#I did my best to translate to english I hope its enough

[satellite-evans]

best friends

Pairing: Lando Norris x reader

Summary: Lando becomes best friends with your daughter after taking care of her when she's sick <3

Word count: 4.6k+

Warnings: fluff

A/N:

English is not my first language, so I apologize if I made any (grammar) mistakes. Feedback, requests, talks, vents, recommendations or just simple questions are always welcome.

Happy reading xxx

I do NOT give permission for my work to be translated or reposted on here or any other site.

It was one of those rainy mornings when everything seemed to move in slow motion. The sky was a dull shade of gray, and raindrops trickled down the windowpane, blurring the outside world into a watercolor painting. The sound of distant thunder rolled through the air, a reminder that the storm had settled in for the day.

You stood in your living room, fingers wrapped around a warm cup of coffee, the steam curling up into the air like a ghost of comfort. The aroma was rich, but the exhaustion clinging to your bones made it hard to appreciate. You took a slow sip, hoping the caffeine would work some magic, but the fatigue from the sleepless night refused to loosen its grip.

On the couch, your four-year-old daughter, Sophie, was curled up beneath a thick blanket, her tiny form barely stirring. Her usually bright, mischievous eyes were shut tight, her breathing soft but uneven. Her cheeks were flushed with fever, her little hands gripping the edge of the blanket like it was the only thing tethering her to comfort.

You exhaled, rubbing a hand over your face. The night had been long—hours spent checking her temperature, pressing cool cloths to her forehead, whispering reassurances into the dark. She had tossed and turned, whimpering in her sleep, too warm, too restless, too sick to find peace. And now, in the quiet of the morning, you were running on fumes, your body heavy with exhaustion, but there was no choice.

You couldn’t call in sick. Not again.

Your boss had been understanding the last time, but you knew there was only so much flexibility they could offer. And as much as you hated it, bills didn’t pause for feverish nights or exhausted single mothers. You had to push through. That’s what you always did.

Your gaze flickered to the clock. Less than an hour before your meeting.

Your stomach tightened as reality settled in—there was no way you could leave Sophie alone, not like this. The thought of walking out that door while she lay there, weak and vulnerable, made your chest ache with guilt. But what choice did you have?

You chewed your lip, fingers tightening around your phone. There was one person who might be able to help. Someone you weren’t sure you could ask yet.

Lando.

Your relationship was still new, fresh enough that you hesitated before burdening him with something this big. But he had always been kind, always made you feel like you weren’t alone in this, even when you were too scared to believe it. And right now, you needed help.

You took a breath and started typing.

Hey, Lando… Sophie is really sick today, and I have to go to work. I know this might be a lot, but… I don’t know who else to ask. Would you be able to help out for a bit? xxx

Your thumb hovered over the send button for a second, doubt creeping in. Was this too much? Would he feel obligated? Would this change things between you?

But there was no time to second-guess. You pressed send.

The seconds stretched unbearably as you waited for his response. You took another sip of coffee, your throat tight, your mind racing through backup plans—plans you didn’t have. Your gaze drifted back to Sophie, her small frame so fragile, her body lost in the folds of the blanket. She needed you. But she also needed the roof over her head, the food on her plate, the security you worked so hard to provide.

Then, finally, the ping of a message.

Your heart jumped as you unlocked your phone, your breath catching as you read his reply.

Don’t worry, I got you! I’ll take care of her. You’ve got nothing to stress about. I’ll be there in 10 minutes xxx

You let out a sigh of relief, but a small knot still formed in your stomach. The idea of leaving Sophie in someone else’s care, especially someone as new to your life as Lando, felt a little strange. It wasn’t that you didn’t trust him—you did. He had always been kind, patient, and effortlessly good with people. But Sophie wasn’t just anyone. She was your whole world, and handing over even a sliver of responsibility for her well-being wasn’t easy.

Still, you had no choice.

Not long after, a soft knock at the door broke through your anxious thoughts. You took a deep breath before opening it, finding Lando standing there, a concerned but reassuring smile on his face. He looked effortlessly casual in a hoodie and sweats, hands tucked into his pockets as if this was just another normal day.

“Hey,” he greeted, stepping inside. “How’s our little patient doing?”

You led him into the living room, where Sophie woke up and was curled up on the couch, watching TV with tired, glassy eyes. Although she was awake, she barely moved, fully focused on what was happening indient of her. The moment she saw Lando, she peeked up at him before quickly hiding her face in the folds of fabric, too shy to say anything.

You sighed, kneeling beside her and brushing her hair back gently. Her forehead was still too warm beneath your touch. “She’s still really warm,” you murmured, more to yourself than anyone else. Then, turning back to Lando, you handed him a small notepad filled with your rushed, yet meticulous, handwriting. “I wrote down everything you need to know.”

Lando took the notepad, his eyes scanning over it with careful focus as you continued.

“Her medicine is here—one dose every six hours. She won’t eat much when she’s sick, but she loves toast with honey and banana slices or the tomato soup in the fridge. She also only drinks apple juice or water, but try to get her to drink more water.”

Lando nodded, already taking mental notes. “Got it. Medicine, toast with honey and bananas, apple juice, and lots of water.”

You glanced down at Sophie, who remained silent but was clearly listening. “She likes Peppa Pig, but her favorite is Bluey,” you added, lowering your voice like it was a secret just for him.

At that, Lando chuckled. “Ah, a kid with taste. Oscar loves it too. Bluey it is.”

You smiled, appreciating how quickly he was absorbing everything. “She’s really shy at first, but once she warms up, she won’t stop talking.”

He grinned. “Challenge accepted.”

Your expression softened. “She also hates loud noises when she’s sick, so keep things quiet.” You hesitated before adding, “And… just call me if anything happens. Anything at all.”

“I will,” he assured you, his voice steady and certain. “You don’t have to worry. We’re going to be just fine.”

You wanted to believe that, and maybe you did, but leaving still felt wrong.

You turned back to Sophie, kneeling beside her once more. Her tiny frame barely shifted beneath the blanket, but when you smoothed her hair away from her face, she blinked up at you, her watery eyes full of unspoken words.

“I’ll be back soon, sweetheart,” you promised, pressing a gentle kiss to her warm forehead. “Be good for Lando, okay?”

Sophie’s lower lip trembled, and she clutched the blanket tighter. “I want you to stay,” she whispered, her voice barely more than a breath.

Your heart clenched painfully. You stroked her cheek, trying to fight the wave of guilt rising in your chest. “I know, baby,” you murmured. “I know. But I have to go to work, okay? Lando’s going to stay with you. He’s really nice, remember?”

She didn’t answer right away, her little fingers playing with the edge of the blanket. Then, slowly, she gave a tiny nod. It wasn’t much, but it was enough.

Lando crouched beside you, keeping his voice soft and light. “You know, Sophie, I was actually thinking I could use some help today.”

Sophie peeked at him through her lashes, wary but curious.

“You see,” he continued, as if sharing an important secret, “I don’t know the first thing about Bluey. And I heard you’re the expert. Think you can teach me?”

For a moment, there was nothing. But then, finally, Sophie nodded again, just a fraction more certain this time.

You let out a breath you hadn’t realized you were holding.

Giving her one last kiss on the forehead, you stood, grabbing your bag and coat. Before heading out the door, you turned to Lando one last time, meeting his gaze with quiet gratitude.

“Thank you,” you said softly, your voice thick with emotion.

His smile was warm, unwavering. “Anytime.”

For the first hour, Sophie was quiet, keeping her distance on the couch while Lando sat nearby. He didn’t push her to talk, didn’t try to force a connection—he simply sat beside her, arms resting casually on his knees, watching Bluey with an easy, relaxed expression.

The sound coming from the TV filled the quiet space between them, the rain outside creating a gentle rhythm against the windows. Every so often, he could feel her eyes on him—brief, cautious glances before she quickly looked away, burying herself deeper into her blanket.

Lando pretended not to notice at first, letting her come to him in her own time. But when he caught another quick peek out of the corner of his eye, he finally spoke, keeping his voice light and playful.

“You know,” he mused, as if sharing a secret, “I have a friend named Bluey.”

Sophie blinked at him, intrigued but skeptical. “You do?” she asked softly, her voice raspy from sleep.

“Yup,” he nodded, a grin tugging at his lips. “She’s blue, just like this Bluey, but she’s actually a little stuffed toy my friend keeps in his car for good luck.”

Sophie’s lips twitched, and then, to Lando’s delight, she giggled—a quiet, sleepy little laugh, but still, a laugh.

“That’s funny,” she murmured, curling further into the blanket.

Lando grinned, feeling the tension between them start to melt away.

A little while later, when Sophie’s tummy let out a small grumble, he took it as his cue.

“Sounds like someone’s ready for a snack,” he teased, standing up and stretching dramatically.

Sophie hesitated before nodding. “Toast,” she mumbled, rubbing at her tired eyes.

“Coming right up, ma’am,” Lando said with a playful salute, making her giggle again.

He moved into the kitchen, following the notes you had left. He spread a thin layer of honey over the warm toast, slicing up a banana just the way you had instructed. As he placed the plate in front of Sophie, he watched with amusement as she immediately picked at the crust first, nibbling at the edges before moving onto the softer center.

He tilted his head, noticing how familiar the habit seemed. Then it hit him.

“You eat your toast like your mommy does,” he remarked casually.

Sophie paused mid-bite, eyes flicking up to him in surprise. “Like mommy?”

Lando nodded. “Yup. First time I saw her do it, I thought maybe she was just being fancy. But now I know—it’s a family thing.”

Sophie seemed to like that answer because she grinned before taking another bite.

A few moments later, she pouted slightly as honey dripped onto her fingers. Lando reached for a wet napkin, handing it to her with an amused smirk.

“Sticky fingers, huh?” he teased.

She nodded solemnly, wiping her hands with small, deliberate movements. “Mommy doesn’t like sticky fingers either.”

Lando chuckled, leaning back into the couch. “You and your mommy are a lot alike, you know?”

At that, Sophie smiled—really smiled this time—and it was the kind of smile that made Lando’s chest feel unexpectedly full. She looked at him for a moment, her tiny body finally relaxing as if she had decided he was safe. Then, with a small yawn, she snuggled deeper into the blanket, inching closer to his side.

Just as her eyelids started to droop, she mumbled sleepily, “Mommy says you has pretty eyes.”

Lando’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, a slow smirk creeping onto his face. “Oh, really?”

Sophie nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. “She told her best friend, Louisa. She said they’re ‘so dreamy.’”

Lando chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. “Did she now?”

Sophie made a soft noise of agreement, already half-asleep. “She likes you.”

Lando’s heart swelled at her innocent words, warmth spreading through him in a way he hadn’t expected. He glanced down at her peaceful face, looking exactly like you.

Gently, he brushed a stray curl from her forehead and whispered, “I like her too.”

As the day stretched on, Sophie’s initial shyness melted away, replaced by giggles and small moments of trust.

At first, she was cautious—watching Lando out of the corner of her eye as he sat on the floor beside her tiny play area. But with patience and gentle encouragement, he managed to pull her into small activities. They built a pillow fort in the living room, carefully stacking cushions and draping a blanket overhead to create a cozy hideout.

“This is the best castle ever,” Lando announced dramatically, lying on his back inside their creation. “I think we should declare this as The Kingdom of Sophie.”

Sophie giggled, adjusting the stuffed animals she had lined up as “guards” at the fort’s entrance. “And you can be the knight,” she declared.

Lando gasped, clutching his chest. “Me? A knight? That’s a huge responsibility.” He leaned in with a conspiratorial whisper. “Do I get a sword?”

Sophie considered this very seriously before nodding. “But only a soft sword,” she said, picking up a plush toy and handing it to him. “No hitting, just protecting.”

Lando chuckled, accepting the stuffed animal with a solemn nod. “I will guard this kingdom with my life.”

After their castle adventures, Sophie pulled out her collection of books, choosing her favorites and snuggling into Lando’s side as he read to her. She listened intently, her little fingers playing with the hem of his hoodie while he brought each story to life with silly voices and exaggerated expressions.

“You’re funny,” she told him at one point, peeking up at him with a sleepy smile.

“I try to be,” Lando admitted. “But between you and me, I think you’re the funniest one here.”

She giggled again, clearly pleased.

Later in the afternoon, when her energy dipped, they settled at the coffee table for a quiet coloring session. Lando grabbed a handful of crayons while Sophie carefully worked on her masterpiece.

“What are you drawing?” he asked, peering over her shoulder.

Sophie held up the paper proudly, revealing a childlike drawing of three stick figures. One was clearly her, with curly scribbles for hair, another was you, and the last one—labeled “Lando” in wobbly letters—stood right beside you.

Lando’s heart clenched in the best way possible. “Wow,” he said, genuinely touched. “This might be the best drawing I’ve ever seen.”

Sophie beamed. “It’s Mommy and you! And me!”

“I love it,” he told her, nudging her playfully. “You’re a real artist, Soph.”

After a fun-filled afternoon of pillow forts, storybooks, and coloring, Lando noticed Sophie beginning to slow down. Her energy had dipped significantly, her tiny body slumping against the couch as she blinked sluggishly at the TV.

He frowned, reaching out to feel her forehead the way he had seen you do earlier. The warmth against his palm made his stomach twist uncomfortably—she was still running a fever.

“Alright, kiddo,” he murmured, brushing a stray curl away from her face. “Time for a little check-up.”

Sophie groaned, her response muffled by the blanket she had pulled up over her nose. “Noooo.”

Lando chuckled. “Come on, your mom left me very strict instructions to make sure you’re feeling okay. I don’t mess around when it comes to doctor duties.”

Sophie peeked out, her cheeks flushed from the fever. “Are you a real doctor?”

Lando gasped dramatically. “Excuse me? I’ll have you know I am Dr. Lando, and I am very serious about my job.” He reached for the thermometer you had left on the coffee table. “Now, open up, little miss.”

She pouted but obeyed, letting him slip the thermometer under her tongue. Lando sat patiently, watching the numbers climb before it beeped. He pulled it out, checking the screen.

“Not bad, but still warm, Soph,” he murmured, concern flickering in his eyes.

Sophie just hummed sleepily, curling further into her blanket.

Lando glanced at the notepad of instructions you had left, then back at her. “Alright, first order of business—water. Your mom said you have to drink some, and I’d rather not get fired on my first day as a babysitter.”

Sophie groaned but didn’t argue when he grabbed her little cup of water and held it out to her.

“Just a few sips, okay?” he coaxed. “I’ll even let you have a super exclusive VIP sip while sitting in the fort.”

That got her attention. She let out a weak giggle before reaching for the cup with small, clumsy fingers. Lando helped guide it to her lips, watching as she took a few tiny sips before wrinkling her nose.

“Bleh,” she mumbled.

Lando smirked. “Not a water fan, huh?”

She shook her head, but Lando tapped the cup gently. “I get it, but we gotta make sure you don’t turn into a little raisin.”

Sophie giggled at that, taking one more sip before handing the cup back.

“Good job, kiddo,” he praised.

Next came the medicine, which was a slightly tougher battle.

“Noooo,” Sophie whined, pulling the blanket over her head when she saw Lando grabbing the small bottle.

Lando sighed, shaking his head. “C’mon, Soph. Your mom told me you have to take this.”

“Don’t wanna.”

“Okay, what if I take some too?” Lando bargained.

Sophie peeked out, squinting at him. “You don’t have a fever.”

“Yeah, but I feel like I could be getting one,” he said with mock seriousness. “Better to be safe, right?”

She stared at him for a moment, considering his words. “…Okay.”

Lando grinned in victory and poured the correct dose into the little plastic cup. He handed it to her, watching as she took it hesitantly before scrunching her face at the taste.

“Bleh,” she groaned again.

“Yeah, medicine’s the worst,” Lando agreed, setting the cup aside. “But you’re a champ.”

Satisfied that he had followed your instructions, he helped tuck her back into the couch, adjusting the blanket so she was snug and warm.

He sat beside her, ruffling her curls lightly. “Feeling any better?”

Sophie hummed, rubbing her eyes sleepily. “A little.”

“That’s good,” he murmured, watching as she yawned and curled closer to him. He reached for the remote, lowering the TV volume. “Alright, you just rest now, okay? I got you.”

Sophie peeked up at him, blinking slowly, her eyelids heavy with sleep. “Mommy was right,” she whispered, her voice thick with drowsiness.

Lando tilted his head, raising an eyebrow as he tried to hide a small smile. “About what?” he asked softly, not wanting to disturb the peaceful moment.

She yawned again, her tiny body curling further into the warmth of the blanket. “You’re nice,” she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper. “And you’re officially my new best friend.”

A warmth spread through Lando's chest, more than just the gentle feeling of Sophie’s innocent words. He smiled to himself, his fingers brushing a stray curl from her forehead as he whispered, “That’s an honor, kiddo. You’re my new best friend too.” His voice was so soft, so sincere, and Sophie’s breathing soon evened out, signaling that she was finally drifting into a peaceful sleep.

Lando stayed where he was, right by her side. The room was quiet, save for the soft sound of Sophie’s breathing. He glanced around the room, ensuring she was comfortable—making sure the blanket was tucked just right, keeping the environment as calm and secure as possible. He knew how much you’d want this—how much you’d want her to feel safe and loved.

And just as you walked through the door, everything around you seemed still, frozen in a sense of calm that made your heart swell in a way that took you by surprise. The living room was serene. The TV played softly in the background, a nature documentary flickering in the corner, but all your attention was drawn to the sight before you. There, curled up against Lando’s side, was Sophie—utterly content, her tiny hand resting trustingly on his arm. The sight was simple but perfect. She had found comfort in Lando's presence, just like she always found in yours.

You stopped in the doorway for a long moment, frozen by the unexpected tenderness of the scene. Lando moved with such deliberate care, adjusting the blanket around Sophie’s shoulders. He tucked it in gently, making sure she was warm and settled in, completely unaware of how much it all made your heart swell.

It was a moment of quiet beauty, and you couldn’t help but feel a soft rush of emotion rise in your chest.

Lando caught the sound of your footsteps and looked up. His lips curved into a quiet smile, one that spoke volumes without needing words. “Hey,” he whispered, careful not to disturb Sophie. “She did great today.”

You set down your bag, your voice warm with admiration. “Looks like you did too.” Your gaze softened as you looked at them, the scene too peaceful not to melt your heart.

Sophie stirred, the gentle sound of your voice pulling her from the last remnants of sleep. Her eyelids fluttered open, and she blinked a few times before her tired gaze landed on you. Her little voice was still thick with sleep when she murmured, “Mommy…”

You knelt down beside her, brushing a few stray curls from her forehead. “Hey, sweetheart. Did you have a good nap?” you asked softly, your heart full.

