room, papers fluttering to the ground, and the once-serious study session spiraled into a flurry of giggles and mock attacks.

Breanna, mid-laugh, ducked another incoming pillow, her competitive instincts kicking in as she scrambled across the floor to grab more ammo. "Alright, Harrie," she said, mock-serious. "This is war."

Harriet, clutching a pillow like a shield, couldn’t help but laugh as she retreated behind the bed. "I’d like to remind you," she said between breaths, "I have the home-court advantage!"

"Not for long!" Breanna launched herself toward Harriet, sending both of them toppling onto the floor. They collapsed in a heap, the pillow battle now an afterthought as their laughter filled the room, bouncing off the walls and drowning out any lingering thoughts of calculus.

Sprawled out on the floor, breathless and grinning, Harriet looked over at Breanna, her cheeks flushed from laughter. "I think we got off track."

Breanna, lying next to her, wiped a tear from her eye and nodded. "Yeah, but it was a solid break from calculus." She glanced at the scattered papers and books now strewn across the floor. "We’ve successfully turned math into a combat sport."

Harriet snorted, rolling onto her back. "Honestly, I think we just redefined the study session."

For a moment, they lay there, staring at the ceiling and catching their breath. The playful tension hung in the air, but it felt different now—easier, more relaxed. The study session had turned into something lighter, something that reminded them of how effortless it was to just be together, even when chaos surrounded them.

"Maybe we should make this a regular thing," Breanna mused, turning her head to look at Harriet. "You know, less math, more chaos."

Harriet laughed, pushing herself up onto her elbows. "I don’t know if my dorm can handle another round of 'pillow calculus'. But I’m down."

Breanna smirked. "Next time, you bring the math problems, I’ll bring the snacks and strategy."

"Deal," Harriet agreed, her grin widening as she sat up fully. She reached out and playfully ruffled Breanna’s hair. "You’re not so bad for a basketball star."

"And you’re not so bad for a math nerd," Breanna shot back, nudging Harriet’s leg with her foot.

Harriet glanced at Breanna as they both worked to tidy up. She felt the same warmth from earlier—the same sense of closeness that made her feel like, even when everything was a mess, being with Breanna made it all make sense.

"Ready for round two?" Harriet asked, holding up her notebook with a sly grin.

Breanna groaned, but her smile never faded. "You really know how to kill a moment, don’t you?"

"Only when it involves calculus."

Harriet sat cross-legged on her bed, the glow of her desk lamp casting soft shadows on the clutter of notebooks, textbooks, and snack wrappers spread across the room. It had been an exhausting day for both her and Breanna. Breanna, in particular, was drained—hours of basketball practice, team meetings, and now an insurmountable pile of calculus problems she hadn’t been able to make sense of.

Breanna, slouched in a chair across from Harriet, let out a dramatic sigh. "I swear, Harrie, this calculus stuff was made by someone who hates me personally."

Harriet smirked, glancing over at her, the faintest blush creeping into her cheeks. It was strange—she was so used to seeing Breanna as the strong, composed, near-invincible athlete. But right now, Breanna was uncharacteristically vulnerable, tangled in the web of derivatives and equations that had her completely stumped.

"You’re in luck," Harriet teased, tapping her pencil against her notebook. "I just so happen to have a math minor in progress."

Breanna laughed, her eyes lighting up at Harriet’s sarcasm. "Oh, is that so? Well, Miss Genius, please save me from this hell. I texted you in full desperation mode."

Harriet flipped her notebook to a blank page and set it on her lap, then pulled Breanna’s workbook toward her. "Alright, show me what’s got you all twisted up."

Breanna leaned forward, pointing to the equation she’d been struggling with. Her fingers brushed against Harriet’s hand briefly, sending a jolt of warmth through Harriet that she pretended not to notice.

"Here," Breanna muttered, frustrated. "This whole section on limits—it’s like they’re speaking a different language."

Harriet glanced over the problem, recognizing the basics immediately. "Okay," she began, "let’s break this down. First, you’re looking at the limit as x approaches zero. See how that part’s written?"

Breanna nodded, watching Harriet closely as she began to explain. As Harriet walked her through the steps, breaking down each component of the equation, Breanna followed along, her brow furrowing in concentration. Despite her frustration, she was impressed with how effortlessly Harriet handled the problem.

"Look at you, Harrie," Breanna said with a grin. "Making this look easy."

Harriet laughed, shaking her head. "It’s just math. You’re the one out there dunking on people and running full sprints for hours. I’d die after half your practice."

Breanna chuckled, leaning back in her chair. "We all have our strengths, I guess. Yours just happens to be brain-melting calculus."

Harriet rolled her eyes good-naturedly and returned to the problem, scribbling down a few more notes in the margins. Breanna’s eyes flickered from the notebook back to Harriet, the steady, focused expression on her face. The truth was, Breanna had grown fond of these study sessions—too fond, probably. There was something about spending time with Harriet, even over something as mundane as homework, that made Breanna feel more at ease than usual.

"Alright," Harriet said, her voice drawing Breanna back from her wandering thoughts. "Next part."

They moved through the rest of the problem, Harriet guiding Breanna, breaking things down in a way that made it seem less intimidating. Despite her earlier frustrations, Breanna found herself enjoying the session, especially with the subtle jokes and banter Harriet kept throwing in.

But as they made progress, the room's mood shifted—became more relaxed, less about academics and more about the comfort they found in each other's company.

"Okay, I think we’re done with this one," Harriet said after a few minutes, setting the notebook aside. "What do you think?"

Breanna groaned dramatically but nodded. "I think you saved me."

"You’re welcome," Harriet replied, flashing a playful grin.

There was a pause, a comfortable silence that lingered between them. Harriet reached for a water bottle on her desk, leaning back on her bed, her eyes still scanning the notes absentmindedly. Breanna, meanwhile, remained seated on the floor, her legs stretched out, staring up at the ceiling.

And then, as if out of nowhere, Breanna said it: "These study dates are becoming a thing, huh?"

Harriet almost choked on her water. She turned to Breanna, wide-eyed. "Dates?"

Breanna smirked, completely unfazed. "What? They kind of are."

Harriet’s heart raced as she tried to keep her cool. Breanna had always been bold, but this was... unexpected. Harriet wasn’t sure if Breanna was teasing her or if there was something more behind that smirk. She felt her cheeks flush, and she quickly looked back down at her notes to avoid showing how flustered she was.

"You’re really out here calling study sessions ‘dates’?" Harriet asked, trying to sound nonchalant but knowing her voice wavered just slightly.

Breanna shrugged, leaning back on her hands. "Why not? We’re hanging out, we’re spending time together... Sounds kind of date-like to me."

Harriet shook her head, a laugh escaping her despite herself. "Well, I guess I didn’t realize I was on a date."

"Surprise!" Breanna said with a grin. "Best kind of date—pillow fights and math problems."

Harriet rolled her eyes, though she couldn’t help but feel a thrill at Breanna’s words. The teasing was familiar, but this felt different, a line they hadn’t quite crossed before. It made her both excited and nervous. There was something playful, yes, but also a weight to the words that made Harriet’s mind spin.

Trying to regain her composure, Harriet shot back, "If this is your idea of a date, you’ve got some seriously low standards, Bre."

Breanna laughed. "What, you’re not impressed by my calculus crisis and pillow-throwing skills? Harsh."

"I mean, snacks could improve your odds," Harriet replied, her heart pounding as she realized she was flirting back. This was new territory for them—uncharted, but not unwelcome.

Breanna raised an eyebrow, amused. "Next time, I’ll bring snacks. Maybe flowers, too, if I’m feeling generous."

Harriet’s blush deepened, and she quickly glanced away, hoping to focus back on the math. But the teasing lingered in the air, and with it, a growing tension she wasn’t sure how to handle yet. Harriet had been trying to figure out her feelings for Breanna for weeks now, ever since their friendship had deepened. And now, with Breanna’s casual use of the word "date," those feelings were coming to the surface faster than she could contain them.

The problem they had been working on sat forgotten between them, a mere backdrop to the silent conversation playing out in glances and smiles.

After a beat, Harriet spoke again, her voice a little softer. "You’re impossible, you know that?"

Breanna grinned. "Only sometimes."

They fell back into an easy silence, though the air between them felt charged now. Harriet wasn’t sure where they stood, but the banter had cracked something open. And yet, there was a comfort in it—like whatever was happening didn’t need to be defined right now. It was just there, hanging between them, waiting to be explored whenever they were ready.

For now, it was enough. Their study "dates" were becoming something more, even if they couldn’t quite put a name to it yet. And in the back of her mind, Harriet couldn’t stop smiling at the thought that maybe—just maybe—Breanna felt the same way.

As the study session began to wind down, the pile of math problems tackled and forgotten, Harriet shifted her attention to the open laptop resting on her bed. She leaned back, stretching her arms above her head, and sighed contentedly. "Alright, I think I've had my fill of calculus for the night," she announced.

Breanna, sprawled comfortably on Harriet’s bed with a pillow hugged to her chest, raised an eyebrow. "No complaints here. What’re you working on now?"

Harriet glanced at her screen, then at Breanna, a hint of hesitation in her eyes before she answered casually, "Just an essay for my English class. I’m trying to reflect on how being a lesbian has shaped my college experience so far." She said it offhandedly, her focus mostly on the blinking cursor on the screen and to be quite honest she did it not consciously before realizing what she said.

Breanna, however, immediately perked up, her lips curling into a grin. "Wait a second," she said, her tone dripping with playful incredulity. "You didn’t think I knew that?"

Harriet stopped typing, her fingers hovering over the keys as she turned slowly to face Breanna, a look of genuine surprise crossing her face. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice slightly higher than usual, caught off guard by Breanna’s confident response.

Breanna sat up a little, propping herself on one elbow and giving Harriet an amused look. "Harrie," she said with a playful smirk, "you’re not exactly subtle. I’ve known for a while."

Harriet blinked, processing the moment, and suddenly felt a wave of heat flush through her cheeks. "How did you know?! I—I never said anything!"

Breanna shrugged, clearly enjoying the moment as she tossed the pillow aside and leaned forward, her grin only widening. "I have eyes, you know. Plus, you kind of have a tell."

Harriet narrowed her eyes suspiciously, though the embarrassment was quickly giving way to curiosity. "A tell? What kind of tell?"

"Oh, you just light up like a Christmas tree every time you see a cute girl," Breanna teased, her tone lighthearted but warm. "Especially when you’re not trying to be obvious about it. It’s adorable, really."

Harriet groaned and buried her face in her hands for a second. "I can’t believe you knew this whole time and didn’t say anything."

Breanna laughed, sitting up fully now and crossing her legs beneath her. "What was I supposed to say? 'Hey, by the way, I totally know you’re into girls'? Figured I’d wait for you to bring it up."

Harriet, still hiding her face in her hands, peeked out between her fingers. "I thought I was being discreet!"

Breanna shook her head, grinning. "Sorry to break it to you, Harrie, but I’ve been onto you for a while. But honestly, I love that you’re writing about it."

Harriet’s embarrassment slowly began to fade, replaced by a strange sense of relief. Somehow, she’d expected the conversation to be awkward, but Breanna’s teasing tone and matter-of-fact attitude had dissolved any tension. She found herself smiling, her nerves beginning to settle as Breanna’s easy acceptance filled the room with warmth.

"Thanks," Harriet murmured, her fingers returning to the keyboard, though her focus was now split between the screen and Breanna. "It’s been kind of a weird experience, especially navigating it in college. So I figured, why not put it into words?"

Breanna nodded, her expression softening. "That’s awesome. I mean, it’s one thing to figure yourself out, but writing about it? That’s a whole different level of understanding. I think it’s great that you're reflecting on it."

Harriet smiled, feeling a sudden rush of gratitude toward Breanna for making this conversation so easy. She let out a small laugh, shaking her head as she glanced over at her friend. "You know," Harriet said, her voice light again, "I thought you’d be more surprised."

Breanna gave her a sideways glance, the corner of her mouth tugging upward. "Come on, Harrie. I’ve been around you long enough to pick up on these things. Also, pretty sure you mentioned something about Emma Stone being your ideal woman, like, a million times."

Harriet snorted, rolling her eyes. "I never said that!"

"Oh, you absolutely did," Breanna shot back, the teasing glint returning to her eyes. "You just don’t remember. But it was in that same tone where you were trying to be cool about it but ended up gushing."

"Well, okay, maybe I said it once," Harriet conceded, though her face was still flushed. She laughed softly, the warmth of Breanna’s easygoing presence making her feel more comfortable by the second.

The conversation drifted back into a calm rhythm, the soft click of Harriet’s keyboard filling the gaps. But something had shifted between them. Harriet realized that this moment—this casual, playful exchange—had brought them even closer.

Breanna’s teasing had been more than just a joke. It was understanding, support, and an unspoken promise that Harriet’s truth, her vulnerability, would always be safe with her. Harriet smiled to herself, her fingers dancing over the keys, feeling the weight of Breanna’s presence beside her. It wasn’t just that Breanna had known—it was that she had cared enough to let Harriet reveal it in her own time.

"You know," Harriet said after a pause, looking back at her laptop screen, "I think I’m gonna include a part about how friendships have been important, too. Like, having people who get you... that makes all the difference."

Breanna smiled, her eyes warm as she watched Harriet work. "That sounds like a good idea. And, for the record, you’ve got me. Anytime you need."

Harriet's chest tightened at Breanna's words, the sincerity cutting through the playful atmosphere. She glanced over, her heart skipping a beat.

"I know," Harriet said softly. "And I’m really lucky for that."

Breanna's gaze lingered on her for a moment longer, then she gave a small nod. "Same goes for me, Harrie."

