#I’ve been on a ghibli kick

[sailermoon]

I rewatched this tonight but I swear I’ve heard a very similar sounding song ???? wait it actually might be grave of the fireflies that it’s reminding me of post canceled

[wannabepapa]

I see you’ve been reboggling a lot of old asks from me which has also gotten my brain juice flowin like

Lately I’ve been thinking about roommates who bond over a pregnancy. A one night stand or a surrogacy, doesn’t really matter, all we care about are the roomies who are now stuck in this fun situation of finding a new groove. Bonus points if the pregnant one gets big and uncomfy quick, leading to far far more late night rendezvouses.

The way I picture it, it starts with your typical incredibly awkward “I gotta come clean about something” scenario, with roomie B expecting a broken appliance or a forgetting power bill, but certainly not a pregnancy! Then as roomie A grows, they get needy, which sends roomie B into overdrive. Late night pizza runs become a regular occurrence, waking up way too early to hold their roommates hair, sitting up at night cause roomie A thinks they felt a kick and wants witnesses.

Then break happens, they go home, and when roomie A comes back they’re HUGE, which changes everything. Suddenly they need so much more to be comfy, and roomie B begins to realize just how much they like being there for their pal. They spend all afternoon at school just to come home and both collapse into the same twin bed, using the other bedroom as storage because who needs it? Sharing is caring after all. Roomie B is there to hold roomie A when they’re sobbing at a ghibli film or some advertisement about sad animals, they’re there to help with anything academic or physical, they’re driving their expectant buddy to and from appointments now that they’ve outgrown the drivers seat.

Bajshxjhshxhs it is 5 am and this ask is ridiculously long winded but I am tired and sappy and obsessed with this idea and thought you’d like it okie bye

uh hello???????? you have left this beauty of an ask in my inbox?????? Marin i am kissing your forehead right now.

roommate B has had nothing but terrible experiences with past roommates so when A comes to confess something they brace themselves for a problem. it's expected, especially when A looks anxious and worried before spilling the secret. the last thing that B would have ever expected was to be living with someone who was going to have a baby. they don't hate babies but they never hung out with people who had children of their own. it was going to be a learning curve to say the least.

the roommates were never close in the beginning, keeping to themselves as they had only recently roomed together but now they find themselves in each other's space. A has asked for help in the morning because the nausea makes it tough to function early in the morning so B is on kitchen duty. B tends to do a lot of the clean up now to give their roomie a break in the first trimester. it's only fair that someone does the bulk of the housework when A is creating a whole person over the course of nine months!

B is also in this weird "I'm not the parent of this child but I feel responsible for A and this child" state of mind that is confusing to them. they don't know why their brain has latched onto being the caretaker for a pregnant person but whatever A asks for, they get. A is feeling cold and wants to borrow a blanket? it's put in the dryer so it's extra warm. it's two am and they have an intense craving for pizza, but only the pizza at this shop that is an hour away? yeah just let B get dressed and get coffee in them before they take the drive. they don't want to be sitting alone at their doctor's appointment and want moral support? of course B will be driving them to and from every appointment now so they don't have to be alone. A meekly knocks on the bedroom door and says the baby needs a cuddle? get in under the covers and pick a movie! it's this perfectly platonic relationship that both just don't acknowledge but now all of their family and friends wonder if they're dating.

when they have to go home for their respective holidays there are definitely tears shed by A. it's seventy-five percent hormones and twenty-five percent not wanting to be away from B for weeks on end. they're ending their second trimester right now and terribly needy. the roomies have forgone sticking to each other's rooms to alternating every few days—it's become their routine. A also worries that something catastrophic will happen and B will force them to move out which B shuts down immediately. they're stuck with each other now whether they liked it or not. this comfortable thing the roomies have with each other is too precious to B for it to ever cross their mind to end it. A has become more than a friend, they've become a companion that has made their days more exciting ever since they got close. it isn't long after A is dropped off at the airport (with more tears shed) and B not even out of the parking structure that a text is sent that reads "we already miss you :c"

they talk every day of the break. A leaves no details of the crazy antics sprinkle (the baby has a thing for funfetti cake and B said they were probably a sprinkle now so it stuck) has been up to and complaining how cold it was where their family lives. they've sent many a selfie where they were hidden under piles of blankets or bundled up in multiple layers of warm clothes with a pouty lip and silly quip about how nobody does the dryer trick here like B does. it's too cute for B to handle. the weeks drag on for eternity to their dismay, their mind straying to how their gravid friend was doing.

to make matters worse A was stuck for an extra week due to a surprise blizzard that grounded all planes going in and out of the state. that was nearly a month apart and it drove B mad. too much time has been spent away from A and there was going to be hell to pay if this new flight would be canceled. if they were stuck any longer with their parents A wouldn't be cleared to fly, leaving them with no other choice but driving hours back down. B would have gone up there themselves to bring A back if it was necessary but to their happiness there were no cancelations and A was in route back home. B couldn't pick them up—work had switched schedules without asking—so they sent a friend to go to the airport for pick up. luckily A would already be home by the time B was off work so they wouldn't be alone in the house for long.

B never considered how fast someone grew in their final months of pregnancy. A's clothes still hide the bump before they left. now, walking into the apartment, B could do nothing except stare at their roommate. A hadn't grown, but popped in the last month since they were apart! there was an undeniable swell that tented A's shirt, their stance wider as they waddled to the door to greet B with a watery grin. the bump is pressed between them which makes it impossible to really hug while making it hard for B to not plaster their hands on the belly. the baby takes the opportune moment to shift between them as they were clearly unhappy about being squished. A chuckles at the movement but B is completely losing it.

after that they don't really stay apart for long. they're very, very close to one another at every second of the day just to revel in the fact that the baby will be born soon. A likes to complain about the pains from the movements of the nugget but they will actually miss it. B, however, has made it loud and clear how they'll miss being able to cuddle up with the belly and feel the nugget move. though both are equally excited to meet the little kicker that they've been waiting nearly ten months to hold.

[caffernnn]

Thanks for the tag @sage-nebula !! Been a minute since I’ve done one of these ✨

Last song: “Not Sorry For Loving You” from EPIC: The Vengeance Saga. Probably my favorite from the most recent saga — loooove Calypso’s voice

Fave color: greeeeeen! I’ve probably tried to pin it down more specifically in the past, but the shade of green fluctuates tbh. Olive green, forest green, sage green, seafoam green, emerald green, jewel-toned phthalo green… all of them live in my heart tbh. (aaand I’m just a sucker for cool colors in general lmao)

Last book: I’m finally getting back to a place where I feel like I could try reading again!! Last book I started was Cultish by Amanda Montell, and I have a lot of other promising reads I checked out on a rare feel-good day and haven’t cracked open yet (which might be overdue; they’ll return home soon 💀)

Last movie: When Marnie Was There! My brother and I have been trying to catch up by watching some Studio Ghibli movies from time-to-time (hadn’t heard of any outside of Ponyo until I was out of high school… OOPS—), and Marnie was next on our list. Looots of big feelings about that story.

Last tv show: main things I’m (mostly) keeping up with tv-wise are DanDaDan and NCIS: Origins. I’m thiiiinking about starting Moriarty the Patriot, and everyone’s praise for Arcane has me curious 👀

Sweet/savory/spicy: heavy on the savory tbh. There’s appreciation for the sweet and spicy forsure, but savory is at the top for me currently!!

Relationship status: friendship is magic NEXT QUESTION

Last thing I searched: I can’t lie, that poll I reblogged about soup had me looking up Italian wedding and pumpkin soup recipes. Tumblr is makin me HONGRY

Current obsession: LMM frEakin bit me again; Warriors (2024) has been stuuuuck in my head and on repeat for days. Those are my giiiirls. So many fun genres to explore in a musical! Outside of that and the usual suspects (bears, the swimmies, etc), I’d probably have to say Pokémon TCGP and Pokémon Sleep. I still need to pull my beloved Snorlax and Venusaur on TCGP (or some worthwhile dark types to progress in the solo battle challenges), and I was so happy to wake up to a baby Bulbasaur next to my Snorlax on Sleep this morning <333 I’m such a sucker for lil guys

Looking forward to: soon? I get to visit my grandma again tomorrow! I’ve been trying to see her close to weekly since she’s been in that nursing home (and since they allowed for safe masked visits), and each day I still have with her is a gift 💕 hospice and general QoL decline have been a process, but on days she’s doing alright, she adores getting to see me <3 beyooond that, I’m looking forward to the sakadays anime in January!!