Sophie stretched slightly, but stayed nestled against Lando, unwilling to leave the safety of his side. Her eyes were still heavy with sleep as she spoke again, her words slow and deliberate. “Lando’s funny,” she said with a yawn. “And he said Bluey is his friend.”

You chuckled softly, amused by her observations. “Did he take good care of you?” you asked, a teasing smile tugging at your lips.

Sophie nodded, rubbing her eyes sleepily. “Mhm,” she murmured, her voice drowsy but content. “And…” She paused, clearly considering her next words carefully, before her face shifted into a mischievous little smile. “He has dreamy eyes. Just like you said.”

Your whole body locked up, the blood rushing to your cheeks in an instant. Your heart skipped, and your mouth went dry. Your mind raced as you scrambled for a response, but no words came out. Instead, you opened your mouth—then closed it—before finally opening it again, only to find yourself completely lost for words.

Lando, on the other hand, had zero plans of letting this moment pass without teasing you mercilessly.

His smirk spread slowly, his eyes glinting with amusement as he turned to you. “So… dreamy, huh?” he teased, his voice low and full of mischief.

You groaned, immediately burying your face in your hands. “Oh my God, Sophie,” you whined, your voice muffled by your palms. “I’m never speaking in front of her again.”

Lando chuckled, clearly enjoying every second of your embarrassment. “No, no,” he teased, “don’t stop now. I’m very interested in this topic.” His voice was playful, but there was a warmth in it that made you feel as though he wasn't teasing in a hurtful way—just in a way that made everything feel even more genuine.

You shot him a playful glare, your cheeks still burning with heat. “I hate you,” you muttered, but the words came out softer than intended.

Lando reached over and gently took your hand in his, his fingers squeezing yours. The teasing smile faded into something warmer, something more sincere. “Don’t worry,” he murmured, his voice low and tender. “I think it’s adorable.”

You exhaled, still flustered but unable to stop the smile that tugged at the corners of your mouth. It was impossible not to feel a little bit lighter with him beside you.

Lando lifted your hand and pressed a soft, playful kiss to your knuckles. “And just so you know,” he added, his voice dropping to a playful whisper, “I think your eyes are pretty dreamy too.”

Eventually, as much as you secretly didn’t want him to, Lando had to go. It was already getting late, and though Sophie had been asleep earlier, she was now awake and clinging to his hoodie with surprising strength for a four-year-old.

“Nooo,” she whined, her lower lip jutting out in the most dramatic pout. “Don’t go, stay.”

Lando smiled gently, crouching down to her level. “Hey, I’ll come back, okay? I promise.”

Sophie crossed her arms, her little face scrunching up in stubborn defiance. “Pinkie promise?”

Lando grinned, holding out his pinkie. “The strongest pinkie promise ever.”

She eyed him for a moment before looping her tiny pinkie around his. “You have to come back soon.”

“I will,” he assured her. “And next time, we’ll build an even bigger pillow fort.”

Sophie gasped as if that was the greatest thing she had ever heard. “With lights?”

Lando chuckled. “With lights. And a secret entrance. And maybe even some snacks.”

Sophie giggled, finally releasing his hoodie. “Okay… but don’t take too long.”

Lando ruffled her curls. “Deal.”

Sophie then turned to you and grabbed your hand. “Come, Mommy. You have to walk him to the door.”

Lando arched a brow, clearly amused. “Oh, do I get an escort?”

Sophie nodded seriously. “Mommy has to say goodbye properly.”

Your cheeks warmed again, but you didn’t argue, letting Sophie lead the way as the three of you walked to the door.

When you reached it, Sophie turned to Lando. “Bye-bye, Lando.”

He smiled, bending down to give her a quick hug. “Bye, kiddo. Sleep tight, okay?”

Sophie nodded before stepping back, watching intently as if she was expecting something.

Lando turned to you, his expression softening. “Thanks for trusting me with her today.”

You exhaled, offering him a small, genuine smile. “Thank you. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”

Lando took a small step closer, tilting his head slightly. “Anytime.”

For a moment, you both just stood there, caught in the quiet, comfortable tension between you.

And then, before you could second-guess yourself, you leaned up and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to his cheek.

Lando froze for half a second, his breath hitching ever so slightly—but when you pulled back, his lips stretched into the slowest, most heart-melting smile you had ever seen.

“Was that a thank-you?” he teased, though his voice was lower, warmer.

You laughed softly. “Maybe.”

His eyes flickered between yours, something unspoken passing between you, before he lifted a hand and gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear. His fingers lingered just a little longer than necessary.

“I really like being here,” he admitted quietly.

You swallowed, your heart skipping a beat. “I really like you being here.”

And then, before you could completely process it, Lando leaned in, brushing his lips against yours in a slow, tender kiss.

It was soft and warm, hesitant yet sure, the kind of kiss that left no doubt about where things were heading between you.

When he finally pulled away, his forehead rested lightly against yours, a quiet chuckle escaping him. “So… should I expect Sophie to tell you stuff about me too?”

You groaned, laughing against him. “Oh God, she totally will.”

Lando grinned, pressing one more quick kiss to your lips before pulling back. “Guess that’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

From behind you, Sophie giggled. “Mommy likes you sooo much.”

You buried your face in your hands. “Sophie.”

Lando only laughed, giving your hand one last squeeze before stepping outside. “See you soon.”

And as he walked down the path, you stood in the doorway with Sophie, watching him go—your heart already longing for the moment he would come back.

[linaslore]

h.s. | skinny dipping

a/n: i wrote this in two or three days after being stuck in a writer's block for some time and i have to admit, i'm pretty proud of it. it's a combination of different songs and bits and pieces of personal experiences as well. i hope you enjoy it!

warnings: some angst, language, slight mentions of bullying and parents' divorce. some details might be innacurate. english is not my first language. credits to the pics owners.

summary: harry and you used to be best friends when you were teenagers, but then you had a fight, which resulted in you drifting apart... until, years later, you bump into each other at a coffee shop. is it all water under the bridge now?

harry styles x f!reader.

🚫do NOT copy, translate or put my work thru an AI.

Moving was hard enough, but moving to another country? That was a whole new level. Understatement of the century, I know. 

You had moved to Madrid a couple of months ago to continue your studies in Literature and you were very happy with that decision. Why wouldn’t you be? It involved new people, learning and trying to communicate in a language that wasn’t yours, new food, new music… But this week… this week was tougher than others because it was tainted with homesickness – you missed your home in England. You missed your parents, your dogs, your best friends, you even missed your little brother, who got on your nerves most of the time, but you still loved him with all your heart, of course. Even though you had work and your studies to keep your mind busy, there was still a dark cloud above your head filled with nostalgia, loneliness, and sadness that followed you around. 

On Saturday morning, you woke up at 9 a.m., with faint sun rays peeking through your curtains, and, right there, you decided you didn’t want to be all mopey anymore. 

You grabbed your phone, opened the trains app and checked what it offered. You opted for buying tickets to a town called Chinchón – it was only one-hour away from Madrid and from the photos you saw on the Internet, it looked picturesque. Going on a one-day trip to a beautiful town, wandering through its streets full of history and interesting architecture, eating good food and getting some vitamin D was exactly what you needed to remedy your aching heart.

After having a shower, you got dressed in your usual comfortable outfit: a pair of black denim trousers, a white t-shirt and your favorite baby blue jumper. Trainers were a must on this occasion so you put on your black pair of Adidas. You went easy on the make up: a lick of mascara and a touch of pink glossy lip balm. You went for a classic braid and took out some strings of hair in the front to accentuate your face. 

Then, you proceeded to gather everything you might need for the day ahead: your purse, water bottle, some snacks for the train ride, your headphones, your sunglasses, the book you were currently reading, your journal, and some pens. 

Once you were all set, you stepped out of your house and went to the train station. You had a feeling today was going to be interesting.

And little did you know…

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

The train ride to Chinchón was smooth and uneventful. The rhythmic clatter of the wheels on the tracks provided a soothing background melody as you flipped through the pages of your book. As the train pulled into the station, you gathered your belongings and stepped out into the crisp air, greeted by the charming sight of Chinchón's rustic streets.

You wandered through the cobbled lanes, taking in the town's quaint beauty. You visited Plaza Mayor and the Torre del Reloj. As it was only 11.15 a.m.; the streets weren’t packed with people, but there still were some early risers who were enjoying the peacefulness of those surroundings.

Continuing your exploration, you found yourself drawn to a more commercial part of the town, where the smell of freshly baked bread and coffee teased your stomach and reminded you that you hadn't had a proper breakfast.

You entered this charming café called Loki, which had a husky dog on its logo and you got closer to the counter to place your order: un flat white y un rol de canela, por favor (a flat white and a cinnamon roll, please). You had learned to say that phrase in Spanish as if your life depended on it. Then, you sat on a small table near the window, so you could do some people-watching.

Once you got your drink and food, you took the warm mug with both hands and, sipping some coffee, you enjoyed the coziness it brought you. You savoured the first bites of the cinnamon roll as you watched the world go by from that spot by the window. The streets began to stir. A cheerful vendor moving around with a cart of vibrant flowers; two women chatting animatedly; a small group of children hurried along, and their parents following them around. You smiled to yourself at the simplicity of these everyday scenes.

When you were done with your breakfast, you put on your headphones to listen to some instrumental music and grabbed your journal to write whatever came to your mind. It was an activity that usually helped you organize your thoughts and make sense out of your emotions. And you have had your fair share of those recently.

You were so caught up in your journaling that you failed to notice how crowded the coffee shop had gotten in the last minutes. You removed the headphones from your ears and let some of the people’s talks and whispers get to you.

“¿Latte con leche de avena y un croissant de almendras para Harry?”, you hear one of the baristas call rather loudly. Your body stiffened and your heart skipped a few beats. 

There ought to be more than one person in the world that asks for an oat milk latte and an almond croissant and also named Harry. It can't be him, right? That would be far too much of a coincidence...

The music on your headphones stopped when you pressed the pause button on your phone screen. You slightly turned your head to scan the café without seeming too obvious. You take in the sound of the coffee machine hissing, the clinking of the ceramic cups, the bits and pieces of strangers’ conversations, but your mind was focused on finding out if this Harry was the one you were thinking about.

Then, the air got stuck on your throat when you finally spotted him. Well, not exactly him, his back. However, you had no doubts it was him – you could recognize his tall and built frame anywhere, from any angle. 

Putting your headphones on again, you pretended to be writing in your journal while you debated with yourself internally what you should do. You did know each other, but it’s been over a decade since the last time you saw him, a bit less since you last talked. You had heard some stuff about him on the news and you did follow each other on Instagram, but that was it. You were practically strangers, acquaintances if you were being a bit generous.

Should I approach him and say hello? Maybe I should keep my eyes glued to my journal, sip my coffee and pretend I have never seen him, or should I…?

“Y/N? Is that really you?”, a smooth yet husky voice interrupted your internal monologue – and so your body’s ability to perform basic functions such as breathing. 

You looked up and your eyes met his green ones. After all these years, he was standing there in front of you in a coffee shop in a random town. He had a wide smile on his face, like he was genuinely happy to see you. You couldn’t help but mirror the warmth in his expression as you rose from your seat to hug him.

“Hi, Harry”, you whispered into his ear once you were wrapped around his arms. You tried not to think much of how soothing that felt.

“It’s so good to see you”, he rubbed your softly back before stepping away. He hesitated for a moment, then gestured toward the empty seat opposite yours. “Do you mind if I…” 

You shook your head before he could finish his question, inviting him to join you. He happily obliged, and after taking a sip of his coffee, his gaze wandered back to you. His eyes softened, scanning your face.

“You have grown up, have you?”, he questioned teasingly, raising his eyebrows once or twice.

You felt how all the blood in your body suddenly rushed to your cheeks.

“Oh, you’re one to talk…”

He let out a laugh and took a bite from his beloved croissant. It was your turn to look at him. He looked different, yet the same. His signature curly hair wasn’t as long as it used to be, but some curls were slowly growing again. His boyish features were replaced with more mature, refined ones, and he now had a neatly-clipped beard and moustache. Despite all these changes, the face saw (and loved) every day for most of your teenage years was still there. 

“Of all the places in the world, after all these years, I find you here. Isn’t that amazing?” he pointed out, giving you a half-smile but his voice carried a hint of disbelief mixed with nostalgia.

“Yeah, what is THE Harry Styles doing in Chinchón anyway?”, you lowered your voice when mentioning his name. He was wearing a cap and sunglasses inside the café. Those were proof enough he didn’t want any public attention.

“I’m here to film a new music video. We start shooting in a couple of hours, but I wanted to enjoy the town before that, so I woke up earlier and started wandering around”, he made a pause to sip his coffee. “I don’t get much holidays these days, so I have to make the most out of these situations", hs mouth tightened into a thin line. "And what about you, THE Y/N Y/L/N?”, he inquired, mocking your teasing tone.

“I don’t have many holidays either. I’m doing a graduate degree and working a minimum-wage administrative job, so I just came here for the day", you shrugged. "I needed a break from my routine… And missing home was making it worse.” He shot you a questioning look, not fully understanding what you meant by that last part. “I’m currently living in Madrid. I haven’t been to Cheshire since the winter holidays”, you clarified, and he nodded, impressed but not surprised. You always had this love for constantly learning new things.

The irony of all this situation was certainly not missed by you. The day you decide to do a trip to take your mind off your hometown, the universe sends you a breathing reminder of your old life. You could have laughed out loud.

He seemed to have read your mind because he said: “Like Alanis Morrissette said, ‘life has a funny way of sneaking up on you’”.

You nodded while smiling at the quote he casually came up with. Memories of the younger versions of Harry and you listening to Jagged Little Pill in his old bedroom back in Holmes Chapel flooded your mind. You could almost see and feel the band posters on the walls and the faint scent of old books mixed with Harry’s go-to cologne. You hadn’t realized until now how deeply that particular combination was embedded in your head still to this day.

The conversation then drifted towards small talk about your families, your careers and other things in between. It goes without saying that Harry won the contest for wildest updates from someone you hadn't seen in a while. Being one of the biggest musicians on the planet did the trick.

“I'm sorry, love, but I have to get going”, he said, checking the time on his phone. “I'm never going to hear the end of it if I show up late for shooting", you both laughed. "Anyways, it was great to see you”.

You nodded, agreeing with him out loud, but a voice inside your head protested, slightly disappointed he couldn’t stay. 

“Why don’t you give me your number?”, he continued, his tone sweet yet insistent. “So we can meet again. On purpose this time”.

“I’d love to."

That came out quicker than you even realized. You ripped a piece of paper from your journal and wrote your phone number. As you handed it to him, your fingers brushed briefly, sparking a subtle tingle. He glanced down at the paper, gave you a smile that reached his eyes, and tucked it carefully into his trousers pocket. 

Then he looked up and said, “Next time, I promise I'll be all yours.”

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

One random Wednesday night, you were halfway through studying for your exams when the screen of your phone lit up, indicating you had received a notification. It was a text from an unknown number. 

Unknown: I’ve been trying to figure out how to start this conversation in a witty, non-awkward manner, but it turns out I’m terrible. So I will play it safe: Hey, it’s Harry.

The so-called butterflies appeared on your stomach, and a foreign feeling of relief rushed through you. You forgot to ask for his number that day back in Chinchón, so you had no other choice but to hope he’d reach out. You started typing an answer shortly after saving his contact.

You: I agree, not one of your strongest suits, but it’s ok. Hi, H.

Harry: It’s been a long time since anyone has called me that. 

You: Well, you practically forced me to do it. According to teenage Harry, it was “waaayyy cooler and mysterious”🙄

Harry: Teenage Harry had a lot of questionable ideas. I guess “H” was not that bad, was it?

You: It had its charm, yes. But if I’m being honest, at the time I only agreed to do it just to humour me.

Harry: I’m going to pretend you’ve never said that last thing 😔

You: By all means. Denial has always been your thing.

Harry: Ouch, don’t get all sassy on me, Y/N. Or I might start calling you “pumpkin” again 👀.

You let out a laugh. He gave you that nickname after an incident with a spray tan. You actually cringed at the memory of how orange your skin looked. That scene on Friends with Ross’ tan was nothing compared to you. And of course, Harry being Harry hadn’t spared you one second.

You: And here I thought I was meeting a more mature version of yourself.

Harry: That’s wishful thinking, love. Now that I think about it, I didn’t get to call you “pumpkin” enough. It was quickly replaced by “dottie”. 

You audibly groaned, feeling the weight of Harry's teasing. You could practically sense his wide grin shining through his texts.

You: Oh, bloody hell. When are you letting that go?🙄

Harry: Never ever 😈 The image of you arriving at school wearing that polka-dot dress with the matching polka-dot leggins is forever embedded into my brain. 

You: It’s not my fault the 2000s had questionable fashion trends.

Harry: Can’t argue with that, dottie 🤷‍♂️

You rolled your eyes, but in reality, you were enjoying this conversation a bit too much. You were about to type your response when the three bubbles appeared again, so you waited for Harry to finish sending his following text.

Harry: For the record, I missed you. Being able to talk and tease each other like this. Feels like no time has passed.

You: Aw, look at you, all older and more sentimental 🥹

Harry: Oh, come on. Can’t a guy show his emotions without being roasted? 😠

You: Ugh, fine. For the record, I missed you too. But don’t let it go to your head.

Harry: Too late, pumpkin 😏

Ever since that night, Harry and you talked nearly every day — you texted, you talked on the phone and on some occasions, you even facedtimed. He was spending most of his days in the US, working on his new music. Meanwhile, you were buried in your books, studying for the upcoming finals, while balancing it with your assistant job. Despite the distance between the two of you, your conversations flowed effortlessly.

Reconnecting with Harry was hands down one of the best things that happened that year; however, you couldn’t deny it also reopened some old wounds from one of the most painful chapters of your life: the moment you fell out of touch. It may sound dramatic, exaggerated, but it hurt you so much more than any other break-up you have had, even to this day. 

You had been attached at the hip since you were little kids, living nearby in a small town, and all. Although you had other friends, he was your person, and you were his. He was your partner in crime in childhood adventures, and as you got older, your friendship developed into an unspoken understanding that no one else could match. He became your safe haven during the rocky waters of adolescence, always taking care of you, like that time he defended you from some bullies who had decided to pick a bone with you. 

And as you can imagine, the feeling of taking care of the other went both ways. You stood by his side when he was dealing with his parents divorce and even though you were just a little girl, you understood your best friend needed you and that he didn’t deserve to feel sad, so you invited him to your house every day to play with him or watch your favorite cartoons. 

You also had always encouraged Harry to follow his dreams, especially when it came to music. You didn’t like to brag, but you’d recognized his talent long before anyone else did, whether it was from hearing him sing along to the radio or humming melodies he’d made up in the moment. 

