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mayhemscorner · 3 years ago

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Pinky Promise

Shino x f!reader

“Gross! He has bugs all over himself, stay away from him!”

“You’re weird! Stay over there!”

The insults drive further and further at a young Shino, who has resorted to tucking himself further in to his oversized jacket while walking home. His fingers curl with embarrassment, and he tries to steady the little heart in his chest beating what felt to him, was a thousand beats per minute. Sliding down against a nearby shops weathered wall, he doesn’t realize the other child looming over him.

“I don’t think you’re weird. They’re actually kind of… cute. My mother says insects are attracted to the most beautiful people of the village because they are so pure and sweet. She also says it’s because I eat too much candy.” They sputter while reaching a hand out to the little boy. Shino only moves his eyes behind the dark shades that shield him from the overbearing sun to see they were offering a wrapped sweet to him. His heart calms immediately at the vision in front of him, even managing to catch air in his throat. Her robes sway lightly in the warm breeze that mimic the mess of hair on top her head, lazily tied back but still managing to fall out in places over her newly placed headband. A fresh camellia tucked behind her right ear as if she had just picked it moments ago. Above all else, the little bumble bee droning slowly above her with no intention of leaving.

Shino makes no movement towards her, only looking away bashfully. He feels her come closer before she is fully invading his personal space.

“Here, flowers make everything better… and insects love camellias, I would know! My mother grows them on the south side of the village. Want to go there with me?” She questions while placing the camellia clumsily in to his headband. Shino let’s out a small gasp before slowly nodding and toddling off behind her.

The gardens were extensive, many vibrant hues flashing through Shino’s glasses and clashing in his extensive vision. His eyes wander to the many bee’s happily buzzing to different flowers. Calmness rushes over him in waves as they stumble through the beaten path between different planters.

“Please watch where you step, the beetles love the stems and leaves and mother said not to harm something that hasn’t harmed you.” The little girl sighs as if her mom lectured her of this daily.

“Y/N! Where have you been?” A lady shouts as she steps from a greenhouse to their right. The shock on her similar looking face to the girls, turns in to a smirk. She couldn’t help the warm feeling of seeing her daughter making a friend for once. The woman who seemed to be almost in her thirties was fresh back from a mission, still clad in her Jonin uniform.

“I was just showing Shino the camellias!” The little girl groans to her mother.

“Not every flower is a camellia, they just happen to be your favorite, Y/N.” The woman chuckles as she surveys the little boy next to her, even though she knew almost immediately who the child belonged to. The three spend the next few hours, sitting happily surrounded by a splatter of colors and the soothing hum of insects. The mother talks of the different flower families and how it’s detrimental to their clans Kekkei-genkai, hoping to get Shino to say anything, even just a word. But he would still resort to only shaking or nodding his head, occasionally repositioning his glasses on the bridge of his nose.

“A lot of people get it confused with wood style but we could never match up to lord firsts powers!” Y/N shrieks with excitement, ready to flaunt her knowledge of the hokages at any given moment. Her mother only sighs before glancing up at the quickly growing figure behind the two children, making his way through the long rows of outstretching flora carefully trying not to disrupt even a single flower.

“Ah Shibi, I had a feeling Shino was one of yours.” She chuckles as she heaves herself off the ground to greet him.

“I was slightly concerned when he didn’t return home, but glad of all places he was here, Ume.” Shibi speaks quietly. As the two older shinobis have light conversation, Y/N was determined to hear Shino’s voice.

“You should take some flowers for your insect friends. I’m sure they’ll be happy. And once these have withered you’ll have to come back to get more! Pinky-promise me that you will?” She asks with her puny little finger stretched out to him in desperation. He hesitates for only a moment before reaching out with his own sleeve covered pinky.

“Pinky-promise.” He mumbles back to her as the rouge tinges his cheeks softly. While Shibi guides him back to the Aburame home, Shino had only the thought of the pleasure he felt now that he had someone to call a friend.

Here he was now, almost in his twenties, making his way to the same gardens to see Y/N and her now retired mother. After that day as kids, it was habit to follow the girl home after training to pick a new bouquet of flowers at least once a week, usually more. This day was different seeing she was assigned a mission.

“Oh Shino! Y/N is inside packing for her mission, but you’re more than welcome to pick whatever flowers you see.” Ume calls to him from the now weathered, but still the same greenhouse she was always in. He thanked her quietly enough his words could’ve been lost in the wind if there had been any that day, as the hidden leaf reached its summer and was quite warm. He could only wish there had been a breeze to save him from his own embarrassment. Regardless, he roams casually through the rows questioning which flowers to grab, as Y/N has always insisted on doing it for him so she could sneak some in to his forehead protector, or even weave some in to a crown to place on his hood ridden head.

“Having troubles?” Y/N calls from behind him as she places a few flowers on his head as usual. He turns, catching sight of the sun glinting brightly off her head band as a few bees hover over her head. Shino chuckles slightly at the view of her in her own element.

“It is usually your area of expertise.” He sighs, defeatedly looking at the still budding flower he had almost picked too soon. She swats his hand away lightly.

“You have to know when to pick them. If you pick them too soon, they’ll never reach their full potential.” She huffs before picking a few nearby and placing them in his hand.

“Anyways, I have to head to the gates but I’m sure my poor mother would love the company. Have your parents stop by for dinner, she’ll be bored to death without me here for a few days.” Y/N adds on while huffing a forced laugh. A few days felt too long for Shino as they had spent almost everyday together since children, switching between households for dinner and even bringing both families together for nights out in the village. Y/N tilts her head down with a small groan of frustration.

“Listen Shino, it’s been a while but can you do me a small favor?” She asks quietly so her mother doesn’t over hear. Shino can’t help but slightly gasp in shock as he tries to collect his bearings. Y/N never asked for favors, especially just before a run of the mill mission.

“Anything.” He replies curtly. It takes a few deep breaths before she’s finally able to speak again.

“I’m almost sure it won’t be just a few days. I told my mom we’re going on a simple tracking mission outside of the village but, in all honesty, it’s a little more complicated than that. There’s a band of rogue ninjas claiming to have reinstated the Akatsuki and we finally have a lead. We’re headed to the outskirts of the land of waves, and they’re high ranking ninjas we’re after. If I don’t come back just make sure she does what she loves best, tending to these poor flowers and spending time in that dingy old greenhouse. That’s all I ask.” She whispers hurriedly, continuing to look over her shoulder in watch of her mother.

“You lied to Ume?” He clips at her in frustration.

“I had to! She would worry more if I told her what was really happening.” She admits sheepishly, scratching nervously at the back of her neck.

“You think she won’t worry when you don’t come back after day 4? Day 30? She was an honored shinobi you can’t hide that from your own mother!” He fires back as quietly as possible with his quickly rising impatience.

“Then tell her after I’ve left if you have to, I just can’t stand to see her worried and you know that.” She exhales softly as even the thought of her mothers worry-lines appearing on her forehead pickle at the back of her eyes. Turning away quickly to collect herself, not even sparing a glance, she only throws her outstretched pinky over her shoulder.

“Just promise me you’ll watch out for her. Whatever you say to her about it after I leave is up to you. It’s hard enough I have to tell you.” She brokenly chokes out. Split between both sides, he does nothing at first. Only staring at what was once a pudgy little finger covered in sweets, has now grown with her. Covered in scars from countless battles and aged to match the hand that carried it and wielded her important Kekkei-genkai, one that could easily place Shikamaru’s quick thinking in a stalemate. The one that placed her in dangerous missions her own mother once faced herself. Just as she’s about to curl her hand back and recede without a word from pure anger and spite, Shino connects their hands. Instead of the pinky, he weaves his own finger through hers.

“Regardless of the outcome, your mother and this garden is now my priority. The Aburame clan and myself will see to it.” He states curtly, almost no emotion at all. The coldness of his tone stings at her cheeks, all she could manage to mutter was, “I guess this is goodbye.” With her parting words, her figure shrinks with the now setting sun as his hand was left still outstretched where they had just parted.

His other hand unfurls the now strangled bouquet, petals crashing in to the ground as fast as his own gaze had. Mixed emotions bubble at his throat and behind his eyes. Was if anger? Regret? Hate? Maybe it was all, he thought to himself as the most painful tears he’s experienced ghost slowly over his now hot cheeks.

“Shino! Are you hurt? What’s happened?” Ume shrieks, rushing from the greenhouse to scan him over for any abrasions, pure habit from the many years in the field. She tenderly runs her hands up and down his arms, in a weak attempt to console the young man, verifying he was indeed physically fine at the least. Without even thinking he leans in to the motherly touch as a silent sob he’s tried too hard to suppress shakes him to the core. Ume, not having the slightest thought on consoling another person due to Y/N being weathered over the years by her no longer present fathers emotionless guidance from years in the anbu, tries her best to just pat his head and calm him quietly.

“Should I take you to Shibi?” She questions. Shaking his head he pulls away, once again all emotion had been pulled from his face as if the world didn’t just come crashing down on him.

“Ume, We need to discuss Y/N’s mission. There’s a few important details she’s kept from you.” Shino expresses quickly. Ume can only nod while he recounts everything Y/N had relayed to him in the least amount of words he could use, both to save time and to keep from working himself up again. When Shino had fallen silent for a few moments longer, she placed a hand on top of his head, much like Y/N did to her friends.

“She is from the Tsutsuji clan, but most of all she is the daughter of two hardened shinobi. I’m sure she’ll be just fine, it’s not the first time she’s hidden a mission like this from me and I know it won’t be the last. Thanks to her father, she tends to hide most things behind that smile of hers and rarely ever breaks. Damnit, as her own mother I was robbed of seeing it from her much, even when she was a child. It’s good to know she cares for her poor old mom however. Seems she must have a soft spot for you seeing she told you the truth.” Ume utters in attempt to lighten his mood. That night Shino only returned home to check in on his own parents. Shortly after, he’s wandering aimlessly down the now quiet streets of the village. It was now a habit to clear his head, focusing on things that weren’t colorful or buzzing with life for a change. The darkness of night lacked color, the hum of insects dying down. It felt night had reflected his own recent emotions tonight. The same for the third night, and the tenth. Soon it was 20 days. Ume and Shino have resorted to carving notches on the old greenhouse doorframe, one representing each day since Y/N had left. 30 days. Day 50, and it was as if everyday was on repeat mindlessly for Shino, as if his body knew the routine and it was doing it for him. Wake up, train, light tracking missions here and there, visit Ume, carve a notch, walk the town. Above all else no one had heard from Y/N’s team or even from herself. Ume kept reminding him, and even herself at some points, no news was better than bad news. But both ultimately tried to suppress the horrid thoughts at the back of their minds, her being captured, or even killed with no witnesses.

It wasn’t until a mission to track the team down had finally arose, he volunteered immediately and it lead him to cross her path once again. Stopping his squad in the treeline as two chakra signatures came to his recognition, one being too familiar, making his stomach jump nervously. Then he had met her eyes, peeking from under the cursed straw hat as the small bell rang with her tilting head. Even covered in the red cloud adorned robe, he knew it was her. Before he could register the look of regret on her face and the anger reaching at himself, she had already signed her jutsu to attack. Vines wrap around Shino and his teammates, constricting them to the branches. In the blink of an eye, she was in front of him, perching on the tree branch mere inches from his face. Looking from under the brim of her hat, he could see the tears pooling slowly at her lash line.

“I’m sorry it had to be this way, Shino.” She claims, just as the thorny vines wrap around her arms, settling in her palms to create her thorny senbon like attack. He knew they contained poison, whether it was her lethal version or not, he didn’t want to find out. The last thing he could remember is questioning her why she would do such a thing before the thorns took flight, almost too quickly, blackening the edges of the dense forest in his eyesight. He could only thank himself to think quickly in that moment to place the female beetle discreetly at her foot.

Part two: the insect attracted to the flower

All sense of time was lost, as he came to, the darkness of night had shrouded his vision and panic set in. His team had made camp, setting him down by the fire and the healer tending to his wounds.

“Relax, they got the jump on us but we’re all mostly unharmed. Save for a few punctures here and there.” The healer swears to him. As Shino sat on watch that night, while fumbling for food pills in his jacket, he feels a crumpled and skinny scroll. Unraveling it, he see’s Y/N’s messy and loopy handwriting.

Shino, it’s destined for us to cross paths eventually, if not soon. We’ve been given word of hidden leaf trackers coming around the area of their now temporary hideout. With only recent activity in the area from our two man team, it’ll most likely be classified as bandits or low ranking rogues. I fear this new era of Akatsuki has already grown too deep for me to take care of personally. My teammates were killed off within minutes of reaching our destination. Get word back to the hokage of this location, and the casualties that have taken place for proper grieving. Do not search for me. I was ordered to kill anyone from the village on sight. I’ve done and seen things I regret and couldn’t bear having to do it to you. Seal this scroll and report to the hokage immediately. Do not carry on with this mission until proper reinforcements have been arranged.

-Y/N Tsutsuji

Shino tightly wraps the scroll before immediately sending his team back towards the hidden leaf while it was still night. His mind distant the whole time trying to justify what had happened. Why wouldn’t she return home? How was her team killed, but she had been spared? He could at least answer that for himself to calm his nerves. Ultimately it led to the infamous Tsutsuji Kekkei-genkai she carried. The bingo books with her family name and even pictures. It made her more valuable alive than dead, regardless of the bounty on both of her parents heads, even her own. Wiping the tears from his face he hadn’t even noticed, he pushes on. He wastes no time to reach the hokage, his only will left to return her to the village, to return her to him.

“She is now considered a rogue by the village hidden in the leaves. Unfortunately we can’t send in more teams and risk a sacrifice that great. At this time our village views peace and alliance with the other nations, and they aren’t directly targeting the hidden leaf. It’s not our concern at this time Shino.” The hokage proclaims, sealing their hands tightly together dismissively.

“She had no choice!” Shino attests, to everyone’s surprise, quite loudly. His chest now heaving in panic at the thought of his own village turning their backs on one of the most promising shinobi of their generation.

“Then she should’ve died with the rest of her team, as a true shinobi should.” They finish curtly, turning in their chair to look out the large window, ending the conversation then and there. Shino rips the door open, slamming it harshly behind him. He doesn’t make it far before seeing Ume and Shibi already at the end of the hall waiting, Ume quickly recovering her shock from the door slam. When Y/N or Shino had missions as kids they would take turns meeting them at the hokages office and walk both kids to their respective houses after being treated to dinner. This time it was different for all three, with hopes of hearing good news and being able to celebrate. But they both sense the hurt as soon as that door slammed shut, shutting his emotions with it.

“Shino, tell me. What’s such a simple mission have you acting so out of character?” Shibi inquires in his usual monotone voice. At that point, he didn’t want to retell everything for what felt like the hundredth time. He wanted to pack his bags and bring Y/N back. But gazing in to the eyes of both parents, he couldn’t leave them shadowed in the dark.

“This is not the place to talk.” He attests quickly, before ushering them both towards the Tsutsuji gardens. He once again recounts the mission, down to Y/N using her poisonous thorns, which earns a gasp from Ume. The usual stoic face of Shibi finally breaks over his tea cup as Shino tells him what the hokage had said in their office. He also runs by them their plan to retrieve her and how he had planted a beetle to track her, regardless of knowing the location by heart.

“I won’t allow you to do tha-“ Ume begins, being cut off by multiple protests from Shino.

“Let me finish. This is my daughter, and I won’t allow you to do that on your own. It looks as if I happen to be coming out of retirement. But the two of us would never be enough. It will take time, that is if your parents even want you going on a mission that could shun us from our own village.” Ume finishes urgently, all the while trying to maintain eye contact between the two Aburame men. Shibi remains quiet for several moments. Shino can tell his father is serious when he drops his glasses to make direct contact with Ume.

“Not only is she your daughter, but an honorary member or the Aburame clan seeing how often she spends time with us. Above all, she is a ninja of the hidden leaf. She always will be. If we are to betray the hokage, we’ll need a better team seeing as they’ll be on our tails while already dealing with the reformed Akatsuki.” Shibi vows then and there, that as long as he was with him, Shino would lead them on this mission. With that, the three of them vanished in the night to knock on old friends and teammates doors alike, amassing shinobi old and new. By sun up they had rations packed for their sizable squad containing the three, Kiba, Tsume, Hinata, Hiashi, Even Kakashi and Guy. Hiashi finally broke, seeing the pure panic in Hinata and Shino’s eyes, knowing the mysterious hokage was wrong in sense of his decisions.

“We all realize this could be the last time we call the hidden leaf a home since we are going against the hokages word. But to abandon a shinobi is a crime above all else. Today we see generations on this team. We haven’t seen this since the war, and it’s bittersweet to see this again. If anyone wishes to back out you may do so now. Otherwise, I’d like to bring my daughter back to her village.” Ume forces over the small crowd, trying not to crack in front of old friends.

“Any of us would do the same for our child. For our teammates. We can deal with the hokage when we return.” Hiashi affirms stoically. Kakashi nods while Tsume chuckles and ruffles Kiba’s hair in obvious agreement.

“Feels kind of good to come out of retirement for a little bit of fun.” Tsume yawns away what little amount of sleep she had before Ume had come pounding on her door in the middle of the night. As an old teammate, she may have owed Ume a favor or two, but overall knew if she was ever in the same type of need the other woman would do the same. Seeing the sheer panic when she had sleepily opened the door, she almost thought someone had died. Upon reaching the gates, Kotetsu had stopped them just before crossing to the outlying trail through the forest past the gate.

“I don’t think this could possibly be an average parent and child outing, is it?” He questions in concern, mainly looking towards the most respectable and well known of them, Hiashi.

“Keep the hokage unknowing. We will face the consequences upon our return if we so happen to survive.” He stresses hard enough on the if in his sentence to make a few cringe. Kotetsu looks to Izumo before scanning over the group once more, noting some of the legendary faces in the mix. He once again meets eyes with his partner before nodding and placing a fist to his chest, knowing if it was important for some of the most strict in the shinobi way to betray the hokage.

“I wish you luck. You have support from us two if any messages need relayed or another team sent out.” He finishes before stepping aside to let them all pass. Kotetsu earns several pats to the shoulder and head nods as everyone crosses the threshold that kept the village sheltered from outside attacks.