With that, the study session resumed, but the air between them had changed—charged with something more meaningful, more personal. Harriet typed away, feeling the weight of Breanna’s words still settling in her heart. They were both navigating something unspoken, but in this room, with laughter, teasing, and mutual understanding, it felt like they were finally beginning to find their way.

Harriet sat in stunned silence, blinking at Breanna, who lounged comfortably on her bed, looking far too amused for someone who had just casually revealed something so significant.

The comfortable rhythm of typing and light banter was briefly interrupted as Breanna leaned back, stretching her arms over her head. She had a mischievous look on her face, like she was preparing to drop a casual bombshell. Harriet was focused on her essay, fingers clicking away on the keyboard when Breanna spoke.

"Yeah, I’m gay too. You didn’t know?" Breanna said it so casually, as if she were commenting on the weather.

Harriet’s hands froze over the keys, her eyes widening as she processed the words. She slowly turned to face Breanna, her mouth slightly open in disbelief. "Wait, you too?!" Her voice cracked on the last word, unable to hide her shock.

Breanna, seeing Harriet’s genuine surprise, burst out laughing, clutching her stomach as she leaned forward. "Harrie, please. Do I need to spell it out for you?"

Harriet blinked, her mind racing to catch up. Of course, in hindsight, it made sense—Breanna's calm demeanor, her teasing confidence. But somehow, Harriet hadn’t seen it coming. "I just—I didn’t even think about it," she said, still slightly flustered, her cheeks growing pink again.

Breanna smirked, looking utterly amused by Harriet’s reaction. "Really? You didn’t get the hints?" She shook her head, the corners of her mouth quivering. "I figured it was obvious. Like, I drop more than a few hints."

Harriet leaned back against her pillows, still processing, a bewildered smile creeping onto her face. "Hints? Like what?"

Breanna shrugged, casually ticking off examples with her fingers. "Like the fact I wouldn’t stop talking about Megan Rapinoe during the last World Cup. Or that I called Emma Watson ‘a dream,’ in front of you—twice." She chuckled again, shaking her head. "Come on, Harrie. I thought you were sharper than this."

Harriet laughed, now fully realizing how oblivious she’d been. "Okay, maybe I missed a few signs," she admitted, playfully burying her face in her hands.

Breanna nudged her with her elbow, her teasing grin still firmly in place. "Don’t worry, you’re not the only one who’s been oblivious."

Harriet peeked out from between her fingers. "Really? Like who?"

Breanna rolled her eyes dramatically. "Moriah. She didn’t realize I was into girls until I made a comment about her girlfriend. She just thought I was being overly supportive."

Harriet burst out laughing at the thought, her shoulders shaking as she tried to regain her composure. "No way. How did she react?"

Breanna shrugged, biting back a grin. "She nearly spit out her drink. Then we both just kind of laughed it off." She glanced at Harriet with a playful glint in her eye. "Seems like everyone around me needs a wake-up call."

Harriet shook her head, still smiling, but now feeling a bit of relief mixed with excitement. She hadn’t expected this revelation, but now that it was out in the open, it felt like yet another layer of their connection had been revealed. She glanced at Breanna, appreciating the easy confidence she carried with her, the way she could drop life-changing information with a laugh and a wink.

“You’re kidding, right?” Harriet finally managed to say, her voice still tinged with disbelief.

Breanna gave her a look of mock offense. “Would I joke about something like this?”

Harriet narrowed her eyes, lips twitching into a grin despite herself. “You literally joke about everything, Bre.”

Breanna laughed, the sound warm and full of amusement. "Okay, fair. But not about this.” She sat up a little straighter, fixing Harriet with a teasing look. "I just figured, you know, you would’ve picked up on it."

Harriet ran a hand through her hair, trying to replay all their interactions in her head. "I mean… I guess? Maybe? I don’t know. You’re always so..." She trailed off, gesturing vaguely at Breanna, who raised an eyebrow in question.

"So what?"

"I don’t know! You’re flirty with everyone. You call Moriah ‘babe’ all the time," Harriet countered, a playful accusation in her voice.

Breanna shrugged, clearly enjoying this. "That’s just how I am with Moriah. Besides, she knows I’m into girls."

Harriet blinked. "Wait—so Moriah knew?"

"Of course! She’s known for ages. You’re the only one who’s been blissfully unaware," Breanna teased, shaking her head like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Harriet threw her hands up in the air, a mix of laughter and exasperation bubbling out of her. "Okay, now I feel like the idiot here. Everyone knew but me!"

Breanna gave a sly smile. "Well, I never said you were the sharpest tool in the shed, Harrie."

Harriet gasped, throwing a nearby pillow at Breanna, who easily dodged it. "Excuse you! I’ll let you know I’m very sharp, thank you."

"Sure, you are," Breanna said, still grinning. "You just missed a few signals, that’s all. Happens to the best of us."

Harriet crossed her arms, feigning a pout. "So what kind of signals are we talking about here?"

Breanna tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Let’s see… I flirted with you, like, every time we hung out. I said that Emma Watson comment, which you somehow didn’t catch."

Harriet laughed. "I thought you just had a thing for British accents!"

Breanna smirked. "Well, I do, but that’s beside the point."

Harriet leaned forward, eyes sparkling with mischief. "Okay, what else?"

Breanna’s smirk deepened. "Remember that time after the game when I invited you to grab pizza and I said, ‘Just us two. Sounds like a date, right?’"

Harriet’s eyes went wide. "You meant that?! I thought you were just messing with me!"

Breanna let out a laugh, shaking her head. "Oh, Harrie. I was messing with you, but I wasn’t kidding."

Harriet groaned and flopped back against her bed, staring up at the ceiling. "Oh my God. I’m so oblivious."

"Yeah, a little bit," Breanna teased, poking her in the side. "But that’s why we love you."

Harriet lifted her head, giving her a playful glare. "Who’s ‘we’ in this scenario? You and the other people I’ve completely missed signals from?"

Breanna laughed again. "Maybe! You never know." She nudged Harriet with her foot. "But in all seriousness, I thought you already knew. It wasn’t exactly a secret."

Harriet felt a strange mix of relief and excitement at Breanna’s revelation. It was true; she had known for some time that she liked girls, but she had never fully accepted it as exclusive. Part of her had always held back, unsure and wanting to avoid making assumptions about others, or even herself. The thought had floated around in her mind, but now it felt like the pieces were falling into place.

"I guess I just never thought about it that way," Harriet admitted, her tone more serious now. "I always felt… something, but I didn’t want to assume it was exclusive or anything. I thought maybe I was just being open-minded or something."

Breanna’s expression softened. "You don’t have to worry about that with me, Harrie. It’s cool to figure it out as you go. We all do."

Harriet smiled, feeling lighter. "Well, now that you’ve spelled it out for me, it makes a lot more sense."

Breanna chuckled. "Yeah? Took you long enough."

They both laughed, the sound filling the small room, the tension from earlier dissolving completely. It wasn’t just the playful teasing or the lighthearted banter—it was the feeling of being seen, of being known. And as they continued studying, Harriet realized just how much Breanna’s presence had become a steadying force in her life.

"Okay," Harriet said, recovering from her revelation. "So what now?"

Breanna leaned back against the headboard, a sly grin tugging at her lips. "What do you mean, ‘what now’? We’re still having a study session, aren’t we? I need to pass calculus."

Harriet groaned dramatically. "Oh, right, because helping you with calculus is way more important than the fact that we’ve both just casually come out to each other."

Breanna shrugged nonchalantly, though the glint in her eyes said otherwise. "Hey, it’s a big deal for me. Passing this class might be the most important thing that’s ever happened to me."

Harriet rolled her eyes, though she was still smiling. "Okay, okay. Back to calculus, I guess."

They settled back into the study session, but the air between them felt different now—lighter, more open. Their banter continued, but there was a deeper understanding in it, an unspoken acknowledgment of something growing between them, something they weren’t quite ready to define but couldn’t ignore anymore.

As they worked through a few more problems, Harriet couldn’t help but steal glances at Breanna, who was scribbling numbers on her notebook with focused determination. Harriet felt a strange mix of relief and excitement. Knowing they had this in common, knowing that Breanna understood her in this way, it made everything seem easier—more natural.

Breanna caught her looking and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Harriet shook her head, laughing softly. "Nothing. Just… you’re bad at math."

Breanna groaned, dramatically tossing her pencil down. "Tell me something I don’t know."

"Okay," Harriet said, unable to resist, "I didn’t know you were gay until, like, twenty minutes ago."

Breanna rolled her eyes, tossing a pillow at her. "Touché, Harrie. Touché."

They both laughed again, the atmosphere of the room shifting into something warm and comfortable. Amidst the chaotic backdrop of their study session, Harriet felt a newfound sense of connection with Breanna. They were navigating the uncertainties of life together, and that was enough.

Maybe their study sessions were more like dates after all.

Harriet couldn't help but reflect on how different it felt to open up to Breanna in this way. Each laugh, each shared secret brought them closer, transforming what had started as casual hangouts into something deeply meaningful.

"Hey, Bre," Harriet ventured, her tone a little more serious now. "I really appreciate you being so open about this. It means a lot to me."

Breanna met her gaze, her smile softening. "Of course. It’s nice to finally talk about it with someone who gets it."

Harriet nodded, feeling the weight of their shared experiences and new understandings. "I guess we’re both figuring things out, huh?"

Breanna chuckled. "Yeah, but at least we’re doing it together."

They exchanged a look that felt charged with possibilities, a silent agreement that this connection was something worth nurturing. As they returned to their studying, Harriet felt a flutter in her chest—a mix of excitement and something deeper. It was a new territory for both of them, but somehow, it felt right.

They both laughed again, the atmosphere of the room shifting into something warm and comfortable. Amidst the chaotic backdrop of their study session, Harriet felt a newfound sense of connection with Breanna. They were navigating the uncertainties of life together, and that was enough.

Maybe their study sessions were more like dates after all.

As the tension from their earlier revelations began to fade, Harriet and Breanna found themselves caught in a lighthearted moment.

“Can you believe we both kept it a secret from each other?” Harriet said, shaking her head in disbelief. “Like, how did we not figure this out sooner?”

Breanna laughed, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Honestly, it’s a miracle we managed to keep it under wraps this long. I mean, how many flirty comments does a girl have to make before you pick up on it?”

Harriet grinned, playfully rolling her eyes. “Maybe I thought you were just really friendly? You do have a way of making everyone feel special.”

Breanna smirked, leaning back against the wall. “Well, I’m glad you finally caught on. I was starting to feel like I was giving off ‘crazy ex-girlfriend’ vibes.”

“Please,” Harriet scoffed, still chuckling. “You’ve got more charm in your pinky finger than most people have in their whole bodies. If anything, I was just slow on the uptake.”

As their laughter subsided, Harriet felt a curious thought cross her mind. “You know, I kind of thought you might be bi or something. Just the way you joked about girls sometimes.”

Breanna raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Really? You thought that?”

“Yeah, I mean, I didn’t want to assume,” Harriet replied, feeling a bit shy. “It’s just you seemed... open to it? But I didn’t know for sure.”

Breanna chuckled, a playful smile spreading across her face. “Well, you’re not entirely wrong. I’m definitely into girls. But honestly, you’re the first person I’ve told. You’re kind of special that way.”

Harriet felt her cheeks flush at the compliment. “Wow, I’m honored! But seriously, how did you keep that a secret?”

“Honestly, it just never came up. I guess I thought people would assume I was straight since I dated guys in high school,” Breanna explained, her tone light. “But here we are, both of us figuring it out.”

They both erupted into laughter, the sound ringing through Harriet’s dorm room. The playfulness between them shifted into a comfortable rhythm as they resumed their study session, but now it was infused with a deeper connection, an undercurrent of understanding that hadn’t existed before.

“Okay, back to calculus,” Breanna said, her tone mock-serious as she grabbed her pencil and flipped through her notes. “I really need to conquer this beast.”

Harriet leaned over to help her, still feeling the warmth from their earlier conversation. “Alright, let’s tackle this one step at a time. You’ve got this, Bre.”

Breanna raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile forming on her lips. “Coming from the girl who thought dividing by zero was a valid mathematical strategy?”

Harriet gasped in faux offense, placing a hand over her heart. “Excuse you! I was experimenting with my approach!”

Breanna giggled, shaking her head. “Experimenting, huh? You mean you were just being completely reckless.”

“Exactly! That’s what makes me such an adventurous spirit!” Harriet shot back, grinning widely.

With every jab and playful comment, the bond between them deepened. Breanna leaned in closer as Harriet explained a particularly tricky concept, their shoulders brushing against each other. The light touch sent a spark of warmth coursing through Harriet, and she couldn’t help but steal glances at Breanna’s focused expression, her brow furrowed in concentration.

“You’re really good at this,” Breanna said, looking up from her notes with genuine admiration. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Harriet felt her cheeks flush at the compliment, and she shrugged, trying to play it cool. “Well, it’s not rocket science. Just some numbers and letters playing dress-up.”

“Yeah, but you make it look easy,” Breanna replied, her tone softening. “You’ve got a knack for breaking things down.”

“Thanks, Bre. It means a lot to hear you say that,” Harriet said, meeting Breanna’s gaze. In that moment, the air between them shifted again, becoming thick with unspoken feelings. They both held a hint of vulnerability in their eyes, the playful banter giving way to something more profound.

“I mean it,” Breanna continued, her expression earnest. “You make me feel like I can actually get through this class, you know?”

Harriet smiled back, a swell of warmth filling her chest. “You’ll crush it, I promise. Just keep showing up like you are now, and you’ll be fine.”

With a nod of determination, Breanna turned her focus back to her notes, but the atmosphere had changed. Their playful teasing remained, but now there was an unspoken depth to it, a recognition of the feelings brewing beneath the surface.

“Okay, so I need to practice these derivatives,” Breanna said, her tone lightening again. “And I promise, next time we hang out, I won’t drag you into my math struggles. I’ll find someone else to annoy.”