You had always admired him. You could never deny that the lines of your friendship were a bit blurred sometimes. Spending all this time together, sharing experiences, secrets, and interests, as well as seeing how beautiful he was (inside out) made you develop a crush on him. The fact that he was also your first kiss sealed the deal. It happened at a school party where your classmates suggested you play spin-the-bottle.

However, that was not it. You both were always very keen on physical displays of affection, so hugging, cuddling and holding hands in the most random situations were not foreign to you. So, how could anyone blame you for falling for him?

And deep down, you had a feeling he had felt the same, but neither of you had acted on it because your friendship had always come first. 

But then, The X-Factor came into the picture, and everything went south. You obviously supported him through every step of the way, in each and every audition, and you were the first one to find out the life-altering news: he was officially in One Direction.

Your mind later takes you to the memory of a quiet afternoon while you were lying on his bedroom floor, side by side, just hanging out, when he commented he was leaving for a tour through the UK and Ireland and that it also had prospects of expanding to the US and other parts of the world. You were on cloud nine for him; it was what he had always wanted.

Then he dropped the real bomb though — you still remember his exact words:

“Why don’t you come with me, Y/N?”, he asked shyly, in a whisper. “I don’t think I can stand being away from you for that long.” His fingers fidgeted with the hem of his shirt, a clear sign of his nervousness.

For a moment, you felt as if your heart would actually explode. You were thrilled to hear he would miss you so much that he wished you could accompany him. But then, reality sank in and you realized you actually couldn’t drop out of high school; your parents wouldn’t allow that. And besides, you had some dreams of your own that required you to stay there in England. You wanted to study for a university degree. You wanted to buy a house in Holmes Chapel. 

“Harry… I can’t go with you. My life is here, in Holmes Chapel. I can’t drop out of school for you. My parents won’t let me…”, you turned around to face him. “And besides, I want to stay here… I have some dreams of my own, you know.”

“I thought you would be by my side, no matter what”, he frowned, his gaze fixed on the ceiling, as if it would offer him any kind of consolation.

“That’s not fair, Harry. Being a musician has always been your dream, not mine. I want to stay here and go to college to study Literature.” You could feel anger boiling up inside of you. How could he just give you that low punch, after everything you’ve been through? “Just because I have different ambitions than you doesn’t mean I support you less or that I’m not happy for you.”

The way he just stayed there, without moving an inch to see eye to eye, either literally or figuratively, made you angrier. You got up from the floor, with your whole body trembling. You realized you didn’t want to talk or see him for now, so without saying anything else, you stormed out of his room and he did nothing to stop you. His sudden indifference hurt you far more than any other accusations could.

The days that followed your argument were filled with a heavy atmosphere. You talked to each other at school, but nothing more than what was necessary and you didn’t hang out much; only when other friends were present. You hated how forced everything felt. And it hurt like a shot to the heart. And worst of all was that the solution was pretty simple: talk to him to make him understand it wasn’t him, it was you, as cliché as it sounded, and that you wished him the best, and that’s it. But even from an early age, you both have had strong egos, so you wouldn’t talk to him unless he approached you, mainly because you felt he was the one who should start the conversation with an apology for the way he acted.

And then, just like that, the day he was was leaving finally arrived. Your mom casually met Anne in the supermarket that morning. She went there to buy some last-minute stuff that Harry needed, and she mentioned he was leaving that afternoon.

So, when your mum told you the news, you decided to swallow your pride and go to his house. You found him loading his bags in the car. You called his name, and he turned with a strange expression on his face, as if he was being caught doing something he shouldn't.

He was going to leave without saying goodbye? Without stopping by your house to see you one last time? The hurt on your face was not missed by Harry when the realization came down on you.

Despite all that, you forced a smile.

“I guess this is it…” You wanted to say so much. You wanted to tell him you were sorry for the fight, that you’d always support him, that you hoped this was the beginning of something amazing for him. But all you managed was, “Well, good luck, H.” 

“Thanks, Y/N.”

You could see something flicker through his eyes, and he got closer to you, opening his arms, inviting you into a hug. You swallowed your tears and obliged. “I’m going to miss you”, he finally admitted in a whisper.

“Me too.” You took advantage of the moment to slide a small piece of paper into the pocket of his jacket. 

“Harry, are you ready?”, Anne appeared at the front door, with her own bag and the car keys in her hands. 

“Yeah, all set.”, he pulled away from your arms and gave you a half smile.

Anne greeted you with a kiss on the cheek and got into the driver’s seat. Harry looked at you one last time and got into the passenger seat, not before letting out a sigh.

You can imagine how the rest played out. Watching Harry leave was hard enough… accepting he was gone, though? That was a whole different story. The physical absence wasn't the main problem; the worst part was the void he left in your daily life. Those moments where you’d spend time together, laugh together, share unspoken glances, or even argue about the silliest things had become glaring gaps in your world. It felt like living in a house where someone had removed a wall, and suddenly, all the rooms were exposed and fragile. And despite all your efforts, trying to replicate that connection with other people didn't feel right – it felt impossible.

But the pain wasn't just about missing him. It was the blandness of your goodbye.

You regretted leaving things as tense as you did; that silly teenage argument was the cause of the dilution of your beautiful friendship. After that day, you talked a few times here and there, but nothing had ever felt the same. The timezone differences and the different life rhythms you had were also other factors. So, the texts and the calls became fewer and farther between and felt more awkward each time, until eventually, they faded entirely. 

Your phone vibrating with a call brought you back from the trip down memory lane. You couldn’t help but smile at the contact name appearing on the screen.

“Hi, H.”, you answered with a warmth in your voice that you even surprised yourself. 

“Hey, pumpkin. How are you doing?”

“Can’t complain, honestly. You?”

“I can complain…”, he paused dramatically and then shot back. “And actually, I will.”

“Do tell. What’s troubling your poor soul?”

Despite the fact that you couldn't see him, he rolled his eyes at your teasing, but then a smile quickly formed on his face.

“I have to go back home next weekend for my cousin’s wedding.”

Your laugh came out without any warning, and you unconsciously covered your mouth with one of your hands. To Harry, it was one of the most beautiful sounds he had heard in a while.

“Oh, who has suffered more? Jesus or Harry Styles?”

“Spare me, pumpkin. That’s not the real issue though. The thing is…”, he cleared his throat, his tone became more casual… maybe too casual, as if he was about to recite something he had been rehearsing. “You have always been better at picking formal outfits than me, so I was thinking… why don’t you come with me and help me not to embarrass myself in front of my whole family?”

“H, are you serious? You have an entire team of highly qualified people whose bread and butter is to keep you from looking like a mess.”

“That is true… but what's also true is…”, he sighed defeatedly. “I want you to go with me. You know I love my family but they can be a lot sometimes. And my mum and Gemma also want to see you. And I remember you mentioned missing your family too, so... We can even go to the Yellow Broom for burgers and fries for old times’ sake, but please, come with me."

The weight of his words came down on you all of a sudden. Harry was practically begging you to go with him; the prospects of seeing Anne and Gemma, whom you loved; and your parents as well; the thought of burgers and fries from your favourite place ever. You bit your lip, your heart rate picking up, buzzing with this new information. But then, the insecurities striked back.

“I don’t know, Harry”, you said softly, tracing the edges of your phone with your fingers. You wanted to accept his offer, but all these harbored feelings and unresolved matters were a ticking bomb. “We’re not who we used to be.” If it weren’t for your serious tone, he would have laughed at your choice of words. “What if things don’t feel the same anymore?”, you questioned him, defeat hit your voice as well. You truly enjoyed reconnecting with him, but you couldn’t avoid not bringing up the past, not anymore. It was your elephant in the room.

“I know were not the same, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing, right?” 

There was a silence on your end of the line, so Harry took the chance to continue expressing his point of view.

“Look. I had been mentally kicking myself in the groin every single day at how I handled things that afternoon. If I could go back in time, I’d do it completely differently, believe me, but I can’t. I was just a kid going through a lot of stress, and I messed up, and I hated how we drifted away from each other. And I tried to reach out again, but I didn’t know how, and everything came out forced and weird, and I was also afraid you’d hate me, so I ended up doing nothing.” He paused to gather some air and then continued with his confession. “But the other day, when I saw you in Chinchón, something inside my brain clicked. Call it whatever you want, God, the universe, fate, a mere coincidence, but it reopened some doors I was forced to close. All our memories came rushing back, and while I was shooting my music video, all I could think about was you and how much I’d missed you.”

You swallowed hard, his words hitting you square in the chest. Part of you wanted to let go of all the doubts and fall back into the familiarity and warmth of Harry’s presence. But the other was trembling with fear at the possibility of feeling abandoned again.

“I know it’s maybe too much to ask, but if you do decide to accompany me, we’d have the chance to figure out who we are and what we can be now.”

You stood there, holding onto your phone, letting Harry’s words sink in. You closed your eyes in an attempt to suppress the tears that were threatening to spill. However, these weren’t sad tears; these tears were filled with relief, with joy. The road not taken looked really good now. 

“H… Ok. I’ll go with you.”

☀︎ the end!!!!! at first I thought of writing it as a one shot, but I got so excited to share this with you, that I decided to split it into two parts. i hope you enjoyed it. i had so much fun writing it. and of course, as always, i'd love to read your thoughts 💗

[w0rmm1lk]

I saw that you were receiving requests and I was wondering if you could write a Bakugou x male reader angst (both adults and married if possible, but it doesn't necessarily have to be.) where they There's an argument and the reader leaves the house at night and comes back just a week later (because Bakugou said some bad things. I don't think he would do that but I love angst where the character almost literally has to kneel down and ask the reader for forgiveness 😭😭😭) I'm sorry if it's too detailed and forgive my English, I'm Brazilian and I'm using Google Translate ☠️... (oh! and with a happy ending please🥺)

Yayyy first request hehe

Summary: reader and bakugo got into a small argument about bakugo not being home enough due to his hero work, bakugo being himself the argument escalated into something worse.

reader: Male

other details: Hero!Bakugo, Readers job not mentioned (can be read as hero reader or other). It is mentioned that reader has a sibling but details about them are not specified.

warnings: angst-(fluff at end), swearing(its bakugo what did you expect) implied married reader and bakugo but not mentioned. Kinda ooc but I tried my best 🥲

You and bakugo had been together for quite some time. You first started the relationship when he was in his second year at UA, but you had known eachother since middle school. So of course you knew eachother very well, and were very close. Or well, as close as you can be with bakugo.

when you first got together he had been quite distant, but you understood. He wasn’t use to this kind of thing, yet it didn’t take him long to adjust. Long story short after he graduated you both ended up moving in together.

you had quickly gotten use to how much bakugo worked. He was so desperate to be the No.1 hero, and of course as his boyfriend/husband you supported him in that. Yet, sometimes you felt that he was more focused on that than you. He was rarely ever home leaving you to do most of the house work, including the laundry, dishes, buying groceries, ect. at first it wasn’t anything to worry about, you were mostly okay with it since you got to stay home most of the time, but sometimes it would get lonley. It was weird… you had been in a relationship for so long and even lived with him yet the house felt so empty and devoid of life. You thought that it was maybe a good idea to bring this up with bakugo. He would understand…right?

You ended up needing to stay up quite late that night waiting for him to return. He always worked overtime just to get his rank higher. He was already in the top ten… why did he worry so much…?

you felt a small jolt of surprise when you heard the front door unlock, sitting up you looked over to see bakugo. Despite being right there he didn’t seem to notice you.

“Katsuki..? Can we talk real quick?” You spoke, trying to seem calm. Despite this your heart was beating like crazy, it felt like some part of you was screaming to not bring up the issues. “Hm? Oh, you’re still awake.” He replied.. yet it seemed quite delayed.

“ah- yeah… but we need to talk.” He looked over with an annoyed expression. “Not right now.” His reply… shocked you to say the least. “Katsuki. It’s important. It’ll be quick I just need to—“ he cut you off with an annoyed sigh. “I said not right now Y/N.”

“This can’t really wait for later—“ he glared. “Do you not get what *not right now* means?” He raised his voice slightly as he spoke, his eyes piercing into your softer gaze. “It’ll be quick—! I swear.” You spoke, hoping that he would take a moment to sit down and hear you out.

he rolled his eyes tilting his head back letting out a dramatic sigh. “Fine. Let’s just get this over with.” I felt a bit of relief as he accepted. I waited a moment as he sat down on the couch beside me. “The hell do you want? It’s so goddamn late.” Despite him agreeing to speak it was clear how much he didn’t want to.

“i… I was thinking, could you maybe… try spending a bit more time at home…? I know how important your hero work is to you- and I don’t want to stop you from reaching your goal but… we haven’t really spent much time together in the last few months, and— I guess I’ve been kinda lonley…?”

he stared at you, his gaze not breaking for even a second as he spoke. You looked back as you finished, expecting him to understand, but instead you were met with a rather… interesting, expression.

his expression gave off the kinda mood of *are you being serious?*

“that’s what this was about? This is what was so fucking important you just had to talk about it right now?”

what he said… it almost hurt slightly. “What…? What do you mean? I think this is something that’s pretty important.” He rolled his eyes at your response. “Tch, I get how needy you are but I can’t just throw away all my work just for you.”

“what-? I- that’s not what I’m saying-! You’re only ever home at night after I’m asleep and you’re gone once I wake up! I’m not being needy! And asking to see you at least once everyday while living in the same house is not being needy!”

his expression made it clear he was pissed off. “Do you not realise how important my work is? How important it is for me to become no.1? Or does it all not matter to you?!” You stare at him in slight shock, it was weird how much he was misunderstanding the situation.

“that’s not what I mean! I just want to spend more time with you-! If I’m going to be stuck at home all day I at least want to see someone-! Especially you!”

“I can’t just throw away my work to spend my whole day with you! My life doesn’t revolve around you!” He stood up looking down at you.

“Katsuki! That’s not what I mean-! You—“ He cut you off. “If you think I can put everything aside just for you then— you’re mistaken.” There was an awkward silence in the room for just a moment. “You should just go.” You stared at him, your eyes locked onto eachother. “What…?” “Tch— I said you should go-!”

“Katsuki— what are you talking about?!”

“…. You know damn well what I mean.”

the silence started again lasting for a good twenty seconds. You could feel the tears building up yet not spilling. “Fine.” You stood up grabbing your phone and keys walking out the door. You didn’t know what to do but just listen.

you looked at your phone for just a moment before texting your sibling, you didn’t really have anywhere to stay so you hoped they would let you crash at their place for a bit. You stare at the small screen… it was late so you could only hope they were still awake to reply. The amount of relief you felt when your screen lit up and a small notification read

..”sure.”

the next few days passed by so painfully slow. You stared at your phone most the time just hoping to see a notification from Bakugo, some sort of apology, or just a check up. nothing.

it didn’t help that he was quite a popular hero, you couldn’t even watch the news without seeing him.

after a full week past without anything from him, you realise that this was most likley an end to your relationship. All these years thrown away simply because you couldn’t handle not being near him.

you picked up your phone hesitating before sending bakugo a simple message.

“im coming over to grab my stuff. Be there in 20.”

you looked as the message sent, of course he left you on read.

despite it only being a 20 minutes drive, it felt like hours. Your mind was racing, you were nervous, scared to see him. As you walked to the front door you hesitated standing there for a good 30 seconds before finally knocking.

your heart was beating fast as the front door opened. “…come in.” He spoke. He looked more tired than ever, if anything it was a surprise he was even home. You simply nodded, stepping inside. The house looked like shit. You weren’t thinking that to be rude, it genuine looked like bakugo wasn’t doing anything to take care of it.

“y/n i—“ he was cut off staring at you, as you gave him the same glare he sent you a week ago. He averted his eyes like he was holding back tears. “Please— let’s… let’s talk about this….?”

“…what is there to talk about. You made it clear how you feel.”

“i— I had some time to think… a… a lot of time and— i- im… Tch— im fucking sorry okay?!”

you continued to stare at him, though the apology was genuine, you were scared to accept. You didn’t want things to just go back to how they were before.

“please y/n i— I didn’t realise how much I need you.. you’re so god damn important to me… i… took you for granted.”

you stayed silent staring at him. It’s not that you were being rude, you simply didn’t know what to say. You could see the desperation in his eyes but didn’t expect him to start tearing up.

“Y/n… please don’t leave me-! I.. I need you… please…” you watched as he grasped your hands tears pouring down his face as he struggled to even breath.

“im sorry for everything I said I— I had so much time to think and… I didn’t have my priorities straight! So please let’s just… let’s talk over this okay…?”

without a word you lifted a hand up wiping the tears from bakugos eyes before resting a hand on his cheek. “You’ll do better this time right…? It won’t just go back to how it was before…?”

you could see a spark in his eyes now that you finally answered. “I promise-! I— it won’t happen again just— please— don’t leave me…”

you let out a soft sigh. “I won’t leave you. And… I forgive you.” You heald onto his hands gently for just a moment before he pulled you in holding you close.

“i… don’t know how I ever took a man like you for granted.”

(end)

[faun-the-fawn77]

Chapter 3 - "ℙ𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖 ℙ𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖 ℙ𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖"

"If you wanna go and be stupid, don't do it in front of me. If you don't wanna cry to my music, don't make me hate you prolifically"˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Word Count: 2.7k Chapter Warnings: swearing, bad music taste maybe, and that's about it! <Previous: Chapter 2 - Next: Chapter 4>

"It's on your pack thing, dumbass," Sanemi sneered at me. I glared at him, bringing my hand up to visibly flip him off while sticking my tongue out. Choosing to ignore the loud asshole to my right, I turned my attention back to Ubuyashiki. He was talking to his kids quietly before standing up, with the help of the black haired kid, and bowed a bit before slowing shuffling back into his manor. The others kneeled once again and wished him the best in their own ways.

"Alright dragon girl, what's up with all the weird objects in your pack." The raspy voice of the Wind Hashira caught my attention, looking to see the others holding various items from my hiking bag. Seeing my very fragile phone in the hands of Tengen almost sent me into cardiac arrest.

Snatching the delicate piece of technology from the large man, I glared up at him, pressing my phone to my chest.

"You can look at anything else, but this one is off limits!" I turned from the stunned Sound Hashira and quickly scuttled over to Mitsuri and Shinobu who were looking at my clothes and first aid kit.

I could see the concentration and then defeat flitter through Shinbou's lavender eyes as she tried to figure out what the contents of the rubbing alcohol bottle said in its facts tab. I bit my lip, glancing down at the small device in my hands before sighing and unlocking it. If I want to freak them out more, then I might as well get it over with.

Tapping on the Safari icon, I watched with bated breath to see if I could even translate the words on the bottle for her. The image of the home page of Safari popped up and with that I quickly looked for an accurate translator, not trusting Google Translate. More loading before it finally did load in with search results.

"YES!" I was too busy celebrating the fact that I had internet, slow but all the same, and didn't even take into account the multiple pairs of eyes on me. Finding a site that most likely was accurate, I walked over to the butterfly girl and crouched next to her.

