#I didn’t get along very well with my sister because she was very very bossy when playing so I had to do exactly what she said

[idontliketomatoesleavemealone]

My heart is beating so hard I’m so pissed about Everything rn

[annymation]

Reimagining the characters in Wish

(Part 1- Asha)

Hey guys! I don’t really know how to start this, but let’s just say that I… Didn’t like how Disney’s 100th anniversary movie turned out, like at all.

But I can tell there was a lot of unexplored potential beneath this story, that in my opinion felt overly simple and bare bones.

But if you love it, that’s awesome, more power to you, I wish I could’ve loved it too. And I don’t want to rewrite it to show I’m “better than the writers at Disney” because I’m definitely not lol, I have no experience in writing, and I’m sure they put a lot of passion into the project and I respect them for that. But this movie inspired me with ideas for a different story that I think is worth telling.

But I won’t start telling it today, instead, I'll start a series of blogs sharing my ideas for changes in the characters and their stories, after I get some feedback I will start posting more of the story itself.

If you’re interested, then come along!

Asha✨

Personality

- Asha is a 18 year old girl, with a passion for drawing and helping those around her, sometimes even worrying more about helping others than helping herself

- She’s like a big sister to her 7 friends, always being the voice of reason and acting responsible, but not in a bossy way, she’s actually very playful with them

- To the people of Rosas tho, she's seen as kind of a weirdo, for you see, she spends almost every time of the day drawing in her sketchbook

- She practices everyday to become a better artist, and the people of Rosas find this to be very peculiar, after all, why would you take so much effort to perfect a talent when you can simply wait to turn 18 and wish for the king to make you an amazing artist?

- Asha doesn’t mind these comments, although they have made her less willing to share her drawings with others that aren’t her 7 friends

- As the story progresses we see Asha flourish from a shy and introverted girl to a brave woman who after discovering a terrifying secret about the kingdom’s rulers, steps in and inspires others to join her and fight an evil sorcerer king and his alchemist wife (yes, I made Amaya an alchemist, more on that on part 2 when I talk about how I’d change Magnifico and Amaya)

- Some Disney characters that share similarities with her personality wise are: Belle, Tiana, Pocahontas and Esmeralda

Main Traits:

Calm and mature

Determined

Passionate about her interests (drawing, dancing, philosophy and stars)

Helpful and generous

Perceptive and always questioning things around her that no one pays attention to (like why do all the artists only paint the King and Queen?)

Playful

Compassionate

Backstory

Oooh boy I gave this poor girl so much angst, okay let’s go

Asha grew up with her grandfather, her parents both died in a fire when she was just a baby

(this isn’t just to fit the “haha Disney princess has no parents” cliche, there’s plot relevance in this “mysterious fire” that I’ll talk about later)

Growing up with her grandpa, he’d always support her dream to be an artist, like her mother, who was an art teacher

Her mother not only drew really well, but she also was able to create the illusion that her drawings could move, by flipping through the pages of her sketch books

In other words, her mom was an animator

Asha saw this technic her mom used as a form of magic, so she would often tell her grandpa she wanted to “Do magic just like my mom”

Her father was a philosopher (this was established in the actual movie but never explored haha whyyyy), who taught people that working hard to achieve your dreams is not only rewarding, but also essential, because it’s part of the human nature to persevere and fight for what we believe, even if we fail, even if it’s hard, just keep moving forward.

This philosophy may sound very “umm duh” for me and you since we all know and hear everywhere nothing in life comes for free… But that’s not the case in Rosas

In this rewrite the kingdom wasn’t created by Magnifico, but rather the kingdom has existed for many generations, being ruled by different kings before Magnifico who also granted wishes… but I’m getting ahead of myself.

The point is that the culture of just asking the king to give you or make you whatever you want to be has been in this kingdom’s culture since forever, so when Asha’s dad comes out saying “hey! Maybe we should stop just relying on the king to make our dreams come true, right?” He’s actually being quite a revolutionary… and sharing a very dangerous belief to other people…

At this point you might suspect what caused that “mysterious fire”

So, back to Asha, growing up with her grandpa, they shared a lot of happy memories together. Reading her father's books and her mother's art books helped Asha connect with them even tho she never had them in her life.

But as her grandfather grew older, he became senile.

Asha went from being taken care of by her grandpa to being the one who took care of him when she was still around 13 years old, and when she turned 15 her grandfather passed away of old age

Asha went on to live with her best friend Dahlia, the two became like sisters.

Though she managed to move on from the loss of her grandfather, she could never shake the feeling that he died without getting his wish granted... But she had no way to prove that, it was just a feeling

The wish granting system works different in my rewrite, instead of there being a public wish granting ceremony once a month, there would only be a public wish TAKING ceremony, that would work just like in the movie, you turn 18, you go give your wish to the king yada yada yada.

But the wish granting part would work like this: Almost every night the king would release the wishes up in the sky, they would float down like balloons to their respective owners while they sleep, and once they woke up in the morning they'd feel that their wishes were granted, for they would wake up changed.

With this method, there's no way of confirming if someone really got their wish granted or not, unless you went to ask the king.

Asha never did ask the king if he granted her grandfather's wish, but her grandfather would sometimes express how he wasn't feeling completely fulfilled in his life, he felt like there was something... missing.

This feeling of hollowness persisted in him until the very end, no matter how hard Asha tried to help her grandfather, she never knew him as his real self, because he gave part of his soul to the king, the most beautiful part of his soul, his wish.

Asha had no proof that her grandfather didn't get his wish granted, only a gut feeling.

But because of this, Asha wasn't that thrilled to give her own wish to king magnifico, knowing there was the possibility of it never being granted.

Not to mention she didn’t even know what to wish for, “I’m just 18 and you guys expect me to already know what’s my heart’s deepest desire? I’m still figuring that out, all I know is that I wanna draw”

Plus she wanted to follow her father's philosophy and achieve her wish on her own, eventually, when she figured out what her wish even was.

Asha never rebelled against the system tho, she wasn't a confrontational person. She just accepted the people of Rosas preferred to rely on the king's magic, but that just wasn't for her.

However, on her 18 birthday, when it was expected of her to give her wish to the king, she simply said she didn't have a wish, and even if she did she wouldn’t want to hand it over, she wanted to make it come true on her own. This lead to an argument with the king, and after a series of events (that I don't have time to summarize here, but you can find out about it on my rewrite) leads to her finding out a terrible truth about her kingdom. And that's how her story begins.

Design

- I’d keep these braid ornaments that Asha had in the concept art

- Since in my rewrite she’s not that invested in the kingdom of Rosas, I’d remove all the Kingdom of Rosas symbols that are present in her design (there are a LOT of them)

- I’d replace these Rosas insignia with more star and constellations themed symbols, to reflect how Asha believes that the stars are connected to people and they can guide us, just like how her father believed.

Final Thoughts

My intentions with these changes were to give Asha a strong emotional hook, and something that makes her feel relatable.

The emotional hook here is how she spent so much of her life taking care of her grandfather that she kinda never had time to worry about her own desires, that alone can be relatable to caregivers of elderly people that watch their grandparents or even their own parents lose themselves as time passes, and end up worrying more about the person they’re taking care of than themselves.

Asha has this internal emotional conflict where she feels she needs to constantly help others the same way she helped her grandfather, and one of the things she’ll learn as the story progresses is that it’s not selfish of her to want more for HERSELF.

Another thing that would be relatable about Asha is her passion for drawing, and how most people in Rosas would say she’s wasting her time practicing so much when she can just wait until she turns 18 and wish to be amazing at drawing.

She’d never stop believing that taking her time to improve on her talent and trying again and again was worth every second of her time, because let me tell ya folks, drawing is HARD, and animating like Asha’s mom did is even HARDER, it takes a whole lot of practice, and Asha was determined to keep trying.

She’d be much like Belle, remaining true to herself even tho those around her considered her odd, and very passionate about drawing just as much Belle was passionate about reading.

I also find it funny how Asha’s motivations are fairly down to earth, like in Disney movies you usually have:

I want to be free from these palace walls!

I want to explore the ocean!

I want to open a restaurant!

I want to find true love!

And then there’s Asha here like

“My life is fine, I just wanna chill and draw stuff”

And that’s it, but, in her environment where everyone is expected to have this great wish that they have to give to the king so he’ll make it a reality, she’s kinda the odd one out, and I love that. Would be a great subversion of the Disney formula.

Of course after she learns Magnifico and Amaya’s true intentions she gets a lot more agency and the desire to save her people, her “call for adventure” if you will.

But what are Magnifico and Amaya’s true intentions? Click here for part 2 and find out!

Thank You For Reading!

[kekaki-cupcakes]

Yay fellow aroace!

I love cute moments too! Yours are so adorable as well!

So uhm… maybe a little sis annabeth being protected / being taken care of by her older cool sis?

I loved the punk Jason concept as well so maybe something similar? Thank you so much if you do this!

And yeah! Byeee

🖤🩶🤍💚

Thanks so much for this ask even though it's been sitting in my inbox for centuries lol I have so many asks and little motivation but this one was so close to done, that's why the endings a little rushed <3

Bite me, bitch boy--- Annabeth Chase/Protective older sister!reader

»»————-　★　————-««

-Annabeth got to camp when she was seven. She became the cabin counselor at nine. 

-Who in their right mind let a literal baby be in charge of eight bossy, snarky, far too intelligent and prideful demigods? Who said, ‘you know what this cabin needs? A child to run it!’

-It was safe to say that when you got to camp at fifteen years old and soon after got shoved into a wooden cabin full of unorganized folders and sheets of paper and books, with three toothbrushes [eight kids???] and a mini fridge with literally nothing in it, you had something to say.

-Specifically to Chiron, who reassured you that you could of course speak with the cabin counselor about how the children of Athena were living, once she got back from her quest.

-Oh, so maybe there was a proper leader here, they were just away. That made sense, they’d be smart, and obviously knew what they were doing. That shut you up for a few days, and put up with the fact there were no lights out and your little brother hadn’t showered in two weeks. 

-Then a scrawny, angry at the world, little girl came back with swinging braids and far too sharp a knife for a twelve year old, carting behind her a traumatized school boy and a very hungry goat.  

-Your expectations took a dip.

-After your new little sister was tucked into bed and you finally figured out how to threaten your siblings into shutting their books and going to sleep [Spiders, spiders were the key.], you marched straight back to Chiron and demanded a union.

-You didn’t get one. 

-So instead you did some spring cleaning. While your siblings were out showing off their wits and picking strawberries, you stacked up every piece of paper in the cabin and threw out all the random things from three years ago, organizing everything away neatly into the bookshelves and filing cabinets no one had thought to use yet. A deep clean began, and you probably held up the laundry near the infirmary for a good four hours. 

-You found an old cork board in the stables that Butch [he was nice, even if he only talked about Pegasi and a comic called Heartstopper] let you take, and pinned up everyone schedules on it, instead of where they had been washi taped to the bathroom mirror. One of your brother's school reports appeared in the mini fridge as well, so that got pinned up too. 

-Said mini fridge was filled with water and strawberries that Malcom brought back, along with mud that got tracked through the fluffy rug you’d exchanged with Silena for the third volume of Butch’s comic. 

-Annabeth glared at you with those stormy eyes that everyone in the cabin shared. 

-Apparently, as the head counselor of the Athena cabin, she was supposed to be the one doing all the things you’d done, and she did not appreciate your disrespect for the rules or her position.

-Once she found the wafer biscuits in the minifridge you’d grabbed from the camp store after Katie got one of the old ipods you’d brought with you to camp after finding out about the wifi rule, she calmed down a little.

»»————-　★　————-««

-Annabeth was fuming.

-How dare you just… come into her cabin and take over?

-How come all her other siblings didn’t seem to mind that you had this one really cool tattoo on your thigh and seemed to be allowed to just wander into the camp store and take stuff, because apparently Katie owed you something and the Athena cabin got free wafers?

-And somehow Clarrise decided not to dunk your head in the toilet on your first day [Percy was unhappy about that as well, but seaweed belonged in water anyway. He didn’t like that comment either.] because something about Silena and hearts stopping? 

-Annabeth was supposed to be in charge, and now you were going to the camp counselor meeting instead and forcing Annabeth to lay in bed all day with a box of tissues because a temperature of forty degrees wasn’t normal. You even brought back a bag of those cheetos that the Stolls always dug up for meetings for her. 

-It sucked.

-So she decided to let some of her anger out in the form of beheading each and every dummy propped up in the arena. 

-Stuffing was scattered around on the sandy floor and Annabeth could feel beads of sweat on her dark skin. Her knife was flecked with the blood that beaded on her palm after clenching her knife too tightly for too long.

-A few Iris kids were casting rainbow mists that faded into droplets of poison on the other side of the arena, and she was careful to avoid them as she whipped around and got one of the dummies in the back of the neck, which would kill any normal person not sewn together by a bored teenager.

-Of course the sawdust billowing up wasn’t helping her stuffy nose or unfocused eyes because actually that dummy’s torso looked like a great pillow but then she was tearing out its insides because she wasn’t sick. 

-She refused to let you be all cool and right and big sister-y because Annabeth was in charge, she didn’t need a big sister to make her hot chocolate before bed when she had to finish a model for Hecate's new potion shop on Olympus and take spiders out of the bathroom because somehow you didn’t find then as absolutely terrifying as the rest of them did.

-The braid that hit her cheek felt like a spider leg in that moment and Annabeth fell back with a yelp, pulling all her hair behind her shoulders and breathing hard, her glinting knife near her feet.

-It was shiny and metallic and there were spider legs and then she was running, sprinting and puffing and following that arachnid-like robot from Hephaestus through the Labyrinth before they all lost it and got stuck walking in circles and circles and circles with spider legs crawling over her skin that were in her lungs-

-Shit. 

-Deep breaths, that was all she needed to do. Annabeth pushed a fist to her chest and rolled her shoulders back, trying to blink away the image of the metallic spider crawling over her shoe.

-There was a cackle of laughter and she righted herself. She wasn’t sick. She wasn’t scared. And she was not going to be laughed at. 

-She turned but her braids were still touching her and they were crawling over her and she couldn’t breathe because the spiders were on her but she wasn’t scared and she would not be laughed at and her knife fell out of her hand and-

-”If you don’t leave right now, I’m rostering you all on for clean up duty in the kitchens tonight, and I’m telling Butch it was you guys who let Olive and Clover out onto the lava wall!” 

-”He won’t believe you, and you can’t boss us around, newbie!” Someone yelled, and Annabeth pulled all of her hair back, a gray streak in the corner of her was tucked behind her ear. She felt like throwing up when the heat washed over her skin, prickly as a cactus. 

-”Bite me, bitch boy!” You snapped, and there was a clanging of metal and then a yelp.

-Silence filled the arena as Iris kids shuffled out, but Annabeth lost track of them a moment later because there was four of them and then eight and then twelve and then it hurt her head too much to count and suddenly there was two of you marching up,a shiny spear speckled with poison rainbow droplets. 

-You dropped the spear and Annabeth couldn’t see much else because everything was grainy and full of static and the heat on her dark skin was crawling with spiders and itchiness.

-Annabeth stepped forwards, the ground coming a lot closer to her face than she planned. 

-She gulped down a cry of pain and squinted up at you, then tried to tell you to fuck off, because she wasn’t sick. It only came out as a pathetic mumble, and she lay limp, glaring up at you foggily.

-You smiled, and Annabeth tried to take it patronizingly so she could continue hating you. But it wasn’t patronizing, even when you spoke softly, “Come on, let’s get you back in bed.”

-Annabeth huffed as she was carried out, “Mnuhsick.”

-“Percy and that funny goat boy are waiting.” Your smile was patronizing then. “They brought Hidden Figures and Legally Blonde.” 

-“Msick.”

-“That’s what I thought.” 

»»————-　★　————-««

[lavaffair]

Just Admit It

Inukag Fluff Week Prompts: Touch and Pining

Ao3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/33211216

Having a crush on someone can be wonderful, but also incredibly unfair. The hours spent daydreaming about the person who gives your stomach butterflies seem to be more fun than having the actual crush. Experiencing this vulnerable feeling because of a person is actually quite terrifying and painful. Most of the time, crushes lead to heartbreak and letting go of the person who never gave you a chance.

Being in love with a person can be extremely intense, almost obsessive, and beautiful if done right. When someone’s feelings reach this level, it begins to cut deeper beyond the surface, into dangerous and uncharted territory. Especially if the person you are in love with has absolutely no idea of your true feelings towards them.

For Kagome Higurashi, her feelings towards her best friend Inuyasha Taisho went way beyond a crush. She was in love with her best friend, so in love that it hurt her, and she was too afraid to ever tell him about them.

The risk of ruining her lifelong friendship of 16 years was too scary to think about. Kagome could never think of her life without Inuyasha, he was always there to annoy her, get her angry, protect her, and support her whenever and wherever. When he yelled at the bigger kids for making fun of her name when they were five, or afterward when she pushed someone away from him when they pulled on his ears, they made a pack to back each other up. The friendship just blossomed after that.

Of course, they made more friends along the way, which included Sango and Miroku; whom they met in middle school, but their friendship never changed. They knew each other better than anyone else, and they have had the uncomfortable and awkward conversations that come up between teenagers, and so they have seen it all.

They have been there for each other when their hearts have been broken, when they had fights with others, and when they have personal issues. The bond between them was so strong that even the idea of it breaking caused Kagome a ton of stress. She could not do it and would not do it. At the end of the day, they will be in each other’s friend zone and they will die in the friend zone.

She was convinced that Inuyasha had zero feelings for her. He has seen her at her worst, and probably only looks at her like a sister. There was no way he could feel anything more for her.

This is why seeing him flustered and awkward about having to share a bed together did not raise any suspicions. It was obvious he was just a bit uncomfortable with the situation since it has been years since they have shared a bed with each other. They are both in their early twenties now, and sharing a bed was very intimate at this age compared to at 13.

“Yash, I could go downstairs right now and ask for another room. You look like you’re going to have a heart attack.” Kagome grinned at him, trying her best to suppress her shyness.

“Tch. We tried that already! That old hag wasn’t budgin’. This is the last time we let Miroku make hotel reservations.” He anxiously paced around the room.

“I can’t believe they don’t have any rooms with two beds. It’s not like it’s a special weekend or anything, it’s not even that busy this time of year.” She could not help but bite her bottom lip while watching him pace the room. His anxiety was getting to her.

“Well. We’re stuck here now, I tried all of my tricks but that lady wouldn't budge. We just gotta figure this out.”

He disappeared into the closet and pulled out an extra blanket provided by the hotel and placed it on the ground beside the huge bed. It was soft and fluffy enough to provide some comfort, but Kagome knew his back was going to hurt tomorrow and beyond that. They are staying at this hotel for the next few days, and until they can find a new room, they will have to make due.

“Inuyasha, we can just share the bed.” She tried speaking logic into him.

Inuyasha hoped she missed the way his body jolted at her offer because it was an intense one. Share a bed? With his best friend, whom he also harbored feelings for? Not a chance. Not when it was hard for him to even look at her without thinking about all the ways he could hold her.

He was down bad, he just refused to make it obvious. Instead, he played off his feelings for her by being extra rude sometimes. It helped mask his feelings and it was believable because he was naturally a huge jerk. Of course, he has gotten softer because of Kagome, but he turns it on when he needs it. Right now, he was too flustered to even pretend to act like a cocky bastard.