Two days later, Shino relays to the group they were closing in on the location and to keep their eyes open. The small fire between the ever growing circle grows smaller as more people join to eat and slowly retire to their sleeping areas for the night. Even with Kakashi and Guy on first watch, Shino can’t close his eyes long enough for sleep to claim him. He finds himself poking at the embers of the now extinguished fire lazily with a stick as someone sits silently next to him.

“It truly is a tough decision. As a child I wouldn’t have done the same. I would’ve went by the word of the hokage and that would be the end. Your generation really has changed the village, and even us older shinobi who refused change. It’s a struggle but you’re doing the right thing.” Kakashi confides in a bored like tone as usual. Guy nods from the other side of the fire in agreement before scanning the treeline once again. Only this time, Kakashi notices his eyes stay trained in a single area for several seconds.

“What is it?” He asks Guy in a whisper, already crouching in to position.

“We’re being watched, by several eyes. Get in to the three man formation.” He whispers back as the three quickly position themselves back to back, leaving almost no blind area.

“Clones.” Shino mutters as his beetles confirmed quickly. As if the attacker knew they have been found, they advance their attack on the small camp. Growling breaks out immediately from the foliage to Shino’s left before Akamaru and Kuromaru bound towards a few clones. The clones keep coming towards the group as Tsume and Kiba join in the fray. Shibi and his insects soon force their way to the now 6 man and two dog circle. Shino and Shibi take turns wiping out whole waves with their insects but they just keep coming in what felt to them larger numbers each time a new set of clones would appear. Shino realizes the off feeling all too late.

“My genjutsu is inescapable. I’m surprised you even realized. I wouldn’t even try, it’s recreated from the Uchiha clan. Our first successful recreation, and it’s stronger than the real thing. We’re close to rival even Madara Uchiha’s power at this point.” The crude voice echoes out.

“I’ve been through far worse.” Shino growls as he finally manages to release. He comes face to face with his attacker as Kakashi and Guy flank him for real this time.

“You won’t be returning to your village alive, regardless of who you recruited. It will be a hay day at the collection office.” The young man in front of him states, the words seeping with malice. The real fighting soon began. It rang on through the night, waking everyone from their already broken slumber. Eventually, the young man behind the cloak had obviously exhausted most of his chakra, leaving him heaving in front of the now fully assembled group. Ume steps forward, entangling him in vines.

“We’ll be returning to our village, our home, with my daughter regardless of who’s going to try and stop me.” She chokes out in anger while preparing a barrage of poisoned thorns.

“And whoever your leader is, can come knocking on our doors personally when we’re finished with you.” She finishes as she raises her hand towards his heart. The man in front of her laughs maniacally, causing hesitation from everyone.

“Maybe you should check up on your hokage. Don’t you find it weird none of you personally know them? Our goal this whole time is to collect rare kekkei-genkai and the Hyuga’s are next. We just needed more numbers before we even thought of that. But now seeing every shinobi that’s worth a damn is out here for one worthless girl, I’m sure they’ll be making their move. You fell right in to the set up, you’re all jokes, too easy to fool in your older years.” He laughs before spitting at Ume’s feet, causing pure anger to fuel her. Before she can deliver the killing blow, thorns storm straight through his chest from the other side of the dense forest. Y/N stumbles out slowly, clutching her left side soon after. Shino is the first to notice the crimson pooling from between her fingers. He catches her just as she’s about to collapse on the cold ground.

“I’m sorry, should’ve known, shouldn’t have sent you to hokage. shouldn’t have sent help. need to take him down, it’s priority.” She coughs her quick apologies in to Shino’s shoulder, slowly becoming harder for her to breathe from her own poison the rogue had stabbed her with earlier, mere moments before the fight. Noticing the effects, Shino knew this was a lethal poison, but could never guess it was hers. Thankfully Shibi had come quickly to aid as his insects neutralized the poison slowly.

“Luckily when your mother was in a squad with Tsume and I, she may have accidentally nicked us a few times, causing quite a concern for our sensei. My insects can now neutralize a poison if they’ve come in to contact before. This interestingly enough, seems to be your own.” Shibi sighs, questioning if she even had the sense to poison herself.

“Even without the poison I’m useless. They’ve been harvesting my chakra and extracting thorns from my attacks in attempts to recreate it. Unfortunately I used lethal thorns earlier in the day in an attempt to kill him off when he was distracted. He saw it as an opportunity to test just how lethal my poison was when I missed my target from pure exhaustion.” Y/N explains quickly.

“Exhaustion, just admit you missed.” Kiba chuckles while placing a hand on her head, causing a loud smack on his back delivered from both Tsume and Ume.

“Don’t worry about the rest of the rogues, they’ve almost reached the village.” Someone informs the group from the trees suddenly.

“Kotetsu, what’s happened?” Kakashi calls out to him while surveying the area for anymore signs of threat.

“I’ve come here personally to inform, the village is in upset. They’ve ordered dead or alive retrieval on all of you shortly after you left. The hokage has barricaded themselves in the office with guards at the door. It has the village split. We have a group trying to control the situation but some shinobi are already out tracking you all. I’m just lucky it seems I’ve reached you first.” He quickly breathes between the explanation, tired from rushing to their location at break neck speeds.

“But how did you even find us?” Shino questions, now curious how Kotetsu knew exactly where they were at. He only points to Kakashi.

“I had a general idea and was investigating long before Y/N had even left for her mission. We’re just lucky they were still operating in the hideout nearby or I would’ve easily given him the wrong location. It all just seems too easy.” Kakashi explains easing everyone’s questions, and rising concerns of betrayal.

“If you knew, even just the slightest why send me on the mission. Why send me into danger?” Y/N fires back.

“I said general knowledge. It may be hard to believe but, I don’t know everything.” He shoots back, receiving only a shrug.

Part 3: a budding flower never gets picked too soon

Once the gates were in view, the chaos it contained could soon be heard. Several times the group has had to dodge trackers, luckily being guided in another direction by the Aburame’s insects or the Inuzuka clan. A lone figure slowly appears in the line of vision, casually propped against the now closed gates. Y/N can’t help but reach up his sleeve, and grab Shino’s hand. Upon seeing Shikamaru she knew it could be either good or bad news.

“Bad news.” He begins kicking off the wall and trudging over to break the distance between them. Shino squeezes her hand in support, quickly linking their pinkies together.

“This is seriously out of hand and several of us have been banished from the village for retaliation. Such a drag, I’ve been out here since last night.” He mutters, sticking his hands in his pockets and widening his stance as if everything was just a minor inconvenience to him.

“Who’s all out here?” Kiba asks impatiently, yet worried just the slightest for his sister, though he’d never admit it aloud. Shikamaru only points his thumb to a makeshift camp around the wall, “just everyone you’d expect.” He answers. Scanning Shino could see a few familiar faces, Kurenai, Yamato, even Choji and Choza.

“Where’s Hanabi?” Hiashi panics.

“We tried grabbing her on the way out but they have the whole compound guarded. We already put up the best fight we could manage without any of you here. Choji broke through a barrier but before we could even sneak through we had to put up a battle with the numbers against us. I can only do so much.” He explains casually before shrugging it off. Hiashi storms for the gates only to be pulled back by Ume and Tsume. They all agree to take action at night. With the full moon, Shikamaru was still of use and they could easily take cover in the dark. Y/N sits a distance from the fire, head tucked in to her knees. Shino slowly approaches before dropping down in front of her.

“You know this was the other way around the day we met.” He utters quietly, placing a quickly picked wildflower in to her jostled headband. She manages to chuckle slightly, grabbing his hand before he can pull it away from her face.

“Yeah I suppose it was. Wish we could go back to those days. Now we’re fighting for our village… again. I’m just ready for it to end. Ready to maybe find love and just be a sensei, or sell flowers to more than just the vendors in the village.” She rambles on placing his outstretched hand gingerly on her cheek before leaning in to the contact. Shino’s heart stutters at the word love. Could she be talking about him? Never. They were just really good friends, she’d probably marry in to a more reputable clan like the Akimichi’s or the Nara’s and leave him behind with the wind and bees that follow her. He would be the bee, he thought. Droning behind her at a comfortable distance not to bother her, but still following desperately to be in her presence.

“What do you want when this is all over?” She asks quietly, staring at his glasses, hoping he was staring back.

“Well, I’ve been told I’m good with kids. Maybe be a teacher at the academy. Teach others of my clan so future generations aren’t seen as creepy or weird. Settle down eventually if the opportunity arises.” He answers her, connecting his free hand to the other side of her face.

“Whoever comes along, whoever you have your eye out for better treat you right or they have Kiba, Hinata, and myself to answer to. They should love you fully, insects and all.” She praises him slightly, hoping maybe he’ll get a hint. She never thought of the two of them, not until she was secluded in a dark place during her mission. Her only drive to survive was coming back to the village, to her home. Picking flowers and laying in the gardens with Shino and her mother, talking aimlessly of insects and plants. Two things that make the others world spin. The insects gaining nutrients and shelter, the plants being pollinated and protected. She was a flower and he was the insect in the equation. Her mind in other places, she doesn’t notice Shino leaning closer.

“She could never treat me wrong. I would go to the ends of the earth to ensure her safety and happiness. And I hope she knows.” He whispers, just to be interrupted by a gagging noise behind them.

“Just kiss already so we can get our village back.” Kiba groans. Only breaking eye contact to roll her eyes, she sends an barrage of vines, clinging to Kiba’s legs and toppling him to the ground as Shino releases a swarm of beetles on to him.

“Heh, little shit deserved that.” Tsume cackles with Ume as Shibi let’s out a slight huff in agreement from their view a comfortable distance away. Laughing hard enough Tsume is wiping tears from her eyes. They couldn’t help but watch, always knowing it would eventually happen, and the two moms secretly taking bets on when.

“Well Shibi, you know Shino already has my approval what do you say? I mean they’re adults now.” Ume asks while judging him softly.

“I honestly thought they could’ve been together this whole time. But as an Aburame, he can be very reserved. You know our reputation for mystery.” He answers. Ume giggles knowing well that no one just got close enough to the clan to see their true personalities. To the right people they open up fully, and are a truly loving family with big hearts. Tsume taps the two just in time to see the two kiss. Both mothers hugging eachother with excitement.

“You guys are going to have some powerful grandchildren.” Tsume points out in astonishment before heaving herself up to go cut Kiba free and prepare for the mission. Neither Shibi nor Ume could hide their blush of embarrassment from the comment, and they didn’t even try. Soon everyone was positioned at different points of the wall, infiltrating their own village from every side. Swords and kunai ring in to the night as a select few make their way to the hokages office. Kakashi walks in first casually with Guy in tow. The guards are already on defense, one ready to cast a genjutsu.

“Sorry, I’m too old for mind games and trained Naruto himself. You’ll have to try a bit harder to fool an old man like me.” Kakashi yawns, pulling out an old tattered issue of one of his books.

“Just as I thought! My own rival Kakashi no longer finds the power of youth within himself! How about a challenge?” Guy booms.

“Guy, right now? We’re a little busy.” He mutters.

“I’ll take more of these guards down then you will! And if I don’t, it’s 500 laps around the whole village!” He proclaims, receiving a sigh and eye roll from Kakashi. Soon, they work in tandem, effortlessly making headway as Lee and Shino deploy themselves to open the hokage doors.

“All yours Y/N.” Kakashi calls down the hall to Y/N as she once again conjures her thorns while he bounds the last guards hands.

“Lucky for you, these will only give you a nice nap. I’m feeling generous.” She says, puncturing them without even looking as she passes by to the door. Shino and Lee couldn’t find a way to open the massive doors in time without resorting to more violent methods, instead Y/N pushes her way between them, working together to kick down the sealed doors. After several kicks, the door gives a creak in protest before finally opening, revealing the hokage with their back turned.

“Hello Y/N. I wondered how long it would take, let alone if you’d even make it.” They chuckle darkly. Soon they turn around, their disguise shedded, revealing their face as the mask flutters to the ground.

“Dad?” She chokes, fury taking over.

“Kita?” Kakashi asks stunned.

“Kakashi, resorting to my Anbu name for old times sake. It’s been a while. Y/N, you’ve grown.” He spits.

“A while? You abandoned us for this? For… THIS? Putting your own daughter and village in danger for the hopes of what? Acquiring a kekkei-genkai? You’re pathetic.” Y/N shouts, quickly making her way to the desk her own father now stood behind. She summons vines to creep over the desk, ultimately being stopped by a slew of kunai.

“An old trick like that? Please. I trained you, I’ve been watching your every move since you were born. You’re only as good as I made you to be.” Her dad laughs, making his way over to her. Trapping her from pure fear alone. He was right. She knew he was right. He had even taught her Anbu strategies at a young age, honing her skills to make an honorable shinobi. Countless hours, days and nights, training. And she knew she couldn’t beat him because he had taught her everything.

“Your chakra signature feels pretty low kid, spending too much time at that Akatsuki gimmick I set up? It was a nice distraction while it lasted. I had hope in you to see through it quickly, but I’ve been wrong before. Who would truly be insane enough to try something like reinstating a notorious crime organization during a time of unity of all nations? That’s near instant death if the other nations had caught wind,” he begins to ramble, knowing just by the look on her face he had several moments before she could even coax herself to move as the others watched intently, waiting for him to make a move himself.

“I gotta give it to you, this whole ploy with the clans I banished is smart. But once again your dad is always one step ahead. I already know that lazy Nara kid will jump in any moment to save the day with his little shadow jutsu from behind.” Kita laughs.

“Wrong, actually I only came for the show. I’m pretty wore out from mine and choji’s stunt we pulled last night. If you hadn’t noticed we did leave a few things on our way out from our official banishment statement from the hokage himself. You might want to check the paperwork on your desk and view the departing schedule of messenger birds. You’ll see we sent out a few S.OS’s to nearby shinobi villages.” Shikamaru yawns the beginning of his explanation before continuing, “You’ll also see your hand is placed on a piece of paper. That would be your own bounty. I had my suspicion the night I’d seen the hokage taking a leisurely stroll to the Tsutsuji gardens, and let himself in their house knowing they weren’t even home. Currently we now have our village walls sorrounded in support, waiting for the signal. All I have to do is give it.”

“Shikamaru always 10 steps ahead even when we have no idea what the hell is going on.” Kakashi mutters astonished of his capabilities.

“If I’m going to be honest, we can do this the easy way where you surrender and not get everyone outside involved, but I know how much of a dream that is.” Shikamaru complains. Everyone turns to him, confusion and concern battling their faces.

“If only that plan would work for you. My daughter will be dead before any one that would be a challenge to me arrives, and I’ll be able to extract that cursed Kekkei-Genkai of hers. You all are still kids, too inexperienced.” He chides, almost laughing at the team before him.

“Shino, Choji, now!” Shikamaru shouts, followed instantly by a swarm of insects filling the room to cushion the debris from Choji caving the roof in from outside. Shikamaru sends a flare in to the sky, causing all chaos to erupt in the now open room. The Inuzuka’s claw through the windows, the guttural snarls from both dog and human sorround the room quickly. The Aburame clan file in from the door, insects looming at the ready. Kita freezes as Y/N readies thorns on her now tired palm.

“It takes a village to raise a child, not just a single man who was absent for the rest of their life. You may have taught me to be a shinobi, but you didn’t teach me that working in teams pushes a shinobi to greater limits they never thought of achieving. You never taught me a bond makes a team unstoppable. For that I have to thank you. Some of the most powerful clans in our village now work in tandem instead of fighting about who’s better, and the limit is endless on the potential of working together, something you never learned when you abandoned your family.” Y/N mutters, staring the man down intently. He goes to move towards her, malice heavy in his eyes at he growls to her,”I’ll kill you. I’ll take that kekkei-genkai from your lifeless body and finish off this whole village if I have to.” He finds himself stuck in place, ultimately falling in to Shikamaru’s shadow possession.

“Get on with it already.” Shikamaru heaves out, strained on his rapidly depleting chakra levels. Y/N quickly surveys the room and her eyes fall on Shino. He meets her gaze and only nods, giving her the capability to deliver a killing blow with what chakra she has left. With her chakra finally meeting it’s limit, she crumpled to the floor the same time as her dad. Turning her head to get one last glimpse of him she smirks and breathily addresses him before passing out,”I’ll defend this village until I die even if it means killing my own father.”

After a few days of recovering in the hospital, under Sakuras constant nagging, she was finally discharged to return home. A yawn escapes as she leaves the bright room, trying quickly to stifle it upon seeing Shino. He outstretches his hand with his pinky jutted out.

“Pinky promise we’ll never put our kids through that.” He states. She raises her eyebrow in question before locking pinkies, and soon pulling him along without letting his go.

“I just now get out of the hospital and you’re already stuck on the thought of kids?” She questions. He only chuckles in reply, seeing the three parents who’ve raised them at the end of the hall ready to bombard them with embarrassing comments.

“It’s never too early for kids! We’re not getting any younger!” Ume calls out jokingly followed by Tsume shouting over her,” screw kids get a dog!” Followed only by Shibi shaking his head. With pinkies connected the whole walk home, they make new promises and goals to work towards together, promises of a better future for them, and their ever growing families.

#shino fluff #shino x y/n #shino x reader #shino x you #shino aburame #naruto fanfiction #naruto

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asgardian--angels · 4 years ago

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I was tagged by @birbs-in-space to do the 17 questions meme! I definitely don’t know 17 people to tag lmao

nickname: none that i know of, unless you are all calling me smth behind my back *squints*

Zodiac: taurus

Height: 5’6.5″

Hogwarts House: ravenclaw

Last thing I googled: hhrrrgh it was trying to troubleshoot R, how to overlay a species matrix onto an NMDS ordination fit, i did not find the answer rip

Song stuck in my head: warped by RHCP

# of followers: 9,116

Amount of sleep: i haven’t gotten more than 6.5 hours of sleep in months. too much work to get done :/

Lucky Number: 711

Dream Job: oof it’s 5am so i cannot give a coherent answer, but working to conserve, protect, and improve public perception of insects and other invertebrates.