Harriet laughed, nudging her playfully. “Oh, come on! You know I secretly love being your math tutor. It’s like a calling.”

Breanna smirked, glancing sideways at her. “And you call this a calling? ‘Harriet, the math tutor’? You’ve got some lofty goals, my friend.”

“I’m just trying to stay versatile,” Harriet said, mock-serious as she leaned back in her chair, arms crossed over her chest. “You never know when someone might need calculus help in the real world.”

Breanna chuckled, shaking her head. “You might be onto something. Maybe I should start charging for my sessions.”

“Oh, definitely,” Harriet said, her tone teasing. “I can see the headlines now: ‘Breanna Stewart, the calculus queen, ruling the court and the classroom!’”

Breanna threw her head back, laughing heartily. “Now that’s a title I could get behind. Just imagine all the endorsement deals!”

“Okay, one more problem before we call it a night?” Breanna asked, her expression playful yet earnest.

“Absolutely,” Harriet replied, feeling a renewed sense of motivation. “Let’s do this.”

As they dove back into calculus, Harriet couldn’t shake the warmth in her chest. With every joke and shared laugh, the line between friendship and something more became increasingly blurred.  And in that moment, Harriet knew they were on the brink of something beautiful, something worth exploring.

As the evening drew to a close, the atmosphere in Harriet’s dorm room shifted to a soothing calm. The remnants of their study session were strewn across the room—textbooks stacked haphazardly, crumpled papers littering the floor, and snack wrappers cluttering the desk. The space, once buzzing with lively conversation and laughter, now felt like a cozy haven where two friends had shared not just knowledge but a deeper connection.

Breanna stretched out on the floor, her limbs sprawled comfortably as she let out a contented sigh. She was visibly exhausted, both from the mental gymnastics of calculus and from the emotional highs that had punctuated their night. Harriet couldn’t help but smile at the sight of her friend. Breanna’s hair was tousled, and her cheeks were slightly flushed from the combination of exertion and the warmth of their shared moments.

From her chair, Harriet watched Breanna with a soft, affectionate gaze. It struck her how natural their time together had become over the weeks. Gone were the days of awkward silences or hesitant glances. Instead, they had cultivated an atmosphere of ease and playfulness, seamlessly weaving together study sessions with laughter and heartfelt conversations. 

In that moment of reflection, Harriet also recognized the unspoken tension that simmered beneath the surface of their friendship. It was as if they were both dancing around their feelings, hesitant to acknowledge the deeper bond that was forming between them. There was a comfort in their shared laughter and light-hearted banter, but there was also a weight to the moments when their gazes lingered a little too long or when their laughter faded into silence, filled with unexpressed thoughts.

Breanna finally broke the stillness as she pushed herself up from the floor, brushing off her clothes and gathering her scattered belongings. She glanced at Harriet, her eyes sparkling with mischief and playfulness. “Same time next week?” she asked, a hint of expectation in her voice.

Harriet felt her heart skip a beat at the casual phrasing. The way Breanna said “next week” felt loaded with possibility, stirring a mix of excitement and uncertainty within her. “It’s a date,” she replied, the words tumbling out before she could fully process their weight, which is crazy since she always processes things before she speaks.

Breanna’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, and then a delighted grin broke across her face. “Oh, is it now? A date? I like the sound of that.” She leaned back against the doorframe, crossing her arms with a playful smirk. “What do you think? Should I dress up for our study dates? Maybe put on a fancy dress or something?”

Harriet laughed, feeling her cheeks warm. “Well, I mean, if you want to impress me, I won’t say no!”

“Good to know I’ll have to step up my game,” Breanna teased, her tone light and teasing. “Maybe I’ll bring a dessert next time. I hear cupcakes are great for studying.”

“Cupcakes? That sounds like a distraction!” Harriet said, shaking her head dramatically. “But I guess I could manage a little distraction for the right person.”

As their playful banter continued, Harriet’s heart raced. Each teasing remark felt charged with something more, an unacknowledged tension that lingered just beneath the surface. The laughter they shared was infectious, yet it was tinged with an undercurrent of anticipation.

“You know,” Breanna said, her expression shifting slightly more serious, “I really enjoy these study dates. They’re becoming the highlight of my week.” She tilted her head, her gaze searching Harriet’s. “It’s not just about the math. It’s nice to have someone who gets it, you know?”

“Totally,” Harriet agreed, her voice softening. “I feel the same way. I mean, I knew I liked girls, but I never really thought about it as something I could share with someone—especially not like this.”

Breanna leaned closer, intrigued. “You knew you liked girls? That’s awesome! But… how did you figure that out?”

Harriet hesitated, considering her words carefully. “I guess I always just felt it. Like, there were times in high school when I’d crush on girls, but I didn’t really know what to make of it. I didn’t want to assume I was gay or anything. I mean, I thought maybe I was just a little bisexual or something.”

Breanna nodded, her expression encouraging. “I get that. For me, I just always knew. It was like the moment I started crushing on girls, it clicked. But I guess you have to explore it at your own pace.”

“Exactly!” Harriet exclaimed, feeling relieved. “But I was so nervous to talk about it. It felt like such a big deal, and I wasn’t sure how people would react.”

Breanna smiled knowingly. “It’s a big deal! But you know what? You’re really brave for sharing that. And hey, you’re not alone in this. We’re figuring it out together.”

Their conversation settled into a comfortable rhythm, and Harriet felt a sense of ease wash over her. They shared stories of their past crushes and the awkwardness of high school experiences. Each revelation felt like another brick being laid in the foundation of their connection. As they continued to chat, Harriet found herself feeling lighter, more liberated in sharing her thoughts and experiences.

Finally, as the evening settled into a calm quiet, Breanna stretched out on the floor again, exhaling dramatically. “Well, that was exhausting! Math and all this emotional sharing—it’s a lot for one night.”

Harriet chuckled, watching her friend with affection. “You survived, though! Look at you, tackling calculus and deep conversations like a pro.”

Breanna grinned, her eyes sparkling. “Only because I have an amazing study partner.”

��Right back at you,” Harriet said, her voice softening. “I’m really glad you’re here. It’s nice to have someone I can trust.”

The warmth in the room shifted slightly, as if the air itself was charged with unspoken feelings. Harriet felt a flutter in her chest, her thoughts swirling with the possibilities of what lay ahead.

As they prepared to wrap up the night, Breanna suddenly sat up, an idea striking her. “You know, we should make these study dates a thing. Like a regular tradition. I mean, it’s not just studying—it’s also bonding.”

“I’d like that,” Harriet replied, feeling a sense of anticipation. “We can make it a weekly thing, where we can tackle whatever homework we have and still have time for… whatever else this is.”

Breanna smiled, her expression serious yet playful. “Yeah, whatever else. I mean, we’re making it work, right? We’ll be the ultimate study buddies!”

“Definitely,” Harriet said, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. “I just hope I can keep up with your math skills!”

Breanna laughed, and the sound filled the room like music, lightening the mood once more. “Oh, please! Just promise me there will always be cupcakes involved.”

“Deal,” Harriet replied, grinning back. “But only if you promise to keep the study banter rolling. Otherwise, it might just turn into a study nap.”

“Hey, I’m all for naps, but only after we’ve conquered calculus!” Breanna said, her laughter ringing in the air.

“Same time next week?” Breanna asked, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

“It’s a date,” Harriet replied, her heart racing at the implication of her words.

Breanna grinned, her excitement evident. “Awesome! Can’t wait!” She waved as she headed out the door, the energy of their banter still buzzing between them.

Harriet leaned back in her chair, watching Breanna leave, the word “date” hanging in the air like a tantalizing promise. A flutter of anticipation coursed through her veins, a thrilling combination of hope and anxiety about where these study sessions—and their relationship—might lead. The night had been filled with laughter, teasing, and revelations, but the unresolved tension lingered, leaving Harriet with a heightened sense of curiosity about what was to come.

After Breanna slipped out of the room, Harriet leaned back in her chair, staring at the door for a moment as her mind raced. What did it mean for their friendship to be labeled a “date”? In the quiet of her room, Harriet felt a warmth spread through her, a reassuring comfort that came from the bond they had built. The laughter they had shared, the teasing remarks, and the moments of vulnerability had created something special. She realized that her feelings for Breanna were definitely there.

[susartwork]

New "Murphy's Law" arc started!

Murphy's law = anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

More story under the cut. CW: blood and body horror (?)

-Today my classic self called me, the one everyone calls "Wiz". He wanted to meet me in private.

-He said that... after all I'm better than him.

-I did many mistakes in my life. When my timeline was still affected by resets, before... Flowey started using them to torture me, I spent those time loops doing "social experiments".

-I called them that, but it was just me doing somethin' stupid to see the reaction of passersby. I was very bored.

-But no, my other self went more far. Now he started real experiments on other monsters, and not always safe ones. This is not part of his job, no, he's having FUN doing THIS!

-This disgusting creature is becoming just like him.

-I couldn't stand the stupid smirk of my doppelganger. I- I c-couldn't stand the idea of me and him being the same person. ... I probably got carried away... even though I told Sci I would never try to hurt my other self Wiz again.

-Yet he kept smiling. I can't stand him, I can't stand him, I CAN'T stand him.

-I needed someone to talk to, but I couldn't let my friends see me! I was too disgusted by him, by... myself to let them see me. And they couldn't know that I beaten him after what happened with Hacker!Error 505...

-Basic found Alex's body a few weeks ago in the Waterfall dump of an AU. When I found out I decided to heal her and hide her from Sci's jealousy. I love him, but I can't let him see her. I just want them both to be ok...

-I took Alex to my house to talk to her privately, but... my brother saw me, and he was holding his corpse.

-I used a special material to keep the corpse from rotting and hid it in my pillowcase until now. When I killed him it wasn't enough for me, I NEEDED to see his corpse, KNOW that he's DEAD and that he won't come back ever again!

-I started to panic, too many things were happening all at once. 1) What my disgusting doppelganger did, and that I beaten him. 2) Papyrus saw Alex in my arms, what if he were to tell Sci she's alive? 3) And now everyone would find out that I killed Flowey. This is a problem, because everyone tried to convince me that "I'd be as bad as Flowey if I had to get my revenge". ...This is the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

-But my friends would abandon me if they knew all this! This thought was drilling into my skull.

-Papyrus did his best to calm me down, but I couldn't stop crying, I couldn't ignore that sense of guilt and fear inside of me. I failed everyone...

-I thought I was hopeless once more. AND I WASN'T WRONG.

-When I realized Frisk hadn't been home in hours, I asked Papyrus where they were, and he said: "Sans... Frisk left this morning to go at the castle... You know they were preparing to sacrifice themselves for us. They couldn't wait anymore..."

-I rushed to the castle. But Frisk... was... dead... sitting on the throne.

-Despite everything their pale, bleeding corpse was still smiling...

-I brought the body to Asgore's house, there HAD to be something I could do to save them!!

-But... there wasn't...

-Asgore found me in his kitchen, I was completely out of me. I was so angry at him.

-Yet he spoke to me with a kind smile... He told me the barrier is now broken. He freed the human souls, but one wanted to stay.

-Sadly Frisk's body is too damaged to keep the soul, but I'll find a way to give them a body back, and I'll also find a way to tell everyone my secrets.

-I'm sorry, old lady. I wasn't able keep your promise... At least we can finally see the sun.

Sci's reactions to the truth ->

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

Author note: I wanted to specify that the new design is due to how much Hopeless doesn't want to look like Wiz anymore. And yes, Wiz is canonically an anti-hero in Underwizard.

Speaking of the other characters' clothing, they have only changed their clothes due to the passage of time. Papy modified Frisk's hoodie after it got damaged in a RP ♡

Thanks for reading this far, and sorry for any misspellings :'3

[beezonia]

Thinking bout the layton women again so you get some head-cannons for them

——

Claire Foley

A mechanic wiz, she knows her way around machines (as we see in uf)

She and Hershel met in Uni when Dimitri nearly smacked her on the head with his locker door

She’s a bit clumsy

Tends to do extremely dangerous things whilst on ten cups of coffee

Her favourite tea is a citrus flavour but she does like Earl grey

Claire adores jazz music

plays the sax

Can be extremely stern and motherly when she wants

Hates when people get hurt under her leadership

Has a lot of anxiety about the future but doesn’t tell anyone

Swears in different languages when Hershel is around so he doesn’t scold her

She’s overall and anxious but chill mum bean

Emmy Altava

Emmy wants to prove she can do anything anyone asks of her

It sets of her low self esteem

Knows karate and judo because of leon/targent

Likes to go mountain biking

A photography major

Loves spilling the tea with everyone (yes even hersh)

Can be very violent sometimes

She dabbled in violin playing but it really was not for her

Does like creating collages of photos she’s taken

Is more of a coffee lover

Stays up late and is the type not to remember anything that happened the night prior even though she was sober

More of a klutz but a calculated one

Thinks of Luke and flora as her little siblings

She’s the energetic bean who hides her true feelings

Flora Reinhold

Is extremely smart but has only started to come out of her shell so doesn’t prove it often

Shy but badass bean

Loves to sew and create new dolls or plushies for her and Luke

Knows judo (Emmy taught her)

Is slightly deaf in one ear (wears a hearing aid)

Socially awkward most of the time but has a plan to make new friends

Luke is helping her become more comfortable with others she doesn’t know

Becomes a detective and easily questions suspects with her charms

Plays the piano and the cello

A tea gal

Loves to garden (her favourite flowers are daisies)

Although she’s a bit skittish around people she really does love to hear their stories of adventures or romance

Hopeless romantic

Loves happy endings

Isn’t afraid to call anyone out for their bullshit

She’s the badass but shy bean

[olivia-anderson-fanfic]

Timari January 2023 Masterlist

Back to Main Masterlist

Back to Maribat Masterlists

AO3 LINK

Day 1: Frostbite

Fireworks (Yeah, I sure hope it does)

1.4k words

Summary: Marinette and Tim sneak out to go watch the fireworks. They get a little bit of frostbite in the process, but they still manage to have a good time overall.