"I hope this works..." I mumbled to myself. Holding up the bottle with the facts tab faced towards me, I made sure it was all in view of the camera. I watched as it loaded and sure enough, a long string of kanji appeared in a box. I smiled, turning to the perplexed Insect Hashira, and held up my phone for her to read.

I saw her eyes flit across the screen before landing on what I assume is the text. Hearing the gears in her head turn before clicking and seeing the light bulb shine above her, she snatched my phone from my hands to read it a bit better.

"What is that?" I didn't need to glance up to know who was asking the question.

"A cell phone. It's something I can use to talk to people who aren't right next to me but, it does a ton of other stuff as well. For example, translating the English on this bottle to, what I'm assuming is Kanji? Not entirely sure on that part..." The cold glass on my hand alerted my attention back to the woman in front of me.

I erased the image of the rubbing alcohol, switching it from English to Japanese. My keyboard turned into their alphabet, hoping she was wanting to talk, and handed the phone back to her. I scooted closer by her, showing that you have to tap on the letters to write out a word.

Quickly taking in the information, Shinobu typed surprisingly fast for someone who has never seen anything like a cell phone. The others started to silently walk up to our group of four to see what was capturing the attention of three Hashiras.

She presented the screen for me to read the English translation.

'This device is amazing! Something that can help us learn your language but also help you learn ours. With everything you know and every new medical thing you keep in that box, I know you will be of immense help to us. I was skeptical of you at first but, seeing how helpful you've been with the information you have given us, I know not to be suspicious anymore. With this device, we can communicate more without the use of a translator at our beck and call.'

I smiled at the message. I wrote her a quick thank you back and told her I would try my best to help. I quickly showed her the microphone button so she didn't have to type everything out which made her smile just a bit more genuinely.

Speaking into my phone's speakers, I played my translated message to the group.

'Hello everyone! This device will help us communicate better without the use of an in person translator! I'm hoping that I will learn enough of your language in the future that I won't need this anymore but I also hope you learn enough of mine as well for us both to be comfortable. I'm sure you have tons of questions about the items in pack and I would love to answer but right now I am exhausted and would really like to rest up a bit. If you need me, I'll be at Butterfly Manor.'

I don't think I'll ever get over the awe on these strong and powerful people. I giggled a bit, making sure my hand was covering my mouth, and turned to Shinobu. She and Mitsuri helped me pack my stuff up once more. Mitsuri tapped your shoulder before gesturing to your phone with an exciting smile.

'It's so lovely to be able to talk to you now! Even if it is through something so strange, I'm hoping we can be friends! The clothes you have in your pack are strange but look so comfortable! You'll have to draw me images of what clothes from your place looks like!'

I grinned before typing out: 'Even better idea: I have pictures on this device as well! I can also take pictures with it! I'll show you!'

Seeing her read through the message, I switched to the camera app and flipped the camera to selfie mode. I held up my arm, making sure Mitsuri's cute and awed face was in frame, before smiling and taking a picture. I pulled it up to show her, seeing her eyes light up even more.

'We can take more when I'm rested up. I should get going before I accidentally make Shinobu mad.'

Waving goodbye to everyone, I followed behind Shinobu and the two Kakushis. I could feel my paranoia creeping up my spine so, without thinking, I pulled out my phone to play the first playlist of mine on Spotify.

Please Please Please by Sabrina Carpenter came from my speaker still dangling from my pack. I hummed along quietly, taking note of the tense reactions from the Kakushi. Shinobu glanced back a bit but ignored it.

It was long walk to the manor. Night time had fallen by the time the gates appeared and my playlist restarted with Please Please Please coming from the speaker once again. I paused my music so I didn't disturb any patients or occupants resting. Following Shinobu down a couple hallways before she stopped at a nicely decorated sliding door.

I could almost feel my jaw hit the floor at the beautiful decor inside. The room had a very homey feel to it. Plants were a bit everywhere, candles unlit on certain surfaces and the bed looked comfortable enough to melt in. I turned to thank Shinobu who was happy to lend me the space. She left with a quick goodbye so I could settle in.

Placing my pack down by the very Japanese bed, I flopped down on the cushiony mattress. It felt like Heaven. I didn't have anything to change into for the time being, so I got situated in bed before turning to grab my life li- I mean phone and turning the music down so I could hear it. If I sleep with no noise playing, I can feel the paranoia start to creep up my spine and grab hold of every thought so, music was a better option.

Yawning once again, I turned to my side and let my thoughts drift away, the sound of Nickelback's song 'Far Away' lulling me to sleep.

Whispered voices that were getting awefully annoynig at this point had roused me from a nice sleep. Turning to glare at the intruders, I could see a blur of blonde, black and brown peaking in through the doorway.

I huffed, sitting up and rubbing my eyes, hoping a contact doesn't fall out. The whispering stopped. I glanced back at the door again to see three pairs of curious eyes looking right at me.

Motioning them in, I could see Tanjiro tentatively open the sliding door further before slowly taking a seat a respectful distance away. Zenitsu and Inosuke plopped right next to the Sun Breather. I picked up my phone, noticing the battery has stayed at a solid 79% since yesterday afternoon, before opening up to the translator.

'I know you have questions. You will go one at a time speaking into this.'

Once translated for all of them to hear, I could see the internal battles between the three of deciding who gets to go first. I simply smiled before pointing at Tanjiro, who looked like he was about to combust on the spot.

'What was that techinque you used back in the mountain?'

Starting off strong. I explained to Tanjiro and company that I couldn't even remember that bit. When Sanemi had brought up the technique word for word, the world's worst migraine seemed to have invaded my head. It's like mild amnesia on my part but, knowing I have something to use in battle, I know I'll figure it out soon.

Questions upon questions were answered which ranged from "How can you wear something so immodest?" to "How many monsters have you slaughtered in your place of living?" While it was fun to answer their questions, the grumbling in my stomach was beginning to gnaw at me. Gently patting them on their heads, I lead them out and told them I would answer more later.

Sighing a bit loudly, I dug for my toiletry bag only to remember it was the one thing I didn't pack for my hike up to the lake. Huffing once more, I glanced around the room a bit before landing my gaze on a vanity. Standing up, I walked over to see a beautifully carved hairbrush with other hair accessories placed neatly on the surface. I grabbed the hairbrush gently, before brushing out my hair. After getting the tangles out, I brushed my fingers through it and settled on trying to use one of the hair pins resting on the white, pristine surface of the vanity.

"I don't even know what to do with my dirty and shredded clothes..." Once I uttered those words, a ball of energy burst through the sliding door. Three young girls, who all looked identical, were staring up at you.

Waving a bit, you could see the smiles replace the nervous frowns on their chubby faces. I watched as they raced to the wonderfully crafted wardrobe in the corner of the room. I felt my mouth dry at the detailed articles of clothing hanging up in the dark brown cabinet. The arguing voices of the girls was enough for me to start getting nervous at the thought of wearing something expensive. While I did own a few rare things that I don't use, clothing was a different story.

A soft pastel orange and white invaded my vision as something heavy fell over my head of newly brushed hair. I pulled the fabric off to see most of the clothing thrown about the room. I looked down at the one in my hand, seeing it fade from white to a soft orange. Branches of a tree that had red flowers were carefully sewn into the fabric.

'It suits you.'

The AI translator voice startled me from my overthinking mind to see Shinobu standing beside me. She set my phone back down, holding her hand out while gesturing to the piece of clothing you were gripping.

I stood up, feeling her hands guide me for my back to face her. She draped the heavy fabric over my shoulders, calling for the girls to help. I could feel my cheeks heat up from the embarrassment of others helping me dress.

With the last few details finished, I was spun to face the four. The triplets were squealing and pointing at me while Shinobu had the faintest smirk on her lips. Before I could get a word in, it dropped from her face to be replaced with that fake smile that was ever present.

'There's a couple people here who are eager to ask more questions.'

I internally groaned at the thought. I love these characters, I really do but, if I don't get food in my stomach before the questioning I will actually choke someone.

Mentioning that to Shinobu, I could see her smile crack into an amused grin. She, again, gestured for me to follow to what I assume is the dining area. Hopefully a hot meal and a cold drink will help with the nerves that are settled in the pit of your stomach.

Raised voices were slowly gaining loudness until you were practically shoved into a nice dining room that had a table long enough for 20 people to eat at. My feet stumbled a bit before I regained balance enough to whirl around and give Shinobu a piece of my mind only for her to smile and shut the door.

"SHINOBU!" I grasped my hair and groaned. I just wanted something to eat! I might as well have just snacked on granola bars.

Pouting, I turned to sit when I noticed Rengoku, Tengen, and Tomioka staring at me. Heat rushed to my cheeks at the thought of them seeing me have a tiny mental breakdown.

My smile wobbled a bit before I sat down and greeted them with the very little Japanese I picked up. A beaming smile made its way to Rengoku's face. I made sure my phone was open and out for them to use. Seeing Rengoku speak into a device that he'll never see get invented hurt my heart a bit. A pang of heartbreak hit me, covering up my moody feelings with a warm smile and replies to the loud Flame Hashira.

The feeling of eyes on me never left. I could see Tomioka looking at my phone with interest so it wasn't him. Tengen. I shot a quick look in his direction and, sure enough, he was staring right at me.

The look of utter confusion on his face made me want to ask him what was up. Even if I wanted to, he grabbed my phone before I could.

Instead of playing it out through AI voice over, he held the phone up for me to read.

'Why do you feel sad whenever you look at Rengoku?'

I froze in my seat. Shit. He was the Sound Hashira! He could hear even the faintest shift in my heartbeat. I couldn't answer. Not because I don't think he deserves to not know, but because I will cry like a baby at the image of Rengoku's smiling face full of blood in my mind.

'I will tell you when possible.'

I could see the answer didn't satisfy his curiosity. I turned back to Rengoku who was now animatedly talking into the speakers of my phone. I wonder if I could save him. With how everyone is talking about the breath style I used, maybe I could stop Akaza from damaging him that badly.

"(L/N)." The accent was heavy, like they weren't used to English. I looked up. Gulping, Tomioka was staring dead at me.

'I'm so cooked...'

After a long hiatus, I am back! I need to get back into the groove of writing again but hopefully I can get Chapter 4 out next week. It's inventory week at my store right now so I wont have much time till next week! Hope you all enjoy!

Taglist: @sleeplessnightandschool , @eris-rose-86

[writingquestionsanswered]

I'm planning on publishing my written fiction online in both Portuguese (my native language) and in English (the other language I speak which might help to share the story with more people), but something is worrying me.

I watched a movie where the a main character (a writer) had a book that wasn't popular and another character "translated" into her language (what she actually did was rewrite it as an erotic novel) and the book was super loved there (the readers didn't know the book was supposed to be different)

Sometimes I see artists who allow fans to share translations of their comics, but I'm concerned on what could happen if someone asked for permission to translate. Do you think it's worth the risk of someone making my story popular with something that goes against my values, like supporting disregard to a human right or making it erotic when it was supposed to be family-friendly?

Worried About Fan Translations

I want to be clear that this advice is specific to fiction published online versus e-books or print books, which are a different matter entirely. First and foremost, if you post a story online, give permission to a fan to translate it, and then they rewrite it into something else, that is plagiarism and a copyright violation, and you have every right to ask them to take it down. If they refuse to cooperate, you can threaten them with a lawsuit, even if you don't really have the means to follow through. That could be enough to get them to take it down. If not you can report them to the platform for stealing your work. You can also let your fans know that this person has stolen your work and to please block them or refuse to engage with them.

If you post a story online and are approached by a fan who asks to translate it into their native language, there are some things you can do to potentially protect yourself:

1 - Do not give them permission to post the translation on their own account. Thank them for their offer and let them know you're happy to let them translate the story, but they will need to e-mail it to you so you can have it vetted and post it on your own account with credit. Be clear that you do not give them permission to post a translation on their own account. That way, not only does it dissuade people who are only interested in plagiarism or benefiting off your hard work, it also means you keep full control of your story and its translations.

2 - Do your best to vet the translation. You can try to find a beta reader who is fluent in that language who can read it and make sure it's a good translation, though you'll likely have to pay them, which is worth it to make sure the translation is accurate. Or you could copy chunks of the story into Google Translate, which isn't a great translation service, but at least you'll see right away if the person has added erotica or written anything that's drastically different.

3 - Do your best to vet the translator. Another thing you can do is try to vet the translator. Ask them if they've ever translated a story before, and if so, ask them for examples. Look at their account and see if they have posted other translations or have posted links to translations. Investigate the authors of the stories they translated and see if there are any complaints. Read through the comments of the original story and the translation (you may again have to use Google Translate if it's a language you're not familiar with... not perfect, but just fine for this application...) are similar. If a lot of comments on the translation mention elements that aren't mentioned in the source story comments, that's a potential red flag.

I hope that helps!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

♦ Questions that violate my ask policies will be deleted! ♦ Please see my master list of top posts before asking ♦ Learn more about WQA here

[sweetestgirlintown111]

henry winter x reader

authors note: I decided to write for Henry Winter as way to get him out of my system, and this is the byproduct. While reading this please keep in mind that it's my first time publishing my work and that English isn't my first language that said of course, feedback is always appreciated so if you have any notes feel free to point them out in the notes or in my asks box. about the story, this won't be following the exact plot or timeline of the book, it's an academic rivals to lovers trope, I have 5 chapters written already and I think it safe to say that it is more of a slow burn, somethings id like to point out is that this fic handles the themes of Catholicism directly and child sexual abuse within it in an indirect manner so if you are uncomfortable with these topics I'd advise you to refrain from reading, of course, content warnings will be present to individual chapters including these topics, also there will be swearing, and I haven't yet decided if there will be smut in this piece, also in this fic I wont be using (Y/N) or any names for my character I also try to refrain from physical descriptions although female pronouns and anatomy are used. lastly, if you think this piece isn't for you please feel free to reach out and send prompts for one-shots or if you would like scenarios or ideas to include in this series, thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoy!

prologue |

Henry, stoic, cold, luring Henry. like a fire luring in moths, we were all ready to do as he pleased, convinced that in some way he always knew better. Maybe he did, maybe that's why all seven of us were so complaint, but me -I was so beyond them in that aspect I was fascinated with Henry Winter I would've gone happily to my demise if he ordered me to if it meant that he would be pleased with me.

I first saw Henry at Julian's office, before lessons had started I was there to ask for a schedule since I hadn't got one -the process of signing in to his class was very hard in itself but Julian was an old friend of my mom which was the main reason I got accepted- he was sitting on a couch listening to something Julian was saying that I unknowingly interrupted. he seemed huge at first glance tall with broad shoulders and hair so dark in contrast to the paleness of his skin and the shine of his blue eyes framed with a pair of old-fashioned round thick glasses, he was beautiful that much could be said. but he was also uninterested his glance almost dismissive that look he gave me the same look he’d give me plenty of times after that- a look that made me feel tiny which in comparison to him I was, and so naturally I made him the center of my life at the time. it wasn't so estranged of me to pick the one thing that I couldn't have easily and dig my claws into it, after all, I loved a challenge except this time I wouldn't be able to decide who won if either.

Ancient Greek, this dead language, so esoteric, so elite that naturally I gravitated towards it. at ten its hard to stand out -especially when going to an elite boarding school in the middle of Sweden, everyone's daddy was crazy rich, all the kids had ponies, and all the girls went to the best ballet academies thus nothing materialistic could make you special, so developing an obsessive interest in ancient and dead languages was not only sure to make you stand out but also get you the praise of your teachers, all the while being hard enough that any competition would give up on their own. so it became my niche, my specialty- and by the time I finished high school, it was an easy choice to go to Hampden, seeking an exclusive course of studies with a class of six other students.

although I always strove to stand out academically, I was never as bright socially, usually feeling more fitted with my translations, and maybe in my younger teens, it saddened me, to watch my classmates playing and having so much fun together, and not being able to join- not because they wouldn't let me but because I couldn't let myself. but that envy quickly faded, when plying around turned into partying, sex, heartbreak, and filthy drugs. not that I didn't indulge in substances from time to time, but it was never the cheap stuff and never on school grounds. and so that's how my teens came and were spent, books during school and books -with a little bit of drugs- during whatever break that would send me home.

Back to Hampden, our first class Julian gave us the time to get to know each other and get familiar with one another, going in i'd figured that Henry was the guy I had met earlier- and he had a friend that came with him, Edmund everyone called him Bunny, very chatty which was a striking difference to henry. Two other students were twins a boy, Charles, quite handsome, and the female version, Camilla, they were both boyish and had the same mannerisms they also both had slight southern accents. And then there was Francis, redheaded, tall scrawny, and very stylish indeed and seemed very friendly and inviting and lastly, there was Richard a Californian, quiet and shy. meeting with them was easy enough that it didn't feel dreadful and I quite enjoyed their company, being a bunch of weirdos I felt welcomed in a way, the time was spent discussing literature, ancient scriptures, and civilizations. they all seemed to know enough about the Greeks, Henry, in particular, made it clear that he was above them all when it came to knowing the ancient culture, for the first time in my life I felt like I was on par with someone in knowledge and for the first time as well I didn't feel threatened.

classes with Julian were what any seasoned student would want, he was challenging and inspiring, but having Henry as a competitor wasn't easy, while I was excited about the competition he never held back and it felt like it wasn't just academics we were fighting over but rather something else, the praise of Julian mainly, and I wasn't going to hold back either. I couldn't, even if I wanted to, my whole life the only thing that inspired me to work harder and be smarter was the validation of my teachers, being that I went to boarding school and didn't have the strongest relationship with either of my parents, id turn to whichever adult that would spare me the attention and more often than not they were my teachers, so no I wasn't going to let him have the praise of Julian our only instructor, I wasn't going to make it easy for him.

at first, it started as banter in the middle of class -correcting each other's quotes, racing to answer Julian's questions faster- but later on in the semester as it was clear that we were academically equal, it would turn into pure unfiltered hate. And Henry Winter would make sure that I never forget any of my flaws, ever.

[letomills]

The "requests are paused until I'm done with the current ones" thing was wishful thinking (a bit like the closing statements in my last yt video 🤓) and I am once again thoroughly overwhelmed with everything.

Requests are firmly closed until further notice. I said yes to the FtM hairs for anon and the Tiggerypum tunics & iamliz13 alpha dresses for children & toddlers for the other anon (I did get the links you sent to the meshes), so I still intend to complete both.

A novel's worth of life updates under the cut (content warning for struggle with bipolar type 2, including questionable choices which should not be taken as advice).