He and Kagome have not shared a bed since they were pre-teens, and that was before puberty kicked in. It took him a while to notice it at first, but when Inuyasha realized he had developed feelings for his best friend, he knew he had to shut it down immediately. He saw the changes she went through, and how she went from this annoying, loud, bossy little girl into this independent and beautiful woman. It was too much for him, and it happened overnight. He sucks at handling his feelings, he is not the best with women, and thus concludes him knowing he is not good for her.

Kagome deserved better, she deserved more than him. Some guy who can talk about his feelings and does not want to punch almost every frustrating person in the face. He was in love with her, so in love, he would sacrifice his chance of happiness just to see her happy with someone else. He will support her from the sidelines, like any good best friend, while his heart tears away at the idea of a love that did not get a chance.

Her friendship was enough for him. That is what he told himself every day.

“No.” He replied flatly. “You probably still kick in your sleep.”

“I do not kick!” He heard her shout.

He laughed, “Tell that to my legs. I think they’re still bruised.”

Of course, he did not miss the way she scoffed as she got the bed ready to sleep in. He could hear her breathing from across the room, her sweet, natural scent filling the space every time she moved around and it was intoxicating.

“Don’t be such a big baby!” She padded the pillows for extra fluff. “You’re a demon, my kicks don’t even hurt you.”

He poked his head out from the closet, looking for anything extra to put on his makeshift bed other than bath towels. “Half demon,” he corrected. “And yes they do.”

She blew out some air from her lungs and padded over towards him, her little feet tip-tapping on the carpet floor. “Inuyashaaaa,” she whined. “If I promise to not kick you, will you please sleep on the bed?”

He swallowed hard, his nerves getting the best of him as he cleared his throat. It took him a second to compose himself before exploding, and then he put on his best face. He raised an eyebrow at her, a smirk playing on his lips with a little fang poking out.

“So you admit that you do kick now. huh?”

Kagome rolled her eyes, immediately walking away from him with her arms crossed against her chest. “You’re impossible!”

After a few seconds of comfortable silence, he heard her zip and unzip her luggage and heave a sigh. “I’m going to change really quickly. I’ll be right back.”

He grunted in return and quickly changed into some sweats and a loose-fit tee shirt. His makeshift bed was as good as it was going to get, the fluffy comforter folded on the ground providing some back support. There were no more extra blankets, but Kagome always brought an extra for traveling, so he would just use hers to sleep in.

Little sounds were coming out from the bathroom and he knew she was doing her nightly routine of skincare and hair brushing. Out of all the women he has ever met, Kagome was the one always on top of her routines. He knew she had one in the morning and one at night, and the only reason why she was not taking her nightly shower was because of how tired she was after a long travel day.

The sound of clothes coming off and then rustling back on her skin was extremely distracting, so he decided to focus on the interesting floor lamp in the corner of the room. It had a rustic-colored body, with a cream-colored lampshade over the light bulb, and it was as boring as any other floor lamp in existence.

The door to the bathroom clicked open, and the sweet scent that was Kagome hit his nose instantly. It was never enough for him and he was so selfish he always wished for more. The citrusy scent mixed with vanilla was expected after she stayed in the bathroom for so long, but he did not expect his heart to skip a beat when he laid eyes on her in her pajamas. To anyone else, it would just be plain sleepwear, but seeing her in a pink tee-shirt and shorts set was driving him insane. There were little white stars decorating the entire ensemble, and Inuyasha could not believe Kagome could get any cuter.

“Nice PJs, what are you, five?” He teased, if only she knew he was dying inside.

She glared at him in return, “At least my pajamas are more fun. You’re in the same thing you always wear.”

“Kagome, you never see me when I’m going to bed.” He was trying really hard to stop himself from stuttering.

“You’re right, but I see you in the mornings when you’re a grump. You don’t change out of them unless you have somewhere to go.”

“I didn’t come here to get chastised for my taste in sweatpants, Kags.”

She giggled and it sent a jolt of electricity into his system. “That may be true, but when we get back home I’m buying you new pajamas. I’ll get some cute ones for you.”

The half-demon narrowed his amber eyes at her, “You’re gonna get matching onesies ain't ya?”

Shrugging her shoulders and shooting him a cheeky little smile, she skipped to her giant bed and left his question unanswered. Choosing to turn off the lights instead, and leaving the duo in the dark.

Cheeky wench he thought.

There was nothing else for either of them to do but get comfortable in bed to sleep. Everyone in the group had had a long day, and he was sure Sango and Miroku were already asleep in the room across from theirs. He was thankful the universe spared him from having to listen to anything that was not snoring.

“What time do you think we’ll all be up by tomorrow?” He heard Kagome ask from above him.

As he made himself comfortable on the floor with the fluffy pillow Kagome had given him he answered, “Hopefully not at noon. I’ll push you off the bed and bang on their door until yer all awake.”

She laughed, “You’ll get us kicked out if you do that.”

“Yeah?” Well, maybe we can find a hotel that has rooms with two beds.” He grumbled.

“Sharing a bed is not a big deal!” Kagome lied, because to her it would definitely be a big deal.

To the blushing half-demon sleeping on the ground, it was also a very big deal. “Goodnight Kagome.”

Kagome pouted, thankful that he could not see the disappointment on her face. “Fine, don’t be extra grumpy when your back hurts tomorrow.”

They flipped on their sides facing away from each other and attempted to sleep. Kagome was doing well, the giant bed was super comfortable and it would bring her to sleep in no time. Except, she could listen to Inuyasha shuffling over on the floor knowing he was trying to find a comfortable position.

A frustrated grunt had her fluttering her eyes open and groggy from sleep. She wondered how long she had been out, and she would ask Inuyasha but he was still tossing and turning on the floor. She rubbed her eyes and let out a tiny yawn before scooting over to the side to look at him.

At the moment, he was fighting with Kagome’s blanket and was one minute closer to taking the car keys and sleeping inside the car.

“Inuyasha?” he heard her ask. Her voice was soft and sounded small, she looked tired and in much need of sleep.

“Kags? Hey, sorry for waking you.” He said apologetically.

She shook her head with a little smile to show him she felt no animosity towards him. “Yash, you’re uncomfortable. Please come to bed.”

“You say that like it’s easy..” he muttered over his beating heart. She was so tired, and yet here she was still concerned over him and putting his needs before her own.

“It’s not easy.” She replied sleepily.

“What?” He sat up from his floor bed and looked at her. Her eyes were glossed over, and a little smile was painted on her face. “Kags, what do you mean?”

She shrugged awkwardly in her laying down position and yawned again. “I like you, so, it’s not easy for me to tell you that.. but you can’t sleep on the floor.”

Inuyasha’s face heated up instantly, a blush so red and deep that he could make tomatoes jealous of its color. There was no way she was telling him the truth. There was absolutely no way she was reciprocating his feelings right now, because this all seems too good to be true, and nothing this amazing ever happens to him. He was already lucky enough to call her his best friend, but for her to like him back when he had never told her was more than he could have asked for.

Her words processed rather quickly, and Kagome shot up from the bed. suddenly wide awake. There was absolutely no way she just said that to him. Every second that passed caused her to overthink everything, and she felt like her friendship with him was slipping out of her fingers the more time passed.

“I- I mean! Um.. no? Uh. I didn’t say that! Forget what I said!” She laughed nervously, “Haha funny joke!”

Her stuttering was going through one fluffy ear and out of the other because he was still trying to process what she said. He could see her better than she could see him, and her blushing face did not match the denial she was spewing at him.

“Would you laugh too if I told you I felt the same way?” His voice wavered during his confession while his stomach made flips.

“You…” Kagome paused and took a deep breath in a failed attempt to get herself to relax. “You like me too?”

“Yep.”

“..For how long?”

“Since I turned 13 and saw you in that one blue dress at the school dance.” There was no going back for him now.

She remembered that day pretty easily because it was one of her most cherished memories. It was the middle school dance, and everyone was super excited to find someone to go with. Naturally Kagome went with Inuyasha since they were so inseparable, and she wanted to surprise him and go in her new blue dress. That whole night Inuyasha was acting weirder than usual, but she thought it was because of the school dance, not because of her or her blue dress.

“What about you?” His question dragged her out of her thoughts.

“Around the same time as you, except it was after the dance. Yura cut off some of my hair because she was kinda obsessed with it, and mama had to even it out afterward. It was so short, and I hated it! But you came up to me when I was crying and told me I was pretty with my short hair, and then you yelled at Yura the next day.

“That’s when I sort of figured I liked you more than just as my best friend.” She admitted.

The two best friends stared at each other in bewilderment due to their confessions. The words they shared are still floating above them like small clouds. The fear of their feelings staying one-sided was nothing but a fluke now, because their feelings were reciprocated.

“Do you um..” Kagome coughed, “Wanna get off the floor and talk about it some more?” She padded the mattress for emphasis.

He was sure he looked like an idiot with how fast he got up from the carpet. Maybe she did not see it that way, but he sure did feel that way. He felt like he was floating even with his body now firmly on the large bed. He left a small space between them, on the off chance that he was reading into it too much.

It was quiet between them and sleep was still creeping onto them like a predator watching its prey.

“You know I expected my confession to you to be kinda dramatic.” Kagome laughed, “Like, we have a huge fight and we’re yelling at each other from across the room and then you say something stupid and I just kinda scream it out.”

The half-demon raised a brow at her in amusement. “You watch way too many movies, Kagome.”

She pushed on his shoulder in mock offense, “Don’t pretend like you don’t sit there and watch them with me!”

“That’s because you force me to watch them with you. How many times have we seen the Notebook? I lost count!”

“Okay, okay, first of all, we haven’t seen the Notebook since high school. I’ll admit we saw it too often, but not recently!”

“Yeah?” He grinned at her, his fang poking out only adding to the effect he has on her. “Doesn’t mean we haven’t seen similar movies.”

She huffed, “I’m a sucker for romance. You can’t blame me for that.”

Inuyasha watched as her lips turned out into a little pout and she puffed out her chest. Those same lips he has always caught himself staring too hard at, the ones he thought about kissing everyday but knew he never could. Well, here was his chance; and she was sitting right in front of him.

Before he could back out of it, he leaned in closer to her face and stared directly into her dark brown eyes. Her breath caught in her throat and the little gasp she let out echoed his ears. Her breath fawned over his lips as she realized how close they were to touching. Her eyes flicked from his golden ones to his lips, and then back to his eyes again.

“Can I kiss you?” He asked her breathlessly. He was totally enthralled by her and her full, parted lips.

She nodded in anticipation knowing that her voice would fail her if she tried to speak.

His lips were on hers instantly as he drank her in like water. They were as soft and plush as he expected them to be but they were also even more than that. Their lips molded against each other so easily it was strange to think about why he waited so long to do this in the first place. The kiss they shared was sweet and cautious but still electrifying. He did not want to scare her away in case she backed out of it, but little did he know she was savoring this moment between them.

Slowly, they parted ways as they tried to catch their breath. Inuyasha noted how cute she looked with pink-tinted cheeks, kiss swollen lips, and sparkling eyes as she looked at him. He could not stop the grin from showing up on his face after finally being able to kiss the girl of his dreams, the same girl that was a bit too far from him at the moment.

“Come ‘ere.” He slurred, his voice deep and rich with admiration. He extended his arms to her and beckoned her towards him with a blush still on his cheeks.

Without saying a word she crawled over to him and broke the remaining space they had between them. She fit into his lap so perfectly and she never wanted to live a life where she could not do this again. The butterflies in her stomach were eating her alive but she powered through the feeling and laid her head on his shoulder. His strong arms embraced her small figure and pressed her into him while he fought the nerves in his body to relax. This was still extremely new to the both of them, but suddenly they wanted to be as close to each other as possible.

They sat together like this for a few minutes until Inuyasha noticed that Kagome was starting to drift away into sleep again. Even the excitement of a love confession was not strong enough against the pull of sleep.

“Kags,” he whispered. “Let’s lay down. You need to sleep more comfortably.”

She protested, “But I’m comfy here.”

Before she could say anything more he quickly changed their position and laid down on the bed. With one arm still holding Kagome snuggly on him, he used the other to bring up the giant comforter to cover the both of them. He was glad they both decided to leave the lights off during the entire ordeal they had earlier so he did not have to get up and ruin her comfortable position.

Kagome was thankful for the lights staying off too because she was not going to let Inuyasha go even for a second. Miroku and Sango might be extremely confused tomorrow morning when they notice the change in dynamic but that will be tackled when they get to it. Right now, she is way more content with her head on his chest and his hand on her back.

Before she officially dozed off into slumber, she kissed his chin and snuggled into him. With her head on his chest, she could hear the erratic beating of his heart after her surprise kiss. He said nothing as he listened to her breathing steadily with every minute that passed until her grip on his arm went slack.

Inuyasha had not expected so much to happen between them in a span of a few hours. Their dynamic now changed forever. He was aware that they still had more to talk about, but for now, he was going to cherish this moment with her. He kissed her forehead one more time out of pure need and desire before settling in to catch some sleep.

He would never deny sharing the bed with her ever again.

[pluviophile-bookworm]

HSMTMTS 2x10: New and a bit alarming... ok, very alarming

I don't even know at this point if I'm more nervous or excited for this episode. I've done my waiting and, well, whatever lies ahead, good or bad, or a little bit of both, I just can't wait anymore, even though I haven't been so scared to press play since... well, since last week. Guess I should just go for it, then:

Ooh, shady Seb doing the recap! We love to see it. Like, seriously, I'm anxious about the Seblos fight, but shady Seb is kind of my new favourite Seb.

I just... Ashlyn's acting is top tier. Emotional connection to the material? Superb! Chemistry with her co-lead... well, he'd have to be co-leading for any chemistry to be possible. I love Ricky, and I feel for him with all he's been through, but he's just not lead material right now. And it shows. Especially next to Ashlyn, who is killing it!

Miss Jenn is on the verge of a bloody mental breakdown and I just... wish I could do something to make things better. She reminds me of my mum when a deadline approaches for her to submit an article, and I just feel for her right now. Gosh, I'm feeling for everybody today. My empathy seems to be at its peak and I might just burst from all these emotions this episode is making me feel even before the 5-minute mark.

Ok, but Miss Jenn being stressed means Carlos is stressed for two, which means... this is a really bad time for him and Seb to have personal problems. My heart just can't handle it.

Wow... I never thought I'd see the day! The two leads are actually talking to each other! This is a mid-July miracle!

Why does everyone keep pretending their HSM was good? It was a flaming hot mess! A child could see that.

Miss Jenn needs a lot of work on her 'gracious face'. I, like Carlos, have quite some notes. Only mine aren't exactly, how do you say... verbally formulated quite yet.

Did Carlos just refer to Miss Jenn as 'mother'? Because yes.

I've been in a couple of local theatre productions in my day, but none of them had actual physical sets — we relied on the audience's imagination quite a lot — so I wouldn't know what a good set is made of... but even I can tell that plywood and Elmer's glue = not good.

Kourtney is a multi-tasking icon and we love her. I feel like I don't say this enough, but she deserves all the love.

Ooh, shady Seb is... well, shady! 'Quit school and get a job at the pizza shop?' — I mean, you don't see Reddy or Kourtney (or Howie, for that matter) quitting school in order to work at the Slices! Those kids juggle it all and, as someone who's never had to balance school and a job all at once, they have my deepest admiration.

Still, I think they should have thought about 'inventing' something re: transformation earlier than this point. The personal drama has taken up too much of their time.

Why does everyone keep inviting people over to Ashlyn's? I mean, it's not like I've ever heard her complain, but the girl needs some rest! And her house is not a public space.

Oh, so they're making this into a contest? I mean, I have never been a fan of competition, but to each their own. And Redlyn are hosting! This is going to be so beautiful! (You know, unless the boys try to sleep — see my post from yesterday about Reddy's background noise machine)

'I'm not worried. But North High should be!' Ooh, I love this look on Ashlyn! See, there's a lead to take notes from! And Ricky should be the first to do so. Take notes about what a lead acts like, I mean.

Oooooh, Big Red claps back! We love to see it. Although, you know, it stems from the fact that he's nervous about coming up with a solution to the transformation problem. 'I get bossy around the power tools' — Yes, sweetie, and I love that look on you. Maybe you should be around power tools more often, if that helps.

Ughhh, look what the cat brought in! Lily (I wish I knew her last name so I could refer to her by it exclusively, but we'll have to make do). I hate that girl. She reminds me quite exactly of the girl who bullied me in seventh grade to the point where I wished I'd die before having to deal with her at school again. She and Lily both bring out my aggressive side, and I hate that about them.

Ricky — 'so good at being a leading man'? I don't know what Lily is playing at here, but Ricky has not shown himself to be a very good leading man this season. He has the potential to be, but he has not fulfilled it by this point. Sure, he supports his friends and they support him, but that's basic decency. Not yet good leadership. No hate on Ricky, just the truth.

'I vaguely remember him' — please tell me this is setup for Ricky leading Lily on and then slamming the door in her face with the truth. The way I see it, he's been given a chance here. A chance to be the supportive, protective best friend Big Red deserves. I just... have a lot of ideas about this and I don't want it to end badly instead.

'I'm just not well-liked here, and I don't know what to do' — well, of course you aren't well-liked, you little— (ok, ok, calm down, breathe, 10, 9, 8...) whatever. I mean, she hasn't even considered basic decency, as it seems. Must be a new concept to her.

'Don't start with me, Carlos!' Wow. As much as I hate it that my two faves' only interaction in so long is so hostile, I kind of like this side of Big Red. I wonder what other sides of himself he's been hiding.

Listen, I don't like Seb being patronised and babied, but... 'Chip, this is your mother speaking: go call your mother!' made me laugh so hard. They're leaning into the on-stage family dynamic and I live for it.

EJ's idea of using old skateboards for the spinning contraption is... a brilliant callback to the fact that Ricky and Big Red were first characterised as skateboarders... you know, before diving headfirst into the theatre thing. And it feels like it might actually work.

Miss Jenn's excitement at seeing Mr Mazzara ('Benjamin!!!') is perhaps only topped by the fact that he was halfway home, got a text from her and instantly went back to the school. I mean, these two have something that's really big.

Miss Jenn referring to the kids as 'my children', combined with Carlos calling her 'mother' earlier just warms my heart so much! Those guys really are family. I live for it.

Ok, but... as clear as it is that the Wildcats are very far behind NH in terms of budget, rehearsal time and who knows what else, I hate seeing Miss Jenn resigned to them losing. I want to see her have faith in them, talk about how they will win, and, in her own words, 'trust the process'. I mean, I guess it's good that, as a teacher, she wants to prepare her kids for a possible defeat (and I mean really possible if they don't step up their game immediately, especially some of them * cough* Ricky *cough *), but a team that goes out to the field expecting to lose has a very minimal chance of winning.

Despite everything I've been saying again and again about Nini lately, the fact that she just delivered a very different 'No, Seb' has just redeemed her. See, this one wasn't dismissive or patronising — this was like, 'no, Seb, don't put yourself down' and I love that spin on the catchphrase I'd grown to hate. See, many things can be redeemed. And some simply cannot. * cough* Devil's spawn Lily *cough *. Also, Seb being self-conscious about the fact that Carlos 'doesn't have many options' at East Hight is the perfect setup for In a Heartbeat — meaning they will either have a chance to talk about their issue, or they have a telepathic connection, in which case, what kind of soulmate stuff is that?

'You're my sister; he's my cousin' — yeah, Ash, putting it like that makes it sound a lot weirder than it should, but I do get what you're trying to say. This is not a drill! Ashlyn is a Portwell shipper (heck, maybe even the captain of that ship) — but I feel like we already knew that.