Day 2: Sleep is for the weak

Rock-a-bye baby

1.6k words

Summary: Marinette needs Red Robin to sleep. Preferably sometimes soon. Otherwise it would be hard to rob him.

Day 3: Snuggle up

Hide and seek

750 words

Summary: Listen, I was sick while writing this and wanted to do a little thing about kiddos cuddling while hiding from Mr. Freeze. So I did.

Day 4: Let's just blow it up and call it a day

How to get out of an escape room in one easy step

1.5k words

Summary: ‘Beat the maze’. Yeah, no. He was going to ‘beat their faces in’. See how they like that.

Day 5: Pillow

Knockin' Down Heaven's Door

1.3k

Summary: Marinette needs Red Robin asleep. Preferably sometime soon. Otherwise it would be hard to rob him.

Day 6: It's not depressing if you smile when you say it

When the clouds are in the sky, you'll get by

800 words

Summary: You can make a joke out of anything if you try hard enough.

Day 7: Looking cute is not helping

But is it hurting?

1k words

Summary: If you don’t constantly annoy the vigilante that’s accidentally holding you hostage in a trapped room, are you really doing it right?

Replacement: Bakeries

The way to a man's heart is through his stomach

1.4k words

Summary: Maybe the act of giving food is inherently tied to safety and love.

Day 9: Daisies

Got a secret, can you keep it

500 words

Summary: Daisies symbolize a lot of things. Innocence, new beginnings, true love, and willingness to keep a secret.

Day 10: Black like my humor

Sco(r)ned

1k words

Summary: Tim’s attempt to learn to bake could have gone better… or maybe it couldn't have, because he was pretty hopeless.

Day 11: Wheels up

Heads up

2.1k words

Summary: The alarms were blaring that there was at least one intruder. Static filled his ears as all of the guards talked frantically into their walkie-talkies, their voices overlapping uselessly. He ran hand-in-hand with someone he was sure would try and steal from him before the night was up. He was about to sweat out his tux. He was pretty sure that they were going to get searched if they tried to leave and, considering all of the illegal and confidential paraphernalia on their persons, he didn’t think that that would go over well.

Day 12: You're a wizard

Computer wiz

500 words

Summary: She flopped on his bed. “I’m getting made fun of for not knowing Java.” “You don’t even know Java?! How did you get this far –?!”

Day 13: Hand me the match

Such a pretty liar

2.1k words

Summary: “I wanted to celebrate the new year with you!”

Day 14: Brace yourself

Run boy run

3.2k words

Summary: Marinette meets the family. The family in question is deranged. That is all.

Day 15: Recharge

Sleep(is)over

800 words

Summary: Marinette and Tim refuse to succumb to naptime’s seductive ways.

Day 16: It isn't stalking if it's research

Just remember that I know

800 words

Summary: Is stalking serious? Yes. But consider: he wasn’t ‘stalking’ her, he was looking into a suspicious person. Which is totally fine and normal considering his job.

Day 17: Welcome to the jungle

It's dangerous to go alone, take this

<100 words

Summary: Just some more batfamily shenanigans.

Day 18: It's good to be king

The mighty fall

1.1k words

Summary: Blood red lips curled into a smirk. “Interesting of you to look down on me when you just picked a lock to get in here. What were you about to do?”

Replacement: Yum

Two's a whole lot lonelier than one

2.2k words

Summary: “You’re trying to annoy me into leaving, aren’t you?”

Day 20: This is a date, isn't it?

A lovely sight

1.4k words

Summary: Breaking and entering at the same time is definitely a date.

Day 21: Apple from a poisoned tree

You think your only crime is that you got caught

1.4k words

Summary: A poison tree by William Blake

Day 22: Nest

Home is where the heart is

1.1k words

Summary: Tim and Marinette, as a show of faith, have decided to show each other their main bases.

Day 23: Two stepping with the woman I love

Sealed with a kiss

1k words

Summary: Negotiations can be romantic, actually.

Replacement: Art

Lovebirds

1.1k words

Summary: They find an old project from art class while moving.

Day 25: You mean platonically?

I wanna ruin our friendship

900 words

Summary: We should be lovers instead.

Day 26: Dancing in the rain

Hush

1.5k words

Summary: Two people fight with and for umbrellas on a rainy day.

Day 27: Wanderlust

Welcome to the playground

1.4k words

Summary: Gotham is a wasteland, but it’s THEIR wasteland and they wouldn’t go anywhere else.

Day 28: Problem? What problem?

Hostage(d) situation

1.3k words

Summary: That weird moment where you’ve been kidnapped and are being held for ransom but also the person who did that to you is letting you play video games so you can’t even be mad at them.

Day 29: Rubix cube

Get cubed, idiot

300 words

Summary: “I just want to see how you solve it,” Marinette said, smiling in a way that was far too innocent to ever be seen as real.

Replacement: Cupcake

Lost and found

2k words

Summary: Tim finds a batch of cupcakes and a note on his counter.

Day 31: Mornings

Will you hold me tight and not let go?

600 words

Summary: The night shift is over, they can finally sleep.

[morvantmortuary]

other friends’ ocs I’ve forced to endure my affection via picrew:

hudson barnett from @theangelverseocs, written my buddy @bigtiddythanos! he’s the cottagecore sweater model pediatric nurse bf of everyone’s dreams, and a literal angel to boot 😇

adrian corbett, aka the baby ady, by my pal @rosemaremembrance - he’s a love witch and a baker, and he can run off with my heart any time he wants (metaphorically or literally, bc you never know with that one!)

and finally julian meyer, by our beloved @maximoffwxnda - the newest special boy, our hopeless romantic tech wiz-kid who may or may not have an affinity for unusual hiding places

I’ve already inflicted these on my friends in the gc, but I love these guys and wanted to give them all some attention here too 👁👄👁 🖤

[kyleeoty]

2022

Albums: 1. Angel Olsen - Big Time (Jagjaguwar) 2. Counterparts - A Eulogy For Those Still Here (Pure Noise) 3. Soul Blind - Feel It All Around (Other People) 4. Tegan & Sara - Crybaby (Mom + Pop) 5. Looming - Anybody’s Baby (No Sleep) 6. No Devotion - No Oblivion (Velocity/Equal Vision) 7. Nikki Lane - Denim & Diamonds (New West) 8. Parker Gispert - Golden Years (Normaltown) 9. Elizabeth Moen - Wherever You Aren’t (self released) 10. Holy Fawn - Dimensional Bleed (Wax Bodega)

EPs: 1. Hazel English - Summer Nights (self released) 2. Tigers Jaw - Old Clothes (Hopeless) 3. Speedway - Paradise (Revelation) 4. Morgan Wade - Acoustic Sessions (Ladylike/Arista) 5. END/Cult Leader - Gather & Mourn split (Closed Casket Activities/Deathwish)

Shows: 1. CHVRCHES - Bourbon Theatre, Lincoln, NE - 6/15/22 2. Code Orange - Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, IA - 3/28/22 3. Japanese Breakfast - 80/35, Des Moines, IA - 7/8/22 4. Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, MUNA - Hinterland, St. Charles, IA - 8/7/22 5. Stars Hollow - xBk, Des Moines, IA - 3/17/22

Films: 1. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness 2. X 3. The Batman 4. Clerks 3 5. Pearl Honorable Mention: Barbarian

TV: 1. Peacemaker (HBO) 2. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (Disney+) 3. The Bear (FX/Hulu) 4. The White Lotus - Season 2 (HBO) 5. Reservation Dogs - Season 2 (FX/Hulu) Honorable Mention: The Offer (Paramount+)

Favorite Songs playlist: “Pressure Cooker” - Dazy & Militarie Gun “A Sky Deep and Clear” - No Devotion “Big Time” - Angel Olsen “New Beginning” - Automatic “I Become Heavy” - New German Cinema “Whispers of Your Death” - Counterparts “Faded” - Nikki Lane “Ready For Love” - Wiz Khalifa & Girl Talk “Long, Long Year” - Chris Shiflett “Spitting Off the Edge of the World feat. Perfume Genius” - Yeah Yeah Yeahs “Softly” - Arlo Parks “Fight” - Ian Sweet “Run” - Morgan Wade “In the In Between” - Soul Blind “Stuck Inside Someone Else’s Dream” - Parker Gispert “I Can’t Stand Busy People feat. Woolworm” - Militarie Gun

[1800duckhotline]

For those interested, they're all women.

Momoko Hotaru (she/her) (upper left) is 25, is a shut-in/neet that lives with her parents and has several mental ailments but other than that is generally truly kind of a creepy young woman. she works remotely to sustain herself (have to figure out what: probably has smth to do with programming). brows the dark web and has an unhealthy obsession for specimens in formadelhyde which she buys from shady sites. was implicated/suspected of having murdered her siblings when she was 13 but nothing ever came out of it. Is a lesbian but is very closeted about it/unaware because of her convinction of being thoroughly unlovable.

Kaede Kyoko (she/her) (upper right) is 29 nearing 30's and is an animal rescue volunteer who works as a piercer when she's not helping with rescuing cats, dogs and alike. had a really rough life as an adopted child after her parents died in a car accident, which left her orphaned; she was often ostracized by others for being 'slow and awkward'. suffers specific issues with memory due to bullying that permanently damaged some of her brain tissues (this will be elaborated). struggled with mental health for a long time but is managing to life a happier life now, not without struggles but not hopeless either. unfortunately she is a chain smoker as well. Loves to collect leather jackets and likes watching motorcycle races.

Tomoko Mi (middle lower) (she/her..? ...?) is 25 and she does not enjoy talking about her life prior to being a young adult at all. Was constrained and trapped in a toxic relationship that left her questioning a lot of herself and she's working through a lot of her baggage from that still. Also implied in a murder.. ruh roh... but that is still under investigation and due to her also having suffered mental health problems heavily, she is being given some benefits. She works at a tech store as she's always been kind of a tech-wiz of sorts. Has a complicated relationship with her fatness, sexuality and gender (consequences of abusive relationships oops..)

Go piss girl

[dazeddreamerdays]

SPOILERS - Amy's Mischaracterization in Frontiers :

SPOILER ALERT :

I didn't like Amy in the latest Sonic game.

Therefore I have been trying to piece together why that is and have now typed down those thoughts here. :

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* Generally Upbeat/Energetic Attitude, Optimism, and Keeping Spirits High :

She is VERY somber in this game for the most part and while this may be understandable given the circumstances, Tails and Knuckles are able to both be somber given the situation at hand and because they had problems from the past holding them back WHILE also having moments of being more or less their usual selves and palling around with Sonic.

Most of the interactions Amy has with Sonic are just straightforward without any of the unique character charm she is known for, unlike Knuckles and Tails who were able to do so through their established dynamics with Sonic (friendly rivalry/side kick woes) and unique traits/interests/goals (learning more about his heritage and pursuing a more free lifestyle/being a tech wiz who desires to become more useful in his own right).

Sure, her romantic interest in Sonic could and should have been addressed more since they were going for a romantic foil situation with the Koko, but that's not to say that in addition to this dynamic they wouldn't be able to add other traits she was known for, like being excitable/energized in the face of a new adventure and have some remaining sense of optimism despite the dire circumstances (again similar to how Tails and Knuckles faced the circumstances).

Amy didn't really get excited/energized by anything. She wasn’t excited/energized by the fact that she was able to explore the island itself when she was freed, nor the "Magical"/Chaos Emerald happenings of the island (since her affinity for magic stuff was mentioned a few times in the game), and not even the Koko love story which could have made her demeanor change a bit by lightening her mood (at least the start of the Koko love story). She just casually makes observations and acted pretty straight laced when it came to whatever she was doing.

Games such as CD, Adventure 1 & 2, Heroes, 06, Unleashed, Colors DS, Generations and MANY other game titles have had her keep and show this cheerfully energetic side of herself. Here in Frontiers though, it's barely present (pun not intended) if not absent from her character. In a similar vein, a reference to any boredom she may have faced would have been in character (like SA1).

Throughout most of the story she also doesn't try to remain optimistic or keep spirits high. It's expected that she would be distressed and coping with the situation. Again, however, she is not allowed to display a more positive perspective on anything in spite of the situation during the majority of her screen time, unlike how Tails and Knuckles were able to do. Optimism in the face of the worst scenarios was one of her trademark traits. This optimism is especially apparent when she applies it to herself and others. She almost never sees a situation as hopeless because she believes in herself and those she has put faith in to see them through and urges others to believe and do the same.

In Unleashed for instance, late into the game the world was being plunged into darkness and she remained positive and reassuring to Mr. Pickle because she had faith in Sonic to save the day like he always had. Interesting how Sage didn't ask the 'Faith in Sonic' question posed to Tails towards Amy.

Another example from the Adventure Duology is when she refuses to give up on helping others despite the odds. In SA1 she never stops helping the birdie find their family because despite all the setbacks she never stops believing that she and birdie would locate the other family members. In SA2, despite being left behind/forgotten about on multiple occasions (Thanks, Team Sonic) she refuses to give up on herself and pushes onward to help save the day. She eventually gets one of her biggest moments to do so by remaining optimistic about both being able to convince Shadow to help and the future lives people on Earth could lead.

* Sociable, Helpful, Encouraging, and Sees the best in people :

Her hanging out with and helping the Koko (especially the main one through helping them with their love affair like she did for Elise in 06) felt very in character for her (and the other characters for that matter) though I found it extremely off that she accused SONIC of all people that he wouldn't help a person who needed his help in reference to that main flower Koko, feels very off for both her and for Sonic to be accused of such a thing in the first place. Especially when all he was suggesting to do is let the Koko couple handle their own affairs from that point on, possibly wanting to give them some privacy in their moment of intimacy if I were to guess. Amy NEVER seriously doubted Sonic as a hero/his willingness to help those in need before (in no situation did she HAVE to) and doing so now out of all times, after he had been doing just that with the Koko up until that point, forces drama into the scene that served no purpose.