Well over a year ago I shared that my mother was going through a really bad bipolar type 2 depression episode (looking back, mention of it in that post was very euphemistic, I must have been hopeful). The reason why I didn't give any updates after a while is that there is no satisfactory narrative that I could easily spin into words. She's not all better, she hasn't died or lost her mind for good, things have just been evolving at a snail's pace through a whole spectrum of very bleak colors. She's not fully hospitalized anymore, she lives at home with my brother and me, with day hospitalisation activities several times a week. The myriad psychiatrists that she's seen have not been able to find the "right" treatment for her, but hey, after lithium sent her into such a state of confusion that we thought she might stay mentally disabled for the rest of her life, at least now we know that's not an option. A couple days ago her psychiatrist prescribed a new antipsychotic to replace the one she'd been taking. She started the transition, and today confusion started showing its terrifying face again so she's not taking that pill tonight, or to be honest ever again unless her psychiatrist somehow manages to convince us otherwise (she'll report her symptoms and get counsel at the hospital tomorrow). Her cognition is already impaired, her short-term memory and ability to focus especially. She can't live alone, I keep and manage her pillboxes, make sure she's eating right and the stove is off, that sort of stuff. But at least, until the introduction of this new drug, she'd made considerable gains compared to when she was at her worst last winter. No way we're going back to that again.

On a more positive note, about a month and a half ago I started work at a grocery delivery place just up the street (yes that's what I'm doing with my degree in Mandarin and my master's in English-French translation studies). It's intense physically, kinda stressful, and not very well paid, but I think I like it and the people are very nice. What scares me is that my trial period ends in about 2 weeks and I'm not entirely sure that they'll want to keep me, considering I've made several mistakes and they don't seem to think that I work quite fast enough (I know I said the people were very nice, they are, that's just the job). They keep saying the work load is gonna get crazier starting in September. The way they're saying it may suggest that they do envision me as still working there in September, but maybe they're trying to push me to work faster now and if I can't prove that I'm able to they won't keep me? Well I'm already doing my best, even if sometimes I end up finding myself crying over clients' items because my brain isn't able to focus anymore and I'm messing up and wasting time.

Emotional control has been harder because I unilaterally made the decision to taper off my antidepressant. Now before you facepalm, let me flood you with all of my best questionable arguments: • I do have an appointment with my psychiatrist, the earliest date I could get was October 1st (and I may have to postpone, depending on my work hours that day which I don't know yet). • I was already on the lowest dose that you can be on. • I tapered off very slowly. • I recently talked about it with the nurse that I saw for the mandatory medical visit I had to go to because I got the new job (idk if you have that outside of France). Naturally she was alarmed that I'd been weaning myself off on my own and she convinced me to see my GP asap and not change my medication without at least his input (which yes, I know). • the reasons I did it despite knowing that it's inadvisable are: 1) obviously I haven't been feeling depressed for a while or I wouldn't have done it, 2) the amount of endorphin-producing physical exercise I get from the new job felt like it could maybe do the trick so it was worth a try, 3) seeing how much my mom's medication has messed up her cognition over the years is scary. She's been taking way higher doses of antidepressants than me, along with other stuff, over a way longer period of time, but still. I don't want to be on it if it's not strictly necessary, so I wanted to try off. • I'm still taking my antipsychotic religiously and have no intention to stop that (I can't anyway or I won't be able to sleep and I'll definitely lose the job).

My plan with the antidepressant was to space out the doses and eventually get off it entirely for several weeks before reassessing, but after seeing that nurse, I started upping again to one dose every other day. I will admit, I was having suicidal thoughts after several days off, and now it's gone. Maybe I should find having suicidal thoughts more alarming than I do, the nurse's phrasing when she asked if I did - something that could translate to "no suicidals thoughts, riiight?" - was a good reminder that suicidal thoughts are really bad to have oh no. Of course I said no, why would I want her to interfere (leave me to make decisions for my own self thank you). Anyway, the appointment with my GP is in two days. He's gonna be useless on psych stuff but I guess getting his unqualified, predictable input is the responsible thing to do in polite society. More relevantly, the nurse also told me to go see him because my blood pressure is a bit low, or at least it was at 9/6 when she saw me, so I need to have it retaken and see what's up with that if anything.

And so yes, I have a ton of CC plans as always, I am positively drowning. Beside the two requests I mentioned above the cut, one of which I need to do a lot of learning for, I picked up work on Celestialspritz's beta Vincent skins and started converting afbodykimono for the usual roaster of breasted body shapes, like I did with afbodyqipao here and would like to do with more Happy Holiday Stuff outfits in the future. Although I told myself that I would stick to the body shapes that I've already done stuff for, I now also want to make a set of clothes for Lady Apple. I also have an idea about a set of scrawny body shapes for TU-EU inspired by Mrs Crumplebottom's body shape. I know Melodie9's slim family exists but to be honest those shapes creep me out and I want to see if I can do something less uncanny (it may end up looking too similar to the Androgyny body shapes, or to Faerie Gal, or it may not pan out at all, so don't hold your breath). I also want to do a ton of hairs in FakeBlood's palette + Naberius (tbh I'm still not 100% sure if I like Timebomb or Naberius more for my aliens, I need to figure that out once and for all). And of course I want to do more FtM & MtF hair conversions once I know how to do it well enough. There's a billion smaller projects I'd like to insert in between those, outfit conversions for one or a couple body shapes, repurposing of older meshes, a set of nude "outfits" for all the body shapes I do, etc.

[perfectprofessorloverapricot]

Finding purpose | Male OC (or male reader) Chap 4

Summary: In a world that is dying and there is no way of saving it, the humanity takes mater into their own hands. They flee from their home planet with hope of conquering another in order to survive. Among them, a couple of brothers with no idea what they're doing.

Pairings: Jake sully �� Oc (friendship), Tsu'tey × Oc (friendship), Neytiri × Oc (friendship). [No current love interest]

Warnings: Mention of violence, mention of death, manipulative behavior, use of drugs, bad ways of coping mechanisms and obscene language.

Note: - This is not a request and it's the translation of the original story in wattpad. - My native language it's not English - The Oc's name is Eli Thompson. - Edited

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With the second day at Pandora over, the soldiers documented their experiences of what they saw and felt while driving an avatar for the first time. It wasn't anything as detailed as a scientist would describe with the technical names of the neural connection between bodies or something. It was simple. They described it as an experience that couldn't be expressed with enough words or an experience that would blow anyone's mind. They called it a day and proceeded to fall into the arms of Morpheus.

The next day, the routine began like the previous one, they got up, took a bath and went to the cafeteria to eat.

But they never expected that after eating they would be directly called by a pilot to follow them to an area that they are already more familiar with from their years in the army, proclaiming that the colonel wanted to see them.

The woman introduced herself to them as Trudy, detailing that by orders of who they were going to see, she would be the designated pilot for the expeditions that involved them.

"You guys are packing some heavy gear." Jake commented as he saw the ammunition that was being loaded into the Samsun that she indicated as hers.

On the other hand, Eli was looking around, almost feeling nostalgic. Comfortable in his environment, but that did not bring him the best feelings. The last time he was in a place like this was when he presented his resignation letter caused by the disaster on his last mission. The same mission that almost took his life.

He felt a shiver run down his spine as he remembered it.

"Yeah. That's 'cause we're not the only thing around out there. Or the biggest." Trudy replied, with a small tone of amusement at the end. "I need you as gunners. Protocol generally asks me to take 2 soldiers for 1 scientist, but we are short staffed. You would be a lot of help tomorrow."

Eli turned to look at the woman with surprise, but a hint of relief. He wasn't cut out for science and he had to confess that he missed the adrenaline. So much time without being a Marine is already starting to take its toll on him. "Do they really have weapons but enough for avatars?" Eli asked.

Trudy gave him a toothy smile. She almost felt like she was seeing a child after being told that there are going to be gifts for Christmas. "You'd be surprised what toys the RDA can make. Fill out an application saying it's to improve mission performance and they'll give you whatever you want."

Jake nodded in satisfaction. Even if his avatar body was not his own, the idea of entering a hostile forest unarmed only to experience his death firsthand was not the best of ideas. "Well then, you can count on us." Jake said, responding to the request made a few seconds ago. Eli nodded.

"Perfect. I'll see you tomorrow then." She ended the conversation by stopping in front of a slightly more private section among all the mess caused by the army. She pointed to a man exercising in the corner. "There's your man. See you on the flight line." As a last act, she bumped fists with them to say goodbye.

Both soldiers approached the boss, stopping at the metal frame of the security-like cage created for those who wish to exercise and remain out of danger from the rest of the machinery in the place. "You wanted to see us, Colonel?"

"This low gravity'll make you soft…" the colonel began to speak while still doing the bench presses. His voice came out slightly with difficulty due to the effort of speaking and lifting weight. "You get soften…" to give more drama to the moment, Quaritch roughly put the weights in its place, sat up and looked them in the eyes very seriously. "Pandora will shit you out dead with zero warning."

Eli mentally snorted. He had already heard a lot about how dangerous the planet is, but no one had told him how good it could be and he is beginning to believe that someone ordered them to specifically tell them that just to scare them. To mess with the rookies or something like that.

The Colonel stood up and walked until he was in front of them. "You have a lot of courage showing up in this neighborhood." Both soldiers remained silent. The man's tone showed that he was not finished. "You are the best proof that a soldier cannot be defeated… Both wounded in combat and look where you are." Quaritch walked past them and held out his hands for emphasis to show where they were. On the most hostile planet known to man.

"It's just another hell, sir." Jake answered as he turned the chair around.

Quaritch smiled at the attitude. That fearless look is just what he needed to see to continue with his plan. With a nod he indicated for them to follow him. "I was first recom myself. A few years ahead of you. Well, maybe more than a few. Three tours Nigeria, not a scratch. I come out here?…" he turned around walking backwards to point at his scar on the side of his head. "Day one. Think i felt like a shavetail louie? Yeah."

Eli nodded his head, turning to see some soldiers pulling a weapon big enough for the robot suits like the one they were walking to at that moment. A weapon the same size as his body and he bets 3 times heavier.

"Oh, the could fix me up, if I rotated back. And make me pretty again." He paused to climb onto one of the robot's legs and gave it a few strong tugs to test its resistance. Satisfied with the result, he turned back to the couple of friends. "But you know what? I kind of like it. Reminds me every day what's waiting out there."

Before he began climbing the robotic suit, he signaled for the soldiers to ride the elevator next to the suit and stay out of the way.

"The avatar program is a bad joke. Bunch of limp-dick science majors. However..." his voice came out with difficulty as he climbed up the suit until finally falling inside. "It does present an opportunity both timely and unique."

Eli crossed his arms and leaned on one leg to pay attention. The platform he had stood on with Jake finally stopped at the Colonel's level.

"CLEAR." The man shouted as he grabbed the controls of the machine. Someone behind the ex-Marines yelled for them to clear the area. The Colonel pressed the buttons on the panel, satisfied when the engine came to life. "Recon gyrenes in avatar bodies. That's a potent mix. Give me the goose bumps." He said with the slightest laugh in his words. He seemed to find the situation amusing. "Men like that would give me the intel I need, right on the ground. Right on the hostiles' camp" After calibrating the controls to his liking, he turned to the soldiers in a slightly more serious tone. "Listen. I want you to learn these savages from the inside. I want you to gain their trust. I need to know how to force their cooperation or hammer them hard if they won't."

The Colonel's tone did not give room to refute anything, it was directly an order without mentioning that it is an order. Something that neither of them liked. But they are soldiers, they are used to it.

Jake followed up with an important question. "Are we still with Augustin?"

"On paper. Yeah, you walk like one of her science pukes, you quack like one, but you report to me. Can you do that for me lads?"

The newcomers turned to look at each other. One look was enough to know that they both agreed.

"Yes, sir," they both answered instinctively. This loyalty brought a satisfied smile to the superior's face.

"Well, all right, then." With a wave of his glove, the Colonel turned on the robot. He brought his hands to his chest and threw some well-calculated punches, making the suit perfectly imitate his movements.

Jake and Eli backed up a little in the elevator to avoid being hit by accident.

Pleased with the adjustments to his suit, he turned it around to face the former Marines, placing his hands on his waist. Not even his suit seemed to prevent the Colonel from moving with confidence.

"I take care of my own. You get me what I need and you will get what your nation denied you."

The words the Colonel had used had been intentional. He read both of their files in order to not only understand who they are, but to understand how they think. He wants them to know that they are no longer on earth and that under his control he promised to give them more importance.

And they both completely believed it.

"To you Jake." The Colonel began. "I can give you your legs. Your real legs." Mentioning the limbs, the man aimed at Jake's human legs, using the robot. He then turned to Eli. "And to you, corporal. I will make sure that your nation gives you the recognition and apology you deserve. What do you think?"

Both soldiers nodded at the same time and responded. "Yes sir."

"Good." Ending the conversation, he closed the lid of the cabin with his metallic hand, turned around and turned to continue on his way, leaving the two with a lot to think about but only one conclusion.

They have a new mission.

[lunedegivre]

Mist of Chaos (part 1)

A/N: Got few requests about Fanfic with Aria Witcher's AU. I'm not quite used about how tumblr works, so i hope the anonym person who asked me for this prompt will read this! “ tissaia finally finds her but aria is badly beaten up after the fight, so tissaia takes care of her?” I just wanted to add, english is not my first langage, i write first in french and then, i do my best to translate but even if i'm used to read in english i can still do some mistakes! i'm sorry for that ♥

Pairings: OC x Tissaia

Summary: Aria went missing from the first bounty Tissaia allowed her to go after her came back, and the rector is worried. Word count: 1486

Warnings: Blood, Dead bodies, Fainted body, Severe wounds. Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 ----------------------------

One week. It had been one week since she had left. Tissaia had finally agreed to let her take a bounty.The ginger needed a change of pace, after all those years on the road, being locked up again for over a month within Aretuza’s walls was driving her insane. She needed something to take her mind off, to step away from their research on the artifact, and besides, her sword was itching.

As chaotic as she was, the rector had grown accustomed to having her former student around her again, throughout her daily routine, and, in the end, she had to admit that not hearing from her for this long had stirred a faint worry in her heart. Tissaia drummed her fingers nervously against the parchment she was reading, her eyes fixed on the paper, though she had long since lost track of its contents. She had laid out clear rules, yet Aria had never been particularly skilled at following them. Or rather, she always had a knack for interpreting them in her own way...

A short mission, no more than three days. Simple enough, wasn’t it? She had assured her she wouldn’t do anything reckless. But the archmage had to accept that miscalculations were possible. Even so, that didn’t excuse her from sending a magical missive to keep her informed. Tissaia exhaled, lifting her gaze to stare out the window. Noon had long passed. She had a reputation to maintain, a certain detachment to uphold, but she had to admit it: she was worried. Perhaps, deep down, she feared losing her again, as she had until Aria's return to Aretuza. But that... she was too proud to assume it.

The only thing that reassured her was that she could still feel the faint vibration of the mage’s Chaos. She knew Aria kept her power concealed, suppressing her true strength to appear as any ordinary sorceress. But even that did little to ease her mind.

Finally, she straightened, closing her eyes in concentration. She shouldn’t do this, Aria was a grown woman; but her instincts urged her to ensure everything was alright. Her mind sharpened as she called out to the redhead silently. At first, there was only darkness. Tissaia’s hands clenched on her lap, crumpling the fabric of her robe. Then, faint blue sparks crackled, tracing a path she followed mentally. The first images began to take shape, slowly.

Her brows knitted together, and the scent of blood caught in her throat.

Tissaia froze. Bodies. Nilfgaardians, at least a dozen, strewn across the ground. A ravaged village. Smoke, still rising from the ruins. No sign of the bounty huntress. Had she walked into a trap, or was she merely at the wrong place at the wrong time? Her heart barely quickened as her gaze caught a fluffy tail darting into an alleyway. Nymeria. She opened her eyes. That was enough. She had waited too long already.

She exhaled sharply through clenched teeth. -Foolish, reckless girl who thinks she’s invincible.

With a sweeping motion, she focused, recalling the details of what she had seen and what Aria had told her before leaving. Chaos crackled around her, and the rector opened a portal.

The stench struck her immediately, making her stomach lurch. Metal and burned flesh. The echoes of slaughter still lingered in the air, as if the violence had only just subsided. She didn’t bother masking her distaste, this was all too familiar, and no less unbearable.

Tissaia stepped forward, gliding between the bodies, holding her breath, her cloak brushing against pools of coagulated blood. It was cold. A hollow wind carried the scent of ashes. Her eyes scanned everything at a furious pace, seeking any trace of Aria’s Chaos. But in the end, she simply called out, confident the danger had passed.

-Aria?

It wasn’t a shout, more of a quiet summon, as if she were nearby. But silence was the only answer. She pressed on until the smallest flicker of movement caught her attention to the left. The rector turned her head, her gaze landing on the small, curled-up figure of a marten, huddled near the lifeless body of a horse, trying to make itself as small as possible.

Wide, terrified black eyes locked onto hers. At the sight of Tissaia, the creature recoiled, poised to flee, as if she were yet another threat. Its fur was matted with mud and blood, but there was no mistaking it. There couldn’t be another. Tissaia took a step toward her, but the creature bristled, its filthy fur standing on end.

-Nym’!

The name carried authority. The marten froze, recognizing the voice. A few beats passed, then, in a blur of movement, she darted toward Tissaia, emitting soft, frantic noises, half-whimper, half-relief. She pressed herself against her feet, stumbling over the hem of her robes, dirtying them in the process.

Tissaia bent down, scooping her up. She had no idea what state she’d find Aria in, why care about a ruined dress now? The battlefield had already sealed its fate.The archmage examined the trembling creature in her arms, feeling the way she clung to her sleeve, burying her quivering nose into the crook of her elbow. What happened here?

Then, an idea struck her. She had never attempted this spell on an animal, but it seemed the only efficient option. She closed her eyes, fingers barely grazing the marten’s front head, like a silent request.

Nymeria rested her head against Tissaia’s palm. The response surprised her. Perhaps she was smarter than she had assumed.

-Show me.

A fleeting but potent connection. The images came in broken flashes.

The battle. Aria, swift, lethal, cutting through soldiers like a storm. The blue flare of her magic, the glint of her sword. Then, the abrupt shift. Pain. Her stance faltering, her body collapsing into the mud. A bloodied hand clenching at her side.

Alive. Wounded. But alive.

Nym lifted her head, suddenly mooving, breaking the contact and leaping from Tissaia’s grasp. She scurried forward, stopped, glanced back expectantly. The archmage didn’t hesitate. She followed.

The marten led her out of the village, which reassured her somewhat, it meant that the redhead had been able to drag herself away. The wind rushed through the trees, whispering lamentations among the branches. Night was falling slowly, draping the forest in a damp veil of shadows, thickening the air with a silent menace.

The rector moved quickly, her senses sharp. She wasn’t sure whether it was anger or worry that pulsed more fiercely through her veins. Nym darted ahead of her, vanishing into the darkness at times, only to reappear, her fur matted with dirt and ashes. The marten would sometimes pause to sniff the ground, then turn to Tissaia with an almost impatient air, as if she believed Aria’s former mentor wasn’t moving fast enough for her liking, before pressing on.