'Why'd I never hear about this?' — and there it goes. Within the same scene, Nini was redeemed and then made aggravating again. What does she care if Gina thought Ricky sent her chocolates? He didn't. Because he and Gina can't be anything but very good friends. And I feel like good friends is what Gina needs. Maybe that's why I wanted EJ to be that for her initially (or it was because I'm aroace and don't tend to notice romantic attraction between fictional characters — or real people for that matter — unless it's explicitly stated to be there). But I've been on board of the majestic S.S. Portwell for a few weeks now and it's finally about to set sail.

Yeah, Nini, get a root beer, calm the heck down and get over it!

'Your other clockwise!' — Why does this even need to be said? How many 'clockwise's are there? I absolutely understand why Big Red gets the way he gets around power tools. I'd be on edge too, if the people I was trying to work with didn't know what way clockwise is. Still, I feel like by the time I'm 30, nobody younger than me would have a reason to know what way clockwise is, and I don't know if I feel bad or neutral about it.

Oh, so there's no telepathy involved in Seblos' problem resolution — it's been Redlyn's good communication all along. I might have known.

Ooh, Portwell is being discussed on both sides! PORTWELL NATION HOW WE FEELING

Nini? Why is everything about Nini? There's no way everything is about Nini. In all seriousness, though, EJ's worries about letting the next girl go seem valid in regards to Gina, given that she explicitly stated (though not within earshot of EJ or anyone who could have tipped him off) that she needs someone who will show up and stay. But they'll figure it out. They'll find a way. I know it. They will, or I will riot, and I know I won't be alone in that.

Ooh, Howie is giving Kourtney the original blueprints! Looks like Reddy isn't the only one who has a spy on the inside.

Ahhh, Ricky! Not 'Let You Go' again. I haven't cried to it in three days and I was not ready to break that streak. But... wait, this is where Carlos approaches Ricky to ask him for help with writing a song for Seb, isn't it? I am definitely ready for this.

Oh, is it... is it Ricky who suggests Carlos write a song for Seb? Now that is what a good leading man looks like.

'I'm adjusting to being called bro' — me too, Carlito, me too. But... this scene must have been so emotional for Josh, given that he hadn't come out yet. I remember him crying during The Climb and... all I'm saying is I want Ricky to come out at some point, too.

Oh gosh oh gosh oh gosh... they were just talking about love languages and that's when Carlos shows up? Cinematic. Wait, there's Portwell too? This is what dreams are made of.

My oh my oh my! Risotto! For real this time. I might have just teared up. (Full disclosure: I did.) I've only had Portwell for about three weeks, but if anything happens to them, I will... you know how the meme goes. [side note: Wait, when I said 'for real this time', I was not expecting EJ would say it, much less word for word. Am I... writing this show now? It's usually my dad who predicts people's lines in TV shows]

'Not that I know of'... excuse me while I hyperventilate! These two are literal soulmates. They might share a brain, too, for all that I know. Portwell nation you ok guys?

I love that Ricky helped Carlos out with this song and is supporting him through it, but... I just might have preferred for him not to be there. I kind of need Seblos to have this moment to themselves. But, you know, with the way they feel about each other it might as well be like they're alone in the universe, let alone the room.

Ok, but Frankie's voice... brings out feelings in me that I didn't know I was capable of. Make of that what you will. Also, I'm not sobbing my eyes out, you are.

Ahhh Reddy my sunshine my sweet boy I love you but why did you have to cut Seblos' moment short? They were going to kiss, I know it. Oh well, they probably will, later on. Off-screen probably, but who cares? Not everything is for us to see. At least Carlos and Ricky had a moment there... Carlos calling Ricky 'bro' made me more emotional than I expected. It's like Miss Jenn says in s1: 'They're best bros, and that's a sacred thing... for reasons I will never understand'.

Ricky's acting sounds like a cat about to spit up a hairball, and it's so funny... in a scene that is supposed to be arguably the most dramatic of the entire play, that is not a good thing.

Oh my, oh my... you did not! You did not just end the episode with Ricky taking a fall from who knows how high. I was not ready. This episode was entirely too much for me. I will need 10 to 15 business days to recover from this, and we all know there aren't that many. But in the meantime you'll find me obsessively listening to In a Heartbeat for hours on end. Seriously, this episode is too much.

[twh-news]

‘Loki’ Breakout Sophia Di Martino on Loki’s Coming Out and Tom Hiddleston’s Famous Lecture | Variety

When Sophia Di Martino first auditioned for the Disney Plus series “Loki,” it was in September 2019. A working actor since 2004, the British native has appeared on several British TV series, including “Flowers” and “Election Spy,” and she had supporting role in the 2019 film “Yesterday,” but she hadn’t ever quite landed the breakout role that could move her career to a larger stage.

Enter Sylvie. Introduced at the end of Episode 2 the Marvel Studios “Loki,” she is a “variant” of Tom Hiddleston’s beloved god of mischief, someone who had the same inception point as Loki but whose life unfolded much differently. In Episode 3, Sylvie and Loki spend pretty much the entire hour getting to know each other — and making clear just how critical Sylvie is to the larger story.

Naturally, this kind of role is a massive opportunity, which made how Di Martino ultimately landed it even more shocking to her.

“It was the shortest casting experience I think I’ve ever had,” she says with bewilderment. “I did an audition tape with a very short scene. I wasn’t asked to do it again, and I couldn’t meet anyone because I was heavily pregnant at the time and I couldn’t travel. Tom was in the U.S., everyone else was in the U.S. So we didn’t get to screen test or anything. So I just got the job on the back of this tape, which never happens, and especially with a job like this! It was extremely quick and quite surprising to all involved. Me and my agent were both like, ‘Really? Are you sure? This is crazy? Okay, fine! We’ll do it! We’re in!'”

Once she got the role, however, Di Martino stepped inside Marvel Studios’ vibranium-clad cone of silence. And while she says she’s good at keeping a secret, finally getting to talk about the experience is a massive relief.

“I got this job in September 2019 and only today is the first day I can talk about Sylvie,” she says. “So it’s been quite hard!”

Sylvie really does not see herself as a “Loki.” So how much did you draw from Tom Hiddleston’s performance in his role as Loki when shaping your character?

I looked at his performance, but I try not to be shaped by it too much. Sylvie has had a very different backstory to Loki. She’s a different person, and that was really important to us right from the beginning. When [director] Kate [Herron] pitched me the idea when I finally got the job, and she was able to tell me a bit more about it, it was very clear that Sylvia was Sylvie. And she’s not Lady Loki from the comics. I mean, the show is inspired by the comics, but this is a brand new backstory in a brand new story. And so I wanted to make her my own.

You will see, at times throughout the series, that Tom and I do very similar things, like our physicality is similar or when we choreographed fight scenes, we’ll mirror each other. And that’s all purposely done. And then the rest of it I’ve kind of just made up as I go along.

Tom Hiddleston conducted his famous Loki lecture in advance of the show — did you have a chance to go to it?

Yeah, I was there. It’s one of those things where you can say, ‘I was there!’ It was super interesting and important for me to listen to. He knows so much about the character. He’s been with that character for 10 years. He knows that character unlike anyone else in the world. And to hear all of that information and be able to ask him any question was just really, really important and fun. Like, what a great way to start a job. It got everyone really excited about the show.

How did you and Tom and Kate Herron talk about the scene in which Loki comes out — to the audience, anyway — as bisexual?

I remember Kate being really passionate about it, and that she wanted that to be represented in the show. I think people have been waiting a long time for it. The comic books allude to it and even the Norse mythology, I think. It’s been around for so long, and it was really important to her to have that in the show. But we tried not to let that affect the way we were playing it, you know. We’re just playing it like it’s quite natural conversation between two friends — well, two acquaintances, at that point. So we tried not to give it too much weight, but we knew in the back of our minds how important it was to a lot of people. And I’ve got to say how happy it makes me that people are happy to see that.

A lot of people noticed that the lighting on Lamentis-1 was reminiscent of the bisexual flag. Did Kate take about that being on purpose?

I can’t remember her actually talking about being on purpose. But I know Kate Herron, and I think it probably it was. I think she was probably like, this is gonna be purple, pink and blue, guys! I mean, it looks beautiful.

Tell me a little about yourself. I’d read that you had always even since you were young been really keen on acting?

Yeah, I was one of those annoying kids who’s always like trying to get my sister to do plays in the living room, and always casting myself in the better part and having her play like the Cinderella character. I think it was just an excuse to boss her around. [Laughs] I was one of those really bossy kids. I’ve always I always enjoyed acting at school — I didn’t really know that acting was a job that I could do until I was a little bit older. I wasn’t the kind of kid who would say I want to be an actor, because I think my parents would have just laughed at me. A ridiculous idea! No one in my family is in that world, and it wasn’t really within my grasp. So it was always a little dream that I kept to myself, really. And then I’ve just been quietly chipping away at it for the past 25 years, and here I am!

Owen Wilson has talked about how he was aware of the MCU, but not necessarily the most super knowledgeable person about it. Where do you fall in your awareness and knowledge of of the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

Kind of similar to Owen. I’d seen a few movies, and I was aware of it. And a few of my friends are really into it. And I know that a lot of people are, but I didn’t know that much, to be honest. I’ve learned a lot more being on the show. And from Tom, who is very knowledgeable.

How much of the role did you get to do before lockdown?

I don’t want to get this wrong, but I think it was like three or four weeks of filming. It wasn’t very much at all. It was enough just to start getting in the flow of things and just to start enjoying it before we had to shut down.

In that sort of time period where we were all just sitting with our own thoughts and contemplating the world, did you think more about Sylvie and anything else that you wanted to do with the part?

It was a really great time for letting what we’d already shot sit and percolate. I know Kate and the writers did a lot more work on the storyline when they’d seen what we’d done, you know, cut together so far. From a personal perspective, it was great just to have a little bit more time to think about it. Because the beginning of the shoot, everything happened so quickly. I carried on training with my stunt double, Sara. We would meet up once or twice a week on zoom, and that was really helpful as well, just to physically get into the body of the character. So I had a lot more time to get fit after having a baby.

Part of the pandemic experience for a lot of people has been thinking about the road less travelled, which in Sylvie’s case is the most extreme example — of this person who shares some similar essence with Loki but lived a completely different life. Did that resonate at all for you while playing her?

It’s so interesting to see two characters who are so similar and so different. It was really important to me to reflect the kind of life that Sylvie has had. The costume reflects that as well with the broken horn and the slightly disheveled costume. And little things like keeping more of my regional accent, and not trying to sound too posh or too well spoken, because it just wouldn’t suit the experience that Sylvie’s had. All of those things were were parts of creating this character and this relationship between Tom and I.

So how does how does one audition for a particularly physical role while pregnant?

Well, luckily, the scene that they gave me, I think, ended up being the scene on the train when they both sat down having a conversation. So I didn’t have to stand up. It was just head and shoulders. So you would never know just by looking at the tape. And then I don’t exactly know how it happened. I think it was just lucky that it wasn’t a super physical scene that I had to act out. Trying to do stunts or something, that would have been terrible!

When you got this role, what really were the parameters of who you could talk to, and who you couldn’t, before today?

I can talk to Tom and I can talk to Kate, but I just wasn’t really supposed to say anything else to anyone else. And I’m really good at keeping secrets, so I just didn’t talk to anyone else about it. Tom and I would just call each other and be like, ‘Oh, we need to say all this stuff, because we’ve got to say to anyone else! Ahh! What about this scene and this bit and this bit?!’ And you know, we’d meet up with Kate and do the same thing. So it was kind of just the three of us.

[mediocre--writing]

Hey! I'd like to request a Harry x Gryffindor!reader where y/n is a member of the Golden trio (well now quartet) and is basically about her friendship with them and how her and harry eventually fall in love and end up together, like is a slow burn (it can be either a oneshot or headcanons, it's your choice) thank you! 💕

Harry Potter x Gryffindor!Muggleborn!Reader

Summary: You and Harry have been friends since first year, so how will you tell him that you have deeper feelings for him than just friendship?

Word Count: 6665

Warnings: mentions of scars, umbridge (which is a warning for obvious reasons), hints of depression, doing badly in school

Ok I know that this was supposed to be a small headcannon, but I kinda went overboard so now this is 6k... oops!

so you both met on the train to hogwarts in first year

you physically ran into harry when you were trying to find a spot to sit before the train started moving

you kinda squashed him because, let’s admit it, harry was probably abnormally skinny for an eleven year old and could be pinned down by an aggravated squirrel

but it caused the two of you to have an inside joke and become friends, even before you got to hogwarts

you also became friends with ron weasley on the train ride

he was also a scrawny little twerp, and you felt like a mother looking after two idiotic children

there was also hermione granger, who immediately rubbed you the wrong way

she was bossy and seemed to be a know it all

at the sorting ceremony, harry, ron, and hermione had all gone before you

so you were kinda just chilling in the group of kids that you didn’t talk to on the train, secretly sending all your hopes into getting into gryffindor

thank godric that you did

you all sat together and ate

you also met ron’s brothers: fred, george, and percy, and apparently he had two more, bill and charlie, and a younger sister, ginny

wow his mother made a bold choice

but they were all kind

though fred and george seemed a bit too mischievous for their own good

and percy was kinda snarky

but everyone has their own flaws, and you should look past them

and you and hermione were roommates

(oh my god they were roommates)

so you tried to deal with hermione’s nagging and obsession with success

it’s firmly believed by all the girls in that dorm that if she wasn’t in gryffindor, she probably would have been in slytherin because she was so ambitious 

but school was fun

you all had classes together

because you’re first years and didn’t have electives yet

hermione, of course, was amazing at just about everything

ron and harry were decent at most things, of course they had to learn but they caught on quick

the only class you liked was the flying lessons, but it only happened once  every week

and astronomy

you just liked going out at night and staring at the stars

but who wouldn’t

so hermione tried to help you in class, but she talked far too fast and already knew everything

she was smart, but she wasn’t a good teacher

so you went to harry, because he was doing good in classes and wasn’t psycho-smart

he actually helped a ton more

you were actually passing your classes now

the both of you bonded over quidditch, as he became seeker and you longed to be a chaser for gryffindor

so you went to all his games and cheered him on

(you also tried out in second year and made it, to the shock of most people)

through your first year, things were relatively normal, right up until you discovered the locked room that housed a large, three headed dog

then harry decided it would be a grand idea for you all to go into a trap door underneath the dog

but of course you followed

as you entered, you got past the dog with relative ease, then hermione helped you all out of the devil’s snare

then you got on the broom and caught the key needed to get through the next door

then ron aided in beating the killer chess board

hermione had to carry him back to the main hallway, and up to madam pince

but you went with harry to find the sorcerer's stone

and when you walked into the room, you stopped at the top of the stairs, seeing quirrel

after a few moments of talking, when the fighting broke out, you were hit with a jinx that sent you flying across the room

which knocked you out

so when you woke up in the hospital wing with a few bruises

ron to your left, still asleep

harry to your right, also asleep

you could say that you were a bit confused at the goings-on of the night before

hermione showed up only a few moments later and explained everything from what she knew

when you all left after first year, it’s safe to say a tear may or may not have fallen at the idea of not seeing your friends for a whole three months

but that summer, you were invited to the burrow at the end of summer

and you went

after begging your parents for the entire month prior

but you got there

and you went along with, ron, fred, and george in their dad’s car to go rescue harry

and you almost fell out of the car while trying to pull him inside, away from his porky looking uncle

but you guys were fine

and when you got back to the house

mrs. weasley chewed you all out

except harry

but she gave you quite the talking to because you’d been there for the past few weeks and she was comfortable treating you like her own

which included a good scolding

but it was all ok

because you were all back together

at least you and the boys

but you would see hermione very soon

when you went to diagon alley

but there was a small hiccup in the day

when you ran into the malfoys

literally

you slammed into draco’s back

very hard

and he fell over

and you fell on top of him

and his dad saw it all

and screamed at you in front of everyone in the bookshop

“you filthy, vile, little mudblood!”

he had his wand pulled in your face and everything

draco was smirking behind him

it was humiliating

but

the weasleys had your back

the twins came to help you stand up and were glaring at the malfoys

arthur began yelling at lucius

though you were embarrassed, you felt loved all the same

all the girls were obsessing over some gildy-guy

you didn’t find him all that appealing

he seemed too full of himself

but hogwarts was going good that year

besides the little thing with you, ron, and harry stealing a flying car and crashing it into the whomping willow

though it did give you all a bit of street cred given that...

ya know, three 12 year olds stole a flying car and drove it to hogwarts

as mentioned before, you made it onto the gryffindor quidditch team as chaser

you were also benched for half a game for trying to knock malfoy off his broom when he called hermione and you mudbloods while trying to smack talk harry

which didn’t make sense because the slytherins cheat every game and you try to assault one kid and suddenly you're benched

though malfoy doesn’t really say much to your group when your around now

you also got closer to the twins, helping them with pranks and diversions

after the malfoy/bookstore incident, they felt more protective of you

you became like an older sister to ginny

and she always felt like she could open up to you

but she had a weird little book she wouldn’t let you see

as she got worse through the year, you told hermione

but she suggested that you shouldn’t tell her brothers

because maybe she didn’t want anyone knowing

when it was revealed that harry was a parseltongue, you most definitely yelled at people who badmouthed him

you also punched one kid, but you didn’t get a detention for it because the kid was too scared to tell anyone

you and harry were even closer than before

between quidditch and you staying close to him everywhere because you were scared of being petrified

and when hermione got petrified you broke down in the middle of the common room

harry hugged you, a little awkwardly, but he was trying

then ginny got taken down to the chamber

and you felt more numb than anything

so when you, ron, and harry ventured down to the chamber of secrets to find ginny

with lockhart

who wasn’t much help

ever

but ron and lockhart were stuck behind fallen rocks so you and harry went on

and you found ginny

and young voldemort

...or his ghost

either way

it was voldemort

and though you would never tell another soul, he was a lot more handsome when he had his face in tact and looked, well, human

but besides that, he was trying to kill you, harry, and ginny, so his appeal was pushed to the side when you considered that little factor

but as the basilisk chased harry around the chamber, tom riddle had you in a headlock

you were on your knees

and he was basically just forcing you to watch harry be chased by a killer snake

ginny was still passed out after harry defeated the basilisk with the sword of gryffindor, brought by the phoenix, fawkes

you still couldn’t catch your breath after tom riddle had let you go, given that he had been choking you slowly

you hugged harry and were gripping onto the backs of his robes as tight as possible, still feeling light headed and grateful that you actually survived

but you helped harry carry ginny out as quick as possible

ron and lockhart had cleared away most of the rubble, well mostly ron, lockhart was still crazy

when the end of the year came and hermione, among others, were no longer petrified, you enveloped her in the biggest hug imaginable

the train ride back was, once again, a bit sad, but you promised to come over to the burrow during the summer

you went to the leaky cauldron with hermione and her family, since yours didn’t exactly like that you were a witch

they loved you, but all this stuff was to dangerous for their taste

but you and hermione went to the leaky cauldron for a few nights

met the weasleys there for a day of shopping and such

also met harry there, since he was brought by the minister of magic for using magic underaged outside of school

which was kind of a stupid rule

but whatever

you got to spend more time with your friends

because the weasleys were in egypt visiting bill, ron’s older brother,

but you got your little (well, large, really) family back

you and harry talked about everything that the dursley’s had done to him, how he blew up his aunt, and how he was sick and tired of feeling alone during summers

you told him about how your parents were complaining about you leaving for most of the year and, all around, didn’t like magic, like his aunt and uncle

you also talked about how ron’s rat and hermione’s cat were going to kill each other, which meant that ron and hermione would end up killing each other

you never really realized how much you talked to harry until you didn’t get to everyday

on the train ride to hogwarts, you sat with the twins and their friend, lee jordan, and a few of the girls from the quidditch team that you’d known before

you were planning a big prank for the start of the year

harry, ron, and hermione, however, were stuck with an old, sleepy man in their compartment

harry was also moping because you were spending time with the twins

again

he missed you more than he thought he would and wanted to spend time with you, but he couldn’t just say that

they were your friends too

then the dementors came onto the train, which woke up the old man in their compartment and he was able to fend them off

and harry passed out

and then he woke up a few moments later

with chocolate being shoved in his face

(not a bad way to be woken up)

but the first thing he did was try and get up to look for you

which hermione offered to do so he could rest

in your compartment, you had fallen over, not passed out, but your knees had gone weak and you blacked out for a moment, still awake though

fred and george were on either side of you on the floor

they both had an arm over your shoulder, trying to warm you up

angelina johnson was giving you kind words

and then hermione walked in

your head shot up

“are you all alright?”