She has tried to steer Sonic towards making certain choices in the past based on her own conclusions on what is the right thing to do in a given situation. I honestly admire that about her. SA1 provides good examples of this, whether it be trying to get Sonic to become a bodyguard alongside her for a birdie in trouble (which he didn't really agree to do....) or telling him not to destroy a sentient robot with good inside them (a wish he did respect) it speaks to her own unique sense of heroism and her strength to see it through. Especially when it comes to showing her loved ones what she believes is right. This scene in Frontiers wasn't that though.

She could have just been stubborn about continuing to help the Koko (claiming to do it herself if she had to) and Sonic would have likely kept following along because he cares for her safety and has been helping Amy with the Koko anyhow, so might as well see the Koko affair through. That's it. That's all that had to be done.

Semi-related to this, she wasn't really trying to be encouraging to Sonic like she normally would be. In Unleashed for instance she kept reassuring and cheering him on when he was dealing with not wanting to be a werehog/putting the world back together. In Frontiers, Sonic could have REALLY used that encouragement from her given that he was put through the wringer in this game. Links back to her optimism not being present as that means it negatively impacts other parts of her characterization as well. Without the optimism she tends to hold in another person (especially for Sonic) and the situation as a whole she couldn't provide her distinctive brand of encouragement. One of the greatest examples of this interplay with optimism and encouragement is in Heroes. She kept her teams' spirits as high as her own by consistently reassuring and motivating them to continue their search for their pets (along with her own search for Sonic) in the face of multiple dead ends they all encountered. She was able to keep doing this because never lost hope on herself or her teammates when things didn’t go their way.

In addition, I COULD also imagine a Gamma/Shadow SA1/SA2-like scenario where she tries to reach out towards/defend Sage (not unlike how Sonic did when Sage and Knux where about to fight) because she would have seen into Sage's heart despite their past conflict but alas, that didn't come to be, would have been in-character. 

* Determined and Takes Initiative :

I am glad they made Amy determined to take the initiative in helping out the best she could in spite of her barely present state, like helping the Koko and trying her best to help Sonic with finding Tails. I just wish we could have seen this side of her applied more in the story somehow though obviously there wasn't a clear way to do this given said barely present state.

Like I stated above, I would have liked her to take the initiative to both help Sage realize the humanity within her and convince Sage to help them like Amy was able to do in SA2 with Shadow. A real challenge to her determination considering Sage wasn't willingly : giving out sensitive information to, becoming acquainted with, or helping anyone else besides Eggman throughout most of the game. Might have made Sage absorbing Amy’s memory tokens more symbolically meaningful too.

* Protectiveness :

Amy's protective side when it comes to her friends (06 being an example of this when it comes to Sonic) and the people she sees good in (Sage in this case) would have been an interesting interplay to explore in the story. On the one hand Sage is threatening her friends (especially Sonic) so of course Amy will be defensive for them around Sage. On the other hand, as stated above Amy can look past the antagonistic exterior of characters on opposing sides to see the good in them, which Sage contains. This could have provided interesting conflict between her friends and Sage who would disagree with her views on the overall situation. 

* HER LOVE FOR SONIC AS HE IS, DESIRE TO NOT ONLY BE AN ADVENTUROUS HERO LIKE HIM BUT ALSO JOIN HIM ON HIS ADVENTURES, AND HEART ON HER SLEEVE : (Very important to note as this ties into a core part of both her character and relationship with Sonic that's just not shown very well for some reason) :

Even her ROMANTIC LOVE for Sonic is SEVERELY downplayed/just not shown. Odd considering the focus on a romantic subplot in her story with him. Frontiers has this romantic Koko subplot that could have been meant to mimic the "potential" tragic fate of SonAmy never being openly reciprocated before it's too late. Yet, despite this, her own romantic love for Sonic is really nowhere to be seen. This is not to mention the potential romantic feelings Sonic MIGHT reciprocate being a no show either, despite this plot point being as good a place as any to hint at those feelings.  

A core part of Amy's character is that she is essentially an open book when it comes to her emotions in contrast to Sonic who keeps them bottled up for the sake of himself and others. In this game I felt like she was holding back, like when she didn't tell Sonic about the nightmarish dream state she was in before Sonic freed her until prompted to. I felt like she was holding back her emotions throughout the game (possibly for Sonic's sake?) but that is more of how I felt about her overall behavior more so than any concrete instances I could point towards. This open book/bottled up contrast of their characters would have not only been good to explore in their hinted romantic relationship but also in the overall plot point of Sonic trying to put up a front of being fine while being corrupted. It would have been good to have Amy notice this and try to talk to Sonic about it perhaps?

What it really could be though is that Amy is not allowed to be as expressive with her emotions (or even have these stronger emotions to begin with) in this game. Normally, she would have stronger emotional reactions to what was going on around her. Her expressiveness is (or was at least) one of her core traits and that went hand in hand with how strongly her emotions could come across in any given situation.

For example, I expected a WAY more emotional reaction from her when reuniting with Sonic, like one of her typical hugs that's followed by her phasing through, visualizing what happened to her and by extension the others. Instead she is only allowed to show BRIEF concern about the stuff that went into Sonic and then cuts to the chase about finding Tails.

- But more in a straightforward way than emotionally showing how worried she is for Tails.-

That initial thought became stronger when I heard how bad it was being trapped in the capsule because I imagine being set free was a HUGE yet OVERWHELMING relief for her thus going for a hug just seemed fitting.  

It's really odd to have the openness/expressiveness she was known for since her inception in CD as well as other mainline titles like Adventure 1 & 2, Heroes, 06 and way beyond for so long just be removed for the most part. Unfortunately, her expressiveness/strong emotional reactions can come off as annoying to some, hence why this trait was toned ALL the way down. My problem with this portrayal being seen as her "maturing" is that they stripped a lot of what made her who she was in order to appease a general audience instead of building off of established traits to make her grow in the same way they did with Tails and Knuckles (especially Knuckles). Writing her like this in the name of perceived past/current character development comes off as bad writing. 

Without these traits she can't demonstrate her counteractive approach to handling her emotions compared to Sonic's emotional restraint thus can no longer interact as a counterbalance to him despite the fact that the game’s plot could have potentially benefited from that dynamic.

For the resolution of the SonAmy romance subplot (if it existed) it could have been Sonic and Amy agreeing to go somewhere together on an adventure. Like IDW, Sonic could be the one to offer that they go adventuring together. Signifying that he is taking slow and steady steps (pun intended) towards getting closer to Amy cause he enjoys her company and is willing to explore/express that a little more. Interestingly, in IDW comics Sonic offered to come with Amy on the girls camping trip but Tails made him stay at his house to play video games for the weekend so make of that what you will. 

* Lesson “Learnt” :

Amy has this whole "love transcends time/the world needs love" lesson going on with the Koko but what she learns is already something she has known in her heart and applied in her life for all this time.

Furthermore, this love "revelation" she has oddly doesn't affect the way she comes to interact with Sonic in regards to their hinted "romance" whatsoever even though Tails' development and arguably Knuckles' too marks a shift in how the both of them view Sonic (no longer containing envy/nor feeling like he is letting his hero down) and vice versa for how Sonic views them (getting better insight into their struggles and thus being able to encourage them properly).

Not to mention how these character trajectories could affect how they interact with Sonic in the future. Amy having a lesson she has always known makes her character trajectory either more of the same (continuing to just do what she knows) or uncertain (how can you reapply something you have already been doing in your life?). Really depends on how the writers tackle it cause they don't really have a new lesson for her to go on.

* Fortune Teller :

More of a speculative note but I wish she had some future visions or something of the like in reference to the tarot card reading/affinity for strange things Sonic kept mentioning in the game. That ability has SO MUCH potential but despite it being there since forever it's hardly brought up much less used. Her possibly seeing Sonic's potential cyber corruption in connection to the tragic Koko romance subplot paralleling her and Sonic's potential fate could have been really impactful.  

Last Word :

My only regret with the thoughts I typed down here is that I didn't figure out what lesson Amy could have had in this game that would have marked a change in her character nor how she could change (just a bit I think) alongside Sonic when it came to their dynamic the same way Tails and Knuckles were able too.

[spencersimp]

Fall Apart

Summary: Spencer’s smile was going to be the death of you.

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Reader

Word Count: 1.2k

Warnings: some cursing, but really just major fluff

A/N: I wrote this all in one go and I did not proofread this bc it’s almost 3am and I have to get up in 3 and a half hours for work but I could not stop writing this rip pray 4 me

feedback gives me writing fuel!

The moment that he smiled you knew you were in trouble.

You’d joined the BAU shortly before Dr. Reid’s 30th birthday and were excited to participate in his little surprise party at the office. You were getting to know him better with every passing day, and you found yourself enjoying all of his quirks and ramblings. To put it simply, he was cute. Adorable, even.

But it wasn’t cute when he walked into his surprise party and smiled the biggest smile you’d seen on him yet, teeth and all.

Oh no. Oh, god. It was beautiful.

You had never been one to believe that falling in love was something that could happen instantaneously, but Spencer proved you wrong in that moment. The second he smiled like that, you were lost. Damn him, you’d fallen in love from a single smile, and you were helpless ever since. So, being the hopeless romantic you were, after that moment you deemed it your mission to make the genius smile as often as possible.

It started with morning coffees. You started paying attention to what shops he said were his favorite, and how he likes his coffee. He never drinks iced, you learned, and usually goes for just black drip coffee. You made it a point to have a fresh cup on his desk every morning before he had to start his paperwork for the day. And every single morning a sweet rosy blush dusted his cheeks, and he gave you a sweet smile as he bashfully mumbled his “thanks.”

Then you escalated to bringing him a half dozen of his favorite donuts whenever an especially difficult case hit him hard. You could never get over the grateful grin he’d give you every time you appeared with that special donut box he knew was just for him. “You don’t have to do this, Y/N,” he’d always say. And every time you told him you knew, and that you’d keep doing it anyways.

The latest way you started to get him to smile was by leaving encouraging notes or silly physics puns on his desk. You’d leave them there when he wasn’t looking, and whenever he turned around and looked at you chuckling, your stomach would flip flop. You could listen to the sound of his laughter forever and never tire of it.

“What is that?” Penelope’s voice coming from beside you startled you out of your interaction with Spencer from across the bullpen.

You blinked, turning to look at your tech wiz friend. “What?”

“Whatever this is,” she said, pointing her pen between you and Spencer. “Don’t think the entire team hasn’t noticed what’s going on between you two.”

You sighed, shaking your head. “Pen, there’s nothing going on between us.”

She gave you that famous sly smirk of hers and narrowed her eyes. “Oh, but you want there to be something between you.”

You failed to suppress your grin at that. “Shutup.”

“Aw, I knew it!” She exclaimed giddily. “You know, you always get this look on your face whenever you look at him. Especially when he—“

“Smiles,” you finished for her with a sigh. “Every time he smiles I fall apart.”

Pen’s shoulders dropped and a knowing look crossed her face as she connected the dots. “Oh, this is serious. You’re actually in love with him.”

You frowned, nodding but saying nothing.

“You always do all these super sweet and ooey gooey things for him because you want to make him smile right?” Well, damn. Maybe Penelope should be a profiler after all. You nodded, and she continued. “Well, you know what would make him smile more than anything?”

“What?”

Her face softened. “If you told him how you feel.”

No. No way. Not happening. “Hell no.”

Your friend’s face fell, and she almost began to pout. “Oh, poo you. Why not!”

“Because he’d never feel the same way!” you exclaimed, looking over at him to make sure he wasn’t listening. “I don’t want to ruin our friendship.”

She shook her head vehemently. “No, no it wouldn’t! Derek told me he’s always talking about you when you aren’t around, like, constantly. He’s always talking about how sweet you are and how he wants to figure out a way to return the favor for all the kind things you always do for him.”

Your heart was suddenly beating too quickly to keep up with at the idea that Spencer could possibly feel the same way about you. “Really?”

“Yes!” Penelope looked like she was about to come out of her skin from her excitement. “Please, go tell him?”

You swallowed thickly, your stomach now in knots. Maybe…maybe this would be worth the risk, if what Pen was saying was true. “Alright.”

Penelope squealed as you stood up and made your way over to Spencer. His brow was furrowed in concentration as he flipped through pages of a binder you didn’t recognize. “Um, hey, Spence?”

Spencer looked up at you then, and his expression softened. “Hey.”

“Could I talk to you in private for a minute?” You didn’t miss the look of anxiety that washed over him, so you added quickly, “it’s not bad.”

“Uh, yeah, okay.”

He followed you out into a hallway separate from everyone, and suddenly you felt like you might throw up. “Um, so you know how I’m always bringing you coffee and donuts and writing you stuff?”

He smiled softly. “Yeah.”

This was it. Now or never. It was time to be honest. God, you hoped Penelope was right. “Well, it’s…it’s because I wanna see you smile. I think you have the most beautiful smile in the world and I think you’re beautiful and I just want to see you happy all the time because you deserve it and also I think it’s because I’m in love with you.” You inhaled quickly as soon as you finished, rushing all of the words out at once to get it over with.

Spencer’s mouth hung open in shock, and shit, maybe you shouldn’t have said anything—

“Really?” he breathed out, a look of wonder in his eyes.

You bit your lip. “Really.”

And then he broke out the biggest, most beautiful smile you’d ever seen on him. So big his eyes crinkled at the sides, and it threatened to split his face in two. “I love you, too.”