The scent of blood was still there. But there was something else, a fainter trace, a thread of chaos, one she knew by heart. She latched onto it, her fingers clenching slightly. She never let emotions dictate her decisions. Never. But this time… this time, she could feel anger mingling with her concern, and she did not like it.

Aria.

The name pulsed through her mind like an unspoken call, but once again, only emptiness answered.

The scene around her was grim. Trees, split open by magic. Scorch marks seared into the ground. A lingering whisper of a battle still trembling in the air. Nym veered abruptly into a denser thicket. Tissaia followed. And then, there she was.

Curled on her side, half-submerged in mud, one hand still wrapped around her sword’s hilt. Strands of red hair clung to her bloodstained face. Her breathing was weak, uneven. Tissaia knelt immediately, fingers pressing against her throat. A pulse. Faint, but steady.

-By the gods, Aria…

She didn’t waste time. A hand to her forehead, magic flowing, a sharp yet careful probe assessing the damage. A deep wound in her side. Substantial blood loss. But no poison. Nothing she couldn’t fix.

Her gaze lingered on Aria’s drawn features, the slight furrow of her brow even in unconsciousness.

-You drive me mad… she murmured, barely a whisper. How have you survived all these years alone.

Carefully, she slipped one arm beneath her back, the other beneath her knees. The effort was not insignificant. Aria no longer had the frail body of a student, and the height difference did her no favors. Not to mention the weight of her leather armor.

The wind howled through the trees as she stood, holding Aria against her. Nymeria, swift as ever, scrambled onto her shoulder, nestling against her mistress’ neck. Tissaia’s grip tightened around the unconscious body in her arms. Without a second glance at the battlefield, she opened a portal and stepped through, taking Aria far from the cold night. There was no time to waste.

[i4gonzalez]

Can u do a pedri angst where him and reader finally make it official after months of him chasing after her but the next day the paparazzi find him getting cozy with a girl qnd its all over the media and she feels embarrassed but he doesnt think its a big deal so they get into a fight but make up in the end

RUMORS: pedri gonzalez x fem!reader.

summary: after making his relationship with pedri public, several rumors about him and another girl begin to emerge.

notes: is a difficult plot, but I did my best to develop it well. I SWEAR THIS WILL HAVE A HAPPY ENDING.

english isn’t my native language, so i used translator for it.

pedri had been chasing you for months, hoping to win your heart. he made every effort, from small gestures to great demonstrations of affection, to show you how much he cared. you were delighted with your persistence, and you got closer with each passing day.

finally, pedri had the courage to ask you to make your relationship official and you accepted the request. so, you kissed and promised that nothing would ruin your relationship.

[★]

the next day, while you were enjoying lunch at your favorite restaurant, a notification arrives on your phone.

the notification in question was from her best friend, who shared a photo taken by a paparazzi of pedri laughing with another girl.

the image spread like a fire on social networks and the media. you sank into embarrassment. you felt betrayed and humiliated, wondering if the months that pedri spent trying to conquer you had no meaning at all.

furious, you called pedri ready to confront him. and when he finally got home, you couldn’t hold back some tears.

— what was that?! how could you do this to me? with us?! — more tears flowed and his voice suddenly starts to shaky.

— why are you so nervous? — he says, a little indifferent — she’s just a childhood friend who returned to spain!

— you could have warned me! and you two seemed very close to each other! you’re a liar, pedri!

— y/n, i swear it was no big deal! — now, pedri didn’t seem indifferent, he seemed nervous — it was an innocent conversation!

the discussion increased, with you unable to get rid of your feelings of embarrassment and pedri struggling to understand why she was so upset. the air was filled with tension as they exchanged heated words, each feeling misunderstood and hurt.

eventually, after a long time arguing, you found yourself sitting on a park bench that was in front of your house. both quiet trying to ignore each other’s presence and focused on their own feelings.

pedri was the first to realize how upset you were and how your actions accidentally hurt you.

— i’m sorry, y/n. i didn’t realize how much it upset you. i’m so sorry about that now! i swear nothing much happened.

you, in turn, recognized that you had underestimated the bond that the two of you had built and how much pedri cared.

so, with watery eyes, you hugged each other, without saying anything until you became calmer.

— te quiero más que a nada, cariño - pedri says, breaking the silence. (i love you more than anything, honey).

— yo también te quiero más que a nada, mi amor - you answer, kissing your boyfriend. (i also love you more than anything, love).

in the end, you and pedri were sure that your love was stronger than any rumor or fight. you loved each other and that was enough to put up with all this.

━━━ ━━━ ━━━ ━━━ ━━━ ━━━ ━━━

★ the requests are open! you can also send requests to social media fics.

[rainyraisin]

Ranking and reviewing the musicals I saw in 2024!

Starting this in April so I don't have the freshest memory for the first two but the rest will all be done as soon as possible after I see them!

Six - Already seen this show twice but its still such a cool experience! Last time I went to see it was pretty close together so it was the same cast for both but this time it was obviously a different one gchkfkjgv- I think I preferred the cast I saw before though, this one wasn't bad at all they just had better chemistry. Also this time I genuinely didn't care for Heart Of Stone. I hate it on the soundtrack so I was expecting to hate it on stage but when I went to see it the first two times I ADORED it. I thought it just couldn't be done justice by the soundtrack but now I think its just one that is either incredible or boring, no in-between. Her little speech before the song almost made me cry though so it's not that she was a bad actor, I just think she's better at acting than acting through song. ANYWAY ENOUGH ABOUT HEART OF STONE a really interesting thing about going to see a show again a few years later is that you see what lines they've changed and added (and also what lines were complete lies like no I don't remember you from my GCSEs yall have not been mentioned once fthdrhutfxhtc/silly). Idk its just cool to me seeing how shows change over time. Also the actors weren't all negative compared to the ones I've seen before! This Katherine Howard was INCREDIBLE. I fucking ADORED All You Wanna Do, it's not my favourite song but it's DEFINETLY my favourite one on stage GOSH she smashed it out of the park. Absolutely loved every second.

Rating 7/10, would be higher but seeing a better version of this show put this version down for me. Still really fun though!!!!

Your Lie In April - I've spoken about this one before so I'll keep it brief, really good show, was very cool to see the first English performance of it and I geeked out hardddd during it. Was incredibly funny which was surprising given how sad of a manga YLIA is but it was very pleasant still. Watari was the best character they gave him all the best jokes and you could just tell his actor was having an absolute blast playing him he was LOVING it. But on the negative side, there was a lot of pacing issues in the second act and some lines were really awkward to the point people were laughing at lines that were meant to be sad. I don't think it's the actors fault, I think the book just could've had more work done on it, it mightve been TOO directly translated. Also the pacing issues could've been at least a little helped by getting rid of the 8 minute scene were Kousei practices playing his song like it was cool but did we really need that when you CUT THE FINAL DUET??? LIKE YOU COULDVE KEPT THAT AND JUST INCLUDED KAORI I COULDVE FORGIVEN THE PACING ISSUES IF YOU DIDNT CUT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SCENES IN THE STORY- oh and there were a few too many songs like I love myself shows with 50 songs on the soundtrack (Hamilton and Next To Normal my beloveds) but the pacing issues could've been really helped by cutting one or two of them, as good as they were. The show could've really been helped by being just a little bit longer.

Rating 7.5/10 Still really enjoyable show and I really hope to see it again because I'm sure the quality will improve!! But as it is its not the greatest it can be even though the potential is there. The only reasons it's higher than six is because Watari was fucking hilarious, the scene where Emi and Takashi show up on bikes for NO fucking reason, the songs being bangers that I really want to listen to again cast recording when, and Young Kousei started break-dancing during the bows it was incredible.

Waitress - I wasn't going to include this one since it's not a physical performance but like. I'm gonna do it anyway bc there was only one showing of it at the cinema so like its basically just as cool right?/silly And anyway proshots are the only way I can see Broadway shows so this was only my second exposure to one and DAMN AM I JEALOUS OF U AMERICANS (my first was Hamilton's proshot btw which doesn't really show the full extent of Broadway since its one set throughout the whole show but that one is still amazing ofc)

The set design? Fucking IMMACULATE it was incredible GOD. Literally some of the coolest sets I've ever seen in my entire life (ngl probably THE coolest) and the fucking PIE FRIDGES ON EITHER SIDE OF THE STAGE??? LIKE????? HELLO????????? Making that many props must've taken forever what the fuck. Just the props and sets in general astounded me. I've done shows with props and sets before and I've seen them with props and sets before but never have I seen so many, not to mention how gorgeous they all looked. Genuinely wondering if some of the pies were real or if they were all props bc they were legit eating them like god those must be a pain to make for 8 shows a week-

I adore the characters and plot. I'd already seen the movie (which isn't a musical, was very disappointed when i discovered that lmao) so I had a vague knowledge of what I was going into but it still blew me away. I was genuinely sobbing throughout the entire show I'm not even joking 😭 I'd only heard a few of the songs since I had to sing them for my Musical Theatre grades but hearing them sung on stage gave me fucking goosebumps still, ESPECIALLY Sara Bareilles' songs. She's always been my favourite Jenna so it was amazing seeing her perform it. There's just something about seeing someone perform songs they wrote that destroys you so much more. However, some of the songs I wasn't really as invested in, the lyrics weren't sung very clearly and it made it difficult to follow along. I'm going to listen to them on the soundtrack at some point but I decided not to do so until I wrote this review as it's for this specific production and not the musical as a whole.

Without spoiling it, a part of the ending was the only thing I personally had an issue with, outside of the song issues I mentioned. I understand why it had to happen for the story and characters and I think it's cute but PLEASE. I WAS SO INVESTED IN THAT PART OF THE PLOT PLEASEEEEEE. It partially makes me question why that part of the plot really happened??? I don't know I guess it could just be me not being knowledgeable on that sort of thing and I can think of a few reasons why they went that route but its still weird to me, especially after this one scene that made me so certain it was going to go in this one direction.

9/10, incredible musical, definitely in my top 5 (for now), but some story and song issues made me push it down a bit.

Hamilton - ALEXANDER HAMILTON!!! I've been waiting to see this show for so long yall don't even KNOW. I've obviously seen the proshot like a shit ton but as yall know that isn't comparable to seeing it on stage. Ofc having already seen it so many times, the impact was lessened but I'm not gonna hold it against this show. When it came to Six the versions I'd seen were on very even playing fields but you can't compare a Broadway pro-shot with the original cast and the writer of the show himself to a UK tour that has only just switched to a new theatre (not that the UK tour was bad in any way shape or form, it was just obviously smaller scale which is completely fair).

First off, let me say, Peggy/Maria was INCREDIBLE. God her voice was fucking gorgeous, the fact that she's only in about 3 songs is criminal and her acting was so amazing. I would love to see her in a show again because I need to see more of her. Layfette/Jefferson was another highlight, god I adored him, he was incredible as Layfette but he turned it up to ELEVEN as Jefferson and I was immediatly hooked whenever he came back on stage, his movements and his acting and vocals were all so animated and it was so goddamn cool to see. The way he says "I tried :(" in *last song* will be stuck in my brain foreverrr.

I actually got a picture of the set before the show and just LOOK at how gorgeous this is

Like HELLO??? U cannot look at that set and tell me it isn't the coolest shit you've seen in your entire life. This is a good time to mention that I had STALL TICKETS TO THIS. I didn't know until we sat down bc going to this was my 16th birthday present from my Grandma (I love her so so much) and all she told me was that we were going to Hamilton nothing else WACHJXFHG- so yeah that was absolutely insane. I got a great view as well so YIPPEE!!! Definetly elevated my experience as I was far enough from the stage where I could see at least a good deal of it and close enough where I could see the expressions and it was SO COOL.

Also before I get onto problems I have to say that this show had possibly the FUNNIEST 9 year old Phillip performance I've seen it was fucking incredible, he like jumped up and WRAPPED HIS ENTIRE BODY AROUND HAMILTON AND I WAS JUST DYING WAVVGHJFGH- I thought the thing of a grown ass man playing a 9 year old was funny before but this production took it to a whole other level literally had my head in my hands laughing so goddamn hard it was amazing.

I think my biggest problem with the show was honestly Burr. Like I wasn't the biggest fan of Hamilton himself but he absolutely had his moments, especially when he was singing (and in Farmer's Refute he was so fucking funny in that song). And The World Was Wide Enough was incredible, honestly I think he really shined in Act 2, he was amazing in that, Act 1 was more of the issue. But Burr I didn't really like for most of the show. Not as a character because Burr is absolutely one of my favourites, most of my top 5 songs from this show either feature him or are only him (the only outlier being Say No To This) so it was relatively disappointing that his performance didn't click with me, especially since Burr is such an important character. I will say that The Room Where It Happened was SPECTACULAR but otherwise yeah I wasn't a fan. My favourite song in the show is Dear Theodosia and the fact that that was probably one of my least favourite moments in this specific production says a lot. He did have his moments like Hamilton's Act 1 performance did, but otherwise I was not a fan. Also I saw more of Burr in Laurens' actor than I did Burr's so like. Yeah. He's not a bad actor or singer I just don't think he's that great of a Burr.

Eliza is kind of a middle ground for me, because she had moments where she was absolutely incredible and then moments where I was just like hhhhhhh. Her actress had a gorgeous voice and it was very distinct, like whenever the ensemble sang you could pick her out easily, I love her voice so much. But early on in songs like Helpless her voice had a tendency to sound very nasally and pick me-ish (idk how else to describe it), especially on the "I Do's", like Helpless had me WORRIED. But she really does improve as the show goes on and she grew on me a ton. It's just early on where I wasn't that keen on her. Songs like Burn and *last song* are where her voice really shined, god those were absolutely incredible. Also I will say, she is a *very* new Eliza, the old Eliza's run ended just before I saw it (which I was pretty sad about ngl because I was so looking forward to seeing her) so I will give her the benefit of the doubt because for one of her first shows as Eliza she did a fucking amazing job despite certain bits at the start being not the best.

To end on a more positive note, I'm not much of a dancer (leg problems ayyyyyy) so I can't speak too much on the choreography but it was absolutely breath-taking, anyone who's seen Hamilton knows how incredible the choreography is no matter who's directed it but god I adored it. The movement really does make this show I swear. I wish I could've watched all of the ensemble do their thing the whole way through because the Hamilton ensemble is always an absolute highlight of the show and they all did an incredible job god I wish I could watch just that choreography again I'm in LOVE with it all.

Another 9/10, Burr's performance would've tanked it a bit more but everything else was so incredible that I really can't score it too low, if it weren't for Burr I probably would've liked it more than the proshot and for people who've seen the proshot you know that's a LOT to say. Brilliant show, would love to see it again. If the Burr changes I will be FIGHTING for a ticket because that's bound to be a life changing experience.

Bonnie And Clyde - Is a show I was going to see but the UK tour got cancelled due to poor ticket sales :( I'm really bummed about it bc I legit had front row seats to it. But we used the refund to get tickets to Chicago next April so yippee!!! Sad I can't yap about seeing it in person but I hope to watch the proshot at some point!!! I sadly haven't gotten around to it at the time of finishing this post but Jeremy Jordan is in it so I'll get around to it eventually.

Dear Evan Hansen - Okay writing this over a month late bc I wrote the Hamilton one in fucking June and I went to go see this in October so I straight up forgot I was doing this 😭😭 but yeah it's November now. The day of me seeing Book Of Mormon is closer than the day I went to go see DEH. Wild. So yeah bc of this, this section may not be as in depth as the rest due to it having been so long BUT!!! I will try my best!!!

First things first, I was SCARED for this show. Hamilton showed me what having an actor who didn't work for the role in one of the most important roles of the show could do, and given Evan is around ALL the time I was begging he would be good. And guess what? He was... AMAZING‼️‼️ Absolutely loved him, genuinely I would kill to see him in more performances because he was incredible. I doubt that would happen bc he's from a different part of the country from me but honestly he deserves to go on as many tours as he damn pleases. Honestly the entire cast was solid, there wasn't a single actor I didn't think fit their character, they were all really well cast. Zoe had a few weird moments here and there but it was literally opening night in a completely different venue, I cannot give two shits, go girl go u slayed.

Connor was definetly my favorite character, I was most excited about this because of him as the soundtrack doesn't really give you much Connor Content™️. As someone who's read the book though I genuinely wish there was more of him (I know the book is based off the musical but it's way better fight me). Connor is just as much of the main character as Evan is, and whilst I know that trying to squeeze in more character stuff with him would've been generally very difficult I kinda just wish he was lurking on stage at times, would've been a good metaphor for Connor's looming prescence over Evan that he self-imposed and now he's having to deal with the constant consequences of. We do get a few moments of Evan's version of Connor talking to him (or singing with him in the case of Sincerely Me, my second favorite song here as Connor's actor was brilliant, it was staged amazingly, and ofc its the only comedic song in the show so you're bound to get a lot of enjoyment out of it), but I wish his presence were more frequent, its a musical man get creative!!!!

The set was incredible, genuinely they knocked it out of the park, especially given it was a relatively small venue, at least compared to some of the ones I know it was performed at previously. They had moving kitchens and different bedroom sets and it was sickkkk!!!!!! Straight up loved the set design. And the songs were gorgeous, everyone had a beautiful voice which honestly should be expected given it was a tour but I already told yall about Hamilton, and tbf I have seen a few shows where the actors take an entire act to start sounding good 😭😭 (Veronica in the performance of Heathers I saw at this same theatre I am talking to you I hated her in the first act and then suddenly in act 2 she blew me away like GIRL WHERE WERE U HIDING THAT VOICE HUH????) So this was just genuinely a really cool thing to me, idk how they can sing so incredibly for 2 hours straight its mesmerising.

The best part about this show was being able to see my favourite song performed though because it was CUT OUT OF THE MOVIE. THE MOST IMPORTANT SONG IN THE SHOW (IN MY OPINION) WAS CUT FROM THE MOVIE. Good For You fucking SLAPS and I was estatic to be able to see it in its full context and glory. Evan is a sympathetic character but he's also a character that NEEDS to be held accountable for his horrible actions and the fact that the movie barely did that has always pissed me off so thank you performance of DEH in its best form you have avenged me.

8/10, I generally still had some issues with it, I dont think this show is the best it can be (I still kind of hate the ending) and I probably would've had more negative things to talk about if I wrote this review earlier, but still a great show! Evan's actor should be given as much work as humanly possible I will FIGHT FOR HIM.

Book Of Mormon- OKAY SO UM. ITS BEEN A MONTH AGAIN. ITS LITERALLY 2025 NOW. I was finally gonna write this review after my birthday bc I was hella busy before and then I got really sick. Oops! BUT!!! I CAN YAP NOW!!!