Favorite drink: tough one!! Umm, I’ve been on a rootbeer kick on and off for the past year so that’s def up there. Apple juice and fruit punches are good sometimes as well, same with Dr. Pepper and Mr. Pibb. I’ve been a water guy lately tbh, but I like a fun lil drink now and then!! OOH I need to have wassail again soon 🤤

Song playing on a loop in your head: “Call Me Mercy” from Warriors, due to the aforementioned obsession. Something particularly earwormy about that one. Other songs from the musical come to me in snippets, but that one is fully on loop

Current favorite character: outside of the permanent mind residents (I see green and blue in everything), Fox from Warriors and Taro Sakamoto from SakaDays have been spinning around in there, along with their friends. Momo and Okarun are also bickering up in the mind palace, naturally

Fun activity you would like to get into: I just need to get back to cultivating my hobbies now that I’m a lil less doom and gloom than I was a month ago. I guess different forms of crafting are always on this list. I took a drawing class/session at the library last week that looked into the basics of light and shadow, so maybe I can get into graphite and charcoal sketching!! I used to try some charcoal stuff years ago without instruction, and experimenting it was fun enough to try again.

Last video game: Balatro my beloved !!! It’s been surprisingly fun, despite my fear of deck-builders in the past. I think it helps that there’s a lot of chance and variety to it, so each run can be a chance to try something new.

Last comic/graphic novel: I guess Blue Exorcist? Again, it’s been a minute since I’ve been in a mindset to read 😅 I’m probably going to catch back up on it soon, and I’ve been planning on doing a sakadays reread since my brother just started reading it. We’ll see what happens!!

No pressure tagging @ahobbitincamelot @tonfea @shenyaanigans @reikunrei @lithopsy @celesteeal @suhmayzooka and anyone else who feels like yapping 💚💚💚

[kittyofalltrades]

Stolen Pajamas and Ghibli

Just a little comfort for whoever needs it right now.

Beta: myself I can’t spell sorry

Paring: Steven Grant x Reader (gender unspecified)

Warning: Fluff and Steven being cute

Words: 1196

It had been one of those days, one of those days for a fucking week now. It seemed that everything that could go wrong had gone wrong, including missing time with your boyfriend Steven. Donna had finally been forced to give him the tour guide position and while he relished it, you missed how easy it was to see him. He seemed so happy that you couldn’t diminish it with your problems.

So after a shit week and no Steven you finally caved and went to his apartment, and knocked. It was the polite thing to do even though you had the key and could enter at any time. You briefly considered leaving but decided against it. You let yourself in when you didn’t receive an answer and wandered around his apartment brushing your fingers over his things, trying to find comfort before you left again. But it wasn’t enough. You needed one of Steven’s bone crushing hugs, the kind that made you feel like he was smushing all your broken pieces back together. You decided on the next best thing. You rifled through his dresser and pulled out a pair of his pajamas and pulled them on. You laughed at how they fit, Steven really did have an hourglass figure and his pajamas made that more obvious than his regular loud shirts did. But they were comfortable on your body so you didn’t protest much.

Steven stumbled into the flat tired but happy from another successful shift as tour guide. He kicked off his shoes right near the door and headed to bed ready to crash. He knew he should have dinner first but he was too exhausted to think about it. He went to his dresser intent on his favorite pajamas but found them missing. It was okay he thought one night sleeping in his boxers wouldn’t kill him. He stripped and headed to his bed, with a quick pull of his covers he found you curled up under the bed deeply asleep in his favorite pajamas.

Steven’s face softened and he felt a little guilt, he’d been so deliriously happy he’d forgotten to check in as often as usual. He climbed into the bed and pulled the blanket over you both with a sigh. You meant the world to him and had to resort to climbing into his bed in his favorite pajamas for comfort. If you woke up he’d show you how much he appreciated you.

Your stomach growling woke you, and you cringed when you realised that you’d fallen asleep in Steven’s bed. A warm arm around you cued you in that you weren’t alone, and you rolled over to find Steven in bed with his curls slightly tousled as he snored softly. You brushed a few stray hairs away from his forehead making him stir and give you a sweet smile.

“Morning love, I’m sorry I haven’t been around much recently. Things have been crazy,” he told you softly. “I want to make it up to you.”

Your heart squeezed at his words, it felt like he was saying he was a bad boyfriend and honestly that was the straw that broke the camel's back on your bad week. A few tears slid down your cheeks and you turned away from Steven not wanting him to see you cry. Nobody saw you cry and you didn’t want him to be the first.

“Oh no love I’m sorry what did I do wrong?” Steven asked, worry coating his words while he wrapped you in a hug.

“I’ve had a shitty week. It’s just been one thing after the other and now you think you’re a bad boyfriend for enjoying your job, it's just too much,” you told him while you wiped the tears away. No tears, no crying, you told yourself angrily. Tears elicited pity and sympathy that you didn’t want.

“No don’t cry I’m sorry,” Steven says quickly. “Here I’ll show you I’m not a bad boyfriend. I’ll make your day better.”

Steven climbed out of the bed and took the blanket with him, making you protest the loss of warmth. Within minutes you heard the sounds of popcorn popping and the opening sounds of a movie, it sounded familiar. You ventured out of the bed to find that a nest had been made on the couch with the pilfered blanket. Just as you arrived your favorite song from the Howl’s Moving Castle started to play. And you swayed to the song a little while Sophie talked to her sister on the screen.

Steven walked out of the kitchen holding a big bowl of popcorn wearing a smile. “I know it’s a little late but it’s your favorite movie and I thought it might cheer you up.”

Steven helped you climb into the nest of blankets on the sofa and he passed over the bowl of popcorn. Once you were settled he climbed in behind you and wrapped his arms around you.

“I’m sorry you had a bad day but I hope this helps make it better,” Steven whispered before dropping a kiss on top of your head.

The rest of the night was spent being held by Steven while you watched your favorite Ghibli movies, ending with Howl’s Moving Castle a second time. You tried to insist that he didn’t need to play the movie a second time, especially so late, but he insisted that it was what you needed.

“I love you and if watching this movie with you fourteen times in a row makes you smile again I’ll do it,” Steven said firmly. Then his cheeks heated at the realization of what he said. He’d planned to tell you he loved you but he wanted it to be special. But the more he thought about it the more he realized this was special. “I love you.”

Your heart swelled with happiness when he repeated the words. “I love you too Steven.”

This time when tears leaked down your cheeks they were tears of happiness. In just a little while Steven had taken your shit week and made it better. You pressed a soft kiss to his lips and settled down against him again. “And don’t worry we don’t need to watch it fourteen times in a row….six should work,” you teased.

“If we’re going to do six we may as well do fourteen, it’s only fair,” Steven replied while he dropped another kiss onto the top of your head.

At some point you fell asleep during the second watch of Howl’s Moving Castle and Steven stopped it. Instead he started the soundtrack to play while he carried you to bed to sleep. He looked down at you, and promised dream job or no, he was going to be there for you more often. You shouldn’t have needed to crawl into his empty bed for comfort and he’d make sure it never happened again.

[dreamerwriternstargazer]

Okay so

I have just realised that I have less than a week to be ready to go on holiday, I have to be ready by SATURDAY and the panic is kicking in

Kicking movie night I’m putting on Studio Ghibli while I get stuff done (suggestions please for nice, soothing anime to put on while I get things done?)

I need to put a checklist here because it has literally been years since I’ve gone anywhere and my mum was the one who did most of the organising for me

Contact lenses + sunglasses ✅

Sleeping pills (I’m not entirely sure how I get these my aunty offered me some though? But they’re not melatonin they’re like proper sleeping pills)

Crocs ✅

Sew 2 dresses + 1 shirt/1 shirt + some skirts (ideally today and/or tomorrow)

Get smaller bag for money/essentials

Order insulated water bottle

Get Saudi eSIM (do I do this now or like… the day before I go, I feel like I can buy it now in advance and activate it so I can use it as soon as I land)

Pack on…. Idk I don’t know when you pack the suitcase, I’m assuming Friday morning so I can get the last of the laundry in because I’m only bringing my most worn stuff, so like yeah I’ll pack Friday and be ready in the morning. Probably.

Make a note of everything I’m bringing so I don’t lose anything (yes I am writing an itemisation including clothes)

…..I have an iced coffee and I’m feeling the panic attack coming already I’ve only had two sips

[dailymothanon]

Y’all ever get like this 🤨??? I’m sure humans get like that, I would know. Also Juneau and Augusta has been in my head always lately, yall can’t blame me. Sometimes Juneau just needs a soft day or something! They could watch movies or whatever (Augusta probably introduced Juneau to Ghibli movies and they got obsessed)

Red is their color, because I said so. I made Juneau’s.. idk what they’re called. Moles, I think, I’m not a skin expert; To be the three points of the Alaska Triangle, which is Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow), Juneau, and Anchorage (for those who don’t know, the Alaska triangle is like the Bermuda Triangle but Alaska) meanwhile I’m still unsure what colors and animals I associate with Augusta 🤔 but I hope to explain these two’s designs eventually because I did think and read a lot while making them

I like to imagine every time these two get away with Augusta’s schemes, Augusta likes to joke it was cuz of “Juneau’s pretty privilege”; so much so she sometimes nicknamed Juneau as “Pretty Privilege” to tease them, and cuz I think it’s silly funk and Juneau likely got used to it fast

I also like to imagine Juneau sits straight too much and Augusta probably has kicked them (not too hard, she’s not THAT mean… she’s a sweetheart, even, never committed a crime in her life you can trust her) in the stomach to get them to chill out and sit on a couch not “awkwardly and too formal” she says (she was correct btw. Because once Juneau relaxed they were knocked OUT)

Also this is just some simple stuff cuz I’m busy this week doing volunteer work and I’ve never interacted with kids and children before (don’t ask) so it got me exhausted but I don’t mind, the kids are lovely!! And I’m learning how they work, and I think I’ve been doing a good job so far B)

[disorganizedkitten]

Random question (feel free to ignore! /gen): Have you become interested in any new fandoms recently? If so, why, and which ones?