Then it was your turn to smile. You couldn’t believe it. You laughed out loud from how unbelievably giddy you felt—you hadn’t felt like this since middle school, you were sure. “Oh my god, really?”

He laughed with you, nodding vigorously. “Yes! I’ve been trying to come up with a way to repay you for all you’ve been doing for me lately, and Morgan said I should just tell you how I feel, but I’ve been too nervous.”

You grinned, shyly taking his hand in yours. “You don’t have to repay me, seeing you smile is more than enough. But, maybe if you wanted, you could kiss me?”

The smile on his face remained as his cheeks burned. Gentle hands cupped your cheeks, and as his lips met yours, you were lost once more.

Spencer Reid made you fall apart, and he’s the one who made you whole again.

[visd3stele]

Regulus fic - all great couples pull a great con

summary: you're dating Regulus as a muggle born, but since you have a foreign name and keep tightly to yourself, no one knows your blood status. When you are giving a representation in front of a wizarding gathering as Hogwarts best student, and his parents find out you're dating, they want to meet you. Can you and Regulus trick them and meet their expectation of their son dating a pure blood?

TW: vague mentions of a bad home situation, alcohol and VERY subtle references to sexual interactions. There is fluff, with a bit of an angsty end.

REQUESTS ARE OPEN :)

MASTERLIST

The Great Hall has never been so stuffed. Professors, students and parents alike - family after family member, all gathered inside the now too crammed space of Hogwarts. The occasion? Every year, each professor chooses their most talented pupil. And after a round of academic trials and exams, one is selected to represent Hogwarts abroad.

Magic schools had exchange students as well. But they also liked to take things further and brag about their programs and fame to each other. So every summer, there'd be a reunion of all wizarding schools, bringing together the most potent teachers with their greatest asset.

This year, y/n had won at Hogwarts. And to prepare herself for the show she'll have to pull off in four months, she's giving a representation for what seemed to be at least half of the British wizarding world.

"Nervous, chérie?" Regulus asked. As the second son of the House of Black, Regulus Arcturus was everything his big brother refused to be: a perfect heir. Sorted in Slytherin, keeping an elite company of pure bloods children and following his parents directions in every aspect of his obscenely rich life. Well, all except one.

Love. No one would have believed, but Regulus Arcturus Black was a hopeless romantic. He'd read any novel - muggle or wiz written - where the happy couple takes whatever fate has to throw at them, and keeps standing together. Or cry over the ones in which a tragedy separates them. He'd even enjoy learning love lines of poetry, to later recite them to his girlfriend. Nothing too unusual, right? Except, that girlfriend was y/n, the only utterly and completely muggle born witch sorted in Slytherin.

At first, she had a hard time. And he has been one of the twats making her life miserable at Hogwarts. But y/n was strong. And smart. And her smile could melt any heart of stone, ice or metal. Or at least, this is what Regulus thought. He had been charmed by her witt, learning quickly that she could talk for hours, say nothing of sense and only cause confusion - but still having a wide, patient audience, or speak a few words and change someone's perspective of life. And she knew how to use it in her advantage. A real Slytherin, despite what her fellow snakes believed. Y/n had great ambitious and the means to achieve them, wilding her upper mentioned gift to extract juicy facts without making it look like it, play dumb and weak to get in Quidditch and then create the best strategy they had. That year, they won against Gryffindor at last!

When Regulus caught on her cunning schemes, he just had to have one real conversation with her. It baffled him that a mud blood could do such amazing things. Not only was Regulus surprised, but also impressed - even though he won't admit it. So they talked. And she has been so funny, pocking him with ironic, well thought insults teasingly. They got lost in going back and forth with comebacks, sarcastic comments - that looked a little bit too much like flirting - and powerfully supported arguments that Regulus simply had to repeat the experience.

The boy couldn't get enough of her voice, how that mesmerizing flow of her mind would spill in carefully crafted words with ease. He loved to see the crooked smile she offered him when he told her pure bloods might be wrong after all. In so many ways, they're wrong. It was also the day he asked y/n to a proper, romantic date. To which she replied with the lightest tone of mockery "Et finalment, milord", adding quickly "I would like nothing more" and kissing him on the cheek in a sign of good faith.

"Un petit, oui, my heart." Y/n said, dashing her fingers through mid neck length hair. It's curly strands meddled with long bony fingers, shaking until Regulus took her hands in his. He rubbed his thumbs over the valley of her palms in gentle circles. Then he lowered his head slowly, grey eyes never leaving e/c ones as his lips touched first y/n's right, then y/n's left wrist. The feather light kiss sent a blush to her face, the color spreading from her fingers to her nose. Her boyfriend fixating her with that heated look did little to help.

"I know they'll be so in awe with you, chérie, they won't be able to do anything but stare minutes after you have left the stage."

"Regulus!" y/n hissed. He still hasn't stepped away. And thus, neither did her blush. In fact, the closeness and hoarse whispered words only made it worse. Regulus quirked his lips upward, only a bit, in a side grin. But if the lower part of his face gave him away, the wiggled eyebrows and big wide eyes were the portrait of innocence. As if the bloody snake didn't know what he was doing!

"Merde, Regulus! I'm supposed to get out there soon. Let me recompose myself."

"You really are nervous, aren't you. Come on, y/n, you'll be great."

"They won't like me."

"What are you talking about?" Regulus frowned. Usually, his girlfriend would keep her spine straight and walk through all kinds of hells with a sneer, a confident smile that promised she knew something other don't - which oftenly it was the case - or pity. Pity! Surrounded by the richest heirs of the oldest families, kids of idle lives with parents with enough money, influence and power to build statues and name them heroes on high placed pedestals. And she had the audacity to pity them.

Now, though, y/n looked scared. Small, little and fragile, panic leaving in uneven breaths, gleaming in her eyes.

"Y/n, darling, what is it?"

"You know, Regulus. You know. There are dozens of pure bloods in there. Wizards and witches who'd take one look at me at best before deciding I'm worth nothing. And then they'll demand I'm replaced, I'm not fit for this honor and to avoid trouble with the Ministry - pour, bien sûr, ils sont tous au ministére - Dumbledore will give course to their request."

Regulus allowed y/n a few moments to catch her breath. "And here I thought it really was me that kept you uncomposed."

Y/n glared at her boyfriend, but said nothing. The silence between them was filled by him. "Don't worry about it, cherié. I'll make sure no one knows more about you than how talented and hard working you are."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, your magic is surreal indeed, y/n." The hard look he received made Regulus lay down his plan. "Look they may know every important family in wizarding Britain, but they're rather clueless about other countries situation. Your family came here from French, the last name says as much. Tonight, you'll be a mysterious, foreign pure blood who some how settled in England a while ago. In fact, that would make the fancy party like you even more."

Y/n beamed. Then knitted her eyebrows together. Then said in a weak voice, as if pretending she didn't see it, it'll be less of a problem: "The other students will happily fill them in."

"My dearest, darling, y/n, I said I'll figure a way out and I will. Do you trust me?"

"Sure, my heart. Thank you."

He did it. He actually did it. Y/n had no idea how and for the first time in her life had no intention of finding out. But Regulus managed to smoothen the ground for her representation. Everyone talked about her show, her magic, her talent. No one talked about her.

After y/n left the made up stage, beaming with the sparks of her achievement - a very impressive play of colors, lights and easy-looking complicated spells to revel in - she spent the night in Regulus' arms. Her boyfriend was proud of her, and she was grateful to him.

"May I have a dance with the most exquisite girl in England... and fair French?"

Y/n laughed. The boy had his own way with words. While she wielded them swiftly, like a small, pointy hidden dagger in a sword's fight, Regulus liked to linger. He'd make his voice take space and have depth, not by the loudness of it, but by the largeness of his words. The way he paused or accentuated a certain part of his speech carried meaning. Incentive. He too could sway people off their feet and get what he wants. Like y/n. Except, Regulus did it subtler, much more refined.

"Avec le plus grand plaisir, my heart."

They danced. Freely and without a care in the world. She led the steps, but he spined her whenever he wanted, either it fit the song or not, only to see the short hair hug her flushed face. Gold and pink head pieces framing it. Such purity, such burst of life and beauty in between the dark and green of her Slytherin dress.

Just like y/n has been the ray of light to enter my life. Regulus thought. And said as much to his girlfriend when she found refugee in his arms once more. He smiled down at her and as the music halt to its end, he locked their lips together in a sweet dance of their own.

Lost and completely surrendered to each other as the young magical pair was, neither of them noticed the intense gaze following their every movement.

Regulus and y/n took a break from their endless fun and celebrating to find the buffet. Regulus was filling two glasses with rootbear while y/n picked some tarts and fruit slices and fit them on a plate for both when Walburga and Orion Black approached them.

"Y/n, if I'm not mistaken." The imposant man spoke. His hair, just like his sons and wife's, was the blackest of nights. He also bear the strange eye color of the Black family. That unusual grey that could be the calm sky of october over a pumpkin field or the unforgiving clouds of storm over poor sailors out and away from harbor.

Taken by surprise, y/n stopped in her tracks. She almost let the plate fell, with every delicious food her stomach cried for. But to her credit, the young witch turned to face two of the members of the oldest wizarding family. Also known as her boyfriend's keepers.

Regulus told her about his life at home. How responsibilities and expectations pressed on his shoulders since birth. How refusal to comply or failure to do so brought painful repercussions. And how it has only gotten worse after his big brother left and was burned off the family tapestry. No more Sirius to take the blame for an innocent mistake. No more rebel Gryffindor to be blamed, looked after and fought with. No more prodigal son to take their whole focus and give Regulus an easier time. From now on, he was the heir. He had to act accordingly: behave only at the highest of manners, indulge only select company.

Y/n knew what else her boyfriend was forced to do. The mark that inked his wrist, pulsing its cursed magic in waves of pain through his body. He had told her right after. She'll never forget the glassy eyes that looked like a cracked, dusty old mirror, horror and hurt all over his face. In a voice that couldn't possibly belong to the Regulus she knew, he asked her to leave him. Y/n didn't.

"Did you want it?"

"Of course, not!"

"Do you abide by their believes?"

"You know I don't. Not anymore, my life. Never again."

And that was it. Y/n decided to stick by his side, the unwilling Death Eater and the crazy muggle born.

"Yes," she answered. "That's me."

"I am Orion Black, as I am sure you already know and this is my wife, Walburga."

Y/n dipped her chin in greeting, forcing a pleasant smile on her face. "Of course. To what do I owe the honor?" She expected anything from the man. Despite his polite demeanor so far, he is actively supporting the Dark Lord. He could easily out power her, use a spell so quickly she wouldn't even see him mutter the words, or his wand moving and she'd be in one of the many Death Eater's secret slaughter houses. Muggleborns started to disappear a while ago, sometimes entire families, magic in their veins or not, would go missing. Everyone knew the culprits, but no proof emerged.

To her shock and relief, the woman at his arm took over the conversation. Y/n studied her. Though clearly holding to tradition, Walburga couldn't be called out fashioned. Her clothes, though stiff and mild, held grace. Their real value came from the woman wearing them, like royalty through her servants. Her back straight, her eyes cold, her nose lightly scrunched and her lips only curved upward with indulgence, Walburga Black really looked like she was doing everyone a favor by showing up.

The old hag probably belives so too, Regulus will say later that night, when y/n shared her thoughts with him. She will laugh, demanding to know how come he calls his mother an old hag, cruel and vicious in punishments or not. As much as she deserved it, it is not something Regulus Arcturus Black would say.

My brother, he'd murmur. And that would be all. Y/n will not press, just kiss him slightly on his bare shoulder, nuzzling his neck afterwards to shake off the melancholy and nostalgia missing his brother caused.

"I have seen you with our son the whole night."

Y/n could be many things. Brave, loyal, smart, crafty and extremely kind to people who made a home in her heart. However, right now, facing the people she came to loath for what they did to that brilliant, charming boy she adored to call her own, y/n felt her heart racing. Sweat running down her body. She didn't fear for herself, for what this despicable, hateful pair would do to her, though. Oh, no. She feared for what it'd mean for Regulus. If they saw them dancing, laughing, kissing, what would they do to him in the safety of their four walls? If they disowned a son and still needed an heir, how far would they go with their beatings, the starving and forbidden curses? All because he was caught with her. The muggle born.

But before guilt and panic, dread and shame could overcome her, Regulus slithered his way in. "Mother, father," he bowed his head to each, setting down the glasses. "It's good to see you." He added dutifully.

"Hello, son. Likewise." Orion seemed to be a man of few words, y/n noticed. Walburga, however, smiled radiantly and hugged her son to her chest. "Regulus, dear, it's been so long!"

"Yes, well, only a few more months until spring break."

"Yes, that's right! The spring break. Y/n, you will be attending the meeting then, right?"

"Oui", the witch slipped in her mother tongue, wrecked by nerves and confusion. Why are they so nice?

"As far as I know, it only lasts a week. Would you be free the other two until you must return to Hogwarts?"

She forced herself to say "yes", and even get it out without making it sound like a question. She didn't understand what was happening and she couldn't find it in her to pull herself together and find out.

Sensing his girlfriend too stunned by his side, and being curios - and worried - as well, Regulus took the lead. "May I inquire what plans do you have in regards to my girlfriend, mother? I should know, after all, no?"

"Of course, Regulus." It seemed like she exhausted the motherly warmth in those first seconds. "Since it is clear you two are in a serious relationship, which I find insulting of only finding out now and in this manner, no last! I thought your father and I should meet her. If you are to inherit the Black legacy and continue the family name with her, then she should be properly introduced to our ways."

Y/n marveled at her will when she stopped her body from chocking on nothing but air and Walburga's words.

"Continue the line with her?" Regulus asked, just as taken aback.

"Of course. Judging by your display tonight I assumed those were your intentions. Are they not?"