Wearing: pajamas, a t-shirt, and a big blanket, as i have been every day for the past several months lmao

Favorite Author: toss up between tolkien and douglas adams

Favorite Instrument: drums or bass guitar

Aesthetic: um. i think,,,, i think we should go back to robes and tunics my dudes. especially the snazzy outfits garak wears. i’ll take that.

Favorite Song: ever??? EVER??? no one’s there by korn

Favorite Animal Noise: im. this is such a big question. fish crow calls, woodcock peent, longhorn beetle squeaks. gryllus pensylvanicus, scudderia septentrionalis, the haunting spiral echo of a veery in the spring woods, the plaintive tin horn yank of a red-breasted nuthatch clambering up pine trunks, the scratch in the undergrowth of a secretive towhee with only a glimpse of red eyes staring back through the brush. all animal noises are the best animal noises, sorry i dont make the rules

Random: my sleep schedule is now so fucked that i go to bed after my advisor wakes up and there’s a short window in which he can reply to my emails while i’m still awake rip

tagging @ectogeo-rebubbles, @kukalakas, @dr-twink-md

#me

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flameo-hotman · 5 years ago

Note

ZUKKA PROMPT 🔥💧 Zuko fainting and Sokka catching him (they are already a couple). It can be anything. Maybe sickness (he was feeling weird all day for example), maybe stress (maybe because he is already Fire Lord and he has all those meetings), maybe exhaustion (after training with Aang or not sleeping because of Fire Lord duties).

Fire Lords Need Their Rest

“I really hope Zuko’s doing okay,” Sokka sighed as he laid on Appa’s saddle looking up at the sky. “I mean I’ve been gone for-”

“Yeah, a month!” Katara snapped. “It is all you talked about during the solstice. The whole month. Zuko this and Zuko that! Next time just bring him with! I’m more than a little sick of hearing about it!”

Sokka sat up and shouted back, “HEY! You know how Zuko does with the solstice! Fire benders get sick when they don’t have the sun! And it isn’t like I haven’t had to deal with you gushing about YOUR BOYFRIEND endlessly!”

“I’m sorry…” Katara answered looking embarrassed. “I forgot… I shouldn’t have said that. You’re right. You just really miss him, and I hate when I have to be away from Aang.”

“I hate when I have to be away from you too, Katara!” Aang chirped from where he sat steering.

“Oogie!” Sokka groaned before he went back to staring at the sky and worrying about his husband. Was Zuko eating right? Was he getting enough rest? Was he listening to Guards Kenzo and Ming about taking care of himself, like Sokka had instructed Kenzo and Ming to do before he left? Did he remember to let Zuko know that was why their favorite guards were now on him about that stuff?

He thought for a few moments and suddenly recalled the adorable eye roll Zuko had given him when he’d let him know, and Sokka felt himself calm down.

“Hey Aang, how much longer until we get to the palace?”

“Two hours.”

Two Hours Later

Zuko had been in a meeting with General Fong when Ming came and stood at attention with a smile.

“Speak.”

“Fire Lord Zuko, Fire King Sokka has just arrived with Water Tribeswoman Katara and Avatar Aang. They are in the courtyard if you would like to go-”

“I’m sorry, but I’m not done talking with-” The unpleasant Earth Kingdom General began, but Zuko was already on his feet and walking out the door.

He paused in front of a particularly shiny and reflective gold statue in the entryway to fix his hair and robes, before heading out into the courtyard, ignoring the look Ming gave him and setting his eyes on his husband. He smiled for the first time all week.

Katara smiled at him, before pointing to him, saying, “Sokka go say hi to your husband, you dork.”

Sokka’s face lit up with his radiant smile as he rushed to envelop the Fire Lord in his arms, and Zuko was home for the first time all month.

“I missed you too.” Zuko sighed as he returned the hug, choosing to ignore the way the world swayed for a moment. Sokka did not need to know that he hadn’t slept in… How many days? Zuko wasn’t sure. He stopped sleeping again after his uncle had gone back to Ba Sing Se.

Right then General Fong came storming out into the courtyard shouting, “We weren’t done talking about the import tax of geminate candy!”

“Another word before I’m done saying hello to my husband, and I am banning the import of the stupid rock candy,” Zuko growled, before tightening his hold on his husband and inhaling the comforting scent of seawater and a scent that screamed Sokka.

Aang laughed at that, before jumping down from Appa, right as Sokka’s stomach growled.

“Ming, tell General Fong that we will have to reschedule our meeting for after lunch,” Zuko ordered with a smile, as he leaned back in the embrace and looked up at his husband. In the past few years, Sokka had shot up in height and stood taller than most people. Stupid Water Tribe genes, making Sokka into a total pillar of muscle that towered over Zuko.

Zuko loved it. He loved how when he stood next to Sokka, he felt safe. He loved how Sokka’s body curled around him, creating a warm alcove of home and safety. He loved how every inch of Sokka was filled to the brim with love and loyalty. He loved Sokka.

He rocked up onto his toes and rewrapped his arms around his husband’s neck, before pressing a kiss to the man’s lips. Sokka happily returned it, before pressing another to Zuko’s forehead.

“I missed you, Beautiful.”

“I missed you too, Sokka,” Zuko replied, smiling. “Now let’s go get you some food.”

Then Zuko turned to Aang and Katara saying, “You don’t mind if I have a private lunch with-”

“Please do.” Katara interrupted. “I can go get something in the city with Aang. I really do not want to see what a private lunch entails.”

Zuko flushed, but Katara had been absolutely right about the way he planned for his private lunch with his husband to go.

If he had his way, and Zuko knew he would, then he was going to be finding himself thrown onto the table- And oh no… Everything was rapidly swaying, as Sokka let go of him to give his pack to a servant.

“Sokka!” Came the distant sound of Katara shouting, as the ground rushed up to meet the Fire Lord.

—

Sokka had only stepped away from his husband for a few seconds to hand Shoji his pack, when Katara shouted, “Sokka!”

He whipped around to catch his husband, when he’d realized what she was looking at, just in time. Zuko had fainted or passed out, and Sokka already had a fair idea of why. He had known the moment he caught the earthy scent of makeup on his husband, that the man was likely covering up the shadows of exhaustion on his face. However, in his relief at seeing Zuko for the first time in a month, Sokka had been willing to not bring it up until after their lunch, but now it looked like he was going to have to wait until his husband woke up.

“Ming?” Sokka asked, looking at the guard. “When was the last time the Fire Lord slept?”

He wasn’t going to like the answer. He knew he wasn’t. He had never once asked that question and received an answer that had made him smile. This time was no different.

“Counting the nap he took yesterday, during lunch?”

“Naps don’t count.”

“Five or six days ago.”

Sokka sighed and shifted his husband in his arms, so he was carrying him bridal style. Then he nodded at his sister and headed into the palace. He had known leaving his husband to his own devices for a month hadn’t been a good idea, but he had been so excited to join in the Southern Water Tribe’s celebration of the darkest time of the year when Yue’s light filled their days without interruption. However, if Zuko was going to do this every time he was gone, and he did, then Sokka wasn’t going to be able to do this again.

It looked like he was only going to be able to make it work by bringing Zuko with him and staying for the short period of time that Zuko was able to handle without getting moon sickness.

For now, he had to make sure Zuko got his rest and a proper meal.

He was in love with a complete moron.

—

When Zuko woke up, he was in bed and curled up in Sokka’s arms. It took him longer than he would like to admit to realize what had happened. When he did realize, he groaned and curled further into the embrace.

How many people had seen him pass out? Did that awful General Fong see? Would the man try and use it as a sign of weakness and use it to exploit Zuko during their negotiations? How would that beetle roach react, when Fire Lord Zuko refused to allow it to be a way to manipulate him?

“I can hear your brain thinking way too hard, Babe.” Sokka sighed, as he let go of Zuko and sat up to grab something off of his nightstand. That something turned out to be food.

Zuko sat up as well now, and his stomach gave a growl of hunger. How long had it been since he had a proper meal and not just bites of food between meetings?

Sokka held out a piece of mango to his mouth, and Zuko looked up from the offered food and at his husband.

“You obviously aren’t responsible enough to feed yourself, if the palace staff’s report is anything to go by, so I’ve decided that making sure you eat is now my job.” Sokka joked with a loving smile, and Zuko accepted the food.

He made eye contact with the Water Tribesman, as he wrapped his lips around the fingers that held the mango chunk, and felt a fierce sense of pride at the way that smile fell and became something sinful. If Sokka insisted on feeding him by hand, then Zuko was determined to make it into a game of how many bites of food did it take to break the man’s control.

He was sure this game would leave them both very satisfied.

He licked away the juice that dampened his lips before practically purring, “Of course. Thank you for being equipped to take care of my needs, my love.”

It didn’t take much more than that and meeting Sokka’s wide eyes with his own fiery gaze to break him.

Round one of this game had left them both extremely satisfied.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22462120/chapters/54249058

#flameo-hotman #atla #zukka #zuko #sokka #zukka prompt #prompt #ask #Anonymous #ask the hotman

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sweetenthislittlehand · 5 years ago

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drarry fic recs

since i read so much fanfiction, and most of it drarry, i decided to make a rec list specifically for all my favorite drarry fics. because what else are you gonna do when you’re under quarantine? and i’ve got a lot of recs, so get comfortable.

first off, lemme just say that if you haven’t read any Saras_Girl fics, you absolutely should. she’s my favorite fic author of all time, really only ever writes drarry (although a lot of her fics feature background romione), and she’s still an active writer. there’ll be a lot of her stuff on this list, so if you don’t know where to start, just keep reading.

Reparations by Saras_Girl [87k, E]

Harry is about to discover that the steepest learning curve comes after Healer training, and that second chances can be found in unexpected places.

this is my favorite fic of all time, okay? harry is a healer trainee at st. mungo’s, and all the trainees go through rotations in different departments of the hospital. harry’s first rotation is in the chemical dependency department, where he discovers he’ll be working under none other than our illustrious draco malfoy. this is so well written, and the characterization is so spot on, and it’s the perfect slowburn. i’ve read it so many times. i practically consider it canon at this point. (it’s also part of a series — Foundations!verse — and i love the sequel just as much.)

Talk To Me by Saras_Girl [15k, T]

When the usual channels of communication are shut down, the most surprising people can find a way in. A strange little love story.

probably my favorite one-shot. it’s an eighth year fic, but honestly, the year isn’t important to the story. harry gets hit more-or-less accidentally by a spell that renders him blind and deaf, and a *mysterious person* comes to his rescue. it’s the absolute sweetest thing i have ever read in my life. without the means to communicate normally, draco writes the words with his finger on the palm of harry’s hand. the characterization, again, is perfect. and harry figuring things out and reconciling apparently conflicting ideas of what he knows of draco left me squealing.

Building It Together by digthewriter [27k, E]

Forced proximity can only lead to bad things, right? Right.

this is such an original fic, and the concept is so intriguing. grimmauld place is tearing itself apart because harry’s been avoiding the house and its memories, and it finally breaks its magical ties to him. and sirius’ nearest blood relative is none other than draco malfoy. to save the house from itself and restore it to harry, draco has to move in, and with sections of the house disappearing... there’s only one bed. also let me just say that draco’s job is the most original thing i’ve ever seen, and it’s so fascinating and magical, and i love it. this is such a good fic.

Feel You In These Walls by alpha_exodus [6k, E]

Just this once, Harry thinks. Just this once, they'll kiss, they'll have sex, and then it'll be over. Draco hadn't expected more than that either. But then it happens again, again, and neither of them had anticipated having feelings involved - but then they've never been able to keep anything casual, have they?

i don’t usually read fics that are smut-centric, cause, y’know... asexual. but i really like this one. it’s beautifully written, and the dynamic is just. so great. also, asexual or no, i am not immune to tension. (i’ll take or leave the smut — in fact i’d mostly rather leave it — but unresolved tension? heck yeah.)

Salt on the Western Wind by Saras_Girl [60k, M]

When the war isn’t quite as over as it first appears, a guilt-ridden Harry is sent to a mysterious safe-house. Among sandwiches, insomnia, and Mills & Boon, he discovers something quite unexpected.

in the face of the dangers of the remaining deatheaters who have not been apprehended, mcgonagall sends harry, ron, and hermione to a safe-house. narcissa malfoy, having saved harry’s life asks one thing of him: to take draco with him into hiding. things take an unexpected turn when draco accidentally fouls up a spell and binds harry’s wrist to his by a silver thread that will only break when the people bonded ‘have reached a point of mutual understanding, confidence, and accord’. it’s so well-written, and i love the setting, and everything a lot. it’s wonderful.

Stealing Sweaters by DorthyAnn [12k, T]

It's their eighth and final year and over the course of several months, Harry and Draco have managed to become close friends. Their friends are entirely certain that they ought to be much, much more. So they just decide to... help things along.

this is so sweet, so fluffy. i die. harry and draco’s relationship in this is to live for. there’s platonic cuddling and hugging and sweater stealing, and then comes the realization that it’s maybe not as platonic as they thought. the idea behind this one is that harry and draco’s friends think they know what they need, and decide to meddle, and really all they’ve done is mess everything up.

Rainfall by Saras_Girl [4k, T]

So what if Draco has a rain kink? Everyone likes something weird.

literally the only thing you need to know about this fic is that draco has a rain kink. it’s bloody fantastic. i think you’ll find this is as much about draco as it is about drarry, and if you’re as obsessed with draco as i am, you’re gonna love that. (and by that, i mean draco absolutely soaked and with his face tipped up into the falling rain. it’s a beautiful mental picture.)

On a Clear Day by Saras_Girl [41k, M]

Draco Malfoy is waiting for his real life to begin, and it appears that he’s not the only one. Coffee, charity, and the wisdom of the elderly.

draco works for a charity, and his boss is very insistent that he get harry potter to attend their next event. except that harry potter doesn’t attend events at all, and he hasn’t responded to any of draco’s owls, and draco’s just about had it. this is a marvelous fic. it deals with draco feeling the pressure of restoring his family��s good name, it deals with harry’s trauma, how his past experiences have affected him after the war, it deals with the relationship between them in a really important way. because it’s a ‘no i actually hate you, you were a bastard’ and there’s no ‘wait, is that sexual tension’ and ‘well, maybe it’s okay because he was a child at the time’. not that those aren’t valid and really good things to read about in fics, but it’s nice to see it from this ‘i’m a mature adult, so i’m not gonna be petty about this, but i do actually hate you’ angle. i like it a lot.

Time and Again by manixzen [64k, E] work in progress

Harry's absolutely sure it's Malfoy's fault that they are stuck reliving the same day over and over. Harry is good at his job. He's professional, has an excellent closure rate, and is a well-respected Auror. Malfoy's the unprofessional one with his snark and his judgemental eyebrows and his far too-posh-for-work robes. If Malfoy could have managed to refrain from being a pain in the arse, everything would have been just fine. They wouldn’t have gotten in yet another argument, Harry wouldn’t have been distracted, and Harry certainly wouldn’t have accidentally set off a powerful artifact at their crime scene. And if Malfoy would just get out of his way now, Harry's sure he can quickly fix this so they can get back to their comfortable professional dislike of one another.

so, it is a work in progress, and i know a lot of people don’t like reading those (myself included), but it’s being regularly updated, and there’s only one chapter left. so i’d definitely recommend it! it’s a pretty great fic, and worth a read.

Tea and No Sympathy by who_la_hoop [70k, E]

It's Potter's fault, of course, that Draco finds himself trapped in the same twenty-four-hour period, repeating itself over and over again. It's been nearly a year since the unpleasant business at Hogwarts, and Draco's getting on with his life quite nicely, thank you, until Harry sodding Potter steps in and ruins it all, just like always. At first, though, the time loop seems liberating. For the first time in his life, he can do anything, say anything, be anything, without consequence. But the more Draco repeats the day, the more he realises the uncomfortable truth: he's falling head over heels for the speccy git. And suddenly, the time loop feels like a trap. For how can he ever get Harry to love him back when time is, quite literally, against him?

just in case one time loop fic isn’t enough for you, why not have two? this one’s also really enjoyable, and i think you should give it a go. if you only have the attention span for a single time loop fic, i would probably suggest Time and Again over this one, but that’s a personal preference. this one has some pretty great moments all its own, and they’re both good reads.

All Life Is Yours to Miss by Saras_Girl [114k, M]

Professor Malfoy's world is contained, controlled, and as solitary as he can make it, but when an act of petty revenge goes horribly awry, he and his trusty six-legged friend are thrown into Hogwarts life at the deep end and must learn to live, love and let go.

alright, i realize that this is the length of an actual novel, and that i probably should not have read this as many times as i have, but when you find a fic as good as this one, you can’t just ignore it. this fic is beauty itself, it’s the essence of life, it’s mandatory for everything. you want to go to college? they ask about this fic on your application. you want to get married? there are things you need to know beforehand, like ‘stanley the beetle doesn’t like transfigured mint leaves as much as the real ones’. that’s essential. i don’t know if i like this fic so much because of how good it is, or just because of pet beetle owner solidarity.

Good To Me (And I’d Be So Good to You) by AWickedMemory (TeddyLaCroix) [8k, G]

Everyone returns to Hogwarts after the war, but nothing is quite the same. Harry's groupies are creepier than ever, Ron and Hermione are snogging all over the place, and the once-proud Draco is shuffling around like a kicked puppy. But that's okay: Harry's got a plan.

this fic is pure fluff, and if that’s not your thing i get that, but the premise of this is just so cute. because harry’s got a mental catalog of facts about draco malfoy and a) that’s hilarious and adorable, and b) they’re actually really interesting and insightful for draco’s characterization. also the end reveal is !!!

Thermodynamic Equilibrium by DorthyAnn [5k, T]

Harry's far too hot. Draco's always cold. And somehow against all odds, together they create a perfect equilibrium.

because this trope never gets old, and this is really nice. there’s so much cuddling, and so many blurred lines between friendship and romance, and i love it. i’m a firm advocate of cuddling in every fanfiction ever. no fic is complete without it.