I have!

 So, I’ve been poking around Danny Phantom for a few years, haven’t published anything other than a cute little crossover fic but I have a whole folder dedicated to them - I like the vibes, the way it can be played to horror or trauma or just for sillies. And I like playing with dead things! The cast is fun too; everyone has their little things but they’re still a team.

 I’m most active currently in Harry Potter as far as writing goes, but reading wise I’ve been on a huge DC kick - mostly batman, but it’s fun to branch out when I get the chance.

 I also stumbled onto the Winx corner of Ao3 a month or so ago; specifically DragonflyxParodies’ A Fable, Agreed Upon series - I’m feral over them. Go read it, it’s lovely. And there are so many cool winx rewrites and redesigns floating around tumblr, it’s so much fun.

  Let’s see, what else; I periodically check in to minecraft smp fandoms; there’s so many options and so much lore to catch up on that it scares me, but it all looks so cool and I really want to catch up and know all the little references I keep seeing.

 I’ve been a Scooby-Doo Gremlin since I was two, and it’s hard to find SD fics that scratch the itch but there’s loads of lovely fanart.

 I can be caught periodically getting very excited about The Coldest Girl In Coldtown by Holly Black; it’s a vampire novel with a lot of really cool worldbuilding and a cast I’d die for.

 Let’s see, what other new fandoms... Megamind’s not new, but it’s been a while since I checked in; once again I think it’s really fun to see the worldbuilding opportunities, and the character dynamics are glorious. 

Other than that: I started watching Only Murders In The Building, and Lucifer recently - I didn’t expect to like either of them as much as I have. Lucifer is way more fun than I thought it’d be, and the characters are exasperating but not in an annoying way. OMITB is interesting but I get so much second hand embarrassment that I can’t binge it. My roommates are also doing a great job of luring me into the Studio Ghibli fandoms - those movies are emotionally dangerous but absolutely adorable, I’ve enjoyed them.

[dilatorywriting]

Hi!

I think your writing is awesome and I especially like the Monster Mayhem series. My favorites are Leona's and Rook's. Vil's witch of the wastes AU was an especially good treat since I'm a sucker for Studio ghibli and Howl's Moving castle was a delight. I swear you have me kicking my feet when I read sometimes lol. I think it was an especially lucky coincidence that you posted the 3rd part of Leona's Monster Mayhem while I was having a hard time so I just wanted to say thanks for that. It really cheered me up since I was anticipating it for a while boy was it a good read. Love your writing! Hope that didn't come across weird lol and sorry for the block of text.

This might be the wrong place to ask, but I really don't know where else to go. So I write fanfic too. AO3 author here lol. But recently I got a comment saying that my work was flagged for AI writing. That kind of hurt since I really enjoyed writing my fic and put a lot of thought and effort into it. the comment was this:

"Comment #́rb́J8yYjGg AI detection algorithm has flagged th́is work as AI generated by Sudowrite. Readers, use AI detector tóols like gowinstoń t́o call out dishoneśt cheating authors."

I really don't know what I should do and if the claim is real or not, or if my writing managed to come off AI generated? You DON'T have to answer if you don't want to, I just really don't know who else to ask.

I actually just saw a post about this today! Apparently the new wave of spam going through AO3 are these “your work has been flagged for AI content” sorts of comments—all from throwaway guest usernames and some containing links that are like “use this FREEE AI scanner website that’s not at all a virus to clear your name!!!”

I’m also on AO3 and thankfully I haven’t encountered these ones yet, but the best advice I’ve seen and also from my own experience of dealing with spam on there is to report the comments to AO3 as spam and if it’s an ongoing problem that’s really bothering you, set your work so that it’s viewable for people with accounts only! That’s been a pretty good way in the past of really nipping spam in the bud!

[augustmourn]

music tag game! tagged by @ladyculebras 💜

13 songs I’ve been listening to lately, in no particular order:

(It would be dishonest to limit this to one per artist, so this will have a lot of Fall Out Boy.)

1. we will never believe again / kick drum beating in my chest again - (Coffee's For Closers) - Fall Out Boy

2. my body is an orphanage, we take everyone in - 27 - Fall Out Boy

3. and I've traced your shadows on the wall, now I kiss them / whenever I'm down, whenever I'm down - G.I.N.A.S.F.S. - Fall Out Boy

4. hush, hush, settle down, button up, don't make a sound - Arlandria - Foo Fighters

5. all the words are gonna bleed from me and I will think no more - Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes

6. you're just a sad song with nothing to say / about a lifelong wait for a hospital stay - Disenchanted - My Chemical Romance

7. we used to stick together, we wrote our names in blood / but I guess you can't accept that the change is good - Ignorance - Paramore

8. I only want what I can't have / I only want what I can't have -"From Now On We Are Enemies" - Fall Out Boy

9. 'cause I built you a home in my heart / with rotten wood and it decayed from the start - Crooked Teeth - Death Cab for Cutie

10. you reject my advances / and desperate pleas / I won't let you let me down / so easily - I Will Possess Your Heart - Death Cab for Cutie

11. I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies / this is the dawning of the rest of our lives - Holiday - Green Day

12. I am not afraid to keep on living / I am not afraid to walk this world alone - Famous Last Words - My Chemical Romance

13. love never wanted me, but I took it anyway - XO - Fall Out Boy

tagging @73chn1c0l0rr3v3l, @kaesaaurelia, @el-michoacano, @queermccoy, @gregwambsganss, @ghibli and anyone else who wants to!

[jrunsthecity]

I’ve been on a studio ghibli kick lately.

[stormyaskgames]

Crimson: One of the ones my bf gave me

Maroon: i’m always the baby

Ruby:🤷‍♂️ idk like i have a concept of time

Brick Red: tons! I used to love to go urban exploring

Merlot: Severe Somniphobia. I have a severe fear of sleep. Its not really a aaaaa scary fear its more like intense anxiety and panic due to trauma and chronic nightmares/night terrors.

Vermillion: XD thats funny you’re funny. Im a severe insomniac that has gone weeks without sleep. Long enough i made myself SEVERELY sick and got pretty delusional and had to be hospitalized because i have nearly killed myself from exhaustion more times than i want to admit too. And i’ve been doing this since i was a small child. Haven’t been able to sleep without pills since i was 6. FUN FACT. When you need sleeping pills over such a prolonged period they wont give you actual sleeping pills (because they are addictive) you get some random medicine with a side effect of knocking you out. Mines technically a blood thinner.

Carnillion: oh i realized. And it was when i started dating my best friend✨💜

Burgandy: Sometimes? Httyd sheets ive had since the first movie came out

Red ochre: that makes me less inclined. That was the reason i refused to watch naruto when it was popular

Garnet: jewelry, Game consoles, idk

Sangria: i dont really enjoy sour or spicy normally unless i am wanting to self harm and then i love it✨ its a kick with no real damage

Cardinal: didn’t legit cry but this country song my bf showed me about being deeply in love with someone and being happy to wake up beside them? Makes me think of him

Blood: Biodad, Mama, Kristy, Grandma Mary Ann

Rosewood: arent online friends basically that? Also i dont see why not!✨

Scarlett: Horror and Childrens, Adventure and Scifi. Also im not picky

Carmine: i like routine

Persian red: no. Pictures are a pain in the ass on here and i dont want too

Strawberry: anything by Creature Feature, The nightmare before christmas soundtrack, ghibli soundtracks

Claret: i dont take public transport

Mahogony: Thermin

Lipstick red: cause chaos? Do crime?

Wine: its honestly pretty boring. I put barely any (it tastes baaaad) in some dr pepper and took a bath.

Cherry: its music alright?