“harry passed out,”

there was a chuckle heard from outside the compartment

malfoy

“potter passed out? some brave gryffindor he is!”

everyone just kinda rolled their eyes and continued to ignore him

“is harry ok?”

“should be, there was a man in there, i assume he was a teacher or something, he had it handled”

“you’re sure he’s alright?”

“yes, he’s perfectly ok, y/n,”

hermione definitely knew about your crush on harry now

she had her suspicions before

but it was just obvious now

hermione left, probably going back to harry and ron

“you wanna go see him?” one of the twins asked from your right in a concerned but also suggestive voice

you shook your head

“i’ll see him at dinner, fred,”

both the twins gasped, along with the others in the compartment

“you can tell us apart?” george asked

yes, that’s right, you had learned the difference between the twins and could tell them apart, something their best friend, lee, couldn’t even do

you were quite proud of yourself

“of course, what do you take me for? your mother?” you chuckled

both the twins knew, at that moment, they’d hit the jackpot

they knew you had a great sense for attention to detail in pranks, but this just showed how much you knew

“how do you know which is which?”

“fred has more freckles, george slouches more when he walks, fred also has a little scar right at the top of his hairline that you can just barely see, but it’s usually how i can tell. also you have sides when you go places together, george is left and fred is right, though i’m sure you’ll change it up from now on to trip me up,”

“ahhh, little y/n, you are a good best friend,” -fred

“lee, take notes,” -george

“fuck all of  you,” -lee

the rest of the ride was not as eventful after that, though the twins were still trying to make you slip up

they left to put their uniforms and asked you to guess who was who, you were correct, they were crybabies about it

when hermione went back to harry, he was a little sad to hear that fred and george were comforting you so closely

lupin kinda smirked because it reminded him of how james would get mad when lily was with other boys

then he wasn’t smirking because he was all sad

when the train got back to hogwarts, you met up with ron and hermione and harry

they told you all about cool professor lupin

third year was great

professor lupin was your favorite professor, which was a similar theme around school

you pranked more people with fred and george

you played quidditch, getting better at your skills when practicing with angelina and katie

lupin grew to love your little quartet

because you were like his friends

hermione reminded him of himself because of her good morals and need to excel in classes, even though she still had her own dark side

ron was like peter, one of the funniest, kindest friends he’d ever seen, while also being underspoken, letting his friends speak first in most situations

james and harry were practically the same person, with their entire personas mirroring the others, though harry was much more modest than james had ever been, but also seemed to have his mischievous side much more hidden than his father, who would boast about his accomplishments and pranks

you reminded him of sirius, with how you always found a way to make others laugh, and your chameleon-like personality that could fit in with multiple groups, you never seemed to be alone, along with the way that you could never seem to wear your uniform correctly: always choosing a t-shirt instead of the button down or regular trainers over the uncomfortable uniform shoes

he made sure to pay extra attention to harry and his friends through the year

you became more popular as you hug out with fred and george more

hermione and ron seemed to bicker more and more like an old married couple

harry was stressing over sirius black constantly, especially after finding out that he was his godfather

you and harry went to see lupin together to discuss what he knew of sirius black, along with just getting your minds cleared

he accepted you both into his office and you all chatted for hours

he also offered to teach you how to cast a patronus, like he had been doing with harry

you gleefully accepted

harry had been at his wits end with malfoy at this point, sick of the taunts and jokes tossed his way

so you and fred and george pranked him

turned his hair red and glittery

only lasted until you washed it out but it was very funny to see him freak out

as patronus practice went on with harry and lupin, you got closer and closer to casting a full patronus, only after your second lesson

during the third time you went, your patronus was cast fully, a mighty lioness that roared loudly as you, harry, and lupin laughed in pure delight at the sight of the mighty beast

you told fred and george what your patronus was and they were jealous, because you got the house mascot and they couldn’t even produce the charm

when the day came that you, harry, ron, and hermione all went down to hagrid’s for buckbeaks’ execution

then scabbers was pulled away by a large black dog

and you all went into the whomping willow

and found sirius black

who was being quite dramatic for a wanted killer

or maybe that was just how killers were

just murdering people but with ✨pizzazz✨

but when lupin turned up, and explained the situation, then ron’s rat turns into peter pettigrew, who was supposed to be dead, then snape showed up

god this was a really long night

once you had everything taken care of (ron was going to be taken to the hospital wing for his leg injury, peter pettigrew was in restraints, it was acknowledged that sirius was framed, and everyone knew lupin was a werewolf) you walked back up to the opening of the whomping willow

then the moon came out

lupin began transforming, everyone backed away slightly, but you were stunned to your spot

sirius and snape were protecting harry ron and hermione

but you were just standing there, watching

peter got away by transforming into a rat, again

lupin was now in full wolf form though, so that was the bigger problem

sirius approached him slowly before lupin turned around quickly, scratching your arm and hand as he ran off, sirius chasing after him in his dog form

but you were scratched by a werewolf

and it hurt

snape had to be a crutch for ron because his leg was messed up

and you were wobbling as you walked from the pain

but you both made it to the hospital wing

pomfrey attended to you first, and she explained, while she worked, that since it was only a scratch, you shouldn’t suffer any detrimental side effects aside from the scarring, which would never go away

it wasn’t too bad after she gave you a few medicines

you worried about hermione and harry, and while ron was being tended to, you glanced out of the windows looking for a peak at your friends

they ended up coming up to the hospital wing after seeing the dementors try to kill sirius, but then they disappeared again, leaving you and ron confused when, just seconds later, they walked through the doors into the hospital wing

but they told you that they saved sirius and buckbeak

school was pretty calm after that

you and harry went to see lupin when you heard that he was quitting

he explained that word got out about him being a werewolf

by snape

the bitch

and that he hurt a student

but he wasn’t aware of that part

until he saw your arm wrapped up

and asked what happened

and he looked like he was going to cry

but you assured him that it didn’t hurt

of course it hurt but you weren’t going to tell him that

for some reason you felt bad that he hurt you

because he was kind and gentle and didn’t deserve the prejudice he got

the scar was healing, but it was from your elbow to the back of your hand, and it was about an inch wide, so there wasn’t much hope of you covering it up or saying it was no big deal

lupin was worried though

how were you going to explain this to your parents?

they were muggles, wouldn’t they pull you out of school?

apparently not, because when, that summer, you were invited to the quidditch world cup with the weasleys and hermione and harry, they let you go

which was very out of character but you didn’t really mind

the quidditch cup was… interesting

you and hermione were pretty spooked afterwards because of the death eater symbol that hung over the crowd

along with the fact that you were muggleborn

but the beginning of the school year was sure to take your mind off of it

the triwizard tournament seemed interesting enough for the older teens to compete in

you couldn’t play quidditch but this was fine

it was a relaxing year to just chill

right?

wrong!

because you got two months of relative peace until harry’s name was pulled out of the cup and most of the school turned on him

you were still staying close to harry because you trusted him

and you knew that ron wasn’t so much mad at his friend as much as he was a mix of jealous and worried for harry’s safety

you also helped harry train for the first task once you found out what it was

fuckin dragons

you brought him out to the quidditch pitch a few days a week and made him run drills so that he’d be quicker on his feet

ya know

running from a dragon

and you made sure that he knew basic spells

you made hermione research dragons and common ways to get past them

after a little conversation with moody, you also practiced the summoning charm so he could get his broom

you still made sure he was doing running drills because he could always fall

but you included some flying practice

“i don’t care if you're the youngest seeker in a century, harry, this is a dragon!!!! it breathes fire!!!”

because you were helping harry so much

you kinda began slipping in class

just a little

ok maybe a lot

but you were also practicing spells with harry so you were learning like 6/7th year charms

though your teachers didn’t see it that way

sadly

so you had to ditch harry a few times due to detentions

mostly with mcgonnangal because she pitied you and how you were worried about your friend dying, which you prioritized over lessons

though snape was getting fed up with you

he was yelling at you more

but you were used to it at this point

the day of the first task you had been with harry in the tent for as long as you could stay there, worried for his safety

to be honest he was getting more nervous because of you

he wanted you to calm down

and you wanted him to live

so it was quite the stressful situation

especially when, while you were sitting on one of the hospital beds moved down there (for precaution) you rested your head on his shoulder and he wrapped an arm around your shoulder and rita skeeter snapped a quick picture

but she got told off by krum

which was kinda refreshing

he was quiet, but he would stand up for what was right

you liked that about him

it reminded you of harry

harry did really well in the task, getting really high marks for his agility and skill on a broom

you gleamed with pride

a few days later, at breakfast, ron had a parcel delivered to him

dress robes

that were beyond hideous

then you heard all about the yule ball

where you had to dress up and converse with the other schools and such

it didn’t sound all that appealing to you

you loved hanging out with friends and such

but you weren’t exactly thrilled with the idea of dressing up for hours on christmas, the day of relaxation

and becuase you didn’t really think that you were gonna go, you gave ron the money your parents sent you for a dress so he could buy new, nice dress robes

he thanked you a million times

you were also helping harry with the egg

let's say that cedric found out about the egg and told harry a bit sooner

so you were trying to get him to swim in the black lake

he wasn’t pleased

but he needed to be quick in the water

he was mad at you for pushing him in one day

but he got over it

hermione was losing her mind because you and harry were basically flirting 

constantly

and touching one another with looks of affection

but harry wouldn’t man up and ask you out

and you didn’t believe he would actually like you

hermione about slapped you when you said that

you also told her that you didn’t really want to go because of the elegant air that wasn’t your style

so she made it her personal mission to get you and harry together

she wasn’t subtle

was she ever?

but nothing happene

one day at breakfast, while the boys were complaining about not having dates

fred, who was sitting next to you, asks angelina to the dance to show ron and harry that it was that easy

ron made some snarky comment about how hermione and you wouldn’t have dates

and hermione was mildly offended by ron and stormed off

but you knew he was right

nobody had even asked you

you thought about asking harry

multiple times

but you just knew he wouldn’t want to go with you

especially when he had practically every girl in hogwarts to choose from

so that night, in the common room, you asked george if he had a date

he didn’t

so you went as friends

because you thought of the twins as family

and didn’t like them that way

but you knew that they were a good option, and with george you would be able to joke all night and have a good time

you bought a cheap-ish, but nice, dress from money you’d already had in your trunk

harry was pissed

he knew you liked one of the twins

and he was mad at himself more than anything

but he went with one of the patil twins, ron taking the other

but when you came downstairs to george, looking more gorgeous than ever

with the help of hermione

you wore a dress with short sleeves, which made you slightly insecure because you still had the scar from professor lupin that was a few shades off from your normal skin tone

but hermione, fred, george, and angelina assured you that you were still beautiful

he couldn't take his eyes off you

“potter seems to be staring at you,” george teased

you rolled your eyes and didn’t bother to look back because you didn’t want to be disappointed

the ball was fun

you caught up with the twins since you hadn’t spent much time with them since you were helping harry

the next weeks you were still training with harry

he was still reluctant about getting in the black lake

but he lived

and when, the night before the task, you and hermione disappeared when he had a question, he felt more helpless than ever

he felt even more helpless when, during the task, he could make out your figure at the bottom of the lake, in between hermione and a little blonde girl

after he helped you and the little blonde girl, who turned out to be fleur’s little sister, you and harry were huddled together…. 

“warming up”

he got high marks again for rescuing both you and gabrielle, even though he took a long time to finish

he was tied for first place

you jumped up and hugged him so tight he could barely breathe

you loosened your grip and stared him in the eyes

your faces were so close together you could feel the other’s breath

then ron came up and grabbed harry

#fuckyouron

it was awkward between you and harry for about a day and a half until you were in the common room together and were joking like old times

after that, you waited until the month before the final task, when you found out it was a maze with creatures and spells

you made harry start running again

he said he was going to curse you

you laughed

but when the task came up, you felt a little weird about everything

things just seemed off

and when harry reappeared with a dead cedric and the triwizard cup and there was a deafning silence between everyone

cedric's father was screaming

you were trying to shove your way down the stands to harry

because he looked numb yet also going through so many emotions

when you finally got to harry he was pulled away by dumbledore, who told you to go back to your friends

you wanted to hit him

but you talked to harry the next day

well, you didn’t talk much

he collapsed, crying the tears he was holding in since the end of the third task

you held him, letting him sob

you started whispering kind words to him when his sobbing became slower and his breathing was more regular

“i’m--”

“you don’t need to be, you shouldn’t be sorry, it’s nothing you did, i promise,”

over the summer, not very much happened

until, while you were at the weasleys, harry was attacked by dementors and was being put on trial for using magic outside of school

he came to sirius’ parents old house before his trial, then, after he was free to go back to school, spent the rest of the summer with you, ron, and hermione

you spent a good bit of time over the summer working on prank products with the twins

you got a lot of progress made on the extendable ears and a few of the skiving snackboxes products were almost perfect

while on your way back to school, while ron and hermione were at the prefects carriage, you caught up with harry and what you had been doing over the summer, talking about whatever you didn’t say while at grimmauld place

they talk about how harry is sick of the pity stares he's getting, and that’s just from getting on the train and sitting down

you talk about your adventures with the twins over the summer, how they tried to do side-by-side apparition with you and you puked

the rest of the train ride was mediocre at best, but the real fun started at the end of the first dinner

namely, a woman called delores umbridge, who was the defense teacher

nobody found her likeable, especially after she interrupted dumbledore

nobody interrupts dumbledore

but you wanted to give her a chance

that chance didn’t get you too far

you and the twins were planning to prank her by day 3

she yelled at harry and gave him a torture quill for his punishmet

nasty bitch

but by the end of the fourth day at school, her cat portraits had been let out around the school, milling around in other paintings and it took her a few days to finally put them all back

the best pranks are ones that linger, driving the person mad

she didn't know it was you three, of course she didn’t, she had only been there four days

but she started to catch on when you and the twins were seen whispering in the great hall, writing on a piece of paper that was shoved under a desk and whispering stopped as she walked by

she knew for a fact that it was you three when you had all used the same annoying phrase in class, multiple times, just to drive her mad

your first detention this year, though it was with fred and george, went unknown by your friends

you didn’t want them to worry, since you couldn’t get your hand to stop bleeding when you would stretch or scratch the healing skin, but you had no intentions of stopping your pursuit of pranking

it wasn’t until dumbledore’s army was having their first practice that harry noticed the scabbed writing on your hand, which was written over your werewolf-scratch scar from third year

‘i must respect my superiors’

he got kinda really mad at you when you’d told him that it was from the last 7 detentions with umbridge, though he didn’t know you even had one

quidditch practice was awkward, harry wouldn’t talk to you, unless it was to critique your playing, and the twins weren’t really there to mediate, since they had to practice too

though the awkwardness didn’t last for too long

umbridge had kicked you, harry, fred, and george off the team indefinitely

dumbledore’s army meetings were the only thing to look forward to

though, when you were working on patronus charms, yours was no longer the mighty lion, but a doe that pranced around with grace

hermione pointed out that harry’s was a stag, and yours was a doe, and then she wiggled her eyebrows

you were #confused

you continued getting detentions with umbridge, for speaking out in class or not doing the work

you finally understand a class but it's everything you already knew from first year… but easier

so you just don’t do it

grades can’t get worse

fred and george leave, so you don’t have many people to talk to, besides hermione

harry’s still a bit aggravated with you

but you're starting to get mad at him as well, he keeps talking to cho

and the worst part is that you completely understood

she was pretty and nice and going through something only harry understood at the moment

you talked to hermione about it

she said to confess your feelings

and you were

really you were

until harry came back and told you the good news

he kissed cho

congrats to you

you just avoided him

until he claimed that sirius black was being tortured by voldemort and you, along with select dumbledore’s army members, had to go save him

you were intercepted by the umbridge prats

you punched draco malfoy so hard his nose bled all over his face and robes

which felt like a win, even though you were still caught and brought to her office in a headlock by malfoy

though you all escaped and went off to the ministry of magic, where sirius was

except he wasn’t

but you know who was?

death eaters

totally not the same thing

but you all made it to this room with a huge archway, where you were then put back in a headlock, by a malfoy…. again

you were sick of this family

the order members showed up soon, however, and sirius was actually here this time

and he was standing next to you in front of the arch, fighting

until he was hit by a curse by bellatrix, which caused him to collapse into the veil

you heard harry scream, and he started to sprint towards the veil, but you collided with his body, pushing him away and wrapping your arms around him

you didn’t know what the veil thing was but you didn't think that it was something you came back from

harry was trying to get out of your arms to the veil

he was stronger than he looked, and you ended up pushing him to the floor so he would stop trying to run

the whole battle was a mess, harry had gotten possessed by voldemort, which entailed a lot of screaming and a creepy deep voice coming from harry

as you were all brought back to hogwarts, you were dragging harry’s body over yours, and he was heavier than he looked

but you knew he was tired and out of it, so you bared with it

that summer was the longest of all

harry and you didn’t talk much

neither would make the first move to send a letter

everyone knew voldemort was back

and harry was transported to the burrow by dumbledore

and even though you had been at the burrow most of the summer, including when harry was there the next morning

he still wouldn’t even look at you

you really didn’t know what you did

he was the one who flirted and kissed cho

sure you didn’t tell him about detentions and were kind of the reason that he didn’t chase after sirius to his death

but that didn’t seem like something he should be mad about

not for this long

fred and george opened their shop

and you were proud of them

so so proud because you helped with half the products there

but you couldn’t use the extent of your happiness because harry still wasn’t talking to you

and you felt like death

all the time

that year went relatively quick

you were studying a lot more, mostly to ignore harry, but also because you didn’t have fred and george to occupy your time and had nothing else to do

by the time christmas came around, you hadn’t talked to harry much

maybe a few times in classes that you were in together

but you weren’t in any newt classes with them

oh well i guess

you didn’t make other friends either

you just kinda closed off

didn’t sleep much because you kept thinking about harry

thinking about kissing him

thinking about holding his hand

about joking with him like you used to

about how he must be feeling about everything going on

about how you can’t lose him now

he can’t die because of some no-nose-supremacist

and you looked exactly how you felt, you were sluggish and lethargic, it took you awhile to react when people spoke to you, and your usual charisma wasn’t as prominent

during christmas, fred and george noticed your lack of energy

they tried to cheer you up but you just wanted harry to talk to you

so they did what they did best

smacked some sense into harry

literally

hit him in the head and told him to talk to you

you both sat on the couch awkwardly, neither feeling the air of comfort that you used to have

it took about five minutes of silence before george opened the door and screamed at you both

not any words, just screamed

then shut the door

neither of you could hold in the snorts of laughter from the unsolicited screaming

you turned to face one another at last

“so….”