Helix by Saras_Girl [92k, E]

Seven months after the end of the war, Harry is feeling lost. Fortunately, he is about to be offered an unexpected and sparkling chance to find himself again.

it’s about snails. in an effort to get harry and draco to get along a little better, mcgonagall assigns them to overseeing the care of some very delicate snails for hagrid. there’s lots of heartfelt conversations, and struggles, and they’re very in love, so that’s nice. there’s also some really well-handled snape content, which i actually appreciate a lot, despite not really liking snape. it sets snape as draco’s godfather (which is a headcanon i love), and there’s a lot of contrast between draco’s relationship with snape and his relationship with his actual father, and i appreciate that a lot.

#drarry #fanfiction #fic recs #ao3 #archive of our own #draco malfoy/harry potter

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beetlebrownleaf · 4 years ago

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#FFxivWrite2020 - Prompt #23 - Shuffle

[Entry Masterpost]

~750 words. Urianger is autistic and stims no I will not take criticism at this time. Have happy fun stimmy times. And maybe. Some foreshadowing? Of the far future? Who knows. :)

Urianger was finally settled into the cottage, and his things now littered the house - tastefully, of course. His books occupied a new bookshelf (for Beetle already had plenty of full ones herself), his clothes were folded into the armoire, and he even had a brand new table for his card readings. This he was very pleased with, as he found the readings were beneficial to study and meditation.

Mostly, he would simply shuffle the cards while he thought. Beetle always enjoyed watching or listening to this, as his table was in the bedroom, and he almost always did it when she was lounging on the bed.

She liked it especially in quiet evenings, where she would curl up with the blanket, piles of soft pillows behind her, a mug of tea at the end table, and a nice cozy book. When all was quiet, his readings were a rather soothing thing to listen to.

The quiet swish of the cards being spilled from their velvet pouch, the heavy thud of the deck hitting the soft tablecloth. The way his long slender fingers riffled through each card’s edge - oh his hands, they even sounded graceful - and the small but distinctive fwip of the cards being laid down. She always smiled at the gentle, thoughtful huffs through his nose he gave as he looked at the readings.

What she liked the most though, was the sound of the shuffling. Like a paper package being opened, a stiff yet soft noise, with all the same comfort. She found how he seemed to enjoy it, how it seemed to bring him some kind of tactile satisfaction, very endearing, along with his other behaviors: his humming and his finger tapping, the way he subconsciously sought things that felt pleasing to the touch, and would continue to touch them (such as the fabric of her favorite heavy silken robe). He had always been like this, but she noticed them with increasing frequency, now that they were married and living together.

And, as usual, the shuffling had lulled her nearly to sleep, but not in the troublesome way one finds, nodding off and on and off and on again, trying hard to focus, but rather in a comfortable haze that made the reading all the more pleasant. So pleasant that she did not realize the sounds she now heard were of him putting the deck away, and rising to crawl into bed.

“Mm,” he said, his rich baritone voice cutting through the quiet, “What art thou reading, beloved?”

“Just that romance again,” she said, “That one set during the War of the Magi.”

“Ahh, where the Mhachi black mage is carrying the Amdapori white mage’s child?”

“Yes, that one. Always gets me when the child is born without a hitch. I know it isn’t impossible for a Lalafell to have a healthy child with an Elezen, but it makes me terribly anxious nonetheless!”

“Tis fiction,” he said, “Anything is possible there anyways, mm?”

Beetle gave a small laugh.

“Yes, I suppose,” she said, “Though I do wonder; what exactly would a child like that grow up to be like? A Hyur and an Elezen seems to work out just fine, there’s plenty of those about. Or at least, ‘plenty’ as far as intermingled children go.”

Urianger shurgged.

“So few art conceived in the first place,” he said, “And many that do manage to be conceived do not survive, sadly.”

“Hm. True. I don’t think I’ve ever even heard of one being conceived,” she said, “Eh, guess it’s not really anything we need to worry about.”

Urianger gave her a quick, sharp glance.

“Dost thou...?” he began. She interrupted him.

“Oh goodness, no, Urianger,” she said, “I don’t care if we somehow manage to have a child or not. I’ve never really cared one way or the other. And besides, being with child has never sounded particularly pleasant to me. My mother said she was terribly sick with me. ‘Course, she always said baby girls made you the most sick. Dunno why. Sounds like an old crone’s tale.”

Urianger pursed his lips thoughtfully.

“Mm. Mayhap tis for the best,” he said, “Our lives art not fit for children besides.”

Beetle nodded.

“Not now, certainly,” she said, thinking.

She suddenly shook her head.

“Bah. It’s a moot point, really,” she said, “And even if we did have one, I’m sure it would be taller than me by the time it was four, anyways.”

They both laughed, curling comfortably with one another.

#ffxivwrite #ffxivwrite2020

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slickedbackplatinum · 5 years ago

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Heather

Summary: Iris wants nothing more than to admit her feelings for her best friend Draco before they leave for holiday, but she questions her decision when Heather walks through the common room and Draco starts on his usual rant about how perfect she is. Iris watches and thinks she’s losing her best friend to Heather.

A/N: I loved writing this one and hope y’all like it. I think it’s super cute :) Also, if you couldn’t tell I’m obsessed with Kid Krow and I think I’m going to write something for each of the songs

Based on Heather by Conan Gray

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I still remember, third of December

Me in your sweater

You said it looked better

On me, than it did you

The December air blew in slowly from the window, causing Iris to shiver. Even with the fire burning in the Slytherin common room, she was freezing. “Iris, just go grab my sweater. You know where it is,” Draco insisted for the fifth time that night.

Finally giving in, she walked up the stairs to the boy’s dormitory. Draco had knowingly left it sitting neatly folded on his bed for her, and she smiled as she saw it. Throwing the dark green sweater over her robes she ran back downstairs to finish the essay they’d been working on. His eyes lit up with slight adoration when he saw her. “It suits you,” he said as she plopped down on the couch next to him.

“I know, you say that every time I steal it,” Iris replied, wishing she could just tell him she loved him already.

“You really could just keep it, you know.”

“No, I like having it here. Besides, I could never show up in the Gryffindor common room wearing green,” she joked.

“True,” he said and they went back to their essays.

Draco’s sweater was slightly big on her so she kept having to pull the sleeves up, but she didn’t mind. It was soft, and it smelled like him. It was hard for Iris to concentrate with him so close. Every time he looked over at her she could feel her confession threatening to spill from her lips. She’d planned to do it every day for the last two weeks, but every time she got close she thought about how he would react. She pictured Draco holding back a laugh, reminding her that they were best friends and nothing more. But, what if he did feel the same way? What if he said it back?

They’d been best friends since third year Potions when Draco decided to come sit with her instead of his usual group of friends. She’d never asked why he did it, but she was glad he did. He’d spilled beetle eyes on her that day, and they spent an extra twenty minutes in the dungeons cleaning them up. After he apologized a million times, Iris decided the rumors about Draco Malfoy had been exaggerated. Although he could sometimes be as arrogant as everyone said, that side of him came out rarely when he was with her. The Draco she grew to know preferred licorice over chocolate, loved talking about Quidditch, and just wanted to pass his Transfiguration O.W.L. with at least an ‘A’. He was no different than anyone else she’d met at Hogwarts, just judged too quickly in her opinion. Since that day in Potions they’d written every essay together. And stayed up past curfew wandering the halls, running from Filch when they were caught. And gone in every shop in Hogsmeade together. And spent their free time down at the Quidditch pitch practicing to beat each other. No matter what it was, Iris and Draco did it together.

Many of Draco’s friends approached them when they started hanging out, asking if Iris was “his girl”, but Draco had assured them they were nothing more than friends. As more and more people questioned their relationship, Iris had found herself doing the same. It wasn’t until a particularly snowy day in Hogsmeade that she realized her feelings for her friend. They’d gone into the Three Broomsticks for hot chocolate to warm up. Draco had these stupid earmuffs on that he insisted kept his ears perfectly toasty. When Iris didn’t believe him, she’d reached across the table and took them from his head. She found they were surprisingly warm, but Draco thought she looked hilarious. The earmuffs squished her face slightly and Draco to burst into laughter, causing hot chocolate to come spraying out of his mouth. With cocoa showered across her face, Iris also exploded into a fit of laughter. Every time Draco looked up, he laughed harder until tears were dripping down both of their faces. It was at that moment she knew she loved him. With tears running down his cheeks, hot chocolate dripping down his chin, and the widest grin across his face, Draco Malfoy had never looked better. After ten minutes, Iris took the earmuffs off, wiped her face, and they’d headed back up to Hogwarts together.

Only if you knew

How much I liked you

But I watch your eyes, as she walks by

What a sight for sore eyes

Brighter than a blue sky

She’s got you mesmerized

While I die

Iris was snapped out of her thoughts when Draco nudged her. She looked up and he eyed towards the common room entrance. Heather had walked in. Her silky blonde hair was tied back in an elegant bun, and Draco couldn’t seem to take his eyes off her. She smiled and waved to the two of them as she walked up to the Slytherin girls’ dormitory. Draco waved back, then turned to Iris once she was gone, “D’ya think she’d go out with me?”

Iris shrugged, “Maybe.”

Heather. He’d been obsessed with her since she’d come back from summer holiday at the beginning of fourth year with her previously brown hair dyed a radiant blonde. Iris thought it looked fake, but Draco thought it looked great. Iris had spent all of last year staring at her best friend as he stared at the newly-blonde Heather. She watched him attempt to flirt his way through Potions, and assumed he spent all of his classes doing this as well. Iris also spent a lot of time last year cursing the Sorting Hat for putting her in Gryffindor instead of Slytherin. She wanted to be the girl he spent all his time trying to impress. She wanted to be Heather. Instead, she’d lost her Potions partner and was the one putting in the effort to keep her best friend.

“I think I’ll ask her to go to Hogsmeade this weekend with me,” Draco said excitedly.

Iris didn’t think this could get any worse. Hogsmeade was their thing to do together. They always spent the weekend before Christmas holiday shopping for their gifts together. Draco never knew what to get his mother, but Iris found the perfect gift for Narcissa every time. Once their gifts had been found, they’d split up to shop for the other and finish the day exchanging their gifts with hot chocolate at Three Broomsticks.

“Your mother will want a new tea set. You can find a nice one at the store around the corner from Honeydukes,” Iris said, ignoring Draco’s statement and collecting her things.

He obviously didn’t pick up on Iris’s disappointment at him, because he replied, “That’s a great idea! Thanks!”

She stood up with her books in her arm when she remembered his sweater. She quickly pulled it off her body and left it folded in her place on the couch. “Goodnight. I’ll see you for breakfast,” Iris finished and walked to the door.

“See ya,” Draco said, not bothering to look up from his essay.

Draco didn’t show up to breakfast the next morning, which was unusual. Iris was worried he was sick, they always had breakfast together. She understood his absence when he walked into the Great Hall a few minutes later with Heather, a huge smile plastered across his face. He looked over to Iris at the Gryffindor table and gave her a wave and thumbs-up, signaling she’d said yes to his date. Iris gave a forced smile in return and looked back down at her bowl, wishing she couldn’t see him sitting next to Heather at the table across from her.

She couldn’t seem to escape the pair the rest of the day. They were joined at the hip, the way she’d been with him just yesterday. When she saw them in front of her on the way to Charms, his arm around her shoulders, she decided she didn’t want to walk that way anymore and took the long way to the classroom. Iris didn’t go to the Slytherin common room to finish her Potions essay that night, and Draco never came to find her. She spent the evening in the library, but didn’t get much homework done. She couldn’t seem to shake the image of Heather in his arms from her head. And as she wrote about the use of beetle eyes in Confusing Concoction, she couldn’t help but think about the day she’d met Draco. A part of her wish she never had. She certainly wouldn’t be feeling this upset over a boy right now if he hadn’t come and sat by her.

Watch as she stands

With her holding your hand

Put your hand on her shoulder

Now I’m getting colder

They didn’t spend much time together the week before his date with Heather. He ate a few meals with her and came to talk with her before Potions on Thursday, but they hadn’t done their homework together since Sunday night and she’d gone to bed before curfew every night this week. Already knowing the answer, she decided not to ask if they were still on for their usual Friday game night and headed up to bed far too early.

Saturday morning she lingered a bit in the dorm before heading down to Hogsmeade by herself to find her Christmas gifts. She spent a few hours wandering around all the stores, trying to find something good to get Draco for Christmas. He’d always been so good at giving gifts, but she hoped hers would blow him away this year. She knew she’d finally found it when a worker at Dervish and Banges handed her the newest broom cleaner and grip.

“All the best Seekers need a good grip!” the worker assured Iris as she handed him her Galleons.

Feeling accomplished, Iris went to get a Butterbeer from Three Broomsticks before going back up to school. As she stepped out into the snow, she saw Draco and Heather out front of Three Broomsticks, hot chocolate in their mitten-covered hands. Iris noticed her favorite green sweater on Heather and tears quickly welled in her eyes. It looked much better on her. The shade of green made her eyes pop against the snow, and Iris knew she’d never be able to wear it again. Not looking to see if Draco saw her, she decided to skip the Butterbeer and headed up to Hogwarts before anyone could see her cry. Iris spent the rest of Saturday wrapping gifts through her tears.

But how could I hate her?

She’s such an angel

But then again, kinda

Wish she were dead, as she walks by

What a sight for sore eyes

Brighter than a blue sky

She’s got you mesmerized

While I die

Iris headed to the Great Hall the next day for a late breakfast and found Draco there with Heather too, his arm wrapped around her once again.

“Hey Iris!” he shouted as he saw her walk in, “Come sit with us!”

She walked to the Slytherin table and sat down on Draco’s free side, attempting to hide her annoyance. “Hey,” Heather said kindly with a small wave, leaning in front of Draco.

“Hey,” Iris replied, feeling her annoyance lessen at Heather’s kindness.

The three of them ate breakfast together. Iris mostly listened as Draco retold his favorite Quidditch story, last year’s Slytherin versus Hufflepuff game, to Heather with great enthusiasm. Heather’s eyes widened as Draco told her about his diving catch, winning the game by ten points when he caught the Snitch. Iris had been told this story a million times, but she’d also been there. The winner would be playing for the House Cup against her, but she’d gone to support Draco too, of course. She’d brought him a Licorice Wand when she met him in the Hospital Wing right after he’d caught the Snitch. His arm had been snapped in half, but he was still running and cheering with his teammates before Snape made him go get his arm treated.

“You play Quidditch too, right Iris? For Gryffindor?” Iris was surprised at Heather’s question. She hadn’t really planned to speak with her. Like, at all.

“Yeah, Seeker as well,” she replied.

“That’s really cool! I wish I could play Quidditch. I’m rubbish when it comes to flying though.”

“I could teach you,” Draco suggested to Heather, pulling her closer.

“And risk breaking my arm too? No thanks, I’ll just watch.” Iris couldn’t help but perk up at Heather’s words. She’d taken her Potions and Hogsmeade partner, Iris didn’t think she could handle losing Quidditch to Heather as well. “Have you broken any bones playing Quidditch, Iris?”

“She’s broken more than I have!” Draco replied, giving Iris that old look of adoration.

“Both arms and wrists, one of the arms was thanks to Draco in our game during third year,” Iris started. Heather gave a small gasp.

Draco laughed, “It was only a little shove! I didn’t mean for you to fall.” Heather laughed now, eager to hear the rest of Iris’s injuries.

“My left leg happened during my first year, and so did the collarbone,” Iris finished.

“Wow! And you came back to play the next year?” Heather asked in amazement.

“Yeah she did! She played her first game back in a sling and a boot. Flew her broom with only one hand!” Draco told Heather, even more excited than he’d been when telling his own story.

“He forgot to mention that I beat him like that too,” Iris said, receiving a slight shove from Draco.

“We agreed to never mention that again!”

They spent the rest of the day like that. The three of them did homework in the Slytherin common room. Iris sat in the armchair across from the two of them on the couch, trying to ignore the fact that Heather was in her spot. Iris had to admit she’d had a really great time with the two of them. Draco wasn’t any different with Heather than he’d ever been with her. Maybe she could accept the two of them. Once she’d gotten over her own feelings.

At a quarter to eleven Iris packed up her things and headed for her own common room. “Wait, I’ll walk you out,” Draco stopped her. When they got out into the hallway and the door was shut he pulled her into a huge hug. “Thank you, Iris.”

“For what?” she asked when he’d let go.

“For not calling me out for ditching you this weekend. For spending the day getting to know her. For being my best friend.” Iris smiled and now it was her turn to hug him. “Christmas gift exchange Thursday night? I leave for holiday Friday after classes,” he asked.

“Of course. I think mine will finally be better than yours for once!” Iris said and walked away. Draco just shook his head and laughed. He hadn’t forgotten about their traditions. And they were still best friends.

Why would you ever kiss me?

I’m not even half as pretty

You gave her your sweater

It’s just polyester

But you like her better

I wish I were Heather

The week continued like Sunday had: the three of them ate, studied, and just hung out together. The more time she spent with her, the more Iris liked Heather. And Draco seemed so happy, boosting Iris’s mood even more. Him being happy was truly all she wanted.

Wednesday night Iris decided to leave Draco and Heather after dinner and headed back to the Gryffindor common room to finish her last homework before the holiday started. She was about to head up to bed for an early night, when Heather was let into the common room by a second year Gryffindor.

“Hey, what’s up?” Iris asked as Heather sat down next to her.

“I can’t do it with him,” she replied candidly.

“What? Why?”

“You.”

“What?” Iris laughed slightly.

“The way he looks at you, Iris. It’s obvious he loves you, even if he hasn’t realized it yet. And I can’t stand in the way of something as perfect as you and Draco Malfoy,” she said, receiving a shocked look from Iris.

“He doesn’t love me, Heather. I can promise you that much.”

“You don’t see it. Maybe because we can never believe that someone we like might actually feel the same way,” she looked at Iris knowingly, “but he does.”

Iris didn’t know what to say. Was she that obvious? Did Draco know too? Even though she’d always wanted to tell him how she felt, she never did because she didn’t want him to know. She couldn’t handle the embarrassment of being rejected by her best friend.

“I told him I couldn’t do this. Don’t worry, I didn’t mention you. I just told him I didn’t have time for the commitment right now,” Heather finished, getting up to leave. “Heather, why do you think he feels the same way? About me?”

“Iris. He looks at you with this admiration, like he’s so proud to call you his. You make his world stop. He’s in love with you.”

Iris couldn’t help the smiling that was creeping onto her face. Maybe he really did love her.