Pomagranate: Favorites: Blueberries, Rasberries, Apples, Mangos, Lychees, Rambutons, Cotton Candy Grapes, Grapples, Pears, Peaches, Pinapple

Least Favorite: Papayas ( tastes more like a spice like rosemary than a fruit. Its not sweet? If im eating fruit i want it to be sweet)

Imperial: THE INVISIBLE MAN FROM THE 30S! nearly 100 years old and it STILL holds up. And the effects are so fun! I love it!✨

🏮 shades of red asks

crimson: if you could have only one photo or poster on your wall, what would it be?

maroon: what role do you play in your group of friends?

ruby: favourite pre-2000 song?

brick red: have you ever been in an abandoned building?

merlot: do you have any unusual fears?

vermilion: have you ever pulled an all-nighter? if so, tell us about the first time.

carnelian: at what point did your life change without you realising?

burgundy: how often do you make your bed? what do your favourite bedsheets look like?

red ochre: are you inclined to watch a tv series if a lot of people on the internet are talking about it?

garnet: what’s the most expensive thing you own?

sangria: to what extent do you enjoy sour candy?

cardinal: what is the first song that made you cry?

blood: which of your family members is your favourite?

rosewood: have you ever had a penpal? would you like one now?

scarlet: think of your favourite genre. what kind of media in that genre do you prefer - books, films, or tv series?

carmine: do you prefer having or not having a schedule?

persian red: answer with a picture of your dream holiday destination.

strawberry: what album would you love to have on vinyl?

claret: talk about a memorable experience on public transport.

mahogany: what is your favourite musical instrument, in terms of sound?

lipstick red: if you could live one day with no one recognising you, what would you do?

wine: tell us about your first experience with alcohol.

cherry: thoughts on mainstream music?

pomegranate: favourite and least favourite fruits?

imperial: what film, in your opinion, has the best cinematography and/or special effects?

[scarletwelly-boots]

Books Read 2024

I read 20 books this year, which is thirteen fewer than last year, yikes. In my defense, I went back to school. I also read 33 graphic novels/comics that I did not factor into the challenge. Not counting those comics, I completed 40% of the challenge. This is my ninth year doing the Popsugar Reading Challenge. Book list and recommendations under the cut.

Agatha of Little Neon, by Claire Luchette (a bildungsroman). This was a book club book, and it was… okay. It’s about a group of young nuns who are sent to help run a Catholic halfway house in the early 2000s. It was fine, but it was a little tedious. 

Love That Dog, by Sharon Creech (a book about a writer/author). I love this book. This was technically a reread, but I haven't read it since I was maybe ten or eleven. Either this book or Walk Two Moons kicked me into an obsession with Creech books as a child. Am I maybe writing a novel in verse currently, at least partly because of rereading this book? Possibly. This is a children’s book, about a boy who is dealing with the death of his dog and learning to like reading and writing poetry. Definitely reread it so I could soak in my grief after my dog died at the beginning of the year. Highly recommend, though!

Trust, by Hernan Diaz (a book from a genre you typically avoid). Historical fiction isn’t really something I avoid, but apparently it also falls under metafiction, which I also don’t actively avoid, but I had to look up what that even meant when I started reading. It’s a little hard to follow, if you don’t look it up on Wikipedia ahead of time, but it was very good. A few times I was getting a hankering for The Communist Manifesto, because the main character like makes money for the sake of making money, and he makes an obscene amount of money in the unchecked stock market of the 1920s. It was a little infuriating at times, but also very good overall. Recommend. 

What If?: Loki was Worthy, by Madeleine Roux (a book recommended by a bookseller). Oh, hey, look at that, my first botched category this year. No one needs to recommend this to me; if you know me, you know I’m obsessed with Loki (I have a side blog devoted to him and, no, you can’t know what it is. I’m keeping these two separate.). But I didn’t even know this existed until I found it shortly after its release at my local comic book store. Guys, I’ve been fucking saying forever, it’s not a question of What If but of When. My boi is worthy, you’re all just haters (I’m including my boi in this). I’m obsessed with this book, it was sooo good. Highly recommend.

When Marnie Was There, by Joan Robinson (a book set 24 years before you were born). Another reread. I love this book. There is a Studio Ghibli adaptation of the same name that is also really good. A shy, anxious foster child goes to stay with friends of her foster mother for the summer. She meets a mysterious girl named Marnie that changes her life. The twist pissed a lot of people off when they saw the movie, but it really hit me personally so I loved it, and also I cry every time I read or watch it. Still highly recommend.

The Pairing, by Casey McQuiston (a book set in a travel destination on your bucket list). Fuck, y’all, this was incredible. RWRB is one of my favorite books, and I Kissed Shara Wheeler was also so good. This book is amazing. Two exes accidentally end up on the same European food and wine tour and end up making a bet to hook up with someone in every city they travel to. As a sex-repulsed asexual, I normally don’t enjoy sex in a novel (or movie or tv show or), and there is a lot of sex in this. But it was so good and the characters are so compelling. Highly recommend.

The Life Impossible, by Matt Haig (a book that came out in a year that ends in “24”). I just finished this. It was another book club book, and I loved it. It’s sci-fi, about a woman who goes to Ibiza to inherit a house from someone she hasn’t spoken to in decades, and in the process gets tangled up in mysterious supernatural circumstances that affect the island, the people she meets, and the woman she inherited the house from. Highly recommend. 

When We Were Sisters, by Fatimah Asghar (a book where someone dies in the first chapter). This was another book club read and it was okay. I didn’t hate it. I also enjoyed that one of the sisters is exploring their gender identity throughout the novel. It’s kind of a hard read. The three sisters’ father dies and their mother is already dead, so their uncle takes them in, but keeps them in a separate residence from his family. He treats them like shit for much of the book and neglects them, leaving the sisters to raise themselves (with the youngest being like five and the oldest only about nine at the start of the book). I recommend it, but it’s heavy. 

The Map of Salt and Stars, by Zeyn Joukhadar (a book with a neurodivergent main character). Look, I once googled neurodivergent (because my siblings were taking issue with my referring to myself as neurodivergent for having anxiety), and at least one source said having synesthesia counted as neurodivergence, so I’m counting it. I loved this book, but it ripped my damn heart out. Part of the book is about a girl trying to escape the violence of early 2010s Syria with her family, while also having multiple forms of synesthesia. The other part follows the story of a girl in the 1300s (I think) who disguises herself as a boy to apprentice for a famous mapmaker, a story retold by the first girl but was originally a story her (deceased) father used to tell her. I found both parts very interesting, but maybe don’t read it while you’re grieving the death of a close friend. It was rough. Recommend anyway.

Yellowface, by R.F. Kuang (a book with a one-word title you had to look up in a dictionary). Second botched category. I know what yellowface means. This was also a book club read (most of my books were this year), and it wasn’t fantastic. The main character is infuriating. She steals the manuscript of an acquaintance whose success she envies after the acquaintance dies. She ends up basically masquerading as an Asian-American in order to justifiably publish the novel without backlash. It was a very frustrating read.

What If?: Wanda Maximoff and Peter Parker Were Siblings, by Seanan McGuire (a book with a title that is a complete sentence). I didn’t like this as much as the Loki one, but it did hold my attention. Basically the title explains the bulk of the story, but this book continues the recent trend in the MCU to just make Doctor Strange every young hero’s dad. Like they aren’t literally raised by Strange, but he is a mentor for Wanda and it’s perfect. Recommend.

Venom and Vow, by Anna-Marie McLemore and Elliott McLemore (a book with an enemies-to-lovers plot). Guys this book was so good. It is alternating perspectives between a transman who is the younger prince of a fantasy country loosely based on Ireland/Celtic culture and a bigender assassin from the neighboring country loosely based on Spain. Due to a magical forest curse, all of the parents who controlled the countries ended up trapped inside the forest, and the countries blame each other, with the main characters blaming each other specifically, for the curse. Also fantastic about this book is it introduced me to my new favorite saint, Marinos/Marina, a real-life saint (by which I mean he exists to real Christians, though he lived a long time ago so it’s unclear if he lived at all) who was AFAB and disguised themself as a boy to join a monastery. Most real Christians refer to him by his feminine/given name today, but his masculine/chosen name is used as the name of a monastery in the book where non-cis people go to learn to present as their gender. Highly recommend.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane, by Neil Gaiman (a book with an unreliable narrator). Neil Gaiman is my favorite author (so I’m a little peeved about the recent scandal), but this book was fucking terrifying. When I read Good Omens and Norse Mythology every year, I forget that the Gaiman who wrote those is also the Gaiman who wrote The Sandman and Coraline. This one is similar to Coraline, with a child narrator and horrifying magical things that happen to him. It was fine, but not one of my favorite Gaiman books. Just be prepared it’s horror fantasy. 

The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store, by James McBride (a book with at least three POVs). This was another book club book, but it was so good. It reignited my utter hatred for the fucking Pennhurst Asylum. Horrible idea, terrible execution, I hope it burns to the ground and for every shitty attendant in the place to die or have died a gruesomely painful death. Anyway, it’s only adjacently about Pennhurst. Mostly it’s about a Jewish couple in the 30s and 40s living in a small town within a black neighborhood. There is quite a bit of racism and anti-semitism, being that time (not that those things have gone away at all), so be warned for that. But the story is really interesting, and the author’s note made me cry because McBride’s inspiration was the camp for people with physical disabilities he worked at as a college student, and that’s my whole thing. I’ve volunteered (but it doesn’t feel like volunteering) for over fifteen years at a similar camp. Recommend.