“so…”

“i’m sorry i ignored you”

“me too, i was worried about you and i felt like i couldn’t talk to you but i should have just written you a letter or something because i miss you so much, you don’t even know. after the twins left hogwarts, i always felt lonely and i wasn’t speaking to you for whatever reason and i’ve been doing really dreadful in class so i've been studying but i never retain anything or understand anything and--”

harry grabbed your hands and moved closer to you

“i think i’m in love with you”

“you’re kidding?”

“....

..

no????”

“i think i love you too?”

“yeah, i have been for a while, then we fought, and i didn’t know how to talk to you anymore--”

beforehe could have another word, you crashed your lips to his

it was amazing

you’ve been waiting for this for literal years

the past few months were torture

but everything was alright

things were getting worse out there, with voldemort rising to power, but you could die happy because of this moment

because harry wasn’t just someone who was in love with you, he was your best friend in the world and the only person who made you feel comfortable in any situation

and he loved you back

[tossawary]

Some random favorite lines (with commentary) of Chapter 23: “Swallowing Your Heart” of “pride is not the word I’m looking for” because I’m doing a re-read. Not a full list or full commentary.

-

Liu Qingge shoves him off his sword.

Plot twist! Betrayal! Shang Qinghua doesn’t have time to get over his shock at such an attack before Liu Qingge has caught the riderless sword in one hand and caught the swordless rider over his shoulder.

The Bai Zhan Peak War God flies on to Qian Cao Peak with his new cargo.

Shang Qinghua slaps the man on the back and wheezes.

“Have you done that move before?!” he demands, because that was so fucking smooth it’s offensive. It really does offend him! He’s super offended right now!

“Mingyan,” Liu Qingge says, like this explains everything. “And Fanli.”

It kind of does explain everything.

- 

AN: That LQG effortlessly manhandled SQH in the same way that he manhandles his sister. This is how LQG shows affection. LMY is not a fan of it either. 

-

“Ming Fan is a good sparring partner,” Binghe says as part of his tirade, like he’s confessing something. “But he needs sooooo many compliments to soothe his pride. ‘Oh, I knocked Shixiong over because he’s such a good teacher! Thank you, Shixiong, for helping me practice this move. Shixiong, I really admire how you don’t let the little things bother you because you’re so confident and skilled.’ I think he’s getting better now, but it’s still tiring sometimes. Uncle, some people really can’t take even a well-meaning criticism without falling apart.”

- 

AN: This conversation was definitely a jab at Shang Qinghua relationship with Mobei-Jun, but it also extends to Yue Qingyuan and Shen Qingqiu. 

- 

Binghe says that he also heard some Qiong Ding Peak people are here now, but he doesn’t know what they’re doing. Beyond that, not that much has apparently happened while Shang Qinghua was sleeping the day away! Liu Qingge came by, probably to report to his scheming wife, who was yet again totally and embarrassingly correct about Shang Qinghua’s state of being. Chen Xuan, whom Binghe embarrassingly correctly identified as Disciple Dumpling Thief’s Friend, dropped by, but only to say not to worry about the day-in-day-out of An Ding Peak.

- 

AN: Binghe knows Shang Qinghua’s nicknames for his favorite disciples. 

- 

Binghe curls up with his arms around and his head resting on Shang Qinghua’s stomach, while Shang Qinghua rubs his protagonist son’s back.

- 

AN: Either of these characters getting unconditional platonic affection is SO UNUSUAL that it hurts. People need hugs at all ages! 

- 

The kindest option here might be the demon lord coming back sometime in the next few days and pretending the entire interaction never happened. Shang Qinghua will tell the man that it was a human thing, some kind of nervous fit, and beg forgiveness for his lapse in presentation! Well, he probably should, except… he doesn’t really want to do that. He doesn’t really want to go, “My king, my apologies for the mess! Let me, ah, let me just swallow all of those words I threw out there, just chew them back up, gulp them down into some vital organ to rot there forever, so we can never talk about them ever again.”

Mobei-Jun seems to still be his Mobei-Jun, looking at that confrontation in hindsight, and not… not any other Mobei-Jun. People in general seem to have stayed the same, besides Peerless Cucumber being fitted into the picture as some mysterious intruder. All those years of service and loyalty and companionship Shang Qinghua remembers with Mobei-Jun haven’t vanished on him. “All current achievements have been preserved” and all that!

So, part of him wants to go, “So! Those things I said! What about them, huh? Do you have anything to say to any of that, my king? Anything at all?” 

- 

AN: Shang Qinghua wants to OPEN UP and he can’t make himself take that step when his nephew’s life is on the line. MBJ has not made himself explicitly safe yet. Unspoken understandings can only go so far here. 

- 

“Was it something really bad?” Luo Fanli presses, leaning back along his desk until she’s practically lying down on it.

Not in a sexy pose or anything, just in a put-upon flop, kind of like a tired child finding the oasis of a department store furniture display during a too-long shopping trip or a toddler denied candy pouting on the floor of the grocery store. His little sister-in-law is not greatly concerned with dignity, much to her sister’s dismay and the eternal frustration of Qi Qingqi. She says life is too short for it.

“No one died.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Well, it means that everyone lived through it,” Shang Qinghua explains.

-

AN: Shang Qinghua’s relationship with Luo Fanli is fun. I’m looking forward to putting Luo Fanli in a room with Shen Yuan. SY needs friends. Luo Fanli @ Shen Yuan: “Idk, he’s a weirdo, but he’s uncle-shaped, right?” 

- 

Except when Shang Qinghua opens the soup container, it’s still completely full. None of his disciples - who are very, very good at acting like they’ve never been fed ever in their life - have helped themselves to even a taste. It’s a big pot! There’s plenty to go around! More than Shang Qinghua could reasonably eat by himself! And yet…

His disciples have been way too nice to him lately. He feels like he should be checking his pockets for whatever they stole from him when he wasn’t looking. Did the System replace his bratty disciples with good alternate universe ones?! He hates it, thanks!

- 

AN: This is SUCH a low standard... and yet...! It’s very funny to me how much his disciples not stealing food from a sick man says here. 

SQH: “Why are all my disciples such sticky-fingered brats?!” 

LJH: “Because you think it’s funny.” 

SQH: “Oh, yeah.” 

- 

Wow, Peerless Cucumber doesn’t seem pleased to see him! Shang Qinghua hasn’t suffered a glare that venomous since… well, Shen Qingqiu, maybe? Okay, so maybe the switch would have worked a little bit! But Shang Qinghua is still glad it didn’t happen, even if the System fucked up the rest of reality (somehow, Shang Qinghua still hasn’t figured out how exactly) out of revenge for its own shitty choices falling through.

“Where have you been?” Peerless Cucumber demands.

“Busy?” Shang Qinghua answers, coming closer but not sitting down. “Look, the System just rewrote bits of reality on me because of your fumbled arrival tipping some invisible scales and it has not been forthcoming about the changes. I had things to check on and things have been a bit political. I sent you a message.”

“That message said a lot of nothing,” Peerless Cucumber says, but with less venom.

“Aha, yeah. Well, I’m here now.”

Peerless Cucumber looks frustrated, but finally scoots over so that Shang Qinghua can sit beside him on the bench. Shang Qinghua gingerly sits, giving the kid space.

Shang Qinghua is being super calm for the other transmigrator right now! He’s very calm here! The calmest!

- 

AN: SY really is a scared kid putting up a front. Which works out, because SQH is a dad here (and thinks SY’s insults are mostly just funny). 

- 

Out of the corner of his eye, Shang Qinghua can see a Qian Cao Peak cultivator standing impatiently by the Qiong Ding Peak guard. And… someone bouncing on their toes in a Qing Jing Peak uniform? Speak of the half-demon future tyrant of this world!

“Looks like we’ll have to continue this later,” Shang Qinghua says.

“My assisted meditation appointment,” Peerless Cucumber confirms glumly, looking as though he’s never experienced inner peace in his life and has no intention of willingly doing so. 

- 

AN: I took SY as genuinely having a knack for cultivating and that’s the interpretation I’m using for this fic, especially since I gave the Original Shen Qingqiu health problems that nearly killed him. In an earlier chapter, Mu Qingfang mentions needing to “replace Shen Qingqiu’s entire cultivation system”, which I planted for Shen Yuan getting a free, extremely stable highly developed cultivation system as part of his transmigration later. 

I mean, Shen Yuan manages to weather Liu Qingge’s qi deviation, a great deal of stress, Without-A-Cure, and etc., and he’s remarkably stable through most of it. So I’m leaning towards “a little bit of System assistance” here. The System was going to replace both Shen Qingqiu and SQQ’s unstable cultivation system out for Shen Yuan and a more stable cultivation system. 

SQQ still has a cultivation system. If he didn’t, it would have been mentioned by now. SQQ is repeatedly stated to be improving well in this chapter. I think Mu Qingfang would have noticed if SQQ didn’t have cultivation anymore. 

- 

“Then wouldn’t you be Luo-Shixiong to me?” Peerless Cucumber suggests wryly to the protagonist, who is both about five years younger than him and still shorter. (Mu Qingfang said that their guest seems to believe that he’s newly twenty. Whether or not the kid is editing his age up or down, Shang Qinghua has decided that he’s just not going to fucking think about this fact.)

“Uh,” Luo Binghe says, looking stunned and then to Shang Qinghua for help. Ha, he’s flustered, which doesn’t happen often. That’s adorable.. “...Maybe?”

Shang Qinghua snorts and remains unhelpful. Ning Yingying is actually about a year younger than Luo Binghe is, Shang Qinghua knows, but she’s been a member of the sect for significantly longer. Binghe might have some shidi and shimei soon with the next entrance test and he’s been very excited about that, but he clearly doesn’t know what to do with a “shidi” closer to his young auntie’s age than his own. Kind of weird seniors and juniors are just part of the sect experience, nephew! Get used to it!

“Thank you, regardless,” Peerless Cucumber says.

“Of course,” Binghe agrees quickly.

- 

AN: SQH is probably going to look back on this moment and go, “Hmm.” 

- 

‘You’re very resourceful,” his sister-in-law says slyly.

“I am very resourceful,” Shang Qinghua allows, and in a fit of affection reaches up to pinch Luo Jiahui’s cheek like she’s Binghe. “And I have the world’s wisest and least bossy sister-in-law, too! How fortunate I am!”

Luo Jiahui slaps his hand away with a giggle, turning slightly pink.

“At least you know it!” she says.

- 

AN: I’ve been wanting to make SQH pinch someone’s cheek for ages now. 

- 

“...You looked very scared that night,” Luo Jiahui says finally. “It might have seemed worse to you than it was. If your demon can’t be understanding of one bad night, then it’s… I don’t know if there’s a way forward with him at all.” She fixes a determined expression and says, “If any offers are retracted then we’ll manage just fine without him. We’ll tell Qingge and he’ll help. And so will Fanli. Our family won’t fall apart so easily. Hua-Ge doesn’t have to take care of everything and be everything at once to everyone.”

- 

AN: LJH channeling some “dump him! dump him! dump him!” energy. 

- 

Shang Qinghua has never been able to picture cutting ties after all this time. What would he even say? “My king, I think our arrangement has come to an end. I promised to serve you for the rest of my life, but that was when I didn’t think my life was worth very much.” He can’t see that going over well! It’s never really been an option, anyway, since Luo Binghe can’t not unlock his demonic powers and go to the Demon Realm. The System won’t have it.

- 

AN: If SQH said that to MBJ, that would be a one-hit KO, probably. 

Break the man’s heart, why don’t you?

[m34gs]

'Tis I, the one who puts her shirt on wrong most of the time😊😊

And I bring you this humble idea

Kisuke takes everyone to the beach. Would Grimmjow like it? Would he know how to swim? What swimwear would he wear? What kind of shenanigans would he and Ichigo get up to? Who is included in "everyone"? 🧡🧡💙💙

I hope you are having a lovely day!!!

Hello there, my lovely friend with her shirt on backward! I had a wonderful day, spent some time with a friend! I hope your day was good as well!!!

I very much enjoy this idea, and I have several thoughts, which I will put under the cut as this will be quite a long post, lol!

So, Kisuke wants to take them all to the beach...why? Because, he's Kisuke. He's probably running from some responsibility or other, or maybe he needs some special item and the beach is where it happens to be, but it's hot and he doesn't want to look for it, he wants to goof off. So he brings the others in the hopes one of them will 'stumble across it' and he can swoop in and get it. Is it a cursed object? Perhaps. Will they need to fight off some hollows to get to it? Oh definitely. Does he tell them any of this before hand? No. Why? Because, he's Kisuke.

Who is this 'everyone' he invites to the beach? Well, we have the usual victims I mean friends: Ichigo, Grimmjow, Jinta, Ururu, and Yoruichi comes along to laugh at everyone. Tessai is there too, with a lovely picnic laid out, all hand made foods. I think the invitation would be extended (by Jinta) to Ichigo's sister, Yuzu, and Karin because Karin will not be one to stand by and let her siblings have a fun day while she's stuck at home with Puck I mean, Isshin. Maybe Ichigo is totally suspicious of this whole set up. Why? Because, it's started by Kisuke. So he confides to Orihime about it, which was the wrong decision because now her and Chad and Uryu are all coming along instead of helping him get out of the situation. Rukia and Renji come too, after finding out about the trip from Kisuke and Rukia basically telling him to make sure there's enough food for the two of them as well.

Grimmjow is unsure what to think at first. He's curious, but not so much about the beach as he is about why it is such a big event. He doesn't get why all the humans and soul reapers wanna hang around in the sand and then get soaked in the water, like, don't they get cold? And what do they do when they have to get undressed? Isn't that taboo for humans to see each other naked blatantly in the open like that. Kisuke laughs at him at first, and then explains the concept of swimsuits. And now Grimmjow is more confused, because why would they want special clothes just to get wet?

But he has to join in and be just like the rest of them, because he wouldn't want them thinking he's scared or weak or anything like that. So he demand Kisuke help him find a swimsuit. Which is part of the plan. See, I fully believe that whatever original plan Kisuke has for this trip, he also wouldn't pass up a chance to have Ichigo and Grimmjow around each other in swimwear. Two birds, one stone, and all that jazz. So he finds Grimm a swimsuit. It's tight. Skin tight. The kind professionals use. I used to be in a swimclub, for about seven years. Trust me, the racing suits? They hide NOTHING. And Grimmjow doesn't know enough to be able to say he doesn't like it. He assumes everyone will have one like that. He is wrong.

Ichigo chokes when he sees Grimmjow walk out in that suit. Legit. Chokes on the air. Because it very finely accentuates the Arrancar's butt and thighs. But also, because Grimmjow didn't wear a shirt, not a sweater, nothing on top. He is showing off his fine upper body and Ichigo can't cope. He's dying. Chad, help him, man down, Ichigo is a puddle now. A puddle of Ichigo, on the pavement because Kisuke is an ass :D (Ichigo knows it's Kisuke's doing because he knows there is no way Grimmjow would choose something like that).

Chad and Orihime may have to shake him a bit, but Ichigo recovers. Grimmjow is concerned (he read about the dangers of humans getting heat stroke at the beach, on the internet, and he'll be damned if he lets Ichigo die on him in less than ten minutes, without even challenging him to the dangerous life-threatening game of beach volleyball) so he yanks Ichigo over to the shade and tells him to 'stay there if you don't want to die, shithead'. Ichigo is now very confused; on the one hand Grimmjow being bossy is kind of...hot, but on the other he came to the beach so he is not going to sit in the shade and watch everyone else have fun. He ends up going into the water to Grimmjow's dismay, and much like an overbearing parent cat, Grimmjow is constantly fetching him out and dropping him in the shade. And Ichigo fights him the entire way and then goes right. back. in. the water. Grimmjow is getting hella frustrated because why the heck can't Ichigo see he is trying to protect him from the dangers of the sun and also the danger of the sea monsters (which he heard about from Kisuke and Jinta). Each time, Ichigo goes out further, and each time Grimmjow fetches him and brings him back (He knows how to swim, he's just not used to doing it when not naked in a pool of water in the training ground Kisuke has).

This goes on for several hours. Everyone else is idly watching them and placing bets on who caves in to who first, while still having their own fun. Finally, Ichigo is the one that goes 'fine. you know what? fine. I'm going to get some ice cream.' He turns on his heel and leaves to go get some from a nearby ice cream stand. And Grimmjow is NOT HAPPY BECAUSE THAT IS NOT THE FUCKING SHADE KUROSAKI YOU SHITHEAD GET BACK HERE. So he follows him.

It's unsurprising, but Ichigo now has a grumpy Grimmjow standing with him in the ice cream line. However, they are standing a few feet apart (due to them both being hot and annoyed at the other). So, Ichigo definitely gets hit on. I mean, he's a total catch. And all the other gay men definitely notice. So he's given this dude's number, and before he can even stammer out an excuse, Grimmjow takes the number from him, stares at it for a moment, then looks at the dude that gave it to him and says, because he is Grimmjow and fighting is all he ever thinks about and he has no clue yet that he is actually in love with Ichigo, "You wouldn't be able to satisfy him." He says that. To the man who gave Ichigo his number. And Grimmjow is talking about sparring, and Ichigo suspects this but that doesn't stop him from turning red and smacking the arrancar on the back of his head while the other man apologizes and says he 'didn't know Ichigo was taken already'. And Ichigo is too annoyed with Grimmjow to bother correcting the man, in fact he's so busy snapping at the arrancar he forgot the other man was there.

And then they get back to the beach, and both of them are as irritable as ever. Renji does that thing, where you get yourself soaked and then run over to hug your friend as a prank to make them cold and damp. And Ichigo has ice cream, which Grimmjow knows is cold. And the water is cold. So he grabs Renji's face and shoves him backward because dammit Abarai don't you know hypothermia is a THING. Except how dare he touch Rukia's friend, so she comes up, grabs his wrist, and tosses him over her shoulder in a self-defense throw (don't remember what it's called lol). And Ichigo is just sitting there like :/ with his ice cream.

Uryuu has not come out from under the umbrella they set up. He's reading a book. Ichigo goes to sit by him for a bit because it's calmer. Grimmjow leaves him be because at least that is SHADE. Yuzu and Karin are playing in the water with Jinta and Ururu, though Jinta is more focused on Yuzu and Karin is very protective of her twin so she is doing her best to sabotage all his efforts of winning Yuzu over. Ururu helps her because why not. Kisuke is sitting on the beach under an umbrella, eating delicious food and laughing as Karin once again pushes Jinta underwater. Orihime is trying to get them to stop picking on him, very concerned about someone getting hurt. Chad is floating in the water on his back, completely relaxed and ignoring everyone around him.

So, there are my thoughts, lol. Basically, everyone else is having normal fun at the beach and Grimmjow goes into overprotective mode for Ichigo because he is not used to beaches and he is nervous. Feel free to let me know your thoughts! Any other activities you think should happen? How long do they stay there? Does anyone else show up to join them? Do you think Ichigo and Grimmjow get some alone time at some point? What was Kisuke's true motive??? :D

[skylarmoon71]

AU Leonardo x Blind Murdock Reader (TMNT 2014/2016)- Chapter 8 (A)

“Pizza!!!”

Mikey tosses a slice, and you just step to the side as it falls flat on the floor. The orange clad turtle lets out a loud gasp, over dramatic. You just roll your eyes.