This is one of my favorite musicals, straight up no lie. I was listening to the HELL outta it after I went to go see it, I listened to Spooky Mormon Hell Dream like 67 times one day 😭 the soundtrack is just. Incredible. SMHD is definetly my favourite song, it's so cool on stage and literally everything about it makes me go crazy but some other highlights were Hello!, Turn It Off, and I Believe. I've had them all stuck in my head since I saw it.

I didn't have a single issue with any of the actors or honestly just anything about this show, which is shocking because I thought like there has to be at least one person who I won't be fond of because that's been the case all year, but genuinely they all did an absolutely amazing job and I adored every actor, I couldn't get enough. Obviously this show is a bit crude and there were moments when I was like oh. Oh no. But I can't blame that on the show, its by the South Park creators what can you expect? I still loved those parts, the best thing about going mostly solo (my mom decided she wanted to go last second but obviously couldn't sit with me) was that I didn't have to worry about how the people with me would react to it, I just got to have fun!

The sets were absolutely gorgeous in this show, I obviously couldn't get a pic of any of them because unlike Hamilton it's not just one but here's the boarder around the stage! It was so pretty!

Also yes I had an insanely good seat, row B baby! I have never been this close to the stage ever and i was so giddy. It's genuinely so cool being able to see all the little details on the props up close!

The costume design was also incredible, I've found out it's standardised across all the performances so it's not exactly a perk of this specific performance but I still want to yap about it! The demon costume for the General was so freaking awesome, honestly all the costumes for SMHD were cool as hell. Genuinely I encourage you to look up a video of this song being performed because whilst it won't be as cool as seeing it live (and from what I've seen the sets aren't as cool as the one I saw), the costumes are awesome and the song is just genuinely fun to see performed!

The two main characters were obviously the highlight of the show, their chemistry was crazy and every single moment they had together just had me smiling so wide, they're absolutely perfect. Kevin my beloved I could never hate him 🙏🙏🙏‼️‼️ Even if the rest of the show wasn't as good as it is, I'd still love it purely because of these two. They're so silly 😭😭💖💖🌸🌸🌸

Also I just want to mention that during Turn It Off, Kevin has a vest like all the rest of the elders and he looks so fucking confused it was amazing, as soon as the dance bit is over bro just rips it off and goes to sit with an equally confused Arnold who comforts him it's so funny 😭😭😭 literally acted perfectly I adored it

10/10. The plot of this show isn't much to ride home about, it's not like a life changing experience or anything, but it doesn't have to be! Its a musical! The Book of Mormon is just a genuinely fun, creative, hilarious show and I enjoyed every minute of it! I was genuinely desperate to see it again and I have never felt that way about a show before now. It completely smashes what it sets out to accommplish and I wouldn't change a thing about it. Not my favourite musical ever but honestly I think it knocked Waitress out of my top 5 lmao, sorry Waitress- I would put it at Number 3 or 4 probably!

And now!!! Ranking time!!!

6. Six

5. Your Lie In April

4. Dear Evan Hansen

3. Waitress

2. Hamilton

1. Book Of Mormon

This was genuinely really fun to do and I love going to see musicals so this genuinely might become a yearly thing! I'm seeing a decent number this year despite thinking I wasn't going to as shows keep popping up so ill probably have enough for another list like this! (spoiler alert I'm almost 100% convinced that Hadestown will be my number 1 but we'll see!!! Literally my only exposure to that show has been ads as I want to go in as blind as possible past what I already know Greek myth wise but I know it'll be spectacular)

If you've gotten to the end thank you for reading, I really appreciate it‼️‼️‼️💖💖💖🌸🌸🌸 I know it's a long ass post

[jerarca]

(  lizeth selene.  agender.  they/she.  )  did  you  hear  ?  OCTAVIA MONTOYA  is  stuck  in  stonehaven  for  the  for  the  foreseeable  future  …  they've  lived  here  for  ALL THEIR LIFE  and  are  known  around  town  as  THE  LEADER,  though  back  in  high  school  they  were  better  known  for  being  voted  MOST LIKELY TO CHANGE THE WORLD.  if  i'm  not  mistaken,  they’re  a  TWENTY-ONE  year  old  senior  studying  POLITICAL SCIENCE  (  i  really  hope  that  translates  well  into  their  role  as  a  MAYOR  in  the  ‘new  world'  ).  according  to  my  records  they  were  originally  on  the  trip  because they wanted to connect with others in a more vulnerable way  —  which  checks  out,  given  they’re  CHARISMATIC,  OBSERVANT  and  CONTROLLING.  if  you’re  ever  trying  to  find  them,  your  best  bet  is  to  start  at  town hall  and  listen  for  someone  humming  eres  by  café tacvba.  oh,  and  don’t  forget  to  try  calling  out  “captain”  or  picturing  worn leather boots caked with dirt, a small notebook with hastily scrawled plans, the glow of a flashlight cutting through foreboding forest  for  extra  help.  let's  hope  the  chaos  doesn't  get  to  them  … 

BASICS !

full name : octavia montoya nickname(s) : captain, cap, tavi, vivi ( she hates this one ) age : twenty one date of birth: december 2nd, 2002 place of birth : stonehaven, indiana gender : agender pronouns : they/them, she/her sexual orientation : lesbian ( ladies they're 5'11" , dms radio is open to communication ) spoken languages : spanish ( first language, ), english ( fluent ) education : fourth-year political science major at stonehaven college occupation : part-time grocer at mercantile ( previously ) , mayor ( currently )

PERSONALITY !

sagittarius sun. scorpio moon. taurus rising. entp. chaotic good. positive traits : adventurous, passionate, courageous neutral traits : blunt, independent, intense negative traits : restless, possessive, overindulgent tropes : only known by their nickname(s), action girl, gun twirling

THEN → NOW !

octavia was born on a frosty december morning in 2002, the youngest of three children, into a proud mexican-american ranching family in the serene south side of stonehaven, indiana. her father, santiago montoya, was a second-generation rancher who had inherited their modest family ranch. her mother, alma, was the glue of the household, balancing work at a local boutique with raising her children.

octavia’s childhood was steeped in the quiet rhythms of ranch life: waking up to the sound of cattle lowing, the smell of hay, and her father’s firm but encouraging voice as he taught her to ride a horse before she was tall enough to reach the stirrups.

even as a child, she was a force of nature—always the first to climb the tallest tree, the first to defend her siblings in schoolyard fights, and the one who, when playing pirates, insisted she be the captain. that’s where the nickname came from, initially a jest among her brothers that eventually became a mark of respect that stuck with her through the years.

the montoyas valued hard work and perseverance, but life wasn’t without its struggles. as the years went on, economic downturns and climate challenges forced santiago to shut down parts of the ranch. the family scraped by, selling off cattle and land bit by bit, but octavia was determined not to let the ranch—and everything it represented—slip through their fingers. she’d stay up late into the night, listening to her parents argue in hushed tones over bills, and it was during these moments that she swore she would become the person who could fix things, who could shoulder the weight of responsibility, no matter how heavy.

at maplewood elementary, she was the kid who organized lunchtime games and made sure no one was left out. in high school, their reputation as a natural leader flourished. they were elected student body president not once, but twice! that’s almost unheard of in their little town.

they excelled academically, particularly in history and government classes, though their grades occasionally dipped when their restless energy distracted them from homework. octavia was never just about grades; she wanted to do things. she organized charity events for the struggling families in south side, ran for office in statewide student government, and started a petition to save the local library from budget cuts. her efforts earned her the superlative “most likely to change the world,” a title she wore with pride, even though it made her feel the weight of expectations.

but octavia’s charisma wasn’t without its drawbacks. her bluntness alienated some people, and her intensity could feel overwhelming.

she had a penchant for risky behavior, like jumping off stonehaven’s tallest tree on a dare—an incident that left her with a scar on her arm and a lesson in limits she half-learned.

by the time they turned 18, octavia had set their sights on political science at stonehaven college. staying close to home was a practical decision—their family needed them, and they wasn’t about to up and leave for a degree. college life gave her an outlet for her ideals and a clearer picture of the systemic issues she wanted to address. she joined activism groups, interned with local politicians, and started dreaming of reforms that could help small towns like stonehaven thrive again.

they also began to explore their identity more openly in college. coming out was a liberating step, even if it wasn’t always easy in a town as small as stonehaven.

throughout college, octavia juggled academics, activism, and helping out on the family ranch, which had fallen into disrepair. their father’s pride meant he rarely asked for help outright, but octavia knew they were barely making ends meet. they began saving every penny from their part-time job at the mercantile and rationed their vices like smoking, aware they couldn’t afford to waste money on anything frivolous.

her tattoo collection became a way to reclaim her scars and tell her story: each design represented a lesson, a loss, or a victory. her brothers teased her about the ink covering her arms, but they also admired the way she wore her experiences so openly.

the trip was supposed to be a break—a rare chance for octavia to connect with others in a vulnerable, personal way. she felt like she’d spent so much of her life fixing things that she hadn’t taken the time to truly bond with anyone. she joined the group excursion thinking it would help her reconnect with herself and learn from others, even if she approached the idea of “team bonding” with a healthy dose of skepticism.

when the group returned to stonehaven and found it shrouded in eerie silence, octavia’s instincts kicked in immediately. she took control of the group, calming their panic while secretly mapping out every worst-case scenario in her mind. her first stop was town hall, where she set up base, gathering supplies and encouraging survivors to organize themselves into roles.

but beneath their composed exterior lies a gnawing fear: the possibility of failure. every decision feels like a gamble, and every crack in the group’s unity feels like a personal failing. despite this, they press on, fueled by the belief that leadership isn’t about being fearless—it’s about being brave enough to act, even when you’re afraid.

WANTED CONNECTIONS !

literally anything please. consider this a wip.

[z-saint-box]

Tara Duncan (2010) Series Review

"also known as, How Tara is Not a Spellbinder"

[this series review was originally posted on deviantArt]

"also known as, reviewing the first season, because the show is not good enough for a second."

"I want to like it, but I can only analyze it, because it didn't live up to my hype."

Physically attractive, yet fundamentally bland, Tara Duncan is yet another typical heroine of a standard, uninteresting girl show. Unlike the other girls, she does not have charm or personality. Rose (Regal Academy) is cute and silly, Iris (Lolirock) has an outstanding art and character design, and even Raf (Angel's Friends) has identity through how bad her show is.

As for Tara, she comes from a book series I never knew about until I learned about her equally obscure show. The former never saw widespread publication and the latter never saw widespread broadcast. Ironically, to non-French speakers, the animated series is more well-known than the book series. For perspective, I didn't even know about the Kabillion channel that she was on until I learned more about her franchise. And for that matter, only the first two Tara Duncan books have ever been translated into English whereas all twenty-six episodes of the animated series has been. Despite this, there are very few methods for Anglophones to watch the latter. A few years ago, the entire series was available on the official youtube channel until they were removed or deleted for unknown reasons; and at the beginning of 2023, it was removed from Amazon's streaming service Freevee.

However, I have a low opinion of the show, and this may have been the issue of adapting a book series into a cartoon; alternatively, the English dub may even be a bad translation. As a result, this is not necessarily a review of the show in its original voice.

One reason why I had such high hopes for Tara Duncan is the theme song. It is legitimately one of the best intro music for any cartoon ever. Each episode begins with high energy to create anticipation for Tara's next adventure. While Dania Gio slurs the lyrics to the English intro, the opening theme is still just as strong as the original French version. A complete English version does not exist; but the song is so good, I recommend listening to the original, which I can listen to multiple times despite having no knowledge of French. If anything , my opinion also applies to every language the theme song has been adapted into, such as Spanish, Castellano, Portuguese, and Arabic. The only caveat though is, the German version sounds terrible.

Either way, I'm disappointed that I could not write episode reviews for this series, unlike what I did for Regal Academy and Lolirock. It's because there is very little for me to talk about. Every draft proved difficult to write, owing to a lack of opinion. For these reasons, I even had trouble remembering episode titles. Not helping is that I can barely remember specific plot points for the majority of episodes. This very review was incredibly difficult, due to how hard it is to articulate my thoughts. It took an entire year of editing and revising, because Tara Duncan lacks creativity and personality.

The show's aesthetics are presentable, but the art and character design looks similar to W.I.T.C.H, to the point where Tara is comparable to Cornelia; and the resemblance is not only close, but understandable. Tara's line art however, is cleaner, and her color palette is brighter.

Unlike W.I.T.C.H, Tara uses CGI, and even though it is limited to just the vehicles, it looks terrible. I have to mention this because every car, trolley, boat, or airplane looks completely detached from the overall art style. They look so poor, that their time on-screen is limited; or, their time on-screen is limited because of how poor they look. I understand that vehicles are harder to draw than characters, but they must look cohesive with the world they are in; otherwise it will seem that they are a separate entity, even if the intention is to save time, effort, and money. However, this may explain why the 2022 reboot of Tara Duncan is presented entirely in CGI.

Tara uses the most basic fantasy tropes without anything unique to distinguish herself. Werewolves are vulnerable against silver, dragons love gold, and mermaids swim in the ocean. In some fairness, I was unaware of the first two before watching her; but this may explain why the original books were rejected by up to three hundred publishers, at least according to the author herself.

Ironically, vampires on the show can survive in broad daylight and they are uninterested in drinking blood. It is unknown if the latter is the result of censorship, or a design choice to show that they are different from conventional vampires. Still, their most predominant traits are not present, although Serena does order raw steak in the second episode, albeit in the morning.

Despite the variety of mythological creatures at the show's disposal, they are the same kinds that viewers are already familiar with, which also includes sirens, harpies, elves, and mummies.

Although it makes no difference when newcomers to the animated series will not understand a significant portion of her world. Sparrow's actual name is Gloria Davile. Cal's full name is Caliban Dal Salan. And Serena's name in the original French language is Selenba. I did not know the former two until later episodes, and the latter is information I had to search for on my own.

More importantly, a spellbinder is someone who has magic powers, or someone that can use spells; but at the same time, I have also read that Tara is a witch. After having watched the entire series multiple times, a witch is a spellbinder, but a spellbinder is not a witch. If I am wrong, it is the show's fault for not making this any more clear. Not only that, but the original title of the theme song is "Sortceliere," which technically does not translate into "sorceress."

[see, I told you]

And to add confusion, the official youtube channel says that Tara is a "spellweaver," but this could be a mistranslation. For convenience, "spellbinder" will be used instead of spellweaver. Not only is the former used in the English theme song, the characters use the same word in the English dub. And for a long time, I thought the first letter is meant to be capitalized, because it is an important word that specifies an important person.

I suspect that the show was created with fans of the book series in mind; in which case, the lack of exposition is understandable, albeit only for fans who have read the original text(s). But compounding this issue is Tara herself.

Being the main protagonist, she must have the strongest personality. She must have the most unique, interesting, or remarkable traits that define who she is and why she is the central character. Her physical beauty is not enough, and despite how noticeable and distinct it is, no character ever mentions or references the front portion of her hair, which is a different color from the rest of her head. While it is obviously genetics, due to her mother having the same abnormality, there is no explanation, let alone suggestion or why it is unique to her family. Because of this, it also gives the impression that it is just hair dye, or even that Tara is bad or lazy at dying her hair.

[there is something abnormal in this shot, and it's not the vampire]

Beyond this, she is not just attractive, she is a powerful magic user who lives in a luxurious manor that can literally defend her against trespassers. One of her romantic interests is Robin, a handsome elf that her rivals, Sandra and Olivia drool over. Tara even has her own majestic pegasus, and most importantly, her name is the title of the show. These elements prove that she is a Mary Su.

I honestly wonder if her creator, Sophie Audouin-Mamikonian, is actually going to read this, because Tara is a self-insert of herself; and she has admitted to this. I think I should also mention that she likes to be addressed as "Princess," because I honestly believe that the book and show were specifically created be her wish fulfillment. If they were, I'm glad she had (has?) fun, but that would explain the quality of the writing. Nothing is inherently wrong with self-inserts, but they risk becoming  flawless characters, hollow with no personality.

Tara's worst flaw is using via transportus incorrectly, and this does not happen often. If it did, it would present believable irony; she might have powerful magic, but she does not have the experience to use it correctly. And she doesn't even use other spells incorrectly or inefficiently.

In the episode "BFF," Tara says she has trouble making friends on Earth, and that she is a social outcast, but later episodes contradict this. Secondary characters such as Edward have no problem with her, and because she plays basketball, she has no issue with befriending the twins. Either that, or Sandra is less effective at suppressing Tara than she thinks, or Tara is effective at allowing Sandra to inhibit her, because at the end of the same episode, the twins walk over and socialize with her and her friends. I should also mention that in a later episode "Guardian of My Heart," the antagonist completely suspends his objective just because Tara is beautiful, I kid you not.

Even though Sparrow and Cal are not any more interesting as characters, they would make better protagonists. The former has spontaneous transformations that she cannot control, and better demonstrates naivety or lack of experience than Tara. As for Cal, his constant misuse of common Earth phrases exhibit his lack of familiarity in a new environment. But because Tara has blonde hair and blue eyes, the network decided she must be the main character.

[Even though Tara is the main character, how is she any different from the girls you see here?]

In spite of her being a Mary Su, I am legitimately interested in her role as Earth guardian. This enormous responsibility, which was passed down via mother and grandmother, is delegated to a teenage girl with teenage problems, which is highly ironic.

Being the next person in a lineage of spellbinders, Tara Duncan's plots work best when they are focused on the dilemma of balancing life as a spellbinder with the life of a non-spell, as seen in the episodes "Assault on the Manor" and "Heart of Stone."

Speaking of her magic, her powers are not based on any element, so she and her friends are not limited to one specific ability. Having an unlimited range of spells at their disposal, they have teleportation, transformation, miniaturization, memory wiping, and vocal transformation. In spite of this, these are not only basic, but they are not as interesting as they can be; and ironically, the characters limit themselves from using their powers to the full extent of their uniqueness; and due to how broad they are, the characters are not as vulnerable as they should be.

Although one good thing is, unlike the magic in Lolirock, I can not only understand the spells that Tara and friends vocalize, I can even spell them correctly without having to look them up. For example, "via reformis" is a spell that reforms or fixes things; while in Lolirock, I still don't know what "crystal collaida" is. Consequently, via reformis is a boring, uninteresting spell while crystal collaida launches a volley of crystal shards.

In general, Tara's magic is mild and subdued, to the point where climactic battles merely have characters standing back and releasing a beam, or stream of magic. I understand that these moments are meant to be intense, but the animation does not complement the action that is supposedly happening. There is not enough damage, let alone collateral damage to show the impact of what they do. Or just as egregious, when the show makes several action cuts, such as in the climax of "Four Parchments."