Gulliver’s Travels, by Jonathan Swift (a book with magical realism). Another book club book. This was okay. It was interesting to know the whole story, because I only know the part that has entered pop culture, with Gulliver tied up by the Lilliputians (the small people). But he is a frustrating narrator, even if for the most part he is surprisingly more open-minded than one would expect for an eighteenth century British noble. I suspect it comes of the author’s homeland having been occupied for two hundred (technically eight hundred) years. Don’t really recommend.

The Sunbearer Trials, by Aiden Thomas (a fiction book by a trans or nonbinary author). This is so good. By the same author as my favorite Cemetery Boys, this is the first book in a duology. It’s like Rick Riordan meets Aztec mythology (I know he technically has an Aztec version of Percy Jackson, but I haven’t read it. It might not even be out yet, I don’t keep up), but trans and gay. Highly recommend!

Most Ardently, by Gabe Cole Novoa (an LGBTQ+ romance novel). Oh my God, guys! I love this book so freaking much!!! This is a trans, queer retelling of my favorite classic, Pride and Prejudice, and my god it does it SO WELL! This was so fucking good. Highly, highly recommend.

The Elder Edda, by Snorri Sturluson (a collection of at least 24 poems). I read this for research for a novella, but exclusively because I needed to. It was fine, but there is something to be said about Sturluson’s application of early Christian morality and mythology on a collection of Norse myths, and while it’s mostly only present when you know he’s writing it as an early Christian, if you do know, my god is it irritating. 

Celestial Monsters, by Aiden Thomas (a second-chance romance). This is the sequel to The Sunbearer Trials. I just finished this, and oh my god, it was so good! It really wrapped up everything set up by the first one. Highly recommend. 

I Shall Never Fall in Love, by Hari Conner (a book with 24 letters in the title). Another botched category, this has 21 letters in the title, not 24. This was so good guys! Very good way to round out my reading year (I’m still working on two books, but this was too summative to pass up). I started the year reading a regency-era, Austen-inspired trans book, and now I’ve finished the year reading a regency-era, Austen-inspired trans book. This is a graphic novel about a nonbinary person who just inherited their family estate, the best friend they’re in love with, and the best friend’s biracial cousin. There were lots of Austen story beats, and the main character, George, even straight up (unknowingly) quotes Pride and Prejudice at one point. They might do this elsewhere in the book with other Austen stories, but I’ve read P+P a few times and seen the movies even more, so I recognize the references better. There are also a lot of references to Emma, but I’m less familiar with that story. Highly, highly recommend!

Comics (Not counted in challenge, issues counted separately)

Thor #3, by Jason Aaron

Thor: First Thunder, by Bryan J.L. Glass

Asgardians of the Galaxy Issues 4-10, by Cullen Bunn

Iron Fist Issue 1, by Alyssa Wong

Iron Fist Issue 5, by Alyssa Wong

The Immortal Thor Issues 6-18, by Al Ewing

The Mighty Thor: Lord of Asgard #64, by Dan Jurgens

Thor #33, by Torunn Gronbekk

The Trials of Loki #2, by Ralph Macchio 

The Mighty Thor #700, by various authors including Jason Aaron

Fence: Challengers: Long Shot #1, by CS Pacat

The Immortal Thor Annual, by Al Ewing

[onlinegratitudes333]

Grateful for:

Studio ghibli, Great movies; what a crazy Japan kick I’ve been on recently? I feel like I’m consuming more media and researching more … I think the truth is I rly want to travel

Going to class; esotericism; how things seem to be connecting recently

Kapka and Isabel

[btsmosphere]

2022 Writing Roundup

Tagged by @here4theheartbreak forever ago!! I’ve had this sitting in my drafts for a bit but only getting it up now because I just couldn’t come up with answers for some sections, but since I have some I wanted to post it anyway! It’s always nice to look back on the year😊

Fandom: bts

Total fics: 11

Total words: 43,143 note: I only included word counts of what I published because I am lazy :)) I have written some wips this year that have yet to see the light of day, but some of them have been going since 2021 and I cba to try and figure it all out

~Favourite Things~

What’s your favorite story this year? Not the most popular, but the one that makes you the happiest. Why? This has got to be Still Waters Run Deep, written for the ghibli collab this year. It’s a only fic I really got my teeth into this year, while a lot of my other work was quite short. Not that that’s a bad thing, but Still Waters felt like much more a labour of love for the fact I pushed it longer than I intended, and it’s still something I enjoy reading!

Top 4 current WIPs - if anyone’s been paying attention to my blog, you’ll have heard a lot about certain wips, which still haven’t made it out and I’m sorry! Here they are:

Supercharged is the big one - and by big I mean it!! This is the longest thing I’ve ever written as it stands and it’s still not finished! Started in 2021 and still persevering, this is a Jungkook x reader enemies to lovers with superheroes, villains and all the trimmings! Highway to You drabbles (I’m grouping this into one here) - I have more in the works for my Highway to You universe (2 stories are already out), which I’m very excited for. It’s a Yoongi x reader mafia au, childhood friends to lovers and stuffed with my fave hurt/comfort Sunken Heart - another story that’s been kicking around since the dawn of time, demigod!Namjoon x royalty!reader mythology au set in atlantis. I promise I haven’t forgotten this one! Autumn drabbles - I had a great time writing 3 bullet fics for 3 hyungs this autumn, and I planned one for every member, so maybe you’ll see those this fall!

Favorite Line - I have a few lines that make me smile this year, but I’m gonna pick the most dramatic one haha: Lightning washed the nightmare in white. - from Still Waters Run Deep. I liked it when I wrote it, but I appreciated it even more when I was reading this part to my bf and he paused at that sentence to tell me how effective he thought it was!

~Question and Answer Time~

Top 2 Resolutions for 2023

Hmm, actually write? I’ve had big chunks away from writing in 2022 and while that’s okay, and breaks can be helpful, mostly these were not. I wanted to write, just never got down to it. When I took part in a november writing goal event, I loved it! just getting myself motivated without that is a challenge Start daydreaming again! In line with my first resolution, I think this is a way to get me motivated. I still daydream of course, but it has shifted to some other fandoms, and while I still love bts, I don’t have their stories on my mind all the time, even though they are stories I like. When I start dreaming up scenes, the need to write them follows, and it’s fun besides :)

Looking back, did you write more fics than you thought you would this year, less than, or about what was expected? Why? I can’t say I really had any expectations, but I have to say less than what I expected. I had been tailing off but I thought I might naturally swing back up again in terms of writing, but alas.

What pairing/genre/fandom did you write that you would never have predicted last year? How was it? I haven’t really done anything on this blog that I couldn’t have predicted.. maybe the bullet fic series? I usually am a bit of a completionist but I found the bullet fics gave me some freedom when working from just a concept/aesthetic, as I did in my autumn drabbles. It was a refreshing change to write! Oh, and they were all in present tense? took a while to get used to and a while to switch back, but it fit the ~vibe~ in terms of other differences, I’ve written a few things behind the scenes for new fandoms, but that’s just for my personal enjoyment at the moment :)

What’s your most popular story with readers?

Heaven’s Open - 534 Number 45 - 178 Won’t Tell - 170 Ride or Die - 139 Still Waters Run Deep - 124 The Web part 6 - 121 Say it with Flour - 94 Autumn with Namjoon - 78 Autumn with Hobi - 58 Autumn with Jin - 36 Trade my Life - 10 (at time of writing, notes are probably a bit different as of posting date)

The magic of Jungkook wins out this year with 534 notes on Heaven’s Open!

What was your most productive days/day of the week/month, etc in terms of writing? October and November! In October I got inspired again by the season and I was buzzing to create again, I started with the seasonal drabbles and then in November I took part in the BTS Writers’ Club’s wrimo challenge, where I wrote something every day! I only posted one fic off the back of that but I wrote over 10k words that month, mostly behind the scenes with longer wips :))

~ Fics Written in 2022~

In chronological order of posting

The Web (part 6) - Jimin x reader You made it out of the web, mostly whole. But will you be able to overcome the damage done to you and your family?

Say it with Flour - Namjoon x reader This had always been a bad idea. You, notorious for kitchen disasters, attending a cooking class. Maybe it could be what you needed to fix your terrible cooking skills - or maybe you could meet someone who makes it so much worse!

Won’t Tell - Jin x reader You aren’t the only one sneaking out at night at hogwarts. In fact, it appears to be a popular pastime - shame it also happens to be extremely banned. Oh well, he won’t tell if you won’t…

Number 45 - Namjoon x reader The man at number 45 becomes the highlight of your shift… Five times you delivered something to Namjoon, and one time he gave something back to you!

Still Waters Run Deep - Taehyung x reader down at the riverbank is a boy whose eyes hold each swell of the waves, whose hair ruffles like the reeds. but the peaceful magic of the river may become your only sanctuary when wilder forces come into play

Heaven’s Open - Jungkook x reader it’s never a good time for the heavens to open, trapping you to wait out the storm. but your own piece of heaven is stuck right there with you - maybe the rainclouds will shed some light on the cold front that has formed between you and Jungkook

autumn with: hobi - “are you cold?” - college au ft. apple picking, chasing leaves, wearing each other’s clothes

autumn with: namjoon -  “you kept this?” - established relationship ft. a carnival, getting lost in a good book, a kiss for good luck

autumn with: jin -  “I hate you - I love you too” - childhood friends au ft. a graveyard, a thunderstorm and seokjin’s sweater paws

Ride or Die - Yoongi x reader yoongi isn’t sure when he became so accustomed to your ineffably cheery presence. until he sees that innocence crack, he hadn’t realised how far he would go to keep it there.