“Can you for a minute just pretend that you know, maybe I’m blind and I’d appreciate it if you placed the food on a plate like a normal person?”

Donnie nods. “I apologize on Mikey’s behalf, sometimes he forgets. I guess we all do.”

Donnie lets out a little snort, and you laugh. “I’m touched, still. Don’t throw food Mikey, it’s rude.”

“Man, you’re like a bossy little sister.” Mikey comments. You can’t stop the smile that graces your lips this time. It doesn’t fail to warm your heart when they make statements like that. To Mikey, it may not seem like much, but to you it means the world that they actually consider you family. Raph walks up from behind you, resting his hand on your head, giving a quick pat.

“Hey kid.” He knows that title annoys you, that’s why he does it. There’s probably a stupid smirk on his stupid face. It’s then that you really think about something.

“Your face…” You have absolutely no idea what they really look like. Apart your morphed view of what the world looks like, you don’t have an actual visual.

“What’s that?” Donnie is sipping on a juicebox, and he just barely hears what you mutter.

“I have no idea what you guys look like.” you say solemnly.

“Umm, I could be wrong but isn’t that how blindness works.” Mikey gets a tap on his head from Raph at the remark.

That sparks Donnie’s interest. 

“You’re right, why didn’t I think of this before!” he rushes to stand right in front of you. “Feel my face!” you take a small step back at his excitement.

“Uhh are you sure?” You’d never really tested that theory, and it was kind of weird asking to feel around someone’s face.

“Yes! According to what I’ve recorded on your abilities, you assess most of what you internalize is done kinesthetically. Therefore you should gain a very decent mental picture from the feel of our facial structure. Please, begin. “ Donnie really was a scientist.

You take a seat, and Donnie is beaming with excitement. When you reach out cautiously, you don’t know why you’re so hesitant. Maybe it’s the fact that no one’s ever asked such a thing of you. The minute your hands make contact, your body straightens and you marvel at the feel of his skin. It’s a bit rough, but also smooth, and the image that’s slowly building in your mind, you can almost see him. Your fingers nudge the glasses perched on his face, and you apologize, but you're grinning just as wide as Donnie because it’s been years.

The only other person that you’ve ever felt is your father. Donnie's smile drops slowly when he sees the tears now rolling down your cheeks.

“A-Are you okay!!”

He’s concerned that possibly he crossed a line. You hate this and he’s forced you into something. The smile doesn’t leave and you pitch forward, wrapping your hands around his neck. Donnie’s confused. You seem happy, but you're still crying.

“Thank you Donnie..” you whisper. It’s then that it hits him, and he smiles too, returning your embrace.

“You don’t have to thank me.”

One by one, you take chances, you’re shocked that even Raph agrees to let you touch his face. Your fingers dance along his nose, down to the scar. The mental picture of Raph is pretty handsome, and maybe somewhat rough. You guess his face fits his personality perfectly. You poke his nose, letting out a giggle. This particular feature is so cute, you can’t help it.

“You’re really enjoying yourself aren’t you.” sarcasm is expected.

“Definitely.”

“What are you guys doing?” It’s at that moment Leo walks in. You pull away, fidgeting with your fingers

“(Y/N) was touching our face so she can tell what we look like, Donnie says it works!!” Leo's gaze refocuses on you at the explanation, and your face turns red. You can feel his gaze just boring into you. Even without sight. “Is that so..” the way he says it, almost contemplative. Somehow thinking of touching him, it erupts a completely different feeling.

You don’t know what to say, or do stop your own erratic heartbeat. It’s so loud, to the point that you feel like you’ll get a headache.

The beeping from Donnie’s machine’s catch everyone’s attention.

“Thank you..” you mutter. Saved by the beep.

“Looks like we have a busy night, gear up.” Nods around the room, and you’re already moving into fight mode. You keep an extra pair of clothing at the lair, just for moments like this. Good thing too. You’re heading for Donnie’s room to grab the outfit. As you buzz pass, you feel the air, and you can tell that it’s Leo you dodge on the way over. He doesn’t say much, just watches, and you guess that’s why you’re a bit nervous. You try to ignore it, if nothing but to keep your body from reacting to him.

“It’s gonna be a tough night.”