But it matters less when every episode follows a typical formula. A semchanach comes to Earth and Alpha team, lead by Tara, is dispatched to subdue him, her, or it. The slow pacing, excess exposition, and copious amounts of dialogue will deter new viewers. A lot of the episodes feel padded; to stretch every story to twenty-four minutes. And the runtime will feel longer if you are completely new to Tara Duncan. After passing through continuity lock-out, the show is better on a second viewing, albeit not by much. For comparison, Lolirock episodes do not require background knowledge of a pre-existing book series, especially when the show specifically takes place between the seventh and eighth book, long after basic exposition has been presented. The only good thing is that episodes can be watched out of order.

Tara is so uninteresting that I actually adore Sandra, despite her function as Tara's sworn rival. Being a direct anti-thesis to the main protagonist, straight down to her physical appearance, this may explain why she has more personality than her; even if admittedly, her worst offenses are physically attacking Tara and stealing Sparrow's diary. Although she is callous and otherwise nasty, she has more potential for growth and development than Tara does.

Whether she is unintelligent or ignorant of how to be a better person, she is a child-like brat without the same responsibilities as Tara. For these reasons, she is cuter and more fun to watch, such as the moment when she breaks down crying because she did not invite enough girls to her party.

Sandra makes every episode she appears in more entertaining. She brings the show closer to reality that Tara must deal with as a result of living on Earth. I would genuinely like to know about her than the title character, because Mary is a Tara Su

Understanding all the elements at play here, the show could have been Tara battling her grandmother. Because her mother is missing, Isabella is responsible for taking care of (or parenting) her. Due to the generation gap, Tara and Isabella could have had more intense conflict between them. Tara would like to be a regular, teenage girl while Isabella demands that she fulfill her obligation as Earth guardian. These issues are lightly discussed in episodes like "Gold Fever" and "Mirror of Youth," but they do not make a major bulk of the show. Furthermore, Master Chem is a surrogate father to Tara, and he is more liberal to her than her grandmother. For these reasons, I think the episode "Summer School" is good, because Master Chem and Isabella literally battle each other over what Tara should do for summer break. I also love the episode "Master Chem's Honor," due to Chem being stripped of his authority over Alpha Team; and consequently, his guardianship over Tara.

[you would think with a dvd cover like this, the show would be more exciting]

But this review is not entirely critical. Aside from Sandra, Sparrow is my favorite character for being cute and feminine. Aside from being attractively girly, she is also half animal, i.e. a big, hairy beast that she transforms into when she is upset or loses control. She is descended not only from the Beauty, but also the Beast, which explains her unusual, but charming quirk.

I also like the character Fafnir for her similarity to Carissa from Lolirock. Like Carissa, she has the energy of a warrior girl she makes very few appearances on the show. Unlike Carissa, she is a dwarf; but this does not stop her from using her full strength.

Master Chem is my favorite adult on the show, and beyond what I explained above, he has unique, and fun ways of debriefing Alpha Team. When Tara and Sparrow are looking through a clothing rack, he startles them by hiding in the clothes. In "Four Parchments," Chem sneaks into Tara's bedroom in the middle of night and scares her. Beyond this, he is sensible and fair to Tara and Alpha Team.

Beyond these three character, I also adore the show's use of split-screens. This is when two scenes play at the same time with a line splitting the screen. This happens when two characters are talking to each other, and they may even interact with the screen itself, usually by pulling or pushing it out. This makes the show a bit more charming, and it uses animation to its advantage. A good example is in the episode "Mirror of Youth," when Isabella pulls the split-screen from off-camera so that Tara can give her powers back to her. Another good example is in the episode "Alpha Male," when a miniature version of Tara pushes it away so that Robin can resume his mission. The creators use animation to the show's advantage, if not embraces it.

Characters and backgrounds are hand-drawn; and surprisingly, the show does not utilize flash animation, even though its production studio could have easily done this to save money. I would rather watch Tara Duncan over Angel's Friends because of this; and overall, character animation is equally good. Even though she and her friends do not wear anything interesting or unique, they are practical and conventional for everyday assignments in an urban environment.

The voice acting is nice, even if is too soft to capture a range of feelings, and even if it comes across as dull sometimes. Tara's voice in particular, is the nicest to listen to, even when it doesn't produce raw (RAWR?!) expressive emotions.

And admittedly, she is a bit less bland or dull than other girl show protagonists such as Iris from Lolirock. Not only does she play basketball with boys, she is also a fan of Madney Spears; and idolizing her, would like to dance just like her, triggering the events of "Gold Fever." So she is also athletic. I should also mention that unlike Iris, Tara is a bad singer.

And what makes her a bit more respectable than other girl shows is that she does not have a line of dolls like Winx, Bratz, or Ever After High. Instead, her series was produced to sell or promote the books, and as said before, maybe even satisfy the author's fantasies. Not only that, but Tara does not attend a special or magical school, a trope that is too common with girl shows.

Because she only lasted one season, she didn't waste all that much time, and it's still better than Angel's Friends, which got two seasons. And in a bizarre twist, I am weirdly nostalgic for her , even though I didn't catch (meet?) her back in 2010 when she was first broadcast, or when she first introduced herself.

But Tara does not have a meaningful premise, nor does she have as much spirit, or girl power, as other shows. It's quite baffling how little creativity she has, yet she was somehow given an entire, twenty-six episode animated series. I am not even the first to criticize her. For that matter, I am not even the first person to scrutinize her writing. And like I said earlier, she has another animated series. There is still no explanation for why her original incarnation did not continue for another season. Although the easiest explanation may be everything I just detailed above, because Tara is clearly lacking magic.

Overall Grade: D / D +

[the D stands for "Duncan"]

[Tara's face when she reads how bad her show is]t

[shuaflix]

AUTHOR'S NOTE FOR THE HIDDEN ONE

reasoning for making a separate post (+ i have to yap):

first, my dedication: hello fia if you're reading this 😃 this is a very overdue birthday present (i'm sorry ik you've been waiting.....) that is finally seeing the light of day yippee!!!! i seriously feel so bad taking so long on this one but i would never put this much effort into a historical au for anyone else Not Even Myself 😡

as for the fic, i realize that obviously this is a work of fanfiction and i do not expect anyone to delve into this with any former knowledge of assassin's creed or the age of piracy (because i 100% did not LOL), but in case you want a little overview before you read, i've rambled a little below

if you think you need to have played the games in order to read this, the answer is no you don't have to! i haven't even done a full run-through of assassin's creed black flag since like 2017 ❤️ there is a TON of lore in the assassin's creed series and i did make sure to add enough to make it enjoyable for anyone who's played the games, yes, but i also wrote it knowing that there are probably people reading this who have never touched assassin's creed !! i did make sure to elaborate on concepts (e.g., codex pages, pieces of eden) that would sound foreign to someone who doesn't know the ac lore, but do send me an ask if there's anything you'd like me to clarify

assassin's creed: black flag is a game that's actually set in present day, but there are sci-fi elements in which your character essentially time travels back and forth to carry out certain missions. however, in the case of my story, everything takes place in the past, so it's a true historical au in that regard. however, i did include certain elements from the assassin's creed universe that maintain the sci-fi components from the game

as for historical accuracy, this may come as a surprise but i was not present for the 1700s 😇 STILL i tried my very hardest to be as historically accurate as possible while i did my research for this fic. so even though i took the creative liberty to tweak some minor details in order for the story to flow smoothly, i did my best to reduce the number of inconsistencies

// exhibit a of exercising my creative liberty: we will not be practicing safe(?) sex with fish intestines or lemon rinds (casanova you freak)

some clarifications before you read:

semana santa is holy week—a week-long celebration in preparation for easter

in 1715 (when the fic is set), easter fell on april 1st, hence why the story starts on march 24th

i use "sevilla" as the official spanish name for the city instead of its english name "seville"

saetas are andalusian songs that are sung during religious processions

palm sunday is domingo de ramos in spanish, holy monday is lunes santo, and so on

real historical figures are used in this fic (king philip v) and their characterizations in here are not meant to be reflective of their personalities in real life

SPOILERS FROM HERE ON

read this part once you've finished the fic! this is for the author's note that i would usually leave at the end ♡

if you've read all the way to the end, i sincerely thank you for reading the hidden one! i put so much love into this fic (can you tell i wanted to make it super perfect and amourcheol-coded for fia) ✨ there's a lot i want to say about it but i'm trying to be a writer that doesn't beat the message over people's heads 🧎‍♀️

a couple more things i would like to note:

seungcheol quotes in this fic, "the blood of the covenent is thicker than the water of the womb." this is a translated quote from reinhart fuchs by heinrich der glîchezâre—not my own words

i also have a quote from arcane season 1, episode 9: "is there anything as undoing as a daughter?" (yes, i can't move on) ("girl what the hell is an arcane reference doing in a 1700s historical au?????" i don't know i just have issues i'm sorryyy)

i put a lot of planning and thought into it so i hope you guys enjoyed it !! and thank you to those who asked to be on the tag list, i'm very honored!! :') it was really fun to write and it gave me a lot to think about too 💗 thank you once again to anyone reading this & i hope you look forward to my future works as well 🥰

[mihai-florescu]

I feel like I havent sent an ask in a long time... but I figured I'd let u know I never did end up watching mahoyaku anime with my friend. She quit a few weeks ago and went back home and I'm just not a huge anime watcher in general so I never got around to it on my own but it seems that may be a good thing. Maybe when I go back to my summer job I'll convince someone to watch it with me since the island I'll be living on is pretty isolated especially at night... actually you might know the island I'm talking about since you said you lived in Michigan briefly and its Very Famous.

Anyway I come with a book recommendation as well. I read Death With Interruptions by Jose Saramago recently and it's pretty short, only like 200 pages or so and the premise is just what if people stopped dying. And then when dying resumes you follow death with a lowercase d and how she deals with someone who refuses to die. I thought it was pretty interesting especially as we continue to see people push for eternal life and what that might actually look like (as well as just being a critique on the Catholic church and government as a system). -📖

Your rec sounds so so good i am adding it to my tbr rn! I noticed i have not read any books published in english this year and recently decided i will try to read only foreign translated works for the rest of 2025, so im hopeful i will actually read it soon enough! (Translated in english is fine tho, it doesnt clash with my mission of reading varried books). What can i recommend you back... recently i read the stranger by albert camus and enjoyed it, made me quite curious to read more of his works. And im currently doing a very slow read of italo calvino's essays on literature and its functions. I still think his novel if on a winter night's a traveller is the best introduction to him though and as a standalone a really good book that manages to pull off so many no's you hear in writing advice (firstly, it's written in a second person point of view, and it's done wonderfully). Maybe this can be my recommendation back:)

The mhyk anime, despite its many flaws, 3 dollar budget and pacing issues, has been dear to me. Would not recommend it as a starting point to anyone remotely interested though, i fear it just doesnt convey what i find charming about this world... alas. It was fun to watch the second episode with friends at a faust birthday party we had :)

As for your next job oughh i never went to mackinac island myself but i find myself thinking about the fudge it's famous for so often... send me some, will you? Joking. I just really love fudge and could eat it every day if i had any. My clearest memory of michigan is a bass pro shop i was taken to that was like disneyland for men. But i got sweet candied nuts there so i didnt mind. Anyway. I lived 30 mins south from the border, in indiana, but its close enough and i was up there quite a bit, but never to the island:(

[zahri-melitor]

Starting my 2025 reviews after a busy first two months of theatre:

Cendrillon: This was the English translation, 90 minute version (plus interval). I was absolutely delighted to get early bird tickets for this; I don’t go to a lot of opera, but this was clearly chosen for Sydney Festival with accessibility in mind, and so had a great mixed audience, from small girls through to groups of elderly women. I also ended up with the best possible seating companion, going alone – another woman who also was by herself, and who had enough experience with opera as well that we could sit there and chat about the performance at interval, and who was giggling alongside me at the comedic parts. In terms of the performance, the costuming was lavish in all the right parts, the set design was beautiful,  and the casting looked great. (In terms of my seat companion, she looked at our prince and went “traditional or progressive?” to which I pointed out that the program said the role had been originated as a breeches role, and she brightened up even more). In terms of the translation, it did amuse me that this was very much a translation from French for people who already are used to navigating French in performances: they didn’t bother translating over a whole chunk of loanwords which have clear French roots still in English, and occasionally the surtitles ended up translating things that were still French on stage.

The Bridal Lament: Family storytelling about diaspora and lost culture, set to the traditional bridal songs of Weitou communities from Hong Kong. Watching a piece about losing culture from someone who’s family emigrated after the handover, in the context of the current situation in Hong Kong gave this a lot of levels to enjoy. The singing was glorious too.

Lord of the Rings: A Musical Tale: I didn’t have hugely high hopes for this, but one of my friends wanted to go, and honestly we had a ball. The lower expectations probably helped with that (My sister’s reaction, when I told her I’d just been, was ‘all the clips looked dreadful’). In terms of a LOTR adaption, it was one that both went back to the source material for a new adaption but also was done in full awareness and reaction to the fact the audience would be comparing it to the Peter Jackson movies. It’s definitely an unbalanced script: it spends the first act of the show on Fellowship of the Ring, then crams Two Towers and Return of the King into the shorter second act, but it’s not a terrible choice. Fellowship has a lot of everyone’s favourite scenes and storytelling, so spending more time there made perfect sense, and the story also made the concerted decision to adapt Frodo’s throughline, skipping rapidly over everything but the barest outline of the other plots; it meant the compression made more narrative sense. I did laugh that we skipped 90% of the endings to focus on the Scouring of the Shire: certainly the moment that was the most in communication with its differences compared to Peter Jackson’s version. Using didgeridoo music in Fanghorn Forest was inspired.  I really enjoyed the puppetry work all the way through; the Balrog’s eyes were a bit cheesy, but everything else came off really well. And the dance choreography and costuming was heavily Bollywood inspired, which was just a fascinating choice to watch. Stefanie Caccamo and Jemma Rix definitely outsang the rest of the cast (particularly Rix) which did lend to the uneven nature of the show.

Peter and the Starcatcher: this was booked on the recommendation of my sister, who saw the run in another city and highly recommended it as entertaining and worth enjoying the puppetry. The show itself is a massive pantomime cheesefest: I felt that it was so dependent on Captain Scott and Smee for comedic relief that unfortunately it didn’t actually pick up until the second act and the two got more space. The best bits were honestly once the audience finally got some energy up and started giving Captain Scott and Smee enough reactions to bounce off and extemporise the clearly to-be-adlibbed sections. We lost the cast at one point as the audience KEPT reacting and the adlibbing carried on for so long that the Captain had to stop, reset and grab a quick prompt to remember where he was in the show. I saw a Saturday matinee and it was probably the best choice of time and day for me to see it, as fortunately we had a heavily kid crowd who once they worked out they were allowed to yell at the stage in reaction came up with some CLASSIC lines.

They’ve had a hard run with it: my sister said they did NOT get the audiences hoped for when she saw it, and Peter Helliar literally went “oh thank you Sydney, Melbourne were hopeless” at one stage when reactions finally came through and they could play up the pantomime.

Wuthering Heights: this was a British touring production and stunning; it meant I’ve now hit my trifecta of Brontës on stage this decade (having seen a lavish Tenant of Wildfell Hall and a pretty scrappy Jane Eyre in 2022). I’ve never particularly liked Wuthering Heights as a story – I’m simply not a big fan of heavily gothic novels – but as Jane Eyre is one of my sister’s favourite books I’ve seen a lot of various Brontë adaptions over the years. And I really enjoyed this adaption, both in the liberties it took and the way it used the differences in theatre as a performance space to tell the story; it’s not a show where I wanted or needed to see a pedantically faithful adaption. The puppetry for this (I’ve seen a lot of puppetry-based performances so far this year, actually) really added to the storytelling, and the choices in set design and costuming really lent themselves well to the framing of everything. I found out about this at the last moment (actually in review) and I’m so glad I was able to pick up a last minute ticket for it.

Song of First Desire: this is one of those shows that exists in a canon of various live productions reacting to each other. Written by an Australian who found a passionate audience in Spain for his Australian stories, he went over there and, working with translators and actors wrote a story reflecting on the Spanish Civil War, firstly in Spanish and then in English. It premiered in Spain and this has now been the Australian premiere. It was painful and gritty and full of regrets and disasters, but also a truly beautiful piece: the entire set is turned into a garden, with most of the stage taking place on a bed of dirt. It’s definitely a play for people who like to see storytelling in live theatre, particularly Literary (with the capital) storytelling, but I was haunted by the connections and reflections in this that arose from that very specific conversation between Australia and Spain in the piece, because both sides were fully aware of the parallels being drawn out.

Picnic at Hanging Rock: what is there to say about one of Australia’s greatest mystery stories that hasn’t been said before? This has been adapted and readapted and adapted again ever since Joan Lindsay first wrote the novel: indeed, the whole conversation of how the editing of the novel to remove the last chapter (separately published as The Secret of Hanging Rock) changed the elements of the narrative means that even the novel itself can feel like an adaption; the last chapter reframes everything in terms of a magic realism read on the plot.

I adored this production, though even as I watched it I knew it would be controversial to some audiences and I hoped it would get the reviews it deserved (so far it has). Ian Michael turned the production into one that was fully enriched with the underlying horror and visceral terror that exists in the story: it really leant heavily into the conversation of othering and uncanny and ‘what is alien’, offsetting the conversations about colonisation and loss and sacred places and ‘English’ v ‘Australian’. I’ve been haunted by the story before, but I’ve never been so scared, with my nervous system jumping in anticipation, of this plot I’ve known since I was small. It was absolutely the thing I was most excited to see this year and my anticipation was fully realised.

Mary Poppins: This was a show I went to with Mum. It was am dram community theatre, so I went in with appropriate expectations. The onstage magic was well pulled off and mostly very simple tricks done effectively. The costuming was pretty orthodox, but the director is a costumer herself and had some inspired takes on Miss Andrew and Mrs Corry in particular: nothing outside the standard palettes but just really nice versions thereof. I was reminded that this is a show where the child cast mostly just stands in one spot and reacts to things, rather than getting to do things, but our Jane was solid at emoting, which really helped. They had put a lot of work into their dance numbers and they came off well.

Dictionary of Lost Words: I missed the original 2023 run of this, so I was really happy to see a new season put on. It’s a very faithful adaption of the book; there’s only a handful of plotlines that are simply alluded to and skipped over in the play. The way time and place were constantly portrayed via a live onstage camera feed that projected to the top of the backdrop, with the cast moving things in the projection was probably my favourite part of the set for this show. In terms of the acting itself, I was reminded very much that this is a book written by an Australian and an Australian production: the Covered Market scene where Esme asks Mabel to define the word ‘cunt’ for her was a delight, particularly as the audience kept laughing as it went on and on. It’s exactly the right level of dirty but not scandalous enough that the theatre wasn’t worried about a scene that said cunt so many times in succession.