Trade my Life - Jin x reader once, you were just two children giggling in the corner of the dojang, trading equally in punches and hugs, everything a game. but that was long ago, and now that man stands day after day outside the door which separates your two worlds. is the throne really worth leaving the barrier unbroken?

[sherbet-shark]

I do hope I did this right but when you have time could you do headcanons for how Octavinelle and a character of your choice would react to their s/o choosing to stay in twst instead of returning home! Thank you!!!

A Whisper of the Heart

Author's note: Sorry for the tardiness, my dear anon, but school’s midterms kicked me in the tail fin, but this will be fun. Since this request is more extensive, I will reduce the bullets to five instead of nine. And to celebrate the newest installment of the Japanese game chapter! I will add Idia Shroud into the mix!

I’ve been watching Studio Ghibli and got inspired by how Hayao Miyazaki and his team wrote their protagonists and wished that the trio and Idia’s significant other could exude their confidence in themselves and their decisions at the end of their introspection. Hopefully, I wrote well enough to see the growth within these headcanons while still adding realness to the situations and layers to the characters.

Mild Spoilers: Chapter 6 and small hints to Idia’s past

Word count: 5.1k

Trigger Warnings: Angst to comfort scenarios 

◦ You must have a lot of determination and guile to get this conman to open up his heart to you, after many, many times of you trying to prove your usefulness outside of academia and many hours spent at Mostro Lounge. After some talking and one-sided heart hearts, he found himself festering ideas into his mind of you and him together. Or how you’d keep Azul on his feet with some sarcastic remarks or hearing out his entrepreneurial ideas when he got comfortable enough with you.

◦ You two have been together for a considerable amount of time. The thought of you leaving for your homeworld kept ebbing in the recesses of Azul’s mind. You’d find him working furiously in the private V.I.P room with contracts and schoolwork during those times. You never pushed him to open up, especially when there was a glint of an unfamiliar emotion in his sky blue eyes. Ashengrotto had a facade he proudly placed on himself as did most of the students at the college. But something about him made you interested in uncovering all his sides, of course it wouldn’t be an easy road but you were willing. Azul always kept a close eye on you and had the twins keep an eye on you for him when his bouts of realization wouldn’t go away too, a little paranoid that his Angelfish would disappear.

◦The day came when Crowley, that lazy bastard, finally approached you about finding a spell for your return back home, but it had a time constraint. So you had to think of what you wanted when the month was up. You told Azul later that day with a hesitation laced in every word as you still found this piece of information juxtaposing. You hadn’t come up with your decision yet, but Azul took this surprisingly well. He said that he was glad that you had the opportunity to go back home to your friends, family, and your world. But behind that clockwork smile he gave you, his heart shattered. All the white-haired man could do was watch as you said you wanted some time to think alone.

◦ Your answer was crystal clear to you after introspection and decision-making. As you looked at the Mirror of Darkness, your head held high, Crowley’s almost concealed in the room. He didn’t know your decision but assumed this would end, and he would never forget you.

◦ You said something to Crowley and shook your head. Azul saw that the headmaster looked surprised, but his eyes flew to the second year and back to you. Your figure turns away from the opened portal, walks back to your boyfriend with a familiar determination, and hugs Azul. You knew he wasn’t big on physical touch, especially from strangers, even he was a bit snippy about you getting handsy, but you wanted you to embrace him and that he’d accept your confirmation. Azul’s brow knitted together as his mind scrambled. He automatically braced himself, desperately trying to put two and two together in his frazzled mind. ‘Maybe you wanted to give him a farewell kiss and hug?’ Or perhaps- the octomerman’s flustered thoughts stopped as you tighten your grip on him and lay your head in the crevice of his neck.

“I’m not going away. I came to that decision a while ago. And I don’t want to leave this place, and I don’t want to leave you.”

Azul’s rigidness slowly relaxed as he breathed in your comforting scent and enclosed his arms around you. He closes his eyes, feeling them tingle slightly, and revels in your touch as Crowley closes the portal and leaves the lovers to their heartwarming hug. The businessman surmised that he’d be ok with his lover’s warmth in this instance.

◦ Wow! You captured the ever gentlemanly vice dorm leader Jade’s attention and kept it! Not to mention a clever mind to keep him on his toes or tail fins. That’s a fantastic accomplishment in itself! He doesn’t like being able to predict things and tires of situations and people that are so much like clockwork but well.  Ever since you dropped from the sky, his school, and his personal life, he found entertainment in playing with you. –Subtly poking and prodding at any weak spots, already finding glee in your delightful unpredictable reactions. After a long while of cat and mouse, you and him bonded and somehow made what Jade assumed to be a fleeting interest, but against his power, his emotions deepened and intrigued him more and more. It would take Jade a long while to discuss his feelings and whether they were real. But after that introspection, he concluded that his journey of uncovering who you are was far from over. And perhaps you being by his side would prove intrigued to his life, and it did! 

◦ Jade, along with Azul, knew that the option of your return back to your world was there. At the same time, the fact that you’d be able to return was unknown was something to account for and reflect on. Still, whenever he pondered too much, he’d become even more menacing to outsiders and full of passive aggression. His closed-eyed, pointed smile and aura made the Octavinelle students even more scared to approach the twin. While he’d diligently work as a server and cook, the teal-haired man would sometimes need seclusion tending to his terrariums in the Botanical garden or his shared room with Floyd. You would go to Mostro Lounge to work on your papers and homework in the elegant restaurant and would often notice his aura and the strain in his carefully crafted facade and check in with his well-being. Jade would join you at your table and watch you work in silence under the delicate, soft lights.

◦ Crowley summoned you to his office and informed you that he finally found your way home, but it was a one-way trip. So you had to think long and hard about both of the options before you. Either you could return to your old life and slowly believe that what you went through in Twisted Wonderland was a dream. Or you could throw away all traces of your past in a world that’s still so supernatural with mystical happenings and live out your life with ideally the man that has your heart now or be faced with the fact that you stranded yourself in a world without Jade. The dread and confusion stirred in your heart and mind pounded. Even if you wished and longed for the comforts of your home and people, it must be fate’s punishment for whatever you did in your past life. It felt like something out of a fantasy young adult drama or a book. 

◦You couldn’t bring yourself to tell Jade, but your distant mannerisms couldn’t escape Jade’s everso watching heterochromatic eyes. He cornered you one weekend afternoon while walking to your dorm with his signature intimidating smile. His arms trap you against the sturdy wood of a tree as he starts to interrogate his lover. While he never scared you too much earlier in your relationship, you never forgot what he was capable of, who he was and his motives for certain things eluded you most of the time, but this is one of those times your heart spiked in fear or fluster. As his interrogation continued, you spilled the beans, and his beautiful eyes widened for a fraction of a second, and the tautness of his arms loosened. He wasn’t expecting that and looked at you quizzically as if wanting you to elaborate, and so you do. As he listened intently to your woes about your predicament, Jade hummed in thought and released you from the suffocating atmosphere between the two of you. He apologized for acting previously and asked if you could forgive his actions. You tease the 2nd year and reply, “I’m not so sure I will, Mr. Leech.” You deflect, trying to make light of the situation, and the Eel smirks as he escorts you to your dorm. 

◦ After much thought and assurance by the vice-dorm leader after his words, Jade concludes that the choice is entirely up to you. He wouldn’t tell you what to do, only give you his thoughts about specific options. Soon it was late after dusk, and he had to return to his dorm and kiss your forehead muttering that you have the power of choice, and he’s eager to know your answer. After many sleepless nights and daydreaming about everything, you conclude and ask Jade one day to accompany you on your way to inform headmaster Crowley of your decision. You give no hint to your boyfriend as he could only glance at your surprisingly brave face as the sounds of dress shoes click to their destination. You reach out your hand for his touch, and he notices quietly entwining your fingers in comfort, thus strengthening your resolve. 

       You both enter the office in a blink of an eye, then stand before the enthusiastic yet mysterious headmaster. You take a deep breath with newfound confidence, “Headmaster Crowley, while I’m glad about this discovery. I have decided that I’d like to stay here in Twisted Wonderland. I know that I have a life back home, and I’ll be leaving so many good people, and there’s no guarantee I’m making the right choice. I chose this path before me, and for some reason. I’m not lonely as I initially was. It’s your decision on what to do with the portal or spell. But I’m staying here.”