You already know.

~~~~~

By the time you make it back your knuckles are sore. Mikey and Raph are as energetic as ever. They seemed more hyper than when you left. You dodge a ball that Raph tosses to the orange clad turtle. You just lift your hands with a ‘really’ look.

“I knew you’d avoid it. “

Sure he did.

“(Y/N), your knuckles are bleeding. “ Donnie notes, removing his goggles a bit concerned. You’ve figured as much. You can smell the faint scent of iron in the air.

“It’s fine, it doesn't even hurt.” That’s not enough to convince him.

“Let’s get that cleaned up. “ Leo walks into the room, and you guessed he’s heard from around the corner.

“Yeah, Leo’s amazing when it comes to injuries!!”

Mikey shouts a bit too enthusiastically. Poor Leo, with the way the youngest turtle was so reckless, it must be a regular thing. You kind of want to deny him. Being alone with him, it’s not something you think you’ll be able to handle. But you don’t have a choice. If you refuse, the rest of them may realize that something’s up, and you really don’t want his brothers in on what’s going on with you two.

“S-Sure.” That was a terribly unsteady response.

So you followed Leo, and he didn’t say a word the entire walk to his room. He opened the door for you to walk in, and you did. Standing a bit awkwardly at the center. Leo smiles from his spot, moving and taking your arm gently as he guides you to the bed. His touch is so soft, and far different from the ones you’re given on a daily basis when individuals try to help you cross the street, or get up a flight of stairs. He’s actually holding your hand, and you love the warmth. You take a seat, and Leo moves to get a few things.

“I think this is the second time that I’ve had to patch you up. I’m starting to think you’re getting hurt on purpose. Just so you can get me alone.”

There’s a playful teasing in his voice, and although you know he’s not being serious, you blush. Leo notices, and he’s come to realize that the sight makes him a bit nervous as well. Lately everything you did affected him. Your head lowers, and you’re picking at your dark pants.

“Sorry, I’m sorry if I’m making things awkward between us.” Leo walks over, and there’s a little bit of defeat in his words.

He rests the items down, moving closer. He stops when he’s just a few feet away, and you have to assume it’s because he thinks that’s what you want.

“The last time we spoke I assumed and I didn’t even ask if it was something you’d be interested in exploring. I didn’t give you a chance to tell me what you feel and I realize that must be the reason you’re always so tense around me now. “

That’s far from the reason. You aren’t uncomfortable, just a bit stunned.

After his little confession you started going over everything, and you realized that until now, you’ve never really opened up to anyone. You’ve distanced yourself to keep from experiencing anymore pain. The worst way to live. So when Leo said those things, it threw you off. You weren’t sure how to respond, because at some point you’ve come to care for him so much, and the prospect of him returning those feelings was horrifying.

“I’m not uncomfortable, and you didn’t just assume Leo.” His head lifts.

“Leo I...I haven’t had a very good opinion of myself for as long as I can recall. Until now I’ve..I think I’ve hated myself. That’s why I couldn’t believe it when you said those things, I didn’t want to because I feel like I don’t deserve it. “

“(Y/N) you deserve far more!” you smiled at the indignation in his voice.

“The way you treat me, talk to me...It makes me believe that. That’s why I need time Leo. I just think I can’t fully get into something with someone when I’m still learning to love myself. I need a chance, because the way I feel about you, I want to keep it for as long as I possibly can. “ Leo moves in, and he hesitates for a while, but then eventually, his palms rest on your cheek. You close your eyes, entranced.

“I don’t care how long I have to wait (Y/N). If it’s guaranteed that I get even a chance to be with you, then I’ll wait for as long as I have to. “

It’s not going to be easy, but you're thankful. For Leo, his brothers. Everything that has led to this point. Given you a chance to trust again.

[invisibleinorange]

Bridgerton’s Adrift |  17/?

Chapters: 17/? Fandom: Bridgerton Rating: T Warnings: Presumed Character Death Relationships: Colin Bridgerton/Penelope Featherington,  Eloise Bridgerton/Penelope Featherington(besties),  Bridgerton Family Dynamics, Simon Hastings/Daphne Bridgerton Characters: Colin Bridgerton,  Penelope Featherington, Eloise Bridgerton, Anthony Featherington,  Benedict Bridgerton,  Portia Featherington, Violet Bridgerton, Genevieve Delacroix Additional Tags:  Bridgerton, Polin Summary:  Unexpected bad news arrives for the Bridgerton Family (and friends) regarding Colin's travels. This will be a series that is set after "The Duke and I" or season one of the show. It is a companion piece to "Goodbyes".

If you were distressed at the prospect of Benedict Bridgerton being removed from eligibility, this writer is here to inform you that you have not missed your opportunity.

The wedding to one Miss Featherington came to a shocking halt when the third eldest Bridgerton showed up.  While one expects family for these special moments, one hardly expects them to return from the grave.

It has been reported that the returned Bridgerton only had eyes for his brother’s to-be bride.

While this writer cannot dare claim to know all, it would seem that the wedding has been called off as the day following the scheduled nuptials the groom departed for the countryside alone.

If that was not enough of a scandal, we’re hearing reports of a shockingly large floral order delivered to the Bridgerton home…

LADY WHISTLEDOWN'S SOCIETY PAPERS, 20 OCTOBER 1813

--

Ever since the wrath of Violet Bridgerton had come down on Colin (and her), Penelope had tried to stay on the straight and narrow. As much as she might have wanted to steal a little more time with Colin, she didn’t want to risk being kicked out.

As much as she didn’t want to return home, she didn’t know if she’d be welcome. If she returned back to her mother’s home, she would have had to have explained everything and it was complicated at best.

The easiest way to verbalize what was going on was through Lady Whistledown.  She’d gotten half of it complete before she knew she needed to show her face to the family.

She was surprised as she entered the drawing room and found herself in a sea of flowers.  There were so many flowers it was almost an embarrassment of riches.

“You’re going to have to keep your courtship short unless you want to break the bank of Bridgerton,” Anthony teased from the corner at the sight of her.

“I didn’t expect him to buy out the shop,” Penelope said admiring the flowers that were meant for her.

It was as if Colin knew precisely where she was going to be and when she was going to be there because he wasn’t far behind, smirking from the door frame.

“I have time to make up for,” he informed her simply. “And if I can’t do that in other ways, the flowers will have to be adequate.”

“He will be sticking to the flowers for now,” Violet said from where she was working on her needlework.  “He has younger siblings to set an example for.”

Penelope nodded knowing that to be true.  She knew that Violet was a loving and progressive mother but even she had to have her limitations on things.  A lot of men in the world would take what they wanted with little thought to what comes next.

There was little question of where they were going with this though.  She didn’t want to put a timeframe on it or force Colin into any corners.  She couldn’t see a future where they weren’t married and enjoying their honeymoon by spring.

She maneuvered to an empty sofa taking a seat where she knew there was enough space for Colin to join her, smiling when he did.  If they had to behave, they could at least hold hands.  Her smaller hand found his, lacing their fingers.

“You’re more than adequate,” she told him with a small smile.

Eloise made a face from where she was sitting nearby.  She clearly wasn’t enjoying the display all that much.

“I love you both but please kill me if I ever start to like you,” she murmured, acting as if the whole falling in love was beneath her.

“I’d be happy to kill you,” Colin said though Penelope swatted at him in such a way that made it clear that wasn’t the correct way to respond.

“What he meant to say is we won’t do such a thing,” Penelope told her friend with a smile. “I personally appreciate you not being weird about this.”

“That would require she was ever not weird to begin with,” Anthony couldn’t help but remark from where he was sitting.

Eloise glared at Anthony for a fraction of a second before nodding.

“I’m happy if you’re happy,” she said opting to not bite back at Anthony.  “It doesn’t matter which of my idiot brothers you end up marry, I’ll still get another sister out of the deal.  I was kind of looking forward to you marrying Benedict though since I’d have an excuse to tag along on the honeymoon so you weren’t bored senseless.”

“Eloise,”  Violet said as if to say that maybe it wasn’t polite to discuss the almost marriage.

It was still a little bit too fresh and the fact that Benedict wasn’t there made it a little weirder.  Colin couldn’t help but feel a little spike of jealousy at the thought of it and Penelope still felt a touch guilty.

“Well I’m sorry to disappoint you when I say that when I do propose to Penelope and we eventually partake of a honeymoon, your services won’t be needed,” Colin said after a long moment.  It wasn’t an if but a when.

“Clearly since you couldn’t even properly wait for one,” Eloise retorted.

The only reason he wasn’t demanding a special license to marry her now was because he wanted to respect Penelope’s wishes.  He’d wait as long as she required but he was admittedly impatient for all that commitment would entail. He rolled his eyes at his sister.

“Eloise,” Violet said more persistently, demanding an end to the squabble at once.

It was Penelope who gave Colin a reassuring squeeze to his hand in an effort to keep him from firing back.   She let go of it, climbing to her feet gaze moving toward her best friend.  Clearly there were a few things that she needed to set straight before the squabble became something bigger.

“Eloise, why don’t we go for a promenade?” she suggested. Eloise was normally the one who pulled her away or dragged her where she wanted her to go but this time it was Penelope who grabbed her arm and practically dragged her from the drawing room.

Colin’s eyes followed them for a second before he gazed to his mother who had focused back on her needlework and then to Anthony.

“Should I be concerned?” he asked after a long moment.

“No,” Anthony told him with a laugh. “I think your Lady is about to put our little sister in her place and it’s about time.  I doubt there will blood. They tend to handle things in a far more civilized manner than us men.”

“God, I hope so,” Colin said with a chuckle.

--

Eloise was used to being the bossy one. She’d always had a strong personality and there were times when she didn’t quite realize that what she was saying or doing might not be in line with what those closest to her wanted.

There were certainly moments through the years where she’d overlooked things, just like she’d overlooked Penelope’s crush on Colin until they’d thought Colin was dead.

She liked to think that she knew her best friend well enough to make speak freely.  She wouldn’t dream of judging Penelope for anything. If there was something to blame someone on, it was always going to be the other party.  In this case, it was Colin.

Penelope had heard enough though and while she didn’t particularly care to get into in front of Violet or anyone else in the household she could no longer hold back her tongue.

“I need you to stop,” Penelope said after a long minute as if she’d been trying to figure out the right words to express how she felt.

“Stop walking?” Eloise asked, clearly not even aware that she’d managed to say anything that could offend or upset her best friend.

“No, I mean blaming Colin,” Penelope told her.

“You’re a Lady and he took advantage of you,” Eloise said simply. “You were overwhelmed by his return and he –“

Penelope cut her off there. She wasn’t going to stand for it.

“I was in complete control of the situation,” Penelope told her.  “He never once did anything that I didn’t actively encourage.”

“But he’s –“

“No, just listen to me,” Penelope persisted. “You won’t understand but I want you to -  your mother and Daphne fully explained the things that go on behind closed doors once one is married – well, more Daph than your mother but bless her - she tried.  I didn’t quite understand until Colin kissed me but I wanted him to keep kissing me.”

“You really don’t have to –“  Eloise managed not sure she needed to know the gory details of the affair.

“Colin was a gentleman,” she insisted. “I mean, if he’d wanted to ravage me, he easily could have but when I said stop, he did.  He doesn’t deserve all the blame in this. You’re very special to me but I don’t need you to protect me from him or this.”

“I just don’t want to see you hurt,” Eloise said after a long moment.  “I don’t think he would ever intentionally hurt you but what if you don’t stop him next time or can’t? – Or what if he decides to travel again and leave you behind? – I don’t want to lose my best friend.”

“First off, your mother would kill us and it would be a mute point,” Penelope said honestly.  She reached for her Eloise’s hands, giving them a squeeze. “Secondly, you’re always going to be my best friend.”

Eloise nodded at that, accepting that answer.

There was a long pause and a turn to continue their stroll.

“Then you won’t be upset with me if I leave you to navigate this alone for a few weeks?”  Eloise asked after a long moment.

“Why?” Penelope asked curiously.

“You clearly don’t need me right now but Benedict does,” Eloise said honestly.

Concern flooded Penelope’s features at mention of Benedict needing help.  She hadn’t honestly let herself think of what he might be out there doing, mostly because she didn’t want to be in a constant state of guilt.  The rational part of her knew it was ludicrous since Benedict had only proposed, promised to take care of her because of Colin but when she put herself into his shoes, she didn’t know if she’d have liked being dropped.

“Is something wrong with him?”  she asked.

“No,” Eloise said after a moment, trying to stop whatever guilt Penelope might be feeling.  She didn’t see a need for it.  “He’s going to be fine.  He’s just in a mood.”

“I wish he would have talked to me before he ran off,” Penelope said after a long moment.  She would have liked to have thanked him for looking after her.  Maybe they weren’t going to be married but that didn’t mean she didn’t want to be his friend. “Tell him to not stay away for too long.”

“The male ego is fragile,” Eloise said with a shrug. “I’ll do the best that I can – Just don’t be pregnant when I come back.”

[angelic-holland]

All Too Well // prologue

Spilled Ink & Blueberry Wine

pairing: Harrison Osterfield x fem!reader

warnings: angst

word count: 1.6k

Y/N accepted a job on the props team for a small rom-com never expecting her life to change completely because of a boy with blue eyes and a bright smile. But as autumn turned to winter, she found herself embracing her vulnerabilities and hoping her love didn’t end when the movie wrapped.

masterlist ☼ taglist

A/N: i would love to hear what everyone thinks of this series! i’m very excited to write this for you all! italics indicate flashbacks! 

Moving to your new apartment was supposed to be the opportunity of a lifetime. The ability to be a part of a major Hollywood movie was beyond your wildest dreams. But it was coming true all over again. 

A chance to forget about the East Coast and all of the painful memories along with it.

Instead, you were sitting on the cold hardwood floor of your empty studio. Saying you were shocked was putting it lightly. 

A box that shipped from your sister’s address sat in front of you. However, it wasn’t from your sister. It was from Harrison. You recognized his handwriting immediately after tearing away the tape and opening the box. 

The letter, your name scrawled across the envelope, was at the very top. You ignored the rest, keepsakes of your time spent with Harrison, and tore the envelope open.

Dear Y/N,

I wasn’t sure of your new address, so I sent your things back to your sister’s address. If you’re reading this I guess it means you got them back. 

I almost packed up that bottle of blueberry wine you gave me with everything but I realized if I was shipping this in the mail I wouldn’t want it to break. And it’s damn good wine. I hope you understand.

I swear I’ve written this letter about a hundred times. I could never find the right words to say, what you wanted to hear. Until I realized that I was going about this letter all wrong. I shouldn’t be worried about your opinion of me or what you'll think of me when you’ve finished this letter. I just need to be completely honest with you. That was always the biggest problem between the two of us. 

I was scared if I was honest with you, you’d run away. I guess neither of us realized it would be me who’d do the running. 

I think I was afraid. I was afraid of commitment and I was afraid of how quickly and easily you were able to make me feel everything. Does that make sense? 

I realize now, that’s love. That feeling of sheer hopelessness when your time with someone is running out. When the clock is ticking and your feelings have a deadline. When you want to smash that clock against the wall to shut it up because our time wasn’t enough. And you didn’t need another shitty reminder of that. 

I guess I’m trying to say that our time doesn’t have to be over if you don’t want it to be. We didn’t have to have an expiration date. 

I love you. And I’d understand if you couldn’t forgive me. I’d understand if this letter ends up in your fireplace or the bin. 

But I hope you’ll hold onto it. Even if it’s just a reminder of the time we had. 

Love,

H

You couldn’t contain the angry sobs that wracked your body, tiring you as the sun rose in the early hours of the day. You cried even harder when you realized you didn’t even have curtains to hang up.

You came to Los Angeles with whatever could fit in your beaten up, old blue Subaru. Curtains not included.

You lugged in a single box from your car thus far, food and of course, another bottle of your favorite alcohol.

And so you got drunk, off of lukewarm blueberry wine at 9am. 

Just the taste reminded you of him. So you managed to curl up on the softest part of your apartment, the small rug in front of the shower that the last tenant left and you cried.

The memory of his blue stained lips, soft and gentle against yours, exploring, yearning, invaded your mind, invaded your heart. 

You glanced at your phone, half expecting a missed call or a text message from Harrison. Your lockscreen was empty.

So you did the only thing you knew how to do when it came to Harrison. You poured your heart out into a letter back to him.

Granted, it was written on the notes app on your phone because there was little chance you had a pen or paper in your car or you’d be able to get yourself up from this spot without taking a tumble.

Dear H,

I hate you. Who am I kidding? I couldn’t hate you. I can’t even say I hated the way you made me feel. Like I was a baby bird getting thrown out of the nest for the first time. Hey, you have your metaphors, I have mine. You’re just better at words than I am. But for the longest time when we were together, I thought I was flying. That’s the best feeling I can use to describe the euphoria of what first love feels like. It wasn’t until all was said and done, and I hit the ground while you just watched, that I realized I wasn’t flying. I was falling. 

But none of that matters now. Because I’m in LA and you’re in London and neither of us are willing to sacrifice our careers for one another. We shouldn’t have to, and that shouldn’t have been a fight. But it was. 

Your mom called me by the way, on my drive to LA. She told me you still loved me, said you came home with that red scarf of mine. For days you contemplated sending it back to me, but she said she found you sleeping with it next to you.

You can keep it.

- I’ll see you on the red carpet,

Y/N

Still no messages from Harrison. 

Sending a quick text to your sister, you let her know you made it to your place and you were safe.

Then you threw your phone across the bathroom, not even flinching when it thudded against the wall and fell to the ground.

With your one way you could reach out to Harrison and amend things now inaccessible, you leaned back against the bathtub, lips stained blue, and delved into the box of memories. 

Blue mittens, ones you taught him how to knit, sat on top. It was humid, even in January, you were sweating. But you held the fabric to your chest as you remembered the playful banter between you that night.

“Why’re you teaching me this?” He asked, setting the knitting needles down with a frustrated sigh.

“Because! Knitting is an amazing skill to have. When you’re bored, knit. When you want to keep your hands busy, knit. Want a cheap Christmas gift? Knit!”

Harrison chuckled, tossing the ball of yarn and needles to the side.

“I can think of a much better way to keep my hands busy.”

“Haz!”

You set the mittens aside, picking up his yellow and brown flannel next.

“Here, take my shirt,” Harrison said, sliding his arms out of the flannel. You glanced up at the red light anxiously.

“No way! It’s freezing. You’ve only got a t-shirt under there!” You huffed, crossing your arms over your chest, glancing over at Harrison’s bare arms, goosebumps prickling under his skin.

“Yeah, it’s your shit car with no heat. But I don’t want my girl to be cold. Here.”

He insisted, draping the flannel over your shoulders. Your cheeks warmed and it was almost enough to bring your entire body warmth, if you weren’t in the middle of Vermont winter, when he called you his girl for the first time. 

“Fine, bossy,” you teased, poking your tongue out at him.

“As if you don’t like that.”

You were pleasantly surprised he gave you the flannel, especially since it was his favorite. But he knew it was your favorite too. 

Next was your photo album; you kept polaroids of your antics on set and the cast. 

You gave it to Harrison as a keepsake, to commemorate his first big film and your time together.

You told yourself you weren’t sentimental, but when you opened to the first page, you nearly cried. 

“Why’re you signing it? It’s not a yearbook,” he teased, watching you scribble your signature and a small heart on the bottom of the first page.

“Because, one day my signature will be worth something. Don’t forget to cash this in.” You shoved the book across the bed toward him, the first picture was one of him snoozing on a chair while waiting for an early morning shoot. 

He shook his head, eyes crinkling as he laughed. “This is priceless.”

You flipped to the back page, where the entire cast and crew signed their names for the keepsake. Your thumb ran over the ink of his signature, the biggest one on the page, written in purple ink, a pen he definitely stole from your room. 

“I love you,” he said as you woke up. 

“I love you too.” You smiled, the usual sleepiness in your voice gone. 

“I’ll see you at the party tonight?” His thumb gently stroked your cheek, your eyelids heavy.

“Yeah, you better kiss me when the New Year chimes in.” 

“Couldn’t imagine doing anything else.” His lips pressed against yours before he kicked the covers back.

“Go get ready for your magazine shoot, movie star. I’ll be here when you get back.”

“Bye, love.”

As you laid down with his flannel underneath your head, you knew that your goodbye to Harrison two weeks ago was never really a goodbye. Not a permanent one, not when you still loved him and he still loved you. 

You could only hope that with time, the pain of what happened would disappear, and you and Harrison could look back on this winter with warm hearts.

***

taglist: @ifilosemyselfagain @youremusicinme @tombob2005 @hazmyheart @softholand​ @serendipitous-amor​

[kedreeva]

My Past Pets

This post is to go along with my current pet post. This post will contain information about pets I used to have and no longer have, either because they passed away, were sold, or were rehomed. I take in rescue animals often, as well as breed my own, and sometimes a pet I believed I would keep ends up going home with someone that fell in love.

Previous Birds

Gizmo - Gizmo was a wild type indian blue peacock that I acquired as a week-old baby August 11th. I raised Gizmo as an imprint. He was the light of my life, and absolute sweetheart. He lived indoors with me for the most part, though we started spending time outside in the spring when he was about 8 months old. He was so sweet we used to visit elementary schools and old folks homes together. He passed away after escaping confinement outdoors and getting into something at a neighbor’s house that gave him aspergillus. His tag was /gizmo.

Beep - Beep was a dark pied blue peahen that was imprinted because she hatched days earlier than her clutch mates. Her father was Blu, and her mother was probably Aurora, but maybe Sola or Nebula. She was a dickhead and I loved her. Her favorite activity was attempting to bite people in the eye, and her second favorite was Destroying Shit. Still, she loved me too. She passed away to a secondary infection after eating a small piece of metal outside. Her tag was /beep.

Osiris - Osiris was my first peahen ever, hatched in June 2009. She was a dark pied blue out of silver pied. She was an amazing bird, raised as an imprint with her brother, Blu. She knew a bunch of tricks and was extremely nosy about everyone’s business. She got eggbound trying to lay her first egg, and passed away. Her tag was /osiris

Blu - Blu was my very first peacock, a dark pied blue. He was raised with Osiris, but was never as outgoing as she was. He caught an infection in one leg when he was a yearling that left him with only partial use of one leg, so he hopped on his good leg and used his bum leg to stabilize himself. It didn’t stop him from loving up the girls or doing anything normal peafowl did, so we made special accommodations for him and kept him. He passed away in 2018 after (we think) hitting his head. His tag was /blu

Ursa Major - Ursa Major is a purple blackshoulder hen, split either white or pied, and she is Ursa Minor’s sister. She was hatched in 2016 and I acquired her as a yearling. She is very haughty and scolds me often, but she will come over and take treats out of my hands. She was the top hen among the adult hens. In 2021, she left for Irish Springs Peafowl, where she remains with Minor and Orion. Her tag is /Ursa+Major.

Ursa Minor - Ursa Minor is a purple blackshoulder split either white or pied, and she is Ursa Minor’s sister. She was hatched in 2016 and I acquired her as a yearling. Minor is second-in-command to her sister, but a lot more wary of everything than Major. Between the two of them, Minor has the better bone structure. In November of 2021, she went to live at Irish Springs Peafowl with her sister and Orion. Her tag is /Ursa+Minor.

Orion - Orion is a purple pied split blackshoulder and split white-eye peacock. He was hatched in early 2015, and I acquired him at around 1.5 years of age. He is a very gentle boy who has no problems showing off his beautiful train just a few feet from anyone that visits. In November 2021, I decided to hold back his son, Polaris, and Orion went to live at Irish Springs Peafowl with Ursa Minor and Ursa Major. His tag is /Orion.

Sola - Sola was a blue pied peahen. She was purchased the first summer after I moved into Longfeather Lane, and she was extremely concerned with her status among the other birds. Extremely bossy! But she was sweet, and outgoing, and would come up to me for treats, usually the first to grab them right out of my hand. Unfortunately she was from very poor stock in general, and her immune system was totally shot. After a few months of vet visits and repeated, untreatable infections, I made the decision to let her go. Her tag was /sola

Octavian - Octavian was an opal peacock I had for just under 3 years. During the first polar vortex Michigan experienced, he chose to sleep on the cement floor of the coop instead of on the perch with the heat lamp, and froze to death. His tag was /octavian

Ocatvian II/O2 - Octavian the Second was Octavian’s successor. I had thought I bought a hen, but he turned out to be a male. He was sweet, but I ended up selling him to a friend who was going to breed opal morphs. His tag was /o2

Nebula - Nebula is a purple pied peahen. She was very sweet and the first purple I ever owned. Since I was looking to breed purple blackshoulder pied, I was able to rehome her with a friend in the summer of 2020. Her tag was /nebula

Jupiter - Jupiter was a purple blackshoulder pied hen I hatched in 2019. She passed away in the spring of 2020 to an acute case of lymphoma. This was extremely disappointing on top of being sad, because she was absolutely gorgeous, a complete and total hand-tame sweetheart naturally (no imprinting!), and I had really been hoping to pair her with the male I’m going to be picking up at the beginning of November. Her tag was /jupiter

Andromeda: Andromeda was a purple pied white eye peahen from  2019 hatch from Orion’s pen. She was meant to be sold, but when she was about 6 months old, she hit her head on something hard enough to go blind but not hard enough to die. She spent about a week indoors, recovering her sight, and another month after returning to normal feeding habits, but she was not quite right afterward and it had gotten too cold to put her back out, so she lived with us until the spring of 2020, when she went home with the friend who bought Nebula. Her tag was /andromeda

Penny - Penny was a purple peahen that I am still kicking myself for getting rid of because she had SUCH good color on her neck. She didn’t stay here very long because she was not pied OR blackshoulder. I ended up selling her about a year after bought her and then immediately found Nebula. Her tag was /penny

Io - Io is a purple blackshoulder pied (potentially white-eye) peacock, hatched in April 2019. His father is Orion. Helios, Callisto, Andromeda, Jupiter, and Nova are his siblings. He was born with a darker face than usual, so I held him back to see how he grows compared to one of the birds that had a normal face. He’s a strange, large bird, who is cautiously curious about things and who is actually a gigantic baby that cries a lot. His tag is /Io. He was sold to someone after he started relentlessly attacking Arcana.

Truvi is a blue pied peahen, acquired in early 2021. I was contacted to come rescue 4 peafowl that had been abandoned after their owner’s home burned down. A neighbor captured them and I drove the 3 hours round trip to get them home. The other three in the group went to a friend, and Truvi stayed with me. In November 2022, Truvi moved south to Irish Springs Peafowl in North Carolina. Her tag is /Truvi.

Sasha is Eris and Opal’s mother, acquired in November of 2021 with Opal and Onyx. She was hatched in 2014. She isn’t particularly breeding quality, but the sentimental value of having Eris and Opal’s mom outweighed that for her acquisition, rather than letting her go to someone unknown. She is currently living back in her original home, in NC, but may return in the fall of 2023. Her tag is /sasha. 