"Surely your mother and I raised you better than dishonoring a fine, young lady by publicly claiming her and not planning on marrying." Orion said, with his stone grey eyes measuring Regulus from his head to his toes. "And I should like to believe you know better than dragging our name through a scandal with a girl you do not want." His voice behold a harsh, sharp edge. A subtle threaten that caused Regulus to swallow, reaching for the glasses he regretfully dispatched earlier.

"Therefore, we would like to invite y/n over for dinner. Three days after she returns from the continent. Quite enough time to recover from the trip and inform her parents in France."

Y/n sensed the internal war next to her. If Regulus declines the invitation, he'd have hell to face at home. But if he agrees, he'd put her in danger. Y/n chimed in then, not allowing her boyfriend to exchange his safety for hers as Regulus was most likely to do.

"Of course, madam Black. Monsieur Black. It would be my greatest pleasure and honor." This way, she stepped in harm's way on her own and they'd have to fight it together.

"Perfect. It is settled." And with the clear command, Orion and Walburga Black followed the rest of the adults who weren't working at Hogwarts out the big mahon doors.

"What are you thinking, y/n?" Regulus hissed as soon as his parents - or any other pure blood - walked far enough to be out of hearing zone.

"I saw how they looked at you, my heart! I heard how they spoke! I'm not leaving you to that, what ever it may be."

"Y/n" Regulus sighed, moved by the witch's caring. Yes they have been friends since third years. Yes they started dating before the summer of their fifth. But love has always been a strange concept to him. His brother loved him, but he left him alone. His parents claim to love him, but they never shy from inflicting pain on him. He always had a feeling Kreacher loved him too, but the house elf would always report back to his mother, no matter the consequences.

So to have y/n proclaim she'd fight for him, with him, never leaving his side to misery and horrors, Regulus had no other choice but to declare himself defeated, crushed by the ever flowing, ever growing stream of love reciprocated exactly the same by her. She won before it even evolved in a proper argument.

°•▪︎~▪︎•°

"They only invited you because they think you are a french pure blood." The heir of the most noble and most ancient house of Black pulled y/n under Ravenclaw's tribunes at the Quidditch match. They played against the wisest young witches and wizards and won. Now, Hufflepuffs were on the field with Gryffindor to decide which houses would face each other in the finales before spring break.

"So you can be excused from not knowing some of the pure blood's ways in Britain. But they'd expect basic table manners and high etiquette." None of them had time to change, adamant in building the biggest scheme of their lives to the finest detail. Nothing was too insignificant. And everything had to be perfectly arranged.

"And we have to come up with a story. They will ask questions, a great deal of them. They'll be all over you, ready to smell the littlest hesitation or lie, like vultures at an injured animal's decaying wound." Sweat damped his black curls, hair sticking uncomfortably to his forehead. Y/n's own strands stuck to her neck itched the tender skin. Their cheeks still wore the marks of a heated game, flushed and burning. And their sport uniforms, normally loose and easy to move in, seemed glued to their bodies, so drenched in sweat that at a irregular interval the pair heard drops of it hitting the ground. All Regulus and y/n wanted was a long, relaxing bath, to get rid of the unpleasant smell and the sticky sensation. But what they needed to do was make sure they get everthing right for the dinner with his parents.

"Lovely."

"Sorry, cherié. I just- You have to know exactly what you agreed on."

"I know, my heart, I know. I got my story, I got my answers and I could have tea with the Queen at this point, that far into manners and etiquette I am."

Regulus smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes. Y/n continued. "What I would like to know is what happens next? If they like me, how are we going to keep the lie up and steady? Especially when your parents ought to learn the truth from one of our classmates. And what if they don't like me? Are we going to keep seeing each other in secret? Most likely your parents will have a list of more suitable brides at ready even at our dinner."

"I don't think so. You really impressed them, y/n. You managed to sway the whole room. They already like you, now we just have to keep it that way. As for what happens next, let's see how this dinner goes and decide after it."

"Trés bien, I suppose." Y/n sighed, unconvinced. The ticking clock announcing the last minutes of the game matched her thoughts as they came and pass before she could properly ponder over only one. They were all pretty much the same, anyway. Worry for being forcefully parted with her lover, reflected in his thined lips as well. Young as they may be, Regulus and y/n knew they were right for each other. More than a spark of love bloomed between them. It was a fire, forever growing, tended by both to feel the warmth of its flames. And the threat of losing it was like someone opened the window during a snow storm and all the heat died out, leaving them with bitter wind snapping their backs and snow coating and soaking them dead.

"I love you, Regulus Arcturus Black." Y/n suddenly said. She jumped in his arms that he barely had time to open for her and buried her head in his neck. She hugged him tight, continuing to breath on his cold skin. "I love you more than love itself and thousand lives from now I'll still love you!" Y/n brought her face up, pulling away just enough to look him in the eyes, but not stepping out of his embrace. She ran a finger through his damped hair, brushing it from his face as the wizard locked her own annoying loose strands behind her year with a gentle touch lingering at the back of her head. They smiled, soft, dreamy smiles of people who discovers a new wonder of the world and are completely taken by it. Except love has been around for ages, but everyone believes they discovered it. And what do we know? It may be just the case.

"Je t'aime aussi, my world." He whispered against her forehead, pressing a kiss on the fold of her rising brows. As y/n looked up, Regulus let his eyes travel south, roaming over her face, wishing to register every detail he was given access by the close proximity. She was doing the same when e/c eyes fell onto pink lips. His eyes darted on hers as well. And wasting no more than a jiffy to assure the sync in minds and bodies, y/n got up on her toes, his lips covering hers. The witch and the wizard reveled on the feeling of each other's mouth, eyes closed, willing their lungs to keep on longer, longer before demanding air.

When they pulled apart, a dizzy veil clouded their minds. The only clear thought: an impulse, a command for more. They obliged, heartfully. If the kiss before has been sweet and romantic, the product of two teens in love, this second one was desperate. Two caged souls, fighting invisible chains of society to fly to each other. Y/n and Regulus launched themselves on each other, clinging to clothes, hair, bodies to not fall off their feet at the impact. The force of it sent teeth clenching, lips parting for more access.

Kiss. Breath. Kiss. Breath. One after another like an infinite path of nature, Regulus and y/n remained under Ravenclaws stands until the Quidditch field emptied and sun begun to set.

When the feral need of simply knowing the other is still there. Of touching to make sure it's all real. Regulus pulled apart, trying to catch his breath. He wanted nothing more than to take y/n to an evening date. Let it stretch until morning, holding her close all night. If y/n's frown and delicate pout were any indications, she had the same ideas. But they both needed a bath, and rest. Y/n would leave in the morning with McGonagall and Slughorn and he had a dinner to plan.

"We've got this, cherié. I promise."

"Promises are heavy, my heart. But I'll take it. Let's do this."

°•▪︎~▪︎•°

Regulus paced up and down in front of the tapestry. Downstairs, he could hear his mother ordering the elves around with the same linear voice she used to disown his brother. Never show emotion, Regulus. She'd told him once. Not on your face, not in your gestures nor eyes. Don't even let it slip in your voice.

Walburga, like the rest of the pure blood community abide by that rule her whole life. As a boy, Regulus was often confused. He'd try to listen to his mother, but Sirius would drag him along in funny games that left him breathless with laugh. His older brother would speak to him with voice dipped in sarcasm, but he showed he cared. So Regulus couldn't appropriate the stole cold expertise required by his status to himself. Not properly.

Now, overcomed by doubts, Regulus wished more than ever he would have. Either that or gain his brother back to his side, at least for this dangerous con he started.

A low, yet sharp voice brought him out of his reverie. "Mistress Walburga sent Kreacher to call young Master Regulus in the dinning room. Immediately."

Regulus smiled at the house elf who practically raised him instead of his parents. "Thank you, Kreacher. I'm coming." And he did just that, fearing his mother temper and what'd mean for the little creature.

"Ah, Regulus. Good." Walburga greeted her youngest son. "Your father will arrive soon. How long until y/n is here? I do hope she won't be until Orion has time to settle."

"No, mother. Of course."

"Because that would be too early and highly improper for a pure blood young lady we are to welcome in the family."

"Don't worry, mother, y/n is the epitome of propriety. She will arrive later than father."

"But not too late, I assume."

"No, mother. Right on time, I swear."

Regulus begin to sweat lightly. Did his mother find out somehow? Was this all an act to catch y/n and hit him harsher, dragging the story along, letting him believe he fooled them? To his relief, the door opened and in stepped Orion Black.

"Good evening, dear. Hello, son." He handed his coat to the nearest house elf - who had to leap in a rush to take it - and approached the dinning room. "Why are we gathered here? I reckon y/n didn't arrive yet, am I right?"

"No, father. She's not here yet."

"The girl seems to have been given a good education so far. I only called Regulus here to offer his thoughts on the arrangements, since he knows our honor guest better than us."

Orion hummed his affirmation and left for the living room, leaving Regulus and Walburga to tend to last minute preparations. This might be the night that assures the family name's continuity. Everything had to be perfect.

Outside the intimidating house on the Grimmauld street number twelve, y/n rubbed her hands over her arms, doubts swirling in her mind. Even the architecture seemed dark and imposing. As if it knew her secret and wanted to out her. This is for Regulus. She'd say over and over again. And yourself. Your relationship. So, pull yourself together, y/n! She knocked.

A small, greyish magical creature opened the door, not without struggle y/n noticed. She caught herself right before leaning down and and handing her hand out for the house elf. She posed as a pure blood tonight, she can't afford to be nice.

"Kreacher is happy to welcome young Mistress y/n in the residence of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Black." To her credit as a first time actress, y/n did not flinch an inch at the title attributed to her. Instead, she half smiled, throw a "thank you" the elf's way and moved passed him in the house.

"Your coat?" She handed it to him carelessly, carrying herself with an attitude she despised in all of her classmates: nose up, chin out, shoulders too rolled back and spine stiff, owning the entire room as if it belonged to her.

"Right this way." Y/n followed Kreacher through a hallway packed with paintings and fragile looking pieces of art on display. It took every ounce of will she harbored to not gasp at the sight. So many details carved in the wood, such elegancy put together in a way that made it seem a parchment from 1473 belonged right next to a modern painting of what she supposed was Orion and Walburga's wedding and above a shiny sculpture of King Arthur, slayed by Morgana (y/n slightly recalled Regulus mentioning how proud his family was of their direct ties to the notorious witch; probably why they were so obsessed, more so than even other pure blood families, to keep their lineage intact).

But as much as the hallway left its mark on y/n, the living room couldn't be compared. The walls were tapped in a vivid dark green wallpaper, with gold threads creating complicated patterns. It seemed to start somewhere in the middle, with thin lines that got thicker the wider the spiral become. And the wider the spiral, the more complex the model got. The furnitures was made of a dark brown wood, ancient, but polished to novelty. It had gold splashed in layers on the corners, drifting into the patterns on the walls carefully. A fire brisked loudly inside the brick hearth, painted with a multitude of depictive episodes from turning events in the family's history. A round cabinet waited to be approached, so many drinks sitting on it, y/n could get drunk just watching it. And right in the middle of the huge room, moonlight beaming on it through the three large, ceiling height windows, stood a low table surrounded by a green velvet sofa and two chairs of the same material and color.

"Young Mistress y/n has arrived," Kreacher announced and drift away to his spot next to the drinking cabinet.

The muggleborn's welcome was different from person to person. Regulus jumped off the couch and almost ran to her before reminding himself where he was - why and most importantly with who. So he masked his eagerness by making a show of buttoning up his dark green vest, looping a little on his feet due to a wrinkle on the carpet and only then proceed to continue his way to his girlfriend.

If the wizard could have it his way, he'd scoop y/n in his arms, claim her mouth with burning longing and desire. He was forced to adopt a more suitable approach. Regulus grabbed y/n's waist with one hand, palm resting on the small of her back. He lightly pulled her in, still too much space between them for either of their liking, and brushed his lips over her cheek. "Welcome, y/n. It's good to have you."

"Thank you." She responded, smiling, bringing her hands up to rest on his elbows as she mimicked his earlier excuse of a kiss. The muggle born could feel the adults' eyes on her, judging her every move. She became self conscious and carefully to not touch Regulus more than what was deemed as appropriate, she stepped back.

Arm still around her, Regulus led her in front of the small table. His parents rose to shake her hand and motion for Kreacher to prepare their drinks. They too wear green. Y/n started to feel like she failed a test of some sort in her cream colored dress. Even the curtains were a light shade of the Slytherin color. "Two glasses of elf-made wine, Kreacher." Orion said. Then cast a look towards the pair seated on the sofa. "What would you like?"

Y/n glanced at Regulus, movement intentionally obvious. She studied hard for this dinner, harder than she would have for exams at school. But also, she really didn't know how to answer that question. Tea or coffee wouldn't sound fancy enough, water seemed to be out of question for now and she never tasted alcohol before. "Just some rootbear would be fine. Neither of us is of age yet, after all." Both parents seemed pleased by that.

Y/n accepted the glass and took a sip, spying on Walburga and Orion from the corners of her eyes. It was in vain as they had no reaction, as always, but Regulus seemed relieved by her side. Shoulders relaxed, though his palm never left her waist, an easy smile playing on his lips. She allowed her own to bloom and grow, thinking gleefully that she and her boyfriend managed just fine so far.

"How was your trip back, y/n?"

"Good, thank you. Relaxing, which really helped after a stresfull weekend. It was over before I knew it."

"I reckon the wizarding schools' meeting was a success."

"Yes, it was. Hogwarts qualified as the best yet again."

"That is wonderful new. Congratulations!" Orion spoke and y/n looked down in fake embarrassment, muttering a soft "thank you, monsieur."

"Tell us, y/n, where from France is your family?" If Orion, as the man of the house, took vital decisions and had the final world, Walburga's duties fell under a more subtle category. Beside offering an heir to the House and properly raising him in pure blood's values, the woman also had to be the host. Maintain polite conversation as the responsible one with social life.