As you finish up your speech, you gratefully nod to Crowley then look up at Jade to look at his face. Jade was prepared for any of the options you would choose, and either way, would accept his fate, but hearing that heartfelt speech from your lips while still cheesy and made light of many things told him that you would stay in his grasp and his heartbeat quickened as he smiled once more. As you both walk out of the room, Jade grasps your hand and peers down at your smaller form and kisses your hand in true gentlemen’s form, and utters, 

      “While that speech of yours was sweet and cute, I promise you this. By staying by my side, I can assure you that my eyes will never wander, and I will see that your days are filled with a thrilling excitement as payment for the exhilaration you brought to me.”

◦ Floyd Leech is an unpredictable, volatile man both in academia and in personality. The mountains of patience you have must be somewhat on par with Jade’s, that’s for sure. Floyd, along with Jade, got introduced to you when you tried to get your idiot friend out of Azul’s contracts. He didn’t think much of you but was in one of his good moods, and after your friend paid their due, he sought you out. The way Floyd treated you was similar to Riddle. He liked actively pushing your buttons, saying some remarks that at times did hurt your feelings. Floyd didn’t always burst in on your space, nor did the second year always stay. When his moods dropped, he’d roll his eyes, groan and leave abruptly. His unpredictability made you wary, but something about him was appealing, or someone bewitched you. 

Or you’re a masochist. Probably a combination of all three. As he undoubtedly started his routine of messing around with you, you began to notice some things. He was rather intelligent with his out-of-the-box thinking and carefreeness when he wanted to be by himself, yet you respected him and his need for abrupt space or alone time. You never pushed yourself onto him, nor did you expect his moods to become better once you become better friends magically. If his twin brother and Azul couldn’t handle and tame Floyd’s mood swings, why would you, a stranger- may be an acquaintance or a plaything to him have this power over him? And so, you never shackled yourself to his side. 

Instead, you opted to leave him alone to ruminate on his lonesome, and he’d come back chipper and happy on his own. Yet despite his intimidating atmosphere, you found that there were so many sides to him. Every day seemed like it was new and exciting with Floyd around. Luckily, your feelings of interest weren't one-sided, but this still shouldn’t be so lighthearted. Floyd found your fun to be around, and you weren’t much of a stick in the mud. You left him alone when he didn’t want to be around you anymore but still treated him respectfully, which he appreciated while he didn’t show it. He was used to being treated as someone dangerous and didn’t expect anything intelligent, but oddly you would praise him when Floyd’s thinking, no matter how unconventional, helped the situation. He found that praise as something the second year started to repeat in his mind, and he’d be a little more mature with you.

◦ Floyd waltzed up to you one day, squeezed the daylights out of you, and exclaimed he liked you and that you two should date! Squeaking out a yes (your ribs and back were breaking, you swear to this day little bit of your soul escaping like in those anime shows), it was comical to the outsiders, yet it made you and the tall second year happy. Being in a relationship with Floyd Leech wasn’t sunshine and rainbows, but it wasn’t all rainy days either. It was a mixed bag every day, and I hope you’re not the type to put pressure on special days like Valentine's or need regular dates because you’ll get a range of things. From one second, he's as clingy and affectionate as can be the other. He’ll meanly tease you over everything and prod you. Or give you so many kisses and hugs that your friends gag at the sweetness.

 With the teal-haired man, it’s always a wild ride. While Floyd’s carefree nature was calming at times, and he did what he wanted at a fast speed, it didn’t mean he was dumb. Night Raven College did choose him too, after all. Because of this, Leech would sometimes let his mind wander onto the fact that you might leave if that ditzy headmaster of theirs got his shit together. When Floyd’s mind pondered this thought a little too much, his mood would dampen, and this is the only time your presence brings his spirits up and clings to you. No matter if he's working at Mostro Lounge or in class. Other times, his carefree and delinquent-like persona would let this revelation go and leave his mind like how the waves would carry its inhabitants from one place to the other. 

◦ Crowley had met you one day in your dorm to inform you. After months of searching for your home and how to return to you, Crowley found an ancient spell. His glowing yellow eyes seemed to be taunting you with the “kindness” of his stare, expecting a range of emotions. He was met with a startled look and a fallen crested expression painting your face.

 “My dear prefect! I would have imagined that you would be leaping with joy! Is this something you didn’t wish for before this year? However, this grand discovery has an inconvenience attached: you will forget everything you’ve experienced here. The friends you made. All you know of Twisted Wonderland will slowly disappear, and these memories will erode.” Crowley tilted his head curiously, but his enthusiastic voice rang out into the dorm Lounge. Dread filled your lungs, and your hands trembled at his warning, and with Crowley-like style, he had to hurry on his way back to his office to take care of “business.” Leaving you to your thoughts in the Lounge. You felt like crying and laughing as you reached for a nearby pillow to scream. 

◦ Fate must love hurting you. Because after that more or more miniature bomb, you became more antsy, jumpy, and more miserable in general. Floyd finally saw that even when he didn’t try to scare you with pranks, you just seemed blue. He gruffly marched to where you sat at the lunch table, unceremoniously plopped his bum before your vision, and narrowed his eyes in frustration. 

“Hey. Why so blue, Clam Cake? It’s starting to piss me off.” Floyd bluntly remarks as he stares a 100-meter long gaze right through you. He was always blunt, but he started to treat you more kindly as your relationship progressed. Today wasn’t one of his happier days. Glancing at your friends, you stand up and take Floyd by his arm and into the hallway. The taller man followed you behind while groaning. Why did you have to be so stupidly secretive? As you illustrated, your problem Floyd’s annoyed demeanor changed into a starstruck expression as he raised his eyebrow, asking if you were pulling his leg.

You weren't, and he dragged you outside of school so you could both talk. At this time, you could care less about the school, and you wanted to talk to him. Floyd quietly spoke as he recalled the side effects if you left. He felt a hole grow in his heart as the teal-haired man gave his piece. “Listen, Clam Cakey. I won’t tell you what to do, but I’ll miss you if you leave. If you don’t go then. I’d be really happy if you did.” He rested his head on your shoulder as you sat on the grass. Your boyfriend wrapped his hand into yours and sighed. As he napped in the afternoon sun, it left you with time to think. Raising your joined hands, you kiss his hand and ponder everything. 

◦ After you told Floyd everything, you saw that he was more attentive and helpful to you. You stuck with him a little more, wanting to savor everything and ponder everything in the Mostro Lounge and your room. In the early morning, you thought everything through and then some. Calling Floyd, praying to whatever deity was up In Twisted Wonderland, he was up, and he was! Floyd sleepily picked up the phone and answered lazily. After you plead with him to come with you to tell Crowley what your answer is. He nodded and agreed as Leech got up and ready for the day. He had a pep in his step; Floyd met you outside the office, but before you'd say to the headmaster. Your boyfriend scooped your tired body up in the tightest, most affectionate-filled hug, but there was tenderness too. You know Floyd profoundly cares about you despite his acts while he was clumsy in your relationship. You were too. But you both still got up again, and you loved Floyd for who he is. 

“Clam Cake… I’m so happy right now,” Floyd brightly smiled, his sharp teeth gleaming in the dark hallway as he clung to you. He pressed kisses all around your face, and you hugged back. The second year's heterochromatic eyes closed as he savored the feeling of you. “I'll make sure you won't get bored by my side. After this, we should skip school and celebrate.” The eel-mer continued as he held you close, then rapid tapping on his arm brought his head out of the clouds, and he gently placed you down to the floor. Hand in hand, you and Floyd headed into the unknown, but you had each other.

◦ Idia Shroud is ever so elusive and somewhat odd 3rd year; even you had to admit that. He was hard to pin down outside of the comforts of his dorm or physically. But you made do with it when you would see Idia; you'd be calm, cordial with the nervous 3rd year. Which he appreciated, but he had to wonder if this sunspot had any ulterior motives to get to the man. He was skeptical about your so-called kindness, but he was grateful that you weren't too over-excited or an extrovert. Idia never cared for those stereotypical types. Instead, he found these types to be immense pain in the ass. Don't even get him started on people that try to widen their social circles and butt their snobby little noses into other businesses. Great Fire. Those people. Ugh, Idia can feel his blood pressure skyrocket when he has to interact with those newbs.

But moreover, after grueling moments of trying to open Idia's walls and prove yourself to Ortho, you won over Ortho's trust and, more importantly, Idia's. He still was nervous about showing you his hobbies like anime, pop idols, games, coding. But still, he would update you if you asked about his hobbies in a calm voice. His nervousness didn't mean you'd be safe from his sharp tongue, not quite the opposite. He'd openly sass you and be a little more snippy, even if it was through a floating iPad. Ortho would brightly beam as you became good friends with his older brother. Yet there was something you couldn't explain if you did anything harmful to Idia. You thought the robotic boy's protective and loving nature he had for the older Shroud was sweet, and you'd extend the exact nature to him. After all, the little boy had your respect and your platonic affection. Like the other students enrolled in Night Raven College, Idia had no shortage of secrets, and honestly, you respected his privacy. You would flip if he pushed you to your boundaries.