Wish I were Heather

Why would you ever kiss me?

I’m not even half as pretty

The next day at breakfast Draco told Iris what had happened the night before. She’d been worried he’d be heartbroken, but he truly seemed okay.

“She’s wonderful, but I appreciate her being honest about her time commitment. It made me think too, and I wouldn’t have time to be in a relationship right now either,” Draco said. Iris felt slightly disappointed. Heather had been wrong, he didn’t want to be with her. If he didn’t even have time for the girl of his dreams, he definitely didn’t have time for her.

When they’d finished their breakfast and went to head their separate ways for class Draco asked, “We still on for gifts tonight? Maybe we can head up to the astronomy tower? Does nine work?” Iris nodded in response, excited to give him her gift.

A little before nine Iris grabbed Draco’s gift and headed to the tower to meet him. She was blown away by how bright and clear the night sky was when she walked up the stairs. She was there a few minutes early, so Draco hadn’t arrived yet. She laid down to look up when the blonde boy poked his head into her view.

“Hey. Beautiful night, isn’t it?” Draco asked her as he laid down next to her.

“Yeah, it really is. And quite warm for December,” Iris sat up and grabbed the bag next to her. “I want to go first. We have to save the best for last!”

“Alright, but I doubt yours is better than what’s in there,” he replied, gesturing to the bag in her hands.

“Well, let’s find out!” Iris ripped away the tissue paper to reveal her favorite green sweater, as well as socks that looked as though Draco may have knitted them himself. Her heart sank as she lifted the sweater out of the bag, trying to look as excited as possible.

“Mum tried to teach me to knit over Thanksgiving. And I remembered how much you liked the sw- what’s wrong, Iris?” he said, noticing her getting more and more upset. Iris looked up at him as the first tear fell across her cheek.

“I can’t take the sweater.”

“Yes you can. You love it. I’ll have Mum knit me a new one, so then you’ll have one in your room and mine.”

“She wore it,” Iris replied, more tears falling now.

“What?”

“Heather wore it in Hogsmeade. I saw the two of you and she had it on.”

Iris was full-on crying now, and Draco wasn’t sure what to do. He’d thought she’d love it. And she looked so cute in it.

“Iris, what’s this about? I told you this morning, Heather and I can’t be together.”

Iris laughed at his ignorance, but decided it was time to tell him. “I know you can’t, and I’m sorry. I know you really liked her. But I can’t take the sweater because it just reminds me of what I don’t have, Draco.”

“And what would that be?”

“You.”

Draco stared at her without a word, and Iris knew what was coming. She’d heard his laughs in her head when she’d pictured this moment before. She knew the teasing that was coming, but it felt so good to have it off her chest. And when she closed her eyes, waiting for the excruciating blow to her heart, she was surprised to feel his lips on hers.

Draco pulled away after a few seconds and smiled when he looked at Iris. “I gave Heather my sweater for about five minutes because she was cold. But I asked her to give it back to me, because I couldn’t look at her in it. She wasn’t you. She didn’t need to pull the sleeves up, and she didn’t put that loose strand on the collar in her mouth like you do when you’re really focused on an essay. So I took it back, washed it, then wore it for a few days when I didn’t see you. I know you like it when it smells like me. I’m sorry it took me so long to realize, Iris, but I love you.”

Iris didn’t know what to make of his confession, or his kiss. She wanted to jump into his arms and say yes a million times. She loved him too. So much. But then she remembered what he’d said at breakfast this morning. He didn’t have time to commit to a relationship right now. And Iris was pretty sure his schedule couldn’t have changed that much in one day to make time for a girlfriend.

“I love you too. I always have, Draco. But you said it yourself this morning: you don’t have time to commit to this right now,” Iris responded honestly.

“Iris, I don’t have time to commit to anyone else because I spend all my time with you,” he said with a laugh,” All those days I was alone with Heather? I spent every minute wishing it was you instead. Like I said, I’m sorry it took that to make me realize, but I know it now Iris. I know that I love you. And there’s no one else that could be as perfect for me as you.”

Iris couldn’t believe this was happening. She’d imagined it so many times, but it didn’t compare to what she was feeling right now. Her best friend loved her back. She smiled brightly as now happy tears dropped onto the tower floor. “Open your gift,” she said, pulling the sweater over her head. She didn’t think she’d ever take it off now.

His eyes lit up as he opened his gift. “How’d you know I needed a new grip? And this is the best one, Iris! It must’ve cost you a fortune.”

“I figured you needed it after I beat you, again,” she joked and he pulled her into his arms and kissed her softly.

“You look so beautiful in that sweater. I think I won the gift exchange again.”

“I think we both won this year,” Iris said, snuggling closer to Draco.

“Agreed.”

You gave her your sweater

It’s just polyester

But you like her better

Wish I were…

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koala-smiles · 5 years ago

Text

Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince (Chapter 1)

A Jily Au where Lily transfers from America in the Marauder’s Seventh Year

Read on AO3 James heard about her before he ever met her.

This is no surprise, of course. Rumors travel fast in any school, and Hogwarts was no exception. By his seventh year, James mostly ignored gossip, but there comes a point when even he couldn’t tune out the whispers.

“—all the way from America—”

“—fully corporeal Patronus—”

“—kicked out—”

“—fought off ten—”

“—twenty—”

“—fifty dementors—”

What he could gather after separating out the parts that sounded like exaggerations was that there was a girl transferring into Hogwarts from America. This in itself wasn’t too strange, Hogwarts had been home to Americans before, after all. The part that caused excitement was that she was much older than any transfer student anyone could remember, and she was supposed to arrive mid-October, rather than the usual September first.

Figuring this all out by the second week of September, he resigned himself to the fact that he wouldn’t actually know more until she arrived. Of course, this didn’t stop others from speculating and spreading more tales.

-----

By October 15, the rumors had grown to include that she could produce multiple Patronuses at once, fought off 100 dementors, became an animagus at 13, and had been kicked out of Ilvermorny for hexing a professor that had accidentally bumped into her in the hallway.

James was buttering his toast at breakfast and talking with Sirius about the possibility of making the Halloween feast have a surprise final course when the entire Great Hall turned silent. All eyes had turned to the entrance.

The first thing James noticed was red hair on black leather. The girl turned her head, looking at each person in the eyes as if daring anyone to question her presence in the hall. When she met his eyes, James quickly closed his mouth, which had been hanging open. She quirked an eyebrow, looking amused.

Remus was the first to move, standing and waving her over.

“Moony, what are you doing?” hissed Sirius.

“Dumbledore asked me to show her around.” Remus replied nonchalantly. James couldn’t take his eyes off her, noticing that she wore the usual school uniform, but with a leather jacket instead of robes.

Remus smiled and sat down as she got to the table.

“Remus Lupin, I assume?” she said, taking a seat.

“The one and only. This is James, Peter, and Sirius.” Remus pointed to each of them in turn. James gave what he hoped was a confident smile.

“The Marauders. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs. I’ve heard of you.”

James had no idea about how she had heard of them. As much as he would like to believe that their pranks and other escapades had become famous and widely known, he knew that the possibility was unlikely. And, considering the looks of surprise that came from around the room when she entered, she definitely hadn’t been there long enough to hear someone mention them in passing. She truly was a mystery.

“And what might your name be?” Asked James, thankful that his voice never wavered. What was it about this girl that made him so nervous? He knew that the rumors couldn’t be true. His heart shouldn’t pound around her. And yet—

“Evans. Lily Evans. I’m new, if you couldn’t tell.” She smiled at the last part, knowing full well that there was no way he didn’t know.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you Lily. Would you happen to be a seventh year?” James replied, gaining his confidence again.

“I am. I’m also told that I’m a Gryffindor, if that helps.”

“Finally, another Gryffindor with a sense of fashion,” Sirius said, noticing her jacket.

Lily smiled at him. “Leather is my first choice when flying. And when walking. Pretty much everywhere, actually.”

James perked up when he heard her mention flying. “Flying? On a broom? Would you happen to be interested in Quid—”

“Would you like us to take you to Gryffindor tower? We can figure out your schedule there,” cut in Remus, making James frown. He wanted to know if she was a fan of his favorite sport.

“Sounds good,” she replied, gesturing for Remus to lead the way.

-----

In the Gryffindor common room, they figured out that she shared all the same classes as Remus, and was put in a room with Marlene, Dorcas, and Mary. James offered to help her catch up in Potions, Charms, and Transfiguration, all of which she declined.

“I’m a fast learner. I think I’ll be fine. However, if you could help me figure out this crazy, confusing building layout, I would be very grateful.”

“I’m more suited for that task than you would expect,” he quickly agreed.

She raised an eyebrow at this. “If you say so.”

She turned and walked to the stairs, going up to her room. James mentally smacked himself. That sounded so arrogant. I really need to stop making myself look like a fool in front of her. He thought glumly.

“What do you know about her?” James asked Remus. Remus chuckled.

“As much as you do. If you want to learn more, why don’t you ask her?”

James rolled his eyes. “I will, but you can’t expect me to climb up into the girls dormitories, can you?”

Remus sat down with some homework. “No, but I suspect you’ll interrogate her as you show her around the castle.”

James’ face reddened, and he turned to grab his bag from their room. Once he got back to the common room, he found Lily waiting for him.

“Shall we?” she asked, motioning to the door. He put his strap around his shoulders, making sure that the map wasn’t peeking out of the bag.

“Right. On to Potions.”

-----

They arrived a couple of minutes early, and he offered her the seat next to him. She gave him a grateful smile, and pulled out her potions book before sitting down.

Slughorn approached them, looking nervous. He must have heard the rumor about her hexing a professor.

“You must be Miss Evans. Welcome to Advanced Potions. We’ve been moving at a rapid pace so far this semester, so if you need help, feel free to ask. If I’m busy, Mr. Snape behind you is the best in the class, so I’m sure he’ll be able to answer any questions.”

Lily gave him a strained smile. “Thank you, Professor, but I’m sure I’ll be fine.” She looked back down, and started taking notes in her new textbook.

Slughorn gave a small laugh, and then excused himself to start the class.

“Hello everyone, today we will be brewing Excresco, a potion used to make plants grow quickly. It can be found on page thirty-two. Each person must work alone. You may begin.”

James pulled out his cauldron and found the ingredients detailed in the book. He poured in his beetle eyes, and then took out his beetroot to start cutting. He heard Lily start humming an upbeat song next to him. He didn’t recognize it, so he turned and asked what it was.

“Eleanor Rigby. The Beatles?” She held up a couple beetle eyes.

He shook his head, confused.

“Ah, must not be very caught up on Muggle culture then.” She put the beetle eyes back on the table, and started squishing them with the flat of her blade. He had no idea why Muggles listened to music about beetles. He decided to ask Sirius about it later, knowing that he would have a better understanding of Muggle music.

Slughorn came up beside Lily and watched for a minute.

“Why are you mashing your ingredients? The instructions say to put them in whole.”

“The part of the beetle eyes that affects the potion is the juice inside. When you squish them, the juice can come out easier, causing the potion to have more potency.” She said, never pausing her squishing.

James heard scribbling behind him, and turned to see Snape writing notes on what Lily had said.

Slughorn looked at her beetle eyes again and turned, not wanting to be hexed for saying anything more. It seemed that everyone thought of her as someone not to be messed with. James looked down at her textbook, and saw that each of her notes had changed some part of the potion. She noticed him looking and smiled at him.

“Like I said, I don’t need help catching up in class.”

“I can see that. I’m happy just to show you how to navigate the castle.”

She smiled and poured her squashed beetle eyes into her cauldron. Suddenly remembering that he had a potion of his own, James went back to cutting up his beetroot. No one else commented on Lily’s unorthodox methods, but James kept hearing Snape writing notes.

At the end of the class, Slughorn passed out small seeds to test the potions on. Most people had small bushes, and a couple people had buds on their branches. Snape looked smug that his bush was the biggest that had sprouted, and that his buds had started to bloom. Everyone watched in anticipation as Lily took the plug out of her vial. It seemed like an eternity before Lily got a tiny drop of potion to put onto her seed.

The class watched in awe as huge bush grew in front of her, and gasped when they saw large flowers go into full bloom. Lily smiled, and plucked a flower to put behind her ear.

“Beautiful.” James whispered, gazing at Lily. He turned bright red when he saw that she had heard. “The, er, bush. The bush is beautiful.” She smirked, raising an eyebrow at his hasty clarification.

“I think we might have a new top of the class!” Slughorn said, unable to take his eyes away from the bush, “I’ve never seen an Excrestco potion this powerful.”

James heard Snape grumble behind his, obviously not too pleased about losing his spot.

In all of this, neither Lily or James had taken their attention off of the other.

“Lunch?” Lily asked, standing and collecting her things.

“Sounds good.” replied James, mirroring her actions.

They walked out of the classroom together, leaving their classmates and professor to marvel at the plant.

#jily #jily fanfiction #jily fic #James Potter #Lily Evans #fanfiction #fanfic #Marauders #marauders era #hp marauders #Harry Potter #Transfer AU #Lily Evans is a badass #Based on a Taylor Swift Song

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feargender · 5 years ago

Text

that’s the kind of love that i’ve been dreaming of

read here on ao3

Juno doesn’t usually like going undercover for a job. Too many ways for it to go wrong, too much to remember about his alias, and acting has never been his forte. He’s really more of a “kick the door down, gun blazing and bleeding heavily from a stab wound” kind of lady. That said, he would pretend to be a different person every day of the week if it meant Peter would keep looking at him like this.

The Roses are making another appearance, because, as Buddy had put it, “It’s ridiculous to let a solid married persona complete with documentation go to waste.”

They’re sitting in a restaurant on one of Jupiter’s moons, which is the only building on this particular moon at all. The restaurant has ten tables made entirely of precious jewels and no menu. Instead there are what must be over a dozen bite sized courses paired with a swallow of different wines.

The course sitting in front of them now is an emerald green beetle. When Juno taps his spoon against the hard shell, it cracks neatly, allowing a creamy broth and assortment of tiny leaves to flow out. The flavor is a little tangy for his pallet and the wine is almost tasteless.

Peter hasn’t even looked at his plate, busy as he is studying Juno. He’s wearing a blood red dress with a slit up the side, showing where a garter is holding his stocking up high on his thigh. The neckline dips down to his sternum and his neck is slung with a number of different jeweled necklaces. His lip stain is gold and matches his shining false eye.

“You’re staring,” Juno says, sipping his tiny serving of thin wine.

“You’re beautiful,” Peter counters and Juno suppresses his blush with a firm glare.

“Don’t you have other things to be watching right now, Nureyev?” Juno arches an eyebrow and Peter grins lazily, glancing over Juno’s shoulder at their mark, seated with his own date a few tables down.

“He doesn’t like his dish, he’s been pushing it around his plate for three minutes,” Peter reports.

Juno fingers the small signaling device in his clutch, shaped like a tube of lipstick. The only way to hack into the mark’s server is through a complicated program Rita created that requires her signal to be within a range of fifty feet to work. Juno didn’t understand most of what she told him, he just knows that his job is to hold the not-tube of lipstick and hope Rita doesn’t trigger any firewalls.

“We should do this more often,” Peter says, reaching across the table to hold Juno’s hand.

“What, eat food so expensive I think my tastebuds are going into debt?” Juno says, but it’s with a smile and a squeeze of Peter’s fingers.

Peter laughs and shakes his head. “Spend time together, just the two of us.”

Juno leans in closer, lowering his voice. “Only if it’s as Peter and Juno, and no one else,” he murmurs.

Peter’s smile softens from amusement to adoration, a look Juno is unused to on anyone’s face, especially aimed at him. It makes his stomach flip pleasantly. “Deal.”

Just then, Juno’s earpiece (disguised as a rather elaborate cuff) crackles to life. “Hey boss? I think we have a problem.”

Peter’s eyes narrow as he gazes past Juno again at their mark, but otherwise his facial expression tells Juno nothing. He can hardly turn around in his seat, so he hisses, “What is it?”

“I’m pretty sure I tripped this guy’s security. Aaaaand I think he mighta noticed,” Rita says worriedly.

“He is looking rather red in the face, and I don’t think it’s the food. Can you still get what we need?” Peter asks.

“Well yeah, ‘course I can! But it might take longer than you have before he finds out where the signal is coming from,” Rita explains. Juno looks down at the clutch in his lap, containing the secret lipstick shaped device.

“He’ll know it’s us either way. This isn’t really the kind of joint where you can just get up and walk out without anyone noticing,” Juno grumbles, eyeing the hawkish maitre’d across the dining room.

“And we were having such a nice evening,” Peter says, feigning moroseness, but his mouth is twitching around the edges. He loves a good escape and Juno knows it. “Ready to go, dear?”

Juno sucks down the rest of his watery wine and nods. “Ready.”

II.

Peter hears it, faintly, as if from a great distance. Juno calling his name, somewhere deeper in whatever building they’ve found themselves in. A dark, winding place with narrow hallways and no windows. There will be a door and the only thing beyond it is another gray hall, seemingly identical to the last.

Juno calls his name again and he sounds wretched, like the shriek is ripped from him by a harsh fist. Peter has never heard Juno make a sound like that before. It’s louder this time and Peter calls back. It comes out a hoarse whisper, the air trapped in his lungs.

He reaches a dead end and a door, but leading in the opposite direction of Juno’s voice. Juno screams again wordlessly. Peter can feel tears prickling at the corners of his eyes as he tries to call back, but again Juno’s name remains lodged firmly in his throat. He tries to run down the hall but he just continues his slow, torturous shuffle, hands dragging along the metal walls as his muscles burn and strain with no results.

The tears spill down his cheeks now as Juno screams continuously, wails broken by coughs and two cracked syllables that must be Peter’s name, but they’re unrecognizable. Finally, Peter reaches another door, Juno’s voice bouncing around behind it. It’s locked tight, no knob or activation panel in sight. Peter slides to his knees against it, listening to Juno’s shouts and his own strained efforts of responding. If Juno can hear him, he gives no indication, and Peter cannot muster strength enough to do any more than knock his head against the metal door and weep.

Peter wakes to the sensation of choking, his eyelashes glued together with tears. He coughs and sniffles, gulping down a breath of air as his entire body shakes with the strain of trying to move while paralyzed by sleep and his crying. He coughs again, throat crackling with tears and snot and spit.