"The city of Dijon, madame. Or, at least there is where I spent all my childhood. My grandparents live there and my parents were always rather encouraging me to spent time with them. But I never went anywhere else, unfortunately." Y/n read that it is always better to mix truth in whit the lies. The part with her grandparents living in the town was real. And she did visit them often. But the rest had to be adjusted to sound good for the Black's ears. She could have said Paris or Lion, big or important cities both for muggle and wizarding French. She could have said Le Havre, a huge pearl for economics. But she knew neither of them as well as she knew Dijon. And it wasn't unusual for pure bloods to reside at the country side in their elder years. Nor for parents to drop by their child and see to their affair.

"Truly unfortunate, yes. Your french is impeccable, though. No hint of country accent."

"Oui, bien sûr. My parents would have never allowed anything else."

Walburga nodded in agreement. "I had my sons learn french as well, to honor our family crest, Toujours pur. Only Regulus rose to the challenge."

"His accent is indeed remarkable, madame. I wouldn't be ashamed with yours either." Next to her, Regulus choked on his drink. A veritable Slytherin his girlfriend, praising him in front of his mother and complimenting Walburga with such ease to it sounded natural. She fit right in. Maybe now she made up for not wearing green.

"Are you alright, Regulus?" No sign of concern, though a hint of disappointment and a peck of annoyance snaked in his voice. Voice matched by the look in his wife's face.

"Yes, sorry. Please, continue."

"Perhaps Regulus could take you this summer. For a special occasion maybe. French is such a romantic country after all. And its quiet country side is perfect for young married couples." Orion suggested, earning a disbelief filled glance from his wife. Y/n stilled. The sham was going a little bit to great, it seemed. On Orion. Walburga was just polite, cold stone heart showing nothing but interest in giving her more tests to prove herself worthy of her son. No, not the son, but the family. The Black name and its legacy. Its heir.

"I would actually like that, father." Regulus smiled down at y/n. The muggle born witch almost smiled back. She shifted her head in the last moment, her warm gaze now fixed on the carpet's corner and prayed that her hair would be enough to cover the lack of blushing on her cheeks, yet revealing the shy stretch of her lips. This had to win over Walburga as well!

"Dinner is ready." Kreacher's voice ringed from the door. When did he move from the cabinet?

"Thank you, Kreacher. That would be all for now."

The elf bowed and retreated. Orion rose first from his chair, extending a bent arm to his wife, who took it graciously and begin walking towards the dinning room. Even if the adults weren't looking, Regulus and y/n repeated the movement. No risk is too small to sent the whole con to shreds.

Once they were all seated, Regulus and y/n face to face on opposite sides of the table, with his parents facing each other from the two heads of the table, Walburga restarted her interrogatory.

"Y/n, I have never heard your last name in my trips to France. I admit I don't know the entirety of the wizarding nobility across the sea. Would you be kind enough to enlighten me?"

"Of course, madame Black! My lineage can be tracked to the Big Revolution, when they played a major role in creating the wizarding Ministry of today. In fact, my father committed himself to track our name even farther, hoping for Ancient times. I am sorry to say his efforts so far has been futile, but we're still hoping."

"Extraordinary. What about your mother?"

"She keeps us all from falling apart. She studied at Académie de Magie Beauxbâtons, top of her class. She comes from a ship business family, sea side beauty. Both she and my father benefitted from the marriage."

"Excellent. Truly fantastic, y/n."

Regulus searched his mother's face for any sign of lie. But Walburga meant every word. Y/n did it. She swayed over his parents. And now they thought the Black family could earn a high position in french wizarding politics and a ship business if they marry him off to her. Of course, Regulus wouldn't mind that. And he had a feeling - probably hope - y/n wouldn't either. But he had no idea how to stretch their con so far. The wizard made a note to talk to his girlfriend about all of it later before forcing his attention back to what was being talked at the table.

Now y/n chewed on the roasted duck, laid on a bed of vegetables and served with a thin sauce that smelled like it contained some wine. The silence weighted heavy on him, so Regulus took over, giving his girl a chance to rest. Lying, if it doesn't seem so, is exhausting. The mind has to work non stop, to plot constantly and keep up with the story.

"Y/n and I are very sorry we kept our relationship from you, mother. Father. We didn't know the best way to act."

"Whatever do you mean, Regulus? Did I not teach you well enough the right course of action in courting a young lady?"

"You did. But the part of seeking her parent's approval has been rather hard. With them being in France, that's it. And since that is the first step, which I couldn't follow..."

"You skipped all the others as well."

"Well, that is quite alright. It's too late now to do anything about it. Are you serious about her?"

Regulus couldn't believe his years. She asked it now? In front of y/n? But the girl seemed to have expected it, her only reaction a light tape of the paper towel over her mouth.

"Yes! Yes I am very serious about y/n, mother." Walburga just nodded and turned to the young witch.

"Do your parents know about your relations with my son?"

"Yes."

"And what do they think of it?"

"Correspondence is not the easiest, madame, but I have mentioned Regulus so many times in my letters, they feel like they know him already. And are very happy with him." The young wizard hid his smile. He actually met y/n's parents last winter. They were marvelous, indulging him with patient, even when he'd make a fool of himself from not knowing anything about muggle lives. Certainly that dinner, though not nearly as rich or sumptuous, had been by far the better. They laughed over shared stories, they'd talk over each other if there was something to add then leave the story unfinished until someone mentioned it again. But the chaos was heartful, warm. The food has been good, cooked by both y/n's mom and dad as she and Regulus helped set the table. They even had to wash the dishes later, while her parents watched TV together. And even the work has been fun. He and y/n splashed water at each other, using the towels as weapons to pinch the other in a silly game. The winner being the one who could score the most towel hits.

"Very well, then. I assume this won’t come as a surprise to you, but I should like to meet them."

Regulus and y/n locked eyes in a swift, unnoticeable panic gaze. "Meet my parents, madame Black?"

"Of course, y/n. Don't you think it's the appropriate thing to do? If Regulus has already started courting you, and you responded to his advances, my husband and I should meet your parents." Walburga said, her voice flat, dripping with dander. She casted her trap net. And the young pair answer would dismantle or set in stone the dangerous con.

"Oui, bien sûr! That would be the natural course of events. But to plan such an important meeting would be tricky."

"I'm sure you understand, mother," Regulus cut in. "Y/n parents have their schedule and you have yours. By the time y/n'a owl gets to France and back, programs will most certainly be already different."

From his silent side of the table, Orion said "The kids are right, Walburga. I know I would hate so much paperwork for something that should be delightful."

"Very well, then. We can all wait until summer, then. When y/n will talk in person to Mr. and Mrs. y/l/n and message a convenient list of dates to Regulus. Is that alright?"

"It'a a wonderful idea, my dear." Orion did sound happy with the settlement, Regulus and y/n on the other hand had to force out an enthusiast they lacked. "Yes, mother." "Perfect, madame Black."

°•▪︎~▪︎•°

The dinner stretched out late into the night. Walburga and Orion insisted a fine, young lady cannot go back to Hogwarts alone. Even though Regulus offered to escort her home, his parents insisted on y/n sleeping at Grimmauld place.

So now, she stared at the night change a female house elf brought her laying on the neatly made bed. The room was bigger than her house in London's downtown. Where she actually lived with her parents after they all moved from France when she was just a baby.

The muggleborn paced around the bedroom, taking everything in, from the carefully carved details of the furniture's mahon wood, to the images depicted on the carpet (a renaissance era remake) and the heavy drapes that looped from the ceiling over the bed, matching the curtains by the window. Everything was either black or green, threaded with gold. Even the picture frames.

Speaking of, y/n noticed this room had more family photos on display: on top of the hearth, on the drawer, hanging on the wall facing the bed. She approached one and smiled at the two boys laughing as the taller one spined the younger in his arms.

"Me and Sirius, if you couldn't already tell." Regulus observed from behind, startling her.

"What the bloody hell, Regulus?" she whispered-yell.

"I'm sorry for barging in, cherié. I needed to see you - really see you" he added at her raised eyebrow. With an exaggerate sigh, y/n nodded. "I know what you mean. I hoped you'd come."

"Oh, did you, now?" The boy eyed her with a playful intensity.

The witch blushed, but laughed wholeheartedly. "Stop it, Regulus. We're in the same house with your parents."

He rolled his eyes and stepped closer, lifting her chin to his face and dropping a series of lingering kisses on her own. Y/n relaxed in his touch. Closing her eyes she allowed her body to surrender in his care, mind trailing off to content and pleasure. In a spur of burning want, she cupped his head with her palms, fingers spread to play with his hair, and kissed his mouth. "I missed you, my heart. So bloody much!"

Regulus hummed, his answer being to press their lips harder together, asking for more. That was all she waited for before parting her lips, throwing their tongues in a heated dance of love, longing and lust.

When oxygen demanded its rights over their lungs, the wizard and the witch pulled apart. Reluctantly. Before either could get carried away again, y/n asked: "there are a lot of photos in her". She breathed hard and fast and the words came out more as a hiss, but Regulus shook his head, too breathless to speak, and smiled brightly.

When he found his voice again, the pure blood informed y/n that the room used to be Sirius'. "Merlin's beard!" She exclaimed.

"No, it's fine. I didn't know he had all this pictures." There was something in his voice that pushed the muggleborn to squeeze his shoulder, urging him to accept her hug. "Really, I'm alright. Just..." Regulus trailed off, waving a hand around.

"Memories."

"Yeah."

"Which one is you?" She asked, force joy in her tone as she gracefully bounced towards one of the bigger pictures framed on the wall. The photo was black and white, two boys of the same height smiling, arms thrown around each other's necks. They both had the same expressive eyes, dimples in their crooked smiles, finely shaped jaw lines and cheekbones and soft lips.

"Shortest hair. It was taken last summer."

"What about in this one?" The girl tried to keep away from that touchy subject. She pointed a smaller frame on the drawer, a boy holding his wand up, inclined towards the sky as the other, much behind the first one, ran to keep up.

Regulus chuckled when he saw the moving photo his girlfriend stopped by. "Guess."

"Alright, this one." She showed the one running behind. Her boyfriend chuckled again. "Normally, you would be right. But that day I won't ever forget. Sirius and I bought a kite from a muggle store and we got so bored with no wind to lift it up. So I made it fly with magic. Sirius hadn't managed yet that spell, so for the first - and one of few - time, I was the one leading the game, and he was chasing after me. To my surprise, my brother didn't loose interest in the muggle toy and we'd often play with it when mother and father were away. He never bothered to learn the spell."

As Regulus spoke, a fond look covered the grey of his eyes, like a glass foil sliding over to keep tears at bay. His lips quivered in a small, tender lift upward. Y/n traced a finger over the happy boy with the wand, her own expression morphing in a deep nostalgy, a mixture of grief and glee.

"This is you as a baby?" She squacked a few moments later, when her gaze dropped to a frame depicting a three years old in a throne like chair, struggling to hold a baby in his tiny arms. The best part was the kid clearly wanted it, enjoyed it. It wasn't something ordered to him by Walburga or Orion. In fact, it seemed like something they would be pissed at.

Subtly, the young pure blood wiped tears yet to fall from his eyes and bursts in a hiccup laugh. "Yes, yes that's baby me."

"You were so adorable, my heart!"

"Stop it."

The teens allowed themselves some more seconds of merriment until they'd have to face the matter at hand. What will they do about the Blacks wanting to meet y/n's parents so soon as this summer? They might try to keep up the act, but how will they stop the rumor spreading, reaching the community of blood supremacists' ears and risking someone from Hogwarts to talk and blow it all off?

PART 2

~ can you tell I was watching Gilmore Girls when writing this

[itsubear]

Hopeless: ...... °hugs himself° thanks...

Welp, uh... If I remember correctly, last time we met was the day I've got assigned a psychologist.

After that I... stabbed one of my hands, I learned Wiz is a fu@#ing a$$hole, my friend Frisk died, Sci is not ok and he won't tell me why, and I almost got killed several times by a guy °he looks bittered°

Oh, and I will soon move to the surface, but as third wheel between my bro and his spider girlfriend.

...Let's not even talk about my inner problems. But, y'know, I'll try to slowly fix everything... hopefully...

Cascade sans: Hey Sci, Long time no see, How have you been?

Up to anything new?

Well I have a prostatic arm mow and probably strass from some stuff

[ranspuppyboy]

ok fr now

Songs that remind me of TR characters

no particular order or reason, it's just personal opinion

this is my epic comeback bc i spent too much time listening to music

Hanma "We just posted, getting crazy, living like this is so amazing"

Koko "I got a real big heart that I′m willing to hide. You ask me what I want from life, I said to make a lotta money and feel dead inside"

Inui "Affections are just 'high' to throw away, skinning away that precious memory, but if you regret this 'low-life', shall a summer with a hopeless wish come"

Izana "When you laugh admirably, all of my pain disappears and I’m able to die clumsily, my bitter feelings fading too"

Baji "Cry, Lie, let’s meet again in the next life. I’ll live happily at the end at least"

Kazutora "You, dyed orange, will melt into darkness before long. Though time passes, my anguish will not disappear."

Mikey "I am calling all of my friends to pull me out from this hole, but they're so caught up in their own shit, and I'm so caught up in my own shit. Worlds collapsing all inward"

Emma "But my feelings someday will be conveyed across. I will eventually be woken up from this dream right? A blue shadow sways into a street corner"

Takemichi "And so, I called out to person after person, and turned each of them away, even as I myself have nobody to share my own pain with"

Mikey (again bc i said so) "Speaking louder in my own voice. Blocked by the voice of a demon inside. I act coy and I play nice. Only to die on the inside"

[susartwork]

So HT wiz how's your time with your bro