◦ After a lot of bonding time and thinking, you found that you liked each other. However, one thing that made Idia stop acknowledging that the platonic relationship you had grown was, aside from his anxious nature, was the strange idea of your departure from Twisted Wonderland and, by extension, him. He knew it was a stretch, yet Idia was the dorm leader of Ignihyde and his parent's company for a reason. He was hesitant, but you weren't at this point and asked him face to face in the comforts of his dorm room if he'd like to date each other. You said that he was charming in his way and an intriguing person that you wanted to know more about. With crimson red cheeks and a beautiful cacophony of red oranges, Idia danced in his fiery blue hair and quickly nodded—hiding his face with a cartoon pillow.

◦Idia is a pessimistic but reasonable man, and as the relationship deepened, his trust issues and insecurity about himself would flare-up. Cueing a small heart-to-heart, you and Ortho would try to get him out and about in public. Initially, he found it annoying, but he liked it if it was a quiet place and secluded. He enjoyed every second of his time when it was just you and him in his room playing games, or you'd do your thing, and he would do his hobbies but at night and sometimes during the day when he was alone. The older Shroud started a new project if Crowley ever did find a way back to your home. Creating a virtual reality where you were still here with him and responding to his questions was a complex situation. But this would be a cakewalk once he got all of the small details of your face, personality, the way you spoke. Anything to make this virtual you. Seem more like the real thing.

Idia's pessimism was correct to start this project as he saw the headmaster of the school waltz his way into a classroom with barely any students left in the room. Crowley beckoned you to the outside of the hallway, and when you returned, pack up and continue your conversation with your boyfriend. That familiar and pretty gleam in your eye and demeanor dimmed. He could only assume the worst as the 3rd year watched you leave for your next class with a weak farewell wave and smile glued on your face.

◦The third year grew somewhat distant from you as he devoted even more time to perfecting his project. Idia's sudden reclusiveness made Ortho act. As the robotic boy tried and failed to coax his brother out of the recesses of the high-tech room, you appeared with a steward face and apologized for making Ortho deal with his big brother's relationship problems. As you explained yourself to the younger boy, he nodded and did a full-body scan to see if you were telling the truth. The boy was pleasantly surprised as he asked more in-depth questions and if you would leave the Shroud brothers and this world behind. Shaking your head, the memories of you holed up in your bed covers, thinking and mostly sulking away. What the headmaster told you that day was surreal, as you left to attend the remainder of your classes for that day, but in all honesty, you were drifting in each period. The professor's words fell to deaf ears. Too busy weighing your choices.

Finally, walking alone, you texted Idia that you wanted to be alone for a while and had a lot of homework. You took a couple of walks around campus, allowing your thoughts to flow through clearly, and emotions were high. As you overthought and found yourself at your dorm, slowly walking past the door and into the Lounge, you sat down on the couch. The dormitory ghosts appeared and asked you why you looked so overwhelmed, and you told them everything. The spirits, while quirky, they grew on you and vice versa. After telling them everything and asking for advice, they looked at each other and back to you. They asked if you wanted to leave and if you wanted to stay if you correctly understood the pros and cons.

After a moment of silence, you came to your decision and walked to Ignihyde to speak with your boyfriend. You didn't see for a while but wanted to dispel any misunderstandings between you and him.

◦ Leading you to your current circumstance, as you looked at Ortho, it looked like his bright eyes were watering if that could be possible. He has never met a person dedicated to his brother just as much as the young boy. He stepped aside and let you open the door into Idia's room, the two of you slowly listening to the rapid taps of his keyboard and multiple monitors strung up, illuminating the otherwise dark room. You could see bases for a figure in one monitor, and the other looked like background programming. Calling out to the young man hunched over his cluttered desk, he looked too deep into his work, but you persisted.

You call out to him and think of what you said to the ghosts moving forward. "I feel... I want to. I wanted to stay here, thought about this, and swore that I wouldn't make many friends. Because I'd leave on the bright side, but now that I've met so many people, I have gotten used to this world. Fell in love with Twisted Wonderland and Idia- I. I know what and who I'll leave behind back home, and I don't know if this hole will be filled. I doubt it will, but I know that they want me to be happy, and while it had its massive ups and downs, that's all I've felt here. I've been so happy." Crying into your clammy, sweaty hands. The ghosts came to your aid and soothed your soul. They didn't speak, but as you said, it slowly came into place for you, and you raised your head to meet their coal eyes.

“ Idia, I had a feeling that you know what Crowley said. But I'm here now, and I wanted you to hear it–.” You were cut off as a familiar voice came over the speakers.

"Idia Shroud, I think you're an exciting guy, and after hanging out with you a lot. I want to try my shot at confessing to you. You were an unexpected person in this whirlwind of an experience, and I told myself that I wouldn't have a lot of friends here after learning about my situation. But you. You made me want to know you more, you're so charming, and I know it's stupid. I want to try dating you. I like you, and I don't care about what-ifs when I'm with you. I just want to know more about you."

Was it your confession to him?! How did he get that? You did confess to him at his dorm, but. As the recording cut, his gaze finally met yours. The molten gold eyes you always loved looked fearful, just like how you first met the third year. Idia was waiting for the other shoe to drop and say you were leaving him. You were freaked out about the little project he started. He was waiting for a disgusted look painted on your pretty face, but it never came as you slowly enclosed your arms around the chair and placed your head on his flaming head. The monitors showed a pixelated version of you but didn't judge you a little freaked out, but at the same time, you were heartbroken. However long he created this project, the idea was looming over his mind. That much was apparent.

"Idia, I'm not leaving. I'm staying, and I'm so sorry for not talking to you about what that bird told me, but I was so confused. I know now that I want to stay here, you as I walked over here and thought about this for a while. I- you inspire me so much. You inspire me to live this crazy life with you." Idia's heartbeat sped up as he quietly turned his chair to look at his lover and little brother, watching as the words left your lips. The third year felt like he was in an anime or an Otome game, and he unlocked a secret ending. His ending, but he still couldn't believe it as Idia opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Pale cheeks and hair burst into reds and oranges.

"I'm... what about your family, you... You're something. So this is what that old saying means, 'people do crazy things when they're in love.' huh..”

[kimistorm]

My Heart Gone Missing [Chapter 10]

Fandom: Studio Ghibli (Howl’s Moving Castle)

Pairing: Friendship! Howl x GN! Reader

Warnings: Very brief mention of food

AN: Fun fact, this story is actually completely written, I just forget that I haven't posted all of it OTL If it's been weeks since I uploaded this chapter and there's no update, feel free to send me an ask~

Masterlist

“Marius,” you called through the house. You were descending the stairs from your room with a full backpack slung over your shoulder. “I’m going to be out for awhile.” You decided against going to find Howl but instead decided to find an even larger library of spells.

Marius snorted, “is this yet another one of your brilliant plans?”

You took a deep breath, “yes, it is actually, and I’ll be gone for probably a week.”

“A week?” Marius demanded and whirled around to face you in shock. “What sort of crazy plan do you have now?”

“I’m going to school.” You smiled and dropped your bag onto a chair.

“You’re going to school.” Marius deadpanned.

“Yeah!” you smiled, “I’m going to head to the Academy and see if they have anything that can be of use.” You explained and opened up the chalk tin for a piece of chalk, “I doubt anything in my collection has anything to do with transforming into a bird So, do you need anything?” you questioned and looked at him expectantly.

“What do you mean, ‘do I need anything?’” Marius returned scathingly.

“Guess that answers my question.” You grumbled under your breath and grabbed the broom in the corner of the room.

“What are you doing?” Marius demanded as you drew geometric circles on the floor.

“Magic.” You answered.

“I can see that,” Marius snapped, “but what are you doing with said magic?”

You put the chalk on a table and clapped your hands to rid yourself of chalk dust, “enchanting a broom.”

Marius snorted, “you’re enchanting a broom?” he cackled, “what is this, a fairy tale?”

“Brooms are just really good mediums for a flying enchantment.” You shrugged and placed the broom in the center of the geometric circles.

Marius continued to cackle and cough from amusement, “that is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard! You’re officially off your rocker.” You ignored his insult and started the incantation. It caused the circles to glow a warm golden light and the light bathed the broom. This continued for a moment until the light died down and you could see the broom hovering a few feet above the pattern you drew. “I can’t breathe!” Marius gasped from laughter, “you wizards are the craziest people.”

“Promise you won’t flood the house?” you questioned as you tugged your backpack on.

“Sure sure.” Marius waved but was still bent over double in laughter.

“You don’t need food or stuff?” you asked another question.

“Whatever stuff you got me would be poisoned.”

You rolled your eyes at his absurd comment, “your loss.” You grabbed the broom and walked over to the door. The portal was to the waste and you opened the door, exposing you to the harsh, howling wind outside. “Don’t cause any damage Marius!” you commanded and walked out the door.

“Get me seaweed!” he shouted moments before you closed the door shut with a snap. You wrapped your scarf around your face and pulled your hood on tight before getting onto the broom. You made sure that everything was balanced and settled before you kicked off and flew up into the air.