Juno shifts beside him, sitting up on his elbows and turning his head. “You alright?”

Peter intends to say that he’s fine, Juno, go back to sleep but the words don’t come. He sniffs. Juno rolls onto his side with a groan, groping around until the lamp by his side of the bed bursts to life and Peter winces at the sudden brightness.

Juno squints his eye at Peter blearily and frowns. “You look horrible,” he says.

Peter huffs out a wet laugh. “Just what every man loves to hear,” he says. Juno only clicks his tongue and scoots closer, pressing his front against the line of Peter’s body.

“Nightmare?” Juno asks. Peter hums and they both move until Peter is curled inward, folded to rest his head on Juno’s chest and drape his arm across the soft expanse of Juno’s stomach, listening to his heart and feeling his every breath.

The tears abate after a few moments and the embarrassment creeps in. Peter lets out a self deprecating little laugh, patting the wet spot on Juno’s sleep shirt that has developed under his cheek. “I think I got snot on you,” he mumbles, beginning to move away.

Juno tightens his grip just a bit. Not enough that Peter couldn’t continue to move, but enough to indicate that Juno doesn’t want him to. He shrugs. “I can wash it.”

“I’m not usually so,” Peter doesn’t know how to finish the sentence, so he just waves his hand around vaguely.

“Don’t worry about it,” Juno replies dismissively.

“Really, this is-” Peter begins and Juno nudges him.

“Just let me hold you, Nureyev,” Juno says, exasperation tinging his voice.

Peter blinks, but relaxes into Juno’s embrace again. Juno leans his cheek against the top of Peter’s head and they rest like that. If Peter asks that they leave the lamp on, no one has to know but them.

III.

It had started innocently enough. As it turns out, with how much travel is involved in intergalactic thievery, Peter is a bit of a stream buff. Nowhere near as intent on them as Rita, but he has a few favorites that he wants to introduce Juno to. They waited until everyone else cleared out, and then commandeered the media room, armed to the teeth with snacks and a small pile of blankets.

By the end of the first episode, Juno was straddling Peter’s lap. The intro theme to the second episode begins to play, but Juno’s attention is split between Peter’s teeth against his lip and his hands worming beneath Juno’s worn long sleeved shirt, one threatening to edge beneath the waistband of his sweatpants. He’s just considering whether or not he should suggest moving this somewhere more private when Peter dumps him to the side and unfurls a fluffy blanket over them both.

The confusion has just enough time to abate for a tinge of hurt feelings to set in when Rita shuffles into the room, hair hidden beneath a silk scarf and fuzzy robe wrapped over her pajamas.

Juno feels his face heat up, but Rita can’t possibly see it in the dark under the glow of the stream. “I thought I heard the theme song! I love this one,” she says happily. She goes to plop down next to them, but then stops, a sly smile playing on her mouth. “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”

Juno is about to say yes, please fuck off, when Peter shakes his head and goes, “No, of course not. Please join us, Rita.”

Rita claps and wedges herself between the two of them, monopolizing the blanket. “The costumes could really be better, that fashion was way out of date by the 22nd Century,” she remarks, leaning past Juno to grab the bowl of popcorn.

IV.

Juno comes into the kitchen to the smell of something burning, and badly. He covers his nose, wincing, and edges around the corner. Peter stands, still in his pajamas, waving his hands frantically at a pan on the stove which is brightly ablaze. He reaches for a half full glass of water on the counter and splashes it on the contents of the pan, leaping back with a yelp when the fire bursts with even more life.

Juno shoves Peter out of the way and grabs a pot lid with a pair of tongs, sliding it onto the burning pan and smothering the blaze, waving his hand in front of his face to try to disperse some of the smoke, grateful that the fire alarm on the ship is broken after some mistaken tampering on Jet’s part.

“Peter, what the fuck?” Juno coughs out, reaching for a towel and waving it at the black smoke still pouring from the burnt contents of the stove.

“I… thought I’d try my hand at breakfast. Clearly it didn’t go as planned,” Peter says evenly.

“You started a fire,” Juno says blankly.

“I tried to put it out!”

“You can’t dump water on a grease fire! You have to smother it,” Juno squeezes the broken bridge of his nose.

“And now I know that. You truly do learn something new every day. Incredible,” Peter leans against the counter casually, as if the edge of his silky nightie isn’t blackened with soot. He turns his gaze down after a moment. “I wanted to do something nice.”

Juno edges closer, taking one of Peter’s hands. “I appreciate the effort. Just leave the cooking to me, from now on?” Peter nods. “Pancakes?”

“That would be nice.”

Juno, in his years as a cop and then a private detective, has almost worked stakeouts down to an exact science. His first rule is that they are strictly a solo activity. After a few hours in a car, staring at the same street, even the closest of friendships can get strained.

Still, Peter had insisted on accompanying him. “This is hardly my first time, detective,” he had said, breezing past Juno toward the junky car they had picked up for the occasion. “It’ll be fine.”

That was six hours ago. Now, Juno’s ass is asleep, the coffee is long cold, the snacks are nearly depleted, and Peter will not stop fidgeting. He gets it, really, he does. They guy has a hard time keeping still. He has to have something to do with his hands. First, he was flipping his butterfly knife around, but the constant flashes of light against the blade had been distracting, so he stopped. Then, he drummed his fingers, but that gets old fast. Now, he’s scribbling with a pen on a piece of paper (a menu?), and the scratching noise is about to drive Juno insane.

Luckily, Peter notices the tick in Juno’s jaw before he has to be an asshole and say anything. The doodling stops. Juno thinks that might be it, and relaxes.

A few moments later, Peter breaks the silence and makes Juno jump. “So,” he drawls, “this is cozy.” He drapes an arm across the back of Juno’s seat.

Juno blinks at him once. Twice. “Do not,” he finally grunts.

“What?” Peter says, but he’s grinning like a cat and his eyebrow is quirked, pulling on the small scar that splits it down the middle.

“Do not try to put your moves on me right now. We’ve been breathing each other’s stale air all day, I am three minutes away from an apocalyptic cramp in my leg, and I’m just not in the mood,” Juno snips.

Peter blows out a long, irritated sigh. “Fine, I just thought a little activity might be nice,” he relents. He sits back in his seat and stares resolutely out of the window. The tapping starts again. Juno wants to scream.

As they walk around the park, Juno feels more and more awkward. He’s wearing a sunny yellow dress and a floppy black hat and carrying a picnic basket in the crook of one elbow. His other hand is latched around Peter’s, their rings clinking together. Peter is wearing a new shade of soft purple lipstick and Juno can’t help but melt a little every time they meet eyes.

But still, in the back of his mind, he thinks, Is this really me? Is he really a lady who is allowed to have a picnic with someone he loves?

Loves. He tries not to dwell on that particular thought, because now they’ve found a shady spot under a tree and Peter is spreading out the blanket on the grass and throwing himself down. He manages to make it look graceful and Juno suppresses a grunt when his back twinges on his own way down.

Peter offers Juno a half of a cheese sandwich and twists the cork out of the sweet wine they picked up a few planets ago, pouring it into two mugs, because they were the only cups clean when they were packing the basket.

Juno takes the sandwich and sits quietly, listening to the birds, tilting his face up to meet the foreign sun. When he looks back to Peter, he finds that Peter’s already watching him with a wobbly sort of smile on his face.

“What? I got something on me?” Juno asks, brushing his fingers over his face to free any remaining breadcrumbs.

“I like this,” Peter says, nudging Juno’s leg with his toe. He’s taken his shoes off, wearing only his mismatched socks.

A shard of doubt softens in Juno’s chest. “Me, too. It’s nice,” Juno says, “being here. Just the two of us.”

“Careful, Juno. Say many more things like that and you might ruin your rough detective image,” Peter warns, beaming.

Juno lifts one shoulder, sipping his wine. It’s a little sugary for him, but Peter likes it. “I’m not a detective anymore.”

Peter doesn’t reply, but his smile stays, and he tips over onto his side on the blanket, hair brushing against Juno’s thigh. When Juno slips his fingers through the strands Peter worms closer, reaching into the basket and popping a few grapes into his mouth.

The sharp discomfort creeping up Juno’s back settles as Peter leans closer to him, the casual touch as soothing as the warm sunlight above. It is nice, being here with Peter, relaxing as if they’re the only two people in the universe that matter. Like they have all the time they’ll ever need and there’s nothing more urgent to do than doze at the park. Like Juno deserves this, like he doesn’t have to earn every gentle brush of his fingers through Peter’s hair and every soft word they exchange.

“We should do this more often,” Juno says quietly and Peter hums in agreement.

#kieran reaches out into the void #jupeter #juno steel #peter nureyev #tpp #junoverse #fanfic #mine #good to reblog

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scintillating-galaxias · 5 years ago

Text

to hold the stars in our arms

“Will you tell me about the stars?”

A kiss.

“Alpha Centauri was one of mine, you know...” Crowley tells Aziraphale what it was like to hang the stars.

(read it here on ao3!)

“Tell me a story, darling.”

“Well whaddya’ wanna hear, angel?”

“Will you—Will you tell me about before?”

“Before what?”

“No, Before-before. Before you Fell, if you can remember.”

Silence.

“I—That was insensitive of me, I didn’t mean—”

“No, no, ‘s not that, Zira. You’re fine. Just… There’s just a lot. We’d be here for years.”

“...You know I love your stories.”

“I know you do.”

“Will you tell me about the stars?”

A kiss.

“Alpha Centauri was one of mine, you know…”

Thousands of strands of stars were glittered between his lithe fingertips. More lay dormant as tiny spots all up and down his arms, glowing bold and bright. Still many more were tucked into the feathers of his fantastical wings, fast asleep amongst the plumes. Every single one knew tenderness and devotion the minute they were cradled ever so sweetly in those gentle hands and given their first, Hello, I love you, welcome to this wonderful place.

They knew they would be cherished forever, before, during, and after their deaths, by the way the being those hands belonged to held them up before sun-bright eyes shining with pure love. There was so much love, in fact, that it overflowed in pale wisps around his face and transformed the gorgeous gold irises into soft, infinite glowing pools. It was here that the stars loved to twirl and dance about, soaking up as much as they could before Raphael gently went about collecting them in total reverence.

As a goodbye, he breathed a little portion of his soul into every single one of those brilliant gifts until they glowed and lit up the pitch void of night. Then he whispered to them to be good, and sent them out, and let them spin away until they settled amongst each other, creating scintillating nebulae and mesmerizing galaxies.

“Aren’t they wonderful,” Raphael murmured aloud. His companion made a non-commital noise. This bothered Raphael, and he turned, cupping a dripping handful of stars. “Do you think they’ll like them?” he asked anxiously. “The humans, I mean, do you think they’ll like the stars? Will they be afraid of them?”

Gabriel hummed again and dragged a finger through a cloud of gold dust. It stuck and clung there closely, prompting him to attempt to wipe it indiscreetly off on his stunning white robe even as they squeaked and protested.

“They must,” he said, still rubbing with no success. “You made them, after all.”

“Yes, but they’re not made by Her hand,” Raphael said. “And I am definitely nothing like Her.” His voice was distant; he was gazing off into the eternal lengths of the sky, watching a young star, still blue in its youth, collide into one of its blazing yellow sisters. They exploded and a shower of shimmering emerald and rose pink and sunset purple scattered in a gorgeous explosion of color. The stardust murmured to itself, surprised by the turn of events, before it fell in love with its existence all over again. It would do this again, and again, and again, as a beetle, a flower, a river stone, a human being. The stars would love themselves in any form, and Raphael would love them, too.

“Was that supposed to happen?” Gabriel asked, mildly disdained. He had been watching, too.

“It was bound to at some point.” Raphael fluttered his hand, and the new star nursery amicably moved itself aside so he could scoop up the gold dust from Gabriel’s finger. “Nothing I could do would be anything close to being like Her’s,” he continued, pressing his lips to his finger and gesturing the new stars off of his palm. “You’ll love it out there, just be yourself, don’t be shy,” he told them. That one would become the stretching white expanse that was the Andromeda galaxy, but not for a long, long time.

Raphael would not get to see it grow up.

“Oh, stop with the face. I really did talk like that.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt that, my dear. It’s that you spoke to Gabriel on a regular basis.”

“I know, I don’t get it either. Dunno how I could stand it. Anyway, he says…”

Gabriel chuckled in the mocking well, obviously sort of way. “They’re not meant to,” he said lightly, as though this were the first time Raphael had ever heard this sentiment. “Nothing we angels create is meant to an imitation of Her. It is blasphemy.”

“They’re not,” he agreed. “That means humans can dislike them. I hope they don’t.” Raphael sighed and pulled hydrogen from his pinky and helium from his breath. They gently stirred together in the wrinkles of his palm, glowing brightly under Raphael’s gentle yellow gaze.

“What are you hoping for, then?”

“I hope humans will love the stars as much as I do. I made all of this”—Raphael pushed the clingy galaxy gauzing his arms in gold out and away, holding his arms out for a beat as it sailed away—“for them.”

“They must,” Gabriel repeated. A slightly frostbitten note chilled his words.

“No,” sighed Raphael, “they don’t.”

The pair went quiet. Around they, the low thrum of a breathing universe washed through them.

“Why,” began Raphael, and that was a treacherous beginning of a thought. Why was a question, a question doubted reality, a reality She made that was everything Good and Pure and Perfect. Questions dared to say it was not. “Why have me make these, when She could do it herself and have them all be perfect? Why ask me and make them imperfect? Her’s wouldn’t explode like that.”

They wouldn’t, and can you imagine what a tragedy that would be?

He felt Gabriel’s heavy purple stare shoot through the back of his skull. “Because She made this your purpose,” he said incredulously, as though Raphael had shouted for rebellion against Heaven instead of asking a question—though, in these times, those could be considered one and the same. “She could have, but she blessed you to do it instead. Do you regret what She bestowed upon you?”

“No!” Raphael exclaimed. “No, not at all! I love these skies, I love every single bit of gas and dust, I love these galaxies and stars, and I will love what creatures She creates next—Did you know She let me make one animal, too?” he abruptly said, overcome in his excitement. “It will be called a ‘snake’ and they’ll crawl on their belly to see all of the wonders of Earth hidden beneath one’s foot.”

“Crowley…”

“Don’t say it.”

“I really must, though. You are absolutely incredible and I am grateful to be able to love you . ”

“I—You—A—I’m not done yet! Don’t make me want to kiss you in the middle of a story!”

“Oh, my sincerest apologies my dear. I suppose I’ll have to make it up to you later.”

“Hm.” Gabriel went silent. Raphael returned his full attention to the little stars clamoring for him. It was a while before Gabriel spoke again, and when he did, the stars hushed each other in fear of their whispers being overheard.

“You shouldn’t doubt yourself,” he said, oddly grave. “The Almighty gave you your purpose. It wouldn’t do you well you to question it, because She made it. It’s foolish to think imperfections are possible and done on accident .”

“‘Course,” said Raphael absently. One star that would later become the Sun huddled close to him, trying its best to escape the creeping frostiness coming off of Gabriel in blusters. “Thank you for your, ah, reassurance. You can, erm. Go, if you want.”

Gabriel nodded one time and left in a brilliant flash of lilac light. Raphael brought the star to his face and sternly told it, “You’ll shine brighter than anything else in this solar system. I swear it. Don’t be afraid of Gabriel, either, he loves you too. Yes, he does. We all do. ”

The Sun, if it had a mouth, would have smiled. As it was, it merely winked once, before Crowley hung it up to rest in the center of a Solar System that would be placed near the edge of the Sagittarius arm. A little ways away from the Sun, Alpha Centauri quietly began to shine. It was something new Raphael had been tinkering with for centuries now. He had dubbed a binary system. Two stars who depended on each other to stay alive. Criticize it too closely, and it’s obvious there are two stars at work. You’ll miss the intensity, the beauty of the starlight, when they appear to be unified. Gaze upon it from further away to fully wonder in its blazing glory.

These were some of Crowley’s favorite because so much depended on each other the stars. Too far, and they would be flung off into the void. Too close, and they’ll demolish each other. If they maintained their perfect orbit, they would always skate around each other perfectly, pushing and pulling the other with them in an endless dance in which they never touched. But the two always reached out for the other, annihilation be damned.

“A bit like us, I suppose.”

“...You’re right. God dammit, you’re right! ‘S like with the Apple too—”

“How so?”

“I dunno, remember how I asked why not just put it on a mountain or something? If humans weren’t supposed to eat it? Why not just not send you to Earth if I’m not supposed to be in love with you? Could’ve just kept you up in Heaven, but She had to put you in the Garden.”

“My goodness. It really all boils down to free will, doesn’t it? Is it that simple?”

“Aziraphale.”

“Yes, my love?”

“I would choose you over everything else in all of Creation any day. All you have to do is ask.”

#ineffable husbands #good omens #crowley as raphael #aziraphale #crowley #gabriel (good omens)#gomens fanfic #fanfiction #my writing #fluff

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nobodyzhuman · 5 years ago

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Don’t Trust Dumbledore ch. 44

The first parental thing Sirius did was write a note to the headmaster that Harry was going to spend the weekend at home with his godfathers. Harry had grinned as he watched his godfather write it against one of the walls inside the Ministry. Siri then handed it off to Miss Bones, who chuckled and promised to send it right away. His great mood only increased when they neared the floos and the Weasley’s followed close behind them. It seemed the redhead’s planned on accompanying Harry and his godfathers home.

Harry made sure to give the twins a huge smile before he stepped into the floo and shouted, “ Liliana Cottage.”

He stumbled, because of course he did, when he arrived much to a grinning Sirius’s amusement. His godfather helped him stay on his feet, not that he stayed that way for long, because the second the two matching redheads arrived they rushed and tackled him.

They held him tight and cheered. He giggled at their lightheartedness and playfulness.

It turned into a slight wrestling game as the twins refused to allow him to go free. They rolled around on the floor laughing until Mister Weasley used his wand to separate them. The man laughed as he floated his two boys off the ground and onto their feet. The twins pouted at him and Harry couldn’t stop smiling. While his brother’s were being levitated away, Charlie reached down and helped him to his feet.