Lazuli is a purple blackshoulder peacock hatched in may 2020 out of Poppa P/Indigo. I picked him and his sister up in November of 2020. He is from a bloodline I have wanted basically since I got into peafowl. He is, unfortunately, a spalding, and his rear facing toes do not face rear, so in November 2022, he was sold to a pet-only home where he will not be bred. Lazuli is perfectly willing to come up to strangers for treats and I’m hoping he turns out like his father in personality. His tag is /Lazuli. 

I had a few peafowl that I didn’t post here about, but I will name. Luna was Sola’s sister, and I lost her during a bad storm. Olev was a spalding male I had for about a year but I decided I didn’t want to work with spaldings, so I sold him. Oksana was an opal peahen I had picked up but she had a respiratory infection; the prescribed antibiotics and a couple of nights into giving them, she freaked out and pushed exactly wrong against being restrained, and broke her leg. The vet was unable to fix it and we ended up putting her down. Jade was a spalding hen I had bought with Olev, but ended up selling because she was a spalding. I also had Lily and Kail, a pair of 2yo blues that I briefly (less than a year) had before I decided I didn’t want to work with blues.

Previous Chickens

Dottie - Dottie is an ancient mille fleur D’uccle hen that we purchased April 28, 2018. She was named by my nephew. She was being retired from breeding stock, as she had stopped laying eggs. She still does not lay eggs, and has recently begun crowing. She is extremely friendly, and will let me just pick her up in one hand without even flapping her wings. She came to us blind in her left eye. In 2022, she went to live at my friend Holly’s farm instead. Her tag is /Dottie

Sour the Chicken - Sour is a frizzled black cochin bantam chicken I got as a chick in 2015, named by my nephew as well. Starburst is her daughter. She has a lot of opinions and is very calm around the big peafowl. She always wants to hatch eggs, but she is incredibly bad at it. She passed away in 2022. Her tag is /Sour+the+chicken

Starburst - Starbust is a cochin/genetic hackle mixed breed chicken hatched in 2019 to keep baby peafowl company, also named by my nephew. Sour is her mother, and Heihei was her father. She’s very friendly and will still hop into laps occasionally. She rescue hatched 4 peachicks in 2020, but I gave them to the mother that had abandoned them on hatch day to raise, since Starburst is too small to do so alone. In 2022, she went to live with my friend Holly. Her tag is /Starburst.

Wilma the Wheaten - Wilma is a blue wheaten ameraucana bantam that I had for a year or two. She hatched 2 peachicks for me in the spring of 2020, and the man who bought the peachicks asked if he could buy her too, so that she could stay with the babies until they were comfortable being away from her, so she went home with him, too! Her tag was /wilma+the+wheaten

Tanner - Tanner is a black copper marans rooster. He was very sweet. I ended up sending him home with a friend who bought a house and accidentally inherited a bunch of hens that had been just left at the house. Last I heard he’s doing great protecting them! Here he is with his BCM ladies at my house. His tag was /tanner

I wanted to try to breed marans for show, so I ended up ordering some very expensive eggs that almost all turned out to be males. I saved the best looking of them, but he turned out to have the absolute worst temperament- he killed three peachicks in the egg days before they hatched before I figured out it was him doing it and got rid of him.

HeiHei - HeiHei is a genetic hackle rooster. He was kind of a dick but he took really good care of his ladies and was very pretty. I sent him to live with a friend who has having Rooster Problems in that her young roosters had no adult male to show them how to be nice to the girls. Heihei straightened them out in a hot second. He’s still kind of a dick to her though. His tag was /heihei but I was bad at tagging pics of him.

Heihei had a son, named General Tso (or we mostly just called him The General) that went to live with another friend. The General was not a dick, but he was eaten by a fox a while later.

Tori was a gold laced wyandotte we hatched in 2021 but who went to live with my friend Gina in 2022 because she was a menace. Her tag is /Tori.

Tako was a gold laced wyandotte we hatched in 2021. She went blind and began to have neurological symptoms mid 2022, not particularly surprising from hatchery stock. Her tag is /Tako.

We’ve had a LOT of chickens pass through longfeather lane. Some of them were egg layers, some of them were meat birds, almost none of them were pets. You can find general info on chickens I used to have under the tag /chickens.

I have also had a bunch of turkeys through, though Joslin is the only named one. There are probably pics of old turkeys on the tag /turkeys.

I very briefly had a few pigeons a couple of years ago, but as it turns out they cannot have fenbendazole like AT ALL, which I knew. I thought it would be okay to remove them from the pen, dose the peafowl for their yearly wormer, and put the pigeons back in, but they all dropped dead within 2 days of being added back after the worming meds, so I learned a hard lesson.

Ping - I have had three ducks, white muscovies. The male’s name was Ping, the hens were Angel and Dharma. I don’t have pics of the hens, but I do have a few of Ping. They went together to a duck pond because ducks are an absolute disgusting mess playing in the water and food.

Previous Reptiles

Keagan - Keagan was an albino cornsnake that a friend brought to me. A pet store local to her had taken him in from someone who said he was 4-5 years old, and I had him for around 7 years after that before he passed away to cancer. His tag was /keagan

Laguna - Laguna was a columbian rainbow boa and kind of a brat. She ended up being rehomed to a breeder who was interested in her. Her tag was /laguna

Balthazar - Balthazar is a mojave ball python. Very sweet boy but an absolute pain in the ass because he would almost never take food he didn’t personally kill (and would even ignore food he DID personally kill, if he was at all disturbed during the process between strike and completely swallowed). He ended up rehomed with my friend Gina! His tag was /balthazar

Clove - Clove is a woma python I picked up a few years ago. She was an absolute hoot to have. She now lives with a friend of mine nearby and they just got her a really nice boyfriend! Her tag is /clove

Isis - Isis was a rescue that I picked up when I went to buy a display enclosure for balthazar. Isis was still in it, badly neglected, along with a small, lavender corn snake that I found a home for right away. I ended up holding Isis back though, because she was so thin and unhealthy. I got her up to speed and she lived with me for 5-6 years before she began stargazing and was put to sleep. Her tag was /isis

Day of arrival: 

A few months later:

Udon - Udon was a blizzard corn snake I had for a while, but she ended up going home with Gina too when I reduced my animal population. She didn’t really have a tag.

Sangria - Sangria is a hypo boa imperator that I bought from a friend of mine. It was the first time she’d ever bred snakes and I had taken Isis in a couple of years before and absolutely loved the temperament of the big snakes. I ended up selling her to a breeder when I was reducing my animal population in 2019. Her tag was /sangria

Kerberos - Kerberos was a albino paradox sand boa that I had for the briefest period of time. I couldn’t get him to eat, and ended up taking him to a breeder I knew. She was able to get him to eat and now my local area has these genes in their sand boas so that’s pretty neat.

Dulce - Dulce was a butter ball python who ended up going to a friend of mine almost immediately when she came over and fell in love and asked where to get one.

Previous Mammals

I’ve kept mice and rats on and off over the last 15 years, and almost never named them. You can find my previous rodents on the tags /rats, /mice, or /genetic+experiments+with+mice. The last is reserved for breeding projects. I’ll post a few pics from the past here.

Satin angora:

Satin pied: 

Double rex hairless:

Satin rex:

The mallowmese mice ended up “probably” being chocolate siamese, and their colony was transferred to a breeder that wanted to work with chocolate.

Seal point siamese:

Clarke my blue hooded lady rat: 

Rat babies: 

African Soft Fur Rats: 

Previous Aquatics

I’ve had several tanks over the years, some of them with the same denizens just moved. I currently have 2 tanks- the lowboy pleco tanks and the 30g crayfish tank.

I previously took in a trio of axolotls from someone that had not been keeping them well. One of the males passed away within a short period of time due to having ingested a large river stone. One of the males I gave to a friend, but he passed away shortly there. The last, Diva, stayed with me for a while, but ultimately passed away as well. The “companion” axolotl I had gotten for her, Jadzia Daxolotl, is now living with my friend who had taken in the second male, and doing great!

Dax (tag /dax:

Diva (tag /diva: 

Little Red: After 6+ months of living with us, Little Red never got any bigger, and eventually stopped showing up at feeding times.

BB Wolfe was a longfin bristlenose that passed away in 2022

Marissa and Cornwallis- The marisa cornuarietis snails are the newest denizens, and a very lucky and unfortunate find. I had been hoping to stumble upon some for a while, and happened to catch them at a fish store that normally has very good stock, but that must not have had much of an idea how to care for them, as there were multiple dead and empty shells, and the two still sluggishly wobbling around were in ROUGH shape. This photo is from the day of their arrival; they are unlikely to improve their shell quality much, but they have perked up and are now active members of the community, and laying eggs all over the dang place.

Here is a comparison between the parents and one of their babies, who has a good shell built. We were eventually overrun even after removing as many of the eggs as we could find, so we ended up taking them to an LFS.

The Lowboy - This is a 50g tank called the Lowboy that as of June 2020, I have turned into a sand-bottomed shrimp, snail, and plecostomus tank. It sprang a leak in January 2021, and has been retired to be a rat tank for Miles and Sebastian.

The rest of my tanks can be found on the tag /my+tanks.

Previous Other

Pigeons - There are 9 old german owl pigeons. These are new editions to the 3rd pen as of June 2020, when the first 7 were surrendered to me from a hoarding situation. A week or two later, I was allowed to enter the premises to take the other 13. Although 20 was too many, they couldn’t stay where they were, so we took them and found homes for 12 of them. Of the 8 that remained there were 2 black checked, 1 blue bar, 1 tiger grizzled shield, and 4 black shields. The blue bar lady and one of the checked ladies were bonded, and went to a new home with 2 of their babies in March of 2021. When HPAI hit in 2022, we decided to downsize both the pigeons and the bobwhites in order to protect the peafowl better. While the bobwhites were released since they’re a native species, the pigeons went to a nearby loft. Their tag was /the+pigeons.

The last few pigeons here were Cephalotus and Clifford, who were purchased as a male/male pair from a loft that did not want to keep non-breeding birds. (Images from their sales post, taken by their original breeder).

I also had Squish, who was quite friendly: 

I kept superworms for a while, but ultimately decided that it was WAY easier to breed dubia roaches for my birds, so now I do that. I still usually have a population of superworms, but they are not being bred, just being fed off and replaced at the local reptile expo every month.

Dermestid beetles (maculatus) - I even more recently set up a colony of dermestid beetles for bone cleaning. The dermestids must be fed on dry meat or dry meat-like products (meaning something like dogfood, not something like tofu). Their tag is /dermestids.

[eucroft]

⟨ DANIELLE ROSE RUSSELL. CIS FEMALE. SHE/HER. ⟩ though the mist might prevent some from seeing it, ADELAIDE CROFT is actually a descendent of H Y P N O S. it’s still a question of whether or not the TWENTY-TWO year old CREATIVE WRITING MAJOR from SALEM, USA has taken after their godly parent completely, but the demigod is still known to be quite VENTURESOME & VAIN.

*jennifer coolidge vc* hi a google doc + pinned post are tbd but until then here’s perhaps an equally extensive intro, she’s a menace ty  

name: adelaide jane croft  nickname: ads, addie (if she likes you), aj (if you want to die) age: 22  dob: august 1, 1998 zodiac: leo sun, ?????? everything else mbti: entj, the commander powers: hypnokinesis, shapeshifting, seeing gods in dream, memory retrieval (minor) positive traits: venturesome, creative, hardworking, independent, ambitious negative traits: vain, cunning, bossy, stubborn, overcritical works: front desk associate at the library  clubs and sports: member of book club, chess club, herpetology club, women in leadership club, creative writing club, captain of the debate team, president of feminist alliance, and captain of the cheerleading squad character inspo: blair waldorf (gossip girl), jackie burkhart (that 70′s show), catherine the great (the great), cheryl blossom (riverdale), audrey horne (twin peaks), amy march (little women), cordelia chase (buffy the vampire slayer), fran fine (the nanny), daphne blake (scooby doo)

MENTIONS: alcoholism, coma, neglect

born in salem, massachusetts, adelaide croft is the daughter of sherry croft and hypnos, a product of an affair her mother has on her husband, senator richard croft-- sherry is a bored housewife trapped in a seemingly picturesque but loveless marriage when she meets hypnos, one thing leads to another, nine months later, adelaide is born 

richard knows from the get-go adelaide is not his child, it doesn’t take a mathematician to figure out and despite the obvious strain this infidelity puts on the croft marriage, they remain together, richard claiming to the public that adelaide is his daughter while the disdain for what her mother did bubbled into resentment towards the young girl-- growing up she believed he was her real father

the crofts have one other child, an eldest daughter, prudence, and she is the pride and joy of the croft family, things came effortlessly to prudence, who received praise and attention from her parents for the slightest thing-- from a young age, she was actively pit against her older sister, who was as cruel as their father was at times, their relationship founded from rivalry

adelaide struggled for approval from her parents, who often brushed her off or ignored her. while her father was too focused on work, her mother too focused on drinking, and both too focused on prudence, it didn’t help that she developed strange habits from a young age, like claiming to speak to strange people in her dreams or how the world grew drowsy around her

found out she was a demigod at eleven, hypnos came to her in a dream, she laughed in his face, but very quickly realized this was real shit, when he offered the chance to go to a camp where there were other people like that she jumped at the chance-- attended camp halfblood during the summers of 2009-2016

trained pretty extensively during that time, was a casual quester, chosen usually because of her enthusiasm and hypnokinesis abilities, they did not all end well, she lost some people along the way, got some stuck in some sticky situations, will eventually go into more depth with these 

when she wasn’t at camp, she was climbing the social ranks back in massachusetts, winning academic awards, prom queen, staying on top of sports, practically anything in an attempt to make her parents acknowledge her, then when she realized they never would, specifically to spite them, simply trying to survive the rest of her high school career

started writing at a young age, journaling originally, but eventually, it grew into short stories, then novellas, etc.

always knew she was going to eonia, however, the process was sped up a little after an incident involving hypnokinesis, prudence, and a five day coma, adelaide denounced the crofts essentially, and using her memory retrieval power successfully for the first and only time, wiped herself from their memories (how long that will last, she is unsure), she went to live with a friend for a bit until she was accepted into eonia 

studies creative writing with the intent to write horror fiction based off the nightmares and dreams she has witnessed and influenced, currently in her fourth year here with intent to go to grad school afterwards

TL;DR: the younger daughter of sherry croft and hypnos, adopted by senator richard croft, grew up in a loveless, neglectful household that was seemingly perfect in public eye, had a sadistic older sister name prudence who was always in the spotlight, big queen bee vibes but went to chb and quested a bit, eventually came to eonia to study creative writing. 

some headcanons

actually an insomniac, that kind of fuck things up for her, but she finds ways to fall asleep eventually

coffee fiend 

chaotic bisexual

weapon of choice is a longsword she got from a quest, affectionately nicknamed tallulah, however she’s proficient in throwing knives and crossbows

has an albino ball python named boris after boris karloff 

LOVES halloween and all things horror, surprisingly morbid when you actually get to know her

favorite author is shirley jackson!

will astral project to you to bug you if she’s bored

the gods she has seen the most in her dreams beyond hypnos is hecate, apollo, and athena!!! she details all of the meetings just in case there’s important info

very nosy, will snoop for anything and everything

stressed 25/8 

i will update my wc doc asap i don’t have the capacity to do that currently but some wcs include rivals, exes, chb people, friends, enemies, hookups, someone to get her to relax, quest partners, uhhhhh someone she tutors perhaps, muses, hypnokinesis victims, someone she bit while she was a cat!, uhhhh

[doyouevenshipbr0]

HAPPY GRUVIA WEEEEEEEK!!!:))

so i cant promise that ill post something for EVERYDAY but i will do what i can:)

i hope u all have an amazing, gruvia filled week:) enjoy babies!!!

also ok u know what so maybe i did write a story literally exactly like this for gruvia week last yr...... mind ur business lmao

gruvia week day 1: home

*

Juvia was practically running from the train station.

This was the longest mission she had gone on in years, and while she did love to get out and go on jobs, especially with Gajeel, she was itching to get home at this point.

Two weeks without her family was driving her borderline insane, and she was ready to hug and kiss everyone to her heart’s content. She looked up at the sky and noticed it was just about dusk. At the sight of the day almost ending, she picked up her pace a little bit. If she could just speed up a bit, she could probably make it home in time to still make dinner.

In a few more short moments, she stood at the door of her house. She stepped in the doorway and breathed in ready to shout a booming “I’m home!”, but she was interrupted by a commotion that seemed to be coming from the kitchen.

From where she stood, all she could hear was the muffled radio playing music, kids screaming with giggles, and some food sizzling. She was met with the smell of delicious, but maybe slightly burnt, food.

She placed her bag down beside her, and slowly but curiously made her way to the noise. Before she inserted herself just yet, she was wondering just what was going on.

“Storm! Why did you take your brother out of his bouncer!?”!She heard Gray shout, and it was quickly followed by two very familiar giggles.

“Kai’s one year old now, dad! He wants to run around not bounce!” Storm’s voice was mildly breaking with laughter.

Juvia finally got to the point where she could peak around the corner into the kitchen, and luckily she still had yet to be noticed.

Storm was holding the wiggly baby, but was clearly struggling, seeing as Kai certainly did not want to be held. Neva was right by her big brother’s side, giggling along with him. Gray, however, did not look as amused. He was looking back and forth from over his shoulder at the kids, to the many pans full of food he had cooking in front of him on the stove.

“Ok, well, I don’t really want him running around right now. I’m trying to focus on dinner.” Gray tried to calmly explained, but Juvia could tell he was breaking a sweat.

“But if we put him back in, he’ll cry!” Neva explained back. Her curly black pigtails bounced as she excitedly explained herself.

And as if it was on cue, Kai began screaming as tears ran down his red face. Gray instantly threw down the spatula in his hand and bent down to scoop up Kai out of Storm’s arms. He turned right back around, and continued stirring with the food while he bounced a screaming baby on his side.

“Daddy, you’re making my mac and cheese right?” Neva tugged at the apron her father wore.

“Yes, Nev, I’m making your mac n cheese.” He sighed, not appreciating the nagging child.

“Yay!” She cheered.

“But you do have to eat some veggies.” He reluctantly followed up with.

The gasp of betrayal that escaped Neva’s mouth almost made Juvia blow her cover with laughter.

“Veggies?! I hate veggies!” Neva stomped.

“Storm, can you please explain to your sister why we need to eat our veggies.” Gray replied. He didn’t feel like taking the time to explain the pros of vegetables.

“Uhhh, ok.” Storm replied, unsure. He paused and scratched his dark blue waves in the back of his head “Well I don’t like vegetables all that much either. I kinda’ think Mom and Dad just do it to be bossy.” Storm shurugged.

Neva’s deep blue eyes widened with horror.

“Storm!” Gray exclaimed. He should have known a nine year old reasoning with a four year old just simply wouldn’t work. The boom of his voice upset little Kai all over again, and he continued his screaming.

“Oh shit-! I mean- shoot!” Gray spat, and put down the spatula again, this time paying more attention to Kai, and shushing him as he swayed back and forth.

“Ok, Mommy thinks it’s time to step in.” Juvia calmly walked in the kitchen and was met with four surprised faces.

“Mommy!” Storm and Neva ran at her with full speed. She just had enough time to squat down and welcome their impact.

“Oof!” Juvia grunted as her kids slammed themsleves into her, wrapping their little arms around her. “Hello my babies!” Juvia regained her footing and wrapped her arms around them, kissing their heads.

“How was it?! Did you and uncle Gajeel kick butt?! Did you use your water stuff!?” Storm spat questions at her, just as he did every time she or Gray got back from a mission.

“Yes, baby.” Juvia used her hand to push the bangs from Storm’s eyes. “Mommy and Uncle Gajeel did great.”

“Mommy, Mommy, Daddy’s gonna’ make me eat veggies!” Neva cried out for help, planning on Juvia to rescue her from the vegetables.

“He is?!” Juvia pretended to gasp, and she looked up at Gray, who gave a defeated smirk.

She stood back up. “Speaking of food, it smells delicious.” She walked towards Gray, and gave him a big hug as he still held the baby in his hands. Juvia took her hands and squished Gray’s face, planting a big kiss on his cheek, earning a grunt from Gray.

“Oi! Do you really gotta’ squeeze my face like that?” Gray twisted his face free from her hands.

“But Juvia hasn’t been able to squish Gray-sama’s sweet face for so long!” She whined.

She averted her attention down Kai. “And speaking of squishing sweet faces,” She took him from Gray’s arms.

“Hello, my love!” Juvia doted, and Kai smiled at the sight of Juvia’s happy face. She brought his chubby cheeks to her lips and kissed him a bunch, making the baby giggle.

Gray went back to fiddle with the food one more time before he turned off the stover. “Ya know, it’s a lot easier to cook around here when I have you to distract these demons.” Gray sighed, and leaned up against the counter.

“Demons?!” Juvia laughed. “Juvia’s babies are angels.” She continued to sway Kai in her arms.

“Are we talking about the same babies?” Gray playfully raised a brow.

Neva and Storm both laughed, feeling accomplished at annoying their father.

“Yeah, laugh it up.” Gray chuckled back at them.

Juvia sniffed. “Is Gray-sama cooking salmon?”

“At this point, I think I’m burning salmon.” At Juvia’s reminder, he took an oven mit and opened up the oven, taking out steaming salmon.

“It looks great!” Juvia smiled. She missed Gray’s cooking. “Salmon’s Juvia’s favorite.”

“I know. I made asparagus and rice, too.” Juvia looked at the stovetop and sure enough, they were all there.

“And mac n cheese for me!” Neva cheered, raising up her hand.

“You’re gonna try the asparagus, too.” Gray daunted.

“A-spar-gus?” Neva sounded out the word, not being quite sure exactly what it was.

“It’s the nasty vegetable Dad’s gonna’ make us eat.” Storm explained.

“Alright. That’s it you two. Now that my hands are free I can finally kick your butts!” A playful smirk appeared on Gray’s face before he ran at the kids, scooping them up in his arms and slinging them over his shoulders. The two shrieked with giggles as they kicked, trying to free themselves from Gray’s grasp. “One more word and I drop you two square on your heads!” He teased.

Storm and Neva continued to laugh as Gray shook them around a bit. Juvia admired the smiling faces from afar. When they all smiled so hard like that, they all looked the same. It seemed to be contagious, because Juvia felt herself grinning right back at them. Even little Kai was bubbling with laughter, and Juvia couldn’t help the tears that welled up in her eyes at this beautiful feeling.

“Alright, everyone!” Juvia caught everyone’s attention. “Why don’t we eat the yummy dinner Daddy made before it gets cold?” Gray, Storm, and Neva nodded in agreement.

Juvia wasn’t sure if she could put a finger on exactly what this feeling was, but if she had to, she would use one word.

This was home.

[some-lists]

My Favorite Movies & TV Shows About Sisters

I already did a list of my favorite movies and tv shows about best friends. As I was compiling that list, a number of movies and shows about sisters popped into my head. I didn’t include them because I thought, “Well, they’re sisters, not friends.” So, now I present a list of my favorite movies and TV shows about sisters!

10. Switched at Birth

Switched at Birth is about two teen girls who discover they were switched at birth. They both choose to meet their biological families and become forever connected. Though Bay and Daphne are not actually sisters, they become sisters as they now share parents, siblings, and homes. They come from different walks of life. Bay is wealthy while Daphne was raised by a single working Latina mother. What’s especially great is the inclusion of deaf and hard of hearing leads and the use of sign language.

9. Sense & Sensibility

Pride & Prejudice is usually the most popular of Jane Austen’s novels (and movie adaptations), but I personally like Sense & Sensibility more. The 90′s version has an excellent cast that includes Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, and Alan Rickman. Marianne Dashwood (Winslet) is the hopeless romantic who wears her heart out on her sleeve. Sensible, dutiful Elinor (Thompson) keeps all her feelings to herself. They fall in love, have their hearts broken, and have each other’s backs even if they don’t totally understand each other.

8. Fuller House

The original Full House is a better show than Fuller House, but I like the female trio of DJ, Stephanie, and Kimmy in the sequel series. Kimmy isn’t a sister, but she essentially becomes one of their sisters and officially Stephanie’s sister-in-law. They all have their different personalities that align with the original male trio in Full House. DJ is the goody-goody, slightly OCD supermom (Danny). Stephanie is the fun loving aunt (Uncle Jesse). Kimmy is the wacky best friend (Joey). We get to see them go on girl nights out, plan parties, serve as bridesmaids, and more. Full House may be the classic, but I think Fuller House is more fun.

7. Charmed

I haven’t seen the new reboot of Charmed, so this is about the 90s-00s version. I’ll admit the current drama between the two casts has left a sour taste in my mouth. But the original show was one I looked forward to watching with my two sisters each week. We loved that each sister had their own distinct magical power and their own successful careers. I preferred when Shannen Doherty was in the cast as oldest sister Prue over Rose McGowan’s Paige. But watching either trio combat demons while navigating their love lives was good entertainment.

6. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before

Even though To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is mainly a rom-com about Lara Jean’s love life, it’s also a sweet story about sisters. The sister relationships were especially wonderful in the books, and one of the things I really loved about it. We see even though Lara Jean has had some sadness in her life, she is supported by her loving family. It’s nice that they are not jealous of each other or resentful towards one another. They may bicker from time to time, but ultimately the love between the three of them is clear.

5. 10 Things I Hate About You

One of my favorite movies of all time! Just like To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, 10 Things I Hate About You is a rom-com that happens to feature a great sister relationship. Kat and Bianca are total opposites. Kat is anti-social while Bianca is a social butterfly. In the beginning we see resentment between the two due to their differences in personality. Bianca thinks Kat is a bitch. Kat thinks Bianca is shallow and conceited. But by the end they grow to respect each other. We see that Kat is actually a very strong, driven, independent woman. Bianca grows from a spoiled rich girl to someone who sees past vanity and stands up for her sister. Also, Heath Ledger.

4. Wish Upon a Star

Someone brilliant took the concept of Freaky Friday and applied it to sisters. The younger bookworm sister swaps bodies with her older, popular sister. While in each other’s bodies, they both grow into better people as they walk in the other’s shoes. The younger sister becomes more confident. The older sister becomes less superficial and a better student. They both learn to like themselves for who they are and grow closer as they have to rely on each other to switch back.

3. Hocus Pocus

In the spirit of Halloween, I had to include the Sanderson Sisters. Even though this movie isn’t exactly about sisters, it features one of the best sister trios ever. Winnie is the bossy one, Mary has hound dog-like sniffing abilities, and Sarah is the sexy airhead. They are so entertaining and funny. Classic!

2. Little Women

I haven’t seen the newest version of Little Women -- though I really want to. The 90′s version was one of my all time favorite movies. It had an all star cast with Winona Rider as feisty Jo, Claire Danes as shy Beth, Kirsten Dunst as young Amy, Christian Bale as boy next door Laurie, and Susan Sarandon as Marmie. They are all wonderful. We see the sisters play together, fight, and grow up. It sticks pretty close to the book, and it has a warm, charming Christmas vibe to it. Now I just have to see the new one!

1. Sister Sister

Two identical twins discover they were separated as babies after being adopted by different people. They find each other again and move in together. Tia is studious while Tamera is a party girl. They have a pesky little neighbor to deal with along with other high school adventures. Their parents, especially Tia’s mom Lisa Landry, are hilarious. Sister Sister was just a really cool show.