Harry gave himself one day of playfulness and fun with his godfathers and the twins, who stayed behind when the rest of the Weasley’s left. That second night when everyone else went to bed he started planning.

He wanted to make the custody trial public, very public. He wanted the whole wizarding world to hear about Dumbledore’s carelessness for Harry’s treatment at the hands of his relatives. He wanted them to see the bastard defend the useless and abusive muggles. He wanted to destroy the goodhearted, caring, grandfather image the man had worked so hard to make.

He also wanted to bring to light a few things that had been overlooked in past years.

Like the damn stone in his first year, the Chamber of Secrets, Harry’s forced participation in the triwizard tournament, and the treatment of the students inside of Hogwarts. The last one only came to him after listening to Draco complain about how Professor Mcgonagall never award points to Slytherins. Harry hadn’t really thought about it before and made a sarcastic comment about how Snape didn’t either. Draco had glared at him and asked about the points given when they were in the past.

Harry had thought back and realized that in almost every class he had attended someone gained or lost points, surprising it was only looking back that he noticed it didn’t matter the house. The professors had awarded or punished everyone equally. When he mentioned it Draco said that Snape does favor the Slytherins but only awards points the way he does to try and balance out the other Professors clear favoritism.

Harry also wanted to point out the bullying. Not just against the Slytherins. But he had seen both Luna and Neville bullied since he had returned from the past and it pissed him off. None of the Professors seemed to want to interfere. He even heard Professor Hooch muttering about kids being kids.

The only problem he had was who to send this all too. Bones was already looking into Dumbledore quietly. He needed someone who wasn’t afraid to voice--

He groaned.

Skeeter.

The beetle animagus would love this kind of story. He just had to find a way to use her without Hermione finding out. His ex friend knew and would surely snitch the reporter out to protect the headmaster.

While debating that he started thinking about Voldemort.

The man had been silent since Harry returned and from the whispers around school had only lead a couple attacks in the time he was gone. Harry didn’t want to fight him again. Not after the DOM. He had only escaped because Dumbledore had come in, probably to get the credit, and he wasn’t sure he could defeat the Dark wizard even with the extra training Draco had given him.

What he needed to do was figure out how the man had survived. Which meant he needed to talk to a Death Eater, he sighed again. He wasn’t sure writing to Lucius was a good idea, he knew that Voldemort tended to be at Malfoy Manor and didn't want to take the chance of someone else getting the letter. So he needed any other way.

He thought about it for a few minutes and come to the conclusion that he needed to talk to Snape, about more than one thing. Which meant he needed to go back to school. He packed away his notes and crawled into bed. He would have to break the news to Sirius in the morning.

His godfather wasn’t going to be happy.

He was right, both Sirius and Remus tried to talk him into staying a couple more days. But he refused, he told them he had missed too many days and while he wanted to stay and spend time with them, he needed to get caught up. Neither man looked like they believed him but thankfully they let him go.

When he returned to school later that day he was ambushed as he walked into the common room.

Surprisingly it was Neville and Dean. Both hugged him and started asking about Sirius’s innocence and if Harry had known. As he filled them in on the details he felt safe. He was telling them about how excited he was about living with his godfathers when Ron and Hermione walked in.

“What were you thinking!” His ex-best friend shouted in a very high voice. Ron who had been standing next to her tried to cover his ears.

“About what?” Harry asked.

“Sirius is in no shape to take care of you. Harry, it's cruel of you to force him too when he should be getting himself better.” The bushy haired brunette crossed her arms over her chest. He felt anger surge through him.

“Cruel?” He hissed the word out, “ Cruel like being forced to live in a cupboard or staved. Cruel like Dumbledore knowing Siri was innocent and doing nothing to help him? Or cruel like you’re best friends questioning and doubting you all the time?” Hermione opened her mouth to object but Harry wasn’t having it. This was probably the best time to end this pathetic excuse of a friendship.

“You know what,” He glared at her and than Ron, “I’m done. You two clearly don’t care what happens to me and I’m not going to be guilted or harassed about living with my godfather.” He stormed past them and into the boys dormitories. He just hoped that Ron would stay away for a while.

He was a little surprised Dean and Neville came in and sat on his bed with him.

“You okay?” Dean asked.

He looked at his two housemates. He felt wholeheartedly that he could trust Neville, the other boy was to nice and honest to be lying about his friendship. Truth was he didn’t really know Dean or Seamus that well. They hung out in the dorms or classes sure but never outside of that. They never sent letters or hangout on weekends. Maybe that was proof in itself that the other two Gyffindor’s weren’t being used by Dumbledore.

“I think I’m okay.” Harry said, “I think we started to grow apart before...I was taken, and since I’ve been back,” he sighed, “it’s like they just want to scream at or badger me.” He shrugged. “Maybe it was just time to end our friendship.” Neville reached and patted Harry on the back.

“While I’m still your friend mate, if you need anyone to talk to or hang out with…” The normally quiet boy smiled, “I’m here.”

“Me too.” Dean said. “And I know Seamus is as well.” Harry moved so he could hug Neville and then quickly before changing his mind Dean as well. He didn’t think he would ever be close to them, not like he thought he had been with Ron and Hermione or like he was with Draco or the twins. But it was still nice to know he has some friends left in his house.

“Thank you.” He whispered to both of them.

The two boys left a little while later and Harry crawled out of his bed and opened his trunk. He took out a couple pieces of paper and a couple of photos Remus and Sirius had found inside the cottage. Surprisingly it has been Siri that recommended taken the photos. He had told Harry he knew what it was like to lose them. To spend days, years without seeing James or Remus’s faces. He had admitted that one of the first thing he had done once free was search the papers for Harry’s face.

Carefully he put everything in the inside pocket of his rope, grabbed his invisibility cloak and snuck out.

His heart raced as he made his way into the lower levels of the castle. He froze outside the Potions masters chambers, which he only could find because Draco told him where to go, was he really about to do this? What if Snape didn’t care or told him to get lost? He swallowed and knocked on the door.

It didn’t take long for Snape to open it and glare at Harry.

“Can I come in?” He asked not looking the man in the eye. He heard the professor sigh before moving out of the way and allowing Harry to enter.

“What do you want Potter?” Snape asked once he was inside and the door was closed.

“This is...kinda personal Sir, can we sit?” The man’s eyebrows raised at the question before he gestured to a sofa at the center of the room. Harry reached into his robe and pulled out the papers before sitting down. He looked them over debating where to start. Did he want to show Snape his mother’s will first or the Dissolution of Marriage Sirius had already signed. His godfather had seemed to understand what Harry was trying to ask when he showed him the documents Harry had asked Bill to get. The Sirius had given them a quick read over and signed them, telling Harry to make sure Snape or Malfoy filled them out correctly and only when they were ready. Once signed by all party’s they documents would become active and Narcissa would be a Black again and she would then become Sirius's responsibility.

“Potter?” He heard Snape ask. Harry realized he must have zoned out looking at the papers in his hand. Taking in a long slow breath he held the Dissolution of Marriage out towards the Potions master.

“Draco,” He started, “Umm in the past, he told me about you and Mister Malfoy.” He chuckled a little at the memory, “Or well he kinda freaked out on you guys and then came and told me about it.” He saw Snape's eyes went wide as he read over the paper. “ He also told me about the arranged marriage between his parents.” Snape looked up at him. “He asked if Sirius could break it.”

“I don’t know if Draco has talked to his dad yet, but I wanted to make sure you got the papers and that if you really wanted it, I guess it’s your choice.” He shrugged not sure his words made sense. He had wanted to talk to Severus make sure that Lucius was what he wanted but now he was too nervous to make the words match his thoughts. It all came out rushed and badly worded.

“Harry,” He met the professor’s eyes. “Thank you.” Relief went through him. The man really did look grateful, maybe a little shocked, and by the tiny smile Harry saw, happy. He debated getting up and just leaving. Letting Severus Snape have his happy moment. He wasn’t sure how the man would feel about the other paper Harry held.

He actually stood up before a hand on his arm stopped him.

“Harry, what is the other paper?” Snape’s eyes were on it and Harry couldn’t help but look down at his hand. He was shaking. When had that started?

He opened his mouth trying to force the words out but all that came out was a broken sound. Snape looked up at him for a second before the potions master's hand slide down Harry’s arm and he gently took the copy of Lily’s will from Harry’s hand.

Harry’s feet were frozen while he watched Snape unfold it. It took a second, a single over before you could blink second for Snape to read the title.

The man stumbled backwards and fell into his seat. Eyes never leaving the paper.

It didn’t take long for the man to finish the paper. When he was done his head fell back against the couch and Harry could see tears falling down his professors cheeks. He suddenly felt like he was invading and he finally got his feet to move. He tried not to make a sound as he walked towards the door.

“I’m who William Weasley was talking about at Black’s custody trail?” The man asked and Harry stopped and turned to face him. Snape’s eyes were on him, the man seemed conflicted worried maybe about what he read.

Harry nodded.

“Are…” Snape cleared his throat, “Are you okay with this?” It took Harry a second to answer not because he bothered by Snape being his Godfather but because he was trying to figure out how Snape felt about it. He finally figured it out, Snape was scared Harry didn’t want it.

“Yeah.” He answered, giving the man a smile, “I’m okay with it.” Snape visibly relaxed.

“Me too.” The man muttered after a second. Harry’s smile grew bigger. Not sure what to do now he opened the man’s door, “Oh, Sirius says make sure everything is ready before you fill out the paper, cause the second its done. Narcissa will be pissed.”

Snape nodded. “Thank you.” The man said to Harry’s back as he turned and left.

Harry walked down the corridor, he took his time returning to the tower. He felt relieved that Snape hadn’t freaked out over either paper and that he wanted to be one of Harry’s godfathers. Truthfully he had been worried. With how Snape felt about James, Sirius, and Harry most days, he thought for sure the man would have told him no. That he didn’t want anything to do with Harry passed Harry and Draco’s relationship, or maybe the war with the insane wizards. Instead he had looked relieved when Harry had said he was okay with it. It had taken his breath away for a second.

“Where the hell have you been?” Ron shouted the second he walked into the common room, his good mood about Snape gone. Harry stopped and looked at the red faced, redhead, Hermione and Ginny on either side of him. He could see Neville, Seamus, and Dean behind the trio looking at each other and then back at Ron and the other two.

“Excuse me?” Harry asked.

“Where have you been? You show up acting like a prat and yelling at us and then you just go off, not a word about where you are going!” Harry actually had to wrap his robes around his fingers to stop himself from hexing or punching the other Gryffindor.

“Ron, we aren’t friends anymore. I don’t owe you or anyone an explanation for where I go.” He tried to shove passed his old friends but Hermione grabbed his arm.

“Harry, you haven’t been the same since you’ve been back,” she said gently like she was afraid to spook him, “maybe we should have the headmaster look at you?”

“Yeah, Harry,” Ginny said, “Maybe Malfoy did something to you. Let us help.” Harry had never had the urge to hit a girl before, never even thought about it, not even his Aunt. But the way Ginny moved to stand in front of him, cutting his escape route off and the way Hermione held his arm, he wanted to hit them just as badly as he wanted to hit Ron, who stood next to his sister look smug.

He ripped his arm free and glared at his old friend when she cried out when she stumbled forward.

“Don’t touch me.” He hissed at her and then looked at Ginny.

“I don’t want or need your help. Draco is my friend, unlike you three. He hasn’t screamed or attacked me over who I want to live with or talked to. Maybe you should take a few pointers from him.” He tried to walk away again but Ginny would move out of his way.

“Guy’s leave him alone.” Dean said coming to stand behind Ginny, he put his hand on her shoulder and tried to pull her back. She growled at him and shrugged him off.

“Stay out of this Thomas.” Ron said moving to push the other boy’s hand off his sisters shoulder.

No,” Dean said, “you guys are ganging up on Harry when it’s clear he would rather be elsewhere.”

In a flash Ron’s wand was pointed at the dark skinned boys face, and just as quick Harry’s, Neville’s, and Seamus’s were pointed at Ron. It took Hermione and Ginny a second and the two seemed confused on who to point their wants at. Harry or the other two.

“What is going on in here!” Professor Mcgonagall’s voice carried across the room as she stormed into the room, Professor Snape and the Headmaster behind her.

Shit, Harry cursed in his head, as he lowered his wand.

“They were ganging up on Harry,” Seamus said, Harry turned to look at his dorm mate, he too had lowered his wand though he was sneering at Ron, “yelling and grabbing him.”

“We tried to get them to leave him alone and Ron drew his wand.” Dean said, his wand now pointed at the ground.

“Is that true?” The professor turned her sharp gaze on to Ron, who at least looked a little guilty about his actions.

“He grabbed Ginny!” Ron said as defense pointing at Dean.

“I tried to move my girlfriend out of Harry’s way.” Dean said in defense and Harry’s brain got stuck on the word girlfriend, when the hell did that happen?

“It seems like a misunderstanding.” Harry wasn’t looking at the man, but he could just feel the Headmasters annoyance at the situation. He almost turned and told the man to fuck off.

“They drew wands, Albus,” Professor Mcgonagall said, “there has to be some kind of punishment.”

“Detention.” Snape said, “Perhaps cleaning cauldron's will teach them a lesson.”

“Now, now, Severus, I’m sure all they need is a good talking to.”

“Yeah.” Ron said, earning a sharp look from just about everyone. Ginny even elbowed her brother in the ribs.

“I have to agree with Severus.” Mcgonagall said.

Dumbledore did not look happy at this, but the man shrugged and gave the room a fake smile, “it seems I am out numbered.” There was a chuckled, “Now then I think Harry, Mister Weasley, and Miss Granger, should have…”

“I think not.” Snape cut him off, “those three need to be separated. I’ll take Potter. Minerva can handle Weasley and Granger. I think Pomona could use Longbottom’s help in the greenhouses, as for Thomas and Finnigan, I’m positive Pomfrey could use some help in the hospital wing.”

“Agreed.” Mcgonagall said before the headmaster could try and argue.

“Potter with me.” Harry rushed to follow after the man. Neither said a word until they reached the Potion’s lab.

“Sorry.” Harry muttered once inside.

“What for?” Snape asked looking at him a little confused.

“Getting in trouble?” Harry replied though now he was a little confused. Wasn’t the man mad at him? He had literally only been out of his office for minutes before he was in trouble.

“Harry, did you pull your wand first?”

He shook his head.

“Did you internally rile up Weasley so that he would?”

Again he shook his head.

“Did you ask, Longbottom, Finnigan, or Thomas to defend you?”

Harry was starting to see what the man was getting at, he shook his head no.

“Then you have nothing to be sorry for. Now do your homework or something while I grade papers.” Harry stood frozen for a second watching as the man sat behind his desk and started moving things around, when Severus looked up at him, he blushed and moved to one of the tables. A chair appeared as he approached and he gave the professor a thankful smile before he sat down and started on his Charms essay.

#don't trust dumbledore #Harry Potter #Draco Malfoy #drarry

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yjk-imagines · 5 years ago

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“Hey Angel” (Jaina Solo x Zekk)

“Soulmates who can feel each other’s pain - with jaina and zekk! pretty please“ @thespacebuns

Taking place during their years at the Jedi Academy, rather than NJO.

Jaina glistened with just as much sweat as the corpse that lay in front of her.

Within the unseen depths of the force, Zekk struggled against the dark side for control of his agency, and Jaina felt his temptation as keenly as if her father had tossed her out the airlock with a tow cable tied around her waist just before making the jump to hyperspace. She was burning and freezing at the same time, she was shaking too much she almost didn’t feel the hand on her shoulder.

“Hey,” Jacen’s lopsided smile matched the one their father was so famous father, “Why can’t you ask a Jawa for money?”

Jaina didn’t have the strength to groan. “Why?”

“Because they’re always a little short.”

Jacen knew she was out of it when she laughed, however muted it was.

“Come on, it’s my turn. You need to rest.” Jacen wrapped his arm around hers, using just a touch of the force to lift her out of the chair next to Zekk’s bed.

“Okay, okay, I’m going,” Jaina slurred. She yanked her arm from her brother’s grasp and stumbled to the fountain she’d built into the wall herself. She splashed some on her face in an attempt to cool herself off.

“What’ve you been doing in here? You look like you overdosed on spice.” Jacen looked between Zekk, undisturbed in his coma, and the old smuggler, Peckhum, slumped over in the other chair.

“Just sitting,” Jaina insisted, wiping her face on her sleeve. “How go the temple repairs?”

Jacen glanced at the stump lizards in his hands, all that remained of his little menagerie in the aftermath of Shadow Academy’s attack.

“The ronto freaked out. Set us back a couple of days.”

“Great,” Jaina grunted, leaning against the doorway, completely winded from the walk between the bed and the sink.

“Jaina?” Jacen called out of her, settling in his lizards for a two-hour shift watching Zekk’s prone form, “You might want to see Uncle Luke.”

Tenel Ka and Lowie dug through the rubble of the avalanche caused by the ronto, assisted by the arrogant young Raynar Thul who, with his robes covered in dust, looked anything but arrogant, Jaina was pleased to see.

“Any of you seen Uncle Luke?” She asked, steadying herself in her swaying.

Lowie growled an answer, pointing up what remained of the staircase on the side of the ancient Massassi Temple. Jaina waved off Em-Teedee’s usual flowery translation of the simple directions, but she couldn’t shake off the firm touch of Tenel Ka’s one remaining arm as she removed the bracer on her arm to feel Jaina’s sweaty forehead.

“Are you certain you are well, friend Jaina?”

“No, but what else is new?” Jaina shrugged off her friend’s concern, causing more concern in Tenel Kal, Lowie, and even young Raynar, but they returned to the mountain of work at hand once they were certain that Jaina would not slip on the dewey steps.

Grand Jedi Master Skywalker descended a few steps to greet his niece, catching her just in time as she fell forward, clutching at her eyes.

“Jaina?”

“‘M fine, just got some light in my eyes,” She muttered, rubbing her eyelids so hard she saw stars.

Luke looked around. It was a misty, overcast day, and the only metallic objects in sight were the tiny rivets on the excited ronto’s harness, hardly noticeable from their distance.

Luke sat down on one of the larger zigguraut steps, encouraging Jaina to do the same. “Want to tell me what’s going on?”

“No, but Jacen wants me too,” She finally dared to open her eyes, squinting to adjust to the light.

Luke decided to ease into the subject. “How is our friend Zekk?”

“Still comatose, but I think he squeezed back when I held his hand today,” She said. When it came to the young Coruscaunti scavenger, Jaina was endlessly hopeful, proven by his time as the Shadow Academy’s Darkest Knight.

“Good to hear. Are you feeling well?”

“Why does everyone ask me that?” Jaina asked, collapsing back into a pile of vines and leaves.

“Because you look almost as bad as Zekk does,” Luke said, his voice serious as he addressed his niece. She had inherited the better part of her parent’s stubborn nature, that was for sure.

Jaina’s eyes were open now, staring up at the clouds far above. If you strained, you could barely make out the gas giant of Yavin, outlined in a reddish haze.

“It feels like something’s...struggling inside me, like I’m watching a couple of Jacen’s beetles fight, but I’m both of the beetles, and I’m losing.”

Luke nodded, urging her to continue as he plopped down in the foliage with her.

“My body can’t decide if it wants to be hot or cold, and I’ve got this splitting headache, and I’ve tried to eat something to bring it down but I’m scared I’m going to throw up and I’m getting these weird, dark dreams at night, but I can never remember them when I wake up.”

Jaina looked over at her eternally wise uncle, but he simply stared up at the sky as she had, lips pursed in thought.

“For now, go get some rest. Perhaps it’s just stress. When Zekk wakes up, we’ll talk some more.”

Jaina sat up and looked around at all the damage that still remained to be fixed. She felt guilty leaving everyone else to deal with this while she slept, but if Uncle Luke was making her, then she didn’t have much of a choice. What if he told mom?

Jaina felt slightly less crummy after her nap, especially when Jacen burst into her room with the news that Zekk was awake! However, he almost suplexed her back into her cot before he could tell her that Peckhum had fed him some soup, and their oldest friend was now sleeping, but he was on his way to recovery.

Uncle Luke was right though, whatever had caused her strange ailment was gone now. Maybe she had been too worried about Zekk.

But he was her friend! Her best friend! There was no such thing as being too worried when it came to things like that, was there?

Repairs were taking a break to recalculate how much more supplies would be needed to fix the temple in the aftermath of the ronto’s freak-out (which Jacen insisted was not the creature’s fault, as usual), so Jaina took a walk to her favorite river.

It was muddy in the aftermath of the battle. It would take a while for nature to return it to the crystalline state Jaina, Jacen, and their fellow trainees enjoyed to much. For now, Jaina kept herself content with sitting on a mossy boulder, tossing smaller rocks. The ripples quickly disappeared into the current, and Jaina pouted.

Then, a flat pebble whizzed past, skipping twice before it disappeared along with all the rocks she had thrown.

“Is this a private game, or can anyone play?” A familiar voice asked.

Jaina glanced over her shoulder before scrambling down from the rock.

“Zekk!” She cried. She tried to remind herself that Zekk was still recovering, but threw her arms around him anyway, sending them both stumbling into the river, where they were both caked with mud.

They helped each other out, brushing off the mud as best as they could.

“You look-”

“Alive?” Zekk finished for Jaina, smiling slightly.

She raised her eyebrows, “Just barely.”

“I actually feel better than I look. By a little bit at least.”

“Well that’s a relief,” Jaina chuckled, feeling dizzy and tongue-tied as Zekk’s green eyes, underlined with purple shadows, met hers.

“Do you need to sit down or anything?” She gestured to the boulder she had previously been perched upon.

Zekk shook his head. “I’m a bit shaky after so much lying in bed, but I feel restless. I thought maybe we could take a walk in the jungle? Together?” He asked hesitantly.

He needn’t have worried. “Well then,” Jaina slipped her muddy hand in his. “What are we wading for?”

Zekk groaned at the joke. “I think your brother is having a bad influence on you,” He warned.

Jaina’s laughter echoed up and down the riverbank, not noticing that Zekk was massaging the same spot on his elbow where a bruise had formed on her from their tumble into the river.

#Hey my first one-shot on this blog it's party time! Woot woot!#i often wonder if I should give zekk the surname of 'peckhum'#jaina solo #zekk #star wars #star wars legends #star wars eu #young jedi knights #zekkna #thespacebuns #i reread shards of alderaan today incase you cant tell

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brassikarts · 5 years ago

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For the 'unusual asks', do the first 10 with your current favorite oc and also ooc. I can't pick the best ones cuz I want to know them all!!

Oh no. Oh God. Okay, here we go, @actionjaxkol :

1. OOC: Spotify. I never thought I’d pay to stream music, but here we are and I love it so much.

Modern Val probably feels similarly; she’s a youngish, tenured professor who probably takes full advantage of having a .edu address on sites like Amazon, etc, though.

Justus probably has an iPod he’s very proud of. There’s a lot of country on there. Pandora’s a thing he’s heard of!

Brassy pirates, are you kidding?

2. OOC: It’s dirtwise clean, but cluttered. I usually know where stuff is, though.

Val is the same, but she tries harder than I do to keep things tidy.

Justus is both clean and uncluttered.

Brassy’s just a hot mess all around.

3. OOC: Medium brown - the color of a good espresso pour.

Val’s are a lighter brown, think like the color of a doe.

Justus is a green-hazel.

Brassy’s are shiny, beetle-black.

None of my lighter-eyed characters are commonly played, though if I resurrect my gnomegirl because of Mechagon, hers are an icy blue.

4. OOC - No. But I’ve lived with said name over 3 decades now, and it’s weird to answer to anything else, so I’ve gotten used to it. Bee is acceptable to call me online, btw.

Val chose her name, so she likes it well enough.

Justus thinks his name is stupid (and honestly, has been misspelling it so long that he’s too embarrassed to do anything about it anyway…).

Brassy is short for Brassika, which is a family name. ALL of Brassy’s maternal relatives have had that name, with variations on middle name.

5. OOC: married.

Val - long-term partnered. Elf and I headcanon that marriage isn’t really a *thing* in Kaldorei society, so, I doubt it’ll come up. She hasn’t asked about it, though, and isn’t expecting it.

Justus - partnered, but still new at the dating thing. It’s been 6sh months?

Brassy - single, very thirsty, very inept with ladies. Alas.

6. OOC: intelligent, high-strung, determined

Val: tenacious, bright, loyal

Justus: well-meaining, valorous, shy

Brassy: scattered, wistful, intense

7. OOC: very dark brown, heavily wavy

Val: dark blonde, curly

Justus: sandy brown, lightly wavy, usually back in a manbun or tied up. He has the best hair.

Brassy: short, side-shaved, navy

8. OOC: dark blue mom station wagon

Val: teleports, or takes public transport, or steals Edmund’s car when she needs to go places

Justus: walks, takes public portals, or has like… a Honda Civic or something comically small for his frame

Brassy walks. In-game she rotates through a variety of mounts because she loses them frequently; modern one bikes or uses the subway.

9. OOC: I mean, for what? Usually Target, tbh, for most things. Depending on what I’m looking for, I go elsewhere (Sephora/Nordstrom Rack are favorites).

This one’s hard for characters. Pass. Sorry; I have a bad head for WoW shops and what they do. I can tell you that Val has bought jewelry off of @alyssa-ward, though.

10. OOC: slightly dressed-up casual? I work in a professional office, but wear a lot of sandals and have messy hair and tattoos; my go-to usually involves dark jeans/slacks and nice blouses with cardigans to cover up. Mine doesn’t fall neatly into any particular kind of look, though, because it’s all dependent on mood. Sometimes it’s a little boho; other times, it skirts the edge of goth; a good deal of the time, it's like a very lazy mom trying to be decent to go to Target, lol.

Val: currently very utilitarian. When she worked with the Kirin Tor, she was way dressier. Nice robes, heeled boots, stylish accessories.

Justus: has no discernable sense of style. So long as it’s clean and fits, he’ll wear it. He needs to be dressed.

Brassy: … dresses like Jay from Jay and Silent Bob, mixed with a lot of leather. She always has her midriff showing (without abs to show off). She has a bomber jacket she loves and a rotating collection of sunglasses.

#long #asks answered #ooc #ic

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the-council-of-new-york-vampires · 6 years ago

Note

Could you write a Priya x Amy fic

Out of Character:

Sure! ^-^

It’s pretty sexy. :P

…But a tad deep. 👀

Amy’s mind was racing as she approached the big building that was Priya’s. The two of them had had some good ‘fun’ in the past and, contrary to everyone’s expectations, Priya had actually let Amy go back home.

She hadn’t kept her as a slave or toy or whatever, and that fact as well as the intimate moments they had spend together had made Amy question their relationship. Surely, Priya wasn’t one to date? Surely, every sex she had was entirely meaningless to her?

Despite the thoughts Amy’s head was creating, her heart was disagreeing. Her heart was telling her that experiences like that could not just mean nothing. It was telling her that there was something for Priya she was feeling, something everyone had warned her of. Apparently, she had gotten too close. And now, it was too late to turn back.

Amy wouldn’t be Amy if she was driven by her head. While she never just ignored her mind, it was her heart that took the lead most of the times. That same heart had pushed her to buy Priya a bouquet and visit her again. (Of course, her lust had had a voice in the matter as well…)

Amy rang the doorbell and, for the first time, no one opened. She waited for about two minutes and was about to turn away in disappointment when, suddenly, a houseboy opened. “Hello?”

“Hey, is Priya home?”

“Priya is busy.”

“Oh.” In that moment, her head was cursing. How could she be so naive? What had she expected? To be Priya’s top priority? All of a sudden, the thought that she had cherished for the past days seemed like a pathetic joke.

“…Can I do something for you? Or why aren’t you leaving?”

Amy sighed. Apparently, even Priya’s doormats had no sympathy for her. “Just… Tell her Amy was here.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Amy?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh, well, I don’t think Priya would be too happy if I sent you away.” He grinned. “Come right in.”

Amy’s heart skipped a beat in happiness! Priya had actually thought of her! She stepped inside excitedly to find the foyer empty. No one was in sight. When following him deeper into the house, Amy could hear a distant…moaning? Her heart almost stopped. Eyes wide, she looked at him and asked, “Is she…?”

“Yeah,” he said casually. “It’s Thursday, after all.”

Apparently, Thursday meant having sex with a bunch of people in a huge room. Alright… Well, that was Priya’s way of life, and Amy was the last to judge… She did, however, find it a bit disconcerting to be only one room away from what she pictured to be a massive orgy…

“Can I get you something to drink? This could take a while.”

“Oh… Yes. Thanks.” Amy watched him walk away, but followed shortly after. She stood in the kitchen rather uncomfortably, feeling out of place. Yet, she knew that seeing Priya would be worth the discomfort.

A few minutes later, Amy saw the doors opening, a group of men leaving to head to the showers. Just to be sure, she waited… Until a houseboy approached to allow her in.

Amy entered the room. The first thing she noticed was the smell. It smelled like a group of people had gotten it on in there for hours. Then again, that’s exactly what had happened.

Immediately after, Amy noticed Priya. She was sitting on a chair, wearing red heels and a bright smirk. Her legs were naked, long, perfectly shaved. The rest of Priya’s body was covered by the chihuahua she was holding in her arm. Her other hand was holding a glass of champagne.

“There she is,” Priya greeted, licking her lips. “My favorite little guest.”

Amy had imagined the atmosphere to be a bit more romantic, to meet Priya, well, dressed. Regardless, she gave her the bouquet with a shy smile. “For you.”

“Nawwww! Now, aren’t you a sweetie?” She laughed loudly.

That laugh alone made Amy’s blood run cold. She wondered if there would ever be a situation where Priya didn’t scare her. Then again, that was the thrill, to fear for her life…

Taking a last sip before putting her glass down, Priya reached for Amy’s cheek, grabbing it just a bit too roughly… “I knew you would come back to me.”

“I… I couldn’t forget you,” Amy admitted. “What we had… I think it was unique.”

Priya laughed again, the sound sharp enough to pierce Amy’s heart.

“…You don’t think it was special?”

“You are so cute, Amy.”

She smiled just a bit. “You too.”

And again, Priya laughed.

Amy was insecure, but she grinned regardless. “When I arrived, you were busy, so I waited.”

“Aw, so polite, is she?” Priya’s smirk was predatory.

“Well, I didn’t want to bother.”

“You could’ve come in.”

Amy laughed… then noticed that Priya was actually serious. “You… would have been okay with me joining your orgy?”

“Ooh, I’m sure you would have liked it. A dozen men to cater to you… What more could a woman want?”

“…You.”

She grinned. “What?”

“A woman could want you.”

The situation was interrupted by the helpless whimpering of an animal. The dog on Priya’s arm moved its legs impatiently, apparently tired of being presented as an accessoire.

She let her pet down and it was then that Amy had a clear view on Priya’s chest. “Wow…”

“I’m quite ‘wow’, I know,” she said, eyes on her dog that was leaving the room in order to rejoin its friends.

“Are those piercings new?”

“Oh, those?” She looked down on her. “I get them sometimes.”

“You… get them? Sometimes?”

“The skin heals whenever I take them out,” Priya confirmed.

“Ohhh. That makes sense.”

“Soooo… Is that what you came here for?”

Amy looked Priya in the eyes and confessed with confidence, “I came here solely because of you. I didn’t come in during the orgy, because I’m not one bit interested in these men. I wouldn’t want them to cater to me. Because I want to cater to you.”

Priya grinned. “Ooooh.”

“I find nothing attractive in them,” Amy claimed. “Not a single thing.”

“You’re such a sweet liar, Amy.”

Amy’s eyes widened. “I’m not.”

“You’re not?”

“No!”

“Come with me,” Priya ordered.

As she got up, Amy’s eyes were on her full, nude body. Priya was a work of art, she thought.

The designer threw on a crimson red silk bathrobe which was, of course, partly see-through. Then, Priya left.

Of course, Amy followed. The two were walking through the huge mansion until they arrived by the showers.

“That doesn’t turn you on?” Priya was pointing.

Amy looked to see… a dozen men, showering. They had muscular bodies, beautiful faces, were very well endowed…

“That’s what I call a snack bar.”

Amy chuckled. She looked from the men to Priya, back at them and back to her. She looked into Priya’s doe eyes… and found a bit of vulnerability, hiding in a place that seemed too distant to visit, too dark to ever hold onto.

“Tell me you don’t wanna go inside the showers with them,” Priya said.

“I don’t want to go inside the showers with them.”

She smirked. “Liar.”

“I would rather go in the shower with you,” Amy said. And she meant it.

Priya looked at her for a moment, as if reading her. She faced the men, looked back away and stated, “Okay.”

Amy raised her eyebrows. “Okay?”

“Well, yeah. Okay.” Then, she walked away.

Amy decided to follow, curious yet excited. Was this a dream? Or was she about to have steamy shower sex with Priya Lacroix?

After arriving in the bathroom, Priya let her robe fall. She stepped inside the unncecessarily big shower and sat down on one side, her dainty legs spread. She pressed a button… and a bit of water came running down on her.

Amy watched, suddenly horny. How could anyone not think that Priya was a goddess?

“Well?”

Then, she smiled. “You’re gorgeous.”

But Priya didn’t seem impressed. “That pussy won’t eat itself out.”

Making absolutely sure that the door was closed, Amy got rid of her clothing in maximum speed. Finally naked, she stepped into the luxurious shower and got down on her knees. She felt the water wetting her hair, the center of her body, Priya’s front… and leaned forward. She ate her out in the most passionate way.

Moaning, Priya leaned back. She grabbed Amy’s head by her hair and pulled her closer until, finally, she reached her peak.

But Amy couldn’t get enough. She kissed Priya’s flat belly, only now noticing her piercing, and worked her way up to her breasts. She kissed them, caressed them in a way that was passionate yet loving.

Priya’s moaning became louder yet again. Her cold hand was caressing Amy’s cheek, the skin on her chest taking notice of the woman’s tongue. Breathing heavily, barely in control of her lust, Priya threw herself on Amy!

“Ah!” The young woman fell backwards, her back landing on the floor of the shower. Priya was sitting on top, suddenly riding her! Amy closed her eyes, moaning. The way of the water coming from above caressing her, as well as Priya’s expert movements made Amy forget what was around her.

It didn’t take long for both of them to reach their peak.

After resting for moments, Priya stood back up. It was as if the sex-crazed spirit that had inhabited her during her phase of lust had left.

As Amy wanted to stand up as well, she felt Priya’s foot between her legs, holding her down. Like a beetle on its back, she looked up at the vampire, for the first time noticing her redly glowing eyes.

“Look at that…” she mused. “A defenseless little snack trying to escape…”

Amy felt helpless, like a sheep looking up at a wolf. “I-”

“Don’t you know who you belong to?” It was scary that Priya’s voice was calm.

Amy honestly wondered whether Priya would actually kill her.

“To me. And mama’s hungry!” With that, Priya grabbed Amy’s neck and forced her onto her feet!

Before understanding what was happening, Amy felt her head hitting against a corner. She was being pushed against a wall by a skinny, cold hand… And Priya was feeding from her.

Effortlessly, she kept Amy in place, her fangs having sunken deeply into the human’s neck.

Unable to move, Amy’s hand ran through Priya’s hair. She felt the excess of blood being washed away, Priya’s body pushed against her. She focused on the pleasure, and that was when Amy’s fear got suppressed by her horniness.

She started touching herself, the sole thought of being the naked feedbag of Priya Lacroix turning her on more than the touching itself. So quickly, the pain had turned to pleasure.

Finally fed, Priya pulled out. But instead of closing up Amy’s wound, she kissed the upper parts of her neck in a way that was playful, becoming rougher quickly.

Amy felt Priya’s lips, her tongue and teeth, the way she was creating hickeys on her neck… and her movements became quicker, her moaning more intense.

In the end, Priya gave Amy a kiss. “Thank you, baby. That was just what mama needed…”

The sole kiss had felt the most intimate of all. It was enough to make Amy finish, causing her to slide down the wet wall…

Once again, Amy knew it: Priya had proven to be everything she needed.

#priya lacroix #bloodbound #choices #choices: stories you play #priyamy #bb

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